The prototype of the Daluo Cult is in its infancy, at a stage of budding growth.
At this moment, the incense gathered within the cult is merely around a thousand. Few people in the whole of Dayong are aware of Daluo Cult's existence.
Yet, Xu Qing is not worried at all.
The beginning of all matters is challenging. The Daluo Cult is akin to an emerging business, in its entrepreneurial stage, similar to when Xu Qing first established the Cat Immortal Hall and Bao Sheng Temple. Once it surpasses this phase, it will naturally flourish.
In the subsequent months, Xu Qing, along with Zhang Pingsheng and others, kept familiarizing themselves with the business. Meanwhile, he did not forget to find some misfortuned storytellers and opera performers, imparting famous lines from classic tales.
Those narrative lines naturally included quite a bit of private material about the Daluo Cult.
These time-tested skills were, of course, as familiar as the back of his hand to Xu Qing!
There are classics from Zhongzhou, and after the storytellers spread tales of Daluo Cult's deeds of salvation, Xu Qing was still not satisfied with the status quo.
During Zhang Pingsheng's missionary work in the secular world, Xu Qing deliberately returned to the Capital City, using the Dream Creation Skill to deliver a dream to the short-lived Emperor of Dayong.
In the dream, Xu Qing posed as Xu Xuan's grandfather, explaining the disaster of the Nether River and detailing the founding background of Daluo Cult which benefits thousands over generations to come.
After experiencing a series of encounters with the Two Saints Temple and the Small Water Curtain Cave, Xu Qing realized a truth—
An individual's power is ultimately limited. Only by borrowing all available forces can one hope to overturn calamities and preserve the foundation accumulated over many years!
The Celestial Emperor has numerous gods, the Dharma Master of the Underworld has countless corpses of law, and Xu Qing has multitudes of mortals in the secular world and countless deceased souls transformed by the Sutra of Salvation. These are his best aids.
A zombie that does not die and has a strong physical body is not frightening. But a zombie with exceptional skills, occupying the moral high ground and earning the hearts of the world—that is beyond merely terrifying.
Xu Qing understood that he was 'deeply guilty'; the heavenly offenses he committed could probably fill half a volume of celestial laws.
Initially, when Xu Qing violated celestial laws by privately establishing the Cat Immortal Hall, an 'unofficial temple,' he felt somewhat uneasy.
Not until later when establishing the Bao Sheng Temple system, interfering in temple disputes, slaying the Dayong Emperor, misusing the Emperor's Purple Qi, refining Baiyun Mountain's authority, and privately spying on the Celestial Scripture...
Each event was enough for Xu Qing to be executed on the Demon-slaying Platform countless times.
Strangely, once the violated celestial laws turned from a page into a stack, Xu Qing suddenly found peaceful sleep and appetite, as if his energy channels were suddenly unblocked, eradicating longstanding ailments and maladies.
Not only that, every violation of celestial laws made Xu Qing feel more mentally refreshed than ever; isn't it strange?
Now, the establishment of the Daluo Cult is equally a remedy for him.
Owing less is pitiful; owing more makes one grand!
Xu Qing has completely understood that since past mistakes cannot be undone, he might as well persist in wrongdoing. As long as his accumulated virtues are ample, naturally, esteemed scholars will defend him with doctrines!
The current short-lived Emperor Zhu Yi who holds court power is also a person with substantial wisdom.
Throughout the dream delivered by Xu Qing, the counterpart never displayed the demeanor an emperor should possess until the dream was about to end; only then did Zhu Yi make a sole request.
"Immortal Master, you are my senior whom the younger generations look up to, and also my grandfather's close friend. I trust you as I trusted my grandfather."
"Before my grandfather passed, I heard that the Immortal Master once gifted him a piece of brocade advice, which secured our empire's legacy. Now that you've descended, I implore you, esteemed Immortal Master, to give a word or two of insightful advice..."
Although Zhu Yi's words were sleep talk within the dream, his face was filled with eager anticipation.
This little fellow...
Xu Qing watched the short-lived Emperor, seemingly overwhelmed by exhaustion, fall asleep at the desk; his heart was touched.
He shook his head, leaving no governing wisdom behind, instead providing the counterpart with a dose of morale:
"You are already excellent enough; there is no need for me to instruct you on your actions. As for matters of court, feel free to act. Regardless of the future outcome, I can promise you that the Zhu Family lineage will be preserved without breaking."
"This is my promise to you, unrelated to your grandfather and father; consider it an agreement between you and me as distant kin."
Although the Emperor is short-lived, he is an exceptionally wise ruler; but this four to five years span is completely insufficient for Zhu Yi to showcase all his talents. It is heaven's misfortune, as destiny has limits and cannot be contested through forceful crossing...
Xu Qing has no need to disclose too much future information within Zhu Yi's limited lifespan.
Because, from ancient times, even the most sagacious monarch could only manage affairs during life, for once the soul returns to heaven and earth, it cannot influence the decisions of successors.
Speaking too profoundly would only add unnecessary worries, consuming energy.
Instead, he might as well say some truthful words, giving this unfortunate Emperor some solace.
The Yangxin Hall is brightly lit.
At a certain moment, the sleeping Emperor suddenly opened his eyes; before him were petitions waiting to be processed, and on him, a 'thousand-gold white robe' made from two ounces of yellow paper.
After the late Emperor's passing, Zhu Yi, who hadn't received elder care since, was somewhat touched.
"I thought it was a fleeting dream; now it appears that the Immortal Master indeed descended."
Zhu Yi pondered for a moment, then immediately picked up the pen and ink, writing the decree to consecrate the Daluo Cult, with his grandfather and royal ancestor enshrined alongside Sect Leader Xu Qing in the cult's holy pantheon.
Once the decree was issued, it stirred waves across the land.
The entire Dayong court, nobles, and officials from all states and counties began to enshrine the altar tablets of Daluo Cult at home.
At that time, far away in Yaozhou, Xu Qing felt a sense of foreboding, seeing behind him, besides the Blood Lake Realm and Cat Immortal Hall Realm, a new Incense Realm emerging.
"Celestial Emperor severs connections to earth, prohibiting Immortals from meddling in Nether River affairs. You defy heavenly laws brazenly here, still unaware, yet dare utter such arrogant words!"
Xu Qing's shadow transformed; unknown to others, he appeared behind the sorcerer priest, raising the Shouyang Great Axe, wielding a heavily accumulated Heaven's steel ax momentum!
In the swirling dust cloud, Xu Qing hovered, laughing: "What I speak of is not celestial laws but the tenets of my Daluo Heaven Cult, referred to as heavenly rules!"
"..."
Besides using debts to counter celestial laws, Xu Qing established the Daluo Cult with deeper considerations.
The incense source for his Bao Sheng Temple mainly relies on human proliferation, occasionally involving matchmaking and marriage-related extra services.
Overall, the deity of Bao Sheng Temple presides over fertility, childcare protection, and oversees marriage connections.
The incense source for Cat Immortal Hall relies on celestial intervention and rain harmonization, crop cultivation—it is the god of agricultural bounty—as well as aiding the poor and safeguarding people's stored grain from spoilage, the god of granaries.
Xu Qing possesses incense from two cults, Cat Immortal Hall