Chapter 801: The Little Celestial Boy (Silver Alliance, additional chapter dedicated to Brother Mu H
Chapter 801: The Little Celestial Boy (Silver Alliance, additional chapter dedicated to Brother Mu Hua Jin Yu)
Who exactly is this little celestial boy?
Where did he come from?
Mo Hua had absolutely no recollection.
"When did this happen?"
Old Yu asked, "Over a year ago. After Xiao Shunzi and Xiao Shuizi were rescued, the villagers set up a shrine and erected a statue in the back of the village, offering incense and prayers."
Mo Hua's eyes flickered with interest. "Can you take me to see it?"
"Of course," Old Yu hesitated, "But, sir, aren't you in a hurry?"
"I'll just take a quick look and then be on my way."
"Alright then."
Old Yu nodded and instructed his two grandsons, Xiao Shunzi and Xiao Shuizi, to watch over the house. He then led Mo Hua to the back of the village.
The rear village remained sparsely populated as before.
The well that led to the Blood Red Fishing Village was still there, of course, but the array that opened the entrance had been smeared away by Mo Hua.
Not far from the well, a small shrine had been carved into the mountain wall.
In front of the shrine was a small offering table with some fruits and sacrifices. In the center was a small clay statue.
Mo Hua stared at the statue, deep in thought.
The statue was of a "little celestial boy," crudely crafted, evidently molded by the fishermen themselves. However, the resemblance was quite good—the boy was depicted with a golden sword on his back, exuding a majestic aura as he sat proudly in the shrine.
The key feature was that the statue's facial features and brows looked extremely familiar to Mo Hua...
Mo Hua's expression became complicated, and he asked Old Yu, "Why did you set up a statue of this celestial boy?"
Old Yu's face turned solemn as he slowly explained, "To be honest, sir, all the cultivators in our village had the same nightmare..."
"In the dream, there was a huge fish monster with a head as big as a temple. Its whiskers were as thick as trees, and its fangs were white and sharp. It was covered in blood and looked terrifying as it devoured people everywhere."
"Just as this fish monster was wreaking havoc, a little celestial being descended from the heavens."
"This little celestial being was radiant with golden light. He stepped on air and held a golden sword that shone brilliantly. With a swift move, he subdued the fish monster. Then, with a flash of his sword, he beheaded the creature, saving our fishing village from a great disaster..."
Old Yu paused, his face filled with gratitude, but then he sighed, "However, this little celestial being only appeared in our dreams. He came without a trace and left without a trace after slaying the fish monster."
"We are forever grateful for his kindness, so we built this shrine and erected his statue here. We offer sacrifices during festivals and pray for his blessings."
"If the weather turns bad, the waves are too strong, or something strange happens, we will also come here to burn incense and bow to this golden sword-wielding little celestial being, asking him to ensure calm winds and smooth currents and to protect our village..."
Mo Hua was stunned.
Everything Old Yu described was something he had done...
So, the celestial boy was actually me?
Mo Hua's feelings were complicated.
He was also curious, so he secretly asked Old Yu, "When you pray to me... to this little celestial being, is it really effective?"
Old Yu nodded vigorously, "Yes, it works!"
"Really?"
"Of course," Old Yu said reverently, "If it's been raining nonstop for days, praying to this little celestial boy will bring clear skies soon. If we can't catch any fish, praying to him will change our luck. A few days ago, Yu Er, my second son, was pulled into the river by a water demon, and he almost lost his life. Luckily, he had prayed to the little celestial being before going into the water, or he might not have survived..."
"The wife of Old Zhao from the village head's family was also saved by praying to this little celestial boy when she had a difficult childbirth..."
Mo Hua: "..."
He had no idea that he was so powerful that he could even ensure a safe childbirth...
"Has there ever been a time when it didn't work?" Mo Hua asked again.
Old Yu thought for a moment, "Occasionally, but that's definitely because we weren't sincere enough or were too greedy and made excessive demands. That's why the little celestial being didn't pay attention to us..."
"The little celestial being must be very busy and can't watch over us at all times. It's only natural that he helps us sometimes and not others. We shouldn't be resentful if he doesn't."
"Greed leads to disaster. If we're too greedy, we will suffer the consequences."
Old Yu's face turned serious, speaking from experience.
Mo Hua nodded.
It had to be said that Old Yu's explanation was quite logical.
Mo Hua stared at the "little celestial being" in the shrine, who was carrying a golden sword and looking majestic as he received the offerings. Suddenly, a question popped into Mo Hua's mind:
"Can I really absorb the power of these offerings?"
He remembered what Huang Shan Jun had said—only deities could absorb the power of incense offerings.
