577: Hey, where's that grandson of Lü Yue?

"This old loach... I won't accept his favor." Nezha spat out a mouthful of bloody foam, and under the treatment of the Twelve Zha's sweet dew, he barely managed to stand steady.

"Quick, return to Chentang Pass!" Third Zha said in a deep voice: "This place is not suitable for a long stay."

The brothers raised their cloud light, and carrying the heavily injured Nezha, quickly returned to Chentang Pass.

...

Outside the South Heaven Gate, the Investiture of the Gods Platform.

The giant monument of the "heavenly law of merit and virtue" sensed the approach of over a dozen powerful True Spirits entangled with Karma, humming and vibrating, releasing a great golden light!

The Primordial Spirits of the Fire Dragon Island Cultivators, including Luo Xuan, Liu Huan, and Zhu Zhao, landed on the Investiture of the Gods Platform in a daze.

The divine light of the giant monument swept over them, the inscription on the monument flowed, but then suddenly stopped!

A solemn voice of decree resounded, yet it carried a rare coldness and severity:

"Luo Xuan, Liu Huan, Zhu Zhao... It is not inherently wrong for you to cultivate fire techniques.

However, you wantonly set fires, burning mountains and boiling seas, harming innocent creatures, and creating monstrous Karma!

The Karma on your bodies is as deep as an abyss, already touching the red line of the heavenly law!

According to the "heavenly law of merit and virtue", those with heavy Karma cannot become gods and must fall directly into Hell to suffer and atone for their sins!"

As the voice fell, a sinister wind suddenly rose before the Investiture of the Gods Platform, and a phantom image of the Ghost Gate appeared, intending to drag the souls of Luo Xuan and the others into the Underworld!

"No—!!!"

Luo Xuan's Primordial Spirit let out an unwilling roar.

He was a disciple of the Jie Sect, having cultivated for millions of years. It would be one thing to die in battle today, but if he couldn't even attain a god position and had to go to the Underworld to suffer punishment, how could he be reconciled to that?

Liu Huan, Zhu Zhao, and the others also wailed and begged for mercy.

But the heavenly law was Emotionless, and the suction force of the Ghost Gate grew stronger and stronger.

Just at this moment,

"Wait."

A voice that was old yet gentle rang out.

Venus, holding a whisk, arrived on a cloud and landed on the Investiture of the Gods Platform.

He first bowed to the giant monument of the "heavenly law of merit and virtue", then turned to Luo Xuan and the others, and sighed:

"Your Karma is heavy, and according to the law, you indeed cannot become gods. But..."

He paused, looked up at the sky, as if seeking instructions.

A moment later, Venus spoke slowly:

"However, the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods needs to fill the positions of three hundred and sixty-five orthodox gods. The orthodox gods of the Fire Department are especially indispensable.

You all excel in fire techniques; if you were to fall into the Underworld now, it would be a loss to the world. His Majesty has decreed: considering that your cultivation was not easy, and you died and were placed on the list during the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, we can show some leniency."

The Primordial Spirits of Luo Xuan and the others trembled, hope arising.

Venus continued: "However, the heavenly law cannot be violated, and Karma cannot be forgiven.

Therefore, a 'Guilty God Position' is specially established."

"By decree: Luo Xuan, as the 'Orthodox God of the Southern Three-Qi Fire Virtue Star Lord', in charge of the Fire Department, presiding over the summer season, and the growth of all things.

Liu Huan, as the 'Heavenly Lord of Fire Reception of the Fire Department'.

Zhu Zhao, as the 'Immortal in the Flames of the Fire Department'.

The remaining Fire Dragon Island Cultivators, according to their cultivation level during their lifetime and the depth of their Karma, will be assigned positions such as Deputy Envoy of the Fire Department, Fire Patrol Official, etc."

Upon hearing this, Luo Xuan and the others were first overjoyed, but then felt something was wrong. This god position seemed no different from an ordinary orthodox god?

Sure enough, Venus's tone shifted:

"However, you bear monstrous Karma and cannot go unpunished.

Therefore, a system of 'Day God, Night Punishment' is specially established:

During the day, you will fulfill your divine duties, operate the Fire Department, and accumulate Karma.

