Chapter 762: Heading South

Woo-woo~

The sounds of weeping and the rummaging through rubble were incessant.

After the earth-shattering night on Taishan, the city of Tai'an below was not left unscathed.

The violent tremors of the earth's veins were not confined to the Jade Emperor Temple at the summit.

Many of the city's old houses, especially those in the districts near Taishan, had collapsed or been damaged by the shaking. Fallen beams and shattered tiles lay scattered across the streets and alleys, kicking up dust that had yet to settle, which, mixed with the morning dew, appeared exceptionally desolate and sorrowful.

The city was shrouded in gloom, and the sound of weeping was endless.

The common folk who had lost their homes gathered beside the ruins, some numbly rummaging for surviving belongings, others leaning on each other and shedding tears; pain and anger permeated the air.

Officials dispatched by the Jinan Prefecture Administration Commission and the Surveillance Commission had already urgently moved into Tai'an.

They were busy setting up porridge stalls, distributing clothing, organizing soldiers to clear the ruins, and assisting the people in rebuilding, all in a state of utter chaos. With the Prince De's Estate Chief Clerk supervising, no one dared to embezzle. However, the inefficiency of disaster relief and the uneven distribution of supplies frequently sparked new small-scale conflicts and complaints.

The objects of the people's curses were not just the natural disaster, but also the man-made one.

Zhao Bingzhong, Zhou Xian, dozens of officials throughout Tai'an city, as well as the various officials within the Tai'an Commandant's Office who had colluded with them, turned a blind eye to the blood-sacrifice plan involving young boys and girls, neglected their duties regarding the city's anomalies, or even aided the evildoers, all became targets of the people's curses.

Prince De's Estate Chief Clerk Xiao Chengyou and others acted with lightning speed; after interrogating and confirming their crimes, they shackled the ringleaders and had them escorted by heavy troops to Jinan Prefecture.

What awaited them was nothing less than "execution after the autumn assizes" or even "immediate execution."

As the procession was led away yesterday, the people's curses rose one after another, and the rotten vegetable leaves and clods of earth mixed in the rubble piles directly beat several elderly officials to death.

At the same time, a rumor quietly spread through the marketplace:

"The Lord of Taishan... has been replaced... The Erlang Zhenjun Erlang... has ascended to the throne..."

The common folk were half-believing and half-doubting this news.

In their hearts, the Lord of Taishan was a deeply rooted and exalted deity, the Master of Taishan who governed life, death, and the netherworld; the change in this position was nothing short of heaven and earth turning upside down.

The government did not mention this matter, and the Daoist priests were mostly tight-lipped.

However, perhaps it was the terrifying scene of Taishan pressing down that night and the ensuing disaster that made some people start to mutter in their hearts.

Some people began to secretly worship a simple plaque in the corners of ruins or hidden places in their new homes, crookedly carving the words "Erlang Zhenjun Erlang of Manifested Holiness," placing a little clear water or coarse grain, and silently praying that this rumored newly ascended deity could dispel the gloom of Taishan, bless their homes with peace, and prevent evil people and spirits from running rampant...

…………

Unlike the sorrow and bitterness in the city, Taishan remained filled with a murderous aura.

Although the Netherworld passage had been closed, the aftermath was truly significant.

The wild beast carcasses that had been eroded by the intense yin-sha that night and turned into evil spirits, as well as some garrison soldiers and nearby mountain folk who had turned into walking corpses due to contact with the yin-sha, hid themselves after dawn.

Mystic Sect disciples who came to support formed small teams, holding talismans and artifacts, and under the guidance of local Taishan Mystic Sect cultivators, went deep into mountain paths, jungles, gullies, and caves to clear out the remaining walking corpses.

As for the beast carcasses, most were purified by fire.

Even more troublesome was the damaged seal.

The Taishan Mystic Sect had suffered heavy losses and could only rely on the help of elders from various sects who came to support to repair the incantations, re-erect the dharma steles, reconnect the earth vein qi paths, and activate the spiritual apertures polluted by yin qi.

Especially places like the Blood Maple Forest and the Wordless Stele were key areas for protection.

Of course, a large-scale requiem ritual was also underway.

The disaster happened too suddenly; the core strength of the Taishan sects was "discussing grand plans" at the Jade Emperor Temple, outer disciples were sent out to patrol the mountains, and inner disciples were guarding the gates outside the Jade Emperor Temple, with the majority of personnel dying or losing their cultivation.

Inside the unrepaired Jade Emperor Temple, the sound of bells rang incessantly.

