Novel Lived
Chapter 172: Feast, Thirty Days of Celebrations!
Chapter 172: Feast, Thirty Days of Celebrations!
The she-wolf in the red dress flew into the air, her posture seductive. The villagers of Shijia Village looked terrified.
Qi Yuan gazed at the she-wolf, the so-called god of Shijia Village, with a strange expression in his eyes.
"A Nascent Soul cultivator at the peak, wielding a sliver of original divine power?"
He could see at a glance that the so-called god before him was not very powerful, only slightly stronger than the villagers.
A mere Nascent Soul cultivator, though at the peak, had managed to condense a sliver of original divine power through the villagers' offerings.
This was already quite impressive.
In the Canglan Realm, if Nascent Soul cultivators could gain original divine power through such means, the entire realm would descend into chaos, with "gods" everywhere.
It should be noted that the Shang Kingdom had dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators, and the hundred kingdoms had thousands, yet there was not a single Purple Mansion cultivator.
This shows just how vast the gap between Purple Mansion and Nascent Soul cultivators truly is.
The she-wolf in the red dress, exuding a seductive charm, stuck out her broad tongue. "A newly born ancient god, your taste must be delicious."
New gods could enhance their cultivation by devouring ancient gods.
The she-wolf stared at Qi Yuan, her eyes glowing with greed.
Qi Yuan, maintaining a high level of composure, responded lightly, "Hmph, you little creature, you should be able to give me a lot of experience points, right?"
Upon arriving in this world, Qi Yuan discovered that his character level was different from the usual levels of 1 to 100.
Currently, he was at Divine Being Level 1.
And before him, the she-wolf was at Divine Being Level 55.
The difference between the two was... immense.
It was like comparing an early Yuandan cultivator to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
And the opponent was still a god in her own domain, wielding original divine power.
Ordinarily, such a difference would result in Qi Yuan being instantly defeated.
In his current state, without summoning his Stellar Golden Core, Qi Yuan's in-game power was indeed insufficient to overcome such a vast level difference.
"My people, offer your strength to me!"
"Fight by my side!"
The she-wolf in the red dress let out a seductive shout.
The villagers of Shijia Village winced, their faces turning pale.
It was clear that, despite her apparent disdain for Qi Yuan, the she-wolf was going all out from the start.
Countless red light dots flew out from the villagers' bodies, gathering in the hands of the she-wolf and finally forming a massive wolf-toothed club.
Shentu looked at the club, his gums trembling. "It's a sacrificial artifact!"
Sacrificial artifacts were formed from the offerings of countless people, containing the essence of the world's power.
In Qi Yuan's understanding, these were weapons capable of wielding original divine power.
"Interesting," Qi Yuan murmured, intrigued.
This was the first time he had seen someone inscribe original divine power into a weapon like he did.
By this time, Village Chief Yuli had arrived with nearly a hundred villagers.
Seeing the she-wolf absorbing the villagers' offerings, they all showed signs of fear.
"We're doomed!"
"The evil god...!"
"Go, help the lord god!" Village Chief Yuli commanded.
The villagers did not hesitate. This was a time to unite and support Qi Yuan.
But Qi Yuan simply remarked, "The more people, the merrier the feast."
He showed no fear of a Divine Being Level 55 opponent.
"Sword, come!"
With a light command, the sword on Qi Yuan's back flew out of its sheath.
The sword was blood-red, engraved with intricate patterns. The hilt was adorned with seven grim-faced figures, each with a different expression.
A massive wave of bloodthirsty energy spread, turning the entire sky above Shijia Village crimson, as if a demon had descended upon the world.
The villagers of Qingshui Village, who had come to help, froze in their tracks.
The terrifying blood energy felt like an evil weapon that had slaughtered countless lives.
The villagers of Shijia Village looked on in horror. "A demon god!"
"He's a demon god!"
Earlier, the villagers of Qingshui had called Shijia's god an evil god.
Now, the villagers of Shijia were calling Qingshui's god a demon god in return!
Qi Yuan looked at the she-wolf in the red dress. "You have the blessings of your people and the support of your shrine, but I have a sword that will sever your head!"
