Tribulation

"It was just a small favor."

Fang Zelin shook his head upon hearing this, and then walked with the other person toward the back mountain of the village.

According to what the disciple just said, the temple was built halfway up the mountain behind the temple.

Today, almost everyone in the village who was able to move went to participate in the sacrificial ceremony.

Soon, a group of people arrived at the back of the mountain.

Before the group even reached the top of the mountain, they could already hear firecrackers and drums going off all at once.

A rich, lingering aroma of incense filled the air.

Fang Zelin raised his head, looked towards the mountainside, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Let's go up and take a look."

Fang Zelin spoke, he took the lead and walked towards the mountainside.

Soon, the group concealed themselves and arrived at the mountainside.

When the group looked closely, they immediately saw a small, newly built vermilion temple standing halfway up the mountain.

Perhaps because the temple was too small, there wasn't enough room to display all the offerings inside, so they were all placed outside the door.

The tables of offerings clearly showed that many pigs and sheep had been slaughtered and placed there.

"It seems the local people hold this deity in high esteem, as they have even laid out so many offerings."

Fang Zelin glanced at it casually and then said something.

This can be seen in the clothes worn by the people in front of us; they are all made of coarse linen and wear straw sandals.

Many children stood at a distance, drooling as they looked at the offerings, prompting some of the elders to scold them repeatedly.

Judging from these circumstances, these people are not considered wealthy.

Even so, there was no carelessness in the sacrificial rites.

"Great Immortal Mountain Strength, we are villagers from Wandering Oriole Village. Our village has suffered from drought for two consecutive years, the wells have dried up, and we haven't seen rain for months. We hope that you can send rain to save the people of Wandering Oriole Village."

In front of the temple, the village head led the way, kneeling and praying, his aged face full of supplication.

At this point, the entire village was at its wits' end.

They dug down into the ground, but after a long time, they found no water at all.

If this continues, everyone in the village will die of thirst.

An aged voice rang out, echoing throughout the temple.

Fang Zelin stood at a distance, watching quietly, but his gaze drifted toward the temple beside him.

"There's Yao Qi in there."

Fang Zelin examined it carefully, then said with a hint of certainty.

Even if these people regard him as a great deity, that is merely their opinion.

In reality, Fang Zelin truly sensed the Yao Qi from the temple.

Judging from this, it seems these people have mistaken the pangolin for a deity.

If this pangolin has done good deeds and helped these people a lot, then it's fine to consider it a deity; there's nothing wrong with that.

However, if the pangolin deliberately casts a spell to make things difficult for these people, and then removes the spell afterward...

Then Fang Zelin had no choice but to take action.

"It looks like it's the pangolin."

Upon hearing this, Yunzi nodded from the side, and then the two of them gracefully flew towards the temple.

When the two arrived at the temple, they saw the pangolin, which was looking out of the temple.

Clearly, he had already witnessed the sacrificial rituals performed by the people outside.

Furthermore, they also learned about the drought in the village.

But at this moment, the pangolin's somewhat pointed face was full of hesitation and uncertainty.

"Immortal, please have mercy and save our village!"

Muramasa's words continued to echo outside the temple, accompanied by wisps of incense smoke drifting in and landing on the pangolin statue.

Look at this stone statue; it does bear some resemblance to a pangolin.

The pangolin, upon seeing the incense, felt a mixture of hope and hesitation.

After a moment, he still inhaled the incense.

Judging from the other party's appearance, they showed no intention of showing themselves.

The villagers outside continued to kowtow and pray, begging the pangolin to help the village find a way to survive.

After absorbing the incense offerings, the pangolin finally sighed.

"It's not that I don't want to help, it's just that this is something I can't interfere with."

"Last year, that great demon came and immediately used magic to divert the water veins here. It also sternly rebuked the little demons, saying that if they dared to interfere, they would be eaten alive by the demon."

The pangolin, having absorbed the offerings from outside, was eager to help out.

Just thinking about how powerful that great demon was last year made him shrink back.

