I Steal the Ancestors' Sacrifices to Nourish Myself-Chapter 16: Upper Huang Division Returns

As the Ancestral Temple Keeper and witch doctor inheritor of the tribe, and at a time when the plague has emerged, what does Shen Can’s mouth represent?

Of course, if he says you are sick, then you are sick.

Yes, exactly, you’re plagued.

Isolation is required.

The tribespeople had no doubts.

In the following days, while inspecting the tribal division, Shen Can carefully examined and isolated a portion of tribespeople who seemed somewhat lethargic.

He also isolated the nearby tribespeople along with them.

Within a few days, the number of tribespeople considered ’plagued’ exceeded three hundred.

Moreover, the number continued to grow.

This task was assigned to him by Clan Chief Huo Chang.

With the sudden increase in tribespeople infected by the plague, the remaining tribespeople naturally became anxious, but Shen Can continued his operation.

He had previously read related records of the plague within the tribe, and this barely scratched the surface.

According to Huo Chang’s instructions, the damage caused by this plague must not be significantly less than before.

He faithfully followed the Clan Leader’s orders without hesitation.

A few days later, the number of tribespeople isolated by Shen Can reached nearly five hundred, almost a quarter of the total tribe population.

While isolating people, he kept himself busy.

He fumigated the vacated caves with witch medicine and distributed them for the remaining tribespeople to live in, alleviating the overcrowding inside.

Next, Shen Can planned to randomly grab a few ’infected’ individuals every few days to complete the task given by the Clan Leader.

With a glance at the Clan Chief still on the mountaintop, he headed toward the Ancestral Temple.

On the mountain peak, Huo Chang was quite satisfied with the scale of the isolated tribespeople.

A little enlightenment, the young generation within the tribe indeed had some intellect.

It’s a pity... Huo Chang sighed.

A child with such spiritual light has such poor Martial Dao talent. Despite practicing Kui Ox Fist for such a long time, his body is still weak.

Even with the improved fist technique, it’s uncertain if he can become a Martial Artist.

Being an Ancestral Temple Keeper isn’t bad either, Huo Xian said he has some talent in witch medicine, allowing him to live securely within the tribe.

He called him perceptive because he understood immediately when Huo Chang mentioned it a few days ago, taking his isolation task seriously.

If it were those stubborn ones in the tribe, they would have argued in front of him if he suggested increasing the number of infected tribespeople.

No choice, when the effects are good, other tribes... well, to put it bluntly, Upper Huang Division would come to seize.

He worried about Huang Shi still scouting nearby, searching for Ironwood Ship fragments.

...

"Acan, come eat."

Returning to the Ancestral Temple, Huo Xian had already cooked.

He hadn’t expected Shen Can to be so capable after just a few months of following him.

The speed was a bit quick, but the job was truly well done.

After eating, Shen Can returned to his dwelling and began practicing Kui Ox Fist. Although he was busy caring for the tribe, he didn’t neglect his cultivation much.

After practicing the fist technique, he lay on the stone bed.

[Inference Witchcraft]

This wasn’t his first time initiating inference; since his lifespan exceeded a thousand years, he had been intrigued.

However, the effects weren’t satisfactory.

Inside the Three-legged Small Tripod Cauldron, the shadow sat quietly.

[You spent three years sitting quietly]

[With an empty palm, you wish to cook a pot of communal rice, attempting the impossible with empty hands, brother]

[Three years of fishing without bait, you desire a catch, at least provide some rice.]

[Invest a hundred years, continue inference]

[...]

[Inference failed; you don’t understand witchcraft, revert ninety years of lifespan.]

[Baseless tree hopes to reach the sky, empty words discuss seasons, please stop the inference]

Shen Can spat after opening his eyes, as the Sacrificial Tripod Cauldron once again spouted snarky remarks.

Indeed, he knew nothing about witchcraft, and imagination was utterly futile, akin to imagining the Emperor’s palace or its decadent luxuries—couldn’t come up with anything.

Looking at mountains, waters, and the sun, mountains are mountains, waters are waters, realizing no secret techniques. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"It seems I need to find some incomplete manuscripts, even a single symbol would do."

