I Steal the Ancestors' Sacrifices to Nourish Myself

This is also the case in the Blazing Flame Tribe. Ever since the Blazing Flame Tribe was elevated to a upper-class tribe, women from vassal tribes rushed to marry into Blazing Flame.

With this thousands-of-years-old tradition of marrying within the tribes, even the mother of Lord Jishan might possibly have come from one of the upper-class tribes.

From top to bottom, relatives are connected, and it’s really difficult for Lord Jishan to sever ties. He must consider family sentiments, despite external relations.

This is also a common problem faced by tribes with long histories.

By relying on marital relations with Bo Division, facing the decrees of the Jishan Bo Division, upper-class tribes directly gathered clan soldiers from their vassal tribes and sent them to heed orders at the Jishan camp.

The decrees of the Bo Division must naturally be strictly followed. Aside from additional clan soldiers from the lower-class tribes, sending a squad of elite clan soldiers will suffice.

The decree of the Bo Division summoned ten thousand soldiers, integrating a thousand from the main division and nine thousand elite from lower-class tribes.

A thousand too many? Then five hundred it is, let the vassal lower-class tribes produce five hundred more.

On the surface, the decrees were completely obeyed. You just ask whether troops were dispatched.

But in reality, the soldiers from the lower-class tribes differed greatly from those of upper-class tribes in terms of equipment and strength.

Once an upper-class tribe does this, naturally other upper-class tribes follow suit. You send vassal tribes to die; I can’t possibly send my own people to die, can I?

It’s just that the young generation within the Jishan Bo Division was mostly assassinated by Xiaoyang; otherwise, these upper-class tribes would definitely cause more trouble.

...

"If we adhere to the agreement and once again retreat thousands of miles, wouldn’t we end up directly retreating to the grandmother tribe of Jishan."

Shen Can looked at the map, thinking over Yann Wanyun’s words, that if Yanran and Jishan were to retreat further, they would have to yield the central areas of Ji lands.

In this area lie two fading Bo divisions, five upper-class tribes. It can be said these tribes are now trembling in fear, lest Jishan retreat further.

"If you ask me, retreating thousands of miles means nothing. Instead, retreat directly towards the east and west, yielding the paths into Luo region and Yu region. Let other tribes in Yongyi taste Xiaoyang’s wrath."

At this moment, Shen Can pointed at the map, drawing a straight line from northern Ji lands all the way to the direction of Luo region.

"It’s because Ji lands endured Xiaoyang that the old ones in Luo River have their place to survive, allowing Ao Mountain to advance north, while even the barbarians in Northern Lands brag about their horse breeding."

"Back then, when Marquis Yongshan convened all the tribes to jointly march north, Xiaoyang shouldn’t have been the sole concern of Ji land martial artists, treating Ji land as if it were not part of Yongyi."

Yann Wanyun was taken aback by Shen Can’s words.

Are you really the Ancestral Temple Keeper?

How do you resemble Xiaoyang.

If it weren’t for Shen Can helping suppress the three-headed tattoo, Yann Wanyun would have wanted to tug Shen Can’s face to see if he was possessed by Xiaoyang.

On one hand killing the most Xiaoyang captives, on the other allowing Xiaoyang to move south.

"What difference does it make, releasing a thousand miles or a hundred thousand miles."

"Didn’t Lord Jishan say someone was secretly colluding with Xiaoyang? We’re tirelessly holding up in Ji lands while they’re stirring trouble behind our backs."

"Flip the table, no more games."

"Let me catch my breath."

Yann Wanyun fell silent, feeling overwhelmed by Shen Can’s rapid thought process.

It seemed quite logical.

But allowing Xiaoyang to move south?

No, they’ve already let Xiaoyang move south.

"Jii Tianlong senior, do you think what I said is right?"

Shen Can looked towards the Sacrificial Artifact; the Sacrificial Spirit was a commander in the Yongshan garrison troops during the battle to overthrow Xiaoyang, of status equal to an elder.

"Corruption of hearts can only be cured by the sword."

"Back in the day, when Marquis rose to power, Yongyi was also in this scene."

"Perhaps it was due to the Marquis’s incomplete reforms that the remnants retaliated, leading to disaster."

After revival, Jii Tianlong learned from Shen Can’s description about the news of Yongshan’s downfall.

Back then, Yongshan was incredibly strong. Even without the Marquis, they were backed by Wind Master and Rain Master, two Tier Five, and dozens of Tier Four Divine Treasures.

Yet, it still met its end.

His memories are incomplete, only able to piece together assumptions.

After all, when Marquis convened the Nine Land Divisions, it wasn’t just decrees that brought the tribes together but true strength; those who defied were duly quelled.