He knew how powerful this great demon was; if it dared to meddle in his affairs, it would surely be hunted down.

It's not worth risking your life for these people.

But he was hesitant to leave just like that.

After all, it has been here for quite some time and has finally won over some people's hearts, so it can receive a few sticks of incense during festivals.

If I leave now, the incense offerings will be cut off.

It worked so hard to get this, how could it possibly give it up like this?

But the thought of that great demon filled it with worry.

For a time, it found itself in a dilemma.

Hearing the other person mutter to themselves, Fang Zelin and Yunzi couldn't help but exchange a glance.

They managed to glean some meaning from the other person's words.

Judging from this, if I'm not mistaken, a powerful demon has probably cut off the water source here and cast a spell to prevent rainfall.

No wonder I didn't sense any water veins underground when I came here.

This demon is incredibly audacious, daring to even attack the water veins.

Such behavior is not without the fear of divine retribution.

However, perhaps the other party possesses some special Divine Ability, capable of deceiving everyone.

"Judging from this, the drought here is not the work of this demon."

Yunzi thought for a moment, then spoke to Fang Zelin.

The two of them were perfectly safe from being discovered, but their self-talk had been overheard.

There is some credibility to these words.

Fang Zelin nodded in agreement.

Just now, I saw some wells that had been dug along the way.

However, there wasn't a drop of well water to be seen below.

The ground beneath this village has dried up completely.

This is a very serious matter.

There was no water underground, unlike what we had seen before.

On the way here, I could feel that the air here was very humid.

Upon arriving here, they discovered there was no water, and only after listening did they realize...

This is because some demons have altered the water veins here without permission, causing the water source to dry up.

No matter how many wells the local people dug, they couldn't find any water.

"It seems that this is indeed the case, but since the pangolin has enjoyed the sacrifices and incense offerings from the people, it dares not make a move now."

As Fang Zelin finished speaking, he glanced at the pangolin in front of him and shook his head.

If the other party is worried about their life being in danger and is unwilling to take action, that's fine.

They were simply unwilling to make a move, yet they couldn't bear to part with the incense offerings, which would help boost their cultivation.

Such behavior is rather inappropriate.

It should be noted that these incense offerings contain a trace of wishful thinking.

Now you've accepted it but aren't doing any work; one day you'll regret it.

Fang Zelin, watching from the side, knew clearly that the pangolin couldn't let go of the incense offerings and was unwilling to leave, so something bad was bound to happen sooner or later.

Meanwhile, Yunzi, after carefully examining the pangolin in front of her, also noticed something amiss.

"Fellow Daoist, this demon's fate seems to have arrived."

Yunzi's words startled Fang Zelin. After carefully examining the pangolin, he nodded in agreement.

"That's right, the pangolin's fate has arrived!"

A calamity is a very vague concept of misfortune.

Some calamities are very common, while others are relatively rare.

For example, things like relocation for repair.

The Dao of Incense is not something that even Orthodox God can cultivate.

Like the pangolin before him, he was not Orthodox God bestowed by heaven and earth, but merely a demon.

Now they are exercising the rights of Orthodox God, which is normally not recognized by heaven and earth.

However, the universe has its limits, and everything leaves room for chance.

Even if you are a demon, you are allowed the opportunity to cultivate through the Dao of Incense.

However, spiritual practice requires the willingness of the people to offer incense and prayers, and also, one will inevitably face a tribulation in one's destiny.

Once it's over, then all will be well, and the world will acknowledge it.

In the future, he will be able to become a dignified and Orthodox God.

In other words, it's an assessment.

If you can get through this, then the future is bright.

Fang Zelin hadn't paid much attention before, but now, upon closer inspection, he noticed it.

Above the fairy's head, there was a thin black thread connecting to the sky.

This is clearly a calamity sent down from heaven specifically to target this pangolin!

Fang Zelin suddenly realized that the drought here was definitely not caused by the pangolin.

If it was the other party who did it, then they wouldn't have had this ordeal.

