ATEG Chapter 66

“Then let’s go to Ding Family Village first.” Bai Hong tilted its head to look at Ding Qin. “You seem to have found an excellent deity.”

It could no longer see any abnormality in Ding Qin’s eyes, and the divine power aura on Ding Qin was also pure and clear—absolutely not something an ordinary deity could possess.

Ding Qin couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, I encountered a very good deity.”

“Perfect, then when we return, let’s have a sparring match. I’ll also see what your current abilities are like.” Bai Hong’s voice was crisp and decisive, its pair of beautiful crane eyes bright with excitement.

“I think…”

Before Ding Qin could finish speaking, Bai Hong suddenly raised its head to look into the distance and said resentfully, “Another fool courting death! I’m leaving first…”

As it uttered the first word, it spread her wings, and by the time the last syllable fell, it had already vanished without a trace.

Ding Yuliang stood with his mouth half-open, staring up at the sky, his two eyes wide open searching for any trace. When Ding Qin had said the Crane God had arrived, he hadn’t seen clearly—he only felt his eyes blur before the towering Crane God appeared before them. Now when the Crane God left, he again couldn’t see clearly; in a blink, the Crane God had vanished once more.

Ding Qin patted his shoulder. “Let’s go, I’ll take you back to Ding Family Village.”

Ding Yuliang suddenly remembered something and said urgently, “I forgot to ask just now! The protective cloud qi above the village has changed, and everyone is waiting for the Crane God’s response. I just forgot to mention it…”

Ding Qin pondered for a moment and said, “Since the Crane God didn’t mention it, there should be nothing wrong. Let’s go back first, and I’ll also take a look at that cloud qi.”

The wispy cloud qi above Ding Family Village was the Crane God’s protection. It didn’t block sunlight, but was only used to intimidate those turbid demons.

Looking up from afar, Ding Qin saw that the originally thin cloud qi had now condensed together, appearing much more substantial, though the area it covered had also reduced considerably. But the power within the cloud qi had similarly become more concentrated. Beyond intimidation, it now had a protective function as well. If a turbid demon eroded by baleful qi went mad and disregarded Bai Hong’s intimidation to attack the village, this cloud qi could block the turbid demon for a moment. Though it couldn’t last long, it could at least hold out until Bai Hong arrived.

After returning to Ding Family Village, Ding Yuliang was caught by his father and given a good beating. While fleeing, Ding Yuliang cried out, “Father! Father! Take a break first! Look, Sister Ding Qin has returned! She’s really powerful now!”

“Don’t try to use others as a shield!” his father roared. “Rather than letting you run off recklessly and get eaten by demons, I might as well beat you to death first!”

Ding Yuliang screamed while running, “I won’t dare again! Sister Ding Qin, save me!”

Ding Qin didn’t intervene at all. Watching made her want to laugh. Since childhood, whenever Ding Yuliang got into mischief, his father would discipline him, but his father would never really hurt him.

Though the atmosphere in Ding Family Village was somewhat tense, for Ding Qin it was still familiar. Those villagers who had spent much time with her, though somewhat in awe after learning she was a divine messenger, were generally still warm toward her.

Ding Qin explained the changes in the cloud qi to the villagers clearly. Before the Crane God dealt with the nearby turbid demons, it was best not to leave its protective range. Even wearing crane feather talismans, those turbid demons stained by baleful qi wouldn’t care.

However, Ding Qin also developed a question in her mind. Great King Yishan of Liquan Village protected the village in this manner because he hadn’t yet achieved the position of demon god and his methods were limited. But the Crane God had achieved demon god status long ago—why was it still using such crude methods?

She would ask when she saw the Crane God. Ding Qin stopped puzzling over this. The Crane God was skilled at fighting but not at protection, and thus rushed back and forth between different villages exhaustedly. But Ding Qin had previously learned from Li Feng how to set up formations. If a formation was properly arranged, it could have even better effects than the Crane God’s cloud qi.

But even if the turbid demon matter was resolved, there was still the great drought ahead…

……

Lu Kingdom’s capital, Zhangning City.

A great ritual had just ended. The King of Lu, Lu Hong, returned wearily to the palace. He had prepared the finest offerings and most precious faith incense, bathed and fasted throughout the three days of great rain, and immediately began this grand ritual after the rain ended.

The ritual was complete, but its effects were yet unknown. His desk was still piled high with scrolls—all disaster reports urgently sent from various regions.

This kind of great disaster could be said to have never occurred since the establishment of Lu Kingdom. In the past, if there were disasters, at most only one area would be affected. This time, however, the entire world was shrouded in this calamity.

