Before him stretched a massive harbor.
Countless fishing boats of every size were hoisting their sails, ready to set out.
In a cleared patch of ground in the harbor,
earth had been piled up into an altar. Towering atop it stood a colossal statue, over a dozen zhang tall.
The statue depicted a rugged, powerfully built man. At first glance, he looked human, but a closer look revealed twelve fingers on each hand and a long, spine-covered tail trailing from his coccyx.
He wore a crown with twelve hanging strands and held an axe and battle-axe. His ornaments were magnificent. Now, he glared furiously toward the distant sea,
as if ready to strike at any moment and shatter the crashing waves.
Beneath the statue, all manner of offerings were presented in an endless stream.
A crowd of commoners, dressed in fine clothes and solemn yet joyful, formed lines and bowed in worship.
At the very front, an elderly man trembled as he explained the purpose of this grand sacrifice: "We humbly pray... for calm seas... and abundant catches... We offer pure grain... with sincere devotion... Though our offerings are humble... we are overwhelmed with gratitude... We respectfully make this petition."
This was a coastal town. The people were setting out to fish together, praying for calm seas and no peril on their journey, as well as a bountiful catch. In return, they promised that after returning safely, they would hold another grand sacrifice before the statue, with abundant offerings and no skimping on the expense...
Jade Snow Bat listened for a moment, then secretly cast an illusion.
In an instant, the lofty statue that the commoners had struggled so hard to bring out of the temple transformed into an equally imposing statue of a nine-tailed white fox!
Then Jade Snow