Chapter 61: The Human Tribe's Life and Death on a Single Line; Shennong Faces Danger and Accepts the Mandate

  The tribe's settlement was a desolate scene, with wails and cries filling the air. Many elderly and young people from various tribes were walking together towards the front of the great elder's large tent. That place was where they would bid farewell to the great elder.

  In the middle of a vast empty space, an elderly man wrapped in fine white hemp clothes lay on a pile of firewood with a look of discontent on his face. This was the funeral. Surrounding the pyre was a sea of people, all kneeling and crying out to heaven and earth, and some even wanted to rush forward to pull the elderly man up. The ones kneeling in the front row were several leaders of the human tribe and several other elders of the human tribe.

  Next to the haystack was a long incense table, on which two incense cauldrons were offered, one for heaven and earth, and the other for Zhou Cheng. Several elderly people took on the responsibility of offering sacrifices, holding incense sticks and reciting words, but they were praying to heaven and earth.

  "Our ancestral founder, wise and knowledgeable, brought benefits to all things under heaven. The Queen of Heaven created humans first with public virtue, and the merits of our ancestors' achievements are numerous. After many times of turmoil caused by witches and demons, in his old age, he carried out great deeds that split heaven asunder. Although it was extremely difficult and painful, he also saved our people from suffering and solidified the foundation of our tribe in the golden furnace. If there were no ancestors, there would be no prosperity for our tribe; even though disasters and hardships are widespread, and every matter is arduous, our ancestors never slackened their efforts. Alas! Our tribe has experienced countless changes and upheavals over the centuries, and we have suffered many setbacks. We hope that heaven will witness our sincerity and integrity; silently awaken our people to unite in one virtue; transform great disasters into peace and prosperity, and bring a generation to benevolence and longevity. May we rely on the auspicious signs of good fortune to gather our merits! With full ceremony and pure sincerity, I humbly offer this sacrifice! Although you are now a divine spirit roaming the blue heavens, I hope that you will still think of your descendants and protect them with your blessings. Please accept this offering!"

  Several elders finished their worship of heaven and earth, then turned to kneel down and pay respects to the memorial tablet of Zhou Cheng. Niwa and Hou Tu were nowhere to be seen. Alas, the sorrow of mankind is that there is no greater grief than the death of one's heart.

  "This is to inform the Holy One of Qingqiu: The affairs of the human tribe are precarious and prone to disaster, but the kindness of Qingqiu has not been forgotten by the humble ones. We feel grateful for the benevolence of the Holy One and hope for your protection and care, which will bring us 500 years of peace and prosperity. However, the power of witches and demons is great, and they have long had the intention to destroy me. The Ancestor was summoned by Heaven and ascended as a immortal, leaving behind many difficult tasks. We pray that you will see our situation and with high righteousness and vast benevolence, extend your aid to our tribe. If Heaven and Earth are without principle, then life and death are both difficult to achieve, and we can only struggle to survive in obscurity."

  The elder finished praying and the funeral procession began.

  In the crowd, people with status began to line up and walk towards a large ceramic pot covered in talismans in front of the incense table. An elder stood in front of the pot, holding a dagger and chanting.

  "Bloody Gift!!"

  Pan Wang walked in the front, rolled up his sleeves to reveal his arm, took over the elder's dagger and made a cut on his arm, offering blood that flowed into the jar.

  "Opening remarks!!"

  Pan Wang knelt to the ground and bowed, gritting his teeth to prevent himself from crying out loud. However, tears of blood slowly welled up in the corners of his eyes and fell silently, causing the people around him to become even more heartbroken. "Great Elder, Pan Wang has failed in his duty, and his strength is insufficient. He has not been able to take care of the affairs of the human tribe, and has instead troubled you. Great Elder, please go slowly, I do not dare to live a life of stealth. I will use this body to fight against the evil spirits until death, and I hope that the Great Elder will protect me."

  The people behind followed suit, and Shen Nong was also on the verge of fainting with grief. Ordinary humans were even more so, collapsing to the ground one by one, unable to bear the pain of sorrow and despair.

  "Bloody Sacrifice!!"

  Only to see the elder's mouth murmuring, his finger tip flying out a flame, instantly igniting the blood in the ceramic pot. The talisman flashed and shone brightly, and in an instant, a column of surging blood energy shot straight up into the sky, disappearing from view.

  "See you off!!"

  The Divine Farmer held the torch and slowly walked towards the pyre, staring blankly at the elder, saying: "Elder, farewell. Although I am mediocre, I will fight to the death without retreating, to protect the bloodline of humanity." After finishing speaking, he handed over the torch, and in an instant, the dry branches ignited, and the flames engulfed the great elder.

  The crowd burst into another fit of wailing. It was not that the human race was too fragile, but rather that a pillar supporting the sky had crumbled, and an unprecedented despair enveloped every individual.

  "The elder is gone!!!!" The human tribe let out a collective mournful cry, their voices shaking the heavens.

