Chapter 13: The Goal of State Preceptor Sun

State Preceptor Sun lowered his voice, "—When the Panlong Wasteland became a dead zone and the Great Wind Army was at the end of its rope, Zhong Shengguang held a blood sacrifice to appease the gods!"

He Lingchuan gasped, "Appease the gods!"

Nian Songyu held a finger to his lips and gave a soft "shh": "Keep it down, talking recklessly about this is a capital offense."

He Chunhua’s expression was grave as he also lowered his volume: "Since it is appeasing the gods, it is naturally kept secret."

Appeasing the gods is a blood sacrifice to the deities.

The Yuan Kingdom has written the prohibition of appeasing the gods into its national law. This is a fundamental law with extremely severe punishments; once discovered, the lightest penalty is beheading, and the heaviest is the execution of one's entire clan, with no pardons for officials or nobles.

In fact, it is not just the Yuan Kingdom; all nations in the world are the same, the only difference being the severity of the punishment.

He Lingchuan certainly would not forget that his own family was beheaded by the Emperor because his grandfather was falsely accused, and the charge was "appeasing the gods." These two words are a thorn in the hearts of the He family.

However, the so-called prohibition on appeasing the gods does not include the folk worship of mountain, marsh, and water spirits, wild demons, door gods, kitchen gods, or gods of wealth and fortune; after all, people have an instinctive need for promotion, wealth, and health, which cannot be suppressed.

What all nations explicitly forbid is the private worship of specific, concrete deities, which is what officials call "evil gods" or "wicked gods."

For example, the charge that caused He Lingchuan’s clansmen to lose their heads was the worship of the "True Lord Tongming."

Here is the key point—the most important basis for determining "appeasing the gods" is whether the ceremony involves living sacrifices or human sacrifices. If you only mutter a few words in your heart or offer a few plates of roast chicken and cured fish to the gods, the state couldn't care less about who you worship.

"Which deity did Zhong Shengguang worship?"

"Mitian."

Sun Fuping continued to explain, "There is no honorific title because the original text is written simply: 'Prostrate and worship, seeking relief from Mitian.' Xiluo also bans appeasing the gods; Zhong Shengguang did it as a last resort. I think He Jian would not have recorded the entire process in detail."

This name was too unfamiliar. He Chunhua pondered: "Has the State Preceptor ever heard of this deity?"

"Never." Sun Fuping shook his head, "But Zhong Shengguang resorted to blood sacrifice, and the sacrifice was his own biological daughter!"

He Chunhua’s expression changed: "What?"

Zhong Shengguang was truly a ruthless man, sacrificing his own flesh and blood to the gods.

He Lingchuan secretly clicked his tongue; no wonder it was an evil god, it actually wanted to consume human lives.

"Then what did this deity give in return?"

"The deity was greatly pleased and bestowed a 'Dafang' (Great Gift), using it to face the enemy and kill a hundred for every one." Sun Fuping spread his hands, "That is all the readable original text; the rest is damaged and illegible."

"That’s as good as not writing anything. If the deity was so generous, what exactly was the divine object bestowed to repel the enemy?" He Lingchuan was dissatisfied, "The two of you traveled thousands of miles, surely you have some clues?" Don't keep people in suspense now.

He felt a slight sigh in his heart. No matter how brave and divine Zhong Shengguang was, when human strength was exhausted and the situation was beyond saving, he still couldn't help but seek help from the gods.

Conversely, what kind of means did the deity have to allow the Great Wind Army, trapped in a dead end, to turn the tide and hold out for another twenty years? The boy is ignorant and dared to be disrespectful to the State Preceptor. Sun Fuping glanced at him: "You can't tell anything just from He Jian’s book, until not long ago when the Grand Marshal found an ancient letter, which was a final letter written by Zhong Shengguang’s personal guard. Comparing these two ancient items, the truth was finally revealed!"

