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Human Sacrifice
The Zhou Compass, although a Taoist Sacred Artifact, is not something that an ordinary person can use to endlessly explore the past. If I push the pointer further back, I cannot tell what era it will lead me to.
I moved the Zhou Compass forward a considerable distance, and with a loud clatter, the compass fell to the ground, emitting wisps of green smoke. My arm tingled again, and I felt the familiar sensation of being struck by electricity.
At the same time, we were surrounded by the sound of wailing. Countless ragged villagers appeared around us, and beside them stood rows of soldiers wielding long knives. They were dressed in ancient attire, clad in armor, but I could not discern which era they belonged to.
Suddenly, a general clad in armor rode in on horseback. He appeared to be in his thirties. Upon seeing him, the soldiers saluted and called out, “We greet General Chang.”
The man referred to as General Chang dismounted and said, “No need for formalities. Where is Li Xiangshi?”
As General Chang spoke, a figure approached from behind him. This person wore a black robe and appeared to be in his forties or fifties, accompanied by a man and a woman who resembled Dao Children.
“General Chang is not leading troops in the army; may I ask what brings you here?” the Black Robed Diviner inquired.
General Chang replied, “I have come to inspect matters regarding the Dragon Vein. Military actions are determined by men, but the Dragon Vein concerns fortune and the future of the Nation. The Duke of Wu has specifically instructed me to check on this matter. How has Li Xiangshi been progressing?”
The Black Robed Diviner responded, “Please convey to General Chang that everything is proceeding smoothly. Today’s Human Sacrifice will commence shortly; soon the Duke of Wu shall soar like Jackie Chan and unify all!”
“That would be best; otherwise, losing eight thousand elite soldiers just to capture a White Snake would be enough to condemn you,” General Chang said solemnly.
“The general may not know this, but this snake is no mere serpent; it is an ancient dragon species. Capturing it is extremely difficult. The blood of these Three Thousand Young Boys and Three Thousand Virgins will keep it dormant for thousands of years. The Duke of Wu’s birth date and future title have already been inscribed and hidden within the Dragon Vein. With a true dragon guarding it, the upcoming Ming Dynasty will surely shine brightly throughout history!” the Black Robed Diviner declared.
Hearing this, General Chang laughed heartily and said, “Then it is worth my recommendation before the Duke of Wu for you to seek out the Dragon Vein!”
General Chang's ear twitched slightly as he turned around, annoyance evident in his voice. "Why are there still people here?"
"This..." The Black Robed Diviner's expression changed slightly. "These are my two new disciples."
General Chang looked at the two Dao Children beside the Black Robed Diviner and said, "You already have a pair of Child Sacrifices as disciples, yet Li Xiangshi still wants to take on more students. If the Duke of Wu knew that Li Xiangshi's heart was set on teaching rather than fighting for the Nation, I believe you know what fate awaits you, right?"
The Black Robed Diviner lowered his head. "I am wholly devoted to assisting the Duke of Wu and would not dare to be distracted."
"Then bring them to me!" General Chang snorted.
Soon, two soldiers beside General Chang approached the back of the village and retrieved a boy and a girl from the Black Robed Diviner's residence. The girl appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, while the boy was only seven or eight. They held hands as they were brought before General Chang.
"Sister," the boy whimpered, clinging to his sister as he looked fearfully at General Chang.
"General Chang, they possess a foundation in Daoism; they are good seeds that may help stabilize the Duke of Wu in the future," the Black Robed Diviner said.
General Chang replied in a deep voice, "Rest assured, I have no intention of harming them; I just want to take a look."
He beckoned to the siblings, and the soldiers behind them pushed them forward. The sister led her brother up to General Chang.
General Chang pinched the girl's chin and smiled. "What a beautiful little thing you are; it's just a pity..."
With a sudden thrust, General Chang's knife pierced through the girl's chest with a sickening sound, blood splattering across his face and making him appear incredibly ferocious.
The boy fell to his knees in front of his sister, sobbing uncontrollably. With a face full of hatred, he glared at General Chang and said, "You killed my sister! I will haunt you even as a ghost!"
"Then you might as well go be a ghost!" General Chang kicked out, sending the boy flying back, landing on the hillside behind the village, where he died instantly.
"You!" The Black Robed Diviner pointed at General Chang, his face filled with anger.
General Chang snorted and said, "What about me? Does Li Xiangshi want to fight this general?"
The Black Robed Diviner replied, "I dare not."
