Chapter 24: The Five Manifestations of the God of Wealth

After the Five-Filth God perished, a strange fragrance suddenly permeated the room.

The scent seemed to have an analgesic effect; although the injuries on their bodies had yet to heal, the two men felt no pain whatsoever. Their bodies felt light and relaxed, as if they had cast off shackles and regained their freedom.

Everything around them became hazy. In a trance, three divine statues rose from the ground.

One of them was familiar to Wu Xian: the Heavenly Official of Fortune, dressed in a bright red robe. The other two, however, were somewhat foreign.

One was entirely golden and plump, wearing a smile on its face. While it appeared gentle, the metallic luster gave it an eerie, non-human quality. This was the Heavenly Official—the Five-Fold Wealth God.

The other had a human head and a snake’s body, covered in red fur and dense clusters of eyes. These eyes rotated slowly, as if inspecting Wu Xian and his companion, making one's scalp tingle. This was the Earthly Official—the Demon God Zhuyin.

These three statues were different from the ones Wu Xian had encountered before. While the previous divine pedestals were reddish-brown or grayish-brown, these three shimmered with silver light, clearly signifying a higher rank.

Incense sticks were already laid out before each statue, allowing them to pray for rewards immediately. Wu Xian wanted to take them all for himself, but since Shi Ji had also contributed to defeating the Five-Filth God, he decided to yield the Fortune Official to Shi Ji, choosing the Wealth God and the Demon God for himself. He had never seen the effects of these two, and this was the perfect opportunity to satisfy his curiosity.

Wu Xian stood before the statue of the Demon God Zhuyin. This was the first Earthly Official statue he had encountered. He speculated based on his credentials: the Heavenly Official gave talismans, the Water Official gave artifacts, so this one should provide supernatural abilities. But what exactly would those effects be?

Full of anticipation, Wu Xian inserted the spectral incense into the burner.

*Whoosh!*

After the incense was inserted, the burner began to bubble with blood. The blood overflowed, pooling on the table and forming three items: a sharp claw, a red feather, and an eye.

Wu Xian placed his hand on each one, and information appeared before him.

**Werewolf Claw:** One hand transforms into a werewolf claw, capable of piercing iron, crushing stone, and shredding flesh.

**Golden Crow Feather:** Replaces a portion of hair with Golden Crow feathers, allowing any form of attack to be imbued with fire.

**Roc Eye:** Transforms one eye into a Roc’s eye, enhancing vision, with a probability of seeing through illusions and intimidating mortals.

Having read the descriptions, Wu Xian realized the truth. The Earthly Official’s blessing was meant to directly strengthen the physical body; the offerings from the Demon God Zhuyin were all beast-like enhancements. Furthermore, the names of the latter two items shimmered with a faint silver light, indicating they were of a higher grade than the werewolf claw.

Among the three, Wu Xian dismissed the werewolf claw entirely. Of the remaining two, the Roc Eye seemed more powerful, with its ability to pierce illusions and intimidate. However, the problem lay in the "probability." Such a thing was uncontrollable; if it failed at a critical moment, the result would be fatal. The Golden Crow Feather, while only adding fire, could be used at will, and perhaps it could trigger a chain reaction with his remaining True Fire Talisman.

After a moment of thought, Wu Xian plunged his hand into the pool of blood. The blood seemed to possess a life of its own, burrowing into his body. Soon, he felt an itch on his chest. Pulling open his clothes, he discovered a cluster of bright yellow feathers growing there.

Wu Xian’s expression changed drastically. "I thought it said it replaces hair! I didn't even have chest hair to begin with!"

Fortunately, this change could be covered by his clothes. If it had replaced his hair, everyone would have noticed his transformation. He tested it by throwing a punch; a streak of fire erupted from his fist. At the same time, he felt a chill on his chest, noticing that a few of the yellow feathers had vanished. It seemed the added fire was not without cost; he would have to use it sparingly.

Through this, Wu Xian understood another thing: blessings from divine statues in a Blessed Land could rarely make one stronger than the evil spirits themselves, unless one used special combinations to achieve a result greater than the sum of its parts. Even then, it depended on compatibility. If not for the *Boy’s Urine An-Gang* blade, he and Shi Ji would have died silently at the hands of the Five-Filth God, regardless of how many other items they possessed.

Wu Xian turned his attention to the Five-Fold Wealth God, which was entirely golden except for its base. Given its wealthy appearance and role as the god of money, it should provide a pleasant surprise. He inserted the incense and watched.

*Clatter, clatter...*

A pile of colorful paper money poured out from the Wealth God's mouth onto the table, and the statue lost its luster.

"That's it?" Wu Xian was stunned, but he quickly realized that the "One into Three" blessing had not taken effect—likely because this statue had no choices to offer. He placed his hand on the spirit money to read its information.

*Five-Fold Wealth Blessing: 150. Yin Virtue Converted to Wealth: 60. Total: 210 Spirit Notes.*

**Spirit Notes:** Issued by the Heaven and Earth Bank. Can bribe ghosts, be taken out of the Blessed Land, and used for trade.

"So that's how it is..." Wu Xian scratched his curly hair, slightly troubled. The spirit money was undoubtedly valuable, but he felt he had lost out; he needed items to help him survive this Blessed Land, not future profits.

Wu Xian put the money away. Meanwhile, Shi Ji had finished his prayers. He had received a silver "Poison" character from the Fortune Official and immediately applied it to his *Boy’s Urine An-Gang*. The blade, having grown dull and corroded after slaying two evil spirits, saw its spots vanish as the poison effect took hold, leaving the ominous blade with a new, eerie green sheen.

As their prayers concluded, the environment began to return to reality. Intestines, lungs, and omnipresent mouths and noses reappeared, and the surroundings once again descended into a hellish nightmare.

"Ah!" Shi Ji covered his mouth and let out a scream. His mouth was essentially ruined; his lips were half-gone, and his gums were largely eroded. Wu Xian also felt miserable, with his nose, mouth, and skin aching intensely. When fighting the Five-Filth God, the surge of adrenaline had masked the pain, and the appearance of the divine statues had suppressed it further. Now, all the accumulated agony came rushing back.

If this continued, Shi Ji would die without needing another evil spirit to finish him off, and Wu Xian would have no strength left to face the next threat.

"I lost. I really lost," Wu Xian muttered, his lips trembling. He shakily pulled a longevity peach from his pocket—an item obtained at Mr. Wang’s house, which was said to have healing properties. He split the peach in two, gave half to Shi Ji, and devoured his own portion in one gulp.

Usually, peaches used for birthdays were made of flour, but this was a fresh, succulent fruit. Its juice melted in his mouth, refreshing and sweet. The peach’s power turned into a warm current, causing Wu Xian’s body to begin automatic repairs. His skin and mouth wounds began to heal, and his body returned to its peak state at a visible rate.

Shi Ji, who clearly recognized the item, accepted it with a face full of gratitude. Its effect on him was even more apparent; his mangled mouth was restored to a human shape. While not fully healed, it was at least no longer a hindrance to his mobility.