Chapter 9: Determining Faith
He knew that Guo Huai still needed to undergo the assessment of the Transcendent, so he directly exited the hall to wait for Guo Huai to complete the determination of his faith
The Taiyi Main Hall, also known as the Taiyi Hall of Ten Thousand Gods, is the largest structure within the cluster of the Hall of Ten Thousand Gods. It is the grand and towering edifice that Guo Huai had previously seen from the air. Initially, Guo Huai observed it from a distance, but now, standing before this great hall, he found himself awed by the majesty of the hall itself.
The devout believer Guo Huai is invited to take a seat before the established deity statue. The High Priest Roland gazes intently at him, his eyes carrying a subtle sense of authority, yet without appearing oppressive
Regarding the various versions of rumors about Guo Huai, Luo Wen had heard many, but at this moment, he witnessed it personally. Moreover, when Guo Huai himself mentioned the need to undergo the Transcender Assessment, Luo Wen was taken aback. At not yet sixteen years of age, he had already become a Transcender
Rumors remain rumors, yet one understands what it means for an ordinary youth to inherit such a vast family estate passed down by his parents. Moreover, one must consider who it is that seeks him out, knowing that those few individuals met with an unexpected demise, which many greeted with applause.
"Truly worthy of being a temple, even just a hint of divine power creates such an atmosphere." Guo Huai followed the monk Luo Wen as they walked towards the temple complex. Guo Huai had already learned about the layout of the Pantheon through other means; the city-level Pantheon is the smallest tier among all the Pantheons.
The Grand Priest Roland looked on with both admiration and disappointment. He admired that this young man, still underage, was able to take steps beyond his peers, truly a prodigy endowed by heaven. Yet he sighed, for the young man had not chosen the Supreme Lord, but instead opted for the Mistress of the Earth, the controller of the cycle of all things.
The choice of faith is closely related to oneself, and Guo Huai naturally has to choose a deity that suits him as his main belief, much like how merchants select the god of wealth, Tao Zhu.
However, they do not know what Guo Huai specifically looks like, and if Guo Huai were to truly stand before them, they would likely keep their distance out of respect.
Having accepted a transcendent being into the embrace of the Cycle Controllers, the merits are immeasurable. Even if he cannot become a priest, it is sufficient for him to be promoted to a mid-level acolyte, at which point he will no longer need to stand at the gate.
At first, it was a distant view; now, it is a close look. Standing beneath the grand gate, Guo Huai felt incredibly insignificant. The moment he stepped through the gate, he seemed to sense that he had entered two worlds, as if he had transitioned from the mundane to the divine.
Beneath the Almighty Lord, along with the seven Supreme Deities on either side, there are also eighty-one other Deities standing on the third tier of the divine platform, arranged on both sides.
Daoist Luo is being modest. I see that you are wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao, and your entire spirit has already transformed towards the Great Way. You are not far from taking refuge; just one more step forward, and as your understanding of the master of reincarnation becomes clearer, your future achievements will be anything but ordinary
The paths of these deities, such as the God of Wealth, Tao Zhu, and the God of Exploration, Luo Ya Ming, encompass various aspects of social civilization.
In his youth, before receiving the inheritance of the Shepherd, he had already experienced self-transcendence in his studies, which is why his seated posture in meditation is exceptionally standard
"Devout believer Guo Huai, I, as the earthly representative of the Pangu Star Domain's sovereign, inquire of you: is your faith rooted in your most genuine needs?" The High Priest Roland asked again. This time, Guo Huai answered without the slightest hesitation: "I am certain."
This inevitably accelerates the spread of rumors about https://www.hetushu.com, with claims circulating in the market that he has long become a transcendent being, evolving several versions of his narrative of killing those individuals in the name of justice, thus becoming a topic of conversation over tea and meals
At this moment, the grand hall of the temple was utterly silent. Deep within that hall, beneath the Supreme Deity and the other seven exalted deities, sat an elder clad in a golden robe, adorned with the pattern of a three-legged golden crow.
I, Luo Wen, fear that in this lifetime I may never become a transcender and instead turn into a priest. Immediately following this thought, there was joy; he heard Guo Huai refer to him as a fellow practitioner, clearly indicating that he had chosen the reincarnation controller as his primary faith.
Family members are often unaware of their own affairs, yet Guo Huai is an exceptional individual, perhaps possessing the ability to perceive certain truths. Moreover, what he articulates is precisely on point, making it impossible for him not to believe. When Luo Wen realizes that he has indeed come close to being an exceptional individual, he can no longer maintain his composure and grace, exclaiming in surprise.
The facts are indeed as he stated; Luo Wen is already close to conversion. Once the conversion is completed, it can be said that he has resolved the cycle of life and death. Furthermore, the path of the transcendent of the divine way has already unfolded before him, and the future is extraordinary. At this moment, the other party is in a state of confusion, yet his guidance could also lead to a good connection. "What you say, my friend, is it true"
Such towering and majestic architecture, such grandiose atmosphere, any mortal, even a transcendent being, would be awed upon arriving here; this is the Pantheon of Liyang City
The reason for choosing the Earth Mother is that she represents the ultimate destination of death, the beginning of rebirth, and the controller of the cycle of all things. Moreover, Guo Huai's power is also somewhat related to the Earth Mother. The soul is precisely within the domain of the Earth Mother, the controller of the cycle of all things.
