The Yang family was preparing for a grand sacrifice, and Chen Yang had known about it for a long time.

After all, within the Yang family's territory, he could now be considered to have "eyes and ears reaching the heavens." As long as he wished, there were no secrets he could not hear.

This matter had been arranged by Yang Guanfeng before he left.

Three years had passed since the last time the five members of the Yang family performed the Blood-Burning Spirit Sacrifice.

Now that the Yang family's situation was stable and the Liang family had settled on the north bank, the matter of the grand sacrifice was placed on the agenda.

According to Yang Guanfeng's intentions, all the common people under the Yang family's rule were required to pay homage. Only then would the ceremony be worthy of Chen Yang's status.

Once these arrangements were handed down, the various households at the foot of the mountain had been busy for over a month.

This was the first grand sacrifice since the Yang family established their independence, so its importance went without saying.

On the north bank, the Zhao and Liang families took the lead, while on the south bank, several prominent households in the two villages took charge of the preparations.

Looking down now, the atmosphere of the grand sacrifice was already intensely palpable.

Including Liang Yi, the Yang family now has six cultivators, and their cultivation realms have increased significantly compared to before. The effect of the Blood-Burning Spirit Sacrifice is truly worth looking forward to.

Chen Yang thought to himself with delight.

He had experience with the worship on the mountain, but this was his first time encountering the worship of mortals at the foot of the mountain.

I wonder what benefits I can gain from mortal worship. I hope it gives me a pleasant surprise.

When people are busy, time passes quickly.

Chen Yang felt as if he had only glanced at the Talisman Art Inheritance a few times and studied that healing gem for a moment, yet in the blink of an eye, ten days had passed and the day of the grand sacrifice had arrived.

"Don't rush! Keep it steady!"

"One! Two! Lift!"

Under Zhao Dapeng's shouted commands, a group of strong men from the north bank village hauled large ceremonial vessels from the riverbank inland.

These ceremonial vessels had been crafted in Baishi Town and transported to the Yang family via the Linshan River.

Given Gao Hui's relationship with the Yang family, these vessels were sold at cost, and the shipping fees had been waived.

Liang Min was also assisting Yang Xiaolei in setting up the altar at the foot of the mountain, designating the sequence and positions of the various clans and relatives.

Whoosh-

A gust of wind blew past as the figures of Zhao Qi and Liang Yi descended upon the area.

The commoners present immediately set down their tasks and knelt in worship.

"Rise."

Zhao Qi called out softly. He then retrieved a tiger demon corpse over a Zhang in length from his Storage Bag and handed it to Yang Xiaolei.

A grand sacrifice naturally required offerings. Aside from the chickens, ducks, fish, and cattle raised by the mortals, there also needed to be a main dish.

Upon receiving the tiger demon corpse, the village cooks and chefs began to busy themselves.

"Liang Min, how are the preparations at home?" Liang Yi stepped forward and asked.

"Brother, rest assured. Everything has been properly arranged. There will be no oversights," Liang Min replied.

Liang Yi nodded, then looked at Yang Xiaolei. "Elder Yang, my younger brother is not skilled at managing household affairs. Thank you for taking care of him. Please continue to be lenient with him in the future."

"You are too polite, Immortal Master Liang. We are one family; there is no need for such formalities."

Zhao Qi also headed to the riverside to visit his long-unseen father, Zhao Dapeng.

When Zhao Qi appeared, the surrounding commoners all kowtowed and prostrated themselves. Only this old man stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded as if he had lost his wits.

"C-could it be... my son?"

After staring blankly for a long while, Zhao Dapeng opened his mouth, his lips trembling.

Zhao Qi immediately felt a sting in his nose and stepped forward to embrace his father.

"Father, it's me."

"Wuwuwu-My son! Father has missed you..."

Hearing this affirmative response, Zhao Dapeng could no longer restrain his emotions and wept on his son's shoulder.

The surrounding villagers were moved by this sight, shedding tears and covering their faces as they wept.

After the two shared a heartfelt exchange, Zhao Dapeng began to ramble with earnest advice.

In the past, Zhao Qi had always thought his father was too long-winded, but this time he had a different realization. It was not nagging; it was merely this old man expressing his love for his child in his own clumsy way.

He patiently listened to Zhao Dapeng's words and agreed to each one.

"Zhao Qi, it's almost time. We should head back," Liang Yi arrived to remind him.

Seeing Liang Yi approach, Zhao Dapeng wiped the tear stains from his face and urged Zhao Qi to return to the mountain.

