Chương 175: Merits of the Underground Path

After clearing out Hell, Fang Yang took advantage of the fact that Houtu Niangniang had not assigned any new tasks, and together with Qianyao Daojun and others, he began to spread the Dao in the Underworld.

Compared to the existing immortal paths, the Spirit Root Immortal Path has many advantages. The most obvious one is that cultivators of the Spirit Root Immortal Path can cultivate in any environment.

Even in the Dharma-ending Age, they can cultivate self-sufficiently through the characteristics of their spiritual roots. This makes the path of spiritual root immortality very popular. Of course, cultivation requires more than just spiritual energy. Spiritual energy only solves the energy problem.

In the path of cultivation, one cannot lack anything—wealth, companions, methods, and location. These are things that cultivators with spiritual roots and immortal paths must solve themselves; Fang Yang cannot offer them much assistance.

Fang Yang has already handed them the ladder to immortality, but they can't climb it themselves, so there's nothing Fang Yang can do.

On this day, Fang Yang was preaching and teaching in Yinshan.

Yinshan is a sacred mountain in the underworld, rich in yin energy and teeming with ghosts. Tens of thousands of ghost cultivation factions, large and small, are scattered across Yinshan. These factions have already formed the rudiments of sects and are considered holy sites by the ghost cultivators of the underworld.

Without any hesitation, Fang Yang occupied a mountain peak, released some of his own auspicious energy, and began to transmit the Dharma.

His actions naturally provoked considerable discontent among the local ghost cultivators of Yinshan. Fang Yang's actions were clearly an attempt to steal ghosts from them. However, no matter how dissatisfied they were, they could only swallow their anger and resentment.

Not only did the numerous ghost kings dare not obstruct Fang Yang, they also actively facilitated his preaching. They feared that if Fang Yang were displeased, he would capture them and send them to be reincarnated.

Having lived as ghosts for so long, they had become accustomed to the environment of the underworld. They were absolutely unwilling to give up their current cultivation and achievements, and start cultivating again as mortals.

But they didn't know that in Fang Yang's eyes, they were also the people he was preaching to.

Although the ghost kings had some cultivation, they were all rogue cultivators, their cultivation neither truly immortal nor truly ghostly. Even if they cultivated for another kalpa, they would still have no chance of attaining the Great Luo realm.

Unfortunately, the ghost kings were complacent and believed that they were simply lacking the right opportunity, which was why they had been unable to attain the Great Luo realm for so long.

Before Fang Yang began his lecture, all the ghost kings just wanted to avoid seeing or hearing about it and shut themselves in to cultivate their own ghosts.

They swore in their hearts that even if they jumped into the River of Oblivion and were drowned or bitten to death by the beasts of the underworld, they would never listen to Fang Yang's sermon.

However, as Fang Yang's profound Daoist voice continued to resound, the ghost kings forgot their oath and couldn't help but fly towards the mountain where Fang Yang was.

The reason is simple: Fang Yang is spreading the most authentic way of cultivating ghost immortals.

The cultivation methods that the Ghost Kings had spent countless years researching were riddled with flaws compared to the orthodox Ghost Immortal path of the Xuanmen. They had only heard a few words of profound truth, yet their cultivation had become considerably more solid.

In this situation, they disregarded the "it smells so good" warning and rushed off to listen to the sermon.

They had just reached the foot of the mountain when they witnessed a scene they would never forget: Suddenly, the sky above Fang Yang's head was filled with golden light, which stretched endlessly, covering hundreds of peaks of Yinshan Mountain, and the area was unknown.

Golden light descended from another world, rolling across the sky. Then, all the golden light converged into a long river, pouring into Fang Yang's body.

"Merit!"

The knowledgeable old ghost looked fascinated, his eyes fixed on the River of Merit.

He became a ghost during the time of the lich and has been cultivating ever since, never leaving the underworld. In countless years, he has never seen anyone receive so much merit at once.

"What is the origin of this powerful being, that he has been able to accumulate such immense merit?"

After witnessing Fang Yang's virtuous character, the ghost kings' hearts pounded. Someone capable of accumulating so much merit might not be a good person, but they certainly weren't a completely wicked and unscrupulous individual.

They must listen to what Fang Yang is saying!

And so, a group of ghost kings who were originally prepared to listen to Fang Yang's sermon were completely convinced of their own beliefs.

On the other side, Fang Yang, who was preaching, was also caught off guard by the sudden influx of merit. When he emptied Hell, he didn't expect the Heavenly Dao or the Earthly Dao to bestow merit upon him. After all, his methods were indeed somewhat extreme.

He didn't expect that the Underworld wouldn't mind the methods he used at all; as soon as Hell was emptied, the Underworld's merits began to decline.

This unexpected windfall delighted Fang Yang.

Merit is wealth, merit is cultivation, and every bit of merit he gains will be transformed into his strength.

However, the local authorities did not show favoritism and did not forget the other meritorious officials.

At the moment Fang Yang received merit, elsewhere in the Underworld, Daoist Qian Yao and others were also receiving a baptism of merit. Streams of merit light descended, drawing envious glances from the disciples of the Chan Sect and the Western Sect.

After establishing the Ghost Kingdom, Taiyi Zhenren and Qingxu Daode Zhenjun were constantly overwhelmed with problems. Establishing a kingdom was no simple matter. Not only did the Chan Sect lack manpower, but Xiao Zhen and Deng Hua were also lacking in both literary and martial skills. All the important matters of the Ghost Kingdom had to be handled by Taiyi Zhenren and Qingxu Daode Zhenjun alone.

They had toiled for over a hundred years, painstakingly building the various facilities of the Ghost Kingdom and racking their brains to cultivate a group of underworld officials. Next, they prepared to introduce ghost citizens to perfect the Ghost Kingdom.

The two looked at the fruits of their labor and smiled sweetly. Now, their Chan Sect could stand out from the crowd.

Although the two men weren't gloating over Fang Yang's clearing of Hell, they thought he was too eager for quick success and probably wouldn't reap much benefit. Little did they know, they had barely paused to rest when they witnessed golden light of merit appearing one after another in the Underworld.

In the underworld, a total of four groups of people came. Among the four groups, only the Jie Sect and the Western Sect had a considerable number of people, but the Western Sect was absolutely unable to gain merit.

In this way, it becomes obvious which faction gained the merit.

"That's... virtuous merit?!"

"The Jie Sect cleared out Hell, and actually gained merit in the Earthly Realm?!"

Taiyi Zhenren gripped his whisk tightly, an indescribable feeling welling up inside him.

They, the Chan Sect, toiled tirelessly for the affairs of the underworld, yet they were still far from establishing the Ten Directions Ghost Kingdom.

Fang Yang, on the other hand, simply emptied Hell and spread his teachings throughout the world with ease. However, Fang Yang's actions attracted immense merit from the underworld, and all the disciples of the Jie Sect who followed him received countless benefits.

Qingxu Daode Zhenjun gave a wry smile and shook his head: "We underestimated Fang Yang. He understands the three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Man better than we do."