The first stop of this trip to the Southern Wilderness is to go to Qianduo's tribe, which is also the largest tribe in Weiwei's Great Wilderness Forest. It is called Longxin and is also the hometown of the little fat man Longxin Qianduo.
It's time to go home.
But there was no joy on the little fat boy's face.
He was now sitting in the shaky truck, not saying a word, sitting next to Jiang Xia, with his head down, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Although the Damanglin is a large primitive forest, it does not mean that there are no roads.
In fact, the road conditions in this forest are quite good. Although it is just the most basic dirt road, it is well maintained and smooth, much like a forest avenue.
Every few steps, there are forks in the road leading to different places. In some places, there are road signs made of dead trees, but they are all written in the language of the Southern Wilderness.
Just like letters, others cannot recognize them.
"Did your tribe build this road?"
In the car, Jiang Xia asked while enchanting a pistol with spirit:
"You don't have any established large-scale businesses here, so why are you spending the time and effort to build roads?"
“It’s for sacrifice.”
Long Xinqianduo's current state is very much like an autistic teenager. His previous timidity has turned into a look of boredom, as if the closer he gets to his hometown, the less interest he has in everything.
Lao Jiang asked, and he answered:
“We in the Southern Wilds have very different customs from those in your Eastern Land. Here, we hold three annual sacrifices, which are of utmost importance. Everyone, whether mortal or wizard, must participate.
These roads in the Great Mang Forest were built by various tribes together hundreds of years ago. They lead to different altars, and each tribe worships a different "god".
That’s why so many roads were built to facilitate the use of each tribe during sacrifices.”
"god?"
Jiang Xia kept working, and asked with great interest:
"Are you referring to the spirits? Last time I heard you say that you, the Long Xin clan, believe in the Great God of Changshan?"
"Um."
Qian Duo still looked uninterested and said in boredom:
"Here, we call all the spirits who have achieved success in cultivation 'gods'. The spirits worshipped by the small tribes are mostly 'elves'. If we compare them to the realm of our human cultivators, they are spirits who have reached the realm of gods.
The larger tribes with their own territories worship stronger spirits. The spirits in the realm of seeking the Tao call themselves "Tian Ling".
Only the most powerful tribes in the Great Manglin are qualified to offer offerings directly to Changshan and Jingmo, the two sea of ​​suffering monsters.
These two are honored as 'fairies' among the spirits."
“That’s interesting.”
Jiang Xia chuckled and said:
"You offer sacrifices to the spirits, and the spirits protect you. This is a bit like the relationship between the city gods and land gods in the East and the mortal people. Tell me more about it.
Just treat it as a way to relieve boredom."
"Not like."
When Qian Duo heard what Lao Jiang said, he turned his head, thought for a moment, and explained to Jiang Xia seriously:
“The city gods and land gods of the East were developed by imitating our Southern Wilds’ worship of spirits. Your practice of incense and fire has only been officially accepted and recognized by the Immortal Alliance for more than 400 years.
But the tradition of worshiping spirits in our Southern Wilds has been around for thousands of years. It is said that when the first generation of tribes in the Southern Wilds was born, it was the spirits that protected the ancestors through their weakest times.
So that our ancestors will not be eaten by wild beasts in the mountains, nor will they fall into the haunted place.
Boss, I know you are a casual person, but in the vast land of Southern Wilderness, you must not casually judge the monsters worshipped by a certain tribe, even if they behave weirdly and crazy!
If you say something rude, the entire tribe will immediately attack you.
You are a monk, you are not afraid of mortals.
But behind all mortals, there are spirits. If you hit them, the spirits will come out to retaliate. And the spirits are famous for their solidarity in Kumu Realm...
If you hit one, you will attract a whole bunch of them.”
At this point, Qian Duo sighed and said helplessly:
“This happened to me when I was a kid.
Some cultivators had a conflict with the locals and stole the sacred objects worshipped by a small tribe. Before they could escape from the Southern Wilderness, they were blocked by several great monsters in the divine realm.
He lost his life.
Moreover, the Immortal Alliance has never been involved in such matters."
The little fat man pointed to the sky vaguely without saying anything more.
But Jiang Xia immediately understood.
There are few monsters, and most of them live in their own circle in the Southern Wilderness. They seem to be autistic, but in fact they have a deep foundation. Currently, there are only two powerful people from the other side of the river in Ku Mu Realm, and one of them is Lady Asarum, who was born a monster.