Under the presiding of Daoist Shoumingzi, elders of the Your Majesty Yuanjun Estate, and surviving elders of various sects, a solemn and tragic requiem ritual was being conducted.

Incense smoke curled, prayer flags fluttered, and the scent of incense drifted everywhere.

"Fellow Daoists, please restrain your grief."

After the ritual, Xu Cangsong from the Jinan City God Temple stepped forward to offer comfort.

But after the Taishan crowd thanked him one by one, he changed the subject and asked: "The Taishan lineage has suffered heavy losses, but Taishan is a critical location of the Shenzhou, and the matter is of great importance. I wonder what plans you all have?"

This remark seemed well-intentioned, but the air in the hall instantly stagnated.

For many years, although the Taishan sects were like scattered sand, they could unite when facing outsiders.

Taishan was not an ordinary blessed land; not only did it have many spiritual apertures, but it was also the place where emperors performed the Feng and Shan sacrifices, inevitably having many connections with the capital.

To say that other sects in Qi and Lu were not jealous would be a lie.

Just like this Xu Cangsong, although he had a good relationship with the Taishan sects because he was in charge of the Law Enforcement Hall, he was after all from the Penglai Pavilion, and encountering such an event, he naturally would not miss out.

"Hmph!"

The elder of the Taishan Thunder Courtyard had a fiery temper and immediately mocked upon hearing this: "We have noted the kindness of everyone coming to help, but Taishan's internal affairs have nothing to do with you all."

"That's not the right way to put it..."

Xu Cangsong was not angry at all, stroked his beard, and said calmly: "The safety of Taishan concerns the nation, and there are so many difficult things suppressed on the mountain. If there is another slip-up, it will be the Qi and Lu Mystic Sect that suffers."

Once these words were spoken, many elders from sects that came to help nodded one after another.

And the people of the Taishan sects had ugly expressions.

What they feared most was exactly this point.

If such a big event happened this time, and the imperial court blamed them, and someone instigated it further, depriving them of the right to manage Taishan, then they would have no strength to revive.

And they no longer had the power to deal with those suppressed places on the mountain.

This time, they might have to give up a lot of rights.

"Daoist Xu need not worry."

Just then, Shoumingzi suddenly spoke: "My senior brother has personally gone to the capital to plead guilty. In addition, we have discussed that the Jade Emperor Temple and other sects will jointly form the Taishan Sect."

"To avoid disaster, Taishan will hold a cellar-opening assembly to open all the remaining dharma cellars, raise funds, repair the mountain gates, and appease the disaster-stricken people at the foot of the mountain."

"After the cellar-opening assembly, new spiritual materials will be placed in storage. Now that the Shenzhou Qiankun Academy has created humanitarian artifacts and the Sui Lun Water and Fire Erlang Zhenjun is guarding the country, metal spiritual materials will inevitably be in short supply."

"We are unable to raise them, so we still need everyone's help."

After hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the hall were different.

On the Taishan sect side, several people wanted to speak, but sighed and said nothing more.

They had already discussed this matter.

Given Taishan's current situation, jointly forming the Taishan Sect was the best way to concentrate strength to deal with various troubles. But just like Mount Qingcheng today, some inheritances would inevitably disappear slowly over time.

Shoumingzi took advantage of others making trouble to bring this up again, and they could only go with the flow.

Some sects that came to help also stopped talking nonsense.

They were far away, and Taishan being able to give up the benefits of the spiritual cellars was already a considerable gain.

To force them further would be kicking them while they were down, which was despicable.

In the blink of an eye, the situation was easily resolved by Shoumingzi.

Xu Cangsong was unwilling, glanced at the statue with peeling gold paint in the main hall, and said: "I heard that the Lord of Taishan has been rotated. I wonder if this is true?"

This was what he was truly concerned about.

Others pricked up their ears upon hearing this.

The position of the Lord of Taishan was enough to determine the rise or fall of a sect.

But this matter was secret, and they only learned of it on the way here.

"Hahaha~"

Shoumingzi smiled and stroked his beard: "How can we mortals interfere with the position of the Lord? Yesterday we received the dharma decree that the Erlang Zhenjun Erlang of Manifested Holiness has ascended to the throne. After the cellar-opening assembly and raising funds, we will build a divine palace in the Jade Emperor Temple."

Elders of other sects looked at each other in dismay upon hearing this.

Xu Cangsong's eyelids twitched slightly, "Daoist brother is not joking, are you?"

Shoumingzi said calmly: "For such a major event, how would I dare to speak nonsense? If Fellow Daoist Xu does not believe it, you can feel free to divine and verify the truth." ===== CHAPTER 763 =====