Chapter 1204: Oh my god (Part 1) [Requesting monthly votes]
Shen Tang yawned listlessly.
She found that she had no control over the dream at all, and could only passively listen to the voice talking to the high priest. Her gaze fell on the child next to the high priest, and she had a strange feeling of sympathy for him—he was probably just as bored as she was.
Slightly distracted, Shen Tang noticed that someone was watching her.
She followed her intuition and looked back, meeting the eyes of the child.
Wanting to confirm again, the child looked away, his chubby, white hand gently tugging at the high priest's ornate robe sleeve, and looked up to ask, "High Priest, will I be living here with Your Highness from now on?"
The high priest bowed his head and looked at him.
Her pupils shimmered with a pale green, like a touch of spring's vitality. Her gaze towards the child was filled with tenderness and a hint of barely perceptible guilt: "Yes, you must serve His Highness well. Once you have completed your training, you will be my sole heir!"
The child nodded earnestly: "Mmm."
The voice let out a soft sigh.
The high priest, staff in hand, stood upright and bowed deeply to the wooden statue in the center of the temple: "May Your Highness successfully overcome this tribulation!"
The voice did not respond.
The high priest was not surprised and left gracefully.
The empty temple was left with only the child, whose small body looked rather pitiful. Shen Tang rested her chin on her hand, waiting for this strange dream to end. At this moment, light distorted from the top and bottom of the wooden statue, and a hazy green light transformed into a human figure in front of the child—a woman in green.
Shen Tang's gaze was drawn to the woman in green, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
This woman was not unfamiliar to Shen Tang.
The child looked up, his eyes filled with pure admiration and joy. The woman in blue, cold as ice, softened her expression as she faced the high priest's fellow clansman, her icy demeanor melting like a gentle spring breeze, replaced by warmth: "Life in the temple isn't easy."
The child said, "The high priest said so."
The woman in green smiled rarely, her words tinged with reproach: "Knowing it's hard, you still dared to come? Yin just said you're only six this year… When Yin was sent here, she was already twelve, and still quite mischievous. I'll give you three months to consider. If you feel you can't persevere during this time, you can leave at any time."
The child pursed his lips.
Although he was merely one of the candidates being groomed to become the High Priest, he was still a servant of the gods and could not deceive or lie to them. It would be a lie to say he wasn't afraid; leaving his familiar surroundings and family, living alone in the temple for decades, even centuries, with no one to speak with except for the High Priest's incarnation…
There's also the tedious and monotonous daily practice...
Just thinking about it makes me want to give up.
However, he is different.
The child, mustering his courage, gently grasped the slender fingers of the woman in green with his chubby little hand and said, word by word, "I wish to be a rock."
The woman in blue was amused by his serious words.
Did Yin teach you this?
The child shook his head: "I heard what my elder sister in the tribe said. The tribe's stories say that before Your Highness was enlightened and became a saint, you were a vine growing around a rock by a stream, and that rock has accompanied you for thousands of years… I also hope to be like that rock, serving you for a long time."
The woman in green gently poked the child's forehead with her finger.
A faint light flickered, gathering into a smooth, full circle between his brows, making the child appear even more adorable and innocent. The woman in green smiled helplessly: "[It's better not to be a stubborn rock. I've seen people want to be my servants, but I've never seen anyone want to be my parents...]"
The child, clutching his feverish, swollen forehead, asked: "Hmm?"
The woman in green explained: "The so-called stones recorded in your tribe's records, cough cough, those were the placenta that conceived me..."
Shen Tang almost choked on his saliva while listening.
She almost thought this was a clichéd nesting doll story, where the child was the reincarnation of a stubborn stone that had accompanied the woman in green for millions of years, their past life's companionship leading to their present-day destiny. The child's reaction was also a blush, but the woman in green didn't let him be embarrassed for long, amusedly saying: "Those children in the clan have had too much contact with the outside world, I wonder what they're thinking..."
Vines that grow around rocks, accompanying stubborn stones for millions of years...
The entanglement between the two is indeed a plot device that everyone enjoys seeing.
The temple was very large, and the child was settled in a side hall. Just as the high priest had said, the child was young but exceptionally talented, with first-rate comprehension. At such a young age, he had already learned many spells that could solve problems in daily life. Most commendable was his calm and composed nature. Every day, he would regularly clean the temple, wipe the statues, pray quietly, and study the courses required of the high priest.
The incarnation of the woman in green rarely appeared at first.
One night, in the dead of night, the child's face was flushed red with fever. Half-asleep, he clutched his favorite thin blanket and ran barefoot to the main hall to pray and calm his mind. Only then did the avatar, unable to bear it any longer, reappear: "You should take medicine if you're sick."
Instead of going to the temple to pray.
Because of their unique race, this people rarely fall ill, but when they do, it's a serious illness. A high fever, normal for mortals, can be fatal to them. The young child, delirious with fever, curled up in the arms of the woman in blue, murmuring incoherently…
The fever subsided the next day, and the child excitedly ran to the temple to pray.
