The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 279 The Vatican
The weather is now scorching hot, with waves of heat blowing through the air, offering no relief from the heat.

Zhao Ti did not ride the Black Rose, but instead rode the tall Hequ horse. This horse was very fast, but it was a bit unruly. However, after being trained twice on the way, it was already obedient.

Traveling through the Hetao region, we ascended into the boundless grasslands, where the sky was vast and the fields were boundless, with tall grass covering cattle and sheep.

There are no fixed routes on the grassland, but the places that herders often go are easier to identify than other places. A group of people can follow the grazing tracks, pass by water sources, or catch up with herders to buy food.

Several days had passed in the blink of an eye, and the weather began to cool down. They had already traveled two or three thousand miles and entered the territory of Khatun City.

Khatun City was nominally under the administration of the Liao Dynasty's Shangjing Circuit, and was home to the Beiting Protectorate, the Jian'an Military Governor's Office, and the Northwest Route Pacification Office.

However, this territory was somewhat distant from Shangjing Linhuang Prefecture, the central government of the Liao Dynasty.

Located in the northern part of the Shangjing Road, Qadun City held a strategically important position and was a major military stronghold on the northwestern frontier of the Liao Dynasty.

In addition to the regular Liao border guards, 20,000 elite cavalrymen were stationed here year-round.

These 20,000 elite cavalrymen were somewhat special; they were neither summoned nor ordered to move. Back then, Emperor Taizu of Liao, Yelü Abaoji, had decreed that no matter what state the country was in, even if it were to perish and Shangjing (the capital) were to fall, the 20,000 cavalrymen of Qadin City were not allowed to move south.

Therefore, this place was called the land of the Liao Dynasty's Later Qi.

But it was precisely because of Yelü Abaoji's foresight that he saw a glimpse of the future through the layers of time and grasped the opportunities ahead, which enabled the Liao Dynasty to have a long and prosperous reign.

After the Jin dynasty destroyed the Liao dynasty, Yelü Dashi traveled northwest to Qatun City, where he met with the kings of seven prefectures and eighteen tribes. He then declared himself king and engaged in a protracted conflict with the Jin dynasty for five or six years.

Then, in the ninth year of the Tianhui era, Yelü Dashi sacrificed a blue ox and a white horse to Heaven and his ancestors, organized tens of thousands of troops to march westward, and launched expeditions to various parts of the west. He eventually established the Western Liao Dynasty. More than a hundred years later, the Jin Dynasty perished, but the Western Liao Dynasty did not.

Khatun is a military town, but many civilians also live there, especially in the areas outside the city, where countless tents and yurts are scattered.

This grassland is a melting pot of various ethnic groups. Apart from the Han Chinese, who are relatively few, almost every other ethnic group can be found here, including the Kievan Rus' people from the far northwest.

The army consisted not only of Khitans, but also Bohai people, Jurchens, and Tatars, some of whom were exiled convicts.

Xiao Feng led the way, but instead of entering Khatun City, they stayed at the home of a Tatar family on the grasslands outside the city.

He stayed at this house when he last came here. Because of his Khitan identity, he was not suspected at all and was warmly received.

This time, the family was even more delighted to come back, because when Xiao Feng left last time, he left behind a lot of money, enough to cover half a year's income from herding.

That evening, the family slaughtered a sheep to entertain the guests, and the four of them ate, drank, and discussed matters in the tent.

Whether or not we enter Khatun City is not really important, because the Shamanic Church is not located in the city, but rather occupies a very large area thirty miles north of the city.

Although shamanism was overshadowed by Buddhism in the capital, it still had a large following on the vast grasslands.

After all, shamanism can heal people. When people get sick, they first collect herbs, and if that doesn't work, they will seek help from shamans. Shamanic healing is similar to incantation therapy, which does not rely on the use of medicine, but rather on talismans, prayers, exorcising ghosts and evil spirits, and even invoking spirits to possess the body to cure diseases.

