Chapter 49 " The Human race Grand Sacrifice

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As Jiang Cheng turned to leave the Qinglin Treasure Pavilion, Ruan Xue's voice called out to him, halting his steps.

"By the way," she said, her tone suddenly filled with a hint of excitement, "in a few years, it will be the 2,270,000th year of the Taichu Era."

Jiang Cheng paused, turning back to her with a curious expression.

Ruan Xue leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "This year will mark the Human race's Grand Sacrifice to the Mother Goddess of Life, a ceremony that occurs once every ten millennia. It's also the anniversary of the formal establishment of the human race, a milestone commemorating 3.5 million years of history. During this time, countless planets, from small to massive worlds within the human race's territories, will fall into a carnival of festivities and rituals."

Jiang Cheng was captivated, a mix of fascination and disbelief crossing his face. "The entire human race… celebrating all at once?"

"Wait, wait, wait… There are planets outside our world?" Jiang Cheng blurted out in shock.

Ruan Xue gave him a strange look before nodding. "Of course there are. According to my master, there are countless planes, both large and small, just like ours. And beyond that, there are innumerable powerful races."

She paused, a flicker of unease crossing her face. "If it weren't for the Goddess protecting us all this time, we would have long been nothing more than food for those chaotic races. After all, humans were the last race to be born in this universe. Compared to the ancient and terrifying beings out there, we are weak."

Jiang Cheng shuddered slightly at the thought. Food…?

Ruan Xue continued, her tone solemn. "That's why we should always be grateful to Her—not just for our creation but for Her unwavering protection throughout the ages. As long as She stands, those beings won't dare lay a finger on us."

She suddenly glanced around, lowering her voice. "Also, this isn't something you should go around talking about. Normally, this kind of information isn't accessible to cultivators below the Foundation Building stage. My master only told me because of her status. So don't go spreading it around unless you want unnecessary trouble."

Jiang Cheng nodded slowly, a serious expression settling on his face. He had unknowingly been living in a much smaller world than he thought.

Anyway—" Ruan Xue's voice suddenly brightened with excitement. "Let me continue! The most exciting part is that countless powerful cultivators from across the human territories will rush to the Tianling World. This world, entirely controlled by the human race for millions of years, is about to become the center of everything."

She leaned in, her eyes sparkling. "My master has spoken of it frequently. The Tianling World is home to several sacred sites, including the Human Emperor Palace. It is where the human race's greatest foundation lies. The number of powerful figures gathering there will be unimaginable!"

Jiang Cheng's eyes widened at the mention of the Human Emperor Palace. "The Human Emperor Palace?" he repeated.

Ruan Xue nodded eagerly, her voice lowering slightly in reverence. "Yes. It's the place with the greatest foundation for the human race, a place where the strongest of the strong gather. There are many powerful figures there, including some of the highest-ranking cultivators in the entire world. It's a place of immense significance."

Jiang Cheng's mind raced as he absorbed the information. The idea of a gathering of so many powerful beings, the anniversary of the human race's establishment, and the Human Emperor Palace itself—it was overwhelming, but also exhilarating.

Jiang Cheng's eyes gleamed with excitement. "I will definitely go there in the future!" he declared with confidence.

Ruan Xue smirked and crossed her arms. "Before you can even think about leaving this plane, you have to break through to the God Transformation Realm. Only then will you qualify to step outside this world."

She looked Jiang Cheng up and down, her gaze full of disdain. "And where are you? Qi Refining! And where is the God Transformation Realm?" She scoffed. "The gap is so big, I don't even know if I should laugh or cry for you. You might as well say you're going to ascend to immortality tomorrow!"

Jiang Cheng coughed awkwardly, but his eyes burned with unwillingness, just like a certain young man in a distant world. He clenched his fist and declared, "Thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi! Don't bully the young and poor!"

Ruan Xue's face froze. She blinked once, twice, then looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"…Are you serious?" she asked, deadpan.

Jiang Cheng stood tall, exuding an air of tragic determination, as if he was the protagonist of an epic saga. "One day, I will—"

Before he could finish, Ruan Xue wordlessly drew her sword.

"Alright, I've tolerated your shamelessness for long enough!" she shouted. "Let me vent my grievances today!"

With that, she swung her sword at him!

"Hey! Hey! Fellow Daoist, let's talk this out!" Jiang Cheng yelped as he dodged and ran for his life.

"Talk? TALK?! I should have kicked you out the moment you bought your sword."

"You just don't understand a great man's spirit!"

"I understand that you're a shameless fool! Get back here!"

The scene of a beautiful fairy cultivator chasing a Qi Refining rogue down the street with a drawn sword quickly attracted attention.

Onlookers gawked. "What's going on?"

