I was the Heavenly Emperor in ancient times

Chapter 43 Emerging from the Divine Stone

Ancient wilderness.

The sacred peach tree resembles a dragon or an arm, and the sacred stone is located at the crook of that arm.

Li Jun woke up again, but was trapped once more.

"came back."

He didn't know when it started, but sometimes when Li Jun returned to this place and this era, it felt more like coming home. He had only stayed there for a few days, but here he had been for decades.

Li Jun looked around and noticed some changes.

"The peach blossoms are all in bloom."

It must be said that the space created by cutting off the upper half of the main peak of Kunlun Mountain is increasingly resembling the heavenly realm.

Especially when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, the layers upon layers of flowers stretch out as far as the eye can see, and the deep and mysterious feeling makes Li Jun think of a world within a flower.

A sharp cry came from the lake not far away; the bluebird sensed that Li Jun had woken up and was flying back.

Li Jun: "The Bluebird is still here."

Compared to the chaos and intense sense of crisis that followed, the tranquility here offers a stark contrast.

But after Li Jun finished speaking, he suddenly paused for a moment, because he suddenly realized something. This time, he actually said the words aloud, instead of thinking about them in his mind or transmitting them through some extraordinary power.

The bluebird flew over, and through its perspective, Li Jun saw himself.

At this moment, Li Jun noticed that the divine stone that had been encasing him had cracked to a certain limit. A piece of the divine stone had even peeled off his face, revealing part of his face and allowing him to speak.

However, the rest of his body remained sealed and he was still unable to move.

The days that followed were a very novel experience for Li Jun, at least for him.

For the first time, he felt that there was a real body inside the divine stone, not some illusion, but a real body with flesh and blood and the five senses.

He could speak, breathe, and smell the fragrance of the peach blossoms.

On the sacred tree.

Li Jun took a deep breath, his breath long and deep, as if he could smell all the scents around him.

"call."

The wind blew through the branches of the peach trees in the distance, carrying petals that fell in front of him, blowing coolly on his face—a very comfortable feeling.

Therefore, he became even more eager to get out of the divine stone.

He may have thought about what he would do after leaving the divine stone before, but the feeling was not as strong. At this moment, his desire has become many times stronger because of the enhanced feeling.

He wanted to go for a walk, so he strolled through the peach grove and touched the trees.

He wanted to go down the mountain and wander in the wilderness beneath the Kunlun Mountains, to feel its desolation.

He wanted to visit the Hanhuang clan, to talk to the ancestors of those ancient clans and tribes, and he wanted to go to the capital of the Ximu clan...

At this moment, countless thoughts suddenly surged into his mind inside the divine stone, as if his body had come into contact with the outside world, and these thoughts were also blown into his mind from the outside world.

Li Jun: "This time, we should be able to go out."

On this side, Li Jun was waiting for the divine stone to disintegrate.

And the other side.

The shaman of the Hanhuang clan was conducting a sacrificial ceremony that was of great importance to them. The shaman in charge of the ceremony was named Nüchou.

The sacrificial ceremony was still held at the altar at the foot of Kunlun Hill.

Although the Hanhuang Clan has gone through several generations since the first true shaman, they still do not have a city or a fixed residence.

They roamed the land, conquering and ruling over more and more tribes. Their fame spread throughout the Western Wilderness, and the Emperor Witch of the Cold Wilderness was worshipped by countless people. Even so, they still retained their former customs and traditions.

Every year they would return to the foot of Kunlun Hill to worship the Emperor and the previous shamans of the Hanhuang clan.

Beneath the altar.

The female clown wore a flower crown, held a peach branch in her hand, and walked barefoot across the gravel.

Beneath the altar were placed brambles and various sharp weapons, and the female clown even stepped on these weapons without sustaining any injuries.

She danced on the edge of a knife, twisting her body beneath the offerings, offering fire to the heavens, and then worshipping the four directions.

The female clown was reciting sacrificial words and singing folk songs.

She then used divination to inform the Emperor of some recent events. The female shaman still maintained a custom left by the previous generation of shamans: she would report to the Emperor the various traces of the birth of demons that she discovered when she led her tribe on nomadic journeys.

She would record all sorts of unusual events and strange celestial phenomena, and she even drew maps, which she would present to the emperor during sacrifices as a kind of offering.

After the emperor was worshipped, they began to worship the shamans of previous generations.

In fact, this was the main purpose of this sacrificial ceremony.

"Summon the Emperor Shaman!"

Compared to the previous generation of witches, this generation's witch, Ugly, possesses far greater talent; at a young age, she has already reached the second stage of lichhood.

Nu Chou was able to borrow the power of ghosts and gods, and this power enabled her to lead the Hanhuang clan to travel all over the world, subdue various tribes, and even maintain the upper hand in the battle against the Ximu clan.

However, this was only an individual's supernatural power. From the perspective of clan development and from another angle, the Hanhuang Clan was far inferior to the Ximu Clan.

They were always nomadic rather than settled in one place, and their conquest of other tribes was merely a matter of demanding sacrifices and nominal recognition. In this respect, they gradually diverged from the Ximu clan, who established an imperial capital.

However, the Hanhuang clan themselves believe that they are preserving tradition.

