novelraw Chapter 298: Do Unlikable Children Deserve to Die?
Chapter 298: Do Unlikable Children Deserve to Die?
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation.
Hua Tu glanced again at Yu Zhao, noticing her calm demeanor. Her serene expression, devoid of any worry, sharply contrasted her earlier concern. This transformation puzzled Hua Tu, yet it also brought him an odd sense of reassurance.
Dealing with those three individuals might pose some challenges, but with Yu Zhao and himself present, the situation felt manageable. Hua Tu, a confident predator from the Beast Jungle, held no doubts about their combined capabilities.
At that moment, the altar preparations were complete. The altar was adorned with countless spiritual fruits and incense, and two children—a boy and a girl—were bound to jade pillars at its center. Surrounding the altar, ten or so cultivators held sacrificial artifacts, standing at strategic positions below.
A Golden Core cultivator stepped forward to inquire, “Master Tian Pu Zi, all is ready. Shall we begin?”
Tian Pu Zi smiled faintly. “The auspicious hour approaches. Let’s proceed.”
The cultivator acknowledged the order and withdrew. Shortly, the altar became shrouded in rising smoke as the slumbering children began to awaken. Disoriented and frightened by their unfamiliar surroundings, their young faces twisted in terror, followed by uncontrollable sobbing. Tears and snot streamed freely as they cried out loud.
The sharp wails stirred Han Xin Lan from her dazed state. Jolted awake by the distressing cries, she instinctively searched for their source. When her eyes landed on the altar, her memories of events before her capture came rushing back.
Her gaze hardened, filled with hatred as she glared at Tu Hua Zhang, yelling, “Old Tu, I am a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley! If you harm me, my sect will never forgive you!”
Tu Hua Zhang’s eyes flickered with unease for a brief moment, but the enticing promises painted by Tian Pu Zi hardened his resolve. Ignoring Han Xin Lan’s threats, he focused on the vision of glory Tian Pu Zi had promised.Meanwhile, Wei Ying and her companions were equally unsettled upon hearing Han Xin Lan reveal her identity. If these people dared to disregard the prestige of Hundred Flowers Valley, they would likely dismiss Tai Bai Academy’s reputation as well. Knowing Han Xin Lan’s identity only reinforced the notion that these fanatics would never let them leave alive.
Wei Ying observed Han Xin Lan’s fierce defiance on the altar, her internal struggle growing more apparent.
Amidst the cries and curses, Tian Pu Zi remained unfazed. Wearing a compassionate smile, he ascended the altar step by step. Below him, Tu Hua Zhang, another Nascent Soul elder, and the other zealots gazed at him with rapturous devotion, intoxicated by his every word.
Wei Ying, however, crossed her arms defensively, rejecting Tian Pu Zi’s rhetoric. But gradually, her hands lowered to her lap, her posture softening as she listened. Her companions showed similar reactions. Without realizing it, their resistance began to crumble.
Hua Tu, noticing the shift, exclaimed with urgency, “Yu Zhao, they’re being controlled!”
This wasn’t physical manipulation but a form of spiritual enslavement. Every word Tian Pu Zi uttered carried a layer of psychological constraint. Even though his statements defied logic, their repeated delivery took root in his audience’s minds, transforming into invisible chains.
Anxious by nature, Hua Tu grew more frantic seeing their allies fall prey to such control, pacing like an ant on a hot pan.
Yu Zhao, however, chuckled. “I thought Tian Pu Zi had some extraordinary ability, but it’s just an imitation of illusion techniques, using soul power to influence emotions. His method is essentially puppetry.”
Tian Pu Zi’s so-called Heaven’s Punishment Philosophy was nothing more than a façade to deceive outsiders. He used promises of breakthroughs to exploit Tu Hua Zhang and the other elder, turning them into his unwitting puppets. Believing him to be a divine emissary, they followed him blindly.
Yu Zhao explained this to Hua Tu, who remained confused. “But I listened to him too! Why didn’t his puppetry affect me?”
“You didn’t feel it because I was neutralizing his soul attacks the entire time,” Yu Zhao retorted, rolling her eyes.
Seeing his disbelief, she waved a hand, removing the protective barrier around him. Almost instantly, Hua Tu felt a shift. Initially dismissive of Tian Pu Zi’s words, he now found himself compelled to focus on them, pondering their meaning.
Realizing he was being subtly lured into a mental trap, Hua Tu broke into a cold sweat and shot Yu Zhao a pleading look.
Yu Zhao reinstated the barrier with a flick of her hand, smirking faintly. “Don’t panic. He won’t be smiling much longer.”
Having unraveled Tian Pu Zi’s techniques, Yu Zhao was more than ready to deliver her counterstrike.
Tian Pu Zi, his sermon complete, moved to the next stage of the ritual—the sacrifice. The offerings included ninety-eight children and the pure-hearted Saintess Han Xin Lan. The first step of the ritual was bloodletting for blessings.
Producing a small knife from his sleeve, Tian Pu Zi scanned the crowd below, his smile deepening. “Such distinguished guests today. As custom dictates, the honor of the first cut should go to our faraway visitors. Let’s see… How about the young lady in white?”
The words froze Junior Sister Ning in place—she was the only one from Tai Bai Academy dressed in white. Her face paled as she instinctively shook her head, rejecting the idea.
Tian Pu Zi’s smile persisted. “No need to be shy, young friend. Offering prayers to Heaven is a rare honor. Others would kill for such an opportunity. Look around if you don’t believe me.”
Junior Sister Ning’s gaze darted around, meeting the covetous eyes of the surrounding cultists. Despite their threatening stares, her fear only deepened, and her refusal grew firmer.
Tian Pu Zi’s smile faded, his eyes gleaming with malice. Suddenly, Junior Sister Ning’s body stiffened, moving against her will. Step by step, she ascended the altar, trembling as she accepted the knife from Tian Pu Zi. Then, to her horror, her body turned toward the nearest child—a little girl about six or seven years old.
The child, sensing the danger, began crying hysterically, her face turning crimson. Junior Sister Ning, overwhelmed by the girl’s wails and her own helplessness, shed silent tears, her heart aching.
Tian Pu Zi sneered. “Can’t bring yourself to do it? No matter. You have other options. How about that chubby boy over there?”
Junior Sister Ning’s body obeyed his words, turning toward a boy bound to another pillar. The boy was noticeably larger than his peers, his features distorted by excess flesh. His unpleasant voice and appearance made him seem less endearing.
But does being unlikable mean a child deserves to die?
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