Chapter 8, The Grand Sacrificial Ceremony

The ceremony is concluded

A large hole emerged on the ground of the main hall, and streams of astonishing primordial energy from the heavens and the earth surged forth from below, quickly spreading throughout the main hall.

The statue of the Martial Ancestor. In Jiang Han's heart, there was a pulsation; this image bore a striking resemblance to the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva that had emerged in his mind during his spiritual training, subtly embodying the profound truths of heaven and earth

All eyes in the main hall turned towards it

However, Jiang Han was not particularly concerned. Over the course of several years, he had been cultivating his spirit. Although he had not yet reached the level he attained in his previous life in hell, he could still faintly sense that the compatibility of his body with the primordial energy of heaven and earth was quite high.

The entire Jiang family village has over ten thousand people, with more than three hundred children of similar age to Jiang Han; however, there are only three true blood descendants of the Jiang family.

In the midst of everyone's conversation, within the main hall, a group of burly guards has carried out a large cauldron from behind the altar

When we established the villa here back then, who could have predicted today's prosperity

Jiang Han also knelt down in reverence alongside his mother

Jiang Han gazed at the primordial energy emerging from the large cave, pondering: "When my great-grandfather established the Jiang family village on this mountain, he must have valued the source of energy deep underground, as it continuously produces primordial stones, serving as the foundation of the villa."

Winter noon

The lord of the estate, Jiang Yangshan, stood before the altar, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings, bright and spirited. Through the main hall, he observed the crowd gathered in the training ground, and with a gentle smile, he then called out loudly: "Administer the medicine"

Time passes quickly

What everyone is discussing is the matter of true blood baptism

Throughout the entire villa, everyone except the ceremony host Jiang Yan knelt down

Having experienced a previous life, Jiang Han is acutely aware of the importance of strength

Ancestors above, we gather to pay homage to our forebears, expressing our gratitude for the nurturing grace of our ancestors and the moral teachings they imparted. On this grand occasion of worship, we hope that the esteemed ancestors will bless the Jiang clan, enabling us to thrive and prosper even more. Jiang Yangshan respectfully bows, kneeling upon the elevated altar, with his knees together and palms pressed to the ground, appearing exceedingly devout

As for the purple essence, if it is truly preserved, it would at least be of third-tier talent

Then, there are the other ordinary clansmen

Behind him, Jiang Zheng, Jiang Tong, and other senior members of the estate followed suit, performing the rituals of kneeling and bowing.

The Jiang clan members nearby were discussing that the grand ceremony of worshiping ancestors is merely a beginning.

Once the sacrificial rites were completed, everyone gradually stood up, and the originally solemn atmosphere relaxed. Many clan members began to engage in conversation with one another, while the prominent figures of the village returned to the crowd in the training ground

Today marks the grand sacrificial ceremony that takes place every winter.

"Han'er." Jiang Zheng and Qin Wei both looked at Jiang Han.

Jiang Han merely smiled and did not speak

In Jiangjia Village, the Jiang family is the ruling authority, holding a high status, yet their numbers are few

Jiang Han looked up and smiled at his mother, then walked towards the center, directly making his way to the front, while the other children also stepped forward one by one

Jiang Yan's voice spread out, and all the clansmen began to stand up

During my reincarnation, I obtained purple essence blood. Even if I could not retain it, it should be sufficient to significantly enhance my aptitude

Father. Jiang Han stretched out his small hand and called out to Jiang Zheng, who also walked over and came to the side of Qin Wei and Jiang Han

The essence of cultivation talent fundamentally lies in the degree of harmony between the body and the primordial energy of heaven and earth

My family, the Jiang family, has been established for four generations, and our population has now exceeded ten thousand

This large cauldron is incredibly heavy, adorned with numerous patterns of mountains, rivers, and vegetation, giving it an extraordinary appearance. It took the combined strength of several martial masters to lift it and place it upon the already blazing fire.

He already knew when he was in the underworld

If he lacks the talent for cultivation, given his father's strength and status, ensuring his safety would not be a problem. However, to gain the respect of others and to obtain everything he desires, the most important factor remains his own strength

At this moment

Through the main hall's grand entrance, the people in the training ground can clearly see everything that occurs within the main hall

Fate is something that is difficult to fathom

Inside and outside the main hall, a sudden silence fell, and everyone's gaze shifted, as all knew that the main event was about to begin

The sound of rushing water

I understand. "Jiang Han nodded.

