Chapter 178: Prelude to the Examination (Part 4)
But very quickly, Wang Dongdong ran back in a hurry, holding a spirit message in her hand with a look of astonishment.
Liu Sheng also looked up from her spirit message, equally surprised and uncertain, at Wang Dongdong.
"You also received the message?" Wang Dongdong asked.
"Yes." Liu Sheng nodded.
"My parents heard it from our relatives in the court," Wang Dongdong first stated the source of the message.
"I heard it from my master," Liu Sheng said.
Wang Dongdong already knew that Liu Sheng had participated in the legendary Huaishan Training, so she naturally knew that Liu Sheng's information was also accurate.
Thus, the news was absolutely true.
"This is too sudden. They only said four days before the Examination that it would focus on theology..." Wang Dongdong said dejectedly, apparently unprepared for this aspect.
Liu Sheng was also shocked; although she had somewhat anticipated it, she didn't expect such a complete shift.
She originally thought it would just be a mention of the Supreme God, but after hearing what Ling Yuke said, Liu Sheng felt a great sense of unease and began to review and fill in gaps yesterday.
Since God Manifestation First Year, people had only focused on cultivation and the strange; research on the Supreme God was indeed not extensive, after all, who would research a God so high above?
Moreover, they didn't even know where to begin the research.
No wonder the Emperor wanted to "revitalize theology."
Although Liu Sheng had lost her faith in the Supreme God, she could understand the court's intentions.
"Being told now is at least better than discovering it during the Examination," Liu Sheng mused.
"If it were in the Examination hall, I don't know how many Xuezis would hang themselves on the spot." Wang Dongdong shook her head, somewhat frantic, "And what exactly is the study of deities? Who can even clarify it?"
"Ling Yuke's 'revitalizing theology, cultivating divine books, and building divine temples' will be a direction," Liu Sheng reminded her.
"Moreover, the fact that there is no so-called true theology now is actually a good thing."
"How can it be a good thing? There aren't even any review Materials," Wang Dongdong said with a wry smile.
"In that case, everyone is starting on the same footing, whether noble families or commoners," Liu Sheng said, her eyes deep. "It just depends on how well everyone can prepare in these four days."
"And, since it's a new subject, the questions won't be too difficult..."
...
That night, Chang'an City was exceptionally restless.
Not only because of the all-night thunderstorm, but also because of the rapidly spreading news.
Many aristocratic youths, like Wang Dongdong, who had some connections in the court, received the news and discussed strategies with their elders all night.
The grand family estates in Chang'an City remained lit throughout the night.
As for the commoner Xuezis without connections, they saw a newly posted announcement on the Ministry of Rites's notice board the next day. It not only mentioned that this Examination would lean towards the study of "deities" but also directly stated the court's intention to "revitalize theology, cultivate divine books, and build divine temples," hoping that all Xuezis would speak freely in the Examination and offer advice to the court.
This was considered a certain degree of fairness.
However, the Xuezis were at a loss regarding this change, racking their brains to figure out what "deities" truly meant.
Although the Supreme God was in the heavens daily, and the Xuezis had always maintained a connection with It, thereby gaining Spiritual Qi for cultivation, no one had carefully considered what Its existence truly was.
The Supreme God exists simply by existing; was there anything more to explore?
Consequently, the incense offerings at temples and Daoist temples in Chang'an City suddenly flourished.
Originally, after the appearance of the Supreme God, Buddhism and Daoism had declined, gradually losing their incense, and most of the Daoists, Daoist nuns, monks, and nuns had left.
Eventually, only one or two remained in each temple and Daoist temple, kept there by mandatory imperial decree as historical site maintenance personnel, supported by the court. Their daily routine involved cleaning, explaining history to visitors, and occasionally telling fortunes.
This job was easy and stable, and many young people even yearned for it, but having to delve into the study of Buddhism and Daoism, religions that had lost their market in this era, still deterred many.
Now, with their renewed prosperity, these remaining individuals were overworked.
