Chapter 1064 — The Ancient Gods of the Five Stars
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 5
The ancient gods of the Five Luminaries, meanwhile, were five star lords: the Lord of the Zhen Star, the Lord of the Yinghuo Star, the Lord of the Chen Star, the Lord of the Sui Star, and the Lord of the Taibai Star. The Great Daos they commanded were mightier still.
The Lord of the Zhen Star commanded the Dao of Death and was the ancient god of death; the Lord of the Yinghuo Star commanded the Dao of Plague and was the ancient god of plague; the Lord of the Chen Star commanded the Dao of slaughter and punishment and was the ancient god of war; the Lord of the Taibai Star commanded the Dao of fortune and calamity; and the Lord of the Sui Star commanded the Dao of life and sacrifice.
The Lord of the Zhen Star and the Lord of the Yinghuo Star had taken up residence in Youdu, as feudal lords through whom the Heavenly Emperor restrained Tu Bo; the Lord of the Chen Star and the Lord of the Taibai Star had ascended to Xuandu, as feudal lords through whom the Heavenly Emperor restrained the Lord of Heaven.
The Lord of the Sui Star was nearest to the Yuan Realm, dwelling just beyond it.
Under these five star lords were countless deities of natural calamity, and to invite their descent, a grand sacrifice had to be held.
The food of the demigods was the acquired living beings of the human race and other races, while the food of the ancient gods was demigods and the acquired races; only with sufficient offerings could the ancient gods of the Five Luminaries come to the Yuan Realm.
One of the demigod clan chiefs said, "Divine Emperor, there are still many humans in our territory unwilling to move away. Besides these humans, there are the slaves of various races we have captured—they too can serve as offerings."
Divine Emperor Langxuan said, "Then let them be used for the blood sacrifice, to bring the ancient gods of the Five Luminaries down. If that is not enough, then attack the other races of the Yuan Realm and seize more slaves!"
At last the altars were prepared, and the offerings were brought to the altars.
Divine Emperor Langxuan conducted the blood sacrifice, and at once bloody light surged to the heavens. The sky turned the color of blood, and within that bloody glow five stars grew larger and nearer—yet they seemed separated by a layer of space, as though they stood in another world.
Upon those five stars were thousands of palaces and countless gods and demons. The Yinghuo Star was filled with gods and demons with ox heads and human bodies, their feet treading twin dragons; the Zhen Star had gods and demons with human heads and serpent bodies; the Sui Star had gods and demons with human heads, bird bodies, and bird feet, treading azure dragons; the Taibai Star had gods and demons with tiger heads and human bodies, bulging eyes and white brows, wielding bronze battle-axes.
The Chen Star had gods and demons with human heads, red hair, and serpent bodies, holding tridents.
The demon gods upon the five luminary stars all absorbed the power of the blood sacrifice—a veritable dance of demons.
"Worthy nephew, the offerings you have presented are not many."
The five stars drew nearer and nearer. The five calamity stars appeared above the Yuan Realm, yet they did not pass the Yuan Realm's world barrier—plainly the offerings were insufficient, and they could not descend.
The Lord of the Zhen Star chuckled. "The souls and flesh you have offered are too few, and all of them inferior goods. You are rather stingy. Why not sacrifice a few of your own descendants? Your bloodline has had me drooling for a long while."
Divine Emperor Langxuan gritted his teeth and bowed. "Uncles, Heavenly Venerable Mu brings calamity to the world, violates the laws of heaven, and humiliates the divine race—which is to humiliate you, my uncles. I beg you, my uncles, to descend."