Lu Hong had once harbored great ambitions. Though mortal strength was faint, it could accumulate like sand into a tower. Upon this great land, magnificent cities and palaces could be built, neat and continuous fields and waterways could be developed, and rivers could be controlled with levees and canals. If water blocked the road, bridges and boats could be built; if mountains blocked the road, stairs and passages could be constructed.

But when true calamity descended, all those achievements he had once been proud of became worthless.

Besides praying to the deities, what else could he do?

Yet one day passed, two days passed, three days passed… a month had passed. The floodwaters that had risen due to the bitter rain in various regions had already receded. The handling of burst levees, collapses, and refugees had barely been organized. But not a single drop of normal rain had yet fallen from heaven and earth.

The weather was becoming increasingly hot, and the azure sky was so clear that not even a wisp of cloud could be seen. This was a sign of great drought. Lu Kingdom had been established for many years and already had methods and strategies to deal with disasters like droughts and floods. Places prone to drought all had water storage pools dug, but after these three days of bitter rain, most of the pools had been contaminated.

Watching the disaster reports from various regions multiply, Lu Hong couldn’t help but grow increasingly anxious. Lu Kingdom’s national treasury was relatively abundant, and his private treasury was not lacking either. Large amounts of gold and silver were allocated for disaster relief, but now the entire country had been polluted by the bitter rain, and the entire world faced drought conditions. He had gold and silver but couldn’t exchange them for what was needed.

The incense fires on the altar had never stopped—why was there still no rain?

Tens of thousands of refugees, countless dead and wounded. Reports from all regions piled up like mountains, but what else could he do?!

Lu Hong slammed the scrolls in his hand back onto the desk and strode out of the room toward the ancestral shrine.

The ancestral shrine also enshrined deities—only the ancestors of their Lu Kingdom’s Lu clan, who were also the dwelling place of the deities that Lu clan ancestors had cultivated into ghost gods. Lu Hong barely suppressed his emotions and offered a stick of incense in the ancestral shrine.

His anxious and uneasy thoughts rose with the curling green smoke.

Why was there still no rain? Was Lu Kingdom not devout enough? Were his offerings still insufficient? What were the deities waiting for? What more did they want?!

“Outrageous!” A rebuke suddenly came from the void.

Lu Hong looked up. A ghost god appeared, gazing down at him with solemn eyes. He recognized this ghost god. When he ascended the throne, it was this ancestor who had bestowed blessings upon him. This meant that during his reign, this ghost god would not go into seclusion to cultivate, but would continuously watch over him.

“Ancestor!” The anxiety in Lu Hong’s heart suddenly gave way to sourness and grievance.

Though the Lu clan ancestor rebuked him, his tone was not harsh. “The great calamity was not the deities’ wish. Why do you feel resentment?”

Lu Hong spoke mournfully, “But why did such a great calamity arise between heaven and earth? Is it the fault of the common people? Outside the city, refugees gather—emaciated and destitute with nowhere to return. Some drink bitter water and suffer unbearable illness. Though we provide clothing, medicine, and build grass shelters, it’s merely a drop in the bucket.”

“I have done everything I can, but without clean rain, the fields are destroyed, and even the wilderness has largely withered. Every day I offer incense and perform rituals. There are no pearls, treasures, or playthings I wouldn’t give up. Day and night I worry and cannot sleep, exhausted in body and mind. Lu Kingdom has performed rituals year after year, never once disrespecting the deities, so why do they still refuse to send rain? Is there something I haven’t done well enough? But what wrong have the common people committed?!”

Lu Hong felt sourness in his face and quickly lowered his head as tears dripped from his eyes. He heard a long sigh as the Lu clan ancestor’s hand rested upon his head.

After Lu Hong’s emotions had calmed, the Lu clan ancestor finally said, “When the great calamity occurs, naturally there is a reason. But when you sentenced that official who embezzled disaster relief silver to clan extermination, did you think his family members were innocent?”

“Where is their innocence? The silk robes and brocade they wear, the precious playthings and vessels they use—which of these doesn’t contain the bones and blood of the common people? Those riches can no longer be distinguished, they…” Lu Hong looked up to argue, but seeing his ancestor’s eyes, his voice gradually weakened.

“The great calamity is impartial and likewise cannot distinguish.” The Lu clan ancestor said slowly. “Lu Kingdom has been devout for many years without disrespect. Clean rain will certainly fall, but not necessarily now. The calamity discriminates against no one; the deities similarly suffered from those three days of great rain. The spiritual essence between heaven and earth is already in chaos. The drought arose from the calamity. If the deities wish to bring rain, they must have the power to counter the great calamity. The forms during rituals are useless to the deities; devout and sincere thoughts are more useful than anything.”

