https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-861-Sword-Cuts-through-Clay-Sculptures-and-the-Worn-Out-Sky/12956059/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-863-The-Auspicious-Year-of-Jiazi-the-World-s-Luck-Part-1-/12963159/
Chapter 862: Returning the Divine to the People
Chapter 862: Returning the Divine to the People
With a loud exclamation, a single stroke of the sword was made.
From the scene, the strike by Bright State King Yang Gong seemed almost insignificant, as his men simply demolished a temple and dragged out a clay statue of a deity from within.
They even made sure to read the characters on the spirit tablet before pointing at the statue's nose and cursing it. Then, with a grand gesture, an old farmer appeared from nowhere and lifted a heavy, newly-forged, old executioner's blade.
He aimed it directly at the stiff-faced statue, which only knew how to smile foolishly, and with a powerful swing, he brought the blade down upon it.
"Pfft!"
The heavy statue's head hit the ground, creating a slight dent and splattering the snow around it.
There was no other sound.
The soldiers witnessing this strike felt a chill down their spines and shrank back, for they had seen people worshipping, praying to, and making offerings to the gods, but never had they seen a deity being scolded and beheaded.
In their minds, this was surely an act that would bring retribution...
"Wuu..."
As they anticipated, just as the clay head hit the ground, a momentary silence enveloped the area, and even the sound of the wind seemed to diminish.
Just as they were beginning to feel that nothing had happened, suddenly, a fierce wind blew in from all directions, causing their vision to darken as if they were seeing countless menacing shadows.
The beheading of the statue had angered both gods and spirits.
Moreover, it was done by a mere mortal with a lowly life, and they were not even from the Exorcism Hall...
"This is bad..."
Even the soldiers nearby, facing the onslaught of the fierce wind, were instantly terrified, unconsciously covering their heads and crouching on the ground.
These soldiers, who had come from impoverished backgrounds, would dare to rob the nobility's food when driven by hunger.
But disrespecting the gods, they dared not!
"It's time..."
However, before these soldiers could comprehend what was happening, White Wine Miss had already made her preparations.
As soon as Yang Gong dragged out the clay statue, she nodded to a thin man who had accompanied her, and he, carrying a large umbrella, stood calmly. This man was Hua Diao Jiu.
He watched with admiration as Yang Gong committed this act of beheading the deity, and as he did so, Hua Diao Jiu slowly opened his umbrella, holding it in his hand. He whispered to White Wine Miss:
"You save people, and I save hearts."
"If we don't first break the shackles in their hearts and behead this demonic deity, how can we allow the true gods born from the depths of the people's hearts to willingly shield them from calamity?"
"..."
Just as the clay head hit the ground and the fierce wind blew from all directions, terrifying the crowd, Hua Diao Jiu opened his umbrella.
Facing the heavy snowfall, he slowly raised it.
The umbrella was only three feet in diameter, but as he held it over his head, everyone around felt a warm and fragrant aura rising into the sky, filling the heavens and earth. In an instant, the vast snowstorm vanished without a trace.
With just one umbrella, he shielded this thousand-mile area from the snowstorm.
Not only did the snowstorm cease, but the black wind that had enveloped the area, along with the menacing monsters within it, seemed to have their throats constricted. The rolling coldness and the invisible sharp teeth of the wind dissipated.
Looking up, one could almost see an invisible giant umbrella, its canopy surrounded by divine light and fragrant air, and beneath it, a pair of compassionate eyes gazing upon the mortal realm.
But they no longer looked down from above; instead, they looked upon the people as a parent would look upon their children.
Between heaven and earth, only tranquility and harmony remained.
As White Wine Miss watched the clay head fall to the ground, she slowly nodded.
She walked over to the carriage she had brought from Cao Xin Tang and took out a delicate jade pot from her bundle, intricately carved with phoenix and dragon designs.
Removing the lid, she gently blew into it, and instantly, a thin purple mist rose from the pot and ascended into the sky.
