The Prodigal Son

"Scalded to death?"

Upon hearing Qin Yu's words, Nan Que'er, Xu Wan, and Qi Dachui all looked at him with astonishment.

Is this giant python crazy?

Scalded to death?

Qin Yu stood up and replied, "Ordinary giant pythons shouldn't be able to withstand such high temperatures! The reason that strange snake was able to withstand it yesterday might be related to its scales, or it might have mutated or adapted to the hot spring's temperature..."

Qin Yu, however, stared intently at the hot spring in front of him.

His intuition told him that there was something strange about the hot spring.

He deduced that the strange snake they killed yesterday was likely the king of this land.

The reason that strange snake became the king of this land is probably related to this hot spring.

After the strange snake was killed, a giant python immediately wanted to seize the hot spring and become the new king.

However, it could not adapt to the temperature of the hot spring and was eventually scalded to death in the hot spring.

After listening to Qin Yu's deduction, the three of them looked at each other in bewilderment once again.

Although they didn't know what Qin Yu's reasoning was based on, they found it quite reasonable.

"Go down and see for yourself!"

Ning Huang's voice suddenly rang out.

Before they could even react, Ning Huang leaped into the hot spring, plunging deep into its depths.

Before Qin Yu and the others could speak, Ning Huang's figure disappeared from sight.

Looking at the splashing water, Qin Yu couldn't help but feel helpless.

Having power means you can do whatever you want!

Without even knowing what was below, he plunged straight down.

He wasn't afraid of following in the footsteps of the giant python on the water's surface.

Now that Ning Huang had already jumped in, there was no need for them to go down and investigate. They simply waited quietly on the shore, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

The monstrous snake's corpse was devoured overnight; who knows how many ferocious beasts might be lurking here!

Ning Huang didn't keep them waiting too long.

Soon, ripples appeared on the water's surface. Ning Huang quickly poked his head out of the water, hurriedly climbed ashore, and gasped for breath.

Seeing Ning Huang's expression, Qin Yu quickly asked, "What did you discover, Senior?"

"Nothing was found."

Ning Huang answered, panting heavily.

"what?"

Qin Yu asked in confusion, "Then why are you in such a hurry, senior...?"

"It's hot!"

Ning Huang glared at Qin Yu. "You'll see when you go down there! You can't see the bottom at all, and it gets hotter the lower you go!"

That's it!

Qin Yu suddenly realized, "It seems my deduction was correct; this giant python really was scalded to death..."

"We can't see down here, let's go!"

Ning Huang shook his wet hair, wrung out his clothes, and walked towards yesterday's altar.

Got it!

If even Ning Huang couldn't withstand it, then they shouldn't even think about it.

Qin Yu shrugged helplessly and beckoned the others to follow Ning Huang in that direction.

"Thirteenth Young Master, aren't you taking these treasures with you?"

Qi Dachui tugged at Qin Yu and pointed to the pile of scales still attached to the snakeskin.

Qin Yu shook his head and said, "I'm too lazy to carry it along the way. We'll come back for it when we're ready to leave!"

Soon, they arrived at the altar from yesterday.

After being bombarded by that strange snake yesterday, this place has become a complete mess.

As they worked together to clear away the vines, the altar gradually revealed its true form.

This is a relatively simple altar, and it doesn't occupy a large area, about the size of a basketball court.

Four stone pillars stand at the four corners of the altar. Although the pillars are broken or collapsed, traces of them can still be seen.

There are steps on all sides leading to the center of the altar.

There should have been a statue in the very center of the altar, but now only a pile of messy rubble and half a mutilated head remain.

"This was clearly sabotaged."

Xu Wan pointed to the broken surface of the half-shattered head, "It must have been cleaved in two by a single blow."

"Um."

Qin Yu nodded slightly and then instructed Xu Wan: "You and Que'er go and look around for any writing or clear patterns. I'll see if I can restore this statue."

"good!"

Xu Wan nodded and led Nan Que'er to search the surrounding area.

Qin Yu called out to Qi Dachui, set aside the half-shattered head, and began searching among the pile of rubble to piece together the various parts of the statue.

One piece, two pieces...

The two continued to find and piece together the various parts of the statue.

As they continued to piece it together, the true appearance of the statue gradually became apparent.

Looking at the unfinished statue in front of him, Qin Yu couldn't help but fall into deep self-doubt.

What the hell is going on here?

This statue...

It looks like she's kneeling?

What the hell!

The ancestors of the Wind Clan were so brave that they made the gods they worshipped kneel?

What, do they expect the gods to kowtow to them?

This is fucking ridiculous, isn't it?

Throughout history, I've never heard of any object of worship being kneeled.

You can even lie down!

What does kneeling mean?

Or perhaps, this is not an altar at all, but an execution platform?

Or perhaps they pieced it together incorrectly?

"Come here quickly!"

Just then, Qin Yu heard Xu Wan's surprised voice.

Upon hearing the sound, Qin Yu knew that Xu Wan must have discovered something.

Qin Yu, no longer able to fiddle with the statue, rushed to Xu Wan's side.

Nan Que'er and Ning Huang also came upon hearing the commotion.

"What did you find?"

Before Nan Que'er even got close, she couldn't wait to ask.

"Look at this!"

Xu Wan raised her hand and pointed to a painting carved on the broken stone pillar.

The group looked in the direction Xu Wan was pointing.

On the broken stone pillar, a carving that was not so badly eroded came into their view.

In the picture, three people stand in a triangle and kneel around a circle in the middle.

"this one?"

Looking at the painting, Nan Que'er was speechless.

Hearing Xu Wan shout so excitedly, she thought Xu Wan had made some major discovery!

So, this is what it is?

Isn't this a scene similar to a sacrificial ceremony?

There wasn't any particularly special information.

"What can you tell from this?"

Qin Yu also frowned.

"You're so stupid!"

Xu Wan gave Qin Yu a reproachful look, a slight smile playing on her lips. "What if this circle represents the hot spring?"

"Um?"

Qin Yu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead, "I understand!"

"What have you figured out now?" Nan Que'er asked curiously.

"That hot spring is the real altar!"

Qin Yu stood up, pointed to the still-unfinished statue, and said, "The reason that statue is kneeling is that it's paying homage to the hot spring!"

He said, "How can you make the gods you're worshipping kneel down?"

He only realized now that the statue was not the object of their worship at all, but represented the ancestors of the Wind Clan!

That wasn't an altar at all, it was a sacrificial altar!

"Um?"

Hearing Qin Yu's words, Nan Que'er suddenly realized, "You mean, there should be two more similar altars nearby? And these three altars are right around the hot spring?"

"It should be!"

Qin Yu and Xu Wan nodded at the same time.

"You stay here, I'll go look around the neighborhood!"

As soon as Ning Huang finished speaking, his figure flashed away at lightning speed...