Shen Xiaochuan crouched by the pit, staring at the flames.
The fire was steady, and the symbols in the ashes were still trembling slightly.
He raised his hand, gesturing for Ling Feng to step back.
“Try again.”
Someone whispered to Dao, “Lord God, should we put anything else in?”
Shen Xiaochuan didn’t turn around: “This time it’s not a stone, it has to be alive.”
He stood up and looked into the distance.
Just as dawn broke, footsteps and the scraping of chains echoed along the mountain path— Chen Yan’s men had arrived.
Five soldiers escorted a Black Rock Giant Bear.
This bear was much larger than the previous ones, weighing nearly 2,500 kilograms.
Its limbs were chained with heavy iron chains, its mouth was stuffed with cloth strips, its eyes were bloodshot, and its breathing was heavy, but it was so poisoned that it could barely struggle.
“Lord God, this is the last one still alive.”
The soldier leading the team reported to Dao.
Shen Xiaochuan nodded: “Drag it to the edge of the pit.”
Two soldiers pulled hard on the iron chains, the metal screeching against the ground.
The giant bear let out a low growl, its legs buckled, and it knelt at the edge of the sacrificial pit.
Ling Feng gripped his spear tightly, standing to Shen Xiaochuan’s right rear.
He stared at the flames, his muscles taut, like a bowstring drawn taut.
“Ready?” Shen Xiaochuan asked.
“Anytime is fine,” Ling Feng replied.
Shen Xiaochuan kicked the bear in the belly.
The giant bear tumbled and plunged into the flames, and with a deafening roar, the flames shot up three zhang (approximately 10 meters) high, their color changing from blue to black with dark red edges.
The air suddenly became heavy, and everyone could barely breathe.
A tearing sound came from the fire, as if something was gnawing at flesh.
A few seconds later, the sound stopped abruptly.
The flames slowly subsided and returned to normal.
A new layer of ash had appeared at the bottom of the pit, making the central symbol clearer, and the lines were still slightly pulsating.
Just as Shen Xiaochuan was about to speak, a flash of fire appeared.
A figure emerged from the flames.
He was hunched over, had a sheep’s head, and wore a tattered black robe.
His eyes were greenish with no pupils, and he walked with his feet half an inch off the ground.
“The tribute is up to standard.”
His voice was hoarse, like the grinding of stones.
Some in the group retreated in fear.
Ling Feng remained unmoved, his spear slightly pushed forward.
Shen Xiaochuan stepped forward: “I am Shen Xiaochuan, the chief god of this divine realm.”
The ram-headed priest stopped and tilted his head to examine him: “You have offered up a live beast; the ritual is complete.
Aminos knows your sincerity.”
A system message appears:
[ Affinity with the evil god Aminos +5]
[Establish an initial cooperative relationship]
Shen Xiaochuan felt a sense of relief.
It was done.
“This is just the beginning.”
He said, “I want to continue offering sacrifices.”
The priest paused for a moment, then said, “Yes.
But you must follow the rules.”
“What rules?”
“Within thirty days, present fifteen excellent-grade exotic beasts.
Each beast must have a combat power of no less than eight hundred and die within one hour.”
Shen Xiaochuan quickly calculated in his mind.
Skydome City had over three hundred combatants, but fewer than fifty had a combat power exceeding eight hundred.
Thunderhorn Bulls and Black Rock Giant Bears were still usable, but their numbers were scarce.
“If the mission is completed, you will receive an excellent-grade forging blueprint,” the priest added.
Shen Xiaochuan’s eyes lit up.
What they needed most right now was advanced equipment.
Although Lolia could craft items, her blueprints were limited in level, making it difficult to create stronger items.
“I’ll take it.”
“Very good.” The priest pointed behind the altar.
Five guards emerged from the darkness and lined up in a row. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
They wore tattered armor, held rusty weapons, and spoke with steady breaths.
“You can choose one person to take with you.
He is a rare guardian, willing to fight for you.”
Shen Xiaochuan stepped forward to check.
The first one has a combat power of 912 and the talent “Endurance Enhancement”.
It’s acceptable, but not outstanding.
The second one has a combat power of 876 and the talent “Night Vision”.
Suitable for reconnaissance, but the combat power is relatively low.
The third one has a combat power of 943 and the talent “Counterattack Stance”.
It’s somewhat valuable.
The fourth one has a combat power of 981 and the talent “Berserk Blood”.
He has strong attack power, but is prone to losing control.
Fifth, standing ramrod straight.
Combat power of 1028, talent “Heart of a Warrior”.
Shen Xiaochuan looked at him.
He had a large scar on his face, extending from his left eyebrow to his chin.
His eyes were calm, unlike the fierceness of the others.
But the moment he stepped forward, the entire Aura team changed.
“What’s your name?” Shen Xiaochuan asked.
The man whispered, ” Yang Lie.”
Why are you willing to come with me?
“Because I dared to come in.”
Yang Lie looked directly at him and said, “Others only dare to kowtow and burn incense outside, but they don’t dare to actually step inside.”
Shen Xiaochuan smiled.
He said to the priest Dao, “I want him.”
The priest nodded: ” Yang Lie, you are mine.”
Yang Lie stepped forward and stood behind Shen Xiaochuan, right next to Ling Feng.
