Uchiha Shin looked around. This place of worship was quite desolate, yet there was a small house here.
Inside stood a stone statue of a tall man, holding a sword in one hand and a bell in the other.
This was the statue of Eastern Emperor Taiyi. The bell in his hand was likely the Chaos Bell.
As Uchiha Shin looked over the crowd, he noticed that there were not only humans among them, but also demons.
Every one of them wore a solemn expression, their eyes filled with reverence.
"How long will this ritual last?" Uchiha Shin asked the old man again.
"Seven days. Today is the sixth day. Tomorrow will be the final day, and also the most important one."
Uchiha Shin nodded and left, intending to look around some more.
That night, Uchiha Shin found a farming household and stayed with them.
The people here were very friendly, and they gave Uchiha Shin a lavish dinner.
However, while they were eating, two men dressed in black robes entered.
The family hurriedly greeted them, then brought out their two children and handed them over to the black-robed men.
"What is this?" Uchiha Shin was deeply puzzled.
The uncle said, "They are the shamans here. They've come to take my two children away."
"My two children are going to help Lord Eastern Emperor Taiyi return to life."
Uchiha Shin frowned. Could two children really help with that?
He wanted to ask more, but the family was unwilling to say anything further.
The next morning, Uchiha Shin returned to the small house and saw that everyone was still performing the ritual there.
By noon, Uchiha Shin saw several men in black arrive, carrying two stretchers. Each stretcher held a boy and a girl.
Uchiha Shin recognized two of the children.