Donghuang Ziji

Chapter 585: Tzu Chi’s Great Vision Begins

In the gloomy environment, there were faint Buddhist chants and the sound of rushing water. Looking across the stream, Jingguang saw only pale lanterns hanging on all four sides of an altar, illuminating everywhere.

There were also pale lotus lanterns floating on the stream, with blood-red eyes painted in the center. As the lights swayed, it looked like the eyes were opening and closing.

In the center of the altar, a girl in a white robe was kneeling, facing the stream.

Behind her was an old woman in colorful clothes dancing continuously.

The drum shook, making strange noises, and eerie and terrifying songs came out of her mouth.

Behind the wizard, there was an old nun leading everyone in worship and prayer.

However, the scriptures recited by the nun were obviously different from the prayers of the villagers behind her. Jingguang listened carefully and found that it was still the "Golden Light Sutra of Repentance and the Elimination of Sins", and the doubts in her eyes became even greater.

'What's this? ’

Jingguang could feel that as the worship progressed, the girl on the altar gradually began to exude some Buddha light and a hint of majesty.

Just as Jingguang was about to explore, the Thousand-Leaf Golden Lotus in his hand suddenly shook.

"I don't know what the original belief of the Lotus Mother is, but she still has such an ancient belief system..."

Chu Tai's voice suddenly came out, and Jing Guang hurriedly asked: "What is the belief in Yu Chengshen?"

'The belief in Yucheng God, which can also be called the belief in sister gods, is a belief system that emerged during the process of believing in gods. It was originally an early belief based on the family structure in the tribal era. At that time, because women had fertility and were the core of the family, it was believed that women had stronger spirituality and could carry the power of gods and serve as carriers of gods' appearance in the world.'

'Under the influence of this belief system, women who believed in Yu Chengshen also had divinity, and were considered a type of early witch. Most of the so-called witches and gods in some areas in the late ancient times had a certain relationship with this belief.'

Chu Tai paused here, sighed, and said: "It's a pity that as the gods changed from being worshipped by families to being worshipped by tribes, regions, and even the country, this belief system no longer favored only one family. The women in the corresponding family also lost most of their divinity and source of power, and gradually became a side sect that was not worth mentioning."

"But the divinity in this little girl is very pure. It seems that the Lotus Mother has a very close relationship with her clan. Or, the original Lotus Mother is actually a woman of this clan, or even the ancestor of this girl?"

"Blood sacrifice? Then where does this Buddha light come from?"

Jinguang was somewhat confused, and there was obvious disgust in his eyes as he looked at the priest in front of him.

She could feel the guilt, sorrow and pain in the Buddha's light.

Chu Tai was silent for a while, then slowly explained: "I can only use the secret method and your perspective to observe now. I haven't seen the specific situation with my own eyes, so it's hard to make a conclusion. But we can wait a little longer. As the sacrifice proceeds, we should be able to figure out the deeper secrets."

Chu Tai's answer obviously did not satisfy Jing Guang. She whispered, "We are just going to watch?"

"This has already happened. No matter what we do, we cannot reverse the past. All we can do is keep watching and find a way to crack it. Only then will we have a chance to free the Lotus Mother and return this world to normal."

Upon hearing this, Jingguang frowned slightly and asked in a low voice: "From just now, the senior has been talking about Lotus Mother, Lotus Mother. Do you know this deity? But what I saw on the plaque outside just now is the Tzu Chi Niangniang Temple. Are the two related? Oh, I heard that the name of the nun was Master Tzu Chi." Chu Tai was silent again, and then he did not answer, but asked Jingguang: "Daoyou, what do you think is the foundation of the Buddhist practice of Master Tzu Chi?"

'What is the method of cultivation?'

Jingguang took a closer look and thought for a while: "Although she hasn't shown it yet, I think it should be the Guanyin method, or the Guanyin method that has been practiced to a very high and subtle level."

"Is that so?"

Chu Tai sighed again and told Jingguang everything he knew. In the process, he even mobilized the power of Shao Siming, Yun Zhongjun, Xiangjun and Madam Xiang, trying to help Jingguang recover some of his memory.

As her memories of the time as the Goddess of Pure Light faded, she shook her head, and her gaze changed slightly as she looked at Qianye Jinlian.

"I see. Fellow Daoist Taining, you are really good at planning. You actually found this secret so early. I foolishly entered this world, which seems to be a bit useless."

Chu Tai heard this and said hurriedly: "How come it's useless? If you hadn't come in to look for it, I would have never found this place, and we wouldn't have been able to see the true nature of the Lotus Mother."

As they were talking, new changes occurred on the sacrificial side. Chu Tai and Jing Guang looked at the same time and saw that the water in the stream was surging, and an illusory figure of a goddess gradually condensed in the layers of water light. Mud was rolling on her body, and countless lotus flowers were growing from it. The lotus lanterns that were previously in the stream also hung on her body as the goddess appeared, like many eyes, which was quite creepy.

The goddess slowly stretched out an arm and placed it on the altar. Just as she was about to touch the girl, a faint ray of Buddha's light rose.

The old woman who was presiding over the sacrifice flew into a rage. She turned around and yelled at the nun, "What are you doing?"

The previous Master Tzu Chi suddenly stood up, blocked the way of the goddess, and whispered: "I am also the Son of God, and your offspring. Devouring my flesh and blood is a better choice for you."

"Goddess who gave birth to thousands of flowers on earth and brought spring vitality, please swallow the flesh and blood of your offspring and bring new abundance to the land at this moment."

Master Tzu Chi suddenly knelt down and prostrated himself before the goddess.

Countless lotus vines sprouted out, entwining and binding the nun, and teeth gradually grew out of the mud.

Blood splattered everywhere and everyone was stunned.

Only the nun was still muttering in a low voice: "May I attain Anuttara Samyaksambodhi in the next life, so that my own light will be blazing, illuminating the sufferings of all living beings, eliminating all grievances, ignorance, demonic obstacles, and all plagues, diseases, poisons, and evil curses, removing adverse conditions, increasing my life span, and freeing me from the cycle of life and death..."

Buddha's light slowly emerged from the body of the nun, combining with the aura of the goddess, and finally made the lotus on her body become pure and holy, and the mud turned into a golden body. The flame in the lotus lamp that was like an eye turned into arms that stretched out to save the creatures around.

The creatures that were originally fearful, stretched out their hands and placed them on that arm. Following Granny Wang's prayers, they made a new agreement with the goddess.

"Goddess Tzu Chi, please lead us to survive!"

(End of this chapter)