Chapter 7: Sacrifice Yourself
Chapter 7: Sacrifice Yourself (Happy Dragon Boat Festival)
Early in the morning, Chen Shi woke up early. His grandfather was cooking in the kitchen with his back to Chen Shi, but one could see that his sleeves were covered in blood. He didn't know what kind of meat was being chopped on the chopping board.
Chen Shi took a look and thought, "As long as it's not human flesh, I can eat anything."
There was a noise coming from outside. It was the villagers of Huangpo Village coming to the ancient tree to burn incense.
When Chen Shi went out, he saw people holding incense and candles, carrying fruits, chickens and ducks, and coming to the ancient tree in the village.
The ancient tree has seen many vicissitudes of life. I don't know how many years it has lived. The roots are arched out of the ground, coiled like a dragon, and the branches are strange, like a twisted giant python. There are not many branches and leaves, and it is not very lush.
But the tree is hung with red ropes, tied with wooden signs, on which are written the wishes of the villagers.
This ancient tree in Huangpo Village has an unknown history. It is the godmother of most villagers. Every first day of the lunar month, villagers come to worship and pray, which is called the Moon Festival.
There are three days in the lunar festival. The first day is to worship the godmother, and the second and third days are the market.
Ancient trees are spiritual, especially the one worshipped by Huangpo Village, which is even more effective. This tree can drive away evil spirits and protect the people after nightfall, so the houses in Huangpo Village are all built around the ancient tree.
If you make offerings, you can also make a wish to the ancient tree, praying for marriage, children, wealth, and safety, and all of them will come true.
Sitting on the trunk of the ancient tree was a girl, about 28 years old, with a beautiful and dignified appearance. She was wearing a light green moon-lit skirt, a black top embroidered with red coins, and a golden lotus hairpin on her head.
The girl is very quiet and never makes a sound.
No one in the village could see this girl, but Chen Shi could see her every time he went out.
Rain or shine, the girl always sits on the tree.
The girl on the tree once gave Chen Shi a bright red fruit, but it was discovered by his grandfather, who told Chen Shi to throw it away, saying it was poisonous.
"She is not your godmother, but someone else's godmother. To her, you are an outsider in this village. If she poisons you to death, everyone in the village will be her godson." Grandpa said.
"Xiao Shi, it's time for dinner." Grandpa's voice came from the yard.
Chen Shi responded and went home to the dining table. There was porridge on the table with rice and meat in it. It had a green color and a strange smell.
There were three other dishes, some unknown meat stir-fried with medicinal herbs, and some things like insects as thick as fingers. The smell was not very friendly, and some of the insects were even raw and still wriggling.
Chen Shi asked cautiously: "Grandpa, is this food or medicine?"
Grandpa said without even turning his head: "It's food and medicine. You're sick, you have to finish it."
Chen Shi considered his words carefully and said, "Grandpa, my illness is cured."
"No, you're not okay."
Grandpa turned his back to him and said in a somewhat indifferent voice: "You were sick again last night, right? You need to continue taking medicine."
Chen Shi's heart skipped a beat: "Grandpa clearly went out last night, how did he know that I was sick again?"
He didn't care what the food tasted like, he just stuffed it into his mouth.
Although his grandfather had his back to him, an eye had appeared on his shoulder at some point, and his nerve plexus was like a bunch of slender legs, spying on him and supervising him while he was eating.
Chen Shi finished his meal in a hurry, and felt a burning sensation in his stomach, which was getting hotter and hotter, as if there was a ball of fire in his body, burning his heart.
This was the case every time he ate, but this time the drug seemed too strong. He felt as if the blood in his heart was about to boil!
He quietly activated the Three Lights and Righteousness Technique, trying to channel the medicinal power into his limbs and bones, and only then did he feel better.
Chen Shi's heart was moved: "The Three Lights Righteous Qi Jue says that it is to draw in the Three Lights Righteous Qi and refine the Holy Fetus Dharma Body. I don't have a divine fetus, so I can't gather magic power, but if I refine my body into a holy fetus, wouldn't it be okay without refining magic power?"
Thinking of this, he removed the part about tempering true energy in the Three Lights and Righteousness Technique, leaving only the method of tempering the body. When he practiced it, it worked smoothly and his body improved faster.
After the meal, Chen Shi helped his grandfather tie up the cart, put various daily necessities and dry food on the cart, and tied it tightly with ropes.
The cart had wooden wheels, and there were many talismans carved on the wheel hubs, including armor and horse talismans that could make the cart run faster.
Grandpa was wearing a conical hat, making it difficult to see his face. He then took out some cinnabar and carefully traced the talisman on the wheel to make it clearer.
Cinnabar was not ground with water, but with black dog blood, which gave off a fishy smell. Chen Shi glanced at the black pot and saw that the black dog looked limp, probably because his grandfather had taken blood from it.