If a large-scale conflict really breaks out, the monsters will definitely win.
Jiang Xia found these secrets interesting after learning about them. He continued chatting with the fat man and continued to bestow spirits on the guns in his hand.
Suddenly, he felt someone was looking at him, so he looked outside the car and saw a dark leopard squatting on a branch on the treetop in the forest next to him, shaking its tail and sizing up the convoy.
These local wild animals are quite spiritual and are not afraid of humans at all.
Even the rumbling trucks passing by did not disturb their lives. The black panther even glanced at Jiang Xia specifically, with its beautiful green eyes.
But at this moment, Lao Jiang narrowed his eyes.
That's not a wild beast.
That was a monster.
The little goblin transformed into a leopard, probably because he was naturally curious, so he ran over to watch the fun.
"There are so many monsters and spirits here."
Lao Jiang complained, and then he looked at the beautiful black panther again, then he looked away and said to Qian Duo:
"Let's talk about sacrifices. You just said that you people in the Southern Wilderness hold sacrifices three times a year?"
"Yes, the most important one is the 'Great Heaven and Earth Festival' during the Mid-Autumn Festival every year, when sacrifices are made to all the magical things that the Southern Wilderness has nurtured. All tribes participate in that sacrifice together.
The ceremony will be presided over by the chief witches of the strongest tribes in the Great Manglin. The chiefs and chief witches of each tribe will come and offer tributes to the Great Lady Xixin at the thousand-year-old altar on the edge of the Great Swamp under the full moon. "
Qian Duo seemed to recall the "Great Sacrifice of Heaven and Earth" he had experienced. He perked up a little and spoke in a more cheerful tone. He said to the boss:
"That is the grandest festival in the entire Southern Wilds. Every tribe, no matter how big or small, will revel for three days. One month before the festival, all tribes will suspend all attacks.
This is because of the noble status of Goddess Asarum, who protects the Southern Wilderness and the entire world. It is said that every tree in the Southern Wilderness is the hair of Goddess Asarum.
Every star in the sky is the Empress’s hair ornament.
In the Southern Wilds, the Empress’s order is the supreme will, and everything exists because of her.”
“Orthodox nature worship.”
Jiang Xia said a word, picked up the spirit spear in his hand, looked around, and said:
"What about the other two priests?"
“The other two are between the various tribes.”
Qian Duo explained:
"Every year at the Spring Equinox, each tribe offers sacrifices to their respective gods, praying for a healthy year. Most spirits will appear to bless them, but some have strange tempers and won't pay much attention to mortals.
For example...the great master Jing Mo.
The mighty being of the sea of ​​suffering who controls all the fires in the world has a character as unpredictable as fire, and he does not need sacrifices from mortals to maintain his dignity and existence.
But occasionally, when it is in a good mood, it will bless the tribe that believes in it with a fiery blessing.
Therefore, the tribes that believe in the great god Jingmo are the most restless in the Great Forest. Their personalities are like flames, domineering and brutal.
Every time the great god Jingmo bestows blessings, war breaks out in the Great Forest, and many small tribes are destroyed.”
The little fat man sighed and said:
“Fortunately, our Long Xin clan has always believed in the more benevolent and generous Great God Changshan since ancient times. He is the master of all sacred mountains in the world, and his character is as honest and steady as the mountains.
Never issue weird orders.
But the Great God of Changshan..."
Qian Duo lowered his voice and said to the boss as if complaining:
"It's too 'stable'. For over a hundred years, our Long Xin clan's sacrifices have only received casual responses, as if the great god spends every day in deep sleep.
Just like the southern wilderness mountains, it is very stable and not as active as other spirits. "
"You said they would bless you?"
Lao Jiang paused, looked at the little fat boy, and said:
"How do you bless?"
“It’s like a spell.”
Qian Duo waved his hands and pulled out a stream of pure wood-type spiritual energy. A faint green light wrapped around his fingers, as beautiful as a little snake.
He said:
“Whenever a successful spirit appears during a sacrifice, it will share some of its divine power with the mortals in the tribe. For example, the blessing from the great god Jingmo is the addition of blazing flames.
It can allow the hunters of the tribe to be wrapped in flames without being burned. Talented people can even sense spiritual energy. If they have fire spiritual roots, their bodies may even be tempered by the flames.
This blessing is not permanent.
It usually only lasts for half a year, and then waits for the next sacrifice.
