LRAB Chapter 66 Divine View
Chapter 66 Divine View
Baozi came back last night, carrying a child.
If nothing unexpected happens, this child is Kang Jinlong's clone.
But he didn't seem to react much to Wen Ranran. But that makes sense, since the child is neither in beast form nor has the rich life experience of a water leopard.
At most, he felt a little uncomfortable with the little girl in front of him.
For the next two days, Baozi and Xiaoman did the same thing.
Test the child.
There is no doubt that the primordial energy of stars in a child truly exists.
But it's very faint.
"The amount of this primordial energy is roughly equivalent to one percent of that of an ordinary Xia Lan."
"One percent?" Baozi took a bite of the sweet potato, grimacing from the heat. "What can you do with that?"
"I can't do anything," Xiaoman said, "but that's not the point."
"What's the key point?"
"The key point is that although this primordial energy is weak, its quality..."
Xiaoman paused for a moment.
"It's like the difference between a diamond and glass."
"Broken glass is broken, but broken diamonds are still diamonds in every shard."
Baozi thought for a moment and nodded.
"So, this little thing may not be very strong, but its Yuan Qi level is much higher than ours?"
"That's one way to understand it."
Baozi took another bite of sweet potato.
He looked at the child squatting in the yard, who was sticking out a finger to tease an orange stray cat.
The cat ignored him, swishing its tail back and forth, and Xiaoyou followed the direction of the tail, turning around and around.
"Is it reliable to use him to find Kang Jinlong's other clones?"
"Theoretically feasible."
Xiaoman placed the sweet potato on her lap, took out a small notebook from her pocket, and turned to a page.
Baozi looked at him and suddenly said, "He looks like an ordinary kid."
"Maybe he's just an ordinary kid," Xiaoman said.
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, perhaps this clone wasn't created by Kang Jinlong intentionally, but rather..."
Xiaoman paused again, as if carefully choosing her words.
"It just fell down by accident."
Baozi paused for a moment.
"careless?"
He watched the child running around in the yard, watching him chase butterflies, tease the cat, and squat on the ground watching ants move house.
He was doing everything a six or seven-year-old child should do.
But he has no home.
No parents.
It has no name.
There is only one code name: "Xiao You".
Baozi stuffed the last bite of sweet potato into his mouth, stood up, and patted the dust off his pants.
"Let's go," he said. "Whatever he is, we need him now."
He walked into the courtyard, reached Xiao You's side, bent down, and picked the child up in his arms.
Xiao You struggled for a moment.
"What are you doing! I'm watching ants!"
"What's so interesting about ants?"
"The ants are moving house! They're moving house, don't you know that?!"
Baozi looked down at the ants on the ground; they were a long, dark line, clearly moving house.
"Oh," he said, "then you can continue watching."
Instead of putting Xiao You down, he lifted him up higher so that he could reach a higher place.
Xiao You paused for a moment, then leaned on Baozi's arm and continued watching the ants.
It is going to rain.
The weather in Yosaki changes very quickly.
It was sunny in the morning, but the wind started to pick up in the afternoon.
The wind blew in from the valley, making the cherry blossom trees rustle, and the petals flew all over the sky like snowflakes.
Xiaoman stood at the entrance of the guesthouse, looking at the sky.
The clouds surged in from the west, grayish-white, very low, pressing down on the mountaintop.
"It's going to rain," she said.
Wen Ranran stood beside her, holding Feifei in her arms, looking up at the rolling clouds.
"Ranran, come inside, it's chilly outside."
Wen Ranran nodded, turned around and went into the house.
Xiaoman stood there for a while longer, until she felt the first drop of rain fall on her forehead, before turning around and going inside.
The rain soon intensified.
Baozi ran back from outside carrying Xiaoyou, both of them with wet hair.
"Hurry up and go in!" Baozi put Xiaoyou in the corridor and stood at the door, shaking the water off his hair.
Xiao You stood in the corridor, wiped the rain off her face, and then sneezed.
Xiaoxia came out of the inner room with two dry towels in her hands. She threw one to Xiaoyou and the other to Baozi.
Baozi took the towel, wiped her face, and then squatted down to help Xiaoyou dry her hair.
Xiaoxia stood to the side, watching Baozi squatting on the ground drying Xiaoyou's hair. Her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.
After wiping Xiaoyou's hair, Baozi stood up, draped the towel over her shoulder, and looked at Xiaoxia.
