Vol. 1 - Ch. 76 - Investigation 

Chen Xingzhen didn’t disappoint him; he remained a loyal supporter. Relying on him for vital energy, there might still be hope. Although the two families were not at war yet, Ji Yang knew he needed more vital energy. 

Simply absorbing the lunar eclipse wouldn’t be enough for rapid improvement. Continuing the Chen clan's sacrifices was essential for his success. 

Unfortunately, he couldn’t gain Simulation Points quickly; otherwise, he could continue his simulations. Even with enough vital energy, Ji Yang wasn’t very confident in facing the powerful Liu clan.

Under the moonlight, Ji Yang emitted a faint glow, and the locust leaves carried a hint of sadness.

The next day, without waiting for Ji Yang’s signal, Chen Xingzhen had already begun the sacrifices, planning to perform them every day. Chen Tianjing and the others were confused. Previously, sacrifices had been made once every seven days—why had it suddenly changed to daily?

Although the clan currently had enough animals and food, the upcoming winter would make obtaining food difficult. In the long run, even if sacrifices were necessary, they didn’t need to be so frequent.

When several Blood Coagulation Realm warriors in the clan heard about the situation concerning the Natural Blood Spring, their expressions changed dramatically, and their doubts vanished. 

Chen Xingzhen recalled many clan members assigned to the fertile fields and instructed them to continue tempering their bodies and strengthening their abilities. 

Harvesting this batch of Blood Rice was no longer the clan’s primary concern. Protecting the clan, safeguarding the Divine Tree, and preserving the Natural Blood Spring were now the clan’s immediate tasks.

Although many clan members were unaware of the specifics, they sensed the tense atmosphere within the clan and began to train diligently.

...

Two days later, within the Liu clan, a figure curiously observed his surroundings, excitement gleaming on his face. 

Looking at the person leading the way, Tian Meng couldn’t help but ask, “Sir, how much further do we have to go?”

“We're almost there. Don't ask unnecessary questions. If your answers satisfy the clan leader this time, the Liu clan won’t mind having one more mouth to feed.”

Upon hearing this promise, Tian Meng's face lit up with joy. After failing the servant examination for the Chen clan, he had returned to the village. 

Unexpectedly, the Liu clan had recently sought him out. As a prominent clan in the Chaotic Burial Mountain, the Liu clan might not display their strength every day, but the heavily guarded surroundings made Tian Meng sense that they seemed even stronger than the Chen clan. If he could join the Liu clan, perhaps his treatment would be better than it had been with the Chens!

Gold would shine sooner or later! And I, Tian Meng, am that piece of gold whose brilliance has been hidden! 

The thought of meeting the Liu clan patriarch soon made Tian Meng a bit nervous, and he unconsciously rubbed his hands together.

“We're here. Go in.”

“Your humble servant, Tian Meng, greets the patriarch!” Upon entering the room, Tian Meng bowed deeply.

“Hm. I heard you used to be a servant in the Chen clan. Tell me in detail what you saw there.”

Tian Meng felt a bit confused by the Liu clan patriarch's inquiry, but recalling the promise made earlier, he immediately began to speak. 

During their conversation, the patriarch would occasionally respond, and his gentle tone gradually dispelled Tian Meng's remaining nervousness, allowing him to share all the details he had observed.

“Your so-called servant evaluation is all fake.”

“Someone like me...” As he spoke, Tian Meng’s emotions began to rise, but considering he was addressing the Liu clan patriarch, he refrained from bragging about his own excellence.

“Good, very good. I have a general idea of what you said. You may leave now.”

“Thank you, Patriarch!” Tian Meng bowed once more in gratitude, then followed the leader out, excitement lighting up his face. 

This conversation had allowed him to expose the injustices of the Chen clan. Judging from the patriarch’s response, he seemed satisfied with him. Joining the Liu clan appeared to be a real possibility, which made him very happy.

After Tian Meng left, another person was brought into the room.

That person was none other than Cai Mao, who had failed the test and left with Tian Meng that day.

“Greetings, Chief.” 

Cai Mao, who had just entered the room, appeared very nervous. He glanced anxiously at the middle-aged man in front of him. The room was dimly lit, making it difficult for him to see the man’s face clearly, nor did he dare to look for too long.

However, after the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, Cai Mao began to speak confidently, recounting everything that had happened since he joined the Chen clan. 

When he mentioned sneaking into the Ancestral Hall at midnight, the middle-aged man suddenly interrupted him.

“What did you see in the Ancestral Hall?”

Cai Mao tried to recall the details but shook his head. 

“I didn’t see anything unusual in the Ancestral Hall. It seemed like an ordinary Ancestral Hall.”

The middle-aged man frowned slightly and pressed him. 

“Think carefully.”

As he spoke, a faint scent wafted into Cai Mao's nose, sharpening his memory. Suddenly, Cai Mao's eyes lit up. 

“I remember now. There was a tree planted in the Ancestral Hall.”

“Oh?” The middle-aged man's tone rose slightly. 

“What kind of tree?”

“It seemed to be a Locust Tree. It was too dark, so I didn’t look closely. It just felt a little strange.”

“All right, I understand. You may leave.”

The middle-aged man's words cut off Cai Mao’s attempt to say more, and he left the room.

After stepping outside, Cai Mao felt slightly confused. 

Why did I say it felt strange? Looking back, he didn’t see anything unusual. 

 Isn’t it normal for there to be a tree in the Ancestral Hall?

He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. He felt relieved that the Liu clan only wanted to inquire about this matter. Before coming here, he had feared he might have accidentally offended such a powerful clan.

“Chief, is it really necessary to go to such lengths for a small clan like the Chen clan?” a clan member in the room asked in confusion.

The middle-aged man chuckled. 

“If it were before, it wouldn’t be necessary. But now, the Chen clan is different.”

“The tree in the Ancestral Hall is their totem?”

“If my guess is correct, the resurrection of the Chen clan's totem must have occurred during their battle with the Li clan. That’s why the Li clan suffered such a crushing defeat. It’s all because of the totem.”

After hearing about the totem, the clan member looked back at the courtyard inside the room, his face no longer puzzled. If they have a clan totem, we cannot take them lightly.

“Chief, what should we do next?”

“Prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, we should pay a visit to this neighbour.” The middle-aged man spoke with a meaningful tone when he mentioned the neighbour.

“Yes, Chief.”

“By the way, Chief, what should we do about those two people from earlier?”

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