Day and night tour

Chapter 446 The Heavenly Fire Clan

The Taoist priests who offer incense are quite frank in their attitude.

“I know you’re interested in these things, but knowing too much won’t do you any good. You should ask first, and I’ll pick out some things I can tell you in detail.”

Such a small matter, and it's automatically subject to review here?
After making his own grumbling, Zhou Xuan launched into a conversation, asking, "Aren't there twenty-four god-level beings living in the heavens?"

"wrong."

"That is……"

"You've already killed several gods in the heavens, where would you get twenty-four left?"

"..." Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan changed his perspective and asked, "Are there only those twenty or so god-level beings living in the sky?"

“No,” the incense-burning Taoist priest said. “If we compare the heavens to a huge city, those gods are just guarding the heavens.”

"So, what they're actually protecting is the heavens?"

Zhou Xuan asked.

The Taoist priest nodded mysteriously.

Traditionally, folk tales and folk ballads in the Kingdom of Jing have spread the idea that the deity is a "god-like protector of humanity." However, this is a misinterpretation; the deity is actually a celestial being!
The interests that gods must protect are always in the heavens.

However, the incense-burning Taoist priest turned his wits around again and said, "In reality, the Heavenly Dome doesn't need gods to guard it. The Heavenly Dome is very powerful, but they are also indulging in a life of luxury and pleasure. They spend all their time eating, drinking, and having fun. How can they have the leisure to meddle in human affairs?"

"But the vast human world needs to be managed, and the gods are the managers."

Zhou Xuan shook his head again and said, "From my perspective, even gods don't have much desire to govern the human world."

"That's natural."

The incense-burning Taoist priest said, "The dirty and hard work in this world is done by people at the bottom. The closer you are to the bottom, the more work you have to do. Gods are in the heavens, not at the center of power."

But among the people, they have a great deal to say.

"The factions they led were all deeply entrenched, with roots spreading in all directions, reaching every corner of the nine prefectures of the Jing Kingdom."

"The Wandering Gods and the Halls hold the power of life and death in the human world and manage the world's order, but in the end, they are all gods of the heavens."

The Taoist priest, gazing up at the setting sun, said, "What is power? It's a kind of faith. These faiths have woven a net, and then the temples, the processions of deities, and the government offices all attach themselves to this net."
This giant net has entangled everyone in the world, and although it is old and decaying, it is not something that ordinary people can easily escape.

Taking advantage of the incense smoke's somber mood and forlorn expression, Zhou Xuan pressed his advantage, asking, "Is there a race in the heavens above, a race that is born noble and considers itself superior to others?"

"Who says it isn't... Skyfire Clan... Who says it is? Don't try to seduce me into talking nonsense, I don't admit it."

The Taoist priest suddenly realized what was happening and hurriedly tried to change the subject.

Zhou Xuan said with a smile, "There are no outsiders here. Let's talk in private. No one else knows except the two of us."

Seeing Zhou Xuan's forced smile, which subtly revealed a stubborn streak, the incense-burning Taoist priest knew that a breach had been made in the matter of the "Heavenly Fire Clan." He realized that if Zhou Xuan wasn't given a further hint, this young man wouldn't let the matter rest. So, he quietly snapped his fingers.
"clatter."

After the dull thud, everyone around fell asleep one after another, sleeping soundly in the dim glow of the sunset.

The incense-burning Taoist priest then spoke, asking Zhou Xuan, "When did you sense the existence of the Heavenly Fire Clan in the sky?"

"When catching the fisherman monk."

"What do you mean?" the incense-burning Taoist priest asked.

After clearing his mind, Zhou Xuan said, "That fish monk was a celestial alchemist. Day and night, he worked tirelessly to refine elixirs. He refined batch after batch of human pills, but he never sent a single one to the mortal realm. He supplied them all to the heavens."
However, the fish monk was not among the best alchemists. He himself admitted that he was no match for the fire pit of the Zoroastrian sect when it came to alchemy.
This monk alone knew of several human hearths; what a massive amount of elixir that must have been for offering!
Where did all those elixirs go? Were they eaten by the gods of the heavens? I doubt it.”

