Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1325: I'm hungry

Although the square seemed to be in a state of disarray, the truth was that the members of the resistance army never managed to breach the viewing platform where the important figures were positioned.

They were fully aware that in a direct confrontation, they were no match for the chieftains and the Sangha Monastery. Thus, they simply capitalized on the absence of the Lord of the Charnel Ground to swiftly liberate their people and make their escape.

Watching the retreating resistance fighters, Zhang Yi offered a subtle smile but remained silent.

Internally, however, his thoughts were occupied with the current plight of the Snow Mountain Divine Eagle, the creature tasked with luring away the Lord of the Charnel Ground.

That very night, Zhang Yi had distinctly perceived the formidable strength of the Lord of the Charnel Ground; he was capable of engaging three Epsilon-level cultivators like themselves simultaneously, albeit with a slight disadvantage.

While a life-or-death struggle hadn't ensued, his power was undeniably comparable to that of a [Black Armored Vehicle] exceeding 20,000 points.

The Snow Mountain Divine Eagle, at best, possessed a combat strength of around 13,000 points.

Given such a significant power discrepancy, even if immediate death wasn't the outcome, the Snow Mountain Divine Eagle was certainly doomed once the Lord of the Charnel Ground decided to unleash his killing intent.

A profound sense of curiosity permeated Zhang Yi's mind.

He reasoned that the individual orchestrating the resistance army's actions could not be foolish; they must possess their own strategy for successfully escaping.

After a period of time, the Lord of the Charnel Ground made his return, appearing as a swift streak of golden light.

He remained immaculate, exuding the same solemn and dignified aura as before.

Deji, who was presently seething with anger, hastened to approach the Lord of the Charnel Ground upon his return to seek answers.

"Lord of the Charnel Ground, did you manage to execute that Demonic Eagle?"

His eyes blazed with fury. The disruption of this Prayer Festival had inflicted a considerable wound upon his authority.

Compounded by the recent, tangible setback against the Pagyi Family, he desperately required an accomplishment to reassert his dominance at this juncture.

Undeniably, if the Lord of the Charnel Ground had successfully eliminated the Snow Mountain Divine Eagle, then the escape of a handful of resistance members would be a trivial matter.

The Lord of the Charnel Ground uttered a Buddhist chant, "Amitabha, when will the cycle of retribution cease? Violence is not a solution; it is the very genesis of misfortune. Khenpo, you should abandon any thoughts of retribution."

Upon hearing this pronouncement, everyone present immediately grasped that the Lord of the Charnel Ground had not dispatched the Snow Mountain Divine Eagle.

A peculiar glint flickered within Zhang Yi's eyes.

"Could this Lord of the Charnel Ground truly possess a compassion so profound that he abstains from taking a life?"

Otherwise, he could conceive of no other explanation for the Snow Mountain Divine Eagle's survival under the Lord of the Charnel Ground's power.

The Khenpo was rendered so incensed that he was momentarily speechless, his composure fracturing as he pointed an accusatory finger.

"You... with your immense power, eliminating that renegade would be as simple as flipping your wrist! Allowing him to live will inevitably lead to countless others perishing because of him. How can you fail to comprehend this fundamental truth?"

The Lord of the Charnel Ground offered a gentle smile, stating, "The Buddha imparted teachings emphasizing the transformative power of compassion. Even those steeped in evil can 'renounce their wicked ways and attain instant Buddhahood.' My solemn vow is to guide individuals towards enlightenment, to inspire all to forsake their weapons."

Deji clenched his fist and swept his sleeve away, overwhelmed by a surge of distress and indignation.

The Lord of the Charnel Ground had embarked on his Buddhist studies at the tender age of eight and had dedicated over a decade to living in solitude with ancient scriptures and images of Buddha.

This profound purity of spirit rendered him an exemplary devotee of Buddhism, yet such an individual proved exceedingly difficult to mold into a potent weapon in his hands.

"Very well, let us proceed with concluding the Prayer Festival! So many devout followers are observing."

Deji had no alternative but to suppress his irritation. Creating a disturbance at this juncture would only serve to undermine their carefully cultivated image in the eyes of the faithful.

Consequently, the Lord of the Charnel Ground resumed his seat, maintaining an upright posture upon the dharma platform.

His gaze drifted towards the distant horizon, as if observing a defiant, untamed eagle soaring and circling in the vast expanse.

"Amitabha, Luozhuo, I earnestly hope that one day, you will comprehend the sincerity of my intentions. Violence offers no path to lasting peace."

