Infinite Professions

Chapter 435: Chapter 224: Authority

Celestial Punishment Order!

This is the authority of the Sixth-Grade Punishment Department Magistrate under the City God’s Mansion, capable of exerting the power of the Celestial Dao to inflict harm on those burdened with evil deeds. The deeper the sin, the stronger the harm; if it is an evil god-like entity, it can even directly demote its rank.

"Hmph!"

However, Qingping and Huide were completely unafraid of this. The Celestial Heart Five Thunders and Great Sun Fire Lotus charged relentlessly, their attack unabated.

"Boom!!!"

The Five Thunders True Method and Fire Lotus Red Sun struck together from both sides, shaking heaven and earth, enveloping their opponent in a vast sea of thunder and blazing lotus fire.

Simultaneously, the Punishment Order split into two, suppressing both sides, landing on the two deities, becoming a burdensome weight upon them.

"Hmm!?"

Celestial Master Qingping’s face changed, urgently deploying the Five Thunders to protect himself, as the heavy light of thunder cleansed his Daoist body, yet he could not dispel the oppressive pressure. Thousands of sins burdened him, even subtly rejected by heaven and earth, under the immense pressure, three-tenths of his power dissipated.

"How can this be!?"

Qingping was bewildered, his gaze sharp, turning towards Huide, who was seen amid blooming lotuses, resembling a flaming sun, also using Buddhist Technique and Divine Power to reduce his own evil deeds, but similarly unable to dispel them; with such evil deeds, heaven and earth abandoned them.

"How is this possible!?"

The two exchanged glances, shocked and uncertain, quickly looking towards their opponent.

In the center, the thunder raged and fire blazed, as if a cosmic furnace, wanting to burn the opponent to ashes.

But instead of ashes appeared brilliance!

Bright golden light appeared from within, instantly sweeping away the thunder and fire, revealing Shen Hex’s figure.

"Hmm!?"

"Merit... Golden Body!?"

Qingping and Huide’s eyes fixed, horrified. Before they could speak further, the pressure on them doubled.

So it’s true!

This Celestial Punishment Order is only the authority of Sixth Grade; it should not threaten the two Fourth-rank True Gods.

Even disregarding rank, discussing authority alone, the Celestial Punishment Order should hardly affect them.

After all, Punishing Evil requires evil to punish!

As True Gods, where would their evil deeds come from?

Even if they truly had evil deeds, they could offset them with their Divine Power, not to mention their years of accumulation of Human Path Merits. Forget Song Xiang as a Sixth-Grade Punishment Department Magistrate, even Zhou Qian’s authority as the Jinyang Prefecture City God of Fourth Grade couldn’t easily suppress them with "Punishing Evil" authority.

But now...

Merit Golden Body!

Song Xiang actually forged a Merit Golden Body!

A person of great merit naturally has blessed fortune, protected by the myriad spirits of heaven and earth.

Harming one of merit is to defy heaven and earth, generating sin by itself.

With Song Xiang forging the Merit Golden Body, their attempts against him naturally incur heaven’s wrath, generating evil deeds, thus making the previously non-threatening Celestial Punishment Order effective, rejected by heaven and earth, pushing down with weight, directly stripping three-tenths of their power.

The strength of the Merit Golden Body is evident.

They, being Fourth-Rank True Gods, can slightly offset the sins due to their years of accumulated good deeds; otherwise, it wouldn’t just be rejection from heaven and earth, the Celestial Punishment Order could trigger the Heaven and Earth Righteous Law, unleashing thunderous punishment.

So vicious!

The two were shocked and angry, puzzled, for obtaining merit is not easy, as Fourth-rank True Gods, after years of effort, they gained only a bit. How did Song Xiang, a mere Sixth-Grader in the Punishment Department, manage to forge such a Merit Golden Body?

If you’ve forged the Merit Golden Body, why not announce it earlier? Had they known you had such a protective talisman, would anyone bother to challenge you over this? Isn’t this deliberately tricking people!

Qingping and Huide frowned deeply, feeling stuck.

Merit Golden Body, protected by heaven and earth, killing him would certainly result in evil consequences. Even as Fourth-rank True Gods, they might not withstand it.

But not killing...

Given the circumstances, how can they not kill?

"There’s no room left for maneuver!"

"Release a tiger back to the mountain, and future troubles are endless!"

"Even with the evil consequences, heaven’s punishment, the Hidden Dragon’s momentum can offset!"

"Kill!!!"

Qingping and Huide, exchanging glances, erupted with murderous intent.

Now, there’s no option of retreat, even if they want to back down, their opponent wouldn’t cease.

As said before the battle, today it’s not about whether they’ll spare him, but about whether he’ll spare them!

If so, then there’s only the choice to kill.

Whatever evil consequences follow, figure it out later.

The two exchanged glances, murderous intent erupted, their divine power was about to be unleashed.

But unexpectedly...

"Boom rumble!"

A peal of thunder rang out in the clear sky, followed by ominous clouds swiftly descending, covering the skies above them.

"Guh!!!"

Just as Qingping was about to further urge the Thunder Technique, his body trembled, feeling his innards churn, blood rushing up, his mind in chaos, his Daoist Technique dissipating, even turning into a backlash, impacting himself, until a mouthful of fresh blood spilled out, his body staggering backward.

"What’s happening?"

Qingping was horrified, looking around only to find Huide in the same plight, again severely pressured by the rejection of heaven and earth.

This pressure again stripped three-tenths of their authority, sharply decreasing their control over Golden Sun Heaven and Earth, causing the Daoist Technique they were about to perform to miscarry, and even suffer a backlash.

What is happening?

Even though their opponent has forged a Merit Golden Body, they have not actually killed him, merely intending to strike. How could it cause such drastic rejection by heaven and earth?

"This is the sin you have created!"

Amidst their shock and suspicion, Shen Hex pointed out the crux.

"Sin?"

Qingping’s eyes sharpened, finally realizing the key: "Your authority has not been diminished!?"

...

Dingyuan County, Baitu Village.

The village’s land deity had fallen from the altar, its Divine Realm dissipating, leaving the village unprotected.

Suddenly, a sinister wind howled, ominously arriving.

Though these years, Shen Hex, as Judge, had actively purged most of the demons and monsters within Jinyang’s realm, only most but not all, meaning some had slipped through his grasp.