From a chaotic world of folk customs to becoming a god through extreme methods.

Chapter 1 Water Ritual

In the autumn of the 404th year of the Great Wei Dynasty, on the banks of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers.

The water is white with dew, and the reeds are withered and yellow.

The river wind swept across the water and finally poured down onto the three-foot-high earthen platform.

On the altar were offerings of chicken, duck, and pig, with red paper stuffed in their mouths. Below the altar were earthenware bowls and vessels filled with grains, wine, incense, and candles.

In the center of the stage, a brother and sister, about fifteen or sixteen years old, were kneeling.

Their hands and feet were all bound with red ropes, and their faces were numb.

"The auspicious time has arrived!"

With a shout, the old temple keeper, dressed in a black robe, began to preside over the sacrificial ceremony.

"On this auspicious day and month, the entire village of Chahe Town respectfully offers sacrifices of three kinds of animals, wine, and a boy and a girl before the Water God..."

He muttered incantations, the bells jingling as he danced, his movements strange and unpredictable.

Below the stage was a dense crowd, men, women, and children all kneeling with their heads bowed and expressions of piety.

At the very back of the crowd, a boy stood.

He was about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in brocade robes and jade garments, with a green jade belt hook at his waist. His expression was somber, as if he didn't care about the sacrificial ceremony at all, and he was completely out of place with the kneeling people around him.

"Respecting ghosts and gods, indulging in licentious shrines."

He muttered something under his breath, a mocking look on his face.

As a modern young man who has received a modern education, he has never been in awe of ghosts or gods.

Even though ghosts and gods really exist in this world.

The boy's name was Lin Yuan, and he was the second young master of the Lin family in Chahe Town.

The town of Chahe where he lived was located at a strategic point on the Yangtze and Huai Rivers. The Lin family had started out by running boats, and by the time of Lin Yuan’s father, they had five cargo ships and more than thirty employees, transporting grain and selling salt. They were considered a prominent family in the town.

At that moment, an aged voice rang out from behind.

"Young Master!"

Lin Yuan turned his head and saw that the person who came was his own steward, Zhang Defu, also known as Uncle Fu.

Uncle Fu walked quickly to him, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Young Master, why are you still here? Quickly move back a bit and stay away from the water."

Lin Yuan frowned: "What's wrong?"

"Young master, you don't know yet, do you?" Uncle Fu said, his face pale, as he vividly described, "Last night, that water ghost came ashore!"

"Wangjia Village, three miles downstream."

"In the middle of the night, that monster crawled out of the water, entered a house, and devoured the person alive. When it was discovered this morning, all that was left was a tattered human skin stained with blood."

Uncle Fu advised.

"Young master, you learned your lesson half a month ago. Now that this thing is causing a lot of trouble, you can't go near the water again."

Lin Yuan remained silent.

Indeed, he had already learned his lesson two weeks ago.

Back then, he was still an arrogant and reckless playboy. He went to play in the water with some friends, but was grabbed by the foot by a ghostly thing underwater and almost drowned.

Fortunately, there were martial arts instructors protecting him at the time, who rescued him in time.

He remained unconscious for three days and three nights before finally waking up from his dream, awakening his innate wisdom, and learning about his past and present lives.

He traveled through time, or more precisely, he was reborn.

He was reincarnated into a folk-themed upgrade game that he had played in his previous life.

The game is called "Folklore Era". In the setting, the emperor has lost his mind, the dragon veins have been destroyed, the ten great families dominate the world, the three immortal sects have gone into seclusion, the government is corrupt, and demons and monsters run rampant.

First came drought, floods, and plagues, then demonic calamities and war.

Players must start from humble beginnings and climb the ranks step by step to become a powerful figure who commands gods and spirits in this chaotic world of folklore.

Lin Yuan was originally a top ten player in the game. When he was speedrunning the most difficult game on the entire network, he worked for three days and three nights straight until he finally succeeded in killing the Fallen God BOSS.

He died suddenly due to emotional distress.

Thus, I was reborn into this world and acquired my current identity.

Uncle Fu sighed when he saw that he was lost in thought.

"Young master, you've changed so much in the last two weeks. You haven't been going out to fool around anymore. This old servant is happy to see that."

