Yang Dingding was not idle either.
He heard that the Lord intended for him to temporarily take the role of Duke Martial, and he was so excited he almost jumped into the air.
“Really? Did the Lord really say that?”
Xiao Bi nodded. “It is true! I heard everyone saying it!”
Without another word, Yang Dingding tore off all the bandages wrapped tightly around his body.
Su Xue happened to be passing by and saw this scene, her face darkening instantly.
“Yang Dingding, your injuries haven't healed yet! You cannot do such strenuous exercise!”
Yang Dingding waved her off. “It is fine, it is fine! We of the Ghost Ram Clan get stronger the more we are injured!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed Xiao Bi and the little rabbit and ran off at lightning speed, ignoring Su Xue's shouts from behind.
Yang Dingding rampaged through the stone forest until he finally found the Scorpion Demon, who was currently on patrol.
The Scorpion Demon was wearing a tattered piece of leather armor he had scavenged from somewhere, leading a dozen little demons through the stone forest with an air of great self-importance.
Yang Dingding rushed over and, without a word, punched the Scorpion Demon right in the face.
Thwack!
The Scorpion Demon was dazed, seeing stars as he staggered back several steps.
“You... what are you doing?!” He clutched his face, both shocked and furious.
Yang Dingding looked triumphant. He turned to the little demons and waved his hand. “You lot, follow me!”
The little demons looked at each other, then at Yang Dingding, and then back at the Scorpion Demon, unsure of who to obey.
“The Lord has ordered me to take the role of Duke Martial and train a ceremonial guard. You are all able-bodied recruits now, so follow me!”
As soon as they heard it was the Lord's command, the little demons immediately abandoned the Scorpion Demon and scurried over to stand behind Yang Dingding.
The Scorpion Demon stood there with a bruised face, feeling indignant and aggrieved as he watched his subordinates being snatched away. He stomped his feet in anger but did not dare to give chase, left only to fume in silence.
Yang Dingding led the group of little demons to an open space and began their training.
“Attention!”
“At ease!”
“Left turn!”
“Right turn!”
The little demons were a chaotic mess. Some turned left, some turned right, some spun in circles, and some simply tripped and fell to the ground.
Yang Dingding cursed in frustration. “How can you not even tell left from right?”
The little demons looked at him pitifully. They had lived in the Earth Dissolving Cave their entire lives and had never stood in a line, let alone practiced military posture. They had no idea what left or right meant.
Yang Dingding massaged his forehead and began to teach them one by one.
“You, stand here.”
“You, stand over there.”
“You, stand in the middle.”
After a long day of fussing, he finally managed to get the formation straight.
Then, he began to teach them how to march.
“Heads up, chests out, stomachs in!”
“Keep your steps in sync! Swing your arms!”
“One, two, one! One, two, one!”
The little demons marched clumsily, looking like a flock of drunken ducks.
But Yang Dingding was satisfied.
“Not bad, not bad! There is progress!”
“Again!”
With long faces, the little demons continued to march. They went over it again and again until their legs felt like jelly, yet none dared to stop.
They were unskilled and struggled with everything, but every single one of them was full of drive.
Because they knew this was for the Grand Sacrifice—a ceremony held to thank the Lord who had rescued them from their misery.
It was also the first true ceremony in Tianchi Province in a thousand years, a symbol that their suffering was finally coming to an end.
Everyone was filled with enthusiasm.
The suffering that had plagued Tianchi Province for ten thousand years was finally about to pass.
Everyone could look forward to a better tomorrow.
And so, everyone was busy.
...
For several days, busy little demons were everywhere in the stone forest.
Some were clearing rubble, some were moving earth and stone, and others were repairing the ground.
The craters left behind after the marks of the hundred corpse patchwork were purified were filled with stones and mud. The jagged rocks were moved away and piled to the side.
The ground was swept clean, and a large open space was cleared beneath the central stone tree.
The little demons brought over stones and built them into a high platform.
The simple sacrificial altar was only three feet tall, but it was sturdy. Every stone had been carefully selected and placed neatly.
An offering table was set in front of the platform.
The offering table was made from a flat stone slab, polished smooth and covered with a white cloth.
The white cloth had been brought from the underground city; it was faded from washing but perfectly clean.
The table was piled with what looked like junk, but the little demons treated these items like treasures, arranging them with great care.
On both sides of the high platform stood flags woven from branches and vines, provided through the generosity of Su Xue.
Various little bones were hung from the flags, clinking and tinkling in the wind.
Though the entire venue was simple, it had been prepared with the utmost heart and effort by the little demons.
A few days later.
The stone forest looked entirely different.
The days of purification by Nie Chaoxi had made the air much fresher.
Though the gray-green clouds still lingered in the sky, they had thinned considerably. Sunlight could now pierce through, spilling onto the ground with a hint of warmth.
Beneath the stone tree, the high platform stood tall.
The offerings on the table were swapped out time and again, as the little demons always felt they weren't good enough and wanted to find something better.
Finally, Yang Dingding settled the matter. “Enough, these will do. If you keep changing them, we will never finish.”
Only then did the little demons stop.
The Grand Sacrifice began.
Jing Hui stood on the high platform, looking down at the dense crowd of little demons. He saw their expectant gazes, their excited faces, and the survivors whose eyes were brimming with tears.
“Everyone.”
“I am Jing Hui. A thousand years ago, I was the master of this province.”
“Later, I went mad. I killed many people and committed many wrongs.”
“I have failed Tianchi Province, I have failed your ancestors, and I have failed everyone I ever harmed.”
As he spoke, he bent his waist and gave a deep bow.
“But today, I stand here not to repent.”
“But to console.”
“To console the heroic spirits who perished in this suffering that has lasted ten thousand years.”
“To console the ancestors who sacrificed themselves to protect their kin and Tianchi Province.”
He paused, his voice turning low.
“I know that many of you no longer remember your ancestors.”
“Hiding for so many years—hiding underground, hiding in caves—you have almost forgotten who you are.”
“But I remember.”
“I remember Duke Wen, I remember Duke Martial, and I remember Duke Wu. I remember every person who ever fought side by side with me.”
“I remember their names, I remember their faces, and I remember what they did for Tianchi Province.”
“Today, I shall tell you of their deeds.”
“So that you may know how brave your ancestors once were.”
“So that you may know how glorious Tianchi Province once was.”
“I promise you all: Tianchi Province will get better.”
He turned to face the offering table and bowed deeply. Chan Yi immediately led the Mingchan Clan to chant in unison.
“The sky is vast and gray, the earth is boundless—”
“Return, O souls, do not wander—”
“The Three Dukes are here to protect the four directions—”
“White Bone emerges to sweep the eight wastes—”
“The old pass away, the new flourish—”
“Tianchi prospers for ten thousand years—”
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