Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 401 Bao'an Hall Takes its Position

Taihu Lake.

A rustling sound came from the reeds, and Turtle emerged from them, cursing and swearing.

That old fish demon was no good; the two pieces he threw back were immediately taken.

Alas. Even something as cunning as it was outsmarted by this country monster. Truly, appearances can be deceiving.

Fortunately, the intelligence fee can be reimbursed; if it were in the past, it would have definitely punched the fish demon's brain out.

Hmph, anyone inside Bao'an Hall can call him "Big Turtle," but outside Bao'an Hall...
"Big Turtle!"

The turtle blinked its big green bean eyes, instantly becoming meek and obedient. It trotted over to Xiaoqing's side and called out sincerely, "Your Majesty!"

This is the only powerful figure I can rely on, so I have to serve him well.

It realized that as long as Little Green King was appeased, Xu the Great Demon would be more agreeable, and Lady White Snake would throw some scraps over.

"Your Majesty, we have found out the details."

"I'll take you there."

The two then went to Lougang Village, the place where the opportunity arose.

There's still some time before the hunt, so Xiaoqing doesn't mind scouting the surrounding area and checking for any remnants of divine power.

The disappearance of the gods does not mean the disappearance of resources and magical artifacts.

What if we could also form a good karmic connection with some Bodhisattva senior, just like Xu Xuan?

They arrived at their destination after walking only a few miles.

This place was originally a well-known and prosperous village on the shore of Taihu Lake, where the largest water god temple in the area was enshrined.

It's not some evil god or licentious shrine, but a legitimate deity.

The structure of stories about becoming a god is similar in many places throughout history and across cultures, so perhaps the HR department of Heaven also has the same standards for the requirements of a resume.

It is said that before Taihu Lake was a lake, this area was a plain with a large city on it.

The wealthy magistrate in the city is a terrible person. Not only is he rich, but he also insulted the Dragon King.

This is a true humiliation; a mere mortal has achieved a red-heat effect comparable to that of Nezha and the Great Sage.

The manure outlet was carved into a large golden dragon, and the waste was poured into the chamber pot through this outlet every day.
No one knows what the lord was thinking, but the King of the East Sea couldn't stand it and immediately went to Heaven to lodge a complaint with the Emperor.

Then came the classic flooding of the plains, turning them into Taihu Lake. At least a dozen lakes on the Chinese mainland were formed in this way.

Luhua, as the master's maid, was also a kind-hearted girl.

He earned a mission similar to Moses by wiping the big golden dragon every day, and led the villagers to escape from this place.

The reeds in their hands are a magical tool to block the lake water.

The ending is quite interesting: the villagers were rescued, but Luhua fell into the flood and drowned, and was subsequently made the water god.

From now on, villagers can worship Lady Luhua to pray for good weather and a good fish harvest, and also to keep water monsters away.

As time passed, the sacred path collapsed, and the village fell into complete desolation.

Besides the fact that the fishing was turned into feeding the fish due to the rampant demons, another reason was that they refused to become river pirates and were thus squeezed out of this area.

Many fishermen in the surrounding villages fish on weekdays, but when there is business to be had, they transform into people who make a living on the water.

They would specifically invite people to meals, serving either noodles or wontons; it was quite ruthless.

The elderly in Lougang Village refused to compromise their principles and stooped to the level of corruption, while young people gradually left their hometown, leading to the current desolation.

They didn't question or be wary of strangers; they just let them be.

Gui Da led Xiao Qing inside and they saw the dilapidated Luhua Niangzi Temple.

A dilapidated wooden door, a half-collapsed roof, rubble, weeds, moss, and cobwebs.
It was very ordinary, and there was nothing particularly remarkable about it.

Even the wooden statue of the god had completely lost its paint, and its face was so blurred that it was impossible to see it.

The incense burner was only half left and had rolled onto the ground.

Turtle circled the temple three times without seeing any opportunity, and immediately realized it had been tricked by the old fish demon. It wasn't too angry, though; as the most cautious demon in Bao'an Hall after Xu Xuan, it had still managed to pull some strings.

For example, it left behind the other party's aura and made a mark on the spirit jade.

After we finish this important task, we'll kill that fish and make soup.

Xiaoqing then lifted the incense burner, pulled out three incense sticks from somewhere, lit them, and stuck them in the burner, imitating someone else's actions.

"As long as it's not a shrine of evil, you can't go wrong by going to a temple to burn incense."

Xu Xuan said in private that it is not difficult to form a connection if one has enough karma; offering incense is the way to knock on the door.

Among those in Qiantang, the one with the greatest karmic consequences is himself, followed by his sister, and Xiaoqing can be ranked third.

With the added blessing of Baoan Temple, one can theoretically establish karmic connections everywhere in this way, as long as one is not afraid of death.

It's worth a try when faced with a statue that has lost its luster.

Think about it, how many legends begin with burning incense?

Zhu Erdan visited the Ten Kings Temple and obtained a chance to exchange his heart.

Liu Yanchang visited the Temple of the Holy Mother of Mount Hua and received a fairy maiden as a gift.

Even Xu Xuan received a peak experience card and a Buddhist scripture when he visited the Ksitigarbha Temple.

Xiao Qing had a feeling that she might also be about to receive some kind of opportunity.

The ethereal fragrance gradually dissipated with the wind, neither clinging to anything nor offering any response.

Just as the last wisp of wind dissipated, Xiaoqing reached out and grabbed something from the wind.

Open your palm, and you'll see a few seeds in the center, slender and smooth, about an inch in size, with brown longitudinal stripes.

A faint scent of incense and a barely perceptible divine power lingered within.

The moment I got my hands on it, I understood how to use it.

"Only this trace remains. Indeed, great power should belong to oneself."

"However, you really are a gentle water god."

Xiaoqing thought she was already very gentle, but she never expected to meet someone even gentler. Even if she were to disappear, she would not want a blood feud to develop between humans and demons.

Reeds, oh reeds, you protect not only the people on the embankment, but also the monsters in the water.

Unfortunately, this world cannot be saved by gentleness alone.

Xiaoqing, carrying the turtle, turned around and walked straight into the shore of Taihu Lake, her splashes, like a dragon entering the sea, carrying the stench of blood.

As dawn broke, the hunt officially began.

Everyone was waiting to see how Xu Xuan would catch the centipede, but no news came.

Some whispered among themselves, while others speculated in the dark, beginning to doubt the truth of the matter.

Xie Yu was filled with admiration when he saw that Master Xu was not flustered at all, and was even reading a book.

He remained unmoved even when Mount Tai collapsed before him, and his eyes did not blink even when a deer ran past on his left; he truly possessed the demeanor of a great general.

In fact, Xu Xuan was waiting. He would definitely be overwhelmed if he were to deal with a whole nest of centipedes by himself, since it wasn't his area of ​​expertise.

Therefore, the significance of Baoan Hall's existence becomes apparent.

In a courtyard near the east gate of Suzhou, Master Mao was setting up an altar and performing a ritual.

The altar was fully stocked with offerings, and the ceremony officially began after water was sprinkled, incense was burned, and mantras were chanted to cleanse the air of impurities.

With a flick of his finger, a gust of wind arose from the ground, causing the Taoist robe to flutter loudly.

The sounds of wind and thunder surged, and the rhythmic steps enhanced inspiration.

Then he took out a big rooster!

(End of this chapter)