Inside the City God Temple, golden light shimmered around Lucian Graves as divine merit poured into his body.
His eyes slowly opened.
Morning sunlight filtered through the broken windows.He rose, stretched lazily, and let out a contented breath.
For the first time in over twenty years, his heart felt truly at ease.
In this chaotic age—where evil spirits roamed and death lingered at every corner—he had finally carved out his place in the world.
[You have successfully eliminated a human-possessed ghost. Reward: 1 lottery draw. Would you like to use it now?]
The system's cold prompt snapped him to attention.Lucian's eyes lit up.
So it wasn't just evil spirits—even punishing the wicked earned him draws?
"Draw," he said silently.
[Draw complete. Congratulations, Host! You have obtained: City God's Seal.]
[City God's Seal: The bearer of this seal assumes the mantle of City God—righteous guardian over one city. Smite evil, protect the innocent, and receive offerings from all directions.]
City God?!
Lucian blinked, stunned for a second.
The City God was no mere spirit—it was a deity recognized by both heaven and the netherworld.Its power scaled with the size of its dominion.
And Huadu City—once a top-tier metropolis—had a population in the tens of millions.
The City God of the capital held a status above even the legendary Black and White Impermanence.
Lucian's thoughts stirred.
A small, golden seal materialized in his palm…Then slowly dissolved into his body, as though acknowledging its rightful master.
A robe of splendid silk unfurled around him.
Woven from eternal night, stitched with golden threads—On the back, embroidered in exquisite detail, a fearsome beast with a gaping maw leapt from the fabric, vivid as if alive.
Around the cuffs, ancient runes in archaic seal script radiated an aura of sacred authority.
Golden light swelled within the temple, the air thick with divine mystery.
A strange pressure began to emanate from Lucian's body—Majestic, solemn, unstoppable.
He gazed at the City God statue, now crumbling and faceless.
But as merit surged within him, the remnants of merit within the statue began flowing back into him, like rivers returning to the sea.
He took a deep breath.
"The mortal realm has long drowned in corruption.From this day forward… I am the City God of Huadu!"
BOOOOM!
As if hearing his oath, the statue trembled.All remaining divine merit surged into Lucian's body in a radiant flash.
For a moment, the statue's blank face bore Lucian's visage… then vanished.
Elsewhere in the city, within a few forgotten homes where people still worshipped the City God,tiny golden sparks flickered across their altar statues.
So brief that no one noticed.
Clatter.
Clang.
In the void beyond the mortal world, the hidden forms of Black and White Impermanence dropped to their knees.
So did three thousand ghostly soldiers.
Their eyes… filled with reverence.
Lucian nodded lightly.
The divine robes slowly faded from his body.
But his appearance had changed once more.
What was once a youthful, scholarly face had grown sharper, nobler—Not just handsome, but divine.
He exuded an aura beyond mortal comprehension—mysterious, enchanting, dangerously magnetic.A charisma that no celebrity could ever hope to rival.
[Congratulations, Host! You have ascended as Huadu's City God!The Underworld is now unlocked.]
Buzz. Buzz.
Lucian frowned slightly as the system's voice echoed again.
A strange sensation tugged at his soul.
With a single thought—
The world twisted.
In an instant… he stood in darkness.
This wasn't normal darkness—it was thick, oppressive, alive.
Ghostly energy pulsed through the air, so dense it felt like liquid.
A barren, infinite expanse stretched into the void.And cutting through it—
A mighty black river.
Its waters churned with sorrow, filled with wailing, drowning souls.
"The River of Forgetfulness…" Lucian whispered instinctively.
This was it.
The river that flowed through all of the underworld—The Wangchuan, where evil spirits were submerged, tormented without end.
"System," he asked silently. "Is this… my Underworld?"
[Affirmative. This is the embryonic form of your personal Underworld.For now, only basic functionality is unlocked.Spirits and gods you collect will reside here, nourished by the Yin aura.]
[As you grow stronger, you will unlock the true depths of the Underworld—Rebuild hell, govern reincarnation, become sovereign of both realms.]
Lucian's heart raced.
The Eighteen Levels of Hell.The Ten Yama Kings.The River of Forgetfulness.The Bridge of Helplessness.The Gates of Ghosts.The Stone of Three Lives.
All of it… would be his.
He let himself revel in that thought for a second—then snapped back to reality.
This was still just the beginning.
His Underworld was little more than a shell. The journey ahead would be long.
He wandered briefly through the misty realm.
Most of it was still inaccessible—shrouded in dark fog.
Locked regions, he guessed.
After a while, he lost interest and willed himself back.
In a blink, he stood once more within the City God Temple.
The three thousand ghost soldiers were now stored within the Underworld,leaving only Black and White Impermanence at his side.
"I need more divine merit…" Lucian thought quietly.
With this sacred energy, he had ascended as City God.
Now, with this foundation, he would build his empire.
From City God—To ruler of hell—To sovereign of the mortal and spirit worlds alike.
He closed his eyes, feeling the endless surge of merit within his veins.
Even the crumbling temple around him seemed changed.
Though still humble, it now radiated a divine presence.
The worn altar.The withered incense.
All began to emit waves of holy sandalwood fragrance,filling the space with peace and reverence.
Even the most hot-tempered thug would feel calm upon entering this place,their hearts soothed by righteous energy, their sins laid bare.
A mountain need not be high—if a god dwells within, it shall be known.A river need not be deep—if a dragon swims beneath, it shall be sacred.
This humble, forgotten temple…
Now held a true god.