A Sacrifice of One's Own Body (Happy Dragon Boat Festival)

Early in the morning, Chen Shi woke early. Grandpa was cooking in the kitchen with his back to Chen Shi, but Chen Shi could see that his sleeves were dripping with blood. He had no idea what kind of meat was being chopped on the cutting board.

Chen Shi glanced over and thought, As long as it isn't human flesh, I can eat anything.

A clamor came from outside. The villagers of Huangpo Village had come to the ancient tree to offer incense.

Chen Shi stepped outside and saw people carrying incense and candles, bearing fruit, chickens, and ducks as they came beneath the ancient tree in the village.

The ancient tree was weathered by time, and no one knew how many years it had lived. Its roots bulged from the earth like coiling dragons, its branches were strange and twisted like monstrous pythons, and its foliage was sparse rather than luxuriant.

Yet the tree was covered in red cords, each tied to a wooden plaque inscribed with the villagers' wishes.

No one knew how many years Huangpo Village's ancient tree had stood there. It was the Godmother of most of the villagers. On the first day of every month, the villagers came to worship it and pray for blessings, calling it the Moon Festival.

The Moon Festival lasted three days. The first day was for worshipping Godmother, while the second and third days were market days.

Ancient trees could possess spirituality, and the one worshipped by Huangpo Village was especially efficacious. After nightfall, it could drive away evil things and shelter the common folk. Thus, all the houses in Huangpo Village had been built around it as their center.

If offerings were presented, one could also make wishes to the ancient tree. Marriage, children, wealth, finding lost things, seeking safety and peace—there was nothing it would not grant.

A young girl sat upon the tree trunk, around sixteen years old, beautiful and dignified. She wore a pale green moonlight skirt, a black upper garment embroidered with red coins, and a lotus Gold Hairpin in her hair.

The girl was very quiet and never spoke.

The villagers could not see her, but Chen Shi saw her every time he went out.

Wind or rain, the girl was always sitting in the tree.

The girl in the tree had once given Chen Shi a bright red fruit. Grandpa had discovered it and made Chen Shi throw it away, saying it was poisonous.

"She isn't your Godmother; she is everyone else's Godmother. To her, you are an outsider in this village. If she poisons you to death, then everyone in the village will be her godsons," Grandpa had said.

"Little Ten, come eat." Grandpa's voice came from the courtyard.

Chen Shi answered, went home, and came to the dining table. The porridge on the table contained rice and meat, glimmering with an oily green hue and giving off a strange smell.

There were also three dishes: unknown meat stir-fried with medicinal herbs, along with things like finger-thick worms. Their smell was not at all friendly, and some of the worms were even raw, still wriggling.

Chen Shi cautiously asked, "Grandpa, is this food or medicine?"

Without turning his head, Grandpa replied, "It is food, and it is medicine. You are sick, so finish it."

Chen Shi chose his words carefully. "Grandpa, my illness is already better."

"No. You are not better."

Grandpa had his back to him, his voice somewhat cold. "You had another episode last night, didn't you? You need to keep taking your medicine."

Chen Shi's heart skipped. Grandpa clearly went out last night. How did he know I had another episode?

No matter what the food tasted like, he simply stuffed it into his mouth.

Though Grandpa had his back to him, at some point an eye had appeared on his shoulder. Its nerve clusters resembled slender little legs, spying on Chen Shi and watching him eat.

Chen Shi wolfed down the meal. His stomach felt scorching hot, growing hotter and hotter, as if a ball of blazing fire had appeared inside him and was burning his heart.

It was like this every time he ate, but this time the medicine seemed far too potent. The blood in his heart felt as though it were about to boil!

He secretly activated the Three Lights Righteous Qi Art and tried to guide the medicinal power into his limbs and bones. Only then did he feel somewhat better.

Chen Shi's heart stirred. The Three Lights Righteous Qi Art says to draw in the righteous qi of the Three Lights and refine a Sacred Embryo dharma body. I don't have a Divine Embryo and can't gather magical power, but what if I refine my own body into a Sacred Embryo instead? I don't need to refine magical power at all!

With that thought, he removed the portions of the Three Lights Righteous Qi Art that tempered true qi, leaving only its body-refining method. When he cultivated it, it still flowed without obstruction, and it improved his body even faster.

After breakfast, Chen Shi helped Grandpa harness the cart, loading all manner of daily necessities, dried rations, and food onto it and binding them firmly with ropes.

The cart had wooden wheels, and numerous talismans were carved into the hubs. They were Jia Ma Talismans, which could make the cart run faster.

Grandpa wore a bamboo hat that made his face difficult to see. He took out cinnabar and carefully traced over the talismans on the wheels, making them clearer.

The cinnabar had not been ground with water, but with Black Dog blood, and it carried a fishy stench. Chen Shi glanced at Black Pot and saw that the black dog looked utterly listless. Grandpa had probably taken its blood.

As he helped trace the talismans, Chen Shi muttered to himself, "Black dog blood from the front of the neck works best. Its yang energy is strongest, and it doesn't fade easily once applied. You ought to cut the neck with one slash after another."