This mist was incredibly fine and long, yet it flowed endlessly from the small jade pot, as if it contained an infinite amount of purple mist, continuously rising into the sky.
At that moment, amidst the rolling snowstorm, in the area spanning a thousand miles, people from various directions, some dressed simply and others in brocade, slowly lowered the bundles they carried.
Before entering the southwest, White Wine Miss had already issued a medical relief notice in the name of Cao Xin Tang, stating that there were consecutive disasters in the southwest and requesting doctors to come and treat the afflicted.
Now that the Bu Shi Niu Sect had fallen, White Wine Miss had taken over all its assets, making Cao Xin Tang the largest sect of the Life Control Dao.
Although there were many rumors that she was possessed by evil spirits, this caused many followers of the Life Control Dao to not follow her orders. As a result, her medical relief notice did not attract as many people as the Bu Shi Niu Sect had in the past.
However, despite this, many people still responded to the notice, and the first to do so was White Wine Miss's biological father.
As the purple mist rose into the sky, the doctors opened their bundles, some ringing bells and others chanting incantations.
The purple mist began to disperse into the clouds, merging with the divine light emanating from Hua Diao Jiu's umbrella.
The snowstorm suddenly ceased, and auspicious clouds gathered beneath the umbrella, intertwining and colliding before transforming into sweet rain that fell upon the mortal realm.
The soldiers under Bright State King Yang Gong had reached the brink of collapse, suffering from frostbite, shock, and despair. But as this sweet rain fell, it was like a gentle spring breeze caressing their bodies, healing their frostbite and eventually erasing it completely.
Even the wounds caused by delayed treatment and the hidden injuries from prolonged hunger and fatigue seemed to be driven out of their bodies and vanished without a trace.
The faces that had been contorted with fear slowly relaxed, and even expressions of disbelief and joy appeared. Seeing their faces, a rare smile emerged on White Wine Miss's usually cold countenance.
Action: She enjoyed the feeling of saving people and seeing the smiles on their faces. In her past life, she had just obtained her medical qualifications, but in this world, she found the greatest satisfaction.
"It's okay, it's all the same."
"The snow disaster, has it really stopped?"
As the snowstorm came to an abrupt halt and the sweet rain began to fall, the ten thousand soldiers around them fell into a silent awe.
The transition from the hellish nightmare to the blessed rain-soaked land seemed to cleanse them from within, as if they had all undergone a thorough spiritual baptism.
The oppressive, intangible shadow that had hung over their heads finally dissipated, and within their hearts, it was as if countless chains had been broken. The long-sealed gates of their emotions burst open, and their hearts soared higher than the heavens, seeing farther than the skies.
"A divine miracle..." whispered Iron Mouth, the Bu Shi Niu strategist, standing beside them.
Even a sect master like him, well-versed in the ways of the world, could only perceive the unfolding events as a divine miracle.
In that moment, he felt a profound spiritual awakening. He knelt down and shouted, "The heavens have sent a savior! The leftover army has come to save us!"
Bu Shi Niu disliked kneeling, and he disliked seeing others kneel as well, but at times like these, when the heart's tremors reached their peak, it seemed that only by kneeling could the poor and downtrodden express their joy.
And so, ten thousand soldiers, near and far, knelt down towards the central tent, their voices rising in waves, stirring the snow and ice beneath their feet. "The heavens have sent a savior! The leftover army has come to save us!"
From that moment on, no one doubted the sincerity of the leftover army's mission to seek surplus food. No one dared to look down upon them anymore.
In the tent, Yang Gong observed the scene, seeing the person who had summoned the sweet rain with a jade pot by the carriage, and the White Wine Miss standing beside him with a smile. He felt a tremor in his heart and his eyes grew warm. "I only spoke a few words, what does this blessing have to do with me?"
"But they... they seem so carefree. They do these things, yet they let me, a mere commoner, bear the burden, and they just stand by and smile..."
