Banquet Discussions

With the meat served, the villagers eagerly dug in.

Cheeks bulging, mouths stuffed full, grease dripping from the corners as they wolfed it down, facial muscles rippling with the constant gorging motion.

Some brawny men grabbed lamb legs with bare hands, shoving them into their mouths, nearly flipping the tables over.

Only the main table was slightly more refined.

David carefully cut small pieces with knife and fork, chewing slowly and meticulously, sipping grape wine occasionally.

Emma and Leah imitated her, though awkward they maintained poised manners.

"Goddess, is it to your taste?" William asked solicitously.

"Mm..." David made a noncommittal sound.

In truth, compared to the diverse cuisines of his past life, the primitive grilled meat here didn't even meet roadside stall standards. But he wisely didn't voice his real thoughts.

"Unfortunately the goblins have grown more rampant lately. Our warriors can't cover enough land to raise more livestock. Villagers only get meat a few times a year," William said regretfully.

"Goblins?" David asked curiously.

"Yes, in recent years a new goblin king was born in the southern tribes. Our warriors dare not venture deep into that region!" Chief Bernie interjected.

"Ah, it's all my fault!" A tall, burly middle-aged man pounded his chest remorsefully.

His arms were thick and powerful, bulging muscles oozing primal strength from the savage wilderness.

"For all my brute force, I don't know how to train the next generation. The village youths grow weaker by the year!" He sighed in frustration, rough hands tugging at his unruly beard.

Joseph was this village's cultivation expert. He had successfully comprehended absorbing and releasing spirit energy, reaching the "Awakening" stage.

His might was unmatched, a dormant bear ready to erupt with chilling power anytime.

Normally a village this size should have 2-3 experts like Joseph overseeing it. But in recent years, with the decline of youth and broken talent succession, Joseph was the sole expert left.

Guarding the village alone in this savage land was increasingly difficult.

"What kind of stage is Awakening? Where does it rank among your cultivators?" David quickly asked Lynn inwardly, unfamiliar with cultivation concepts.

"This world's cultivation system has five main stages - Initiation, Awakening, Enlightenment, Transcendence, and Mutation," Lynn calmly and fluently explained in detail.

"Each stage has its traits. Initiation is the introductory period for strengthening the body with spirit energy and gaining robust physique;"

"Awakening is the initial awakening of spiritual power, able to sense and summon spirit energy for direct use..."

"Okay, that's too complicated. Tell me later," David cut off Lynn's long lecture. Now wasn't the time for a complete overview of cultivation details. He just needed the gist of stages below Awakening.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he hastily followed up: "So what stage are you at now?"

"Under the Little Sun's gaze, my true form is unmatched, approximately the fifth stage," Lynn stated evenly, as if narrating a mundane fact.

"And in the countless years, my battle records against intruders so far contain no losses."

"...I see." David was speechless. It seemed Lynn was far more powerful than he imagined.

Unfortunately, her true form was confined by the Little Sun's range, unable to leave this region.

"Clara!"

Just as the main table was engrossed in discussion, suddenly a brawny middle-aged farm woman strode in, still cradling an overweight eight or nine year-old boy in her arms.

The boy was oversized for his age, yet still carried by his mother whose steps staggered under the weight.

"Clara, my girl, come quick. Look at your brother Jack, don't you feel bad seeing him still hungry?" The woman beckoned Clara ingratiatingly.

Expressionless, Clara stood up, her inky black tresses cascading down, obscuring her face.

Having grown up in seclusion, she was long accustomed to this and felt no shame. But she was also indifferent to the woman's unreasonable request.

Seeing Clara's lack of response, the woman's face immediately darkened. "After all I did raising you, now you're becoming a holy maiden and leaving us? Look at your brother, how can he manage without your help!" Her tone grew resentful.

"Be a good sister and cut him another slice of meat!" She ordered loudly, glaring at Clara, signaling her to act.

Clara remained silently aloof, gaze distant, as if soulless.

Yet she obediently did as told, fetching another slice of roast meat from her plate for the boy. Her motions were wooden, like a spiritless doll.

The boy grabbed the meat and shoved it into his mouth, grease dribbling everywhere as he ate ravenously.

"Goddess, raising a child is truly a headache. Just when they're grown, instead of helping out they say they're leaving. These days food is scarce, beasts run wild, life is hard..."

The woman's tone carried vague bitterness, seeming to blame something, yet not voicing any specifics.

"Enough, don't disturb the goddess!" Seeing things go south, Chief Bernie quickly interrupted.

He glared at the woman reprovingly. "It was you who willingly asked for the price!"

Chastened by his shout, the woman shrank back, not daring to meet his eyes.

Muttering indistinct complaints, she hurried off with her son.

Clara was like an observer of some irrelevant farce, still expressionless.

She nonchalantly returned to her seat. The brief interlude was mundane to her.

Yet David the onlooker grew restless instead. Since coming to this world, he'd maintained a playful attitude.

Thinking of the three maidens about to be sacrificed, his heart ached.

Carefree Emma, innocent Leah, abused Clara...

They were all vibrant lives who shouldn't die such desolate deaths.

"Lynn, can the guardians' sacrifices be cancelled?" David hesitated, but still asked inwardly.

"Unfortunately Master, your current authority is insufficient to cancel it. I can only execute the initial settings," Lynn replied calmly and coldly.

But soon her voice sounded again: "However, we can change the candidates. If you're unsatisfied with the current three, we can switch them out."

"Oh? Switch them?" David perked up and urged her to continue.

"The guardians merely require three young healthy lives. Choosing holy maidens is solely the villagers' own custom..." Lynn trailed off meaningfully.

"Why don't we go find three utterly wicked people instead?" The thought finally dawned on David.

"Your decision is most wise!" Lynn approved.