The Ugly Hag tried to bow, but she was too weak. With a hint of apology, she said, "I am unwell, benefactor, and unable to offer a full salute. I hope you can forgive me."
Jian Huaishuang said nothing more and simply nodded.
He raised his hand, and a sheet of paper transformed into tentacles that pierced the top of the Ugly Hag's head.
Once the Ugly Hag's physical body was completely consumed, the tentacles retracted to the ground and flattened into a sheet of white paper that folded itself.
A paper-man version of the Ugly Hag now stood quietly by the bed. She looked down at her hands made of paper, feeling no discomfort in her new form.
"Mother!" Piao rushed forward, cautiously touching the Ugly Hag's paper arm.
The Ugly Hag took Piao's hand and pulled her toward Jian Huaishuang, bowing deeply in a solemn gesture. "I thank you, benefactor, for the gift of a new life."
Seeing this, Piao immediately followed suit, her head thumping loudly against the ground.
Jian Huaishuang grew even more flustered. He reached out to help them up, but the Ugly Hag remained stubborn. "The benefactor is worthy of this salute."
Left with no choice, Jian Huaishuang turned a pleading gaze toward Jiang Ziang.
Jiang Ziang understood. He cleared his throat, stepped forward, and changed the subject.
"Daoist Jian, Lady Piao, the copper poison in Kushi County and its surrounding areas has not been fully cleared. The land is heavily contaminated. At present, it seems only Lady Piao has the ability to devour this poison on a large scale. I wonder..."
Hearing this, Piao immediately hugged the Ugly Hag's paper arm tightly, burying her face against it and refusing to let go.
She had only just returned home and reunited with her mother; she did not want to be separated again so soon.
The Ugly Hag gently patted her hand. "Silly girl, have you forgotten what I taught you?"
Piao answered sullenly, "To be... a good person."
"Indeed." The corners of the Ugly Hag's mouth curved slightly. "Did I not tell you that being a good person doesn't necessarily mean you will get a direct reward from those you help? It is like throwing a stone into a pond."
She gestured with her paper hands, explaining patiently, "When the stone hits the water, the ripples it creates might not affect us directly, but they will spread out circle by circle. They affect the fish underwater, the grass on the shore, and even another surface of water far away.
"There will always be someone who sees these ripples, or who—having been helped by those ripples—is willing to throw their own stone.
"The ripples grow in number and intertwine until one day..." The Ugly Hag's voice was soft. "A ripple will eventually return to us after many twists and turns. It might not come from the person you helped, but it will certainly come from someone who was once helped.
"Just like me. Have we not received help from our benefactor?"
Piao listened, only half-understanding.
Seeing this, the Ugly Hag made a rare joke and performed a backflip.
"Look," the Ugly Hag said as she landed steadily. "I am in great health now. Don't worry, go with your friends."
Piao looked at her energetic mother, then at Jian Huaishuang and Jiang Ziang. After a moment of internal conflict, she slowly released her hand and nodded.
Jian Huaishuang breathed a secret sigh of relief. He seized the opportunity, gave a slight nod to the Ugly Hag and Jiang Ziang as a farewell, and then sped off toward Shikan Village. He was terrified of being held back by any more emotional scenes.
When Jian Huaishuang finally arrived back at the City of the Wrongfully Dead and presented the formal petition, Chen Zhou was sitting atop the Bone Altar, lost in thought.
Chen Zhou had already given orders to organize a grand celebration, which he had named God's Grace Day.
As soon as the news spread, the entire City of the Wrongfully Dead fell into a festive state of excitement. For these citizens who had endured so much hardship before finally finding peace under a god's protection, this was undoubtedly a day to look forward to.
Everyone felt as if the new year had arrived. Lu Cheng even patted his chest and guaranteed that on the day of the festival, he would ensure the city was decorated perfectly.
Chen Zhou quickly skimmed the contents of the petition. It was mostly filled with flowery language expressing gratitude, admiration for his divine power, and requests for an audience.
After a moment's consideration, he agreed to the Corpse Soul Sect's request.
These people were already tied to Jian Huaishuang; they might as well be considered his people. Most large cities had immortal sects stationed within them, so it would be beneficial to find a way to pull the Corpse Soul Sect over.
Unlike the sword sect, which had a shallow foundation here, the Corpse Soul Sect still had its heritage intact. Their martial techniques and mantras were available, and their roster of teaching elders and disciples was complete.
It would be a good opportunity for the citizens of the City of the Wrongfully Dead to practice under them. Otherwise, if they just gained cultivation through chopping wood and mining, having no corresponding mantras to practice would be a waste.
Having an immortal sect in the city would also boost prestige and gather faith.
Ever since he had summoned the bone flood to clear the Dead Man's Forest in front of everyone, allowing the citizens to witness the god's great power with their own eyes, the number of believers and their level of piety had indeed seen explosive growth.
However, such things could not be done frequently.
Chen Zhou knew very well that a god's power needed to be displayed occasionally to consolidate faith and unite the people, but too much was as bad as too little. If miracles became commonplace, the sense of mystery and distance would be lost, and the sense of awe would diminish accordingly.
Benevolence and majesty were like the two wheels of a cart or the two wings of a bird; both were indispensable.
God's Grace Day focused on benevolence.
Chen Zhou wasn't worried about this part. Bodhi Heart Fruits could purify spirit roots, Flesh-Reconstitution Pills could strengthen the body, and Blood-Inducing Pills could boost vitality. These were tangible benefits for the citizens. They could be distributed as rewards for hard work and outstanding contributions, which would be enough to win hearts and consolidate faith.
But at the same time, he also had to display a side of blood and majesty.
Taking in a large number of refugees from White Jade City had been a desperate move due to the lack of manpower in the early stages of development. Now that the city was established and order was stabilizing, not everyone was grateful or law-abiding.
There were always those with unruly natures who bullied the weak and feared the strong. Once they were fed and had extra energy, they found it hard to hide their wicked dispositions.
Theft, brawling, and even attempts to oppress the virtuous were occurring. Recently, the patrol team composed of the sword sect paper-men had arrested a group of such troublemakers. They were currently held in a temporary prison area, awaiting sentencing.
Chen Zhou felt that God's Grace Day was the perfect time to execute them publicly as a warning to others. It would make all citizens understand that a god's mercy was not bottomless, and that order and law were not to be challenged.
"Sure enough, being a god isn't easy either."
Chen Zhou rubbed his temples. He had to show the grace of a loving father while also playing the role of a cold-faced judge.
Just as he was pondering how to perfectly arrange this drama of benevolence and majesty, a sneaky figure caught the corner of his eye.
It wasn't a person; it was a tree.
A large pine tree with gnarled branches and a crown like a cloud.
This pine tree was acting extremely human-like, tiptoeing on its thick roots. Its massive trunk leaned forward slightly, giving it the appearance of a guilty thief.
The pine tree moved step by step toward the Blood-Prison Pool. Its dense needles trembled nervously from time to time, as if it were alertly scanning its surroundings—especially the direction of the altar—fearing that Chen Zhou might discover it.
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