6 Christian Gnostic Church Temple Masters’ Daughter

- Brother Huang, come, come, quick!

It was Sunday afternoon, right after mass.

A certain religion had appeared on aetheria a few centuries in the past. Ye Huangs' father, Ye Han, had seen the founding of this religion himself.

According to his memories, the original founder was a man of virtue and great intuition, who managed to cultivate since a young age on the teachings of the Essene tribe of the Hebrew nomadic people.

This people lived at the old Heartless desert, south of the Earthly Mound of Wonders - a region far, far away from the Great Dragon Gorge. They used to be a nomadic tribe, but once some of its prophets choose to try and take land for themselves, bloodied wars ensued for centuries without end.

In the end, the whole Hebrew people suffered much, its tribes dismantling and being absorbed by the surrounding powers.

From there on, their Magical Arts became thinner and thinner, to the point were even the Essene tribe, knew for its magical prowess, became a third-rate sect with few powers.

Still, luck, be it good or bad, chooses the weirdest of places to manifest. The Essene tribe managed to produce a son with remarkable trance qualities and a good constitution.

Through this child, an old masters' spirit manifested, and the tribe saw a little revival. Its lands were taken away and its people destroyed. In the end, all sacrifices made by this old master and this young son were almost wasted as means to empower others.

Still, the little master of the Essenes managed to pass down some of its knowledge. And this knowledge managed to get the attention of quite a number of Master Daoists, Ye Han included.

The christic religion was one appropriated for the masses of mortals, and if one was mystical enough, they would even become able to learn a little bit of the Way, as soon as their minds and souls had been purified through personal sacrifice.

Buddha, Confucius and the Land Gods would usually be shammed by the Earthly Mound of Wonder's empires, where only nobility would have access to the Way.

However, on places like the Blue River Sect, it was merely a way of life. One would be seen learning at the Mass on Sunday, and then burning incense and offering alms on another.

In the end, living inside a sect, even mortals would understand that the World was deeper than the apparent contradictions it presented. What to say about the temple priests of the many religions. They would be seen walking together and heartily laughing at jokes. Then, some of them would come to public religious service belonging to another's' religion and gain insight of the Way inside their own.

As for the little child pulling Ye Hans' hand at that moment, she was a mortal by the name Sarah.

Her father was Yakob, leader of the South Gnostic Church and a First Realm First Entrance disciple.

For someone over fifty years old, being only a first realm first entrance disciple was quite disgraceful, but for a mortal with little knowledge of the way, it was much more than one could ever expect.

- Yakob greets the Young Master.

- Hello uncle Yakob! - Ye Huang was allowed to play around the mortals as much as he wanted, as long as it was still inside the Ye Family's Grounds. His own cultivation, by means of the Mountain and Tea Ceremony, had reached the First Realm Third Entrance level, so no mortal could harm him. It goes without saying that, by being the Sect Masters' son, no one would dare in the first place.

- Daddy, older brother wants to eat the Consecrated Host!

Yakobs' eyes looked at Ye Huang with a hint of worry, and he bowed deeply.

- Little Yakob asks for Young Nobles' forgiving. This little priest cannot produce a consecrated host for Young Noble to eat.

- But Dad! - Sarah stomped her feet.

- No 'buts' Sarah. - Of course, her father didn't show so much deference to her.

- It's okay! - Ye Huang said, in a carefree tone. He liked Yakob, and seeing him with his head bowed down bothered him somewhere on his chest.

Ye Huang didn't know why exactly, as his experience in the field shouldn't be strong enough to leave such a deep impression on him.

Just like the color of the sky and the growth of the grass, his own feelings said to him that he shouldn't be happy if someone was to bow their heads and apologize if he asked for something.

If it was his father, or his mother, or his teachers, then he would throw a tantrum.

But, still, his chest would tighten a bit when he saw someone bowing his head to him, asking forgiveness for not being able to give him something.

Its' not to say that he didn't want to have a consecrated host. Sarah liked it so much, then he wanted to try a piece.

But once Sarah asked him for a brush, and neither his father, mother or teachers allowed him to give one to her.

In the end, he tried to make a bamboo one and failed - he had just started his lessons on the Dao of the Pen, and his master hadn't taught him to make a proper pen yet.

The frustration, shame and pain he had when being unable to give a pen to Sarah resonated deeply on his chest, and since then this feeling had awakened inside of him. He had to bow his head down to Sarah that day, as his father said to him "once you promise something and fail to do it, apologize so your heart will be in peace".

How bad would be to bow down from the waist, like Yakob was bowing?

So Ye Huang didn't bother with asking again.

At that time, Sarah saw a small cart behind her father.

- Dad, are you going to give alms?

- That is right. Those are this weeks' alms. Old Abijah couldn't work this week, Abishalom is sick still and Ariel has broken an arm and need alms.

- They should just work! - Sarah pouted.

- Then, why don't you work for your meals too? Do you think your food comes from the heavens like manna?!

- Then I will!

- Good. Lets start by offering you a chance. How about you drag the alms cart with me to pay for dinner? If you can't, then you won't eat!

Sarahs' face lost all color.

- But I can't drag it, its' too heavy!

- Then now you know what those people are going through! The land won't give them an easier time just because they are sick or weak! That's why we give them alms.

As Yakob scolded his daughter, a slightly confused Ye Huang observed the exchange between both.

As a child, he couldn't quite get it, and as a mostly carefree person, he wouldn't get in between a father scolding his daughter.

Still, doubt stirred in his heart.

***

Later that day.

- Dad, why don't we have to work for our meals? - Ye Huang asked, while looking at the marvelously decorated table in front of him.

His father was ready to start eating but stopped for a moment to teach his son.

- On the Dao of Food, son, ones' mind must be clear and free of worries. You must taste the food in an orderly and conscious manner and understand what it does to your souls, as well as what your souls do to it. You are young and haven't begun to learn the Dao of the Mind yet. So, father will answer your question, but you must do your best to keep your heart still and think on your fathers' words before answering, okay?

- Okay! - Ye Huang answered, while his mother, Ye Shin, observed the exchange between father and son. On their household, Ye Han and Ye Shin had progressed much on the Dao - and things like gender and birth weren't enough to justify differences in status between then, and even between then and the servants.

Sitting on the table were all the servants and their children, except for those who were in charge of serving the others.

From time to time, even Ye Han or Ye Shin would serve others, and Ye Huang would be instructed to do the same.

Returning to simplicity, a great cultivator would be one with nature and, whilst still observant of customs and morals, would rather measure then by nature and not by the unnatural and harmful ways of man.

So, those living under the same household should serve one another, while those living on other households should follow the lead of the stronger household in order to strengthen the whole community.