Chapter 396: The Statue in the Temple

Chapter 396: The Statue in the Temple

Ru Yu Village has a temple, a place where the statue of a deity is housed.

This temple isn’t as grand and magnificent as one might imagine; it occupies a small area and is quite simple, managed by a pair of master and disciple skilled in Spirit Techniques.

In Ru Yu Village, there’s a traditional practice of honoring the statue, which could be considered superstition or simply a psychological comfort—seeking peace of mind.

In recent years, Ru Yu Village has enjoyed calm weather and has not faced any major natural disasters, leading the villagers to believe they are under divine protection.

Long ago, a Spirit Master residing in Ru Yu Village claimed that the village’s geographical location was poor and warned of impending natural disasters, advising them to relocate promptly. However, the villagers dismissed this advice.

They couldn’t ascertain the truth of the Spirit Master’s words; mere hearsay is hard to swallow, even if the Spirit Master had lived among them for a time. Most were skeptical.

In the past, Ru Yu Village did experience poor weather and was frequently stricken by heavy rains that caused flooding, but it hadn’t reached catastrophic levels. Living by the sea, they were prepared for natural disasters.

Years have passed, and they’ve managed to survive. Though life has been tough, the villagers remained united, maintaining an optimistic and positive outlook, collectively braving calamities, thus leading fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Furthermore, they had nowhere else to go. Leaving Ru Yu Village meant there were no other places to accommodate them.

Having lived there for so long, a sudden departure felt utterly wrong.

They didn’t leave, and until the Spirit Master departed from Ru Yu Village, no major disasters struck.

On the contrary, mysteriously, the village’s situation improved—climate became exceptionally pleasant, and there were no signs of disasters or fierce storms.

This state has persisted for many years.

They drank when thirsty, ate when hungry, and set out to sea as usual, with life continuing smoothly without any mishaps.

At some point, a belief took root in the village that a deity was protecting them, allowing them to avert disasters and thrive, resulting in a populous community full of talent.

Within the temple resides a statue of a deity named Walker, which is the Sea God referred to by the villagers.

This Sea God takes the form of a merman, his face bearing a solemn wisdom, with a thick beard, piercing eyes, and a trident in hand—all exuding an air of divine authority.

As for the exact appearance of this deity, no one has truly seen it. The statue was conceived from dreams of the Master living in the temple, who also referenced some legendary texts.

Sometimes, villagers who went fishing at sea reported glimpses of a distant blue light. On other occasions, someone might fall overboard, cramping up and believing they would drown, only to find themselves washed ashore alive.

Such incidents have occurred more than once.

As a result, the villagers convinced themselves that it must be Walker, the Sea God, protecting them, and the Master in the temple is the messenger communicating with the Sea God, aware of the deity’s will.

However, the Master can’t just communicate at will; it depends on chance. One day, suddenly, he might communicate, as if the Sea God reached out to him in a dream.

Because Ru Yu Village has always believed in the Sea God, villagers frequently visit the temple to worship the statue, offering tributes for continued blessings.

In the twenty-first century, Lin Nuo would consider this feudal superstition.

However, in this world of Spirit Cultivation, anything’s possible; who knows whether deities like Earth Gods or Sea Gods exist? It could very well be the case.

After all, there are Sea Domain Dragon Clans in the ocean; in some sense, they could be considered gods of the sea too, invincible and even striving to conquer land.

Su Kexin watched the villagers marching in groups and asked, “Senior Brother, they must be heading to the temple to pay respects. Shall we go?”

Having stayed in Ru Yu Village before, Su Kexin was well aware of its customs.

“Not going; you can go on your own,” Lin Nuo replied, asserting he would never worship any of these so-called gods for the people—if he were to worship, it would be the evil gods or the Da Death God types, those with villainous connotations.

There’s no way the villain Lin would jump into the sea to worship the Sea God.

“Then I won’t go either.”

“Suit yourself.”

Lin Nuo felt that Su Kexin was troublesome. Why did she want to follow him? Was she trying to lead the villain down the path until he’d hit a dead end?

“Nu’er, so you’re here!”

At that moment, a familiar female voice reached Lin Nuo’s ears.

He turned to see his mother, Xia Hanmo, approaching with Ruo’er, bearing some tributes. By the looks of it, they seemed to be off to the temple.

“You’re just in time; come with us to the temple.”

“Not going.”

“Sigh, Nu’er, you don’t help out at home and don’t visit villagers. I can overlook not settling down, but now that we’re back, we must go to the temple to worship the statue; it’s inauspicious otherwise.”

“Not going,” Lin Nuo repeated.

“Nu’er, you used to love going with me. Sigh, Nu’er has grown up, not listening to mother’s words anymore. Alas, I’m getting old, all these bones, and yet Nu’er scoffs at my advice. Well, I can only take Ruo’er, my good daughter, with me.”

Xia Hanmo sighed dramatically. Ever since she learned Lin Nuo chose Ruo’er as his partner, she had considered Ruo’er as the good daughter.

“Alright, annoying enough. Am I going or not?”

Lin Nuo, helpless, was used to being nagged but found her sighs unbearable to his ears.

When he didn’t see her, he wanted to catch up, but now that he had, he wished to distance himself—her nagging was too much.

“Hello, Auntie! Hello, Ruo’er!”

Excited, Su Kexin rushed over to Xia Hanmo, shaking her hand eagerly.

“This is Miss Su! Ah, what a coincidence; Miss Su is here too!”

“Indeed, Auntie. I used to live in Ru Yu Village. I’m back for a visit and didn’t expect to run into you. I just had a game of chess with Senior Brother; his skills are remarkable—none of the village elders are his match.”

“Sigh, you’re flattering him. This child is everywhere, leaving Ruo’er at home.”

Xia Hanmo sighed and looked at Lin Nuo.

“Nu’er, Ruo’er is your future wife, yet you go outside without taking her along, playing chess with other girls; that isn’t right.”

“Auntie, Ruo’er is Senior Brother’s future wife???”

Su Kexin was absolutely shocked by this news.