Chapter 237

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

The much-anticipated Autumn Hunt Grand Sacrifice, because that Great Attendant Shaman displayed divine powers the moment she manifested, and bore the name of Heaven's Mechanism, caused the gazes of the many observers to unconsciously carry a silent awe and hopeful anticipation.

Hoping for the gods to descend once more, bestowing the blessing of favorable wind and rain — the Emperor hoped thus.

He hoped that in the few remaining days, he might receive a revelation from Heaven, see hope for the continuation of the realm, dispel the bewilderment in his heart, and that sliver of guilt buried deep that he dared not face directly.

The Human Emperor's yearning, the myriad beings' hopeful anticipation, transformed into thought power not to be underestimated, swirling around the mysterious Attendant Shaman on the altar, gathering and dispersing along with the movements of those hundred-odd ritual masters, just like human hearts that want to approach and touch ghosts and spirits yet recoil in reverence.

Wind blew through the mountain forest, sounding like the echo of thought power, and an unknown divine fragrance diffused and rippled.

More and more people smelled the fragrance in the wind; this fragrance was not intense, yet it entered the heart and mind directly, like the clear scent of mountain woods, mixed with the heavy vitality of earth, its lingering finish carrying the cold, salty dampness of lakes and seas… not cloying, not ingratiating, conforming to the world's chaotic imagination of the natural Qi of heaven, earth, mountains, and seas.

The sacrificial fire's pine resin heat catalyzed this fragrance; the drum sound and shamanic chant infused this fragrance with flowing power; between heaven and earth it seemed as if a formless, vast existence had descended.

Initially there were those on guard, but being in open ground, even bewitching incense could not take effect, and this fragrance was faint, with no attacking or stimulating sensation whatsoever, instead making one's heart spacious and spirit joyful, the seven orifices seeming to be cleansed.

The crowd looked around in astonishment, unable to discern the fragrance's source, but saw the Attendant Shaman's robe fluttering and rising above, colorful beads striking each other before her, the golden mask shining brilliantly, and the Attendant Shaman standing by the Zhuque Grand Drum suddenly crane her neck and chant in a high voice:

"Raise the mallet and beat the drum, sparse and slow the rhythm, peaceful the song; set forth the zithers and lutes, vast the chorus; the spirit hesitates, graceful in attire; fragrant and dense, filling the hall!"

— This is the Welcoming the Gods overture!

In the tales, when ghosts and spirits are about to descend gracefully, there will be divine fragrance filling the hall!

The observers' emotions were stirred, and the Great Attendant Shaman in dark robes and red skirt whirled and danced amid the surrounding firelight, gazing up at the dark night, letting out a high shout: "— Wide open the Heavenly Gate, I shall mount the dark clouds and ride!"

This sound was clear and bright, rushing straight into the clouds, shaking hearts and souls.

The Emperor's complexion changed slightly.

If memory serves, this is Qu Yuan's sacrificial hymn "Great Si Ming"… Could it be that the spirit of Great Si Ming is to descend now?

Rui Huanghou, who knew well the duties of the various spirits, was also stunned for a moment, staring blankly at that dancing figure.

In a high pavilion located to the front-side of the altar, Jiang Fu leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance, two strands of snow-white hair at her temples lifted by the wind, like flowing moonlight.

Jiang Fu had accepted the Emperor's invitation to participate in the autumn hunt and tour Shanglin Park.

However, Jiang Fu sighed to the Emperor, saying her only disciple, because of the Heaven's Mechanism contract opportunity, ate from both the shaman and Daoist traditions; her only martial brother had directly fallen into the Evil Demon Path; the sect's origin relied on her alone to transmit and guard; to prevent her master from resting uneasily in his coffin, she would not participate in tonight's shamanic sacrifice.

Therefore she only watched from afar in this pavilion.

Also present was Feng Zhu; every year the autumn hunt had officials and princes' families accompanying them; since arriving, Feng Zhu and Jiang Fu had been practically inseparable.

