Becoming a God from a Water Monkey

Chapter 1218 Tenfold Favor, Heroes' Gathering (Part Two)

"Thump! Thump! Thump."

The drumbeats began first from the Drum Tower.

Slow and gentle, slow yet heavy, heavy yet profound, each sound resonating deep within the heart.

The drum is struck three times.

At the two sides below the Drum Tower, two burly men, shirtless, beat their clappers as they continued upwards.

Three more sounds rang out, and three zhang away on the bluestone street, another burly man swung his bare arms.

One after another, one side after another, one after another, the relay is passed on.

"Thump thump thump! Thump thump thump! Thump thump thump!"

The drumbeats stretched on and on, passed from one sound to another, like a torch being passed on, or a slumbering beast awakening. Yellow dust rose lightly from the ground, ripples spread in the vat, and small pebbles on the roof trembled slightly. All the tourists stopped in their tracks, held their breath, and pressed their hands to their hearts.

The sound reached Shangrao Wharf.

There were 36 people in two rows at the altar, and 108 people in two columns.

The man swung the hammer with one hand, then switched to holding it with both hands, twisting his waist and straining with all his might, striking the drum three times. Thirty-six brass horns emerged neatly from the left side of the drum, reaching towards the sky.

"Woo~~~~"

The low-pressure, resonant sound of brass echoed throughout the world.

The drums stopped, the horns ceased.

Heaven and earth fell silent.

Ancient trees flourish in spring, and large fish in the waves stop swimming.

The painted boats on the river were moored on the water, with all the doors and windows wide open.

Wild Boar Roller Coaster, Jade Crystal Boat, Water Spider, Wooden Capsule... all suspended.

Without their parents' coaxing, the children's cries stopped along with the sound of the horn, and they opened their big eyes to look at the world with curiosity.

Street vendors put down their stoves and bamboo sieves and, under the astonished gazes of tourists, moved forward in unison.

They were from Pingyang, Yixing, and the nearby water towns, weaving through the pausing pedestrians, like white foam overflowing from a group of reefs.

Beside the altar, the long incense stick with the dragon design for timing the time burned, wisps of white smoke rising from it. The copper ball hanging below swayed precariously, and the white cotton thread was scorched yellow by the high temperature.

Noon is approaching.

"Wait, why is He Hanyu over there? With the stone?" Wen Junxuan pointed.

The Shangrao wharf is spacious and bright, with a towering solid wood altar. The surrounding square is crowded with local villagers, and tall buildings on both sides of the square form a sharp staircase shade at the entrance, protecting them from the scorching sun. Under the eaves, elderly villagers with mobility issues and local gentry who sponsored the river god festival all stand here.

Ascending the three steps, a black dog as tall as a galloping horse sat on the ground, its tongue lolling out. Beside it were Wen Shiyun and He Hanyu, who had mysteriously disappeared while they were strolling around!
Both of them were at the best "viewing platform".

It's not surprising that Wen Shiyun went to the front, after all, he's Liang Qu's personal disciple and will be following him to learn martial arts this year. What makes He Hanyu stand out...?

"Oh no, it's all our fault for not keeping a close eye on Wen Shiyun. We got distracted by the excitement in Yixing." A young man slammed his fist in regret. "It must have been when we weren't paying attention that Shiyun was threatened by He Hanyu. He was supposed to go by himself, but now he has to take her with him."

These words were like a wake-up call; the boys lowered their heads, filled with shame.

It's all my fault for being distracted by the hustle and bustle of the street and failing to protect Wen Shiyun from the oppression of that wicked woman. It's truly shameful!
"Damn it, how did things turn out like this? It's all my fault! I took Shi Tou's vote, but I didn't protect him."

"No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. Don't be too sad! We need to regroup and learn from this experience!"

"Ah, French fries have ruined me! From today onwards, I'm giving up French fries!"

The bamboo tube fell to the ground, and golden fries rolled out of the opening. A big yellow dog by the roadside raised its head, its tail held high, and excitedly licked them clean.

"strangeness……"

Wen Junxuan felt something was off. His gaze fell on Wen Shiyun on the steps. Just then, their eyes met. Wen Shiyun leaned back slightly, stretched out her hands as if to strangle herself, and then let out a long sigh, her face full of helplessness.

"Clap."

The cotton thread broke, and the copper ball fell into the iron pan with a crisp sound.