Deji stepped forward and, speaking under the authority of the Sangha Monastery Khenpo, proclaimed that the malevolent Snow Mountain Demonic Eagle had indeed been subdued by the Lord of the Charnel Ground.

However, drawing a parallel to the Buddha's own act of taming the Golden-Winged Great Peng, the Lord of the Charnel Ground had extended an opportunity for the Snow Mountain Demonic Eagle to undergo a transformation, intending for it to experience genuine repentance.

Upon hearing this account, the assembled believers naturally accepted it as truth.

After all, the resistance army typically refrained from harming ordinary citizens, directing their opposition solely towards the four great chieftain families. Therefore, in their hearts, the populace harbored no significant animosity towards the resistance army.

"Let the ceremony continue!"

With tear-filled eyes, Deji commanded the sky burial masters, "Perform the sky burial ritual on the bodies of these ignoble rebels!"

Pagyi Luodan gave a slight nod and approached with his array of knives.

The ground was strewn with corpses; remnants of the resistance forces, uniformed soldiers belonging to the chieftain clans, and even monastic guards lay scattered.

While individuals came to clear the fallen, the ferocity of the battle and the pervasive presence of buried explosives around the square had left most bodies mangled beyond recognition, utterly destroyed.

Having no alternative and unable to afford selectivity, they gathered all the remains.

Luodan, alongside the assembled sky burial masters, carefully placed the mangled remains onto the designated sky burial platform. Following a solemn invocation, the sky burial commenced.

Immersed in the biting cold, the corpses had long since surrendered their warmth, becoming rigid.

When sliced, no blood emerged, only fragments of frozen, pallid flesh.

Luodan held a piece of flesh in his palm, lifting it skyward.

He cried out, "Messengers of Buddha! Carry the souls of the departed to the celestial realms!"

Luodan and the sky burial masters offered their fervent prayers.

However, with no vultures circling overhead, the ritual concluded, and the fleshy fragments were unceremoniously deposited into a large, simmering cauldron nearby.

The ceremony continued without haste.

While wielding his knife, Luodan skillfully transitioned to preparing the meal.

Before long, an intensely rich aroma, accompanied by swirling clouds of steam, permeated the entire square.

Zhang Yi was intimately familiar with this scent. Each inhalation invoked an overwhelming sensation, as if unseen hands were clawing from his throat, desperately vying to seize the delectable essence and cram it into his stomach.

Zhang Yi observed Luodan intently. It was his first time witnessing Luodan in the act of cooking.

Indeed, he was employing a unique ability. As he stirred the pot, a peculiar crimson luminescence flowed from his actions into the simmering contents.

This was the very reason for the extraordinary deliciousness of his dishes.

"This technique must imbue the food with certain properties, yet it's not harmful. Otherwise, the esteemed figures of the Snowy Plateau Region would never have consistently entrusted him with culinary duties," Zhang Yi mused.

A frown creased Zhang Yi's brow as a flicker of curiosity about Luodan's ability ignited within him.

He leaned in close to Pagyi Gesang's ear and whispered, "Chief Pagyi, might I trouble you for a bowl of soup later?"

Pagyi Gesang turned his gaze toward Zhang Yi and then chuckled, "Mr. A, as anticipated, the allure was irresistible! To be candid, I initially harbored some reservations myself. But after the very first taste," his eyes gleamed with a palpable avarice, "there's no turning back!"

Zhang Yi responded with a subtle smile, remaining silent.

His desire for the meat soup stemmed from a motive to dissect its enigmatic qualities, the very source of its potent, almost addictive charm.

Pagyi Gesang, however, interjected, "We of noble standing abstain from such common fare; our palate craves only the finest provisions. If you desire it, I shall arrange for a portion to be prepared for you anon."

Zhang Yi profusely waved his hands in refusal, "No need, this is perfectly fine!"

Noticing Zhang Yi's insistence, Pagyi Gesang ceased pressing and promptly dispatched someone to procure a bowl of soup.

Meanwhile, the captivating aroma carried by the wind, wafted in all directions.

The devout followers kneeling on the ground caught the scent, their gazes instantly fixated.

They craned their necks forward in sheer astonishment, their eyes locked upon the enormous cauldron from which the irresistible fragrance emanated.

"What is this divine aroma? It's intoxicatingly fragrant; I've never experienced such a delectable scent in my entire existence!"

"Could this be the fragrance of the Demonic Beings? So, the Demonic Beings possess such an alluring scent... gulp—"

"I... I believe I'm developing an appetite."

...

Author's Note