Jiang Ye Chapter 49

The citizens who were kneeling before the altar were still praying, while the crowd around the altar were cheering for the Taoist. This scene was like an artist showing off their skill in the streets and tried something dangerous to capture the viewer’s attention.

Just after the ritual of moving the rain finished, the Taoist’s apprentices was ready to move the altar and items back in the church. But who knew at this moment the sky suddenly turned dark and rain started to fall down. Sang Sang opened the big black umbrella up and raised her head while looking at Ning Que proudly. The circling crowd which had no umbrella scattered quickly and hid under the roofs of nearby houses. They glanced at the apprenticed and pointed at them. Faintly their mocking and scoffing could be heard.

Ning Que looked at this scene and couldn’t help but laugh. But suddenly he realized something and glanced once again at the old Taoist in the rain. His eyes were filled with shock rather than sympathy.

He believed his observations, the previous wooden sword and talisman were not magic tricks, then they could only be……xiuxing techniques! From the knowledge that the elder Lu Qing Chen taught him, even if this old Taoist didn’t enter the third stage of xiuxing, Questionless, he should have entered the second stage, Sensation, for a long time!

Besides Xi Ling, Chang An city had the most xiuxingists in the world. But he never thought that he could encounter a xiuxingist while shopping casually with Sang Sang. And this Taoist who was about to enter Questionless was still using these pathetic ways to perform.

It’s funny how the Taoist tried to use this way to gather more believers, but their Way wasn’t really helping them out. It’s true, even the saints who entered Boundless and Blessed stage didn’t have the ability to summon wind and rain. Speak less of a weak old Taoist.

Ning Que watched the closing doors of the church while wrinkling his eyebrows and thought of something.

The Great Sky Way was the only official religion in this world and was respected in every kingdom. No taxes were collected in the territory of churches and the officials of the religion was well respected and praised in the society. In kingdoms like Da He and Nan Ji, their kings need approval and blessing from the bishops of the Great Sky Way in order to ascend their thrones.

But earlier when seeing the mocking and scoffing from the citizens, it was clear that the status of Great Sky Way in Tang Empire couldn’t compare to other kingdoms. Even though the bishop of the southern sect of Great Sky Way was appointed as the prime minster of Tang, but the entire world knew the relations.h.i.+p between the southern sect and the main branch wasn’t close. The power of a pointing leaders of different churches in the Tang Empire was in the hand of the emperor, Xi Ling couldn’t influence any decision.

It was even rumored that when Tang Empire was first established, the Great Sky Way was banned to spread its religion in the empire.

Speaking logically. as the single most powerful religion in the world having having billions of believers, the enormous Great Sky Way couldn’t endure such insult and oppression. Matter for fact, they didn’t endure. Everyone believed that the Attack on Tang by Seventeen kingdoms was supported by Xi Ling Heaven (Headquarter of the Great Sky Way).

In the past, the alliance of seventeen kingdoms was formed and hundred millions of army were attacking the territory of Tang Empire. But they were crushed by the newly established Iron Riders of  Tang Empire. Following their counter strike the Tang Empire rode out of their boundary and raged war against the world. Countless cities were crushed and after this ma.s.sive warfare, the so called “alliance” was melted like snow. Three of the kingdoms were directly conquered by Tang Empire and became the three counties of He Bei Way. Those three counties were the counties that got taxed the heaviest by the first emperor of Tang.

The problem that troubled everyone was that in this Great War, Xi Ling Heaven never stepped in and react. The countless xiuxingists of the Great Sky Way never entered the battles. Perhaps due to this reason, after the war was over Tang Empire never directly attacked the Great Sky Way. Great Sky Way also gained the approval to spread their religion in the Tang Empire as well.

After this warfare, Tang Empire established its superiority over the world and became the single most powerful kingdom. The Great Sky Way still owned the most believers in the world. One was in world power while the other in religion. Both were distasteful of each other, but because they never had the confidence in taking each other down, they just acted as if they couldn’t see each other. Gradually over time Tang and Great Sky Way lost their interest in attacking.

This kind of situation was kept for thousands of years, and it hasn’t changed even now. Therefore Great Sky Way was still almighty everywhere else, but in Tang’s territory even the tiniest church will be taxed. Everywhere else the people were followers of Great Sky Way, in Tang territory if the southern sect of Great Sky Way wants to attract more followers they need to send xiuxingists out and do tricks for the citizens to watch……………..

Walking beneath the big black umbrella and in the rain, Ning Que thought back to the previous scene and couldn’t help but laugh while shaking his head, “To be honest, that old Taoist was a little pitiful. Perhaps our prime minister is the same in the palace.”

Sang Sang used her right arm and shoulder to hold the black umbrella in place. In her left hand was a pancake that she bought from a small shop. She stop indistinctively, “Master, you seem to enjoy Chang An.”

“A different place of earth raises a different kind of people, but the people could also change the taste of the earth.” Ning Que smiled and answered, “Perhaps not so much liking Chang An, but I do like the people of Chang An.”

Just when he was saying, he suddenly wrinkled his eyebrow and said, “Three four, seven…..eight.”

Sang Sang was stumped a little and squeezed the pancake into her little mouth. Her left hand quickly rubbed a certain spot on his back. Ning Que wrinkled his eyebrow while picking up the heavy black umbrella in her hands. He corrected himself, “No, it’s seven seven.”

“I know.”

The spring rain poured down on Chang An city. In the streets, between the buildings, and along the people wearing rain coats, a big black umbrella was traveling around like a dark lotus. Under the big black umbrella Sang Sang had pancake in one hand and scratched Ning Que’s back with the other. The faces of the master and maid were filled with happiness and satisfaction.

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Besides people who sell umbrella and rent carriages, no one else would like the spring of Chang An City, which was filled with rainy days. The brothel was no exception. Due to the incident that occurred a few days ago, the Red Sleeve Club was forced to shut down for one day, while some unfortunate rumors were spread in the city. Right now it seemed suitable to play the instruments and draw, due to the drizzle outside, but there was truly no business during the day.

Even the girl who had their own house couldn’t resist but gathered in the front building. After greeting Madam Jian they all gathered in a room and chatted with each other to get by some time. This situation was suddenly changed after Ning Que and his maid entered the building and sudden the brothel was filled with laughter.

In the room of the topmost floor, a man around forty years ago saw this scene was the girls working for him. he couldn’t help but wrinkled his eyebrows while rebuking deeply, “All of them really think they are n.o.ble ladies who have nothing to do. Meng San, ask Madam Jain…..remember to be polite……who that youngster is. If he doesn’t have a background just get him out of here. The girls that I used money employing are not for him to be chatting with.”

“I advise you to not mess with that youngster, because…..he’s my last tenant.”

Around the table a middle aged man looked at him and smiled, his sword that was on his waist was now placed beside him. This man was the owner of all shops in the Forty Seventh Street.