While helping to trace the talisman, Chen Shi muttered to himself, "The black dog blood in front of the neck has the best effect, has the most yang energy, and is not easy to fade when applied. You should make cuts on the neck one by one."
He was narrow-minded and still resented the dog for adding firewood.
Hei Guo shuddered, raised his head and glanced at him resentfully.
The grandfather and grandson were ready and got on the wooden cart. The armor and horse symbols on the four wheels of the wooden cart gradually lit up, and the wheels rolled automatically, carrying them out of the village.
Hei Guo took a step forward and followed the wooden cart.
My grandfather held a bronze compass in his hand, and the needle on the compass shook slightly. Every time the needle changed direction, the wooden cart also changed direction.
When the car reached the outskirts of the village, Chen Shi jumped out, took out incense, candles and paper money, ran up the hill and came to the old tree outside the village.
Grandpa didn't stop the car or stop the car.
Chen Shi burned paper and incense for Shitou's godmother, offered fruits, kowtowed a few times, then lit a few incense sticks for the scholar ghost hanging on the tree, then ran back and caught up with the wooden cart.
On the first day of every month, the grandfather and grandson always go out.
Every village holds a monthly festival on the first day of the lunar month. In addition to worshipping the godmother, it is also a lively market where a variety of goods can be purchased.
He Chen Shi sat on the wooden cart and continued to practice the Three Lights Righteousness Technique. The starlight fell down and merged into his body.
Grandpa looked him over and said, "You can take more medicine."
Chen Shi almost got a stitch in his side when he heard this, and quickly cleared his mind and concentrated on practicing.
Strangely enough, after eating the "meal" made by his grandfather, he felt that the speed of practicing the Three Lights Righteousness Technique had inexplicably increased, his body became stronger and stronger, and his limbs were full of strength!
"Even if I don't take things like the spirit jerky, I can still enter the True King's Tomb again and walk such a long distance!" he thought to himself.
However, this is not enough.
His goal is to obtain the complete Three Lights Righteousness Technique!
The wooden cart traveled more than ten miles and arrived at the neighboring Shanyang Village.
The village was built around an ancient tower, which has 13 floors and is 20 to 30 feet high. The bricks and stones are old and crude, and are engraved with patterns from an unknown era.
Chen Shi looked up and saw a handsome monk sitting on the second floor of the ancient pagoda. While accepting the incense, he slowly turned his head and watched the wooden cart of the grandfather and grandson passing in front of the pagoda.
This little monk is the godmother of Shanyang Village.
A godmother does not necessarily have to be a tree. Anyone who possesses extraordinary powers can be worshipped by the world, protect an area, and be worshipped as a godmother.
The real godmother of Shanyang Village is actually the ancient pagoda, and the little monk is just an image formed by the extraordinary power formed by the villagers' sacrifices.
"This monk is not a good person either." Chen Shi thought to himself.
When he first came here, he rashly entered the tower and was nearly eaten as a sacrifice by the little monk.
He still remembered the moment when the little monk changed from a kind-looking monk to a ferocious giant Buddha, and he still shuddered. The wooden cart stopped, Chen Shi got off, helped his grandfather set up the stall, and put out all kinds of talismans.
The grandfather and grandson mainly make a living by selling talismans. There are talismans for contacting relatives over long distances, peach talismans for warding off evil spirits, horse-armor talismans for convenient travel, water-controlling talismans for boating, and rain-master talismans for praying for rain.
Those who can draw talismans must have cultivated themselves into a divine fetus and possessed divine powers, but such people are often successful candidates in the imperial examinations and hold official positions in the city. Why would they come out to sell talismans?
"Old Chen, are you out selling talismans again?" Someone recognized the grandfather and grandson and greeted them.
"Ah."
"How come I heard that you were dead? I heard from your villagers that you slept in your own coffin at night!"
"That's not true, don't talk nonsense."
Grandpa chatted with regular customers. The talisman stall was doing good business and soon the grandfather and grandson sold a lot of talismans.
At this time, two young girls came over playfully, both dressed up, wearing clothes that they usually didn't want to wear, but revealing their chopstick-like slender and white legs and arms, their faces lightly made up, bright and sunny.
"Two peach blossom charms." One of the girls was bolder and handed over two pieces of silver, giggling.
Her palm touched Chen Shi's palm, soft and smooth, which made the young man's heart flutter.
Chen Shi quickly took out the peach blossom charms and gave them to them. The two girls walked away laughing, and the braver girl glanced back at Chen Shi twice and smiled twice.
Chen Shi's heart was pounding. He pinched a peach blossom talisman and quietly stuffed it into his sleeve.
"Take it out." Grandpa said without raising his head.
"What did you take out?" Chen Shi played dumb.
"Peach Blossom Talisman."
Chen Shi grumbled in annoyance, and reluctantly took out the peach blossom charm, complaining: "Grandpa, I'm not a child anymore, I can use the peach blossom charm!"
Grandpa shook his head: "You are still young. I saw you taking the medicinal bath. You still need to grow for two more years."