The two exchanged a glance but remained silent.
“remember.”
The priest said in a deep voice, “If the task is not completed within thirty days, the gods will be furious.
Not only will you be punished, but your Believers will also suffer.”
Shen Xiaochuan looked at him: “What if I finish?”
“There will be new deals.”
The priest turned and walked into the flames; in a flash of light, his figure vanished without a trace.
Silence fell all around.
Shen Xiaochuan opened Faith Mall.
A new feature appeared: [Dark Blessing], which consumes 10 incense value and increases one person’s dark resistance by one level.
He immediately put it to use for Yang Lie.
Yang Lie gains the Blessing of Darkness, Dark Resistance +1
Yang Lie’s body trembled slightly, and a flash of black light appeared through the gaps in his armor.
He looked down at his hands, then looked up at Shen Xiaochuan: “This feeling…
is different.”
“You’ll be more stable from now on,” Shen Xiaochuan said.
He turned and ordered, “Fall back, return to Skydome City.”
The group began to move.
Yang Lie brought up the rear, remaining silent throughout.
Ling Feng glanced back and noticed that Yang Lie’s right hand was gripping the hilt of his knife tightly, his knuckles white.
After walking for a while, Shen Xiaochuan suddenly stopped.
“Have you guys noticed that someone is following us?”
Ling Feng immediately turned around and raised his spear.
Yang Lie also drew his saber to protect the rear of the group.
There was no one there.
The only sound on the wasteland was the soft rustling of the wind through the grass.
“Perhaps it’s just my imagination.” Ling Feng Dao.
Shen Xiaochuan shook his head: “No.
I just saw the shadow move.”
He took out a spirit detection talisman, activated it, and threw it.
The spirit flew thirty meters before the signal abruptly cut off.
“There’s something ahead,” he said.
The group moved forward in single file.
Yang Lie led the way, with Ling Feng bringing up the rear.
Shen Xiaochuan was in the middle, his hand on his backpack, ready to pull out a teleportation scroll at any moment. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
After walking a while longer, a huge rock appeared at a bend in the mountain path.
There was a series of wet footprints under the rock, extending to the bushes by the roadside.
Shen Xiaochuan raised his hand, and the group immediately stopped.
“The footprints are very fresh.”
Ling Feng crouched down to examine the area.
“At least three people, of different sizes, went that way.”
Yang Lie suddenly raised her hand, signaling for quiet.
Everyone held their breath.
A rustling sound came from the bushes, like clothing brushing against branches.
Then, a whisper broke the silence:
“They’ve passed by…
hurry up.”
Shen Xiaochuan squinted.
This wasn’t a local accent.
He quietly took out a short-range teleportation scroll from his backpack and held it in his palm.
” Ling Feng, take ten men and flank from the left.
Yang Lie, you and I will advance from the front.”
Ling Feng nodded and led his men to circle around to the left.
Yang Lie drew her waist knife and stood close to Shen Xiaochuan’s side.
Shen Xiaochuan took a deep breath and walked towards the bushes.
When they were five meters away, the bushes suddenly shook.
One person rushed out, wielding a bone knife and slashing straight at Shen Xiaochuan’s face.
Yang Lie stepped forward, and a flash of light appeared on her blade.
The bone knife broke and fell to the ground.
The man staggered backward, revealing his face—a thin man with yellowish eyes and strange symbols painted on his face.
He opened his mouth to shout, but Yang Lie swept his blade across again, striking him in the shoulder.
The man groaned and fell to his knees.
The other two rushed out, but were quickly subdued by Ling Feng and his men.
Shen Xiaochuan walked over, squatted down, and looked at him: “Who sent you?”
The man gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Shen Xiaochuan poured medicine from his backpack onto the man’s wound.
The man screamed and convulsed.
“I’ll ask you one more time, who sent you?”
The man gasped, “You…you shouldn’t have touched the altar…it’s forbidden…”
“So you’re here to spy on us?”
“Not only…
we’re here to stop the sacrifice…
if it succeeds, the wrath of the gods will affect everyone…”
Shen Xiaochuan sneered: “Then you should have told the priest, instead of ambushing me.”
He stood up and spoke to Ling Feng.
Dao: “Tie him up and take him back to Skydome City for interrogation.”
Ling Feng stepped forward in response.
Shen Xiaochuan looked at Yang Lie: “The enemy is close to the main god.
At this time, we cannot hesitate.” Yang Lie’s expression was cold and his words were firm.
“very good.”
Shen Xiaochuan nodded, “From now on, you will be under my direct command.”
The group set off again.
The sun was high overhead, its rays bathing the barren land.
The distant horizon trembled slightly, like waves of heat rising from it.
After walking more than two hundred meters, Shen Xiaochuan suddenly stopped.
He noticed that the faith points in his backpack were continuously increasing, adding 3 points per second without stopping.
Upon opening the panel, a new notification appears:
[The Evil God Contract has taken effect]
One alien beast corpse can be submitted for registration each day.
[Remaining task progress: 0/15]
He closed the panel and looked into the distance.
It is still more than 400 meters from the exit of the valley.
At this moment, Yang Lie suddenly raised her hand.
“Lord God, there’s movement 500 meters ahead.”