Chapter 663 - 267: Sacrifice to the Marquis (Part 2)
Some of the Tribal Lords regretted it, realizing they should have brought the younger generation of their clans here. With such rich Source Power, the Celestial Vein Martial Artists in the clan wouldn’t even need to consume Witch Medicine.
Red Fire Luwu had just returned from outside the Giant Mountain Range, clutching a Primordial Vein beneath its tiger claw.
On both sides of the Giant Mountain, regions like Dai Land, Yongyi, and others are within the residual vein areas of the Giant Mountain.
This time, Luwu had ventured beyond the mountain range of the Giant Mountain.
...
The ceremonial altar stood lofty, perched atop the mountain peak. As the sun rose, the sunlight bathed the altar in a golden hue.
Above the altar stood an Inscription Stele, with some Grand Chapter Vehicles, Profound Water Yang Rulers, Bronze War Chariots, and other Witch Artifacts of the former Yongshan Bo Division placed nearby.
Looking down from the altar, there were eight thousand stone steps, straight like a celestial ladder.
On either side of the stone steps, at regular intervals, stood Blazing Flame Martial Artists clad in black armor, holding long spears, upright like pines.
Dong dong dong!
The Kui Ox War Drum began to sound.
Each beat reverberated like a thunderclap in the mountains.
The welcomed Tribal Lords initially felt nothing peculiar, but as they listened, they sensed a difference in the drum’s rhythm.
"The Kui Ox War Drum has indeed sounded!"
Below the high platform, after all the Tribal Lords gathered, without any guidance, everyone instinctively positioned those with higher status in the front.
"I remember when the Kui Ox War Drum suddenly sounded, Ao Mountain even dispatched Martial Artists to search all over Yongyi."
"The Kui Drum has a spirit, naturally, it doesn’t recognize just anyone."
"With the Kui Drum’s recognition, Blazing Flame indeed inherited the Marquis’ legacy."
A group of people huddled together, their voices whispering, Divine Senses intertwining and colliding.
Among the crowd, Lord Lingyu, as a Mid-stage Divine Treasure Martial Artist, stood neither too far back nor too far forward in the ranks.
In the midst of the crowd, he looked up towards the high platform.
On the peak of the high platform, a swirling mist obscured the view, and the sound of the Kui Drum came from atop it.
Listening to the surrounding exchanges of the various Tribal Lords, his hand inside his sleeve clenched and unclenched repeatedly.
Every mention of the ’Marquis’ legacy’ felt like a dagger stabbing his heart.
Oh no, now it felt like his heart was pierced by a thousand arrows.
Marquis’ Legacy... Lingyu also rose to prominence with the legacy of Marquis Yongshan.
All of this should have belonged to Lingyu!
...Did not grasp the opportunity.
Back then, Lingyu’s ancestors migrated westward to escape the constant harassment from Xiaoyang, eventually fleeing, settling in the mountainous valley in the northwest of Ji Land within the Giant Mountain Range.
It was a fertile land, with picturesque mountains and water, sparsely troubled by external threats.
Thanks to this bountiful land, Lingyu managed to sustain a legacy of three thousand six hundred years, with every generation producing two to three Divine Treasure Martial Artists.
With such a foundation, the future of Lingyu might surpass even top Yongyi Bo Divisions like Celestial Monster or Ao Mountain.
Everything was going well, so why did Blazing Flame have to appear?
Blazing Flame rose from Lingyu’s old territory, and compared to the current Blazing Flame, what strength does Lingyu even hold?
Isn’t it as if Lingyu stumbled upon a treasure mountain back then, only to run to some corner and pick up a broken stone as a treasure?
If back then... it should be Lingyu overlooking all these people now.
"I heard Lingyu also rose with the legacy of the Yongshan Bo Division, right?"
"Yes, indeed."
"Lingyu is also a Ji Land Bo Division; we almost forgot Lingyu belonged to Ji Land too."
Suddenly, a Tribal Lord recalled.
Ji Land might seem insignificant in Yongyi, but it holds the Marquis Yongshan’s relic, with ancestors of some Bo Divisions having visited.
Later, as no one could inherit the legacy, it was left unresolved.
"It’s a pity, if Lingyu hadn’t migrated back then..."
A Tribal Lord began to speak but quickly realized these words weren’t appropriate now, abruptly stopping and patting his own mouth.
Muttering warnings to himself to be cautious with his words...
At this moment, Lord Lingyu lowered his head as if he hadn’t heard anything.