"That's Ruan Xue from the Treasure Pavilion, right? Who's the guy running for his life?"

"No idea, but from the way he's running, he's definitely guilty of something."

"Poor guy. May he rest in peace."

"Rest in peace, my ass! He's still dodging! Look at him zigzag like a rabbit!"

Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng, evading slashes left and right, shouted, "I swear I'll return one day! And when I do—"

"Return your head! Get lost!" Ruan Xue kicked a rock at him, hitting him square in the back.

"AHHHH!" Jiang Cheng tumbled and rolled like a ragdoll before scrambling back to his feet and dashing away.

Only after watching him disappear into the distance did Ruan Xue finally sheath her sword and huff.

She folded her arms and muttered, "Hmph. What an idiot."

....

After Jiang Cheng finally made it back to the inn, he collapsed onto a chair, panting.

"What a ruthless woman… Almost chopped me into pieces just for speaking my dreams," he muttered, still feeling the lingering killing intent from Ruan Xue's sword swings.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and let out a long sigh. "Let me just… rest a bit… and recover my dignity."

Then, after a moment of silence, he snorted.

"Hmph! Just you wait, Ruan Xue! One day, I'll be the one looking down at you and saying, 'How dare you dream so big!' Just like how Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran after defeating her in three years!"

At that moment, somewhere in the vast heavens, in a distant world—

Xiao Yan, seated on his throne, paused for a moment. His eyes flickered, as if sensing something. A vague resonance echoed through the void.

He stroked his beard thoughtfully and nodded slightly, as if giving his silent approval.

"Not bad," he murmured. "This kid has the right spirit."

Back in the inn, Jiang Cheng suddenly felt a mysterious warmth in his heart, as if receiving divine encouragement. His eyes shone with determination.

"Even Senior Xiao acknowledges me! My path to greatness is set!"

___

Jiang Cheng sat in the inn, casually sipping his tea while his ears perked up at the conversation around him. The lively chatter of casual cultivators filled the room, but one discussion in particular caught his attention.

"…I heard the market law enforcement team is out in force again," one man said in a hushed tone. "This time, they're confronting a group of casual cultivators in the shantytown outside the market."

The two casual cultivators exchanged glances before one of them smirked and said, "Let's go check it out."

"Yeah, might as well see the commotion," the other agreed. Without hesitation, they both stood up and headed for the door.

Jiang Cheng casually placed a few spirit stones on the table, adjusting his robe as he got up. If my guess is right… he thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. Then Taoist Yan's trouble has finally arrived.

Without drawing attention to himself, he followed behind the two cultivators, blending into the bustling streets as they made their way toward the shantytown outside the market.

In the shantytown outside the market, the market law enforcement team was confronting a group of casual cultivators.

"Please show some mercy, fellow Taoists. If you demolish this cave, I will be homeless in the future."

A thin and shriveled old cultivator knelt in front of the market law enforcement team and begged bitterly.

The old cultivator was wearing a washed-out Taoist robe and had dark skin. He looked no different from an old farmer in the countryside. He was the lowest-level spiritual plant in the market.

He cast spells and farmed day and night on weekdays, and did not dare to have any other consumption, just to save half a low-grade spiritual stone.

Purchasing the fifth-class cave in the shantytown probably consumed all the spiritual stones he had accumulated throughout his life.

The greatest asset in his life.

Once it is demolished, his life will basically be over, and he will not be able to leave anything for his descendants.

"These junks can also be called caves?"

A monk from the market law enforcement team snorted coldly: "Elder Jing Lan is kind and does not care about your crime of privately building and selling caves. It is a great favor."

"Old man, if you dare to stop me again, don't blame me for being rude!"

As he spoke, the spirit weapon in his hand emitted a faint light, as if it was about to break through the air.

The old monk opened his mouth and wanted to say something.

Bang!

In the market law enforcement team, the leading young monk waved his hand impatiently.

A powerful force flew out, like a heavy hammer hitting the old monk hard, flipping the old monk out, turning over several times, and rolling to the side, life or death unknown.

The young monk had an indifferent look in his eyes, standing with his hands behind his back, without even looking at the old monk.

"Tear it down!"

At the command, the market law enforcement team behind him rushed into the shantytown like wolves and tigers, smashing and destroying everything.

Whoosh~

A fireball fell, burning a fifth-class cave to ashes.

Boom!

A Swallowing Earth spell directly submerged the entire cave in the surging mud.

Many spiritual plant farmers watched from the side, feeling sympathetic, and some of them had purchased fifth-class caves, but at this time, no one dared to step forward to stop them.

The example of the old monk was right in front of them, so who would dare to stop the law enforcement team?

Are they looking for death?

For these people, they could only swallow this loss with broken teeth.