Black Water Lake, Red Immortal Sect.
After the position of leader was vacant for several years, the Chixian Sect finally has a new leader.
Red flags were fluttering, and disciples of the Red Immortal Sect, dressed in five-colored clothes, stood at the foot of the mountain. They gathered according to the color of their clothes, like clouds of celebration, distributed on various platforms at the foot and middle of the mountain, their eyes focused on the long staircase leading to the top of the mountain.
The bluestone steps have long been rounded by the erosion of rain and time. The little water that accumulated in them gradually disappeared in the breeze, making them smooth and clean.
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A crowd of people gathered at the foot of the mountain. Under the gazes of many people who came to watch the ceremony, the woman in bright red clothes wore a silver moon crown on her head, an exquisite silver snake biting its tail bracelet on her wrist, and light and pleasant silver wire anklets on her bare feet.
After bathing and burning incense, she climbed the stairs amidst shouts of admonition, followed by two rows of disciples, who held up the back of her crimson dress with solemn expressions.
Out of respect for local customs, the people watching the ceremony at the foot of the mountain did not make loud noises, but remained relatively quiet as they watched the woman climb the stairs step by step. Every time she reached a platform on the mountainside, the disciples in uniform in front of the hall would make way to let the new leader walk into the hall. At this time, a new round of shouting would be heard. Basically, the priest in the hall would shout first, and then the disciples outside the hall would respond. Between the shouts and responses, the ancient songs and sacrificial words in the mountains would echo.
The pronunciation of these folk song-like sacrificial ballads is very different from the oriental languages commonly used today. Their source is an ancient tribe or settlement in these mountains. In that era, each tribe in the mountains had its own gods and ghosts to worship, with different forms, like humans and animals, and with the unique wild atmosphere of that era.
When the Red Immortal Sect spread in these mountains and swamps, it continued to absorb various tribes and also took in the gods worshipped by each tribe. This is also the origin of the various large and small halls in the sect’s headquarters, in which various ghosts and gods in the mountains are enshrined.
Although these ghosts and gods are no longer as popular as they were in the past, the old customs of the Red Immortal Sect have been preserved. Whenever a new leader takes over, incense is burned and rituals are performed in each of these halls.
It's another large hall.
Jie Zhuyan walked along the path where the crowd had separated, and then stepped into the tall and empty hall. Inside, there was a five-colored clay sculpture of a god. Its body was like a human, one hand holding a knife, and the other hand wrapped around a thick python. Its eyes were wide open, and its hair was fiery red like flames. It stood on the high stone platform, overlooking the group of people who were slowly walking in below.
"Golden swords interlaced with silver swords, red face and mighty fire god, which boy from Guo is tying up the big snake? It's none other than Zhang Erlang of Wuyang." The local dialect in the mountains has a peculiar accent, but it is particularly rhyming.
This statue is none other than the popular 'Zhang Erlang' in Heishuizhou. It is said that in ancient times he could protect the men of the tribe from catching good prey when hunting, and he was also the nemesis of snakes, able to ward off poison and evil spirits. As his popularity spread, he was given the role of the God of Fire because of his red hair and red face, and the role of the God of War because of his resemblance to a giant python. He is one of the famous indigenous gods in this mountain area.
After Jie Zhuyan paid his respects and offered incense, plumes of green smoke rose from the incense burner. Several shamans standing in the main hall also bowed in return, and then presented a small silver scimitar specially made for the temple. Although it was no bigger than a palm, it also represented this group's support and obedience to the leader.
Then Xie Zhuyan left the hall and continued to climb the mountain, repeating the similar process every time he arrived at a hall.
Each hall enshrines different gods, and the tokens offered are also unique. The hall enshrining "Meishan Niangniang" has five-colored silk sachets, the hall enshrining "Black-browed Stone White Tiger" has stone tiger-head square seals, the hall enshrining "Sa Grandmother God" has silk knotted flowers, the hall enshrining "Wu Zengshen" has white velvet ornaments, the hall enshrining "Dongmu Golden Rooster" has wooden whistles, the hall enshrining "Qinglei Gong" has blue iron stones, and so on.
Every time a token of gratitude was presented in the hall, an accompanying disciple would place it on a red cloth tray and then continue to follow Jie Zhuyan.
In this way, after receiving the tokens in each hall, time slowly came to noon, and at this time Jie Zhuyan also walked to the last mountain top, where there was the largest hall on the mountain, which naturally enshrined the founder of the Red Immortal Sect, the 'Red Fairy'.
When we walked into the hall, we saw the elders of the sect already standing there. They were all wearing magpie robes and black scarves on their heads, with only red silk knots wrapped around their wrists.
"Flowers fall from the sky, lotuses grow on the ground, black waters and poisonous swamps bring down hundreds of insects, and red-clad people dance with peach swords in the fire."
"Among thousands of mountains, I am the immortal among all immortals. I slay dragons, ward off evil spirits, and destroy demons. I am the only immortal among the red snakes."
"I have thousands of disciples, which one are you?" The elders and the shamans in the hall sang in unison, their voices starting slow and then getting faster, with the last one being a question.
"The name of our sect leader is Zhu Yan. He once fought with swordsmen in Chilou..." After saying that, a disciple walked out from behind Jie Zhu Yan, sang back loudly, and then held out with his hand the purple tassel that Jie Zhu Yan had obtained in the sword fight in Chilou.
Then, one disciple after another walked out from behind Jie Zhuyan. Each of them had to sing a story about Jie Zhuyan's deeds, or the recognition he had received from a branch hall, and then present the token.
After each paragraph was recited, a shout would be heard in the square outside the hall. In this repeated singing and responding, the identity and status of Sect Leader Jie Zhuyan continued to be strengthened and consolidated in the hearts of the people, until the last line was finished, and many elders and shamans in the hall also responded.
"I was wondering who this great master is. It turns out he is an immortal from my sect. Please take a seat, Master!" So everyone made way, revealing the passage in the middle.
At this time, Jie Zhuyan slowly walked towards the statue of the red-clothed fairy, bowed in front of her, did this three times, lit three special incense sticks, inserted them into the tripod, and then turned around.
"Meet the Master!"
Then everyone in the hall bowed and saluted, paying homage to the new leader. Then the same shouts were heard outside the hall. On the mountain and below, thousands of disciples of the Red Immortal Sect bowed and saluted together, and the sound echoed throughout the mountains.
In this way, etiquette is completed.
Shortly thereafter, officials from the Youxin Kingdom came to the Black Water Continent and asked the leader of the Red Immortal Sect to come out of seclusion. As a result, the Red Immortal Sect and the Youxin Kingdom formed an alliance, and the influence of both sides increased.
Another half month later, an altar was built in the Leixia Lake in the capital of Xin State. Representatives from all parties in the country gathered there, and then the leader of the Red Immortal Sect ascended the altar to pray to heaven. It rained heavily for three days, and then the sky cleared up. The dragon veins in the land of the Seven Continents of Lei gradually stabilized in the rain, and most of the monsters in the mountains were frightened and began to hibernate, and few of them went out to hurt people.
As a result, the rumor that the leader of the Red Immortal Sect was the reincarnation of the Cuckoo gradually spread among the Seven Continents of Lei, and was later officially worshipped as the "Rain Prayer" by the Youxin Kingdom, which was also the position that the Cuckoo had held in the past.
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