At this moment, the priestess used the sacrificial jade to communicate with the priestesses and nuns of the Hanhuang clan, inviting their power to possess her.

However, this is not over yet.

On the altar, she suddenly revealed her back and had the demon and god totems from the altar painted onto her back.

It was a peach tree in bloom, and the alluring peach blossoms were blooming right on the female clown's shoulder.

As the totems of the spirits and deities in the sacrificial ceremony were completed, the female clown then invoked the power of the spirits and deities to attach themselves to her.

Immediately afterwards, she integrated the sacrificial jade into her body, making it a part of her own.

The altar totem, the sacrificial jade, and the shaman—the three elements merged into one at this moment. The female clown was no longer a simple shaman, but more like a walking altar.

However, obtaining this power is not so simple.

Gradually, the power of the ghost and the peach tree eroded the female clown, her body mutated, her arms turned into branches, and tiny flower buds bloomed on the branches.

She turned into a peach tree.

Then a strange scene unfolded: an arm stretched out from a branch of the peach tree, and then popped out the head of a beautiful woman with long black hair.

Another version of her has sprouted on the tree.

The ugly woman sat on the tree, looking at Kunlun Hill in the distance.

Finally, the peach tree, the flowers, and the mist gradually dissipated, leaving only the ugly woman standing in the same spot.
"Great witch!"

“The ugly woman… the great witch, the ugly woman.”

Below, the members of the Hanhuang clan shouted in unison, creating a scene of jubilation.

This is not a simple ritual or a display of power.

Rather, it signifies that the female clown has surpassed her predecessors; at least in the path of witchcraft, she has surpassed them.

With the power of a mortal, he wields and controls the power of the third stage.

The first stage of the sorcerer is called the Spirit Sorcerer, who possesses some ability to mutate the body and can also use some simple supernatural powers.

The second stage of the witch is called the Corpse Witch. In addition to the complete transformation of her body, the most important thing is that she can invite ghosts and gods to possess her body through the altar.

The great shamans, in a sense, are part of the spirits and gods on earth. They can call upon the power of spirits, gods, and even demons at any time without needing an altar.

This is somewhat similar to the way Zhou Shentong and Li Jun use their power at certain times.

Amid cheers, yet another unexpected event occurred.

"call!"

The female clown exhaled a breath, which turned into white mist.

As the female clown exhaled more and more, the surrounding mist enveloped her. Unbeknownst to her, the space around her began to distort, and she disappeared from the altar.

Emerging from the clouds and mist, the female clown found herself in a peach grove that belonged only to myths and legends.

She looked up and saw the towering peach tree in the distance.

"skyline?"

The woman was somewhat surprised. She had been offering sacrifices for many years, but the Emperor had never responded. This was normal, as the Emperor rarely responded to human sacrifices.

But the Emperor did not respond; now she has come herself.

This change was not orchestrated by the female clown; it was somewhat like the previous generation of witches being pulled into the celestial realm when they died.

And on the sacred peach tree.

Li Jun immediately noticed that someone had broken in and looked over.

"Ok?"

This was the first time Li Jun had encountered such a thing. Without his summons or his power, a sorcerer had directly crossed the distance between the mortal realm and the celestial realm.

The ugly woman gradually ventured deeper into the clouds and peach grove. She crossed a lake in the forest and stepped on the peach vines, which transformed into a fairy bridge.

Finally, they arrived before the Emperor.

The two looked at each other.

The ugly woman looked at the emperor, but all she saw was a halo of light.

Li Jun finally discovered the difference in the female clown; she was actually a third-stage witch, not a monster that had completely lost itself in the process of alienation, but a true great witch.

Li Jun became somewhat interested in her and asked her questions.

"Why are you here?"

Upon hearing the Emperor's question, the High Priestess Chou was somewhat at a loss for words.

After much thought, it seems there really is no reason to come to the Heavenly Realm.

After becoming a shaman, all she did was perform daily rituals, follow the instructions of the previous shaman, lead the tribe to patrol the western wilderness, collect information about demons and spirits, and then report all of this to the Emperor.

She could have done all of this at the altar; there was no need for her to come here.

Finally, she only said one sentence: "The Emperor has not set foot in the mortal world for a long time, it must be because my Hanhuang clan has no achievements. As the Emperor's witch, I feel deeply ashamed."

"Today I became a great shaman, and I prayed to heaven and earth. Therefore, I was summoned by the Emperor's divine power and came to the heavenly realm."

Li Jun inquired about Nü Chou's becoming a high shaman, and Nü Chou told him the truth.

Li Jun: "You are very talented."

The ugly woman said happily, "As an imperial witch, I dare not slack off in the slightest."

After the entire sacrificial ceremony was over, Nüchou returned to her tribe, but the method of traveling between the heavens and the human world was engraved in her mind.

At the same time, she was also the first person to master the power to travel between the two worlds.

On the altar at the foot of Kunlun Hill, the crowd was anxious to see Nüchou disappear and searched everywhere.

Not long after, the female clown reappeared on the altar amidst a wisp of mist, and everyone immediately came over to worship.

One of the women couldn't help but ask.

"witch!"

"Have you seen the Emperor?"

The female clown nodded: "Today I was summoned by the Emperor, and when he saw that I had become a great shaman, he praised me."

