Chapter 1 001 Offering Incense and Begging the Princess for Pampering Me
"Please, Your Highness, have mercy on me."
His well-defined hands gently lifted the hem of her dress. The man's black hair cascaded down his back, and he looked up with an air of humility, his jade-like face, sculpted like ice, was dimly alluring in the flickering candlelight of the palace lanterns.
Yun Tianjiao lowered his eyes, his face expressionless.
The man before me was not one of those gigolos or musicians meant to please wealthy ladies, but rather—
God.
At this very moment, a celestial being is in her palace, on her phoenix bed, pleading for her mercy.
...
About six hours ago.
A magnificent procession, with its imperial canopy, fragrant carriages, and fine horses, emerged from the palace gates. Wherever it went, water was sprinkled on the streets, and the accompanying maids, with their delicate hands, scattered flower petals from baskets, leaving a trail of fragrance.
The people on both sides of the street retreated, bowing and kneeling, not daring to look directly at the carriage. Only after the carriage had gone far away did they secretly discuss it.
"Is that the carriage of the Princess Zhenguo?"
"Heh, sprinkling clean water on the streets and paving the way with flowers, looking across the entire Yun Chi Kingdom, who else could it be but that person?"
"Alas, today the Celestial Venerable Qingyuan manifested his power at Yunji Mountain. I wonder how much incense our Princess will have to offer this time. This is all the people's hard-earned money being burned..."
"Shh! Are you out of your mind?! How dare you speak ill of Her Highness the Princess!"
"Hmph, what's so shameful about a shameless woman? Even if you drag my head away and chop it off, I'll still say it: as long as she's around in our Yun Chi Kingdom, things will never be good!"
"I'm going to die, I'm afraid of dying, I want to stay away from you..."
The crowd quickly dispersed, but the rumors about the Princess Zhenguo lingered. This was because her notorious reputation—her image of greed, lust, extravagance, and tyranny—was deeply ingrained in people's minds.
Legend has it that she kept countless male lovers, indiscriminately dating both men and women. As long as someone was good-looking, even a demon could be dragged onto her bed for a night.
Any woman who is tainted by her virtue is guilty of heinous crimes, regardless of other factors. She deserves to be trampled on and scorned by thousands, and it would be better to drown her in a pond to cleanse her.
But unfortunately, she is the Princess Zhenguo, the emperor's own sister. Even if everyone in the world hates her to death, what can they do to her?
Back then, when an official impeached her, Emperor Yun Tianqi rebuked her in court: "So what if she likes to spend money and play around with men? This world belongs to the Yun family, isn't that enough to make my imperial sister happy?"
These outrageous words infuriated the three senior ministers, who then took turns offering their advice. However, the emperor remained unmoved, feigning ignorance. In the end, the court officials compromised and from then on, they avoided anything related to this princess who was responsible for protecting the country.
This emboldened the Princess Zhenguo, leading her down a path of extravagance and debauchery from which there was no turning back.
...
"I curse you! I curse you to never live past nineteen, to suffer the pain of national ruin and family destruction in your prime, and to die at the hands of your beloved in every reincarnation!!!"
Yun Tianjiao was suddenly awakened in the sedan chair, the man's furious and vicious curse still echoing in her mind, making her heart pound and her breath catch in her throat.
She... had that nightmare again.
Yun Tianjiao let out a soft sigh of relief, closed his eyes, and calmed himself down.
It's all because the incense was offered too early, causing her to wake up before she had enough sleep, which led to her daytime nightmare.
Yun Tianjiao secretly resolved that he would have to find a way to change the custom of early morning incense offerings in Yunchi Kingdom. He decided that all the temples throughout the country would not open before 9:00 AM, so that people wouldn't have to rush around to offer incense.
It was unusually quiet outside the sedan chair, with the faint sounds of flowing water and birdsong, as if they had already left the city. So she gently lifted the curtain and asked, "Fuman, why isn't this the road to the front mountain? Could we have taken the wrong turn and missed the time when the Azure Origin Immortal Venerable reveals his true form?"
The chief eunuch of Chang Le Palace, who was standing next to the sedan chair, whispered, "Your Highness, there are too many pilgrims at Yunji Mountain today. Qingyuan Palace will probably be crowded. Immortal Venerable Qingyuan has already sent word to invite Your Highness to rest in the side hall at the back of the mountain. He will personally go to the side hall at the back of the mountain to pay his respects."
