Since the Tang Dynasty, Fujian immigrants have been the main force in developing Hainan.
During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the descendants of Fujian Putian immigrants had already ford settlents in Haikou and Wenchang. These places predominantly featured clan societies, with major surnas like Wu, Fu, and Chen distributed along the island's coastline, while the inland mountainous areas remained mainly inhabited by the indigenous people.
At this ti, Taoism had not yet fully spread in the coastal regions; it maintained the ancient witch beliefs.
Duncan enjoyed a sumptuous seafood feast.
Originally, he planned to enter the mountainous inland of Hainan directly, searching for the remnants of the defeated Red Army. However, while passing a village near Haikou, he couldn't help but pause and gaze at a distant temple with a shock on his face, murmuring, "Could there still be a True God in this world?"
The Spiritual Light shrouding this temple was all too familiar to him.
Unlike ordinary City God and Earth God temples, the Spiritual Light from this temple was condensed and persistent, as if a strand of the Divine Spirit's will had descended, repelling all evil, and common ghosts and spirits dared not approach here.
Duncan instantly beca fascinated, tidied himself, and approached the village ahead.
"Old man."
"Which deity does this temple worship?"
Duncan stopped a devout believer who was kneeling in worship. The villagers here were mostly fishern, but there were also traces of land reclamation nearby.
The old man looked at Duncan with surprise and, after hesitating for a mont, said, "Sir, are you from out of town?"
Duncan nodded slightly.
The old man pointed to the small temple behind, and explained, "Inside worships the Sage Dragon Maiden, also known as the Dragon Maiden."
Dragon Maiden?
Could there be a True Dragon here?
Duncan's expression grew even more surprised. After bidding farewell to the old man, he walked towards the small temple ahead. Although the temple was not large, it was cleaned very thoroughly and the temple's attendant was an elderly woman. She seed to be divining fortunes, using the thods of Witchcraft.
Though Witchcraft has fallen into obscurity, it still holds strong influence in coastal areas like Hainan.
The elderly woman looked up at Duncan, and in an instant, she trembled all over, dropping the tortoise shell in her hand on the ground. She ignored the visitor in front of her and quickly got up, hurried over to Duncan's position, stopped at the temple's entrance, and respectfully saluted, "Esteed guest, apologies for not welcoming you sooner."
The Witch with the four-star silver gray mark.
Duncan hadn't expected that in this small temple, there would actually be a master of Witchcraft, which in the Western world could be considered the strength of a High Tier Wizard.
"Greetings, elder."
Curiously, Duncan glanced around. The temple was slightly worn, with no treasures, and the Witch with the four-star mark wore ragged clothes, not showing the signs of a true Witchcraft master.
He pulled out a large pearl from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, "Do you have ti to show around?"
Since there is a True God in this place, it's worth a look.
The elderly woman hesitated, then extended her hand to accept the pearl, and respectfully bowed her head, "Honored guest's gift, I dare not decline."
"Please follow ."
Duncan has traveled the world, passing through nurous Taoist and Buddhist domains, yet has never seen the Spiritual Light of a True God, and never expected to witness a True God in such a small place.
Though currently very weak, at a level approximately between Weak Divine Power and Weak Divine Power, it is definitely a legitimate True God.
Inside the temple is a female statue, the 'Sage Dragon Maiden' ntioned by the old man.
Duncan rely glanced at it and shuddered.
The image of the statue seed sowhat familiar, really an incredible deity, a peak creation of folk belief, not inferior to the Jade Emperor introduced by Taoists at the ti. Her future incense offerings would be far more prosperous than that of the Jade Emperor.
"Now it is the early years of the North Song Dynasty. If I haven't guessed wrong, the one being worshipped inside should be her."
"Even if not, she has a great connection with her."
Duncan didn't even need to go inside.
With just a glance, he could tell which deity the temple was connected to.
Mazu.
The final masterpiece of Witchcraft lineage, and the only individual from Witchcraft over hundreds of years to obtain the status of a True God.
The prototype of Mazu is Lin, born on izhou Island, Putian, Fujian, and she was a witch in life.
Her birth date has many theories; so say it was during the Five Dynasties period, others say it was the early years of the North Song Dynasty, later unified in the Qing Dynasty as March, 960 AD, which is this year.
But evidently, her belief has already appeared in this world.
In coastal regions of Central Plains and other places, especially in places like Fujian, Witchcraft beliefs have a long history. Before the Qin Han Dynasty, the Minyue people believed in Witch Taoism, and local chronicles and docunts contain many records concerning witch-beliefs.
The witch in the village.
Though Witchcraft was suppressed by Taoism and Buddhism to the point of obscurity, in the early years of the North Song Dynasty, a remarkable figure indeed appeared.
No wonder he saw the Spiritual Light of a True God.
"But she is still not enshrined by later dynasties and her temple worship is far inferior to the Divine Spirits of Taoism."
Witchcraft is not very promising now.
Ultimately, those who survived were the Witchcraft traditions that integrated with the three major paths of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
Duncan took a turn around this small temple.
The temple may be small, but the incense offerings are thriving, and the devotees are devout, having a large influence among Fujian immigrants.
He slowly raised his palm as the elderly woman hurriedly handed him a stick of incense, her expression seemingly a bit fearful. She did not know Duncan's identity, but relying on the Witchcraft tradition, she sensed sothing peculiar. Using the language of later generations of Jianghu (the martial world), Hainan was newly developed as a hall for Witchcraft in this world, and the Witches dispatched here were essentially skilled individuals.
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