Nie Chaoxi received her orders and departed.
Jing Hui recovered from his initial shock and walked over to Chen Zhou's side. With a complex expression, he spoke in a low voice.
“My Lord, I observed that lady's mind to be clear and lucid, without the slightest hint of madness or addiction.”
“I never imagined that an eerie object like the Golden Buddha could be controlled by you.”
A thousand years ago, he had sacrificed everything for the Golden Buddha.
His kin, his friends, his sanity, and his life—all were lost to it.
In the end, the Golden Buddha had taken root within him, turning him into a madman.
And now, the Golden Buddha was right before his eyes, being effortlessly wielded by a young lady as if it were her own property.
This contrast left a bitter taste in his heart.
Chen Zhou smiled. “It is not quite as you think. I am not that powerful. The one who actually processed the Golden Buddha is someone else; I merely lent a hand.”
“As for Chaoxi being able to fuse with the Golden Buddha trait, that is due to her own exceptional talent.”
Otherwise, out of all the people who shared the New Year's Eve dinner prepared by the Heavenly Chef, why was she the only one to hit the jackpot?
Jing Hui was stunned for a moment, but he still said:
“You are right, my Lord. Opportunity is not something that can be forced. However, it is also because you are skilled at managing subordinates.”
“In this chaotic world, swift steeds are common, but a Bole who can recognize them is rare.”
“The fact that you could discover her talent, give her the opportunity, and allow her to utilize her strengths is more important than anything else.”
“You are far superior to me.”
“Encountering you is their great fortune.”
“I am truly envious.”
Hearing this, Chen Zhou spoke directly, “There is no need for envy. Do you want to take a job under me?”
“You can do it too. Have faith in yourself.”
Jing Hui gave a bitter smile. “Please do not joke, my Lord.”
“My remnant soul relies on this paper body to persist, and as you know, it will dissipate before long.”
“In this lifetime, to have seen the descendant of an old friend, to know that Wan Xiu is dead, and to see the Golden Buddha subdued... I am already content.”
“I dare not ask for anything more.”
Chen Zhou did not speak, but he secretly activated his Law-Evaluating Eye.
Golden light swirled in his eyes as he looked at Jing Hui. He saw that the golden light was already hidden within his body, and he knew that the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm was already beginning to exert its power.
Chen Zhou deactivated the Law-Evaluating Eye and smiled without saying a word.
Seeing this expression, Jing Hui was somewhat confused.
“My Lord, what is it?”
Chen Zhou shook his head. “It is nothing.”
He thought for a moment and decided to help Jing Hui dissipate sooner so that he could reincarnate earlier. He said, “Since you feel you are about to dissipate, then before you go, perform one last Purity and Filth Grand Sacrifice.”
“Just as you used to do when you were alive.”
Jing Hui was taken aback.
Chen Zhou continued, “The great enemy of Tianchi Province has been removed, but filth energy still runs rampant. If the plague is not eradicated, the demons will never truly be able to live and work in peace on this land.”
“Now, the Mingchan Clan has all emerged, and the Ghost Ram Clan has seen the light of day again.”
“Although the Peach Clan has no survivors, I can have Nie Chaoxi assist you, temporarily taking the place of Duke Wen to eradicate the plague.”
“What do you think?”
Jing Hui was suddenly at a loss for words. “My Lord... I do not know what to say...”
“How have I deserved such kindness from you...”
Chen Zhou waved his hand. “Enough with the pleasantries. Just tell me if you can do it.”
Jing Hui took a deep breath, even though he had no lungs.
“I can.”
“These old bones of mine can handle one last task.”
“My Lord, thank you.”
Chen Zhou nodded. “Go then. Prepare yourself.”
Jing Hui turned and walked toward the depths of the stone forest.
He walked very slowly. His soul-body was unstable, and his paper legs were not very agile, causing him to sway with every step.
Yet, Jing Hui kept his back straight as a spear.
The news spread much faster than Chen Zhou had anticipated.
The news that Jing Hui was going to hold a Grand Sacrifice spread through the stone forest as if it had grown wings.
“Did you hear? Lord Jing Hui is going to hold a Grand Sacrifice!”
“What is a Grand Sacrifice?”
“You do not even know what a Grand Sacrifice is? It is the kind where you sacrifice to ancestors, console the dead, and pray for peace!”
“Then what do we need to prepare?”
“I do not know! I only heard my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather say that there used to be frequent ceremonies to sacrifice to heaven. This is my first time participating too!”
The little demons of the stone forest were both excited and nervous. Most of them had been born and raised underground. Forget a Grand Sacrifice—they had never even seen a proper ceremony.
Some of the more lively ones surrounded Yang Dingding, who had come from the underground city, chirping away with questions.
Yang Dingding was so annoyed by the noise that he let out a loud roar, “All of you, shut up!”
The little demons fell silent instantly.
Yang Dingding scratched his head, thought for a moment, and said, “A Grand Sacrifice requires preparing offerings, a venue, and a ceremonial procession.”
“As for offerings... what do we have?”
The little demons looked at each other.
What could they possibly have?
Tasteless berries?
Dried moss?
Or the junk they had brought out from the underground city?
Looking at their pathetic state, Yang Dingding also felt a bit troubled.
“Forget it, just use whatever we have.”
“As long as the intent is there, it will suffice.”
The little demons nodded and ran off, beginning to rummage through their belongings.
They found some glowing stones, dried leaves, and even feathers they had picked up from who-knows-where.
They held these things carefully in their hands and gathered together, discussing how to arrange and decorate them.
“Put the stones here, the leaves there, and stick the feathers in the middle!”
“No, no, the feathers should be at the very top. That looks better!”
“What do you know? We should put the best things at the very front so the Lord can see them at a glance!”
The little demons argued incessantly, none of them willing to yield.
Finally, they found Chan Yi and asked the old ancestor to mediate.
Chan Yi sat on a rock, leaning on his cane, looking extremely aged.
He had just recovered from the effort of divining the location of the Eternal Scars. His lifespan was nearly drained, and he looked as if he already had one foot in the grave.
But upon hearing about the Purity and Filth Grand Sacrifice and that the Mingchan Clan was needed to temporarily take the place of their ancestor, Duke Wu, Chan Yi trembled with excitement.
He stood up with the help of his cane and roared with surprising vigor, “For this position, who else could it be but me, the Earth Cicada ancestor?”
The little demons were startled by his momentum and backed away.
Chan Yi coughed twice, caught his breath, and continued to roar, “Go! Call all the little cicadas here! This ancestor will teach them to sing the sacrificial song!”
The little demons hurried off to call the others.
Before long, the young and old of the Mingchan Clan had all arrived, surrounding Chan Yi.
Chan Yi cleared his throat and began to sing.
“The sky is vast and gray, the earth is boundless—”
His voice was very old, like the wind blowing through withered branches. But when the other Mingchan joined in, the sound changed.
It became clear and melodious, like the tinkling of spring water or the wind blowing through a pine forest.
Chan Yi closed his eyes and listened to his clansmen's singing, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
“Good, good. Sing just like that.”
“Sing louder. Let the ancestors hear you.”
“Let them know that the Mingchan Clan is still alive, still singing.”
The Mingchan sang with even more vigor. Their song echoed through the stone forest, carrying far, far away.
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