Yun Tianjiao glanced at him lazily, "Qingyuan Immortal Venerable is a god, how can he allow us mortals to order him around? You dog servant, how dare you agree to this."
"Your Highness is right, this servant knows his mistake." Although Fu Man said this, he clearly did not take Qingyuan Immortal Venerable seriously.
Everyone knows that nowadays, gods and immortals live off the offerings of incense from mortals. The more abundant the incense offerings, the stronger their divine power. Rather than worshipping the true gods, it's better to worship their eldest princess! Yun Chi Kingdom is a powerful kingdom. The late emperor has passed away, leaving behind only his two children with the late empress to depend on each other. His Majesty has always been close to his eldest sister. Since ancient times, the title of "Guardian of the Nation" has been given to princesses who have made great contributions. However, after His Majesty ascended the throne, he disregarded the opposition of his court officials and immediately bestowed a title upon the eldest princess, which shows how important this sister is to him.
Therefore, if Her Highness the Princess wishes, she can easily build thousands or even tens of thousands of temples, and even a minor demon can be elevated to the status of an immortal.
To put it nicely, Qingyuan Immortal Venerable is the top figure in the current immortal world, but if one day his eldest princess gets tired of him and is no longer willing to burn incense and build palaces for him, wouldn't he be penniless?
At this moment, Chunxi, the personal maid, suddenly let out a soft "ah".
"What's wrong?" Yun Tianjiao asked.
Chunxi slightly lifted the curtain and gestured, "Your Highness, I just saw a spirit tablet by the roadside flickering, as if it's about to go out."
The divine tablet represents the divine power of a god. The stronger the divine power, the brighter the light of the divine tablet. Conversely, if the light of the divine tablet is completely extinguished, it means the fall of a god.
New gods are born and old gods perish every day in this world, and it's not uncommon to encounter a few extinguished divine tablets. But Yun Tianjiao, perhaps on a whim today, narrowed her phoenix eyes and glanced outside.
"What is the divine title of that deity?"
"Your Highness, there are no inscriptions on the tablet, so it's probably an unnamed god?"
"He's quite pitiful, let's have someone light some incense for him."
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, people offered incense to the shrine, and the extinguished divine light gradually stabilized.
Chunxi laughed and said, "If you ask me, it is Her Highness the Princess who truly has a compassionate heart and the virtues of a deity!"
"Stop talking too much." Yun Tianjiao propped her head up with one hand and closed her eyes for another short rest.
This was originally just a minor, unnoticed interlude, but after Her Highness the Princess's palanquin gradually disappeared at the end of the road, the nameless divine tablet suddenly shone brightly and transformed into a young man.
The man was dressed in a black Taoist robe. He had a handsome face, with black hair that cascaded down his back. His skin was so white that it seemed unnatural, which made his eyes appear even darker and deeper. However, his peach blossom eyes were also tender and affectionate, which softened the cold and sharp aura around him.
He stood quietly by the roadside bushes, a picture of beauty, gazing in the direction where the princess's entourage had departed, his eyes filled with a smile, as if he were born with affection.
*
Qingyuan Immortal Venerable is currently the most sought-after deity in Yunchi Kingdom, and is widely recognized as the most promising new god to be promoted to God Venerable in the past hundred years.
There are nearly ten thousand Qingyuan Divine Palaces of all sizes in the entire Yunchi Kingdom, but the one on Yunji Mountain is the largest and most ornately decorated, and it is also the only place where the Qingyuan Immortal Venerable will reveal his true form.
On weekdays, Yunji Mountain is already packed with people. Pilgrims who come to offer incense start climbing the mountain before dawn, just to be the first to offer incense after the temples open.
Today is the day that Immortal Venerable Qingyuan reveals his true form at the Yunji Mountain Temple, and believers flock to him in droves, almost to the point of madness.
"Immortal Venerable Qingyuan! Immortal Venerable Qingyuan!"
Devout calls rose and fell, some people bowed every three steps and kowtowed all the way up the mountain, while others were so excited that they could not speak. Fortunately, most of the pilgrims were still normal and only wanted to add a stick of incense to pray for the blessing of the Qingyuan Immortal.