As the He father and son focused their attention, the answer was finally revealed: "The treasure bestowed by the Mitian god is called 'Dafang'! Zhong Shengguang called it the 'Dafang Pot,' but it is actually a nest for Heart-Confusing Insects."

Heart-Confusing Insects? He Lingchuan admired the big shot who came up with the name; it was truly straightforward and easy to understand. Anyone who hears it knows what this insect can do.

However, his own father immediately complicated the simple matter: "Doesn't this thing have a formal name, called 'Three-Corpse Insects'?"

"Correct, it is the Three-Corpse Insects." Nian Songyu laughed, "It has no form or substance, parasitizing the human head, abdomen, and feet, inducing evil delusions and irritability. Whether a martial artist or a cultivator, the first step to attaining the Dao is to sever the three corpses and break through attachments. But the common soldiers in the army cannot deal with it at all; once used, it is a great weapon of mass destruction on the battlefield."

"The blood-red energy of an army is extremely strong, and it is protected by the national destiny, naturally suppressing all kinds of magic and evil spirits."

He Lingchuan did know this point.

Military camps are never haunted. Moreover, large-scale magic and supernatural powers are difficult to be effective on the battlefield unless the caster and the martial general themselves are strongly blessed by the national destiny.

Usually, only a State Preceptor can achieve this, such as this State Preceptor Sun before them.

Sun Fuping clapped his hands: "These Three-Corpse Insects are things that exist in the human body from the start; they will not be repelled by blood energy or primordial power, and can smoothly attach themselves to enemies, forcing them to obey orders and turn their weapons against their own side. It is truly a divine artifact!"

He Chunhua finally understood and let out a long breath: "In other words, you have come for this divine artifact?"

"Correct." Sun Fuping finally explained everything clearly, "It could help Zhong Shengguang defend the city back then, and now it can help us repel the enemy. You don't have to worry about the Three-Corpse Insects in the nest dying; that thing doesn't need to breathe, eat, or drink."

He Lingchuan suddenly asked: "Who is the Grand Marshal you mentioned just now?"

Hearing the three words "Grand Marshal," the hearts of the He father and son both jumped.

"Who else could it be?" Nian Songyu raised his eyebrows, "Of course it is the current Imperial Father-in-law, Pillar of the State, Grand General, and Grand Marshal Dong Haoming!"

Here it comes! He Lingchuan and his father looked at each other, both thinking, "As expected."

In just two short months, the guards of the Pillar of the State Grand General’s mansion, the son of the Xunzhou Governor, and the Great Yuan State Preceptor had appeared in Black Water City one after another; this was by no means a coincidence.

Only at this moment did the connection between them clearly emerge.

He Chunhua looked astonished: "It was actually the Grand Marshal who found the clue. Then, the two of you have come here to...?"

"The King and the Grand Marshal discussed it and sent me to rush to the Panlong Desert, to retrieve the Dafang Pot before the thieves at Woling Pass can build ships and launch them!" Sun Fuping pointed at Nian Songyu, "I passed through Xunzhou, and General Nian sent strong men under his command to assist, led by Commandant Nian. But in Black Water City, we need guides, we need manpower, and we need other assistance!"

"Retrieve the Dafang Pot?" He Lingchuan looked at his father’s expression, then looked shocked, "Wait a minute, you don't mean you want to rush into the Panlong Desert? The Red Cliff Road is about to close, and even a three-year-old in Black Water City knows that going in now is just seeking death!"

The louder he spoke, the more he was acting, but he was also genuinely anxious.

He had only enjoyed fifty-some good days, and now trouble was coming? He hated earth-shattering crises and turning the tide; he just wanted to be a mediocre, second-generation official who lived off his family!

He Chunhua also pondered: "Entering the Panlong Desert at this time is indeed a narrow escape from death. You two are not from Black Water City and have not seen the ferocity of the Panlong Desert. Supernatural powers don't work well there."

(End of chapter)