Chapter Twelve: Sacrifices and Offerings

  Tang Xiaoxia's words made Luosiqi instantly decide to obey.

  She decided to obey not because she was intimidated by Tang Xiaoxiao's determination, but because the word "going home" no longer meant a simple action after school as it used to. She felt that she actually didn't understand Tang Xiaoxiao at all; he wasn't just a handsome boy, his thoughts and feelings were no less mysterious than what Qingyuan brought her.

  For some reason, after hearing his words, she decided to believe him once and trust that he could take her home.

  For Luosi Qi and Tang Xiaxia, hiding from the enemy in the forest was very concealed, but there were also many problems, such as whether there would be wild beasts deep in the forest, and whether they would get lost if they walked inside for a long time.

  Fortunately, the moon is particularly large and round tonight, like a shining white jade plate, so that two people will not be more panicked because of this dark night.

  The two of them rested for a while and felt that they could continue walking, so they set off again. According to Tang Xiaoxia's words, they were always heading north. Luosiqi asked him how he could be sure they were really going north all the time. Tang Xiaoxia's answer made her speechless, because he just said two words: "Feeling!"

  It's a very strange thing that can give people confidence and make them more determined, but it can also mislead people and lead them astray.

  Tang Xiaoxia's words made Luosiqi feel cool, but what was even cooler was that they actually found a village not long after. The village was bustling with activity, and a group of villagers were gathered around a high stone platform, all looking up at the platform with very devout eyes, as if listening to the old man on the platform say something. Because it was nighttime, many torches were inserted around the platform, illuminating everything brightly. When Luosiqi arrived here, she felt both tired and hungry, so she poked Tang Xiaoxia with her finger and said, "What should we do? Should we go over?"

  In front of the altar, a whole sheep was being roasted on a fire pit. The sheep had been skinned and was now sizzling with oil, filling the air with a savory aroma that wafted far away, making Luosiqi even hungrier! She suddenly remembered the steamed buns Tang Xiaoxia had bought and thought to herself: "Even if we can't have roasted whole lamb, roasting some of these buns would be great too!"

  Although the weather is warm now, no matter how warm it is, the two of them cannot spend the night in the forest. So Tang Xiaoxia said: "We've walked for so long and there's still no movement, we should be safe from pursuit. Let's sneak into the village from somewhere else and see what they're doing before deciding whether to reveal ourselves."

  Luosi followed Tang Xiaoxia cautiously from a more secluded place, slowly approaching the crowd. The area around the stone platform was particularly bright due to the torches, and because of the lighting, Luosi and Tang Xiaoxia could see them very clearly, but they found it difficult to notice these two people.

  Moreover, they seemed to be holding some sort of ceremony. The elderly man on the stone platform looked very solemn and none of the villagers around him spoke a word. Luosi followed Tang Xiaoxiao and hid behind a haystack not far from the stone platform, secretly listening to what the old man was saying.

  The old man looked like he was in his fifties or sixties, which was considered very old during the Spring and Autumn period. He had a long white beard that was about 7-8 cm long. His attire was also strange, with a completely black robe embroidered with a curved moon on it. The embroidery was very well done, and it was clear that this robe did not come from this small village. Loshqi saw the old man take out a copper mirror and say to the villagers around him: "It's almost time for the ceremony to begin, everyone close your eyes!"

  Luosi saw that the villagers closed their eyes after hearing the old man's words, and the old man said in a low voice: "Kneel down!" The people around him knelt down in a large area.

  Night, very quiet, only the sound of insects and torches burning can be heard. Rosyth saw the old man holding up one side of the copper mirror towards the sky, and she also knelt down on the stone platform, shouting loudly: "Noble and pure moon god, your people are bathed in your light, listening quietly to your call! Ooma!"

  The moonlight shone on the copper mirror, casting a faint glow. But this light looked ordinary to Luosiqi. She now slightly understood what they were doing. These villagers should be holding a sacrificial ritual, and the one being sacrificed to was the Moon God. Thinking that tonight was just the night of the full moon, it made perfect sense.

  For the first time, Rosyth found this scene very interesting. Qingyuan had said that she had the power of the moon goddess, but her current magical powers were still only able to summon a handful of water to condense into ice. She didn't dare to go out and expose herself now, who knew if the villagers' sacrifice would be so simple? What if they had some special needs and she went out rashly and was caught and bled as a sacrificial offering?

  She glanced at Tang Xiaoxia beside her, and because the two were close together, Tang Xiaoxia's eyes appeared bright and shiny in the night. He was also intently staring at the stone platform. Luosiqi thought that this boy's focused expression was too handsome! Too good-looking! She couldn't help but feel a little bit infatuated.

  Just as she was about to get hysterical, some rustling sounds suddenly came from the woods in the distance. She subconsciously asked Tang Xiaoxia in a low voice, "What's that noise in the woods?"

  Tang Xiaoxia also heard it, and her face darkened as if she knew the source of the voice. She put her index finger to her lips and whispered, "I don't know, let's not make a sound for now, hide well."

  The rustling sounds grew louder and closer, Luosi tightly grasped Tang Xiaoxia's arm, perhaps because she wanted to find a sense of security, or perhaps because she was filled with fear towards this unknown world. The old man with the white beard on the stone platform didn't move, he should have also heard the sound, but he just remained still, kneeling there. The villagers around him also sensed it, but they too didn't open their eyes, remaining motionless and kneeling in place.

  The sound disappeared in an instant.

  But that sound disappeared in a very strange way, just like an old tiger suddenly found its prey and hid itself to wait for the opportunity to pounce.

  It was only a brief moment, and suddenly countless soldiers in military uniforms poured out of the forest, some holding swords, some holding long spears. There were even archers with bows and arrows!

  They were all well-trained soldiers, and every key point and intersection was quickly occupied. Luosi was so surprised that she almost cried out in shock. What shocked her was not that the entire village was surrounded by these soldiers, but that the general leading them was actually Wu Xi!!!

  She stared at Tang Xiaoxia in extreme astonishment, only to find that he wasn't surprised at all. He simply put his index finger on his lips again and said to her, "Don't make a sound, wait a bit longer."