I changed the world.

Page 348

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 695 Human Favors Are Like a Piggy Bank

Currently, Li Jingxin has only been in power for about a year. Although his prestige is equally solid, none of his disciples are old enough or prestigious enough to succeed him. Under these circumstances, if he were to step down, his junior brother Zhou Jingyuan would have the opportunity to take over the position.

Even if, by then, he is the abbot, he will most likely still be overshadowed by Li Jingxin, the "Supreme Abbot," but he is still an abbot after all...

Thinking of this, Zhou Jingyuan frowned, his face showing great hesitation. However, he finally spoke up and said, "Since Senior Brother has made his choice, Junior Brother will not try to persuade you further... However, the affairs of the sect depend on Senior Brother in many ways. If Senior Brother were to relinquish his responsibilities hastily, there would likely be turmoil in all aspects. I wonder how Senior Brother thinks we should deal with this?"

“Junior brother, don’t worry. Although I’m planning to step down from my position as abbot, I will still continue to cultivate in these mountains.” Li Jingxin thought for a moment and then explained his plan: “I plan to build a hermitage in the back of the mountain and live in seclusion, still within the mountain gate. If there is anything urgent, just come and find me.”

"Furthermore, I have observed that since my junior brother took over as abbot, all matters have been handled properly. After I step down, my junior brother will take over as the next abbot."

"This... Jing Yuan is of shallow talent and virtue, and is truly incapable of handling affairs. Senior Brother Sect Leader, it would be better to find another capable person..."

“Junior brother, please do not refuse again. Back when Master Xiao was still alive, you served him by his side and handled matters properly. Everyone in the sect saw this.”

As he spoke, Li Jingxin exhaled, pressed Zhou Jingyuan's shoulder heavily, and said in a low voice, "I've only recently come to understand this principle myself. A sect needs both face and substance. Those who maintain appearances can only do so because the substance beneath the surface can hold up. The face cannot have even a speck of dust, and if something happens, the substance must be able to handle it. If it can't, it will be a matter of destroying the sect and annihilating the entire clan..."

"But senior brother, didn't you say that it's good to have a big tree to lean on for shade on Yunxiao Mountain?"

“Junior brother, that may be true, but the current situation… Yunxiao has many requests to make of Kunlun, while the elders of Kunlun have no such requests of us…” Li Jingxin said, then sighed, “We are brothers, and I will not hide it from you today, for I, your senior brother, am also often uneasy…”

"Human relationships are as thin as paper. The bonds of ancestral affection, once used, are diminished; once used, they become thinner..."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jingyuan suddenly realized why his senior brother had asked him to organize the sect's various incomes not long ago and set aside a portion of them. At the time, the senior brother did not say what the income was for, but out of respect for his senior brother's prestige, he did not dare to ask any further questions.

Looking back now, this is probably where it was used...

At the same time, he admired his senior brother for being so mature and prudent! Although he had been a monk since childhood, he had been experienced in worldly affairs over the years and understood that human relationships were like a piggy bank, requiring both withdrawal and deposit.

If you only withdraw and never deposit, then when you actually need the money, even if you break the box open, you won't get a single penny...

At the same time, he understood his senior brother's meaning. If his senior brother's cultivation was successful, then when something happened, he might not need to trouble the elders of Kunlun, which would be better than wasting their favors.

“I understand what you mean, senior brother…” He then solemnly cupped his hands in greeting to Li Jingxin.

* * *

承和三十七年 2016年4月3日08:48 丹鼎山赭碧峰土地庙

Located at the foot of the Zhebi Peak in the northern part of the Ershan District, near the Yingzui Cliff of Danding Mountain, there is a desolate earthen temple (it is said to be eight miles away). It was built by a large group of households in Huangjia Village. However, because it was a small temple with no temple keeper and no miraculous effects, it gradually fell into disrepair.

Especially this year, with many young people leaving the village to work elsewhere, there is a shortage of labor in the village, leaving behind only the elderly and children. As a result, no one has been able to maintain the local temple. Over time, it has become increasingly dilapidated, and even the main gate has disappeared.

Today was a gloomy day, with a light mist hanging over Zhebi Peak. This kind of weather is very common near Danding Mountain, which is why this area is a good tea-producing region, and its Yunwu tea is quite famous. In addition, being near the Celestial Master's Mansion, selling it under the name of "Celestial Master Tea" can also help to fetch a higher price.

It is currently the spring tea picking season, and some local villagers are picking tea leaves on the mountain. For the mountainous area, this is the most important source of income for them throughout the year.

The fog grew thicker and thicker, with large drops of water falling occasionally, making it look like it was about to rain. In the fog, a figure silently arrived at the entrance of the local temple.