But he was a living person, how could he absorb that power?
Moreover, during the time he had been worshipped as the "little celestial boy" by the villagers, he hadn't felt anything special.
If he couldn't absorb the power of the offerings, then where did that power go?
Was it some kind of mysterious karma at play?
Mo Hua couldn't figure it out. He glanced at his clay statue again, his eyes narrowing in surprise, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to Old Yu and said,
"I've seen enough. It's getting late, Old Yu, I should be going now."
"Take care, sir," Old Yu said, "I'll see you out."
Old Yu personally escorted Mo Hua to the village entrance and watched as he walked away. Only then did he return home and instruct his two grandsons, "Take good care of the gifts the benefactor gave you."
The two children carefully tied the water-repelling jade pendants that Mo Hua had given them around their necks.
Old Yu nodded in satisfaction. "Don't underestimate your benefactor just because he looks young. He's a disciple of a major sect with excellent teachings and vast knowledge and abilities. He's truly exceptional."
"Remember every word he said to you, and never forget them."
"Also..." Old Yu sighed, "Even though we're just loose cultivators living in poverty, we must uphold our principles."
"I'm old, and my life will probably remain the same. I don't have the ability to repay his kindness, but the two of you are still young, and your future is full of possibilities..."
"If you ever achieve success in your cultivation, you must find a way to repay this great debt."
The two little grandsons nodded seriously,
"Yes, Grandpa, we will remember!"
"Good.
Meanwhile, in the back of the small fishing village, the shrine of the little celestial boy was surrounded by curling incense smoke, with no one else in sight.
Mo Hua, who had already left, gradually reappeared.
His eyes were deep and mysterious as he gazed at the shrine once more before slowly speaking, "Come out."
There was no response from within the shrine.
Mo Hua frowned slightly.
Just as he was about to lose patience, a faint silver light flashed within the shrine, and a tiny silver fish swam out, constantly nodding its head as if bowing.
At the same time, a thin and crisp voice entered Mo Hua's ears.
"Greetings to my savior..."
Mo Hua was taken aback.
He knew that something was hiding in his shrine, but he never expected it to be a silver fish.
Moreover, this little fish had pure divine consciousness, devoid of any trace of evil.
Recalling the previous events, Mo Hua understood.
"Are you... the river god that I beheaded before?"
The little silver fish trembled and said in a soft voice, "Yes, savior..."
"That's not right..." Mo Hua furrowed his brows, "Old Yu calls me savior because I saved him, but I beheaded you. Why do you also call me 'savior'?"
The little silver fish whispered, "Savior killed me, but he also saved me and spared my life..."
"Spared your life?"
Mo Hua was stunned, then he remembered...
Back then, after he had killed the corrupted river god and searched its altar, he indeed found a blood-red little fish.
He had intended to crush it to death.
But the little fish desperately thrashed about, shaking off the filthy blood, revealing its silver-white body.
Mo Hua realized that it carried no taint of the blood curse nor any trace of evil, so he spared its life out of kindness.
The little fish then transformed into a silver light and swam away, disappearing without a trace.
So it was that little fish from back then.
Mo Hua understood, and asked, "What is your origin?"
The little silver fish replied in a soft voice,
"To be honest, I was the river god of the Yan Shui River, protecting the land and relying on the fishermen's worship and offerings to maintain my divinity..."
"One day, a terrifying evil god invaded my domain, corrupting my divine consciousness, and eventually destroying the entire fishing village, ruining my foundation as a river god..."
"Without my foundation, I could only become a puppet of the evil god, gradually falling into depravity, retaining only a trace of clarity."
"Just as this last bit of 'clarity' in my divine consciousness was about to disappear, you, sir, slew the evil god, beheaded my fallen body, and set me free. Even the shrine I now inhabit is yours, and the offerings I receive are yours as well."
"Sir, you have given me a 'new life', and so you are naturally my 'savior'."
Mo Hua was lost in thought.
He never expected that he had unknowingly done so many good deeds...
"Beheading the divine body and preserving a trace of divine consciousness..."
Mo Hua's heart shuddered.
This was similar to Huang Shan Jun.
Huang Shan Jun had once fallen and strayed onto the path of evil. He was saved by a senior of Tai Xu Men, who used his divine consciousness to forge a sword, beheading Huang Shan Jun's powerful divine body and leaving only a trace of pure divine consciousness, allowing him to be "reborn" as a destitute mountain god.
This little silver fish had undergone a similar experience.
Except that it was Mo Hua who had beheaded it.
"So, are you still a river god now?" Mo Hua asked.
