Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 272 The Wandering Gods of Fujian: Only Kill, No Crossing
Nuoyuan jumped back into Yang Qingluan's bamboo basket, adjusted to a comfortable position, closed her eyes, and seemed to be preparing to take a nap.

Lin Huanzhen and the others were already used to this; they knew their senior's temper all too well.

Lin Huanzhen looked at Yang Qingluan and said in a gentler tone, "Qingluan, you've been frightened too. Come back to the mountain with us and rest. We can leave the aftermath to our disciples."

Yang Qingluan nodded, then couldn't help but glance again at the seemingly sleeping glutinous rice balls in the basket, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

The atmosphere was somewhat silent on the way back up the mountain.

As they approached the mountain gate, a lazy voice came from the bamboo basket, audible only to Yang Qingluan:
"Girl, don't talk about what happened today, especially the part about that old bastard Lin Lingsu."

Yang Qingluan couldn't help but smile slightly, and replied telepathically, "Senior, rest assured, this disciple knows what's important."

She hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help asking out of curiosity, "Senior, did you really... give Master Ling Su a...?"

"Hmph, he brought it on himself."

Nuoyuan's voice transmission carried a hint of smugness, "Who told him to boast so loudly back then, saying he would subdue me and make me his mount? In the end, he was too incompetent and deserved to be struck by lightning."

"However, that old fellow turned out to be a man of principle and accepted his loss. Over the past thousand years, the incense offerings from your Shenxiao Sect have been quite sincere."

Its tone lacked its usual cynicism, but instead carried a faint, melancholic air, a melancholy that had settled with the passage of time.

"Then, senior, will you stay in the Divine Firmament Sect forever?" Yang Qingluan asked softly.

Nuoyuan turned over in the basket, and a muffled voice came through: "Hmm, the dried fish here tastes pretty good, and the sun is quite warm. I'll see, I'll see."

The sound gradually faded, as if the person had fallen asleep again.

In reality, with the flourishing of humanity and the advancement of technology in modern society, even auspicious beasts are unwilling to reveal themselves to the world, since their identities are already targets of public criticism and inherently bring trouble.

The relationship between Nuoyuan and the Shenxiao Sect is more like Nuoyuan using the trustworthy "disciples and grand-disciples" of the Shenxiao Sect to hide away and have a place to stay.

If it hadn't been targeted today, it probably would have remained silent forever, perhaps even living as a cat.

The reason why Nuoyuan was willing to stay with Yang Qingluan was because of her destiny as a child of the Red Phoenix Star and the protection of the Dragon Virtue.

Longde Star is an auspicious star in Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), signifying the assistance of benefactors and the ability to turn misfortune into good fortune, and symbolizing moral achievement.

In the mythological origin story of Investiture of the Gods, he was a deity conferred upon Hong Jin, a general of the Shang Dynasty, after his death in battle. He was in charge of the reincarnation of heroic souls and marriage. His wife, Princess Longji, was conferred the title of Red Phoenix Star at the same time.

There is a legend in the world of supernatural beings that Hong Jin was originally a red koi carp that transformed into human form.

Those who are protected by the Dragon Virtue Star may not necessarily have the destiny of the Red Phoenix Star Child, but those who have the destiny of the Red Phoenix Star Child will definitely be protected by the Dragon Virtue Star. The two complement each other.

"Yang Qingluan, Phoenix Mountain...Qingluan Douque..."

"It seems like she isn't herself."

Nuoyuan meowed a few times, but because it was cat language and the sound was very low, the others did not hear it clearly.

Yang Qingluan looked at the chubby, lazy, and fluffy figure in the basket and smiled. No matter what, Nuoyuan is still Nuoyuan.

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A grand procession of deities in Fujian.
Firecrackers crackled and drums resounded.

The long procession of deities resembled a colorful dragon, winding its way through the streets and alleys.

Smoke swirls, sandalwood incense fills the air, and the festive festivities blend with the unseen power of devout prayer.

The towering "Tower of Bones" statue was supported by strong men, moving steadily forward through the crowd.

The road-clearing god is majestic and awe-inspiring, while the children are lively and adorable. All the deities are vividly and lifelike.

The believers, holding incense sticks, crowded on both sides of the procession, some praying silently, others shouting loudly, creating an extremely enthusiastic atmosphere.

Although the main focus of each deity procession is the gods, the attraction for onlookers is often the performances of various folk arts groups.

Among them, the most eye-catching are the idols, which are either tall, majestic, and terrifying, or lively, cute, and small, and can be carried on a person's shoulders or on their heads.

These deity puppets, carried on people's shoulders or heads, often have heads carved from camphor wood, while their body frames are woven from bamboo strips. In the Fuzhou area, they are commonly known as "tower bones," meaning to fit inside.

They were respectfully called "Baiye," meaning a deity who walks while swinging his arms. However, they are now more commonly referred to as "Shenjiang" or "Shenjiangzhen."