Watching their retreating figures, Zhao Dapeng stood there, grinning foolishly. His expression was just like the old days when, having finished harvesting the wheat, he would sit at the edge of the field and watch Zhao Qi frolic in the farmland.

Zhao Qi and Liang Yi returned together to the Yang family's Restricted Grounds.

While preparations were in full swing at the foot of the mountain, the mountain itself was also mostly ready.

This time, Elder Yu had specially arranged an exclusive altar for Chen Yang. This altar was carved from a single piece of Purple Cloud Fire Jade and was worth a fortune.

As Chen Yang rested upon it, he felt a warm sensation that was extremely comfortable.

After the preparations at the foot of the mountain were complete, Yang Feiyun and Yang Xiaolei led the entire Yang family into the square.

Behind them stood the Zhao and Liang families, followed by the various clan relatives in sequential order. Further back, on the south bank of the Linshan River, people were already kneeling in dense rows.

"Hereby, the Songshan Yang Family, born of heaven and earth, reveres the Immortal Venerable and offers sacrifice..."

After leading the recitation, Yang Feiyun brought the Yang family forward to light the incense and candles, while the commoners behind them all kowtowed and chanted.

The original phrase was: "Born of heaven and earth, reveres the gods and offers sacrifice."

Elder Yu had replaced "the gods" with "the Immortal Venerable," referring to Chen Yang on the mountain.

The smoke from the incense curled upwards, diffusing through the air.

With the crisp sound of a gong, the worship ceremony at the foot of the mountain began.

At the same time, in the Restricted Grounds on the mountain.

Elder Yu led the three children of the Yang family in the main courtyard's ancestral hall.

Zhao Qi, Liang Yi, and Wu Tong knelt in their respective courtyards.

"Descendants of the Yang family, pay homage to the Spirit Stone Immortal Venerable!"

"The Immortal Venerable's divine powers are boundless! Protect the younger generation of the Yang family, and ensure the prosperity of the Yang family's path ahead!"

"We, the descendants of the Yang family, relying on the Immortal Venerable's power, are fortunate to have attained the Dao. Our gratitude is infinite, and we dare never forget!"

"Today, we perform the Blood-Burning Spirit Sacrifice. To repay even a fraction of the Immortal Venerable's grace is impossible, leaving us truly ashamed. From now on, year after year, generation after generation, the Yang family shall do the same; only then can we find peace of mind!"

With those words spoken, six streams of Essence Blood slowly flew out from Elder Yu's palm, transforming into wisps of crimson Spiritual Qi in the air before being inhaled into Chen Yang's abdomen.

Whoosh-

A spiritual rain descended once again, nourishing the white space within Chen Yang's body.

This surge of Spiritual Qi was actually equivalent to the amount he could accumulate from eight years of breathing exercises!

"Ah-how comfortable!"

As this rejuvenating service concluded, two clusters of Soul Flame appeared once more within Chen Yang's body.

These represented Zhao Qi and Liang Yi.

Zhao Qi's Soul Flame was restrained and gentle, while Liang Yi's fluttered and swayed, making them very easy to distinguish.

Afterward, under Elder Yu's lead, the Yang family cultivators once again performed the ceremonial rites.

Thrum thrum thrum-

This time, Chen Yang received six new batches of ethereal consciousness.

After swallowing and digesting them, Chen Yang's "seeing" consciousness did not change, but the range of his "touching" consciousness expanded. Now, the north bank village at the foot of the mountain was entirely within his grasp.

He thought it would end here, just like last time.

But the next moment, he suddenly felt, in some inexplicable way, that he was surrounded by a mysterious force.

This is...

With some confusion, Chen Yang sensed for the source of this mysterious power.

Soon, he detected that it came from the foot of the mountain-from the mortal commoners burning incense and bowing in worship.

Is this... the mortal Power of Prayer?

With a shift of his thoughts, Chen Yang claimed these mysterious forces for himself.

The sensation of touching this mysterious power was even lighter than the invisible ethereal consciousness.

They seemed to vanish the very instant they entered Chen Yang's body, yet they also felt as though they were omnipresent.

There was an indescribable, elusive feeling that was hard to pin down.

Well then, I thought absorbing this power would clear up my doubts, but now I'm only left with more confusion.

Chen Yang was unclear about the precise effects of this Power of Prayer.

But his intuition told him that it was very likely related to his breakthrough and advancement in realm.

At the Qi Gathering stage, he could break through as long as he accumulated enough Spiritual Qi. But how to reach Condensed Origin, he had no idea.

Now it seemed that the Condensed Origin Method for his future advancement was highly likely to be deeply connected to this mysterious power!