Feng Zhu roughly understood what her daughter came to the capital to do, and had long known all her daughter's experiences since entering the capital.

And her experiences determined she would not be a "make peace at any cost" mother; toward those who had harmed her daughter, she harbored a fierce hatred that would take up a blade and hack; naturally she could not stop Shaowei's revenge.

Gazing afar at that speck of red on the altar, just like a crimson sun rising from a black mountain, Feng Zhu was a few parts entranced, a few parts proud, and asked softly: "May I ask, Female Monarch, what is the name of this fragrance you crafted?"

The fragrance around the altar did not blow to this place, but when Jiang Fu crafted the fragrance, Feng Zhu had already witnessed it.

"Haven't gotten around to naming it." Jiang Fu said with a smile, casually: "If it must have a name, then call it… Mountain-Sea Po."

This fragrance's materials came from mountain and sea; she listened to the little ghost's coercion, crafted this fragrance, to fabricate the omen of a god descending.

But in her view, the key to summoning a god lay not in this fragrance, but in the mountain-sea thought power that little ghost obtained through a journey of splitting mountains and severing seas.

The incense pills wrapped in thin mud would burn out a strange fragrance after the mud shell burned away, creating the momentum of a miracle about to arrive.

Jiang Fu could not smell that fragrance; at this moment gazing afar at the altar, seeing that dancing miracle itself, she only felt she had already witnessed a god descending, and couldn't help taking the opportunity to complain to Feng Zhu about that prodigal raccoon: "I said early on there was no need to make fragrance, but she insisted on being stubborn… wasting several hundred gold."

This fragrance smells naturally transcendent, yet purchasing the fragrant materials was extremely costly in vulgar coin.

Feng Zhu pursed her lips and smiled, about to speak, when she suddenly heard a low, drawn-out strange sound.

The sound came from the direction of the altar.

By Jiang Fu's ear rang the studious little ghost's question from that day: 【Why would a mountain collapse in Nan Commandery cause the copper bells in the capital to ring of their own accord? Copper is said to be the child of the mountain — what kind of resonance is that, ultimately?】

【This resonance is in fact the resonance of pitch.】 She had answered then: 【All things have their pitch. A mountain collapse makes the earth veins tremble; if the pitch of that trembling harmonizes and resonates with the copper bell's original pitch, the copper bell will produce a ringing sound.】

The little ghost, hearing this, immediately asked again: 【Then if one secretly strikes a pitch identical to that, would it not also cause the copper vessel to manifest the phenomenon of self-ringing?】

She nodded in gratification: 【Worthy of being this master's personal disciple — a fine seedling for running cons.】

Above the altar, the Zhuque Grand Drum, its drumhead recently adjusted, was being struck and trembling.

And what astonished everyone was that three bronze tripods representing the National Treasure Vessels suddenly rang without cause; this ringing was originally faint, but as wind brushed past the tripod ears, the sound became sharp and piercing.

Everyone present changed color; since ancient times, whenever ritual vessels ring of their own accord, it is an ill omen, how much more so appearing during a sacrifice!

Amid this ominous ringing, the Serving God Ritual Master by the grand drum dutifully chanted the hymn welcoming Great Si Ming in a high voice:

"The lord circles and descends, transcending the hollow mulberry, following the female!"

"High flies, peaceful soars, riding the clear Qi, commanding yin and yang!"

Divine fragrance accompanied the ritual masters' chanting; the divine sky's black clouds surged and rolled; drum sound and bronze ringing resonated together; the atmosphere was already heart-shaking and soul-stirring.

Who knows how many people held their breath; the Great Attendant Shaman's steps on the altar began to slow; the steps of this welcoming-the-gods shaman dance followed the ancient Star Chart, created by Xia Yu, four vertical and five horizontal, coordinating footwork with the positions of the constellations, each step seeming to activate the Qi of the universe, seeking Heaven's resonance.

