Refuse to trample on the pride of heaven

Chapter 181 Beginning (from the perspective of the spirit, optional)

When He was conscious, He was in the statue, but His perception was hazy and He was imprisoned in a square temple. The first thing He saw of the human world was the faint morning light shining through the layers of green leaves of the banyan tree, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground. The altar was filled with people chanting scriptures.

Who is He? Why is He here? What do these people do?

He didn't know. He could only watch everything in the temple silently. The door of the temple was always open. He liked it very much. From time to time, birds would fly in to look for food. Apart from the pilgrims coming and going, his daily feelings were mossy bricks, flying eaves, shaded corridors with trees, disturbing light and shadow, the sound of cicadas, the lingering incense, and the sound of bells at dusk.

They called Him "Lord City God" and "Prefect Pang"... Was He Prefect Pang? What was the City God? -- As time went by, He had more and more doubts.

He forgot when it was, a little Taoist priest came to the temple. The temple keeper called him Qingxuan. The little Taoist priest liked to play under his shrine. He was pleased with the child's liveliness and cuteness. He liked this little Taoist priest.

Thanks to the little Taoist's questions, he heard many things and had a vague definition of the City God. He could even imitate the Taoists and recite a few words like a parrot when they were chanting.

All we knew later was that his name during his lifetime was "Pang Yun", and he was a high-ranking official who pleaded for the people. After his death, everyone respected and loved him and made him a "god".

"God"? What is this?

"Master, what is God?" Xiao Qingxuan tilted his head, looked at the statue of God, then turned to look at his master.

The old Taoist priest touched his little disciple's head and said: "Gods are born to serve the people, and their hearts are in the world."

Born to serve the people, with the world in mind? He chewed on this sentence - since he was the City God, he naturally had to do this well, and he couldn't lose face in his "lifetime".

Xiao Qingxuan: "Ah? I don't understand."

Uh...He actually doesn’t understand either.

At some point, a faint sound of loosening seemed to be heard. The shackles on His body were gone, and it seemed that He could break away from the statue. However, He did not leave. Most of the time, He stayed in the statue listening to the prayers of the believers.

He felt that he was a bit of a drag on the "City God". He couldn't hear the voices of the pilgrims, which made him very anxious. Fortunately, the Taoists were very capable and most of the pilgrims left with a smile - but he also wanted to do something.

The old Taoist priest always told Xiao Qingxuan to "let it be" when he was impatient, so he could only let it be.

Slowly, Qingxuan grew up and became Da Qingxuan, but He could still see the shadow of Xiao Qingxuan in Da Qingxuan, and He also felt that he had grown up - He could feel the wishes of sincere people!

He looked at the world, gradually feeling pity and compassion - He loved the Taoists in the temple, loved the City God Temple, loved the people of the world, and loved this world.

I've heard the old Taoist priest talk about immortals: ghosts and monsters died in the cold light of green peaks, and goblins were imprisoned in curse arrays and talismans. One sword can break all the magic, but he is on the path of immortality, not of humanity.

It is the blue sky talking at night, the blue bird circling around the colorful clothes every morning, and the rays flying at night in the fertile valley where rice is stored.

He looked at the green lamps and ancient incense lingering in the air, the believers worshiping in the hall, the ordinary people admiring and looking up at him, and the children falling asleep peacefully.

Watching the sunset fall into the vast starry sky, the world suddenly becomes dark and the mountains and rivers are already in autumn.

I have also seen high-ranking officials lighting red candles and incense sticks, praying for longevity, worshipping in rich and luxurious halls, and looking at the solemn appearance of statues of gods, which showed their compassion for the greed and delusion of the world.

Having heard the prayers of people thousands of times, I know that all those who cross the sea of ​​suffering are vain and hopeless.

Qingxuan was secretly reading the storybook, and he also followed him to read.

The literati wrote in their writings to plead for the mountains to be strong and the mulberry trees to be protected, the knights fought with swords to compete for their unique abilities, and the kings only asked for their youth to grow with Him - what is God? He still doesn't know, He just wants to go through the vicissitudes of life with the world until he turns into a piece of yellow earth.

Until his old friend passed away, Qingxuan traveled far away, he sat high in the shrine covered with dust and frost, and the dilapidated temple was buried in the fog, then he realized the greatness of time, the prosperity and decline, it turned out to be just a dream.

He was reluctant to leave. He watched the gilt fade, the beams erode, the growth rings grow... Things and people have changed, but he was the only one waiting, "trapped" here, missing the prosperity of the past alone.

The lights are like stars, the human voices are faint, and the songs are endless in the troubled times - the world seems to have changed, he hears the wailing in the distance, the decayed statues are shedding tears mixed with rain... He is concerned about the little Taoist priest who is traveling far away, and he feels pity for the suffering people.

He suddenly didn't want to be God anymore.

