madnovel Chapter 64 The Celestial Crane Arrives!
Chapter 64 The Celestial Crane Arrives!
Heavenly Venerable.
Full name: Guanwai Duhua Tianzun.
This is not the name of a realm, but a title.
A title representing the highest status and honor of the Daoist sects outside the Great Wall.
Seven were selected from among thousands of disciples of the Xuanmen sect through the Tianzun Grand Ceremony held every five years outside the Great Wall.
The selection criteria do not consider either one's level of cultivation or one's social status or prestige.
You don't even have to be a Taoist priest.
The selection process only considers one thing.
Looking at what you've done over the past five years, can you live up to the words "protecting the people and upholding justice"?
As long as your contribution to this land beyond the Great Wall is great enough and you protect enough people, you are qualified to compete for the position of Heavenly Venerable.
Upon ascending to the grand ceremony, he was bestowed with the Heavenly Venerable Crown, the Heavenly Venerable Robe, and the symbol of supreme authority—the Heavenly Venerable Sword.
Becoming a Celestial Venerable brings far more than just empty fame.
The Celestial Venerable holds a transcendent position, ranking one level above any official, and can sit on equal footing with a high-ranking local official.
In matters involving demons, ghosts, and the stability of people's lives, the authorities must solemnly consult the Heavenly Venerable's opinion, and usually adopt it.
Its words are the highest decree of Taoism, capable of resolving disputes between sects and determining the ownership of sacred sites.
Its sword is the embodiment of power!
The sword is engraved with talismans representing the mountains and rivers beyond the pass. In times of crisis, wielding the sword can command all Taoist temples and esoteric families within the pass to fight the enemy together!
Although this order is not mandatory, anyone who dares to disobey it will be disgraced and ostracized by the entire Xuanmen sect!
Therefore, the title of Celestial Venerable is the ultimate honor that every Taoist priest outside the Great Wall dreams of!
And now, a map leading to the Heavenly Venerable lies quietly in Lu Yuan's hands.
The Wang family's centuries of accumulated wealth and countless nurturing grounds for evil spirits—if they could be uprooted at this moment…
In particular, it is important to know the circumstances under which this Heavenly Venerable Ceremony and Luotian Grand Ritual were held.
Under normal circumstances, it would be fine, but based on this alone, it's really hard to say.
But now Fengtian City has suffered a great calamity!
It was a great calamity that befell the Wang family, who were raising evil spirits in the land of the Destroyer of Fate, and the entire city's people hated the Wang family to the bone.
At such a time, wiping out the entire breeding ground of the King of Death's family would bring unimaginable prestige.
Whoever can do this will be hailed as a hero by the authorities and molded into a role model by the Taoist community!
Moreover, behind Shen Shulan stands her father, Shen Jizhou.
Lu Yuan didn't believe that the abbot of Wuqing Temple, who had already risen to the rank of Celestial Venerable, would give up this excellent opportunity to make Wuqing Temple "one family with two Celestial Venerables".
Therefore, what Lu Yuan handed over was not a picture.
It is Shen Shulan's Heavenly Venerable Pass!
As expected, after Lu Yuan explained everything clearly...
For the first time, a monstrous wave surged within Shen Shulan's usually calm and composed eyes.
In this life, if one doesn't seek fame, one will seek profit.
What?
You say that Buddhism doesn't seek anything, and that all it cultivates is purity of the six senses?
Don't make your brother Shi laugh.
He's only been there a few days!
Shen Shulan, the number one female Celestial Master outside the Great Wall at the age of twenty-six, doesn't she want to become the Celestial Venerable of Salvation at the age of twenty-six?
She stared at the Demon-Nourishing Diagram in her hand, her breathing becoming erratic.
The crowd of people from Wuqing Temple behind her had burning eyes. They knew that this was not only an opportunity for their senior sister, but also an honor for the entire Wuqing Temple!
"Uncle-Master Lu...this item...is far too valuable!"
Shen Shulan's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Lu Yuan, however, laughed like a weasel that had stolen a chicken.
"Is this Heavenly Venerable Ceremony going to be held together with the Luo Tian Grand Ritual?"
"Time is tight and the task is heavy. The breeding grounds marked on this map are spread across four provinces outside the Great Wall. You can't handle it all by yourself. Shall we split it?"
Lu Yuan was already hatching a plan in his mind.
He also needs this immense prestige to eliminate the evil spirits!
Of course, Lu Yuan wasn't after any Heavenly Venerable.
Lu Yuan shouldn't even think about that; it's a complete waste of his time.
Although the selection process for the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony has been said for hundreds of years, it does not consider seniority, cultivation level, or even whether one is a Taoist priest.
