I Steal the Ancestors' Sacrifices to Nourish Myself-Chapter 281 - 124: Revival of the Sacrificial Spirit, Keep Fighting!
Finally, they returned after carving the stone and erecting the monument.
In the subsequent murals, a majestic figure descended from the mountain, leading the troops back to the south.
...
Outside the ancestral temple.
Countless tribe members kneeled down, the wish power hovered like a vortex, then surged into the ancestral temple.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Suddenly, inside the ancestral temple, three deafening sounds of killing erupted, sweeping across all kneeling figures like an invisible wave.
Each figure was struck as if by lightning, feeling a roaring hum in their skulls, their muscles and bones shuddering, blood and energy surging.
...
A tribal sacrifice slaughtered over thirty thousand Xiaoyang, the bloody smell lingered in the clan city for days.
But after that day, the spirit of the tribe members soared, many martial artists rushed to the military camp outside the city, eager to become clan soldiers.
These were matters for Huo Chang and Huo Ning to handle; meanwhile, in the ancestral temple, Shen Can had been communicating with the sacrificial artifact for several days.
In his perception, within the vast residual soul sacrificial spirit group stood one figure after another with only upper bodies, concentrating intently, scarcely responding no matter how he tried to stir.
Among them, some figures, when his divine sense touched them, returned only a sound of endless war intent.
At the center of the residual soul sacrificial spirit group, there were seven indistinct figures, still misty and ethereal, yet their outlines could be sensed.
These seven figures, like mountains towering over deep waters, subdued countless residual souls around them.
"The wish power is insufficient."
Shen Can slowly withdrew his divine sense, currently unable to communicate with the figures within the sacrificial spirit group.
Most residual souls had only a primal awareness for slaughter, unable to engage in normal communication with him.
On the contrary, the mural elders, amid the Xiaoyang blood sacrifice, conveyed several pieces, likely depicting the Marquis Yongshan’s northward campaign against Xiaoyang.
The murals along with the conveyed divine sense fluctuation gave limited information.
It was only known that Marquis Yongshan reached the foot of Giant Peak Mountain with the army, carving the stone in commemoration before returning, yet the reason for the retreat was not mentioned.
The fundamental reason for insufficient wish power was still the lack of Xiaoyang prisoners and insufficient gathered tribe members.
Then we can only continue fighting.
...
In the Battle of Yang Mountain, the Three Fires defeated Xiaoyang’s two hundred thousand tribal soldiers with one hundred thousand troops, and seized the opportunity to break the Yang Mountain Ruins Market, pursuing a million Xiaoyang, though suffering significant losses themselves.
As a result, Huo Chang relied on the ruins of Yang Mountain’s city to reorganize the clan soldiers in a new round.
There were still eight thousand three hundred Black Armored Heavy Blade Soldiers, seven hundred six Blood Sea Guards, and forty-nine thousand Three Fire Tribe Soldiers remaining.
Huo Chang withdrew some wounded soldiers, and additionally some uninjured ones, reassigned them to the camp outside the Three Fire Clan City as the backbone and instructors for the newly assembled tribe soldiers.
In total, five thousand nine hundred were reassigned, including one thousand three hundred Heavy Blade Soldiers, six hundred Blood Sea Guards, and four thousand Three Fire Tribe Soldiers.
This way, out of one hundred thousand troops, nearly sixty-four thousand remain.
The number is smaller, but after this pursuit and scattering from the north, the courage of the Human Race has been restored.
It’s true that Xiaoyang physiques are strong, but none surpass the battle blade in hand.
Moreover, the Three Fire Tribe Division has been constantly training tribe soldiers, and sent fifty thousand clansmen to Huo Chang.
This is the advantage of having a large number of tribe members; during years of hunting Xiaoyang under adversity, those who survive mostly possess skills; only lacking is a sense of war intent.
Coupled with Shen Can’s continual initiation of tribal sacrifices, those who reignited their passion for battle were incorporated into the clan soldier camp.
As for armor and weapons, there’s no shortage; after a great number of Xiaoyang were wiped out, various armors and weapons continued to flow into the Three Fire Clan City.
Tribe members within the city were organized to begin repairing weapons and armor.
Meanwhile, items seized from Xiaoyang, like witch medicine, source stones, rare minerals, etc., were discreetly sent back to the Blazing Flame Race Territory.
The Blazing Flame Tribe, formerly a logistics hub, has now initiated a transformation from comprehensive logistics to weapon research.
The Blazing Flame Clan People mixed among the clan city and battle soldiers, honing themselves while observing the usage of weapons during encounters with Xiaoyang, as well as the changes on the battlefield.
After summarizing this information, it would be sent to the Blazing Flame Race Territory, handed to the Celestial Craft Hall.
