NOVEL NEXT Chapter 309: Infinite Torture
Upon hearing that Zhou Xuan intended to conduct a human sacrifice, Shang Wenjun couldn't help but knit her brave-looking eyebrows.
She hesitantly said to Zhou Xuan, "Young Master, the Mingjiang Prefecture abolished life temples many years ago. Reviving this now could be seen as breaking the rules."
The painter advised Shang Wenjun, "Master Shang, back when Mingjiang Prefecture was filled with life temples, many common people suffered, prompting the three Great Halls to unite in resisting human blood sacrifices,
but now, things are different. Interrogating this stone Buddha from the Buddha Country is a significant matter, requiring unconventional means and must not be hampered by rules."
"Then where do we find twelve live people?" Shang Wenjun asked again.
"Our Bone Elder Association will take care of it."
The painter said, "We can transfer some death row prisoners from the government prison cells, Young Master. Do you have any specific requirements for these live ones, like... their birth details or anything?"
"As long as they're alive, that's what matters."
Zhou Xuan emphasized, "But they must be death row prisoners. Don't bring any scapegoats."
He had previously heard Li Chengfeng mention that the Sighing Mother Wall required a live meal every now and then, with the death row prisoners being the targets. Government personnel would send them to Hui Feng Medical College, and quite a number were needed,
In addition, Mingjiang Prefecture would also use living human piles for construction—reservoirs, bridges, embankments, etc., using live death row prisoners as stakes driven into the ground, to pray for smooth mountains and waters.
Overall, the need for death row prisoners in the Prefecture City was substantial. The Great Hall demanded them, so the government naturally had to deliver them in the right amounts... If the numbers were insufficient, what then?
Scapegoats, of course?
Some who didn't originally deserve death, after being imprisoned for decades, were released with heavier sentences, reaching a level of execution after autumn, labeled as death row prisoners...
Zhou Xuan speculated that such things must have occurred frequently, but he wasn't in charge of Mingjiang Prefecture, so he couldn't deal with these shady dealings.
In this dark world, if Zhou Xuan interfered in all the darknesses, he wouldn't have time to cultivate incense fire nor have energy left to deal with himself.
However, since Zhou Xuan was asking for death row prisoners today, right under his nose, he hoped these prisoners were genuinely clean—
—a true death row prisoner, not just someone harshly punished for convenience.
"I know the Young Master doesn't tolerate impurities in his eyes, so no one dares to play tricks on you."
The painter spoke up but still decided to oversee matters personally, activating the Space Law to head to the government.
Daluo Tian and Wuxiang Prison were still shouting, voices raised: "Zhou Xuan, don't waste your efforts, how can there be little ghosts surrounding beneath the Buddhist Hall? We practice the Buddhist Golden Body, radiating a serene Buddhist light, so little ghosts and hordes of demons cannot approach us. Blood sacrifices and witchcraft have no effect on us."
"Hiss."
Zhou Xuan squatted down, observing these two stone Buddhas, and said, "Great Buddha's son, Little Buddha's son, you two have changed; you've become arrogant. Witch Sect has clearly been too gentle with you, nurturing this self-confidence."
Shang Wenjun felt embarrassed hearing this, for the more these two stone Buddhas shouted, the more it slapped the Witch Sect's face, mocking the witch's incompetence.
"Master Shang, don't take it to heart. Buddha Country people are like that, always looking down on us Jing Country people."
Zhou Xuan pointed at the Cow Bone Child and asked, "Is there any way to separate these two?"
"Yes."
"Separate them, keep one above the altar, and another below. Together, they are truly noisy."
After Zhou Xuan issued the command, Shang Wenjun had disciples from the Tangkou carry out the task.
"Raise another Cow Bone Child, and then we can..." Shang Wenjun reported to Zhou Xuan after the command was given.
Zhou Xuan waved his hand, interrupting Shang Wenjun's report, as he didn't need to know the details, just to have the two separated was enough.
Shang Wenjun ceased her words, while Zhou Xuan sat in a reclining chair with his eyes closed to conserve energy and stamina, preparing to show the Wuxiang Prison and Daluo Tian some tough love later on.
Soon enough, Wuxiang Prison, within a Cow Bone Child, was dragged out by disciples of the Witch Sect and delivered under the altar,
Zhou Xuan patted the armrest of the reclining chair and said, "Master Shang, my sister is also a witch. She, ah, loves closing her eyes and resting."
"Witches attune to the breaths between Heaven and Earth, their Perception ever floating between Heaven and Earth. It seems they're closing their eyes to rest, but in reality, they're communicating with those breaths."
Shang Wenjun explained, "For witches, this is how incense fire cultivation is accumulated. If Ling Yi frequently closes her eyes to rest, it shows she's putting a lot of effort into her incense fire cultivation."
Speaking of effort, Shang Wenjun greatly admired Zhou Lingyi, being a rare witch talent seen once in a century, yet still willing to put in hard work, never missing an opportunity to cultivate.
Only someone with such talent and diligence could become the first witch of the Old Hall at just over twenty.
"I thought my sister was lazy, but she turns out to be diligent."
"Geniuses are always the most diligent, while the mediocre squander time."
Shang Wenjun replied sternly.
"One should relax occasionally, if you keep your nerves constantly tense, they'll snap."
Zhou Xuan advised.
Last night at the Metropolitan's storytelling, Zhou Xuan noticed clearly that people from the City God, Bone Elder Association, all went to listen, enjoying the excitement, while the witches, not even one disciple went.
As the rumors suggested, witches truly seemed detached from all matters, investing themselves only in cultivation.
"It's just that I'm rather old-fashioned, and some disciples' quest for the Dao isn't solidly grounded."
Shang Wenjun managed a thin smile and said, "Many disciples didn't attend the Metropolitan but privately listened to the radio instead... Mysterious Sect, Han Li."