Chapter 461: Disciples of the Heavenly Lord (Part 1)
Outside the temple, Lu Heng's countenance displayed astonishment.
He had never anticipated that his own divine image would manifest in this place, and furthermore, assume the principal position.
Regardless of how one scrutinizes the scene before one's eyes, it appears manifestly abnormal.
After all, this temple is called the Ancestral Shrine, where the revered deity is the Sacred Tree. However, it is quite peculiar that the venerated Sacred Tree cannot occupy the central position but is relegated to a subordinate seat, allowing Lu Heng's divine image to take its place… Such a usurpation of prominence is exceedingly strange.
However, as Lu Heng surveyed the surroundings, he found it peculiar that among the bustling devotees and pilgrims, not a single person seemed surprised or intrigued by this occurrence.
It appeared as though Lu Heng's divine image being placed in the central position was deemed utterly befitting by natural order.
Lu Heng contemplated for a moment, then randomly approached an elderly gentleman among the crowd who exuded an amiable demeanor, and said, "Excuse me, sir. May I impose upon you for a brief moment?"
Lu Heng smiled and spoke, "We are visitors from afar, on our first visit to Luoye City. We have heard that the Ancestral Shrine here is remarkably efficacious… However, may I inquire as to why the central position of the divine altar is occupied by something other than the Sacred Tree?"
Lu Heng's inquiry momentarily left the old man stupefied.
The elderly man, with a head full of white hair, couldn't help but widen his eyes and looked at Lu Heng, saying, "You… You don't recognize the Heavenly Lord?!"
"Uh… Heavenly Lord?"
"Yes! Heavenly Lord!" The old man stared at Lu Heng and exclaimed, "Young man, you don't recognize even the Heavenly Lord… Are you really from out of town? You must be from the mountains!"
The astonished expression on the elderly man's face resembled that of encountering a primitive human.
Regarding this, Lu Heng tactfully displayed a fittingly awkward expression and responded, "Uh… well… I must admit, elder, that I indeed come from the mountains."
Lu Heng said, "Since our youth, we have resided in the deep mountains. This is our first time descending from the mountains and entering the city, so we are unfamiliar with many things… May I inquire, venerable elder, who is this Heavenly Lord? And why is he occupying the central position in the temple dedicated to the divine tree?"
Lu Heng's inquiring manner was respectful and pleasing to the eye.
The elderly man stroked his white, long beard on his chin and suddenly remarked, "So that's how it is… However, ignorance is forgivable. In light of the fact that you acknowledge your mistake and are willing to correct it, I shall tell you the story of the Heavenly Lord today."
Saying this, the elderly man directly pulled Lu Heng to the side and enthusiastically spoke, "The Heavenly Lord is the leader of all gods, the ancestor of immortals, the first celestial thunder between heaven and earth, and has the same lifespan as the heavens and the earth, existing for endless ages."
"Over the course of the vast span of time, he has wielded the celestial thunder, annihilating wickedness, ensuring that malevolent demons dare not cause chaos, and wicked spirits dare not act recklessly, safeguarding the tranquility of all beings in heaven and earth."
"He is the most ancient and mighty presence in the heavens and the earth."
"And this All Souls Ancestral Root is the divine tree planted by the venerable Heavenly Lord himself, and it has existed in this land for thousands of years. There are rumors that this spiritual root is deeply rooted in the essence of the earth, possessing the power to stabilize the harmony of heaven and earth."
"Therefore, although this temple enshrines the divine tree, the Heavenly Lord must remain in the prominent position. While the sacred tree holds great reverence, it is still relegated to a secondary seat."
The elderly man stroked his long beard and proceeded to narrate a series of rumored stories, without the need for Lu Heng to inquire further. It seemed as though he was eager to share everything he knew with Lu Heng.
Regarding this, Lu Heng was rather speechless.
Heavenly Lord… the leader of all gods… the progenitor of countless immortals… What kind of chaotic mess is all this?
Though he was aware that he had been away from the Celestial Desolation Realm for over four thousand years, he never expected that the rumors from that time would be so heavily modified and transformed into this state.
Aside from the somewhat related legend of the Heavenly Lord's divine retribution upon the foolish, which other tale can be attributed to his actions?
