Chapter 308: Summoning the Gods in My Name
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Lu Chao Chao never wasted a moment. Her tiny legs pumped furiously as she wriggled away from her attendants, darting toward the vast, empty desert. Mischief sparkled in her wide eyes.
In the Southern Kingdom, summoning a god wasn’t just something you did on a whim—it was a grand event, one that required meticulous preparation. The High Priest himself would be consulted to pick the most auspicious day and the perfect hour when the gods might feel generous enough to answer their call. Then, the whole family would scurry to gather the best offerings, all for that one chance to summon divine power.
Before the actual summoning, there was a strict regimen to follow—bathing in sacred waters, dressing in elaborate ceremonial robes, burning incense, and offering heartfelt prayers. Every step was detailed, every movement planned down to the smallest flick of the wrist. The rituals were so intricate and demanding that the entire family would be bustling for a whole month, preparing for that single moment.
Take the Ming Clan of the Southern Kingdom, for instance.
The head of the Ming Clan, Ming Xian, stood at the front of their grand ancestral hall. All three hundred members of the family were there, including every distant relative and branch of the clan. Frail elders were carried in on stretchers, while newborn babies were laid on small, woven mats. No one was left out.
The altar overflowed with offerings—dried fruits, fresh flowers, stacks of chickens, and ducks. The thick scent of incense filled the air, mingling with the tension that hung over the crowd. Every person was dressed in carefully chosen ceremonial garments, kneeling with eyes closed, radiating reverence.
At the front, Ming Xian began to chant the sacred words of the ritual, his deep voice resonating through the hall.
After what felt like an eternity, he raised his arms high. “We, the faithful, humbly beseech the God of Life to descend to the mortal realm!”
The crowd echoed his words three times, their voices rising with fervor: “We, the faithful, humbly beseech the God of Life to descend to the mortal realm!”
But nothing happened.
An eerie silence filled the hall. Hundreds of eyes stared ahead, filled with hope that slowly turned into despair. Ming Xian’s shoulders sagged as he sank to his knees, his spirit deflated. “It’s failed,” he whispered.
“The summoning has failed.”
“But why? The Ming Clan has worshipped the God of Life for a thousand years,” murmured a worried voice from the crowd. “Yet, it’s been more than a decade since the god last descended or granted us any power.”
“Did we do something wrong?” another voice chimed in, full of doubt.
The Ming Clan’s power had been dwindling. If things continued like this, they might lose their place among the Seven Great Clans. Their status was already hanging by a thread, and the Second Elder had started pushing for a change in faith to save their standing.
The Second Elder, his face twisted with frustration, rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his knees. “Another failed summoning! What excuse will you make this time?” he snapped.
“For over ten years, not a single god has descended upon us! If we don’t change our faith soon, we’ll be expelled from the Seven Great Clans!” His voice grew louder with each word. “The God of Life has been silent for over a decade. Perhaps he has perished. Ming Xian, are you trying to ruin the Ming Clan? Are you going to let centuries of our legacy crumble in your hands?”
Ming Xian, the head of the Ming Clan and father of Ming Lang, had always been a steadfast believer in the God of Life. His eyes were unwavering. “The God of Life cannot have perished!” he declared firmly. “His divine lamp still burns.”
“For a thousand years, the Ming Clan has relied on the God of Life, rising from obscurity to greatness in the Southern Kingdom. We must not be ungrateful! We cannot abandon our god just because he hasn’t answered our call for over ten years!” he added, his voice steady and strong.
The Second Elder sneered. “You’re good at flattering, but can your flattery bring the god to descend?” he taunted.
“Years ago, you only became the family head because you were good at flattering our father,” he continued, his eyes narrowing with jealousy. “If he knew the Ming Clan was going to be destroyed under your leadership, would he regret it?”
Ming Xian’s gaze remained calm. “Father was never biased,” he replied, his tone even.
“You do not believe in the God of Life, so how can you lead the Ming Clan?” he pressed on. “The Ming Clan lives by the grace of the God of Life, who has brought us countless honors. Father would never allow the family to change its faith.”
The Second Elder let out a harsh laugh. “What good is believing in him? He can no longer descend, can no longer protect our people!” he argued. “If we keep clinging to him, the Ming Clan will perish sooner or later!”
He stepped forward, his voice rising. “I propose we change our shrine and worship a new god!”
Ming Xian’s face turned red with fury, his veins bulging as he countered, “Fine, fine! If you insist on changing faith, then leave the Ming Clan! The Ming Clan has worshipped the God of Life for generations and will never change!”
