Chapter 171.2: Kill the New God, Hold a Feast

This world was called the Mortal Heart World. Gods would bestow blessings or protection to their worshippers. Conversely, humans had to offer sacrifices and food. The two depended on one another. A stronger god bred stronger humans, whose sacrifices only empowered the god further.

However, everything changed after new gods descended several thousand years ago. More and more villages, cities, and even nations, chose to worship the new gods.

The new gods were stronger and more wicked. Those who worshipped them were gradually affected in will and spirit, becoming more bloodthirsty and aggressive, frequently invading other villages.

Clearwater Village once bordered Stone Village, each controlling a river, living in harmony. The peace ended after Stone Village converted to worship a new god.

Stone began attacking Clearwater, trying to seize its stream. Several clashes followed and Clearwater lost every time. After all, without divine blessings, their combat strength couldn't be enhanced.

Qi Yuan said, "Someone lead the way. I'm going to kill Stone Village's new god."

The villagers stared at one another. In their entire lives, this was the first time they'd heard of a god personally going to fight another god in a neighboring village.

Isn't the usual way to bless villagers and let them fight?

The fat man asked blankly, "God, are you serious?"

Once a god left its temple, it ceased to be one. Hence why no matter how terrible wars became, gods never fought in person. They'd bestow blessings at most. Yet this god spoke of killing people himself. It felt wrong. What kind of god does something this undignified?

Qi Yuan said impatiently, "Hurry up and lead the way. I'm starving. I'm waiting to eat at the feast!"

These ragged villagers didn't look like cultivators at all. They probably even had to empty their chamber pots themselves every morning.

The fat man swallowed, confused. "Eat at the feast?"

"After I kill their god, won't they hold a feast? I'll just dine and dash," Qi Yuan said, praising his own cleverness.

Was there a better way to freeload a meal?

Shen Tu said thoughtfully, "That actually makes sense..."

The village chief said gravely, "God, you've only just been born. You're weak. Recklessly going to Stone Village could be dangerous."

The fat man also chimed in. "Once you leave the temple, your divine powers will weaken. You'll become an easy prey."

Though slaughtering a god to start a feast sounded interesting, it wasn't exactly practical.

"What danger? My left eyebrow's been twitching. It's a sign of great fortune!" Qi Yuan said, growing hungrier by the second. "You're the priest. Come on, take me there. Stop wasting time!"

Shen Tu's expression shifted repeatedly. "God, do you really not want to reconsider?"

Others could refuse a god. He couldn't.

Qi Yuan said, eager for the feast, "Move!"

Shen Tu sighed helplessly in the end. "I'll lead you, God."

He squeezed through the crowd, with Qi Yuan following him. The remaining villagers watched, utterly bewildered.

"Is this new god mentally unsound?"

"

Haa...

It's our fault. We didn't offer good sacrifices, malnutrition stunted the god's brain development!"

The fat man asked Yulei, "Village Chief, the god's going to his death. What should we do?"

"This god just came into being, how could he be a match for Stone Village's evil god?" someone lamented.

Their god was going straight into enemy territory, which was suicide.

Yulei's expression shifted in a dilemma before he finally said, "Let's go. We'll follow him."

About two-thirds of the villagers chose to go with him. The rest couldn't be bothered to watch. That god's fate was already sealed, it was better to go home and eat what little food they had.

***

Along the way, Shen Tu asked, "God, are you the Qiyuann Sovereign?"

In a dream earlier, he seemed to have heard that name.

"Yes," Qi Yuan replied, glancing at him. "You're a Nascent Soul cultivator. How did you end up this miserable?"

He truly couldn't understand.

Shen Tu said weakly, "No reliable backer. No money. No food."

By 'no reliable backer', he meant the god Clearwater Village worshipped.

Qi Yuan asked, "Usually, once you reach Foundation Establishment, you don't need to eat anymore, right?"

He was feeling hungry too and it baffled him.

Shen Tu looked at Qi Yuan in confusion. "Not eat? Wouldn't that mean death?"

"Fine," Qi Yuan said, chalking it up to different worlds, different rules.

"God..."

"

Hm

?"

Shen Tu clutched the half-eaten flatbread, sneaking glances at Qi Yuan, as if afraid he'd steal it. "The bread I gave you earlier, are you sure you don't want it?”

Qi Yuan was speechless. "No!"

