Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

Chapter 909: Chapter 342: Founding Ceremony, Childhood Sweethearts, Did the Star-picking Hall Catch Fire?

Inside the shrine, there were a total of seven spiritual tablets, two of which were dim and lightless:

One inscribed with "Spirit of the Late Father Hong Qu"

The other inscribed with "Spirit of the Ancestral Hong Shen"

The remaining five spiritual tablets were inscribed with the names of Family Head Hong Gang, Matriarch Cheng Fang, Eldest Son Hong Mu, Eldest Daughter-in-law Meng Qiuning, and Second Son Hong Ye.

Unlike the two dim tablets, these five tablets of living individuals emitted a faint glow, clearly not from the coal furnace around the shrine, but from the glow of the tablets themselves.

If one looked closer, they would find that the light emitted from these five tablets each had a directional aspect, with each tablet’s light pointing towards its owner.

The light from the tablets of Eldest Son Hong Mu and Eldest Daughter-in-law Meng Qiuning shone towards the southeast of Xia City.

And the southeast was precisely the direction of Songyang Ridge.

"When establishing a family shrine, each spiritual tablet can double the cultivation speed. It requires only a coal stone to maintain the shrine’s fire, and annually on the ninth of September, a sacrifice offering must be made. Additionally, the tablets can discern direction and life or death. Dad, do you think our Lord might be the reincarnation of a Heavenly God? Even having such divine artifacts!"

Hearing this, Hong Gang nodded first, then recalled the first time he met Xia Hong, reflecting on the over eight years of the Great Xia’s journey, he took a deep breath and said, "What reincarnation of a Heavenly God, I see it clearly as the Heavenly God incarnate. Without the Lord, whether I, your father, would have survived until now is questionable; let alone this strength of mine. Everything we eat, wear, and use, isn’t it all brought by the Lord? For the 800,000 plus people of our Great Xia, what difference is there between the Lord and a Heavenly God?"

After hearing this, Hong Ye nodded immediately with a respectful expression, even their mother Cheng Fang, beside them, nodded, her face full of devotion.

While the father and son were chatting, Cheng Fang had already prepared the sacrificial offerings early on.

Hong Gang picked up two yellow candles, lit them with the coal furnace beside them, and respectfully placed them on both sides of the shrine.

When the two yellow candles were lit, wisps of blue smoke quickly arose, and instead of drifting out of the shrine, the smoke gradually flowed into the five spiritual tablets, and with the influx of smoke, the glow of the tablets became even more brilliant.

"These yellow candles cost 1000 Contribution Value each at the Camp Supply Department. It’s said that when lit, even advanced deceitful monsters cannot get close. Isn’t using them as offerings a bit too wasteful?"

Hearing what his wife Cheng Fang said, Hong Gang immediately reprimanded in a low voice, "Women, there’s only this one ancestral ritual every year, what’s wasteful about it?"

Despite saying so, his tightly knit brows indicated that 2000 Contribution Value was indeed no small amount.

"The minister only said once that the incense from the yellow candles can constantly nourish the spiritual nature of the tablets, with infinite future benefits. However, no one knows what those benefits are or to what extent they need to be nourished to show any change."

Hong Gang pondered for a moment, shook his head slightly, and cursed himself silently for overthinking.

These yellow candles were evidently things given by the Lord. What was there to question? Besides, as many great figures such as Yuwen Sizheng, Director Yuan, Director Qiu, and others had all exchanged for yellow candles for rituals, he just had to follow suit, what was there to think about?

It’s heard that many big figures, including the Eight Departments Director, perform offerings with two yellow candles every three months. Doing it once a year, for such a paltry amount of Contribution Value, seems a bit stingy.

"Lord Hong, what a coincidence!"

After the Hong family completed their ritual and was tidying up to leave, a light call came from the spiral staircase above.

Hong Gang turned his head, and his face immediately showed a smile, cupping his hands, he said, "Lord Zhao, what a large group your family has for the ancestral ritual today! Such a thriving young generation of the Zhao Family, I truly envy Brother Hong."

It turned out to be Zhao Long, who was also here today for the ancestral worship at the Sect Temple.

Compared to Hong Gang’s family, the Zhao family indeed had a large group for the ancestral ritual, with a total of twenty-seven people, mostly young, except for three women and two babies held in arms; the rest were mostly youths aged fifteen to early twenties.