For once, Qi Yuan felt justified in saying, "I'll cut off your head," because the opponent truly had a wolf's head.
"Sword, go."
Qi Yuan didn’t even lift a hand.
He valued his life too much to put himself in harm's way.
At Level 1, if he were to be struck, it would be disastrous.
The sword, inscribed with original divine power, flew towards the she-wolf in the red dress.
Her expression turned to one of fear.
"Where did you get that sacrificial artifact?"
She couldn’t understand.
Despite having left his shrine and domain, how could he still wield a sacrificial artifact, especially one so terrifying?
Compared to the terrifying sword, the wolf-toothed club in her hand was insignificant.
"Chop off the head!" Qi Yuan commanded, giving no explanation.
The sword, engraved with original divine power, shot towards the she-wolf in the red dress.
The original divine power of the Void Lord’s Heart Demon was unleashed.
Against such original divine power at the inscribed level, a mere Nascent Soul peak cultivator stood no chance.
In just half a breath, the guardian deity of Shijia Village fell into madness.
"Eat, I must eat!"
The sword passed through, and the she-wolf’s head fell.
The powerful guardian deity had been effortlessly slain.
A massive amount of experience surged into Qi Yuan’s body.
His level increased from 1 to 2, 3, and finally stopped at Level 11.
The villagers of Shijia Village were stunned.
Village Chief Yuli was also stunned.
The villagers he had brought along were in shock.
A god, having left his shrine, wasn’t supposed to be this powerful, right?
How could he have killed Shijia Village's new god?
Especially the fat man who had been waiting to laugh at Qi Yuan. He was now wide-eyed in disbelief.
"Our god may be a bit odd, but his strength... is incredible!"
How could such a powerful god be born in their run-down village with such a dilapidated shrine?
It didn’t make sense.
Village Chief Yuli’s eyes focused on the blood-red sword.
"The strength isn’t from the god—it’s from that sword!"
He could tell that the sword contained a strong concentration of original divine power.
If it grew stronger, it could become a divine artifact!
An artifact capable of subduing an entire city!
"Our ancient god must have been born with this sword, perhaps the offspring of a true god!" Yuli deduced.
The other villagers, upon hearing this, became excited.
Their god, born in a shabby village, must have an impressive background!
"If our god is this powerful, maybe we can eat two steamed buns at once!"
The villagers began to dream big.
Meanwhile, the villagers of Shijia Village were gripped with fear.
Especially the most powerful family in Shijia Village.
They had invited the new god, and their fates were now intertwined with the god’s.
With the god dead, they...
"No!"
A terrifying wolf head burst out of one villager’s body.
Soon after, similar wolf heads emerged from the bodies of a dozen other villagers.
"They’ve been assimilated by the new god. Now that the god is dead, they’ll turn into... god-spawns!" Shentu quickly explained.
The more loyal someone was to the new god, the more benefits they received. The new god would gradually assimilate them, turning them into temple guards.
But if the new god died, they would become mindless god-spawns, driven only by the urge to kill.
In an instant, dozens of god-spawns appeared from the most arrogant family in Shijia Village.
"Big boss dead, turned into mini-bosses?"
Qi Yuan glanced at them.
The blood-red sword transformed into a streak of light.
"All things are exorcised!"
"Behead them all!"
"Let’s feast!"
"For thirty days straight!"
If killing the whole family meant extending the feast by several days, why not?
The blood-red sword streaked through Shijia Village.
With every god-spawn beheaded, Qi Yuan’s smile widened.
The feast could last another day.
In just a few breaths, the terrifying god-spawns were all slain by Qi Yuan.
His experience points increased slightly.
Compared to the guardian god, the experience gained from the god-spawns was negligible.
With all the god-spawns defeated, Qi Yuan and Shentu landed in Shijia Village.
Qi Yuan’s expression was stern, his aura powerful.
The blood-red sword returned to its scabbard.
The remaining villagers of Shijia Village quickly knelt. "Lord God, spare us!"
There was no escaping now, so all they could do was beg for mercy.
"We didn’t truly worship the new god. It was all that damned Shi Fugui’s doing!"