Only through years of efforts did they subdue the Four-direction Camp.

Then, not long after began the eastward and northward campaigns.

The first step to external conquest is to integrate internally. In hindsight, there were numerous reasons for Jishan’s fall; too much combat strength was entangled by these vassal tribes, not only due to their young generation being assassinated by Xiaoyang.

Now some tribes are beginning to panic, dispatching clan soldiers to Blood Gate Mountain City fearing another defeat of Jishan.

All of which indicates some people still need pressure, otherwise they will surely lag behind.

Retreating thousands of miles at most counts as treating the wound; true transformation is still far.

But even this wound care is incomplete, sporadic, draggy.

If Xiaoyang remains inactive, we’re left passively responding to Xiaoyang.

This battle is fought completely from a disadvantageous position.

This was somewhat contrary to Shen Can’s thoughts, as Lord Jishan appeared a bit indecisive.

As for Yann Wanyun, he was almost becoming a puppet of Muo Xiao.

Previously, he was contemplating that if the three divisions could join forces to fight Xiaoyang, and if they could severely wound Xiaoyang, then Three Fires could seize the opportunity to advance north, becoming the backbone against Xiaoyang.

But with Lord Jishan’s secret message arriving, Shen Can wondered what the point was in holding against Xiaoyang.

There were people in Yongyi colluding with Xiaoyang, even if Marquis Yongshan’s legacy was real.

Leading an army north to extinguish Xiaoyang doesn’t mean they wouldn’t gain the legacy?

Yet they secretly colluded with Xiaoyang.

If Marquis Yongshan could come back to life, he would surely sweep these scoundrels clean.

Yann Wanyun left, shocked by Shen Can’s words; he still had to return to oversee the camp.

Only less than one-fifth of the Luminous Treasure Iron was used, the rest was left with Shen Can.

Shen Can toyed with the Treasure Iron, sighing softly.

Two Clan Leaders of the ’Bo Division’, one indecisive and the other caught in a crisis.

Absolutely incredible.

How should this battle be fought next?

It seems necessary to re-strategize; without both divisions acting together, Blazing Flame alone could not achieve this with its current strength.

Being led around by Xiaoyang, only to fall into traps step by step.

In Shen Can’s view, since Muo Xiao had plotted for many years with numerous schemes, it should be completely disrupted. No matter how much you plan, I’ll simply refuse to play along.

You fight your fight, I’ll fight mine, let’s see who can hold out until the end.

...

Days later, to the southwest of the Three Fire Bo Division, a black Desolate Bird crowed loudly, its immense pressure echoing across the sky.

At the same time, the Cyan Simurgh leader, resting in the clan city, suddenly awoke from slumber, eyes sharp as they gazed into the distance.

Screech!

In the southwestern sky, a completely black eagle, like cast iron, shimmered with a cold gleam under the sun.

The outspread wings spanned over twenty yards, each feather like a sharp sword emitting a sharp edge.

The cry of the Cyan Simurgh stirred the commotion inside and outside the clan city, massive giant crossbows were brought out from the Four-direction Camp.

Simultaneously, Shen Can also walked out of the Ancestral Temple, gazing far into the distance.

"There’s someone!"

"There’s someone on the eagle’s back!"

People in the clan city noticed a figure on the eagle’s back.

Screech!

The black eagle flew incredibly fast, having been in the southwestern sky just moments ago, it now flapped its wings across the vast sky in a blink.

A green storm band emerged on the sky, stirring the dust and sands on the wilderness, furiously surging towards the clan city.

As the storm hit, city houses along with their roofs were lifted, scattering figures all around.

Screech!

The massive black eagle halted mid-air outside the city, its eyes showing mockery as it looked at the chaotic scene below.

On the eagle’s back stood an old man, surrounded by swirling earthy yellow blood aura, enabling him to stand firmly on the eagle’s back.

His gaze was fierce as he looked down below.

"Three Fire Division?"

"I come to ask you, who is driving the Bronze War Chariot?"

The old man’s gaze was commanding, his voice thunderous, an air of superiority as if looking at mountain barbarians.

"Get down here!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

From the Ancestral Temple, many clan members saw Shen Can stepping into the air, landing atop the city wall.

Screech!

In an instant, the once mocking eyes of the Giant Eagle emitted a shriek of terror, the mockery gone, replaced only by fear.

It flapped its wings chaotically, spiraling downward, while the old man on its back, previously looking down on everything, hastily grabbed the giant eagle’s feathers behind him.

Boom!

The Giant Eagle crashed down.

The old man leaped up awkwardly, landing far behind, covered in the dust raised by the fallen black eagle.