Chapter Three: Ancestral Rituals and the Selection of Techniques

The annual ancestral festival was approaching. The Yi tribe began to grow busier by the day; their hunting parties ventured into the mountains with increasing frequency. Whereas they used to hunt once a month, in the two months leading up to the ancestral festival, a hunting party would enter the Crouching Dragon Mountains every half a month.

The ancestral festival was the grandest celebration of the Yi tribe. On this day, every member was required to return to the tribe to pay homage to their ancestors. For ordinary tribespeople, it was also a day of revelry—a rare chance to feast on the meat of fearsome beasts.

The flesh of such creatures was imbued with pure energy. It was an extraordinary tonic, ten times more precious than the blood deer meat that Yi Tian often hunted. Consuming it regularly could strengthen the body, enhance physical prowess, temper sinews and skin, and the effects were remarkable. It was the daily sustenance of mid- and high-tier warriors.

Otherwise, for such warriors, even eating hundreds of catties of ordinary wild beast meat in one meal would be nothing special.

It was thanks to the ancestral festival that even the ordinary folk of the tribe possessed far greater physical strength than those who lived in towns and counties.

As the festival drew ever nearer, Yi Tian and the others often saw hunting parties returning from the mountains, bearing large numbers of wild beasts. Among them, three or four tribal warriors would carry the carcasses of monstrous beasts, each as massive as a hill, exuding a terrifying aura that made even Yi Tian and his peers shudder from afar.

Each of these beasts was enormous, at least thirty or forty feet tall. Even low-tier warriors struggled to carry them, leaving deep footprints in their wake as they trudged along.

Some of the beasts were covered in glistening scales, cold and shining, clearly possessing formidable defenses. Others had glossy, supple fur, extraordinarily tough and able to blunt the edge of any blade, rendering most attacks futile.

Yet despite their might, these creatures bore gaping arrow wounds: some had had their skulls pierced, others had suffered fatal wounds to the chest. Their scales and fur were torn and shattered in places, revealing the aftermath of savage attacks—grim, ragged wounds.

Though it was not his first time witnessing the ferocity and horror of such beasts, Yi Tian was still deeply shaken by their sheer power.

On the day of the ancestral festival, the entire tribe gathered atop the mountain, assembling on the broad plaza before the ancestral temple.

Within the temple, the chieftain of the Yi tribe, the seven elders, the chief commander, the deputy commander, and all the mid-tier warriors performed the sacred rites. The rest—nearly eight thousand tribespeople—offered their respects in the plaza outside.

Enshrined in the ancestral temple was a statue of an ancient forebear, a legendary figure said to possess the power to slay gods and demons with his bow—the divine archer Yi.

According to the eldest elder, the Yi tribe were descendants of this divine archer. It was this lineage that bestowed upon every tribesperson a natural aptitude for archery, a fact that filled the tribe with immense pride.

Yi Tian, however, harbored doubts. If their ancestor truly had the power to fell gods and demons, was that not an exaggeration? If this were truly their heritage, would the tribe have fallen to its current state? Though the Yi were considered a major tribe in the vicinity of Black Dragon City, they were far from the strongest. Along the outskirts of the Crouching Dragon Mountains alone there were at least ten other tribes on equal footing. Furthermore, some clans and factions within Black Dragon City were even more powerful than the Yi.

The ancestral festival commenced.

It was presided over by the chieftain, a man of more than eighty years, whose appearance was aged, yet whose body remained robust, his voice loud and commanding. Under his guidance, the ceremony proceeded step by step.

Upon the altar before the statue of the divine archer lay nine colossal beasts, their bodies golden and glistening with fat, filling the air with a rich, mouthwatering aroma. The children in the plaza inhaled deeply, their mouths watering uncontrollably.

The adults, meanwhile, discreetly chided the youngsters, forbidding such impolite behavior.

Little Long and Little Ting, too, could not help but swallow repeatedly. The scent of the beast meat was simply too alluring. Had they not been eating blood deer meat of late, which had somewhat dulled their cravings, it would have been even harder to restrain themselves.

Madam Su, their mother, gently stroked the children's heads, her gaze tender, tinged with guilt.

Watching this, Yi Tian silently vowed that his family would live in happiness and peace for the rest of their lives.

The ancestral festival lasted half a day before drawing to a close.

Afterward, the plaza before the temple was thrown into a flurry of activity. Hundreds of women set up fires and cauldrons, while the strong among them cut the great beasts into chunks of meat and bone, tossing them into the pots to simmer. Rare herbs, fragrant spices, and aromatic leaves were added as well.

