Chapter 119: Chapter 119 River God Sacrifice
 

According to the county records.

Along the Luoshui River’s banks, there had been legends of the River God for dozens of year, at that time, there was no need for a living sacrifice, as offering incense was often enough to bring rain and alleviate drought.

Starting from a decade ago, the sacrifice of boys and girls became necessary for the River God to perform magic to bring rain.

The Blood Sacrifice drew the attention of wandering Loose Cultivators, and it was reported to the Great Marsh Marketplace within the Qing Kingdom, becoming one of the demon-hunting external affairs of the Pill Cauldron Sect.

“When the drought comes, the earth turns red for thousands of miles, and many boys and girls have died, but no immortals took notice. The River God eats a few, performs magic to bring rain and save people, then the immortals come to hunt demons and vanquish evil!”

Niu Dazhu’s eyes were bloodshot, “Who in the end is the demon, who is the devil?”

Zhou Yi said coldly, “To do good is to do good, to do evil is to do evil, they should not be confused. If rain can be brought without eating humans, why continue the sacrifice?”

“It’s because the ignorant people don’t know gratitude!”

Niu Dazhu said mockingly, “Originally, the River God only needed offerings of incense to bring rain and relieve drought, but when the ignorant people benefited, they neglected the River God Temple. Once the River God started demanding blood sacrifices, the incense became abundant and never ceased!”

“So it’s not about good or evil, it’s just a transaction after all.”

Zhou Yi said slowly, “If the River God is not slain today, other cultivators will come tomorrow, and eventually, someone will kill the troublemaking demon.”

“If you kill the River God, will you bring the rain?”

Niu Dazhu’s eyes were bloodshot, his demeanor crazed, “I’ve heard immortals value causality and retribution. In the future, when another drought comes and the earth turns red for thousands of miles, those who die miserably will be your doing!”

“I thought you were a villain, but it turns out you’re just a fool.”

Zhou Yi shrugged his shoulders, “Senior Brother He’s cultivation is similar to that of the snake demon. Can he manage to bring clouds and rain to relieve a thousand miles of drought?”

“Digging a few wells is manageable, but to bring rain across a thousand miles… Perhaps the old ancestors of the sect could do it.”

Senior Brother He looked up at the sky, his eyes sparkling with intelligence, “Observing the celestial signs, there should be rain in about seven or eight days. So, Junior Brother Zhu, you even calculated the snake demon’s and the ignorant people’s tactics?”

“I had done some investigation beforehand.”

Zhou Yi was extremely cautious with sect external affairs, daring not to act without thorough investigation. He sighed, “If it truly was the snake demon causing the rain, I would not have intervened in this matter to avoid a difficult decision.”

Niu Dazhu understood their conversation, his rage turning to astonishment, then he started to question.

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

“There’s another matter…”

Zhou Yi said, “That snake demon doesn’t have the power to bring rain, but dispersing the original rain clouds isn’t all that difficult.”

Niu Dazhu collapsed with a thud, falling to the ground.

“Shuang’er, your father has wronged you…”

…

Three days later.

Noontime.

The sun blazed like a fiery inferno.

The dock at Yanhe Village.

Two or three thousand villagers from the surrounding villages gathered here.

Faces that were gaunt and darkened, stared woodenly and hopelessly at the makeshift altar constructed on the riverbank.

Niu Dazhu, dressed in a Daoist robe, was performing a shamanistic dance on the altar, chanting under his breath.

“Offer sacrifice!”

As his voice fell, eight men carried the offering table to the river edge, with the table’s sacrifices including dried fruits and the three domestic animals, as well as two pairs of boys and girls.

Adorable in appearance, around three to four years old, they wore bright red and green tunics, laughing and frolicking with each other.

Among the crowd were the children’s parents. Witnessing this scene, they could no longer hold back their sobs and cries, immediately, family members dragged them away, stuffing their mouths and binding their limbs to prevent them from disturbing the River God and necessitating another sacrifice.

Niu Dazhu shouted, “Light incense, kneel… rise… bow again!”

A huge crowd knelt down with a whoosh, their heads hitting the ground in unison following Niu Dazhu’s command.

After the ceremony of three bows and nine kowtows, the eight men carried the offering table to the river’s edge and with one voice shouted and threw the offerings into the river.

The laughter of the four children froze, and before they could cry out, they were engulfed by the Luoshui River.

“We invite the River God!”

“We invite the River God…”

The call traveled for miles, echoing nine times.

The Luoshui River’s currents became increasingly fierce, bubbling like boiling water, and a voice clearly reached everyone’s ears.

