Swords emerge from the human world

Chapter 77: Ancestral Worship Ceremony, Spiritual Appearances
Chen Jin felt immense pressure.

Without a doubt, the ancestral deities of the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, after enjoying incense offerings for a thousand years, have grown into true deities and embodied the forms of spirits and gods.

He didn't activate his spiritual vision to see, as doing so could have led to even more serious consequences.

It would be seen as frivolous, or even provocative.

That's the meaning of "indescribable and unbearable to look at".

Chen Jin is here today not to confront or fight, but to "seek common ground".

He immediately stopped, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes to calm himself down.

Seeing this, the people around couldn't help but start making noise again.

Someone shouted, "He must have offended the ancestral gods and broken a taboo."

"That's right, we can't let someone like that stay here; we need to get rid of him immediately!"

"Get him out!"

The sound is rolling.

Chen Shounian showed signs of worry.

Being surrounded by onlookers is one thing, but being overwhelmed by public sentiment is another. Even if he is the head of the direct lineage, he cannot go against so many clansmen.

On the hillside, inside the ancestral hall courtyard, beneath two thousand-year-old locust trees, a preparation has already been set up.

All the clan elders, led by clan chief Chen Shouqi, had arrived and stood in a neat row.

In the center is an ancient wooden altar table, on which are placed sacrificial offerings of meat, peaches, plums, and other fruits.

Although they did not agree with or were dissatisfied with Chen Shounian's actions, the clan was absolutely clear about the rituals and would never cheat Chen Jin.

Doing that would be disrespectful to our ancestors, a clumsy attempt that would backfire, and extremely unwise.

At that moment, a huge commotion came from below, and all the elders frowned upon hearing it.

The second branch of the family, Chen Shouzhi, sneered: "This Chen Jin actually has some background. He can even alarm the ancestral gods. No wonder he was chosen by the sixth son."

The fourth branch of the family, Chen Shouquan, said calmly, "So what? The more they act like this, the less they are welcomed. If he dares to force his way in, he will only be asking for trouble."

Clan chief Chen Shouqi looked up and said, "Before our ancestors, do not criticize your fellow clansmen."

The crowd fell silent and waited.

Chen Jin closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, gathering his thoughts and gradually emptying his mind. Amidst the clamor and noise, his mind became clear.

After a while, he felt a lightness in his body, and the pressure receded like a tide, making him feel instantly relaxed.

The storm has passed, and everything has returned to normal.

So he opened his eyes and continued walking upwards.

Chen Shounian saw this and smiled slightly, knowing that this hurdle had been overcome.

Although the Chen Jin lineage has branched out over the past century and its bloodline is thin, it still belongs to the Chen surname.

There is no doubt about this.

Therefore, the ancestors in the ancestral hall will not deliberately make things difficult for the family.

Of course, whether one can receive ancestral blessings during the ancestral worship ceremony after ascending to the ancestral temple is another matter entirely.

The forms of ghosts and spirits have their own set of standards for prediction and evaluation.

Before long, led by Chen Shounian, they climbed the hillside and entered the ancestral hall courtyard.

A series of aged faces, and scrutinizing gazes.

Chen Jin stood ramrod straight, facing the scene with his head held high.

Because of his long journey, he was a little thin, but his face was clean and his features were handsome. In particular, his eyes were bright and spirited, making him look very energetic.

Just its appearance alone is enough to win over some people.

For Chen Jin, Chen Shouqi and the others, this was their first meeting, so they naturally had no opinion on whether they liked or disliked him, and everything was done according to the proper etiquette and rules.

Lighting incense, reciting eulogies, offering prayers, burning paper money...

The entire process was carried out in an orderly manner.

Compared to a real ancestral worship ceremony, it was much simplified.

Ultimately, today's scene is essentially giving Chen Jin an opportunity to establish his lineage. As for whether he can gain the acceptance and recognition of the ancestral gods, that depends on his own fate and destiny.

