nyslfriends Chapter 7 Sacrifice: The First Step Beyond the Mundane
Chapter 7 Sacrifice: The First Step Beyond the Mundane
Entrance to Shixi Village.
The night before the sacrificial ceremony.
The moonlight was like water.
All sounds are silent.
Lin Shi, Sun Ming, Xu Zheng, Bai Siqi, Lü Xing, and Zhuang Shifeng gathered together to inspect the various supplies for tomorrow's sacrificial ceremony.
Thirty paces to the east of the stone niche, there is a huge wooden barrel filled with clear well water, gleaming softly in the moonlight.
"This is the first bucket of fresh water drawn from the East Well before the rooster crows at the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM)."
"The timing is right, when the moisture is at its peak."
Lin Shi scooped up a little with his hand, felt the bone-chilling coldness, and nodded.
"It's aged artemisia for over three years, the smoke is bluish-white, and the aroma is pure, that's right."
"The ritual has been abandoned for many years, so finding the formation is not easy."
"The Stone Toad King will surely feel the sincerity of those who make offerings!"
Lin Shi walked to the stone niche, where several bundles of dried mugwort were piled together, emitting a strong herbal aroma. He pulled out a bundle and examined it carefully.
The sacrificial ceremony had been interrupted for many years. A few days ago, when the Stone Toad King appeared in my dream to explain the ritual and offerings, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find mugwort that was more than three years old. Unexpectedly, someone actually had some.
This is something you don't need for everyday use; only sincere people keep it on hand.
The new wheat is golden yellow.
The wild fruits were plump and full.
The spring water is clear and cool.
Several small, scaleless white fish were swimming in a ceramic basin that was being temporarily kept in.
……
Lin Shi carefully inspected each offering and confirmed that everything was correct.
"The villagers will bring the prayer stones themselves and place them here tomorrow."
"With sincerity, even stones can become spiritual."
Lin Shi finally walked to the stone niche, ran his hand over the newly paved bluestone slab, its surface smooth and cool.
"Lin Shi! It's your turn tomorrow."
As Sun Ming watched Lin Shi meticulously inspect every step, his demeanor calm and composed, and his precise grasp of every detail, the last bit of doubt in his heart vanished. At such a young age, with such insight, he was definitely the person chosen by Lord Shi Chan.
"I will certainly live up to your trust and ensure the successful completion of the sacrificial ceremony."
"May we comfort the gods above and bring peace to the villagers below!"
Lin Shi turned around and looked at Sun Ming.
In order to obtain a continuous source of faith, a few days ago, he took advantage of the dream of the Stone Toad King to formulate sacrificial rituals and set a grand ceremony for the whole village tomorrow. Tonight, Sun Ming not only called him over to check the sacrificial offerings, but also told him to be the chief officiant.
Do you want to be one?!
I miss it so much!
As a master of folklore research, he was well aware of the status, influence, and enormous benefits of the chief priest, but he lacked the prestige to do so. He originally intended to proceed gradually.
I never expected such a huge windfall to fall from the sky!
Lin Shi pretended to decline, but when Sun Ming said that only those who had received the teachings of the Stone Toad King could be the chief priest, he stopped being coy and readily agreed.
This is truly a delightful surprise!
Sun Ming, Xu Zheng, Bai Siqi, Lü Xing, and Zhuang Shifeng all nodded. Under the moonlight, Lin Shi's figure stood tall and his gaze was firm, which was the majesty required of the chief priest.
Before dawn, the stars were still bright.
Entrance to Shixi Village.
The air was filled with the crisp scent of well water and the unique, bitter aroma of burning wormwood.
The villagers of Shixi Village, dressed neatly, gathered at the village entrance. No one spoke; only the sound of footsteps and suppressed breathing could be heard.
Lin Shi stood at the front, having already bathed in the cold water of Dongjing Well. He changed into a clean, old but worn blue linen robe that he had kept at the bottom of his trunk, reluctant to wear. His hair was neatly tied up, and his face no longer showed its usual gentleness or timidity, but only an almost cold solemnity. His gaze swept over the crowd, and the invisible pressure completely silenced the slightly restless crowd.
"Wash your hands! Burn mugwort."
Lin Shi spoke, his voice not loud, but full of energy, clearly reaching everyone's ears, carrying an unquestionable authority.
The villagers began to move slowly forward, immersing their hands in the running water in the wooden basins one by one, rubbing them carefully. Then, they passed through the smoldering pile of mugwort, their bodies enveloped in bluish-white smoke, purifying their minds and bodies.
Lin Shi stood quietly, watching everyone who passed by him, supervising every step. The entire process was completely silent, save for the sounds of footsteps, the crackling of the flames, and scooping water from a basin.
Looking at Lin Shi's unfamiliar and dignified face, the villagers felt an ever-growing sense of awe. After washing their hands and burning mugwort, they stood in neat rows, so quiet that no one spoke and not even their breathing could be heard.
The stone niche was cleaned until it was spotless.
A small bowl of golden new wheat!
A few wild berries covered in dew!
The earthenware jar is filled with clear spring water!
A ceramic pot, with several lively little white fish swimming around, wagging their tails!
The first rays of sunlight pierced the darkness, illuminating the stone niche!
Lin Shi stepped forward, faced the stone toad statue, bowed deeply, turned around, faced the dark mass of people prostrate on the ground, and slowly raised his hands. His movements were ancient and solemn, as if he were drawing upon an invisible force.
