Chapter 885 - 245: The Death of Chang Hao
Han Zhan left the room and walked onto the streets of Xiqi,
and indeed saw that every resident of Xiqi was showing a smile from the heart.
The sunshine was bright over their heads, much like their mood at the moment.
The efficiency of the Ancestral Temple was beyond question.
Just as the Starlight Stone statue confirmed it could protect one-tenth of the Xiqi region, arrangements had already begun in earnest.
This one-tenth of the Xiqi region was designated as a "residential district," with other structures in the residential district being demolished to raise the height of the living quarters.
Superfluous items were streamlined to make the layout of the building area more organized and travel more convenient.
Then, the portions outside the one-tenth Xiqi region were divided into "cultivation areas" and "breeding areas."
The cultivation area was closer to the central region, while the breeding area was at the outermost edge.
Every night, special young and strong men from Xiqi would guard the outskirts of Xiqi.
As for the daytime, worry was unnecessary; no one would choose to approach Xiqi in the daylight, not even its enemies.
"Lord Ji Fa!"
"Lord Ji Fa!"
As Han Zhan walked down the street, people enthusiastically greeted him.
The admiration the people of Xiqi had for Han Zhan soared with this event.
This time, the grand feast of the Ancestral Temple was not to gather all Xiqi citizens, but to distribute food via Warrior Puppets to each residential point.
Thus, grand banquets were held at each residential point.
The advantage of this was that most people did not need to come and go; it was convenient, and there were not too many restraints.
After all, not everyone liked to dine at the same table with their leaders.
Even if there was admiration in the heart, attention to demeanor was important; if one couldn’t eat freely, it would be difficult to revel.
The arrangements of the Ancestral Temple indeed considered every aspect.
Han Zhan walked along the streets of Xiqi towards the altar.
After activating the Eight Trigrams Token, he was teleported into the Ancestral Temple.
Since it was a grand feast for the world, a table would naturally be set inside the Ancestral Temple too.
Indeed, Han Zhan wasn’t wrong.
A sumptuous meal was already neatly arranged on the table—a rare treat in Xiqi.
Besides Han Zhan and Chang Hao, the other senior brothers and sisters of the Ancestral Temple, including Master Jiang Ziya, were already seated.
Upon seeing Han Zhan appear, Third Senior Sister Bai Shang waved him over.
"Ji Fa, come and sit down quickly."
Han Zhan nodded slightly and went over to sit down.
"Chang Hao volunteered to notify you. Why isn’t he here yet? He’s the only one missing."
Looking at the table full of delicacies, Bai Shang, uncharacteristically, spoke quite a bit.
Not just her, Second Senior Brother Lu Tao was also eager to start.
"Let me cast a hexagram to see where he is now."
After saying this, Lu Tao performed a Profound Technique Hand Formula and slightly calculated, his expression drastically changing.
Seeing his expression, Han Zhan’s brows furrowed slightly, and he asked:
"Why aren’t you speaking? What does the hexagram show?"
Lu Tao glanced at him, then at Master Jiang Ziya, and pronounced each word slowly and firmly:
"A great omen of doom, a hexagram of certain death, ten deaths without survival."
...
In the original granary, now inside a residential point.
Tong Yi and Tong Er each cradled a freshly roasted old hen, its skin an enticing color, emitting an irresistibly fragrant aroma.
They couldn’t help but swallow their saliva, their mouths watering.
Yet they did not immediately devour it, but waited instead.
Soon, a few other little boys and girls around their age came running over, gasping for breath.
"Xiao Hua, why are you so slow?"
"I’m starving, there are two roasted chickens right in front of me, and I held off without eating!"
The little girl called Xiao Hua said nothing and performed a wave of a "munitions" display.
Roast beef, roast pig’s trotters, lamb ribs, fruits...
Every child following behind Xiao Hua held a portion of food in their hands.
Seeing so much delicious food, Tong Yi and Tong Er’s mouths watered even more.
"Where did you get so much delicious food?"
"Hmph, not only do you have channels, but I have my own channels too."
"All these were stuffed to us by Uncle Chang Hao, how about that, pretty good right."
"Chang Hao, is that the Chang Hao from the Ancestral Temple, you actually know someone from there..."
Xiao Hua was very pleased with Tong Yi and Tong Er’s current expressions, she stood with her hands on her hips, quite proudly saying:
"Of course, our relationship is great!"
"Uncle Chang Hao even said that next time we meet, he would foresee my fate to see if I have the qualifications to enter the Ancestral Temple!"
"Wow...!"
After hearing Xiao Hua’s words, the surrounding little boys and girls exclaimed in admiration.
"Alright, alright, enough talking, I’m almost starving!"
"Let’s eat before the dishes get cold."
"I want a big drumstick!"
"I want chicken wings!"
"Wait, shouldn’t we give thanks before eating?"
Tong Yi’s suggestion received approval from all the other children.
"Then... thanks to Ji Fa!"
"Thanks to the Ancestral Temple!"
"Thanks to Chang Hao!"
"Thanks to everyone who strives for Xiqi!"
"..."
Outside the residential point.
Chang Hao had a faint smile on his lips, as if he heard the children’s conversation.
He looked back once at the distant altar.
Then turned around.
He started to walk step by step in the direction opposite to the path leading to the altar.
At the same time,
inside the Ancestral Temple, the Eight Trigrams Tokens next to everyone lit up.
Golden particles of light condensed in mid-air, transforming into characters they could recognize:
"Master, and dear senior brothers, sisters, and junior brothers."
"By the time you see this text, I will already be on the path opposite to returning to the Ancestral Temple."
"I’m sorry that I can’t join you in this banquet of the victors."
"Because... I am the hidden mastermind."
Seeing the golden characters appear before him, Han Zhan furrowed his brows even tighter.
The hidden mastermind?
Chang Hao said he was the hidden mastermind?
Not just Han Zhan, the expressions of others also changed.
There were those who were surprised, angry, puzzled.
Master Jiang Ziya’s gaze lingered on these lines of text, remaining silent.
The content of the text continued:
"To quickly enhance my Dao Cultivation, I devised a greedy plan, deliberately causing hearts to waver through Star Official blessings, then having puppets simulate as ordinary people to create conflict, sparking chaos."
"I intended to gain more faith and Wish Power by resolving this chaos, but greed for the Dao led me astray from my original intentions."
"I fully admit my mistakes and, thus, am unworthy of sharing the joy of victory with you."
"I will keep walking, walking out of the one-tenth safe zone of Xiqi, and then... face my judgment and end."
"Goodbye."
Seeing this, Han Zhan couldn’t help but recall his last meeting with Chang Hao.
At that time, he had smiled and also said "goodbye."
So this is what ’goodbye’ means?
Beyond the safe zone of Xiqi,
a flame burned fiercely under the scorching sun.
An Eight Trigrams Token dropped onto the ground.