Pivot of the Sky

Six months later, Joseph the Dusty Servant returned to his hometown of Bethlehem. The Saram Plains are no longer as desolate as they were 400 years ago, and Bethlehem is a small city south of Saram City, about 300 years ago. When the flood triggered the landslide in the valley, a tributary of the river was cut off and diverted through the Tukh plain into the Syrian desert to form an inland lake, later known as the Yadan River. The Jeddah River irrigates the fields on the plains, and Joseph's homeland lies on the banks of the Jeddah River.

After a long journey, Joseph became visibly darker and stronger than ever before, with a bronze shine on his skin and mustaches like other adult Salem men. Parents are of course glad to see the distant son back. At the age of Joseph, it is time for Zhang Luo to marry his daughter-in-law. Parents are already looking for the right person for him to marry, but Joseph shook his head: “Don't worry, I have my plans. ”

His parents thought that he didn't like the girl he introduced, but had to do it temporarily, knowing that what Joseph thought in his heart was something else. He went to Geranium with the staff of Arocha, and was fortunate enough to find Vincent, the wise man, and asked for many questions and inspiration. But he refused Vincent's invitation and did not become a monk of infinite light, because he had assumed the mission that God had given him.

In Geranium, Joseph also examined various traditional religious beliefs in the area and witnessed clashes and strife among various denominations, reflecting on many issues. Although no path beyond eternity had been found, or he had regrettably rejected another guidance, his mind had become clearer and clearer.

The samurai named Xiao Night taught him martial arts to get started, and on his way, Joseph used that magical wand more to practice the traditional mining skills of the Salem, which is much better than the best hammer in the world. This is Joseph's best skill right now, in fact, he doesn't know yet, and when he gets back to his hometown, if he backs off for hundreds of years, he can count as the best craftsman in Tucker town.

Back home, Joseph seemed to get deeper, his eyes looked deeper, usually like he was thinking about something out of the ordinary mind, and often came alone to the river to hold the staff and ponder. On that day, he was slightly surprised to see a group of people walking up the river and hearing their conversation.

Just as Joseph left his hometown, a man of painstaking repair arrived on the banks of the river Jeddah, who spoke of the meaning of the Bible and dipped it in people with water from the river Jeddah, symbolizing a new beginning after God's blessing, purification of body and mind, a ritual called baptism. A number of people gathered around him to baptize him and listen to him every day.

It is said that this man, from the city of Salem, is a great achiever with the power bestowed by the gods, who claims to be waiting for the presence of a man, the Messiah in the prophecy of Elijah. When Joseph heard the news, he picked up his cane and went upstream.

In the wilderness on the banks of the River Jeddah, a man stood by the water, dressed in camel fur, with a belt at his waist, his hair and beard uncut for a long time, but neatly combed. This man is preaching to the people in front of him with a bright voice: "Listen, the Kingdom of God will be in front of everyone, ready for it, on that path guided by light. ”

One of the audience asked, "What do we need to prepare for? Isn't the new kingdom prepared for all Salem, the people who covenanted with God and God as the electorate of man? ”

The man shook his head: "How naive of an idea, God will not give more attention to a person for no reason, nor will he give up his followers for no reason. God blessed Salem, but it did not equal that Salem deserved God's continued favor. Clean souls, away from sin, are not meant to please God, but people deserve it. ”

By then, Joseph had come close to seeing the preacher standing still because they knew each other long ago. His name is John, and John's father is a priest on duty at the Temple of Aroho in the city of Salem, who enjoys a noble reputation and is said to be a great achiever, but did not have such a son until later in life.

John's mother, a distant cousin of Joseph's mother, counts as Joseph's cousin, but there is a huge gap between the two families, one heir to the priest and the other just a carpenter's son. John should have inherited his father's priesthood in Salem City.

