"Bastards!"
"You ignorant fools worship the Evil God in secret, and that alone is a crime. Now you want to sway us too? You deserve to die!"
Behind Bai Cha, a dark-faced Huoyan Valley disciple stepped out of the crowd and clamped a hand around his sword hilt. His gaze, sharp as a blade, darted back and forth between the village chief and the statue.
Ever since the Human Race rose to prominence, there had been no gods in this world.
To the Great Beings of the Human Race, all so-called gods were demons and monsters—creatures that stole people's faith.
In this disciple's eyes, the Dragon God worshipped by this village was likely some demon in disguise, merely bewitching the people. To make him bow before such an evil thing would be an insult.
"Nonsense! The Dragon God is no Evil God!"
"That's right! The Dragon God is a true deity, able to summon wind and rain and do anything. He blesses us with good weather and bountiful harvests. You can't insult the Dragon God like this!"
Villagers crowded around them, fists clenched and faces furious. It looked as if they would swarm the group at the slightest provocation.
Their bodies were frail, yet the crazed fervor on their faces as they fought for their faith was unmistakable.
"You lot seem stubborn beyond reason. In that case..."
The dark-faced disciple's expression changed. His right hand tightened as he began to draw his sword.
To him, a pack of mortals daring to fight him over some unidentified thing was an unforgivable crime.
Just as the air turned taut with imminent violence, the village chief, whose face had been alight with fanaticism, suddenly came to his senses. He hurried in front of the dark-faced disciple, turned his back to him, spread his