Chapter 745 - 449: Strange Death (Part 3)

Wang Maochun’s expression was also grave, and he spoke in a somewhat low voice: "Making adjustments now might be too late. When the ceremony begins, let’s assist Lord Li more and remind him frequently."

Chen Shanmeng glanced at the Celestial Altar, and saw that the bronze table behind the Incense Burner was already filled with offerings, with tigers, wolves, bears, and fierce beasts pressing down on the four central positions.

Chen Shanmeng sighed slightly and said, "We have no choice but to do so."

Li Shensi trembled slightly in the mountain wind, clasped his fists again, and said, "I owe my thanks to all of you!"

While they paused to discuss, a resonant and melodious horn sound echoed once more.

All the civil and military officials immediately took their positions as previously designated.

Mansion Master Wang Maochun and the Four Ministers stood at the forefront of the civil and military officials, and now they already held in their hands the three sticks of lit incense provided by the government constables.

On the mountaintop, wisps of smoke were scattered by the mountain wind!

With the sound of horns and drums, the sharp voice of the Ceremonial Officer resounded high into the sky!

"Heaven creates all things to nurture mankind!"

"Kneel!"

Holding three sticks of incense, the civil and military officials knelt down in unison!

"Offer incense!"

There were three rounds of incense offerings in total, and although the civil and military officials still held incense, Mansion Master Wang Maochun and the Four Ministers had already walked step by step, holding incense, ascending the stone steps to the Celestial Altar.

The incense in their hands was offered on behalf of all officials and citizens!

There were three rounds of incense offerings, each with its own significance. Each time, they would insert the incense sticks into the Incense Burner on the Celestial Altar, as part of the ceremony!

Mansion Master Wang Maochun and the Four Ministers, a total of six people, dressed in their formal official uniforms, slowly stood on the Celestial Altar, with Li Shensi’s steps noticeably trembling.

Six people stood on the Celestial Altar!

At this moment, all the onlooking citizens gazed up at the Celestial Altar.

The sky was boundless, while humans seemed insignificant!

The Ceremonial Officer’s sharp voice rang out again: "Kneel once more!"

Following a majestic horn sound echoed.

Amidst the resonant sound of the horn, the six knelt down again!

When they rose from kneeling, they would proceed to insert the incense sticks into the Incense Burner.

Just as the six were prostrate on the Celestial Altar, a massive black shadow suddenly flew up from the cliffside of the Celestial Altar!

Wuji Mountain’s southern slope is gentle, while its northern side is a cliff.

The mountaintop’s Celestial Altar faces south, and behind it lies a steep cliff.

The massive black shadow suddenly flew up from below the cliff, landing on the Celestial Altar.

This strange and eerie scene was witnessed by all the surrounding citizens.

Although the six were on the Celestial Altar, all were prostrate, and thus did not see the massive black shadow flying in.

"Bang!"

The six knelt there, hearing a resounding crash!

The massive black shadow that flew from the cliff struck the giant bronze Incense Burner atop the Celestial Altar, toppling it.

The incense ash inside the Incense Burner instantly poured out, and as the mountain wind howled, the entire Celestial Altar became shrouded in mist-like smoke.

Amidst the swirling smoke, a giant black shadow stood proudly on the Celestial Altar, it was none other than that enormous gray rhinoceros!

At the instant the ash swirled, two points of flickering fireflies suddenly flashed amidst the smoke, dense like heavy clouds.

One firefly entered Li Shensi’s brow as he just raised his head. The other firefly entered the gray rhinoceros’s skull.

At this moment, the Celestial Altar fell silent, and as the smoke cleared, the enormous gray rhinoceros’s eyes appeared red as blood, emitting a bloody glow.

This was the effect of the Medicinal Powder Duan Rong previously scattered, which, in addition to causing fainting, contained some medicine to make the rhinoceros’s eyes bleed.

Now, the rhinoceros’s eyes were frighteningly red.

The rhinoceros stood there, its blood-red gaze sweeping over everyone.

If it were a normal wild rhinoceros, wouldn’t it panic and charge recklessly when surrounded by throngs of humans?

But this rhinoceros, under the gaze of the dense crowd, seemed not at all panicked but carried an imposing air as if overlooking the world, leisurely shaking its head.

Then, it suddenly turned its head, fixing its blood-red eyes on Li Shensi.

Li Shensi also stared at it blankly.

"Roar!"

The gray rhinoceros suddenly roared at Li Shensi, its thick and resonant voice like a broken drum, earsplitting and unpleasant.

But Li Shensi suddenly began walking forward blankly, as the mountaintop fell into silence.

Wang Maochun and Chen Shanmeng, perceiving the strangeness, lightly called from behind him: "Lord Li!"

Li Shensi paused blankly, turning slowly. His expression was now empty as if devoid of awareness. Suddenly his face twisted, tearing his official robes on his chest, leaving ten bloodied marks, and then madly he cried out to the heavens: "Li Shensi! Die! Die! Die!"

He shouted as he suddenly turned, the third "die" coming out, and he leaped over the northern side of the Celestial Altar, jumping into the abyss.

The Celestial Altar, originally silent, burst forth with exclamations!

At this moment, the gray rhinoceros glanced at Wang Maochun and the others, and for the remaining five, none dared to move.

The rhinoceros’s blood-red eyes, emitting a bloody glow, looked at them with cold indifference and disdain.

Those were absolutely not the eyes of a rhinoceros!

"Roar!"

At that moment, the gray rhinoceros suddenly roared at the crowd on one side of the Celestial Altar.

Instantly the crowd plunged into chaos, trampling each other with countless casualties!

The gray rhinoceros then suddenly turned and bolted, leaping from the northern side of the Celestial Altar into the cliff.

The chaotic mountaintop fell back into silence once more...