The Hanhuang clan was overjoyed; to them, this seemed even more gratifying than Nüchou becoming the Great Witch.

The successive emperors and shamans of the Hanhuang clan had all met the emperor, which seemed to have become a tradition. Possessing the power of a shaman only meant that you had become a shaman and had supernatural abilities.

Only when you go to the Heavenly Realm to pay homage to the Emperor can you truly be called an Emperor-Witch.

The members of the Hanhuang clan who were present went back excitedly, but Nüchou felt her mind go blank, as if she hadn't yet reacted, since she had just met the Emperor.

She was raised as a shaman from a young age, and the various ritual procedures and shaman's duties were ingrained in her, becoming an innate habit.

During each sacrificial ceremony.

In her eyes, the Emperor truly became the great sun in the sky, a conceptual existence.

The feeling he was experiencing now was as if a clay shrine had suddenly stepped down from a stone platform and become a living, real entity.

But after returning home and calming down, the female clown suddenly became very agitated again, as if she had just come to her senses about what had happened that day.

"I actually saw the Emperor."

Another day.

The ugly woman arrived in the heavenly realm once again, but the clouds and mist above were even deeper, and she could see nothing at all.

With their heads held high, they could hear the clear cry of the divine bird piercing through the clouds, followed by the Emperor's voice.

The Emperor told her, "From now on, you don't need to come here for your sacrifices."

The female clown was somewhat flustered, and then the emperor spoke again.

"It won't be long before I'm no longer here."

The Emperor meant that he would soon leave this divine stone and this celestial realm.

The ugly woman was at a loss. She didn't know what it meant, but she didn't dare to ask. She just knelt down on the ground.

Where will you go after you leave?

"Is it a complete return to heaven?"

Those who witnessed and experienced the scene of the divine stone falling from the sky are all dead now. In legend, the Emperor is the great sun in the sky.

Therefore, when the female clown heard the emperor's words, she understood that he had been away from heaven for too long and it was time for him to return to the great sun.

But she still couldn't sleep, constantly replaying the scene from today. At first, she wondered if the Emperor was reprimanding her and the Hanhuang Clan, and she felt only fear. Later, she wondered what would happen if the Emperor left.

Finally, she thought that if the Emperor really wanted to return to the great sun in the sky, what should she, as the Emperor's witch, do?

After some time, the ugly woman came before the emperor again.

Li Jun: "What brings you here today?"

The ugly woman told the emperor that before he left, the Hanhuang clan offered a sacrifice.

Li Jun didn't mind, and simply told him that he would accept it.

However, Li Jun did not know the specific time when the divine stone would completely crack and when the seal would be lifted.

Maybe tomorrow, or maybe a long, long time from now.

at last.

On this day, a peach petal fell on Li Jun, and it was here that the cracks in the divine stone continued to grow larger and larger, eventually covering Li Jun's entire body.

Eventually, all the divine stones cracked and then rapidly began to melt and disintegrate.

Li Jun quickly grabbed the fragments of the divine stone, but the stone continued to disappear.

Finally, Li Jun exerted force, and one of the chips embedded itself into the flesh of his palm, preventing it from disappearing.

Li Jun walked on the ground, stepping over the original altar for worshipping heaven built by the giant lizard, and circling it several times.

He touched the large peach tree and then walked away into the distance.

He stood above the peach blossom lake, watching the bluebirds circle overhead.

Li Jun felt the imperial body and looked at his own reflection in the water.

Is this me?

"It looks like me, no, it's not my body, at least not the body of mine from later generations, it just looks somewhat similar."

"It doesn't really look like it, but I feel it does. The mole on the collarbone adds to that feeling. This body looks more like it was sculpted from something."

"I didn't feel it while I was inside the divine stone, but once I came out, it felt a bit fake, like something dressed up as a person."

Looking at his own appearance, Li Jun felt somewhat terrified. After thinking for a long time, he found the reason.

Perhaps it's because this body only looks human, but isn't human at all, and the more human-like this non-human thing is, the more it gives people a kind of uncanny valley effect.

The more you look at it, the more oppressive it feels.

It was as if something terrifying was about to burst out of Li Jun's body.

He reached out and pulled back his eyelids, revealing his double pupils.

"Eye."

"Their eyes are exactly the same, could they be the same pair?"

At that moment, a drop of blood from his palm fell onto the water.

Suddenly, ripples spread across the water, and complex patterns of light spread along the surface. Finally, the water cracked open, revealing a giant eye.

I opened my eyes and looked up at the sky.

The pupil splits, resulting in double pupils.
But in the end, the eye seemed to find nothing to cling to, and it turned back into a drop of blood, returning to Li Jun's body.

It burrowed into his palm and then squeezed in.

Li Jun then realized what was happening and looked at his palm.

"turn out to be."

"This is also a demon."

In a sense, this imperial body is essentially the same as the bluebird, the peach tree, and the candle dragon.

The so-called human form, like birds, trees, and dragons, is merely an external manifestation; who knows what its true nature is?

Regardless, Li Jun finally had a body and was no longer bound to the same place.

He walked through the peach grove and headed down the mountain.

He possessed extraordinary supernatural powers and was perhaps one of the most terrifying beings in the world, yet he had never experienced the human world of this era.