He didn’t want to be a god in the bright sky, above the nine heavens - he looked at the murals on the wall... it was "Him", with golden light and vague shadow, just like the one in the legend who saved all living beings. Everything was silent and infinite compassion was immersed in his eyes, but he could do nothing in the face of the devout silence of the pilgrims.

But Qingxuan came back, and the big Qingxuan became white-haired and looked very much like the old Taoist priest. Although he had become old Qingxuan, He still recognized him at a glance.

Looking at his old friends, He felt a little ashamed. Look at what his statue looks like now. Without them, He seems to be nothing.

But Qingxuan had a guilty look on his face. He talked a lot to Him on the tattered cattail bed. He wanted to cry. He felt that it was not the world that should rely on God, but God that should rely on the world.

The City God Temple was still in tatters, but He was very happy. He and Qingxuan took shelter from the rain under the tarpaulin. The statues and people were in a mess, but it added a bit of fun. Qingxuan said that He was wronged, but He didn't think so - this was the forgotten City God Temple, it had long-lost vitality.

The closed temple door opened again, and the flying dust particles were given vitality under the shining of the early sun.

Qingxuan later brought back a child. The child was young, but very gloomy, very different from the lively and cheerful Qingxuan when he was a child.

He felt that the child's heart was empty, as if it was shrouded in a faint gray film, which was filled with the dull and hot breath before the summer rain. It was like a stubborn stone, with its flesh and blood barren.

But if you eat the fruit from His offering, He will bless you!

But this child doesn't come often, and some pilgrims seem to have unhappy expressions when they see him. He heard Qingxuan talk about this child...

The prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain that is difficult to climb.

Qingxuan asked the child what his name was, and the child only told his surname - everyone has a name, just like Qingxuan, just like Him.

Qing Xuan: "If you don't mind, I'll pick one for you, okay?"

The child nodded, and thus, under His witness, an orphan child was eliminated and a child named Qu Yanhui was gained.

He watched the child go from being silent to answering questions, and then to actively calling Qingxuan and burning incense to him.

Watching Qingxuan teaching him calligraphy, he was so angry at Qingxuan's poor handwriting that he exclaimed "a rotten tree cannot be carved" and was afraid that continuing to teach would shorten his life, so he burned it to show Him.

He doesn’t look at it!

He felt both amused and comforted - the child's barren heart seemed to be filled.

Qu Yanhui was chosen to go to the immortal's sect. On that day, he rarely left the statue and took a look - he felt a sense of familiarity with this child, and it was indeed a destiny.

The last time he left the City God Temple was when the old Taoist priest passed away. He followed the funeral procession. On the day Qingxuan left, he secretly followed for a while - the City God Temple could not do without him, and he always came back on his own.

Looking at the energy flowing through these "immortals", He felt a little confused - they seemed to be somewhat similar to Him.

But, isn't He the "City God"? These people are called "immortals", so they should be different from Him... He was a little confused, but didn't think too much about it.

After Qu Yanhui joined the sect, he seldom came back, but he bought a lot of things to honor him and Qingxuan. Qingxuan didn't mention it in his letter, but he was actually very happy. He knew that Qingxuan actually treated Qu Yanhui as his own grandson.

But something happened later, and Qu Yanhui was suddenly wanted. Even the news spread among the pilgrims. He was a little skeptical because his intuition had always been accurate.

Qingxuan was also anxious to find out, but the people who knew the truth only had a vague understanding. The sudden apology letter made Qingxuan never mention it again, and he also locked the letter in a box.

He should be used to seeing people off, but he was still a little sad. Qingxuan stared at the letter for a long time at night, and he was actually there with him.

There are many things going on in the City God Temple. Qingxuan doesn’t have time to think about it, and he doesn’t want to think about it either. He heard that a new temple was built in the city, and it’s full of bald monks!

He didn't know why he was called Bald Donkey, but Qingxuan sometimes called him that.

This is a rival! They are stealing business! And they are also cheating! After he secretly visited the temple and found nothing, he looked at these bald donkeys with even more disdain.

But other than that He didn't have any other thoughts. Whether it worked or not...it's never too late to turn back!

He is also growing up with time. He has already molded a divine body for himself, which has consumed a lot of his strength. His appearance is like Pang Yun. When the time comes, he will make a lot of money for the City God Temple! He is the god with a reliable shoulder who can protect everyone!

However, his body had not recovered yet. He forgot when some bad people sneaked into the city. There were quite a few of them. That kind of aura made him feel uneasy even on the Cangshan Mountain.

So whatever they did, He would secretly disrupt it. His intuition made Him not to show up rashly. At the same time, He went back and found ways to add a barrier to the City God Temple, and poured a lot of stored energy into it.

It was not until corpses were born in the city that he understood—they wanted to sacrifice the people of Puppet City!

He felt that his strength was limited, but he tried hard to hold on, hoping that those "immortals" could come and rescue these people. However, he dragged on for several months on his own, consumed a lot of energy, and no "immortals" came.

