Chapter 258 - Heart of the people

Chapter 258 - Heart of the people

The rain was heavy but none of it fell on Yanxu. It was because they went past him like he was just a shadow.
He could feel some sword intent, but it was from Shen Lian and it felt like it was not actually there. Could it be that Shen Lian was hiding somewhere to observe him?
It felt odd that he could not feel his Supreme Heart Demon Chant.
Outside the yamen and in between the wind and rain, was where the beautiful deity akin to that of the lotus stood. She seemed to be in a different world from the wind and rain as the rain that fell on her disappeared immediately.
Yanxu first saw her, then her sword. The beautiful deity akin to that of a lotus swung her sword lightly, and then there were multiple water strings that appeared from the sword's vibration. It was similar to a tensed bow that was ready to shoot out a thousand arrows.
The tension broke through the air and the vibration would not stop. The sharp tension pierced through the wind and rain and before they dispersed, all the coagulated water strings were already in front of Yanxu.
Yanxu just opened his mouth and revealed his white teeth. He took a light gasp and all the sharp water arrows then entered his mouth and never resurfaced.
He then took a step forward and in the blink of an eye, he went passed the space and pointed his finger in between the Goddess' brows.
The longsword reacted and the tip just stopped in front of Yanxu's finger. Once again the tension exploded and the Goddess was cast into the air.
Yanxu moved and followed suit. A punch landed on her stomach and a white light exploded and went through the wind and rain. A lot of people saw the scene in the sky.
The Goddess of Grains was as weak as a baby in front of the demon.
People were starting to get disappointed and some of them even began to curse. Given the demon said that if the Goddess of Grains admitted defeat, then he would stop the rain and that she should. A lot of them had lost faith in her.
At this moment there came the roll of drums. It was hit at a high point and was full of energy.
A lot of people turned their head towards the temple, and all they could see was the temple attendant hitting the drum.
The drumming beat was long and somber.
While he said nothing, one could easily tell his intention to help boost the vigor of the Goddess of Grains. Qi Sanguang's drumming was not great, but it felt heavy in everyone's heart.
The feeling to not admit defeat in the worst situation was strong enough to influence everyone.
Most people were just staring quietly at the temple attendant beating the drum. It was far from the sky and with the wind and rain, perhaps the Goddess of Grains could not hear it.
The reality in front of them was that the Goddess of Grains was constantly being hit by the demon, and she could not even fall from the sky. She looked like she was in a pinch.
The beautiful deity could only swing the long sword in her hand mindlessly. The sword made a messy trail – after all, she was only a demon who turned into an average deity.
She could not save them.
The last black rope tied her to the city gate.
The roaring drum beats never stopped, but the Goddess of Grains had already been defeated.
"Once you admit defeat, I will stop the rain."
The deity said nothing and just allowed the black rope to tie her up. Her sword was already gone.
Yanxu stood on top of the city gate as if he had become the conqueror of the world. He did not make a devilish laugh, but he just stood there quietly, above the female deity. The sword will was still there but was never activated.
Yanxu was waiting for the people to lose faith and for the deity's basis to disappear.
The rain was the catalyst.
As the rain kept pouring, the roaring beat too never stopped.
Yushui was flooding and the water had invaded the paddy fields. The green paddies and other crops were being buried under the water. A lot of people came to the city gate and kneeled to beg the Goddess of Grains to admit defeat to the demon.
Magistrate Chen stood afar and did not participate. He just felt it was funny. The people relied on the Goddess of Grains for the good weather, but now they wanted her to admit defeat to the demon. He wanted to help people gain a fortune, but if everyone behaved like this, they deserved to die.
The squires were also standing far away because the people took the lead.
The rain got heavier. The female deity's hair was spread around and she looked out of color. Her body which was tied under the black rope started to turn a little illusionary. The people were still begging her, as sanctimonious as before.
However, these requests now carried evil intention – if she did not agree, she would be the worst sinner ever, and deserve to be turned into dust.
She did not understand how the tides had turned, should she not return the favor of the young master, or did the people just forget about what she had done for them before?
Yanxu spoke again, "Given that the Goddess of Grains isn't going to save you, you should save yourself. Destroy her temple, then I will stop the rain."
His voice was toneless, but as it fell in the people's ears, every word felt like a whisper and they had incredible influence. None of them could have any doubt about what he said.
In ten minutes' time, a lot of people were carrying hoes, long sticks, and rakes towards the temple of the Goddess of Grains.
As Qi Sanguang saw what they were doing, he took the drum sticks and blocked them from entering the temple door.
The crowd, all dressed in straw rain capes and bamboo hats were staring at Qi Sanguang.
Qi Sanguang spoke with a hoarse voice, "Please don't believe in what the demon says. Without the temple, the Goddess of Grains will lose her power and will no longer be able to save you."
"She can't even save herself now."
"Why doesn't she admit defeat?"
"Is it because of her that the demon appeared?"
"Qi Sanguang was a gambler before. His family used to be cultivators. Perhaps he created the Goddess of Grains with witchcraft."
These people used the worst words against Qi Sanguang to boost their courage in what they were going to do.
The crowd went forward and despite the divine power Qi Sanguang had, it only helped him to get a stronger body. Furthermore, the divine power was born out of the wishes of the masses.
As the people stopped believing in the Goddess of Grains, he could feel his divine power fading.
If he was the same as before, he would have stepped aside.
However, working as a temple attendant was the happiest time in his life. Those days were content and meaningful.
He held the drum sticks high and stood undefeated to be the last defense of the temple.
He was ready to sacrifice, but he did not expect that the attack would come from the people. Some of them had a really difficult life. The Goddess of Grains saved them, by giving them some money to buy land for them to work on.
Yanxu's calm eyes took all these to heart.
He had seen too much of the ugliness of humanity and his heart felt nothing. He only felt that the sword will be getting closer.
Was Shen Lian nearby?
The female deity could still feel whatever that was going on in the temple, and she also felt the last resort Shen Lian had left for her – a sword talisman was lying at a corner in the temple.