The shrine seemed to be quieter today, unlike the previous period when it was crowded with shrine maidens studying and celebrating.

Loran Hill lifted her skirt, walked up lightly, and walked in quietly. The hall was very empty. A few pendant wind chimes swayed in the wind, making soft sounds. Looking outside the main door of the hall, the open space in front was filled with dazzling sunlight.

A little girl was taking a nap in a corner of the hall. She was sitting on a bench with a small bamboo dustpan beside her, in which were a few green and red plums that had not been eaten yet.

This child's name must be Caiwei, Loranhill remembered the scene he had encountered in the fields outside the valley before.

She did not wake the girl immediately, but turned around to look at the shrine.

Just like temples in the West, shrines and temples in the East are also places where many people pray and find spiritual sustenance.

In addition to the Five Virtues Phoenix that are worshipped in various places, the local ancestors are usually worshipped by the priests. Among them, they may be celebrities with outstanding achievements, or saints with great merits.

After arriving at this shrine, Loran Hill asked Granny Gro about it. She didn't immediately answer who the shrine enshrined. Instead, she told him about the shrine's history.

A long, long time ago, this was a beautiful place with mountains and rivers, dense forests everywhere, and among the mountains there stood a tall sacred tree named Xunmu.

In the tree, there lived a jade dragon, which was many kilometers long and covered with jade-like scales, which were very beautiful. As it moved among the trees, its scales would occasionally fall off and be picked up by the people living below.

After that, people who worshipped the sacred tree and the Jade Dragon built a shrine under the tree and named it Qianliu, which means a piece of light-colored jade like glass.

The locals also particularly like glass and jade, and often use them as pendants, hanging them on their foreheads, necks, and waists.

But one day, the Emerald Dragon flew away and the Xunmu trees gradually withered. The locals were deeply saddened, but had to accept this reality and slowly walked out of the mountains.

Also, because these people lived under the shade of trees all year round and had pale skin, which was very different from outsiders, some people who didn't know the truth called them ghosts, which later evolved into Chi.

Over time, these people simply adopted this name, calling themselves Youchi. They founded a nation here, gradually expanding outward. Thanks to the fertile soil and moderate weather, they grew stronger and stronger, becoming a renowned power on the western side of the continent.

From then on, the Youchi clan prospered, and this shrine was gradually forgotten by people.

Until later, the Youchi Kingdom was destroyed and its capital was burned down in the war. The remaining residents fled everywhere and finally gradually gathered around this shrine and slowly stabilized.

"Who is being worshipped in the shrine?" Loranhill asked Granny Gro at that time.

"No, no one." Granny Grove shook her head.

"In the early years, people placed their hopes on the Xun Tree and the Jade Dragon. But when the dragon flew away and the Xun Tree withered, people began to worship the Nine Netherworld ghosts, seeking their protection."

"But after the Youchi nation was destroyed, its Nine Netherworld sacrifices were banned. People didn't know what to do with the offerings anymore, and they became less and less skeptical of so-called ghosts and gods... Everyone gradually became numb, believing that this was the Youchi clan's fate."

"So the shrine's seat became empty, and apart from this one, there were no other shrines to be seen among the sunset mountains."

Time passed silently, and at some point, the shrine was renovated and repaired, and now objects of worship are placed there.

Behind the wall were circular windows that opened to both sides, with star pendants hanging from them. A bouquet of white glowing flowers lay horizontally on the wooden table as an offering. It was simple and clear, giving off a sense of returning to nature.

When the wind blows through the hall, the star pendants collide with each other, making crisp sounds, adding a touch of melodiousness to the quiet shrine.

Luo Lanxier looked at the drooping stars and recalled the scene he saw when he woke up that day. He felt a little embarrassed. He had never expected Qingling and those witches to use the stars and wind as objects of worship.

She wanted to have a good talk with Qingling at that time, but Qingling said this.

"What's important isn't the object of the sacrifice, but rather that looking at something like this reminds people of beautiful things, soothing their inner anxiety and restlessness, and gradually calming them down."

As such, Loran Hill couldn't ask for changes, so he finally agreed. He only added a few conditions: don't mention her name, don't even describe her image, just keep it simple and unadorned, and don't be fanatical.

Seeing this, Qingling smiled and agreed one by one.

I wonder how the Youchi clan is doing now, and whether they are living a stable life. At this moment, Luo Lanxier's thoughts were wandering.

A joyful and cheerful voice rang out in the hall.

"His Highness Feng Zhu has woken up." Caiwei's footsteps made a soft thudding sound as they stepped on the floor of the shrine.