Shen Tang was actually able to hear his thoughts.
[I hope to see Your Highness often.]
Immediately afterwards, Shen Tang heard the woman in green sigh.
[I've already said I don't like taking care of kids...]
Even the most composed and steady child on the surface will still cling to adults at heart, especially in the special environment of a temple. The woman in blue knew why the High Priestess Yin had sent the child, and she was also aware that this was futile and of no use to her impending calamity. However, she rarely refused the prayers of these believers.
Every sound received a response.
The woman in green robes appeared much more frequently.
As time passed, and the high priest had completed his basic courses, the child's figure gradually grew into that of a teenager.
The monotonous temple life didn't make him any more dull; on the contrary, he became even more lively, jumping around like a restless monkey all day long. The woman in green became his sparring partner, and what could be solved in one move, he could do dozens of fancy moves over.
Besides being unable to stay still, they've become increasingly talkative.
Before closing your eyes, pray three times and call out "Your Highness".
After opening his eyes, he prayed three more times and continued to call out "Your Highness".
Wearing that dignified and heavy robe for aspiring high priest, he looked like a large, fluttering moth. The woman in blue's expression became increasingly inscrutable, as if she found him too noisy.
[...It's not that you seem to, you're just too noisy.]
The woman in green, now abducted, lay resting on a tree branch above the temple. Dappled sunlight fell on her face, but before she could enjoy the moment, the large, fluttering moth she had raised herself… ah, the monkey, had disturbed her peace again. A hint of impatience flickered across her brow, and the boy immediately adopted a cautious, heartbroken expression. The woman in green, exasperated, spoke harshly, and the boy visibly lowered his head.
The avatar said: [Your ancestors and all your descendants... I've never seen anyone more troublesome than you. The temple is so big, yet it's not enough for you to wreak havoc... Even Yin back then wasn't this... You have inexhaustible energy every day... If Yin saw you like this, she'd probably question the temple's educational standards...]
The boy pouted, swinging his legs as he sat on a giant tree branch: "It's just that being too quiet makes His Highness feel too comfortable..."
The avatar's brow twitched: "So?"
The boy smiled, his eyes crinkling, but he remained silent.
The woman in green: [...]
She raised her hand to her forehead, and a strange weariness welled up in her heart at the thought that for hundreds or thousands of years to come, this child would be the one listening to her divine pronouncements. This brat was constantly causing her trouble; it seemed she couldn't let him go without a good beating.
But it was no use even if I tried.
The boy was not only stubborn, but also had a strong backbone.
The enormous temple, which was supposed to house only two people, was transformed into a chaotic mess, forcing the woman in blue to appear once or even twice a day. Occasionally, when she wasn't there, Shen Tang would see the young man cleaning the temple while muttering to himself about how he was stirring up trouble. Sometimes, he would gaze intently at the unchanging, monotonous scenery outside the temple, lost in thought for a long time.
Shen Tang didn't understand why this dream lasted so long.
They couldn't understand why the boy was so stubborn in doing this.
At this moment, the boy, who was holding a broom made from a simple wooden staff, looked over: "[Naturally, it's because Your Highness is about to undergo a tribulation of love... A tribulation of love requires first establishing a relationship before one can understand it. Your Highness is born as a stubborn rock and vine, without heart or nature, without parents, and without worldly kinship... This won't work.]"
Shen Tang was surprised that the boy could answer her.
She tried to speak.
So, you want to start a relationship with her first?
The boy replied, "Yes."
If necessary, he can help His Highness break free from his emotional entanglement.
Shen Tang's lips twitched: 【...Although, this is no excuse for you to act like a spoiled child and cause trouble for no reason...】
Seriously, it's a bit too noisy.
The key issue is that he also has a stubborn and impulsive personality.
She was the complete opposite of Yu Xue's adorable childhood self.
She believed that God wouldn't want to form a relationship with such a brat. The boy seemed to realize that his struggles over the years had been somewhat futile; he pouted in disappointment, clutching his wooden cane in worry.
Shen Tang asked, "Does it have to be romantic love between a man and a woman?"
The boy seemed to have heard something terrifying, nearly jumping up in fright. His face flushed crimson with anger, embarrassment, and resentment, and he muttered intermittently, "This is utterly absurd! How could anyone have such a rebellious and blasphemous thought!"
Shen Tang: [...]
There are countless kinds of "emotions" in the world.
The boy only wanted to build a close enough relationship.
There's no set rule about what kind of love tribulation must be. It's just that when two strangers establish an intimate relationship, romantic love is the most ideal choice. High Priest Yin also fears unforeseen circumstances, which is why she leans towards romantic love. However, the young man has his own rhythm.
He declared firmly: "My heart is set on serving God!"
This conviction has remained steadfast for over six hundred years.
Time seemed to accelerate within the dream, the light and shadow within the temple distorting rapidly, shifting between brightness and darkness, flickering erratically. The energetic, fiery moth/monkey gradually grew longer, its form becoming more upright, taking on the appearance of a young man. Suddenly, the empty temple was filled with many people dressed in a uniform style, seemingly preparing for a grand ceremony. The young man received the token symbolizing the highest status of his clan from the High Priestess Yin, and slowly stepped across the green ground leading to the main temple's statue, formally assuming the position of High Priest before the statue.