The tribe's warriors gathered in clusters to drink, while hundreds of children played about.

The chieftain, elders, and other leaders conversed amongst themselves before the temple.

Yi Tian's family, along with those of Yi Feng and Yi Shan, gathered in a small circle to chat idly.

On the plaza, the nine great cauldrons bubbled with beast meat stew, the aroma wafting across the entire square, igniting the anticipation of all present.

After nearly half an hour, the stew was finally ready. First, the chieftain, the elders, the chief and deputy commanders, and the warriors each received a large bowl, followed by each family in turn.

Once everyone had been served, the plaza rang out with exclamations of delight as people sipped the broth.

Yi Tian held a large bowl, drinking the beast meat soup in slow, savoring mouthfuls. Its scalding warmth and rich flavor seemed to fill his very being, a potent medicinal force and the pure essence of the beast meat refining his cells, strengthening his vital energy, and nourishing his sinews and flesh. Though the soup contained immense power, it invigorated him gently, fortifying his blood, muscles, and skin.

Little Long and Little Ting could hardly wait, blowing on the steaming soup and sipping eagerly, heedless of the heat.

Their mother, Su, drank her own soup while reminding the children to slow down.

Yi Feng, Yi Shan, Yi Li, and their siblings all wore looks of deep contentment as they savored this rare delicacy.

For those like Yi Tian and Yi Feng—who had yet to become warriors—as well as the women and children, this beast meat soup was a precious tonic, strengthening their bodies and vital energy. But for low-tier warriors above the first rank, it was merely a hearty meal, its refining effect negligible. To mid- and high-tier warriors, it was little more than a way to sate their hunger, nothing special.

On the day after the festival, all the fourteen-year-olds in the tribe gathered early before the ancestral temple.

Yi Tian, Yi Feng, Yi Shan, and Yi Li stood together in a corner. Excitement tinged the faces of every youth present, for they were about to begin training in martial techniques, to set forth on the path to becoming mighty warriors.

This was the dream of each and every one of them.

As everyone waited, an elder emerged from the ancestral temple—the third elder, who oversaw the transmission of martial arts within the tribe.

He swept his gaze across the assembled youths, lingering with particular satisfaction on a few at the very front, each robust and brimming with vital energy—the sons and daughters of the chieftain or other elders.

"Our Yi tribe possesses seven authentic martial arts manuals," he announced. "They are: the Savage Bull Mountain-Cleaving Technique, the Raging Wind Tiger Technique, the Profound Wood Sutra, the Fire Sutra, the Wind and Thunder Sutra, the Soaring Technique, and the Divine Arrow Sutra."

He continued, "Of these, the Divine Arrow Sutra is the signature art of our Yi tribe. It has four volumes, but not everyone is permitted to practice all of them. You may only study the first volume. Only those who reach a certain level of strength or render great service to the tribe may be granted the methods for the remaining three."

"In addition to the first volume of the Divine Arrow Sutra, you may each choose any one of the other six martial arts."

His expression suddenly grew stern. "These martial arts are the very foundation of our tribe. You must not divulge a single word of them to outsiders. Should you be found betraying this trust, the entire Yi tribe will pursue you without rest or mercy. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes!" the youths replied, their hearts pounding under the weight of his intimidating gaze.

The third elder's severity softened. "Even if you wished to share them, it would do no good. These arts are like no other: the meridian pathways they require are exacting in the extreme. The slightest mistake could lead to disaster—deviation, madness, crippling injury, or death. Only the true, original manuals may be practiced. Do not attempt to learn from copies or fragments. Remember this well."

"You will have one month to observe the original manuals in the ancestral temple. If you have questions, you may ask me. The manuals may not be taken from the temple."

He proceeded to explain various other rules and precautions.

With that, the third elder led the twenty-three fourteen-year-olds into a chamber of the temple, where the seven martial arts manuals rested atop stone pedestals.

"You may each choose only one art to practice. Do not be greedy, or the conflicting energies will clash, your cultivation will be ruined, and your progress irreparably hampered," he warned before seating himself on a cushion to one side.

Yi Tian, Yi Feng, and the others spread out, approaching the stone pedestals.

Each pedestal bore an inscription detailing the martial art's rank, characteristics, and degree of difficulty, all described in detail.

Yi Tian read through the descriptions of all the arts. Aside from the Divine Arrow Sutra, four of the other six were rated as mid-tier human arts, while two—the Fire Sutra and the Soaring Technique—were rated as lower-tier human arts.