Dreaming for 10,000 years

Chapter 412 Entering the City
The great river surged, its turbid waves crashing against the bluestone of the dock. Yu Tian and Xiao Lingdang stood on the ferry deck, gazing at the ever-approaching River God City.

The city, built along the water, remains prosperous, but there is an unusual sense of tension.

"Something has changed," Little Bell said softly.

Yu Tian squinted. The outline of Hebo City was faintly visible in the morning mist. The towering city walls meandered along the riverbank, and the merchant ships moored at the dock were still lined up one after another, but the sailors coming and going looked hurried, and the usual hustle and bustle was gone.

"When something happens at the River God Temple, the whole city is in turmoil."

As the ferry docked, Yu Tian keenly noticed several figures dressed in gray robes moving about in the shadows of the pier. Their collars were embroidered with tiny wavy patterns, indicating they were sentries from the River God Temple.

The city of Hebo stands majestically on the great river, serving as a vital transportation hub. Almost all outsiders arrive from the docks.

Therefore, the dock was a key focus of the River God Temple. The sentries were essentially the River God Temple's lackeys.

"Where are you two from?" A man who looked like a gang leader stopped them, his eyes constantly glancing at Little Bell's face.

Yu Tian stood in front of Xiao Lingdang without making a sound and said, "We are locals, from the west side of the city. We went out with our family before."

He made subtle adjustments to his appearance to avoid unnecessary trouble. His accent, clearly from Hebo City, immediately put the junior leader at ease.

"Go, go, go!" He waved his hand hastily to let them pass, signaling Yu Tian and Xiao Lingdang to hurry up and leave.

As he passed through the city gate, Yu Tian's back was ramrod straight. He could feel at least three pairs of eyes glued to his back.

One came from the city gate tower, one from the second floor of the teahouse, and another... came from a beggar on the street corner.

"It's much stricter than before," Little Bell said softly, pretending to tidy her hair.

Indeed. Although the main street was still bustling with people, with peddlers, laborers carrying loads, and wealthy merchants in sedan chairs moving about as usual, there was an eerie tension in the air.

This shows that the atmosphere in Hebo City is currently very tense.

Yu Tian stopped at a fish soup stall and ordered two bowls of fish soup from Xiao Lingdang.

Fish soup is a food for the poor in Hebo City. Not all fish can fetch a good price, and not everyone can enjoy it.

Some people would pick up cheap fish, stew them together, add some dough balls, and that would become fish soup.

Little Bell stirred the soup spoon, then suddenly seemed to remember something, her fingers trembling slightly. A year ago, she couldn't even afford fish soup like this.

"Uncle," Yu Tian blew away the foam on the soup and asked casually, "What's going on at the River God Temple lately? There are a lot of unfamiliar faces on the streets."

“Dang—”

The old man suddenly slammed his iron ladle against the edge of the pot, splashing hot soup that sizzled on the cutting board. He looked around, saw the temple guards patrolling not far away, and said nothing more.

After eating the fish soup, Yu Tian took Xiao Lingdang's hand and left, turning into a small alley.

The alley was deep and damp, with moss growing at the base of the walls. Little Bell suddenly tugged at Yu Tian's sleeve: "Someone's following us."

Yu Tian nodded. Ever since entering the city, that elusive presence had been following him. He deliberately turned into a dead end, then suddenly turned back at the corner.

"Aren't you tired after following me all this way?"

The figure emerging from the shadows made him frown; it was the temple guard who had been patrolling the street earlier.

Yu Tian narrowed his eyes, about to deal with the temple guard, when he saw the guard pull a fish scale from his water-patterned robe, his eyes gleaming: "Lord Carp sent me to meet the divine messenger." The fish scale was palm-sized, shimmering with a strange bluish-gold hue in the sunlight. Yu Tian lightly touched the fish scale with his fingertips and immediately felt the familiar internal energy of the "Myriad Forms of Water Classic".

This fish scale was wrapped with the carp's inner energy; it can't be faked!
"Wow, the carp moves so fast!" Yu Tian thought to himself.

The battle between Lord Mi and Lord Chu had only lasted half a month, yet the carp was able to extend its reach into the city of Hebo.

Little did he know that the carp now represented not just one person, nor the group of failed priests in the River God City, but a group of people who were about to lose power in the River God City and were waiting to be divided up!
Amid the undercurrents of power shifts at the River God Temple, those who were about to be purged and those who were marginalized became the breeding ground for the development of "Cat God" believers.

"What's the situation in the city?" Yu Tian asked.

"The River God is still seriously injured, and the temple is divided into three factions." The temple guard looked around warily, speaking rapidly: "The High Priest's faction advocates a strict investigation of heretics, the Second Priest wants to take the opportunity to seize power, and then there are us, the newly converted ones."

Yu Tian and Xiao Lingdang exchanged a glance. The chaos in Hebo City was more complex than they had imagined. But that complexity was only apparent to others.

What he needs to do is to cut the Gordian knot!
Suddenly, the sound of bells came from the direction of the River God Temple in the distance, long and deep, ringing incessantly throughout the city.

Seeing Yu Tian's questioning gaze, the temple guard said, "The grand ceremony is about to begin today! In the past, the ceremony to worship the River God was a grand ceremony once a month and a small ceremony every seven days."

"Nowadays, when we worship the River God, we hold a major ceremony every three days and a minor ceremony every day!"

The more sacrifices offered, the more offerings and power the River God needs, indicating that the River God's injuries are very serious.

"Let's go!" Yu Tian said to him, "Take me to the River God Temple! Have our men tie yellow turbans on their left sleeves!"

A look of delight flashed in the temple guard's eyes: "Divine messenger, what is this?"

“Lead the way!” Yu Tian said.

The temple guard took a deep breath, then suddenly ripped off his water-patterned belt, revealing the yellow trim of the inner lining: "Please follow me."

The three walked through the intricate alleyways, the distant chimes growing more urgent.

Yu Tian's palms felt slightly warm, a sign of surging inner energy. The boy who had fled in panic a year ago was now going to personally smash the temple that weighed on his heart.

Turning the last street corner, the magnificent River God Temple came into view.

The River God Temple stands majestically on a nine-zhang-high black stone platform. The entire temple is built of dark blue submerged rock, with each stone naturally bearing wave-like patterns.

Eighteen dragon-carved pillars support the eaves and brackets, and bronze bells hang from the corners of the eaves. When the river breeze blows, the bells sound like the mournful sound of the waves.

The square in front of the main hall was teeming with people.

Three hundred white-robed priests stood on both sides, holding silver-inlaid clam shells filled with freshly drawn "living water."

The high priest, dressed in a dark silk robe and wearing a nine-beaded crown, was pouring a cup of amber-colored wine into a bronze cauldron. The moment the wine entered the cauldron, it transformed into a transparent water dragon, swimming and churning within.

"The auspicious time has arrived—"

With a long shout from the priest, twelve strong men slowly carried the offerings in.

At the very front, on a golden nanmu frame, a snow-white bull was tied, its horns wrapped with red silk inscribed with prayers. Behind it, on a jade platter, were freshly picked lotus roots and newly ripened fruits.

Most striking were eight young boys and girls with their wrists bound by red ropes, dressed in plain clothes with cinnabar dots on their foreheads.

(End of this chapter)