  The firewood is about to burn out, and everyone's tears have dried up. What drips down now are blood and tears, and a faint resentment slowly disperses into the air.

  Suddenly, a chaotic breath outside the nine heavens, immediately after the funeral, the wind and clouds were in turmoil, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, and heavy rain poured down. The heavy rain gradually extinguished the flames of the pyre, and the ashes and cinders flowed away with the rainwater.

  Shennong was enraged at the sight, and immediately rushed towards the pile of firewood, scooping up the rainwater mixed with bone ash. He roared: "Heavenly sky, why are you so cruel? Can't even preserve the ashes of the elderly?" Suddenly, his eyes stared straight at the pile of firewood where the elder was placed, and a crystal-clear jade plaque appeared on top of it.

  "Green Lotus Sacred Symbol!!!" Shennong was shocked and stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened in excitement as he bellowed with laughter, "Hahahaha... It's the Green Lotus Sacred Symbol bestowed by Saint Zhou Cheng back in the day! The very same symbol that will bring death to the Five Hundred Year Old Demonic Clan!"

  Everyone was shocked upon hearing this. The Qinglian Sacred Symbol was actually the jade pillar that Zhou Cheng had transformed from a jade tablet at the foot of Qingqiu Mountain many years ago. After the human tribe migrated, it had been passed around and lost in the chaos, and no one knew where it had gone. Unexpectedly, it had been collected by the Great Elder. This object was actually the foundation of the human tribe's survival, but no one knew where he had hidden it. This time, the rainwater washing away the ashes had revealed this object.

  Human tribe at first sight is really green lotus holy symbol, instantly fell down again, mouth called: "Saint, Zhou Cheng saint, save us."

  "The Azure Lotus Sacred Symbol has appeared, indicating a turning point for the affairs of my people. The benevolent and compassionate Saint Zhou Cheng." Pan Wang knelt down on the ground, his eyes brimming with hot tears as he gazed at the jade symbol in Shen Nong's hand. Although he was proud and aloof by nature, he had boundless respect and admiration for Saint Zhou Cheng, regarding his actions as a goal to strive for in his own life.

  Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

  "This time the sacred symbol reappears, the Great Elder has already ascended to immortality, our clan should have a new master. The new master should represent our clan, with the symbol as proof, to offer sacrifices and inform the Sage, praying for his blessing." Jie Bi saw the sacred symbol and had an idea.

  "Gibert brothers are right, the biggest problem of our clan is that there is no leader among us, we must decide early." King Pan agreed.

  "Pan Wang, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to be the master of humans yourself?" The human tribe will never lack people who sing a different tune. Even if Pan Wang is always kind to humans, they still scold him.

  "Alas, without a good leader, the people are prone to chaos and disorder. What Jibei and Panwang said is indeed reasonable." The two elders also nodded in agreement, currently, the most fatal weakness of the human tribe is that there is no one who can lead them well.

  "Gibert brothers, you have said so, but has someone already been chosen in your heart?" a leader asked.

  "What I like is only Shen Nong."

  The crowd suddenly buzzed with noise. Although Shen Nong's cultivation was not high, he gradually revealed a lot of talent and was quite liked by the elders, and he was also kind to others, having prestige among his people.

  "Shennong's talent is mediocre, his cultivation is low, he shouldn't have such an important responsibility. Panwang big brother's cultivation is profound, the Panwang great law he learned is exquisite and unmatched, the Panwang golden banner is invincible wherever it goes. He also has both virtue and talent, truly a suitable candidate for the position of leader."

  Everyone listened and fell into thought. Although the human race had produced many heroes, after a series of wars, they had already been exhausted, and now only Pan Wang and Ji Bo's returned Shen Nong had high prestige. Since Ji Bo recommended Shen Nong, it seemed that the new master was between Pan Wang and Shen Nong. Both of them were highly cultivated and had great prestige, but it was a bit difficult to choose.

  "I have seen the great elder Shennong." Just as everyone was hesitating, Panwang suddenly knelt down and called out to Shennong, addressing him as "Great Elder".

  Pan Wang knelt down, and gradually others followed, until finally all of the people of the tribe were kneeling.

  "See the great elder Shennong!!"

  Shennong stood in front of the pyre, at a loss for what to do with his hands and feet. Seeing that things had already come to this pass, he could only say: "Since everyone looks up to me, Shennong, I will certainly die after this, ensuring the safety of all people."

  "Great Elder is mighty!!!" A million people of all ethnicities knelt down in unison, quite a magnificent sight.

  Shennong looked at the human tribe in front of him, which had only about 10 million people left after the continuous wars, and hated to say that the two tribes of witches and demons were irreconcilable enemies with him.

  "Everyone listen to the order, follow me to offer sacrifices and report to the holy one!!"

  Still the same sentence, absolutely no censorship, absolutely no deletion of posts. If you want to scold me, just go to the book review area, as long as it doesn't involve my family members, Xiaoyu will never be rude back.

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