“I understand.” Lu Hong said quietly.

The Lu clan ancestor nodded and advised, “During worship, your thoughts will rise with the incense fire and be heard by the deities. It’s fine here with me, but when you go to the Heavenly Altar to perform rituals and pray for rain, don’t let your mind wander like this anymore.”

“Now, only the deities can help you.”

……

Deity: The heart is called shen (divine). It is also called the Celestial, the one from whom all things originate. To be thoroughly clear and fully understanding is called ming (clarity). A deity is one whose heart and nature are fully enlightened and comprehends all things.

Thus, the eyes of the Celestial should be able to thoroughly observe great calamities, and the heart of the Celestial should not be disturbed by the strange and abnormal. Therefore, calamities could not touch them.

Yet when a Celestial fell into a calamity, it was due to ignorance. Though a divine, it lacked clarity, and therefore it perished.

……

Daqing Mountain’s remaining range, within the Li Manor.

Li Chi’s courtyard was still shrouded in thick white mist.

This mist was not true fog, nor was it clear what it was made of. Though its form resembled white mist, it was not wet to the touch, nor did it drift with the wind. It only tightly enveloped the courtyard—none could enter. Even the silver fish who wished to cleanse the water channels and return to the spring’s eye to look around were blocked outside the mist.

But aside from this, there were no other anomalies. The beings in the mountains who had received Li Chi’s grace could only wait outside the mist. High God Li Chi was so powerful and had deeply entered meditation—surely there was no problem, and this was just a realm they didn’t quite understand?

Within the white mist, Li Chi still wandered in dreams. Within the dream, there was similarly a vast expanse of great mist. Severed karmic threads drifted in places invisible to mortal eyes, like helpless, suffering hands.

The deity walked through the great mist, mending karmic threads again and again for beings whose karma had been severed, and karmic threads grew one after another from his fingertips.

The world gradually began to spread stories of a deity who governed karma.

Some wailed in pain from injustice with no recourse, some wept blood from mother-child separation, some felt lost from ruined futures… Then let them worship. They piled earth and accumulated stone to make altars, devoutly prayed to express their grievances, bitter hatred, and intent, sprinkling blood as offerings to that unknown deity, praying for justice.

The deity with eyes like celestial abysses walked through the world, seemingly without sorrow or joy, yet repeatedly soothing the resentments born from severed karma in the world. 

Where sunlight shone reached the deity’s footprints. When the sun blazed hotly, the Taiyin Star hid at the horizon’s edge. Yet under the operation of the vast and mysterious Yin transformation power, the Taiyin Star suddenly flashed a subtle spiritual light that sentient beings could barely see.

The deity walking through the world suddenly raised his head toward the horizon. That spiritual light from the Taiyin Star drifted down toward him.

He raised his hand to catch the spiritual light—this was an invitation from an old friend who had accompanied him for many years.

Taiyin… The deity’s expression finally showed fluctuation, his brows and eyes seeming to sigh with helplessness.

The deity drew his hand into his sleeve. Spiritual resonance flashed across the sleeve robe, concealing the densely entangled karma on his fingertips, and he went to keep the appointment with Taiyin.

Flowing clouds as a couch, captured wind as cups—and in the cups was the Moon Essence Imperial Dew that demon sprites and spirits dreamed of.

Taiyin pushed the wind-made cup forward, sending the brimming moon essence before the deity, and asked, “Is that Karma deity spreading through the world you?”

The deity kept his left hand in his sleeve and held the cup with his right hand to drink.

Just as he innately understood karma, Taiyin similarly understood destiny principles. It was just that in the past there had never been need to use such abilities, so they had never been revealed. Aside from between the two of them, no one else knew this.

The deity nodded in response. “Don’t you feel that there is something missing in this heaven and earth?”

“Something missing?” Taiyin asked back calmly and indifferently.

“Taiyin, you understand destiny principles—how could you not know what I mean?” the deity asked.

Taiyin held the wine cup. “Precisely because I understand destiny principles, I know the changes in the world have their own patterns. Just let them develop naturally—why must you interfere?”

The deity fell silent. Taiyin naturally knew what he meant. Since karma had been damaged and severed, then destiny qi would necessarily be in chaos. If he could sense it, how could Taiyin not sense it? It was just that Taiyin didn’t agree. Yet he had still held some expectation.

