Becoming a God from a Water Monkey

Chapter 1181 From Now On, Steadily Ascend to Heaven (Together)
Jingle bells.

A stack of copper coins, half-hanging, fell into the palm of his hand.

"Twenty copper coins per person. Take them and move forward. Those behind, line up. No grabbing! There's sweet mung bean soup ahead."

"Children? Children count too. As long as they're people, they're welcome. They can't leave, even if they're being held in someone's arms." After saying this, Old Cui moved a stool onto the table and shouted to the people behind him, "Children count too! As long as they're people, they're welcome."

His tone was clear and his voice was loud; he didn't seem like a decrepit old doorman at all.

A huge crowd surged forth.

"Thank you, Master Xu! Thank you, Master Xu!"

May the Xu family patriarch enjoy boundless happiness and longevity.

On the top floor of the Kui Pavilion of the Huangzhou Confucian Temple, Xu Rongguang, the nearly 100-year-old patriarch of the Xu family, with his graying temples meticulously groomed, looked on with a radiant face as he watched the crowds gather toward the Confucian Temple.

As a scholar, Xu Rongguang has always preferred tranquility, with bamboo behind his house and pine trees in front of his door. But today, he prefers liveliness, the more lively the better.

The crowd surged forward, climbing the hilltop and seeking refuge in the shade of the trees.

When an imperial edict reached local government offices at all levels, the prefects, magistrates, and county magistrates had to choose an auspicious day to hold a grand "reading" ceremony. All officials and gentry were required to attend, and ordinary people were also encouraged to come and watch and listen, as a sign of "universal celebration."

Today, I don't know what important event the court is going to announce, but the Xu family, a powerful local clan, is fully funding it. Everyone who comes to participate in the "reading ceremony" will receive twenty copper coins. This applies to everyone from bedridden old people to infants. Their generosity is astonishing.

Even if you work for half a day, you can only earn that much. You can also drink iced mung bean soup with sugar. It's July, around the busiest time of the farming season. If you work for half a day, a family that isn't single can earn over a hundred coins. Why not?
“Imperial edicts are read aloud every year, but I haven’t seen such a lively scene in a long time.” Xu Wanxing, the prefect of Huangzhou, smiled and pointed to the crowd. “There must be tens of thousands of people down there. Twenty coins per person, that’s not cheap. It’s not just for listening to the reading, it’s also a celebratory fee, isn’t it?”

"Haha, thank you all for coming today, Lord Xu!" The head of the Xu family cupped his hands in greeting. "Thank you all for coming, thank you all for coming."

"It is simply our duty, and it is a good thing to be able to spread education far and wide."

"The imperial court has issued an edict; there's no reason not to come."

Flattery poured in as the sky gradually rose higher.

At 9:00 AM, the shade of the trees was crowded with people. When there was no room, they went outside, sweating profusely in the sun, and complained about why the reading had not started yet.

Those who could come arrived early. To avoid being scorched by the heat, Xu Wanxing washed his hands with clean water in a copper basin, took out a photocopy of the imperial edict, and read it aloud.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor, and all under Heaven bear witness..."

"Princess, Master Yang Dongxiong, Godmother..."

One incident after another, the gatekeeper, Old Cui, was overjoyed, the Xu family was smug, and all the officials and gentry in Huangzhou were scratching their heads in dismay.

itch.

It looks like my hair got oily from being exposed to the sun.

It's said that a married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl, but this daughter of the Xu family is truly extraordinary. First, her husband became Zhenxiang, which was already quite remarkable. Then she adopted a son, which is even more remarkable. Just thinking about it makes my scalp tingle.

This isn't about whether or not to bestow a title of king; it's about having a host of parents and relatives alive to witness the event.

Even the most audacious person who dares to dream of their descendants being made kings wouldn't dare to imagine actually witnessing their descendants being made kings.

Officials and gentry understood classical Chinese.

Your Excellency Kui, tens of thousands of people listened in a daze, wiping the sweat from their brows, their eyes squinting in the sunlight.

Upon seeing this, Xu Wanxing put down the imperial edict, calculated the year with his fingers, and shouted:

"Eight years ago, in the same year that we held a birthday banquet for Old Master Xu, an outsider came to the annual Grand Hunt in Huangzhou and won first place. Does anyone remember?"

"Remember!"

"I remember you, handsome young man!"

"This handsome young man gave General Yuan a piece of armor; Old Master Xu is truly blessed."

The people were few and far between.

Xu Wanxing asked again, "Four years ago, His Majesty held a grand feast for the whole country for three days. Old Master Xu also hosted a continuous banquet for three days. Do you remember?"