But every blessing makes the tribesmen healthier. We in the Southern Wilds rarely get sick, and ordinary women have strength comparable to that of men in the East, all because of this blessing."
"Well, this is interesting."
Jiang Xia stroked his chin and said:
“No wonder the hunter Wusun and the group of good hunters who pledged allegiance to you before, although they were ordinary people, each of them had strong bones, just like the early stage body cultivators.
I thought you people in the Southern Wilderness were born strong, but I didn't expect that it was because you have been blessed by spirits and monsters for many years.
Can outsiders participate in this kind of blessing sacrifice?"
"You think too much, boss."
Qian Duo was finally amused. The little fat boy held his stomach and laughed:
"You are not the first monk to have such thoughts.
But although the spirits live in seclusion, they are not ignorant. If they dare to play tricks in such sacrifices, once they are exposed, the tribe will be weakened.
Without the protection of the great spirit, they would be attacked and annexed by other tribes immediately. Even if their own people did not attack them, it would be difficult for them to survive under the rampage of the beasts and ghosts in the southern wilderness. "
"Okay, I'm just asking."
Jiang Xia was not angry. He loaded the magazine with bullets one by one and said:
"What about the last sacrifice?"
"The last one..."
Qian Duo pursed his lips, sighed and said:
"It has nothing to do with spirits, boss. Do you know why I am so depressed when I return home this time? It is all because of this last sacrifice, which I have disliked since I was a child.
The last sacrifice is not held in every tribe, it is usually held in large tribes.
The living environment for us in the Southern Wilds is no more comfortable than your Eastern Land. If we want to survive in the Southern Wilds , we have to fight against the heaven and earth, beasts, ghosts, and wars.
The people here are a bit barbaric.
But we also had to be savage.
Wars between tribes were very common, because the Great Jungle Forest was so small and could only support a limited number of people. If you took more, I would have less.
But I didn't want to lose my territory, so there were conflicts and wars.
It happens every year.
Those captured captives, people from other tribes, or those who were plundered would be brought on the last day of the year or after a great victory.
They were sacrificed to the god of war to seek blessings of bravery.
Boss, you haven’t seen that kind of scene… but I will never forget it, taking out the heart and lungs, peeling the skin to make drums, and sacrificing the flesh and blood.”
"Is there a god of war in the Southern Wilds?"
Jiang Xia blinked and asked back:
"No spirit would use such a name, would it?"
"This is the most ridiculous thing about the War God Sacrifice."
The little fat boy closed his eyes and said with a sigh:
“All the children know that there is no such thing as a war god in the Southern Wilds, but this kind of sacrifice still continues. It is simply meaningless killing.
Back then, when my mother's tribe was defeated by my tribe, 30% of the men in her tribe were sacrificed.
Among them are my mother's older and younger brothers.
My mother was taken to Long Xin's family, and she was poisoned to death. She had no happy days, but the great spirit she believed in had long since disappeared. As a witch, she couldn't even protect herself. "
"You hate this place?"
Jiang Xia reached out and patted the fat boy on the shoulder. He said:
"Then why didn't you tell me earlier? I didn't have to ask you to come with me when I came to your tribe to do business this time."
"It's fine."
The little fat boy tried hard to smile and said to Jiang Xia:
"I must come back and collect my mother's spirit tablet and some of my things and take them back to Mo Shuang Mountain. I will...never come back again.
My mother, she wouldn't want to stay here anyway."
"Um."
Jiang Xia patted the little fat man, put the spirit spear he had made into his hand, stood up , leaned against the car window, and shouted to the black panther who had been running with the convoy in the forest beside the road:
"Hey, little brother, do you know pomegranates?"
The black panther that was running among the treetops following the convoy suddenly stopped and looked back at Jiang Xia, its big eyes full of confusion. Then, it nodded and said in an unclear tone:
"Pomegranate, meet...Braggard...Hate it!"
"I am a friend of the pomegranate."
Lao Jiang shouted:
"Can you please tell the spirits ahead to stop them from blocking our way? Here's what you have."
Jiang Xia raised his hand and threw a bottle of pills to the monster that had transformed into a black panther.
The latter's body suddenly swelled into a ball of smoke. He caught the pill, sniffed it, and then let out a roar. It then turned into a black panther again, quickly shuttling through the woods and moving further forward.
Old Jiang chuckled.
These silly monsters are really stubborn and only care about doing things for money.