He was petty and still held a grudge against the dog for adding firewood.

Black Pot shuddered and raised its head to shoot him a resentful glance.

Once grandfather and grandson were ready, they climbed onto the wooden cart. The Jia Ma Talismans on its four wheels gradually lit up, and the wheels began turning without anyone driving them, rumbling as they carried the pair out of the village.

Black Pot started walking and followed behind the wooden cart.

Grandpa held a bronze compass in his hand. Its needle swayed faintly, and whenever it changed direction, the wooden cart turned accordingly.

When the cart reached the outskirts of the village, Chen Shi jumped down, grabbed incense, candles, and spirit money, then raced up the slope to the old tree outside the village.

Grandpa neither stopped him nor halted the cart.

Chen Shi burned paper and offered incense to Stone Godmother, presented fruit, and kowtowed several times. He then offered a few sticks of incense to the scholar ghost hanging in the tree before racing back and catching up to the wooden cart.

On the first day of every month, grandfather and grandson always went out.

Every village held its Moon Festival on the first day. Besides worshipping Godmother, it was also a bustling market where all kinds of goods could be bought.

Chen Shi sat in the wooden cart and continued cultivating the Three Lights Righteous Qi Art. Starlight drifted down in scattered showers and merged into his body.

Grandpa looked him over and said, "You can take more medicine now."

Chen Shi nearly choked when he heard that. He hurriedly calmed his mind and focused on cultivation.

Strangely enough, after eating the "food" Grandpa made, he found that his cultivation speed with the Three Lights Righteous Qi Art had inexplicably increased by several degrees. His body was becoming stronger and stronger, his limbs and bones brimming with power!

Even without taking things like spirit jerky, I can enter the True King's Tomb again and walk that far! he thought.

But this was still nowhere near enough.

His goal was to obtain the complete Three Lights Righteous Qi Art!

After traveling more than ten li, the wooden cart arrived at the neighboring Shanyang Village.

The village had been built around an ancient pagoda. The pagoda had thirteen stories and stood seven or eight zhang tall. Its bricks and stones were archaic and worn, carved with patterns from some unknown era.

Chen Shi looked up and saw a handsome young monk sitting on the second floor of the ancient pagoda. As he received the incense offerings, he slowly turned his head to watch grandfather and grandson's wooden cart pass before the tower.

This young monk was Shanyang Village's Godmother.

Godmothers were not necessarily trees. Anything possessing extraordinary power could receive the worship of mortals, protect a region, and be revered as Godmother.

Shanyang Village's true Godmother was actually the ancient pagoda. The young monk was merely the form condensed from the extraordinary power produced by the villagers' worship.

This monk is no good either, Chen Shi thought.

The first time he had come here, he had rashly entered the tower and had nearly been eaten as an offering by the young monk.

He still remembered how the young monk had transformed in an instant from a kind and benevolent figure into a savage giant Buddha. The memory still sent chills through him.

The wooden cart stopped. Chen Shi climbed down and helped Grandpa set up their stall, arranging all kinds of talismans.

Grandfather and grandson mainly made their living selling talismans. There were Thousand Mile Sound Talismans for contacting relatives far away, peach talismans for warding off evil things, Jia Ma Talismans for easier travel, Water Control Talismans for boating, and Rain Master Talismans for praying for rain.

Those who could draw talismans had to cultivate a Divine Embryo and possess divine power. But such people were generally provincial graduates holding official posts in the city. Why would they come out to sell talismans?

"Old Chen, selling talismans again?" someone who recognized the pair called out.

"Mm."

"Why did I hear that you died? The people in your village said that when you sleep at night, you sleep in your own coffin!"

"What nonsense. Don't spread rumors."

Grandpa chatted idly with familiar customers. The talisman stall did good business, and before long, grandfather and grandson had sold quite a few talismans.

At that moment, two young girls came frolicking over. Both were dressed in their finest, wearing clothes they usually could not bear to wear, though their chopstick-thin, fair legs and arms were exposed. Their faces were lightly powdered, and they shone as brightly as the sun.

"Two Peach Blossom Talismans." One of the girls was bolder. She handed over two pieces of broken silver and giggled.

Her palm brushed Chen Shi's hand, soft and smooth, making the young man's heart sway.

Chen Shi hurriedly took out two Peach Blossom Talismans and handed them over. The girls left laughing, and the bolder one looked back at Chen Shi twice, smiling both times.

Chen Shi's heart pounded wildly. He pinched a Peach Blossom Talisman and silently slipped it into his sleeve.

"Take it out," Grandpa said without lifting his head.

"Take out what?" Chen Shi played dumb.

"The Peach Blossom Talisman."

Chen Shi muttered resentfully and reluctantly took out the Peach Blossom Talisman. Feeling wronged, he said, "Grandpa, I'm not that young anymore. I can use Peach Blossom Talismans!"

Grandpa shook his head. "You're still young. I saw when you were taking your medicinal bath. You need another two years of growing."