The burly man, who had been pinned down earlier, knelt sincerely. "Thank you, Lord God, for saving my child. My life now belongs to you!"
The villagers trembled before Qi Yuan, terrified.
After all, they had just witnessed this god slay their village's guardian deity.
They bowed their heads, anxiously awaiting their fate. After all, ancient gods typically detested those who worshipped new gods. Some would kill such worshippers outright, while kinder gods might show mercy.
But this new god, with his bloodstained sword, didn’t seem like the merciful type. The villagers braced themselves for a harsh judgment.
"What should you do now that your guardian deity is dead?" Qi Yuan asked, looking at the kneeling villagers.
The villagers’ hearts leaped into their throats. They had no idea what this ancient god was getting at.
"Hold a tribunal to judge the crimes of the new god and conduct a trial!" one of the villagers suggested, trembling.
"After the trial, pledge loyalty to the ancient god!" another added.
"Build a new shrine for the ancient god, and craft a new statue!" a third chimed in.
The villagers stammered their responses, accepting their new reality. Compared to staying alive, the effort and expense of building a shrine and statue seemed trivial.
Qi Yuan, hearing their suggestions, was dumbfounded.
These people... don’t they have any common sense?
"The evil god is dead, so what you should be doing is throwing a feast!"
"I’ve already killed over thirty of that evil god’s minions, so the feast should last thirty days!" Qi Yuan declared loudly.
His voice echoed throughout Shijia Village.
The villagers of Shijia were utterly bewildered.
A feast? What does he mean?
The burly man, formerly pinned down, quickly snapped out of his shock and shouted, "Hurry up and prepare the feast!"
The other villagers nodded frantically. "Yes, a feast!"
At this point, survival was a blessing, so they were more than willing to comply with the ancient god's command.
And so, Shijia Village sprang to life with activity as preparations for the feast began.
The villagers of Qingshui Village, who had been watching with growing hunger, finally received Qi Yuan’s approval to join the feast. They eagerly approached the tables.
Seeing the abundant food on the tables—meat, no less—the villagers of Qingshui Village couldn’t help but drool. They had been starving for too long.
Without the blessings of a god and with their water source cut off, their crops had all but failed.
In contrast, Shijia Village’s granaries were overflowing, and they had no shortage of pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, and fish.
Even Qi Yuan was slightly taken aback.
No wonder people flocked to worship new gods.
Following a new god indeed led to better food.
Over thirty tables were set up, but no one dared to start eating until Qi Yuan did.
Qi Yuan rose from his seat and raised a cup of wine.
"Today, we gather with heavy hearts."
"The heavens weep, the earth mourns. My dear brother, the guardian deity of Shijia Village, the wolf-god, has tragically passed away and left us forever."
His voice was filled with emotion, tinged with sadness.
The villagers of Shijia Village exchanged confused glances, as did the villagers of Qingshui Village. Everyone was... baffled.
Then, Qi Yuan extended his hand, signaling for something.
The burly man, catching on quickly, gave a nod. Soon, several old women in white robes—professional mourners—appeared.
"Oh, God, you died so horribly!"
"Wuu wuu..."
These women wailed with such conviction, it seemed as though they were mourning their own relatives.
Qi Yuan listened to their cries, feeling that the solemnity of the occasion was just right.
"Let the feast begin!" he declared, diving into the food, nearly swallowing a whole pig’s head in one bite.
He was starving.
Ever since he had arrived in this world, he had never felt as hungry as he did now.
The villagers of Qingshui Village, like starving ghosts, tore into the food with wild abandon.
Some secretly hoarded food, hiding it away for later.
They were just that hungry.
...
Back in Qingshui Village.
Two old men lay on a haystack, munching on steamed buns.
"Sigh, when will this suffering end?"
"Not long now. If the lord god dies in Shijia Village, Qingshui Village will be next. At least I saved some dry food; I won’t die hungry."
"This newly born ancient god is really strange. If he had stayed in the village, we could have survived a little longer. But going to Shijia Village... that’s like throwing a bun to a dog."
These two old men voiced the thoughts of nearly everyone in the village.
