Chapter 245: The Statue of the Goddess
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Before the first light of dawn, the capital was already alive with the crackling sound of firecrackers.
As soon as Lu Chao Chao opened her eyes, a sweet, fragrant scent filled her senses.
“Little Miss is truly amazing today; she woke up without us calling her!” Yu Shu exclaimed in surprise.
Yu Qin brought over warm water to help her freshen up.
“Is something good happening, Little Miss? You seem unusually happy…” Yu Shu asked curiously.
Lu Chao Chao giggled. “Secret.”
A strange sensation coursed through her body—tingling yet indescribable.
[The entire world is celebrating my birthday. How could I not be moved?]
Since there was no school today, the little one was dressed in festive attire.
In the courtyard, an altar had already been prepared, adorned with offerings, including a roasted suckling pig. The aroma was irresistible.
Lu Chao Chao took a deep breath. “Smells so good…”
“Chao Chao, come offer prayers,” Madam Xu said, her hands pressed together in solemn devotion.
Every year, she performed these prayers with unwavering sincerity. Even in past years, when she faced Lu Yuan Ze’s betrayal and her son’s rebellion, she never wavered.
Lu Chao Chao knelt beside her.
“When your elder brother stopped breathing back then, I prayed to every god in the heavens, and at last, he returned to me. That very night…” A faint smile touched Madam Xu’s lips.
“I had not slept all night, but eventually, exhaustion overcame me, and I dozed off beside Yan Shu’s bed…”
“I had a dream.”
“I saw a deity. The deity told me that they returned Yan Shu to me, but in the near future, I would give birth to a daughter. They asked that I raise her safely and well…”
“Chao Chao, you are a gift from the gods.”
“What great fortune I have to be your mother.” Madam Xu’s voice was filled with genuine love. Even without the deity’s blessing, she would love Chao Chao deeply.
[Could it have been one of my disciples?]
[To think I have such a connection with my mother…] Lu Chao Chao scratched her head in confusion.
After she sacrificed herself to the heavens, immense divine pressure crushed her body and tore her soul apart. The pain of that moment still made her shudder whenever she recalled it.
Her sacrifice left her without a physical form, turning her into a lingering consciousness within the world itself.
She became the flowers, the trees, the rivers, the very wind in the sky—omnipresent yet intangible.
When she finally regained her memories, she was already floating in the warmth of amniotic fluid.
Her rebirth likely had something to do with her disciples.
Once the prayers were completed, Lu Chao Chao joined her family for a meal.
“Mother, can I take my sister outside? Today is the Sunshine Festival, and it’s bustling with excitement…” Lu Yuan Xiao was eager to leave.
The capital was filled with exotic flowers and plants, a dazzling spectacle.
Emperor Xuan Ping had spared no expense.
“Please, please, Mother!”
Madam Xu, helpless against his pleading, eventually relented.
“Yes! Mother, you’re the best! I love you the most!” Lu Yuan Xiao exclaimed before hugging his mother and planting a big, slobbery kiss on her cheek.
Madam Xu’s face was covered in drool.
“Third Brother, carry me!” Lu Chao Chao stretched out her arms, and Lu Yuan Xiao crouched down to give her a piggyback ride.
“Wow, so many flowers!” Lu Chao Chao marveled.
Though the capital remained chilly, the flowers transported from other regions were dusted with frost.
“Why aren’t there any portraits of the goddess?” Lu Chao Chao asked curiously.
Lu Yuan Xiao chuckled. “I heard from my teacher…”
“After the goddess saved the world, her merit surpassed even the Heavenly Dao.”
“People wanted to paint her image to honor her.”
“But no matter how many times they painted her, the portraits would ignite on their own.”
“Neither ink nor paper could bear her legacy.”
“In the end, the people carved a statue instead.”
“Her deeds have been passed down through generations.”
Lu Chao Chao nodded in half-understanding. “Oh, so only a statue could be made…”
“Now, we’re going to pay our respects to her statue.” Lu Yuan Xiao playfully pinched her cheek.