When is your sister coming back?
Xiaoxia glanced at the clock on the wall.
"It should be soon; she said it would arrive this afternoon."
No sooner had he finished speaking than footsteps sounded outside the door.
The door was pushed open.
A woman stood in the doorway.
She was wearing a dark blue kimono with a beige haori over it, and her hair was styled in a bun at the back of her head, secured with a wooden hairpin.
Her face shape is similar to Xiaoxia's, but the lines are softer and the contours are more rounded.
Her eyes were longer and narrower than Xiaoxia's, with slightly upturned corners, giving her a languid look unique to mature women.
She carried a cloth bag in her hand and had an oil-paper umbrella slung over her shoulder, the tip of which was dripping water.
"I'm back," she said.
Xiaoxia ran down the corridor and stood in front of her.
"elder sister."
Saya reached out and patted Yoshika's head.
"You've grown a little taller."
"No," Xiaoxia said, but the corners of her mouth were curved.
Saya smiled, then looked up and saw Baozi standing in the corridor.
Her gaze lingered on the steamed bun for two seconds, then she smiled.
"Little Chef!"
She walked over, stood in front of Baozi, and looked up at him.
Baozi was much taller than her; she had to look up at a great angle to see his face.
She reached out and patted Baozi's head.
It carries the affection of an older sister for her younger brother.
"You're back?"
Baozi was a little embarrassed by her taking a picture and scratched his head.
"Saya-nee."
"Long time no see," Saya looked him up and down. "I really like your tomato beef brisket."
Baozi paused for a moment.
"Do you remember?"
"Of course I remember," Saya said. "You stayed at my house for a week, cooking for me every day. I ate there for seven days. How could I forget?"
Baozi smiled sheepishly.
"After the ceremony, cook us a meal."
"Okay." Baozi nodded.
Saya patted his head again.
"The little fat boy has grown up."
Xiaoxia, who was standing next to her, suddenly chimed in.
"He's become a big fat man."
Saya glanced at her younger sister, her gaze passing over Baozi to Xiaoman and Wen Ranran standing at the end of the corridor, and Xiaoyou squatting on the ground drawing circles.
"Are these your friends?" she asked Baozi.
"Mm." Baozi nodded. "Xiaoman, Wen Ranran, and that little thing called Xiaoyou."
Saya walked over and bowed slightly to Xiaoman.
"I am Kikyo Saya, Yoika's older sister. Thank you for taking care of Yoika."
Xiaoman also bowed.
"Just call me Xiaoman. They are my friends."
Saya glanced at Xiaoman, then at Wen Ranran, her gaze lingering on Wen Ranran's right hand for a moment.
Then she smiled, squatted down, and looked Wen Ranran in the eye.
"Hello, Ranran."
Wen Ranran looked at her without saying a word.
Feifei peeked out from Wen Ranran's arms, looked at Sha Ye, and twitched her nose.
Saya looked at Fei Fei and smiled.
"What an adorable little thing."
When Feifei heard the praise, her tail wagged.
Wen Ranran remained silent, but she did not move away.
This is already a significant improvement.
Saya stood up and looked at Yuu, who was squatting in the corner drawing circles.
Xiao You looked up, met her gaze for a second, then looked down and continued drawing circles.
Saya didn't go over, nor did she ask any questions.
She glanced at it, then turned and went into the house.
"I'm going to change my clothes; I still need to prepare the offerings for the sacrifice later."
Xiao Xia followed her into the inner room.
Baozi stood in the corridor, watching Saya's figure disappear behind the curtain, and suddenly had a strange feeling.
He couldn't quite describe the feeling.
It's still raining.
Raindrops pattered on the stone lanterns in the courtyard, splashing up tiny droplets.
The cherry blossom trees were bent over by the rain, and petals were scattered all over the ground.
Xiaoman walked over to Baozi and stood with him in the corridor, watching the rain.
"Saya-nee is a very nice person," Xiaoman said.
"Yes." Baozi nodded. "When I participated in the cooking competition, I ran out of travel expenses, and she sponsored me."
Xiaoman remained silent for a while.
"She's not simple."
Baozi turned to look at her.
"What do you mean?"
Xiaoman shook her head.
"It's nothing, just a feeling."
She didn't say anything more.
Baozi didn't ask any further questions.
