More than ten years ago, Zhao Shu went to the Jianjia Pass to practice Dharma and cure the plague. As a result, he aroused the hatred of the demons and gods of the southern land. They attracted the stars from the sky with the intention of destroying Zhao Shu and Jianjia Pass together.
However, at that time, the merits of Zhao Shu's rituals had reached a state of selflessness and oblivion. With the blessing of the remaining laws and regulations of the Tianxia Dynasty, even a star falling from the sky could make him turn back.
In fact, if you really want to calculate it, the damage caused by the falling star may be greater than the drastic changes in Dongshengdu. However, there are no human beings in the deep south of the soil. They are almost all lairs occupied by demons and gods. There is blood and filth everywhere, and the turbidity is strong.
, so it did not cause a large number of civilian casualties.
But such a falling star cannot have no impact. The spies sent by He Qingchen to Jiuli Kingdom reported back that after the falling star, the mountains and rivers of Nantu were shaken, and large areas were turned into scorched earth and a large amount of dust.
The sky was soaring, and the remaining dust and haze obscured the sun for successive months, forcing some of the closest tribes to move elsewhere.
But now that Zhao Shu came to this place in person, he found that the land in front of him was not dilapidated and scorched earth. He leaned over and fiddled with it, and found a thick layer of charcoal ash and black mud under the weeds. After thinking about it for a moment, he immediately understood that this was the result of the star falling to the ground, where all the vegetation in the surrounding area was scorched.
Burn it, turn it into charcoal ash and black mud, and spread it on the ground.
Zhao Shu looked far into the distance, and his eyes seemed to spread along the earth. Because of the fall of the star, the surrounding terrain changed drastically. Not only was the original nest of the demon god squatting completely destroyed, but also the originally harsh and dirty mountains, rivers, water and soil were greatly changed.
.
This result was not what Zhao Shu had expected. In other words, who would have thought that the fall of the Buxing Star would create such a flat and fertile land? This is the so-called misfortune and good fortune.
Suddenly feeling the urge, Zhao Shu turned around and headed west. After walking for hundreds of miles, he saw a village located by a river on the edge of a wilderness, surrounded by acres of newly reclaimed farmland.
But if you take a closer look, you can see that the rice fields in this farmland are sparse and scattered, the surrounding weeds have not been hoeed, the rice fields are not growing strongly, and the tribesmen do not have many iron farm tools in their hands.
Some natives saw Zhao Shu coming and couldn't help but become vigilant. After the tribe leader learned about it, he immediately led a few strong men to run to intercept him, chattering in Southern Barbarian dialect.
Zhao Shu couldn't understand it at first, but he used his true spirit silently and listened sympathetically, so he naturally understood what the native language said.
"...Outsiders are not welcome here, please leave immediately!" the tribe leader scolded.
"I am a doctor, collecting medicine in the mountains. I got lost here and can't find my way back." What Zhao Shu said was not in tribal dialect, but what these natives heard was ordinary words.
The leader of the tribe didn't want to pay attention, and was about to order the expulsion when a strong man beside him persuaded: "Abba, he said he is a doctor, maybe he can treat my mother!"
"Don't make trouble! As long as your mother is sincere enough, Master Tianlong will naturally protect her!" the leader scolded.
The strong man was a little anxious: "But what if my mother's illness cannot be cured?"
The leader said matter-of-factly: "That's because Mr. Tianlong wants your mother to take care of him. You should be happy for her."
Zhao Shu listened to the conversation between father and son and already knew that this was another settlement that was deeply poisoned by ghosts and demons. However, the leader was cold and ruthless, and he showed no mercy to his wife when she was sick. He completely entrusted her life and death to the ghosts and gods.
"Quickly leave! If you don't leave, don't blame us for being rude!" The leader waved his hands to expel them.
Zhao Shu did not force himself, just turned around and left, leaving a series of footprints, and spent the night on a high slope in the distance.
…
The sky was getting dark and Zhao Shu was sitting still when he saw a figure approaching quietly.
"What's the matter with you?" Zhao Shu looked normal. He turned around and saw the strong man with a ashamed expression.
"I, my name is Yanqiu, please don't remember what my father said during the day." The young man asked, "What's your name? Where did you come from?"
Zhao Shu looked at the rice fields in the distance and made up casually: "My name is Xiansui, and I come from Wuyangzhai."
"Wuyangzhai? I've never heard of it. It should be far away from us, right?" Yanqiu asked.
"There are many mountains to climb." Seeing that the other party was hesitant to speak, Zhao Shu took the initiative and asked: "Did you come to me because your mother is sick?"
Yanqiu nodded quickly: "That's right! I, my mother is very ill. She looks like a skin and bones, and her face is pale and blue. Please save my mother."
Seeing Yanqiu bursting into tears, Zhao Shu glanced at the village and roughly guessed that Yanqiu's mother had a common illness that could be relieved with a little medication. More care in the future was the key.
