Chapter 317
Chapter 317
If I die, see who you threaten!]
After saying that, Lin Zaozao closed her eyes and turned her body sideways, slamming directly into the wall beside her.
After her head collided with the wall, blood splattered everywhere, and Lin Zaozao's small body collapsed weakly to the ground.
[Five, four, three, two, one...
Since the task has not been completed, the system will forcibly revive the host. Good, there's a breath now, the host will continue to complete the task.]
After speaking, the cold electronic voice disappeared from Lin Zaozao's mind.
As Lin Zaozao lay limp on the ground, at the moment the electronic voice disappeared, a tear slid from the corner of her eye.
Why? She couldn't even die when she wanted to.
In this life, could she really not control her own destiny?
Dad, Mom, Luo Luo, I really want to go home...
As the tear slid down, Lin Zaozao's consciousness slowly sank into endless darkness.
"Zaozao..."
A shrill voice reached Lin Zaozao's ears before she lost consciousness.
Gu Shan looked at Lin Zaozao lying in a pool of blood, with blood continuously flowing from her forehead, and his eyes quickly turned red. Even his small body slowly began to grow larger.
In a short while, his body had returned to its original form.
A nightmare, with its proper terrifying appearance.
Gu Shan's horrifying appearance frightened Dashan and Han Xibei, who had come with him, causing them to instinctively step back.
As they were about to fall, Uncle Zhang, who had arrived with them, supported them. Beside Uncle Zhang were also Senior Priest Mingyue and the ruler of Han Country, Han Yunchuan.
Just as Gu Shan was about to pick Lin Zaozao up from the ground with eyes full of rage, Senior Priest Mingyue stopped him.
"Gu Shan, you are a nightmare, you cannot touch her casually. If you touch her now, your destinies will collide, and she could die at any moment."
The senior priest's words made Gu Shan pause with his outstretched hand.
That's right! He was a nightmare, and his destiny completely clashed with Zaozao's. He could not casually touch Zaozao.
If he were not an evil nightmare, then when Zaozao fell earlier, would he not have had to leave, and could have directly picked her up from the ground?
As long as he stayed by Zaozao's side, would she not have been harmed by that possessed person?
Thinking of this, Gu Shan slammed his fist hard onto the ground. At the moment his fist met the ground, blood laced with black air slowly spread along the patterns on the tiles.
"Nightmare..."
"My name is Gu Shan, I am Zaozao's little husband."
Gu Shan's blood-red eyes stared fixedly at Senior Priest Mingyue.
"Gu Shan, Zaozao's life is not in danger, you don't need to be too anxious."
"But she just cried, was in pain, and bled. Now even her breathing is barely audible. You call that not in danger?"
Gu Shan's blood-red eyes stared at the senior priest. The words he spoke were like a thousand years of cold ice, freezing enough to make one shudder.
"But Gu Shan, this is her destiny! She was conceived by the Moonlight Flower Tree as a sacrifice, her entire life only for offering sacrifice to this land."
The ruler Han Yunchuan couldn't help but explain.
"Shut up!"
Gu Shan's blood-red eyes glared at Mingyue and Han Yunchuan.
"I am a nightmare! For Zaozao, I made a pact with your Han Country for a thousand years. I protected your Han Country for a thousand years, you protected my Zaozao's life in peace.
During the ten-year great drought in Han Country, the national treasury was empty, and starving corpses were everywhere. If it were not for me, Han Country would have been divided up by Fengshuo and Canglan long ago.
Now, just as the thousand-year pact is ending, you tell me that my Zaozao was born to be sacrificed for your Han Country.
If that's the case, then I will destroy Han Country now. Once Han Country is destroyed, I'll see who dares to sacrifice my Zaozao!"
Seeing Gu Shan about to disappear, Senior Priest Mingyue, holding Lin Zaozao, quickly spoke up.
"Gu Shan, Zaozao was conceived by the Moonlight Flower Tree. And the fate of the Moonlight Flower Tree is closely tied to the people of Han Country.
Once Han Country is destroyed, the Moonlight Flower Tree will die. And Zaozao will also disappear along with the Moonlight Flower Tree."
Senior Priest Mingyue's words made Gu Shan pause. Immediately, a sense of helplessness clearly reached his heart.
Why? Why did his little girl have to be connected to that damned Moonlight Flower Tree?
Why? Why was she chosen as the child of destiny by this land?
His little girl didn't need to be some child of destiny, she only needed to be a happy little girl.
Seeing Gu Shan's dejected expression, Senior Priest Mingyue paused, but still spoke.
"Gu Shan, Zaozao saved me and Yunchuan's lives. So whether for Han Country or to repay Zaozao's life-saving favor.
Yunchuan and I have discussed, before we die, we will definitely let Zaozao escape her destiny of being sacrificed for Han Country."
"How to escape it?"
Gu Shan asked coldly.