As for whether God truly exists or not, that's another matter. However, simple psychological manipulation and spiritual therapy can indeed cure some illnesses.

Shamanism does not have a head priest. The high priest and the second priest are in charge of affairs. There are also seven priests in charge of the four directions: four in charge of the east, west, south and north, and three in charge of the central position of the church.

The old man Xiao Feng encountered was the head of the Seven Priests, who was in charge of the Holy See and was actually the first person under the High Priest and Second Priest of Shamanism.

There were still two days until his challenge to the old man, scheduled for noon the day after tomorrow, so there was plenty of time.

After finishing their meal, it was getting late, so the group settled down to rest. The next morning, they got up early, packed up, and first took a stroll around the city of Khatun before heading north towards the Shamanic Church.

Zhao Ti planned to first observe what the Vatican looked like and what the surrounding area was like, so that he would have a general idea of ​​what was going on, and then come back to investigate further that evening.

Heading north out of the city, one sees even more herders living along the way than south of Khatun. They are not exactly tribal villages, but rather a continuous stretch of tents and yurts.

Thirty li is not far, and we arrived in no time. Then we saw a vast and expansive area on the grassland ahead, with a large complex of buildings made of rough rocks, wood and stones, covering an area of ​​several li.

From afar, one can see the main altar in the heart of the Papacy, supported by nine ancient trees carved with totems. Dried horse and sheep skulls and copper bells hang from the branches, tinkling like birds flapping their wings when the wind blows.

Next to the main altar are four secondary altars, guarding the four sides. The altars are covered with clay mixed with sheep's blood, painted with red thunder patterns and blue deer. Each altar has a cowhide curtain hanging under it, and you can vaguely see animal bone divination plates embedded in the inner wall.

The outermost perimeter of the Vatican was surrounded by three concentric wooden fences. The outermost fence was made of towering wooden pillars, the shafts of which were covered with totems. At the top of the pillars, eagle heads were carved, looking forward with a bundle of dried herbs in their beaks.

At this moment, a ceremony was being held on the central altar from afar. Although it was daytime, large clusters of butter fires were burning, their red light shining brightly. Thick smoke carrying the scent of pine resin drifted all around. Huge bronze basins were burning on the altar, and sparks splashed onto the painted decorations on the dome, making the decorations seem to come alive.

The group arrived at the totem pole and peered through the fence. Zhao Ti squinted at the dome of the main altar.

Although he was far from the main altar, the altar was enormous and brightly lit by fire. Zhao Ti's eyesight at this moment was beyond that of ordinary people, and he could already vaguely see the scene painted on the dome.

That was a picture of the founder of shamanism riding a bull across the Milky Way. The bull's single horn, outlined in gold foil, flickered in the mist. The shaman founder had a majestic expression, and boundless light shone in all directions, making it look quite amazing.

Shamanism believes in all spirits of heaven and earth, and all spirits are gods. It is somewhat similar to the beliefs of the Great Shamanism of the Western Xia Dynasty. However, the Great Shamanism does not have as many gods as the Shamanism. In addition to all things and spirits, the Shamanism also worships some inanimate objects.

The two most important gods of shamanism are the heavenly god and the earthly deity, the blue ox and the white horse. In addition, the gods of the sun and moon are also revered as great gods. Among them, the earth god is the most respected, and its sacrifices even exceed those to the heaven, sun, moon and stars.

Although the founder of shamanism has a physical form, the name recorded in the religion is very vague.

This religion is the oldest primitive religion, originating almost in prehistoric times. It was promoted by many different tribes and ethnic groups and went through a long historical process. It believes in all things and gods, and is a polytheistic religion, but it does not have a systematic set of books and scriptures. Most of its teachings are passed down orally.

The founders of the religion are mostly referred to as the progenitors, without specifying who they were or what their names were. They are simply figures who exist and are called progenitors.

