Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Earth Shrine
[Workshop: Unlocked Equipment]
[Magic Potion Alchemy Platform: Various magic potions can be refined once the materials are gathered according to the blueprint]
[Lu Ban’s Miraculous Object Creation Platform: Various items can be crafted once the materials are gathered according to the blueprint]
In the underground workshop, Sun Yan stood beside a machine that had just been unlocked, curiously exploring every aspect of it.
After obtaining the Land Shrine Construction Plan, he also unlocked the usage rights of this machine in the workshop.
[Land Shrine Construction Plan (Material Requirements: Planks + Stone Blocks + Iron Sheets + Incense Ash)]
The materials needed to make the land shrine are not expensive and are relatively common. These items are available in Gospel Town.
As Sosia carried a large pile of planks and iron sheets downstairs, Sun Yan immediately started the machine.
Once Sosia placed all the materials into the machine, Lu Ban’s Miraculous Object Creation Platform began to vibrate, emitting a rumbling sound.
"According to your request, I built a doghouse for Dahuang at the main house entrance, but my carpentry skills aren’t very good, so the doghouse might have some flaws."
Taking advantage of the time while the machine was working, Sosia initiated some casual conversation with Sun Yan.
After leaving Yellow Rock Town, Sun Yan brought Dahuang back with him. After all, it was a dog he had a contract with, and Dahuang also had many abilities that ordinary dogs don’t possess. Naturally, Sun Yan wouldn’t leave it to wander in Yellow Rock Town.
"No worries, as long as the mutt has a place to stay. Besides, with Dahuang’s nature of liking to run wild over hills and fields, it doesn’t need too fancy of a doghouse," Sun Yan replied with a casual smile.
Boom!
Just as the two were chatting, the machine suddenly jolted, spouting out a large amount of white smoke, then gradually came to a stop.
Sun Yan estimated it was probably completed, and quickly reached out to open the lid, revealing a finely crafted ancient-style shrine about the size of a rice cooker in front of him.
The shrine resembled a small temple with an eave plaque, intricate eaves, and inside there was a kind-looking stone divine statue, so lifelike.
Taking the shrine out from the machine, Sun Yan suddenly felt inspired, pressing his hand onto the stone divine statue’s face. Immediately, he felt a sting in his finger, and a drop of blood seeped from his fingertip, merging into the stone divine statue’s body.
Instantly, Sun Yan felt a kind of psychic connection between himself and the land shrine, as if it was part of his body.
"What is this thing used for?" Sosia asked curiously.
"Establishing oneself as a god, becoming an immortal, receiving incense offerings, overseeing all directions..." Sun Yan silently reminisced over the introduction of the Land Shrine Blueprint, suddenly having some realization.
He handed the land shrine over to Sosia, instructing, "Please take this to Chief Henry at the Shajiao District Police Station in Saint Anna City, and remind him to place this land shrine in a place in the station’s hall where everyone can see it. As long as someone burns incense for the shrine daily, Shajiao District will no longer have any Evil Spirit incidents."
"Okay." Sosia nodded, not asking more questions.
Taking the land shrine and Sun Yan’s car keys, she left the graveyard, heading directly to Saint Anna City.
In ancient Eastern times, the Earth God was the local guardian deity managing the community, also a regional protector deity.
The duty was to ensure peace and tranquility in the hometown, and even act on behalf of the City God to manage the deceased’s household registration in the community. The land carries all things, nourishes all things, and can ensure the harvest of the five grains on the land.
Meanwhile, people in Min Nan and Taiwan Province believe the Earth God can not only bless agricultural harvests but also ensure traders’ business success, travelers’ safety on journeys, and even protect the populace from demonic interference, a very comprehensive ability.
After Sosia left, Sun Yan lingered for a while before exiting the underground workshop. By dividing his mind, he could clearly feel the land shrine moving swiftly on the Ford pickup and could somewhat sense the situation near the land shrine from afar.
"As expected, just as I guessed, this land shrine has the ability to monitor the area. If I can spread the land shrine throughout North America, then the entire continent will be covered with my surveillance network, making me omniscient in the shadows."
Excitedly, Sun Yan clenched his fist. This ability far surpassed wielding a magical artifact against Evil Spirits.
Especially since if the land shrine could receive incense offerings, it might even have other effects, but that would have to be slowly explored and developed in the future.
He entered a room with an offering table, where the vast tabletop still only held a lone divine statue of the True Monarch of Pure Origin and Mysterious Dao.
Recently, Sun Yan had been completing daily tasks consistently, but he had never encountered rewards for protecting the graveyard again. Otherwise, if he could offer another divine statue, he’d have more divine powers at his disposal.
Looking at the black crow head design on the inside of his forearm, Sun Yan respectfully offered a stick of incense to True Monarch Erlang.
