Chapter 328: Pine Dove

"Whoosh..."

The air was permeated with the pungent smoke of burning herbs, and clear water flowed down from the surface of the smooth skin into the water basin, splashing crystal-clear water flowers.

Two of the oldest women in the village, who could no longer work, wiped the girl's body with their hands like withered branches.

The movements were gentle but mechanical and rapid, just like the cold water that wetted the towel, which was bone-chilling, making Lily'ai tremble slightly uncontrollably.

Her eyes were still as calm as that night, but now there was a bit more emptiness.

Just like a puppet, letting the two old women beside her manipulate her body.

The body was wiped dry, and a plain white linen dress was put on her body.

The dress was rough in texture, clearly not expensive fabric, but the surface was exceptionally clean and spotless. This symbolized the purity of the sacrifice and the villagers' reverence for the Spirit of the Canyon.

Lily'ai's hair was combed neatly, draped over her shoulders, barefoot.

After waiting for others to check that there was no mistake, an even older, hunched old woman with a dead aura all over her body stretched out her shriveled, withered arm and heavily pointed an ancient symbol symbolizing sacrifice with a reddish-brown liquid mixed with animal blood and special herbs on the girl's forehead.

Outside the tent, the crowd gathered silently, pairs of eyes looking silently at the swaying banner in front of the tent, and the air was filled with cold and dead silence.

The curtain was lifted.

Lily'ai walked out, facing the crowd's gaze.

The time had reached early morning, and the weak and dim sunlight was faintly sprinkled on her face, reflecting the plain white dress, making her pale face look even more like a wild flower trembling in the cold wind.

The old village chief stepped forward silently, his face full of traces of wind, frost, and years, his eyes solemn and solemn.

He held an old wooden bowl with mottled texture in his hand, filled with unknown turbid liquid, and flicked it three times on the road in front of Lily'ai, meaning "purify the road ahead."

Still without words, the village chief turned around to lead the way for the girl. The crowd automatically separated, and the four strongest men in the village followed from behind, wearing rough wooden masks with hideous patterns painted on their faces, carrying a simple, empty palanquin decorated with thorns and vines in their hands.

Lily'ai didn't ride on it, just followed quietly behind several people.

The white barefoot stepped into the muddy ground, and the muddy dust gradually stained her toes and skirt hem. Even if she occasionally stepped on the hard gravel, the girl only frowned slightly.

Her parents and villagers followed silently at the end. The team moved very slowly, only the low leather drum was beaten at a fixed and slow-to-suffocating rhythm.

The suffocating atmosphere that seemed to freeze even the thin mist drifting in the air made the slow drum sound seem to drive the heartbeat.

One by one, beating slowly.

Xia Nan stood alone in the distance.

With his arms crossed, his jet-black hair still a bit damp, his cold and calm eyes reflected the crowd ahead.

He had stayed in Mist Lamp Village for two days, and the people and things he had come into contact with were not many.

But he already had a lot of understanding about the village, the ritual, and the villagers.

Using a young girl as a sacrifice to appease the Spirit of the Canyon, praying for the village to be protected, not to be invaded by outsiders, and for the crops to be harvested.

And what is even more playful is the attitude of the villagers.

Unlike Winter Tree's rejection and resistance, the village chief and Aspen almost unconditionally supported and promoted the progress of the ritual, and the rest of the ordinary villagers...

Xia Nan could feel the anxiety, fear, and restlessness on them.

But for the ritual itself, they were not disgusted.

Even implicitly expressing support.

During these two days in the village, whenever Xia Nan approached the wooden house at the innermost part of the village where the girl Lily'ai was suspected to live, even if he approached unintentionally, he could feel the increasingly wary and tense gazes from the surrounding villagers.

They were eagerly craving the completion of the sacrificial ritual to change their poor and difficult lives.

Xia Nan didn't understand.

If this so-called "sacrificial ritual" passed down for generations is really effective, and the young "sacrifices" who have given their lives for this have really pleased the great existence in the canyon.

After so many years, why is Mist Lamp Village still in such a poor and impoverished situation as it is now.

It can't even compare to Green Creek Village near River Valley Town, which relies on passing adventurers to make a living.

Is it possible that the protection of the gods is not as good as those greedy but wealthy adventurers?

Standing in place, he watched the crowd in the distance coldly.

He stepped forward and followed.

The team stopped at the entrance of the canyon.

The environment here is completely different from that in the village.

The field of vision is wider, the wind is stronger, and it is colder.

The miserable wind whistling like whimpering echoes in the air.

As a forbidden area, a row of high fences made of dark brown oak tightly surrounded the entrance of the canyon. Mottled chains hung and drooped on the ground. At this moment, the gate in the middle had been opened, revealing the deep and dim canyon path behind it.

Aspen stood aside.

Standing solemnly like a statue, behind him was his wooden bow.

The sunlight shining from the side cast a deep shadow on his face, and his expression could not be seen.

He was just waiting, just like before.

Lily'ai stepped forward alone, her barefoot already stained with moist mud.

In front was the deep canyon filled with mist all year round; behind was the gaze of the entire Mist Lamp Village.

The village chief took off an old, rusty short sickle hanging from his waist.

Holding it in his hand, he walked towards the girl in front.

As his lips moved, ancient chants echoed in the ears of the crowd with his hoarse voice.

"Pure body, buried forever with filth."

"With blood as a contract, protect our village."

"Grain fills the granary, people and livestock are safe."

Chirp—

The dull sickle blade cut through the flesh and skin with difficulty, mixed with the rust on it, and the scarlet blood flowed down from the fair skin, dripping on the surface of the plain white dress, blooming a dazzling blood red.

A wound was cut on Lily'ai's right forearm.

One could see her body trembling because of the severe pain, but no sound came from her mouth.

No bandaging or treatment, letting the blood flow.

The moment the sickle blade fell, her connection with the village had been cut off.

At this moment, the girl no longer belongs to the village.

She belongs to the canyon.

The drum sound beside the team stopped abruptly, and the world seemed to fall into dead silence.

Lily'ai lowered her head, her chest rising and falling, as if she was gasping slightly because of the pain of the wound, or as if she was gathering courage for herself in her heart.

Pausing for a moment, she stepped out with her barefoot, step by step, stepping on the rotten mud, and walked into the dense fog that could not be melted.

The wooden door behind her slowly closed amidst the friction of metal chains.

Finally, she couldn't help but look back, her gaze sweeping back and forth in the gradually closing door crack, as if looking for a familiar figure.

But the next second, with a loud "bang," the tightly closed door completely cut off her sight.

The ritual is over.

The villagers gathered at the entrance of the canyon turned around in numbness. ===== CHAPTER 329 =====