Damn it, a bunch of bastards, can they die if they don’t speak?
Lord Lingyu felt a strange discomfort threading through these words.
Indeed, the Lingyu Bo Division belongs to Ji Land, but having moved away to avoid Xiaoyang back then, natural geographical barriers isolated them from Ji Land.
As time passed, people subconsciously forgot the Lingyu Bo Division.
After all, the region where Lingyu was situated, within the southern reach of a valley in the Giant Mountain of northwest Ji Land, mainly sold grains and rarely engaged with the outside world.
This caused no familiar Tribal Lords to be around Lord Lingyu, not due to unfamiliarity, but given the current circumstances, others weren’t keen to associate with him.
If Blazing Flame hadn’t risen within Ji Land this time, making people recall it was Lingyu’s former land, no one would’ve remembered Lingyu.
Similarly, rising near the ruins left by Marquis Yongshan, both inheriting the Marquis’ legacy, one can now inherit the Marquis’ will.
The other is not bad either by sustaining a lineage for three thousand six hundred years, quite formidable indeed.
But at such a moment, legacy conflicts aren’t scary; it’s whose legacy is weaker that becomes embarrassing.
At this instant, surrounded by the crowd, Lord Lingyu’s heart filled with uncertainty and resentment flickered in his eyes.
Blazing Flame’s rise is one matter, why forcibly summon him over too, standing in front of various Yongyi Bo Divisions like a stripped monkey.
Moreover, with his family residing deep within the mountains, what does being forgotten even matter!
And these obnoxious mouths, just because they have one, right!!!
Moo!
The drum continued as a bull’s bellow echoed, Huo Shan controlling the Profound Fire Wild Ox, arriving with swirling Evil Qi.
The wild ox trod on black flames, its blood energy vast as a sea, its scorching aura merging entirely with Huo Shan.
Huo Shan dismounted from the wild ox, clad in battle attire, his posture upright, his eyes bright, striding towards the various Tribal Lords with the poise of a dragon and tiger.
Compared to over seven hundred attendees before, today only six hundred and fifty-seven remained under the high platform, excluding some elders brought by tribes.
Six hundred fifty-seven represented six hundred fifty-seven Bo Divisions, although some might be missing, yet it was the utmost effort to gather the various Yongyi Bo Divisions together.
"Ladies and gentlemen, follow me onto the platform!"
After surveying his surroundings, Huo Shan waved his hand, taking the first step onto the stone stairs, followed by Lord Jishan and Yann Wanyun.
Soon after, the various Tribal Lords began to follow, with Late-stage Divine Treasure first, Mid-stage next, and finally a group of Early-stage Divine Treasure Lords.
Surrounded by clouds and mist, the stone stairs resembled a celestial ladder hanging off the mountain, with drums echoing around.
As they climbed, Huo Shan remained silent in front, and the other Tribal Lords followed suit, lost in thoughts unknown.
Perhaps some were envisioning the scene ahead, imagining themselves as the protagonist in such grandeur.
Others kept their heads down, silently focused on the steps beneath.
Like Lord Lingyu, perhaps afraid of damaging the steps.
Ascending the Celestial Platform, vast over a thousand feet in diameter, bordered by white jade, stood an ancient stone stele in its center.
The gathered crowd observed various Witch Artifacts of the Yongshan Bo Division displayed beneath the stone stele.
These Witch Artifacts once scattered across tribes mainly in the Ao Mountain, Celestial Monster tribes, had now all been reclaimed.
Especially among the numerous artifacts, a stone drum set upon a stone stand, resonating on its own.
Today, the Kui Spirit remained subdued, naturally having been forewarned.
Otherwise, it would’ve emerged long ago, demanding homage as an ancestor.
The Kui Ox War Drum.
A Tier Six Witch Artifact.
It’s known by all within Yongyi that it’s the only Tier Six Witch Artifact in Yongyi.
Currently, gazes shifted from the stone stele to the Witch Artifacts, exhibiting diverse expressions.
Marquis Yongshan, a name woven into Yongyi’s lore for eight thousand years, and the person who named this place ’Yong’.
Each Tribes Lord present, if not entirely, have always dreamed during their rise to Divine Treasure or while inheriting the Lord’s position, imagining themselves as the New Marquis.
Some looked upon the stone stele and seemed to see their younger selves.
"Commence the ceremony!"
The majestic voice resonated, reaching the ears of each Lord, directly stirring their spirits.
Snapping back to reality, along with Huo Shan, everyone bowed to the stele.