John saw Joseph with the staff, but revealed an unspeakable joy. He stood up and walked apart. He opened his arms and said: “My cousin, I can't describe how excited I was. Turns out it was you... you came back from afar! ”

Joseph was about to give his salute, but John held him in his arms, and he asked confused questions: "My cousin, you did not inherit the priesthood in Salem City, but came here? I heard that a monk was here for a sanitization ceremony. He came here deliberately, but I didn't think it was you! ”

John loosened his arms and still grabbed Joseph's arm and said, "Did you come looking for me specifically? ”

And Joseph nodded, "Yes, I want you to baptize me. ”

John unwrapped his hand and stepped back, looking into his eyes: “I baptize by the river, just a symbol of a ritual that purifies the mind, bringing people farther away from sin and closer to the gods. And you have never turned away from the gods, and your heart and eyes are so pure that there is no need for me to baptize them. ”

And Joseph bowed, and his staff cried in a pleading tone: "I firmly believe that this is God's arrangement, and that it is necessary to express my faith in a form. ”

John finally nodded, “Well, when there's no one around, I'll do the baptism ceremony for you alone. ”

When the sun set, John sent his disciples away, and his cousins lit a bonfire by the river, telling them about their experiences over the years. John told Joseph that he had been awakened by the priest's father to the power of his source and that one day, while meditating at night, he heard the voice of an angel. The voice told him to resign from the priestly priesthood and go to the wilderness by the river Jeddah to painstakingly repair it and to welcome the prophetic Messiah.

John then left Salem City to come here and persevere in the harsh practice of the wind and sun every day, feeding on wild fruit in the bushes, grasshoppers in the meadows, honey from wild bees and fish in the river, where he made a breakthrough. The voice of the angel again told him to spread God's guidance to the world. So he secretly examines everyone he sees and awakens the power of the source through the Baptism Ceremony.

John baptized is both a symbol and a true ritual, and he does not try to awaken power for everyone, but only chooses those who truly understand the beliefs he preaches.

Joseph curiously asked, "Why did you think of baptizing this way? ”

John replied, "Angels tell me how to awaken the power of the human being, and I've achieved a great deal. This is a wild valley, not a temple in the city of Salem. Accepting this baptism does not mean meritorious status, nor is it meant to please God, but people spontaneously accept the guidance of Arrocho, so I never made it clear.

I was inspired by the legend of history that more than 300 years ago, a wise man on the Heaton peninsula called Pythagoras built a manor on the outskirts of Delphi to teach all kinds of knowledge and teach people how to see the world. There will also be a ceremony to enter the estate, called the 'purification of the mind', which also contains the guidance of the power of origin. I was inspired by this, dipped in people with pure water, symbolizing the washing of the body and mind and the awakening of the power at the same time as the ceremony. ”

And Joseph asked, "Which angel did you hear?” When he spoke, he used his cane to pull the dry wood burning in the campfire, which seemed to be the cane cut from the branches of ordinary trees in no way damaged.

John stood up and replied, "I heard Moses' voice, and he told me to come here and wait for a man, Messiah in the prophecy of Elias. When this man shows up, he takes the cane that Moses used to lead the people back home. I was surprised and surprised that you and my cousin Joseph were the ones who came! ”

Speaking, he had bowed down to pray to Joseph on his knees. Joseph quickly put down his cane and lifted him up: "My cousin, do not do this to me. I come to ask you to baptize me. ”

John came to the river with Joseph, dipped in fresh water in the river of Jeddah with a scarf, drizzled in the hair and forehead of Joseph, silently speaking the words of prayer. And he saw the light, as if the stars of heaven had gathered, and the doves that had spread their wings had fallen on Joseph.

Joseph stood by the river with his staff in his hand, and a round of light appeared behind his head, as if he was experiencing something in the divine experience. When he returned to God, the light would become invisible.

It was such a simple ceremony that Joseph was awakened to the power of his source, because he had cultivated the mineral craftsmanship of Tucker Town, and he had such a foundation. There is no need for John to teach Joseph anything else; he is merely guided by the angels to complete this ritual for Joseph in a less dramatic manner.

The angels are also disciples of Amon, and all the strength they cultivate is what Amon taught them, so they do not dare to determine how Joseph should cultivate in the world, and if he intervenes too much, it may have an unknown effect on his quest for proof.

John simply needs to wake up strength for Joseph. In the future, every time Joseph learns a new realm, the magical staff will naturally have corresponding information printed in his soul, containing all sorts of theological achievements and other secrets, depending only on how Joseph himself practises. When the old lunatic handed over the Iron Branch Staff to Amon, he also left the secret he knew in the eyes of the earth in the Staff. Every time Amon broke through a level of boundaries, he could read a new message.

* * (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote on recommendations, monthly tickets (qidian.com) and your support is my biggest motivation.)