The woodcutter brushed the snow from his hands and looked toward Zen Master Wu Hai with a familiar air. "This master looks quite kind-hearted, and his skeletal frame is extraordinary. He must be destined for great things."
Zen Master Wu Hai: "???"
This was the first time in his life someone had complimented his skeletal frame as 'kind-hearted.'
"Since you've all come this far, it must be fate," the woodcutter said with excessive enthusiasm. "The Northern Region is freezing. Come rest your feet in our village and have some hot soup to warm up."
"Jiuquan Village is just ahead."
"Jiuquan Village?" Poison-Wing asked foolishly. "Why does that name sound so unlucky?"
The woodcutter let out a hearty laugh, the frostbite on his face bunching up as he smiled.
"You must be joking, milord. There is no life in the Northern Region, only smiling in the Nine Springs."
"It’s the best sentiment we have here. it means everyone can enjoy eternal blessings in Sukhavati."
Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow.
Is that how 'smiling in the Nine Springs' is supposed to be used?
Even Zen Master Wu Hai, who dealt with bones all day, felt this old man was incredibly sinister.
"Ancestral Master, this..." Zen Master Wu Hai looked at Chen Zhou.
A flicker of amusement passed through Chen Zhou's eyes.
He could see a golden thread deep within the woodcutter's soul, maintaining the connection between his soul and his undying physical body.
Was this Ksitigarbha of Great Vows' doing?
"Let's go have a look."
The corners of Chen Zhou's mouth tilted up as he signaled for the sedan to move.
"I am also curious to see what kind of Sukhavati this 'smiling in the Nine Springs' actually is."
Seeing that the guests had agreed, the woodcutter was so happy he began to dance as he led the group through the wind and snow.
They hadn't gone far when a corpse, half-devoured, appeared by the roadside.
It was a hunter, and a pack of snow wolves was currently surrounding him, tearing at his entrails.
The hunter wasn't dead yet; he didn't even struggle. Instead, he had his hands pressed together in prayer, a blissful smile identical to the woodcutter's on his face as he feebly muttered.
"If I do not enter hell... who will..."
Poison-Wing's brow furrowed at the sight. "This—aren't we going to save him?"
The woodcutter glanced back and waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Don't worry about it. That's Old Man Wang; he's practicing."
"That is his blessing. Sacrificing his body to feed the tigers and cutting his flesh to feed the eagles is a great merit. Once he dies, he can come home for dinner later."
The woodcutter spoke with total indifference.
The expressions of the group became even more peculiar.
What did he mean by 'once he dies, he can come home for dinner later'?
Is this the Northern Region?
Even the simple-minded Poison-Wing felt that something was profoundly wrong.
Just who were the real monsters here?
The cold was bone-chilling, the ice and snow like blades.
Before long, the woodcutter pointed ahead and shouted.
"We're here! We're here!"
Amidst the storm, a dilapidated but brightly lit village appeared before them.
A crooked stone tablet stood at the village entrance, with three large characters written in bright red paint—Jiuquan Village.
The wind and snow intensified, the howling northern gale cutting to the bone, but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the villagers of Jiuquan Village in the slightest.
"Guests! Distinguished guests have arrived!"
With a shout from the woodcutter, Old Li, the once silent village instantly came to life.
Old wooden doors creaked open as men, women, and children emerged from the farmhouses.
These people looked much more normal, except for the occasional faint corpse spots visible on skin not covered by clothing; they were almost indistinguishable from normal humans.
"Are these the distinguished guests from outside?"
"Quickly, quickly, please come inside. We have freshly made hot soup to warm our guests up."
A large group of villagers swarmed around them, their hospitality almost suffocating.
They ignored the 'stay away' aura radiating from Chen Zhou and his party, and they didn't care about Zen Master Wu Hai's terrifying skeletal appearance.
"Sires, please don't be put off. Our place is bitterly cold, but the people's hearts are warm."
Old Li was all smiles as he tugged at Chen Zhou's sleeve, leading him toward the largest house in the village.
Chen Zhou did not refuse. He gave a look to his followers, signaling them to wait and see what would happen.
He was also curious about the ecological environment of the Northern Region; it was quite different from what he had imagined.
Inside, the charcoal fire burned brightly, dispelling the cold from outside.
Several square tables with peeling paint were pushed together, covered with steaming hot food.
But the villagers present ate with great relish, as if the food were the finest delicacies in the world.
"Eat! Why aren't our guests eating?"
Old Li held a chipped earthen bowl and urged them warmly. "This is good stuff we specifically set aside to welcome tomorrow's joyous occasion."
"Joyous occasion?"
Chen Zhou picked up a teacup, gently blowing on the floating tea leaves, and asked nonchalantly, "Old fellow, you just said there is joy tomorrow?"
"It is a grand joyous occasion!"
At the mention of this, Old Li's eyes squinted into slits.
"Tomorrow, the immortal masters of the Heavenly Sword Sect are coming."
"Heavenly Sword Sect?"
Hearing this name, Jian Huaishuang, who had been silent, looked up slightly.
"Indeed, the Heavenly Sword Sect is the top immortal sect of our Northern Region."
Old Li said with a look of pride. "The immortal masters are compassionate. Every five years, they come to these remote areas to select children with good aptitude to take back to the mountain gate for cultivation."
"That's going to become a god! No more suffering from cold or hunger, and one can live forever. If that isn't a grand joyous occasion, what is?"
The surrounding villagers chimed in, their faces full of longing.
"If my Er Gouzi can be chosen, it would be a blessing for my ancestors!"
"I heard that in the Heavenly Sword Sect, they get to eat white flour buns for every meal!"
Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow, gave Jian Huaishuang a half-smile, and then continued to ask.
"Oh? The Northern Region is so dangerous with demons running rampant. Can this Heavenly Sword Sect protect you?"
"Of course they can protect us."
Old Li slapped his thigh. "The immortal masters have boundless divine power. Even the Moon-Swallowing Wolf Demon that rules the Northern Region has to give the immortal masters some face."
"And the immortal masters are kind. Not only do they give the children opportunities, but they also help us resist the wolf demons."
"You don't know, our Northern Region used to be human pens raised by the wolf demons. It's thanks to the compassion of the Heavenly Sword Sect masters helping everyone resist the wolf demons that we have the life we do today."
"As long as enough Offerings are paid every year, the wolf demons won't enter the village."
"Offerings?" Chen Zhou caught the keyword.
"Just some trivial things, a bit of incense, that's all."
Old Li waved it off as if it were a matter of course. "Compared to the children becoming immortals, what does that small price matter?"
Jian Huaishuang's hand, at some point, had already pressed onto the hilt of his sword.
Beneath his paper armor, his body was trembling slightly.
This scene was far too familiar.
In White Jade City, the White Jade Sword Sect had also used the guise of 'recruiting disciples' to take away all the children with superior spiritual roots from the surrounding villages.
The villagers thought they were sending their children to enjoy blessings and cultivate immortality.
Little did they know that as soon as those children entered the sect, their skulls were shaved off, and even their brains were sucked dry by that beast, White Jade.
If it hadn't been for the Lord, everyone in White Jade City would have become a sacrifice for the White Jade Old Ghost.
Rate on N.U.