Incense burns in a huge bronze censer outside the main hall of the temple. Most worshippers stop here, light one or a few sticks of incense, pray and kowtow, and then throw the incense and candles into the bronze censer.
Only the top 100 pilgrims on the pilgrimage leaderboard are qualified to cross the barrier of the bronze incense burner and continue into the hall to await the worship of the true form of the Azure Primordial Immortal.
"When will the Azure Origin Immortal Venerable reveal his true form?!"
"What does it have to do with you? You're one of the top 100 pilgrims!"
"It would be good to see it even from afar..."
Inside the main hall of Qingyuan Hall.
The man in blue robes, seated high on the main altar, listened intently to the devout prayers of the worshippers below.
"May the immortals protect my home, grant my parents peace and good health..."
The woman praying looked to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in fine clothes and adorned with jewels. At first, her prayers were quite ordinary, but as she spoke, they took a turn for the worse. Her watery eyes reflected the handsome face of the immortal, and her face gradually turned crimson.
"...I wish, I wish to be favored by the celestial being, and be granted a blessing written in his own hand, on the handkerchief embroidered by the faithful woman himself..."
The Azure Origin Immortal, seated at the head of the table, remained expressionless, and as the female pilgrim stammered out her wish, he slightly raised his long, slender, and fair fingers.
The embroidered handkerchief, which the female pilgrim had been clutching nervously, flew into the air and then unfolded.
With a flick of his sleeve, Qingyuan left a peace inscription on the brocade handkerchief.
The handkerchief returned to the woman's hands, which she held to her chest as if it were a priceless treasure. Overwhelmed with emotion, she burst into tears and carefully left the temple.
Then a noblewoman came up. She looked to be no more than thirty years old. Her features were plain, but she was very well-maintained. It was clear that she was used to a life of luxury. She knelt down and prayed like the young girl before her. She received a blessing letter from the Immortal Venerable Qingyuan, but she still refused to leave and wanted to ask for the god's blessing.
Upon hearing the prayer, Qingyuan Immortal Venerable slightly raised his eyes and looked to the side.
The attendant standing to the side lowered his voice and said, "Immortal Venerable, this is the wife of the Grand Commandant, who ranks thirteenth on the list of worshippers."
To encourage more worshippers, he promised that the top twenty worshippers would be eligible to receive blessings from him.
The young immortal frowned slightly, but quickly regained his composure and said softly to the devout woman kneeling in worship, "Come forward."
Despite her efforts to maintain a dignified demeanor, the slight trembling of her hands betrayed her overwhelming excitement. She stepped forward gracefully, went straight to the altar, knelt down, closed her eyes, and slightly raised her head, as if she was already familiar with the procedures to come.
Qingyuan looked down at the woman from his high position and gently pressed his hand on her forehead.
This is God's blessing, which is of little use, but it is the only way for ordinary people to come into contact with the divine.
At this moment, a celestial attendant hurriedly came from outside the hall, kowtowed and reported: "Immortal Lord, Her Highness the Princess has arrived and is waiting for you in the separate hall behind the mountain."
Upon hearing this, the entire temple fell silent for a moment. The woman who was walking down the steps paused slightly, and the expressions of the several worshippers who were still queuing to pray to Qingyuan varied.
Although everyone knows that Her Highness the Eldest Princess is at the top of the list of worshippers of the Azure Origin Immortal Venerable, this meeting in the back mountain is still rather...
Qingyuan's gaze swept over indifferently, and the little fairy servant suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, not knowing what she had said wrong.
"Visitors can only pay their respects in the main hall. Please inform Her Highness the Princess that you will need to make the necessary trip."
Upon hearing what the Immortal Venerable Qingyuan said, the eagerly awaiting pilgrims immediately showed expressions of admiration.
As expected of the Azure Origin Immortal Venerable!
Even Her Highness the Eldest Princess would find it difficult to make her submit.
Unlike some deities who, in order to attract large pilgrims to burn incense and build temples for them, have no divine integrity whatsoever, and even secretly have many people offering themselves to them.
How shameless! You are unworthy of being called a god!
A note from the author:
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This post is finally out! If you like it, please remember to save it and leave a comment! Sending you lots of love~~
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