At this moment, the flames illuminated the dome, and the patterns painted on it, made of some unknown pigment, scattered light in all directions. Under this light, the entire Vatican seemed to float in this dim light, majestic like an ancient divine court, yet exuding a rugged and eerie aura.

There were over a hundred people on the central altar, all dressed in colorful clothes, with colorful ropes tied around their waists, gourds and bells hanging from their waists, dancing and singing.

The songs sing of all kinds of gods, praising and extolling them, from the heavens and stars to foxes, snakes, rats, and hedgehogs—nothing is excluded.

Zhao Ti looked at it for a moment and said, "Can't we go in?"

Xiao Feng said, "I inquired about this last time. It used to be possible, since the shaman needs to heal the herdsmen. But since he started performing rituals daily, we can no longer enter and leave at will. Any matters must be reported at the outer gate, passed up the chain of command to the priest, who will then issue an order allowing entry." Zhao Ti glanced at the totem poles and fences and said, "This Papacy is vast, and the wooden fences aren't very high, so it's not difficult to sneak in."

Xiao Feng said, "That's true. Last time I came here, I walked around this place for a whole time. It's not impossible to sneak in. The Vatican's security isn't that strict. But the shepherds never dare to, because in their eyes the Vatican is the abode of God."

"The dwelling place of God..." Zhao Ti smiled, "Can we really invite God down?"

Xiao Feng pondered upon hearing this, unsure how to respond, as he didn't know much about shamanism.

Zhou Tong said, "Young master, last time when we were investigating Liao spies in Tokyo, we found a place that worshipped shamans and gods. I was very interested when I saw it, so I spent some time carefully investigating the shamanistic practice of invoking gods."

Zhao Ti smiled and asked, "What did you find?"

Zhou Tong said, "I have discovered that shamans often invite animal gods, especially small grassland beasts. Large beasts are rare, and human gods are even rarer."

Zhao Ti said, "Is that so?"

Zhou Tong nodded: "That's true. However, many of them are described very vividly. Although the dance and consciousness of invoking the gods involve invoking some small beast gods, once they are possessed, they behave exactly like those small beasts. Their voices and tones change completely, and their movements are also like those of small beasts. Moreover, many of the patients' illnesses are indeed cured."

In addition to the high priest and priest, there are two other positions in shamanism: the summoner and the healer. Both of these positions can also go out to treat people's illnesses and invite gods to possess them.

Below that is the position of attendant, similar to a disciple within the church, and the rest are ordinary believers.

Zhao Ti said, "So it really is possible to summon those beast gods?"

Zhou Tong said, "Young master, I don't think there's any smoke without fire. Shamanism is not like Taoism or Buddhism. For many years, it has been famous on the grasslands for invoking gods to cure diseases. This... although this statement is somewhat absurd, it may not be entirely impossible."

Zhao Ti smiled slightly: "Guangzu believed it."

Zhou Tong was somewhat embarrassed and said, "I can't figure out what other reason there is, but I think it's probably true."

Zhao Ti said, "Let's take a walk around this Vatican and see if there's anything unusual. Once we're familiar with it, we'll investigate thoroughly tonight."

With that, he turned his horse around, and the group followed the totem poles outside the Vatican. After a long while, having explored the area around the shamanic Vatican, they began their return journey.

Night fell in the blink of an eye. The night sky was moonless, and it was so dark outside that you could hardly see your hand in front of your face. The group quietly left the tent.

Instead of riding a horse, they used their light-footed skills to head towards the shamanic church.

Among the four, Zhao Ti is the best in lightness skill, while Zhou Tong is stronger than Wu Changfeng. His martial arts skills are improving almost every day. He was no match for the Crocodile God of the South Sea before, but now the Crocodile God of the South Sea can hardly last three moves against him.

Once they reached a point not far from the Shamanic Church, they split up according to the previously agreed plan. Zhao Ti led Zhou Tong westward, while Xiao Feng and Wu Changfeng headed east.