"Look here." Beside him, Jiang Zheng, dressed in white, also smiled.

Jiang Zheng said softly: "Han'er, you must strive to move forward, to the best of your ability, to reach the top of the altar. You must understand that in this world, the only one you can truly rely on is yourself"

On the altar, there is a table, dark green in color, with fragrant incense wafting on both sides. On it, there is a tablet honoring the ancestors, but there is only one tablet.

Among humans, talents are divided into nine ranks, with the top three ranks considered to be of the highest quality, akin to the essence of heaven and earth. They can easily stir up the winds and clouds of a region and can effortlessly become powerful overlords.

Subsequently, more than a dozen warriors from the village each carried a large basin, which contained pre-cut meat from the demon beasts, and poured it into the various bronze cauldrons on the large tripod.

The battle flag flutters.

In the beast skin scroll, there is a man who is half human and half serpent, wielding a massive spear that exudes primal power. His presence seems to cause the very heavens and earth to collapse, making him the focal point of the entire main hall

At the Kaiyuan Spring, we pay tribute to the Martial Ancestor! The clan leader Jiang Yangshan stood atop the altar, and through the flames, a solemn expression was evident on his slightly aged face

A large quantity of crystal-clear spring water was poured into it

Although it is generally believed that children who are exceptionally intelligent or possess innate strength tend to have outstanding qualifications for cultivation, this is not absolute. There are individuals who are frail, sickly, or foolish, yet they possess astonishing talent for cultivation.

The fierce fire burned, and the water in the cauldron quickly began to boil

At the training ground of the Jiang Clan Manor, thousands of people have already gathered, with more than half of the entire population of the Jiang Clan Manor converging here

Is having great strength and talent necessarily a good thing? Jiang Han stood beside his father, and although he knew that Uncle Jiu was joking, he couldn't help but smile

Jiang Han was being pulled by his mother, and he could see that the enormous altar in the main hall from a few days ago had been completely cleared. Standing alone on that massive altar was his grandfather, Jiang Yangshan, dressed in a loose white robe

"Bai!" Jiang Yan shouted beside him. As the confirmed heir to the chieftain, Jiang Yan would also be responsible for certain aspects of the sacrificial rituals

... ...

"Soon it will be the true blood baptism, I wonder if this year we will be able to produce a few children with sixth-level talents"

"Old Jiu, you will know when the time comes," Jiang Zheng said with a light smile. He was aware that his son had always had excellent physical fitness since childhood, and he was also very intelligent; his talents should not be lacking.

Around the main hall next to the drill ground, large candles, which are rarely lit, have been ignited. The gathered members of the Jiang clan are all dressed in formal attire, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and gravity

"Xiao Han, do you have the confidence to surpass your fifth brother?" said a burly man beside him with a laugh

Is this the ancestral treasure of the Jiang family, the statue of the Martial Ancestor, as mentioned by my father

"My Jiang Family Manor has been established for over sixty years, and this blood baptism has been conducted dozens of times." The manor master, Jiang Yangshan, stood on the altar, channeling his true energy to empower his voice, which thundered and resonated in the ears of all the clan members: "All six-year-old children, step forward!"

Hundreds of children entered the main hall in succession

Jiang Han knew that the flesh and blood were all derived from the great demons that had been hunted. The essence extracted from them through the infusion of mountain spring water was of considerable value. Furthermore, when combined with certain herbs for refinement, it became even more precious, and consuming it could enhance the physical body

Soon, Jiang Yan and several warriors from the clan carried a massive wooden pole onto the altar, and a large animal skin scroll was hung up.

The robust man continued to laugh and said: "Xiao Han, your seventh brother, who is slightly younger than you, has had great strength since childhood. You both should work well together today and each achieve a talent level of six."

Immediately, whether in the main hall or in the martial arts arena outside the main hall, everyone knelt down in worship.

The lord of the estate, Jiang Yangshan, was the first to pay homage, bowing his head and touching his forehead to the ground, producing a muffled sound.

This world, like my previous life, places great importance on ancestors and the worship of forebears. Jiang Han reflected in his heart: However, in my Jiang family village, it has only been four generations to my generation. My grandfather is the second generation of the village master, and the ancestors before my great-grandfather do not even have their names recorded.

Some elderly individuals dressed in traditional attire began to throw in prepared herbs one by one, silently keeping track of the time