At night, your Divine Souls must enter the Underworld, and according to the depth of your Karma, suffer punishments such as being burned by seas of fire, having your souls struck by thunder, and having your hearts pierced by mountains of blades, to cleanse your Karma!

Only until the Karma on your bodies is cleansed can you be released from the night punishment and become complete gods.

If you dare to slack off in your divine duties or resist the night punishment, your god positions will be immediately stripped, and you will be cast into the eighteenth level of Hell, never to be reincarnated!"

"Day God, Night Punishment..." Luo Xuan's eyes widened.

God by day, suffer punishment by night?

Which bastard came up with such a sinister idea? How is this any different from being an official with shackles on?

But, it's still half a day, which is better than being cast directly into the Underworld and suffering punishment forever.

At least, during the day, he could still be a god and have a chance to accumulate Karma and cleanse Karma.

"Are you willing to accept this god position?" Venus asked.

Luo Xuan was silent for a long time, and finally, with bitterness, lowered his head: "This sinful subject... is willing to accept."

Liu Huan, Zhu Zhao, and the others also bowed their heads one after another: "Willing to accept."

"Good."

Venus nodded and waved his whisk.

On the investiture of the gods list, in the Fire Department god position area, names slowly appeared, but unlike ordinary golden god names, these names were crimson, faintly entangled with black Karma patterns.

At the same time, beams of divine light, mixed with crimson and dark black, descended, covering the Primordial Spirits of Luo Xuan and the others.

Within the divine light, there was both the blessing of the god position's authority and the restraint of invisible shackles.

Luo Xuan transformed into a deity with red hair and a red beard, wearing the crown and robes of the Fire Virtue Star Lord.

Liu Huan, Zhu Zhao, and the others also wore official divine attire.

But their complexions were all very ugly.

They could feel that a brand had been struck deep within their Divine Souls; by day they were gods, and at the midnight hour of the night, their Divine Souls would automatically leave their bodies to go to the Underworld to suffer punishment.

"Go, head to the Fire Virtue Star Palace to assume your duties." Venus waved his hand:

"Remember, being diligent in your divine duties and accumulating Karma is your only path to liberation."

"... We respectfully obey the decree."

Luo Xuan and the others bowed, turned into streaks of firelight, and flew towards the Fire Virtue Star Palace in the south of the Heavenly Realm.

Venus watched the direction they left in, stroked his beard, and chuckled: "Haha, I finally have donkeys under my command!

If I let you all suffer in the Underworld all day, who would share the burden of all the work I have?

You should work when you should work, and suffer when you should suffer!"

"If I only looked for good people, when would I ever fill the god positions? I have to use those with deep Karma too!

If it really doesn't work out, I can just replace them later when I have enough manpower!"

After speaking, Venus rode a cloud and left.

Fire Virtue Star Palace.

Luo Xuan sat on the Star Lord's throne, feeling the authority of the god position and the punishment brand deep within his Divine Soul, his expression complex.

By day, he was the Star Lord who ruled over the Fire Department and managed the summer season, with magnificent Divine Might.

By night, he would fall into the Underworld and suffer the agony of his soul being burned by the sea of fire.

Day after day, year after year, until his Karma was cleansed.

"Is this... my path?" Luo Xuan smiled bitterly: "Isn't this more miserable than being a god?"

He looked at Liu Huan, Zhu Zhao, and the others in the hall who also had heavy expressions, and spoke slowly:

"Everyone, since it has come to this, we have no other choice.

From now on, during the day, we must perform our duties without the slightest slack, be diligent in our divine duties, and accumulate Karma; this is our only chance for liberation.

At night, we suffer punishment... just grit our teeth and endure it."

"It's still better than having our souls Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, or being forever suppressed in the Underworld to suffer."

Liu Huan and the others were silent, and finally all bowed together: "We respectfully obey the Star Lord's order."

"Dragon King of the East Sea, you son of a bitch, you have no martial virtue! When I have paid off my Karma and my god position is stabilized, I will come to trouble you again.

If I don't screw you to death, my name isn't Luo Xuan!"

"Huh, where is Lü Yue? Why didn't that bastard get on the Investiture of the Gods Platform?"