"Good, because if you did, even with your flashy tricks, you'd only die by my sword. Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls cannot lose even one. Since two have died, let your two disciples replace them." General Chang ordered the soldiers to take the two Dao Children beside the Black Robed Diviner and escort them along with the young man into the Gorge.
The two Dao Children cried out in despair, pleading for the Black Robed Diviner to save them. He could only clench his fists, his eyes reddening.
General Chang paid no attention and mounted his warhorse, joining the crowd heading towards the Gorge.
"Li Shanchang, as a scholar, you must know your place. I share a brotherly bond with the Duke of Wu; together we have carved out half of this Nation. How can you, a mere streetwise strategist, compare? Liu Bowen alone is countless times stronger than you. I can let you live; I can also let you die. Behave yourself and you may one day rise to high office."
Watching his two disciples being taken into the blood sacrifice procession, the Black Robed Diviner glared at General Chang as he rode away and vowed fiercely, "Chang Yuchun, I Li Shanchang will ensure you meet a terrible end!"
The scene then blurred into obscurity as Zhou Compass returned to its previous calm. I held my head, feeling dizzy from witnessing events from hundreds of years ago through Light Shadow; the side effects were overwhelming.
Chen Jixian and Mr. Chang were both left stunned.
"This is what happened at the end of the Yuan Dynasty when the Ming Dynasty had yet to be established. Chang Yuchun was on campaign while Li Shanchang was seeking dragons and locating graves," Mr. Chang explained.
"Who was that Duke of Wu they mentioned in the Light Shadow?" Zhu Yaoguang asked.
I said, "The Duke of Wu is Zhu Yuanzhang."
Chang Yuchun was one of the most famous generals under Zhu Yuanzhang, known for his bravery and ruthlessness. He had killed countless people, slaughtering entire cities after capturing them, leaving no one alive, regardless of age or gender. Even surrendering enemy soldiers were not spared. He boasted that he could lead a hundred thousand elite troops to help Zhu Yuanzhang sweep through the land, instilling fear in his enemies. Due to his remarkable military achievements, Zhu Yuanzhang turned a blind eye to his actions. Later, when the Ming Dynasty unified and established its capital in Nanjing, before Zhu Yuanzhang could begin executing his loyal ministers, Chang Yuchun mysteriously died.
Li Shanchang, as the only founding minister who could compete for favor with Liu Bowen in the early Ming Dynasty, although less famous than Liu Bowen, was granted the titles of Daming Xuan Guo Gong and Grand Tutor. His official rank was equal to that of Prime Minister Liu Bowen, but in reality, it was even slightly higher because Li Shanchang was better at flattering and pleasing Zhu Yuanzhang.
Many unofficial histories of the Ming Dynasty recorded Li Shanchang's efforts to seek out the Dragon Vein for Zhu Yuanzhang to establish the nation.
In truth, Li Shanchang was merely a self-taught diviner. To maintain a more respectable identity and stay close to Zhu Yuanzhang, he had to claim to be a diviner. Compared to Liu Bowen's genuine talents and knowledge, Li Shanchang was more adept at understanding people's hearts.
The time reflection traced back in Zhou Compass is quite clear; this Desolate Village was once used to temporarily imprison the Three Thousand Young Boys and Three Thousand Virgins. Within this Mountain Valley, the peaks rose steeply, making escape impossible.
From the conversation between Chang Yuchun and Li Shanchang, it appeared that both the Three Thousand Young Boys and Three Thousand Virgins were intended for blood sacrifices to stabilize the Dragon Vein.
Mr. Chang said, "I finally understand the secret of the forbidden area and Futu Stupa. Beneath Futu Ridge lies the sealed Dragon Vein, which is why there are three locations with the terrain resembling Dragon's Embrace Mountain. It is said that the Dragon Vein is fundamental for an emperor to establish a nation and maintain stability; however, the Dragon Vein can move. Once it shifts, Zhu Yuanzhang's birth chart and the Great Ming's ancestral tablets cannot follow it. That’s why they resorted to the extreme method of using the Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls for human blood sacrifices to fixate the Dragon Vein. Four hundred years ago, at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty’s establishment, three monks arrived at Futu Ridge and built these three Futu Stupas; this must also be related to stabilizing the Dragon Vein."
Chen Jixian nodded and said, "That makes sense; beneath the Forbidden Area of Futu Ridge lies the Dragon Vein. But I don’t understand why those who enter the forbidden area die?"
Wang Cong replied, "From the conversation between Chang Yuchun and Li Shanchang in Light Shadow, it seems that perhaps it is the vengeful spirits of the Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls who kill; otherwise, they wouldn’t randomly shoot at thin air."
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