"Lord Lin?"

Nie Zhao was somewhat incredulous.

"Hmm, you could say it’s the Mountain God of this place."

fat beggar spoke voluminously: "Legend has it that sixty years ago, a propitious omen descended from the heavens. A Qilin Demon Beast, from who knows where, landed in Tanjiang Mountain, west of Pinghu Village."

On a land where legends of Divine Beasts circulated, all rumors about the Qilin had always been auspicious.

It represented good fortune and auspiciousness.

"Lord Lin protects this place, ensuring favorable weather. The villagers offer sacrifices for him to enjoy."

"A small sacrifice once a year, a grand sacrifice every three years."

"Fish, rice, livestock, boys, and girls."

fat beggar sat up from the ground: "I only arrived here recently, but I heard this custom has been going on for nearly fifty years."

"Boys and girls?"

Nie Zhao was dumbfounded: "This... no one manages it?"

"Manages what?"

fat beggar pointed at him: "Brother, you are truly amusing."

"These villagers are too busy being grateful."

Nie Zhao was silent.

A Divine Beast representing auspiciousness could bless people with smooth sailing, but when this good fortune required human lives in exchange... did it still count as good fortune?

The man with the sword on his back clenched his fists slightly... He didn’t know who struck the first gong.

"Lord Lin bestows blessings..."

"Divine grace forever present..."

In the twilight, people surged through the village.

Pinghu Village’s sacrificial procession, vast and mighty, began to head up the mountain.

"Once all these offerings are carried up the mountain and the boys and girls are sent to the Lord Lin Temple, these villagers will go back down."

"Lord Lin doesn’t eat these cooked foods, so they’ll all be brought back. We’ll eat and grab some on the way, then slip away halfway."

"That way we can gorge ourselves... Hey, brother, I only tell you because I feel we have a good connection. Otherwise, I wouldn’t tell just anyone."

Nie Zhao and fat beggar, dressed in ordinary villager clothes they’d acquired from who knows where, mingled in the sacrificial procession, lagging at the very end.

The sword on his back was wrapped in a grey cloth.

...

Listening to fat beggar’s words, Nie Zhao felt increasingly stifled.

The villagers carried two unconscious children towards the large platform known as the Lord Lin Temple.

In the center stood a statue of strange and divine form.

It was precisely the appearance of the Qilin from legend.

But Nie Zhao’s gaze was not drawn to it.

Because the true Lord Lin, at this very moment, was coiled beneath the statue.

"Ah!"

Goat’s head, wolf’s hooves, rounded crown, five colors on its body, twelve feet tall.

Deer’s body, ox’s tail, a single horn.

With scales, no fur, its color green and yellow.

Nie Zhao’s mind was greatly shaken at this moment; this Lord Lin was actually a Qilin Demon Beast!

However, its eyes were currently glowing with an eerie purple light.

"Bow. For favorable weather."

"Bow. For bountiful harvests..."

The village chief led the villagers, prostrating themselves and bowing to Lord Lin.

Four burly men, trembling, brought the boy and girl before Lord Lin.

The giant beast lazily opened its eyes, extended its claws, and slowly reached towards the two children.

Among the crowd, Nie Zhao’s eyes were bloodshot, and he was about to draw his sword.

But fat beggar held him down tightly.

"Are you trying to die?!"

fat beggar roared in a low voice: "It could burn you to ashes with a single breath of fire!"

Nie Zhao instantly broke free: "Am I supposed to just watch him eat people?!"

His Internal Energy circulated, and the sword in his hand was violently thrown by him.

Lord Lin raised its head, but was struck by an ordinary iron sword.

Nie Zhao flew forward, leaped into the air, caught the sword, and fiercely slashed down at Lord Lin.

However, how could a Mortal body contend with a Demon Beast?

With barely more than a casual swat, like people brushing away annoying flies and mosquitoes, the giant beast swept Nie Zhao several zhang away.

"Cough, cough..."

Under the immense force, he actually broke a tree before stopping.

He spat blood and barely managed to support himself from the ground.

The huge upheaval caused all the villagers of Pinghu Village to panic and scatter.

The malevolent Qilin was about to pounce and kill, but then it paused slightly and raised its head.

Then, it actually turned and ran up the mountain.

"Are you crazy?!"

fat beggar grabbed Nie Zhao and was about to flee down the mountain, but Nie Zhao clutched his sleeve.

"Cough, cough... I can manage myself, you go take those two children down the mountain."

"What time is it now!"

Unable to dissuade him, fat beggar had no choice but to carry one and hold the other, following the limping Nie Zhao down the mountain.

Unexpectedly, those villagers were gathered at the foot of the mountain.

"Outsiders! You have ruined the ceremony!"

"You have angered Lord Lin, Pinghu Village is doomed!"

"Disrespecting Lord Lin, you must be evil spirits!"

At a glance, these villagers had fishing spears and sickles in their hands.

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!"

Fortunately, fat beggar put down the two children, then dragged the injured Nie Zhao, and fled out of the small village... He woke up again in the ruined temple.

fat beggar sighed softly: "Ignorant people, you can’t save them."

"Go back to where you came from."

Nie Zhao slowly recovered from his injuries and shook his head.

"My dear friend must have fallen victim to that malevolent Qilin!"

He grabbed his sword and walked out of the ruined temple.

"Where are you going?"

"Up the mountain!"

"You’re still going?! Are you courting death?"

"We, the Sword-Wielding Martial Artists, fear not death!"

Nie Zhao’s tone was resolute: "Since I am here, I must avenge my wrongfully dead friend and exact vengeance for the innocent children!"

He didn’t believe he had no chance.

During their previous clash, he saw that Lord Lin’s forehead horn seemed broken, with cracks on its side.

He thought it must be a weakness, and if he could find an opportunity, he might still have a fighting chance!

"Truly utterly foolish!"

fat beggar stomped his feet in exasperation: "Why go to your death?!"

...Nie Zhao ascended the mountain with his sword, only to find the plaza where the Lord Lin statue stood empty.

He followed the mountain path, walking all the way up.

He arrived before a huge cave.

Before he could even stand firm, a furious beast’s roar erupted.

"Hng--"

"I spared you once before, why do you still come to your death..."

"Do you think I, this Lord, am easy to provoke?!"

A demonic shadow swiftly shot out; it was Lord Lin.

Nie Zhao feigned an attack with his sword, his figure agile. He used his Qinggong to dodge a claw, then stepped on a large tree, leaped back, and dashed straight for Lord Lin’s brow.

Unfortunately.

He seemed to have underestimated the Demon Beast.

He thrust his sword straight, but was still swatted away by a claw.

All his ribs were broken.

"Pfft..."

Nie Zhao immediately spat blood.

Lord Lin leisurely walked over to him, its voice mocking: "Ho ho... foolish Mortal."

"Now, do you see how insignificant you are?"

It looked down from above: "I, this Lord, am benevolent, I’ll give you a chance."

"Kneel and submit to me, lure Martial Artists with abundant Qi and blood to this place for me to enjoy."

"If you do this, I can spare your life."

"How about it?"

Nie Zhao slowly raised his head, his lips moving.

He actually spat a mouthful of fresh blood at it.

"To act as a tiger’s accomplice?"

"Wishful thinking."