Lin Yuan snapped out of his daze and said calmly, "You almost lost your life, what are you still fooling around for?"

"It's good that you understand, young master. However, you are currently in poor health. The doctor said that falling into the water and being frightened has damaged your vital energy, so you need to rest well," Uncle Fu advised. "The waterside has a lot of yin energy, so it's best to avoid it."

Lin Yuan nodded.

Uncle Fu looked around, then leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"And this world is getting harder and harder."

"The day before yesterday, the bandits robbed two of our boats again, killing several crew members. The master and mistress are very worried. This morning, they took their guards to the prefectural city."

"Firstly, we need to pull strings and ask the government to send troops to suppress the bandits; secondly, we need to find a wise person to solve the problem of the water disaster."

"Let me tell you and the eldest young master that they will be returning in seven days. In the meantime, please take good care of the house."

Lin Yuan frowned: "Is it that serious?"

He is currently in the [Fallen Dragon Vein] version, which is in the early stages of the game and where chaos is just beginning to emerge.

Although some signs of disaster have already appeared, it is far from enough to require the two heads of the family to personally go to the prefectural city.

A hint of helplessness flashed in Uncle Fu's eyes as he explained.

"The water ghosts are causing huge waves, the Lin family's business has suffered huge losses, and even the entire Chahe Town has been severely affected."

"Nine out of ten boats capsize at night, and the corpses that are pulled out are so soaked they are unrecognizable. They can't be burned even after three nights. Some say they've become walking corpses and will soon rise up to harm people again. The town is filled with fear..."

He paused, then glanced again at the altar in the distance.

"Otherwise, the town wouldn't have carried out this heinous human sacrifice."

Human sacrifice is the act of exchanging the lives of living people for the temporary peace of a place with water spirits.

Lin Yuan's heart sank, and he followed Uncle Fu's gaze.

On the platform, the old temple keeper finished reciting the sacrificial inscription and poured a bowl of turbid wine into the river.

"With this humble sincerity, I hope to reach the ears of Heaven. May the River God bear witness and forever bless our land!"

Two burly men stepped forward, set up the sacrificial offerings of the brother and sister, and prepared to proceed with the final steps.

The numb siblings then began to look around, struggling and sobbing softly.

Lin Yuan recognized both of them.

His surname is Wei. His older sister is Wei Yun and his younger brother is Wei Ze. Both his parents are dead, and his relatives have left him without a family to support him. He struggles to survive.

These poor people with no connections or background were targeted by the village head and others, and were brought in as sacrifices.

Thinking of this, Lin Yuan felt a surge of disgust.

At this point, the river had begun to churn.

Ripples gradually spread across the water's surface, and one could vaguely see something enormous swimming within.

The siblings, who were being supported, bit their lips, their faces filled with fear, and tried their best not to cry.

The old temple keeper shook his bell and called out loudly.

"Shang Sao!!"

Then, the bowl of blood mixed with chicken and duck blood was poured into the river.

The two men also pushed hard.

"Thump!" "Thump!"

Accompanied by a loud thud as a heavy object fell into the water.

The siblings finally couldn't hold back their tears, but they were quickly drowned by the water.

The ripples on the river surface suddenly became even more turbulent, like a gaping maw of fangs swallowing fresh, tender flesh.

After a short while, things calmed down.

The huge black shadow in the water gradually sank into the depths.

The festival has ended.

Lin Yuan's sense of disgust reached its peak at this moment.

In this world, human life is as worthless as grass.

So-called aristocratic families, immortal sects, government officials, and powerful figures are all cannibalistic creatures, just like demons and ghosts.

He is now the young master of the Lin family, a prominent family in Chahe Town.

But who can guarantee that?

I wonder if, after a long time, I too will be bound hand and foot and thrown into the river as a sacrifice?

Even the Lin family cannot guarantee a peaceful and smooth life forever.

In chaotic times, human life is cheap; the only way is to strive for self-improvement.

Fortunately, as his innate wisdom awakened, the game panel from before also came along with him.

With a thought, a screen of light appeared before his eyes.

Name: Lin Yuan

[Position: A flawed gem in a turbid world]

[Realm: None]

[Skills: None]

[Folk Customs Highlights: 3 Points]