blueteamnovel Chapter 203: Chapter 198: Became a Totem
Chapter 203: Chapter 198: Became a Totem
"first, we must celebrate. a closed-door cultivation isn't complete without a celebration!"
zhou yi's escaping light descended into moyun city, and with a flicker, he transformed into a handsome young master, inquiring of everyone he met.
"where can one enjoy the company of courtesans and listen to music?"
passersby pointed in the direction of the southeast, "hehuan yuan!"
"this name seems to have quite a history!"
zhou yi had visited countless brothels over the past thousand years. none less than a hundred, with names like spring breeze, xiaoxiang, yihong, full moon, etc., were all named by learned scholars from the four books and five classics.
after all, those attending these brothels were either scholars or those pretending to be scholars. ordinary people simply couldn't afford to spend several taels of silver just for tea.
a straightforward name like hehuan yuan was indeed something he heard for the first time.
"i must go and broaden my horizons."
his escaping light landed in the north of the city, but zhou yi was in no hurry. he strolled leisurely with his hands tucked in his sleeves.
times had changed, as had the scenery.
the atmosphere of moyun city had greatly changed from what it once was. the one hundred thousand mountains produced many precious herbs like wild ginseng, which attracted rich merchants from various nations of cloud continent who bustled in the streets, speaking loudly in different accents.
the people on the streets were no longer wearing hemp robes and beast skins, nor were there demon-like creatures with ox, tiger, or wolf heads—instead, there were clothes of all colors and materials.
the voices were loud, the streets lively.
zhou yi walked at a leisurely pace, occasionally entering shops or browsing stalls.
from the townspeople's idle chatter, he learned that the city lord's mansion maintained the operation of moyun city by taxing the wealthy merchants' trade, which yielded a revenue far exceeding that of agricultural tax—so long as the precious medicinal herbs from the one hundred thousand mountains didn't run out.
after all, moyun city was surrounded by myriad valleys and ridges; even if you continued to cultivate the land for several hundred years, you would only get a little arable land around the city, barely enough to supply the city with food.
he gulped down a jar of wine and then bought two more jars to put into his storage bag. thereafter, at each tavern he stopped briefly; if the taste was good, he bought two jars.
until he reached the city center.
from afar, he saw a bronze statue of a god nearly thirty feet high, with its entire body in a half-seated position, sitting not on a chair or lotus platform but on a sturdy yellow ox with its horns gilded, glittering brilliantly in the sunlight.
a black tiger lay at its feet, a tortoise chancellor served by its side, a golden eagle perched on its shoulder, with wings spread as if poised to fly.
in front of the statue were two rows of pillars engraved with mysterious patterns—if examined closely, the patterns were disordered texts, chanting in accordance with some mystical law, pitches soaring and lingering, like a murmur like a sutra.
at this moment.
a man and a woman were being instructed by the officiant to bow three times and kowtow nine times to the statue. after the ritual was completed, they made an offering of incense.
the officiant announced that under the witness of the golden god, the man and woman were joined as husband and wife, and henceforth were to remain united in heart.
their families and onlookers nearby let out loud cheers, blessing the bride and groom, and it seemed like the groom's mother offered incense, asking the officiant to let the golden god know to bestow a blessing on the bride to bear a strong progeny.
"the golden god wishes to bless all people; we, however, should not be greedy and unbridled!"
the officiant asked, "do you choose a child as strong as an ox, as fierce as a tiger, as free as an eagle, or as long-lived as a tortoise?"
being a devout follower of the golden god, the mother bowed to the officiant and said, "with the golden god above, this old woman does not seek for my grandson to achieve greatness; all i ask for is peace and longevity, like that of the tortoise."
the officiant nodded slightly and began to chant the soaring and lingering spell once again, finally indicating that the golden god had received the prayer.
"hmm, indeed, i have received it."
zhou yi was listening nearby; he flicked his finger, and a beam of spiritual light entered the couple, dispelling all their hidden illnesses and injuries, leaving them strong and healthy.
after the bride and groom left, the officiant attended to a few more worshippers' prayers. most people asked the golden god for safety and well-being, others sought to find precious herbs in the mountains, and some even directly prayed for sudden wealth and riches.
in the eyes of the people of moyun city, the golden god was a deity who governed everything, and for any matter, they would come to offer prayers.