The Fujian-style procession of deities, in essence, is a type of Nuo dance, also known as "Da Nuo," or colloquially as "ghost play" or "jumping ghost faces."

Nuo dance generally refers to an ancient sacrificial dance in which people wear masks or make up their faces to represent ghosts and gods in order to drive away plagues and epidemics and to express good fortune and peace.

It is actually a kind of "simulated witchcraft".

The idea of ​​exorcising evil spirits through Nuo dance originated in primitive society, where people attributed blessings to gods and disasters to evil spirits.

Nuo dance existed in state rituals and folk ghost and spirit activities during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. There are records of Nuo sacrifices in the oracle bone inscriptions of Yin Ruins. The most famous one at that time was the exorcism of the strange man Fang Xiangshi.

Its performance movements are simple, fierce, solemn and powerful, accompanied by intense drum rhythms and formation changes, such as stepping on the hexagram, facing each other, mutual wrestling, and parade.

By the end of the Han Dynasty, there was a song about the twelve mythical beasts of Nuo eating ghosts. It tells the story of twelve mythical beasts, namely Jia Zuo, Ji Wei, Xiong Bo, Teng Jian, Lan Zhu, Bo Qi, Qiang Liang, Zu Ming, Wei Sui, Cuo Duan, Qiong Qi, and Teng Gen, who were to eat eleven kinds of ghosts and plagues, including ghost tiger, plague, demon, misfortune, blame, dream, death by dismemberment, parasite, Guan, giant, and Gu.

Finally, he urged the plague demon to escape quickly, otherwise the twelve beasts would rip out his heart, lungs, tendons, and skin, and eventually eat him.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, exorcism activities further transformed into entertainment, giving rise to "night exorcism," which combined door-to-door exorcism, begging, and street performance.

"Playing the Night Hu" is held at the end of the year and the twelfth lunar month. Three or five poor people dress up as women, gods and ghosts, beat gongs and drums, drive away evil spirits, and beg for money from door to door.

The act of "beating the night beard" demonstrates that exorcising ghosts requires the power of sound, namely, shouting loudly or uttering incantations or songs.

Having gone through the ups and downs of history, Nuo has evolved into various forms, and in modern times, it is mostly performed.

In the world of supernatural beings, Nuo is an extremely large branch within the circle and is the origin of ancient drama.

Drama generally goes through the development process of "Nuo dance - Nuo opera - drama". The three characters "witchcraft", "dance" and "martial arts" have the same origin. They are a collective term for witchcraft activities that seek to fight or exorcise evil spirits, and are also the original form of drama.

For example, the divine mask, a shamanic art, is actually closely related to Nuo.

These are all witchcraft practices that utilize the power of incense and prayer.

Just as a seed can bloom into a hundred different flowers, the various changes and stories in history have continuously influenced the generations of extraordinary people, ultimately forming the diverse forms we see today.

Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch. Besides these divine generals, there are also the deities portrayed by spirit mediums.

The white crane boy had a face covered in white powder, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and lips painted with vermilion. He wore a boy's crown inlaid with bright pearls and a snow-white feathered robe that fluttered in the wind, exuding an aura of otherworldly grace.

Holding a whisk, he moved with light steps, yet his eyes were sharp as lightning, scanning his surroundings as if he could truly cleanse away the demonic aura.

Its image originates from the celestial children who serve the immortals in Taoism. In this local belief, the additional duty of traveling around and identifying evil spirits has been added.

The officers and generals following closely behind were even more imposing and awe-inspiring, forming a group of three, including two generals and one avatar.

They wore heavily painted masks in blue, red, and green, with ferocious and exaggerated patterns, wide-open eyes, and exposed fangs, symbolizing extreme anger towards evil spirits.

Wearing a general's helmet and clad in heavily colored armor embroidered with dragons and clouds, they carried instruments of torture such as tridents, shackles, and fire sticks. Their steps were heavy and uniform, each stomp resounding and dispelling any misfortune.

The Guanjiang originated from Buddhist guardian deities. After being converted by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, he became a fierce deity who specializes in capturing evil spirits and only kills them without saving them.

With the unique deity procession culture of Fujian and the immense power of the believers' vows, the "supporting deity generals" who hold up the deity statues are also known as the bearers of the pagoda's bones.

Using its own innate Qi as a guide, it receives and carries a faint divine will, making the statue seem to come alive, with every move carrying extraordinary Qi and divine charm.

At the edge of the procession, a woman in a cheongsam, with stunning beauty and an eerie aura, was coldly looking at a string of magatama in her hand.

The jade pendant, which had been shimmering with luster, now emitted a series of subtle "crackling" sounds as it dimmed and shattered one after another, eventually turning into dust and slipping through her fingers.

In the blink of an eye, only the last one of the entire string of magatama remained intact.

This woman is none other than Tamamo-no-Mae, one of the twelve divine masters who changed her appearance and infiltrated the Divine Land to investigate the situation!

