What is an immortal?

Chapter 133 A Flash of Spirit Light


Yuan Ming held the Black Incense and, after scanning it with his Divine Sense, still found no spiritual power fluctuations. Just like his many previous studies, there seemed to be no spiritual materials within. Nevertheless, given the vast variety of things in the world, how could he be certain?

He carefully recalled every detail from the two previous times he experienced incense possession.

Thus, Yuan Ming sat in silence, not eating or drinking, utterly obsessed.

One day, two days, three days.

Suddenly, there came a knock on the door.

Yuan Ming, dragging his exhausted body, got up to open the door. Wu Sang walked in, happily saying, "This time, I can confirm one of the materials again, it's very close to Pine Wood Powder."

"Similar to Pine Wood Powder? I see, Mr. Wu Sang, you have worked hard," Yuan nodded and replied, his expression not betraying any joy.

In the hundreds of previous attempts, he had already added Pine Wood Powder.

Even if it was Pine Wood Powder, what could it do?

"Yuan, forgive my bluntness, your Black Incense may seem ordinary at first glance, but after my explorations, I feel it is extraordinary. As long as you put more thought and time into it, you will succeed. Don't be too anxious," Wu Sang consoled.

If before he had assisted Yuan Ming purely for money, at this moment, he had genuinely developed a strong interest in the mysterious Black Incense, which reignited his desire for victory.

Yuan Ming managed a wry smile. His time away from the Sect was limited; he could not stay at Jiuli Temple for long.

Once he returned to the Sect, the possibility of procuring countless Incense Making materials for experimentation was not high, and he had many other matters to attend to, so the likelihood of replicating it successfully in the short term was nil.

Forget it, forget it. It's time to go back to the Sect.

"Young friend, heed my advice. You are a bit impatient. The art of Incense Making is indeed a delicate and slow process. Why not go out for a walk to calm your mind before continuing? Today is the annual worship ceremony of the Dog Teeth God in the temple, you might as well offer your respects," Wu Sang said, hesitating slightly upon seeing Yuan Ming remain silent.

Yuan Ming was not interested in such secular worship of ghosts and deities and didn't believe in their actual existence.

He shook his head, about to refuse, but then a thought struck him, and he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

To those ordinary people, a Cultivator like himself was also considered a deity from legends, wasn't he?

"Lord Quan Ya is enshrined in the Heavenly Palace above the clouds, able to observe all things. If you pray sincerely, perhaps He might cast his gaze down to help you with your Incense Making," Wu Sang said, seeing Yuan Ming intrigued.

"The Dog Teeth God could help me?" Yuan said, slightly sarcastic.

"If the heart is true, what's the harm in trying?" Wu Sang said with a smile.

"Heh, I have troubled the temple for many days. It is proper, in both sentiment and reason, to burn an incense stick," Yuan Ming laughed, admitting to himself that he had indeed been somewhat obsessed with Incense Making recently, almost to the point of madness. Watching their superstitious rituals might indeed help him clear his mind and sort out his emotions.

So under Wu Sang's guidance, he went to the main hall and saw that today more people had come to offer incense in the temple than usual.

At some point, an altar had been set up before the Dog Tooth God Statue, and a temple priest in a Priest Robe and wearing a Hu Tou mask was moving dynamically atop it, at times gesturing wildly with his hands, at other times stamping his feet, and occasionally kneeling to worship the statue.

Yuan Ming knew that this was a dance to show respect to the gods in the Southern Border and was only performed during grand celebrations or festivals.

"The sacrificial ceremony is currently underway," Wu Sang explained softly.

Yuan Ming nodded slightly and joined the crowd offering incense.

In front of the Dog Tooth God Statue, the altar was filled with bundles of incense sticks, and the rising smoke created a vague blur over the Divine Statue's face, adding a mysterious aura.

Batch after batch of Southern Border citizens came forward to offer incense and sincerely pray, enveloping the entire courtyard in a solemn atmosphere. Amidst them, Yuan Ming too felt touched.

He recalled the last time he was in possession of Wang Shun's body outside the City God Temple, witnessing the citizens praying for blessings, feeling a similar inexpressible emotion.

He looked at the solemn faces of the Southern Border citizens around him, their expressions full of devotion – some with hands pressed against their foreheads in prayer, others with fists held to their chests, as if each had a wish to make and was sincere in their reverence.

With the crowd moving steadily, one devotee after another took turns stepping up to offer incense to the Divine Statue, bowed deeply, and then moved on.

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion, without the need for anyone to say or do anything. Each person followed the proper etiquette, careful not to show any disrespect to the gods.

Yuan Ming also stepped forward with the crowd.

Unlike others, what he held in his hands was a stick of incense he had made himself, which when lit at the candle flame, emitted light bluish-white smoke with a somewhat unique scent.

Mimicking the other devotees, Yuan Ming pressed the incense to his forehead and bowed three times to the Dog Tooth God Statue, then planted it in the incense burner.

Pressing slightly too hard, his little fingers sank entirely into the burner, picking up quite a bit of incense ashes.

