Pivot of the Sky

Chapter 347: John the Baptist

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Half a year later, the travel-worn Josus returned to his hometown of Bethlehem. Today's Salem Plain is not as desolate as it was 400 years ago. Bethlehem is a small city-state south of Salem, which appeared about 300 years ago. At that time, the great flood triggered a landslide in the Youdi River Valley. A tributary of the Youdi River was cut off and diverted to pass through the Duk Plain, and flowed into the Syrian Desert to form an inland lake. This river was later called the Jedan River. The Jordan River irrigates the fields on the plain, and the hometown of Jesus is by the Jordan River.

After a long journey, Jesus was obviously darker than before, and his figure became stronger, his skin showed a bronze luster, and he grew a beard like other adult men in Salem. Of course the parents were very happy to see their son coming back from a long journey. At the age of Josu, it was time to look for a wife. His parents were already looking for a suitable marriage partner for him, but Josu shook his head and said, "Don't worry, I will I have plans."

His parents thought that the girl he introduced to him was not fancy, so they had to give up for the time being, but they didn't know that Yue Jesus had another thing in mind. He went to Tianzhu with the cane bestowed by Arhat. Fortunately, he found the sage Vincent Bu, and asked many questions and was very inspired. But he rejected Vincent's invitation, and did not become a monk who believed in the infinite light, because he had shouldered the mission bestowed by God.

Jesus also examined various local traditional religious beliefs in Tianzhu, witnessed the conflicts and disputes among various sects, and had his own thinking on many issues. Although he didn't find a way to transcend eternal life, or he regretfully rejected another kind of guidance, his mood became clearer and clearer.

The warrior named Xiao Ye once taught him basic martial arts skills, and on the way, Yuesu practiced the traditional miner skills of the Salemites more with that magical cane, which is stronger than the best mining hammer in the world. Much easier to use. This is the skill that Josu is currently best at. In fact, he himself is not clear about it. After returning to his hometown, if he goes back hundreds of years, he can be regarded as the best craftsman in Duke Town.

Josu, who returned to his hometown, seemed to have become deep, and his eyes also seemed very deep. He always seemed to be thinking about something in a trance, and often came to the river by himself to meditate with a staff in his hand. On this day, he saw a group of people walking upstream together by the river, and heard their conversation, and was slightly surprised.

During the time when Joseph left his hometown, an ascetic monk came by the Jordan River. He explained the meaning of the Bible to people, and dipped people's bodies with the water of the Jordan River, which symbolized God's blessing and cleansed the body and mind. A new beginning, this ceremony is called a baptism. Many people gathered around him to accept his baptism and listen to his preaching every day.

It is said that this person is from the city of Salem, and he is a great achiever with the power bestowed by the gods. He claims to be waiting for the appearance of a person, the Messiah prophesied by Elijah. When Jesus heard the news, he picked up his staff and walked upstream.

In the wilderness beside the Jordan River, there was a man standing by the water, wearing clothes made of camel hair and a belt around his waist. His hair and beard had not been trimmed for a long time, but they were neatly combed. This person was preaching to everyone in front of him with a loud voice: "Listen, the Kingdom of God will appear before everyone's eyes. Get ready for it and embark on the path guided by the light."

One of the audience asked, "What preparations do we need to make? The Salemites are a people who have entered into a covenant with God, and they are God's chosen people in the world. Isn't the new kingdom prepared for all Salemites?"

The man shook his head and said, "What a naive idea. God will not favor a certain person more for no reason, nor will he abandon his believers for no reason. God has blessed the people of Salem, but that does not mean that the people of Salem deserve God's help." The continued care of God. Purifying the soul and keeping away from sin is not to please God, but people should do so."

At this time, Jesus had already approached, and was stunned when he saw the preacher, because they had known each other for a long time. This man's name was John, and John's father was a priest on duty at the Araha Temple in Salem. He had always enjoyed a high reputation and was said to be a mahasiddha, but he didn't have such a son until his later years.

John’s mother is the distant cousin of Josu’s mother, and he is also Josu’s cousin, but the family background of the two is very different. One is the heir of a priest, and the other is only the son of a carpenter. John should inherit his father's priesthood in the city of Salem. How could he go to the countryside to baptize people

John saw Jesus holding a cane, but he showed indescribable joy. He stood up, separated from the crowd and strode up to meet him. He opened his arms and said, "My cousin, I can't describe how excited I am. It turns out it's you... you Returning from a long journey!"

