Chapter 160: Sacrificing to Lord Lin (Part Two)

"Lord Lin?"

Nie Chao asked, looking somewhat incredulous.

"Mhm, you could say he's the local mountain deity."

The chubby beggar chattered endlessly: "Legend has it that sixty years ago, auspicious omens descended from the heavens, and a mythical Qilin beast came from who knows where, landing right here on Mount Tanjiang, west of Pinghu Village."

Across a land steeped in legends of divine beasts, all tales concerning the Qilin had always been auspicious.

It represented good fortune and blessed omens.

"Lord Lin blesses this place with favorable weather and smooth seasons, and the villagers offer sacrifices for his old self to enjoy."

"A small sacrifice every year, a grand sacrifice every three years."

"Fish, rice, and livestock, along with young boys and maidens."

The chubby beggar sat up from the ground: "I only arrived here recently myself, but I've heard this custom has been practiced for nearly fifty years."

"Young boys and maidens?"

Nie Chao was dumbfounded: "This... does no one care?"

"Care about what?"

The chubby beggar gestured at him dismissively: "My friend, you really are funny."

"Those villagers are too busy being filled with boundless gratitude."

Nie Chao fell silent.

A divine beast representing auspiciousness was supposed to bless people with peace and smooth endeavors, but when such good fortune had to be traded for human lives...

Could it still be considered good fortune?

The sword-carrying man slightly tightened his fists.

...

It was impossible to tell who struck the first beat of the drum and gong.

"Lord Lin bestows blessings..."

"Divine grace endures forever..."

Amidst the twilight, a crowd of villagers surged through the village.

The grand sacrificial procession of Pinghu Village marched imposing and majestic toward the mountain.

"Once these offerings are carried up the mountain and the young boys and maidens are delivered to the Hall of Lord Lin, the villagers will head back down."

"Lord Lin doesn't eat cooked food, so they'll bring all of that back down. We can grab some and eat along the way, then slip away halfway."

"That way, we get to have a hearty feast... Hey brother, I'm only telling you this because I feel we share a deep affinity, otherwise I wouldn't bother telling just anyone."

Nie Chao and the chubby beggar wore ordinary villager garments procured from goodness knows where, mingling at the very tail end of the sacrificial procession.

The sword strapped to his back was wrapped entirely in a bundle of gray cloth.

...

Listening to the chubby beggar's chatter, Nie Chao felt an increasingly suffocating oppression in his chest.

The villagers carried two slumbering children toward the massive platform known as the Hall of Lord Lin.

At the center stood a statue of wondrous and bizarre form.

It was precisely the shape of the Qilin from legend.

Yet Nie Chao's gaze was not drawn to it.

Because the true Lord Lin was crouching right beneath the statue at this very moment.

"Ah!"

A sheep's head, wolf's hooves, a rounded crown, a body radiating five-colored light, twelve feet in height.

A elaphure's body, a ox's tail, and a single horn.

Covered in scales instead of fur, its coloring a mottled greenish-yellow.

Nie Chao's mind was violently shaken at this moment; this Lord Lin was genuinely a mythical Qilin beast!

Only, its eyes were currently glowing with an eerie purple light.

"Bow. For favorable winds and timely rain."

"Bow. For an abundant harvest..."

The village chief led the gathered villagers in prostrating themselves, kowtowing in worship toward Lord Lin.

Four burly men, trembling with fear, delivered the young boys and maidens right before Lord Lin.

The colossal beast lazily opened its eyes, stretched out its claws, and slowly reached toward the two children.

Within the crowd, Nie Chao's eyes split open in fury as he instantly moved to draw his sword.

Yet he was forcefully pinned down by the chubby beggar.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

The chubby beggar hissed in a low voice: "A single breath of its fire could burn you to ash!"

Nie Chao broke free in a single motion: "Are you saying we should just stand by and watch it eat people?!"

Channeling his inner energy, he hurled the sword in his hand fiercely forward.

Lord Lin raised its head, only to be struck by a mundane iron blade.

Nie Chao leaped forward into the air, caught the sword, and brought it down in a fierce slash toward Lord Lin.

