Chapter - 5607

In order to swiftly resolve the situation, Charlie refrained from immediately opening the wooden box before him. Instead, he opted to scan it with his reiki, instantly detecting two items nestled inside.

One was a thick book and Charlie surmised that it was likely a replica of the ‘Introduction to the Apocalyptic Book.’

The other was a metallic object resembling a pagoda.

With confirmation that the items were unharmed, Charlie instinctively wanted to withdraw his divine sense and make a hasty departure from the Cole Family Manor, carrying the items with him.

However, as Charlie's reiki brushed past the pagoda, it seemed to sense his presence. In an unexpected turn of events, his reiki was forcefully drawn towards the pagoda, without any prior warning.

What caught Charlie by surprise was the unique interaction between his reiki and the pagoda. His reiki, governed by his divine consciousness, acted as an invisible extension of this consciousness. When the reiki was absorbed by the pagoda, it unexpectedly drew out a strand of his consciousness from his own spiritual sea. This extraction of consciousness was involuntary and forceful, a phenomenon he hadn't anticipated.

At that moment, Charlie found himself in a chaotic world. Everything around him was shrouded in darkness, with only a faint, hazy light ahead. The absence of objects left him feeling suffocated in this desolate mist.

Suddenly, a thunderous rumble echoed through the air, shaking the ground beneath him. Lost and bewildered, Charlie witnessed the earth splitting open, unleashing a burst of dazzling golden light.

Before his eyes, a golden square pagoda emerged from the cracks, radiating a brilliant golden glow. As more of it revealed itself, the light intensified, captivating Charlie's gaze. He craned his neck, but the pagoda reached such towering heights that he couldn't see its peak even from its base.

This majestic and awe-inspiring four-sided pagoda left Charlie in awe.

Just as he marveled at its splendor, the two golden doors of the pagoda swung open from within, flooding the surroundings with blinding golden light. It was impossible to discern what lay beyond the opening.

Whether by design or chance, Charlie's legs move uncontrollably towards the doors.

With each step, the golden light grew more blinding. It surpassed even the brightness of staring directly at the noon sun. Yet, as he finally entered the interior of the pagoda, the golden light vanished abruptly.

His vision plunged into darkness, only to reveal a vast open space before him. Thousands of monks sat in silent meditation, their chants resonating through the air. In front of them, a bustling construction site buzzed with activity, as ancient craftsmen toiled away at erecting a four-sided pagoda. The leading monk, dressed in a golden robe, sat upon a wooden platform.

Charlie recognized this four-sided pagoda, although it felt both familiar and unfamiliar, evoking a sense of déjà vu. However, he couldn't recall where he had encountered it before.

In an instant, the scene shifted away from the construction site, soaring above the bustling city of Meridian.

Charlie's gaze swept over the city, drawing upon his historical knowledge and the books he had read. Suddenly, realization struck him.

At that moment, he had an epiphany. The square pagoda he had witnessed was none other than the renowned Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Meridian, a celebrated landmark.

What he had seen was the pagoda during its construction phase, a glimpse into its ancient past.

The mingled sense of familiarity and unfamiliarity he experienced likely stemmed from the multiple renovations the Big Wild Goose Pagoda underwent over the centuries. Its appearance, characteristics, and even the number of stories had undergone significant transformations.

Furthermore, these extensive reconstructions of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda occurred centuries ago. The structure people were familiar with today had been shaped by five major revisions, leaving its original design lost to history. This was why Charlie felt a peculiar sense of recognition, yet hesitated to confirm his suspicion.

Intrigued, Charlie murmured to himself, "Could it be that the eminent monk I encountered was the legendary Tang Monk, Moksadeva?"

As this revelation settled in, the scene whisked Charlie away from the thriving Meridian and transported him to a Taoist temple nestled at the southern foot of Checksong Mountain, just outside the city.

Recognizing the terrain, Charlie identified the location as the northern foot of Checksong Mountain. The words ‘Checksong Temple’ inscribed on the temple gate confirmed that this was the sacred ground of Taoism, Daqin.

Daqin, the birthplace of Taoism, was said to be where the founder of Taoism, Laozi, preached and spread his teachings. During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Li Yuan held Taoism in high regard, renaming the place Checksong Temple.

In the scene before him, a group of slender Taoist priests, clad in green robes with their hair tied in long buns, were seated cross-legged on a platform. They were forming uniform hand gestures in the air, their expressions reflecting deep devotion and concentration.

Charlie immediately recognized that these were no ordinary monks. Each one of them was a practitioner of reiki. The hand seals they meticulously formed were imbued with surging reiki. It was apparent to him that they were collaboratively working towards the completion of some grand formation, their movements synchronized in a display of profound spiritual discipline and unity.

What astounded Charlie even more was the pure golden four-sided banner suspended in mid-air before the Taoist priests. It rotated slowly, illuminated by a radiant golden light. This was the very same four-sided banner that had been inside the wooden box!

The hand seals made by the Taoist priests merged with the banner, enhancing its power with their reiki and formation skills. The golden light emanating from the banner grew more resplendent, complementing the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, which stood several miles away.

At that moment, the leading Taoist spoke, "Once we complete this formation with the banner and Master finishes building and consecrating the pagoda, the two will harmonize, ensuring the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty for eight hundred years! Our brothers and sisters have dedicated their lives to this cause, sacrificing everything for the people of the Tang Dynasty!"

The Taoist priests wore expressions of devotion as they echoed in unison, "We seek only the eternal prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, a flourishing nation, and the well-being of its people!"

Charlie stood in awe, utterly captivated by the unfolding scene. He had never expected that the four-sided banner had been crafted by these accomplished cultivators.

Moreover, the combined power of the four-sided banner and the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, built and consecrated by Master Moksadeva, were the national treasures that safeguarded the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.

Yet, a question nagged at Charlie's mind. If these two items were the result of the efforts of the esteemed monk and the accomplished Daoist, why did the Tang Dynasty, as the Taoist had claimed, not prosper for eight hundred years? In reality, the Tang Dynasty's reign lasted less than three hundred years.

As Charlie pondered this mystery, he suddenly realized that he hadn't immediately recognized the Great Wild Goose Pagoda earlier due to the numerous renovations it had undergone. Even during the Tang Dynasty, it had been modified three times. Could it be that these alterations had disrupted the Feng Shui arrangement created by the Great Wild Goose Pagoda and the four-sided banner?

Lost in his thoughts, Charlie sensed the scene before him fading away. His divine sense retreated, returning to the towering pagoda rising out of the ground.

However, the pagoda did not cling to his divine sense. Instead, it pushed it out through the doors and sealed them shut. The pagoda slowly crumbled back into the ground, and everything around him reverted to its original chaotic state.

Unbeknownst to Charlie, as the pagoda collapsed, it left behind a strand of divine sense that merged seamlessly with his own, becoming one...