Sacrifice to the Dragon

The Dragon Sacrifice Platform is a cliff that juts out into the river, dozens of feet high, like a fist of mountains reaching into the river.

The area above the cliff is flat, while the surging river crashes against the cliff below, creating towering white waves, beneath which lie deep whirlpools.

Because of the unique terrain of the cliff, this place has become a natural altar.

Since ancient times, all activities to worship the Dragon King and the Water God have been held here.

At the edge of the cliff overlooking the water stands a tall stone stele with a dragon head, inscribed with the name of the Dragon King, and a sacrificial text of several hundred characters carved on the back.

The fifteenth of May is the day to worship the Nine Sources River. An incense table was set up in front of the dragon stele, with three kinds of fresh flowers and five kinds of fruit on it.

The prepared sacrificial offerings of cattle, sheep, and pigs were tied up and placed aside, with colorful ribbons hanging on them, covered with words of praise for the Dragon King.

The Nine Sources River was a dragon god officially appointed by the imperial court, and his worship was a formal, official ceremony.

The sacrificial ceremony on the fifteenth of May is presided over by the prefect of Yunyang, who prays for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and longevity throughout the year.

By 9 a. m., the cliff was already crowded with people.

At the entrance below the cliff, a large contingent of soldiers in bright armor stood guard, numbering in the hundreds.

Ordinary people could only watch from below the cliff; only those of a certain status and position were qualified to ascend the Dragon Sacrifice Platform.

Zhang Yunming followed behind his father, Zhang Shihong, standing ramrod straight, but his eyes darted around, taking in the sights.

Today's sacrificial ceremony can be described as a grand event, with almost all the prominent figures in Yunyang Prefecture in attendance.

Standing at the very front was naturally his uncle Zhang Shiheng, along with Xinjue of Golden Leaf Temple and Lower Court Zhiyuan.

The old monk was tall and imposing, wearing a yellow robe with a red kasaya over it. Holding a staff, he stood there like an Arhat subduing demons, exuding a powerful and majestic aura.

The group of monks behind the old monk were also full of energy.

On the other side, the abbot of Cloud Dragon Lower Court Zhiyuan, was thin and frail, with his old eyes half-open and half-closed. Although his purple robe with gold patterns was luxurious, it only made him look Zhiyuan frail and old.

On the contrary, the young Daoist in green robes behind Zhiyuan, with his handsome features and tall, slender figure, exuded a calm and elegant demeanor that attracted the attention of many people around him.

Without anyone's introduction, Zhang Yunming knew that the young Daoist must be Zhou Wuji, the most prominent Seventh Rank Daoist in Yunyang Prefecture recently!

Zhang Yunming had heard too many rumors about Zhou Wuji and was quite dismissive of the various praises he received about Zhou Wuji.

He's just a guy who's good at killing. It's one thing to say he's a master Swordsmanship, but to go and boast about his elegant demeanor as if he were a Celestial Person being is another. It sounds like the Lower Court's rhetoric used to brag about their own people.

Seeing Zhou Wuji in person today, even Zhang Shiming, a man, has to admit that he is indeed handsome and dashing.

For today's grand event, Zhang Shiming specially wore a silver crown to tie his hair up, a round-necked brocade robe that he rarely wore, and a silver belt around his waist. He thought he looked dashing and debonair, but he always felt that he was far inferior to Zhou Wuji.

This isn't a difference in appearance or clothing, but rather a vast difference in their demeanor.

Zhang Shiming had always been proud and arrogant, and he didn't understand why he would think that he was far inferior to Zhou Wuji, and even felt ashamed of himself because of it.

"Third Brother, that's Zhou Wuji, isn't it? He's truly extraordinary..."

Zhang Yun, standing beside Zhang Shiming, sighed softly, "I've never really understood the meaning of the phrase 'handsome and elegant.'"

Even today, seeing Zhou Wuji standing there, he truly resembles a tree of white jade, swaying and shining brightly.

Zhang Yunming glanced at his younger sister and scolded her in a low voice, "Watch your words."

It is extremely impolite for an unmarried woman to comment on a man in public.

This place is a gathering place for all sorts of talented and extraordinary people. If outsiders heard this, they might think his sister was lovesick! Then the Zhang Household would lose all face.

Zhang Yun showed no fear of her brother. She smiled slightly behind her veil but did not argue with Zhang Yunming.

The main problem was that her father was right in front of her. He was a rigid and serious man who valued etiquette above all else. If he heard her, he would definitely scold her.

"The Peng family girl has arrived; I'm going to find her."

When Zhang Yun saw Peng Yuzhen approaching surrounded by servants and maids, she and two maids went to greet her as well.

Today, Peng Yuzhen wore a veiled hat, a brocade jacket, and a light blue horse-face skirt, looking elegant and appropriate.

The two girls rarely had playmates at home, and since they hadn't seen each other for some time, they were very affectionate when they met.

