Ye Fan was not originally a god, but now he seemed like one. He had awakened the red crystal, causing the large blue crystal to reconsolidate and restore the energy supply to the underground.

"Woo-la-la..."

Even within the palace, Ye Fan could hear the cheers of the underground inhabitants outside.

A faint blue glow returned to the underground as energy was restored. Crops could once again grow using this energy, and cultivators could continue to use it for cultivation.

After Ye Fan descended from the air, the old woman knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly in devout gratitude, saying, "Divine Master, you have saved us with your grace. I am willing to sacrifice my life to thank your benevolence!"

Ye Fan said, "I don't need your repayment. I've already received what I wanted. I think it's time for me to leave."

"But... you have not yet received our most devout gratitude. Princess, why don't you offer your sincerity to receive the Divine Master's blessing? Your disloyalty to the Divine Master is a disloyalty to your faith!" The old woman suddenly glared at the young girl who had just tidied her clothes and walked out of the bedchamber. "Your mistake will bring disaster to us underground. Your Majesty, we should sacrifice the princess's life, letting her accept the punishment of flames to cleanse her soul and express our reverence for the Divine Master."

"No!" The girl was terrified; it was the second time within a day that her life was threatened. Previously, her mother and the old priest wanted to burn her to gain divine protection, and now, because of her disloyalty to the "Divine Master," they wanted to kill her to atone for their sins.

The empress had already risen and shouted, "Guards, take her!"

A group of girls again found a blanket to wrap around the girl, and Ye Fan didn't know what was so formidable about this blanket that it frightened a mischievous early Golden Core girl so much.

In her chase, the girl ran to Ye Fan, knelt down, and clutched his leg, pleading, "Please, I was wrong before. I didn't realize you were really the Divine Master. I am very loyal to you. Please don't let me be burned to death!"

Perhaps witnessing Ye Fan previously activating the ruby and rejuvenating the underground, even the girl believed Ye Fan was truly divine. She looked at Ye Fan with pleading eyes.

The old woman angrily said, "You disloyal traitor! The Divine Master came to save us, and you doubted him. You must be burned to death!"

Ye Fan did not expect the seemingly devout old priestess to be so stubborn, not even wanting to save her daughter. Ye Fan waved his hand, "No need to kill her!"

The old woman was surprised, "Divine Master, she betrayed you. Why not burn her?"

"Since you call me the Divine Master, do I need to seek your opinion in what I say or do?" Ye Fan replied angrily.

The old woman hurriedly lowered her head, saying, "Divine Master, I dare not question you. But now, we must either sacrifice her body to you or cleanse her soul with flames. Divine Master, please accept our sincerity and grant us blessings..."

Wu Ding angrily said, "Hey, old witch, did you not understand what my junior said? He said he's not your god. Even if you cling to him, you should obey him. If he says he's leaving and doesn't want to kill this woman, then don't defy him."

The old woman knelt silently.

The empress said, "Divine Master and your messenger, it's not that we don't follow your orders. It's just... the scripture records that if we can't retain the Divine Master's blessings when he descends, it will soon bring disaster."

Ye Fan frowned, "What blessing?"

Looking around, he saw even the girl's face was red. It seemed he understood the so-called blessing was not about making this woman bear his child, was it?

"I won't accept such a ridiculous proposal," Ye Fan said. "Even a deity would empathize with his people and not force them into insincere actions."

The girl continued to cling to Ye Fan's leg, "I am your devout believer, never acting insincerely."

Ye Fan gave her a stern look. Just now in the bedchamber, you acted as if you'd rather die, and now you claim sincerity. Isn't it because you fear the old priestess and your mother want to burn you that you say this now?

The old woman said again, "If the Divine Master can't grant blessings, we have to kill her because her soul is no longer pure."

Wu Ding laughed, "Junior, it seems like these people are truly devoted to you. How about this: take this woman along, like the woman surnamed Han, and make her your servant. When the Desire Pill in you acts up, give it to her and send her back afterward!"

"Such jokes, don't say them again," Ye Fan said.

"Who's joking?" Wu Ding glared at the underground inhabitants. "Let me ask you, if my junior wants to take your princess, do you dare oppose?"

"No... we dare not." The old woman thought for a moment and shook her head.

Wu Ding whispered to Ye Fan, "Take her to the surface and let her fend for herself. She won't return, and people underground can't get to the surface to kill her!"

Ye Fan smiled wryly. Actually, Wu Ding's suggestion wasn't bad.

As long as the girl was brought to the surface, she could leave independently, and the underground people would believe she stayed with the Divine Master, avoiding pursuit.

"Very well, I'll take her away," Ye Fan said. "I've been here long enough, and it's time to go. Don't follow me; I won't return."

The old woman respectfully said, "Farewell, Divine Master!"

All the underground people knelt, while the girl was wrapped in a blanket, held under Ye Fan's arm. As Ye Fan left the palace, the underground inhabitants outside stayed, all bowing in worship. Here, he was a god.

Wu Ding laughed, "Junior, when you succeed in the future, you might consider retiring here. Look at them, treating you not just like an emperor but revering you as a god, devoted in mind and body."

"Senior sister, if you like, you can come be the god. I'm not interested," Ye Fan replied coldly.

Ye Fan had found the third protector bell of the bronze tautology mirror. Now the most important thing was to return to the surface and find a place to cultivate his Spiritual Energy. Since the bronze tautology mirror was his first Nascent Soul, once complete, his Spiritual Energy had quickly expanded, about to breakthrough from mid-Nascent Soul to late-Nascent Soul, even entering the Divinity Transformation Stage.

With the farewell of the underground inhabitants, Ye Fan, along with Wu Ding and others, swam back through the passage they had come from to the underwater world of the East Sea.

Returning to the underwater ocean, the entire sea was lit with blue, and Lan Jing danced joyfully around the large blue crystal like a little mermaid. Seeing Ye Fan, she flashed a bright, happy smile, taking Ye Fan's hand as if treating him as the master of the underwater ocean.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.