Chapter 1884: Rumors Spread

As he walked out of the temple, he noticed several commoners sneaking into the hall, stealing sacrificial vessels and fruit.

The main temple of Miaozhantian was exquisitely built, often adorned with treasures like agate and turquoise. On the offering tables, dozens of gold and silver sacrificial vessels were displayed in complete sets.

The invisible solemnity that usually enveloped the place had vanished, and less devout commoners suddenly felt compelled to steal.

As Xun Tongwei rushed out of the temple gate, he saw over a dozen pilgrims prostrating themselves and weeping loudly, as if their parents had died. Most people, however, were bewildered and at a loss, looking back repeatedly as they slowly dispersed.

Wasn't the main deity omnipotent? If it died at the hands of the Dragon God, that showed it wasn't powerful enough. A god that wasn't powerful enough, how could it still command people's faith?

Xun Tongwei hastily got into his carriage: "Take me to the Situ family, immediately!" Such a monumental event had to be reported immediately!

Four days later.

Another ocean-going vessel docked at Julu Port. Fang Canran walked up the gangplank onto the pier, where a mother and child in front of him were almost pushed into the water by the surging crowd.

Fang Canran quickly steadied them, and looking up, he saw a sea of people.

He had visited Julu Port five months ago, and even then he had marvelled at the dramatic changes; but getting off the ship today and seeing it again, he almost didn't recognize the place.

The port and docks had been expanded again, and two long new piers had been built, otherwise, with too many ships coming and going, they wouldn't all be able to dock.

The fishing pier had been moved to the east coast, and the west bank was now reserved solely for passenger and cargo ships, so passengers no longer smelled the pungent fishy odor.

As soon as a ship docked, dockworkers immediately came to unload cargo, like industrious worker bees.

The buildings on shore were more numerous and grander, and even the trees looked particularly vibrant. It seemed everything was thriving.

However, he had walked less than a hundred zhang when his keen hearing picked up the name "Dragon God" appearing no less than ten times.

The merchants coming and going all seemed to be discussing this. Many others stood at the dock, gesticulating towards the sea.

Before he even left the dock, coachmen approached, vying for customers, asking Fang Canran with feigned enthusiasm, "Where are you going, sir? A private carriage is just twelve copper coins, we can take you anywhere in the port."

The price had gone up; it used to be only ten copper coins.

Fang Canran shook his head and turned towards the Conch Tavern by the dock. The yellow croaker noodles he had eaten there last time had left a lasting impression on him.

He'd have a bowl first, then go to the Yangshan Merchant Guild.

The tavern had also expanded to two floors, clearly thriving amidst the fierce competition in the area.

Fang Canran walked in, and just as he sat down and ordered a bowl of noodles, he heard someone nearby ask:

"That Beacon Island? The black dragon?"

"You're listening to their nonsense, trying to trick us outsiders."

"Why would I trick you? Do I get paid for it? The black dragon was circling right over Julu Port last night, I saw it with my own eyes!" a local man said. "Ask anyone here, who didn't hear the dragon's roar? The entire Julu Port woke up."

The outsider didn't believe him: "Did you actually see the black dragon land on the island?"

"Uh... no, not that."

Just then, a waiter walked over, pointed out the window, and said, "I saw it."

"That night, I was sleeping on the second floor of this very tavern when I was suddenly woken by the dragon's roar in the middle of the night. I got up to look, and there it was, the divine dragon soaring across the sky!"

Fang Canran joined the conversation: "For how long?"

"About a quarter of an hour. There weren't many clouds last night, so you could see the divine dragon clearly." The waiter continued, "Then the divine dragon landed on Beacon Island, that island right there!"

Looking out from the large window of the Conch Tavern, there was a small island made of a large reef in the inner bay of the port, about three hundred square meters in area, bare except for a few trees on its crown. Passing ships used it as a navigational beacon, hence its name, Beacon Island.

"Under the moonlight, the divine dragon's scales gleamed with a dark, lustrous sheen. If you didn't see it with your own eyes, you can't imagine how mighty and magnificent it was!"

"Then what?"

"Then the divine dragon entered the water, frolicked in the bay for a while, and then submerged out of sight," the waiter said confidently. "And it wasn't just me who saw it! There are plenty of people in this port, and sailors on the ships also saw the divine dragon swimming in the water! Just go out and ask anyone, you know, just ask, plenty of people saw it!"

Just then, a man in a long robe entered the tavern. He was about forty, tall and thin, holding a folding fan.

"Old Ding's here."

Fang Canran had seen him a few months ago and knew he was a storyteller who made a living by narrating tales and telling jokes.

He had many routines and scripts, but since the black dragon had appeared in the port just a few days ago, everyone naturally wanted to hear stories about the Dragon God.

Fang Canran's yellow croaker noodles arrived, a large steaming bowl.

As he picked up his chopsticks, Old Ding also pulled back his robe and sat in his usual seat, drinking a free cup of tea to clear his throat. His first sentence was designed to shock:

"Let's just say, it's a certainty that the Dragon God killed Miaozhantian that night..."

*Clatter, clatter*, Fang Canran's chopsticks dropped to the floor.

Everyone turned to look at him. Fang Canran picked up his chopsticks, saying "Sorry, sorry," his heart filled with shock.

Was the first piece of news he heard after getting ashore really this impactful?

Did these people in the tavern truly understand the weight of the words "Miaozhantian was killed"?

Fortunately, someone had already asked for him: "Hey, hey, why are you saying it's a certainty?"

Old Ding then vividly described the unusual occurrences at the Goddess Temple in Maiqiu. Fang Canran immediately recognized that he was telling a prepared story, with all the details and key points well-covered. But it didn't matter; the listeners enjoyed it this way.

Old Ding continued: "Oh, within a radius of three hundred li, it wasn't just the Miaozhantian Temple that showed anomalies, but also temples like Fenghu Temple and Jinna Temple... all exhibited ominous signs. Overnight, all these divine powers vanished!"

"What is the Dragon God doing?"

"What is it doing? The Dragon God takes pity on the world, eliminating the suffering of the Flash Gold people. Whoever bullies the common folk, whoever oppresses the Flash Gold, the Dragon God will destroy them!" Old Ding swayed his head, enunciating each word carefully, "If gods stand in the way, they will be slain; if demons stand in the way, they will be obliterated!"

Someone in the corner timidly asked: "Do the Heavenly Gods... do the Heavenly Gods also bully us?"

"Do you think only officials and bandits bully you?" Old Ding clearly recognized him. "I remember your mother prayed to Jinna God with great sincerity."

"Yes, all the money she earned from needlework went to offer incense oil to Jinna God."

Old Ding asked again: "How did your brother die?"

"He went into the mountains and... was eaten by wolves."

"Then what?"

"When my brother died, she went to the temple to weep and complain. The temple said my parents' sins were too deep, bringing misfortune upon their children. If we didn't want my sister and me to also suffer accidents, we had to atone more devoutly."

"Did she finish atoning?"

The man looked blank: "I... I don't know."

"What about your family's money?"

"It's gone. This year my father fell ill, and we had no money to treat him. He was nearly left for dead."