The Sweetness of the Seventies-Chapter 86 Loss of Reverence (Monthly Votes 220+) _1

This foolish woman’s sympathy is starting to overflow!

The Snake King chuckled, once again struck with wonder at how he was at a loss for words when it came to He Tiantian, this kind-hearted young girl.

Since it was mentioned, the Snake King decided to let He Tiantian understand the truth, "This Taoyuan River, which flows through the entire Taoyuan County, nourishes the local people; and in turn, the locals respect and cherish this river. In the past, villagers would make offerings to the river, those with money would give something nice, and those without money would kowtow by the riverside to give thanks. All these were beneficial to the stone statue at the bottom of the river. Humankind can think, and although the River Guardian Beast Statue is just a stone statue, with spells cast upon it, it has merged with the river over thousands of years. It is through their mutual giving that the cycle of endless life persists."

Mutual giving is the way of the endless cycle of life!

Upon hearing this, He Tiantian was thunderstruck!

This was a river protected by a Divine Beast Statue, from which the locals have always taken what they needed—irrigating their lands, supplicating their lives. Yet they have not shown gratitude, reverence, or made offerings to the river as they did in the past. They’ve been taking unilaterally without giving back, angering the Divine Beast Statue at the bottom of the river, which wants to retaliate against the people on both sides.

He Tiantian thought of the great drought of the past life, which had caused many to starve!

"Snake King, since you know all this, can’t you help us? In the seventy-first year of the previous era, there was a severe drought; many people starved to death, and I survived that difficult year only by foraging for wild vegetables and fruits," He Tiantian said with a distressed face. What to do?

What was initially just a simple drought turned out to involve the spell on the Divine Beast Statue; she was at a loss.

"I cannot help," the Snake King refused. These were matters of cause and effect, the result of humans having first abandoned the promises and beliefs of their ancestors. If the River Guardian Beast does not receive ample power from faith or deeds of merit, it is only natural for it to become angry and assert its power, to teach humans the lesson of breaking promises.

The Snake King’s refusal was within He Tiantian’s expectations, for the Snake King had always observed matters unrelated to him with indifference.

He Tiantian understood, but she could not come to accept it in her heart.

"Don’t you think you humans are now very reckless? You have lost the fear of the heavens, the earth, all beings, and the natural order in your hearts, and this is a very frightening thing. This mindset has liberated your thoughts, but aren’t you also going to lose much more? Such as the goodness of human nature, such as morals, ethics, and principles..." The Snake King sighed, without that fear, sooner or later, humanity would tread a path of madness. That was not something he could change, nor did he wish to; he just hoped that He Tiantian, a girl with a bleeding heart, would consider whether she had the capability before jumping into anything?

He Tiantian opened her mouth but found herself unable to refute the Snake King’s words.

Indeed, humans have lost the fear of the heavens, the earth, all beings, and the natural order, believing that they have become the rulers of this world, without realizing that humans are part of nature themselves. If they only know how to take and not how to give, then one day, all of humanity’s companions will depart, no longer protecting humanity.

"All right, it is the will of the heavens, and the will of the heavens must not be violated," the Snake King said mysteriously. "What you should do is to take good care of yourself; you don’t need to worry about the rest, nor do you have the ability to."

Although He Tiantian understood the principle, she remained disheartened by her powerlessness. If possible, He Tiantian wished she had not known this truth; after all, sometimes being in the dark might not be an entirely bad thing.

"Ah..." After sighing, He Tiantian carried back the large basin filled with Napa cabbages.

During lunch, He Tiantian learned from other villagers that the two people in the commune hospital had been revived, and there were no longer any serious concerns.

In the afternoon, the commune sent many police officers from the local station to deal with the situation. Those people were even more vigorous, dressed in thick waterproof rubber suits, they fished things out from the bottom of the water.

The people of Qijia Village also paused their work and ran over to watch.

He Tiantian felt restless the entire time and followed to take a look. It was a Rotating Turtle Statue about the size of a millstone, with its thick shell covered in dense mystical symbols.

To He Tiantian’s astonishment, she saw two lines of water in the eyes of the Divine Beast Statue, which didn’t seem like river water, but rather like two trails of tears shed by the statue itself!

"Ai..." the Snake King sighed. These humans really don’t know the severity of their actions!

Heaven-sent disasters can still be survived, but man-made ones cannot.

Upon hearing the Snake King’s sigh, He Tiantian quickly asked, "Snake King, is the impending severe drought next year destined to be unchangeable..."

"It’s not just about next year’s severe drought!" the Snake King said gloomily, "Next year’s drought is merely a minor punishment. After next year, Taoyuan County will still be a land of abundance, with timely winds and rains. But they’ve unearthed the Divine Beast Statue. Without the Divine Beast Statue to protect this place, it will become a desolate backwater, plagued by disasters..."

He Tiantian was greatly shocked. In her previous life, since the drought, the land here was no longer fertile, and the Taoyuan River often flooded and damaged the surrounding crops. Moreover, during the more than twenty years she lived here, there were two earthquakes.

Taoyuan County, once a place of picturesque scenery, turned into a region plagued by disasters. In Taoyuan County, anyone with a bit of ability took their family and moved away, settling down in other places or cities.

Could it be... Could it all be because people unearthed the River Guardian Beast Statue?

While He Tiantian loathed Qi Jianguo and her family, she did not hate this place. Therefore, she hoped that Taoyuan County could continue to enjoy favorable weather and bountiful harvests.

"Snake King, please save the local people," He Tiantian pleaded. "You are the all-powerful Snake King, and besides, your arrival here is also a twist of fate. Besides, you said before that doing good deeds brings great benefits to you as well. This time could save many lives and accumulate much merit. It would be beneficial to you, to me, and to everyone."

He Tiantian, recalling the Snake King’s previous words, hoped to get his help. Even if they couldn’t avoid next year’s severe drought, she didn’t want Taoyuan County, a place like the legendary land of joy and plenty, to turn into a land of desolation and disaster.

"Ah, you’re putting me in a tough spot!" the Snake King said helplessly, carefully weighing He Tiantian’s words. There’s a saying that’s right—everything depends on fate. Perhaps this event was also an opportunity for him? fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

The Snake King did not reply, but was instead calculating.

In dire straits, there may be a turning point. Could this turning point be He Tiantian and himself?

He Tiantian, detecting a hint of relaxation in the Snake King’s words, felt that all was not hopeless.