Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1319: Ritual

The Prayer Festival officially commenced.

Lamas adorned in crimson dharma robes lifted massive copper horns, their music filling the air with a solemn and majestic resonance. The sound, akin to the deep toll of colossal bells, pierced the heavens, imbuing the surroundings with an immediate air of dignity and gravity.

The devoted followers of the esoteric sect lowered their heads even further in reverence.

Shortly after, monks from Sangha Monastery, attired in elaborately designed dharma robes, made their appearance from the rear.

Each held a ritual implement. Some bore a drum, its surface as white as fine jade and its body as crimson as blood, which they beat rhythmically while murmuring incantations.

The percussive beats merged with the resonant blare of the copper horns, crafting a symphony so profoundly solemn that even the usually jovial Fatty Xu found himself unable to muster a smile.

Before long, individuals clad in vibrantly colored garments emerged, their movements accompanied by song, dance, and animated gestures.

More than a dozen lamas then carried forth a colossal barrel, positioning it at the very heart of the square.

Zhang Yi observed the unfolding scene with considerable interest, yet the atmosphere soon began to shift into something rather peculiar.

Abruptly, from the outskirts, several hundred monk soldiers escorted over twenty individuals, their appearances ragged and disheveled, towards the central plaza.

Heavy chains bound their bodies, and they faltered with each step, the metallic clanking accompanying their every movement.

"Who are these individuals?"

Zhang Yi couldn't resist looking towards Pagyi Gesang for an answer.

"Does the Prayer Festival... involve the execution of prisoners as well?"

Pagyi Gesang explained to Zhang Yi, "These people are captured members of the resistance army. We publicly declare them to be agents of demonic influence, bewitched and manipulated by the Demon Kingdom to rebel against the esoteric sect."

"Utilizing today's solemn occasion for their execution is also an integral part of the ritual itself."

Upon hearing this revelation, Zhang Yi, Liang Yue, and the others instantly grasped the underlying strategy. The situation was precisely as they had suspected.

Indeed, the Four Great Families and Sangha Monastery were meticulously laying a trap right here, anticipating the resistance army's inevitable attempt to intervene.

Among the chained captives, Zhang Yi recognized a few familiar faces.

Leading the somber procession was a woman. She was encumbered by the most substantial chains, and her escort consisted of four monk soldiers radiating formidable Qi, each personally wielding a vajra pestle.

After conferring with Drolma, Zhang Yi had already ascertained her identity.

She was Bamo, the second-in-command of the resistance army.

She was the very woman who had orchestrated the ambush against the Lord of the Charnel Ground on the day Zhang Yi and his companions first ventured into the Snowy Region.

In that instant, the entire scheme coalesced into a clear, undeniable picture.

This was an overt, unvarnished ploy.

With their second-in-command on the brink of execution, should the resistance army refrain from attempting a rescue, they would not only suffer a devastating blow to their morale but also forfeit the crucial support of the populace.

Yet, should they attempt a rescue, the surrounding environs were undoubtedly saturated with a meticulously laid Heavenly Net and Earthly Snare, ready to ensnare them.

The resistance army's intervention would merely result in a futile sacrifice.

Zhang Yi harbored a degree of curiosity, keen to witness how the Snow Mountain Divine Eagle intended to extricate his subordinates from this predicament.

As these captured members of the resistance army were brought forward, a cacophony of curses erupted around them.

All the followers of the esoteric sect fixed their gazes upon them, their teeth gnashing, and anything within reach was hurled in their direction.

The followers vociferously denounced their perceived betrayal of the esoteric sect and their disloyalty to the Lord of the Charnel Ground and Sangha Monastery.

Soon, they were all assembled at the center of the square.

On either side of the plaza, execution racks, fashioned from immense tree trunks, had been erected long in advance.

These were positioned high up, standing like imposing banners across the square, serving as a stark public display of the consequences awaiting those who dared to defy the chieftains and Sangha Monastery.

A High Lama from Sangha Monastery advanced, his voice booming as he vehemently condemned their alleged transgressions.