Besides leading the vassal tribe in large-scale grain cultivation, the Blazing Flame Clan People were focusing on weapon research based on battlefield feedback.
Shen Can’s requirement for the clan was to conduct small-scale trials on improved weapons.
If feasible, large-scale manufacturing would proceed in the Three Fire Clan City.
To strengthen the clan’s research and innovation capabilities, Shen Can continually selected skilled artisans within the Three Fire Clan City and quietly sent them back to the Blazing Flame Race Territory.
Aside from artisans, talented youths with witch cultivation potential were all sent to the Witch Hall in the Blazing Flame Headquarters Division to cultivate.
As a result, within a short period, the number of witch disciples in the Witch Hall exceeded seven hundred, and it’s still increasing.
Additionally, the selected youths integrated into Blazing Flame were trained to deepen their allegiance to the Blazing Flame Tribe Division from the outset.
According to Shen Can’s plan, for a considerable time ahead, the Blazing Flame Clan People will focus on cultivation, farming, research, and procreation.
Now, every year the Blazing Flame Division has nearly a thousand newborns, with numbers increasing yearly.
Next, tribe members will continue to expand the cultivated land acreage, as the grain supply for the Three Fire Division.
This way, the Three Fire Division can mobilize a large combat force to continue the sweep and scourge against Xiaoyang.
As for the safety of the Blazing Flame Tribe Division, it’s currently safeguarded by the mid-aged elder.
However, this isn’t a long-term solution, so Shen Can also initiated the cultivation plan for the second Divine Treasure Martial Artist within the tribe.
Huo Shan, who was exploring the northern Dai Land path, has been recalled to the headquarters, replaced by Huo Kui to continue the exploration.
Simultaneously, an internal selection was conducted to choose suitable martial artists to head south to Ji Land, joining the tribe soldiers for training.
Among the selection criteria was the requirement to have three children before being allowed to leave.
Don’t fear having children; the tribe covers it all.
We have ample resources; the harsh days in the forest have long passed, with hundreds of thousands outside hunting Xiaoyang for spoils.
...
Yang Mountain Ruins Market.
A Cyan Simurgh Soldier landed on the city wall, the clan member leapt down swiftly to Huo Chang’s side.
"Clan Leader, Ancestral Temple Keeper has sent word, advising to capture more Xiaoyang prisoners for sacrifices."
"Additionally, continue to gather the scattered survivors in the mountains and wilderness."
"The more in numbers, the better."
After listening, Huo Chang nodded.
Upon hearing Shen Can’s words, he had an idea.
"Go back and tell Acan, the first batch of Xiaoyang slaves will be sent outside the ancestral temple in half a month!"
The messenger clan member jumped back on the Cyan Simurgh, howling towards the distance.
That day.
The Yang Mountain Ruins Market camp stirred, troops of war soldiers charged out of the camp in all directions.
"Ancestral Temple Keeper’s orders: capture Xiaoyang for sacrifices at the ancestral temple to receive the sacrificial spirit’s blessing!"
"Those who still have living youngsters, consider yourselves fortunate; last time someone’s lad received the sacrificial spirit’s blessing and could cultivate witchcraft, being taken to the Witch Hall for training!"
"If you want the sacrificial spirit’s blessing, then get moving!"
"Those Xiaoyang once chased us into the forests; now it’s our turn to avenge!"
...
Troops of clan soldiers followed the route of Xiaoyang’s defeat, entering the surrounding mountains and forests.
...
"Clan Leader, we lack high-tier riding beasts."
On the city wall, Huo Qingg gazed at the charging clan soldiers, many Thousand Captains were running.
"Riding beasts are insufficient."
Huo Chang’s expression turned tense, "Then we’ll have to borrow some."
Training and capturing is too difficult; borrowing someone else’s is faster.
...
"Rob Antelope Qilin Beasts?"
When Huo Chang drove a chariot back to the Three Fire Division, upon reemerging, Luo Feng was aboard.
Behind the chariot followed over a thousand Red Armor Blood Sea Guards, though the riding beasts looked a bit disorderly.
"Why not directly go to my Luo River for a rob?"
"Went!"
Huo Chang replied, driving the chariot without looking back.
"It’s too far and unreachable in a short time, for now, let’s gather some replacements."
"You Young Masters all ride Tier Three Antelope Qilin Beasts; presumably, there aren’t many Tier Threes left within the Luo River Race’s beast herds."
"Indeed."
Luo Feng nodded; now he had new limbs, though they were prosthetic, not regrown.
Hand function was limited, but he appeared dignified on the chariot.
"Where’s my closest buddy?"
Luo Feng stood up, "I can’t wait to meet him!"
