From the Carp that Brings Children to the Celestial Officials

Chapter 221 Falling from Grace
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Originally, You Ming thought that he would only be able to slowly sort out the environment here after he wiped out the three alien gods in one fell swoop.

Only now did he realize that breaking down mountains and temples really needed to be done step by step.

You must ensure complete control over every piece of land you occupy before moving on to the next.

This is due to the characteristics of the Yinshan Mountains. Once you occupy too much land, it is easy for the rate of land clearing to be slower than the rate of erosion by the Yinshan Mountains, eventually leading to a stalemate.

It was early spring, and even outside the mountains it was cold; the temperature inside the mountains was even lower.

It wasn't until the sun rose high above the mountain peaks, casting its golden-red glow over the foothills of Yinshan, that a slight warmth was felt.

This low-lying area was originally the home of the White Bone Tribe, and was covered with damp wasteland.

Now, after the divine army has wiped out the evil spirits, the earth's energy has been restored, the mountain nightmares have dissipated, and a layer of lush greenery has risen from the ground, which is completely different from the dark and hard vegetation that is predominantly found in Yinshan.

The banner of the Changning Prefecture Patrol Office stood at the entrance of the valley. The leading officer, clad in black armor, stood on a high platform, holding an ivory tablet, and issued a series of orders.

Behind him were a dozen or so surveyors from the government office, who carried copper rulers and paper scrolls at their waists and carefully measured the land.

Behind them were the captured skeleton tribespeople and young men with excited expressions on their faces.

Because the alien god was killed, and the surrounding environment was cleansed by the gods, these young men encountered almost no obstacles when entering Yinshan. Most of the tribespeople had also lost their fighting spirit, and after a little resistance, they were all captured.

"This place is now designated as [Zeyi Village]. All those who move here will be allocated land according to their household registration, rations, and corvée labor. Millet will be planted in the sunny north fields, and wheat in the shady south fields. Each person will be allocated fifty mu of land. Those who have rendered meritorious service may also be allocated land and slaves as appropriate..."

The leading officer announced loudly, his voice resounding throughout the land.

Hearing this, everyone was even happier.

That's fifty acres of land per person. In their village, that would make them small landlords. They wouldn't be rich, but they'd be able to live comfortably.

In terms of danger, there isn't actually much danger.

These mountain people are still in the tribal era. Although they are fierce, their equipment is too poor, and they are no match for them. If they can be scattered and tamed, they will be the best slaves.

"Prepare to lower the altar!"

After everything was arranged, the leading officer spoke loudly.

Behind him, a dozen or so burly men swayed as they carried a platform about ten feet wide, covered with a red cloth, making it impossible to see what was inside.

But upon hearing the words "the altar will be lowered," everyone's expressions became more solemn.

"Boom."

The platform landed heavily on the ground, instantly causing the ground to sink a bit, indicating its extreme weight.

The strong and sturdy men were exhausted, their foreheads covered in cold sweat, but they dared not sit down to rest. They took a few deep breaths to calm their violently beating hearts.

"Wow."

The leading officer suddenly ripped the red cloth off, revealing the entire platform to everyone.

Three statues stand on it. The deity in the middle is dressed in an official robe, with a majestic expression. He holds a ruler for judging cases and stands on a seal for suppressing evil spirits. The appearance of the statue inspires awe.

The deity on the left wears a water-colored divine robe, with a fish-patterned dragon belt hanging down his waist, and a green algae-covered divine crown. He holds a bell in his right hand and a scroll in his left. His face is handsome, and his eyes are calm, as if he has blended the etherealness of the immortal path with the solemnity of the divine path.

The deity on the right is handsome, wearing a fish-scale half-robe, carrying a turtle shell on his back, and standing on waves. His face is quite ugly, but at this moment he gives people a sense of security.

These three deities are naturally the City God, Youming, and the River God.

The three of them worked together to break down mountains and temples, which meant that the territory they created was jointly governed by the three of them.

The City God obtains the land, and all the lands are under his command; he is also the de facto ruler. Youming is in charge of the population, and the reproduction and care of all people are under his authority. The River God governs all waterways, including rivers, streams, springs, and wells.

The three statues appeared to have been recently made, as the faint scent of sandalwood still lingered. Afterwards, everyone present knelt in worship, offering grains, water, paper talismans, wine, and meat.

May this altar bring peace and tranquility to the surrounding lands.

May all evil spirits stay away from this temple.

May the gods bless us with abundant harvests, peace and tranquility for the people, and harmony between water and soil.

A temple keeper accompanying the army held a written paper talisman in his hand. After speaking, he threw the talisman into the incense burner.

Unseen by the crowd, a golden light shot straight up from the center of the altar to the sky, like a needle piercing the heavens.

“Youming, Hebo, we have jointly signed the divine covenant, and from this day forward, we will protect this land.”

In the void, three figures seemed to merge with the space, and the golden-red incense seemed to rise into auspicious clouds, surrounding the three of them.

"That is true."

You Ming nodded, and in an instant, boundless divine light appeared behind him, like a sun.

The City God manifested with four heads, and the face facing forward at this moment carried a look of compassion.

The River God clenched his fist in the void, and a stream of water was grasped in his palm, as if all the water vapor within a hundred miles was under his control.

The three of them left their marks and were placed on the altar.

Following the responses of the three deities, the bronze banners at the four corners of the altar trembled and rang out, as if the deities were responding to the "lowering of the altar" ceremony.

Having received a response from the gods, the temple keeper's face lit up with joy, but he began chanting lengthy scriptures.

In the distance, young men beat large drums, the sound spreading in all directions, and banners fluttering in the wind.

The imprisoned tribespeople, witnessing this spectacle, were also moved by the atmosphere. Although their tribes also had rituals to worship gods, none were as grand and formal as this.

The ceremony lasted for an hour, during which three oil lamps were lit and placed at the feet of the three deities.

No matter how strong the wind is outside, it cannot blow the flames off.

This signifies that the divine path has received offerings and has formed an alliance with humanity.

From this moment on, the three gods will jointly govern this realm. If any evil spirits cause trouble or yin energy invades, the altar will respond spontaneously and suppress the local earth veins.

These young and strong men would then use this altar as a center to expand the temple outwards.

The lowering of the altar here signifies that the White Bone Tribe has truly been "digested".

Next, the three deities should continue their journey deeper into Yinshan.

At the very moment he made the oath with humanity, suddenly, a flat map, invisible to outsiders, appeared in front of You Ming. The map showed the mountains, rivers, cities, and villages of Bingzhou.

This is the cheat code for "Divine View".

Originally, Youming governed twenty-three villages, but now he has suddenly gained an "enclave".

About three hundred miles away from his core territory, another green area of ​​about one hundred miles was added.

"Huh, so as long as the altar is removed, this place can be under my control."

Looking at the blueprints, You Ming couldn't help but feel happy.

(End of this chapter)