115: Chapter 109: Xu Hu Becomes a Deity!

115: Chapter 109: Xu Hu Becomes a Deity!

Ascension to godhood could only grant divine status to those of demon bloodlines; mortals could only enhance themselves through blessings from the divine system.

Although a mortal of excellent aptitude could reach a significant potential within the divine system, if the main god bestowing the blessing had limited talent, it would greatly restrict the promotion speed of the mortals under their command, which was a disadvantage of the divine pathway system.

Xu Hu had great potential, and Chen Qing knew this the moment he extracted Xu Hu’s data from the Mirror Demon.

Previously, under Chen Qing’s command, there were only the Door Guardian System and the Mountain God System, so the Mirror Demon could only exhibit Xu Hu’s limits within these two systems.

Nevertheless, Xu Hu received an unequivocal approval from the Mirror Demon, who served under Door God Old Wolf, a third-rate demon, that Xu Hu could ascend to the rank of Heavenly General!

What did the title of Heavenly General signify?

It was the ultimate rank a Gatekeeper Soldier could achieve, and even during the period of spiritual transformation, Heavenly Generals belonged to the upper echelons of combat power.

Such beings were not only wasted on Old Wolf, but Chen Qing also felt it was a pity to give them to Wei Gongcheng, a Yama Lord whose talent wasn’t too low.

However, Ghost Doll couldn’t directly confer titles at this point, and the only one Chen Qing could offer was Wei Gongcheng, which led to the idea of transforming this man into a demon.

The poison of the Ancient Worm was unique, different from that of the Sea Demon Insect, which directly took over the brain and turned people into puppets.

Once the Ancient Worm entered the human body, it would swiftly activate the already deceased flesh and then coexist with the body, eventually demonizing the human’s corpse!

Even though it took over your body, to some extent, it was helping your body evolve.

The reason Chen Qing hadn’t freed Xu Hu immediately was that he was waiting for him to fully demonize!

However, this was risky.

Xu Hu’s soul hadn’t left his body immediately because Chen Qing had forcibly saved him.

Under these circumstances, once demonization occurred, Xu Hu’s soul also faced a significant risk of becoming demonized, and the probability was not small!

Once the soul was demonized, even if it went to the Underworld, purifying Xu Hu would become exceedingly difficult, or perhaps even impossible, ruining such a promising seedling completely.

During such experiments, Chen Qing himself was apprehensive.

Even with the calming effects of the Mountain God Elixir on the Ancient Worm and golden needles to seal the brain’s acupoints, all these were merely supplemental measures.

Should this man’s will falter even slightly, all could be lost in an instant!

Chen Qing was willing to take this gamble because he saw the strength of the man’s willpower by the well when he resisted the cadaveric poison to such an extent.

Added to that, Chen Qing urgently needed a righteous War God in his ranks, so he took the risk.

Fortunately, the man did not disappoint him!

“Xu Hu, you are a rare hero in this world.

For you to have endured this far, I have the utmost respect for you.

Rest assured that I will ensure you reunite with your wife, and you shall not be separated by life and death!”

“My lord…” Upon hearing this, Xu Hu managed a weak smile and solemnly said, “Thank you for saving my life, my lord.

From now on, my life is yours!”

“Good!” Chen Qing was waiting for those very words.

The Official Seal in his sleeve shone with brilliant light!

Decree: Lyuzhou’s Xu Hu, to be the General Hu Wei of the four departments of wind, thunder, earth, and fire, a legitimate War God!

As the decree was pronounced, Chen Qing’s voice was profoundly heavy, like an announcer of the world’s rules.

Murong Yunji and Chen Ying could clearly feel the massive spiritual energy converging around them.

The spiritual power was so vast that they felt their very souls would be torn apart by the storm of spiritual force should they leave their bodies.

This scene was all too familiar to Murong Yunji; she had witnessed it before when she stormed into Lyuzhou City with great fervor!

So the man who looked like a war god before…

was actually produced by this fellow’s methods?