However, Yan Qiu has been bewitched by ghosts and gods for a long time, and these words may not be enough to win the trust, so Zhao Shu asked: "I saw your father talking about Master Tianlong just now. Is that the god worshiped by your village?"
Yanqiu half understood: "Master Tianlong is Master Tianlong. During the drought and rain seasons, the village must offer sacrifices and beg Master Tianlong to protect our village's safety."
"Have you seen Mr. Tianlong?" Zhao Shu asked.
Yan Qiu shook his head, and Zhao Shu asked again: "Then why does your father think that as long as your mother is sincere enough, Master Tianlong will protect her?"
"Because my father has met and talked to Mr. Tianlong." Yan Qiu replied.
In this way, the leader was equivalent to the shaman of the village, but Zhao Shu did not sense any divine power descending on him, which showed that he was just an ordinary person who was not favored by ghosts, gods, and evil spirits.
"Since your father can talk to Mr. Tianlong, why doesn't he plead for your mother?" Zhao Shu asked again.
Yanqiu lowered his head: "Abba doesn't like my mother anymore and lives with other people."
Zhao Miao nodded slightly. In a village in such a wild and remote place, a tribal leader recognized by ghosts, gods and evil spirits could almost take away the women in the village, and there were not many rules on marriage and human relations.
Once the leader becomes tired of a certain woman, he will naturally not bother to take care of her, and it is not surprising that he will even deprive her of food and clothing. Therefore, in this situation, Yanqiu's mother, no matter how much she has faith in "Master Tianlong"
Even if you wish, you will not get help.
This is where ghosts, gods and demons cause the greatest harm to the deceived people, not just relying on magic and sorcery to kill people.
Zhao Shu wanted to test Yanqiu, so he asked again: "But just like your father said, if your mother died and was picked up by Master Tianlong, maybe her soul would still fly to a place where she would be carefree and have food."
A wonderful place of abundance.”
"I, I don't understand." Yanqiu shook his head and said, "Master Tianlong is so powerful, why do you still need my mother to serve him? My mother thinks about Master Tianlong every day, why can't I save her?"
"Maybe Mr. Tianlong doesn't care about your mother's life or death." Zhao Shu approached step by step.
Yan Qiu's expression changed and he blurted out: "If this is really the case, why do you still need to give him a confession?"
"Yes, why?" Zhao Shu asked back.
But Yanqiu soon realized that what he said was very inappropriate, and waved his hand: "No, no, no, I didn't mean that! Master Tianlong, that's, that's..."
Yanqiu couldn't say anything for a long time, so Zhao Shu smiled lightly and said, "Okay, take me to see your grandmother."
"Then you have to follow me closely. If others find out, not only will I be punished, but you will probably be fed to Master Tianlong's children and grandchildren." Yanqiu was very nervous.
"Do Master Tianlong's children and grandchildren like to eat human flesh?" Zhao Shu asked as he walked.
Yan Qiu showed a look of fear on his face: "Master Tianlong is in charge of dozens of surrounding villages. If we don't obey, we will be punished by our children and grandchildren. I have seen someone being eaten until only a piece of skin is left and hung on a pole.
No one rushed to collect it until it was pecked by birds."
"Gnaw? Master Tianlong's children and grandchildren are a bunch of bugs?" Zhao Shu asked.
"Don't! Don't say that...well, you can't say that anyway!" Yan Qiu was startled, thinking, are all the people in the distant village so bold?
Zhao Shu had roughly guessed that this Master Tianlong was probably one of the Southern Earth Demon Gods. His original body should be of the genus of insects, and he was fond of eating internal organs.
When it got completely dark, Zhao Shu had followed Yanqiu over the village wall and came home under the cover of darkness. Zhao Shu could see well at night, and as soon as he entered the house, he saw Yanqiu's mother lying on the haystack, moaning in pain.
Zhao Shu took out some herbs from the basket on his back. As he went deep into the southern road, he collected the herbs and identified them. At first, he just did it casually, but he didn't expect that it would be useful at this moment.
After a little processing, he boiled a bowl of black medicinal soup on the stove, and Zhao Shu secretly blessed it with a little magic power. He carefully fed Yanqiu's mother, and soon he heard light snoring and fell into a deep sleep.
"My mother is asleep. I have never seen her sleep so soundly." Yanqiu was very excited, but did not dare to speak loudly: "I, I don't know how to thank you. If you don't mind, you can come with me
Stay at home for a while, as long as you don't get discovered by others."
"I'm used to walking in the wilderness, so it won't be a problem." Zhao Shu said.
Yanqiu scratched his head and asked again: "You said you were lost before? I don't know how to get to Wuyangzhai, but I can take you to Laoye Mountain."
"What is that place?"
Yanqiu replied: "It is the altar dedicated to Master Tianlong. There is also a large market nearby. Every month, all the surrounding villages go to Laoye Mountain to exchange things. The people at the large market are well-informed. In recent years, the Yongcui Temple has
Important people will come here occasionally, and they must be able to find out the way back to Wuyangzhai."
