ATEG Chapter 63

Shuigu Town, Yun Family Ancestral Hall

This place originally only enshrined statues of the Yun clan ancestors and the Medicine Divine Lady Wangyue, but now things had changed.

Inside Wangyue’s shrine appeared an additional statue of a black-robed goddess who resembled her in appearance. The ancestral hall also added two more incense tables—one offering a memorial tablet inscribed with High God Li Chi’s name, and the other displaying a statue of the Heavenly Maiden Wuyou—the very wooden statue Wangyue had previously hidden from Yun Ling.

Unable to resist Yun Ling’s persistent questioning, Wangyue had eventually confessed which deities she worshipped.

The Heavenly Maiden Wuyou had guided her through the critical breakthrough to becoming a demon god, while High God Li Chi had helped her rescue Shuoyue. Although neither deity required incense offerings, Wangyue and Shuoyue always remembered the kindness they’d received. Even though they currently lacked the power to repay it, they kept it firmly in their hearts.

After worshipping the deities, Wangyue busied herself with work. The three days of bitter rain had destroyed countless water regions, causing many deaths and injuries among aquatic creatures. If left unattended, an epidemic might break out.

Besides the incense offerings on Wangyue’s altar, there now sat a large urn. This urn contained medicinal pills prepared by the Yun family, used to prevent plague and miasma. The Yun family had a custom of placing finished pills on her altar for a day’s offering. After Wangyue blessed them with her divine power, the medicine’s potency would increase further.

Though the urn didn’t look large, the finished pills were only the size of soybeans, so it held several thousand. After Wangyue’s treatment, the medicinal properties could last for years without dissipating, and one pill per person was sufficient.

Wearers only needed to place them in sachets and carry them. In areas with disease qi, they could sniff them regularly to prevent illness. In severe cases, the pills could be swallowed directly.

This wasn’t the first urn of pills Wangyue had blessed. Soon after the bitter rain began, she had collected rainwater to research a formula targeting this rain. Over these three days, the Yun family had already produced more than one batch of pills.

After processing the pills, Wangyue called Yun Ling, “This urn of pills is ready. Take it to the Earth God Temple for me.”

After Yun Ling agreed, she asked with a mixture of unease and curiosity, “Divine Lady, we’ve always distributed medicine ourselves before. Why send it to the Earth God Temple this time?”

The Yun family had always practiced charitable medicine distribution. When disasters struck, they would set aside portions to distribute for free. But they usually handled distribution themselves, either directly in the shop or by setting up a small stall outside. Never before had they handed all free medicine to the Earth God Temple like this.

“The Yun family medicine shop is too small,” Wangyue said. “There may be similar situations in the future. It’s better to let the Earth God Temple handle it.”

Similar situations in the future…

Even during the Dream-Eating Tapir incident, which had been so severe, the Yun family medicine shop had distributed the sachets directly. This time, though the adults hadn’t said so explicitly, Yun Ling could guess that everyone believed the Yun family medicine shop couldn’t handle what was coming, which was why they’d handed things over to the Earth God Temple from the start.

Yun Ling bit her lip, a trace of unease appearing in her expression.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Wangyue still wasn’t quite accustomed to speaking so directly, and her voice carried a hidden shyness that made it sound weak.

But Yun Ling couldn’t help her eyes growing moist, and she answered with a firm “Mm.”

Since childhood, she’d often heard this voice in her dreams. This voice had always protected her, always protected the Yun family. As long as she was there, nothing bad had ever happened to them.

Yun Ling lowered her head and pressed against the ache in her nose, then picked up the medicine urn to leave.

But Wangyue called her back again, asking, “When will the next batch of medicine be ready?”

Yun Ling pressed her lips together. “We’re out of medicinal materials, so we haven’t made more.”

Actually, some materials for making these pills remained, but these herbs were also needed for treating other illnesses. They couldn’t use up all their medicinal materials just for these pills.

Wangyue sighed and said nothing more. After heavy rain, what was lost wasn’t just grain in the fields, but also the medicinal fields planted by herb farmers. Both grain and medicine saved lives, yet things in this world always became more expensive the scarcer they were.

Yun Ling left the ancestral hall carrying the medicine urn.

Though the three days of bitter rain had been strange and frightening, the people of Shuigu Town hadn’t suffered much beyond hiding for three days and having their affairs delayed. Now that the rain had stopped, life seemed to have returned to normal.

She hadn’t originally thought the three days of bitter rain would be very serious, but now…

“Yun Ling!”

Yun Ling looked up to see Ding Qin standing outside the main gate, waving to her.

“Ding Qin, what brings you here?” Yun Ling asked with pleasant surprise.

“I’m heading to Ding Family Village and stopped by to visit,” Ding Qin said.

