https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-699-Come-Add-Twenty-Pounds-of-Homework-to-Cheer-Up-the-Crown-Prince/12852746/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-701-The-Sacrifice-Eliminating-the-Threat/12852748/
Chapter 700: In Sacrifice, In War
Chapter 700: In Sacrifice, In War
"Those remnants really know how to hide. In two years, the number of times we've caught a glimpse of them doesn't even reach the number of fingers on my hands." She Xi sighed. The intermittent feeling of being watched had tormented him for two years. During this time, he had accomplished many things, from integrating the snake people to transforming them into venomous snake people, among other tasks, all of which were nearly complete.
However, he hadn't found any trace of those who were watching him. If it weren't for the occasional malice in those moments of being watched, he might have suspected it was all in his head.
"Now that all the clan members are ready, this internal threat is still unresolved." Logically, She Xi should have enough strength to lead the Yousi snake people to retake the surface and exterminate the entire Great Qian, without worrying about the fate of the nation, as he could perform sacrifices to the Snake Father for their protection.
But he was afraid of being betrayed, which was a very awkward situation.
The Snake Father didn't lack a priest like him, but he couldn't ignore his own safety. These remnants were strong and well-hidden. If they struck from behind, how could he defend himself?
"Just finding them won't be easy."
He didn't want to delay or deceive the Snake Father. If he did, he would be the next She Qi. The remnants hidden within the snake people had been performing sacrifices all along. If he harbored any improper thoughts, the Snake Father might recreate the scene of his confrontation with She Qi.
In other words, the counterattack against Great Qian could not be delayed. If he dared to delay, the Snake Father would dare to replace him.
"Damn."
She Xi understood that the Snake Father had never truly cared for him. While he had been favored, it was only to that extent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been utterly defeated. It was clear that the Snake Father didn't care about the means, only the victory, not the failure.
So he had only one choice: to act.
If he were betrayed and killed in the process, the Snake Father wouldn't care. He would only reward the victor.
Perhaps to the Yousi snake people, the Snake Father was great and benevolent, but to She Xi, the two years of sacrifices had gradually revealed the Snake Father's true nature—cold and calculating.
Now he understood why She Qi had hoped he would remain true to himself before dying. After realizing what the Snake Father truly was, he, like She Qi, had the idea of wanting to seal the sacrifices.
But he didn't dare, because he still had enemies who could replace him at any moment. If he acted, and they succeeded in their sacrifices, the Snake Father would abandon him.
Replacing a spokesperson was no big deal.
He felt powerless about his situation because everything he had was a gift from the Snake Father. Without it, he would have no power, just an ordinary snake person.
"We can only start the campaign now." She Xi had no room for hesitation; he had to act.
If he failed...
'Maybe it would be better?' A thought flashed through She Xi's mind. If the Snake Father died and he found a place to hide, it might be for the best.
'No, I can completely obtain the Snake Father's power and become the new Snake Father.'
If he was going to die anyway, why bother with these concerns?
A new plan was forming in his mind. He would use others to kill the Snake Father.
As long as the Snake Father died and he obtained its power, She Xi would flee immediately, never staying in the same place. Then, after a thousand or so years, when the current Qian Emperor was dead, he could return and recreate the previous situation, causing the human dynasty to collapse, ensuring that the national fortune would no longer suppress them.
If he had to choose between his life and his clan, She Xi would choose his life without hesitation.
Two years ago, he might have chosen the clan, but not now. There were people in the clan who wanted to harm him, yet no one considered his well-being. The Snake Father had never shown him any favor, only wanting to see who would be the victor.
Then he would show everyone who the true venomous snake was.
"High Priest, you summoned me?" A snake person slithered over, looking puzzled.
"Yes, inform all the clan members that we will soon counterattack the surface. Before that, we will hold a large-scale sacrifice to ask the Snake Father to bless us in our extermination of the human race!" She Xi declared.
This was a necessary procedure. After all, they still needed the Snake Father's protection to shield them from the suppression of the Great Qian's national fortune.
Over the years, She Xi hadn't just been buried in the Yousi territory, tidying up the snake people. He had also been secretly probing the outside world through regions where the national fortune of Great Qian was weaker. The growth of Great Qian's national fortune made She Xi quite uneasy, confirming that the current Qian Emperor was a deeply hidden dragon, far more capable than they had anticipated.
The thought that a seemingly useless person they had chosen at random turned out to be such a brilliant leader infuriated She Xi.
However, no matter how angry he was, the situation was already beyond his control.
"Isn't this too hasty? The clan members have only been trained for two years. Sending them to battle now might be too much for them to handle," a snake person said somewhat tactfully.
Battle wasn't something everyone desired, especially these snake people who had been accustomed to a life of art and pleasure. Why should they risk their immortal lives and endure such rigorous training?
Though the snake people appeared to respect She Xi, the majority of them in the Yousi territory harbored significant resentment towards him.
Imagine being a millionaire with no worries about food or drink, only to suddenly have a leader appear and impose intense daily training. Even if they could tolerate it, being asked to risk their lives was something no one would willingly do. This resentment would only fester and eventually erupt.
"Unprepared? When will they ever be prepared—ten years, a hundred years, or a thousand years?" She Xi was very dissatisfied. If they weren't ready, who would explain that to the Snake Father?
They couldn't really think that numbers and righteousness alone would be enough to make the Snake Father spare them, could they?
"This..." The snake person was taken aback by the High Priest's decisiveness. He wished he hadn't spoken up. While he didn't particularly want to go to war, he had only meant to voice a concern. He hadn't expected such a strong reaction from the High Priest, leaving him at a loss.
"What do you mean, 'this'? Go and inform everyone immediately. A thousand days of training, one day of use. The Snake Father has bestowed great power upon us, and we must offer human blood as tribute to honor His gift," She Xi's eyes flashed with a cold light. Could this young snake person be one of the hidden remnants?
Otherwise, why would he try to stop him?
"Yes, High Priest, I will inform them immediately," the snake person replied, seeing the cold glint in She Xi's eyes. He knew he couldn't oppose the High Priest any further. If he dared to say more, She Xi would surely take action.
As the High Priest of Yousi, She Xi had no trouble executing him if he chose to.
Seeing the snake person leave, She Xi's expression softened slightly.
"Either he doesn't know his place or someone is manipulating him from behind. I'll have someone investigate this." She Xi had no intention of letting this go. Those who opposed him were either hidden remnants within the snake people or a misunderstanding on his part.
Regardless, he intended to investigate.
"Dushiqi, go and investigate. We can't afford any mistakes at this critical moment," She Xi said.
"Yes, High Priest, I will investigate immediately," a snake person in the shadows responded, turning into a green light and flying away.
This was one of his personally trained assassins, a loyal force entirely under his command. Each snake person in this group had been carefully selected and vetted to prevent any remnants from infiltrating.
Only by having such a loyal force could he feel at ease.
"It would be best if those remnants oppose me during this sacrifice. That way, I can crush them along with my plans."
She Xi knew the likelihood of this was low. After all, these remnants had been biding their time for so long; they wouldn't suddenly jump out to fight him now.
The best time for them would be during the battle, when they could strike from behind and take control of the entire snake people clan.
"I need to prepare for this sacrifice. It's a large-scale event, and the Snake Father must be shown the utmost respect." She Xi would never reveal his true thoughts. Such disrespect, if known by other snake people, even his own assassins, would lead to their betrayal.
The Snake Father was the supreme deity in the snake people's faith, and he, the High Priest, was not enough to replace the Snake Father in their hearts.
(End of Chapter)
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