Chapter 333 The Ritual Begins

Based on what Xia Nan now understood about this world's class progression system, raising one's Class Level offered other benefits beyond simply paving the way for future class advancements.

Beyond integrating a Class Holder's mastered abilities into a fixed framework—as was the case with [Gravity Control], [Tidal Stabilization], and [Heart-Guided Vision]—the individual would also gradually benefit as their level increased.

For a niche class like the [Meteor Blade Hunter], whose progression capped at Lv5, the key transformational nodes were most likely at Lv3 and Lv5.

This meant that as a Lv2 Class Holder, Xia Nan had a high chance of obtaining another corresponding combat technique or Feat once he trained [Gravity Etching] to its maximum level and raised his Class Level to Lv3.

The latter went without saying, as he had already experienced the powerful effects of [Tidal Stabilization] and [Heart-Guided Vision]. But if it was the former, providing him with a brand-new combat technique, that would naturally be even better.

Acquiring it automatically through a Class Level increase meant Xia Nan wouldn't need to worry about how compatible the combat technique was with his class, nor would he have to fret over whether it might impact his future ceiling of power.

He simply had to practice; there were no downsides.

Right now, his proficiency level in [Gravity Etching] had already reached Lv3. It wasn't far from the maximum level. As long as he managed his cooldowns and trained daily, he could brute-force his way to Lv5 purely through time and repetition.

If his luck held and he managed to successfully activate the [Dream Weaving Corridor], this process could be accelerated even further.

Of course, that was more of a mid-term goal.

His most pressing priority right now was to finish the current fog lamp grass gathering task and clear his debt with Barn.

Dongshu's morning training didn't last very long.

As a non-Class Holder, the teenager's physical constitution was strictly average to begin with. Coupled with the intense emotional turbulence he had experienced the night before, he had barely gotten any rest.

Just getting out of bed for training was the result of sheer willpower and ingrained habit, but his stamina was already overdrawn.

Under such circumstances, no matter how much Dongshu cherished this precious opportunity to be guided by a Class Grade expert—wishing he could just keep training until nightfall—Xia Nan could see the boy had reached his physical limit. Once the training intensity exceeded normal bounds, Xia Nan ordered him to stop and return to the village to rest.

"You need to take every training session seriously. You've done well in that regard; I can see your focus," Xia Nan reminded him as they walked along the dirt path, glancing at the teenager beside him, whose face was faintly pale from obvious overexertion.

"But unless it's a planned limit-breaking session, it's best to retain at least thirty percent of your stamina to deal with any sudden emergencies."

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Xia Nan."

Dongshu nodded, his expression earnest and his attitude sincere.

Then, a pure, naive smile—typical of a country youth—resurfaced on his slightly freckled face.

"I don't normally push myself like this, actually. I still have chores to do when I get back. If I got this tired every morning, Brother Aspen would scold me."

"It's just that since you were watching today, I figured I'd practice a little longer and see if I could get some pointers... Hehe."

Xia Nan certainly didn't mind the simple-hearted teenager's little ulterior motive.

Truth be told, he wasn't some Transcendent Tier or Legendary rank powerhouse anyway; he had only just obtained a Class Level himself not long ago.

His so-called "pointers" were merely given on a whim, pointing out some glaring errors in the boy's form.

If he actually had to draft some rigorous training regimen or map out a career path for a beginner, Xia Nan wouldn't have the first clue how to do it.

"Still, this Sacrificial Ritual of your village is quite a solemn affair. I saw people setting things up last night, didn't I?" Xia Nan suddenly spoke up halfway down the path, asking in a seemingly casual tone.

Hearing this, the bright smile on Dongshu's face faltered. He nodded somewhat stiffly.

"Yes. After all, it's an ancient tradition passed down through generations in Fog Lamp Village. It's held every so often."

"The Village Chief says the ritual's blessings can protect the villagers, keeping dangerous monsters away and helping the wheat grow faster."

"Passed down through generations?" Catching the key phrase, Xia Nan raised an eyebrow and pressed, "This ritual has been held in your village for many years?"