"Sister Yuzhen, do you see that young Daoist priest? That's the recently famous Zhou Wuji!"

Zhang Yun gestured to Peng Yuzhen to go see Zhou Wuji.

Peng Yuzhen followed Zhang Yun's gaze and immediately spotted Zhou Wuji among the group of Daoists.

She suddenly thought of a phrase: standing out from the crowd!

"Isn't it beautiful?" Zhang Yun asked in a teasing whisper.

"Ah,"

Peng Yuzhen then realized she had been staring at him for a while. Feeling a little embarrassed, she lowered her gaze and explained, "I've long heard that this person is cruel and ruthless, but I never expected him to be so charming. You really can't judge a book by its cover."

As the two were talking, Jin Ying quietly walked up from behind and said with a smile, "What are you two whispering about? Are you talking about Zhou Wuji?"

Jin Ying has delicate features, wears a light blue vest over a pleated skirt, and has her hair tied in two buns. Her wheat-colored skin is slightly dark, but it also makes her look lively, sunny, and very approachable.

Peng Yuzhen and Zhang Yun smiled at Jin Ying through their veils. Jin Ying's family owned a money exchange and was said to have royal support, making them far more powerful than ordinary merchants.

Jin Ying is also lively and cheerful, and has a good relationship with Peng Yuzhen and Zhang Yun, even forming a very stable little circle.

"Yes. Mingxiu always talks about how great her senior brother is, and this time she finally got to see him in person."

Not wanting Peng Yuzhen to feel embarrassed, Zhang Yun said with a smile, "Judging from this person's appearance and demeanor, he really is a talented individual."

Yunyang Prefecture is not small, but there are very few women who are suitable in terms of status, age, family background, education and ability.

There was another person in their small circle, Pei Mingxiu, whose Buddhist name Wuming, who stood next to Zhou Wuji.

When they were together, they naturally addressed Pei Mingxiu by her first name to show their closeness.

It was Pei Mingxiu who showed off to them that made them realize Zhou Wuji was skilled in calligraphy, as well as poetry and music.

Jin Ying stared at Zhou Wuji, then couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Sister Mingxiu always said that her senior brother was like Celestial Person, but I never believed it. Today I realized that Sister Mingxiu wasn't exaggerating at all."

"I've met quite a few talented and outstanding people since I was with my father, but only today did I realize that there are such remarkable and extraordinary figures in the world."

Zhang Yun and Peng Yuzhen didn't say anything, but they both agreed with Jin Ying's words.

Jin Ying's bright eyes twinkled as she smiled at Zhang Yun and Peng Yuzhen, saying, "Daoist priests of the Northern Pole Sect can marry and have children..."

"Don't say anything out of line." Although Zhang Yun was bold, she still felt ashamed to say these things in public, and her face flushed.

Peng Yuzhen was even more timid, wishing she could cover her ears and pretend she couldn't hear anything, but her heart was pounding wildly...

Jin Ying gave a dry laugh but dared not say anything more.

She blurted out her words without thinking, and knew immediately that it was inappropriate, especially since there were so many people around. It would be very embarrassing if any elder heard her.

Fortunately, they were about thirty or forty steps away from the stone tablet, and the altar was packed with people, all talking in hushed tones, making it quite noisy.

They were surrounded by maids and servants, so no one should have been able to hear them.

Jin Ying never imagined that Zhou Wuji, whom they were gossiping about, could hear their words.

The main group made no attempt to hide their gazes, while others, even if they were observing, rarely stared directly at each other. Most importantly, all three were beautiful women.

The Mind Mirror deep within Zhou Wuji's brow constantly reflects the changes within and without.

Zhou Wuji sensed something, and the Mind Mirror reflected the conversation between the women.

He couldn't see the two women's faces clearly through the veil, but he could make out their general features. Judging from their figures, demeanor, and speech, they must be quite attractive.

Zhou Wuji remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was quite pleased with himself; those young women did have good taste!

But he also knew that the reason others thought he had an extraordinary temperament was mainly because of his powerful Divine Sense and the fact that he had cultivated the Northern Dipper Tianshu Scripture to perfection.

Even though his cultivation level was still low, he already possessed a Celestial Person aura that transcended worldly concerns.

Zhou Wuji not only paid attention to a few women, but also observed how others perceived and discussed him.

Most people still have a positive opinion of him, even if most of their opinions only focus on the superficial level of his handsome appearance and elegant demeanor.

Some people talked about his amazing Swordsmanship, but no one said how much effort he had put into the Five Dragons Gang incident. It was clear that the Pacification Office had deliberately suppressed this information.

Zhiyuan the Lower Court wanted him to be in the limelight, it also didn't help him promote himself in this regard.

Aside from a few women who were captivated by his good looks, most people felt that his fame was somewhat undeserved.

That's normal, after all, he rose to prominence too quickly. The Zhang Household doesn't want him to become famous.

In this world, he needs a powerful figure to endorse him in order to truly establish his status.

