Chapter 217 Taiyin Temple: "To Leave or to Stay?"

Shen Lixia stared intently, her eyes unblinking.

The two figures moved in and out of sight, sometimes together, sometimes apart. The firelight cast rounded shadows, but through this solemn ritual dance, she saw another scene.

One person wore a feathered cloak, and the other wore a magnificent robe with gold and copper threads trimming the hem, and a dragon tail swaying behind them.

Like an old shadow, it vanished in the blink of an eye.

In ancient times, before the understanding of language, the body was the best medium for communication. Sacrificial dances have been passed down to this day, faithfully serving as the thread connecting mortals and gods across language barriers, never lost for thousands of years.

People often claim to have seen strange phenomena at festivals, such as divine manifestations or ghostly disturbances. But Shen Lixia didn't think it was any kind of spiritual communication; she didn't feel that heavy sense of unease, only a deep sense of melancholy.

The dance was fleeting, leaving only one person dancing alone on the stage. Her steps were light and graceful, like a dragon swimming; the people here had not seen a real dragon in a long time, and the way this dragon moved was no different from a snake swaying its tail in the water.

The longer the goddesses remain high in the sky like the bright moon, the farther they are from the human world.

The sacrificial dance later revealed the traditional style of Tianchi, joyful yet dignified, but in contrast to the earlier part, a subtle sense of incongruity pervaded the air. As the music ended and the shrill strings ceased, the chieftain beckoned, and several people carrying cattle and sheep approached. The cattle and sheep were still alive, their bodies secured by vines. With a swift movement of the knife, their breathing stopped abruptly, and a gush of blood was poured into a vessel.

The vessels, gleaming with a bloody light, were placed on the altar. A faint smell of blood wafted from the firelight.

Bloodstains were splattered all over the ground. The chieftain approached and examined them closely. After a long while, he nodded and whispered a few words to the disciple of the Taiyin Temple. The other person's expression was slightly blurry from a distance. Shen Lixia focused her attention and saw that her brows went from relaxed to furrowed, and her lips opened and closed several times, as if she was repeating something.

The chieftain shook his head and then nodded, said something, and the young man's eyebrows relaxed again, indicating that the two had reached an agreement.

She raised her voice and offered her praise: "An auspicious day, a full moon..."

"Blood and wine, sacrificial meat, dazzling music and dance; may you feast to your heart's content, for this is a blessing to all living beings..."

The crowd below fell silent, heads bowed in prayer, begging for protection. The haggard mother held her daughter tightly, fearing that evil spirits would come to take her child away again that night.

After the ceremony ended, the crowd dispersed. The young woman on the platform waited until the very last moment, until the chieftain left. The smile in her eyes faded, and she calmly glanced at the blood-splattered altar.

Only Shen Lixia and her entourage remained with her until this point. They had been lost in the crowd, but as soon as the people around them left, they immediately attracted attention, their Central Plains attire standing out.

Qiao Yanshen said in a low voice, "Their method of sacrifice is unlike the usual customs of Tianchi. It is very similar to that of the Jialan people."

She had once flipped through a travelogue of the Seven Realms, and in the few words about Tianchi, she learned that the people of Tianchi were gentle and never slaughtered sacrificial offerings, but instead sent them to Kunlun Mountain.

All things have a spirit. Cattle and sheep are gentle and loyal by nature, and they wish to accompany the true dragon to comfort the gods' loneliness.

Coupled with the praise, it became extremely sinister.

Simmons said, "That's too primitive."

She didn't seem to like the strong, almost congealed smell of blood, and turned around, shouting, "Let's go! We'll talk about it tomorrow. This smell is giving me the creeps."

A voice pierced through the distance between them and reached their ears: "It is evil, but even if it can comfort the people, is that not enough?"

Shen Lixia guessed that she had noticed them long ago, so she stopped in place and looked up to meet her gaze.

The young woman on the platform laughed heartily twice, raised her hand to extinguish the flames beside the altar, and the surroundings instantly darkened. She jumped off the platform and said, "People from the Central Plains don't like to come here, so what attracted you all? If I remember correctly, these are Emperor Huizong's clothes. You are no ordinary people."

When she said this, her voice was very light and cheerful.

"Zhao Qiguang. Who are you?"

“Shen Lixia,” the young man stepped forward, and the two gradually drew closer, “we did indeed come from Emperor Taihui.”

