Chapter 13: Sun Guoshi's Goal

Grand Tutor Sun lowered his voice.

“—When the Panlong Wasteland became a death trap again, and the Great Wind Army was at its wit's end, Zhong Shengguang performed a blood sacrifice to the gods!”

He Lingchuan exclaimed, “Sacrifice to the gods!”

Nian Songyu put a finger to his lips and quietly shushed him. “Keep your voice down. Talking about this carelessly could get you killed.”

He Chunhua’s expression turned solemn, and he also lowered his voice: “Since it was a sacrifice to the gods, it was naturally kept secret.”

A sacrifice to the gods involved a blood offering to deities.

The state of Yuan had enshrined the prohibition of such sacrifices into its national law. This was a fundamental law, with extremely severe penalties; the lightest punishment for discovery was beheading, while more serious cases led to the extermination of the entire clan, with no exceptions for nobles.

In fact, this was not unique to Yuan; most countries in the world had similar prohibitions, differing only in the severity of the punishment.

He Lingchuan, of course, hadn’t forgotten that his own family had been targeted, with his grandfather falsely accused, leading to the emperor ordering the execution of his entire family. The charge was precisely "sacrificing to the gods." These two words were a constant thorn in the He family's heart.

However, the so-called prohibition on sacrifices did not include the worship of popular folk deities such as mountain and water spirits, wild monsters, door gods, kitchen gods, or gods of wealth and fortune. After all, people had an instinctive desire for promotion, wealth, and good health, which could not be suppressed.

What countries explicitly forbade was the private worship of specific, named deities, officially referred to as "evil gods" or "malevolent gods."

For instance, the charge that led to the execution of He Lingchuan’s family members was the worship of "True Monarch Tongming."

Here's the key point: the primary criterion for determining a "sacrifice to the gods" was whether the ritual involved live sacrifices or human sacrifices. If you merely uttered a few silent prayers or offered a few plates of roasted chicken and cured fish to a deity, the state wouldn't bother with you, regardless of whom you worshipped.

“Which deity did Zhong Shengguang worship?”

“Mitian.”

Sun Fuping immediately explained, “There’s no honorific title because the original text was simple: ‘Prostrate oneself in worship, seeking relief from Mitian.’ Xiluo also prohibits such sacrifices, so Zhong Shengguang must have done it out of desperation. I doubt He Jian would have recorded the entire process in detail.”

The name was too unfamiliar. He Chunhua mused, “Grand Tutor, have you ever heard of this deity?”

“Never,” Sun Fuping shook his head. “But Zhong Shengguang performed a blood sacrifice, and the offering was his own biological daughter!”

He Chunhua’s face changed color. “What?!”

Zhong Shengguang was truly ruthless, sacrificing his own flesh and blood to the deity.

He Lingchuan secretly clicked his tongue. No wonder it was an evil god, demanding human lives.

“So, what did this deity bestow in return?”

“The deity was greatly pleased and generously bestowed a gift, which was used against the enemy, allowing them to kill one and subjugate a hundred.” Sun Fuping spread his hands. “That’s all there was in the original words that could be deciphered. The rest is corrupted and unreadable.”

“That’s as good as saying nothing. If the deity was so generous, what divine object did it bestow to repel the enemy?” He Lingchuan grumbled. “You two have come a thousand miles; surely you have some clues? Don’t keep us in suspense now.”

He felt a slight sigh in his heart. No matter how valiant and mighty Zhong Shengguang was, when his human strength was exhausted and he could do nothing more, he still couldn't help but seek help from a deity.

Conversely, what means did this deity possess that allowed the Great Wind Army, which was trapped in a desperate situation, to turn the tide and hold out for another twenty years?

“This young man is ignorant, daring to be disrespectful to the Grand Tutor.” Sun Fuping glanced at him. “He Jian’s book alone didn’t reveal the full picture. It wasn’t until recently that the Grand Commander found an ancient letter, a final testament handwritten by Zhong Shengguang’s personal guard. Comparing these two ancient artifacts finally brought the truth to light!”

