Chapter 816: Oceanic Faith (3)

Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Clad in a deep blue priest robe, a kind priest listened to the confessions of his followers.

“Great Priest, I felt the blessing of the gods when I went out to sea! The winds and waves calmed down, and the sky ceased its downpour. I caught nearly three times as many fish as usual!”

“As long as you believe from the heart, the gods will always embrace you, and your catch will only increase.”

“Great Priest! I haven’t encountered any bad weather during my recent voyages. Is it because the gods are protecting me?”

“Of course, as a devout believer, the gods have watched over you and ensured your safety throughout.”

One by one, the believers eagerly recounted their safe voyages and bountiful harvests since joining the faith, while the priest patiently answered their questions. Watching this scene unfold, other onlookers’ eyes gleamed with renewed faith.

Among the spectators, the indigenous people pondered whether joining Oceanic Faith could ensure a safe journey at sea.

Soon, as the preaching session concluded, half of the indigenous people present chose to join the Oceanic Faith and become new converts.

If anyone had visited the New Moon Islands, they might have recognized the kind priest as one of the workers of the Crown of the Ocean, one of the earliest batches to join, and the most loyal and fervent residents in support of Ji Chen.

That day, he and thousands of his companions gathered together. Upon witnessing the supreme power and command of the divine, they set out without hesitation, armed with substantial funds, to preach from the New Moon Islands to various coastal cities along the mid-ocean.

Scenes like this preaching session were occurring in coastal cities across the region, fueling the fervor of the Oceanic Faith.

This novel approach to proselytizing was imported by Ji Chen from the Earth and proved to be quite effective in the otherworldly realms.

In essence, joining the Oceanic Faith, and receiving the so-called specially crafted talisman, did indeed grant believers varying degrees of blessings from the sea gods, a decision based on the protection offered by the Crown of the Ocean’s territory.

With the territory advancing to a Domain City, the protective blessings underwent significant changes.

[Territorial Blessing]: Ocean’s Grace (residents and troops can catch more fish at sea, greatly improve their water skills and sense of direction, and reduce the likelihood of encountering sea disasters)

Through investigation, Ji Chen discovered that as long as they believed in him, his followers were considered to some extent as his residents and thus enjoyed varying degrees of protection from territorial blessings. This became the core driving force behind the spread of the Oceanic Faith.

While other deities were less likely to notice the insignificant individuals, believing in Ji Chen and joining the Oceanic Faith did indeed offer a certain level of protection.

Hence, the advantages and disadvantages were clear at a glance. The indigenous people were not fools, especially those whose livelihoods depended on the sea, such as fishermen, sailors, and merchants, who had a high demand for such protection.

This was Ji Chen’s unique advantage, one that others found difficult to replicate.

Amid the heavy pressure of demon invasions, the expansion of the Oceanic Faith was astonishingly rapid. Excluding the local followers of the Crown of the Ocean, within just two weeks, the number of followers on various continents reached as high as five hundred thousand.

This was still under the condition of relatively low visibility for the Oceanic Faith. As long as the base of believers continued to increase, its influence would only exponentially rise, eventually leading to explosive growth.

And Ji Chen, reigning over the Crown of the Ocean, felt the scattered faith from all directions of the continents converging, gathering like rivers into the sea, coalescing into the divine presence of the Oceanic God.

The path to godhood took another step forward.