Chen Shi's face turned red.

"And you're sick," Grandpa added.

Chen Shi obediently went to cultivate the Three Lights Righteous Qi, striving to recover from his illness soon. Yet he still had a question. "Grandpa, what illness do I actually have?"

Grandpa did not answer.

By noon, grandfather and grandson had sold out all their talismans. They packed up their stall, climbed onto the wooden cart, and left Shanyang Village.

The wooden cart traveled very smoothly. Chen Shi casually ate some dry rations on the cart, while Grandpa ate nothing. Instead, he took out several sticks of incense, lit them, held them in his hand, and inhaled their fragrance.

Chen Shi watched this scene in silence for a long time before saying, "Grandpa, after you die, will you become the village's Godmother? Then I'll be able to see you every day."

Grandpa fell silent for a moment. Perhaps he felt a little sad as well, for he shook his head. "No. After I die, I will probably be dragged away by the power of the netherworld and fall into the underworld."

Another silence followed.

"Grandpa, can't you not die?"

Chen Shi lowered his head and looked at the road before the cart. The road gradually blurred. "I don't want Grandpa to die."

After a long while, Grandpa reached out with his rough, large hand and stroked his head.

"Silly child, how can people not die?" Grandpa said with a smile.

For the first time in more than ten days, Chen Shi once again felt the tenderness of an elder and close kin.

The wooden cart rumbled onward. Ahead stood a gigantic tree, but unfortunately it was dead, its branches like a monster's sharp claws stabbing toward the sky.

Around the giant tree stood over a hundred houses in a ring, but no one lived in this village anymore.

This village's Godmother was dead.

On the day the giant tree died, the village lost its protection. Foreign evils invaded, and many people died.

As the wooden cart passed by, Chen Shi saw figures moving about in the village—around a hundred people, dressed in finery and smiling. The children played and frolicked.

They, too, were celebrating the Moon Festival.

Only, they had been dead for a very long time.

"Why hasn't the power of the netherworld dragged them into the underworld?" Chen Shi wondered.

Grandpa could not answer either.

The wooden cart arrived at the next village, called Fangdian Village. The Yudai River curved here like a loop of rope, and Fangdian Village had been built along the river bend. Fragrant grass grew everywhere, with grass flourishing and orioles flying; the scenery was exceptionally beautiful.

Fangdian Village's Godmother was an ancient tree, likely an elm. Its trunk was incomparably thick, and it too was tied with many red cords and wish plaques. Chen Shi looked up into the tree but did not see the tree god formed from extraordinary power, and he could not help being startled.

Only upon reaching the foot of the tree did he discover a small temple there. Incense smoke curled before the shrine within, and a girl around his own age sat there in a pink dress, her hair tied into two long ponytails. She ate offerings while examining the villagers' wishes.

So she's here, Chen Shi thought.

Grandfather and grandson had only just set up their talisman stall when a commotion erupted. The market, bustling only moments ago, suddenly lost many people.

Women clutched their children in their arms and hurried home. Men hastily grabbed whatever weapons they could use, tucking axes and kitchen knives at their waists. Those who had just been eating scattered in a rush, leaving only the shopkeepers on the verge of tears.

"The Six Doors are here!" someone cried.

The so-called Six Doors referred to the yamen. County offices generally had six door panels at their main entrance, so people jokingly called those who worked there the Six Doors.

Chen Shi craned his neck to look and saw several dozen constables filing in. They smashed things along the way, overturning stall after stall and wrecking shop after shop.

"By the laws of Great Ming, those who owe taxes and refuse to pay shall receive one hundred strokes of the rod! You are all subjects of Great Ming, so do not make things difficult for us officials!"

The constable leader swept his gaze around, opened a ledger, and shouted, "Liu Zexi, Liu Zexi! Your land tax has been paid, but your household tax and commercial tax remain unpaid! Come out!"

A man from Fangdian Village gathered his courage and said, "Sir, Liu Zexi is dead."

The constable leader pulled over a bench and sat down with the broad confidence of a great general. In surprise, he asked, "Dead? When did he die?"

"The last time you officials came to collect taxes, he did not pay. He died the next day."

The man carefully added, "He was hanging from Godmother's tree. By the time he was found, he was already stiff."

The constable leader gave an "oh," his gaze flashing like lightning as he looked toward the ancient tree at the center of Fangdian Village. He sneered. "You mean he offered himself as a sacrifice to your village's Godmother? Liu Zexi, you used your own body as a sacrifice and made a wish to your Godmother. So... what exactly was your wish?"

Wishing all fellow readers health and well-being this Dragon Boat Festival~

Thank you to Duan Tianzun zhu for the silver reward and for your generous support! Thanks as well to Piaoyao Xiaowei, Yu Ducheng, Shenchao Qing'er, and Shenchao Junxun for the Alliance Leader rewards. After supporting the new book, Snow Willow also made up an Alliance Leader reward for Walking by the Abyss. If two updates a day during the new-book period are not enough for you, then I simply have to recommend Walking by the Abyss now!