"The auspicious time has arrived."

"The auspicious time has come!"

"The auspicious time has arrived!!"

"Qiang! Qiang! Qiang!"

Three gong sounds interrupted my thoughts.

The Dazhui (a type of ceremonial hammer) is swung, and the drumbeats continue.

People's attention was drawn to the central sacrificial ceremony, and tourists craned their necks, crowding together.

Similar ceremonies are common throughout the Jianghuai region, and there are even more elaborate ones. Normally, no one would pay any attention to them, let alone be interested in going there specifically to watch. But in Yixing County, for some reason, it seems to be more interesting, more atmospheric, and has a so-called "cultural characteristic."

The toe of the shoe is stitched.

Priest Xiang Fangsu walked slowly along the central axis of the three-zhang (approximately 10 meters) altar, taking one step at a time, until he reached the altar.

With his back to the altar and facing the crowd, his voice carried throughout the street.

"Save...the sacrifice!"

Tourists on the bluestone street turned their heads, eagerly anticipating the livestock being dragged forward, wondering whether they were large spirits or monsters, and what kind of animals they might be.

However, the weather changed dramatically overhead, and a sudden gale arose.

In the clear, cloudless blue sky, fluffy white clouds swept in from the west, casting large shadows that blocked out the blazing sun.

Then, ten thousand horses galloped!
One after another, jade-white horses galloped forward, their manes flying and reins swaying around their necks, as if dragging white clouds behind them.

The horse galloped silently through the air, while the drums on the ground resounded.

Heaven and earth, in harmony and interplay, are forming a swift and fierce tread!
The burly man beat the drum with all his might, causing the ground to tremble slightly and the banners to flutter in the wind.

Everyone felt the horse's hooves landing on the earth, landing on their hearts.

"Prince Huai!"

A gasp drew everyone's attention to the figure in the center of the crowd.

A young man.

A heroic young man.

Prince Huai!

His youth is unparalleled in the world!
"Ho ho ha!"

When the chief priest ascended the platform, a commotion erupted.

On the eaves, the golden monkeys leaped and jumped, climbing the gable walls, shouting and laughing.

The wheels rolled on, splitting the white clouds and grinding out two straight cloud axes.

Liang Qu rode on a green chariot, its flags fluttering. He held countless reins, the ends of which led ten thousand celestial horses. Behind the celestial horses, three giant beasts lay prostrate: a bull as strong as a small mountain, a large fish with a forehead as high as the God of Longevity, and a sheep-like beast with long, flowing hair, resembling an old man.

This perfectly aligns with the auspicious meaning of sacrifice!
In terms of Qi, it is an even greater demon!
The chariots drove from west to east, joining the bluestone street.

With a flick of the reins, Liang Qu sent ten thousand horses plunging downwards, then rising up. The giant beast made a sharp turn, flying over people's heads, whipping up strands of hair that were almost within reach.

Screams continued.

Spectacular and inspiring.

"Those were all created by the Third Prince, right? Are we going to have the Mist Beasts as sacrifices this year?" He Hanyu asked quietly. She had been to Yixing before, met the Third Prince, and knew that he had the ability to create things by spitting out mist.

“My master said that traditional celebrations should keep up with the times. A gentleman stays away from the kitchen and cannot bear to see animals die. Today, there are people of all ages. Slaughtering animals on site is too cruel. Draining the blood into the Yangtze and Huai Rivers would reduce the number of visitors to the Water Sky Plank Road. So we changed to using the Mist Beast.”

He Hanyu was stunned: "Then... is it still considered a Yixing tradition?"

"I guess so?" Wen Shiyun scratched his head. "Master said that it's about the bone structure, not the form, and about the person, not the object. Everyone is here to see the performance, so the grander and more spectacular it is, the better. If we do it the old way, the people in the back won't be able to see it, which is actually not good."

White clouds swept across the sky like a curtain being unfurled.

The little mirage puffed out its cheeks and sprayed air forcefully.

White clouds flow down, and ten thousand horses scatter into a straight white waterfall, spreading and growing from the vast marshes of the Yangtze and Huai rivers, winding and converging into a huge dragon gate framework.

Above the Dragon Gate, one can see the agile figures of galloping horses, and even when they land on the gate frame, they continue to gallop.

A living relief, a living gantry!

Crash, crash.

