"What in the blazes is this Buxian Wuhou?" Old Liu nudged the Dwarf, curiosity piqued. "Isn't there a whole perimeter around the village? Why won't they let us in?"

The Dwarf, clearly annoyed by Old Liu’s constant prodding, finally answered, "The Buxian Wuhou is the leader of this whole tribe. I heard their Wuhou possesses the ability of eternal life, but every few years she has to go to the Jade Blood Palace behind the mountains for some kind of cultivation before she can return to rule here. Today is the sacrificial ceremony for the Wuhou’s return. We need to find the Jade Blood Palace before she gets back; there are tons of treasures inside."

The Bearded Man, taking a huge bite out of a wild boar leg, commented, "Look at all those women bustling about; they’re probably preparing something for the ritual. See how they’re all carrying bowls? Maybe they’re about to eat something—perfect opportunity for us to slip in some poison!"

"..." Only then did Old Liu grasp the bandits' true intentions. They planned to poison everyone or extract the location of the Jade Blood Palace from their mouths.

"Old Liu, Dwarf!" The Bearded Man tossed a piece of meat to each of them. "You two are the fastest. Sneak over there and lace whatever they're eating and drinking with this poison. We’ll get the weapons ready!"

Old Liu had never imagined engaging in such villainy, but now he was trapped. He could only comfort himself with the thought that the power of that glowing orb had guided him, so what he did couldn't be wrong.

And so, the Dwarf led Old Liu stealthily through the nooks and crannies. Relying on the corners of the stone huts, they managed to evade the busy women, weaving back and forth until they quickly reached the central plaza of the village. It was indeed a sacrificial event. In the center of the square sat incomprehensible stone structures, and right amidst them, a large cauldron was set up, boiling water.

"Why is there a young woman tied up in the middle?" Old Liu stared at the scene, unsure what to do. A slender, beautiful young woman was indeed tied securely to a central pillar. Despite being wrapped in coarse cloth, her figure was exquisitely proportioned.

The Dwarf, having been to this village before, was familiar with their sacrificial customs. He explained, "That water in the middle is divine water drawn from the Jade Blood Palace. Drinking it ensures pregnancy. And that woman in the center is to be offered to the Buxian Wuhou as a saintess. Legend says only her life can buy the Wuhou's longevity."

"Damn it, how is that longevity?" Old Liu, though deeply engrossed in the situation, couldn't quell his lust. Seeing a beauty made him irritable. "Killing one person to exchange for another’s eternal life—what's the point of that!"

"This is the point!" The Dwarf giggled, pulling out a blowgun from his pouch. He placed a small white pill at the tip, aimed at the cauldron, and blew. The pill landed perfectly in the boiling water and dissolved.

"What was that!" Old Liu, awestruck by the practiced skill of the blowgun, felt a pang of disgust rather than admiration. "You poisoned them!"

The Dwarf shot Old Liu a disdainful look. "A true man doesn't shy from poison. These treasures are useless sitting here with these country bumpkins; better we take them, sell them, and have some real fun."

"Clang, clang..." Just then, the sound of unfamiliar metal striking echoed through the square. Hearing it, the surrounding women rushed in unison toward the plaza, some not even fully dressed.

The Dwarf licked his lips as he watched them. "These broads look strong; I wonder what it feels like to pin one down in bed..."

"Look at yourself first!" Old Liu glanced at the Dwarf and smirked. "Careful, one of them might just sit on you and crush you!"

"Shhh! Look, look, they’re drinking the water! Haha!" The Dwarf clamped his hand over Old Liu’s mouth and they continued watching from the shadows. All the women in the village, from children to elders, knelt in order before the pillar and then cupped their hands to drink from the cauldron.

Old Liu’s attention remained fixed on the bound woman in the center. Seeing her pitiful face drenched in tears, a wave of sympathy washed over him.

"What’s the point of the old folks and the children drinking that water?" The Dwarf was also seeing this ritual for the first time, but when he saw the people in the square collapsing one by one, he jumped up excitedly, whistling loudly, "Aha! Brothers, come on out!"

Some women in the square hadn't fallen yet. When they saw the Bearded Man charging into the village brandishing a long saber, their first instinct was to grab their spears. But no matter how strong they were, the poison’s effect ensured they couldn't escape the shadow of death. The Bearded Man led a group of ferocious bandits, swinging their swords and blades wildly through the crowd. In that moment, screams, cries, and the sickening thud of steel hitting bone turned the ritual into a brutal, chaotic scene.

It wasn’t that Old Liu hadn't witnessed slaughter before, but he couldn't stomach watching a group of grown men massacre unarmed women. It was more revolting than butchering livestock.

"You... you..." At this moment, a woman clutching her belly stumbled toward the Dwarf, blood spilling from her mouth, her appearance utterly horrific. "How could you do this? How could you people do this? Wuhou! Wuhou!"

The Dwarf recognized the woman who had treated his wounds earlier. He kicked her down hard, delivering a finishing blow. "Wuhou! Hah! By the time that damned Wuhou gets back, we’ll be long gone."

"Yow!" The Bearded Man, holding a wild boar's hoof in one hand and his saber in the other, continued seeking targets to deliver the killing blow. When every person in the village had been slaughtered, he turned his attention to the woman tied to the pillar. "The Saintess truly has some pleasing features."

"Boss, why don't we just... hahahaha." A few lowlifes edged closer to the woman, their hands roaming freely and shamelessly over her body.

"Damn it!" Old Liu suddenly darted out, swiftly taking down those few men with a couple of punches and kicks. When he looked back at the woman, he saw she was thoroughly terrified, trembling all over.

"Old Liu, what are you doing!" Those thugs tried to get up and confront Old Liu, but the Bearded Man swatted them aside with a single slap.

"You ignorant fools! If you kill the guide, how are we supposed to find the Jade Blood Palace!" The Bearded Man, though appearing rough, understood basic logic. "Old Liu, untie her and make her lead us. Otherwise, I’ll slice her flesh off, piece by piece."

With the Bearded Man's command, Old Liu quickly untied the woman. To his surprise, the woman, weakened by terror, collapsed directly into his arms. "Are you alright?"

The woman had delicate features, but her face was ashen. Seeing Old Liu's gentle expression, she slowly regained some composure, but her first words were, "The Wuhou is returning. You will all face divine retribution!"

"Divine retribution can wait. Right now, I need you to take us to the Jade Blood Palace!" The Bearded Man crouched beside the woman with a vicious grin. His knife sliced deeply into the skin of her leg, letting fresh blood drip onto the ground. "Little girl, we really do kill people, you know!"