After the others announced their names, Zhao Qiguang turned her back, and her elaborate clothes were instantly replaced by magic, restoring her to the simple attire she wore during the day. In this state, she was unrecognizable as a cultivator once she entered the market.

Only a pair of lively and exceptionally bright eyes could reveal the truth.

She said, "It's getting late, you'll come with me on patrol."

Simmons raised an eyebrow and smiled, "We've only just exchanged names, and you're already bossing people around?"

“People in Tianchi are in a state of panic lately. You might find some kind-hearted people in a more remote area. The villagers don’t welcome outsiders to stay in their homes,” Zhao Qiguang said slowly. “If you help me with my work, I’ll give you a place to stay.”

"Or would you rather sleep on the streets, or in the woods with wild animals?"

She was right. There were no inns at Tianchi. Outsiders either had to be entertained as guests by the chieftain, or find lodging elsewhere, or at worst, sleep on the streets. Shen Lixia naturally didn't want to choose the last option, so she followed in her footsteps.

Zhao Qiguang was neither cold nor talkative. She was familiar with Tianchi and noticed the unusual activity earlier than the others. While Shen Lixia was still listening, she had already drawn her sword, the grass was cleaved open with a whoosh, and a dark monster fell to the ground, its body turning into black mist.

Qiao Yanshen saw the black mist dissipate and quickly stepped forward. After a moment, his deep voice reached her ears: "This is demonic energy."

I should have guessed it. These chaotic phenomena, just like a hundred years ago, although only concentrated at the border of the two domains, still spread out and eroded the distant south.

Evil spirits were rampant back then, and they still cannot escape their influence today.

“It’s not that Kunlun Mountain released evil spirits, but rather that evil spirits were already growing within it.” She lowered her eyes. “The so-called Dragon God is probably just the more powerful one.”

She had no idea how far the evil influence had spread.

Whether it's spreading across the mountains and plains or lurking in the mountains, whichever it is, since it has already nurtured an evil spirit powerful enough to command the people to perform sacrifices, the current situation is not something that Tianchi can handle alone.

She turned her gaze to Zhao Qiguang. Shen Lixia also understood the meaning behind her words, and was slightly surprised, instantly becoming wary.

Qiao Yanshen calmly said, "You are a cultivator, so it's impossible that you can't see the demonic energy on these things. Why do you still allow the sacrifice to continue, and even hand over the disciples of the temple for blood sacrifice?"

They are neither powerful demons nor ancient, lost gods; there is no basis for negotiation. If a living person were to participate in such a sacrifice, it would be a one-way trip.

Zhao Qiguang did not answer her, but said only, "This is not aiding and abetting a tyrant. Let's end the patrol first. You have time to speculate, but the people can't wait."

With that, she leaped into the air, disappearing into the moonlight and the forest.

They had no choice but to follow, listening to the whistling wind and watching the sword light flicker along the way. After wandering around for a while, they returned to the altar.

The blood jar was empty.

Shen Lixia stared down at the bottom of the jar. The cold moonlight shone on the silver edge, illuminating specks of dark red. She seemed to hear a rustling sound, but when she turned her head, there was no trace of it.

She ran her fingertips along the edge of the vessel, and with a swipe, divine fire spread all the way to the bottom, burning away the moist bloodstains.

Suddenly a figure appeared in front of her. She looked up and saw that it was Zhao Qiguang.

The young man sneered and suddenly kicked out. Shen Lixia was startled and took several steps back.

With a snap, shards of porcelain scattered all over the ground. Zhao Qiguang, with his hands behind his back, said lazily, "Let's go, come back to Taiyin Temple with me."

She didn't even glance at the jar, as if she were someone else, not her, who had just performed the sacrificial dance and offered hymns.

The moon was bright, and all was quiet. They had looked at the map; the Taiyin Temple was far away, but Zhao Qiguang told them to go there anyway.

Could it be a teleportation array?

The result was a huge disappointment. In the whistling night wind, Shen Lixia trod across the ground, stirring up fallen leaves. She didn't stop for a moment; Zhao Qiguang moved nimbly ahead, with Qiao Yanshen close behind. She kept an eye on Qiao Yanshen's clothes, afraid of losing him. Xi Mengsi and Su Jiang, in this situation where they didn't need to use swords, actually ran faster and didn't fall behind.

Several people experienced ups and downs, crossing mountains and rivers.