Coming to Shuigu Town wasn’t on the way to Ding Family Village, but with divine arts, she didn’t mind the detour. The three days of bitter rain had likewise unsettled her, and she wanted to check on Shuigu Town’s situation.

The aura within Shuigu Town had been affected by the malevolent qi in the rain and showed subtle changes, but with the deities’ protection, the aura remained relatively stable. Yun Ling’s family’s aura also appeared fine.

Ding Qin relaxed slightly, her gaze dropping to the medicine urn Yun Ling held.

“We haven’t been affected much, just gotten busy,” Yun Ling said with a smile. Seeing Ding Qin’s eyes on the urn, she explained, “These are anti-epidemic pills. The Medicine Divine Lady asked me to take them to the Earth God Temple. Do you know what this rain was about? The Medicine Divine Lady won’t tell me.”

Ding Qin shook her head. “I don’t know either. High God didn’t tell me.”

Yun Ling couldn’t help sighing. “I…”

Before she could finish, a young shop assistant from the Yun family medicine shop came running over. “Miss Yun Ling, several emergency patients have arrived at the shop. The manager needs you to help!”

Ding Qin reached out to take the medicine urn from Yun Ling and waved her on. “Go quickly, I’ll deliver these to the Earth God Temple for you.”

Yun Ling nodded hurriedly, gathered up her skirts, and ran toward the medicine shop with the assistant, asking as she ran. “Why were they sent to us? Where’s the doctor from the Jiang Clinic?”

“Already sent for. They’re from outside town and weren’t familiar with the area, so they came straight to us. They were worried about running out of food, so they ate dead fish from the water. Now they’re sick with abdominal pain and night sweats…”

The assistant clearly explained the situation as they ran, their voices gradually fading into the distance.

Ding Qin withdrew her gaze, her heart heavy.

The effects of the three days of bitter rain were already beginning to show. Yun Ling said they’d “gotten busy” recently, but looking around on her way here, who besides the Yun family had gotten busy? Though ordinary people in town sensed unease, most were only beginning to stockpile food in preparation. But Ding Qin’s spirit-eyes could see the deities—every one of them wore the expression of facing a great enemy, hurrying to and fro.

Though this heavy rain had fallen strangely, it had already ended. High God Li Chi said this was the last rain of the year, so drought would surely follow. The deities were so tense—did this mean the coming drought would be as strange as the heavy rain? Were they preparing to deal with this unusual disaster?

Ding Qin walked all the way to the Earth God Temple. People came and went, incense burning continuously. The faces of the worshippers showed piety and confusion, but after paying their respects and leaving the Earth God Temple, their expressions held more calm.

People were always like this—when facing matters beyond their control, they prayed to the deities for help. After praying, even without knowing the outcome, they felt more at ease, as if devoutly worshipping the deities would earn divine protection and ensure everything would be resolved.

Ding Qin found the temple keeper and explained the situation while handing over the medicine urn.

The keeper accepted the urn and bowed to her. “Thank you for delivering the medicine.”

After Ding Qin returned the courtesy, the keeper didn’t linger on politeness. With a slight nod, he hurried off with the urn to make arrangements, his steps swift.

After leaving the Earth God Temple, Ding Qin couldn’t help looking back.

The Earth God wasn’t currently in the temple. Only people’s faith, which he’d refined into auspicious clouds, enveloped the sky above the Earth God Temple. These clouds not only suppressed the destiny qi within Shuigu Town’s domain but also helped the Earth God refine incense offerings, removing the willpower that could affect a deity’s consciousness.

Though directly absorbing incense could slowly resolve its effects, refining it beforehand was far easier and more thorough than direct absorption. Refining incense required time to purge even the subtlest traces of willpower, preventing them from gradually affecting the deity’s consciousness through accumulated influence.

But now, large amounts of unrefined incense only circulated once through the auspicious clouds, roughly removing the strongest willpower before falling back down to merge with the Earth God’s divine power, which he then converted to earth qi.

Besides High God Li Chi, the Shuigu Earth God was the most powerful deity Ding Qin had encountered. Such harmful practices—if not absolutely necessary, the Earth God would never do this. The Earth God was preparing for this calamity. He believed his previous accumulation wasn’t sufficient to face this disaster, insufficient to protect all beings within his domain.

All along her journey, Ding Qin had seen it—every deity throughout Shuigu Town was rushing about busily to deal with the calamity. This wasn’t for their own sake in facing disaster. If it were for themselves, they should be settling down to rest properly and accumulate resources. This busyness was for their believers, for the beings they protected.

Many areas within Shuigu Town’s domain hadn’t suffered damage from the bitter rain—this was precisely the result of the deities’ protective intervention. But many other places still had bitter rain malevolent qi swirling endlessly because the deities’ power proved insufficient.

