[You quickly look beyond the sacrificial ground, only to see a flurry of snowflakes dancing across the sky; the Nine-Tailed Fox has fallen, sitting amidst the thick accumulation of snow...]

[A giant ’Pilgrimage Angel’ floats above the woman, its siphoning mouthpiece already pierced into the body of the Nine-Tailed Fox...]

[Your Shikigami ’Origins of the Nine-Tailed Fox’ has perished...]

[Suddenly, the ’Purple Lightning Orb’ held by the ’Nine-Tailed Fox’ shone brightly!]

[Weapon Awakening Effect ’Asura’s Wrath’ activated!]

[A colossal four-armed figure appeared behind the ’Nine-Tailed Fox’, the furious ’Asura’ roared and successfully repelled the ’Pilgrim Angel’ with a punch.]

[Thanks to the Weapon Awakening effect, your Shikigami ’Origins of the Nine-Tailed Fox’ has been exempted from death and has regained all lost limbs and 50% of health!]

Lin Xun breathes a sigh of relief and swiftly retrieves the Nine-Tailed Fox.

If it had been a second or two later, the Pilgrimage Angel would have had a chance to attack again, causing the Nine-Tailed Fox to lose another life.

[You close the doors of the sacrificial grounds, leaving the swirling snowstorm outside.]

[Several Feathered ones are strong and vigorous. Despite missing their limbs, they are still twisting their bodies frantically, their eyes fixated on you with crazed intent.]

[Without the arrows pinning them to the ground, you have no doubt that they would squirm their way to your feet and viciously bite you.]

[You step over the Feathered ones and reach out to touch the ’Sacrificial Cocoon’.]

[The soft feminine voice speaks again...]

[Child, do you wish to sacrifice these mad Feathered ones?]

[I must say you’re clever, they can indeed complete the sacrifice for you; even a frenzied soul is still a living soul.]

[But unfortunately, sacrifice requires consent. Do they look willing to you?]

[Only a willing sacrifice completes the offering; only then does a soul have the taste of refreshing sweetness. If you sacrifice them, the great deity will not be pleased... Wait a moment!]

[The feminine voice stops halfway. The words "wait a moment" not carrying a hint of warmth, but rather a sense of dread?]

[After a pause, the soft, feminine voice resumes as if nothing had happened...]

[Child, your devotion has touched him.]

[With such devotion, regardless of the taste of the sacrificed souls, my liege will be pleased...]

[Suddenly, the Feathered ones stop writhing about, their bodies go stiff and the crazed light in their eyes promptly extinguishes.]

[The ’Sacrificial Cocoon’ informs you that the sacrifice of the Feathered ones has delighted its master.]

[As per the agreement, you can claim your respective offerings.]

[You approach the altar and find that the mysterious force around the two dishes on either side has vanished.]

[You reach out and put both offerings in your bag.]

[You have obtained the ’Sacrificial Emblem’ (Special Artifact)!]

[You have obtained ’Belatu’s Sting’ (Legend+ Level Artifact)!] 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

[You reach out again wanting to touch the innermost central silver plate, only to be blocked by a mysterious force.]

[A gentle female voice speaks from behind you...]

[Child, the souls you sacrificed could only exchange for those two offerings.]

[As for the third offering... oh, allow me to introduce it first; it’s the mask left behind after the rebel lord ’Belatu’ died opposing my lord.]

[The ’Mask of the Divine Kingdom’s Guardian’ itself possesses an Extraordinary (Mythical Level) rank, but unfortunately, it fell in rank after being split in two.]

[Hmm, the other half of the damaged mask is also with my lord. If you can piece together the mask, the original power of the mask can be restored.]

[As promised, in order to claim the third offering, you need to sacrifice a life gene that would interest my liege.]

[Do you... want to claim this most precious third offering?]

Lin Xun finally understands what it feels like to deal with the devil.

First, he lures you in with a bit of sweetness, then sets terms that you can’t refuse, in order to exchange for something even more precious than sweetness.

"I’m not playing your game!"