Zhou Wuji observed his surroundings through the Mind Mirror and made an accurate assessment of his reputation in Yunyang Prefecture: he was famous, but not famous enough, and his prestige and status were incomparable to those of the older generation of masters.

Zhou Wuji didn't care that much about fame; he wasn't that vain. He just felt that fame was very useful.

"Senior brother, that's Prefect Peng Yue. The Peng family is a prominent and well-known Aristocratic Clan in Chu Province..."

Wuming was unaware that Zhou Wuji was daydreaming and was enthusiastically Zhou Wuji.

Zhou Wuji also saw Peng Yue. Among so many people present, only Peng Yue was wearing a round-necked blue official uniform, a black gauze hat, and a leather belt, clearly the highest-ranking local official.

According to the etiquette system of this dynasty, officials of the Seventh Rank to Fifth Rank wore blue robes and wore silver-embroidered leather belts.

Peng Yue wore no silver flowers, making him appear quite simple. He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and a solemn expression, giving him a rather dignified air.

Accompanying Peng Yue was Zhang Shiheng, a Pacification Office. He was also dressed in a blue brocade robe, wearing a large hat and a long sword at his waist. His expression was cold and his eyes were sharp. Compared with Cloud River Tower, his attire was much simpler.

The presence of all the highest-ranking civil and military officials of Yunyang Prefecture demonstrates the importance of this sacrificial ceremony.

As usual, Peng Yue addressed the crowd and led them in bowing three times to the Dragon Stele. Someone presented a black silk scroll covered with prayers.

Peng Yue held the silk scroll in both hands and recited aloud, "I pray to the Dragon King for protection, for favorable weather and abundant harvests..."

After reciting the prayer, Peng Yue threw the silk into the river, and the others carried the cattle, pigs, and sheep and threw them into the river one by one...

The entire sacrificial ceremony was very complicated. It was the first time Zhou Wuji had ever seen a formal sacrificial ceremony, which was very similar to the rituals of their Northern Pole Sect.

He asked Wuming in a low voice, "What is the origin of the Dragon King worship?"

"Legend has it that there is a Five-Colored Dragon God in the Nine Sources River, who governs the three rivers and all the streams. The Five Dragons Gang claims to have obtained the inheritance of the Five-Colored Dragon God, which is why it has grown so rapidly..."

Wuming explained the legend of the Five-Colored Dragon God, but she didn't know much about it herself and could only give a general overview.

Zhou Wuji nodded; he really didn't know that the Five Dragons Gang had any connection with this Dragon God.

Watching the lively sacrificial ceremony, a thought suddenly popped into his head: with all the important figures of Yunyang Prefecture gathered here, if a powerful demonic sect expert were to come and wipe them out, he could directly destroy the organizational structure of Yunyang Prefecture.

However, even the powerful figures of the Demonic Sect probably wouldn't dare to act recklessly, right?! Even if they wanted to, there was no need to choose Yunyang Prefecture as their target.

Zhou Wuji raced, and another important question came to mind: Yunyang Prefecture was currently quite vulnerable, and if someone wanted to cause trouble, this would be a perfect opportunity.

"For example, a prison break or something..."

Just as Zhou Wuji thought of this, he saw a monk in yellow robes walk out from behind the Xinjue.

The monk was tall and imposing, with thick eyebrows, fierce eyes, and a purplish-red face. He was more than a head taller than everyone around him, and he stood there with an imposing presence, truly possessing the aura of Vajra.

He remembered the monk; his Buddhist Yuan'an, Seventh Rank martial monk, and one of the Four Great Vajra of Golden Leaf Temple.

This man was strong and tall, with a fierce air about him that made him unforgettable at first sight.

When Zhou Wuji saw Yuan'an, he felt that this guy was a bit like his own silly and simple-minded disciple.

Seeing Yuan'an walk out so straight ahead, he knew the other party was bound to cause trouble, but he still couldn't help but want to laugh.

Yuan'an had been staring at Zhou Wuji, and when he saw Zhou Wuji's lips curl up as if he were mocking him, he became very angry.

In fact, Yuan'an's sudden appearance attracted the attention of everyone around him.

Several hundred people participated in the sacrificial ceremony, all staring wide-eyed at Yuan'an.

Zhiyuan guessed the monk's intention. He glanced at Xinjue beside him, and though he wanted to sigh, he held back.

Xinjue nodded slightly to Zhiyuan, but said nothing.

Peng Yue and Zhang Shiheng both looked at Yuan'an. In such an important sacrificial occasion, a Seventh Rank martial monk was still too low a status and not qualified to stand up and speak.

Yuan'an An clasped his hands together, bowed, and chanted a Buddhist prayer. He respectfully said, "My lord, Admiral, I have heard that Daoist Wuji of Cloud Dragon Lower Court Wuji martial arts skills."

"Today is an auspicious day for worshipping the Dragon King, and many wise men from the city have gathered here. This humble monk would like to take this opportunity to learn a few moves from Wuji..."