Some time after Li Jun left, clouds and mist appeared in the celestial realm.

The female clown, dressed in full and magnificent sacrificial attire, arrived at the sacred peach tree carrying a box. She happily knelt on the ground and told the emperor that they had prepared the offerings.

However, there was no response for a long time.

She looked up and found that the divine stone and the light that had been high up had disappeared, and the layers of mist that had covered it had also loosened.

Without the emperor, the high place no longer seemed to be the center of this place, and it felt ordinary and unremarkable.

"emperor?"

"The Emperor has returned!"

The female clown held the box, looking lost and forlorn.

Because she hadn't had time to offer her sacrifices yet.
-
Just now.

Li Jun was surrounded by warm spring-like scenery, with mountains, lakes, and flowing water that resembled a fairyland.

The scene then shifts, and Li Jun finds himself standing at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains, where the wind is howling and the land is covered in ice and snow.

The ground and mountain ridges were covered with mottled ice and snow. In Li Jun's eyes, this wilderness was no longer just a landscape painting. He walked towards the ice and snow and the wilderness as if he had stepped into a painting.

Amidst ice and snow.

He saw a man lying dead on the road, seemingly frozen to death, his body bluish-green.

This is also a characteristic of this era: danger is everywhere, and everyone is struggling to survive in the wilderness.

Li Jun quickly changed into the man's sheepskin coat and hat and walked through the snow and ice. But as he walked, a strange cry suddenly came from afar.

What's making that noise?

A question arose in Li Jun's mind, and he turned his head to look over.

In a distant canyon to the south of Kunlun Hill, a vital passage leading to Kunlun Hill, thunder roared and a violent storm raged.

Bolts of lightning fell from above, tearing a rift in the darkness.

Li Jun's eyes saw something emerge from the crack.

Li Jun: "Demon!"

Sure enough, as time went by, the number of demons on the land increased, and even new demons appeared near Kunlun Hill.

However, the dangerous beings such as the Bluebird, Peach Tree, and Candle Dragon that appeared at the beginning were relatively few, and ordinary people could hardly foresee them.

Or rather, when a demon of this level appears, ordinary people don't even have time to sense it; they are either directly destroyed or have already become part of this demon.

When they appear, they are usually accompanied by terrifying celestial phenomena, followed by changes in the terrain over an unknown radius.

Of these three things, Li Jun felt that the Bluebird was actually the most dangerous of the three.

So Li Jun ultimately didn't take it out of that space, but planned to summon it again at a crucial moment.

"Go and see."

Li Jun saw the demon and walked towards the canyon, observing it as he went.

Wherever that thing goes, thunder and storms follow.

It walked through the Kunlun Mountains, as if it were patrolling something along a fixed path. It looked like a huge tiger, about three zhang long.

But when he turned his head to the side, Li Jun could vaguely see a person's face.

"Tiger's body and human head?"

Li Jun vaguely guessed what it was.

He continued walking forward and encountered a hunting party from a tribe. The people of this tribe seemed to be short of food, and they were out hunting even in the dead of winter.

Seeing Li Jun walking alone in the snow and ice, these people were initially very wary.

But once they saw Li Jun's figure clearly, especially his sheepskin coat and hat, they quickly rushed over, took out various weapons, surrounded Li Jun, and started yelling.

“He was wearing our tribe’s clothes.”

"Do you know him?"

"do not know."

"Who is he?"

“It’s obvious they’re not from our tribe; they must have come from somewhere else.”

Where did you get your clothes from?

"Say it."

These people were arguing incessantly, or questioning Li Jun about something.

Li Jun was in a state of constant focus, like someone chasing something while staring at the distant sky, when suddenly his path was blocked by people on the ground. Only then did he lower his head and look at these people.

He said, "You should go now, it's coming."

The others were completely bewildered: "What are you talking about?"

Li Jun said, "That demon in the distance saw me. It just disappeared. It's probably coming for me."

The others immediately felt a chill, because the other party had mentioned a word that should never be spoken: "What?"

At this moment, Li Jun suddenly looked in another direction.

A huge shadow appeared in the snow-covered mountain valley beside them, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

Li Jun simply examined the object quietly, while the others were terrified the moment they saw it and shouted out a name.

"Enlightened Beast".

In the southern abyss of Kunlun, there is a creature named Kaiming, with a body resembling a tiger but nine heads, all with human faces, facing east, standing atop Kunlun.

Upon seeing the Enlightened Beast, these people began to flee, showing no intention of resisting or fighting it.

Clearly, they recognized the Enlightened Beast, even knew how dangerous it was, and could probably name the tribes and people who had been unlucky enough to encounter it and die without a burial place.

Moreover, over the years, the Western Wilderness and the Northern Wilderness have gradually come to a common understanding: only witches can fight against these demons and ghosts.

Those large tribes all learned from the shamans how to avoid the power of these demon gods and how to survive from it.

The only thing ordinary people can do when facing a demon is to run away.

These people were talking as they ran.

"How did the Enlightened Beast end up here?" "This isn't its territory, so why is it here?"

“We must hurry back to the tribe and tell them that the Kaiming Beast has changed course again, and it is no longer safe.”

