Chapter 99 Grand Sacrifice (3)
If anyone else had made this request, Ji Rong would have been seen as a troublemaker and would have been beaten.
Using sentient beings as sacrifices is a tradition.
But Wu Yue couldn't really refuse Ji Rong's request, since Ji Rong had provided a lot of help to the ancient witch lineage.
Having known Ji Rong for so many years, he understood her personality and said frankly, "Lord Ji, I know about this intelligent spirit ox you mentioned. It was specially purchased by my clan."
The grand sacrifice is a major event for the tribe. If we don't kill it, what other offerings will we use to replace it?
Without a second thought, Ji Rong said, "How about carving one head out of wood? If one isn't enough, we can carve three."
Wu Yue shook his head.
Ji Rong had no choice but to walk over to Jiao Jue. She tilted her head and stared at Jiao Jue, then decisively used her wings to hug one of Jiao Jue's claws and cried out, "Brother Jinlong, I really like that ox. Don't kill it. Let it plow the fields in the future. It's very useful."
This shameless attitude startled Jiao Jue so much that he immediately jumped up, not even squinting his eyes. He said urgently, "There are so many intelligent creatures. Being bought is its fate. Why are you so concerned?"
“Sigh,” Ji Rong released Jiao Jue’s claws and said, “Back then, I had to risk my life to drag a certain dragon in, but now they won’t even give me a cow.”
She stood in the middle of the side room, raised one wing, and continued, "Why must a sentient being be used in sacrifices? The value of this sacred ox is clearly not in its meat. Although it is strong, killing it would not even be enough for one meal, but keeping it would provide thousands of acres of fertile land."
The more Ji Rong spoke, the more convinced she became of her point.
She continued, "Brother Jinlong, the Wu tribe is thriving now. In a few years, the population will surely double. With more people, they will need to eat and wear clothes. Will you use your tail to help them clear land then?"
If you go, let me do the math... every twenty years, you'll have to develop an island.
But if you keep this cow, slowly cultivate the land, and find it a mate, then it will have a continuous stream of intelligent offspring, and will be able to continuously cultivate the land.
With a little more instruction, he might become a master miner.
The word "mining" invigorated Jiao Jue.
The Wu tribe people advance slowly and have limited physical strength, so now he himself is the main force in mining on Wangfeng Island.
Jiao Jue looked at his fingernails, worn down from mining, and his heart stirred. He turned to Wu Yue and said, "Old man, Ji Rong is right, we'll take this cow."
"You little rascal, take me to see which one it is!"
The bird and the dragon flew toward the square as they talked.
“It’s this one.” Ji Rong pointed to the ox that was rushing to squeeze out when it saw them coming and said, “Brother Jinlong, look how smart and strong it is. It would be a great tool for plowing the fields.”
Jiao Jue carefully observed the ox. It had four horns, strong bones, and thick hooves. Its eyes showed fear and anxiety. He thought to himself that this should be a descendant of the Thunder Ox Clan of Zhongzhou. He wondered how it had been sold here.
He thought to himself, "Why plow the land? Go plow the spirit mine."
Having accepted the benefits, Jiao Jue immediately became amiable towards Ji Rong, saying, "You're right. It's a pity to kill it, and it's a waste to use it for plowing. It should go to Wangfeng Island to plow spirit crystals."
Upon hearing this, Ji Rong's eyes lit up, and he immediately flattered, "Brother is right. It is no ordinary ox and should be used to plow the spiritual vein. But if we don't kill it, what will happen to tomorrow's sacrifice?"
Jiao Jue, feeling pleased with himself, squinted and said smugly, "What's so difficult about that?"
Go back to my place and sleep first. Tomorrow, before the grand ceremony, after I make my voice heard, you and your brother should shout to give the old man some momentum.
After the grand ceremony, take this ox back for me to raise. Once it's well, bring it back to Wangfeng Island.” He then flew away.
It was late at night when Jiao Jue, holding a knocked-out fat ox, knocked on Wu Yue's door. He yawned and said, "Old man, kill this one tomorrow."
"The one Ji Rong mentioned, after the grand ceremony, I'll have her take it back and raise it for me." Then she went into the house, found a pillar at random, and half-wrapped herself up to sleep.