As the night deepened, Shen Lixia grew increasingly tired and began to pant slightly. A gust of cold wind rushed into her mouth, feeling like a mouthful of knives, causing her to close her mouth again and quicken her pace in frustration.

Qiao Yanshen appeared quite relaxed.

Of course! I've rarely seen a cultivator who can fly on a sword willing to carry hundreds or thousands of kilograms of black iron up and down mountains every day. They could probably send someone flying through three mountains with a single punch.

She couldn't help but chuckle softly. Qiao Yanshen seemed to hear her and turned to look at Shen Lixia.

Her gaze softened, but she quickly looked away.

Upon arriving at Taiyin Temple, it was no different from any other ordinary village. The only thing that could be considered a spectacle was a large lake in the center of the village.

The houses are distributed along the lake in strips. The lake is deep, and a few small boats are moored on it, in the shallow water close to the shore.

Zhao Qiguang stopped and laughed, "You're suspicious and still followed me here? Aren't you afraid I'll skin you alive?"

Shen Lixia gazed at her intently, eliciting another laugh. Zhao Qiguang pointed to a low hill behind the village: "That's a Taoist temple; the young master and the elders live there. You can make yourselves at my place tonight."

As she walked, she continued, "The custom of worshipping at Tianchi has existed since people started living here. The gods in Kunlun Mountain have protected Tianchi and ensured its prosperity and evergreen nature throughout the four seasons."

Shen Lixia noticed a sudden change in her tone.

"However, lately the 'Dragon God' seems to have changed its tastes; it's started begging for people to eat," Zhao Qiguang sighed. "Our Taiyin Temple has never interfered in the affairs of Tianchi, so naturally we don't care what gods they believe in. But if they believe in evil spirits that demand human sacrifices..."

"At first, the king and the chieftain wanted to comply with its wishes and send a few living people over. The temple sent me to persuade them, and also sent a few disciples to explore Kunlun Mountain first."

Zhao Qiguang remained silent for a while. She led the group to a house and opened the door.

"You must have heard the rumors about Kunlun Mountain. The situation inside is extraordinary. Several people went in and never came back. It was the same before. The abbot went in more than ten years ago and has not returned yet. Only the young master and the Dragon Mother are left in the temple."

Shen Lixia understood: "But the evil spirits haven't disappeared yet. They thought they were going to offer even more. Besides today's cattle and sheep, they also planned to recruit some living people to send over?"

She immediately guessed the purpose of Zhao Qiguang's conversation with the chieftain. The chieftain must have wanted to send someone to Kunlun Mountain, but Zhao Qiguang stopped her.

As for the sacrificial ceremony, her kicking over the jar earlier already made her stance clear.

Zhao Qiguang looked up at her and said, "Exactly."

She glanced at the group and said, "You've come at the wrong time. Either leave Tianchi, or join forces with Taiyin Temple to quell this chaos."

"To leave, or to stay?"

Shen Lixia hesitated. Even the Taiyin Temple found it troublesome; this evil spirit was definitely not benevolent.

She had seen that young master during the competition; his cultivation level was the same as theirs. As for the Dragon Mother, she had cultivated some dragon blood, making her outstanding among the dragons.

Behind him, Qiao Yanshen said, "Everyone is tired. I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

Zhao Qiguang raised an eyebrow but did not refute. She was better off than the others and had two empty rooms to lend to them.

Before turning off the lights, she sat in the chair and glanced at Shen Lixia with interest.

She wasn't looking at the boy's unusual eyes, but at the two silk ribbons on his body, his white clothes, and the faint dark patterns that were visible under the candlelight.

These are symbols of Emperor Taihui.

The scrutiny made Shen Lixia uncomfortable. It was late at night, and she said goodnight. Zhao Qiguang didn't explain, only saying "Keep an eye on what's happening outside" before going back to his room.

The next day, she seemed to have found the answer.

As she left, a group of Taiyin Temple disciples stared at her, hesitant to speak. A whispered remark drifted into her ears through the shoving.

"...He received...ninety lashes."

She felt a chill run down her spine.

Recently, neither Shen Lixia nor Qiao Yanshen have specifically inquired about anything related to cultivators. They don't want to relive their painful memories.

There's no need to worry about these things when it comes to exorcising evil spirits and slaying demons.

"My fellow disciple wielded the whip... for several days and nights... I swore an oath to Heaven that I would never return to the sect."

......who?