"Don't let it get into our territory, or our tribe will be finished."

"Let's also tell the Hanhuang clan that we can't go on like this."

But as they ran, they realized something was wrong.

Turning around, they found that the person they had been surrounding was still standing in the same spot, motionless.

The three-zhang-long monster slowly walked along the ridge, heading towards the man's location, but stopped after a distance, as if it was wary of something, yet still watching the other party.

The man did not flinch and stared directly at the enlightened beast.

These people stared wide-eyed, thinking to themselves.

"Is this person scared out of their wits?"

But then they saw the man move again, reaching out his hand forward.

Everyone seemed to have a question on their foreheads, wondering what the other person was trying to do.

Then they saw the man reach out and beckon, as if to tell the Enlightened Beast to come over.

This scene immediately confirmed everyone's previous suspicions.

"This person is truly terrified."

If you see an Enlightened Beast and don't run away, are you even thinking of greeting it?
And the Enlightened Beast actually obeyed the man's beckoning and came over, its huge body slowly treading on the ice and snow as it approached the other party.

Amidst the vast expanse of white snow, they witnessed the most astonishing scene: the man reached out and placed his hand on the head of the Enlightened Beast, as if he were stroking a dog.

At this moment, everyone stared wide-eyed, sensing that something was very wrong. They vaguely understood that the person was no ordinary person, and the first word that came to mind for them was...

"witch!"

In their eyes, only a shaman could do such a thing.

Then, the Enlightened Beast opened its mouth.

“Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!”

It vomited out a large amount of stuff, which piled up in front of Li Jun.

Li Jun saw all sorts of rare treasures, but they were all irregularly shaped, including jade, corundum, gold, silver, copper, iron and other materials, each of which had been highly refined.

The moment Li Jun touched the Enlightened Beast, he vaguely learned and understood some of its characteristics.

The Enlightened Beast refines everything it devours, transforming it into what you see before you. In this respect, it is like a treasure-filled child.

However, looking at the rare treasures on the ground, Li Jun wondered if the corundum among them might have been refined by some tribe.

However, Li Jun only had a preliminary understanding of the power of the Enlightened Beast, how to become its shaman, and what price its shaman would have to pay. He was not clear about these things.

When you don't understand the characteristics of a demon, you won't know how to deal with it. A demon is an extremely dangerous being.

Once you understand its external rules of action, you can try to avoid danger and get away from it.

And when you study it further and understand the rules of its power, you will be able to become a sorcerer.

However, their dangers are undeniable.

The people at the foot of the mountain were stunned. It was the first time they had ever seen the Enlightened Beast not eat a person, but instead spit out food for him.

However, Li Jun only picked out two items before preparing to leave.

The Enlightened Beast slowly disappeared, and accompanied by bursts of thunder and storms, it returned to the canyon.

This also reflects its essence.

demon.

Its current form is merely an outward manifestation; in essence, it is more like the rules of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, lingering over that land.

As Li Jun left, the group of people chased after him, shouting loudly.

"Stop for a moment."

"Stop for a moment."

"Wait for us."

Li Jun didn't stop. At this moment, he just wanted to go further and see more of this incredibly real and vivid ancient era and world.

Li Jun followed the enlightened beast to the canyon where it was located.

Li Jun suddenly recognized this place. It was the place he had told the Ximu clan to avoid when he first foresaw the natural disaster a long time ago.

At this moment.

The canyon has been completely transformed. The two mountains on either side rise high into the sky like pincers, and the entire ground is covered with crystallized jade, without a single grain of sand or stone.

The Enlightened Beast, accompanied by a thunderstorm, traversed this place, unleashing bolts of lightning upon the canyon.

This once vital passage to the southeast of Kunlun Hill has been transformed into a forbidden zone that no mortal could possibly pass through.

Li Jun continued walking forward.

He even sat on the Enlightened Beast, using its power to carry him a long distance as it surveyed the land according to some kind of rule.

The other party was very fast, allowing him to cross the mountains and wilderness in the blink of an eye.

But after walking a short distance, he stopped.

Because, in the distance, a gigantic pillar of heaven appeared that defied all logic.

Yes, Li Jun really wanted to say that it was a mountain.

But at this moment, it looks more like a pillar supporting the sky, blocking the way to the south.

The pillar emitted an eerie light, blocking not only people's path, but even birds and clouds were obscured by the mountain.

At this moment, Li Jun remembered something that the previous generation of the Hanhuang clan's shaman had told him.

Overnight, a massive mountain appeared in the southeast, almost completely blocking the road from the northern wilderness to the east.

At the time, he didn't make any connection, after all, there are many strange and tall mountains in mythology.

But upon seeing this mountain at this moment, Li Jun instantly recognized its name.

"Buzhou Mountain!"

When he first saw it, he wasn't sure if others called it that, but Li Jun felt that it must be Buzhou Mountain.

An unusual place naturally possesses not only unusual features, but also represents immense danger.

Mount Buzhou looked extremely unusual, and Li Jun naturally felt that it must be extremely dangerous, so he would not dare to trespass on it.

At least for now, it's not part of Li Jun's plan.

With his path blocked, Li Jun began to turn back.

On the way back, he used the power of the Enlightened Beast to carry him back.

en route.