This man was Zhang Jing. He casually stepped into the gate of the earth god temple. Suddenly, a small beast darted out, probably startled by Zhang Jing's entry. It rushed out of the temple without looking back. It was a fox, which had probably used this place as its den for shelter.

"Nine-foot-high walls piled with rubble, three thatched huts where foxes roam..."

Zhang Jing muttered to himself, "I'm really becoming more and more wasteful."

The next moment, Zhang Jing's eyes suddenly blazed with fire, and an aura of transcendence and sublimity rose from his body. Behind him, with a hum, the suspended Heavenly Punishment Sword simultaneously revealed its form...

Zhang Jing's gaze lingered on the empty offering table and the faded clay statue, its color now indistinguishable. After a long while, he sighed, and the fire in his eyes gradually faded...

He stood there thoughtfully for a moment, then stroked a pendant hanging at his waist. It was a silver snake head inlaid with a red gemstone, the very same gemstone that had been retrieved from the Baladil National Museum in Sidde that day, the same one that had been in the mouth of the snake-head staff.

"Akbar".

"Your noble and great master, your humble servant Akbar obeys your summons." A small figure then appeared in the void beside Zhang Jing, hovering there—it was Akbar.

“Look here.”

“This is…” Akbar spun around in the air upon hearing this, then suddenly disappeared. The next moment, he appeared in front of the terracotta statue. He then looked at the dusty altar below the statue, sniffed it, and then looked at Zhang Jing again.

“Great master, this is an abandoned sacrificial site. I can smell the scent of faith that has vanished…”

As he spoke, his face turned to one of disdain: "There must have been some fabricated beings worshipped here, but such worship was meaningless."

As he looked at Zhang Jing, his face turned back again: "Great master, such a place is really not worth your attention..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jing merely glanced at it indifferently and said noncommittally, "I understand."

Alingkebameng'er originally seemed to want to chatter a bit, but after glancing at Zhang Lingjing's indifferent expression, he subconsciously shrank his neck, and his respectful face seemed to become even more humble.

The next moment, the master and servant disappeared from the earth god temple.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 696 The Temple of the Earth God

承和三十七年 2016年4月3日09:25 中州阳谷市召阳镇地公观

Digong Temple in Zhaoyang Town, Yanggu City, Zhongzhou, is a well-known temple in the area, and some enthusiasts even call it "the number one land god temple in the world." This is because it enshrines the land god, a traditional Taoist deity, and in terms of scale, it is indeed the largest land god temple in the entire Dazhao Kingdom.

Legend has it that during the Qi Dynasty, locals carved a statue of the Earth God on a huge rock southeast of the present-day temple site for worship, and the locals called it the Stone God Temple. Later, a small temple was built on top of the rock, called the Temple on the Temple. As the number of believers increased, the temple gradually expanded and underwent several renovations, eventually reaching its current size, and its name became "Earth God Temple".

The Earth God, also known as the "She God" in ancient times, actually has a relatively low status in the Xuanmen system. However, it is widely worshipped in various parts of Dazhao, mainly because its duties in mythology are related to agriculture and favorable weather.

As the saying goes, "The land is vast and cannot be worshipped everywhere; the grains are plentiful and cannot be offered sacrifices to one by one. Therefore, mounds of earth are erected to establish shrines and demonstrate the presence of earth as a sacred site."

Therefore, although the Earth God is a minor deity, he has been a ritual god in the sacrificial system since ancient times, enjoying state sacrifices every year. As a result, the belief in and understanding of the Earth God is deeply ingrained in the hearts of people throughout the Eastern cultural sphere.

Generally speaking, there is no fixed standard for local land temples, but most of them are relatively small. In some places, a small shrine is even erected at the entrance of the village, and a statue is placed inside the shrine, which is considered a small temple.

Temples like the Earth God Temple, which have existed for over a thousand years, have been gradually expanded and grown larger over time, and remain popular with worshippers to this day, making them an anomaly among Earth God temples.

Zhang Jing stood at the gate of the Digong Temple, looking at the flow of people coming and going in the square outside. There were many people setting up stalls. Some were selling incense sticks, blessed pendants and other items, while others were selling agricultural products and small commodities. They had come here to set up stalls because they saw the flow of customers.

After a brief look around, he stepped through the gate and entered the Earth God Temple. The first hall was filled with murals depicting legends and stories of the Earth God's manifestations. Passing through the hall, he reached a plaza with a huge iron cauldron in the center. The cauldron was almost overflowing with incense ash, and dozens of worshippers surrounded it. Some held incense sticks and chanted prayers, while others lit incense sticks in a nearby brazier, and still others stuck incense sticks into the huge iron cauldron.

“Great Master, it is the taste of faith, it is sacrifice…” Akbar floated beside Zhang Jing and spoke urgently.

“However… this kind of ritual…” Akbar’s gaze was fixed on the incense sticks in the hands of those people, with some doubt.