Chen Shi's face flushed.
"And you are sick," Grandpa added.
Chen Shi practiced the Three Lights and Righteousness diligently, striving to recover from his illness as soon as possible. However, he still had a question, "Grandpa, what disease do I have?"
Grandpa didn't answer.
By noon, the grandfather and grandson had sold all the talismans. They packed up their stall, got on the wooden cart, and drove out of Shanyang Village.
The wooden cart was running very smoothly. Chen Shi ate some dry food in the cart. Grandpa didn't eat anything. Instead, he took out a few incense sticks, lit them, and held them in his hands to inhale the fragrance.
Seeing this, Chen Shi was silent for a long time and said, "Grandpa, will you become the village's godmother after you die? Then I can see you every day."
Grandpa was silent for a moment, perhaps with a little sadness, then shook his head and said, "No. After I die, I will probably be pulled away by the power of the underworld and fall into the underworld."
There was another moment of silence.
"Grandpa, can you not die?"
Chen Shi lowered his head and looked at the road in front of the car. The road gradually became blurred. "I don't want grandpa to die."
After a long time, grandpa stretched out his rough big hand and touched his head.
"Silly child, how can people not die?" Grandpa said with a smile.
For the first time in the past ten days, Chen Shi felt the tenderness of his elders and loved ones.
The wooden cart rolled forward. There was a huge tree standing in front of it, but unfortunately it was a dead tree. Its branches were like the sharp claws of a monster, piercing towards the sky.
There are about a hundred houses surrounding the giant tree, also in a circle, but no one lives in this village anymore.
The godmother of this village died.
On the day the giant tree died, the village lost its protection and was invaded by foreign evil, and many people died.
As the wooden cart passed by, Chen Shi saw figures swaying in the village, about a hundred people, all smiling and dressed in their best clothes, with children playing and having fun.
They are also celebrating the Moon Festival.
But they have been dead for a long time.
"Why didn't the power of the underworld pull them into the underworld?" Chen Shi asked puzzledly.
Grandpa couldn't answer either.
The wooden cart arrived at the next village, which was called Fangdian Village. The Yudai River made a bend here like a rope loop, and Fangdian Village was built on the river bend. There were lush grass everywhere, and the grass was lush and the birds were flying, which was very beautiful.
The godmother of Fangdian Village is an ancient tree, probably an elm tree, with a very thick trunk and many red ropes and wishing cards tied to it. Chen Shi looked up at the tree and was startled when he saw no tree god formed by extraordinary power.
When he came under the tree, he found a small temple under the tree. In front of the shrine in the temple, incense was burning. There was a girl about his age sitting there. She was wearing a pink dress and had two long ponytails. She was eating offerings and checking the villagers' wishes.
"So it's here." Chen Shi thought to himself.
The grandfather and grandson had just put down their stall when they heard a commotion. The market, which was bustling just a moment ago, suddenly had fewer people.
The woman held the child in her arms and hurried home, while the man quickly picked up any tools he could find, such as axes and kitchen knives, and put them on his waist. The people who were eating just now ran away in a flash, leaving the store owner with nothing but tears in his eyes.
"The Six Gates are coming!" someone shouted.
The so-called six doors refer to the government office. The main gate of the county government office usually has six door panels, so those who work in the county government office are jokingly called the six-door.
Chen Shi looked up and saw dozens of yamen runners coming in a line, smashing things along the way, overturning stalls and destroying shops one after another.
"According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, those who fail to pay taxes will be punished with 100 strokes of the cane! You are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty, please do not make things difficult for us officials!"
The chief of the yamen runners looked around, opened the account book, and shouted, "Liu Zexi, Liu Zexi! Your family has paid the land tax, but you still have household tax and business tax to pay! Come out!"
A man from Fangdian Village said boldly: "Shangguan, Liu Zexi is dead."
The chief of the yamen runners pulled a stool over, sat down with his arms and legs spread out, and asked in surprise, "Dead? When did he die?"
"The last time the superior came to collect taxes, he didn't receive them, and he died the next day."
The man said carefully, "It was hanging on the godmother's tree. It was already hard when I found it."
The head of the yamen runners hummed, his eyes flashing as he looked towards the old tree in the center of Fangdian Village. He sneered, "Are you saying that he offered himself as a sacrifice to your godmother? Liu Zexi, you offered yourself as a sacrifice and made a wish to your godmother, so... what exactly did you wish for?"
————Happy Dragon Boat Festival to all book friends~
Thanks to Duan Tianzunzhu for the silver reward, thank you for your kindness! Thanks to Piaoyao Xiaowei, Yu_Du_Chen, Shenchao_Qing'er, Shenchao_Junxun for the alliance leader reward. And Xueliu, after supporting the new book, gave Linyuanxing an additional alliance leader. If two updates a day during the new book period are not enough, then I have to recommend Linyuanxing now!
(End of this chapter)