As for why the Xuezis were now flocking to temples and Daoist temples, it wasn't to burn incense and worship Buddha as a last-minute prayer, but because Buddhism and Daoism had long histories and a well-developed system regarding deities. They hoped that by studying these Dao, they might gain insights and deepen their understanding of the Supreme God.
Another group of people focused on the latter, believing that the key should not be to analyze deities, but rather to consider how to boost reverence and faith in the Supreme God.
Liu Sheng was among this group.
She thought for an entire day and finally understood that "revitalizing theology, cultivating divine books, and building divine temples" ultimately aimed to strengthen faith in the Supreme God, drawing more people into the Supreme God's embrace.
But for her, contemplating this matter was extremely painful and seemed to have no solution.
After all, she didn't believe.
How could someone who doesn't believe teach others to believe? It was too difficult.
Moreover, why the court now felt the need to boost faith was also strange.
People had always shown great reverence and faith in the Supreme God.
"Perhaps the court realized that more and more people like us don't believe in the Supreme God."
One of Liu Sheng's thoughts inadvertently revealed the truth.
"Besides us, who else doesn't believe?"
"Nangong Wan."
"What's the characteristic?"
"Yugui..."
"I suspect that once one possesses power from another power system, they will gradually sever their connection with the Supreme God, meaning they will no longer believe."
"Wen Weilan should be the same, as she is already our follower."
"So, Yugui don't believe in the Supreme God, but this group isn't that large, right?"
"What about the Hunter of the Strange? That group is big enough, right?"
"Just among the weird objects we've encountered, how many come from other worlds? If people enter these ghost realms from other worlds while hunting the strange, such as when we entered the "Star Chasing Journey" last time, and Nangong Wan's "Hongxing Elementary School," they might break through their cognitive barriers and realize that the Supreme God is not a universal deity, and may not even be a so-called "deity."
"So, perhaps we just don't know, but in reality, some Hunter of the Strange have already started to have doubts about this?"
"What will happen if faith decreases?"
"Something extremely terrible will definitely happen, otherwise the court wouldn't be doing this so urgently."
...
The day before.
Above the distant and desolate Northern Border Great Wall, a streak of pearly white flowing fire swiftly cut across the eternally dark night sky, obliquely falling towards the southwest.
A middle-aged woman with sharp, handsome features sat perched on the edge of the city wall, watching the stream of fire's tail feathers dissipate in the air, scattering like stars across the firmament, ethereal and dreamlike.
"That's the desert to the north, where it fell," the woman murmured.
Suddenly, a deep black wolf-skin cloak was draped over her shoulders from behind, carrying the warmth of being dried over charcoal and enhanced with warming runes, especially precious in the ceaseless wind and snow.
The woman turned her head to look.
Her husband's face appeared even paler and older from the wind and frost, but his eyes were still gentle and smiling as he looked at the woman.
Suddenly, a few coughs.
The woman anxiously stood up: "You're severely injured, yet you ran out?"
"It's nothing. If not for this, how could I see such a beautiful sight?" The husband's gaze was fixed on the woman, seemingly with a deeper meaning.
The woman's face, which had become exceptionally pale from long exposure to sunlight, instantly flushed red: "We're an old couple, stop being so glib."
"Precisely because we're an old couple, we should talk more," the husband disagreed, a weak smile appearing on his lips, "While we can still say a few more words."
The woman heard the ominous implication and retorted angrily: "Don't talk nonsense. We'll both live to be a hundred."
"Shi Zhi is still waiting for us to return in Chang'an," she added.
The husband shook his head and coughed heavily a few more times. The woman quickly helped pat his back and even took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"In a few more hours, you'll have to set out again, won't you?" the husband asked.
"Yes, some restless things are stirring again." A cold glint flashed in the woman's eyes.
The two looked together at the darkness north of the Great Wall, which seemed alive, constantly shifting its form.
The wind and snow were too heavy; even the god's face in the sky was unclear.
"Cough cough, be careful."
"Okay."
"Come back soon."
"Okay, I'll be back."
"...Okay."