"I... I don't know." Dongshu's expression grew harder to maintain, and even his voice lowered. "As long as I can remember, this tradition has existed."

"If you want to know more, you should ask the village elders. They might know the details."

Xia Nan could sense that while answering him, Dongshu showed clear hesitation. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he ultimately held it back out of some concern.

He could more or less guess what the boy was thinking.

In that case, he might as well speak more openly.

"And what are the specifics of this Sacrificial Ritual? What is the sacrifice? It seems no one has mentioned it to me."

Tap—the crisp sound of a leather boot hitting the dirt.

Dongshu froze in his tracks.

His gaze unconsciously dropped, not daring to meet Xia Nan's eyes.

His body trembled violently, partly from muscle spasms caused by overtraining, and partly from the sudden release of suppressed emotions.

Staring at the youth with dark eyes and seeing his silent reaction, Xia Nan mused for a moment before slowly speaking.

"Her name is Lillie, right?"

Dongshu's head snapped up as if he'd been struck, his pupils shrinking. His expression seemed to freeze in that very instant.

The air fell into a dead silence, as if time itself had stopped.

Only a bead of sweat on the boy's forehead slowly rolled down his cheek and seeped into the soil.

"Y-You know?"

Dongshu's voice trembled. The emotions surging within him brought an unnatural flush to his pale, post-training face.

Xia Nan turned and continued walking forward, leaving only his voice echoing in the boy's ears.

"What do you know about that 'entity deep within the Canyon'?"

Dongshu hurriedly caught up. His gaze toward Xia Nan's back was indescribably complex, heavily weighed down by his thoughts, but his mouth answered subconsciously.

"As for that... I'm not really sure. The Canyon is a forbidden area for the village. Let alone me, even Brother Aspen isn't allowed to enter."

"The village children are warned from a young age not to go near it. They say it will disturb the guardian deity slumbering inside. Anyone who breaks this rule will face the most severe punishment."

A thoughtful expression crossed Xia Nan's face, but he didn't say much. Dongshu, however, seemed to have found an outlet for his pent-up feelings. Shedding his earlier hesitant silence, he spoke agitatedly.

"I want to take Lillie away!"

"She... she shouldn't have to endure this! It's not her fault! No, she did nothing wrong. She's innocent!"

"But... but..."

Dongshu's eyes reddened, and his voice gradually choked with sobs until he couldn't speak another word.

Xia Nan waited quietly.

He didn't ask again until the boy's sudden, ragged breathing smoothed out.

"What about Aspen? He's your mentor, isn't he? Have you mentioned your thoughts to him?"

"Brother Aspen... he wouldn't agree." Dongshu's expression was complicated—filled with admiration, understanding, and respect, but without a single shred of resentment.

"Oh?"

Dongshu hesitated for a moment before finally opening his mouth.

"The sacrifice for the last ritual... was Brother Aspen's daughter."

Xia Nan couldn't help but frown. His mind subconsciously flashed to the image of that mature, steady middle-aged man who had been willing to sacrifice himself against the Goblin siege to buy the young people with him a way out.

They hadn't known each other for long, but Xia Nan's sharp Perception allowed him to sense one thing.

That middle-aged man named Aspen shouldn't be the type to just watch helplessly as his daughter was chosen as a sacrifice. And when Xia Nan voiced his doubts, Dongshu gave a despondent reply.

"You guessed right. Brother Aspen really did fight back back then."

"He wasn't just the village's most experienced hunter. When the village faced threats from outside monsters, he was the captain of the Temporary Militia Corps. He had very high prestige."

"Brother Aspen loved his daughter dearly. Even when she was chosen as the sacrifice, he refused to just watch his own flesh and blood be sent into the Canyon."

"For her... he did a lot."

Dongshu didn't elaborate on exactly what Aspen did, but judging by his expression, Xia Nan could roughly guess.

It matched the image of an Adventurer in his mind.

In a world with a medieval backdrop and undeveloped technology, inside such a remote and dilapidated village, if someone held considerable prestige among the locals, possessed decent strength, and commanded the primary defense forces... there was indeed a lot he could do.

