Chapter 366: King of Light

Chi Lian has gone through many years, from teaching the first redthorn snake to walk upright, to using stones and branches to drive away wild beasts, to lighting a bonfire and leading the redthorn people to gather around the fire.

The Redthorn People, who were once hunted by wild boars and wolves, have now become a nightmare for wild beasts. They make deep pit traps, sharpen stones and branches, use fire to drive away wild beasts, and skillfully take whatever they want from nature.

Every time the Redthorns succeeded in hunting, they would swing their soft arms and dance around the campfire in a weird and wild way. Only at this time did they still have a trace of the snakes in their past.

Chi Lian always stared at the fire in silence.

The flames lengthened and shortened the shadows of the Redthorn people, and the shadows ran and changed on the ground and stone walls, like some ancient and mysterious ritual.

The light cast shadows like embers cast by fire beneath one's feet.

Chi Lian looked at his fellow tribesmen singing and dancing, but he sensed a distant and dark voice.

The voice came from the sky. At the far end, higher than the clouds and more erratic than the wind, there was a pair of eyes hidden in the darkness, staring at him.

Come on, come on.

Answer me, tell me, come near me.

The voice spoke softly, surrounding Chi Lian like an omnipresent wind, often making him feel dazed.

He could no longer tell whether the sound really came from outer space or was just an illusion and fantasy in his mind.

"King, King?"

The call of a Redthorn man brought Chi Lian back to his senses.

"King, we have sent the freshest fish and wild boar legs to the temple and presented them to the Lord God."

This Redthorn Man is called Zhao. He likes to use fire to approach many things, and use the firelight to illuminate the clearest textures on stones, shells and trees.

Zhao was the first Hongji person to imitate Chilian and learn to walk upright. He was Chilian's most reliable assistant. Zhao was always able to coordinate the tribesmen well and do a good job in hunting, construction, defense and other labor.

He was like Chi Lian's shadow, always following behind the King of Red Thorns, quiet and docile.

"Also, we have repaired the Observatory. Please climb up it. As long as you can stand on the Observatory where bird spirits gather, you will definitely be able to hear more wills from the outside world."

The so-called Stargazing Altar is actually an altar built on a high hill. It is made of many hard granites glued together, and the adhesive is crushed shell ash and clay.

It is shaped like a large gray bird's nest, and is filled with many different kinds of bird feathers.

The Redthorn people believe that these feathers can call the bird spirits to stay here, allowing the people on the altar to connect with the sky like birds.

Chi Lian sat cross-legged on the Observatory, looking up at the sky.

It was night, and a huge stone bonfire was lit in the center of the observatory. The wind kept fiddling with the flames, stretching Chi Lian's shadow longer and shorter.

Stars twinkle in the dark sky. Those distant points of light are believed to be the eyes of gods. Many gods are gazing at this world on earth.

The original creator and protector of the world, the omnipotent Yao God, is the sun that shines on everything during the day. Only when Yao God closes his eyes, other gods dare to open their eyes and secretly look here from the sky.

Zhao quietly stood beside the observatory, just like hundreds of Redthorn people, waiting for their king to listen to the whispers of the gods from outer space.

In the quiet night, Chi Lian was feeling particularly irritable.

The voice kept telling him to do it, to pray, to respond, and to spread the word.

The clearer the voice was, the less he wanted to respond. Just like a wild animal's instinct driving its body to bite and kill, Chi Lian felt an unspeakable shame.

What's the reason to do such a thing?

In this world called Zhou Island, the only true God is Lord Yao.

God Yao gave me life and wisdom, Teacher Slemode enlightened me, and what about that voice without a beginning or an end?

Is it also a god? Which star in the sky is it? Why did it find itself?

Is it an evil will or the embodiment of bewitching? Chi Lian couldn't help but think of a big bird. It would hide in dense leaves, imitate other birds and make brisk and fragmentary sounds to attract small birds to come closer, and then hunt and eat them.

But he could hardly resist the restless impulse in his heart.

Chi Lian remembered what the teacher said.

——Understand your instincts and use wisdom to guide them.

He looked up at the night sky and saw that light among the numerous stars. It flashed an enchanting red light, like a drop of blood in the snow, or like a floating mountain standing tall on the vast sea.

The other Red Thorn people could not see it, but in Chi Lian's eyes, it was extremely clear.

Chi Lian recited silently in his heart.

--Who are you?

The distant stars just twinkle.

Tell me, come near me.

The voice from the Star God grew stronger, but there were no new words or responses.

The only difference was that there was a faint red fluorescence lingering around Chi Lian's body. This halo gradually merged into his body, making him feel that his strength was slowly increasing.

In response to this, the surrounding Redthorn people huddled down and prostrated themselves in awe and fear.

Chi Lian felt lonely.

He left the observatory and walked barefoot to the temple.

The green-clad apostle knelt before the statue, as pious and calm as ever.

There are no lights in the temple, but there is always a layer of holy light lingering here, so that it is never dark. Anyone who comes here will become peaceful and gentle.

Chi Lian knelt down behind her teacher.

He raised his head and looked up at the statue high above.

Yao is in a sitting position, with his face blurred and unrecognizable, representing the majesty of the gods that cannot be looked at directly. However, he has a clear body like a mortal, symbolizing that he is always close to his people and believers.

Behind the statue of Yao are the gods who guard him.

The white statue, apart from its two boar tusks, is very eye-catching. Its head and torso are also undecorated, like a thick stone pillar with an animal head. He is the embodiment of resistance and courage.

The statue of King Uji looks like a miniature mountain with a head without facial features on the top. It symbolizes the divinity and tolerance of nature.

