"Huh, don't worry about other matters for now, find a place to rest before talking about it.?                                                                                                                  �

Walking into the nameless village, Guan Heng randomly found a very kind-hearted farmer and asked to borrow a place to rest and buy some food. The hospitality farmer agreed readily, but he accepted a few copper coins like a symbol.

After eating the bread and broth brought by the farmer and his wife, Guan Heng started chatting with them.

"Brother Farmer, how are people in your area living?"

"Oh, it's actually almost the same. In the peaceful years, everyone could barely dig out food and make a living. However, now the dragon tribe invaded in the north, and our crops have also encountered natural disasters. They are either drought or floods, and they have been poor harvests in recent years."

Speaking of this, the farmer shook his head helplessly: "Now I heard that the Dragon Clan will soon come here. Our village is under the jurisdiction of the Someda Kingdom. The royal family has issued a mandatory conscription order. All young and middle-aged people, without exception, must join the army to resist the invasion of the Dragon Clan."

"Oh, I guess I will be conquered by the army in a few days." The farmer sighed: "I see this family is about to starve."

"It's so pitiful, it's a pity that I can't help them." Guan Heng sighed secretly when he heard this, but at this moment, the sound of drums suddenly came from outside the farmer's house, and the drums became increasingly dense.

"What's going on?" Guan Heng couldn't help but wonder when he heard the drums. The farmer shouted at this time: "Oh no, I'm just chatting with you. I forgot about the sacrificial celebration today."

Speaking of this, the farmer hurried into the room inside. When he came out again, he was already wearing a strange black linen cloth, with a huge skull embroidered with white thread.

Seeing the farmer's appearance, Guan Heng was really shocked. He asked in a lost voice: "Brother Farmer, what are you doing?"

"Guest, I'm in a hurry to attend the celebration. If you want to know what's going on, go and ask my wife." The farmer hurriedly threw down this sentence. He turned around and ran out the door, and it seemed that he didn't dare to delay for a second.

Guan Heng looked at his back as he ran out, but shook his head and wondered. At this time, the farmer's wife brought a glass of water and handed it to Guan Heng. She explained: "You don't know anything about the guest. This is the custom of our village since ancient times. Once the crops fail to harvest year after year or encounter serious disasters, a ceremony called "corpse-carrying ceremony" must be held to resolve natural disasters."

"The corpse-carrying ceremony?" Guan Heng asked inexplicably: "What does that mean?"

"The rear of our village was a kingdom's ancient battlefield a thousand years ago. Tens of thousands of soldiers died here, and over time it became a cemetery." The farmer's wife explained: "And the earliest occupants of this village were the guardians of the cemetery."

"I don't know when, the guards collected seven ancient mummies. They and their descendants and relatives carried seven coffins around the nearby mountains, forests and rivers every year. Then they walked to the original site of the ancient battlefield."

The peasant woman continued: "Then she placed the coffin in seven corners, and lit seven bonfires there to sing requiem day and night. The people in the village believed that in this way, they could get the protection of the ancient corpse souls, and this sacrificial ceremony became a custom that has not changed for thousands of years."

"Oh, so that's it." Guan Heng nodded slightly. He didn't care much about this strange custom. However, when he heard the peasant woman say that there was an ancient battlefield behind the village, Guan Heng thought that there might be ghosts he had used in the cemetery.

With his eyes rolling, Guan Heng asked casually: "Madam, can outsiders watch the ceremony in your village? Can I go and see it?"

"This... sir. I advise you to give up this idea." Hearing this, the peasant woman's face changed slightly. She quickly said: "The people in the village are a little wary of outsiders, especially the corpse-carrying ceremony, and they don't want others to visit. This festival is very terrifying, so you should not go and see it."

"Okay. I'm just talking casually, not really wanting to see it." Guan Heng quickly said a few perfunctory words. After a while, he found an excuse and stood up and said goodbye.

Looking at the thin horse he was holding, Guan Heng suddenly muttered: "That corpse-carrying ceremony, hehe, I'm afraid it's strange."

"Hululu..." The thin horse was just sniffing at this time. I don't know if he was agreeing with Guan Heng's statement. Guan Heng shook his head: "No matter what, follow the people who held the celebration to go to the ancient battlefield first. Find out if there are any suitable ghosts. This is the serious thing."

At this moment, a few people suddenly came from afar, talking loudly about something. Guan Heng thought about it, then led the thin horse and hid in the corner, and observed it secretly.

The men were wearing black linen clothes like the farmer, with white skeleton embroidered on them. They were obviously residents of the village. At this time, one of the burly men said, "I had a sacrifice to escape last night. I was desperate and beat him to death. Now there is one of the seven sacrifices missing. What should I do? If the village chief knows, I will definitely be scolded."

Another tall and thin man said, "It doesn't matter. Yesterday, a homeless man came to my house to stay overnight. I had knocked him out and tied him up, just to prevent the sacrifice from running away. Let's go to my house quickly, wash the kid clean, and then send it to the altar."

"Is this appropriate?" the other two villagers said hesitantly: "That would have killed another person."

"Stop hesitating." The tall and thin man growled: "This is the custom in our village since ancient times. If you don't give these seven sacrifices, the unlucky ones will be the villagers. Come with me quickly."

The other three villagers were so scared that they shivered when they heard this. They seemed to remember something extremely terrifying. They immediately closed their mouths and followed the tall and thin man home honestly.

Guan Heng, who was hiding in the corner, heard a little puzzled at this time. He thought to himself: "These villagers seem to be talking about corpse-carrying ceremony, but why did they mention 'sacrificial gifts' and say they want to tie up homeless people to the altar? What's going on?"

"Dongdongdongdong-gulong-dongdongdong-" At this moment, deafening drums sounded on the streets of the village. Guan Hengyan watched a group of villagers wearing black linen strode from a distance, including fourteen people, two people carrying a black metal coffin, and marched straight outside the village.
Chapter completed!