Wu Yue had no choice but to have the new ox tied up properly and to lock up the intelligent ox separately to prevent the one that Jiao Jue wanted from being accidentally killed.
The next day, at the crack of dawn, a member of the Wu tribe came to invite him.
Ji Rong and Ji Zhuang stood on either side of Gu Qingqing's shoulders, making Gu Qingqing look extremely imposing.
They followed the Wu tribe to the ancestral hall.
The road to the ancestral hall had been swept in advance and watered evenly.
Along both sides of the road, at intervals, there are ceramic pots burning incense, the fragrance wafting gently.
The drummers who followed were playing fish-skin drums, creating a lively atmosphere.
When they arrived at the archway with dragon bones and phoenix feathers, they stood at the entrance, waiting for Wu Yue and Jiao Jue. The drummer stopped playing, and for a moment there was silence.
A dragon's roar came, and the Horned Jade was about to arrive. Ji Rong then winked at Ji Zhuang and started to call out herself. Ji Zhuang echoed with a clear cry.
The deep, resonant roar of the dragon, mixed with the clear, tinkling chirps of birds, stirred the hearts of the Wu tribe members.
Jiaojue carried Wuyue down from the sky. He looked at Ji Rong, Ji Zhuang and Gu Qingqing's attire and was very satisfied, nodding slightly.
Wu Yue dismounted from the dragon and walked in front, with Gu Qingqing and Jiao Jue following behind on either side.
Upon arriving at the square, one finds it already prepared, with rows of stone rubbings of the great shaman placed on a large stone table in the center of the square.
After Wu Yue read the eulogy, A Du invited Gu Qingqing to sit on the small stone table on the right side below the large stone table. Ji Rong and Ji Zhuang got off Gu Qingqing and stood on the left and right sides.
Ah Xiao then led Jiao Jue to sit down at the first stone table on the left below the large stone table.
Led by Wu Yue, the shamans began to burn incense.
The shaman performed divination and obtained a result of "great fortune".
Wu Guang and the others had been preparing for a long time. They caught cattle, sheep and pigs, and performed a blood sacrifice on the spot. They cut off the heads of a pig, a sheep and a cow and placed them on the stone platform in front of the ancestral statue. They also placed a pig's head, a sheep's head and a cow's head in front of Jiao Jue and Gu Qingqing's stone tables before they began to butcher and cook the meat.
Wu Yue led the remaining members of the Wu clan in a grand bow to the ancestral stone statue, and then bowed to Jiao Jue and Gu Qingqing, who were sitting on the left and right sides.
Then Wu Yue led his people in a toast, and A'xiao and A'du held the goblets and steadily poured a cup for Jiao Jue and Gu Qingqing.
Jiao Jue squinted and smirked as he downed the wine in one gulp. Gu Qingqing took a sip herself, and then had Ji Rong and Ji Zhuang each take a sip.
After the drink was finished, the ceremony was complete, and the hexagram Fu (复) read "Great fortune".
After the sacrificial ceremony concluded, the shamanic feast began.
Children from the ancient shaman lined up spontaneously, asking for good fortune and blessings.
The children of the Lich lineage found it strange and broke free from their elders to join the queue. In no time, the area in front of the sacrificial stone platform was bustling with noise and excitement.
Jiao Jue and Gu Qingqing rubbed the heads of these children until their hands ached.
After the banquet ended, it was already late at night. Exhausted, Wu Yue patted his sore back and prepared to go back to sleep when suddenly his clothes were ripped. He immediately grabbed his clothes with practiced ease.
Looking ahead, it was Ji Rong again. Ji Rong released his grip and said, "Great Witch Yue, where is my ox?"
Wu Yue had no choice but to fetch the ox for her.
Ji Rong, who had led the ox, suddenly realized that she couldn't carry it.
Finally, she summoned Ji Zhuang, and together they grabbed the ox by the foot with one claw and carried it back to Tuifeng Island upside down.
The next day, as soon as Xuanwu came out, Ji Zhuang "invited" her to Tuifeng Island. She had no choice but to break the seal on them, and immediately felt empty and in dire need of sleep.
Thus, the Wu tribe made a rare discovery: on the second day after the grand ceremony, the most diligent elder, the Tunwu, did not come. Everyone assumed she was tired and needed to rest, and tacitly refrained from disturbing her.
No one knew that she had been bleeding herself unconscious.
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