The two people stood in the corridor, watching the rain.
The distant mountains were obscured by the rain, leaving only blurry outlines.
Xiao You walked up to Baozi at some point and tugged at his sleeve.
"Big fat man."
"Um?"
What is a sacrifice?
Baozi looked down at him.
"you do not know?"
"I don't know," Xiao You said. "I only know that a lot of people gathered together and did strange things."
"What's so strange?"
Xiao You thought for a moment, then wrinkled her nose.
"It's strange, they seem very serious, but what they do is ridiculous."
Baozi looked at Xiaoyou and suddenly felt that the little guy's tone of voice was not like that of a seven-year-old child.
Have you ever witnessed a ritual?
Xiao You did not answer.
He looked at the rain, his gaze drifting into the distance.
Just as Baozi was about to ask something else, Xiaoyou had already turned and left.
He walked back to the corner, squatted down, and continued drawing circles.
Baozi watched his retreating figure, a feeling she couldn't quite describe welling up inside her.
He walked over to Xiaoman and lowered his voice.
"Xiaoman, don't you feel...?"
"What do you think?"
"This little thing seems to know everything."
Xiaoman looked at Xiaoyou, who was squatting in the corner, and remained silent for a few seconds.
"Maybe he really does know everything."
"Then why didn't he say so?"
"Maybe it's because," Xiaoman's voice was very soft, "that it's no use saying anything."
It rained all night.
The rain stopped the next morning.
Baozi got up very early.
His mind was filled with thoughts of sacrificial rites.
Last night, Saya mentioned during dinner, "You should all come to the festival tomorrow."
"Us?" Baozi was taken aback. "We're not locals, can we still participate?"
“The tourists have all been cleared out,” Saya said, “but you are not tourists, you are Xiaoxia’s friends, and you are my friends too.”
She glanced at the steamed bun.
"Besides, isn't this what you came to Yoizaki for?"
Baozi and Xiaoman exchanged a glance but didn't say anything.
The next morning, Baozi changed into a clean set of clothes.
They started from the guesthouse and walked up the mountain along the stone path.
Yosuka and Sayo walked at the very front.
Saya changed into her formal shrine maiden attire: a white top, a red hakama skirt, and her hair was tied up with white tan paper and adorned with a golden hairpin.
Yoka also wore a shrine maiden outfit, but it was a little different from her sister's; her red hakama skirt was a lighter shade.
The two walked together; one was mature and steady, the other was young and naive.
Baozi and Xiaoxia walked side by side, Xiaoman carried Wen Ranran and followed behind, and Xiaoyou walked at the very back, looking around.
The mountain is not high, but the road is long.
Occasionally, birdsong could be heard coming from the woods, crisp and clear, as if accompanying their footsteps.
Baozi was carrying a heavy wooden box.
It contained sacrificial implements: a copper bell, a wooden sword, sacred wine, and some other things he couldn't name.
The box was heavy, but it was manageable for Baozi.
He carried it with one hand, walking steadily.
Saya walked ahead and glanced back at the box in Baozi's hand.
Is it heavy?
"It's not heavy," Baozi said.
"That's good. I was worried you wouldn't be able to lift it."
"How could I not be able to lift it?" Baozi smiled.
Xiaoxia walked beside Sayo, glanced back at Baozi, and said nothing.
Saya noticed her sister's gaze and smiled slightly.
"Xiaoxia, you used to be quite talkative, why are you so quiet today?"
Xiaoxia's face flushed slightly.
"I'm thinking about the ritual," she said.
"Oh?" Saya's voice held a hint of amusement. "What are you thinking about?"
"Think about...think about the process."
"Didn't you memorize the procedures?"
"Can't you think about it again?"
Saya chuckled and didn't press the matter further.
Baozi walked behind, listening to the two sisters' conversation, and found it quite amusing.
When he met Xiaoxia, this young girl was quite talkative.
She fell silent during this meeting.
But he didn't think much of it.
He thought it might be because girls grow up; girls tend to become quieter as they grow up.
The group continued uphill.
The mountain path became steeper and the steps higher, and Baozi's breathing began to become heavier.
His physical strength is indeed not as good as before.
But he did not slow down.
After walking for about half an hour, the slope of the mountain road became gentler.
The trees became sparser, and the sunlight became brighter.
Voices could be heard in the distance.