The iron chains hanging from the main beam, like the iron cables of a bridge, swayed, tightened, and straightened constantly, hanging the three struggling beasts upside down, emitting tragic screams.

Shocked.

An unparalleled and breathtaking experience.

On the river, the dragon gate was at least a hundred feet high. Throughout Yixing County, no matter where one was, one could clearly see the struggle of the three giant beasts. The monks on Pingyang Mountain also had a clear view, and those on the mountaintop had an even clearer view. "Using form to kill, the King of Huai has done a great service and acted with benevolence."

"Roar!"

The great demon roared, and a buzzing sound filled my ears.

The timid are pale and weak, their legs trembling, while the bold are bloodshot and courageous, going even further.

The priest shouted:

"prick!"

Liang Qu waved his hand, and the chariot beneath him transformed into three emerald-green daggers, which hung down from the dragon gate frame.

Amidst gasps of alarm, the bullet plunged straight into the beast's neck. From the wound, billowing white smoke erupted, like splattered blood. The white smoke spread across the entire river surface, flowing like milk, and even spilled onto the bluestone street.

Everyone's calves were enveloped in white smoke, and their trouser legs were fluttering, creating an atmosphere like that of a fairyland.

The boys couldn't help but back away.

grand.

Spectacular.

Most importantly, a strong sense of participation!

The child reached out to grasp the ethereal clouds, but his hands were empty, and it felt as if the wind was blowing through his fingertips.

The old man breathed deeply, as if the air flowing on the ground was filled with celestial energy, making one feel light and graceful with every step.

This is a festival personally overseen by the Martial Saint, making the trip worthwhile!

"The shaman has been reinstated!"

Five gongs sounded.

Dozens of shamans emerged from both sides, walked to the sides of the altar, and sang sacrificial songs and danced sacrificial dances.

Gongs, drums, horns... the music mingled together, changing from solemn to passionate, from awe to joy.

"Priest, okay!"

Clang! Clang! Clang.
Nine gongs resounded, the noise and commotion never ceasing.

The musicians raised their brass horns again, and the drum with its oxhide surface stirred up dust in the air.

The dock reflected the sunlight, creating a white expanse, and Prince Huai climbed the steps.

Sparkling with pearly light.

The wine is poured into the great river.

[Offering sacrifices to the Huai River increases the river's favorability by 9.1124]

[Ruling the Huai River region, gaining favor and 0.4]

River Dominance: 1.3 (River Favorability: 80.4124)

Ten times the usual amount!
……

"How did they do that? Were those giant beasts real or fake?"

"I can't tell, I really can't tell."

"It looks exactly like the real thing, but the blood is like mist, and the whole thing is jade white, which is unusual..."

"Finally, I've seen him. So this is what the Prince of Huai looks like. But why don't I see any other Martial Saints? Wasn't it supposed to be the Heroes' Gathering and the East Sea Hunt, a preliminary competition?"

The stagnant crowd began to move again.

The commotion resumed, with noisy discussions erupting.

Everyone wore an expression of unbelievable excitement, thrilled to see the Prince of Huai and to witness the celebration. The young people, in particular, had flushed faces as they recounted everything that had just happened.

Yixing County, Tai...

How can there be such a magical and interesting place in the world?
Rivers, transparent walkways, waterways, temples, martial arts halls, and ancient trees that bloom eternally... these are far more than just bustling prosperity.

In terms of prosperity, Southern Zhili and the capital city had more luxurious places and more extravagant enjoyment. Jiangchuan's specialties, Pingyang Temple's history, Wutang's cultural heritage, and the majestic Qishu trees were all inferior.

But there is a unique kind of joy in Yixing County that is beyond the scope of language. You feel like you have become a little child again, a child who knows nothing about the world and can play with a building block for an entire afternoon with great interest!
Even the wealthiest and most powerful person, once they leave this place, what can they do with their friends?

It's nothing more than cricket fighting, listening to music, and reading storybooks...

Such intense novelty even brings a sense of shame and inferiority; they are nothing short of country bumpkins who have never seen the world before!
Fortunately, everyone here is a "city bumpkin" today, which avoids any awkwardness.

Having personally experienced it firsthand, the traveling merchants subconsciously thought of the business opportunities and wanted to bring this model back with them. However, upon closer reflection, it seemed that every project was unique and could not be replicated. Even if it could be replicated, like the Peach Blossom Corridor of Huaiyin Martial Arts School, would anyone actually go there after it was built? Even if it were better and bigger.

