Chapter 3, Ritual for the Spirits

The old chief waved his hand to stop them and said softly: "The spirit of the ritual is the one we honor and sustain; what matters is our sincere heart. If we treat it with reverence, it will protect and bless our village"

Among this pile of beast corpses, the most precious is the Pixiu. Although it is merely a descendant and far inferior to the pure-blooded Pixiu royal family, it still contains a portion of true blood, making it extraordinarily valuable

They are all good things. Be careful, you little rascal, and don't waste the precious blood from the wings of the flying python

The bright red beast's blood stained the massive stone platform, flowing along the carved images on the stone surface, vividly red. Coupled with the coarse and long fur of the giant beast, the shimmering scales, and the menacing giant horns, it was a shocking sight, evoking a sense of a tragic and primordial atmosphere.

"You little rascal, be careful. It is rare to have obtained these ferocious beasts. Their blood essence, tendons, and some bones are incredibly precious. Do not let the essence be lost," the old patriarch reminded.

Every time he remembers, the old chieftain feels a tremor in his heart. The old willow tree did not come from other large tribes or from the mountains and rivers, but rather descended from the heavens, having endured endless thunder and electric seas, suffering great damage. Few in the village are aware of this.

"It is the thought that counts." Shi Yunfeng patted him on the shoulder and explained earnestly

It was not until half an hour later that the "precious medicine" growing on the fierce beast was completely harvested. The clan leader and several elders nodded in satisfaction, collecting the ceramic jars to take them for processing

"It has been many years, and the spirits have not touched the offerings even once. Is it still necessary to perform the rituals every time?" a young boy murmured softly

At last, the sacrificial rites were completed, and the people let out a sigh of relief, their joyful smiles returning as they began to move the carcasses of the fierce beasts, preparing to bleed and butcher them

The elders in the clan still remember that, decades ago, another spirit was not like this; it was a peculiar stone that would absorb more than half of the blood offered in sacrifice.

Eat more, you little rascal; this is the meat of a two-headed rhinoceros. Eating more will strengthen your bones and make them as solid as iron. Don't eat that useless tree pig meat.

Someone has already prepared a large ceramic jar to collect the blood essence retained in the special parts of the beast's body, which is an excellent blood tonic, extremely rare

It has been more than two years since the last capture of the Pixiu, a fierce beast. They are exceedingly brutal and powerful; with a single swipe, they can end the life of a strong individual, making them truly difficult to deal with and remarkably ferocious

On that deep night, with flashes of lightning and booming thunder, the torrential rain poured down, and the storm raged to its utmost intensity. Many mountains were struck down by the lightning, the mountain torrents surged like the sea, and ferocious beasts rushed like a tide, creating a terrifying scene

The tendon of the single leg of the Kui beast is truly resilient, it cannot be severed even with an axe

Until one deep night, the old willow tree arrived, and that peculiar stone chose to depart. Everything changed as a result.

"Patriarch, the horn of this dragon elephant is also a valuable item. When we found it, it was already on the verge of death; otherwise, we truly would not have been able to handle it" said a young man

"With so many prey, we can marinate some of it for a while, then smoke and turn some into jerky," said the experienced elder

Shi Yunfeng nodded and said: "It is indeed rare; this pair of dragon horns on its head has grown for some years. Carefully chiseling them off will yield a precious medicinal supplement for bone health."

Finally, the large willow tree broke, charred all over, shrank to its current size, and fell down, taking root in the stone village. At the same time, the lightning disappeared, and the torrential rain receded. That night, the miraculous stone, which was worshipped and offered in the village and in the books, departed.

The young and strong members of the tribe wield their silver blades, cutting through the giant beast, occasionally producing a resounding clang, with sparks flying, as the bones of the giant beast prove astonishingly hard

The altar is constructed of massive stones, spacious and built adjacent to a broken old willow tree, at this moment it is piled high with ferocious beasts, resembling a small mountain.

So many fierce beasts piled together resemble a small mountain, and the entire village cannot consume them for many days. If they spoil, it would indeed be a waste, which is absolutely unacceptable for the villagers who are somewhat short on food

It can be said that the abundance of this harvest is astonishing

Good stuff, this blood medicine is extremely potent, no less than that of the Pixiu! The old man wielding the knife laughed heartily, quickly using a ceramic jar to collect the rhinoceros blood and sealing the jar tightly.

The Spirit of Sacrifice, also known as the "Spirit of Offerings," is an abbreviation for the tribal "Spirit of Sacrifice and Nourishment." It protects the village and intimidates the ferocious beasts in the wilderness.

The charred tree stood silent as it always had, showing no signs of response, just as it had never accepted offerings in the past. Yet many villagers knew that it possessed a spirit

Suddenly, the blood transformed into a mass of red light, and a palm-sized two-headed fire rhinoceros emerged, its entire body a vivid red, lifelike and roaring in anger

The boy's face turned crimson as he hurriedly said: "Elder, it is not that I lack sincerity, but I feel that the spirit offerings do not seem to require these sacrifices, as they have never been utilized."

The smoke from each household curled gently, and after half an hour, the rich aroma of meat began to waft through the air. The chunks of meat simmering in the iron pots of each home were nearly tender, and the children could no longer wait. The meat roasting over the fire started to turn golden and glistening, with fat dripping down and sizzling as it fell into the flames. The robust men could no longer resist, beginning to tear at the meat, their mouths dripping with juice, their appetites wide open. The meat roasting over the fire started to turn golden and glistening, with fat dripping down and sizzling as it fell into the flames. The robust men could no longer resist, beginning to tear at the meat, their mouths dripping with juice, their appetites wide open

Recalling that rainy night from years ago, the old patriarch felt somewhat distracted. At that time, he was still a youth and had witnessed that shocking and terrifying scene with his own eyes

The women from each household began to step forward to distribute the meat, all wearing genuine smiles. Earlier, there were concerns for the men who had gone out, but now not only have they all returned safely, they have also reaped such a bountiful harvest. This is the greatest blessing from heaven

Only a group of children shrank their necks and ran away in a flash, for they knew that these so-called blood medicines and bone medicines would mostly be used on them, and they would have to start "suffering" again

The true blood preserved within the double-headed rhinoceros horn is indeed astonishing, not inferior to that of the mythical Pixiu! An elderly gentleman personally wielded the knife, unraveling the flesh beneath the horn, which was as hard as gold and stone, and a stream of bright red blood, resembling flames, flowed out

Various ferocious beasts have become the most sumptuous food for the villagers in the evening, with the enticing aroma of meat wafting into the streets, stirring appetites like a tide, accompanied by bursts of laughter, creating a festive atmosphere throughout the entire village

Child, this is Pixiu meat; eating more of it will help you gain great strength. It is a rare delicacy.

You little rascal, what nonsense are you spouting! His father glared with his big, copper-ringed eyes and raised his hand, as large as a palm fan, ready to hit him

The clan members are joyful, all filled with smiles

Under the leadership of the elder chief, the men, women, and children of Stone Village prayed together, seeking the protection of the willow tree. This was a solemn sacrificial process, and it was also a customary practice that took place every time after a hunt.

In the initial decades, it was entirely charred black, devoid of any vitality, as if it had completely perished, until ten years ago when it sprouted a tender green shoot, and thereafter there were no further changes

At that moment, a towering willow tree emerged from the clouds, bathed in the sea of thunder, with lightning as thick as mountains swirling around it. Countless willow branches transformed into blazing divine chains, piercing through the entire sky, as if engaged in battle with something.