After contemplating for a while, Shen Can closed his eyes and went to sleep.

For now, he put the thought aside, intending to search for more after the plague. The Sacrificial Tripod Cauldron was right; he knew nothing about witchcraft, like fishing in an empty pond.

If there were a heap of witchcraft in front of him, he could interpret it as he wished.

Currently, he wasn’t capable of conjuring things from thin air.

At this moment, he suddenly opened his eyes.

[Inference entered through the path of witch medicine]

[...Inference failed, lifespan reverted]

Turning over, Shen Can fell asleep directly, he also had a temper.

...

Unable to conjure witchcraft from thin air, Shen Can diligently worked as a witch doctor.

The improved witch medicine formulas had great effects, and most tribespeople with real symptoms stabilized through medicinal soups, baths, and fumigations.

Only the very elderly couldn’t withstand.

The deceased elders were cremated directly in caves, with their residences scorched by intense flames.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

The Ancestral Temple gained over thirty new Divine Tablets.

After the new tablets appeared, some of the current Divine Tablets on the main altar were moved to the sacrificial tables on the sides of the Divine Platform.

On the main Divine Platform of the Blazing Flame Division, apart from the nameless Divine Tablet and a few ancestors from the tribe’s founding, even the Clan Leader would eventually be moved to the sacrificial tables as time passed.

As for more complex sacrificial rules, they hadn’t emerged in the Blazing Flame Tribe yet.

This month, Shen Can didn’t give up inferring witchcraft, clinging tightly to the tribal witch doctor inheritance as a guide.

Witch doctor, witchcraft, both have the word witch; he was determined to succeed.

Repeated attempts, repeated failures.

...

On this day, Shen Can exited the isolation cave, and a beast’s roar echoed from afar, squinting as he looked out.

It was the one who came last time.

Riding a towering Mountain-Splitting Kui, rumbling towards the clan land.

Huo Chang welcomed him from afar.

"If Upper Huang Division takes advantage of our tribe’s plague, don’t blame me for fighting to the death."

Huo Chang’s eyes gleamed with sharpness, blocking Huang Shi’s path.

Riding on the Mountain-Splitting Kui, Huang Shi surveyed the Blazing Flame Tribe from afar, paying particular attention to the small mountain where the isolation cave was located.

Realizing in his heart, it was ordinary citizens infected, and if annexed, losses would be great.

"Blazing Flame Tribe’s luck is good, not encountering a plague insects frenzy."

"Thanks to ancestral protection," Huo Chang responded coolly, still vigilant.

"No need to be so tense, Huo Chang; we all make a living around these wild mountains, and my Upper Huang Division doesn’t prey on the weak."

Regardless of Huo Chang’s belief, Huang Shi continued, "I’m here for the matter from last time; did your Blazing Flame Tribe really not get any Ironwood Ship fragments?"

"Didn’t you check last time? Want to check again?"

"It’s been a while since the flood receded, vegetation is sprouting, and it seems the plague is about to end; each division will soon resume hunting and farming."

Huang Shi remained on his mount, saying, "Whether the Blazing Flame Tribe found the Ironwood Ship fragments during the floods doesn’t matter.

Moving forward, if found while hunting, you can still exchange them with my Upper Huang Division.

Huo Chang, I’m here to inform you, if your tribe hides the fragments, Upper Huang Division won’t be considerate once we learn about it.

The Ironwood Ship is something my Upper Huang Division is determined to obtain; whoever hides it shouldn’t expect Upper Huang Division to uphold past relations.

Can your Blazing Flame Division bear losing a Celestial Vein Realm Martial Artist?"

"Farewell!"

With that said, he directed his Mountain-Splitting Kui away.

...

Watching the departing Upper Huang Division Martial Artist, Shen Can heard no mention of any exchange benefits in the visitor’s tone.

Instead, it was more threats and intimidation.

Is it impressive to have a mount? One day, it will be your downfall.

"The remnants!"

At this moment, Shen Can suddenly realized, the Upper Huang Division’s visit actually reminded him.

He recalled that when the fragments were recovered, they were carved with Beast Patterns.

Is there anything related to witchcraft left on these Ironwood Ship fragments made of Tier Three Iron Wood?