Chapter 00013: The Goal of Grand Tutor Sun
# The Goal of Grand Tutor Sun
Chapter 13
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 13: The Goal of Grand Tutor Sun
Grand Tutor Sun lowered his voice, "—When the Panlong Wasteland became a forbidden land once more, and the Great Wind Army was on the brink of destruction, Zhong Shengguang performed a blood sacrifice to the gods!"
He Lingchuan exclaimed in shock, "A blood sacrifice to the gods!"
Nian Songyu raised a finger to his lips and softly shushed him, "Keep your voice down. Talking about this recklessly could cost you your head."
He Chunhua's expression turned grave, and he also lowered his voice, "Since it was a blood sacrifice to the gods, of course, it was kept secret."
A blood sacrifice to the gods was exactly what it sounded like—offering blood to deities.
The Kingdom of Yuan had outlawed blood sacrifices to the gods, enshrining it in their fundamental laws.
The punishment was severe—getting caught meant, at the very least, execution.
In worse cases, entire families could be wiped out, and even high-ranking officials wouldn't be spared.
In truth, it wasn't just Yuan.
Every nation in the world had similar laws, differing only in the severity of the punishment.
He Lingchuan would never forget that his own family had been executed by the emperor because his grandfather was falsely accused of performing a blood sacrifice to the gods.
Those two words—"blood sacrifice"—were like a thorn in the hearts of the He family.
However, the so-called prohibition against blood sacrifices didn't include offerings to mountain spirits, water deities, household gods, or other folk deities.
After all, people had an innate desire for prosperity, health, and good fortune, and such practices couldn't be entirely stamped out.
What nations strictly forbade was the private worship of specific, named deities—what the authorities referred to as "evil gods" or "malevolent spirits."
For example, the crime that led to the execution of He Lingchuan's family was the worship of "Tongming Zhenjun."
Here's the key point—the primary criterion for determining a "blood sacrifice" was whether the ritual involved live offerings or human sacrifices.
If you were just muttering a few prayers in your heart or offering a plate of roasted chicken or dried fish to some deity, no matter who you were worshiping, the state wouldn't bother with you.
"Which deity did Zhong Shengguang worship?"
"Mitian."
Sun Fuping quickly explained, "There's no formal title because the original text simply states, 'He prostrated himself and sought relief from Mitian.' Xiluo also prohibits blood sacrifices, so Zhong Shengguang had no choice. I doubt He Jian recorded the entire process in detail."
The name was unfamiliar, and He Chunhua pondered, "Grand Tutor, have you ever heard of this deity?"
"No," Sun Fuping shook his head.
"But Zhong Shengguang performed a blood sacrifice, and the offering was his own daughter!"
He Chunhua's expression changed, "What?"
Zhong Shengguang was truly a ruthless man, offering his own flesh and blood to the gods.
He Lingchuan inwardly clicked his tongue.
No wonder it was an evil god—it demanded human lives.
"So, what did this deity grant in return?"
"The deity was greatly pleased and bestowed generous gifts, enabling them to kill one and subdue a hundred."
Sun Fuping spread his hands, "That's all the text we can read. The rest is damaged and illegible."
"That's as good as saying nothing. If the deity was so generous, what exactly did it grant to repel the enemy?" He Lingchuan was dissatisfied.
"You two have come all this way. Surely you have some clues?" There was no need to keep them in suspense now.
He felt a pang of sorrow.
No matter how brave and mighty Zhong Shengguang was, when he reached the end of his strength and could see no way out, even he couldn't resist turning to the gods for help.
On the other hand, what kind of power did the gods possess that allowed the Great Wind Army, trapped in a hopeless situation, to turn the tide and hold out for another twenty years?
The young man was ignorant, daring to show disrespect even to the Grand Tutor.
Sun Fuping glanced at him, "He Jian's writings alone didn't reveal much. It wasn't until recently that the Grand Marshal found an ancient letter—a final testament written by one of Zhong Shengguang's personal guards. By comparing these two ancient artifacts, the truth finally came to light!"