"Remember!"

"The meat smells delicious!"

"Yes, it's all this handsome young man. Today, it's him again, he's been granted the title of King! King of Huai! His adoptive mother, our Old Master Xu's daughter, has also been granted the title of 'Lady Zhenyi'! Old Master Xu's son-in-law has also been granted the title of 'Master Zhaowu'! What everyone is receiving today is celebratory money!"

"Wow!"

There was an uproar on the mountain.

Xu Rongguang leaned close to Xu Wanxing's ear and whispered a few words.

Xu Wanxing shouted again: "Those who came to listen to the 'reading' today, when you go down the mountain, each of you will receive five more coins. Tonight, there will be a grand opera, a lantern festival, dragon and lion dances, and a continuous feast!"

"Roar!!!"

The mountains roared.

……

"Come on, let's drink! I'll pay for the drinks today!"

"Old Liu, you stingy bastard, why did you suddenly decide to treat us to drinks today? Didn't you say you were quitting drinking? Is there some good news?"

"Ah, a little wine is good for the soul, a little wine is good for the soul." Uncle Liu's face was flushed, and he was very proud. He pointed to the wall behind him with his thumb. "It's nothing big. I was very happy to get a precious bow yesterday. I was very happy to get a precious bow."

"What treasure bow? Oh, you've nurtured another Abyss Wood?"

"Hey, it's not again, it is!" Uncle Liu took down the precious bow from the wall and waved, "Come and see, come and see! Have you ever seen one before? Martial Saint Self-Nature! Martial Saint Self-Nature! Haha, a Xuanbing weapon, a Xuanbing weapon! Given by the Prince of Huai! The one that was given away back then, it has been nurtured into a Xuanbing weapon and returned!"

"Bullshit! The Prince of Huai uses a long spear. At most, he'll give you some scraps. Can you call that a Xuanbing (mysterious weapon)?"

"Barking dog!"

"Hey, you were so desperate when Ren Yipeng and Lu Kaiyun took it from you back then, but now you don't even know who you are anymore?"

"Barking dog!"

……

"Do you know the three heroes of Xihe Prefecture? They are incredibly famous. If word gets out, all the heroes of the Three Mountains and Six Prefectures, who wouldn't give them face? They've even fought against the Prince of Huai, and everyone says they're quite good!"

"Wow, that's quite a lot! Impressive."

"Hurry, hurry, go quickly!"

"what happened?"

"The Jiang family, the Yin family, and the Peng family are giving out reward money. Hurry up, or it will be too late."

……

“Abbot, Prince Huai has eaten our Luohan fruit.”

"Excellent! Today, let us open the temple gates wide and feast on fruit!"

……

"Father! Didn't you make room for Marquis Xingyi and his wife back then? You can come to him if you need anything!"

……

The capital, the Great Shun Dynasty, the whole world... Xiangyi, Fengbu, waves unfold, layer upon layer!
The Moon Gazing Pavilion has thirty floors, filled with densely packed books, piled up like mountains, mostly on yin and yang cultivation techniques and commentaries from various sects. A long table separates two daybeds, with four people in two teams, each sitting on one side. A large number of discarded manuscripts are piled up on the table. Liang Qu puts down his paper and pen, reclines on the daybed, reaches his hand through the small tea table in the middle, tugs at E Ying's clothes, and hums softly.

"My beloved concubine, my beloved concubine..."

"Ah."

"I am thirsty."

Long Eying poured a cup of tea and pushed it towards her.

"I wish to drink honey water."

Her dress fluttered, stirring up a gentle breeze that carried the sweet scent of peaches. Long Eying took a thick celadon jar from the bookshelf, scooped out a large spoonful of honey, stirred it into boiling water, and dissolved it evenly.

Liang Qu, holding a teacup, sat up abruptly, looking refreshed: "Ah~ Sweet!"

Tan Yifeng and Liao Lanqing looked at each other in bewilderment.

He kept using the words "I am alone" and "I am a lonely person."

This seems to be a kind of subtle romance between a prince and his consort that ordinary people cannot understand?

Liang Qu smacked his lips, put down his teacup, and began tidying up the books. Seeing Liang Qu putting them away, Tan Yifeng's spirits lifted: "Prince Huai, you've been studying all night again. Have you gained any new insights?"

"solitary……"

Long Eying gave him a light kick, and Liang Qu grabbed his foot, squeezed it a couple of times, and coughed a couple of times: "Cough, almost there. Thanks to the help of the two of you over the past month and the experience of those who came before, I have a general idea and have written two drafts. You can take a look at them first, and I will revise them when I get back."

