The five cauldrons landed on five corners of the altars and woke up the power here.
A peerless force erupted from the black altar, creating gales and black clouds in the sky. They began to spin around, making it feel as if the world itself was spinning.
“We can start the ceremony now.” Gu Lida was shaking emotionally. He has waited too long for this day.
More than 20,000 beasts in captivity were brought over by heretical cultivators. Some larger ones were dozens of meters long, tied up by thick iron chains. They started shaking and squirming to get out.
A protector shot out forbidden rays that surround these big beasts, immobilizing them.
The altar reached the clouds in a majestic corner. The platform at the top had a diameter of 260 meters, looking just like a shrine meant for ascension.
It took six hours before all the beasts were brought to the top. Though this ceremony wasn’t comparable to the one ten thousand years ago, it was still quite impressive.
Just like how ancient people worshipped their gods, using this altar to steal the tree from the goddess would be a simple task.
“Take out their souls.” The fifth and sixth protector started at the same time.
The two released black chains of energy and dragged out a millennium spirit beast.
This beast had the bloodline of a sacred creature - the Bi’an and had cultivated for more than 1,200 years. Though its sacred bloodline was negligible, it was far more powerful than an ordinary spirit beast and capable of smashing a Giant to a pulp.
It was the king of the mountains near Heaven Witchcraft Division. The beasts within a 20,000 miles area were under its control.
It normally attacked various cities and caused quite a headache for the four tribe lords of Heaven Witchcraft. They tried to kill it multiple times to no avail.
The Life Walker of Senluo Temple spent great efforts before capturing this Bi’an, wanting to use its blood as a sacrifice.
“Raa!” The Bi’an had thirty iron chains around it. Each chain had a talisman taped on it. Each time the beast struggled, the talismans would flash and send out lightning bolts causing the beast to scream.
“You dare to use the blood of a spirit beast as a sacrifice? The spirit beast lords in Endless Land would never drop this issue if they find out.” The Bi’an had a pair of golden eyes. They shined just like the stars above. It knew how to speak and the loud volume made the area tremble.
The fifth protector responded: “The heretical king is back, stronger than ever. The spirit beast lords won’t attack our temple just because of you.”
The Bi’an struggled only to be struck by ten bolts and cried out: “Shameless humans! You would be no match for me without these 33 talismans holding me back!”
The fifth and sixth protector didn’t waste time and brought the Bi’an to the top of the altar.
Its curses gradually weakened because of the suppressive power stemming from the five cauldrons.
Next, several thousand Jiangs consisting of various demographics were herded to the top. They were captured by the heretics from the nearby tribes, looking quite confused.
Feiyun stood on a peak several hundred miles away. He used his phoenix gaze to read the situation while his sleeves fluttered loudly to the wind.
‘That heretical young lord might be hiding, only the five protectors are out in the open.’
Feiyun put on his purple Nine-doves Gown, releasing an evil affinity from within. His battle intent surrounded the entire peak.
Next, he also put on the Cloak of Invisibility and suddenly disappeared. All of his auras and presence were erased.
Nangong Hongyan could ambush a Giant to death with this cloak. Feiyun was even more ambitious, wanting to kill several.
He crossed through the miasma field again and made it to a valley a few thousand meters from the altar.
An ancient force was being awakened at the top. The monstrous beasts up there were roaring with such loud volumes that Feiyun’s own beast souls wanted to fly out of his body.
Not far from there were several hundred heretics on guard. They obviously didn’t want anyone to disturb the ceremony.
No one could sense Feiyun, not even the five protectors.
Gu Lida walked on a path ladened with bones while holding an archaic leather scroll, slowly making his way to the very top.
He would bow his head every nine steps while chanting what seems to be the ancient tongue of witchcraft.
He was the oldest member of the Ancient Jiang, more than 800 years old. He knew plenty of forbidden arts capable of draining others’ life force to live longer.
He once found an old technique on a bone tablet depicting how to steal the divine tree. In the distant past, a master shaman managed to take it away from the goddess of that generation.
The bone tablet stated - in order to seize the Divine Witchcraft Tree, one must borrow the power of a mighty altar then copulate with the Heavenly Witchcraft Goddess, instilling one’s yang essence into her and leading out her yang force. Next, harmonize with the altar and forcefully remove the tree from her and inserting it into one’s own.
The conditions were quite stringent. Both the goddess and the shaman must be virgins.
Moreover, the shaman must be a great master of various witchcraft arts.
Next, it has to be carried out on sacred ground with enough beast blood as a sacrifice for the Witch God, gaining his approval.
The goddess naturally wasn’t his daughter, only a chosen messenger picked by one of his billion strands of intent. The Jiang only called her a goddess out of respect.
With enough sacrifice, this god would allow the shaman to be his new messenger and grant them the power of the tree.
It took an hour before Gu Lida made it to the top, still reading the text from the leather scroll. He displayed great reverence, not blinking once from start to finish.
The light on the altar grew stronger with his chanting. The power of the altar was being called out, resulting in thunderous explosions.
Meanwhile, the five protectors sat on their chair while feeling intimidated by this force.
No wonder why the heretical king put so much emphasis on this matter. The force of this altar was no joke. Alas, they still didn’t believe in the existence of the Witch God, or rather, a real deity. This being was rooted in the legends, not reality. “Gods” were simply evil creatures created from worship and faith.
“Feng Feiyun didn’t come back, how unexpected, maybe he knows he is too weak to change anything?” The fifty-first protector wondered.
“Perhaps he ran back to Witch God City to look for reinforcement.”
“Maybe, but it will be too late then. The divine tree would already be taken by Gu Lida and with its power, he’ll be in charge of Ancient Jiang.”
“It can’t be helped. Feng Feiyun is still too young and weak. The five of us here are enough to scare him off.”
At this time, four cloaked heretics carried the silver palanquin up the altar and placed it down in front of Gu Lida.
“Your Highness, come out now. Don’t you wish to see an end to the Jiang’s internal conflicts? I can accomplish this for you.” Lida has finished chanting and spoke with his hoarse voice.
A hand as white as snow stretched out from within, delicate and immaculate. It hesitated for a while before lifting up the curtain, revealing the delicate beauty inside.
Exquisite and charming and shrouded by a faint mist, she had a silver staff in one hand and a golden pot made out of clay in the other.
Her eyes were big with curly eyelashes, looking a bit frightened. She slightly trembled like a tiny quail.
The four heretics holding the palanquin were stunned, thinking that this goddess was beautiful enough to be cursed and subjected to this horrendous fate.
She was around twenty years of age, no longer that young. Nevertheless, she still had a look of innocence and bashfulness. Her neck showed off her fair skin with breasts ample enough to be proud of. Her delicate waist accentuated her charming figure.
When she walked out, her figure came to full view, especially her thin, long legs. She held a silver staff and wore a silver dress; her hair draped down to the waist.
The five protectors felt their blood flowing fast; their eyes bulging from the sockets.
Gu Lida was the most excited one out of everyone. His bean-sized eyes stared intensely at her while thinking to himself: ‘The Heavenly Witch God is too kind to me!’