"These members of the resistance army have demonstrably pledged allegiance to the Demons! They harbor no desire for the people of the Snowy Plateau Region to experience lives of contentment. They have persistently opposed our noble Lord of the Charnel Ground and the esteemed Khenpo, slandering the very chieftains who tirelessly strive to protect our collective rights."

"It is precisely due to the persistent existence of these disruptive elements that our current existence is fraught with such hardship."

"Only through the complete eradication of the resistance army will the Snowy Plateau Region finally embrace genuine peace and unadulterated happiness!"

Amplification equipment ensured that these pronouncements reached the ears of every attendee.

Concurrently, the copper horns and ritual implements resounded with solemn music, cultivating an atmosphere of profound awe and trepidation, stirring the populace's emotions and spirits, compelling them to instinctively lower themselves further in supplication.

As anticipated, swayed by the High Lama's impassioned speech, the chorus of curses from the assembled crowd intensified significantly.

Objects were launched from a distance, pelting the members of the resistance army who were left hanging on execution racks.

The faces of these resistance fighters displayed a mixture of cold smiles, numbness, and deep sorrow.

They attempted to shout back in defiance, but their voices were too frail, merely swept away by the wind before any words could be properly heard.

Following this, another set of elaborate rituals was performed.

Amidst the expectant gaze of the assembled crowd, the Lord of the Charnel Ground finally graced everyone with his presence.

The instant he manifested, a brilliant golden radiance erupted from the Sangha Monastery, bathing all surroundings in its glow, as if a resplendent sun had risen from within the sacred grounds.

This ethereal golden light, gentle and warm, illuminated each believer's face, drawing forth expressions of pure ecstatic delight.

Numerous followers were so overcome with emotion that tears streamed down their faces as they wept aloud.

"Lord of the Charnel Ground! Lord of the Charnel Ground!"

"Great Lord of the Charnel Ground! Protect your devoted people! Banish this bitter cold, bless our lands with abundance, and grant us lives of happiness!"

...

The golden beam soared skyward, piercing the oppressive dark clouds and causing the relentless heavy snow to cease abruptly.

The fervor of the believers intensified, their bodies collapsing onto the ground in desperate kowtows while chanting the name of the Lord of the Charnel Ground.

Even Pagyi Gesang and the others present found themselves compelled to kneel.

Confronted by such a celestial spectacle, how could anyone remain unmoved?

Zhang Yi maintained an air of complete composure, yet Old You, Fatty Xu, and the rest behind him stood utterly agape.

"Th-th-this... this is truly a divine miracle!"

Zhou Haimei nearly sank to her knees as well.

Just then, however, Yang Xinxin's voice, audible only to their small group, cut through the awe. "It is certainly impressive, but the same outcome can be achieved through scientific means."

Upon hearing this, all eyes turned to Zhang Yi. "Zhang Yi, can you replicate this?"

Zhang Yi simply shrugged. "I could blast the cloud layer apart with cannons."

He remained completely unfazed by these so-called divine miracles.

Upon attaining the Epsilon level, every superhuman gains access to mysterious and potent abilities.

The tactic employed by the Lord of the Charnel Ground was certainly fitting for a cult leader; it proved highly effective in subjugating the masses.

The lamas' ceremonial music grew increasingly boisterous.

The Lord of the Charnel Ground, adorned in a grand crimson dharma robe and a ceremonial crown, slowly emerged onto the central square.

His entire form was bathed in a soft golden luminescence, lending him an appearance akin to a divine being. The tens of thousands of followers before him erupted in a deafening roar, a human tsunami chanting his name.

Even Pagyi Gesang and the others prostrated themselves, too awestruck to even dare lifting their heads to meet his gaze.

"This is the power of faith,"

Zhang Yi mused internally.

These individuals had resided on the Snowy Plateau for decades, subtly molded by their environment. Now, a mere display of divine intervention by the Lord of the Charnel Ground was enough to elicit their utter submission.

Zhang Yi cast a glance at the Lord of the Charnel Ground, resplendent in golden light like the Buddha, then his eyes drifted to the colossal copper horns blaring incessantly and the ritual instruments fashioned from human skin and bone. A subtle, enigmatic smile touched the corners of his lips.

So, this is the essence of religion.

Author's Note