"True Monarch, I feel ashamed to say, on this trip I inadvertently got marked again. The Western Hell Demon is indeed cunning and treacherous; I must ask for your divine power to help eliminate this Demon Mark."
Sun Yan bowed to the divine statue, then reached out to press the Demon Mark against the body of the True Monarch of Pure Origin and Mysterious Dao.
In an instant, black smoke swirled around Sun Yan’s forearm, sizzling, and the Demon Mark faded visibly until it completely disappeared.
```
"Thank you, True Monarch." Sun Yan looked joyous, bowing again.
As the saying goes, having an elder at home is like having a treasure; having the True Monarch of Pure Origin and Mysterious Dao in the family is worth a thousand, ten thousand treasures.
With this Tomb Guardian, Sun Yan felt very at ease whenever he was at the cemetery.
...
Saint Anna City, prison.
In the corridor lit by incandescent lights, a dignified woman in a rose qipao with her hair in a bun and wearing Chanel glasses walked gracefully. Her high heels clicked against the floor.
"Madam, you only have five minutes to visit; you must leave once time is up."
The white police officer leading the way stopped in front of her, opened the door to the visitation room, and said coldly.
"Got it, sweetheart~" The madam sassily wiggled her hips, walking into the room.
Inside, on the other side of the wire mesh visitation wall, sat an elderly Asian woman with white hair, dressed in prison garb, shackles on her hands and feet, looking utterly weary.
"Oh~ isn’t this my elder sister who emigrated to America and supposedly has a blissful family life? How could she end up like this, truly pitiful to witness."
The dignified woman sat elegantly in front of the visitation wall, legs together, giving a light chuckle as she looked at the old woman opposite her.
She took off her glasses; though heavy makeup covered the passage of time on her face, the wrinkles around her eyes betrayed her age.
The elderly woman slowly raised her head, her expression sullen.
She was none other than Aunt Yun, whom Sun Yan had met before in a rundown apartment nurturing a Yin Residence.
"What are you doing here?" Aunt Yun asked hoarsely.
The woman toyed with her freshly done nails: "You’ve been imprisoned, as your younger sister, I must come to check on you, be concerned about you. Now, tell me, who did this to you?"
"You don’t need to worry about my affairs, and besides, you’re not a match for him. Just go back."
"Hahaha!" Upon hearing Aunt Yun’s words, the woman immediately let out a shrill, wicked laugh: "Don’t provoke me, dear sister. With the help of the Black Curse Buddha Mother, I’ve mastered the Flying Head Monster. Even the accomplished monks from Thailand are no match for me. I’m not here for sisterly affection but because I want an answer from you."
"What answer?" Aunt Yun raised her eyelids, indifferent.
"Why did you abandon the worship of the Black Curse Buddha Mother back then and turn to worship a rat, something that couldn’t even become immortal in the Northeast? Do you think worshiping it is better than the Black Curse Buddha Mother? Also, where is the village where you taught your skills back then? Tell me."
Facing her sister’s inquiries, Aunt Yun smiled with some pity: "The Black Curse Buddha Mother is far more dangerous than you imagine. Utilizing Her power will only lead to backlash. She has already destroyed my family. Isn’t it normal to seek another way out?"
"You betrayed the Buddha Mother; She is very disappointed in you. Tell me where that village is, and I might intercede with the Buddha Mother for you." The woman’s eyes turned cold, speaking icily.
"Fool, you’ll never know. Go back, and don’t come looking for me again. We’re no longer on the same path." Aunt Yun stood up to leave.
But just then, the woman suddenly raised her hands, pressing them back to back, her gesture forming like a blooming flower, while she recited some convoluted scripture.
Aunt Yun’s expression changed instantly. She turned back, angered: "What exactly are you trying to do?!"
As soon as she spoke, upon meeting the woman’s face, Aunt Yun’s expression shifted from anger to immediate terror, fear, and helplessness.
It was an indescribable face; just a glance filled one with infinite dread, as if falling into an endless abyss.
As a former believer of the Black Curse Buddha Mother, Aunt Yun knew without a doubt this was the Black Curse Buddha Mother, appearing before her through her sister’s body.
"I have sinned."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
With her gaze calm, Aunt Yun also performed the back-to-back hand gesture, her head repeatedly slamming into the nearby wall.
Battering until her head was a bloody mess, blood streaming down.
By the time the police outside heard the commotion and rushed in, it was too late. Aunt Yun was already lying on the ground, covered in blood, no longer breathing.
She had a peaceful smile on her face, eyes bent with a slightly eerie look.
And inside this visitation room, there was no trace of the dignified woman with the bun.
She seemed to have turned into air, vanished into thin air, without a trace.