Chapter 186: The Sacrifice
"Now that Sheng Xinxin is sacrificing herself to me, can I take her wine as well?" Du Qianjue mused aloud, sipping the rich, sweet fruit wine.
Bi Ji blinked, her lips pursing slightly as she cast an odd look at Du Qianjue. Oh boy, not only are you taking her soul ring, but you're after her wine too? You really don't hold back. But then again...
"Of course, you can," Bi Ji replied with a charming smile. "I'm sure Xinxin won't mind." I, for one, love to drink. Xinxin always keeps it to herself, but now that you're sacrificing yourself, there's no use for the wine. Let me help you drink it up!
Du Qianjue and Bi Ji exchanged glances, both corners of their mouths curving into a knowing smile.
It wasn't long before Sheng Xinxin returned, her expression tinged with melancholy and reluctance. Though she appeared young, she had lived for over two hundred thousand years and had been the chief of the Light Unicorns for many millennia. She was accustomed to bearing the burden of her tribe. This farewell, passing on her leadership and shedding her responsibilities, brought no sense of relief—only a deep reluctance to part from her tribe. Yet, to survive, Sheng Xinxin had no other choice; she could not withstand the next heavenly tribulation. Previously resigned to perish in the tribulation, she now faced a different path.
As she had said before, she trusted Bi Ji deeply—after all, their bond over two hundred thousand years was even stronger than Du Qianjue might have imagined. Being both healers, Sheng Xinxin and Bi Ji had even more interactions than Bi Ji had with Di Tian.
"Xinxin, have you made the arrangements?" Bi Ji set down her wine glass and took Sheng Xinxin's hand.
"Yes, everything is in order. We can start the sacrifice at any time," Sheng Xinxin nodded gently, looking towards Du Qianjue.
"What should I do?" she asked.
Du Qianjue didn't answer directly but instead summoned the spiritual projections of the many soul beasts asleep within his spiritual sea—Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, Ice Emperor, Little White, Vine Sister...
Apart from the Ice-Fire Dragon King's divine ring and the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's soul ring, the rest of Du Qianjue's soul rings came from sacrifices, including seven hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts, now appearing before Sheng Xinxin.
"Ahh, I was sleeping so comfortably. Why did you wake us, Qianjue?" The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm stretched lazily, yawning at Du Qianjue. But before Du Qianjue could respond, the silkworm sensed a familiar presence, turning its gaze to Bi Ji and Sheng Xinxin.
"You two..." The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm narrowed its eyes, sizing up the pair, then suddenly burst out in anger, "Dammit, you two are the fierce beasts of Star Dou! You're the ones who used me as a battery charger!"
"Hey, calm down, think rationally!" Du Qianjue hurriedly stopped the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, who was about to jump up and attack Bi Ji and Sheng Xinxin's knees.
"How can I be rational?!" The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's face twisted in grief.
Bi Ji, already aware of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's presence in Du Qianjue, wasn't surprised by its reaction, while Sheng Xinxin looked at the silkworm with interest.
"Now I remember, you're that big bug we captured!" Sheng Xinxin clapped her hands in realization. "I thought you had escaped, but you ended up with Qianjue."
"Hmph, what do you know? I was the first to sacrifice myself to Qianjue as a wisdom soul ring!" The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's grief was slightly assuaged as it spoke with pride.
"Wisdom soul ring? So, if I sacrifice myself to Qianjue, I'll end up like you?" Sheng Xinxin surveyed the other beasts, pondering.
"I thought I would die from the sacrifice and only be revived once Qianjue becomes a god."
"Shallow thinking!" The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm scoffed at Sheng Xinxin.
Before Sheng Xinxin could retort, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm was kicked away by the Ice Emperor.
"Don't mind him. Hello, I'm the Ice Emperor, second among the three great kings of the North, and ranked below only the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm," the young girl-looking Ice Emperor extended her hand to Sheng Xinxin. "Welcome to our team. As long as you assist Qianjue well, we all can follow him to attain godhood and immortality."
Sheng Xinxin, seeing no reason to refuse Ice Emperor's friendly gesture, shook her hand warmly. She could tell that aside from the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, the Ice Emperor was the highest in cultivation and the strongest among the beasts. Surely, she held a leader's stature among this group.
"Nice to meet you, Ice Emperor. My name is Sheng Xinxin, and I'm a 290,000-year-old Light Unicorn," Sheng Xinxin said softly.
The Ice Emperor nodded and began to introduce the other five beasts: "This is Little White, the Ice Bear King, and Snow Emperor's adopted son, with a cultivation of 300,000 years; this is the Ice Wing Condor with 200,000 years; this is the Hell Vine with 100,000 years; this is the Great Earth Bull with 100,000 years; and this is the Red Dragon with 200,000 years."
"Nice to meet you all, please take care of me," Sheng Xinxin greeted them.
The beasts nodded but remained silent. With the Ice Emperor there to lead, they were content to be just a backdrop.
"Now that everyone's acquainted, let's not say more. Please get along well, as we're all on the same team," the Ice Emperor declared. Including the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, no one objected. Even though Sheng Xinxin had previously absorbed the essence of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, now that she too was to be sacrificed to Du Qianjue, it was foolish to cling to past grievances.
"Let's begin then. What should I do?" Sheng Xinxin asked the Ice Emperor.
"Just proceed with the sacrifice. We will protect your soul during the process so you can maintain our current state. Don't worry about anything else," the Ice Emperor instructed.
Sheng Xinxin nodded, then turned to Du Qianjue, who was already seated cross-legged in preparation. "I'm starting now; get ready," she informed him.
"Go ahead," Du Qianjue nodded.
Sheng Xinxin threw back her head and howled. A piercing, high-pitched scream tore through the heavens, and at the same time, her mature and alluring body burst into crimson flames. These flames, representing Sheng Xinxin's life force, signaled the beginning of her sacrifice to Du Qianjue.
Intense soul power fluctuations spread out, centering on Sheng Xinxin and extending in all directions. A blood-red pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping both Du Qianjue and Sheng Xinxin, isolating them from all external interference.
The hundred-thousand-year soul beast's sacrifice barrier was now in place—indestructible from the outside until the sacrifice was complete.
The sacrifice had begun. (End of Chapter)