Chapter 103 - 105: Turning the Tables: The Beastmen Climbed into Bed

Chapter 103: Chapter 105: Turning the Tables: The Beastmen Climbed into Bed

After breakfast, Su Luoluo and Luan Ting went to the temple with everyone else.

After a short wait, the temple’s main doors slowly swung open. An old man emerged, dressed in a long, white tiger-skin robe and an obsidian headband, holding a scepter topped with a tiger skull.

He scanned the crowd gathered before the temple and announced in a deep voice, "The gates to the temple are open. You may now enter for the ritual."

"Thank you, High Priest."

At the sight of him, the crowd bowed in unison, their attitude deeply respectful.

Su Luoluo, standing in the crowd, naturally followed suit.

’After all, I’m living in the Beast World now. It’s best to follow their customs. If I’m the only one who doesn’t bow, I’ll stick out like a sore thumb and could easily attract trouble.’

Once the bow was complete, everyone followed the High Priest into the temple.

With her eyes lowered, Su Luoluo curiously took in her surroundings. The temple’s interior was also fashioned from polished granite; the floor was even paved with marble.

In terms of construction alone, the craftsmanship was far superior to that of the average Beastman.

’It’s not that they couldn’t build it themselves, it would just be more troublesome.’

’With the help of the Beastmen’s superpowers, it would actually be quite easy to build.’

’It’s just that the style is a bit different from the Beastmen’s usual architecture.’

’But on closer inspection, the stones aren’t cut with much precision. It’s still consistent with the level of craftsmanship in the Beast World.’

The interior was decorated with many natural objects—specimens and skulls of all kinds of plants and animals, from the water, land, and sky.

’They must be for decoration.’

Upon reaching the center, the High Priest turned, raised his scepter, and shouted toward the vast, snowy mountains ahead:

"Today, we gather to present offerings to the great Heavenly God! We thank the Heavenly God for granting us endless food and prey! May the Heavenly God continue to bless us, protecting us from drought and flood, and continue to grant us strength and wisdom!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone knelt in unison, bowing reverently. "We thank the Heavenly God for His protection! May the Heavenly God’s blessings be eternal!"

Su Luoluo, of course, did the same.

’I seem to be the only one in the entire temple whose mind is wandering. Everyone else looks so incredibly devout.’

’Even Luan Ting and Yan Shu are completely absorbed in the moment.’

’The power of faith is truly unmatched.’

After a moment of prayer, the High Priest rose and called out, "Present the offerings!"

The "offerings" were various items for the Heavenly God. Su Luoluo glanced around and saw that the items brought by the various tribes were all massive pieces of prey.

Judging by their quality, they had been meticulously chosen.

Of course, Su Yang’s tribe was no exception.

Luan Ting was in charge of their offering. He immediately presented the snow-white fox pelt they had prepared.

The fox pelt was exceptionally large, seemingly as long as Luan Ting’s leg. A fox of that size clearly showed that Su Yang had gone to great lengths.

Sure enough, as soon as the offering was presented, many eyes turned to appraise it.

After the High Priest and the others had placed all the offerings, he once again called out, "Saint Heir, come forth and bestow the blessing!"

A small boy dressed in snow-white fox fur emerged from the back of the temple. After bowing to the Heavenly God, he nodded to the High Priest, then walked to the divine altar and slowly approached the crowd.

Su Luoluo was familiar with this Saint Heir—it was the same boy who had asked her for milk tea yesterday.

She wanted to get a better look, but Luan Ting tugged her hand.

Su Luoluo glanced at Luan Ting and copied him, kneeling on one knee.

As the boy reached each person, he would touch their forehead and say, "A child bestowed by the Heavenly God."

When he reached Su Luoluo, the boy’s serious expression softened. His eyes curved into a smile as he looked at her and said with certainty, "Sister, don’t worry. You’ll definitely have a cub very soon."

Before Su Luoluo could even react, the boy tapped her forehead and moved on.

She didn’t know whether to be amused or annoyed by the boy’s words.

’This little brat... so young, yet so precocious.’

