So on the day they were completed, they were filled with homeless refugees.

After doing all this, Ruyi exchanged the silver Shen Qiyuan gave her for clothes and cotton quilts, distributing them randomly near the Azure God Temple.

Gods and demons both depend on mortals—the difference is that gods depend on mortals’ faith, while demons depend on mortals’ fear.

The incense at the Azure God Temple became even more prosperous because of these clothes and quilts. Even refugees who had no money to buy incense and candles would devoutly bow when passing the temple.

Therefore, Shen Qiyuan felt his divine consciousness rapidly strengthening.

As his divine consciousness strengthened, many fragmented scenes inexplicably appeared in his mind—sometimes on mountains, sometimes in rain.

He subconsciously flipped through case files, wanting to know what exactly caused this natural disaster in Lin’an.

Following the dates to review all Lin’an-related matters before and after the disaster, he discovered this calamity came suddenly—the continuous heavy rain nearly destroyed Lin’an, yet the Azure God didn’t appear to provide protection.

Shen Qiyuan gently shook his head.

If he became the Azure God, he definitely wouldn’t neglect his duties like this.

Little Lotus obediently poured tea for him beside him.

This little girl was very clever—after setting down the teacup, she helped him organize the pile of scattered case files behind him. Those files had been knocked over by him accidentally, and he’d had no time to sort them. Seeing her careful movements, he didn’t stop her.

“Master, how do you read this character?” Little Lotus suddenly asked.

Shen Qiyuan turned back and saw her holding up a case record with words like “black market” written on it.

“That’s the ‘kou’ in bandit.” He taught her the pronunciation and wrote the stroke order on paper beside her.

Little Lotus nodded in understanding, holding the paper while learning and continuing to organize.

Shen Qiyuan casually glanced at that case record and saw Liu Ruyi’s name.

He was startled and quickly unfolded the case record carefully.

This recorded a kidnapping case that occurred in Lin’an City during autumn—bandits hired by the black market broke into Offering God Street and tied up Liu Ruyi. But later, for unknown reasons, Liu Ruyi escaped unharmed and even captured a bandit alive, providing clues to the Ministry of Justice.

A weak woman couldn’t possibly escape unharmed from so many bandits—at that time, Liu Ruyi should have already been Ruyi undergoing tribulation.

But the case file’s conclusion stated that among the dozen-plus bandits, except for that one survivor, all died in the ruined temple.

Shen Qiyuan found it somewhat unbelievable.

Though the case file said they killed each other, how could there be such a coincidence? Ruyi must have used methods.

But how could a god cultivator harm human lives? Even if they were bandits, there were ways to preserve their lives and hand them over to mortals for judgment.

His heart sinking, Shen Qiyuan took the second case record from Little Lotus’s hands.

Cang’er Mountain—dozens of Liu Manor servants died, killing each other, with Liu Ruyi also involved. Only this time, everyone died, no one came forward to accuse her, and the coroner said those people all died attacking each other, so no one questioned her guilt.

The methods were identical—he could even picture in his mind how she solved these people without bloodshed.

Turning back with a sidelong glance, what suddenly emerged from Ruyi wasn’t pure white immortal magic, but supremely evil and dark demonic energy. Her eyes shimmered as she looked at him, revealing blood-red claws and fangs.

Shen Qiyuan’s pupils contracted slightly.

Thunder and lightning seemed to sound around him.

Floods raged on Huiming Mountain, century-old trees were uprooted and tumbled down the mountainside with muddy rainwater. Lightning tore through the sky behind the mountain, and the dark heavy sky seemed about to collapse.

He looked around—all books and case files disappeared, leaving only bitter mountain wind and endless dark clouds.

“You’ve brought disaster to the people.” In the howling wind, someone sighed hoarsely.

“Master.” He lowered his head helplessly.

“Those who go to Qidou Mountain all have desires. She sought city stability, you sought to protect the people. She achieved her wish, but you destroyed the oath you made when becoming a god.”

Before his eyes, wind and clouds changed as someone carried him over Lin’an City, watching hail mixed with torrential rain fall harder and harder, smashing through houses and killing livestock. Lightning split across the sky, and the earth trembled slightly.

He saw infirm elders struggling and drowning in floods, saw infants placed by parents in the only wooden basin yet still capsized by uprooted tree trunks, saw survivors climb onto rooftops only to freeze into blocks of ice in this winter’s cold wind.

Countless lives were lost because of his moment of error—they didn’t even know why disaster came, their hearts still repeatedly begging for the Azure God’s protection.

Shen Qiyuan’s body trembled uncontrollably.

“Master? Master?” Little Lotus called him nervously.

The surrounding thunder and rain suddenly vanished. He sat pale-faced in his chair like a fish on shore, opening his mouth with difficulty to breathe.

How could he forget such an important matter? How could he forget?

The innocent people who died unjustly weren’t even cold yet, while he, the culprit, enjoyed offerings here with peace of mind—wasn’t this absurd?

The teacup on the table suddenly shattered, porcelain and water flying. Anger and regret burst through the carved window, merging with the harsh winter wind.

Ruyi was haggling with a cotton clothing shopkeeper when she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

She looked down, somewhat puzzled, and before she could figure out where this ominous premonition came from, she saw commotion on the street outside.

“The Shen Manor has opened its doors!”

“Not to mention these hard times—even when we could make a living before, we never went to such grand households. Master Shen is truly a good man.”

Ruyi puzzledly grabbed someone to ask: “What’s happening?”

That person excitedly said, “The Shen Manor has opened its doors wide to shelter refugees, providing porridge daily!”

Nearby, He Tinglan was somewhat confused: “Didn’t Master already pay for cotton clothes and bedding? How did he even open his manor doors?”

Doing good deeds should certainly be praised, but bringing so many refugees into his own home—how could those precious objects in his manor be preserved? Even the servants and maids in the manor would inevitably be frightened.

Ruyi also clicked her tongue: “Saying he radiates Buddha light, he has become self-sacrificing for others.”

Not caring about anything else, she also got on the horse cart to rush to the Shen Manor.

Shen Qiyuan rarely wore white robes, standing beside the vermilion gate with its high-hanging plaque, appearing even more refined and otherworldly. He led the stewards to guide the swarming refugees inside for shelter, his lips appearing quite bloodless.

Ruyi felt somewhat distressed and got off the cart to grab his hand: “What are you doing?”

His spine stiffening slightly, Shen Qiyuan broke free of her hand and turned around with lowered eyelids: “My manor is empty anyway.”

Startled by this action for a moment, Ruyi didn’t think much of it and teasingly said as usual: “Think I’m doing poorly? I’ve invested quite a bit of silver—you don’t know about those grass huts in the eastern suburbs…”

“Ruyi.” He spoke softly, interrupting her words.

She stopped and looked at him, puzzledly: “What?”

“I’m rather busy today, you should go back first.” Shen Qiyuan said, “I have no time to attend to you.”