He saw a tribe, which should belong to the Hanhuang clan.

It was evening, and the village was bustling with activity. Smoke curled from the open-air earthen stoves, and boys and girls surrounded the fire pits, creating a vibrant atmosphere of daily life.

Looking at this scene, Li Jun suddenly felt that perhaps this mythical era possessed more than just magnificent mountains, strange monsters, bizarre supernatural powers, and immortals who could fly and escape into the earth.

The world of ordinary people is also a unique feature of this era and the ancient world, and it is equally worth seeing.

He walked toward that tribe.

"what!"

"It's him!"

"Come out quickly, it's that person."

"witch!"

"How could the witch be alone?"

"It's a witch from somewhere else."

As soon as Li Jun entered the tribe, he was recognized by someone who was one of the people he had met on the road earlier.

These people returned with what the Enlightened Beast had spat out, and were talking about their recent adventure among the tribe when they saw Li Jun approaching.

These people, holding all sorts of "rare treasures," made strange noises, gesticulating wildly, jumping around, their eyes wide open, their movements extremely exaggerated.

Soon, these people were driven away, or rather, angrily rebuked, by several older people.

"what is it call."

"Do not disturb our distinguished guests."

"Quiet down, everyone."

These people were clearly worldly-wise; they knew what the rules were and how shamans were treated in large tribes and clans.

Their noisy behavior could very well be seen as offensive by a powerful figure like the shaman.

That would be a disaster.

Li Jun received the highest level of courtesy, at least the highest among this tribe and clan.

This is a small tribe, with only a few hundred people in total.

However, there were hardly any elderly people to be seen; most of the people were strong men, young women, and children.

In every place Li Jun went, the first thing everyone in the tribe did upon seeing or approaching him was to kneel and worship, as if the elders of the tribe had told them.

However, Li Jun could tell that the elders in this tribe had never actually seen the rules of a real large tribal clan; they did not have that kind of clear distinction between etiquette and rules.

E.g.

What rituals should be used when worshipping Heaven and Earth and the gods? What offerings should be made when worshipping ghosts and gods? What rituals should be used when worshipping shamans?

Since the Hanhuang clan and the Ximu clan, this sacrificial ritual system has become increasingly complex, and it has naturally been regarded by the people of large tribes and clans as a symbol of their nobility and power.

This tribe does not have shamans, but to them, shamans are almost no different from gods, being beings above them. Therefore, worshipping ghosts and gods and worshipping shamans are both rituals.

Li Jun was invited into a tent, where he sat at the highest point. At this time, the elders of the tribe, who were actually middle-aged, came out from the crowd and entered the tent.

They must be the chief of this tribe and the heads of its various branches. They knelt below, cautiously inquiring about Li Jun's origins.

Li Jun pointed towards Kunlun Hill.

These people kept nodding and whispering among themselves, not thinking much of it. They simply assumed that Li Jun might have come from somewhere further west of Kunlun.

They brought out all sorts of food, and even wine.

A woman held the wine vessel high, knelt down, bowed her head, and presented the vessel to Li Jun, making it higher than her body.

At this moment, everyone else was also staring intently at Li Jun.

In this era, alcohol has taken on a different meaning.

It was not for mortals to drink, but for gods, or rather, it was used in sacrifices.

They watched as Li Jun picked up his wine glass, downed the wine in one gulp, and it looked like an ordinary, everyday thing.

Those people were even more certain that Li Jun was a sorcerer.

If you were an ordinary person, how would you dare to drink alcohol?

Aren't you afraid of offending the spirits?

Meanwhile, around the fire pit in the distance, the group of hunters who had been hunting earlier started talking about their encounter with Li Jun, the Kaiming Beast, and the other rare treasures.

When they are far apart, they no longer observe "rules and etiquette," and they speak loudly, accompanied by hand and foot gestures.

“That enlightened beast has a huge bunch of heads, and those heads look like human heads, but they’re ten times bigger than ours. They could eat you in one bite.”

"But when the shaman beckoned, the Enlightened Beast obeyed..."

“The witch didn’t want these things, so we picked them up…”

However, soon the tribal chief and the heads of each branch made them put away those rare treasures and present them to Li Jun again.

These things weren't theirs to them; since the rightful owner had come here, they should naturally return them.

However, Li Jun said, "You should accept it!"

These things are nothing special; they might be considered treasures, but worldly treasures are basically useless to Li Jun.

This immediately caused a sensation throughout the tribe, and everyone looked at Li Jun and bowed to thank him for his generosity.

Inside the tent, Li Jun drank and ate.

This was the first time he had used this body to do these things, and the feeling seemed not much different from that of a human being.

However, Li Jun felt that after the wine and food entered his body, it was as if they had evaporated.

No matter how much he drinks, he'll never get drunk; he feels like he could drink the sea itself.

No matter how much he ate, he couldn't fill his stomach.

The way he ate surprised everyone else even more.

They all said, "The shaman is indeed powerful; even his eating skills are impressive."

After eating and drinking his fill, Li Jun learned more about the tribe.

There is a jade mine nearby. Their entire tribe mainly makes a living by making pottery and jade for the Hanhuang clan. They can be said to be a servant tribe completely subordinate to the Hanhuang clan. They have lived here for generations and are also guarding the jade mine for the Hanhuang clan.

