Chapter 582: Chapter 582: The Existence of Mother Earth

By the time evening arrived, the Blackhoof Tribe was bustling with more people than yesterday when Song Jian was welcomed; for today was the annual sacrificial ceremony of the Blackhoof Tribe. The young minotaurs of the tribe had been preparing their bodies and minds at home, hoping for the blessings of their ancestors and the chance to acquire better skills through the sacrificial ceremony.

Xerxes was one of the most outstanding warriors in the Blackhoof Tribe. He had spent a month alone in Thunder Beast Mountain to train before the sacrificial ceremony, only returning to the tribe three days ago.

Once he returned, he locked himself in his room, refusing to talk to anyone as he tuned his body and mind to its peak condition.

“The more robust the body and spirit, the longer one can withstand the test, the higher the chance of acquiring a superior skill! This time, I must get an epic-level skill. It would be perfect if I could obtain the ‘War Stomp’ skill,” Xerxes contemplated as he sat, adjusting his breathing.

As he was thinking, suddenly there was a knocking sound at his door.

Before Xerxes could answer, the door was banged open, and a young minotaur with wide shoulders and a massive physique, albeit with a slightly childish face, barged in.

“Xerxes, the sacrificial ceremony is about to begin, why aren’t you getting ready? I’m almost dying of anxiety!” The moment he entered, the young minotaur sat on the stone chair, grabbed a piece of cold roast meat from the table, and started eating.

Like a solid tower, the young minotaur sat down, and the stone chair creaked as it endured his weight.

“Kalu, when will you stop being so impulsive? Luckily I sensed it was you before you walked in. Otherwise, you might have been a corpse by now…”

Xerxes released a puff of white air, which remained suspended like an arrow after shooting more than a foot from his mouth. He glanced at the young minotaur sitting on the stone chair and sighed slightly.

“Hey, of course, I knew you would recognise me, Xerxes. I wouldn’t do this in anyone else’s house…” Kalu replied nonchalantly.

“Kalu, how’s your training with the Powerful Bull Demon Fist that I taught you last time?” Xerxes stood up slowly, his muscular upper body naked. His body was not as robust as Kalu’s, but it was well-proportioned, full of explosive power.

If Kalu’s body was an unrefined iron ingot, then Xerxes’s body was already a piece of fine steel.

“Elder brother Xerxes, that Boxing seems great, but it’s not very powerful. You said there was a current in my body, but I can’t feel it…” Kalu scratched his head, showing a worried expression.

“You fool, this boxing practice is not for fighting. It’s to refine your spirit and harmonize it with your body. In the future, with each punch you throw, you can utilise 100% of your power without hurting your body…” Xerxes shook his head, showing a slightly exasperated expression as he looked at Kalu.

Kalu was Xerxes’ cousin and has been following him since childhood. He is Xerxes’ most loyal follower.

“By the way, Xerxes, this time, the chief invited a human to attend our sacrificial ceremony. Many in the tribe object, but the chief insists, even the elders can’t convince him.” Kalu suddenly mentioned.

A human?” Xerxes frowned, thought for a while, and then said, “I read in our tribe’s records that, hundreds of years ago, our Blackhoof Tribe was the most prosperous among the tribes on Thunder Beast Mountain, with a population of over ten thousand. We not only invited humans to our sacrificial ceremony but also many other allied races. However, after the war that nearly wiped out our tribe, this tradition stopped…”

“What? Other races were invited to our sacrificial ceremony?” Kalu looked surprised and dubious.

Xerxes shook his head. He knew Kalu would prefer fighting a beast over surveying the tribe’s records. Talking to him about it was really a pointless endeavour.

Xerxes patted Kalu’s shoulder and said, “You look so eager. Let’s go and attend the tribal sacrificial ceremony. Besides, I want others to know that not just anyone could attend the Blackhoof Tribe’s sacrificial ceremony hundreds of years ago!”

The sacrificial ceremony was a tradition of the Blackhoof Tribe and deemed a very important event. Even during the tribal war hundreds of years ago, the tradition was never discontinued.

This was a source of immense pride and considered sacred by the minotaurs of the Blackhoof Tribe. In Xerxes’ view, even if Kane was the chief of the Blackhoof Tribe, he wouldn’t dare to desecrate this sacred tradition in the hearts of his tribesmen.

If you insist on inviting a human to participate in the sacrificial ceremony of our Blackhoof Tribe, then I will challenge him according to tradition, to see if he is worthy of receiving the blessings of our minotaur ancestors,” Xerxes thought to himself.

The now hungover Song Jian was unaware of the pressure Kane was under to allow him to participate in the sacrificial ceremony. After quickly freshening up, he sat cross-legged on the ground, adjusting his body state, as per Kane’s instruction.

“You need to sense the existence of the Mother Earth and appreciate her gifts! That’s why you should sit on the ground,” Kane had advised before leaving.

“Song Jian, do you feel the presence of Mother Earth?” Anna sat on a stone chair and curiously asked Song Jian, who seemed no different from someone fast asleep.

“No, but I can feel the presence of the god of sleep. I’m so sleepy!” Song Jian yawned, rubbing the corners of his eyes, looking like he had just woken up.

He had not slept all night and had been drunk and carried back in the early hours of the morning. He had barely woken up before he was roused by Kane to prepare for the sacrificial ceremony. If not for the fact that this was a game world, Song Jian would have collapsed.

“I wonder what the sacrificial ceremony of the Blackhoof Tribe looks like. They’ve always been very secretive, isolated from the world, and rarely interact with other races…” Anna played with the Goblet of Life, speaking in a low voice.

Song Jian glanced at Anna. Since becoming a Life Priest, she was softer, but her equipment was quite ordinary, usually just the Goblet of Life.

“I need to get Anna some equipment when I have a chance…” Song Jian thought to himself.

At that moment, Kane walked in looking a bit worried, “The sacrificial ceremony is about to start, Song Jian, let’s go.”

…