Zhang Chen and Ying spotted Worm, who also noticed them, and his face instantly changed from a smile to a more contained expression as he nonchalantly greeted them, "Di, congratulations on igniting your Qi Blood. With you, the future of our tribe seems reassured. The rise of the tribe is to rest on your shoulders."
As he spoke, he brushed past them, his figure gradually disappearing into the distance.
’Di’ watched Worm’s retreating back with a curious look in his eyes, "Why was he so happy just now? Logically, since there was a life-and-death conflict between me and ’Rope’, he should be worried and fearful, so why is he like this?"
"Maybe he’s found an excuse to evade punishment, knowing that your father cannot do anything to him, and that’s why he’s happy," suggested Zhang Chen.
That ’Rope’ was always acting recklessly without any flaws, and ’Di’ had to swallow his grievances silently because there was no evidence.
"Could it be that this guy wants to seize power and overthrow someone?" Zhang Chen considered another possibility and reminded him.
"With him? My dad is a Fourth Tier warrior, his Qi Blood like mercury, he is far from capable of usurping power." Young ’Di’ scoffed with disdain, "No matter what he’s planning, now that I’ve returned, my father won’t let him off. My father is ready to act against this old dog, but this person has some influence, so my father will prepare some more to ensure the tribe doesn’t descend into turmoil."
The two went on their way, and Worm, who had vanished, reappeared on the street, looking in the direction they disappeared, a hint of coldness in his eyes, "Hehe, soon! When the Ant Tribe acts, the entire Ape Tribe will become history, and the deity of the Ape Tribe will be devoured by the Ant Tribe."
Zhang Chen and young ’Di’ arrived before the temple, looking at it with intent, and young ’Di’ pointed to the temple gate, "Brother, walk directly into the temple. If you can enter without obstruction, it means the deity consents to meet you. If you are blocked at the gate, it means the deity doesn’t wish to see you."
Zhang Chen looked at the temple, akin to a tile-roofed house of northern rural areas in later generations. The entire temple consisted of just one building, but the courtyard wall stretched several hundred meters, all built of earth.
The grand gate was built imposingly, like that of a noble mansion.
At that moment, the temple gate stood open, and from outside one could view the buildings within the courtyard.
Zhang Chen stepped toward the temple gate and entered the temple without any hindrance. Seeing this, ’Di’ followed him in with visible joy, "Brother, the deity did not reject you, you succeeded."
Zhang Chen entered the temple, seeing the flat, compacted earthen ground.
The altar at the north of the temple rose three meters high, and above it hovered a glowing orb.
The light seemed like a bead, quietly floating above the altar, illuminating the entire temple and village.
Yet, when Zhang Chen saw the bead, his pupils shrank, disbelief washing over him like an eighteen-degree earthquake, rattling his mind.
How could this be!!!
As Zhang Chen looked at the hovering bead, a flash of disbelief filled his eyes, as he had seen this orb before, within that Empress Tomb, where he struggled to acquire it.
"Wasn’t this bead buried by ’Emperor’ to anchor the Feng Shui Grand Array? How is there another bead here? Could there actually be a pair?" Zhang Chen was puzzled.
At the same time, he was more convinced that the Ape Tribe before him was inextricably linked to the Ape Tribe recorded in the Empress Tomb he encountered in a later era.
Youth ’Di’ respectfully knelt on the ground, bowing to the deity above. Seeing the orb ignited countless thoughts in Zhang Chen’s mind. Suddenly, the light from the orb twisted, and a figure emerged atop the bead.
The figure was a mass of light, composed of myriad runes, and it stood quietly before the altar, observing Zhang Chen.
"This is the spirituality born out of countless people’s worship, incense sacrifices, and is the deity’s Dharma Aspect." Zhang Chen looked at the glowing silhouette with a realization.
"Speak on the podium." The figure’s voice was like an electronic sound, void of any emotion, yet it carried an indescribable gravity.
The mystery here was of the Twelfth Tier, Zhang Chen had no other choice but to ascend the altar.
Meanwhile, below the altar, ’Di’ transformed into a stone statue, kneeling silently as it lost external perception.
Zhang Chen ascended the steps to the altar, respectfully saluting the deity before him, "Greetings, Great Deity."
This was a Twelfth Tier deity, deserving of Zhang Chen’s formal greeting.
Facing Zhang Chen’s greeting, the deity seemed unaware of such formalities, and spoke:
"You are not like us! What are you?"
After a brief contemplation, Zhang Chen replied, "Qi Cultivator."
"Qi Cultivator? What is that?" Houtu asked curiously.
Zhang Chen was a bit troubled upon hearing this, uncertain how to explain to Houtu. He now understood that the so-called seizing the Creation of Heaven and Earth, the Xuanji of Sun and Moon, was to steal the deity’s power for personal use, akin to what he did with the Taiyin Goddess he mentioned earlier.
Now, face to face with Houtu, should he mention stealing the Creation of Heaven and Earth or the Xuanji of all things, who knows if the deity would get angry?
Thus, Zhang Chen racked his brain, pondering how to explain it to Houtu.
Yet before Zhang Chen could explain, the deity across, Houtu, seemed uninterested in Zhang Chen’s answers, speaking once more:
"I am going to die. If you want this tribe, I can let you have it."
"What?" Shocked, Zhang Chen froze, disbelief reflecting in his eyes as he raised his head in amazement.
"I am going to die. If you want this tribe, I can give it to you. The condition is you must protect my body from being seized by other deities!" Houtu’s voice remained emotionless.
Zhang Chen looked skyward, curious now—a world where mysterious substances abound, perpetually replenishing mysteries, ideally allowing mysteries to exist forever without dying. How is this deity dying?
No wonder he previously sensed an air of aging from this deity.
"Can deities also die?" Zhang Chen opened his mouth to ask.
"Deities die, but if the body remains, in the future, when there’s enough incense offering, they’ll be reborn anew. Just then, I won’t be me but a whole new I," Houtu explained.
At this moment, Zhang Chen struggled to comprehend more deeply the meaning within Houtu’s words, benefited by concepts from the twenty-first century: "The implication is the body remains, but the soul is different."
"I failed the challenge against Eastern Emperor Taiyi, severely wounded by him, and my spirituality is bound to perish," Houtu’s voice was still devoid of emotion: "As long as you ensure my body isn’t taken by other deities, my tribe can be yours. So, what is your choice?"
"I have no interest in your tribe..."
Zhang Chen’s words were interrupted as the ground beneath his feet writhed, and his form appeared outside the temple.
"..." Zhang Chen was speechless; this deity was exceedingly straightforward.
"Brother, why have we come out?"
’Di’ rose from the ground, confused, as he looked back at the temple gate.
"This deity wanted to make a trade with me. I refused and, perhaps... in a way, it seems this deity somewhat threw a tantrum." Zhang Chen shook his head:
"Let’s go back, this matter for now."
His mind swarmed with more questions: Why are there two identical orbs in this world, for instance?
ps: Poor little author humbly asks for some subscriptions, some monthly tickets, dear elders. Ah, ah, ah...