In reality, in the hundreds of years since the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony, hundreds of Heavenly Venerables have been selected, but not a single one of them has been an ordinary person.
Just take this casually, don't take it too seriously.
Lu Yuan wanted to eliminate the evil spirits and build a great reputation in order to wash away the curse on Gu Qingwan!
Before other Taoist temples fight each other to the death, there will be no Taoist temples around Fengtian City for a period of time.
The most famous place around here is Zhenlong Temple!
After the start of spring, various temple fairs and religious ceremonies will follow one after another, which will require a lot of incense offerings.
Lu Yuan had already seen it; the locations on the Nurturing Demon Map were scattered throughout the area beyond the Great Wall.
You should know that the area outside the Great Wall is really, really big, encompassing four provinces!
Just imagine how big that is!
It's freezing cold, and the mountains are about to be blocked by heavy snow. Isn't it just asking for trouble to travel that far?
After he transmigrated, his activities were basically confined to the small area of Fengtian City.
and so.
He has taken over all the breeding grounds around Fengtian City.
Those tough challenges that require traveling far and wide are left to professionals like Shen Shulan.
When Lu Yuan proposed this "cooperation plan", Shen Shulan agreed without hesitation and excitedly accepted.
"Uncle-Master has just been through a great battle and is injured, so he cannot travel far. These dangerous places on distant lands can be left to Shulan!"
"Uncle-Master, just choose the ones nearby; the rest, Wuqing Temple will take them all!"
The audience at Wuqing Observation behind them were also perfectly fine.
This matter was handled by his uncle.
The "Nurturing Evil Diagram" was brought back by someone else's martial uncle.
Now that they're willing to share, what else can we say?
Of course, you should say thank you, Uncle-Master!
Lu Yuan immediately grinned and said:
"Alright, after I set up the talisman, let's discuss this further!"
……
There are many intricacies involved in setting up a memorial tablet for the household deities.
There are a few points to note.
There are three things you shouldn't do.
Without a bedroom, the main purpose of the room is privacy and rest. The bedroom has a relaxed atmosphere and involves the rituals of marriage. If the spirits reside there for a long time, neither party will be at peace, and it is easy for conflicts to arise.
Avoid places near toilets and kitchens. Toilets are filthy, and kitchens are hot and used for slaughtering animals, all of which are unclean and disrespectful places that will offend the spirits and weaken their spiritual power.
If the main entrance is not aligned with the house, the airflow will rush straight in, creating too much noise and making it difficult for the spirits to meditate peacefully. Furthermore, the house will be easily disturbed by external evil spirits, making it impossible to securely protect the home.
There are also three suitable options.
It should be quiet; the environment should be peaceful, avoiding frequent movement and noise disturbances.
It should be kept clean and tidy, and should not be cluttered.
The Yizun should be placed in a respected position in the home, usually at a height above the chest of an average person, to reflect the etiquette of "looking up".
Lu Yuan chose the northeast corner of the main house in the front yard, which is the Gen position. In Bagua, it represents the mountain, symbolizing stability and peace.
It is also one of the passages between the three realms of "humans, ghosts, and immortals," facilitating the travel and presence of immortals.
The rosewood altar was covered with yellow silk, and everything was arranged in less than an hour.
He then turned to discuss with Shen Shulan the ownership of the Nurturing Earth.
……
……
Three days later, at dusk.
The cold wind howled, and the sky was dusky.
At Zhenlong Temple, in the square in front of the Sanqing Hall, a group of disciples stood solemnly.
The old man stood under the brand-new "True Dragon Temple" plaque.
His hands were tucked into his sleeves, shivering from the cold, and the white breath he exhaled instantly froze into frost.
He looked impatiently at the winding path below the mountain, where a procession of Taoist priests was slowly approaching.
"Tch, stop dawdling, what's with the attitude!"
The old man grumbled, his face showing obvious displeasure.
A dozen minutes later, the group of Taoist priests finally reached the mountain gate.
The young Taoist priest at the head of the group, with a strong voice, shouted loudly:
"The Celestial Crane has arrived!"
The sound echoed through the mountains, carrying an undeniable air of authority.
The old man pursed his lips, but still straightened his clothes and reluctantly bowed.
"Heyin greets Senior Brother."
Before long, a figure passed through the crowd and came to the old man.
His gaze swept over the newly renovated Zhenlong Temple, his eyes revealing an undisguised astonishment.
"Alas!"
The newcomer let out a flippant sigh and looked down at the old man.
"Heyin, you've made something of yourself!"
"Five years have passed, and your dilapidated place has turned into this state?"