"By the great Stone Toad King!"
"The descendants of Shixi Village, with utmost sincerity, offer this solemn sacrifice, praying for the blessings of this region!"
Lin Shisheng's voice was like a flood, resounding throughout the entire venue.
"The stone toad opens its mouth! Rain is frequent!"
"The stone toad closes its mouth! Dry the riverbed!"
Lin Shi's voice suddenly rose, and he began to recite, clear and melodious, with a unique rhythm that seemed to resonate with heaven and earth, creating a strange penetrating power that broke the silence of dawn.
"The stone toad opens its mouth! Rain is frequent!"
"The stone toad closes its mouth! Dry the riverbed!"
……
"The stone toad opens its mouth! Rain is frequent!"
"The stone toad closes its mouth! Dry the riverbed!"
……
The villagers chanted, and at first their voices were somewhat chaotic, but under Lin Shi's guidance, within a few breaths they became uniform, loud and devout, the sound waves rising higher and higher, echoing in the sky above Shixi Village, shaking the soul.
A powerful, pure faith, a hundred times stronger than the faint yet potent one from Tiger Head's parents the previous night, rose from every kneeling villager, converging into an invisible golden current that flowed like a hundred rivers into the sea, pouring into the stone toad statue.
Lin Shi was both surprised and delighted.
This is the power that formal rituals should have!
The "river channel" inside the stone toad statue emitted a joyful buzzing sound, frantically absorbing this pure energy, and the cracks healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The dragon clone beneath the deep pool felt an unprecedented sense of comfort and satisfaction. Not only were the old wounds in its abdomen healing at an astonishing speed, but its strength was also increasing rapidly.
"The stone toad opens its mouth! Rain is frequent!"
"The stone toad closes its mouth! Dry the riverbed!"
……
"The stone toad opens its mouth! Rain is frequent!"
"The stone toad closes its mouth! Dry the riverbed!"
……
After the villagers finished reciting the folk song forty-nine times, they prostrated themselves and kowtowed.
The time has come!
Lin Shi took a deep breath and made a thought.
The power of the dragon's avatar, through that strong bond of faith, transformed into a gentle and sacred wave, instantly flowing back into the stone toad statue.
Strange phenomena suddenly occur!
The Azure Pool, though calm, rippled with light. On its surface, dreamlike, pale blue halos appeared out of thin air, like stars falling into the pool, soaring upwards and streaking across the sky.
A layer of hazy, clear light, like moonlight, suddenly flowed across the surface of the stone toad statue, making it appear as if it were carved from jade. Countless pale blue light spots appeared out of thin air, like fireflies on a summer night or reflections of a starry river, dancing and twinkling around the stone niche, making the entire village entrance look like a dream.
It lasted for a full three breaths before it slowly dissipated!
"miracle!"
"The Stone Toad King has manifested his divine power!"
"Lin Shi has triggered a miracle!"
"Lin Shi is a divine messenger! A divine messenger of the Stone Toad King!"
The kneeling villagers erupted in uncontrollable gasps, trembling with excitement, some even weeping with joy.
The villagers' eyes changed completely, filled with unwavering faith and fervor as if they had found spiritual support. Their gazes toward the stone toad statue were filled with awe, and toward the forest stones, they held a reverence akin to that of a "divine messenger."
Sun Ming trembled with excitement, his eyes filled with shock and relief. Tears streamed down his face as he repeatedly kowtowed before the stone toad statue, unable to contain himself.
Lin Shi knelt at the front of the crowd, his forehead pressed against the cold ground.
With the surging power within his body and the crystal-clear sensory network covering the entire village in his mind, he could now, without needing to connect to the dragon, clearly "hear" the villagers' ecstatic heartbeats behind him and "sense" their almost boiling fervor of faith, thanks to his newly acquired and more powerful senses.
Lin Shi's lips finally curved into a deep and satisfied smile.
"The ceremony is complete!"
"The ceremony is complete!"
Lin Shi slowly stood up. In the moonlight and dappled light, his clothes fluttered without wind. He slowly turned around to face the villagers, who had fallen silent again and were looking at him with fervent fervor and awe. His gaze was calm and profound as he swept over each face.
"Great Stone Toad King, you have already received our offerings. From this day forward, follow the rituals, observe the taboos, and sincerity will bring you blessings."
Lin Shi spoke slowly, his voice carrying a faint echo, as if from eternity. At this moment, he was no longer the alien outsider, but the representative of the Stone Toad King in the human world, and the embodiment of the faith of Stone Creek Village.
night!
Thick as ink!
The north end of the village.
The fire in the stove was burning bright red.
Lin Shi sat on the rock, his body filled with wisps of spiritual power flowing continuously, far greater than the spiritual power he had absorbed from Tiger Head's parents the night before. With a thought, the entire village was under his "control," suddenly becoming ten times clearer, and the scope expanded to extend outwards to some unfamiliar places he had never been before.
My decision to push for the establishment of formal rituals was absolutely correct.
From then on, the belief in the Stone Toad King was no longer just a vague legend, but had solemn rituals and clear miracles, making it a stable and efficient source of faith.
The rules have been established.
The foundation of faith is as solid as a rock.
As the one in control, I have taken the first step that transcends the ordinary!
Lin Shi smiled, stood up, crawled into the thatched hut, lay down, and felt a sense of clarity and ease. He soon drifted off to sleep.