"Buzz—Buzz—Buzz—"
Baozi stopped and frowned.
"What is that sound?"
Saya didn't turn around and continued walking forward.
"The chanting during the sacrificial ceremony."
"Reciting a poem? Why isn't there a poem?"
"Because no words are needed."
"Sound itself is a word."
Baozi didn't quite understand, but didn't ask any more questions.
He carried the suitcase and continued walking uphill.
After walking for about ten more minutes, the mountain path came to an end.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
The mountaintop is a wide, flat area paved with bluestone slabs, which is very clean and spotless.
In the center of the flat land stands a building.
There is a metal decoration on the spire.
It is a bird.
A bird spreading its wings.
Baozi's gaze lingered on the metal bird for a few seconds before shifting away.
He followed Saya into the plaza in front of the building.
The square was already full of people.
Unlike the noisy crowds at previous fireworks displays.
The people here are very quiet.
No one spoke, no one laughed, no one looked at their phone.
Everyone faced the building and stood ramrod straight.
The atmosphere was very oppressive.
Baozi didn't like this feeling.
He slowed his pace and became more careful with his breathing.
Saya walked ahead, her pace unchanged.
She was dressed as a shrine maiden and walked through the crowd, who automatically parted to make way for her.
Saya walked up the steps, with Yoka following behind.
Baozi stood at the bottom of the steps and hesitated for a moment.
Saya turned around and looked at him.
"Come on up."
Baozi carried the box and walked up the steps.
He could feel everyone's eyes were on him.
Baozi did not back down.
He raised his head, carrying the box, and walked up the steps one by one.
Saya led Baozi and the others to a corridor on the side of the building.
There are fewer people here, and the air is circulating better.
"You wait here," Saya said. "When the ritual begins, you can watch from the corridor, but don't go down."
Baozi nodded.
Saya turned and walked into the building, with Yoka following behind.
Baozi put the box on the ground and stretched his shoulders.
"It's really heavy," he said.
Xiaoman put Wen Ranran down and let her sit on the railing of the corridor.
Wen Ranran sat down, and Fei Fei jumped off her shoulder and squatted on her lap.
Xiao You stood on the edge of the corridor, tiptoed, and looked out at the square.
"So many people," he said.
"Hmm." Baozi stood next to him, also looking at the crowd in the square.
Those people remained standing in the same spot, motionless.
"What are they waiting for?" Xiao You asked.
"Wait for the sacrificial ceremony to begin."
"What are you worshipping?"
Baozi opened his mouth, but found he couldn't answer.
He turned his head and looked at Xiaoman.
Xiaoman shook her head.
"have no idea."
"You came without knowing?" Xiao You's voice carried a hint of disbelief.
"Since we're already here," Baozi said.
Xiao You glanced at him but didn't say anything.
Baozi ignored him.
His gaze shifted from the crowd to the walls of the building.
At the bottom of the wall, there is a row of reliefs.
Baozi walked over, squatted down, and carefully examined the reliefs.
The relief is old, and the edges have been weathered and blurred, but the general outline can still be made out.
The first relief depicts small figures kneeling on the ground with their hands raised above their heads, as if in prayer.
The second relief depicts a large bird with outstretched wings that obscure the sky, and tiny people kneeling in its shadow with their heads bowed.
The third relief depicts a large bird standing on a high platform, holding something in its beak. Small figures line up and walk one by one to the front of the platform, where they kneel down.
The fourth relief is so worn that only a blurry outline can be seen, resembling a person lying on the ground with a hole in their chest.
Baozi stared at the fourth relief for a long time, feeling very uncomfortable.
He stood up and walked to the other wall.
The reliefs here are slightly better preserved.
The same big bird is still carved in the middle.
This time, the bird's posture changed. Instead of spreading its wings to block out the sky, it folded its wings, perched on a pillar, and lowered its head, as if looking at something.
Below the large bird, many small figures are carved.
The postures of these little figures are different from those in front.
The small figures in the relief at the front are kneeling, praying, and obedient.
The little people here are...
Dancing.
They held hands, formed a circle, and surrounded the large bird in the middle.
Their bodies were contorted in strange postures, not like normal dancing, but more like...
It's more like they're being controlled by something.
Baozi stood up and walked to the third wall.
The reliefs here are even more blurred, and the outlines are almost indistinguishable.
But he could still recognize the large bird.