What sort of technique was this?

Could it be that any ordinary person, under his hand, could become one of the world’s supreme warriors?

While Murong Yunji was deep in thought, Xu Hu’s entire body rose into the air, buoyed by the immense spiritual power, shooting up like an arrow and piercing through the clouds, his dazzling golden light illuminating them.

For a moment, it even outshone the fierce sun.

Everyone in Lyuzhou City was startled by this extraordinary spectacle and turned their eyes skyward!

In the next instant, a tiger’s roar resounded, and from the golden clouds emerged a towering figure in black armor, striding through the air, every step seeming to press heavily upon the hearts of those watching!

In that moment, without anyone leading, the people of Lyuzhou were overcome by the overwhelming majesty and knelt down, not daring to look directly.

“Is…

is that really my husband?” Xu Hu’s wife stared blankly at the sky, at the man brighter than the sun.

“This is really…” Murong Yunji stared dreamily into the sky, her cheeks flushing red.

Compared to the handsome and valiant youth before, this formidable Xu Hu made her heart beat faster!

Chen Ying, too, was stunned as she looked to the sky, recalling Chen Qing’s words…

Do not underestimate mortals, for one day, some of their achievements may surpass yours!

At that moment, she realized Chen Qing…

was serious!

“Xu Hu, paying respects to my lord!”

As he descended step by step from the heavens to the Government Office, Xu Hu looked at Chen Qing with immense excitement and without hesitation, knelt on one knee, rendering the highest courtesy of a Military General!

This was not only because he owed his life, but also because the man before him had provided him with a ladder to ascend to the heavens!

He had once joined the army…

That was twenty years ago, before the Great Jin had unified the world.

Back then, human life was as cheap as dirt, and every spirited man dreamed of achieving glory on the battlefield!

Blessed with Divine Power from birth and naturally tall and strong, everyone said that he was destined to be a general, and thus he harbored a burning desire to join the army from a young age.

But when he finally left his family behind, filled with fiery ambition, he was disheartened to discover that a man of his strength was…

nothing in the army!

In the military, he learned of the existence of bloodline families and realized that mortals…

would forever be vassals before them!

He trained his body hard and practiced martial arts, striving to strengthen every part of himself.

But no matter how recklessly he trained, he found that he…

had no hope of even touching the heels of those bloodline scions!

There’s nothing more despairing than training martial arts for decades, only to realize you can’t even defeat a ten-year-old child from one of those families.

In the Great Jin…

valor was prized, and military generals were immensely honored.

But…

did that include mortal generals?

Mortals…

in this world, how could they possibly become generals?

Despondent and disillusioned, Xu Hu, in the early days of the court, when he was still young and promising, refused his superior’s plea to stay and left the military to return home.

He married and settled into a farmer’s life – the very existence he once despised, toiling in the fields for sustenance.

For twenty years, he never touched weapons of war again, content to farm, and never even engaged in lucrative jobs like escorting goods.

Because he became aware of certain beings in the world, he understood that he…..

was nothing more than a slightly stronger mortal, and mortals…..

should do what mortals ought to do…

If it weren’t for the siege of the living corpses that threatened his wife and daughter, he wouldn’t have picked up the weapons he’d cherished for so long.

When being bitten by monsters at the well, he actually felt very helpless, having hidden away here, living a simple, honest life.

Still, the heavens did not spare him and let him die so powerlessly.

“Xu Hu, how do you feel?” Chen Qing asked with a smile.

“Great!” Xu Hu looked up; even in a kneeling position, the tall stature of his nearly allowed him to meet Chen Qing’s gaze.

Xu Hu was indeed alive again at this moment.

The young man who left for Northern Mo with a broadsword to join the army twenty-some years ago had come back to life!

He could feel that this time, he would not be inferior to those damned bloodline families by even the slightest bit!!

Chen Qing nodded, surreptitiously checking the Mirror Demon’s hints in his sleeve.