After burning the yellow paper, all that's left is to wait.

Three incense sticks, used for timing, were inserted into a brass incense burner, their smoke curling upwards as they burned slowly.

If the sacred scroll and vows on the old locust tree do not fall after the fire is completely burned, it indicates that Chen Jin's ancestral worship has failed.

Chen Jin stood there, unable to activate his spiritual vision, so he couldn't see the appearance and movements of the ancestral gods.

All that could be heard was the sound of the wind rustling through the old locust tree's branches and leaves, like the whispers of a deity...

……

During the ceremony, most of the Chen clan members were unable to go up and could only gather at the foot of the hillside to watch the excitement, craning their necks and eagerly waiting.

They all wanted to know what the outcome would be.

Meanwhile, on the shore of Qingyu Lake not far away, winding corridors and pavilions dot the landscape.

There were also quite a few people gathered in those pavilions.

Most of them are from the younger generation.

Men and women, all dressed in fine clothes and jade belts, displayed their wealth and status.

Inside the largest pavilion, several men and women surrounded a handsome man like stars around the moon.

He was handsome and dashing, exuding charm; he was none other than Chen Xuejie.

The undisputed leader of the younger generation of the Chen family.

He passed the county-level imperial examination at the age of twelve and became a provincial-level scholar at the age of twenty. He was skilled in both literature and martial arts and was unparalleled in his abilities. Next spring, he will go to the capital to participate in the metropolitan-level imperial examination, aiming to become a top-ranking scholar.

Without a doubt, Chen Xuejie is a proud person.

But it wasn't an aggressive arrogance; rather, it was an innate nobility that inspired admiration in people at first sight.

Listening to the praise from those around him, he remained calm and composed, appearing serene and unperturbed.

At this moment, someone asked, "Young Master Jie, do you think Chen Jin will be able to receive ancestral protection if he goes up there?"

Chen Xuejie said, "I will not comment on people or things that are unrelated to me."

The man quickly offered a flattering compliment: "That's right, whether he gets it or not, he'll never catch up to Young Master Jie."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuejie frowned.

The observant lackey immediately realized he had said the wrong thing:
Comparing Chen Jinlai to Young Master Jie is a grave mistake. These two names should never have appeared in the same context.

Wouldn't that lower Young Master Jie's status?
Just as he was thinking about how to make amends, he saw Chen Xuejie stand up, walk outside, and greet a young girl:
"Sister Guo, you've come too."

Guo Ai returned the greeting: "It's my grandfather's matter, so I had to come and see for myself."

Chen Xuejie laughed and said, "Sixth Uncle has always had a keen eye and never misjudges people. I believe this time will be no exception. That Chen Jin must have something to offer and should be able to receive the protection of his ancestors."

Guo Ai smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Yes, Young Master Chen Jin is indeed talented and capable."

Chen Xuejie's gaze sharpened: "Oh, it sounds like Miss Guo knows quite a bit about it. Could you tell me about it?"

Guo Ai replied, "I wouldn't say I know him well. It's just that when I went to Maoxian with my grandfather, I met Chen Jin once and found him somewhat interesting."

What does "somewhat mean" mean?

That's exactly what I meant!

Guo Ai gave Chen Xuejie a strange look: "And don't talk about people behind their backs. You'll know when you get to know him in the future."

Chen Xuejie: ​​"..."

I felt a strange pang of sadness.

On second thought, I was probably overthinking it. I heard that Chen Jin was already in his thirties, just an old man.

At this age, most people are already married and have started a family.

Guo Ai looked up at the hillside and gazed at the two lush old locust trees. With a worried expression, she said, "It's been so long, why is there still no movement? Could something have happened?"

　Thank you so much to my friend "Finally Have Time" and "Cosmic Book King" for their generous donations!

　　I've noticed that many book lovers are reading in the middle of the night, around 2 or 3 a.m. They should take care of their health and avoid staying up late!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)