But judging by Dongshu's earlier words and tone...

"He failed?" Xia Nan asked.

"He was so close." Dongshu's eyes grew unfocused, his expression unconsciously melancholic and conflicted. "The Village Chief was already too old. He really was just a little bit away."

"But right in the month before the ritual was to be held, an unknown, ferocious monster attacked the village."

"It didn't barge in to wreak havoc. Instead, it lurked in the darkness surrounding the village, treating Fog Lamp Village like a pen for its livestock. It dragged any villager who wandered off alone into the woods and devoured them."

At this point, as if feeling the terror of that time all over again, Dongshu's voice began to tremble.

"The Village Chief said that the one in the Canyon had sensed Brother Aspen's disloyalty, and that this was a punishment."

"Only by truly completing that year's Sacrificial Ritual would Fog Lamp Village be forgiven."

Xia Nan fell silent.

A long time passed before he asked another question.

"So, that monster that attacked your village eventually left, didn't it?"

Dongshu nodded slowly, his voice so soft it was barely audible.

"Yes, it left."

"Two months after the ritual ended."

In the end, Dongshu couldn't bring himself to voice the plea he had been brewing in his heart for so long.

If not for what happened that night, he might have earnestly begged this powerful Adventurer to take the girl he loved away from the village, even at the cost of serving as his servant for the rest of his life.

But Lillie's apathetic attitude—as if she had already accepted her fate—along with her merciless, piercing questions, made the youth truly realize something.

No matter how approachable or unpretentious this respected and powerful dark-haired man was, he was still an outsider. He was just an Adventurer passing through.

The man had no obligation to save the girl, nor any duty to agree to his request.

If he wanted to change the ending, Dongshu felt that he ultimately had to rely on himself.

And so, on the day of the Sacrificial Ritual.

For the first time in all the years since Aspen had guided him onto the hunter's path, he skipped his morning training.

This left Xia Nan, who had thought to drop by and give the kid a few more pointers, grasping at empty air.

He found it strange, but considering the special nature of today, he could roughly guess the reason.

As usual, by the time Xia Nan finished his morning routine, found a clear stream to wash off, and returned to the village, the sky was still the pale, dead-fish white of early dawn.

Fog Lamp Village was already awake. Or rather, it hadn't slept at all the entire night.

On the day of the ritual, the already oppressive village was completely devoid of human voices. All that remained was the whimpering of the cold wind sweeping through the hollows and the desolate, mournful barking of a lonely dog.

Lingering in the air was an eerie aura of death that seeped into the flesh and sent chills down the spine.

Pale banners fluttered weakly in the damp, cold wind, resembling departed spirits draped over every thatched hut and bare tree trunk.

The fog was thicker today. Yet beneath the faint, putrid stench that normally shrouded it, there was now a sharp, bitter tang of burning medicinal herbs.

Xia Nan had once asked the villagers about this. The purpose of burning these herbs was to drive away the evil spirits and fear within the village.

But undoubtedly, paired with the villagers' extremely suppressed emotions right now, it was only having the opposite effect.

The originally dirty and muddy streets had been tidied up somewhat, becoming a bit cleaner. Yet along the roadside, crude dolls made of straw and tattered cloth had been set up, their hollow eyes all staring in the same direction.

They were the silent witnesses of this Sacrificial Ritual, as well as the scapegoats meant to share the villagers' sins.

The already quiet villagers were completely mute now, stepping out of their homes with expressionless faces.

Everyone had changed into their cleanest, neatest clothes—even if they were still covered in patches.

Men and women converged on the center of the village. No one conversed; no one wept.

Even the most mischievous children, crushed under the heavy weight of the dead silence, obediently kept their mouths shut and stood stock-still in place.

In the very center of the crowd stood the elderly, heavily wrinkled Village Chief of Fog Lamp Village. His eyes were half-closed, and the smoke from the burning herbs swirled around him, obscuring his expression.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the square, inside a simple, temporary white tent, the sacrifice for this ritual—the girl named Lillie—was undergoing the final rites of her life.