Before the sanctuary, Qizang stood upon the preaching platform, facing the crowd below as he explained the "Heaven and Hell" chapter of the Seven-Star Scripture.
Arya hid within the darkness, nowhere to be seen. The dwarf, the Hound, Varys, and several Andal monks stood on either side of Master Qizang.
This was the fifth day since the missionary group had arrived in Pentos, and also their last. Tomorrow at noon, they would ride wyverns to Myr.
After several days of preaching, Qizang had discovered a pattern. In these days of the Long Night, speaking to common folk about the Mother's compassion, the Father's justice, the Smith's diligence, the Warrior's courage, and so on was useless.
Even the Maiden's Light, the most popular doctrine in Westeros, received only lukewarm responses in Pentos. Perhaps they were already tired of R'hllor's teachings of fire and light?
Mainly because Qizang had no way to provide Pentosi people with light sprites. Otherwise, the results would have been much better.
Only topics concerning the afterlife, heaven, hell, and the realm of death truly fascinated people.
At first, when Master Qizang preached, there were only a few hundred listeners, and barely over three hundred Westerosi merchants and sailors willing to receive indulgences.
Today, more than two thousand people had gathered beneath the stage.
"After death, all people have a destination. They leave the mortal world and enter the realm of death. Followers of every god, and even unbelievers, will enter that world after death.
"It is a cold and desolate shadow world, devoid of color and vitality.
"The souls of unbelievers wail in agony within the world of death, like lumps of rock sugar dropped into warm water, slowly dissolving until they vanish completely.
"The souls of believers are guided by their faith into the divine kingdoms of their gods.
"For example, the divine kingdom of the Seven Gods, the Stranger's Seven Hells, and the Mother's Heaven."
At this point, Qizang paused. According to the script, his second disciple, Varys, stepped forward and loudly asked, "Master Qizang, exactly how many divine kingdoms do the Seven Gods have?"
Master Qizang's voice was gentle yet resonant.
"The Stranger and the Mother are both aspects of the Seven Gods. Heaven and Hell are likewise divine realms of the Seven Gods.
"Ordinary people believe the Seven Gods are seven separate deities. That is incorrect.
"Just as humans possess seven forms: maiden, woman, crone, elder, youth, adult, and mystic, the Seven Gods are only one being, yet They possess seven faces.
"Seven forms, seven stages of life, seven virtues of humanity, seven noble ideals.
"The Seven Gods are the sublimation of matter, the aggregation of spirit and will.
"The Seven Gods are omnipotent. Their mode of existence surpasses the limits of mortal understanding."
Of course, Varys did not actually lack knowledge of such things. This style of preaching was simply a question-and-answer format: the disciple asked, the master answered, allowing the faithful below to gain a basic understanding of the doctrines of the Seven Gods.
Wasn't Confucius's Analects structured in much the same way?
At this moment, the eldest disciple Tyrion stepped forward and asked, "Master Qizang, what is hell? What is heaven? Who falls into hell, and who may ascend to heaven?"
"Heaven is the source of all beauty. Every rational hope humanity possesses can be fulfilled there.
"Hell is a place of redemption and punishment. The seven layers of hell correspond to followers guilty of different sins.
"Reverence for the gods alone does not guarantee entry into heaven. Only those who practice the teachings of the Seven Gods are true followers. Even if they show no outward reverence in word or deed, they may still enter heaven after death.
"Because the Seven Gods do not require blind believers. They hope humanity can ascend in spirit, will, and soul alike. The sole purpose of the Seven Gods and the Church is to make mankind more perfect, more true, kind, and beautiful.
"Therefore, whether a believer ascends to heaven or falls into hell depends on whether they practiced the teachings of the Seven Gods throughout their life."
Master Qizang took out a stack of white slips covered in black text and raised them high for the crowd to see.
"These are indulgences. They can offset a certain amount of sin, allowing believers destined for hell to ascend into heaven instead.
"Such an opportunity comes only once in a million years. Because the Long Night has descended and the Holy Mother pities the suffering of all living beings, She has opened a gate of mercy and given everyone a chance.
"Do not miss this opportunity, for it will never come again. All of you gathered here are people of destiny. Seize the moment, and do not become those who share fate but miss the chance."
"Master, I wish to convert to the Seven Gods!"
"Master Qizang, give me one... no, give me five indulgences! I have a wife, children, and parents!"
"The Holy Mother is merciful!"
Among the crowd, more than a dozen Andals were the first to raise their hands and shout. Their enthusiasm quickly infected those around them. More and more people surged toward the preaching platform, eventually numbering three or four hundred.
Seeing this scene, however, Qizang frowned. Today was already the final day, yet the explosive growth he had anticipated still had not arrived.
It was not that he was greedy for more. The problem was that, as the High Septon of the Great Sept of Baelor, whether in King's Landing or later in Storm's End, whenever he preached publicly, tens of thousands of believers often filled his entire field of vision, shouting in excitement with tears streaming down their faces.
"Please do not rush or panic. Distribution of the Holy Mother's mercy will begin only after the sermon ends." He pressed his palms downward, trying hard to calm the excited believers.
Then he shot the Hound a look.
Very unwillingly, the Hound stepped forward and asked in a muffled voice, "Master, are heaven and hell the only realms in existence?"
"The Church of the Seven Gods does not advocate exclusive monotheism. The Seven Gods are merely one among many true gods. They were born before the world itself existed. Their power is so great They could create worlds with a single thought, yet They are still only one among the many gods…"
"Hahahaha!"
A sudden burst of laughter rang out from afar, so loud and sharp that it interrupted Qizang's sermon.
The crowd split apart to either side as a group entered the plaza from the street and headed directly toward the preaching platform.
