Chapter 8: Restrictions on the Use of the Divine Investiture List

"I told you, I told you, who still dares to doubt me now? Who dares to say I’m crazy, huh? A bunch of bastards! I was right all along. Wudang Mountain really does have martial arts. No—there are immortals there!"

In a bedroom, Yun Chuan was scrolling through videos when he suddenly came across footage of a golden light soaring from Wudang Mountain. Stunned at first, he frantically searched for more clips, growing more and more excited as he watched, until finally he couldn’t help but curse aloud.

Bang! Bang!

"What are you yelling for? Keep it down, or do you want another beating?" The shout came from outside the door—it was his father’s voice.

Yun Chuan instinctively shrank his neck, but stubbornly muttered under his breath, "Just wait. I strongly suspect this is the beginning of a spiritual renaissance. Joining a great sect is the best choice. You’re blocking my path to cultivation now, but you’ll regret it later. My future’s being held back by my own parents."

After grumbling, Yun Chuan went back to scrolling through videos, each one making him more restless.

Come to think of it, I was the first to spot the Purple Light Immortal. That proves I have a fateful connection. If it weren’t for the police, I’d have been among those observing that golden light up close—maybe even met an immortal and been taken as a disciple, becoming one of the first to benefit from the revival of spiritual energy.

Instead, I’m locked up in this room, unable to go anywhere.

It’s unbearable.

Opportunity from Heaven still needs to be seized by one’s own hand. What I complain about now may become true resentment in the future.

No, I have to try again.

With this thought, Yun Chuan went to the window and looked down.

This was a hotel, his room was on the third floor. Looking down… Gulp! From this height, I probably wouldn’t die from the fall, right?

…

"It really is lively here. I’m starting to suspect this Purple Light Immortal and blazing golden light are just marketing tricks by the Wudang Mountain tourist board. Look at these crowds—business is booming these days," Zhang Kai scoffed as he gazed at the throngs of tourists from a viewing platform.

"Boss Zhang, you saw that golden light yourself. Do you think something like that could be made with ordinary technology? It shot almost up to the sky! That force, that impact—tsk, I could have managed something like that only when I was young," a frail old man retorted with a smile. He wore sunglasses, an old-fashioned long robe, and sported a goatee.

Zhang Kai glanced at the skinny elder and curled his lip. "You never know. Technology’s always changing. I’ve been living on Wudang Mountain for a few months, and my phone’s already two generations behind those outside."

"Heh, Boss Zhang, I’m curious about you. You’re young, wealthy, and nearly as handsome as I was in my youth. Why come to Wudang Mountain to live in seclusion? At your age, ninety-nine percent of men are either chasing women or on their way to chase women. Don’t tell me you’re…?" The old man grinned meaningfully.

"Bah! Get lost. My kidneys are just fine, and my tastes are normal. I came here just to enjoy nature and experience Taoist culture. Takes all sorts to make a world, and I guess I’m that rare one percent you mentioned," Zhang Kai shot back, annoyed.

"Young men shouldn’t act tough. If you don’t take care of yourself now, you’ll only regret it in old age. I feel a connection with you, so I’ll be honest. Before I started fortune-telling, my family were doctors for three generations. We even have a secret imperial remedy for vitality. If you offer a price I like, I’ll sell you the recipe," the old man said, looking at Zhang Kai expectantly.

Zhang Kai snorted, "Keep it for yourself, old man. I’m tired. I’m going back for a nap."

With that, Zhang Kai strolled away, ignoring the fortune-teller’s calls.

It had been three days since he unearthed the Investiture of the Gods list. The first day, Wudang Mountain was swarming with investigators—almost closed the whole place down, but they found nothing. On the second day, visitor numbers exploded.

It felt just like the stock market—a hot concept brings in floods of retail investors.

But none of this had anything to do with Zhang Kai. He’d caused the commotion, but as long as the money changed hands, so did the protection. The investigation hadn’t touched him at all.