When the final step arrived, the young female Great Attendant Shaman faced away from the crowd; in the great wind she spread her sleeves like surging clouds; her right leg lifted beneath her robes, the tiger shoe slowly and heavily stamping down, emitting a "Dong" sound; as this step settled, the drum sound slowed, the bell ringing ceased —

All around, a moment of great stillness; the Great Attendant Shaman raised her head, her voice awe-inspiring and numinous: "Teeming, teeming, the Nine Provinces; what life or death, rests in me!"

— The myriad common people of the Nine Provinces under heaven, their lifespan and early death are governed by me!

"Great Si Ming…"

"The spirit of Great Si Ming has descended!"

In the tales, Great Si Ming, descending on a dark cloud dragon cart, supervises good and evil, governs life and death.

Life and death…

Rui Huanghou's expression trembled; a voice burst forth in her mind: Great Si Ming descends — what kind of treacherous life will she take away?

Everyone's heart pounded wildly; for a state ritual vessel to ring on its own was an ill omen—the gods and spirits who held power over life and death would surely give a clear sign...

They could not help but recall that this great shaman god presided over sacrifices; at the Changling Grand Sacrifice, Zhu Zhi had died, and at Lingxing Terrace, the demonic Daoist had been burned—both were incarnations of treacherous evil... If blood were to be shed again this time, who would it point to?

Many princes and marquises were almost instantly seized by fear for their own safety.

The open mountains and wilderness infinitely magnified the majesty of Heaven and Earth; under the backlash of divine power, individual fate was as nothing, and almost everyone believed that if that shaman god made even the slightest word or gesture pointing at them, even without solid proof, the name of demonic evil would be hard to wash away.

The wind still raged, but many broke out in cold sweat, and even more secretly observed whether anyone was behaving strangely.

Meanwhile, the shaman god, upon whom the divine spirit had descended above, drove the shamans to chant and dance slowly, giving no clear words, and no one in the crowd showed signs of madness like Zhu Zhi had at first.

Someone could not help but wonder: could it be that the "Ill-Omened One" was not present?

Black clouds surged without cease, and hearts were as if scorched by fire.

Yet no sign came from the divine spirit; the Emperor, kneeling at the very front, raised his hand and lowered his sleeve, asking upward: "Emperor Liu Shu, I respectfully ask the Great Si Ming—dare I ask the beginning of the ominous sign, the source of ill omen; I only pray for a revelation, to bring peace to the state!"

The dance did not stop; beneath the divine mask gazing up at the night curtain came a calm and ethereal pronouncement: "—Wait."

Ask the Emperor to wait?

Everyone was bewildered and uneasy, but after the firelight, the shaman god's dance continued without cease, and there were no more words.

The shaman god did not stop, nor could the shamans stop; the drumming had to continue.

Even in panic, no one dared leave, nor did anyone dare interrupt the sacrifice, until suddenly two panic-stricken Imperial Guards were brought by He Pingchun before the holy presence.

Midway through the sacrifice, no disturbance was allowed, but the matter reported by the Imperial Guards might concern the sacrifice: "... We beg to report to Your Majesty, we were guarding the Divine Mountain Entrance when suddenly we saw countless snakes and insects gathering and rushing forth! It is truly extremely strange!"

"Dare I ask Your Majesty, should we give our all to exterminate them!"

In ordinary times, no request was needed, but to see such a portent during the Grand Sacrifice and act rashly might anger the Mountain Spirit!

The Emperor's face was shaken, and he looked again toward above the altar.

On the high pavilion, Jiang Fu also gazed at the altar.

Today's sacrificial dance was truly one of free sincerity, offered to people, to Heaven and Earth, to the mountains and forests.

Jiang Fu's gaze slowly moved, passing over the panicked people, to look at Heaven and Earth, the mountains and forests.

The little demon killed today, revealing his cruel true nature, driven by desire for revenge, but this sacrifice was not private desire, but compassion.

Cruelty and compassion coexisting was originally the nature of things.

The wind brushed his ears; Jiang Fu watched the disturbed qi of the mountains and forests, and spoke slowly: "All living beings of Heaven and Earth, since they have heard her voice, her Dao, then please make peace with her."