This excluding Zhao Hu and Zhao Bao, who were appointed positions at East Ridge and Wuyuan respectively. Hong Gang remembered hearing from colleagues a few days ago that among the families who opened sects and were graced by the camp, the Zhao Family and the Xiao Family had the most thriving offspring. He didn’t take it seriously then, but seeing it in person proved it true.

"Hahaha, Lord Hong, you’re being too kind. After all, we have three brothers. It’s normal for the group for the ancestral ritual to be larger."

The words about a thriving young generation clearly pleased Zhao Long, who quickly stepped forward alongside Hong Gang, pulling him to continue down the stairs.

"Just finished the ancestral ritual, Brother Hong, how about having a drink or two with me?"

"It would be my pleasure, let’s go, let’s go."

Upon hearing about drinking, Hong Gang’s eyes immediately brightened, and he directly left Cheng Fang and Hong Ye behind, following Zhao Long swiftly down the stairs.

"These men, once they hear about drinking, it’s as if they’re bewitched. Lady Hong, why don’t you come back with us!"

Cheng Fang gave her husband a sidelong glance, but when Zhao Long’s wife and his two sister-in-laws came over to chat with her, her expression eased.

Hong Ye naturally mingled with the Zhao family’s youths.

Being closest in age and best friends with Zhao Yuanwu, he directly went over to him, asking, "Yuanwu, why didn’t your sister come to the ancestral ritual?"

Zhao Yuanwu, being Zhao Long’s eldest son, has one younger sister and one younger brother, the sister being Zhao Yuanshan, not yet fifteen this year, and the brother being Zhao Yuancheng, only a little over five, currently being held by his cousin Zhao Yuandao.

"What business is it of yours if my sister comes to the ancestral ritual or not? Is it your concern?"

Seeing Hong Ye inquire about his sister, Zhao Yuanwu was clearly wary, as their relationship was very good, he blurted out a rebuke.

"Even though there are so many of us here, Ah Ye could immediately tell Yuanshan wasn’t among us, probably thinking about Yuanshan all the time!"

All living in the Inner City, with such a familiar relationship between their fathers, the young members of the Zhao family were acquainted with Hong Ye. Zhao Yuandao, carrying her cousin, teased Hong Ye, inducing a burst of laughter and teasing from everyone.

"Hahahaha, of course, when he and Yuanshan were cultivating at the Martial Arts Pavilion, his eyes were about to pop out."

"Hong Ye used to run to his uncle’s house all the time when he was little, likely had his eyes on Yuanshan for a long time, hahahaha."

"Hong Ye, you better step up your game, someone recently came to propose to Yuanshan. If you don’t hurry, the beauty might slip away."

......

Hong Ye wasn’t too thick-skinned, and being teased like this, he naturally muttered incoherently, but upon hearing someone was proposing to Zhao Yuanshan, his expression tensed immediately, and he hastily inquired:

"Who came to propose? Did Yuanshan agree?"

"Hahahahahaha..."

The girls of the Zhao family burst into laughter, bending over with amusement.

Finally, it was Zhao Yuandao, seeing Hong Ye’s pitiable expression, who laughed, patting his shoulder and said, "Silly boy, not teasing you, who wouldn’t know about Yuanshan being childhood friends with you? Those coming to propose must be daft.

Recently, Lord Lu from East Ridge sent a message back, requesting the camp to send five Earth-digging Realm under fifteen, Yuanshan just happened to meet the criteria and went."

Only then did Hong Ye’s face relax, following up curiously, "Lord Lu from East Ridge, why would they want Earth-digging Realms under fifteen? Is it necessary to find Yuanshan to do it? The camp is filled with them now!"

"It’s said to be for a martial competition, they can’t be too young, and the cultivation must be decent. Specifically, I don’t know. I don’t even know where East Ridge is!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Ye nodded. He also didn’t know where East Ridge was as the camp hadn’t yet publicly disclosed East Ridge’s specific location, nor allowed people to inquire randomly.

Bang...

Just as he was about to speak, suddenly, a loud noise came from overhead.

"Is there a fire?"

"Isn’t it the Star-picking Hall above us?"

"The temperature has spiked, it’s the Star-picking Hall, is it on fire?"

"What a joke, the Holy Tripod is just above the Star-picking Hall, how could there be a fire?"

"Look, it’s the Star-picking Platform, where the Lord is in seclusion."

"That...that fireball, what is it? Did the Holy Tripod explode?"

"The Holy Tripod is further back, look, it seems like the Lord is inside the fire."

......