Chapter 208: Chapter 121: The Ceremony Begins! Patriarch, Please Recite the Mental Tranquility Technique! (Part 2)

Chen Han had already arrived at the side hall of the Demon-Vanquishing Celestial Venerable Hall, where the new Demon-Vanquishing Celestial Venerable Statue was located. The Chen family had removed the outer cover of the statue and moved it in front of the altar for the enlightenment ceremony.

Now it’s time for enlightenment. The new statue is now visible to the outside world, and no external object dares to contaminate the statue during the celestial enlightenment.

Wouldn’t that be seeking death?

There were naturally no tourists in the side hall, only members of the Chen Clan, especially those filling the positions of 60 dharma lineage, who had gathered at the center of the side hall, preparing in front of the altar.

The other clan members, dressed in simple garments, waited solemnly at the sides, and except for those maintaining order outside, everyone had returned.

As for those who were still working, studying, or otherwise occupied outside, they couldn’t be informed or wait.

This month’s auspicious day is today.

Most of these Chen Clan members held incense sticks in their hands, ready to offer the first incense after the enlightenment ceremony.

Incense is one of the Five Offerings of the Taoist Sect, an important way to express sincere respect and reverence for the gods.

In the Taoist Sect, incense is a medium of communication between humans and gods. Offering the first incense during enlightenment is intended to deliver the devotees’ prayers to the gods through the curling smoke, seeking the gods’ blessing.

Because at this moment, the gods are present on site, visible immediately.

For example, if some leaders are dealing with matters in public view, the issues presented to them on site are certainly to be handled first in public.

As for those following procedures, reaching their office, they need to queue and wait for them to handle one by one, or they might simply dismiss them, letting subordinates deal with them.

Should be understandable now, right?

The enlightenment ceremony connects to the Celestial Venerable; during enlightenment, the Celestial Venerable is definitely present. Offering the first incense and prayers at this time is to pray right in front of the Celestial Venerable.

At other times, when you pray, there are so many statues of the Celestial Venerable in the mortal realm, each statue having so many people praying, how can the Celestial Venerable look at each one?

No matter how strong the divine power, watching these day after day would become tiresome.

Moreover, the Celestial Venerable needs to vanquish demons; with so many divine duties, he’s exceedingly busy, occasionally merely glancing at a couple of favorable prayers is already pretty good.

So now you know why some people are willing to spend so much on the first incense, right?

Those who believe in this see it as a rare opportunity for one-on-one wishing.

The Chen Clan members surely wouldn’t miss this first incense offering opportunity.

Apart from these clan members, behind the crowd, there was also a dog and the Three Oxen named Fulu Shou, which seemed to understand the peculiarity of the day, obediently lying still.

Today, they will also act as spiritual beasts paving the way before the Turtle and Snake Generals.

The enlightenment ceremony had not formally begun yet, and some clan members were chatting when the aunt emerged with a duster, walking up to a special drum to strike it three times. The Chen Clan members fell quiet.

Everyone knew the enlightenment ceremony was about to start.

Each became solemn.

Some of the younger members were still holding their phones, and an elder kicked him promptly, urging him to put it away.

The enlightenment ceremony and many Taoist Sect ceremonies prohibit filming with phones, as it’s highly disrespectful to the gods.

While many may point out that some ceremonies at Taoist Sect scenic spots have people filming and sharing online,

one can only say, generally speaking, you wouldn’t intervene with individuals engaging in absurd antics, akin to eating something inappropriate.

And tourists in the main hall heard the drum, but the enlightenment site prevented their entry, leaving them to gaze curiously inside.

Even Xiaomi could only take videos with her phone of the bustling scenes among the tourists in the main hall.

Because she was not yet someone of the Chen family.

In the side hall, the aunt had already approached the new Demon-Vanquishing Celestial Venerable Statue, beginning to recite a prayer: "In profound reliance! The mysterious school of heaven and earth, the root of all existence, now the disciples of the Chen family, respectfully welcome the Arctic Demon-Vanquishing Celestial Venerable Holy Statue’s arrival..." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Celestial Venerable’s awe-inspiring power, pacifies the three realms and purges demonic aura, governs myriad gods and calms the universe..."

"May the enlightenment method purify worldly contamination, grant sacred statue spirituality, invoke Celestial Venerable’s prestige to maintain the altar’s purity, ensure followers’ well-being, eliminate calamities, and enhance blessing and wisdom..."