This time, the big bird raised its head and opened its beak, as if it were calling out.
Beneath the large bird, the little people lay sprawled on the ground, some lying down, some crouching, and some curled up.
Their postures resembled both a struggle and a deep sleep.
Baozi's brows furrowed even more.
He walked over to Xiaoman and lowered his voice.
"What exactly is being offered in this ritual?"
Xiaoman looked at the reliefs and remained silent for a while.
"The mural depicts a bird," she said.
"I know it's a bird. I'm asking what kind of bird it is."
"have no idea."
Baozi looked at the reliefs again.
Those twisted little figures, those fallen shadows on the ground, that great bird with outstretched wings that blotted out the sky.
A word suddenly popped into his mind.
Cult.
But he didn't say it.
It wasn't out of fear, but because of Xiaoxia.
Xiaoxia, dressed as a shrine maiden, stood inside the building, preparing for a ritual.
She was so earnest, so devout.
Baozi couldn't bear to say that word in front of her.
He took a deep breath and suppressed the uncomfortable feeling in his heart.
"Maybe it's just an ancient legend," he said, as if trying to convince himself. "We live in a civilized society now, these things are probably just formalities."
Xiaoman looked at him without saying a word.
Xiao You stood by the corridor, looking at the reliefs with a strange expression.
Baozi noticed his expression.
"Xiao You, do you know what kind of bird that is?"
Xiao You turned her head and looked at the steamed bun.
"I know," he said.
"What is it?"
Xiao You was silent for two seconds.
"Thrantil".
Baozi paused for a moment.
"Thrantil?"
"Um."
"What's that name?"
"It's not from Fusang," Xiaoyou said. "It came from a very, very far place a long, long time ago."
Baozi looked into Xiaoyou's eyes, trying to find more information within them.
But Xiaoyou didn't say anything more.
He turned around and continued to look at the crowd in the square.
Those dressed in black remained standing still.
The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive.
It's not a placebo effect; there really is something permeating the air.
Baozi felt her heart beating faster.
He glanced at Xiaoman.
Xiaoman's expression was also very serious.
Her hands were in her pockets, gripping the alloy rod that had shrunk to the size of a pen.
She didn't look at the square, the reliefs, or anything at all.
She looked down at her right hand.
The mark of sin was glowing.
It's brighter than before.
Baozi walked over and squatted down in front of Wen Ranran.
"Ranran, what's wrong?"
Wen Ranran raised her head and looked at him.
There was fear in her eyes.
"Uncle Baozi, it's calling."
"Who's calling?"
Wen Ranran did not answer.
She lowered her head and covered the back of her right hand with her left hand.
My shoulders are shaking.
Baozi reached out and gently grasped Wen Ranran's wrist.
He transferred his vital energy to her, hoping to help her suppress the sin mark.
But this time it's different.
In the past, when he transferred his vital energy to her, the sin mark on Wen Ranran's hand would darken.
But this time, when his vital energy was transferred, the sin mark shone even brighter.
It is absorbing his vital energy.
Baozi's expression changed.
He increased the output of his primordial energy, but the Sin Seal was like a bottomless pit, swallowing all of his primordial energy and then becoming even brighter.
"Xiaoman!" Baozi called out.
Xiaoman has arrived.
She squatted down and took Wen Ranran's hand from Baozi's.
Her primordial energy is water-based, which is more suitable for suppressing the sin mark than earth-based energy.
Pale blue primordial energy flowed from her palm, enveloping the dark red light on Wen Ranran's hand.
This time, the Sin Mark reacted differently than before.
It resisted.
Sweat beaded on Xiaoman's forehead.
The light of the Sin Mark was dimming, but very slowly, much slower than before.
"What happened?" Baozi asked.
Xiaoman did not answer.
Her entire attention was focused on Wen Ranran.
About a minute later, the light of the Sin Mark finally dimmed.
Wen Ranran's breathing became more stable.
Xiaoman let go and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"It's not a matter of the mark of sin," she said.
"What's the problem?"
Xiaoman looked in the direction of the building.
Saya and Yoika had already gone inside; the door was closed, so they couldn't see what was happening inside.
But there is a force flowing within the architecture.
Xiaoman couldn't explain it, but she could feel it.
"It's something used in sacrifices," Xiaoman said.
Baozi stared at the tightly closed door, his brows furrowed into a knot.
"Thump—thump—thump—"