The Hanhuang clan not only provided them with shelter, but also traded food with them and gave them various hunting weapons.

For them, the greatest threat is the Enlightened Beast.

Over the generations, countless people have died at the hands of the Enlightened Beast, even though most of the time the Enlightened Beast didn't hunt them down and didn't even notice them when it killed them.

It was also because of some of the enlightened beasts that their tribe had never expanded.

Li Jun examined the pottery and jade artifacts they made, which were all quite exquisite. However, these were ornaments used by important figures of the Hanhuang Clan. Jade artifacts used for worshipping ghosts and gods or even the emperor could not possibly be made by them.

Before leaving, he told the tribe about some of the characteristics of the Enlightened Beast.

To be precise, it refers to how to worship and offer sacrifices to the demon Kaiming Beast, thereby borrowing a portion of its power.

"What, sacrifice to the Enlightened Beast?"

"Isn't this the way to become a sorcerer?"

"You mean, by doing this, one can become a sorcerer of the Enlightened Beast?"

He said, "Becoming a shaman is not that simple. Most shamans do not borrow their power directly from demon gods, but from ghosts or monsters created by demons."

"If you can find the pattern and figure out the method of sacrifice, after several generations, you will be able to borrow some of the power of the Enlightened Beast and become a mature shaman."

"Strange" is what people call evil creatures created by demons that lack intelligence but are extremely ferocious, such as the wooden creatures created by peach trees and the black dragons created by candle dragons.

Li Jun wasn't sure if they could make it work, but it was definitely worth a try.

According to his method, as long as the line is not crossed, the danger posed by the Enlightened Beast is not high.

This tribe here has inevitably had to deal with the Enlightened Beast for generations.

If it succeeds, it will solve part of the problem here.

Perhaps, the next time Li Jun passes through here, the canyon passage southeast of Kunlun Hill will be passable.

before.

Li Jun sometimes thought that having too many witches was not a good thing, but as the number of demons and the monsters they created increased, the existence of witches became indispensable to humans.

The tribe's chief thanked Li Jun for the method he had taught them, and called out to everyone in the tribe, who kowtowed to Li Jun and said they would always remember his kindness.

As I was leaving, the other person asked.

"Where is the witch going?"

Li Jun: "The Hanhuang Clan."

The other party said, "We happen to be going there too, let us escort the witch over!"

The tribe still sent some people to drive Li Jun to his next destination in a horse-drawn carriage.
-
On the road.

Li Jun saw more traces of demons, and also spotted several shamans he had never seen before in the distance, as well as some large tribes belonging to the Hanhuang Clan Alliance.

While resting at night, I would listen to strange tales told by different tribes about demons, gods, and monsters.

These large tribes all have their own settlements, but they came here at this time because of the Hanhuang clan's grand ceremony to worship the emperor.

Li Jun: "What are those large tribes and clans you've heard about like?"

The driver said, "These large tribes and clans all have shamans. Their shamanic power comes from demon gods and monsters. They borrow their power and naturally cannot live without them. Or rather, they can live better in the places where those demon gods and monsters dwell."

Li Jun: "Are you doing better?"

The other party cautiously glanced back at Li Jun and gave an example: "For example, the Enlightened Beast. If our tribe has a shaman, we can use the rare treasures created by the Enlightened Beast to exchange with other tribes."

"Our shamans can even use the power of the Enlightened Beast to intimidate other large tribes' shamans when they attack us."

"I don't know much about it either, I've only heard about it, but it's said to have many benefits."

"However, I have also heard that when the shamans of some tribes summoned the power of demon gods and monsters, the entire tribe was wiped out. Such things are not uncommon."

When these demons are born, almost every one of them inevitably affects a large area of ​​terrain, almost single-handedly altering the celestial phenomena and geography, with some affecting large areas and others small areas.

Li Jun: "I heard that something was born in a far-off place in the southwest, and as soon as it came out, the land turned barren for miles."

The other person said, "Yes, I've heard of it. I heard there are two tribes over there. One of the tribes' shamans can pray for rain. Only those two tribes can survive in that place. They are two very powerful clans."

Li Jun: "I heard that a two-headed demon god has appeared on a mountain not far away."

He replied, "I know. It was a combination of a demon and a god. It was discovered by the previous generation of shamans of the Hanhuang clan. A branch of the Hanhuang clan was separated to worship this demon, and now a new clan has been formed in the area."

"I've heard that the sacrificial animals used to worship the emperor come from this tribe."

"Decades ago, a very smelly swamp appeared in the area where this tribe lives. It is said to have grown larger and larger, and ordinary people dare not approach it. The stench is so strong that even birds in the sky do not pass by it."

Li Jun asked, "What about the Hanhuang clan?"

The other party said, "The Hanhuang Clan is even more powerful. Their shamans can create a forest wherever they go. They are imperial shamans, the most powerful shamans."

"In that forest, no one could rival the shaman of the Hanhuang clan; anyone who entered the forest was..."

"The Hanhuang clan can transform barren places into habitable areas; water will flow from the desert, grass will grow, and cattle and sheep will graze..."

This person must have grown up listening to the legends of the Hanhuang clan, and his faith in their shamans, especially the emperor, was exceptionally strong, which he talked about endlessly.