Ding Qin couldn’t help thinking again of High God Li Chi.

High God Li Chi must intend to protect all beings.

The Daqing Mountain range remained intact due to underground spirit veins, and the spirit veins existed because of High God Li Chi. Mountain creatures and people in Liquan Village at the mountain’s base escaped hardship because silver fish cleared the water channels, and the silver fish were enlightened by High God Li Chi. She was going to Ding Family Village, and if Ding Family Village or other places under the Crane God’s protection faced difficulties, she would certainly intervene—and before her departure, High God had specially opened her divine seal for her.

Only after the divine seal opened did Ding Qin gain clearer understanding of High God Li Chi’s power.

High God said that within the divine seal’s perceptible range, she could use any divine arts without hindrance.

Ding Qin had reexamined the spiritual essence between heaven and earth with her spirit-eyes. Wherever sunlight reached, wherever yang qi flourished—all was clearly perceptible, all fell under High God’s authority.

Just how powerful was High God Li Chi? With such power, if he acted personally, he could surely protect far more beings. Yet High God deliberately refrained from acting personally.

Was this related to High God’s severe injuries?

And this calamity… how could it be ended?

…..

“Do you know how to end this calamity?” By the Shuigu Well, the Earth God humbly asked Huai River Divine Lord for guidance.

From the well came an impolite snort of laughter. “I see these past days you’ve been affected in your divine consciousness by mortal thoughts, or you wouldn’t ask such a question.”

The Shuigu Earth God fell silent. After a moment, he sighed and asked again, “Do you know how to resolve the saltiness and malevolent qi in the water?”

This was the question he should have asked originally. Ending the calamity—that wasn’t something he should ask about or even consider. This was a calamity for the entire world. He was just a minor earth god. Though Huai River Divine Lord’s tone was harsh, he was warning him.

All beings felt confused and struggled due to the calamity, and their prayers inevitably mixed with hopes for the calamity’s end. He cultivated through incense offerings, and having recently rushed to increase his accumulation, his refinement of incense wasn’t pure. That’s why his thoughts had briefly gone astray.

But after all, he was an earth god who had accumulated power for many years. With a turn of divine thought, his mind cleared and he expelled this slight influence.

Meng Huai had no intention of making things difficult for him. Seeing he’d figured it out himself, he said, “Water naturally has means of self-purification. I have an art that can help you. But with the spiritual essence of heaven and earth currently in chaos, and water not being your specialty, even with my technique’s assistance, I fear the effort will far exceed the results. Can your accumulated power withstand such consumption?”

The Shuigu Earth God took a deep breath and bowed toward the well opening. “Please teach me, Divine Lord.”

The well fell silent for a moment before Meng Huai said, “Very well. Since you could ask that earlier question, why should I ask such things?”

Water sounds rang out as a spiritual light shot from the well, entering directly into the Earth God’s forehead. The Earth God closed his eyes in meditation for a moment, digesting and comprehending the technique within the light. When he opened his eyes to offer thanks, he saw a water-colored spirit pearl leap from the well.

“This is a Water Origin Pearl I refined. Your place can barely be considered part of my Huai River domain. With the Water Origin Pearl, your use of water-path techniques won’t be affected by the chaos in spiritual essence. I’ll lend it to you temporarily,” Meng Huai said.

The Earth God’s heart filled with delight, and he quickly expressed thanks.

But Meng Huai began impatiently shooing him away. “Now that it’s resolved, don’t stand there being an eyesore.”

The Earth God didn’t mind. He collected the Water Origin Pearl, bowed again, and prepared to leave when he suddenly stopped as if remembering something. “Earlier, Chi Zhenzi sent word mentioning that the Xuanqing Sect was behind the Dream-Eating Tapir incident.”

“I know,” came the calm, undisturbed voice from the well. After a pause, it continued. “No matter where you got this information, as long as the Divine Court hasn’t issued orders, don’t go sticking your nose in.”

“I understand.” The Earth God understood this was a warning. He bowed slightly in thanks, then requested, “Many nearby water sources are polluted. When townspeople need water, they’ll inevitably come here more often to disturb you. Please don’t take offense, Divine Lord.”

Meng Huai only grunted. “You’re long-winded.”

This was agreement. The Earth God left with peace of mind.

Silence returned to the bamboo grove. After three days of bitter rain, vegetation withered and died, but this bamboo grove, protected by Meng Huai’s qi, remained lush and green.

Without the Earth God’s reminder, beings would naturally see that the environment here remained unaffected and water was available. But it didn’t matter—Yu Jian, being a ghost god, could simply choose not to be seen or heard by these mortal beings as they conversed.

