"Are you all curious about what Object One, passed down within the clan, actually is?" the deputy clan leader asked in a deep voice.
Everyone nodded.
The deputy clan leader walked at the front, leading everyone into the clan shrine. After worshipping before the statue of the ancestor, he suddenly leaped up and punched the statue's head!
"Clan Leader!"
Everyone was shocked by the sight.
This was utter sacrilege, the destruction of their faith. Some nearly could not hold themselves back from attacking. The ancestor's status in their hearts was unshakable.
Bang!
The seemingly solid, iron-cast head shattered into several pieces and fell to the ground.
From the broken edge, it was clear that it was actually made of pig iron.
The deputy clan leader grabbed the shoulder of the five-meter-tall statue with his left hand to steady himself, then reached into its shattered neck with his right hand before flipping down to the ground.
In his hand was a black bone compass about the size of a washbasin.
"Mire Seed. Flesh Altar. Those are our names for Object One!
"Its birth was a mistake, a sin—yet it is something we need!"
The deputy clan leader looked up at the crowd. His gaze was stern, and his voice somewhat hoarse. "Have you ever considered something?"
The Marrow Eaters looked puzzled as they waited for him to continue.
"As Marrow Eaters, we are actually no different from evil spirits. We, too, are sinful!"
Those words instantly stirred the hearts of the many Marrow Eaters. Their faces were filled with confusion and disbelief.
"The materials for Marrow Rot come from the fusion of human lives and evil spirits. Many evil spirits are also born from the mutation of these souls.
"And if we wish to evolve into Marrow Eaters, we must use