In Order To Ascend, I Became A Modern Wage Slave - Chapter 37: Elemental True Monarch 10

Chapter 37: Elemental True Monarch 10

 

Lian Bei pondered for a moment and said, “Maybe this tree really has something to do with Elemental True Monarch.”

 

“We’ll know by checking it out!” Xi Yu grabbed Lian Bei’s hand and led him back to the tree. “Stand still. I need a boost.”

 

The tree’s trunk was extremely thick, with two large branches extending in opposite directions, leaving a small hollow in the middle.

 

Using Lian Bei’s shoulders for support, Xi Yu leapt up onto the tree. The space at the top was quite spacious. He stood without feeling cramped, and he could even take a few steps. After walking half a circle around the trunk, the moonlight that had been blocked now illuminated layers of leaves in the central area.

 

As expected.

 

Xi Yu crouched down, brushed away the leaves, and revealed a black hole…

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

Elemental True Monarch’s voice suddenly sounded. Xi Yu immediately flipped off the tree from the other side, landing silently.

 

Lian Bei answered, “We were wondering if this tree has any connection to you. And now you’re here.”

 

Elemental True Monarch looked up. “This tree…”

 

Xi Yu casually strolled out from behind the tree, and Lian Bei asked, “After wandering around for so long, have you discovered anything?”

 

Xi Yu dragged out a long “hmm,” slowly walking to Lian Bei’s side before saying, “Nothing much.”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he observed the visitor. This person should be Yuan Xu, who was trying his best to appear gentle and pass himself off as Elemental.

 

“It does have something to do with me.”

 

Both voices spoke simultaneously. Xi Yu raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Let’s hear it.”

 

Yuan Xu gazed at the ancient locust tree, as if seeing something through it. He sighed deeply and said, “I wasn’t planning to talk about this. Do you know why this tree is so thick? It’s because there’s a statue inside the trunk.”

 

When Xi Yu had brushed aside the leaves earlier, he had indeed glimpsed the top of a head. He hadn’t examined it closely, intending to probe Elemental, but to his surprise, the other party had openly admitted it.

 

Xi Yu asked, “Why is the statue inside the tree?”

 

“It’s a long story,” Elemental said. “Do you know why I ascended to immortality?”

 

“You ate a divine herb.”

 

Yuan Xu pondered for a moment and said, “Yes, and no.”

 

“That day was ordinary yet extraordinary,” Yuan Xu recalled. “Before my ascension, I was a wandering healer who traveled far and wide. I had learned some Taoist practices solely to heal people more effectively. One day, I happened upon a place struck by a plague, so I stayed to treat the sick.”

 

Seeing Xi Yu’s expression, Yuan Xu smiled faintly. “If I hadn’t cured anyone, it would have been uneventful. The problem was that I cured some but couldn’t save the others because there was only one herb. I searched everywhere nearby but couldn’t find a second one.”

 

“One day, I was gone for a long time. When I returned at midnight, a crowd had gathered at my door, thinking I was fleeing. I couldn’t explain myself, and when they came at me with knives and forks in a frenzy, I instinctively ran. But my escape only fueled their rage.”

 

“That night it rained, and just as I was about to die, a lightning bolt struck.” Yuan Xu said, “To everyone’s surprise, I ascended to immortality.”

 

“After my ascension, they immediately carved a statue of me and enshrined it—right here.” Elemental glanced at the ancient locust tree. “Later, my younger brother followed me to avenge me, inciting hatred among the people. My temple was torn down, leaving only the solitary statue. They claimed it brought misfortune, so they went to great lengths to enclose it in this tree. From then on, Elemental True Monarch vanished from the world.”

 

As the saying goes, inviting a god is easy, but sending one away is hard.

 

Humans cannot defy gods. They may stop worshiping, but fear remains.

 

After all, Elemental True Monarch is the god of medicine, protector of health and safety. And humans value their lives most. If angered, he could unleash an incurable plague, leaving no escape for anyone.

 

This explains why so many temples were abandoned.