"The Prince of Huai is going to..."

Liang Qu brushed the dust off his sleeves.

"Visiting the ancestral temple to report to the ancestors."

Congratulations, Prince Huai!

"Sigh, it's all just procedures, procedures."

……

The ceremony will be held again.

Visiting the ancestral temple and informing the ancestors is still part of the enfeoffment ceremony, or rather, the enfeoffment ceremony is a series of activities.

All etiquette emphasizes a balance between tension and relaxation. Each important step requires separate preparation and sufficient energy to demonstrate its solemnity. Cramming everything into one day would undoubtedly appear rushed and undignified.

He bathed and changed clothes in the fasting palace, surrounded by officials in charge of clothing and eunuchs.

First, wear a black silk undergarment, then put on a nine-chapter imperial robe, with five chapter symbols painted on the top: dragon, mountain, pheasant, fire, and ancestral vessel; and four chapter symbols embroidered on the bottom: algae, rice grains, axe, and embroidered pattern.

The official in charge of crowns wore a nine-tassel crown, adorned with jade beads, the tassels hanging down to his forehead. He wore a gold-inlaid jade belt around his waist, adorned with double jade pendants, and held a nine-inch jade tablet in his hand.

"How is the widowed king?"

The eunuch praised, "He is indeed majestic and extraordinary."

"Hahaha, my wife praises me because she loves me; my concubine praises me because she fears me; my guest praises me because he wants something from me. You're lying!"

"I dare not!" the eunuch said in fear.

"Ugh, how boring." Liang Qu waved his hand. "Just kidding, what's the rush?"

When the auspicious hour arrived, bells rang and the clamor of the crowds filled the air.

The Holy Emperor, wearing the twelve-tasseled imperial crown, led the way in ascending the jade carriage.

The imperial relatives, the new king, and all the accompanying officials, all dressed in sacrificial robes, followed closely behind. The ceremonial guards were solemnly arrayed, with banners obscuring the sky, and the officials walked slowly and respectfully to the strains of the welcoming music.

Incense smoke curled in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, musicians were set up below the steps, and officials stood in their respective ranks.

The master of ceremonies sang loudly.

"Welcome the gods—!"

Play the "Music of Harmony".

Presenting a grand gift of "burning firewood".

The chief priest placed the sacrificial offerings of jade and silk on the burning firewood, and the rising smoke drifted into the sky, inviting the spirits of the ancestors to descend and enjoy the offerings.

The ceremony concluded, and the music ceased.

"First Offering—!"

The Holy Emperor stepped out of the throne.

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices presented the Azure Jade Disc, and the Holy Emperor offered silk as a first offering, raising it high to eyebrow level, bowing to the north, and placing it into the fire of burning wood. The officials in charge then offered silk and wine. The Holy Emperor placed the silk on the table, poured wine into the thatched sand, and bowed twice in homage.

"Ya Xian—!"

Liangqu stepped out of the ranks.

The steward presented a wine cup. Liang Qu held the cup with both hands, raised it to his forehead, and then slowly poured the wine onto the ground.

"Final Offering—!"

The prime minister stepped forward, performed the same ceremony as the second offering, and poured the third cup of wine onto the ground, thus completing the final offering.

Three offerings are done.

Heaven and earth know, the people and their spirits know, and even the ancestors in the underworld know.

The title of Prince of Huai of the Great Shun Dynasty cannot be taken away!
The nine tassels hung down, still and steady. Standing in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, an intangible aura emanated from the surroundings, flowing into the body along with the wispy blue smoke, filling the robes and making them bulge.

Feeling lightheaded and dizzy.

As he descended the steps, everyone stopped to look at his retreating figure.

The sunlight shone on my face, making me feel like I was the only one there.

As the vermilion walls receded into the distance and the ancient cypress trees disappeared, it was already noon when we left the temple courtyard.

"Your Majesty, aren't we here to pay homage to our ancestors?"

The King of Yue said that if one became a saint and was granted the title of king, one could see the Martial Immortal. Liang Qu thought it was today, but when he came out of the ancestral temple, he did not see the immortal.

"We were just paying homage at the temple, and now we are going to inform our ancestors. The immortals do not live in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Normally, the immortals travel all over the world and rarely return to the capital. They only return when a new king is born."

Liang Qu suddenly understood and became even more respectful.

"Don't be nervous. It's just a meeting. Most immortals are easygoing and, as is customary, they will answer some questions about cultivation."