They all wore priestly robes with white wave patterns on a blue background. Leading them was a bald, short, stout man. His head was round like a watermelon, his body round like a pumpkin lantern. His robe hung open, exposing a chest covered in thick black hair.
"Bullshit about creating worlds with a thought!" the bald dwarf spat toward the platform. "Your Holy Mother is just a fame-stealing whore. Everyone in the supernatural world knows exactly what she is.
"If you know what's good for you, shut down this temple and get the hell out of here. Otherwise, I'll expose every dirty secret your Holy Mother has today."
"Master, that's a priest from the Sea God Church outside the eastern gate," Varys whispered beside Qizang, then added in confusion, "The Sea God Church is small, and even their temple is outside the city. They shouldn't dare provoke us."
"What's there to think about? They've become someone else's dog." Tyrion sneered, tightening his grip on the axe hanging behind his waist. Volunteering eagerly, he said, "Master, leave this black-haired pumpkin to me! Today we must display thunderous methods. If we don't beat the dog hard enough, its master won't feel the pain."
A trace of golden light flashed through Qizang's eyes as he whispered, "He's a god. Can you handle it?"
"What?" The dwarf's body stiffened instantly. He hurriedly shrank back behind Qizang and cried in alarm, "Are you sure?"
Qizang did not answer. He merely pushed the Hound aside and solemnly raised his right palm.
"The Holy Mother Divine Palm?" The black-haired bald man stumbled backward in horror.
At those words, Qizang froze briefly.
Why had he instinctively prepared to use such a killing technique as the Holy Mother Divine Palm? In front of so many people, killing him with one strike would completely violate the Holy Mother's path of compassion!
After silently reflecting on himself, Qizang lowered his right hand and turned toward Varys.
Quick-witted as ever, Varys immediately handed over his master's nine-ringed monk's blade.
But upon seeing the cold gleam of the straight blade, Qizang frowned. A thin line of blood ran across the smoky-black edge.
Ever since it killed the Crocodile God, the blade had carried an intense and irritating aura.
According to Saint Daenerys, it was merely the baleful and murderous energy naturally gathered by divine weapons. He was told to ignore it and simply cultivate his mind further.
But he still felt that blade no longer suited him.
The Holy Mother herself had personally taught him the path of compassion. How could he recklessly create slaughter?
The story of the Holy Mother cutting flesh to feed the hawk remained deeply engraved in his heart. He reviewed it once before sleeping and once after waking every day.
Qizang shook his head and said, "The Holy Mother is merciful. Amitabha. Wuneng, quickly put away the blade.
"Unless absolutely necessary, one must not create needless slaughter.
"We are here to spread the path of compassion to the faithful. If we kill openly before the crowd, would that not make us hypocrites whose actions contradict our words?"
"You want to kill me?!" The black-haired bald man was not deaf. Watching the movements of the master and disciples and hearing Qizang's words, he was both shocked and frightened. Retreating several steps, he shouted, "Is there no justice? No law? I merely spoke a few truths, and you want to kill me?"
Turning toward the crowd behind him, he cried indignantly, "Everyone judge for yourselves! I came to debate doctrine with Qizang, but he tried to strike me with the Holy Mother Divine Palm. After I exposed him, he became furious and even intended to cut me down with a demon blade!"
Because priests of the Sea God Church had come to challenge the Seven Gods publicly, even passersby who originally had no interest in the Seven Gods' teachings gathered around. The crowd grew larger and larger.
Qizang became somewhat flustered and angrily shouted, "Demon, stop twisting the truth! What kind of place is this?
"This is before the sanctuary, beside a public street. Why would I kill someone without reason?
"It was only because you spoke filthy words and insulted the Holy Mother that I wished to teach you a lesson."
"If you weren't trying to kill me, why are you holding a hammer?" the bald man demanded, pointing at the golden alms bowl hammer in Qizang's right hand.
Qizang turned to look and froze.
At some point, he had unknowingly removed the purple-gold alms bowl hanging from his waist.
"The Holy Mother, in Her mercy, personally taught me the compassionate path of sacrificing oneself to save demons..." Qizang swept his gaze across the surrounding spectators and loudly retold the story of the Holy Mother cutting flesh to feed the hawk. Then he declared:
"Demon, today I should have sacrificed myself to redeem you. But since you blasphemed the Holy Mother, I shall merely let you suffer some physical pain, so you may learn the vastness of heaven and earth.
"The reason I use the golden bowl is because I do not wish to kill today. You cannot withstand the Holy Mother Divine Palm, nor survive the nine-ringed monk's blade."
"Bullshit! Your Holy Mother is Daenerys! That little bitch is just pretending to be divine. There was never any story about cutting flesh to feed a hawk! Don't let them fool you! The Seven Gods are just seven pie—"
"You demon, how dare you continue insulting the Holy Mother and Saint Daenerys?!" Qizang's eyes widened in fury, his voice booming like thunder as he directly cut the black-skinned pumpkin off.
"Who are you calling a demon?!" the bald man roared angrily.
"I knew at a glance that you were not human!" Qizang's eyes emitted three-foot-long beams of tangible golden light. "Bold demon! Reveal your true form! Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon!"
The Vajra Strength Song runes engraved upon his soul lit up one after another. Combined with the activation of his Lesser Golden Body, Qizang's frame expanded like an inflating balloon, growing from 1.7 meters to 2.1 meters tall. Golden light even shone through his brocade cassock. Holy and majestic, he resembled a divine battle god.
"Monster, reveal yourself!"
Filled with power from head to toe, Qizang unconsciously stepped forward. Like teleportation, he instantly appeared before the stunned bald man and, unable to restrain himself, smashed the golden bowl down onto him.
(End of Chapter)
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