Chapter 535: How Did I End Up Writing Chu Di Mythology

After this wash, over the past almost a year, the Human World—both the transcendent and the common folk—has appeared considerably more honest on the surface.

Of course, the undercurrents behind the scenes, let them be.

Anyway, Yu Lin is leaving now.

"Lord Dragon, you all stop fighting and come quickly."

"Alright!"

Their figures turned into streaks of light, scrambling to dive into the Ding Pattern on Yu Lin's chest.

Then—

A flash of WhiteLight passed.

His figure vanished.

………….

【Next Wandering Myth countdown: one year】

【Myth is: Westward out of Han Valley】

【Task: When Laozi goes west out of Han Valley, head east of Hangu Pass】

【Reward: Trait — Wu Wei】

………….

Zhou Ling Wang, Year One.

Around 571 BC.

Chu Guo, Ku County, Li Township, Qu Ren Li.

Here is typical Chu Di scenery—rolling mountains and rivers, mist swirling, the verdant flora exuding a hint of coolness.

In the distance, a winding river glitters under the sun, and along its banks a dozen or so crude thatched huts stand scattered.

On this seemingly ordinary land, a baby will be born soon.

Surname Li, given name Er, courtesy name Dan.

Later people will call him—Laozi.

Laozi's mother is called Li Shi (or Xuanmiao Yu Nv).

Legend says she was washing clothes by the river at the village edge when she saw a yellowish plum floating in the water.

She scooped it up and ate it, and thereafter became pregnant.

But the records actually differ.

The "Later Collection of the True Immortal Body Dao Chronicle" says: "At that time, the Yin family (i. e., Li Shi) was sleeping during the day, dreamed that the sky opened several zhang, the immortals lifted the sun out, after a long time saw the sun shrink, fall from the sky as a five‑colored pearl, as large as a bullet, which they cupped and swallowed, awakening to find herself pregnant."

The "Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, Volume One, Immortals, Laozi" quoting the "Biographies of Immortals" states: Laozi, whose given name was Zhong Er, courtesy name Bo Yang, was a native of Qu Ren Li, Ku County, Chu Guo. His mother conceived after witnessing a great meteor. Though the conception was natural, it occurred in the Li family, so they took Li as the surname.

The "Chronicle of Xuanmiao Yu Nv Primordial Lord" says: Lao Jun rode the sun spirit, drove Nine Dragons, transformed into five‑colored flowing pearls, which entered Xuanmiao Yu Nv's mouth… Lao Jun's fetus was entrusted with wisdom, unlike the mundane, and after eighty‑one years of the sun's nine‑nine cycle, he was born.

In short, like Jesus, his conception was not through normal means.

His birth, too, was not a normal delivery.

It is said that under a plum tree, Laozi was born from his mother's left armpit.

At birth his beard and hair were snow‑white, his face like an elder's, thus he was called 'Laozi'.

He could walk as soon as he touched the ground, and with each step a lotus flower sprang up beneath his foot.

He pointed at the plum tree and said, "This is my surname."

Thus he took 'Li' as his surname.

At birth, Nine Dragons surged from the earth, spouting water to bathe him.

Auspicious clouds and celestial music filled the sky, and exotic fragrance wafted everywhere.

One could say it was very pretentious.

Yu Lin isn't that............ probably, … maybe, indeed, hmm, he seems also quite pretentious.

Then don't worry about it.

But at this moment.

Lao Jun is still in his mother Li Shi's womb.

Yu Lin stood under a tree not far away, watching the silhouette of a woman laboring in front of the thatched hut.

He did not go inside.

The time has not come; no hurry.

He withdrew his gaze and casually surveyed the land.

Chu Di.

The upper‑class nobles of Chu Guo proactively studied and adopted the Zhou Rituals, using them as a political tool to vie for dominance over the Central Plains and gain the recognition of the feudal lords.

Yet in folk belief and lower‑level culture, the Chu people worshiped spirits and ghosts, emphasized lewd rites, and retained a strong shamanic flavor, starkly contrasting the Zhou Rituals.

The Chu consider themselves descendants of the ancient fire god Zhu Rong.

The deities they worship differ from those of the Central Plains.

The Chu Ci systematically depicts the pantheon of Chu Di worship:

Donghuang Taiyi, supreme and unparalleled.

Yunzhong Jun, soaring across the nine heavens.

Xiang Jun and Xiang Lady, who govern the Xiang River.

Da Siming, in charge of life and death.

Shao Siming, protecting offspring.

Also Dong Jun, He Bo, Mountain Ghost…

Those names, each bearing the Chu people's awe and imagination of the spirits.

But now.

Composing the Nine Songs, Qu Yuan, hailed as the "Ancestor of Chu Ci," had not yet been born.

That would have to wait until about two hundred years later.

However.

At this moment, Yu Lin's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Because he discovered something interesting.

Chu mythology—

A figure that should not have appeared appeared.

He casually reached into the void, and a bamboo scroll inscribed with the sacrificial words passed down orally from ancient witchcraft fell into his hand.

These are the few lines:

There is Lin from heaven,

He bestowed upon Yu the shamanic chapters.

Without summoning spirits or invoking gods,

A single word brings forth myriad spirits.

Descendants inherit it, never forgetting.

Meaning: There is a person named "Lin" who came from heaven.

He transmitted to Da Yu a set of shamanic techniques that do not require spirit mediums or invoking deities' manifestations, yet can use witchcraft.

Later generations inherited this method, generation after generation remembering it, never daring to forget.

Yu Lin gazed at these few lines of song-dance sacrificial words, silent for a moment.