“I am the Luoshui River God!”

The profound and gigantic snake rose from the river, its enormous body several zhang high, with twin green lights flickering in its eyes and two large fleshy lumps protruding from its head.

Hum!

Eight golden lights rose from the water simultaneously, like pillars of gold, leading the villagers on the banks to believe they were witnessing the river god’s palace and they felt even more awed.

“A Formation?”

The serpent demon shrieked in fright, its massive body dissolving into water and blending into the river, disappearing without a trace.

“Such a clever Water Escape, no wonder it has escaped capture so many times!”

Zhou Yi, a hundred zhang away, was in charge of the Array Plate, pouring his mana into it, gradually shrinking the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation.

The serpent demon panicked, trying to break through by charging left and right, but the formation that could trap a false core was not something it could shake.

Senior Brother He and the others, holding Formation Flags, directed beams of golden light into the water. They did not see the serpent demon’s form, but the water’s surface turned blood red, dotted with chunks of flesh and scales.

Roar!

A dragon-like, serpent-like wail erupted as the serpent demon manifested once more, its colossal body soaring into the air.

“Change the formation!”

Zhou Yi’s voice reached his fellow sect members’ ears as the Formation Flags swiftly changed positions.

All around, above and below, everything was enveloped in golden light. From the outside, it looked like a sealed octahedral prism, completely isolating the serpent demon from the river.

“Now I will trouble you, Senior Brothers, to subdue the demon!”

“It is only right to do so.”

Senior Brother He and the others nodded slightly. Five thousand Spirit Stones were not just for handling Formation Flags. From their storage bags flew one Magic Artifact after another, dazzling with spiritual light.

Hiss! Hiss!

Wounds appeared on the serpent demon’s body, and despite its struggles and spitting poisonous water, it could not break the Eight Gates Formation nor could it evade the onslaught of the Magic Artifacts.

Roar!

Another angry roar burst forth as two fleshy lumps burst on the serpent demon’s head, releasing two streaks of purple light toward two different sect members.

“Be careful!”

Senior Brother He’s eyes narrowed, knowing this was the serpent demon’s last resort. He exhaled a mouthful of Xuanhuang smoke.

The smoke, seemingly intangible and ethereal, wrapped around the purple light and swiftly solidified into a semi-transparent substance. It was then clear that the purple light was actually a deer antler, about half a foot long.

“Dragon horns!”

Senior Brother He’s face showed delight as he swallowed the yellow smoke back into his stomach, clearly not intending to bring it out again.

The other streak of purple light was also intercepted by a fellow sect member, who captured the antler in a golden net and claimed it for himself.

Roar!

The serpent demon cried out in anguish as purple and green demonic auras entwined, rapidly expanding.

“This serpent demon is on the verge of transforming into a flood dragon, it’s a treasure all over; don’t let it self-destruct!”

Senior Brother He sent out a streak of golden light from his wrist, which, upon meeting the wind, expanded into a collar two to three zhang long and placed it around the serpent demon’s neck to restrain its demonic aura.

Upon hearing this, the other sect members didn’t hold back and unleashed several secret techniques.

After a moment.

The serpent demon’s presence dwindled, and it fell within the formation, convulsing a few times before lying still.

Senior Brother He, experienced in the elimination of demons on external missions, knew how to totally eradicate them. He pinched the Soul Capturing Technique, pulled the remnant soul from the corpse, and then used the Lightning Method to turn it into ash.

“Done.”

Zhou Yi, who had been watching from a distance, saw the serpent demon’s soul scattered to the winds and flew over on his escaping light.

“Thank you, Senior Brothers. How about we divide the remains of the serpent demon into Spirit Stones equally?”

“Junior Brother Zhu is generous.”

Senior Brother He and the others praised him as they stripped the remains of the serpent demon.

The Demon Core, Scale Armor, and skeleton could be used to refine high-quality Magic Artifacts; the serpent demon’s stomach contained numerous Spirit Stones and Spiritual Objects. They were collectively valued at six thousand Spirit Stones and sold to one of the sect members skilled in Artifact Refining.

Zhou Yi glanced at the stunned villagers and, together with the other sect members, transformed into escaping lights, heading towards the Dan Ding Sect.

“The serpent demon was able to remain near the Luoshui River for so long without regressing in strength, it must have found a spiritual land. It’s perfect timing as I was planning to dismiss my Qi and rebuild my cultivation in a few days. Once I find the spiritual land, I will have a place to retreat to in the future!”