He had expected that after awakening in this world, his old friend who had accompanied him for many years, his only deep friendship, might possibly understand his thoughts—even as a deity born divine, untainted by dust and not entering reincarnation.

They ultimately couldn’t reach agreement.

Taiyin advised. “You were born divine and sacred. The mortal world’s vicissitudes have their own operation. You’ve already invested too much.” 

Born divine and sacred—by what right?

The deity’s emotions suddenly fluctuated, his eyes revealing sorrow. In just an instant, he calmed his emotions again, suppressing the qi fluctuations caused by his emotions.

But since he had been stained with karma, he had naturally also generated destiny qi. That was Taiyin’s domain.

How keen was Taiyin—divine light flashed in his eyes, reflecting the somewhat chaotic destiny qi around the deity. His expression changed immediately. He reached out and grasped the deity’s wrist, brushing aside the sleeve to reveal the concealed fingers, and also revealing the densely tangled karmic threads on those fingers.

Taiyin drew in a sharp breath. “What have you done?”

The deity didn’t answer. Celestials were born sacred, unstained by karma, uncontaminated by destiny qi—unless they deliberately sought to be stained.

Taiyin’s originally calm and indifferent face finally showed waves of emotion as he said in shock and anger, “Have you gone mad? Stained with karma, if you continue like this, sooner or later you will be dragged into reincarnation by this karma!”

“As long as I can establish the Underworld to suppress karma, such things won’t happen. Karma in the world is damaged and severed—sooner or later chaos will arise.” The deity withdrew his hand.

“What does the world’s chaos have to do with you?” Taiyin advised. “If you enter reincarnation, you will have life and death. You clearly have already transcended this—why take this risk again? Karma is not your responsibility. Do you think what you’re doing now has any value? Reincarnating beings are deeply bound by greed and anger, foolishly stubborn. If there are those who can escape reincarnation, they will naturally cultivate to that step.”

But the deity had long since made his decision. He looked at Taiyin with gentle eyes. “I know you offer this advice out of concern for me, but I have already decided.”

Karma damaged and severed, destiny qi in chaos—good and evil had no rewards or punishments, and cultivation lost its guidance. Sentient beings were lost.

Taiyin tried every means of persuasion, but the deity remained unmoved. Finally, Taiyin said angrily, “What exactly are you thinking?!”

The deity was silent for a long while, then finally said: “Have you ever thought about why, in this world, some spirits are born sacred while others must sink in reincarnation?”

“Divine comprehension, thus godhood. Because of godhood, not entering reincarnation! If sentient beings can achieve godhood, they too can avoid reincarnation. How can you have such confusion?” Taiyin asked.

But the deity shook his head without speaking.

“Stubborn and foolish!” Taiyin finally became extremely angry and rebuked him, condensing the method of destiny principles into a Yin Scale and throwing it to him, then flicking his sleeves and leaving.

The deity caught the Yin Scale and thanked him from afar. Since he was stained with karma, he would necessarily generate destiny qi. With Taiyin’s method of destiny principles, he could better handle the karma entangled upon himself.

He didn’t know how long it would take to resolve the problem of severed karma. Though he had the idea of establishing the Underworld to suppress karma, he hadn’t yet determined exactly how to do it. This world had no Heavenly Court or Underworld, no deity “three feet above one’s head”—everything still needed to be explored. And before completing this matter, he could not fall into reincarnation.

The deity lowered his eyes to look at his own fingertips.

All sentient beings in the world were entangled by karma. Karmic threads were as fine and dense as a web, wrapping sentient beings like cocoons. Only by relying on his unique karmic methods could he condense these karmic threads at his fingertips, preventing them from completely binding him.

As a deity governing karma, he naturally possessed the means to forcibly sever these karmic threads, but…

He gazed far toward the sentient beings shrouded in great mist. Reincarnating beings were not sages—faith, righteousness, benevolence, and kindness coexisted with baseness and filth. He understood this clearly, yet he had still made this decision.

He didn’t wish to sever the karma, yet couldn’t be entangled by it. These karmic threads must necessarily be connected to him.

The deity broke off his own finger bone. This finger sacrificed for the sentient beings of the mortal world transformed into a luminous white brush, its bristles black mixed with white—those were the karmic threads connecting to countless sentient beings.

Yang celestial qi surged at the deity’s wound, growing a new finger. Yet ultimately something had changed.

The deity held the bone brush, his gaze falling upon the world like sunlight.

In this world where karma was severed and sentient beings were lost, there was always a deity watching over them, even though they didn’t know it.