Pawn Crossing the River

The advantage of having fewer people is that it doesn't take much effort to express one's position one by one and pass the test one by one.

War God Ulacan was a little hesitant. In the past, War God also enjoyed blood sacrifices, and the main source of sacrifices was prisoners of war. At that time, various city-states were constantly fighting each other, and there was an endless supply of prisoners of war. Later, the Holy Court swept through various city-states, and Xidaomen integrated the shattered southern continent into one. Without the internal fighting in the city-states, there were naturally no prisoners of war to speak of - Western prisoners of war were generally used to exchange prisoners of war with the Holy Court. There will be no blood sacrifice.

The believers of prisoners of war are mainly warriors. Due to strong external pressure, warriors are strictly prohibited from making sacrifices. In short, the God of War's sacrifices are becoming less and less, and it has gradually helped him get rid of his addiction to blood sacrifices. He is also one of those who opposes blood sacrifice.

After the Southern Goddess Nohrak expressed his stance, the God of War, as an ally, no longer hesitated and said, "I agree."

As a result, three ancient gods have already agreed to abolish blood sacrifices. According to the principle of the minority obeying the majority, there seems to be no need for discussion.

However, Apuche, the Northern God of Death, still wanted to struggle and said, "The reason why the gods use blood sacrifices is because of insufficient divine power. If the blood sacrifices are stopped, how can we solve the problem of insufficient divine power?"

Ixichel said, "There is an allusion in the Central Plains called 'drinking poison to quench thirst'. I have said it more than once before that drinking poisonous wine to quench thirst and using the wrong method to solve the immediate difficulties regardless of the serious consequences is extremely wrong. Every time Every blood sacrifice will generate karmic fire. As for the consequences of karmic fire, Kukulkan has learned a lesson from the past, so my attitude is clear. If you understand, you must implement it, and if you don’t understand, you must deepen your understanding during implementation.”

Apuche also hesitated, not only because of Ixichel's firm attitude, but also because he witnessed the tragic scene of Kukulkan being burned to death by Karma Fire, which was really scary. It's just that blood sacrifice is an addiction for the gods, and it is even a mental addiction. It is difficult to get rid of it. Even if you know the problem of karma, you still can't help but think about it.

Rain God Chayak is not as addicted as Apuche. The reason why he participated in the blood sacrifice was firstly tradition and secondly because of the issue of divine power. As long as the issue of divine power was solved, he could agree.

At this time, Tantai Zhenxiao said, "As for the problem of insufficient divine power, Xidaomen can help solve the bulk of it, and the gods will solve the rest by themselves."

In fact, Xidaomen is not at a disadvantage either. Ixichel has just assigned the Sun Temple to Xidaomen, which is the largest one in the temple. Whether Xidaomen continues to maintain the name of the Sun God or changes it to a Taoist temple, it can gain additional divine power. Xidaomen now takes out this part of the divine power and redistributes it. Although the divine power is given to the ancient gods, the power of distribution is in the hands of Xidaomen. If you are obedient, you will be given, and if you are disobedient, you will not be given. The meaning is different.

As for the part raised by the ancient gods themselves, it can be said that the overall number of believers has not changed. The number of ancient gods above has decreased. Other ancient gods can take the opportunity to expand the size of their followers and increase their divine power income.

As a result, the problem of deficit cannot be said to be completely solved, and it no longer has much impact.

The problem of divine power is essentially the same as the problem of more people and less land. There is too little land per person and not enough food to eat. We have to solve the problem of Kukulkan, the largest "landowner", and Itzumna, who wants to return to his hometown. , took out their land and divided it among them, so that the remaining people would have enough to eat. The Xidaomen received ownership of the land, making the ancient gods their tenants.

Everyone gets what they need and has a bright future.

When the rain god Chayak heard this solution to the divine power problem, he no longer insisted on maintaining the blood sacrifice, "I agree."

Now only Apuche, the god of death, is left.

To be fair, the issue of human sacrifice is a relatively common issue. Both China and foreign countries have had such a history, but most of them have been abolished long ago.

For example, the issue of human burial involves a gradual process, from human burial to straw figures, or wooden or pottery human figurines, to the complete abolition of this system, which is a process from barbarism to civilization.

The sage of Neo-Confucianism said, "In ancient times, people were buried with grass as a guard, called a cud spirit, which is slightly like a human shape." It means that after the ancient people died, they would use grass to make a guard, called a cud spirit, which is a bit Like a human being. By analogy, cud dogs are livestock-like burial objects made of grass. Therefore, the "rud dog" in the sentence "Heaven and earth are unkind, and treat all things as rudimentary dogs" is not a real dog.

This method of burying people in Sokcho was before the emergence of pottery figurines. Later, with the development of productivity, some people refined pottery products into human shapes. The eyebrows, eyes, head, and arms are all human-like. This is not slightly human-like. Yes, those who do this are the instigators mentioned by the Confucian sage’s sages.

Regardless of the purpose, this person has indeed brought the matter of "people" being buried with them to the stage of history again, even if the "person" is just a clay product. This is undoubtedly a kind of regression of civilization. This kind of behavior directly angered the strong opposition of Confucianism, which advocated "benevolence" at the time. So why would the sage and sage say that the initiator has no descendants?

This gives a glimpse of the development of the Central Plains in the abolition of the custom of human sacrifice and burial.