Xu Hu, thirty-five years old, a Heavenly General of the Divine Warrior System, Yellow Rank Fifth Grade, under his command: none, merged with Tiger Fool’s Visage into his divinity, capable of becoming the Earth Tiger Avatar, talent: extremely high, possessing a Heaven Grade disposition!

Indeed, a great talent!

Chen Qing’s eyes sparkled, having just been divinized to be Yellow Rank Fifth Grade, moreover without any troops under his command, if converted into combat strength, he was already at the level of a Second Rank Martial Husband of the Great Jin Dynasty.

If he could cultivate the Tiger Guard Army, Chen Qing believed that Xu Hu would instantly be at the level of a Super First Rank Martial Husband, a fierce general on the same level as Weichi Peng!

Feeling the unceasing rise of power within him, Chen Qing finally felt some confidence.

This gamble…

was worth it!

Just as he was thinking, a clamor came from outside.

Without looking, Chen Qing knew that it was the citizens of Lyuzhou City, drawn by the recent display of Xu Hu’s might.

This caused Wei Gongcheng, watching from not far away, to feel a sour twist in his heart.

Why didn’t he have such a grand scene when he became a deity?

Otherwise, why would he need to make such an effort to rally support?

Chen Qing nodded to Xu Hu, who understood the gesture and stood up to walk outside.

“My husband…”

Xu Hu’s wife finally mustered the courage and called out to him.

“Hey, wife, don’t worry!” Xu Hu flashed a smile at the wife who had accompanied him for many years: “I’ll be right back!”

The wife’s face instantly blushed, as she quickly nodded, while their daughter just stared blankly at Xu Hu – could that awe-inspiring man really be Daddy?

Murong Yunji frowned slightly, glanced at Xu Hu and then at his wife, showing a hint of pity in her eyes.

Such a fine man matched with such a weak woman, truly a waste…..

And so, amid the complex gazes of the crowd, Xu Hu walked out with large strides.

The might of a Divine Warrior was completely different from any other divine systems; almost without need for Chen Qing to hype it up with words, the onlookers outside kneeled the instant they saw Xu Hu emerge!

They could feel that this majestic person was a significant figure!

“I am Xu Hu, the Divine Warrior of Lyuzhou.

You soldiers, is there anyone willing to join under my command to battle the demons?”

“We are willing to follow the general!!”

Outside, countless young men who had just joined the army excitedly saluted with fists.

The general’s voice wasn’t loud, but it excited their hearts like a war drum on the battlefield.

Everyone felt their hearts pounding and their blood boiling with fervor; if they had joined the army before to fight for their loved ones, now…

their righteous ardor was thoroughly ignited!

“Excellent!” Chen Qing laughed and clapped his hands: “Now we are specially recruiting three thousand soldiers for the Tiger Guard Army to campaign abroad.

Those who are willing, come to register tomorrow afternoon.

The Divine Warrior himself will personally select you.

Those with suitable talents will henceforth be the valiant warriors of the Tiger Guard Army.

Your monthly pay will be increased to fifteen taels, convert demon heads for military merits, and advance military ranks based on your merits, with no upper limit!”

“Long live the lord!”

“Long live the lord!”

The crowd burst into cheers, eager and enthusiastic, with an unprecedented strong desire to enlist!

In the distance, Door God Old Wolf sighed: “Old Wei, now we’re in trouble.

We didn’t grab the man, and now we’ve got another one snatching them up.”

“You can’t accommodate many more men, why be so greedy?” Wei Gongcheng chuckled and shook his head.

Although he regretted that this man had not become a great general of his Underworld, he still genuinely wished the fierce general a better destiny.

Moreover, he looked forward to Chen Qing’s future developments.

He could see that Chen Qing was undermining the roots of the bloodline houses.

Once his system rose, the common people of the world would no longer be ants unable to resist and everyone would have a ladder to ascend.

He was rather looking forward to such a world.

So much so, that the cries of “Long live” from the crowd, a seditious act, he pretended not to hear.

If it could change this troubled world, what did it matter if they said “Long live”?