'My dear grandchild, come to grandma for a hug.'
This was the first time I had seen Grandmother after I began to gradually recover memories of my previous life and started observing the Great Wilderness. Wu Wang only remembered that when Grandmother held him in her arms, her trembling hands... nearly shook him into unconsciousness. Grandmother loved him very much and had a bit of a 'senior's childlike playfulness.' She would frolic with her grandson like a child, fight over toys with him, deliberately make him cry, then tell stories of Grandfather's heroic deeds, claiming he never cried. The most memorable time was when I was seven, studying the structure of a water wheel by the lake, and Grandmother's carriage appeared behind me. My grandmother, who could barely walk and whose body had shrunk with age, purposely jumped down from the carriage, half a zhang high, kicked me into the lake, and then ran off with her cane, as fast as smoke, like the wind. And then there was the time when I was five and had stolen Grandmother's false teeth, smearing them with a five-flavor powder obtained from the Western Wilderness. With a kind and gentle smile, she chased me all over the Royal Court with her cane for half a day. Witnessing this scene, my father teared up with emotion, thinking that Grandmother had regained her vitality and could live for many more decades. Looking back on these memories now, it really...
Wu Wang's eyes reddened slightly, and he sniffed hard as many of the elders in the tent wiped away tears.
"Young Master, everyone has been summoned," General Xiong San called from outside the tent, trying not to be too loud. After all, General Xiong San's parents and uncles were inside, and if they became agitated, they might beat him up.
"Suqing," Wu Wang turned to Lin Suqing. "My grandmother loved a lively atmosphere, and there is no tradition of keeping a vigil in the Northern Wilderness either, so please carry out some of the Human Domain customs for me."
Lin Suqing asked gravely, "Do you want the full ceremony?"
"Do what you can. Consider it as staying with her a little longer for me."
After saying this, Wu Wang glanced at his grandmother's remains once more, lowered his head, and left the tent, heading into the densely firelit night.
He had barely taken two steps when he heard Lin Suqing starting to direct inside the tent, calling for a long table, candlesticks, offering fruits, joss paper, and a paper-burning basin...
Turning his head, he saw Lin Suqing first take a peach wood sword from her Storage magic treasure and place it in a corner, then unfold a meditation cushion on the ground. With a solemn expression and a clear voice, she proclaimed:
"The sky so high and endless, the land so vast where heroes are born!
Heroines true, and heroes abound, the Northern Wilderness remembers them well!
Loved ones riding on yellow cranes are gone; they leave behind their echoes while the pavilion stands empty!"
This? The Clear Wind and Moon Sect has such an elegant name and such a wide range of services?
Intermittent wailing immediately filled the tent, and Wu Wang's mood also became rather gloomy.
Ahead, men and women dressed in ceremonial robes stood with bowed heads, their faces ashen. Most of the Priests in the front rows already had gray hair.
Wu Wang had thought of many things to say. He wanted to start with 'the clan is the place that nurtures us all,' and had also thought about starting with 'which is more important, reverence for the Star God or the lives of our people?' He really wanted to ask these Priests: If the beasts sent by heaven were a gift from the Star God, then why, during the years of famine, during those hellish years when two or three out of every ten clan members would starve to death, weren't there ordinary beast herds sent from heaven? Why had he, a Young Master who originally just wanted to coast through life, spent years designing, years finding justifications, and nearly all his effort establishing a food storage system, to enlighten his people about the concept of animal husbandry? It was all because he witnessed the tragedy of famine when he was three. But... looking at these people in front of him, these figures standing before him, standing in the gaps between the tents, standing on this muddy grassland, Wu Wang suddenly fell silent. All the words that he wanted to say rose to his throat, and then he swallowed them back down. What reasoning did they not understand? They were all older than him, had more experience than him, and most had a deeper understanding of the Northern Wilderness than he did. Ultimately, at noon, they had only lost some courage and lacked the initiative to rebel.
Wu Wang bowed his head slightly. The light from the torches on either side illuminated his profile, yet there always remained a shadow that couldn't be lit.
"Young Master." The current Grand Priestess took half a step forward, her eyes filled with guilt. "It was us..."
"My grandmother has passed away."
The Grand Priestess's body trembled slightly. The elderly Priestess bowed her head and sighed softly. Wu Wang's grandmother had been her teacher and, even more so, a dear friend she had known until this day.
Many Priests had red eyes, their faces conveying deep guilt.
Wu Wang's voice was still calm as he spoke softly, "Today, a total of 2,232 people in the clan have died, and over 1,600 are seriously injured. Because this is the Royal Court, most of the victims are the elderly and children. This is despite most people having left the Royal Court when the fierce beast attacked; otherwise, the number of casualties would have been incalculable."
The nearby tents fell completely silent, occasionally interrupted by the crackling sound of the torch flames.