No one believed the newly born ancient god could defeat the new god.
And even if he did win, the aftermath would be terrible.
Feihuang City had practically become a stronghold for new gods.
There was almost no place left for the ancient gods.
Just then, they heard the sound of rustling nearby.
One of the old men called out, puzzled, "Sister Jiang, what are you doing out here so late?"
A frail-looking middle-aged woman raised her head, her eyes glowing with hope but her voice weak. "There’s a feast."
"Huh?" The old man felt like he had heard those words before but couldn’t quite place them.
"The lord god killed the evil god, and there’s a feast in Shijia Village. We’re going to help... and eat."
Hearing this, the old man was stunned.
The lord god killed the evil god? In the evil god’s own territory?
His eyes lit up. "A feast!"
None of the other details mattered. The feast was what mattered.
...
In Shijia Village, the evil god had been slain, and the most powerful family in the village had been entirely wiped out by Qi Yuan.
Their granaries, filled to the brim with food, had been looted.
On the first day, the feast was in honor of the fallen evil god. On the second day, the feast continued.
With so many people dead, there was plenty of reason to keep the feast going!
One day, a thin old man, dressed in scholarly robes, was traveling in a horse-drawn carriage pulled by a skinny horse.
His eyes were half-closed, and he looked seriously injured.
"Sir, are you alright?" Huang Mengying asked with concern.
"The new god in Kuangfeng Town was stronger than expected.
The town is fortified with five hundred guards. In its home territory, I was heavily injured in the battle and will need three years to recover before I can fight again," the old scholar said with a sigh. "I have failed Lord Huang’s trust."
Huang Mengying’s worry deepened, but she still tried to console him. "As long as you’re alright, sir."
"Alas, six of the seven towns have fallen under the control of new gods, leaving Feihuang City to stand alone," the old scholar lamented.
Feihuang City had always worshipped the ancient gods.
There was an ancient god enshrined in the city.
But twenty years ago, that ancient god fell into a deep sleep and would not wake.
The situation in the city deteriorated.
Many influential families within the city began secretly advocating for the worship of new gods.
Huang Mengying’s father, the city lord, naturally resisted this, suppressing the powerful families.
But these families, unable to sway the city, colluded with the towns and villages, toppling ancient gods to welcome new ones.
Now, six of the seven towns under Feihuang City’s jurisdiction worshipped new gods.
As for the villages, most had turned to new gods, with few still worshipping the ancient ones.
The old scholar was a close friend of the city lord and a powerful late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, personally invited by the city lord to eliminate the new gods in the towns and weaken their influence.
Unfortunately, after killing just one new god, he encountered a second and was seriously injured.
At that moment, the sound of suona horns reached them, an unusually lively scene for a village near Feihuang City.
The old scholar was puzzled. "Boy, what’s happening in the village up ahead?"
"Sir, I’ll go find out."
The young boy driving the carriage jumped down and ran towards the village.
Before long, he returned. "Sir, it’s Shijia Village. They’re having a feast!"
"Shijia Village, having a feast?" The old scholar was taken aback.
If he remembered correctly, Shijia Village was home to an evil god.
"It’s because the ancient god of Qingshui Village killed the evil god of Shijia Village, and now they’re having a feast!"
Hearing this, the old scholar smiled. "How interesting. I must see this for myself."
Huang Mengying was also intrigued.
This situation was indeed unusual.
In these troubled times, it was rare for an ancient god to slay a new god.
And to kill a new god and then boldly host a feast? That was even rarer.
After all, the new gods were so powerful now that many ancient gods could barely protect themselves, let alone openly defy them.
"Let’s go take a look," Huang Mengying said, her curiosity piqued.
She was well-versed in the history of the county and knew all the deities worshipped in the villages under Feihuang City.
Qingshui Village worshipped the Dogtail Grass God, the lowest of the low.
How could such a god defeat the evil god of Shijia Village?
The carriage rolled forward, the passengers each with their own thoughts, until they reached Shijia Village and were greeted by a bustling scene.
They also saw coffins laid out on the ground, with people wailing around them.
What had been a funeral now seemed utterly absurd amid the celebrations.