Zhou Xuan pointed to Li Changxun not far away and said, "Mountain Ancestor has been in heaven for nearly a hundred years, and he has not received many pills. The amount he ate was not even enough to make up the scraps from Monk Yu's furnace."

"Therefore, I guess there must be a race in the sky, with a considerable number of people, who are the true beneficiaries of the elixir."

"You're really quick-witted."

The incense-burning Taoist priest said, "The Heavenly Fire Clan has tasted the sweetness of elixirs. However, after consuming human pills for many years, the spirit and will of that clan have suffered serious problems, yet their demand for elixirs is only growing."
The hearth fire in the human hearth is soon no longer enough to satisfy them.

"Old Master, are you willing to let the Heavenly Fire Clan ride roughshod over you?"

Zhou Xuan suddenly uttered a rebellious statement.

There was an encouraging undertone in his words.

A hint of ruthlessness flashed across the Taoist priest's brow, but it quickly vanished, much like an old man whose edges had been smoothed out.

He asked Zhou Xuan, "Young man, what is the difference between gods and ordinary people?"

“Power,” Zhou Xuan said.

In his view, those so-called gods were nothing more than ordinary people with greater power.

The Taoist priest then asked, "Then tell me again, what is the difference between a celestial being and a deity?"

"It's still about power," Zhou Xuan said.

"That's right, it's power."

The incense-wielding Taoist priest said, "Today, you witnessed the Butcher's Fire-Seizing Sacrifice, which allows him to control a vast number of fire spirits and incense souls in the world. This technique is what the Heavenly Fire Clan excels at."
Only those who possess power can become gods, but similarly—if those god-level powers are stripped away, they will no longer be supreme gods, but merely mortals.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan understood—no wonder the surveillance in the sky had weakened.
Compared to the absence of the "Supreme Will" for hundreds of years, the Heavenly Fire Clan, who are kidnapped and bewildered by the Human Pill, is the root cause of the weakened regulatory system.

No wonder the Heavenly Fire Clan was so confused, but the Incense-Worshipping Taoist, the master of the Time-Space Realm, was still afraid of this clan.

This high and mighty Heavenly Fire Clan has mastered the source of power in the human world.

Zhou Xuan then asked the Taoist priest, "What about the Heavenly God? Even the Heavenly God's power can be easily taken away by the Heavenly Fire Clan?"

"will not."

The incense-offering Taoist priest said, "Deities are empowered by the power of incense offerings, relying on a vast amount of fire spirits and incense souls to enhance their supernatural abilities. Heavenly gods, on the other hand, rely on the laws of nature."
Each celestial being possessed a complete law, and therefore they were not so afraid of the Heavenly Fire Clan.

"Therefore, the world had a period of stable development."

The Taoist priest said, "The reason why the gods are asleep is because their power has sealed the passage between the heavens and the human world."

If they use these powers recklessly, the passage will open wide, allowing the Heavenly Fire Clan to freely enter the mortal realm.

"It was the combined power of several celestial gods and the four celestial deities that bought humanity a little time to survive."

The Taoist priest said, "Regardless of what the gods and celestial beings have done in the past, they have indeed acted as 'guardian gods'."

Zhou Xuan asked the Taoist priest who was burning incense, "Do you think this hard-won balance will be broken?"

"meeting."

The incense-burning Taoist priest said, "The power of the gods and celestial beings made the Heavenly Fire Clan very wary, and thus—the Zoroastrianism came into being."

"So the Zoroastrians are also from heaven?"

"That's just my guess."

The Taoist priest said, "Over the years, I have been paying attention to the Zoroastrian sect. This sect keeps a low profile, but it has close ties with the heavens and exports a large number of elixirs every year."

Therefore, this sect must have been established by celestial beings.

“Supporting such a brutal sect, the human pills may be secondary... More importantly... the Zoroastrian sect may be searching for a way to deal with the gods.”

The Taoist priest sighed and said, "The Heavenly Fire Clan ultimately still wants to descend to the mortal realm."

Zhou Xuanji understood this principle.

The Heavenly Fire Sect needs "human pills," which are nothing more than the essence of flesh and blood of ordinary people.