The little silver fish nodded its tiny head, "I still possess a trace of a river god's authority, but most of my divine abilities and memories as a deity have been severed..."
"Severed?" Mo Hua was slightly taken aback, then asked, "Do you still remember the past? Your divine abilities, and the evil god that corrupted you?"
The little silver fish shook its head, "After being severed, most of my memories were lost."
"Alright..."
Mo Hua felt a bit regretful.
He really wanted to know about the evil god's fall into depravity and how deities cultivated their divine abilities.
Especially the river god's Blood Sea Divine Ability, which had left a deep impression on him.
Now, it seemed that opportunity was lost.
Deities are born from the Dao.
This Dao seemed to encompass both abilities and memories.
The two complemented each other and were innate.
However, if severed, they would be lost together.
Mo Hua pondered silently.
The little silver fish suddenly felt ashamed and said in a low voice, "Savior, please forgive me, but I have been secretly consuming your offerings..."
"It's fine, go ahead and eat," Mo Hua said generously.
After all, he couldn't consume them himself.
"However, since you have received these offerings and taken on this karmic connection, you must ensure the peace of this fishing village."
"You don't need to worry about greedy people, and don't force yourself to do things beyond your ability. But for those things within your power, don't be lazy."
"Also, never stray onto the path of evil again..."
Mo Hua instructed.
The little silver fish was delighted to receive Mo Hua's permission, happily wagging its tail and nodding repeatedly,
"Thank you, savior! I will definitely heed your teachings!"
Mo Hua nodded.
"Alright, I should be going now."
The little silver fish respectfully said, "Farewell, savior."
Mo Hua glanced at the shrine of the little celestial boy once more before turning to leave.
After Mo Hua left, the little silver fish quietly hid back in the shrine, taking refuge behind the majestic statue of the little celestial boy, contentedly consuming the offerings meant for Mo Hua.
Most deities, once they strayed from the path, would have their divinity destroyed and immediately perish.
For this little silver fish to retain its life was already a blessing from the heavens.
Moreover, not only did it survive, but it also gained a shrine to dwell in, received offerings, and could rebuild its divine position. This was an even greater blessing.
The little silver fish consumed the offerings with a grateful heart.
...
Mo Hua no longer lingered and returned directly to Tai Xu Men by carriage.
Upon his return, Mo Hua sent a message to Gu Chang Huai:
"Uncle Gu, is Guo Jiang Long still alive?"
After a while, Gu Chang Huai replied:
"He's alive."
"He's actually alive?" Mo Hua asked.
Gu Chang Huai: "... Are you hoping for his death?"
"No, I just thought that since he held so many secrets and leaked quite a bit of information, someone would have killed him in the prison. I didn't expect him to be so resilient..." Mo Hua said.
Mo Hua thought to himself, but he didn't voice it out loud, or the petty Uncle Gu would surely hold a grudge.
Gu Chang Huai became alert. "Why did you suddenly ask about Guo Jianglong?"
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before asking, "Uncle Gu, do you know about what happened in the Hundred Flowers Valley?"
"What happened?" Gu Chang Huai asked.
"A senior martial sister committed suicide," Mo Hua replied.
Gu Chang Huai sighed deeply.
This kid must have grown a pair of eavesdropping ears. How else could he find out about everything...
"Hmm," Gu Chang Huai acknowledged.
Mo Hua was surprised. "Uncle Gu, you actually know about it?"
Gu Chang Huai emphasized, "I am the chief justice of the Dao Court."
"But aren't you just a figurehead?" Mo Hua asked.
Gu Chang Huai paused, annoyed. "Even if I'm just a figurehead, I'm still the chief justice!"
Mo Hua asked, "So, have you been to the Hundred Flowers Valley to investigate?"
"No..." Gu Chang Huai replied, "The Hundred Flowers Valley doesn't allow men to enter, not even those from the Dao Court."
"Then is the Dao Court just going to ignore it?" Mo Hua inquired.
"They will handle it," Gu Chang Huai asserted.
Mo Hua was puzzled. "But isn't it forbidden for men to enter?"
Gu Chang Huai couldn't help but ask, "Is it possible that the Dao Court also has female justices?"
Mo Hua was shocked. "There are female justices? Who are they?"
Gu Chang Huai replied, "They're outsiders, so you won't know them even if I tell you."
"Oh..." Mo Hua's eyes lit up as he asked, "Why would they suddenly transfer female justices from the outside...?"
"Stop right there!" Gu Chang Huai interrupted, annoyed. "Don't ask about these things. It concerns the personnel deployment of the Dao Court, and even if you ask, they won't tell you."
"Alright then..." Mo Hua muttered.