Just as when a mountain tilts and the bronze rings, the same pitch should resonate together.

Wind and clouds did not cease, the sacrificial dance did not stop, sleeves flew, and people and dance had long become one; over a hundred shamans were all infected, immersed in it, undisturbed by the commotion of the people below.

"Your Majesty, though the snakes and insects must not be rashly exterminated, nets should still be set to block them, lest there be danger of injury, and instead the Grand Sacrifice be destroyed," Yan Mian said with a solemn countenance.

"What Xiang Gong says is exactly... they should be stopped at once!"

Everyone was anxious over the sudden surge of countless snakes and insects from the mountains, but before arrangements could be made, a deep, resonant roar came rolling over.

The drumming had already slowed; this roar was extremely piercing and echoed through the valley.

Everyone was greatly alarmed, looking toward the edge of the forest behind the altar; the echo had not yet faded when another roar burst from the woods.

—It was a tiger's roar!

—The anomaly was not just snakes and insects, but also a fierce tiger?!

No, not just snakes and insects and the fierce tiger...

The full-throated roar of the king of the mountains was like a summons, like a threat; with each tiger's roar, countless birds flew out from all parts of the mountains and forests, surging as if to cover the night curtain, while many beasts were startled into running and howling; for a moment the mountains and forests trembled, as if the mountain itself were singing, and yet as if the mountain were about to collapse.

Everyone was alarmed and shaken by this unprecedented sight; even many forgot their fear, only staring blankly, watching and listening.

From the intuitive meaning, such a tremendous response was the Mountain Spirit's singing and answering.

On the altar, the shaman's figure slowly descended until kneeling on the platform, leaning forward, bowing, waving arms, rising and falling like the mountains and forests, heaving like mountain beasts.

Chaos and order merged here; the mountain and the shaman sang together, the shaman and the mountain harmonized.

Shaowei faced the mountains and forests; beneath her mask, her eyes gazed far away, sensing this unexpected sensation.

Zhan Zhan flew in, burrowing into Shaowei's wide sleeve, shifting its buttocks, facing outward, revealing a tuft of yellow fur, its round eyes fixed on the anomalous mountains and forests.

The Imperial Guards were put on alert by the tiger's roar and the movement of the mountains and forests; the sacrifice had already entered its final stage, but the lingering echo of this anomaly still exceeded everyone's expectations.

Another frightened Imperial Guard came running.

The Imperial Guard who arrived this time was far more panicked than the one who had reported the snake and insect disturbance earlier; the leader stumbled and knelt, holding an unknown object in both hands, covered by black cloth.

The Imperial Guard holding the object trembled all over: "We beg to report to Your Majesty... after the snakes and insects opened the way, a fierce tiger appeared and brought this object in its mouth!"

The tiger, as if in demonstration, discarded this object on the mountain path, letting it roll down; the tiger hid in the mountains and forests roaring, and when they saw this object, their fright exceeded even that of seeing the tiger.

The Emperor: "What is it!"

"It is... a human head!"

Cries of alarm rose again all around; the Emperor stepped forward and in one motion tore off the black cloth.

Qing Wu, guarding below the side of the altar, subconsciously turned her head in fear; the attending Attendant Yan Chu quickly stepped in front of her.

A heart-rending scream of panic tore through the night sky; Empress Rui let out the most undignified cry of her life: "... Brother?!"

"Divine Marquis Rui..."

"It really is Divine Marquis Rui!"

"How could..."

The head held by the Imperial Guards was bloody, eyes unclosed, hair disheveled, with rotting leaves and mud clinging to the disheveled hair and the severed neck, a gruesome sight.

Liu Cheng's face was deathly pale; for a moment he did not turn his head, nor close his eyes, forgot all reaction, as if he could not hear the commotion all around.

The Emperor asked the Imperial Guards in a low voice: "You say... it was brought by the tiger?"

"Yes... replying to Your Majesty, exactly!"

