Nanjing is an ancient capital of six dynasties. Even after experiencing wars, it still exudes an air of elegance and wealth. The people living under the emperor's nose all carry pride in their bones.
The proud citizens of the capital consider themselves worldly-wise and are most afraid of being called country bumpkins.
But today was an exception.
The serpent encircling the sky is breathtaking!
The enormous white serpent, majestic and awe-inspiring, coiled in the sky, reminiscent of ancient mythical beasts.
Its body seemed to block out the sun's rays, and the sunlight gilded the white snake's outline with a golden glow.
The enormous white serpent raised its head high, displaying the Taoist priests at its tail, its alluring yet chilling voice echoing through the sky:
"I have received the grace of Empress Ma, and Heaven is moved by this. Due to the pull of cause and effect, I must repay the kindness. Therefore, I took down the imperial edict to repay the grace of Empress Ma."
Who knew that these Taoist priests, lacking in knowledge and skill, used the guise of righteousness to concoct elixirs and offer them up—consuming them would render all their previous efforts futile!
Liu Xian snorted coldly:
"This is an act of obstructing my cultivation. I will spare your lives, but you will not escape punishment."
While the White Snake was speaking these words in the sky, things were not idle below either.
The people were talking amongst themselves, glancing up at the sky while avoiding eye contact, their conversations revolving around the imperial edict, the snake demon, or, as some might say, the Willow Fairy or Empress Ma.
The ancient people had always had a very contradictory attitude towards the belief in spirits, monsters, and gods.
On the one hand, people believed that these things were true, and various monster stories emerged one after another. On the other hand, the mainstream view was to respect ghosts and gods but keep them at a distance.
In the words of Confucius, "The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits," meaning he did not discuss ghosts, monsters, or supernatural beings.
The people of Kyoto are incredibly excited right now, and the sound of their conversations is creating a wave of noise.
Li Shanchang and several important ministers were discussing important matters when they suddenly saw a huge white snake. The complex emotions they felt were indescribable.
"Fortunately, we are not subjects of the Han Dynasty," a minister suddenly said.
The ministers thought for a moment and then laughed knowingly. Tang He clapped his hands and laughed heartily.
"That's right. The son of the Red Emperor started a rebellion after slaying a white snake. If a Han official were to encounter such a white snake, he would be in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat."
A slightly younger minister, seated below, chimed in:
"The White Snake Immortal's manifestation was a brilliant move. We cannot presume to know His Majesty's thoughts, but I can only say that witnessing this miraculous event stirred my emotions and filled me with awe for the White Snake Immortal."
The minister lowered his head, took a sip of tea, looked up, smiled, and continued:
"I fear that after this day, the number of people who share my sentiment will not be less than a million... A storm is coming!"
Those present felt a chill run down their spines.
Tang He sat by the window, and as he turned his head, he saw the enormous white snake outside the window, which looked like a god or a demon. His heart pounded like a drum, and he sighed softly.
Unlike their witty remarks, ordinary people were more open-minded and had broader perspectives, which soon led to the creation of countless related stories.
That's right, those audacious Ming Dynasty citizens started spreading rumors in no time...
For example, someone might confidently claim that the white snake came to repay Empress Ma's kindness.
But the snake demon was alluring and charming, a beauty that could topple kingdoms. And so, the emperor took a liking to the white snake demon.
Empress Ma refused to let the emperor become obsessed with demons, preferring to forgo treatment in order to get rid of the snake demon, which could only obey its benefactor.
However, the emperor was so enamored with the snake demon's beauty that he made a snap decision and found a Taoist priest to keep the snake demon in the palace forever.
Look, there's a string of Taoist priests wrapped around the snake demon's tail!
The system gasped. The story was so well-structured, with all the characters' logic perfectly presented. He was almost convinced.
He subtly informed the host, and Ling Xiao listened with great interest, tightening his tail as he heard the cry of pain. He then spoke to the system:
"Public opinion can be a powerful force, but this time I need to ensure that Liu Xian has sufficient support amidst these rumors; otherwise, why bother going to such lengths?"
The system asked naively, "What does this have to do with our mission?"
"A connection? A huge connection! This is my first step towards godhood!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the system suddenly felt a powerful data stream attack its central nervous system. After a moment of dizziness, it regained its senses.
Several books suddenly appeared on the system interface, with titles roughly as follows:
"How to Become a God from Scratch", "108 Ritual to Become a God", "From God of Mao to Heavenly Emperor: How I Did It", and so on.
Ling Xiao suddenly burst into tears, sobbing as she said:
"Long live the Supreme God! This system is finally no longer afraid of its host betraying it, and then killing the system first and robbing it..."
"Um?"
"Pah, pah, pah, this system got too excited and accidentally messed up the data," the system realized it had misspoke and quickly corrected itself.
He was still very excited. He couldn't help it; no matter how he looked at his host, he was clearly rebellious. How could he not be terrified?
Now, the host needs to change his path in this world, just like a vibrant gang member who, after submitting his pledge of loyalty, goes through a few years of cleansing up, and before long, becomes a clean and innocent good person.
"Host, come on, let the storm rage even harder. Whatever you want to do, this system will fully cooperate," the system said spiritedly.
"It's very simple: squeeze out the essence of this desolate world and solidify my foundation."
The system doesn't understand; it doesn't quite get it. Does it mean something like the wooden plaque that summons lightning?
Is it intended to contribute to the electrification of personal space?
…………
After the white snake took to the sky, the most troublesome person was Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
Upon arriving outside the palace, where the view was expansive, they saw Zhu Biao, the eldest son, summoning the princes and princesses in the palace and rushing over.
Zhu Yuanzhang stopped Zhu Biao from bowing, glanced casually at his other children, and then beckoned his eldest son to stand beside him.
"Your Highness, do you think Liu Xian did this merely to humiliate the Daoist sect in front of the people?"
Zhu Biao paused slightly, then shook his head: "Absolutely impossible!"
Old Zhu sighed, muttering to himself with deep regret:
"A single misstep can lead to eternal regret. I was too greedy, allowing Liu Xian to seize the opportunity. Now, considering the will of the people, Liu Xian must at least receive an honorific title."
Even more than that, with a living, breathing demon immortal in front of them, countless people would spontaneously gather around.
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