Moreover, isn't it said that the Celestial Desolation Realm lacks the presence of immortals?
How did another progenitor of immortals suddenly emerge?
After a moment of hesitation, Lu Heng spoke, "But sir, I have heard that the true leader of all gods is none other than the Emperor Fu Xi from ancient times? Could it be that this individual referred to as the Heavenly Lord is actually Fu Xi?"
Lu Heng's inquiry made the elderly man give him a stern look. "Young man, you actually know about the Emperor… It seems you are not entirely devoid of knowledge after all."
The elderly man said, "Indeed! In ancient times, there was indeed the Emperor Fu Xi, who commanded awe across the boundless lands, establishing the ancient Heavenly Court and laying the foundations of the celestial order."
"However, the ancient Heavenly Court has long since crumbled, and the Emperor Fu Xi has perished for countless years. The current Heavenly Court, on the other hand, was established by the hands of the Heavenly Lord."
"He, being deeply compassionate towards all beings in the heavens and earth, could not bear to witness their suffering. Therefore, he established the heavenly Court, gathering the multitude of immortals and appointing various gods, while also opening the cycle of reincarnation in the netherworld, allowing the departed to be reborn. It is truly an immeasurable feat of great merit."
"It is even rumored that even the evil cultivators of the demonic path revere and worship the Heavenly Lord. All living beings in this world abide by the rules and order established by the Heavenly Lord, and it is precisely because of the existence of the Heavenly Court, which gathers the multitude of immortals and suppresses malevolent forces, that we mortal beings need not worry about the rampant spread of evil demons."
"After the tranquility of the heavens and earth, children like you can peacefully dwell in the mountains and fields without fear of evil demons harming anyone."
"Otherwise, I have heard from the elders that before the establishment of the Heavenly Court, the Fire Pass Country was in great turmoil. Savage creatures roamed the wilderness, and malevolent spirits lurked in the darkness of the night. If ordinary people were to venture outside the cities, their lives would be at constant risk!"
"Back then, how could there be the hustle and bustle of the present? There was hardly any connection between cities, and ordinary people like us could only live our whole lives confined to our own small plots of land, unable to easily venture out."
"Like you, who can now wander carefreely outside, you should thank the Heavenly Lord for this!"
The elderly person emphasized with an excited tone the greatness of the Heavenly Lord and educated the young man from the mountains to understand reverence and gratitude.
However, Lu Heng found it increasingly absurd as he continued to listen.
What do you mean by establishing the Heavenly Court and conferring titles upon countless immortals…? Are you saying that he did all of that?
Although his physical body remains in the Celestial Desolation Realm, Lu Heng has been residing outside of Sanxian Island under the sea all this time, with his divine consciousness never returning. Without the driving force of Lu Heng's divine consciousness, the physical body becomes a motionless lump of clay.
And up until now, Lu Heng can still sense that his physical body remains in its original position, without having moved.
So, the elderly person spoke of the greatness of the Heavenly Lord who established the Heavenly Court…
Lu Heng pondered for a moment and asked, "Um… Sir, if Heavenly Lord is indeed so magnificent, could it be that he is the present-day Lord of the Heavenly Court? The one who governs over the multitude of immortals?"
The elderly person, however, glared at him and said, "So, young child, you truly understand nothing… How can the Heavenly Lord, such a transcendent being, have time to deal with mundane matters of power?"
"The current Lord of the Heavenly Court is none other than Supreme God Lu Ai. Supreme God Lu Ai is the one who presides over the Heavenly Court."
"Supreme God Lu Ai, on the other hand, is the direct disciple of the Heavenly Lord, and it is she who usually takes charge of the Heavenly Court and leads the multitude of immortals on behalf of the Heavenly Lord."
"You, a young child, don't even know about Supreme God Lu Ai, yet you keep spouting nonsense… Truly ignorant and full of gibberish!"
The elderly person stared at Lu Heng and said, "As the saying goes, one must hold reverence for the divine within three feet above the head. You, young lad, must harbor respect for the celestial gods and goddesses. Being facetious and lighthearted without any seriousness, beware of incurring the wrath of the heavenly deities!"