But the Southern Continent's span of time, scale, and influence far exceed those of the Central Plains. has developed to

It has become a system, with many names and methods, and it has even developed into cannibalism. The reason is very simple. The Central Plains people will not throw away the offerings used to worship their ancestors, but eat them afterwards. Then the people of the Southern Continent eat the "offerings" offered to the gods, which has the same internal logic.

There was just something wrong with the sacrifice. The sacrifice should not be a human being.

Many people have seen this problem and want to solve it, but they just lack the right opportunity. Now the opportunity has finally come.

Every time dynasties change, power is reshuffled, and the original vested interest groups are dispersed, disrupted, or even eliminated. This is a God-given opportunity to solve various long-standing abuses. If you miss this window period, it will be difficult to make changes. .

Ixichel saw and thought very clearly, so he had just eliminated Kukulkan and must resolutely abolish the issue of blood-stopping sacrifices.

Apuche, the god of death, also understands very well that he is powerless to oppose now. Four of the five gods have agreed, and he has become a very small minority. What's more, there is Tantai Zhenxiao watching eagerly next to him. If there is a conflict, Yixiche will If you decide to execute him, it can be done.

Ixichel may consider the issue of the balance of power within the Divine Palace, as well as the balance between the Divine Palace and Xidaomen, but Apuche believes that Ixichel is also fully capable of killing another god, which will not only remove the stumbling block. , it has also established its authority, and the problem of divine power has been basically solved, and there is even a lot of surplus.

Fundamentally speaking, Ixichel really did not deceive Qi Xuansu. She hopes to follow the path of another True Monarch of the Moon and Taiyin and strive for transcendence as soon as possible. As for whether the divine court is powerful, she does not care very much, and naturally she will not be like Kukul. In that case, Kan also needs to consider the issue of the autonomy of the Divine Palace, and there will not be too many concerns about weakening the Divine Palace.

Apuch saw it clearly and had to consider it.

It is unwise to hard-top at this time.

In the end, Apuche chose to back down and said, "I agree."

Ixichel nodded slightly, "Okay, everyone agrees. From now on, the blood-stopping ceremony will be completely abolished."

She then looked at Tantai Zhenxiao and Qi Xuansu, "We still need Xidaomen's cooperation regarding the abolition of the blood-stopping sacrifice."

"This is natural." Tantai Zhenxiao agreed directly.

The first meeting of the divine court ended successfully. The gods left and returned to their own kingdoms. Master Tantai returned to Danxiu Mountain, and Ixichel walked at the end. "Master Qi, please wait a moment."

Qi Xuansu stopped and said, "Queen of the Moon, what else can you do?"

Ixichel walked down the golden stage, came to Qi Xuansu's side, and said, "I want to discuss the issues related to the insect-men with Master Qi."

Qi Xuansu has two wishes, one is to abolish the blood sacrifice, and the other is to eliminate the insect people.

Now that Ixichel has begun to push for the abolition of the Blood Sacrifice, all that remains is to eliminate the bugmen.

Even if Ixichel didn't mention it, Qi Xuansu would still find a suitable opportunity to discuss this issue with Ixichel. Now that Ixichel takes the initiative to talk, how could Qi Xuansu refuse.

Although Ixichel has become the main god, she still respects Qi Xuansu and does not put on a high profile.

Strictly speaking, what Ixichel respected was not Qi Xuansu or Qi Xuansu's status, but respect for a possible future.

Master Donghua became the great master, and Qi Xuansu became the little master. Even if Master Donghua fails to become the Grand Master, Qi Xuansu himself has the possibility of becoming the Grand Master.

No matter what the possibility is, it means that Qi Xuansu can influence the Taoist decision-making in the future. This is like the old saying, thirty years to the east of the river and thirty to the west of the river, don't bully young people into poverty.

Although Qi Xuansu is no longer a teenager, he is still in the category of young people after all, with a bright future in all senses.

Now that Ixichel has decided to follow the old path of Taiyin Zhenjun, he must have a good relationship with the Taoist sect. The person who can help her transcend is probably not the Xidaomen, but the Daomen.

Qi Xuansu also understood this truth, so he was afraid but not afraid of Ixichel. After all, it was you who asked for me.

Ixichel took out the insect-man pendant from before, but this pendant had lost all its luster and turned into a dead thing.

Qi Xuansu asked, "What does this mean?"

Ixchiel explained, "I said before that the contract with the Insects was signed by Itsumna as the sun god. After Itsumna died for the first time, Kukulkan inherited the sun godship. , so this contract can still be maintained. Now that Itsumna and Kukulkan are both dead, I have not inherited the priesthood of the sun, so this contract cannot be maintained. "

Qi Xuansu said, "In other words, Your Majesty can no longer control the Insect Man."

Ixichel smiled and said, "Everything has two sides. Now that the contract has ended, there is no need for me to protect the insect people anymore."

Qi Xuansu still didn't understand that insect men were just rags and could be thrown away after use.

"I hope that your majesty can help me solve the problems related to the insect people. After all, your majesty has cooperated with the insect people for many years. Even if you can't control the insect people now, you should be familiar with the various habits of the insect people." Qi Xuansu made his request.

Ixichel agreed, "I will arrange for Utu to cooperate with Qi Zhenren."