"I am the Grand Star Ritual." Wu Wang lifted his head slightly, a self-mocking smile on his lips. "When the fierce beast suddenly attacked, I realized how useless the Grand Star Ritual is. I couldn't even earn its direct attention."
"Young Master, please do not blame yourself. This is not a force we can contend with." An elderly female Priest said in a trembling voice, "This is the Star God's blessing, a gift from the stars, the will of the Star God."
"Yes, this is the Star God's blessing, the Star God's reward for her most hardworking believers!" Wu Wang suddenly looked up, his expression solemn, his eyes unexpectedly clear. "All this time, the Star God's blessings have occurred once every one or two hundred years, choosing the strongest clan of that time, and we have never asked why. Has anyone ever thought about why this is!"
The people inside the large tent behind him were drawn to his words, leaning forward to look.
The previously silent Priests, now somewhat astonished, looked up at Wu Wang, gazing at their Young Master, whose face seemed to emanate a holy brilliance.
The words the Young Master was saying now were... completely different from what they had expected...
"Because the Star God cannot understand us! Just as we cannot understand the Star God! She guards the endless starry sky, protects the sky above the Northern Wilderness, controls droughts and rains, and watches over the entirety of the Great Wilderness! To speculate about the Star God with our presumptuous thoughts is to disrespect the Star God! Those who vainly wish to catch the Star God's attention are truly foolish! The Star God will not see the life or death of one person, a few people, or thousands; she sees the peace and survival of countless lives in the Northern Wilderness!"
Inside the tent, Lin Suqing couldn't help but widen her eyes.
What is the Young Master talking about? 'Divine Spirits are just beings who have grasped the Dao rules early,' wasn't this what the Young Master had told her before? How could...
The expressions of the Priests transitioned from initial shock to contemplation at this moment.
Wu Wang kept calling out: "The Star God's blessing is already the weakest beast that the Star God can send down to the earth, created with Divine Power! To test the strongest clans with the weakest beast is the Star God's gentlest blessing to her children. But we! We couldn't even withstand it, couldn't even tear open its body to embrace the Star God's true gift! This is a disgrace! It's the disgrace of the Northern Wilderness, and even more so the disgrace of my Bear Hug Clan's Priests!"
He said, "If the Star God wanted to destroy us, why use fierce beasts? The Star God only needs a thought."
He spoke again, "When the blessing descends, why complain about being chosen? What we need to reflect upon is, when the blessing comes, how we should receive the boon given by the Star God! To let the divine blessing vanish at the edge of the earth is the greatest insult to the Star God!"
The Grand Priestess's voice trembled lightly, "Have we... have we been wrong all along..."
Wu Wang let out a long sigh. "These words, in fact, were what Grandma had Suqing convey to me. In the last sublime moment of her life, she heard the Star God's sigh, tinged with a touch of loneliness. We have disappointed the Star God."
Lin Suqing's body tensed immediately, her young face filled with earnestness. Though she knew not what to do, she nonetheless stood there, nodding vigorously.
The confusion in the eyes of the Priests grew deeper.
Wu Wang's voice returned to calm: "It turns out you have never truly tried to understand the will of the Star God. Look into the starry sky, think carefully, all of you. Stand here for four hours."
Having said this, Wu Wang turned and walked back to the large tent. He knelt beside his grandmother and the flower arrangements, assuming a posture of silent prayer.
Soon, whispers came from outside the tent:
"We've always misunderstood. Do we need to actively receive the Star God's blessing?"
"The Young Master is not just the future leader; he is also the youngest Grand Star Ritual. He will definitely be recognized by the Star God..."
"The divine blessing is the will of the Star God, but the will of the Star God is to give us trials and riches, not to bring us disasters."
"Exactly. If the Star God wanted to bring down disaster, she only needs to send famine or drought."
The whispers gradually grew louder. The Priests debated and argued, their faces filled with regret, becoming increasingly fervent.
"Grand Priestess, let us go and accept the trial!"
"The Star God protects us! The huge beast is our enemy! How could the Star God allow a fierce beast to become a Divine Envoy!"
"Let us go and kill that huge beast!"
"The Praying Star Technique that we have diligently cultivated should be used at this time! What were we afraid of before? Why did we hesitate? Our people didn't die in vain!"
"Even if we had acted at that time, we couldn't have stopped the fireball; we were too far away..."
Inside the tent, Lin Suqing looked on blankly at this scene. Were these the same Priests who had kept bowing down to the huge beast earlier?
Deep down, Wu Wang was slightly speechless and felt a bit more apologetic when he looked at his grandmother's remains. He had indeed just invoked his grandmother's name without permission, but he really had no choice. The Priests' fear and reverence for the Star God were deeply ingrained, a result of repetitive prayers and self-hypnosis. If he had called them to fight against that huge beast in the name of the clan, it would only lead to a strong conflict between their sense of belonging to the clan and their faith. It was even possible that some Priests would commit suicide over this. Was there any other way? Yes, the opposite approach. Using his identity as the youngest Grand Star Ritual to redefine the 'Star God's blessing,' integrating their sense of belonging to the clan and to the Star God, could inspire the strongest fighting spirit! Wu Wang had actually entertained such an idea for a long time, but today, after witnessing the entire process of the Star God and the divine blessing through his mother's memories, he put this bold idea into practice—the Divine Authority to Interpret. That is, the authority and power to interpret gods and divine signs.
