I Steal the Ancestors' Sacrifices to Nourish Myself

Chapter 449 - 191: Yinglong Subdues the Corpse, Sword-Wielding Severed Arm, Where Does the Blazing Flame Road Lead?

The Profound Bird floating outside the Blazing Flame Tribe overlooked the scene of the Blazing Flame Race Territory, encompassing the sight of the Blazing Flame Tribe Division in its view.

Then, the Profound Bird traveled all the way westward, crossing mountains and ridges, entering the sandy lands.

Continuing its high-altitude observation of the earth, it took in the mountains and forests, yellow sands, tribes, Wild Beasts, the Human Race, and more into its gaze.

However, it made no other movements, merely watching all this quietly, its blood-red eyes cold and indifferent, as if everything below was unrelated to it.

After a high-altitude survey of the sandy lands, it returned eastward to the Great Marsh, flying southward along the edge of the marsh, and after several days it entered a mountain range near water.

The mountain range was not conspicuous; such undulating ranges were plenty along the coast of the Great Marsh and even within it.

The mountains were verdant, the ancient trees densely populated, exuding an ancient and vast aura.

The Profound Bird flew into the depths of the mountain range, into the Miasma Valley, where patches of dark green miasma surged like fog, swallowing the Profound Bird silently.

Passing through the miasma, it landed on a jade-colored ancient road, its mystical light shining on its body, its wings quickly folding onto its back, transforming its entire form into a human shape, and proceeded inward along the Jade Stone Ancient Road.

On both sides of the Jade Stone Ancient Road, mist lingered heavily, emitting a decaying aura.

The road’s end led to a Grotto Heaven, where the vegetation was even more lush and ancient.

In the forest, one could see stone pillars, stone altars, and Stone Beasts carved with Beast Patterns, showing the erosion of years, covered in dark-green moss.

Besides the stone pillars, stone altars, and Stone Beasts, there were also various sizes of bones; the large bones, over ten zhang long, came from certain Wild Beasts, while the smaller ones were those of the Human Race.

Whether it was the ancient trees, or the stone pillars, stone altars, Stone Beasts, and bones, the surfaces were all carved with the form of a great bird soaring in flight.

The form here did not fly but walked on the winding path in the forest, proceeding towards the depth of the ancient forest.

The old trees had nests hanging upon them, and living beings resided within.

However, some beings were human-shaped, some bird-shaped, and others half-human, half-bird.

In the depths of the ancient forest stood an altar taller than the vegetation and stone pillars.

The altar was exceedingly ancient, rising nine layers high, its surface bearing an interwoven color of gray-white and dark-green.

Beneath the altar, a considerable amount of white bones were piled, with beast bones and human bones circling around the altar, some bones already weathered and crumbled into shards.

Among the weathered bones, a few bones glinted with mystic light, evidently sacrificed not long ago.

The lowest layer of the altar was covered with images of figures in worship.

The Human Race prostrated themselves, Wild Beasts lay prone, paying homage to the being atop the altar.

In front of the altar, there was a mottled stone stairway, and as the figure reached the altar, it adeptly prostrated, beginning to ascend the steps in a kneeling posture.

After crawling along the stone steps to the top, a gigantic nest appeared, exuding a primitive, timeworn aura.

Outside the nest, there were numerous Profound Bird runes.

Inside the nest, a Profound Bird Divine Statue was enshrined.

It was a bronze cast Profound Bird, poised as if soaring on outspread wings.

The Profound Bird’s surface teemed with blue luminescence, seemingly containing countless runes shimmering.

Beneath the Divine Statue, an Elder Witch Priest wearing lavish bird feathers atop his head and clad in wide beast fur, with a bird-pattern adorned on his face, knelt wordlessly, his Witch’s Staff topped with a petrified bird’s head.

The Elder Witch Priest knelt before the Profound Bird Divine Statue, silently praying.

The visitor dared not look up at the Profound Bird Divine Statue, crawling on all fours to its feet, took out a jade scroll from his bosom, and presented it high with both hands.

With a hum, the jade scroll was swallowed by the descending blue light.

Inside the jade scroll were the scenes he imprinted with his Divine Sense during his patrol, this was his duty.

After a long while, the Great Witch Priest slowly raised his head, not inquiring about the contents of the jade scroll, but instead said, "Xuan Chi, the Holy Spirit has received your jade scroll."

"You may withdraw."

"Yes!"

Xuan Chi responded, not daring to ask further, and still in a prostrated position, retreated from the nest and descended the altar.

Only after distancing himself from the altar did Xuan Chi stand once more, then sought out his own nest, leaping inside and squinting his eyes.

Within the altar’s nest,

The Great Witch Priest bowed to the Divine Statue, muttering incessantly.

His lifespan was near its end, how he longed for the Holy Spirit to manifest before his life depleted.

Yet his predecessor, and the predecessor before that, and even further back, none had seen the Holy Spirit manifest.

The Holy Spirit seemed to have forgotten them, as it had not manifested for thousands of years.

Though the Holy Spirit had not truly forgotten them, for during every sacrifice, blessings were bestowed.

With each blessing, clan members would obtain fortune, making it easier for them to ascend to the Divine Treasure.

Then, those who obtained fortune gradually grew into the new generation of Spirit Shepherds and Hunting Sacrificial Envoys.

Spirit Shepherds patrolled the vast Yongyi land for the Holy Spirit, imprinting what they saw onto jade scrolls to present them upon the altar.

Hunting Sacrificial Envoys captured suitable offerings for the Holy Spirit, as all living beings on Yongyi were offerings for the Holy Spirit.

However, there were too many ants on the land of Yongyi, and the Holy Spirit did not enjoy the taste of ants.

Thus, they captured Tier Four life forms within the Yongyi domain, whether they were of the Human Race, Wild Beasts, or Alien Races.

Yet the actions of the Hunting Sacrificial Envoys were extremely stealthy, and the tribes of the captured offerings could never trace it back to them.

As for why they must remain so hidden, as the ancestral teachings stated, they must live in seclusion and not seek fame beyond.