“In the mortal realm, she is called the Sunshine Goddess.”
“Some even say that the Nine-Level Pagoda in the palace was built to worship her, though no one knows for sure…”
Lu Chao Chao gazed toward the palace.
Her small fists, which had been clenched, slowly loosened. She placed a hand over her heart.
Something was calling to her.
Unfamiliar yet familiar.
Lu Yuan Xiao carried her through the bustling crowd.
“Lu Yuan Xiao, you sneaked your sister out again?!” Li Si Qi, the legitimate grandson of the Protectorate Duke, fixed his gaze on Chao Chao.
Such a soft and adorable little Chao Chao…
“Quick, let me hold her!” Li Si Qi reached out eagerly.
“What do you think you’re doing?! You have your own sister; why do you need to hold mine?!” Lu Yuan Xiao shielded Chao Chao behind him protectively.
“Are you joking? My father’s face alone is enough to make his illegitimate daughters need dowries just to find a husband.” Li Si Qi huffed indignantly.
“Just let me hold her for a bit… We’re brothers! Your sister is my sister!”
Lu Yuan Xiao warily dodged him while the Fourth Prince pulled Li Si Qi back.
“Cousin, you must not pester Chao Chao,” the Fourth Prince said. He had been born cursed, attracting evil spirits, but ever since meeting Chao Chao, he had been able to live like a normal person.
Li Si Qi sighed regretfully as he looked at Chao Chao. “Princess Sunshine, are you here to worship the Sunshine Goddess too?”
“Come to think of it, the Sunshine Goddess and Princess Sunshine do look somewhat alike. Must be fate.”
[Of course! The Sunshine Goddess is me!]
Thud—
Lu Yuan Xiao’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
[What did I just hear?!]
He had often eavesdropped on his sister’s thoughts and knew she had been incredibly powerful in her past life, even having disciples in the Divine Realm.
But he had no idea…
She was the actual Sunshine Goddess!!!
Chao Chao’s greatness had reached yet another peak!
“Third Brother, what’s wrong?” Lu Chao Chao frowned as she heard his knees hit the stone pavement, wincing as if it hurt.
“N-Nothing…”
[What am I supposed to do?! Once again, my little sister has shocked me to my core! She’s the Sunshine Goddess—THE Goddess!]
As they proceeded, each person held a fresh flower to offer before the statue of the goddess.
“I’ve never seen the statue before…” Lu Chao Chao murmured.
“Of course not. The area around the statue is heavily guarded, and giant trees obscure the view… The statue stands eighteen meters tall, shrouded from sight. It is only unveiled once a year during the festival!”
“It’s said that her merit is so great that no paper can hold her image, and even her statue was built with the blood and prayers of the people, who knelt until their foreheads bled.”
“Some rumors claim that even the gods in the heavens are her disciples. Haha, that must be an exaggeration… If that were true, she could punch a hole in the sky, and no one would dare stop her!” Li Si Qi laughed heartily.
Lu Chao Chao lazily glanced at him.
“Little one, are you not convinced?”
“The goddess is just a legend. Her statue is old and crumbling, ready to collapse. You’ll see…” Li Si Qi shrugged.
The Fourth Prince, who had once lived in the National Temple, had read many sacred texts.
He paused before speaking.
“Cousin, you must not disrespect the goddess.”
He clasped his hands together reverently.
“The goddess is real.”
“Her deeds are real.”
“She deserves to be worshipped by all.”
“Her statue is covered in dust because she sacrificed herself for the people, and without her divine soul, it cannot retain her presence. The day she returns, her statue will open its eyes and gaze upon the world once more.”
The Fourth Prince bowed deeply toward the distant statue.
“If her statue opens its eyes, I’ll eat dung upside down!” Li Si Qi scoffed.
[Oh?]
Oh, I was wondering who the Li Siqi in my notes was. Guess he’s Lu Yuan Xiao’s friend?