854 The Girl from the South Sea (2/2)
The people on the shore were not mistaken. The style of the divine robes might have been old and the material faded, but the badge they wore was real and one that no one dared to replicate. Compared to the ordinary West-Hill Divine Palace divine robes, the only difference was that some of these people wore a black silk belt at their waists.
The difference in status priests and deacons in the West-Hill Divine Palace was observed strictly. The priests in red were very important figures, and held noble status, especially in the secular world. Usually, there would be a priest in red governing a tiny country. The town, ruled by the Great River Kingdom had three priests in red. The dozens of men and women who looked like fishermen and had descended from the boat were all wearing red robes. Were they all priests in red? Why would so many bigwigs appear at the remote south sea? The people in the town all found it hard to believe. What made it even more incredulous was that these priests in red were giving out food to the poor even though they were of such noble status!
When have the priests in the Divine Hall ever done such a thing?
The news of dozens of priests in red appearing in the little town near the South Sea quickly spread throughout the Great River Kingdom. When the King and the representative of the Black Ink Garden arrived by the sea after traveling through the night, the priests in red had long left, and no one knew where they had gone to.
The priests in red who were like fishermen started to walk towards the north silently after reaching the shore. They specifically chose remote paths, and sometimes, chose to walk straight through the mountains and forests as if they were afraid of bothering the ordinary folk.
They stayed by the stream, and ate their meals with the salted anchovies they brought with them. They would pay if they asked for rice and would not accept the money offered by the most pious believers of Haotian they met.
Even though they wore divine robes, they were unlike the proud priests in the West-Hill Divine Palace. Instead, they were more like the Ascetic Monks of the Yuelun Kingdom who walked silently and proudly.
One day, they arrived at the Shaoming Lake near the Black Ink Garden for a short rest. A girl looked up towards the beautiful Mogan Mountain and said, ”Is this the legendary Black Ink Garden?”
It could be because these people dressed in red divine robes fished all year round, and were exposed to the elements; they were all very tanned and rough. The girl was very young, and her skin color was lighter and smoother. Her brows were thick and straight and she exuded a sense of healthiness and strength.
A thin and tall middle-aged man answered, ”Indeed.”
The young girl looked at the attics that were somewhat hidden between Mogan Mountain and said, ”I heard my uncle mention once, when I was a child, that there were many Talisman Masters here. A few days ago, I heard that his female disciple had become a Divine Talisman Master. It seems that it is a rather good sect. Should we destroy the Black Ink Garden while we are at it?”
Talisman Masters were the most powerful existences in the cultivation world. They held high positions even in the West-Hill Divine Palace. It was difficult to beat a Divine Talisman Master in battle. Furthermore, the Master of Calligraphy and Mo Shanshan were both in the Black Ink Garden. The girl looked to be about 17 or 18, but she dared say she wanted to destroy the Black Ink Garden!
Even if she had started cultivating in the womb and was able to reach the Initial Awareness and Perception State before she was born, she should not be able to say something like that. What was even more unexpected was her natural expression when she mentioned destroying the Garden. It was as if she were talking about which tent she should stay in tonight!
If other cultivators had heard the girl saying that, they might have been stunned speechless. But it was more likely that they would laugh at her. However, the people by the lake did not look at her oddly. It was as if they felt that it would be an easy task destroying the Black Ink Garden. Some of them even looked at the girl fondly as if they would rush to the Black Ink Garden immediately if that was what she desired.
The thin and tall middle-aged man looked at the girl and shook his head. He said, ”Xiao Yu, don't make a fuss. We have a more urgent task at hand. Let's talk about it when we return to the Peach Mountain.”
The teenager's tanned face turned into one of joy and pride when she heard the words 'Peach Mountain'. Even the most solemn old man smiled.
The Light Sacrifice was the most solemn ceremony of the West-Hill Divine Palace, and was the greatest celebration in Haotian's world. The last Light Sacrifice was already a distant memory, and thus, this Light Sacrifice had gained the attention of all believers and many noble guests of the mortal world.
The oblations from each country were sent to the West-Hill Divine Kingdom. While those rare objects could not become the main oblation for the Light Sacrifice, they were sufficient to satisfy the Divine Hall.
Some of the most pious Haotian believers came to the West-Hill Divine Kingdom when they heard of the news of the Light Sacrifice. They came in spring and had never left. Other than these people, the House of Red Sleeves from Chang'an and some other dance troupes were the earliest participants of the Light Sacrifice. The Divine Hall arranged for them to stay in a garden, and other than practicing their dance moves, they were instructed in etiquette. Most importantly, their performances had to pass several rounds of inspections.
A letter from Chang'an was sent to the garden and into the Sweet Potato Shop in the town before Ning Que brought it back to the Book Hall of the Revelation Institute. After reading the letter written by Eldest Brother, Ning Que did not do anything else. He did not visit Chen Pipi at the precipice again. It was as if everyone in the world was quietly waiting for the Light Sacrifice.