“It doesn’t seem so pure,” Akbar commented finally.

Zhang Jing had previously researched the data and found that the earliest use of incense to worship gods by the people of the East in this world should be around the time of the Liang and Xia dynasties, about 1800 years ago. In terms of time, Akbar should still be under the seal during this period.

In ancient times, sacrifices were usually accompanied by a large number of blood sacrifices and rituals, which was the mode it was more familiar with.

“This is an offering of incense. In this world, blood sacrifice rituals are no longer used,” Zhang Jing nodded.

As he spoke, he continued walking forward. Throughout the entire journey, none of the believers around him paid any attention to him, as if he did not exist at all.

Ahead lies the main hall of the Earth God Temple, with couplets hanging on either side of the gate. The first line reads: "Protect peace and good fortune in all directions"; the second line reads: "Bless this land with peace."

Behind the offering table was a half-person-high painted clay sculpture of an elderly man with a kind face, white hair, and a long beard, dressed in a yellowish-brown wide-sleeved robe. The old man sat on a square seat, smiling as he looked ahead. This was the typical image of the Earth God from folk legends.

Akbar, looking at the idol before him, suddenly shifted his respectful expression, replacing it with one of disdain: "A fabricated false god. The faith here is dense yet chaotic, nothing more than meaningless rituals..."

“No, it’s not meaningless,” Zhang Jing suddenly said.

Akbar was taken aback by what he heard. Then, his contemptuous face quickly turned into a respectful and humble expression: "Great master, your gaze is always so profound, able to illuminate directions that Akbar cannot see."

Zhang Jing waved his hand noncommittally and simply instructed, "You may leave now."

"As you wish." Akbar bowed deeply, then vanished like a bubble.

Believers would occasionally enter the main hall around Zhang Jing, standing in front of the clay sculpture with their hands clasped together, chanting incantations.

"May the Earth God bless my fields with favorable weather this year, and may my family be safe and healthy..." An old woman with a face full of wrinkles knelt on a prayer mat in front of the Earth God statue, closing her eyes and praying with her hands clasped together above her head.

Beside her knelt a young woman with a child beside her: "May the Earth God bless my Manman so she can get excellent grades this year..."

Under Zhang Jing's silent gaze, one person after another came in, prayed, and left. It was clear that most of those who came to offer incense and pray for blessings were local villagers. Some people would also take out some money and throw it into the donation box next to them, mostly small amounts.

Zhang Jing silently observed these scenes. After a moment, he grabbed the Heavenly Punishment Sword floating behind him and held it in his hand. That lofty and sublime aura once again emanated from him. His eyes flashed with fire; he began to see beyond the scene before him, recognizing something more essential...

He could clearly see threads rising from the bodies of the worshippers and sinking into the clay sculpture before him. Most of these threads were extremely faint, almost imperceptible, as if they would break with a breath...

Upon seeing these threads, a certain innate instinct compelled him to deconstruct them. He clearly understood that these were not "threads" in the true sense, but rather a conceptual entity, and that his current state allowed him to transform them into information that he could "cognize."

As he tried to understand the deeper meaning of these threads, he was able to clearly "hear" the layers upon layers of thoughts contained within them...

"May the Earth God protect my family and keep us safe and sound... protect my family and keep us safe and sound..."

"May the Earth God bless us, so that the fruit trees we planted with a loan will bear fruit smoothly this year, and not be harmed by insects... May the fruit trees bear fruit smoothly... and fetch a good price... may they bear fruit smoothly... and fetch a good price... and fetch a good price..."

"May the Earth God bless me, so that my stock market profits will be plentiful this year... Bless me with abundant stock market profits... abundant wealth..."

A vast amount of mixed and ambiguous information condensed within these threads. In addition, some inexplicable force within these threads carried them toward the clay sculpture, and then they fell toward a more essential level...

………………

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 697 Slaying Gods

Through the points where these threads were inserted into the clay sculpture, Zhang Jing began to peer into and analyze deeper secrets. For some beings, such prying as Zhang Jing's was extremely impolite, and could even be described as a nakedly hostile act.

At this moment, if this "Earth God" were a truly powerful being, he would have immediately blocked Zhang Jing's spying. Unfortunately, as Akbar said, this was a fabricated false god, and this genuine clay and wooden sculpture was unable to react in any way.

Downward, ever downward—this downward movement doesn't refer to a physical direction, but rather points to a more fundamental level…

To be precise, it has already entered the realm of the abyss...

The concept truly associated with this clay-sculpted land...

It exists inextricably linked to civilization itself, within the collective unconscious of humanity, at its most fundamental level, in the concept of the "Earth God"...

It was a yellowish-brown land, covered with vast fields of crops, an endless expanse of land.