"Could this... could this be the compassion and transcendence that only a true deity possesses?"
The sudden halt of the snowstorm, the arrival of the sweet rain, and the awe-inspiring scene were already enough to be hailed as a miracle, but there was more to come.
At the Tiger Gate, Er Guotou, inspired by Yang Gong's actions, also took action. He released the Yin Dispatch Scroll and dispatched the Exorcism Golden Mace, which could transform into two, then four, and eventually one hundred and eight. They swiftly spread out, capturing the fake gods and idols, the traveling gods, the case gods, and the mansion lords.
Although the Ghost Walkers tried to calm the people, it also stirred up endless panic. Countless elderly worshippers and temple visitors formed groups, determined to stop this from happening.
However, these tasks could only be performed by those skilled in the ways of the world, and among them, the most capable was the Shi Qu Yuen Gong Gong.
"It's time to take action!" Er Guotou declared, sitting high on the altar, his voice heavy with anger. He picked up the Yin Dispatch Scroll and sent it to Hu Ma, ready to inform him of the situation.
"Has this moment finally arrived?" Hu Ma wondered, deep in his slumber on Da Ai Mountain. Hearing Er Guotou's words, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"What great sins have you committed in the mortal realm?" Hu Ma asked, his voice echoing through the dark hall. After the sixth palace was destroyed, a golden light appeared before him, and the flags of the phoenix and dragon shone brightly. The fifth and fourth palaces, ruled by Yi Guang Emperor and Yi Bao Emperor, also felt fear upon witnessing the destruction of the sixth palace.
They did not believe they possessed the power to suppress someone capable of slaying five palaces, so they willingly abdicated their thrones.
The third palace was ruled by Yi Ming Emperor, who, in his mortal life, had been a Mansion Lord and a Traveling God. After being appointed as a Mansion Lord, he had grandly declared himself the Lord of All Gods, bestowing godly titles upon his court officials, servants, and even fraudsters who brought him so-called "Qilin" treasures.
Although it was a joke, the titles were officially granted by the emperor, and the temples were filled with sincere worshippers.
As a result, Yi Ming Emperor was surrounded by countless deities, while the other emperors had only officials, soldiers, and palace maids.
The divine presence of Yi Ming Emperor was far more powerful than the Exorcism Hall, and he approached with an army of gods.
However, Hu Ma, who had personally experienced the birth of gods in the mountains and ponds, paid no heed to these deities. "Gods arise from the hearts of the people. What value do your sealed gods hold?"
Amidst the angry shouts, the Third Palace was confronted with a blade, and at the same time, a response was given to the Yin Dispatch Scroll of Er Guotou: "The word 'god' is the most beautiful, born from the hearts of the people, but it has been polluted by them. They deceive the faithful, take the fruit positions, and so today..."
"Let them come out one by one!"
"Kaka..."
As Hu Ma swung his blade towards the crowd of deities in the palace, in the mortal realm, two golden-armored warriors emerged from the depths of the night, carrying a stone casket. They first arrived in the Capital City and approached the Hu Family Ancestral Hall.
They bowed to the old woman in the ancestral hall and inquired about the situation.
With Hu Ma absent from the mortal realm, the old woman was the only one who could give her consent. Upon receiving her approval, the two golden-armored warriors headed towards Tiger Gate.
"What's this nonsense?" Er Guotou muttered as he saw the golden-armored warriors delivering the stone casket to him. He opened it, revealing the Exorcism Golden Mace, and was momentarily stunned.
"Instead of coming to exorcise the Hu family's troubles, they've even handed over the symbol of the Exorcism Hall?"
"... "
But with the Exorcism Golden Mace now before him, the matter had already begun, and there was no room for hesitation. Immediately, he displayed the Hu family's style, letting out a cold hum, and with a raised hand, he grabbed the mace. However, it was so heavy that he couldn't lift it.