 

When Yuan Xu finished speaking, he seemed visibly relieved, as if a heavy burden he had carried for years had drifted away with his sighs.

 

The two remained silent with him for a while. Lian Bei finally said, “Cheer up.”

 

“Hmm?” Yuan Xu looked confused for a moment, then chuckled. “Of course, I’m fine. Little did they know, four thousand years later, people somehow rediscovered information about me and built temples in my honor again.”

 

Xi Yu asked, “I’m curious—how did you find this place?”

 

Yuan Xu replied, “Wasn’t it said that the person is here? I came to take him away. His illness can’t be delayed any longer. Where is he? Didn’t you find him?”

 

“Too late,” Lian Bei said. “He’s already been taken away.”

 

“Yuan Xu?” Yuan Xu began looking around. “Can we still catch up with him? Did you see which way he went? If we hurry, we might catch him!”

 

“Even if we catch him, what can we do?” Xi Yu said. “If he refuses to admit anything, how can we hold him accountable?”

 

Lian Bei asked, “So, what do you suggest?”

 

Xi Yu replied, “Make him confess willingly. Based on your description, he doesn’t seem like someone with a strong will. Is there any way to provoke him into admitting everything?”

 

“To make him reveal his true colors and stop pretending.”

 

Yuan Xu lowered his head in thought. “Let me think… There might be a way. He always opposes me, so maybe we can start from there.”

 

After a brief discussion, they came up with a rough plan. Yuan Xu bid them farewell to make preparations, while they headed down the mountain to find Bai Fumei and ask where Chen Zhidao had gone.

 

The two had climbed the mountain at lightning speed, but their descent was as slow as an elderly stroll. Every step seemed to take forever, and by the time the sun rose in the east, revealing the surrounding scenery, they had barely covered a mile.

 

Finally, Xi Yu stopped, turned around, and patted Lian Bei’s back. “Let’s head back. Do you know why I walked so slowly?”

 

Lian Bei replied, “I thought you wanted to watch the sunrise.”

 

Xi Yu rolled his eyes. “Watch the sunrise? Do you know why, after all this time, we’ve made almost no progress?”

 

Lian Bei asked, “Why?”

 

Xiyu exhaled with some resentment, “Because we haven’t heard many truths at all.”

 

Returning to their starting point, the two stood in front of the ancient locust tree. Xiyu paused for a moment and said, “What do you think will happen if I split this tree open? Will he sense it?”

 

Lianbei teased, “Are you afraid he’ll come back to kill you?”

 

“Not afraid,” Xiyu replied. “I’d actually look forward to him coming back. That way, I’ll know if he was deliberately luring me to split the tree or if he was trying to cover up the truth and get me to leave quickly.”

 

Lianbei nodded, “To avoid anyone saying you act impulsively.”

 

“Exactly.” Xiyu found a suitable spot and directed Lianbei, “Start chopping from there.”

 

Lianbei chuckled, “You want me to do it?” He obligingly walked over.

 

After taking a couple of steps, Lianbei staggered slightly. Xiyu clicked his tongue, ready to make a snide comment, but when he looked down, he noticed a clear depression in the ground.

 

Reacting quickly, Xiyu exclaimed, “There’s something beneath here!”

 

It was a small hole, covered with loose soil and twigs. Initially, Xiyu used a stick he picked up, but he soon grew impatient and used his hands instead, scooping out several handfuls of dirt until the hole was fully exposed.

 

They had thought the ground below might be hollow, and this hole could lead underground.

 

But the opening was very small, barely large enough to fit a hand.

 

Lianbei crouched down to help Xiyu dig, speculating, “Maybe he wanted to hollow out this tree and secretly remove the statue inside.”

 

Xiyu had a strong feeling that digging down into this hole would lead to a significant discovery.

 

In fact, there were many details in Elemental True Lord’s story that were worth examining. How did he find the first miraculous herb that could cure illnesses? And what exactly did he do the second time to provoke such disdain from the world?

 

Before becoming a god, mortals typically roamed the human realm for decades or centuries, accumulating virtue. Before their ascension, they would often have a premonition and choose a secluded place for the event. Yet even so, their ascension was often noticed, passed down through whispers and hearsay, gaining more believers over time and solidifying their divine status.