Yet how could a mortal flesh-and-blood body possibly contend with a demonic beast?

With merely a casual swipe, as though brushing away an annoying fly or mosquito, the colossal beast batted Nie Chao away several zhang into the distance.

"Cough, cough..."

Carrying immense momentum, he crashed straight through a tree before finally coming to a halt.

Coughing up a mouthful of fresh blood, he barely managed to prop himself up from the ground.

This massive upheaval threw all the villagers of Pinghu Village into a panic as they scattered and fled in all directions.

The vicious Qilin was just about to lunge forward when it paused slightly, lifting its head.

Then, unexpectedly, it turned around and bolted deeper into the mountains.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

The chubby beggar grabbed Nie Chao by the collar, preparing to flee down the mountain, but was held back by his sleeve.

"Cough, cough... I can manage on my own, you go get those two children down the mountain."

"What time do you think this is?!"

Unable to argue him out of it, the chubby beggar had no choice but to carry one child on his back, hold the other in his arms, and follow the limping Nie Chao down the mountain.

To their surprise, those very villagers were gathered waiting at the foot of the mountain.

"Outsiders! You ruined the sacrificial ceremony!"

"You've enraged Lord Lin, Pinghu Village is doomed!"

"Showing disrespect to Lord Lin, you must be evil spirits!"

Looking out, the villagers were armed to the teeth with fish spears and sickles.

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!"

Fortunately, the chubby beggar set the two children down, grabbed the injured Nie Chao, and managed to flee out of the small village all the way.

...

When he regained consciousness once more, he was back inside the dilapidated temple.

The chubby beggar let out a light sigh: "Ignorant folks are muddle-headed, you cannot save them."

"Go back to wherever you came from."

Nie Chao slowly recovered from his injuries and shook his head.

"My close friend must have met a tragic end at the hands of that vicious Qilin!"

He seized his treasured sword and strode out of the ruined temple.

"Where are you going?"

"Up the mountain!"

"You're going back?! Have you grown tired of living?"

"We swordsmen of our generation fear not death!"

Nie Chao's tone was resolute: "Since I am already here, I must avenge my wrongfully slain friend and seek justice for the innocent children!"

He did not believe he was entirely without a chance.

During their previous clash, he had noticed that the beast's horn on Lord Lin's forehead appeared fractured with visible cracks along the edge.

That undoubtedly had to be its weak point; if he could seize an opportunity, he might still have the strength for a fight!

"Utterly foolish to the extreme!"

The chubby beggar danced around in anxious frustration: "Why go throw your life away?!"

...

Nie Chao hoisted his sword and headed back up the mountain, only to find the plaza housing the Qilin statue completely empty.

Following the mountain path, he walked all the way upward.

Until he arrived before a massive cavern.

Before he could even steady his footing, a wave of violent bestial roaring erupted.

"Roar—"

"I spared your life earlier, why return only to throw yourself into the jaws of death..."

"Could it be you thought this lord is someone easily trifled with?!"

A demonic shadow flashed outward, revealing none other than Lord Lin.

Nie Chao lunged forward with a feint, his movement agile as he utilized his lightness skill to dodge a swipe, then sprang off the trunk of a tree to launch himself directly toward Lord Lin's glabella.

Alas.

He seemed to have taken demonic beasts far too lightly.

Lunging forward with a direct thrust, he was nonetheless batted away by a single clawed strike.

His ribs fractured entirely.

"Puff..."

Nie Chao immediately spewed a mouthful of fresh blood.

Lord Lin strolled leisurely up to his side, its voice dripping with mockery: "Heh heh... foolish mortal."

"Do you see your own insignificance now?"

Standing over him from above, it spoke: "This lord is benevolent and grants you a chance."

"Kneel and submit to this lord, and lure blood-rich mortal martial artists here to this place for this lord's consumption."

"Do this, and I can spare your life."

"What do you say?"

Nie Chao slowly raised his head, his lips trembling.

He spat a mouthful of blood directly at it.

"Acting as a jackal for the tiger?"

"Inconceivable delusion!"