"By offering our lives, Mingyue and I, as sacrifice to the Moonlight Flower Tree, to change Zaozao's destiny of sacrifice.
Moreover, I can offer my imperial destiny from all my lifetimes, in exchange for you to be free from being a nightmare in your next life, to be able to protect your loved one as a human."
Han Yunchuan took Senior Priest Mingyue's hand and said resolutely.
"Really?"
"Absolutely no deception. Nightmare..."
"My name is Gu Shan!"
"Alright, Gu Shan. You protected our Han Country for a thousand years, and even more so during this ten-year great drought, you protected Han Country from being destroyed by Fengshuo and Canglan.
Since that is the case, as a reward, we offer our lives in exchange for your and Zaozao's next lives, that is worth it."
Han Yunchuan said indifferently.
"Thank you!"
"No need to thank. You should return to your original form! In this form, you will scare Zaozao."
As Han Yunchuan finished speaking, Gu Shan's body returned to its childlike appearance.
Only the atmosphere surrounding him was still chillingly cold.
Seeing that Gu Shan had finally calmed down, Senior Priest Mingyue, carrying Lin Zaozao, walked towards Han Yunchuan.
"Yunchuan, take us to the Holy Tree."
"Alright."
Han Yunchuan put his arm around Mingyue's waist, and with a few leaps, they disappeared from everyone's sight.
As they saw the two of them leave, the remaining people quickly followed. Even Dashan and Han Xibei, who were not very skilled in martial arts, were dragged by Uncle Zhang by the collar towards the Moonlight Flower Tree.
When they arrived at the Moonlight Flower Tree, Senior Priest Mingyue had already laid Lin Zaozao down under the tree, and was drawing an intricate sacrificial drawing on the tree trunk with his blood from biting his finger.
After the sacrificial drawing was completed, Senior Priest Mingyue placed Lin Zaozao at the center of the drawing, then knelt down and prayed devoutly towards the Moonlight Flower Tree.
As Senior Priest Mingyue chanted quietly, the sacrificial drawing he made with his own blood seemed to come to life like vines, slowly wrapping around Lin Zaozao's body.
In no time, Lin Zaozao's small body was tightly wrapped by the vines, forming a small ball.
Under the expectant gaze of Gu Shan and the others, the vine-wrapped ball began to spin rapidly.
When the ball stopped spinning, the vines that had enveloped Lin Zaozao instantly turned into a luminous glow and vanished without a trace.
Lin Zaozao's body then slowly floated down to the ground, along with the luminous glow.
"Zaozao..."
Gu Shan rushed to Lin Zaozao's side, looking at her now smooth forehead. He was about to reach out and touch her, but had to withdraw his hand due to his identity.
"Let me carry her."
Han Ye walked over to Lin Zaozao's side and gently lifted her from the ground.
"Senior Priest Mingyue, Uncle, Zaozao's injuries have healed. I will take her back first. Uncle, please take Senior Priest Mingyue back as well. He just conducted the ritual and doesn't look too well."
"Alright, you go ahead."
Han Yunchuan supported Mingyue's waist and walked away towards the distance.
Gu Shan, Han Xibei, Dashan, Uncle Zhang, and Han Ye holding Lin Zaozao remained in silence, looking at the sleeping Lin Zaozao.
"Brother, was Uncle right when he said Zaozao was born to be sacrificed for the sake of Han Country?"
"Yes."
Han Ye sighed softly and continued.
"Xibei, for generations, the great priests of Han Country, if they were men, could live a prosperous and wealthy life, as long as they didn't marry.
But if the next priest happened to be a woman, her fate would be extremely tragic. Her existence would be solely for the survival of Han Country through sacrifice.
Moreover, Zaozao was nurtured by the Holy Tree, so how could her fate be any better?"
"Brother, Zaozao is still so young, I don't want her to be sacrificed. When I grow up and become the future ruler of Han Country, with the power to decide life and death, no one would dare threaten Zaozao with sacrifice."
Hearing Han Xibei's words, Han Ye's dark eyes shifted slightly.
If things were as simple as Han Xibei said, then Uncle and Senior Priest Mingyue wouldn't have waited for each other all these years, unable to truly be together.
What plagued them the most, besides their destined responsibilities and duties, was that damned fate!
"Let's go back."
Han Ye sighed and carried Lin Zaozao towards the Priest Hall where she lived.
Entering the majestic Sacrificial Hall, everywhere the eye could see was dazzling white.
Passing through layer upon layer of white prayer flags hanging at the entrance, Han Ye laid Lin Zaozao on her bed.
Her old baby crib had been taken away and stored by Uncle Zhang. Han Ye covered Lin Zaozao with a blanket and gazed at her delicate face with his dark eyes.
A sense of helplessness washed over him.
In truth, when he called Zaozao to call him "Brother Han Ye", there was indeed a selfish motive. Like Han Xibei, he wanted to find a way for Zaozao to escape her fate of sacrifice once he had the power to do so.