To make sure these people would never forget their lesson, Jiang Yan's torment lasted an entire day.
Whenever they were on the verge of collapsing into death, a small vine would pierce into their bodies, replenishing their life force.
Jiang Yan had no intention of killing them.
After all, there were children like Ruu present.
Slaughtering these people right in front of a child?
Jiang Yan worried it would leave an irreversible shadow on Ruu's heart.
And the reason he tormented them this way was simply to make them remember:
If they dared conduct such sacrifices again, today's horrifying scene would repeat itself.
By dusk, Jiang Yan released them.
A deep, resonant voice echoed beside the villagers' ears.
"This time, considering your ignorance and foolishness, I shall spare your lives."
"But if you ever again commit such inhuman live sacrifices, I shall make you suffer torment eternal."
The villagers collapsed to their knees, trembling as they kowtowed.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you, great deity!"
"We will never dare again!"
Fear had broken them—after a whole day of torture, both their bodies and spirits were on the brink of collapse.
"This was punishment. In the future, I will continue to observe this place."
"This child—I will take. As for the rest of you, conduct yourselves well."
With that, Jiang Yan grabbed Ruu—whose eyes were still covered by vines—and the wooden giant dissolved into nothing.
"He… a god… truly a god…"
The village chief's eyes were vacant, his mind halfway broken.
Even young and strong men would struggle to endure what Jiang Yan inflicted.
Let alone an old man like him.
His sanity had clearly shattered—
and that was the punishment Jiang Yan bestowed.
After taking Ruu, Jiang Yan went to meet Raiden Ei on the hillside.
"That giant just now—your doing?" Ei asked, noticing Jiang Yan had returned with Ruu. Naturally she realized the wooden colossus had been him.
Since this world had no concept of Buddhas, Ei simply thought it was a strangely shaped wooden giant.
"Mm. Pretty cool, right?" Jiang Yan smiled while holding Ruu.
"Yes. For a moment, I thought another archon had appeared to cause trouble."
Ei nodded earnestly.
"Mm? Big brother? Big sister?
Why is Ruu here?"
Once Jiang Yan withdrew the vine covering his eyes, Ruu carefully opened them.
Just moments ago, after he had been blindfolded, he heard the village chief and others screaming miserably.
A child had never heard such terrifying cries. Fear had filled his heart.
Only when he opened his eyes and saw the gentle big brother from yesterday, and the quiet big sister beside him, did he relax a little.
"Ruu, do you know what these people were about to do to you?"
Jiang Yan asked seriously.
He needed to make this kid remember.
Honestly—about to be sacrificed and didn't even try to resist.
Well, he was a child, so resisting probably wouldn't have worked anyway.
"I know! Grandpa Village Chief wanted to offer me to the Thunderbird so I can stay with Lord Thunderbird forever!"
Ruu's innocence kept him from understanding what "sacrifice" truly meant.
In his childlike mind, he was already friends with the Thunderbird.
Staying with it forever sounded fine.
"And do you know what your fate would have been?" Jiang Yan pressed.
"Of course! I'd live with Lord Thunderbird forever!"
"I'm its friend—surely it wouldn't mind."
Ruu beamed.
Jiang Yan slapped his own forehead.
Sometimes, children's innocence was truly astonishing.
"In that case, let me shatter that naïve idea of yours."
Jiang Yan sat cross-legged, face stern, staring at Ruu.
Then, carefully and patiently, he explained—
What a sacrifice was.
What a ritual was.
And what his parents and the village chief had intended to do to him.
Night fell quickly.
Ruu's eyes were blank.
Clearly, Jiang Yan's explanation had hit him hard.
The moment he imagined what would have happened if Jiang Yan hadn't saved him—
being cut to pieces, bleeding out to death—
fear flashed through his gaze.
"But… b-but if they don't do that… won't Lord Thunderbird get angry?" Ruu murmured, hesitant, afraid that failing to be sacrificed would anger the Thunderbird.
"How could it? Aren't you friends with it?"
Jiang Yan rubbed Ruu's head, smiling warmly.
"Would you ever ask your friend to give up their life for you—to be eaten by you?"
Ruu shook his head vigorously.
Even children didn't joke around with their friends' lives.
"Exactly."
"So I doubt the Thunderbird would want you to sacrifice yourself either."
"When it comes, you can ask for it yourself."
Jiang Yan gently squeezed Ruu's soft, plush cheeks.
At that moment, he finally understood why back in his own infancy, Guizhong and Liuyun loved squishing his face so much.
Children's cheeks were… bouncy.
So satisfying!
Jiang Yan himself was now addicted to squeezing them.
"But… when will Lord Thunderbird come?"
Ruu's words were slurred—his cheeks were still being stretched.
"Very soon," Jiang Yan said.
Because he had already sensed it: a divine aura approaching from the edge of Seirai.
That aura had to be the Thunderbird.
Ei sensed it too, and looked toward the coast.
"Ruu, where did you agree to meet the Thunderbird?" Jiang Yan asked.
"Let's go meet it together."
Ruu's eyes sparkled with surprise.
"Big brother—does that mean Lord Thunderbird is already here?"
"Mm. It's probably looking for you right now."
Jiang Yan nodded with a smile.
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