"Virtuous Celestial Venerable, please behold and discern, ... the gathering begins, sincerely offering greetings!"

As she spoke, the aunt also performed Taoist rituals at the spiritual platform position, respectfully bowing three times, then stood humbly aside and struck the drum again.

At this moment, Chen Han also emerged from inside, accompanied by a Daoist child, his junior sister, handling the duster for him.

No choice, he hadn’t taken any Daoist children as apprentices nor any disciples, so his junior sister had to handle it.

Reaching the altar, he performed the Taoist rituals at the spiritual platform position just like aunt did beforehand, kneeling and bowing three times, then rising, taking the duster from his junior sister, and looking at the clan members before him, calling out: "Disciples of the Chen family, assume double lotus position, welcoming the Celestial Venerable."

Double lotus position is a seated posture in Taoist rituals, many seeing such rituals in films, assume they involve prostrating with one’s forehead pressed to the ground, but it’s not necessarily true.

Often, solemn seated posture plus significant bowing is sufficient.

Upon hearing Chen Han’s words, each member of the Chen family assumed a double lotus position, all gazing collectively at him.

Especially the younger clan members, who, like Chen Jun and Da Long, were previously unaware that the Chen family had so many things.

Beast taming techniques, martial arts and so forth, completely unbeknownst to them, nor did they know their uncles were so skilled, effortlessly defeating a few burly thieves.

Especially the Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea, which they had never heard of within the Chen family before, now having tasted it, they know how magical it is.

Now, they’ve heard from family elders and the endorsements of Chen Jun and Chen Long, and have come to learn that only the main family has the privilege of such knowledge, ordinary clan members aren’t qualified to know.

If not for the deceased old patriarch initiating Chen family’s tourism, and the new patriarch lifting restrictions for promotional purposes, they would remain clueless, oblivious to these matters.

Previously they had heard familial elders speak about the main family, but in the new age, they didn’t care about the main family.

Yet, nobody had informed them how impressive the main family was!

If they had known, they would have followed along as sidekicks like Chen Jun and Da Long did in their youth.

Nonetheless, the sudden transformation within the Chen family has greatly benefited them, gaining faith in this young patriarch.

After all, suddenly transforming a rural household into a scenic area registered status, ensuring employment for the entire family, providing vacant accommodation, with potential monthly earnings surpassing ten thousand, wouldn’t one feel confident?

Among the family members present, practically everyone had three people working within the clan, and the base salary plus bonus for three is 15,000, combined with vacant accommodation worth about 12,000 a month, which provides a household income of 27,000 monthly.

This totals over 320,000 annually.

On top of that, elders doing cleaning earn 3,000, fathers gathering bamboo leaves earn 7,000, mothers working as servers earn 5,000, and self as a guide earns 5,000, equating to 20,000 plus vacant lodging, nearing 400,000 a year.

Key point being, within the Chen family, there are no mortgage/rent expenses, reducing daily consumption considerably, enabling substantial savings.

How many families in the country earn such amounts annually? Last year’s statistics showed around 700,000 households made over 400,000.

These are reality figures, unlike Touyin District’s average income exceeding a million annually.

Question being, does one feel convinced?

Certainly pledging loyalty to the patriarch!

Once everyone sat in lotus position, Chen Han assumed a double lotus position as well, the aunt struck the drum again: "Patriarch recites the ’Mental Tranquility Technique’ to gather spirit, clarify body and mind, dispel agitation, and revere the gods!"

This led all Chen clan members to regard the young patriarch Chen Han. The elder clan members had previously participated in such ceremonies and knew about the chanting.

The younger clan members were experiencing this for the very first time; Chen family hadn’t held such rituals in ages, each being immensely curious about the chanting.

Unaware of the forthcoming shock.

As Chen Han followed the aunt’s cue, he gently swirled the duster, tracing forms in the air, skillfully executing maneuvers honed in training under the aunt’s guidance, then commenced chanting the ’Ancient Calming Heart Technique’: "When the mind is calm, peace prevails, when affairs are calm..."

Hearing the young patriarch’s chant, the aunt paused briefly, for it was not what she knew, the ’Mental Tranquility Technique’ encompassed different chants.

But within moments, an incredulous expression emerged on her face.

The clan members were the same, initially curious over what their patriarch would chant, then as he chanted the ’Mental Tranquility Technique,’ an intriguing sensation surfaced, astonishing them, mouths agape.

This... this...