When they arrived at the Hanhuang clan tribe.

Sure enough, what came into view was a secluded peach forest mountain, and their entire tribe lived at the foot of the mountain.

More importantly, even though it is the dead of winter, the climate in this area is like springtime.

Grass had actually grown at the foot of the mountain, and cattle and sheep were grazing on the grass, looking exceptionally relaxed.

"Winter wasteland, winter wasteland..."

Li Jun had been worshipped by the Hanhuang clan for so many years, and his ancestors had been sacrificed to by this tribe for generations, but this was the first time he had truly delved into understanding how the Hanhuang clan survived.

In the past, he always heard the Hanhuang clan singing the songs that worshipped him, singing about their past witch sacrifices and nun rituals, singing about the emperor and the great sun in the sky.

The people of the Hanhuang clan were not simply singing; they were truly grateful to the priestesses and nuns for everything they had brought them. It was they who made the Hanhuang clan strong and prosperous.

They arrived at the foot of the mountain and entered the Hanhuang clan's territory.

These people handed over the pottery and jade they had brought, and in return, they received what they wanted.

When she came back, she also told Li Jun.

"There will be a sacrificial ceremony tomorrow; it will be very lively."

Li Jun asked, "Isn't the time for the Emperor's sacrifice over? Spring will be here soon."

According to custom, Hanhuang should go to the west to inspect the tribes and clans there and receive their offerings.

For them, this was also a way of ruling, declaring that the Hanhuang Clan were the masters of this vast wilderness.

Of course, they were referring to it being an imperial inspection tour.

The other party said, "This time is special."

Li Jun: "What's special about it?"

The other party replied, "I heard that the Hanhuang clan created an important sacrificial offering, and the Great Witch Chou promised to personally present it to the Emperor."

Li Jun seemed to remember something: "Oh, is that so?"

Soon, the next day arrived.

The Hanhuang clan's sacrificial rites still maintain the ancient methods, but with some additions and steps, making them more grand and solemn.

They walked toward Kunlun Hill, and in the wilderness below the hill, they set fire to a huge pile of peach wood.

Li Jun knew that such grand ceremonies to worship the emperor had been held many times. Although he did not respond to or watch every single one, he had seen them a few times.

But this was the first time he had stood among a crowd and watched from a human perspective how the ancient people worshipped the Emperor.

"Winter wasteland, winter wasteland..."

"Offer sacrifices to the Emperor!"

Li Jun watched as the fire blazed up, sparks flying everywhere, and all the members of the Hanhuang clan knelt on the ground, chanting the same name.

Only by standing among the people can one understand the significance of this ritual for a tribe. Everyone is incredibly devout, and this force unites the entire tribe, becoming the basis for their existence. The ritual is a way to unite people's hearts.

Sometimes, sacrifices are not offered to the emperor, but to thousands upon thousands of people.

He looked up at the female clown on the altar.

The woman, nicknamed "Ugly Girl," was not ugly at all; in fact, she was stunningly beautiful.

The word "ugly" has a different meaning in this era; it means ghosts and gods. The name "female ugly" is interpreted more like the concept of a goddess.

Looking up from below, Li Jun saw that the female clown, dressed in sacrificial robes and adorned with jade ornaments, was exceptionally beautiful and captivating.

The flower crown on her head and the peach branch in her hand shone, making her face and hands even brighter.

Her ritual dance, compared to the dances of previous shamans, still retained a primitive feel and was full of power, but the rhythm and drumbeats had become much more complex, and also more beautiful and sacred.

And on the altar.

The female clown was not as calm as she appeared. She had agreed to offer sacrifices, but the Emperor had already left and was no longer in the Heavenly Realm.

The woman didn't know if she could communicate with God through this method, or perhaps her offering would never be delivered.

But at this moment, what Nü Chou didn't expect was that the emperor she was worshipping was watching her from among the crowd below.

When the ritual reached its final step, the female clown finally brought out the sacrificial offering.

It was a wine vessel, exquisitely crafted.

The female clown stepped over the mortal fire burning on the sacrificial wood. The ordinary flames could not burn her fair soles. She walked step by step to the highest point of the altar, and then raised the wine vessel high, facing the sky.

She knelt on the ground, her head bowed deeply.

suddenly.

The female clown felt a thick fog rising around her, and in the blink of an eye, the world had changed.

The altar where Nüchou was kneeling was no longer the one at the foot of Kunlun Hill, but the first altar in the world built by the great eagle in the celestial realm to worship the Emperor. She had returned to the foot of the divine tree in the celestial realm.

But at this moment, a figure stepped down from the sacred tree.

The emperor was no longer looking down at her from a high place, but finally came to stand in front of her.

A pair of feet appeared before her as she knelt, and she heard the Emperor's voice, this time so close.

"I accepted it."

After the sacrificial ceremony ended, the female clown raised her head.

She did not see the Emperor.

Everything around her disappeared, and she returned to the altar, but the wine vessel she had been offering was gone.

The female clown immediately stood up and looked around.

Suddenly, she noticed a figure walking away in the crowd.

The figure seemed strangely familiar, but in a moment of distraction, it had vanished.

(End of this chapter)