Her stunningly beautiful face was now covered in frost, and a hint of barely suppressed anger and disdain flashed in her narrow phoenix eyes.

"Useless trash! A bunch of good-for-nothings!"

She cursed inwardly, and a trace of pure yet chilling demonic energy leaked uncontrollably from her body due to the intense fluctuations in her emotions.

"Tsuchigumo, Nue, Gojo-be-ren... and those idiots who were shattered before they could even send back a message. They couldn't even do something as simple as restraint or reconnaissance."

"As expected of inferior goods from that tiny, sparsely populated country, utterly useless! What a waste of my effort in condensing the Soul Jade!"

Although her demonic aura was faint and fleeting, it was easily detected by ordinary people amidst the bustling human energy and the rich incense and prayer power.

however--

In the center of the procession of deities, the white crane boy, who was walking forward with mysterious steps, suddenly trembled, his pure and innocent divine sense, which was extremely sensitive to demonic energy.

His previously calm and surveying gaze suddenly sharpened, like the most precise radar, instantly locking onto the direction from which the demonic energy emanated: at the edge of the crowd, at the woman dressed in gorgeous attire with an excessively alluring face.

My first impression was one of confusion.

The demonic aura was extremely subtle and different from the spirits and monsters commonly seen. It carried a strange resentment and a certain sacred meaning.

The second glance is for confirmation.

As the White Crane Child, his ability to recognize "non-human Qi" was bestowed by the gods. The dark Qi field surrounding the woman, which was incompatible with the peaceful and auspicious energy of this place, was definitely not ordinary or benevolent.

The third glance is for making decisions!
No need for further explanation; it is our duty to eliminate evil!

"Um?!"

The White Crane Boy let out a clear shout imbued with Daoist rhyme, and suddenly swung his whisk forward.

He no longer maintained the steady pace of the parade; his steps suddenly changed, and he began to perform the mysterious "Three-Step Praise" Heavenly Gang Step.

One step and the Heavenly Gang will subdue the universe!

As he stepped down, the ground trembled slightly, and an invisible, pure energy field spread out from him, temporarily clearing away the surrounding noise and desires, creating a path.

Two-step thunder and fire to slay the demon!
With his second step, his white feather robe fluttered without wind, and sparks of electricity flickered in his eyes as he locked onto Tamamo-no-Mae with a chilling killing intent.

Three steps of divine power to break through evil obstacles!
In his third step, he moved with lightning speed, deviating from the original patrol route and heading straight towards the direction where Tamamo-no-Mae was.

With each step he took, the divine pressure emanating from him intensified, the awe-inspiring righteousness of the Taoist guardian celestial child like a drawn sword, pointing directly at its target.

"Commander! Follow me to capture the evil one!"

Almost at the same moment he moved, the three officers and generals behind him, who had been standing silently and solemnly like statues, seemed to be instantly infused with souls.

The blue-faced general let out a deep, thunderous roar, the red-faced general's eyes flashed with ferocity, and the blue-faced avatar grinned, revealing a chilling, sinister smile.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The three officers and generals took heavy steps, their demeanor no longer solemn as during the procession, but filled with the ferocity of war and conquest.

Their steps, though not as agile as the White Crane Boy's, were more powerful and heavy, each step seemingly on the beat of a heartbeat, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

With the blessing of incense and the power of prayer.

The three-pronged fork rises, its cold light flashing, locking onto the demonic aura; the shackles sway, emitting a clanging metallic sound, as if trying to capture the soul; the fire sticks are waved, shining with a bright red light, as if they can burn away all filth.

The righteous and virtuous aura of the White Crane Boy and the fierce and murderous aura of the General merged perfectly at this moment, forming a massive, righteous, and terrifying pressure that was specifically designed to subdue evil spirits. Like an invisible wave, it surged towards Tamamo-no-Mae at the edge of the crowd.

Wherever they went, the noisy crowd around them seemed to be pushed aside by an invisible force, involuntarily making way for them.

People watched this sudden turn of events with astonishment and awe. Some of the extraordinary individuals who had mingled among the tourists and were observing the procession of the gods paled in comparison, sensing the terrifying, imminent clash of energies.

Tamamo-no-Mae's expression also changed drastically.

She hadn't expected that the mere wisp of demonic energy she had released would elicit such a swift and fierce reaction.

Moreover, the other party was not an ordinary person, but an incarnation of a "deity" who was blessed by the wishes of all people in this procession of gods. He carried the overwhelming power of the procession of gods, and even a thousand-year-old demon like Tamamo-no-Mae could feel a sense of threat.

"Damn it, we've been exposed!"

At this moment, a young man saw that the White Crane Boy and the General had suddenly deviated from the group and rushed aggressively toward the edge of the crowd. He couldn't help but feel curious and wanted to follow them to see what was going on.

(End of this chapter)