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Chapter 701: The Sacrifice, Eliminating the Threat
Chapter 701: The Sacrifice, Eliminating the Threat
At the Snake Father’s sacrifice, all the snake people were whispering to each other. She Xi, dressed in a splendid sacrificial robe, slithered over.
"High Priest, did you really say that we are going to war with the surface?"
"This can't be true, how could we possibly go above ground?"
"..."
The cacophony of voices drowned out She Xi, and his expression grew increasingly grim, though it was hidden behind the bronze mask used for the ceremony, so no one noticed.
He slowly made his way to the Snake Temple and then turned to speak.
"Descendants of Uhis, are you afraid of war?" She Xi’s voice was loud, echoing throughout the land of Uhis.
The voice carried a terrifying pressure, immediately silencing the whispers.
"The Snake Father has bestowed upon us great power, eternal life, and a life of abundance and peace, yet we have never repaid him with adequate sacrifices."
"Do you think that bowing and kneeling will satisfy the Snake Father?"
"No, we need blood sacrifices, enough blood to satisfy the Snake Father. Only then can we repay him. If you refuse to offer sacrifices out of fear, would it not be reasonable for the Snake Father to withdraw his blessings from you?"
She Xi first appealed to a sense of duty and then emphasized the consequences, making it clear that everything they had was a gift from the Snake Father, and if they were unwilling to do even this, it would be just for the Snake Father to withdraw his blessings.
If it did not directly affect their own interests, the snake people would not care, but the prospect of losing everything made them agree.
She Xi also sneered inwardly. He had not expected the number of these remnants to be so significant, able to stir up such a strong public opinion in such a short time. If it were not for his position, authority, and the Snake Father as his ultimate authority, today’s situation would have been difficult to resolve.
His cold snake eyes scanned the snake people below, observing their reactions. In a second, he had noted many of them, as they could be the remnants' backup plans.
After this speech, the snake people’s grievances were suppressed, not eliminated, but unable to be expressed. Otherwise, would they really be willing to give their lives to earn She Xi’s glory?
However, with the Snake Father’s name invoked, they had no choice but to submit. The Snake Father was the supreme being in their hearts, and they could not resist. She Xi’s every word was tied to the Snake Father, leaving no room for rebuttal. Anyone who dared to oppose would be seen as disrespectful to the Snake Father and could be immediately offered as a sacrifice.
Seeing this, She Xi’s expression improved. The enemy had tried to manipulate public opinion to undermine him, but with the Snake Father on his side, even the strongest tide of public opinion could not stand against the righteousness of the Snake Father.
‘Once this sacrifice is complete, it will be time for a purge.’
He would eliminate all the snake people he suspected, even if some might be innocent. As long as he could kill one of the remnants, it would be worth it.
The remnants were deeply hidden. Despite his formidable strength, he had found no leads in two years. In the past, he had captured many, but whether through interrogation or truth-telling, it always turned out he had the wrong individuals. In the end, he had to kill them to silence them, as there was no other choice.
Since the enemy knew his secrets, they could not be left alive. He had no room for mercy.
"Then, let the sacrifice begin." Seeing no opposition, She Xi naturally declared it. Once the sacrifice was complete, the matter would be settled, and no one could speak against it. To stop the war would be a sign of disrespect to the Snake Father.
The sacrifice began, a complex and grand affair. Fortunately, She Xi’s 8th-stage strength allowed him to endure, as most snake people might not have been able to.
This grand sacrifice was not like ordinary ones, with numerous rituals and ceremonies.
As the sacrifice neared its end, a magnificent light burst forth from the altar, breaking through the Snake Temple and illuminating the entire land of Uhis.
The light exploded in the air, transforming into countless rays that entered the bodies of every snake person, including She Xi.
After completing the final ritual and thanking the Snake Father for his blessings, She Xi concluded the sacrifice. The entire process lasted five days.
She Xi’s heart sank. ‘The Snake Father’s blessing can indeed resist the influence of the Great Qian’s national fortune to some extent. But why didn’t he show this to us before? Is it because I wasn’t the High Priest back then, so I couldn’t benefit from it?’
Back when he was an official in the Great Qian Dynasty along with other non-human races, he had once tried to offer sacrifices to the Snake Father on the altar, hoping to gain this ability, but the Snake Father did not grant it.
‘However, it doesn’t matter now. Everything has begun, and I only hope the plan proceeds smoothly.’ She Xi had no intention of engaging in a life-or-death struggle with the Great Qian. This blessing could only resist the Great Qian’s national fortune to a certain extent, not completely ignore it.
This meant they still had to fight with their lives, and they couldn’t rely on sheer strength alone.
Moreover, over the past two years, the Great Qian had developed a unique ability called Wudao. After humans practiced it, they transformed from weak prey into formidable enemies.
This caught She Xi off guard. He was certain that this was the work of the Qian Emperor. The combination of Wudao and the Great Qian’s national fortune made She Xi increasingly helpless. With only two years of development, the Wudao culture was still not widespread, but if they waited another twenty years, those human prey would truly launch a counterattack against the Uhis.
This was likely one of the reasons the Snake Father wanted him to quickly bring down the Great Qian, and the source of this blessing.
“High Priest, who will be the commander for this campaign?” On the way back, his deputy, a snake person, asked.
She Xi glanced at him, having already put him on the list. He hadn’t expected that this loyal deputy would have other thoughts, or perhaps he was one of the remnants, so he needed to be investigated.
“I will take command. This war involves all snake people, and I am no exception.”
“The Snake Father’s blessing is enough to demonstrate the importance of this.”
She Xi’s snake eyes narrowed, trying to discern any signs of treachery from his deputy’s expression.
“It’s excellent that you will take command, only you have the qualifications to lead the snake people,” the deputy hurriedly flattered, noticing She Xi’s displeasure at the question.
She Xi nodded, withdrawing his gaze without a word.
The deputy showed no signs of treachery, acting exactly as he always did, but to She Xi, the lack of any flaw was the biggest flaw.
‘If my deputy is a spy, no wonder the remnants know so many secrets. Ha, it looks like the upcoming purge will focus on him.’ Now, She Xi saw everyone as potential traitors who wanted to stab him in the back and claim his victory.
Thus, he gave no one a good face.
“Sir, do you have any orders?” The deputy felt the atmosphere becoming awkward, noticing a shift in She Xi’s attitude towards him, so he asked, his voice growing softer as he sensed She Xi’s imposing presence.
He was trying to flatter She Xi, but in She Xi’s eyes, this was not flattery but an attempt to use the opportunity of a task to contact the remnants and gain access to secrets.
As a deputy, he wouldn’t be given just any menial task.
Recalling the tasks he had assigned, She Xi felt a chill. Many of his secrets might have been known to the remnants.
‘I must have the loyalists quickly eliminate this deputy and interrogate him for the whereabouts of other remnants, as well as check if there are other spies around me.’
“Nothing special. If I must, bring a document from my home, it’s...” She Xi said.
“Yes, High Priest, I’ll go immediately.” The deputy felt relieved at the task, especially since it was a menial one, as staying near She Xi was too stressful.
After the deputy left, She Xi retreated into the shadows and whispered, “Once he leaves my residence, arrest him on charges of stealing secrets and interrogate him thoroughly. Make him reveal everything related to the remnants.”
Since he was on the list, She Xi had no intention of letting him go, even if he might be innocent.
(End of Chapter)
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