The low consumption of the Firefly Lamp amazed Ji Xia greatly. Its consumption was even lower than that of rune-based magic.
That day, unable to resist, he used the Great Sun Spirit Eyes to observe the Firefly Lamp. What he saw were numerous strange waves interacting in intricate patterns, along with many magical lines. The connections within were profoundly complex, and despite Ji Xia's exceptional talents and the help of Zong Fang's sandalwood, he couldn't make any headway. In the end, he had to attribute it to the mystery of the Immortal Tree.
Now, as he took out the Firefly Lamp and had Gu Xuan light it, everyone present was even more astonished. How could such a small lamp produce such powerful and unique light?
How many mysterious treasures did Ji Xia possess? Could he be a reincarnated god, having found the treasures of his past life?
One question after another lingered in their minds, and Ji Xia's status in their hearts grew even higher and more enigmatic.
"This lamp will first be used to help the newly relocated Taicang citizens build houses. Afterward, it will be given to the Lingyun Pavilion to speed up progress. The bodies of the heroic martyrs need a place to shelter from the wind and rain," Ji Xia commanded.
"Once these two tasks are completed, the Firefly Lamp will be managed by the Taicheng government and used wherever needed."
Before anyone could recover from their astonishment, Ji Xia issued his orders.
Rong Lou, the Duke of Taicheng, immediately stepped forward and bowed in response.
Looking at the glowing Firefly Lamp in Gu Xuan's hands, Grandpa Nine took several steps back and slowly knelt.
"Your Majesty, the people of Jiangu have received the great favor of life and rebirth from you. Please accept our people's bow!" he said.
Over a thousand people from Jiangu knelt down with Grandpa Nine, bowing to Ji Xia.
Ji Xia did not stop them, standing with his hands behind his back.
"From this day forth, you are all citizens of Taicang. There will no longer be a Jiangu people; you are now all Taicang humans!" he declared, his voice steady, and the crowd responded with a thunderous cheer.
In the capital city of the Great Fu, in the sacred palace of Xuyang, a group of black-robed figures walked under the cover of night. Their faces were expressionless, their demeanor cold, and they emanated a strong aura of spiritual energy, mixed with a heavy smell of blood.
On the ground before them lay a half-human figure, its body disintegrating into countless tiny black corpse liquids, which formed long, flowing arms. These arms continued to advance, and the liquid seemed to crawl like water, spreading across the ground.
In addition to this, their bodies were enveloped in a thin layer of bubbles, which concealed their figures, auras, and sounds, allowing them to move undetected in the Xuyang palace.
"Master Dark Priest, we wasted so much time in the Ghost Soul Forbidden Domain. That thief who stole from the treasury may have already gone far," one of the black-robed figures spoke hoarsely.
"No matter," came the cold voice of Dark Priest. "A mere child who hasn't even entered the divine realm. Even if he has extraordinary combat abilities, as long as we confirm his position through the divine statue, he won't be able to escape, no matter where he runs."
His voice was chilling and terrifying. "When the time comes, I will refine him into corpse oil and preserve his soul, torturing him day and night, making him realize that the things of Lord Yin Jun are not meant for mere mortals to steal!"
Many of the sacrificial priests shuddered at Dark Priest's words. They had witnessed his terrifying methods—so cruel and bloody that even after death, the victim would still experience pain through their remaining soul.
"Master Dark Priest, after lying low in the Great Fu for so many years, we've managed to break the barriers of the Xuyang palace with Lord Yin Jun's divine power. Is it not a waste to give up this sacred temple?" another priest asked.
"Waste? The most valuable things in the temple were the divine statues and the treasury. Now that the treasury is gone, and we have traitors among the sacrificial priests, we must be cautious. Let's take the divine statue and leave the city of Fu, find a remote town to lie low for a while," Dark Priest explained as he quickly moved forward. "Besides, I have a premonition that King Fusheng's power is far beyond our expectations. He might have already built his fourth spiritual abode. If we stay here in the temple, exposed, we may be discovered by him and be doomed!"
The priests were stunned.
King Fusheng was barely over two hundred years old, and he had already attained the fourth spiritual abode?
The realm of spiritual abodes was where a cultivator formed spiritual embryos and expanded them into vast regions, building spiritual abodes to house their spiritual awareness and energy. The larger and more numerous these abodes, the greater the cultivator's power.
A practitioner who had achieved four spiritual abodes was a terrifying existence beyond their imagination!
"Master Dark Priest, the Fu Clan's bloodline seems to be rising. If King Fusheng doesn't die, with his talent, he will only become stronger, and the Fu Clan will rise. Should we place some bets on this?" one of the sacrificial priests asked.
Dark Priest remained silent for a long time before responding, "King Fusheng has reached this level under such harsh conditions. His character must be extraordinary. We cannot approach him directly."
His two dark eyes gleamed with deep thought. "Perhaps we can target the royal family, those who crave power and position. Let's place our bets there."
The other sacrificial priests nodded in agreement. If they could manipulate the power of a huge kingdom, the benefits would be immense!
"The rise of the Great Fu depends on the neighboring Qiling Kingdom and the Bai Mu Kingdom. They are the true rulers of this vast region. Without the protection of that powerful figure, the Great Fu would never have developed to this terrifying extent in just three hundred years."
"But now, with King Fusheng, a monster who has reached the fourth spiritual abode at just over two hundred years old, everything has become unpredictable. The spiritual abode realm grants a thousand years of life. If King Fusheng advances further and attains the Divine Platform, this Xunkong region will face a storm of bloodshed!"
"The three kingdoms of the Xunkong region have been suppressed for too long. Once war breaks out, at least a billion lives will be lost. Many small kingdoms won't even qualify to be cannon fodder, and will perish in the aftermath of war. Entire races may be wiped out!"
The sacrificial priests felt a tremor in their hearts at Dark Priest's description. The thought of the entire Xunkong region being swept by war, with billions of lives lost, filled them with both awe and dread.
If such a massive amount of blood and flesh were sacrificed, the bridge between two worlds could be built, and their divine patron would descend upon the boundless wilderness. As priests, they would receive the highest rewards from the patron.
They would be granted perfect bodies and eternal life!
In that moment, they even wished for King Fusheng to reach the Divine Platform as soon as possible!