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Finally, they arrived at the door of Tang Yue's house. Tang Yue had already sensed their presence, and she had some guesses as to why they hadn't brought their bamboo hats.
A slight smile played on her lips. How wonderful. She had the opportunity to intimidate these people anytime, anywhere.
So, as everyone ushered Sun Jinan and Zhang Dabing into the house, a miraculous scene unfolded before their very eyes.
The two walked slowly and steadily. As they moved forward, the rain on their bodies seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, slowly detaching from their clothes and turning into a fine mist that rose up.
In a short while, their clothes were dry again, and even their hair was dry, as if they had never been wet by the rain.
Those inside were initially stunned, then erupted in gasps of amazement. The county magistrate, his eyes wide with awe, stared at Sun Jinan and Zhang Dabing, muttering repeatedly, "Truly the protector of the goddess, possessing such miraculous abilities!"
Finally, their knees buckled, and they knelt before the goddess once more. With such a powerful goddess protecting them, what did they have to fear? Their Shanhe County would be safe from now on.
Seeing everyone kneel down, Sun Jinan and Zhang Dabing felt very uncomfortable. Their hands, held up in front of them, seemed to have a mind of their own, reaching out to pull people away. However, Tang Yue's cool gaze shot over them, and the two of them felt a chill.
They immediately composed themselves, maintaining their aloof demeanor, and indifferently surveyed everyone in the room before slowly walking to Tang Yue's side. After bowing, they stood still. Their posture was upright, and their expressions solemn, like two true guardians of the celestial realm.
The downpour had just stopped, and the damp air was filled with the scent of earth and vegetation. As arranged by the county magistrate, a large bucket of water had already been carefully placed in the courtyard, the raindrops still clinging to its surface reflecting a faint light, as if awaiting a sacred moment.
Tang Yue stood under the corridor, her fair hand slightly raised, her fingertips tracing the air, her eyebrows slightly closed, her mouth whispering like a babbling brook. Although those around her could not hear the words clearly, they felt the rhythm was ethereal.
A moment later, she opened her eyes and said casually, "An hour later, the rain will stop and the ritual will begin. Send word that all the sick people should come to the square to draw divine water to expel the ailments."
Upon receiving the order, the county magistrate immediately dispatched messengers to spread the word. The people in the county town had been waiting for news, and with the goddess's divine will revealed, the news spread rapidly throughout the town. Filled with anticipation, the people looked up at the sky, waiting for the rain to stop so they could quickly gather in the square.
In fact, some people, worried about not getting a good spot, went to the square as soon as they heard the news. What's a little rain? This is a ritual performed by a goddess; it might not happen even once in a hundred years, no, a thousand years.
Once the rain had completely stopped, the square was already crowded with people. The patients' eyes were full of longing for a cure. At this moment, they were full of confidence. The goddess was so powerful that she would definitely be able to cure them all.
Tang Yue wore a moon-white floor-length gown, the hem embroidered with silver cloud patterns that peeked out from behind her with each step. She wore a magnificent crown made of pearls and diamonds, the shimmering light swirling in the sunlight like a cascading galaxy.
This outfit was redesigned by Sun Jinan and Zhang Dabing based on their image of the deity while the three of them were inside. No one in the county objected to the goddess changing her clothes.
This is a ritual, a communication between heaven and earth, how can we not be careful?
Sun Jinan and Zhang Dabing stood on either side, their brightly colored clothes giving them a dignified air. They stood tall and straight like pine trees, their faces solemn, like two guardian deities.
The three of them stepped onto a large red cloth and slowly walked towards the newly erected platform in the center of the square, each step seemingly carrying an unquestionable authority.
On the high platform, wisps of smoke rose from the black pottery incense burner, emitting a delicate fragrance made from a mixture of herbs and resins unique to the Bianyue Kingdom. The fragrance gently permeated the nostrils of everyone present, bringing a sense of tranquility.
Around the incense burner were the best bottles that could be brought out of the county town, filled with colorful flowers, the petals still glistening with raindrops.
In the very center, three ancient-looking large earthenware jars were filled with "rootless water." Tang Yue couldn't help but twitch her lips as she looked at them. They really could take it all; they truly didn't mind having too much of this divine water.
Tang Yue ascended the high platform, stood before the incense burner, slowly raised her hands, palms facing upward, and closed her eyes in concentration. The entire square fell silent instantly, with only the soft rustling of flags in the breeze.
A moment later, she parted her cherry lips slightly, and her clear, ethereal voice, like heavenly music, echoed in the square: "Heaven and earth bear witness, all beings suffer, I bring divine water to cleanse them from illness." As she spoke, she lightly turned her wrist, her delicate hand like a butterfly, drawing a graceful arc in the air, as if communicating with heaven and earth.
As she moved, the smoke in the incense burner began to condense, outlining strange patterns in the air. Tang Yue then bent down and picked up a wooden spoon, gracefully scooping up the "divine water" from the earthenware jar, raising it high above her head. Sunlight shone on the "divine water," refracting it into a rainbow of colors.
As everyone's attention was focused on the "divine water" that Tang Yue held high above her head, she quietly replaced the water in the three ceramic jars with a mixture of glucose water and salt water from the large spatial barrel.
He murmured, "Where the divine water goes, all illnesses will disappear." Then, he slowly poured the "divine water" into a bowl below.
Tang Yue nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and Sun Jinan and Zhang Dabing immediately stepped forward, took the wooden spoons that Tang Yue handed over, and scooped the "divine water" from the large pottery jar into individual bowls, then looked up at the sick people.
At the county magistrate's signal, the people immediately lined up, and Zhang Dabing and Sun Jinan distributed the "divine water" to each of them. The people received the water with trembling hands, their eyes filled with awe and gratitude, and carefully sipped it as if they were drinking nectar.
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