The Second Elder, Ming Cheng, scoffed, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “The Ming Clan is on the verge of collapse. Who cares about that?” he snapped. Turning to the rest of the clan, his eyes blazing, he declared, “If any clan members wish to follow me, I, Ming Cheng, promise a bright and brilliant future! Those who wish to follow me, step forward!”
Ming Xian’s heart sank.
It was clear Ming Cheng had come prepared today.
Sure enough, quite a few clan members stood up, bowing to the family head. “Clan Chief, the God of Life is no longer with us.”
One by one, more members rose. Ming Xian’s face grew paler, his lips trembling.
“Clan Chief, forgive us,” they murmured.
“Clan Chief, forgive us…” echoed more voices.
All the talented young ones he had cherished stood up and walked over to his younger brother, a gleam of triumph flashing in Ming Cheng’s eyes.
[Brother, your god has abandoned you!]
Ming Xian took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. “Bring me the family register,” he ordered.
A young boy, his face filled with concern, looked up at his father. “Father,” he whispered.
Ming Xian had always valued the Ming Clan’s legacy more than his own life. He had once knelt before his dying father and sworn to lead the Ming Clan to glory. But now, just six years after his father’s death, his younger brother was already betraying him.
Ming Xian felt his blood boil in his chest, his voice low but determined. “Bring the register.”
“If they want to leave, let them leave. The Ming Clan does not force anyone to stay.”
“Father…” The young boy’s voice quivered, his eyes brimming with tears.
Uncle was taking away the most talented members of the Ming Clan!
“Bring it!” the family head repeated sternly.
The young boy reluctantly handed over the register.
“Ming Cheng, expelled from the clan.”
“Ming Yue, expelled from the clan.”
“Ming Xue Fei, expelled from the clan.”
Ming Xian’s voice shook. The Ming Clan was going to fall under his leadership! A thousand-year legacy would be ruined by him!
It took him half an hour to finish reading the names. By then, his face was as pale as a ghost, his lips bloodless, and the light in his eyes was fading.
This was a devastating blow to the Ming Clan, one from which they might never recover. What would become of the Ming Clan now?
Ming Cheng looked at the young man standing in the center.
“Ming Ting, you are the most gifted disciple of the Ming Clan. Come with your Second Uncle!” he urged. “Ming Lang is the son of the family head. With him around, you will never have a chance to rise. Second Uncle can give you everything you desire.”
“The God of Life will never descend again!” Ming Cheng raised his eyebrows at him, his eyes filled with ambition. “Look around. The Ming Clan is left with only the old, the weak, the sick, and the pregnant!”
The young man in the center’s eyes brightened, his face full of longing. Ambition shone clearly in his gaze.
The family head saw him stand up and staggered back a step. “Ming Ting, you know the family head never suppressed any clan member!” he pleaded. “I have never treated you any differently than Ming Lang!”
“But our god will no longer favor the Ming Clan!” the young man said in a single breath, and Ming Xian closed his eyes in despair.
“Hahaha! You cling to the Ming Clan’s past! I will lead the new branch and seek a new future!” Ming Cheng laughed, his voice filled with derision.
The family head stared blankly ahead.
The Ming Clan was finished.
The Ming Clan’s time was over.
Meanwhile, little Lu Chao Chao…
“Bathe and change?” she muttered, glancing down at her hands, covered in sand and mud, her face smudged like a little kitten. “Nah.” She grinned, a bit of a rascal.
“Offerings?” she asked herself, holding a chicken bone in her chubby hand. She tossed it carelessly into the desert. “Don’t need ’em.”
“Choosing an auspicious day?” She shook her head, giggling. “Nope!”
She stood in the endless desert, her tiny head bowed as she whispered her incantation. Her small hand lifted into the air.
“In my name, I call upon the God of Life! Bless the earth, cleanse it of evil, and bring peace back to the world!” she declared, her voice small but surprisingly firm.
Suddenly, the still desert came to life. Grains of sand began swirling together, circling around her in a dance of magic.
Back in the Southern Kingdom…
The Ming Clan members were just about to step out of the ancestral hall, defeated, when they saw it.
In the center of the hall, where the God of Life had been worshipped for ages, a brilliant, blazing light suddenly erupted!
It lit up the entire hall like it was midday!
The Ming Clan chief, whose eyes had been vacant moments before, now widened in shock under the intense light! His bloodshot eyes were filled with disbelief.
Countless clan members turned around instantly!
“The… the god… the god has appeared!!!” they gasped.