As the He father and son focused, the mystery was finally revealed: “The treasure bestowed by the deity Mitian was called ‘Dafang’! Zhong Shengguang referred to it as the ‘Dafang Jar,’ but it’s actually a nest of Bewitching Worms.”

Bewitching Worms? He Lingchuan admired whoever named them; it was so straightforward and easy to understand. Anyone who heard the name would instantly know what these worms did.

However, his father immediately complicated matters: “Doesn’t this thing also have a proper name, ‘Three Corpse Worms’?”

“Indeed, they are Three Corpse Worms,” Nian Songyu chuckled. “They are formless and intangible, residing in three parts of a human body—the head, abdomen, and feet—and incite malice and agitation. Whether a martial artist or a sorcerer, the first step in cultivating the Dao is to 'slay the three corpses' and 'break free from obsession.' However, ordinary soldiers in the army cannot possibly deal with them, making them a devastating weapon on the battlefield.”

“The army’s fierce blood energy is extremely potent, and it is protected by the nation’s destiny, naturally restraining all kinds of magic and evil entities.”

He Lingchuan was aware of this.

Military camps were never haunted. Furthermore, large-scale magical powers were difficult to employ effectively on the battlefield, unless the spellcaster or military general themselves were powerfully blessed by the nation’s destiny.

Typically, only a Grand Tutor could achieve this, such as Sun Guoshi here.

Sun Fuping clapped his hands. “These Three Corpse Worms, however, are inherent to the human body. They aren’t repelled by blood energy or primal force, allowing them to effortlessly attach themselves to enemies, forcing them to obey and turn against their own side. Truly a divine artifact!”

He Chunhua finally understood, exhaling a long breath. “So, you’ve come for this divine object?”

“Precisely.” Sun Fuping had finally clarified everything. “It helped Zhong Shengguang defend the city back then, and now it can help us repel the enemy. You needn't worry about the Three Corpse Worms in the nest dying; they don’t require breathing or sustenance.”

He Lingchuan suddenly asked, “Who was the Grand Commander you just mentioned?”

Upon hearing the words "Grand Commander" just now, both He Lingchuan and his father felt their hearts skip a beat.

“Who else?” Nian Songyu raised an eyebrow. “Naturally, it’s His Majesty’s father-in-law, Grand General of the Pillar State, Grand Commander Dong Haoming!”

There it was! He Lingchuan and his father exchanged glances, both thinking, "Just as we suspected."

Within just two months, guards from the Grand General of the Pillar State’s Residence, the son of the Prefect of Xunzhou, and the Grand Tutor of the Great Yuan had successively appeared in Blackwater City. This was no coincidence.

Only now did their connections become clearly apparent.

He Chunhua feigned surprise. “The Grand Commander actually found this clue. So, your presence here is...?”

“The King and the Grand Commander discussed it and dispatched me to the Panlong Desert. We must retrieve the Dafang Jar before the bandits at Woling Pass finish building their ships and launch them!” Sun Fuping pointed to Nian Songyu. “When I passed through Xunzhou, General Nian dispatched his strong aides to assist, led by Commander Nian. But here in Blackwater City, we need guides, manpower, and other assistance!”

“Retrieve the Dafang Jar?” He Lingchuan glanced at his father’s expression, then feigned shock. “Wait, you’re not planning to rush into the Panlong Desert, are you? Red Cliff Road is closing soon; even a three-year-old in Blackwater City knows that going in now is suicide!”

His voice grew louder and louder. Besides acting, he was also genuinely agitated.

He had only enjoyed a little over fifty good days; was trouble already here?

Earth-shattering crises and turning the tide were the most annoying things. He just wanted to be a lazy, mediocre official's son, living a life of ease!

He Chunhua also mused, “Entering the Panlong Desert at this time is indeed a near-certain death. You two are not from Blackwater City and haven’t witnessed the desert’s ferocity. Even powerful abilities are useless there.”