The worship of the Star God in the Northern Wilderness was rather simple; they only knew to pray and supplicate to the Star God. The core of divine authority lay in the deliberations of the Sun Rituals, but the Sun Rituals were detached from the clan, living on Big Snow Mountains. If the Star God could not manifest herself or speak, then she was but a young girl open to others' interpretations. Of course, this was under the premise that the Sun Rituals too maintained their silence.
By the way, Wu Wang had previously researched some ancient records and found that after a Sun Ritual's accession, regardless of which tribe they were from, they would transform into a form similar to that of the Human race. This likely had to do with Nuwa, the Divine Spirit who created the Human race, referencing innate Dao bodies. Back to the current issue, to deal with the Zhu Huai fierce beast that fell from the sky without incurring too many casualties, the help of the clan's Priests was essential. Powerful clans all possessed flying mounts. If those mighty individuals decided to come and aid in battle, they could arrive one after another by noon. All was ready, and the Priests were already agitated. If it weren't for the Grand Priestess holding them back, some would have been unable to resist the urge to fight to the death with the fierce beast.
It's time to devise a beast-slaughtering plan.
Wu Wang closed his eyes, sketching the body of the Zhu Huai fierce beast with lines in his mind, trying to recall the changes in every part of its body as it moved. Finding its weaknesses would yield twice the result with half the effort.
「About two hours later.」
WOOO—
Horn sounds, urgent and mighty ones! The earth rumbled, as if thousands of armies were galloping across the grasslands!
Wu Wang abruptly rose to his feet, excitement he could not hide on his face, and rushed quickly towards the outside of the tent.
"The Chief is back!"
"The Chief and his men are back!"
The slightly somber camp suddenly sprang to life, as people burst out of their tents, looking to the north from where the sound of the horns came.
As Wu Wang hurried forward, he silently warned himself that he seemed a bit too reliant on his father. There was no helping it; his father in this lifetime was incredibly strong and treated him very well. His old man's strength was different from that of the Praying Star Technique, akin to the Body Cultivation of the Human Domain, but sadly, it couldn't increase his Lifespan. He had to make his father understand the plan in the shortest time possible, and then have his father command the reinforcements from the powerful individuals of the Northern Wilderness... Huh? Was that his father's mount?
In front of the tent, Wu Wang looked up in the direction where the fierce beast was trapped, just in time to see a white bear with two wings soar into the sky, roaring furiously and spitting out a gigantic orb of light. A majestic figure leaped from the back of the bear, crashing directly onto the raised back of the Zhu Huai fierce beast!
Wu Wang, with the enhancement of the Praying Star Technique, fixed his gaze and saw his father holding an axe aloft, his long hair whipping wildly in the wind, the beast-skirt battle attire fluttering loudly. His mighty muscles seemed to ignite with flames, and his face was filled with ferociousness!
"Dare to harm my clan members, I'll chop you alive! ARRGH—"
Huh? Why did he rush in so quickly!
With a loud boom, a dazzling fire burst forth from the swollen back of the huge beast, Zhu Huai, a massive fireball shooting into the sky, instantly knocking that figure flying.
Just then, SCREE—
Suddenly, a piercing eagle's cry emerged in the night sky. An odd-looking gray eagle descended from the heavens, speeding towards the camp. As it passed over the back of the huge beast, Zhu Huai, another figure leaped down, wielding two large hammers and letting out a thunderous laugh, smashing furiously at the beast's arched back.
"Xiong Han, you useless thing! Did marrying Cang Xue soften your spine? HAHAHAHA! I've been coveting your family's giant crossbow for more than a day or two now! The Clan Leader of the Big Wave Tribe from the Northern Wilderness is here! I'll slaughter this huge beast for you! Bring out the good wine! HAHAHAHA!"
Then, the roaring sound rose again. A second giant fireball soared into the sky, and the brawny man, his body charred and trailing flames, drew an elegant arc, crashing into the depths of the grassland.
"Quick, save the Clan Leader!"
With a call from the Grand Priestess, the whole camp erupted into a noisy clamor. The gray eagle also quickly turned around, chasing after where its Clan Leader had been flung.
But before they could reach them, woeful cries once again emitted from the landing spots of those two figures. Both figures leaped up simultaneously, jumping dozens of zhang high, facing the sudden blaze, holding their large hammers and axes aloft!
"Northern Wilderness Human Race!"
"We submit to no one!"
...
Ah, the 'plan'.