Gu Chang Huai asked, "You still haven't told me why you suddenly asked about Guo Jianglong. Is it related to the incident in the Hundred Flowers Valley?"
"Yes," Mo Hua confirmed. "The senior martial sister who committed suicide in the Hundred Flowers Valley was surnamed Ye, and she was from the Ye family of Yanshui City."
"And last year, a young master Ye from Yanshui City was killed."
"The person who killed Young Master Ye was Guo Jianglong."
"And I suspect that the deceased Young Master Ye and the Ye martial sister who committed suicide were somehow connected."
Initially, Gu Chang Huai didn't pay much attention, but as he listened, his expression became more and more solemn.
He never expected that Mo Hua had already dug so deep and understood the connections so clearly.
With this ability, it would be more than enough for him to become a justice of the Dao Court in the future...
"So, do you want me to interrogate Guo Jianglong and ask him why he killed Young Master Ye, and at the same time, use the Dao Court's background to investigate the relationship between this Young Master Ye and the Ye martial sister who committed suicide in the Hundred Flowers Valley?"
Mo Hua nodded, praising, "As expected of Uncle Gu, you're so smart."
"..." Gu Chang Huai was speechless.
Mo Hua also felt a little worried. "Uncle Gu, you've been sidelined, right? Can you still investigate now?"
Gu Chang Huai coldly humphed. "Being sidelined doesn't mean I've been dismissed. Just wait, I'll let you know if there's any news."
"Okay." Mo Hua nodded.
After that, there was no further news from the messenger talisman.
It seemed that Gu Chang Huai was busy.
Mo Hua still had classes, so he could only patiently wait for news.
However, during his free time, he had other matters to attend to.
After meeting with Huang Shan Jun and their discussion, Mo Hua gained a lot of insights.
First was about transforming divine consciousness into a sword. Through Huang Shan Jun's description, Mo Hua was inspired to try something new.
Perhaps he could abandon the use of swords and sword qi, and instead attempt to condense sword intent through his eyes.
The eyes were the windows to one's divine consciousness, allowing for the maximum external release of it.
Maybe, through practice, he could figure out a way to drive the transformation of divine consciousness into a sword using just his gaze.
When no one was around, Mo Hua gave it a try.
As expected, he failed miserably.
No matter how much he squinted and rolled his eyes, he couldn't emit any sword light from them.
Although he failed, Mo Hua was not discouraged.
No technique could be mastered overnight.
The more powerful the sword art, the more it required relentless practice over a long period before one could truly master it.
Mo Hua decided to practice this every day from then on.
Perhaps one day, he would be able to condense sword light with just his eyes.
There was also another matter that Mo Hua was concerned about, and that was the "Divine Consciousness Dao Transformation" mentioned by Huang Shan Jun! He had always thought that he was cultivating his divine consciousness.
But after talking with Huang Shan Jun, he suddenly realized that he might have accidentally stumbled onto a very peculiar path.
His cultivation of divine consciousness was likely quite different from other divine consciousness cultivators, including the path planned by his master.
Strictly speaking, his cultivation of divine consciousness should be called "Divine Consciousness Dao Transformation."
It was the path of using one's divine consciousness to achieve a transformation into a deity, a "Divine Consciousness Dao Transformation" path.
Mo Hua sighed inwardly.
His master probably never expected that as he cultivated the Heavenly Principle, consumed by the demonic nature, he would inadvertently stray onto the path of a deity.
Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"With Master not around, I've strayed off the path again. I wonder what will happen in the future..."
However, after careful consideration, Mo Hua realized that this wasn't the first time he had learned something wrong.
When you have too many problems, you stop worrying about them.
Since he had already started on the Heavenly Principle, he could only grit his teeth and continue, as worrying wouldn't help anyway.
Mo Hua put his mind at ease and cast these worries to the back of his mind.
He would just take things one step at a time.
Cultivation was always a step-by-step process, a journey of steadily moving forward, and no one knew what level they would eventually reach.
As long as he remained determined and continued on his path, there was no need for excessive worry.
Mo Hua nodded to himself.
From then on, he focused on his cultivation and tried to release his divine consciousness as a sword through his eyes whenever he had free time.
He was also eagerly awaiting news from Gu Chang Huai.
However, several days passed, and there was still no news from Gu Chang Huai.
Mo Hua frowned in frustration.
If Uncle Gu couldn't find any clues, where should he start his investigation? Should he just sneak into the Hundred Flowers Valley?
As this thought crossed his mind, Mo Hua's eyes flickered, and he immediately shook his head.
"I probably can't sneak in..."
(End of Chapter)
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