As his palm touched the mace, it shook with nine interlocking rings, emitting rays of golden light that spread out in all directions. In an instant, the void trembled, and the aura of evil surged. The entire Exorcism Hall seemed to open up on Er Guotou's altar.
A thunderous rumble filled the night as the golden-armored warriors appeared, dragging the Mansion Deities and Shrine Deities they had captured from the south and north, along with the wandering ghosts that had stolen the world's incense offerings. They gathered from all directions, kneeling densely before the altar.
From a distance, the mountains and fields seemed to be filled with kneeling deities as far as the eye could see, as if the entire area within a thousand li was covered in worshippers.
Red Lantern Lady, hiding behind Er Guotou, felt her body go weak at this sight.
The kneeling figures before the altar were none other than the Mansion Deities and Shrine Deities from all over the world, who had received incense offerings for countless years. At least half of them were beyond Er Guotou's ability to defeat.
No, at least half of them, if they were to fight him, would be too formidable for him to even dare retaliate...
"Wuu..."
A whispering sound, dense and overlapping, reached his ears. If one didn't listen carefully, it would seem like a chilling wind carrying countless voices speaking at a hundred times their normal speed. But upon closer inspection, one could discern the cries of a million grievances.
If anyone else had been in Er Guotou's position, the altar fire would have likely extinguished, causing a backlash and leading to their death. However, Er Guotou, with his five stone weights as a stabilizing force, remained as steady as Mount Tai.
He raised his hand and grabbed, and within the Exorcism Hall, a plaque flew up and was thrown far away.
With a single shout, "Chop!"
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"
Countless golden-armored warriors, escorting the evil ghosts before them, flew into the Exorcism Hall. The four large guillotines finally opened their blades at this moment.
And in that instant, everyone in the world seemed to hear the sound of grass being chopped, a crisp and continuous noise, dense and overlapping, mixed with the sound of rocks and earth shattering. The noise lasted for an entire night.
During this night, various temples and shrines across the land experienced different disturbances.
The next morning, when people went to check, they found that all the temple doors were open, and the thresholds were trampled.
The clay sculptures inside the temples had their heads severed! At Tiger Gate, heads rolled out of the Exorcism Hall, their faces contorted with malevolence and unwillingness. Yet, they could only transform into incense offerings, carrying strands of purple energy, and disperse into the mortal realm.
Every time Red Lantern Lady saw a head roll, her body trembled in fear, and she turned to look at Er Guotou, who sat high on the altar with an inviolable aura. She felt both reverence and affection.
Her body had already gone soft, and only her gaze remained, filled with tender affection...
...
...
"The Pond God returns to his position at this very moment..."
During this night, the Exorcism Hall emerged, and with the extermination of the Pond Ghosts, the most excited were the Bu Shi Niu disciples.
Led by the Bu Shi Niu Senior Brother, they held incense offerings, and a group of disciples followed behind him, walking slowly from the south to the north. Their steps were slow but solemn, and the world around them seemed to quicken its pace alongside them.
They passed through mountains, counties, and villages, and wherever they went, disciples would enter these places.
They left incense offerings and then returned, continuing on their way.
The three green incense sticks in their hands floated and gathered into a cloud, within which faint silhouettes of familiar figures could be seen—mountain deities, willow deities, and the vague forms of their ancestors.
Everyone could see their own familiar shadows within the cloud, for the gods were born from the spirits of their ancestors, making them feel close and familiar to the common people.
Some of the disciples, uncertain of the situation, asked from a distance, "If the Mansion Deities and Shrine Deities have been executed, then who is receiving the incense offerings now?"
"..."
"Who?"
The Bu Shi Niu Senior Brother would only pause and smile in response to this question:
"Our ancestors!"
"Today, the Bu Shi Niu disciples, following the orders of our master, Hu Ma, have exterminated the evil spirits and returned the incense offerings to the Pond God, returning the gods to the people. We pray for blessings and ward off disasters for the people of this world!"
(End of Chapter)
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