Guo Huai cast a glance, and the names of the deities naturally emerged in his mind. Finally, his gaze settled on the Lady of the Earth, the controller of the cycle of all things. This was the faith he intended to choose today
Guo Huai immediately followed the instructions of the High Priest Roland and walked directly to the area beneath the statue of the Lady of the Earth, the Controller of the Cycle of All Things, where there were dozens of mats. He approached one of the mats as described in the religious curriculum of the nine-year compulsory education, and sat down cross-legged.
Then I would trouble you, fellow cultivator, to show me the way. Guo Huai immediately followed and walked into the Pantheon. Upon entering the Pantheon, the first thing that caught his eye was an extraordinarily tall gate, which stood at a height of 9 zhang, and naturally, the gate was correspondingly massive
He could sense that within the layers of the illusory interface, this force simultaneously existed. This force permeated not only the material interface but also diffused through other dimensions, including those interfaces that he could not perceive.
The Supreme, Everlasting Radiance, the Earthly Representative of the Pangu Star Domain, High Priest Roland, and the Servant of the Master of the Cycle of All Things, Rowan, lead the faithful Guo Huai to affirm their faith
At this moment, the voice of the Grand Priest Roland completely changed its tone. Under the operation of divine power, he seemed to transform into a deity high above, with a voice resonating from the heavens, imbued with boundless majesty. In this instant, it felt as though the entire power of the temple was collectively questioning Guo Huai.
Guo Huai walked into the main entrance of the Hall of Ten Thousand Gods, and what he saw was a vast hall. Directly opposite the hall was the magnificent image of the Supreme Deity, standing tall at six zhang. On either side of him, there were seven statues of the highest deities, slightly smaller in size, and the platforms they stood on were one tier lower than his.
Looking at this grand gate, it is truly hard to imagine how the attendant monks open and close it. The entire gate is made of stone, and its weight is astonishingly heavy. However, it is said that the construction of this temple did not rely on human strength, but rather on powerful priests who used transcendent forces to build it, which contains its own intricacies.
This, however, allowed the High Priest Li Wei to gain an advantage, resulting in an additional transcendent under the jurisdiction of the Earth Mother Temple. Immediately, the High Priest Roland's expression changed slightly as he recalled that the monk Rowan was a devotee of the Earth Mother, and it was precisely the Earth Mother that Guo Huai had chosen.
"Transcendence Assessment." The monk Rowan had heard many rumors about him, but he knew that such rumors should not be taken seriously, and that people's eyes were quite discerning.
There is also a Pantheon in a smaller scale, but it does not possess the grandeur of such a layout. The Pantheon in Liyang City is divided into eight main halls, arranged according to the eight trigrams created by the Taiji, the embodiment of the Supreme One, who teaches and enlightens all. Upon entering, one encounters the main hall of the Pantheon, known as the Qian trigram, also referred to as the Taiji Pantheon, where the faith of the believers is firmly established.
"What brings the attendant here?" As Luo Wen entered the grand hall and was about to pay his respects, he suddenly saw the elder open his eyes. The elder's gaze swept across the room and finally focused on Guo Huai, clearly having discovered Guo Huai's status as a transcendent.
The flower-laden sedan chair is carried by people, and Guo Huai is also capable of this. Moreover, Luo Wen is focused on his studies and, being in the midst of it all, is unaware of his own condition. However, this perceptive individual sees it very clearly.
The entire atmosphere here is permeated with a vast power, which, if unleashed, could likely erase Liyang City from Blue Star. However, this power, although it exists in a manner akin to a grand tome, is relatively gentle, quietly existing in such a way that it evokes a sense of immense inclusiveness.
"The attendant may withdraw." The High Priest Roland nodded slightly and no longer paid attention to Rowan. Rowan performed another deep bow and directly retreated outside, as there was no longer a place for him to speak here
I sincerely apologize, Luo Wen has been rude. After the exclamation, he quickly came to his senses. "Please follow me, if Priest Li Wei were to know of your joining, he would surely be very pleased. However, let us first enter the main hall of the temple to complete the affirmation of faith"
"No," Guo Huai replied, and immediately the power of the temple responded with a thunderous sound, confirming that his words were true. Upon hearing this, High Priest Roland felt a slight disappointment; it was indeed a pity.
Devout Guo Huai, I, as the earthly representative of the Pangu Star Domain's sovereign, inquire of you: before establishing faith, are there priests or monks who can speak of the greatness of certain deities, persuading one to believe and convert?
It is truly magnificent; such a house is simply the abode of giants. His gaze traverses those colonnades, which are adorned with various reliefs, depicting the myths of the myriad deities of the Pangu star domain.
Guo Huai took a deep breath and walked slowly into the Taiyi Ten Thousand Gods Temple. At this time, he had arrived relatively early, and there were no other visitors in the temple yet, making it exceptionally quiet. As he entered the main hall, the vast and boundless power coalesced into something tangible.
"I did not expect that you, fellow cultivator, are so young yet already an Exceeding One." Upon hearing this, Luo Wen immediately performed a grand bow to Guo Huai, akin to the ceremony a novice monk would offer to a priest. However, this gesture was not inappropriate; as an Exceeding One, Guo Huai, though not a priest, held a status comparable to that of a priest within the temple, given his firm belief in the Master of Reincarnation.