Jesus was about to salute, but was hugged by John. He asked puzzledly: "My cousin, you didn't inherit the priesthood in Salem, but you came here? I heard that there is a monk Held a baptism ceremony to purify the body and mind for people here, and came here on purpose, but I didn't expect it to be you!"

John let go of his arms, still holding Josu's arm and said, "Did you come to me specially?"

Jesus nodded and said, "Yes, I would like to ask you to baptize me."

John let go of his hand and took a step back, looked into his eyes and said, "I baptize people by the river, it's just a ritual that symbolizes the purification of the soul, making people farther away from sin and closer to the gods. And you never betrayed God, your heart and eyes are so pure, there is no need for me to baptize you."

Jesus bowed, leaning his cane on the ground, and said in a pleading tone: "I firmly believe that this is God's arrangement, and I need to express my belief in a form."

John finally nodded and said, "Okay, I will hold the baptism ceremony for you alone when there is no one else."

After the sun went down that day, John sent all his disciples away. The two cousins lit a bonfire by the river and told about their experiences over the years. John told Jesus that he was awakened by the priest father to the original power, and one day when he was meditating at night, he heard the voice of an angel. The voice told him to resign his post as a priest and go to the wilderness beside the Jordan River to practice penance to welcome the coming of the prophesied Messiah.

So John left the city of Salem and came here. He practiced hard every day in the wind and sun. He ate wild fruits in the bushes, grasshoppers in the grassland, honey made by wild bees, and fish in the river. Here's the breakthrough big achievement. The angel's voice told him to spread God's guidance to the world. So he secretly inspected everyone he met, and awakened the original power for them through the baptism ceremony.

John's baptism is both a symbol and a real ceremony. He does not try to awaken the power for everyone, but only chooses those who can truly understand the beliefs he preaches.

Jesus asked curiously, "Why do you think of using baptism?"

John replied: "The angel told me how to awaken the original power for people, and I have made great achievements to be able to do it. This is a wild valley, not a temple in the city of Salem. Accepting this kind of baptism does not mean meritorious status, nor is it In order to please the gods, but people spontaneously accept the guidance of Arhat, so I never said it explicitly.

My inspiration also comes from historical legends. A sage named Pythagoras on the Heaton Peninsula more than 300 years ago established a manor on the outskirts of Delphi to impart various knowledge and teach people how to view the world. . There is also a ceremony to be held upon entering the manor, called 'purification of the mind', which also includes the guidance of the original power. I was inspired by this, dipping people's bodies in clean water symbolizes washing the body and mind, awakening power and performing rituals at the same time. "

Jesus asked again, "Which angel's voice did you hear?" While speaking, he struck the dry wood burning in the bonfire with his stick, and the stick, which looked like an ordinary branch, was not damaged at all.

John stood up and replied: "I heard the voice of Moses. He told me to come here and wait for a person, the Messiah in the prophecy of Elijah. When this person appears, he will take Moses and lead the people back. The cane I used in my hometown. It was you, my cousin Josu, who came here, which surprised and delighted me!"

As he spoke, he already bowed down and bowed to Jesus. Jesus hurriedly put down his cane and helped him up: "My cousin, don't salute me like this. I have come to ask you to baptize me."

John took Jesus to the river, dipped the clear water in the Jordan River with a scarf, and poured it on Jesus' hair and forehead, silently speaking blessing words. At this time, he saw the light, as if the stars all over the sky gathered together and turned into doves with outstretched wings and landed on Jesus.

Josu stood by the river with a staff in his hand, a circle of light appeared behind his head, as if he was in a trance, comprehending something, and when he came back to his senses, the light disappeared.

It was such a simple ceremony that awakened the power of the source, because he had practiced the miner's skills in Duke Town, and he had already had this foundation. There is no need for John to teach Jesus anything else. He just accepts the guidance of the angels and completes the ceremony for Jesus in an unobtrusive way.

All the angels are also Amon's disciples, and the power they cultivated was taught by Amon, so they are not sure how to cultivate about Jesus in the world. If they interfere too much, they may have problems with his verification. Unknown effects.

John only needs to awaken the power for Yuesu. From now on, every time Yuesu comprehends a new level, the corresponding information will naturally be imprinted into the soul in that magical staff, including various magical achievements and other secrets. Just look at it. About how Jesus himself practiced. When the old lunatic handed the iron staff to Amon, he also left the secrets he knew in the pupil of the earth in the staff. Every time Amon breaks through a level of realm, he can read a new piece of information.