 

But Elemental True Lord had ascended right under everyone’s noses, skipping the critical step of establishing faith.

 

Xiyu could already imagine how the world would have spread the word about his deeds.

 

They’d say, “The truth is right here! We saw him ascend with our own eyes—how could it be false? He is definitely a god! Worshipping him can’t go wrong!”

 

If he played his cards well, ascending to the Heavenly Court would be just around the corner.

 

The kindness, compassion, nobility, and selflessness Elemental True Lord displayed—if genuine—why, then, was he later cast down from the divine altar?

 

—

 

Xiao Mingqiang was hospitalized again.

 

He hadn’t expected to see Yang Xue in this city. He shouted her name, and as soon as she saw him, she panicked and turned to flee. He gave chase but collapsed after only a few steps.

 

Fortunately, he hadn’t made it to the road. Otherwise, the consequences would have been disastrous.

 

“My illness is cured! The hospital misdiagnosed me—misdiagnosed!” Xiao Mingqiang flung the diagnostic report at the doctor’s face. His emotional outburst earned him a sedative. When he woke up again, he saw a young man standing by his bed with a slight smirk. The doctor’s words echoed in his mind.

 

“If you maintain a cheerful and optimistic attitude, you might live another two or three months.”

 

What nonsense!

 

Through gritted teeth, he demanded, “Didn’t you say my illness could be cured? Why did the doctor say I only have two or three months left?”

 

“Maybe he didn’t try hard enough to treat you,” the young man replied. “Didn’t I tell you before? You should go to Yuan Zhen Temple and pay your respects.”

 

Xiao Mingqiang narrowed his eyes in suspicion, “What’s the point of worshipping there?”

 

“He’s a god!” Yuanxu’s eyes sparkled, pure and sincere as he earnestly told him, “Don’t you know gods only respond when you worship them properly?”

 

“A god?” Xiao Mingqiang asked. “Why does he look exactly like you?”

 

“Good question! But why should I tell you?” Yuanxu feigned dramatic hesitation before giving a vague answer. “If you do as I say, you’ll know everything!”

 

Xiao Mingqiang glared at him, as if trying to intimidate him into revealing the truth.

 

Yuanxu’s smile grew even brighter. “I’m just offering you a path. I’m not forcing you. Whether or not you follow it is entirely up to you and has nothing to do with me.”

 

“Besides, you’ve got nothing to lose. Why not take a gamble?”

 

Xiao Mingqiang was speechless for a long moment before finally squeezing out a few words: “Why me?”

 

“Because only you would risk everything. I admire your courage!”

 

After much deliberation, Xiao Mingqiang eventually agreed to Yuanxu’s suggestion. He figured his life was already at its end—there was no harm in trying.

 

A gamble—a bike turned into a motorcycle!

 

In fact, if Yuanxu hadn’t suddenly appeared and meddled with him, Xiao Mingqiang would likely be bedridden now, surviving on a respirator.

 

Though Yuanxu’s claims sounded far-fetched, Xiao Mingqiang had undeniably benefited from his intervention.

 

That deep-rooted superstition stirred within him, and he secretly rejoiced.

 

It seemed heaven couldn’t bear to let him die like this and had sent a god to save him!

 

Moments later, Yuanxu left the hospital room with a dark expression.

 

His brother had once again disrupted his plans, secretly curing Xiao Mingqiang and letting him escape. Fortunately, Yuanxu had chased him down quickly. Otherwise, where would he find another obedient pawn?

 

Around the corner, he bumped into Bai Fan. She lazily lifted her eyelids, clearly having waited for him to come out.

 

Yuanxu sneered, “What brings you here today?”

 

Bai Fan replied, “Someone asked me to remind you: if you soften your heart, there will be consequences.”

 

“That advice should be for you.” Yuanxu didn’t even glance at her. With his hands in his pockets, he brushed past her, clearly dismissing her words. “Got it, you nagging old hag.”