What irked Zhang Kai was that, while the Investiture of the Gods list was indeed magical, it couldn’t actually grant godhood. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t add his own name to the roster. Even writing it in ink, his name would fade away in an instant—useless.

This troubled Zhang Kai greatly. Unable to think of a solution, he’d come out for a walk to clear his head and chat with the fortune-teller he’d met during his time on Wudang Mountain.

That old fortune-teller was no ordinary man, either. The story of being descended from doctors was a lie. His status on Wudang Mountain was quite high—Zhang Kai had once seen a middle-aged Daoist greet him with utmost respect, calling him "uncle-master."

But after observing for a while, Zhang Kai realized the man was mostly a charlatan—maybe he had some skills, but nothing truly extraordinary.

Strolling back to his villa, Zhang Kai pulled out his phone and browsed a forum.

It was a popular site lately, originally a gathering place for martial arts enthusiasts, but now dominated by discussions about the Purple Light Immortal and the golden light soaring into the sky. Everyone wanted to keep up with the latest events.

And the wild theories abounded. Zhang Kai had learned a lot here—the forum’s debates about martial arts and cultivation were detailed and insightful, and the users’ deep knowledge of wuxia tropes had been very useful to him.

There were even discussions about the revival of spiritual energy—hardcore fans had dreamed up several ways such a revival might occur, opening Zhang Kai’s eyes to new ideas.

As he scrolled, a newly trending thread caught his attention.

"If the Investiture of the Gods happened today, who would qualify for the list?"

This was exactly the problem he’d been struggling with!

Some helpful soul had raised the question for him—how lucky!

Truth be told, Zhang Kai had considered asking online for advice before, but gave up for a simple reason: If he left any trace, he’d expose himself. If the real use of the Investiture list was discovered, anyone who had searched for it would become a suspect, and the secret would be revealed.

So, no matter how troubled he was, Zhang Kai never left any clues. His months on Wudang Mountain hadn’t been wasted—perhaps not for self-cultivation, but at least for maintaining a calm, rational mindset, and for setting the tone of "cultivate quietly, and strive for immortality."

He didn’t want to dominate the world or become a legend—just live as a wealthy immortal, free and easy, without ever stepping into the limelight.

Seeing the thread, Zhang Kai eagerly clicked in.

The post itself was casual, listing examples of real-life figures—people so important that even Zhang Kai wouldn’t dare mention them. Just hearing their names was enough to inspire awe and respect—he even felt that the Investiture list was unworthy of them.

Zhang Kai ignored all that and focused on the replies—these netizens’ wild ideas were his true source of inspiration.

As the saying goes: "One man’s plan is short, two men’s plan is long; many hands make light work; in a group of three, there is always something to learn." Ancient wisdom had always been his secret weapon.

After a while, a particular reply caught Zhang Kai’s eye.

"If the Investiture of the Gods occurred today, the way to achieve godhood might be different, since people’s desires have changed. In the past, people prayed for food and clothing, so they begged Heaven for good weather. Now, people just want money, money, money—so a God of Wealth would be a super deity. And for those who don’t lack food or drink, there are new pursuits, like a God of Cars. Back in the day, a carriage or cart was a luxury; now they’re household tools—so a Car God would have plenty of worshippers. There’s also the God of Food—once just a cook, but now, people care more about how good food tastes than just having enough. Then there’s the God of Medicine. Modern medicine is a huge challenge—people may live better, but they’re physically weaker than in the past. And with the rampant issue of trust and bad debts nowadays, Lord Guan might rise to prominence as the god of contracts—every business deal starts with a prayer, or it’s not reliable. There are many more, but I’ll leave the rest to your imagination."

This reply sparked some inspiration in Zhang Kai.

Maybe the reason he couldn’t get on the Investiture list was that he simply wasn’t qualified.

After all, although the list worked, it operated under the rules of an era where spiritual practice was nearly extinct, so there must still be conditions—like perhaps, sufficient merit?