As a result, Liang Qu and the Holy Emperor changed into ordinary clothes and left the palace. They didn't go to any high-class or mysterious places, but went straight to the neighboring Tiangong Academy after turning a corner in the deep mountains and forests.

An immortal is at the Heavenly Craft Academy? What, do you share the same hobby as Senior Brother Lu?
Outside the small house of the Heavenly Crafts Institute, the Holy Emperor respectfully performed the salute. Liang Qu did not sense any "stone in the river" in front of him, but dared not delay and also respectfully performed the salute.

"Oh ho ho!"

A familiar yet distinctive voice rang out in the room, quite loud.

"?"

"Come in."

Liang Qu followed the Holy Emperor into the room. There were quite a few palace maids there. After scanning the room, what caught his eye was not the Great Shun Martial Immortal, but someone in the corner...

Otter open!?
What are you doing here?

The otter scratched its bottom, spread its paws, and pulled out two heavy silver coins.

If you want to buy pig's head meat outside, just give them the money and they'll come.

"..."

The room was dark, with jellyfish lamps, dragon spirit silk, blue cats and brown mice, and a pile of voice-over props in the corner. Otter opened his family and mingled in, each doing their own thing, playing instruments and singing.

The immortal leaned against the Luohan bed, lying on his side.

"I come back to the Heavenly Craft Academy to see if there's anything new. The Divine Power Token, the Purple Lightning Ship, the railway... they're all boring. But the way Long Lingxiao casts shadows is quite interesting."

The light and shadows obscured the pages, making them dim and unclear, but this did not hinder Liang Qu's observation.

They are people from the loose-fitting clothes of the Southern Frontier!

"I have met the immortal!"

The immortal waved his hand, signaling the otter to start a new episode: "Were you slightly surprised by the 'stone in the river'?"

"Yes."

"Mortals are like sand, immortals are like stones, and dragons are like reefs. Therefore, the water flows and disturbs them, and the dragons all know and look upon them. If we continue to compare them according to this saying, once you enter the furnace, you are in the riverbed, with mountains on both sides and three peaks. No matter how much cultivation you do, ordinary people will not be able to discover it unless they jump out of the river."

The furnace is part of the world; one can look at mountains but ignore the earth beneath one's feet.

Liang Qu said solemnly, "Thank you for enlightening me, Immortal!"

Are you experiencing any confusion regarding your spiritual practice?

"Yes." Liang Qu immediately handed over the draft of the new version of the "Yin Yang Spirit Seed Technique" from Wangyue Tower, along with his desired outcome.

"I vaguely remember the Yin-Yang Spirit Seed Technique; it's rare to find a dual cultivation method that's beneficial and harmless like this..."

"Yes, I would like to ask the immortal for guidance."

"Is there anything else?" The immortal flipped through the draft and took the wolf-hair brush.

"I would like to ask the immortals, how should one cultivate a self-born fruit?"

When Liang Qu entered Zhenxiang in the past and climbed to the top of Wangyue Tower, he still remembered what the general manager said.

"The fruit is divided into three grades: small, medium, and large. The ways in which it is produced are divided into two types."

One type is naturally grown, which mostly produces small-sized fruits, and small-sized fruits alone cannot enter the furnace; the second type is self-generated, which sprouts from a seed into a large tree, and the large tree bears small-sized fruits. Self-generated fruits are at least medium-sized fruits, and although they also cannot enter the furnace, they have a chance.

If the Earl of Xingyi were to conceive and bear fruit in the future, the seed of that conceiving would become the vital energy we consume today…”

The Jianghuai position fruit may be an extremely rare Heaven and Earth position fruit, but it has disappeared without a trace, possibly in the underworld or in the hands of the Whale King.

The Ba Fruit is a minor fruit, and there is hope that it can be promoted to the middle-level fruit Qing Nu. However, firstly, the promotion is too difficult, and secondly, it is not yet known whether Qing Nu can be promoted to a higher level.

Autologous fertilization is undoubtedly another legitimate path, and even has considerable advantages.

The sun, withered trees, heaven and water, the seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), Ruyi (a scepter symbolizing good fortune), and the mysterious yellow color perfectly align with the four seasons of water, wood, heaven, earth, and even a trace of "divine will".

The immortal was not surprised and took out a book from his robes: "All newly promoted dragons have this question. Take it."

"Thank you, Immortal."

Liang Qu was overjoyed and was about to take it when the immortal withdrew his hand halfway: "Don't rush to take it. I also have a question for you. If you answer it well, I will give you something different from others."

Liang Qu was taken aback, and quickly bowed: "Please ask, Immortal."