The statue of Ju Shen is a gray-white stone statue shaped like a pyramid. Each of its edges is simple and standardized, representing the wisdom and rules of the world.

"Teacher, I feel pain."

Chi Lian only reveals her vulnerability and confusion when facing her teacher.

Redthorn People are not yet able to understand the confusion and anxiety brought by wisdom, the fear and insignificance behind half-knowledge.

“I have so many doubts.”

"Why am I an apostle of Lord Yaoshen, but there is another voice in my body? Why does that distant star keep influencing me and asking me to respond?"

"Why do I look so similar to the other Redthorns, but so different?"

"I keep trying to resist my instincts, but they always take over in the end. I am too weak, no different from those beasts... I am in pain."

Chi Lian closed her eyes tightly and pursed her lips.

The man in green, with his back to him, whispered, "In the cold winter, birds always fly to the warm south."

“There is a bird that doesn’t want to leave. It is shivering with cold, but it keeps trying to hold on. But eventually it will be struck down by the cold and fly to a warmer place.”

There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!

"For the birds, this is a rebellion that is doomed to fail, but that doesn't mean it's meaningless."

"Warming up the winter woods can awaken spring."

Chi Lian was stunned and said, "But it's just a bird. Can it really do that?"

"You're right. It's just a bird. Most birds can only follow and seek warmth. Some birds can create warmth. They can build nests and even find ways to light a fire... Of course, that's not easy, so most birds are followers of spring."

The man in green continued, "It is not shameful to be afraid of the cold. The fear of cold and the love of warmth are both due to the need for survival. Don't hate your instincts, and don't hate your own weakness."

"Whether it's a bird or a dragon, everyone has their own limitations and there are things they cannot do."

“What we have to do is light a fire.”

"To do this, don't be confined to a lonely environment, don't struggle alone, try to trust others. Those who regard you as a leader, a prophet, and a servant of the gods... They may not be as wise as you, and they don't have your innate power, but they can also forge a warm and great nest."

"God Yao is always generous in blessing heroes in every ordinary group, because they are the symbol of world change."

“Heroes are never alone, because everyone is helping these potential heroes, even if it’s just helping him walk through a stone-covered road, giving him a pot of water, or even just nodding and smiling at him... it will increase the soil for the birth of heroes.”

"Go, Chi Lian. Don't treat them as weak ants and ignorant sparrows. They will be your best friends, your most trusted brothers, and your greatest backing and source of support."

"Go back to them, they need you and you need them."

Chi Lian slowly opened his eyes, his face filled with shame: "Teacher, I understand... I was too arrogant."

Holding a torch, he walked under the starlight and returned to the cave entrance where the Redthorn people lived. Most of the Redthorn people had not yet gone to bed, waiting for the return of their leader and listening to the gospel of the gods.

"Friends."

Chi Lian looked at the faces that were looking at him, and he raised his hand to point to the sky: "The oracle is always above our heads. Every day we listen to the revelation given by Lord Yaoshen. That is the sun we can see every day."

"The world needs more fire."

"Together, let us fill the dark night with light."

None of the Redthorn people reacted.

All along, the king, who was in a superior position, had been issuing orders, or being indifferent and unfathomable. He looked so young, yet he seemed to have experienced countless years. He was the person closest to God besides the apostles in the temple.

At this time, he smiled and became like an ordinary Redthorn man. The lofty divine light seemed to be retracted by him.

Zhao was the first to react.

He held up the torch: "Light! King of Light!"

Others followed suit and shouted, "King of Light!"

"King of Light!"

"King of Light!"

…

As time goes by, a series of changes have taken place in the world of Chau Island.

The first city, "City of Light", was built around the temple. The Redthorn people began to explore and move towards farther lands around this God-given land, and villages appeared along the way.

They tamed wolves, raised wild boar cubs, and used slingshots, blowgun darts, and sharpened wooden spears to fight large beasts.

The Redthorns learned to use red coral mirages to identify their surroundings from a distance, and learned from the birds how to plant seeds and obtain a steady harvest of edible berries and tubers.

At this point, the Redthorn Tribe officially established its position as the overlord of the land.

They built docks, but not for building ships. The Redthorns came from the sea, and they could go underwater as easily as going home, and they could live underwater for a long time.

The function of the dock is to welcome the redthorn snakes coming up from the seabed.

More and more redthorn snakes escaped from the dangerous deep-sea survival, became redthorn people through imitation, and gradually integrated into the urban life on land. Guangming City also entered a period of rapid development, and the population soon exceeded 50,000.

One day, Zhao suddenly ran to the Observatory in a hurry.

"King, the fishmen from the sea are coming."

Chi Lian was watching the stars at night. He said, "Don't be impatient. Talk slowly."

"Those half-human, half-fish people couldn't speak our language, so they kept asking us for food. Our people felt sorry for them, so they gave them fruits and big roots. Later, they lived at the dock, and we helped them a lot..."

"Not long ago, the fishmen took our people underwater and showed us their temple!"

"Temple?"

"Yes, King, that is definitely a temple. It should be the god worshipped by those fishmen."

Zhao said excitedly: "Not only that, there are two treasures in the temple. There is a huge spear in front of the temple, shining brightly. The fishman asked us to pull out the spear and said he was willing to give us this divine weapon. You should go and have a look quickly."

"If you get that treasure, you will rule the entire ocean!"

Chi Lian asked: "What is the other treasure?"

"A giant clam, carrying the temple on its back."

According to the story: "The fish people gestured as if to say that the giant clam was once the mount of their god."

(End of this chapter)