Although it was dark on the grassland, the Vatican was brightly lit. The torches and braziers on the central altar were still burning, and an eternal lamp hung in the center. There were worshippers guarding the four corners of the altar.

In other parts of the Vatican, sheepskin lanterns were lit, casting shadowy images on the buildings and creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

Zhao Ti and Zhou Tong arrived at a densely vegetated area to the west and peered into the wooden palisade of the Papacy. They saw a group of people walking by every now and then, clearly patrolling believers.

After observing for a while, the two took advantage of a gap in the patrol and crept to the side of the wooden fence. Zhou Tong took out a grappling hook and threw it in to test for any traps. Seeing that there was no movement, he jumped in.

Apart from a two-story round building behind the central altar, there are no other buildings in the entire Papacy. All the buildings are made of stone and wood, and the architecture is very simple and the layout is neat. There are also some small paths that all lead to the center of the Papacy.

Zhou Tong asked in a low voice, "Young master, which way should we go?"

Zhao Ti said, "Let's go take a look at the altar first, and then wander around."

Zhou Tong nodded, and the two of them, like a wisp of mist, headed towards the center of the Holy See.

In addition to a large altar, the Vatican's central area also has four smaller altars on either side, each guarded by someone.

Zhao Ti and Zhou Tong hid in the shadows, observing the small altar. It was no different from during the day, but at night, the hanging animal bones and fluttering furs gave it a more sinister and eerie feel.

Then Zhao Ti looked toward the great altar. At this moment, the distance was extremely close, and the view was several times clearer than during the day. He saw that the bronze basin on the great altar was filled with many things, which exceeded the size of the basin. Among them were seals and other items, which were emitting wisps of blue vapor.

Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes. Although there was a charcoal fire burning at the bottom of the basin, it didn't seem to contain any water. He wondered where the green aura came from.

The altar is surrounded by ancient runes and many patterns, including birds, beasts, fish, insects, ancient ancestors, and some strange figures whose meanings are unknown.

Besides these, there are various ritual implements on the stage, such as bells, drums, gongs, paper-mounted items, incense altars, offering tables, and various sacrificial items.

Zhao Ti looked up at the dome of the altar, and the image of the shaman ancestor became clearer. He rode a Kui ox across the Milky Way, surrounded by a vast expanse of white, with the stars in the sky flickering. The ox's single horn seemed to be a guiding light. The shaman ancestor's expression was majestic, but there seemed to be a hint of weariness in it. His eyes were deep and distant, and he looked incredibly lifelike.

Zhou Tong also looked at the dome of the central altar, revealing a hint of surprise. Based on the location and the pattern painted on the altar, he deduced that the person riding the bull should be the founder of shamanism, but this puzzled him.

He looked at the shaman ancestor, whose attire was neither grassland clothing nor Central Plains attire, but rather had an ancient feel and a hint of Taoist robes.

But it is different from those common Taoist costumes. It has a Taoist charm that is natural and seamless, yet it seems out of place with the background of the painting, and it is strange and inexplicable.

Behind this shamanic ancestor is a vast path of light, upon which are painted colors of varying shades and intensities, the nature of which is unknown—whether they represent living beings or something else entirely.

Zhou Tong was completely bewildered and full of doubts, so he couldn't help but look at Zhao Ti.

Zhao Ti glanced at a long black and gold banner not far behind the shaman ancestor, gestured to Zhou Tong, and then slowly retreated to explore other parts of the Holy See.

The two walked forward in the shadows and saw many shrines, all brightly lit, with statues of gods and the like vaguely visible inside.

However, these shrines were also guarded, so we did not enter them, but continued to walk around them.

We passed through many places, but only looked around from the outside and did not approach or disturb them.

After a while, the two went around to the back of the altar and looked at the two-story wooden and stone round building in front of them.

(End of this chapter)