"I traveled back to the capital from the southern border, and along the way, I passed through the Jianghuai region. I became curious and visited your hometown, where I stayed for several months. I explored the marshes and fields, and found that Jiangchuan County, where the mermaids lived, had some of the prosperity it had during the time of the Dragon King."

"The phoenix perches on the parasol tree, attracting immortals to settle down; this is truly a blessing for Pingyang."

"But I stumbled upon something."

The conversation turned.

Liang Qu's heart tightened: "I wonder what the immortal has stumbled upon?"

There's always a "but" in everything. Could it be that the Yixing people I know have offended the immortals? I should have known better than to say that Bai Long's disguise was not a good thing!
"You were promoted to the rank of Yaolong, so the poll tax in Pingyang Prefecture was waived and all past debts were written off. Because of the latter, some people seized the opportunity to try to write off the debts by deliberately not paying the summer tax and creating arrears for the purpose of writing them off. This was the case in Yixing Town. Some even beat the clerks so badly that they were seriously injured. If it hadn't been for the village elders stopping them, someone might have died. Yixing would have become your fiefdom immediately."

The Holy Emperor pondered.

Liang Qu's eyes widened: "These bastards, how dare they beat people up? Don't worry, Immortal, whether the court or I handle it, I will definitely punish them when we get back!"

The immortal said, "I do not intend for you to be punished."

"That immortal..."

“I spoke with Vajra King and learned that when you were in dire straits, only your neighbor gave you food, and the rest of you were indifferent. After you became successful, you sent the villagers to school and martial arts schools. Now that you see the villagers doing such a thing, are you willing to continue to do so in the future?”

Something is wrong!

The Holy Emperor's eyes flashed, and he was about to interject.

"Hmm...is there anything special about this? Why not continue?"

"Nothing special?" the immortal asked.

"This matter stemmed from a loophole in the imperial edict, which someone exploited to try and take advantage of the situation. Heh, whoever came up with this idea is truly a genius!"

Talent?

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

Liang Qu continued, "Someone must have taken the lead in this matter, because exploiting loopholes is not something ordinary people would think of; most people aren't that smart. With half a year's worth of grain not being spared, seeing someone doing this, they naturally wouldn't want to suffer losses, and they would inevitably flock to follow the leader."

They are ordinary people, like rural women in the market. They are fierce to outsiders, but willing to endure hardship for their own children. However, they are not generous in handling matters, and hitting people is definitely wrong. They should be dealt with.

As for the others, Immortal, Yixing Town wasn't a town before, it was a small village with about a thousand people. Most of them had the surname Chen, and the rest had different surnames. My only relative was a man named Liang Guangtian. The others weren't related to me by blood, and they didn't owe me anything. They thought I wouldn't survive, so lending them out would be a waste. It was perfectly normal for them not to lend to me.

The immortal pondered, "Aren't you heartbroken?"

"Why am I heartbroken? Hitting someone is definitely wrong, it's a bit wrong, but it feels like we've wasted their time sending them to school."

The immortal became even more curious and pondered for a moment.

"So do you think human nature is inherently evil or inherently good?"

"Ahem, Immortal, in my opinion, this problem... belongs to metaphysics, it's an error of empiricism. Today we see good people and good deeds and feel that the world is full of hope, tomorrow we see people repaying kindness with enmity and feel that people's hearts are no longer what they used to be. Our hearts are cold and warm all the time. You are the immortal, you should not be influenced by mortals, you should see through the phenomena to the essence."

The immortal, intrigued, sat up straight and asked, "What is its essence?"

"The essence is that there is no such thing as humanity; material things determine consciousness. Back then, every family in Yixing City needed meat, so they certainly wouldn't have needed my help. Now, there are soup kitchens in Yixing Town every winter."

Humans are the masters of all things, not those who transcend them. Why not take advantage of what is good? If you want a pack of wolves, why don't you eat the meat? If you don't want the wolves to eat the meat, you have to fight them. In Yixing Town, you don't even need to fight them; someone will come out to stop you.

A group of ordinary people who have never been to school. I have only been successful for ten years. The newcomers have not grown up yet, and the grown-up ones were already set in their ways when they were young. I have received favors from time to time, but what has not changed is their status quo and material foundation of relying on the land and boats for a living.

They're basically a group of poor people who've hardly ever eaten meat. You're some kind of sage, what's the point of arguing with them? Humans, frankly, aren't they just like that? Simple-minded, conformist, needing education and guidance, being filtered again and again—it's quite interesting.

(End of this chapter)