But before she could snap out of her thoughts, the High Priest took another step forward, closed his eyes, and pointed with his scepter. "Today’s Holy Fire shall be retrieved by this female."

Su Luoluo was lost in thought and only realized she’d been chosen to retrieve the fire when she noticed many people staring at her.

Su Yang had told her about the fire retrieval before she left.

Each tribe would bring a torch to receive an ember from the Heavenly God, representing His blessing.

When she brought it back, she had to ensure the flame didn’t go out, or else the tribe would not receive its blessing.

’I thought I’d just be responsible for receiving a small flame during the Fire Division. Why am I suddenly being asked to retrieve the Heavenly God’s Fire itself?’

The Heavenly God’s Fire burned ceaselessly in the center of the temple.

And now her task was to take a torch and light it from that very fire.

This was no easy task.

It seemed simple enough—just light the torch. But if she failed to light it, or if the flame went out on the way...

...she would incur everyone’s wrath.

But with so many people watching, Su Luoluo could only brace herself and walk forward.

The torch in her hand was carved from pinewood and dotted with dry, flammable moss to act as kindling.

Pinewood is rich in resin and can burn for a long time once lit.

She walked up apprehensively, held her torch to the central flame, and when she pulled it back, it was already lit.

Su Luoluo sighed in relief as she saw the torch light up. But just as she raised it high, a sinister gust of wind swept through, and the flame suddenly faltered. Any longer and it might have been extinguished completely.

Su Luoluo gripped the torch tightly and secretly channeled her Fire Ability, stabilizing the flame.

Instantly, the faltering flame flared back to life, burning even brighter than before.

The High Priest witnessed this, and a strange glint flashed in his eyes. He quickly composed himself, however, and looked at Su Luoluo. "The Holy Fire is lit. The Fire Division may begin."

Su Luoluo heard his words and nodded. "Yes."

With that, she brought the torch down. Soon, people were gathering around her, extending their own torches to catch the flame.

When it was Yan Shu’s turn, she clutched her chest, her face pale with lingering fear. "You scared me to death just now, Luoluo! I really thought you weren’t going to get the Holy Fire!"

Anyone who fails to retrieve the Holy Fire is considered to be cursed by the Heavenly God.

If word of that spread across the Beast World Continent, Su Luoluo’s peaceful days would be over.

’It is strange, though,’ Su Luoluo thought. ’Everything was fine just a moment ago.’

’Still, thanks to my superpower, it was a close call but ultimately harmless.’

Only after everyone’s torches were lit was Su Luoluo’s "Fire Division" task complete.

With that, the entire ritual came to an end.

As they were parting, Yan Shu looked at Su Luoluo, reluctant to leave. "Luoluo, you have to come visit me! I’ll give you the most comfortable room... and my brother."

Su Luoluo smiled. ’She still hasn’t given up on trying to set me up with her brother.’

"I’ll come find you when I have time."

’After I win over all five of them, I’d like to go out and travel a bit, too.’

Yan Shu looked back at her many times before finally leaving with a reluctant expression.

Su Luoluo didn’t leave immediately like everyone else. Instead, she and Luan Ting dug up a few tea saplings and picked some tea leaves before starting their journey back.

’These tea plants can be transplanted back at the tribe. That way, I’ll have tea leaves whenever I want to make milk tea.’

To keep the Holy Fire from going out, using superpowers was permitted on the journey back.

Su Luoluo carefully guarded the flame as she and Luan Ting hurried back.

「By the time they returned to the tribe, it was late at night.」

Su Luoluo and Luan Ting didn’t disturb anyone in the tribe and went to their own separate huts.

But just as she was about to undress for bed, she saw a pair of glowing eyes staring at her from the bed.

She walked closer, but before she could speak, another person slipped in through the window. "You’re not allowed to sleep with him."

"Me too! You can’t sleep with either of them. The right choice is to pick me." Another figure slid down from the rafters, seemingly out of nowhere.

Su Luoluo looked at the three Beastmen crammed into her small hut and felt a headache coming on. ’Looks like I won’t be getting any peace tonight.’