Instead, the other party's qualifications were completely disqualified.

What happens next depends entirely on the other party's reaction.

If you can step forward, you'll definitely pass the test.

But if the other party hides in the temple and doesn't come out, then it's considered a failure, and there's no punishment.

But if they're like they are now, not only not going out, but also eating and drinking, then there's going to be trouble.

Upon realizing this, Fang Zelin breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

Thankfully, I didn't act rashly and interrupt their fate, which would have been very troublesome.

Fortunately, Yunzi's words stopped him.

"Judging from its current state, it seems this pangolin is doomed."

The drought here is not caused by nature.

It was just a coincidence that this calamity occurred.

Thinking about how the pangolin had absorbed the incense offerings but seemed unwilling to help, Fang Zelin shook his head and said something.

Upon hearing this, Yunzi looked at the pangolin, which still showed no signs of leaving and was still refining the incense it had just absorbed.

He sighed as well.

"Yes, looking at him like this, how can he get through this if he doesn't change?"

"But let's go. This is the pangolin's fate. We can't show ourselves easily, and we mustn't reveal any information to it. Revealing such a heavenly secret will bring divine punishment."

Thinking of this, Yunzi felt a little worried, wondering if she had given herself away.

If you go back and disrupt their plans, that would be troublesome.

Fang Zelin nodded upon hearing this, hummed in agreement, and then left with the other person.

The disciples of Rising Tide Valley were still waiting outside. When they saw the two of them come out, they didn't linger and walked away.

Seeing this, the cultivators dared not delay and quickly followed.

"Master, is the pangolin alright?"

The disciple who stepped forward asked in a low voice.

I just saw my master and his companion go in and then come out immediately, which seems a bit strange.

No matter what, we should at least ask more detailed questions.

How come you're out so soon after just going in?

"There's no problem. What happened here has become their fate. If they can't escape it, then it's their destiny."

"A calamity?"

The disciple standing nearby was taken aback upon hearing this, probably not expecting such a response.

However, since it was her master who said it, she naturally believed him.

"What will happen to the people here? This place has been suffering from drought for so long. If we leave like this, won't the people here suffer from the drought again?"

Instead of asking about the pangolin, this disciple became concerned about what would happen to the local people.

"It's rare for you to remember this."

Having witnessed Fang Zelin's concern for the people, Yunzi was quite satisfied with her disciple's attentiveness.

"Leave a few disciples here. Once the pangolin matter is settled, they will come out to help regulate the waterways here. The waterways have been forcibly altered by demons; you just need to move them back."

Moving the water veins is a significant undertaking, but comparatively speaking, moving them back would naturally be easier.

Upon hearing his master's words, the disciple immediately responded, then clasped his hands and retreated.

Then, he selected a few disciples to stay and guard Wandering Oriole Village.

"Fellow Daoist, although that great demon happened to be there and inadvertently helped the other party create a calamity, this great demon seems to have ill intentions. Should we inquire with this great demon and find out more?"

Yunzi spoke, she looked at Fang Zelin beside her, waiting for his reply.

Upon hearing this, Fang Zelin thought for a moment; the other party had put aside quite a lot of things at this moment.

They must have grand ambitions.

Having entered this place and learned about this matter, I might as well continue investigating.

As things stand, so far, no one has any other leads.

If we can find even a clue, that would be a good thing.

"Hmm, based on what the pangolin said, the other party might be nearby? If they're far away, they probably can't be monitored here."

Fang Zelin thought for a moment, then said something else.

Given that the other party dared to threaten the pangolin in this way, the other party might be nearby.

Otherwise, if the pangolin helps out and then runs away, it would be difficult for the other side to find the demon, right?

After all, the other party is a pangolin!

"Perhaps so. Let's search the surrounding area; we should be able to find this fairy."

Yunzi nodded, and then called his disciples over one by one.

We don't know how powerful this demon is, so we need to be careful. We should have our disciples notify them immediately if they discover any signs of that demon.