Stranger Danger

Since the start of the Goddess Festival, it looked like Goddess City’s law and order were being maintained by a handful of elite disciples only. Frankly, it was slightly unbecoming of a sect of their stature.

That was just a facade, however. The fact was that almost no one had dared to start any sort of trouble within Goddess City, and those who tried faced the consequences swiftly and mercilessly. This proved that Goddess City was far more capable than they pretended to be.

Besides, he had sensed multiple elites’ presences in key areas of the inner city when he was touring the place earlier. In fact, he could sense at least two Truemen watching over the Goddess Festival from the shadows right now. He was sure there were more hiding where his senses could not reach.

The Goddess Festival had been held for several decades. There was a saying that went something like this: “If you walk the rivershore everyday, then it is only a matter of time before you wet your shoes.” There was no way that he and Feng Qingyou were the first people to notice that something was amiss with Goddess City, and yet the Goddess Festival had never been interrupted, and their dark secret had never been exposed. There was only one explanation behind this, and that was that Goddess City had resolved all the issues by their own power. And how did they resolve the issues? By killing and burying all who dared to oppose them, of course.

This wasn’t something a powerless sect could achieve, and no matter how strong he and Feng Qingyou were, they were only two people. Before one carries out a heroic deed, they must first measure their own worth. Someone who threw themselves into danger without considering even something so simple was just a reckless idiot.

Ye Qing had weighed his strength against Goddess City and arrived at a swift conclusion. He decided that he wasn’t going to do anything at all.

Feng Qingyou giggled a little. “Hahaha, a wise man puts his own safety before matters of principle, but it looks like you’ve forgotten that you are a member of the jianghu. Sometimes, the jianghu moves you whether you like it or not.”

“Hmm? What do you mean by that?” Ye Qing lifted his eyebrows.

“Nothing. It’s just a passing remark,” Feng Qingyou replied calmly.

“Is that so? Then why don’t I believe you?” Ye Qing asked suspiciously. He was just about to press Feng Qingyou further when she interrupted, “Here it comes.”

Ye Qing turned around and looked up. The three goddesses in the sky suddenly waved their sleeves, and a pillar of light descended to the ground from churning clouds and formed a flight of stairs. It was a literal staircase to heaven, and everyone was staring at the rainbow-colored road with shiny, excited eyes.

There was a poem in Goddess City that went something like this:

“From the clouds descends a staircase of light,

Where the goddess chooses one to grant their blessing.

The chosen shall ascend to the heavens, shed their mortal shell,

And attain the Dao they so seek.”

The poem was describing what was happening before his eyes right now. It was also the highlight of the Goddess Festival.

Each goddess would choose one person to receive their boon. The chosen ones would then climb up the staircase of light to the goddesses’ side and receive their blessings.

This was the true reason behind everyone’s excitement. Why else had they traveled untold kilometers just to participate in the goddess Festival? It was to receive their boon, wasn’t it?

When the staircase of light and cloud had fully taken form, Goddess White Deer lifted a dainty finger and pointed. Colorful light rippled in the air as a white deer leaped out of the clouds and circled around the goddess, bleating. After patting it once on the head, she pointed again, this time toward the ground.

As if it could understand her thoughts, the white deer leaped down from the sky and landed on the ground, tiny patches of auspicious clouds surrounding its hooves the entire time.

The white deer was clearly conjured from the clouds, but it was lifelike and beautiful. Everyone instinctively held their breaths and stared fixatedly at the white deer with barely suppressed excitement and expectation.

The white deer’s dark, spirited eyes scanned the surrounding people for a moment before it walked up to a young woman. Then, it bleated twice and bumped its head against her arm.

The young woman was either seventeen or eighteen years old, beautiful and full of life. She was also a Spirit Purifier. Considering her age, her talent must be quite outstanding.

The young woman was completely astonished at first. She looked like she was questioning reality itself. When she finally came to and realized that she wasn’t dreaming, she turned beet red with excitement. She stammered incoherently, “It’s… It’s me… I was chosen… thank you, goddess! Thank you!”

The surrounding people stared at the overly excited woman with disappointment, envy, jealousy, expectation and more. It was a kaleidoscope of emotions that was only matched by its intensity.

After the young woman had regained some measure of self-control, the white deer pushed her again and motioned for her to sit on it. Once she was fully secure, the white deer carried her up the staircase of light step by step. When she was finally up in the clouds, the white deer carried her to Goddess White Deer before dissolving into a puff of clouds.

The young woman hurriedly dropped to her knees and kowtowed to the three goddesses. Once the pleasantries were over, Goddess White Deer reached out and caressed her head.

“A celestial touched my crown, and thus I was enlightened to immortality.”

The next moment, countless ancient scripts with dragon heads and phoenix tail feathers burst into existence and danced in the sky. They combined into a scripture that emanated a golden light and gave off an unspeakable, profound sound. It was a grandiose and solemn light and sound show.

“Look at that scripture…”

“It has to be a martial art of sorts… an unimaginable one…”

The people on the ground could not help but watch the extraordinary phenomenon with great envy and greed. They only wished they were the young woman right now.

A few breaths later, the scripture fully sank into the woman’s head, but her eyes remained tightly shut. It was clear that she was still digesting the secret art she received.

Goddess White Deer waved her hand, and the woman gently floated into the air and landed beside her.

It was Goddess Green Lotus to choose her candidate next. The green lotus she was holding floated out of her hand and descended toward the earth.

Everyone was looking up and staring intently at the green lotus. They were all hoping that it would land on them.

It took a while, but the green lotus ultimately landed on top of a scholar. The scholar looked to be twenty three or twenty four years old, and he looked as pale as he was thin. From time to time, he would cough into his fist. It was clear that he possessed a weak, ill body. However, the scholar also possessed a pair of eyes that shone as bright as the dawn star. It almost looked like the light in his eyes could illuminate the entire night sky. It was clear that he was an extraordinary person in his own right. This was proven by the fact that the scholar was pleasantly surprised that he was chosen to receive the goddess’ blessing, but that was it. He carried himself in a dignified and noble manner.

A green lotus appeared underneath the young scholar and carried him up the staircase of heaven. He was eventually brought over to Goddess Green Lotus.

“This student is Yao Jingce. It is an honor to meet you, Goddess Green Lotus, Goddess White Deer, Goddess Moonview.”

The young scholar was clearly nervous, but he did not succumb to his emotions. He paid the three goddesses three kneelings and nine kowtows.

After Yao Jingce was done paying his respects, the green lotus that had returned to Goddess Green Lotus’ hand slowly grew bigger and matured. When she plucked the lotus seed, green light burst out of it and transformed into countless birds. A hundred birds danced around a phoenix as it let out a melodious cry. Eventually, they dissolved back into green light and disappeared into the lotus.

After the green light had faded, a lotus the size of a cat’s eye appeared in Goddess Green Lotus’ palm. Green like jade, there were birds and a phoenix flying inside the lotus. It was obvious that it was quite extraordinary.

Goddess Green Lotus handed the lotus to Yao Jingce, and the scholar swallowed it in one gulp. As soon as the lotus sank into his stomach, wisps of dark gray qi started creeping up his face.

At first, Yao Jingce seemed to be in deep pain, but a surge of blue qi soon appeared and began annihilating the dark gray qi. The harmful qi was easily destroyed as if the blue qi was its natural enemy. It wasn’t long before pain slowly faded from Yao Jingce’s face, and his complexion became much rosier and healthier than before.

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