Chapter 3004 Let Me Do It
Qiao Mu and the others observed from a distance that a young woman was bound on a tray. She knelt there with an ashen expression, her eyes filled with repressed anguish.
The elderly woman wailed along with the crowd, calling out the young woman"s name in sorrow. However, her hoa.r.s.e cries fell on deaf ears, and no one paid her any attention.
Little Fatty"s curiosity was piqued by the scene, and he eagerly stepped forward. "I"ll go over and inquire about what"s happening."
True to his reputation for gathering information, Little Fatty reemerged from the crowd in less than ten minutes, his face grave. He reported to Qiao Mu, Qi Xuanxuan, and the others, "You won"t believe it. They are offering immortals to the river today, and they"ve prepared numerous offerings. They intend to cast everything into the Spring River when the auspicious moment arrives."
"However, Spring City has developed a troubling practice in recent years. They choose unmarried women who are 25 years old as sacrificial offerings."
Puzzlement washed over the group"s faces.
Liang Qingqing involuntarily trembled and expressed her indignation, "What"s the logic in this? Are they discriminating against women who haven"t married by a certain age?"
This year, Liang Qingqing had turned 21. According to Spring City"s regulations, she would be at risk in another four years. She might become a sacrificial offering to the river"s immortals.
Qiao Mu blinked, her curiosity piqued, and she inquired, "For a city of this size, there must be plenty of unmarried women who are 25 years old or older. Why do they select a specific woman for sacrifice?"
Little Fatty scratched his head and coughed, "It"s peculiar. Spring City is indeed unusual. They choose their sacrificial offerings based on their beauty. Among the unmarried women who have turned 25, they select the most beautiful one."
Liang Qingqing s.h.i.+vered involuntarily and made an internal a.s.sessment of her own looks. She concluded that she was even more attractive than the maiden bound on the tray.
In that moment, she couldn"t help but feel grateful that she wasn"t a resident of this peculiar Spring City.
If she didn"t do something, she might genuinely find herself in a sacrificial role by the river four years from now.
Little Fatty chuckled, observing Liang Qingqing. As if he could sense her thoughts, he quickly rea.s.sured her, "No need to worry. This applies to ordinary people."
It was reasonable to a.s.sume that a level-five fire spiritual cultivator like Liang Qingqing wouldn"t be easily subdued and made a sacrifice to the Spring River.
Despite this a.s.surance, Liang Qingqing and her friends remained perturbed. They rubbed their hands together eagerly, and Liang Qingqing declared, "I"ll go and rescue that poor girl."
Why would a reasonably attractive young woman be chosen for a river sacrifice simply because she hadn"t married by the age of 25?
Little Fatty swiftly blocked Liang Qingqing"s path. "Don"t be hasty."
"We can check it out later. The situation is unclear. Rus.h.i.+ng in might not be helpful."
Nevertheless, Liang Qingqing was impatient. "You already inquired about it, right? There"s no time to waste. I"ll go on my own."
With that, Liang Qingqing tried to leave the crowd and approach the procession.
However, Qiao Mu promptly grabbed her arm and, with a determined expression, stated, "Allow me to handle it."
Her companions were all visibly frustrated. The little stoic was filled with excitement, so they didn"t want to dampen her enthusiasm.
She was eager to see the so-called deity in the river who had lured so many people to pay homage.
Without further ado, Qiao Mu quickly advanced toward the sacrificial procession.