The essence of hundreds of people's blood and flesh was condensed into the shape of a "pill" and sent to the celestial beings.

But if we're talking about the most direct way to truly gorge on the blood and essence of mortals, it's to descend to the mortal realm and eat people!
"The greatest enemy of the Well Kingdom has never been the Buddhist Kingdom—these scourges live right above our heads."

Zhou Xuan recalled the moment he first ascended to the rank of "Nine Provinces Alchemist," a position that inspired him greatly.

He saw one bloody hole after another appear in the sky, and the people of the world were being refined into elixirs.

"If left unchecked, I fear that realization will soon become a reality."

Everyone, including Zhou Xuan himself, will become the elixir.

"Zhou Housheng, after hearing this, do you still want to be an alchemist?" "Of course I want to be one."

Zhou Xuan said, "Perhaps, alchemy can bring the dawn of hope to the dark Kingdom of Jing."

"Why would you say that?" the Taoist priest asked instinctively.

Zhou Xuan said, "The source of power for the entire Jing Kingdom is the incense and divine way, the power brought by the incense spirits and fire spirits."

However, this power is controlled by the Heavenly Fire Clan. If the entire Well Kingdom no longer relies on this power, then the Heavenly Fire Clan will no longer be able to control humanity.

"The elixir will become a new source of power for our Jing Kingdom, depriving the Tianhuo Clan of their greatest reliance."

Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest shook his whisk and said, "Zhou Housheng, the new generation surpasses the old. Your thoughts are enough to light up the dying lamp of the Jing Kingdom."

"It's just a concept right now, but... what if it succeeds?"

"If that day ever comes, I, your humble servant, will gladly kowtow three times to you."

The Taoist priest, who was burning incense, was unusually excited.
Zhou Xuan then moved on to the second topic: "Old Incense Master, I've finished asking about the celestial realm. The next thing to inquire about is the 'Day and Night Wanderer.'"

"Legend has it that these day and night wandering gods are the ancestral gods of the day and night wandering gods in the human world."

"It's not that simple."

The Taoist priest said, "Of course, that's just my guess."

Why do you have so many guesses?

Zhou Xuan complained.

"Ahem, when people are idle, they tend to overthink things." The incense-burning Taoist priest waved his whisk and gently tapped Zhou Xuan's forehead: "Listen carefully."

He regained his composure and said, "Many important figures know that the Kingdom of Jing has two wills: one is the 'Supreme Will,' and the other is the 'Blood God Will.'"
However, I suspect that the Kingdom of Jing has a third will, namely this "Day and Night Wanderer."

"Is there any evidence for this speculation?"

Zhou Xuan felt that this speculation was too sensational, so he asked.

"The evidence lies in the murals that record the day and night processions of the gods."

The incense-burning Taoist priest said, "The wandering spirits of day and night have three souls. One soul is their true form, and the other two souls are the 'day soul' and the 'night soul'."

The "Sun Soul" was engulfed in raging flames, while the "Night Soul" was shrouded in silver light. One day, while seeking enlightenment before the mural, I inadvertently sensed the aura of supreme will within the Sun Soul, and the aura of the Blood God's will within the Night Soul.

Therefore, I believe that these two souls were obtained by the wandering spirits of day and night from the two great wills of the Supreme Being and the Blood God.

"This mother goddess who roams the mortal realm is so powerful?"

Zhou Xuan asked.

"So it's just a guess. If my guess is true, then the 'Day and Night Wanderer' is the most powerful will in the Kingdom of Well."

The incense-offering Taoist priest said, "Since you can manifest the forms of the 'Day and Night Wandering Spirits,' you must take good care of your day spirit and night spirit. They may be able to help you comprehend the great principles of this world."

"How do you nurture that soul?"

Zhou Xuan asked.

"You'll have to ask the Blood Well Celestial Venerable about that; he knows all the secrets of the world."

"also."

Zhou Xuan glanced at the corpses of Zhao Jinjia and Wan Zangshan—two sets of nine incense sticks each. The offerings this time were anything but ordinary.

"Go and entice Pisces. I've said enough about what I needed to say and could say."