The princes, marquises, and ministers nearby were all shocked and amazed.

"Snakes and insects opening the way, a tiger presenting a human head—never heard of!"

「Tale has it that the tiger is driven by the Mountain God……」

「Wait, there seems to be something in its mouth……」

That skull's mouth was forced open; through the tangled hair, something could be seen stuffed inside its mouth.

「Liu Qi. 」 The Emperor ordered the calmest, most silent person beside him: 「Take it out. 」

Liu Qi agreed, stepped forward, and pulled out the thing within.

It was a mass of blood-stained cloth; Liu Qi unfolded it and held it up with both hands to the Emperor.

It was covered in blood words, the writing chaotic, but since they were all repeated phrases, they were not hard to distinguish……

Written repeatedly three times upon it:

I was originally a great evil that brought ruin to the state, and have already suffered Divine Punishment!

I was originally a great evil that brought ruin to the state, and have already suffered Divine Punishment!

I was originally a great evil that brought ruin to the state, and have already suffered Divine Punishment!

——All silently recited, all terrified.

Someone thought of Zhu Zhi's loud words before death: 【I am an evil spirit, willing to atone with death……but the true bringer of ruin to the state is a great evil ghost……there is another!】

The same bloody sacrifice seemed to have planted omens since that time……

And while hearts were in chaos and guesses flew thick and fast, Commander Sima Xue Yang led people escorting a guard covered head to toe in blood into view.

Liu Cheng recognized at a glance that it was his uncle's guard.

He asked with red eyes and a trembling voice: 「What exactly happened in the mountains……who, who killed my uncle! 」

「Yes, no……not human! 」 The guard whose injured leg had been bandaged prostrated on the ground, expression terrified: 「It is the Mountain God's messenger, it is the Mountain God's messenger bringing Divine Retribution, collecting the sacrifice! 」

As the guard spoke, he suddenly raised his head to look at the altar; the Wu Dance had ended, and the Great Witch God stood high at the edge of the altar, looking down at the chaos.

The guard spoke out words that made everyone change color again: 「The Marquis had rebellious intent, known to ghosts and spirits, who have specially come to bring Divine Retribution! 」

「We only followed orders; I have already spoken the truth on behalf of the Mountain God's messenger, begging the ghosts and spirits for mercy……mercy! 」

The guard began to scream, no longer with a complete human voice, only ceaselessly kowtowing to beg for mercy.

The Brocade Guard dragged him away; the Emperor's face was grim as water, his gaze sweeping over Rui Huanghou and Crown Prince Cheng, and he ordered He Pingchun word by word: 「Since ghosts and spirits have shown it, and a subordinate has confessed……investigate Rui Ze's actions at once! 」

The Huanghou, however, was completely unaware of the Emperor's gaze, always only looking at her brother's head, until she could bear it no longer, closed her eyes, and fainted.

「Huanghou! 」

Liu Cheng reached out to support her, fell to his knees on the ground embracing his mother, and in panic and confusion raised his tear-filled eyes, instinctively looking up.

Beneath the Divine Mask, dark bright eyes lowered; noticing his gaze, they met his for an instant.

Reflected in the sacrificial fire, those eyes were very calm, not fearful, not mocking, not pitying, only impartial to all, and a certain tolerance of all under extreme impartiality.

Liu Cheng stared blankly at those powerful eyes with tears streaming, and in the next instant, a figure came forward, forcibly cutting off his gaze that was gradually revealing longing.

A face especially dazzling in the firelight tilted up slightly, occupying the downward gaze of the girl above.

The two made eye contact for a moment; Shaowei turned her head, looking toward the Mountain Forest, and in her ears seemed to still echo the Mountain's Chant triggered by the tiger's roar.

The heart-stopping sacrifice had ended, the wind ceased, the mountain was still, but the storm stirred in human hearts did not subside all night.

?? 【The welcoming god and descending god poems used in this chapter are also works by Qu Yuan.】

? Thank thank thank everyone for your understanding and love, good night.