While traveling through the deep underground, Loran Hill suddenly sensed the strange flow of the underground dragon vein. Countless tributaries began to entwine with each other and then converged towards the direction of the shrine.

What was completely different from the past was that the aura in the dragon vein was particularly intense this time. Both the clear dragon vein power and the turbid Nine Netherworld energy were intertwined and mixed with each other, gushing out towards the center.

Bad

The girl felt a wave of unease in her heart. This situation was too unusual. Something unexpected must have happened outside. She moved even faster, her body turning into a shadow, the shadow into a stream of light, the stream of light into a ghost, flashing through the underground passage and rushing upwards.

After a long time, a bright light suddenly came into view, and Loran Hill came to the bottom of the valley again.

The valley has completely changed at this moment.

A massive crater formed in the center of the ground, as if struck by a meteorite. A black and white metal alchemy furnace lay tilted on the ground, surrounded by a group of traitorous Zhaoye Palace disciples who had remained near the furnace, confronting their own forces. Around them and beneath them lay charred corpses, black and red blood, and broken bodies. The scene was a scene of unparalleled tragedy.

But this is not the point. The crazy battle in the sky has attracted the attention of countless people in the valley.

A mysterious black bird soared high in the sky, its wings tearing through the air as it battled eight cloud-like serpents. As the dragon energy column rose from the shrine, the black bird fought with increasing courage, its body emitting thick, inextricable black smoke.

Looking at the black and red gas column rising from the shrine, Loran Hill had a bad guess in her mind. She turned and ran towards the shrine, her pace getting faster and faster, while her mind began to search for the source and reason of such a scene.

And when she walked into the white ocean, she saw the Youchi people who had stopped breathing, and they raised their heads as if they had realized something, looking towards the shrine with the fluttering white flags.

This is...the art of blood sacrifice.

In ancient times, Eastern tribes would sacrifice various rare livestock in order to attract the strange beasts that accompanied the dragon veins. When the tribe lacked such rare livestock and urgently needed the help of these strange beasts, they would sometimes use special blood sacrifices.

That is to use the blood and souls of the tribesmen to sacrifice to the strange spirits in the mountains.

Some intelligent exotic beasts have lived with humans for a long time, and many of them have gradually formed a tacit understanding: you give me blood and food, and I will mobilize the dragon veins and change the local climate and wind and rain.

Over time, the spirits of these strange beasts were revered as Shanbo River gods, and were even personified and temples were built for them.

However, such an era ended thousands of years ago, and the biggest driving force behind it was the Black Phoenix Crow lineage. Their disciples cut down mountains and destroyed temples, fought against evil sacrifices and obscene offerings, and eliminated blood sacrifices. Countless mountain ghosts and witches were crucified by them.

Unexpectedly, Granny Gro, a witch of orthodox origin, still knew the ancient witchcraft techniques.

Loran Hill sighed in his heart. Perhaps this was also the helplessness of the local Youchi tribe. They could not ask for help from the central government like the people of the dynasty. Now they could only rely on themselves, even if it meant sacrificing their lives.

The blood sacrifice ritual was brutal and powerful. Countless members of the Youchi tribe voluntarily died here, willingly becoming food for the strange bird, hoping it would protect the remaining tribe members in the mountains and allow their loved ones to survive.

The blood and energy in their bodies gradually mixed into the dragon vein and were absorbed by the black bird in the sky, and their souls continued to flow into the hall with the ceremony.

At this moment, in the main hall of the shrine, ghostly shadows were everywhere. The Youchi clan members in white clothes were dancing, their faces were pale and bloodless. Although their bodies were still moving, the light in their eyes disappeared one by one. Finally, they were like puppets on strings, moving their sleeves and continuing the ritual dance.

Lanterns were hanging high above his head, and the sound of copper plates colliding was endless. Loran Hill felt an extremely cold touch coming towards him.

The hall, which seemed cold and eerie to outsiders, was now bustling in her perception, with wandering ghosts everywhere, many of which were even circling around her.

These ghosts are all from the Youchi clan who died during the ceremony. Although they have turned into ghosts, they are not ferocious at this moment. Instead, they swim silently, following the guidance of the witch in the venue.

Although the black bird in the outside world that was fighting against the Tengyunwu Snake was powerful, it could only be undefeated for a while. If it could not completely eliminate those Tengyunwu Snakes, it would sooner or later be exhausted.

For this reason, Granny Gro had already prepared for the worst.

Countless ghosts transformed into strange black spells that clung to his body and spread until finally, black patterns extended from his wrists and his face was gradually wrapped in the strange patterns.

As Loran Hill hurriedly shuttled through the crowd of people in white, the witch had already reached the last step, or in other words, she had no way back once the ceremony began.

"You're here..." The witch looked at the arriving girl with the last glimmer of light in her eyes. It seemed that the last trace of worry in her eyes had been put down and dissipated peacefully.

Loranhill took a few steps forward and was about to touch the witch, but she disappeared like smoke and dissipated into the dragon vein pillar above the shrine.

Then a long, shrill cry came from the sky, the sound was like crying, and like grief and anger.

Loran Hill stared blankly at the disappearing figure, her heart empty. Although she had only been with Granny Gro for six months, this kind and gentle witch had left a deep impression on her. She was like an elder, occasionally teaching her and checking in on her troubles.

The girl, feeling lost, walked out of the shrine and looked up at the sky.

The black strange bird flapped its wings and flew high in the air. Wisps of white smoke began to burn on its jet-black feathers. The smoke was extremely ethereal and left long trails in the air.

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