The transaction was successful, with virtually no hitches. The aura-embodiment, much like a simple porter, brought along two children, claiming they could no longer afford to raise them and wished to exchange them for some wealth. Upon entering, it continuously told the two children that they would have a good life at the academy, and that their future would be brighter and more promising than following him, an old failure.
The merchant of the Benevolent Aid Society, on the other hand, was all smiles. He stared at the two children, his eyes almost bulging out. Initially, he looked at the elder girl, but soon his gaze became fixed on the younger boy.
The practice of enjoying male companionship existed in both the East and West. Starting from the Northern and Southern Dynasties, such exceptionally beautiful young boys, who could be toyed with by high officials and nobles like girls, were called *luántóng*. Beautiful young girls of the same age were called *jīnǚ*.
The merchant of the society was beaming with joy, and the priest became even more excited. After the "porter" left, he immediately grabbed the merchant, expressing his desire to buy the two children at a high price.
"These children, like celestial beings descended to earth, and you only offer this little money? You're not sincere."
The merchant began to bargain. He wanted to keep the two children for himself, but the presence of Saint Paul's priest, who had also seen them, meant his desire to keep them for his own amusement was dashed. However, he quickly thought that as long as there was money, he wouldn't lack for *luántóng* and *jīnǚ* to play with.
These two children were bound to fetch a high price.
When the "porter" left earlier, he went to the money shop with the receipts, which could be exchanged for two hundred and twenty taels of silver. The girl, with her lowly fate, only earned eighty taels. The boy was exceptionally handsome, and at such a young age, tender as tofu, he could earn one hundred and forty taels.
In Guangzhou, a oil seller's year of hard work earned no more than sixteen taels of silver. A butcher could double that. These two hundred taels were enough for a porter to live for ten years. But for a great magnate like Saint Paul's Academy, the merchant asked for the girl's price to be more than doubled, at least one hundred and eighty taels.
As for the boy, it would be five hundred taels.
After a slight hesitation, the priest agreed. Donghua Xian Nü and Ji Xiang exchanged glances, each seeing a hint of amusement in the other's eyes.
The priest tested the children's aptitude. Ji Xiang subtly revealed a bit of Christian power, immediately causing the cross in the priest's hand to emit a strong halo, which sent the priest into a frenzy of joy.
...
Haojing’ao, Saint Paul's Academy.
Compared to the church in Shuntian, the architecture here was closer to the original Western style, with long stone steps and magnificent architectural complexes within. Since its founding in the forty-fourth year of Jiajing, it had stood on this land for a full thirty years.
Therefore, it took Matteo Ricci and others several years to successfully travel to Shuntian. This academy, compared to these missionaries, had appeared on this land even earlier.
A significant portion of its academy funding came from the trade association of Portuguese merchants. It was the anchor point Christianity had established in the Far East, an unyielding iron nail, and the main base of Christianity on this land.
The sound of bells, singing, and praises to God. The academy was filled with children in white attire, as well as priests and nuns. Outwardly, they all appeared amiable and kind, but in Ji Xiang's eyes, they were entirely different.
Including the situation here.
There was a powerful magical force outside, isolating the faith power within.
"The light of faith here is so intense... Among the priests and nuns, there are pure individuals, but the older ones are permeated with an ominous aura."
There were no vengeful spirits demanding lives, of course. God's power was extremely potent, how could any deceased ghosts dare to show themselves here? They had long since been purified into dust. However, wishes and intentions did not disappear easily. Even Christ the Lord, whose control over wishes and intentions reached a level beyond ordinary people's imagination, could not fully comprehend the usage of wishes and intentions.
Even if they were erased or devoured, something still remained.
Ji Xiang looked at those people and felt that not barging in recklessly was the correct decision. There were probably more than ten people here who could use miracles.
Although the missionaries themselves were not particularly powerful, Christ the Lord seemed capable of bestowing blessings across worlds, and could also allow angels to possess missionaries to display divine power and act as remote proxies.
The first thing to do was to alter the doctrines here, rendering their miracles ineffective.
"After they become ineffective, what's next after that... when miracles are useless?" Donghua Xian Nü thought Ji Xiang would surely have profound insights.
"The next step is to reveal our true forms and tear this place apart."
Ji Xiang responded calmly and firmly.
The two children were changed into white robes, and it was time for a meal.
As the bell rang, someone urged the children to hurry to the dining area. Simultaneously, they heard a priest devoutly calling out:
"The angels by the Lord's side will descend to bring tidings. Everyone, dine in silence."
The sky darkened. In the dining hall, everyone offered prayers to Christ before eating. Streams of wishes and intentions flowed towards some point in the void. Ji Xiang and Donghua Xian Nü were assigned a nun who now asked them to offer prayers to God as well.
Ji Xiang's gaze sharpened. He secretly circulated the Zhen Wu Er Shang Shu, and a formless demonic thought covered the dining hall. All the wishes and intentions were absorbed by that demonic thought, silently permeating the space.
What was called the dining hall was also the grand hall.
From a high point in the grand hall, a light suddenly emerged.
The transparent form descended from the sky, with wings unfolding behind it. All the priests and nuns showed devout expressions, and even the children, though bowing their heads, had fanatical looks.
Angels were bringing tidings and were about to bestow blessings upon them.
Ji Xiang narrowed his eyes.
"How interesting, this thing... is it a form-spirit? It looks remarkably similar to the form-molding technique in the 'Middle Jade Book'!"
And in the next instant, the angel's form-spirit locked onto Ji Xiang.
"Praise be to the most high Lord."
"You possess pure qualifications and can be a holy apostle. I bless you."
The angel spoke with a grand voice, and then a powerful wish and intention surged into Ji Xiang's mind! In that instant, this fierce wish and intention seemed to want to control and cleanse Ji Xiang's mind, while simultaneously distorting his "perceptions" of the world.
"To become an apostle, one must abandon human desires, cast aside distracting thoughts, dedicate one's body and mind, and unite with the Lord's will."
The angel's voice echoed in Ji Xiang's mind. Ji Xiang did not hesitate; he raised his head and met the angel's gaze.
At that very moment!
The power of the Zhen Wu Er Shang Shu was activated. All the incoming perceptions were transformed into demonic thoughts. Simultaneously, the souls of a hundred immortals and over a hundred thousand heavenly demons in his Sea of Suffering erupted with their wishes and intentions. The angel, unable to withstand such a powerful counterattack, instantly lost its ability to think.
It was stunned. The "angelic will" residing within this form-spirit was instantly destroyed and then occupied by Ji Xiang's demonic thoughts.
Possession?
Ji Xiang smiled slightly. To the onlookers, it appeared as if this beautiful young boy had received the angel's blessing. Their eyes were filled with envy, and the priest who had brought Ji Xiang in looked extremely honored.
Little did they know that the angel at this moment had become a puppet that Ji Xiang could manipulate at will.
"What did you do?"
Donghua Xian Nü had just sensed something was amiss and was about to act, but it seemed the situation had flipped in an instant. She vaguely perceived the outcome and was now merely confirming it.
Thus, Ji Xiang transmitted his thoughts to Donghua Xian Nü, filled with mockery:
"Since ancient times, only the heavenly demons have been heard to possess others."
"Never has anyone been heard to possess a heavenly demon."
Truly, showing off one's skills before an expert.
A complete laughingstock!