After inserting the long incense stick, he brought his hands together over his heart, knelt on the cushion, bowed his head in prayer, and silently wished in his heart: for his parents' safety, for success in his cultivation, and for the turning of misfortune into fortune.

Strangely, following such a ritual brought a wave of calm over Yuan Ming. All his distracting thoughts and impatience faded away as if his soul was soothed, and his spirit grew exceptionally serene.

As he completed his final bow, Yuan Ming lifted his head, but his gaze involuntarily turned toward the statue of the Dog Tooth God on the elevated platform.

At this moment, the statue was shrouded with swirls of smoke, its features becoming even blurrier behind the vaporous veil.

While Yuan Ming was lost in thought, the people from the Southern Border behind him had already begun to quietly urge him to clear the way.

After standing up, Yuan Ming walked toward the direction of the temple's entrance.

Wu Sang was there waiting for him.

"How was it? Did you receive any guidance from Lord Quan Ya?" Wu Sang asked.

Yuan Ming didn't speak, simply shaking his head.

"Perhaps the time is not yet right, or maybe Lord Quan Ya has yet to feel your sincerity," Wu Sang said, glancing at Yuan Ming with a meaningful sigh.

Utter sincerity, but all it takes is money for the service?

"Perhaps... Wu Sang, have you ever heard the directives of the Dog Teeth God?" Yuan Ming countered.

"The Dog Teeth God never speaks to people, but his guidance resonates in the rustle of the wind, in the surging clouds, in the stars of the night sky, in the dreams of those who are lost," Wu Sang paused, then chuckled, shaking his head. These were the words he'd always heard from the temple priest, and they slipped out naturally.

Yuan Ming, hearing this, neither agreed nor disagreed, saying, "No matter how beautifully you praise the gods, they cannot hear you. If the gods truly had power, you wouldn't have lost everything to gambling, hiding here!"

Wu Sang's smile vanished in an instant, and he murmured in a low voice, "No, no, that's because I wasn't devout enough..."

Just then, a clear and pleasing bell ring sounded, piercing in its ability to strike directly at the soul.

Yuan Ming looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall figure wearing a dog-head mask, dressed in a ragged robe patched with colorful strips. In one hand, he held a brass bell; in the other, a finely-crafted brass mini sword. He hopped and skipped his way in from outside.

"Senior Brother Galong is about to perform the exorcise dance; make way for him," Wu Sang said, pulling Yuan Ming aside to an inner corner to clear the space.

The crowd in the temple also scattered to the sides, clearing the central area.

The masked Galong entered the center of the square, chanting unintelligible prayers while dancing and shaking the copper bell.

Yuan Ming, who understood the Southern Border language, nonetheless couldn't make out the distinct chants, their unique rhythms and tones. But the bell's unhurried sound struck his heart with every chime.

It reminded him of the Biluo Cave, and that soul-capturing silver-white bell.

After watching for a while, Yuan Ming intended to leave but was stopped by Wu Sang.

"Once you start watching the exorcise dance, you must watch it to the end. It's a rare moment when the Dog Tooth God descends. Leaving now is taboo and would bring misfortune," Wu Sang said with a serious expression.

"I don't believe it," Yuan Ming retorted.

Could a gambler, who had already gambled away his soul, truly possess a devout heart?

Thinking this, Yuan Ming couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

Amid the rhythm of the prayers and the bell, Yuan Ming slowly shifted his gaze to the incense burner on the altar.

The long incense inside was wafting smoke spirals, with burned ash falling gently, settling in the vessel. The incense burned for nearly a century lay accumulated in that altar's burner!

He involuntarily clenched his fist, feeling the fresh incense ashes he had just come into contact with.

In that moment, a flash of spirit light struck Yuan Ming's mind, and at once, it fully took control of his thoughts and commanded his body. In the next instant, he stepped forward, slipping through the crowd like a fish, passing by the dancing Galong. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, he arrived at the incense table.

Taken aback, Galong stopped his frantic dancing, and Wu Sang was too slow to react.

Without paying any mind to the reactions of others, Yuan Ming plunged a finger into the incense burner. A glow from the storage ring on his finger captured some of the incense ashes, and he turned and ran from the square, quickly disappearing from the sight of all present.

Initially, the great hall fell into a deafening silence, followed by an eruption of commotion.

The diverse faces of the incense burners expressed confusion, outrage, and some knelt to pray, seeking the gods' forgiveness.

Everyone was at a loss to understand what the young man had done or why he suddenly took such action. Whispers of curses began to spread among them.

Galong, having never seen such a situation before, stood stiffly, uncertain whether to continue dancing or to stop, utterly at a loss.

Wu Sang, reluctant to see his benefactor expelled and momentarily setting aside his devotion to the divine, stepped forward to declare loudly:

"Do not be alarmed, everyone. He may have been moved by the guidance of the gods. This is the blessing and return of Lord Quan Ya."

Hearing this, the crowd ceased their anger, each kneeling to offer their prayers, while Galong breathed a sigh of relief and continued to shake the brass bell in his hand, resuming his chanting and dancing.

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