Shen Tang watched from the side, utterly bored.
The woman in green also appeared.
She looked at the former High Priestess Yin, whose aura had turned deathly pale, without a trace of sorrow or joy: "Yin, your lifespan is nearing its end..."
Her hair was frosted with snow, and her face was no longer young.
She said, "It is fate."
A thought struck the woman in green. She couldn't help but recall that many, many years ago, the lifespan of the High Priests was generally twice, or even several times, that of Yin. But with each successive generation, despite the High Priests being chosen with greater talent and higher cultivation, their lifespans had become shorter…
Not just the high priest, but ordinary people as well.
The woman in green understood the root of the problem, but she couldn't stop it, nor could she offer the believers an explanation. It wasn't that their faith was weak, nor that their cultivation was insufficient; it was simply that destiny had run its course. Destiny doesn't always rest on anyone's shoulders.
Shen Tang curiously observed the ceremony, keenly noticing that the auras of the participants were somewhat strange, far less pure than those of the High Priest Yin and the young man, and even carrying a hint of resentment. Occasionally, someone would look up, and the exchange of glances sent a shiver down Shen Tang's spine.
The woman in green and the others seemed oblivious.
The young man took over as high priest and moved out of the temple, living in the clan's quarters most of the time, only appearing during prayers and clan events. Each time he appeared, his expression grew more solemn, his prayers became longer, and the frequency of the woman in blue's responses visibly decreased. Shen Tang's intuition told her that something was about to happen, but the dream sped up when it should have been detailed.
She saw the giant trees within the temple grounds bloom overnight.
Many years had passed since that handover ceremony. The woman in green and the young man stood one after the other under the tree, their conversation becoming increasingly blurred. Shen Tang only saw them closing in on each other, the young man saying something firm, and the woman in green nodding after a long pause of thought.
The scene then shifts again.
The temple was so quiet that only the young man remained.
I wonder if it was just her imagination—
She always felt that after the giant tree in the temple blossomed that time, its vitality gradually faded. First, the woman in blue disappeared, and then ordinary people began to enter and leave the temple more frequently. Previously, the temple was secluded; unless there were special occasions, only the high priest would come, and ordinary people only appeared during celebrations. Each time these people left after their prayers, their expressions showed visibly disappointment…
Shen Tang remembered that everyone in this clan looked young, only showing signs of aging when their lifespan was nearing its end, and even then, the signs were few. But after the woman in green disappeared, the number of elderly people in this clan increased, and many even developed serious illnesses…
Until someone died of illness in front of the statue in the temple.
This was the first time Shen Tang had witnessed this clan's funeral.
She watched silently as the young man presided over the cremation and funeral, a familiar sigh seeming to echo in her ears. Suddenly, everything went dark, and something floated by. Shen Tang instinctively reached out to catch it—a yellow leaf. She looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with withered yellow leaves.
She murmured, "Is the tree dying?"
[It's because my faith has wavered...]
Shen Tang turned to look at the young man who had appeared behind her at some point. Apart from the bright red cinnabar mark between his brows, the young man looked exactly like Ji Moqiu. No, there were still differences. The young man always had a deep and unyielding sorrow between his brows.
【Belief? 】
The young man said, "When His Highness stopped responding to the believers, those with wavering minds began to harbor resentment... The shortening of lifespan and the spread of disease are the natural course of life and death, but for an being who has enjoyed millennia of favor, they cannot accept it."
Spoiled and arrogant, with insatiable desires.
We should have let go from the beginning; the creatures would have found their own way to survive.
Her Highness is not devoid of passion or emotion; rather, her emotions overflow.
What should we do?
The young man said, "What should we do? Cut it off."
The dream has come to an end.
Countless fires raged, and in the blink of an eye, the temple was reduced to ruins.
Flames soared into the sky, and the air was filled with shouts of battle.
The young man brandished his wooden staff, looked up at the familiar figure among the enemies, and said: "Before the temple, those who disturb, kill!"
|ω`)
Tang Mei underwent three tribulations.
The first instance was the fall of the Great One, which is the tribulation in this chapter, essentially a tribulation of love. Initially, everyone thought Fujiki was heartless and emotionless, so the High Priest tried hard to build a relationship, becoming the most indispensable servant of the gods. However, realizing this wouldn't work, he changed his strategy. The Great One's mindset towards this clan is what Ji Moqiu mentioned before: pampering. They're so adorable, they're kept as pets, not to mention the mutual gratitude for being nurtured. Tang Mei at this stage is like a lover, keeping a "pet" for company.
As a result, they were overindulged and spoiled.
The second time was thousands of years ago when the world was destroyed, and Tang Mei's love tribulation ended before it even began...
The third time, after much painful reflection, someone helped him pull strings to commit the murder.
She's familiar with the area, so I'm sure I won't fail again.
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