As the He father and son listened intently, the mystery was finally unveiled: "The treasure bestowed by the deity Mitian is called 'Dafang'! Zhong Shengguang referred to it as the 'Dafang Pot,' but in reality, it was a nest of Heart-Bewitching Insects."
Heart-Bewitching Insects? He Lingchuan had to admire whoever named them—it was straightforward and easy to understand.
Anyone hearing the name would immediately know what these insects could do.
But his father immediately complicated the matter: "Does this thing have another, more formal name? Like the 'Three Corpses Insect'?"
"Exactly, the Three Corpses Insect," Nian Songyu said with a smile.
"It has no physical form and resides in three parts of the human body—the head, abdomen, and feet—inducing madness and agitation. Whether you're a martial artist or a mage, the first step in achieving enlightenment is to sever the Three Corpses and break free from delusions. However, ordinary soldiers in the army are no match for it. Once unleashed, it becomes a devastating weapon on the battlefield."
"The blood and ferocity of the military are extremely potent, and they are naturally protected by the nation's fortune, which inherently counters all kinds of magic and evil spirits."
This much, He Lingchuan already knew.
Ghosts never haunted military camps.
Moreover, large-scale magical arts were difficult to employ effectively on the battlefield unless the mage or general casting them was also bolstered by the nation's fortune.
Typically, only a Grand Tutor could achieve this, like the one standing before them now.
Sun Fuping clapped his hands, "But the Three Corpses Insect is something inherent to the human body. It isn't repelled by blood or spiritual energy and can easily attach itself to enemies, forcing them to obey and turn against their own side. It's truly a divine artifact!"
He Chunhua finally understood and let out a long breath, "So, you've come for this divine artifact?"
"Exactly," Sun Fuping said, having now laid everything out clearly.
"If it could help Zhong Shengguang defend the city back then, it can help us repel the enemy now. You don't need to worry about the Three Corpses Insects in the nest dying off—they don't need to breathe, eat, or drink."
He Lingchuan suddenly asked, "The Grand Marshal you mentioned earlier—who is he?"
When they heard the words "Grand Marshal," both He father and son felt a jolt in their hearts.
"Who else could it be?" Nian Songyu raised an eyebrow.
"Of course, it's the current father-in-law of the king, the Pillar of the Nation General, Grand Marshal Dong Haoming!"
Here it comes! He Lingchuan and his father exchanged a glance, both thinking, "As expected."
In just two months, the Pillar of the Nation General's guards, the son of the Xunzhou Governor, and the Grand Tutor of the Great Yuan Kingdom had all appeared in Blackwater City.
This was no coincidence.
Only now did the connection between them become clear.
He Chunhua looked surprised, "So it was the Grand Marshal who found the clue. Then, the two of you are here to...?"
"The king and the Grand Marshal discussed it and sent me to the Panlong Desert. We must retrieve the Dafang Pot before the rebels at Woling Pass finish building their ships and set sail!" Sun Fuping pointed at Nian Songyu, "I passed through Xunzhou, and General Nian sent his strongest men to assist, led by Commandant Nian. But in Blackwater City, we need guides, manpower, and other forms of assistance!"
"Retrieve the Dafang Pot?" He Lingchuan glanced at his father's expression and then looked shocked, "Wait a minute, you're not planning to charge into the Panlong Desert, are you? The Red Cliff Road is about to close. Even a three-year-old in Blackwater City knows that going in now is suicide!"
He grew louder as he spoke, partly for effect and partly out of frustration.
Had trouble come knocking after just fifty-some good days?
He hated these kinds of earth-shattering crises and heroic last stands.
All he wanted was to live a lazy, uneventful life as a second-generation official!
He Chunhua also pondered, "Entering the Panlong Desert at this time is indeed a death sentence. The two of you aren't from Blackwater City, so you haven't seen how ferocious the Panlong Desert can be. Even magical arts are of little use there."
(End of Chapter)