This is a complex system, unless Liang Qu himself is willing to make extravagant use of it.

Two or three merchants from Beiting gathered in the volcano pavilion, wearing bathrobes, eating hot pot, watching the misty clouds in the sky, and seeing the scrolling text on the banner on the Everlasting Spring Tree, their eyes filled with envy.

"What a peak of prosperity..."

Cars flowed like water and horses galloped like dragons.

After the sacrificial ceremony to the Huai River, Liang Qu immediately returned to the Wan Gu Ying Chun Shu to oversee the next key project.

Scam, oh no, make money.

Make a killing off these rich people!
"Never let your guard down. You must maintain safety and order. Beware of thieves and robbers. If anything happens, tell me immediately. No matter how small, today is the day."

"Don't worry, my lord."

"As for the toilets, I previously instructed you to build one every half mile and to have someone clean them every fifteen minutes to ensure they are clean. Is there any problem with that?"

"We just sent someone to check, and there's nothing there yet."

Receiving so many tourists puts considerable pressure on the local area's capacity to receive them.

Even the most inconspicuous toilets, the dry toilets in most places, Liangqu knew how terrible they were without even going inside. You could feel the "splat" as soon as you stepped in, and in the summer they were full of wriggling proteins.

Unfortunately, this is an essential facility when there are many people, so it must be kept clean and tidy. In addition, uncivilized behaviors such as horse-drawn carriages being parked haphazardly and horses defecating in the street greatly spoil the tourists' mood and make them not want to come back.

Compared to that, theft and robbery are easier to handle, thanks to the protection provided by the travel permit.

This was the first time such a large-scale event had been held, and Liang Qu had to personally oversee all aspects and focus on the key points, daring not to delegate any tasks to others.

Of the thirteen fiefdoms, only Yixing can be considered fully developed. It began accumulating resources ten years ago, and the help from the Xu family during the New Year holidays can be seen as lighting the fuse. Now, the switch has been completely pressed, causing an "explosion".

The next twelve ports are not as good as Yixing, so the effect will definitely not be as good. Therefore, the first event must be explosive enough to establish a good reputation and attract a continuous stream of newcomers.

Having cultivated to this level, there are many places I can no longer govern.

But beneath his feet, Liangqu is to be built into a "fantasy land"!
"Ah Fei, introduce some more traditional stories. In 25 minutes, we'll warm up the Hero Fighting Tournament and introduce the 'heroes' who will be participating."

The long beard is folded at a 90-degree angle.

"This is delicious, so delicious!"

"Guest, would you like to buy a sugar fish, Benboerba?"

"Wood carvings, wood carvings from Benboerba."

"River shrimp are in season in June. We have guests. Alright, three people in the private room upstairs!"

"Try flying a kite! Why is it so big? This kite is for sending people into the sky..."

The crowd surged like a silver tide of money, walking gold ingots, colliding with vendors wherever they went, creating waves and leaving traces.

"Next up is the Heroes' Gathering, right? Will those Martial Saints and Demon Kings really fight each other?"

"I don't know. By the way, can a Martial Saint leave so easily?"

"Would the Prince of Huai lie to me?"

The excitement of the River God Festival had not yet subsided, and many people were already looking forward to the Heroes' Gathering at Shen Shi (3-5 PM), or rather, it was precisely because they had witnessed the River God Festival that they had even greater expectations.

Many martial saints and demon kings, unable to come in person, sent their trusted confidants to Yixing to see what exactly they had authorized.

For example, Zhang Xu, the steward of the Yue King's household, rushed over from Ningjiang Prefecture. On the way, he saw the grandson of the king riding a dog, gesturing wildly and confidently to He Hanyu. He couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

"Wow."

The sound of the tide crashing against the shore drew tourists' attention.

At the top of the Eternal Spring Tree, the circular subtitles disappeared, and Benboerba leaped forward, creating a huge wave that jumped in front of him, attracting attention.

"Dear tourists, the River God Festival has ended. You have experienced the brilliant culture of Yixing and witnessed the heroic spirit of the Prince of Huai."

However, the excitement of the day has only just begun, with only two hours remaining until the Heroes' Gathering at Shenshi (3-5 PM).

You may all head to the restaurants along the street for lunch and a short rest. While you're at it, let Benboerba give you a grand introduction to the 'heroes' of this conference!

(End of this chapter)