I am a living immortal.

The shamans performed a strange dance, and the Hun warriors uttered an ancient language that was difficult to understand, sometimes shrieking, sometimes growling, until the flames dyed the moon red, until the shamans stopped dancing and the warriors kept silent.

In the boundless silence, several shirtless men dragged their offerings: a huge, frenzied bison and a powerful, untamed black wild horse. These creatures, at the top of the grassland's food chain, were now restrained, their hooves shackled, their breath emitting white steam as they gazed at the pillar of fire with fear in their eyes.

The shaman drew his bronze dagger, its blade dull and cold. Then, with a mournful wail, the dagger plunged completely into the victim's neck. Scalding blood spurted out, staining the stone slabs and pillars. The rich smell of blood rushed to everyone's head.

Instead of anyone being afraid of such a scene, everyone present felt extremely excited.

The shaman opened his arms, his face to the sky, his bloodstained bronze mask facing the void. He stood still, as if his soul had already ascended into the night sky with the blood-colored steam to complete his bargain with the gods.

This was a routine sacrifice, but also a time to receive enlightenment and communion with the beast god, a strange yet pious experience. However, just as the shaman was about to end the sacrifice, he suddenly shuddered.

A strong wind blew, dimming the pillar of fire. The wolves that had been watching suddenly dropped to their knees and howled, their voices filled with wailing and uncontrollable sobbing. Everyone present was bewildered, unsure what was happening.

Until the dim pillar of fire suddenly went out in an incredible way, and the red firewood also quickly dimmed until all the light was lost and the night swept over again.

The shaman, who had been standing still from the beginning, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. After their initial wailing, the wolves scattered in terror, and the scene was momentarily in chaos.

The leader didn't understand what was happening and stepped forward to ask the shamans, but one by one the shamans vomited blood and fell to the ground, eventually losing all signs of life.

Just like this desolate earth, it has become cold.

The leader supported the last shaman, the oldest in the tribe. He was in no better condition. Beneath his bronze mask lay a pale face, a pallor that even paint couldn't conceal, and tears of blood streamed from his eyes.

He pulled the leader's broad arm and said tremblingly: "Beast Master...death...faith...cracked faith...shaman...bloodshed...royal court...sinking ground...disaster...human calamity...human calamity..."

After saying this, he died.

The leader had no idea what was happening. He suddenly looked up in one direction. Even in the darkness, he could see the towering city walls and the torches burning all night long. It was an iron wall built by the Han people, isolating the tribe from the grassland.

As the leader of the Xiongnu, he knew clearly that the gap between them and the Han Dynasty was widening during the years of confrontation. A war between them was inevitable, and this war would completely change the existing situation.

However, what he didn't expect was that this battle would come so quickly and easily, and the big man was already prepared to take action.

One by one, the warriors of the grassland gathered around and called out, "Chanyu!"

This cry brought the leader back to his senses. He slowly placed the shaman's body on the ground and said to the crowd, "Warriors, the most dangerous moment has arrived. The shaman has followed the beast master, and we will face the full-scale invasion of the Han people. Are you afraid?"

"Fear! The warriors of the grasslands never knew what fear was."

"Let's fight!!"

Everyone looked excited, and some even drew their scimitars.

"Good, very good! Then let those Han people see our iron cavalry! They will never return!!!"

"Oh oh oh oh!!"

Screams, rising one after another, ignited the fighting spirit, spreading from the darkness. All the Xiongnu tribes were mobilized, and a cavalry force was forming to fight the Han people to the death.

Hundreds of kilometers away in the northern border, above Youcheng, a deputy supervisor of the Imperial Master's Mansion asked the guard beside him, confused, "What are they yelling over there?"

The soldier was helpless and said, "Don't you know what you have done?"

But he still said respectfully: "My Lord, your actions just now have alerted the Xiongnu. They are expressing their anger."

The deputy supervisor nodded: "Will that have an impact on the war situation?"

Before the soldier could reply, a voice rang out, "It's harmless, and they've even helped us a great deal. Those shamans may be few in number, but each one is incredibly cunning. Furthermore, these shamans also act as diviners and astronomical observers, which is why the Xiongnu are so rampant on the grasslands."

"Their own rich experience combined with the observations of these shamans can avert most natural disasters."

"Now that these shamans have died during the sacrifice, the Xiongnu will probably suffer for a long time."

"I didn't expect to meet you again." The speaker was the general who had hunted Chen Dong together, and so was the deputy inspector. However, things had changed. Chen Dong had risen to become the Imperial Preceptor of the Han Dynasty. After the merger with the Tianjian Division, the Imperial Preceptor's Office had risen to high rank, with officials promoted to the highest rank. While still not comparable to the man before him, they were certainly not shabby either.

"Yes, we meet again."

"The imperial teacher didn't come?" the general asked.

"The Imperial Master and the Supervisor are busy on a secret mission sent by His Majesty and cannot be freed."

"Indeed, is this what you came here for?" The general pointed at the blood-red spirit in the other's hand. The blood-red spirit was trapped by several golden restrictions and was struggling constantly.

The general took another careful look and said, "Why do I feel this thing is a little familiar? Let's wait..." Thinking of those bloody shamans.

"Could this thing of yours be that... Beast Master?"

The deputy supervisor nodded nonchalantly and said, "Yes, besides debugging the teleportation formation, the most important reason for my mission this time is this thing."

"This..." The general was speechless for a moment.

He knew the Beast Lord, a deity embodied by generations of Xiongnu faith. He possessed unparalleled power across the grasslands, and all the beasts were his messengers, at his command. This alone had once irritated them to no end.

You have to know that the beasts in this grassland are not simple.

Even heavily armored cavalry would retreat in defiance of a charge launched by herds of wild yaks. Not to mention the ever-watching eyes hanging from the sky. Those eagles could pinpoint an army's position with remarkable precision, far more effective than divination.