“I thought you’d only teach him the water purification technique,” Yu Jian said.

He was somewhat curious. Water Origin Pearls were difficult to condense, especially since Meng Huai had been imprisoned in the well all this time. Meng Huai didn’t accept incense offerings and had no intention of caring for mortal beings—why would he lend out the Water Origin Pearl?

“I’m about to scheme against him, so naturally I want to offer some compensation,” Meng Huai said.

Yu Jian understood Meng Huai’s meaning after a moment’s thought. “You’re preparing to leave the well?”

Lazy water sounds rippled from the well. “You want to return to Sui Kingdom to help them face this calamity. If I don’t find a way out, how can I be at ease?”

Yu Jian laughed.

Meng Huai was a natural-born dragon lord who didn’t accept incense or concern himself with the mortal world. Yu Jian had become a ghost god after death as a human and maintained ties of homeland affection with Sui lands. On this point, their views could never align.

But what did it matter? He could understand Meng Huai’s attitude and wouldn’t use their relationship to demand he help Sui lands. Meng Huai could understand his position and was willing to help him travel together.

This was a great calamity for the entire world, and his current cultivation was still rather weak. But having enjoyed Sui lands’ incense offerings for over 2,400 years, he’d really been an inadequate ghost god. Now that his homeland faced disaster, how could he hide away?

But no explanation was needed—they naturally understood each other.

“Do you have a way to move that deity to help you deal with the seal in the well?” Yu Jian asked.

For Meng Huai to leave the well, besides the True-Preserving Avatar Technique given by Chi Zhenzi, he also needed to evade the Great Celestial Venerable’s power in the seal. Only that High God Li Chi living nearby could handle this. But this deity hadn’t even bothered with Meng Huai’s palace treasury—Yu Jian was curious what method Meng Huai had thought of to move him.

“I have no method. I’m only guessing,” Meng Huai said. “For a deity like that, whether he’s moved or not is just surface talk. As long as he’s willing, even if I have nothing, he’ll still help me. If he’s unwilling, what use would it be even if I gave up all my cultivation?”

“You think he’ll be willing to help you leave now?” Yu Jian asked.

Water vapor gradually filled the air above the well, slowly enveloping the area around the well opening like a great fog.

Meng Huai’s voice echoed low within the mist. “I once thought he remained here merely on a whim. But now… I’m beginning to suspect. Perhaps he deliberately chose to stay here. Perhaps he never left precisely because he’s been waiting, waiting for this great calamity…”

Meng Huai’s voice gradually became inaudible. Yu Jian maintained a solemn expression and kept silent.

A long time passed before Meng Huai settled his momentarily turbulent emotions and said, “I originally wanted to advise Shuigu not to waste effort, but his temperament and cultivation path differ from mine, so I let it be.”

“…Waste effort?” Yu Jian murmured.

“All attempts to resolve the great calamity are nothing but futile effort,” Meng Huai’s voice echoed from the well, taking on an ancient, vast quality. “This great calamity already occurred 120,000 years ago. Back then, the Great Celestial Venerable established the Divine Court and organized destiny qi, forcibly suppressing this calamity—but it was only suppression. Now 120,000 years have passed, and this calamity has erupted again.”

The information in these words was too shocking. Yu Jian couldn’t help being shaken. “120,000 years ago?”

“Remember Tianzhu Mountain?” Meng Huai asked. Without waiting for Yu Jian’s answer, he continued on his own. “Tianzhu Mountain was the peak where the sun rose, the source of earth’s veins. 120,000 years ago, Tianzhu Mountain collapsed. Earth’s veins shook, mountains cracked open, and one-third of the land fell westward into the void abyss. Darkness covered heaven and earth.”

“My cultivation was still shallow then, and I didn’t understand what was happening. I barely survived the initial earth splitting, but the calamity didn’t stop until the Great Celestial Venerable emerged, established the Divine Court, and suppressed destiny qi, finally halting the disaster. What do you think caused this calamity?” Meng Huai suddenly asked.

“It arose from chaos in destiny qi,” Yu Jian answered without hesitation, then frowned. “Could there be other hidden circumstances?”

“Destiny qi is only part of it. People now only remember fate, but have forgotten something else.” Meng Huai’s voice rang long. “Karma condenses destiny qi; destiny qi transforms karma—the two generate and transform each other. If destiny qi is in chaos, how could karma be unharmed?”

“This calamity arose from chaos in destiny qi and severing of karma. Only organizing destiny qi without resolving karma—how could this calamity be solved?”

“Then how should severed karma be resolved?” Yu Jian quickly asked.

“It cannot be resolved,” Meng Huai’s voice was low and distant.

“The deity who suppressed karma already perished 120,000 years ago.”