He was confused and afraid—what should the people do? !

At the same time, He vaguely realized that He was not the City God, not the powerful god in the records... Otherwise, how could He not stop these evil cultivators? Otherwise, how could He let the City God Temple fall into such a state of desolation? Otherwise, why couldn't He save the people who believed in Him?

He is......

"It's a spirit! I didn't expect that such a remote place could give birth to a spirit. When the demon comes, give it to him! Change the formation of Puppet City immediately. One spirit is worth many mortals. Make sure to trap it to death."

The leading evil cultivator came to the City God Temple and saw Him.

Was He actually a spirit? He was somewhat confused. His long-held knowledge was shattered, which made him somewhat panic-stricken. In addition, after hearing the following remarks, he suddenly felt a little overwhelmed. He subconsciously wanted to find someone to rely on.

What should He do?!

"Thank you for the protection of the City God!"

"The City God has appeared!"

Looking at the people who survived the disaster and were protected within the barrier, their devout and excited hearts resonated with His heart at this moment.

He closed his eyes for a long time, and opened them again. He looked at his "body" hidden in the statue, his eyes gradually became firm - there was no City God in this place, and he should be the City God!

As Heaven and Earth are in the midst of both good and bad times, you will share prosperity and adversity with all of us. Cut off all thoughts and fantasies, look up at the eyes of God, and see his mercy on the world - born to be a commoner, but with your heart in the world, you are a God!

The people need God! He should be God!

So, while those monks were helping him, he was also accumulating everything.

Therefore, at the critical moment, he burned his boats, gambled with his entire cultivation, and revealed his true self...

He was very fussy about words, and even if he was pretending, he had to pretend to be a god!

When he was fighting with the evil cultivator, he had no other thoughts - he just thought that he could not retreat.

"The prison formation is entrenched. If it is not eliminated, all lives will be destroyed."

"The sacrificial formation is broken. Only by offering my body as a sacrifice can the formation be broken. The evil spirits will not be able to invade for a hundred years."

It is not He who chooses all beings, but all beings who choose Him.

The sea of ​​suffering is surging, don’t linger on the passing water, and realize the truth early.

It doesn’t matter whether he is the City God Pang Yun or not.

He cannot be so heartless as to feel at ease after having done all that is right.

He opened his eyes in the desolation and was rekindled from the ashes. This is the meaning of the spirit in heaven and earth.

Before his consciousness faded, his voice was already very faint.

"I don't know when this painting of the eight hundred miles of lakes and mountains was created. I only wish that the fireworks of one hundred thousand families could all return to this tower—"

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When Qu Yanhui first saw the peaceful and solemn statue, he felt that the deity's compassionate eyes were lowering, and he should sigh for the peace of all living beings.

Only He can see the piety hidden in the curling incense and the almost choking voice behind the calm eyes.

Are there gods in the world? He didn't know, but when he was in the City God Temple, it was undoubtedly the only bright place in his dark memory.

He was still young at that time, looking at the words blocked in the brazier, with Taoist Qingxuan's hearty laughter in his ears - he thought, yes.

"...After returning to the heaven and earth, even if I turn into snow on the mountaintop, pebbles in the stream, or willows on the bank, there will always be a time for us to meet again——"

Qu Yanhui was standing on a slope far away, but he could still see the fleeting golden waves. The wind blew across his face, making it a little cold. When he touched it, he realized that he had been crying without realizing it.

Feeling the warmth, he suddenly seemed to be connected with this world - it turned out that he still had things he was attached to, and in this world, he still had concerns.

Qu Yanhui knelt down in the direction of Puppet City and performed the standard Taoist kowtow. When he looked up, hatred flashed in his eyes. He stood up before Zhou Yuan's dying breath was transmitted out.

"The spirits in this puppet city are really troublesome. I should report to the elders when I get back. I'm afraid I can't keep this place anymore. But at least I sent Mozi over."

Zhou Yuan was lying on the ground. He couldn't help turning his head to look at Qu Yanhui. It was said that Kuicheng was his hometown? He watched with his own eyes... It didn't seem like there was a grudge between them.

However, Puppet City was specifically chosen by the Demon, so it would be useless for Qu Yanhui to try to stop it, and he would only get into trouble.

"Well, I'll tell you when I get back."

Demon child? Qu Yanhui's eyes dimmed and he curled his lips.

(The manta ray is shaped like a carp, with a fish body and bird wings, a white head and a red beak, with gray stripes on its body, and often flies at night. Its call is like a phoenix, and its meat tastes sour and sweet. It is said that eating it can cure madness. Seeing it is a sign of a good harvest and success.)

(The sea of ​​suffering is surging, don’t be attached to the passing water, and realize the orchid’s cause as soon as possible - The suffering of life is like a turbulent sea, don’t be greedy for the things that have disappeared in the past, and realize the beautiful cause like the orchid as soon as possible)