Shen Tu immediately beamed. "That's good. At least I'll die with a full stomach and won't become a starving ghost!"

Qi Yuan said helplessly, "It's just my luck, having a lackey like you."

Seeing how dirt-poor Clearwater Village was, they probably didn't even have a suona. Otherwise, he'd have had Shen Tu form a band for him.

Shen Tu ignored Qi Yuan, wolfing down the bread as if afraid he would snatch it.

Just then, Qi Yuan stopped walking. From the village ahead came the sound of gongs and drums.

Qi Yuan remarked, "It sounds lively over there."

Shen Tu gazed at the hundred-household village ahead.

He said with heaviness, "Today is their sacrificial day. They're offering three young boys for the new god to eat. These damned new gods. They are all evil! What kind of god eats people?!"

According to ancient records, gods were powerful humans, heroic spirits who died fighting for mankind. They protected humanity in a mutually beneficial relationship.

The new gods were evil gods and fed on humans instead.

Qi Yuan's gaze pierced the village. He saw wailing women and men pinned to the ground.

A woman sobbed desperately. "

Wuwu

... Xiao Qian, Xiao Qian..."

One of the sacrificial offerings was her young child.

"Sister Li, offering sacrifices to god is an honor!" a burly man said. One of his eyes glowed with blood-red light, proof that he was already being corrupted by the new god.

Another man sighed. "Over a dozen children a year, in exchange for good weather. It is worth it for Stone Village."

"Sister Li, look at Clearwater Village next door. They refused to worship the new god, and look at the state they are in. In another month, everyone there will probably be dead," said a fat, big-eared man, his hand stroking the woman's chin.

"

Pui!

Evil god!" the woman spat phlegm all over him.

The man's face darkened instantly. "Sister Li, I tried being nice with you. Since you're disloyal to the god, into the Red Pen you go!"

Hearing this, the woman struggled even harder. The man pinned to the ground wept silently, eyes filled with tears.

Since the arrival of the new gods, a new term had emerged: the Red Pen.

New gods loved to eat children. When they ran out, women would be locked in the Red Pens for breeding. They were treating humans like livestock. It was utterly inhumane.

"This Stone Village belongs to the Shi Clan," the fat man said smugly. "You Wang Clan behave yourselves. Cross me, and I'll send all of you to the Red Pen!"

Although Stone Village wasn't composed only of the Shi surname, it was the Shi Clan that had orchestrated the summoning of the new god, thus gaining absolute control. Other families dared not speak out. Offend the Shi Clan, and their child would be offered to the new god.

The woman wailed. "Heaven has no eyes, letting evil gods like you descend..."

The fat man laughed loudly. "Evil god? This is the true god, the future ruler of the Mortal Heart World!"

Everyone knew the truth. The new gods were gradually devouring the territories of the ancient gods. Two-thirds of the Mortal Heart World now worshipped new gods. The ancient gods were barely holding on, and total extinction was only a matter of time.

At that moment, a clear voice rang from the sky. "Evil God, come out and die! I'm hungry, and I'm waiting for you to die so I can start the feast!”

Two figures appeared above the village—Shen Tu and Qi Yuan.

The people of Stone Village looked up, shock written on their faces.

"Clearwater Village's god?"

"A newborn ancient god?"

"Coming to Stone Village to die?"

Many Shi Clan members' eyes glowed red. If this were inside the Clearwater Village’s temple, they would've been afraid. But this was Stone Village, their domain.

They were confused and astonished at the same time. This ancient god dared to leave his temple? Did he suffer from brain damage? Generally speaking, gods rarely left their temples or domains.

On the ground, the woman looked up at Qi Yuan, her eyes filled with devotion. She kowtowed repeatedly until her forehead bled. "God, save my child!"

Just then, a sultry voice sounded. "Oh my, a newly born little cutie has come to me. Want to mingle?"

A figure in a blood-red dress appeared. It was a wolf-dog-looking woman, grotesque and strange.

Stone Village's villagers immediately knelt. "Greetings, God!"

She was their true god, their heaven! The fat, big-eared man gazed at the wolf-dog woman in fanatic worship. The newly born ancient god from Clearwater Village wasn't even worth mentioning!

Shen Tu stood beside Qi Yuan, trembling all over. Still, thinking of the bread he'd eaten, he felt it wasn't a total loss.

Thus, his courage rose. "Arrogant evil god! You bring disaster upon the world. Our god is here to execute you!"