Who recorded him?

Isn't that also him joining Chu mythology?

Forget it, it doesn't matter.

Since Lao Jun hasn't been born yet.

Then let's wait a while; this time he won't miss the grand scene like Jesus did!

Yu Lin looked at the village ahead and grinned.

His figure gradually faded away.

What to do?

Of course, return this bamboo scroll to its owner.

Then go tour Chu Guo.

"Where did my treasure go?!"

Chu Guo, a city.

A residence covering considerable area stands in the eastern part of the city.

The owner of the residence is Chu Guo's Left Historian.

Cheng Xian.

As Left Historian, he loves collecting various historical documents and artifacts—bamboo slips, turtle shells, metal and stone inscriptions, ancient vessels and antiquities; anything related to the ancient, he wants to collect.

Among all his collections, the two items he is most proud of and cherishes are:

A set of bamboo scrolls and turtle shells.

According to the gift-giver, they came from an ancient shamanic family, recording much information about the spirits.

Those names, those deeds, those long-lost sacrificial rites—all made Cheng Xian feel as if he had obtained a priceless treasure.

Another item is a set of bronze armor, sent together with that set of bamboo scrolls and turtle shells.

The armor plates are mottled, the patterns ancient; at a glance they are very old artifacts.

Although privately hoarding bronze armor by ordinary families is a grave crime, equivalent to rebellion,

but the Cheng family that Cheng Xian belongs to is not an ordinary family, but a powerful clan.

The Cheng clan of Chu Guo originates from the noble Ruo'ao clan of Chu Guo.

The Ruo'ao clan is also a noble Mi surname clan, taking the posthumous name of Chu ruler Ruo'ao Xiong Yi as their surname; internally divided into the Dou and Cheng branches, whose members have long held positions such as Lingyin (equivalent to a prime minister of other states) and Situ, etc.

Therefore, the Mi-surname Cheng clan shares the same ancestry as Chu Guo's royal family, belonging to Chu Guo's aristocratic nobility.

Thus, with Cheng Xian's status, although his position as Left Historian is merely a civil official, after reporting to the Chu king, storing a set of ancient artifact armor poses no problem.

Although Cheng Xian is still researching who wore this armor, from its craftsmanship and texture,

he feels it is certainly not an ordinary object.

However, thinking about it, from ancient times to present, armor is not something ordinary people can possess.

Today.

Cheng Xian finished his duties and, as usual, came to his favorite study.

The moment he opened the door, that familiar scent rushed over him.

He took a deep breath, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

Then he began to browse.

One scroll, two scrolls, three scrolls…

He read slowly, carefully rolling up each scroll after reading and putting it back in place.

But as he read, he kept feeling something was off.

Something was missing.

He set down the bamboo slip in his hand, rose to his feet, and his gaze swept over the bookshelf.

From left to right, from top to bottom.

Then his gaze stopped at a certain spot.

There should have been that set of bamboo scrolls—the set that recorded divine news, his most treasured bamboo scrolls.

Now, there was an empty gap there.

Cheng Xian's complexion changed instantly.

He hurried over, almost pressing his face against the bookshelf, repeatedly checking.

None.

Really, they were gone.

Not only the bamboo scrolls, but also those few turtle shells that recorded the same batch of news had vanished without a trace.

Cheng Xian stood frozen in place, the color draining completely from his face.

After a few breaths, he suddenly turned and shouted toward the doorway:

"Chen Liu! Chen Liu!"

As his words fell, a sturdy middle-aged man strode in. He was solidly built, his steps steady—clearly a martial practitioner. After entering, he bowed to Cheng Xian and said respectfully:

"Please command, my lord."

Cheng Xian looked at him and said in a low voice, "Have you seen anyone enter my quarters?"

Chen Liu blinked, then shook his head.

"Never." He answered firmly, "Since you left, my lord, not a single person has come here in the past day."

"Hmm?"

Cheng Xian furrowed his brows, stroked his long beard, and fell into thought.

Strange.

No one came, yet things are missing?

Could it be some thief who came and went without a trace? But if it really were a thief, why steal only this? Although those bamboo scrolls are precious, in material and value they fall far short of the bronze vessels nearby inscribed with gold script.

Why, of all things, steal only this?

Could it be… that this bamboo scroll has something special about it?

The more Cheng Xian thought about it, the more wrong it felt, his brows knotting into a tight knot.

Forget it; now is not the time to think about that.

We must first find that thief.

He was about to speak, ordering Chen Liu to send people to investigate—

Footsteps sounded.

Another person walked in from outside, stood at the doorway, and bowed to Cheng Xian.

"My lord," the servant said:

"A guest has come to visit."

Cheng Xian blinked.

"Hmm? Who is it?"

He hadn't appointed anyone today.

The servant shook his head: "I've never seen him before."

He paused, as if choosing his words.

"Just… I saw that the guest's attire was splendid, his visage handsome, his bearing majestic, so I thought…"

He lifted his gaze and glanced at Cheng Xian.

"... not ordinary."

Cheng Xian's eyebrows twitched.

Splendid attire? Handsome visage? Majestic bearing?

He suppressed the tension in his heart still taut from the loss of the bamboo scrolls, and a spark of curiosity arose.

"Then go," he said:

"Please have him come here."

The servant answered and withdrew.

Cheng Xian turned, gazed at the empty slot on the bookshelf, then glanced toward the doorway, a vague premonition stirring faintly in his heart.

Perhaps this unsolicited guest, and his missing bamboo scrolls—

could be related?