"Oh? A big shot from Yongcui Temple?" Zhao Shu became interested.
"I heard that they were the subordinates of the great witch Zhu. Every time they came to Laoye Mountain, everyone would kneel on both sides of the road without even daring to raise their heads," Yanqiu explained.
Zhao Shu knew that the great witch Zhu was the goddess of Yongcui Temple, and her subordinates were naturally other witches from Yongcui Temple. When they came to such a remote place, their status was like that of an imperial envoy.
It is said that the Nantu Demon God like Mr. Tianlong is not a subordinate of Yongcui Temple. And the actions of Yongcui Temple Wu Zhu coming to Laoye Mountain may indicate that the Nantu Demon God has now clearly pledged allegiance to the high priest and the Great Wu Zhu.
"Well, let's go to Laoye Mountain." Zhao Shu said.
"Don't worry, the next big gathering will be in three days, and I will take you there." Yan Qiu made the promise with a sincere look.
…
"Laoye Mountain? This name is really crude."
The Goddess Yongcui sat upright in the chariot and listened to Wu Zhu's narration. She couldn't help but laugh and said: "It's just a barefoot golden-backed centipede raised by the Gu ancestor of Nantu. It channeled spirits and devoured its master. It became a climate, entrenched in the mountains and rivers, and claimed to be sacred.
But he is called Mr. Tianlong, don’t you think this title has a sense of stupidity?”
The young witch Zhu next to him also smiled and said: "Master Tianlong is located in a remote place, and the tribe that worships him is also the most ignorant. Even though it has developed spiritual intelligence early and has been worshiped for a long time, what it knows and heard is limited. But it doesn't like to move, so naturally it doesn't like to move.
Thousands of years of progress are shallow.”
Goddess Yongcui sat leaning back, playing with the ends of her hair: "Although everyone doesn't say it, you all yearn for the prosperity of Middle-earth, right?"
On both sides of the chariot were witches from the temple who were still in their prime. They covered their mouths and said with a smile: "In the future, the high priest will rule the world. Do the goddesses plan to follow him to the Middle Earth?"
"For me, I still have to see how the sacred tree fares." The goddess said: "As for you, are you all looking forward to leaving Yongcui Temple? Do you think I don't take you away on weekdays?"
"The goddess said this as if none of us are doing our jobs properly."
"I still don't understand you?" The goddess rolled her eyes, and then looked at a strange mountain peak not far away. It was covered with colorful rocks, and the colors were stacked and lacked any decoration. It was just an unsightly mixed rock mountain.
"It's really ugly." The goddess cursed in her heart. At this time, the chariot carriage had arrived at the market town at the foot of Laoye Mountain. The soldiers had already opened the road in front. The witches on the left and right were chanting songs. Countless green leaves fell from the air and were spread in front of the chariot carriage.
All the way to Laoye Mountain.
On both sides of the road, soldiers blocked the people from nearby tribes who came to the market. They all bowed their heads and worshiped, and no one dared to raise their eyes to look directly at the goddess Yongcui.
In the impression of the goddess, the goddess of Yongcui Temple in the past dynasties has always walked among the people of the south, and never showed herself as a noble status. However, after being awarded the title of Great Witch, Li Chun said that status is orderly, and if it is not based on
Etiquette and law clearly determine the right and wrong, but people's hearts will be in chaos, and it will be difficult for Jiuli Kingdom to change.
From then on, when the goddess went out, she naturally had to be in full ostentation. The witches and blessings of Yongcui Temple from her below also had their own order of utensils and items, and they were not allowed to be overstepped.
Now that she saw the people kneeling and worshiping on both sides of the road, the goddess felt a sense of satisfaction in her heart. Perhaps the emperors of Middle-earth had this kind of enjoyment every day.
Suddenly, the goddess caught a glimpse of a straight figure out of the corner of her eye, and was shocked to realize that the figure was extraordinary and definitely not an ignorant villager.
The goddess immediately stopped her drink and turned her head to focus, but she couldn't see the figure, as if it was just her own illusion.
"What's wrong?" Wu Zhu approached and asked in a low voice.
"I suspect someone is spying secretly," the goddess said.
Wu Zhu explained: "Perhaps it is Master Tianlong, who rarely shows up in person. When the nine gods gathered together, it was rumored that they also sent insect puppets to pass the message on their behalf."
"I know that it was precisely because of this that it avoided the disaster of the star falling to the ground." The goddess frowned and scanned the surroundings, but found nothing strange, and said: "It's just that the situation is unclear at the moment. The sacred tree has helped us find several people with bears from the country.
I'm worried that these craftsmen are lurking nearby."
"This place is far away from the battlefield, Xizuo wouldn't come to such a far place, would he?" Wu Zhu was puzzled.
"I hope I'm just over-worrying." The goddess waved her hand: "No matter what, keep walking."