The Taoist priest saw that the blue and red mist had become extremely dense. If he didn't guide it soon, the two fish would be completely dispersed before they were even born.

If the green and red qi dissipates, it will not be easy to find it again in the future.

"Thank you for your kindness today, Elder. I will send you some when I refine some good pills."

"No need for pills, Zhou Housheng. Just remember what I said today—your pills might be able to light up the dying lamp of the Jing Kingdom."

"I remember. I remember."

After Zhou Xuan finished speaking, he first threw the corpses of Wan Zangshan and Zhao Jinjia into the secret realm, and then walked towards the blue and red mist.

He walked along, muttering to himself.

"If it's a pill that can unlock new power attributes for the Jing Kingdom, those god-level beings will all come to me to avoid being manipulated by the Heavenly Fire Clan."

"So, will I really be able to achieve great success?"

Zhou Xuan got an answer from the incense-burning Taoist priest—the biggest difference between gods and ordinary people is whether their power is strong enough.

But another question was also vaguely on his mind—what is the difference between will and the Celestial Venerable or the God?
"Will can bestow power upon celestial beings and gods."

"If my pills can seal powerful abilities, then I seem to be no different from willpower."

Thinking of this, Zhou Xuan's steps became even more vigorous, almost creating a gust of wind.

……

Zhou Xuan entered the blue-red mist.
In the mist, the bamboo forest disappeared, leaving only a vast pool of water, half of which was crimson and the other half as blue as the sky after rain.

The two waves, azure and crimson, were incredibly affectionate towards Zhou Xuan, surging up and enveloping him.

Suddenly, a sensation of alternating cold and heat circulated continuously across Zhou Xuan's skin.

The abundant moisture seeped into Zhou Xuan's body.

He could hear the sound of flowing water.

"Gurgle, gurgle."

The moisture seeped through Zhou Xuan's skin and permeated his secret realm, transforming into two clear streams that gently slid into the black water.

As soon as it entered the black water, it transformed into a fish.

Soon,
Two large fish, one red and one blue, swam leisurely in the black water, while the red and blue mist completely dissipated.

The process of guiding fish was much smoother and more uneventful than the recent "fish-grabbing" incident.

Zhou Xuan immediately closed his eyes and focused his mind on the secret realm.

"Fun, fun, big kid, you play with mine, mine is bigger."

When Zhou Xuan entered the secret realm, Qinghongyu was already having a great time playing with Dawa and Sanwa.

It wasn't that they were playing a trick on them, it was that they were being tricked.

The blue and red fish were probably unwilling; only the eldest brother was holding the blue fish and the third brother was holding the red fish, and the two were comparing whose fish was bigger, and they were having a great time.

The blue fish was utterly despondent, while the red fish made a move to bite the three children.

However, these two kids are ginseng spirits who have lived in the mountains for many years. They've spent their days catching fish and hunting birds. Don't let their small size fool you; they're incredibly skilled at handling fish.
As soon as the red fish flicked its tail, the third boy turned slightly to the side, deflecting the force of the fish's impact.

"Big brother, this fish is so fierce, I like it so much."

The two children got into playing, and Zhou Xuan watched with great interest. In his eyes, the two children holding the blue and red fish looked like what? Like a New Year's painting.

When he was a child, his family would hang New Year pictures during the Spring Festival. The main subject of the pictures was two chubby babies, one holding a red fish and the other holding a blue fish, which symbolized "abundance year after year".

"This scene evokes such nostalgia."

After observing for a while, Zhou Xuan picked up the bodies of Zhao Jinjia and Wan Zangshan, who had been ignored by everyone, and walked step by step toward the City God Temple.

"Jingzi, who doesn't eat dumplings during the New Year? I brought you two really hearty dishes, the really, really hearty kind."

Zhou Xuan called out cheerfully before even entering the room.

He was "delivering food" to the Blood Well, but at the same time, he also wanted to consult the Blood Well for divination—he wanted to know what kind of "evidence" he needed to provide to convince the heavenly beings that he could refine unparalleled elixirs.

By the way, how do you raise day spirits and night spirits...?

(End of this chapter)