Chapter 151: A New God

Wu Qingsong had initially believed that beastmen of the same race would worship the same ancestral gods, but he now realized that different clans and nations worshipped different ancestral deities.

This revelation made him reassess his views on the existence of gods in this world.

If the Wolf God revered by the Silver Moon Wolf Clan was not the same entity as the Wolf Gods worshipped elsewhere, it suggested that if gods indeed existed, the eight major gods of the Elves were not confronting a unique, mighty ancestral god of each race with vast followings, as he had first thought. Instead, they face many lesser tribal or local gods.

With this understanding, it became logical for the powerful, unified gods of the Elves to conquer these lesser local deities one by one, steadily expanding the empire’s rule. Once they eradicated their biggest rival, the Batiz Clan–obliterating their people, culture, and deities–the scattered and weaker tribal gods of the continent stood no chance of resistance.

Yet, this revelation complicated matters further.

The elves were already powerful on their own, and now even more so with the addition of the even mightier eight main gods.

Wu Qingsong preferred to maintain his belief that this continent lacked divine presence, or that any divine power couldn’t manifest effectively in this world. Otherwise, the situation would feel too hopeless, rendering his efforts futile.

Yet, contemplating from another perspective, if the ancestor of any clan could ascend to divinity, what then was a god?

The deeper he delved into these thoughts, the more baffling they became. He decided it was best not to dwell on this issue any longer.

“Which deity does the lord wish us to follow?” Angus, unlike Ram’s skepticism, hesitated before posing his question. 

His question clearly showed his willingness to align with Wu Qingsong’s preference, which pleased him.

Ling and Liuli naturally affirmed their support. Ram and Harold were neutral without expressing any objections. Feya, after a moment of indecision, said that as long as the new deity could ensure peace for her people, embracing a new god alongside the old ones shouldn’t be an issue. As for herself, she would follow Ling and the others’ lead.

This scenario seemed to highlight a downside of polytheism. People could worship multiple gods within a single religious tradition, which meant they could also adopt additional deities. From a utilitarian standpoint, adhering to whichever deity provided tangible benefits didn’t seem problematic.

Wu Qingsong, prompted by a thought, picked up a pen. After a moment of hesitation, he wrote the character “Wu” (吴) in seal script on the paper. Intuitively, the character resembled a person shouting loudly, but it could also be interpreted as a person standing under the sun, or directly based on the components of the Chinese character: a mouth (口) and the heavens (天).

For a fleeting moment, he contemplated drawing those two crossed tools but ultimately restrained himself. Embarking on such a grand venture in this world, not even a figure as monumental as Steve Jobs could guarantee success. So, it was best for someone like him to refrain.

“What is this?” Ram asked.

“This is the god I believe in,” Wu Qingsong casually said. “His name is ‘Xuanyuan,’ a deity characterized by wisdom, benevolence, and strength.”

Indeed, this wasn’t entirely false since the surname Wu is traditionally believed to be descended from the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan, and the Chinese have long held a deep reverence for their ancestors. At least, when Wu Qingsong had researched the origins of his surname, he felt immense pride in having such an ancestor.

Incidentally, it was during that time that he memorized the seal script for the character Wu after practicing it diligently.

“Xuanyuan?” Ram’s brow furrowed. “Why have I never heard of him before?”

“Do you know every god that exists in this world?” Wu Qingsong countered.

With that, Ram ceased her questioning on the matter but posed another, “I understand your wish for us to believe in a new deity, but what’s the purpose behind it?”

Wu Qingsong’s initiative wasn’t baseless but resulted from his diligent study of the Book of the Dead recently.

Truthfully, while necromancy was seen as a dark art, prone to evil deviations, the portrayal of the Batiz Kingdom within the Book of the Dead was almost idyllic compared to the empire under elf rule, as known by Wu Qingsong.

The Batiz were mainly comprised of the jackalpeople and desert catpeople, who saw themselves as warriors and messengers of the Death God, respectively. Their religious faith curiously sustained a powerful kingdom within the desert.

Kingship wasn’t hereditary but elected among the high-ranking jackal warriors, and the high priests of the Death and Undead Temples were held by jackalpeople and desert catpeople, elected by a priest council. In this kingdom, steeped in religious fervor, the monarchy was largely symbolic, with significant decisions made collectively by the councils of the Death and Undead Temples.

The Batiz clan scarcely engaged in production, relying entirely on the undead for labor. Even the lower-status vassal races within the kingdom faced significantly lower taxes and corvée compared to the Elven Empire. Often, individuals bore no tax or labor obligations at all, their sole duty being to devoutly serve the Death God and, at life’s end, undergo priests’ rites, offering their bodies and souls to the Death God.

The Book of the Dead certainly had its embellishments, yet from the viewpoint of an observer like Wu Qingsong, there was ample reason to trust that it wasn’t purely fictitious.

Abuse, pain, and hatred could indeed stimulate the dead, resulting in a soul imbued with potent, furious energy. Nonetheless, for a necromancer, leveraging the power within such souls came with great unpredictability and risk, potentially leading to more loss than gain.

On the other hand, obtaining a serene and faithful soul from a devout follower was much less risky while offering equally formidable power.

In essence, the necromancers of the Batiz Kingdom exchanged a lifetime of happiness for post-mortem contributions from their followers. This stance was nearly the exact opposite of all other existing religions on the continent, which preached the sacrifice of worldly pleasures for happiness in the afterlife or the next life

Did an afterlife or reincarnation truly exist?

Wu Qingsong dared not make any definitive claims, given that his existence itself was an anomaly. But if heaven or reincarnation didn’t exist, then the Batiz people’s approach, compared to other beastmen’s religions, was remarkably conscientious. Moreover, according to their teachings, when a soul fulfilled its obligations, it too could enter the Death God’s eternal paradise for a life free from worries.

Wu Qingsong struggled to grasp why the Batiz people had not managed to expand their reign or conquer the entire continent.

He speculated that the energy required to sustain an extensive army of the undead might have been excessively vast. Furthermore, the Batiz people’s overly luxurious lives and deep immersion in religion could have diminished their drive and ambition, depriving them of the power and desire to conquer and dominate the world.

From the Book of the Dead, Wu Qingsong learned a disturbing practice. 

In situations where the number of natural deaths failed to meet the kingdom’s daily demands, some individuals would voluntarily enter the temple, surrender their lives, and dedicate their bodies and souls to the Death God. This allowed them to fulfill their duties prematurely and enter the Death God’s paradise sooner.

The majority of those who made this choice were, of course, members of vassal races and commoners, but it did not lack powerful warriors and necromancers. The Book of the Dead’s final pages even listed the names of kings who voluntarily offered their lives. The crypts beneath the Death God’s temple were the resting places for these noble volunteers, for whom such a sacrifice was considered the utmost honor.

Wu Qingsong was uncertain how to interpret their actions. 

Was it an example of fooling oneself into disaster? However, the narratives within the Book of the Dead conveyed nothing but admiration and envy for such conduct.

Indeed, it was almost sheer envy. Wu Qingsong even speculated whether the authors of the Book of the Dead eventually embarked on the same path.

Looking at the names inscribed in various handwritings on the final pages of the Book of the Dead, names that perhaps once signified distinguished standing, he was left with nothing but a deep sigh.

According to the Book of the Dead, the Batiz Kingdom was far from the malevolent entity portrayed in legends but rather possessed an indescribable level of advancement, even seemingly too ahead of its time. Had their teachings not been so fervently focused on death, even desiring it, would the elves truly have been able to defeat them?