A huge round village, like an artificial fortress, sits at the foot of the Black Mountain Mountains.

And a small turquoise river surrounds the village.

It has brought a ray of green vitality to the people living here, and has successfully defended against the invasion of countless demonic beasts, and ensured the safe life of Black Mountain Village for more than a hundred years.

At this time, Cao Yanchao was walking step by step on the earthen road paved with countless gravel.

At this time, he couldn't help but feel that there was a taste of happy countryside, and he was rushing towards him.

And looking at the villagers who came and went around, they were busy.

Cao Yanchao suddenly had a feeling that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

Perhaps, this is the right thing or the wrong person, right?

The people living in the village have their own jobs, and there is no idler.

The only fortunate thing is that the people in this small village are mainly Orientals, not the kind of blonde and blue-eyed whites, let alone those simple and simple blacks.

And the most important thing is Cao Yanchao, although he completely retains the records of his previous life, but his body has inherited a small part of the memory of his previous master.

Therefore, when communicating with others, there is no language barrier.

Although, everyone does not speak Chinese, nor is it any language in the Western world.

It's a language that's very similar to Chinese, and there's no problem in communicating anyway.

As for the text, Cao Yanchao is not very clear for the time being.

Because so far, he has not seen any writing in the village.

Of course, this phenomenon is also very common in the rural areas of China, after all, the countryside is not like the big cities, which are full of all kinds of culture and art.

The economic level of Montenegro Village is obviously not very high, and there are only a few small shops along the street.

But Cao Yanchao once went to ask in person, and also learned that in this village, there is no commodity trading.

Most of the supplies were distributed by the old village chief himself.

As for the items in the store, they were all consigned by the villagers, and they were all ordinary items that needed to be exchanged in a barter way.

Of course, the exchange of specific conditions depends on the mood of the owner.

But soon, Cao Yanchao discovered a phenomenon, that is, in this village, he saw a single piece of iron at all, not to mention any iron tools, not even iron pots, iron bowls, and even iron nails for stir-frying and cooking.

The houses in the whole village are made of different materials of wood, and the joints of the houses are all connected by ancient mortise and tenon structures.

As for saying, like mobile phones and TVs, naturally there is no one.

The level of civilization in the entire Black Mountain Village is very primitive, which makes Cao Yanchao can't help but wonder if the development level of this world should still be in a primitive society, right?

Of course, considering that this is only a small mountain village, not a big city, it is not 100% certain.

However, there will always be a chance to confirm it in the future.

As far as the current situation is concerned, the most important thing for Cao Yanchao is to find his way home.

But the people in this village are all busy, and everyone has their own things, either pushing carts to move goods, or doing all kinds of manual work.

It's just a little strange, there are no children like Cao Yanchao on the street, even if they are slightly older, they are rarely seen.

Finally, he was met by Cao Yanchao, and he ran past him in a hurry, even if he wanted to stop the other party and ask about the situation, he couldn't do it.

In the end, Cao Yanchao finally met an old woman who was making tea on the side of the road, and he immediately stepped forward and asked politely.

"Grandma, where did all the other children go? Why don't there be any children on the street?"

The old woman was thoughtful, and looked at Cao Yanchao for a long time, and after a while, she said slowly.

"You should be the children of Lao Qi and their family, those children who are younger than you should all play in their homes, and the children who are older than you are now practicing martial arts seriously in the martial arts arena.

After all, time is like an arrow, fleeting, young people don't work hard, and the boss is sad.

If you just can't find your way home, then you can walk down this street, and the last row is your seven-room home. ”

These words made Cao Yanchao a little strange, and he asked with a puzzled expression.

"Grandma, how do you know that I can't find my way home?"

The old woman replied with a smile.

"Every year, there are many children as old as you who come to me and ask me for directions, and I can't count them. ”

Cao Yanchao couldn't help but smile awkwardly.

I see, in fact, a child like him has just turned ten years old, and it is the first time he has left home.

For a while, it was purely normal to find his way home, and he was still stupid and wandered on the street for a long time.

After speaking, Cao Yanchao said goodbye to the grandmother, and slowly walked along the street to the last row of houses.

However, when Cao Yanchao turned around, he didn't notice that the old woman's eyes looking at him were also full of appreciation, just like the old village chief looked at him.

And on the way home, Cao Yanchao was completely entangled, because he really didn't know how to face the parents of this body.

However, Cao Yanchao is just a ten-year-old child, he has nowhere to go at all, and he can't just wander around the street all the time!

Moreover, although the beef jerky he ate before was temporarily suppressed, Cao Yanchao had the hunger in his stomach, but after walking for so long, his little stomach began to be restless again, and if he continued to walk, he would probably have to eat soil.

It was at this time that a young woman was somewhat familiar, but very strange.

Suddenly, rushing over from the side of the road, she couldn't help but stop Cao Yanchao, and then, without waiting for Cao Yanchao to speak, the young woman hugged him in the cup.

This sudden sudden stunned Cao Yanchao, is this place still popular for strong hugs?

"Xiaochao, why are you only coming back now, mother, but I've been waiting for you, four days and four nights!"

At first, Cao Yanchao wanted to struggle for a while, but when he heard the other party claiming to be his mother, he stopped struggling, but stared blankly at the woman in front of him, who was a little familiar, but very strange.

He has long waist-length hair, a small round face, a slender figure like a wicker, and wears a coarse cloth suit.

The style is a little similar, the clothing of the Tang Dynasty in China is very gentle and lovely.

However, it is still worse than Cao Yanchao's biological mother, because his mother is the most beautiful woman he knows, and there is no other woman who can compare with her.

And in front of her, this strange woman, when she saw Cao Yanchao who didn't speak for a long time, just looked at her blankly, and couldn't help crying aggrievedly.

Because, Zhang Xiaohua once heard the old people say that after participating in the sacred ceremony, some children will have all kinds of strange problems, such as soul loss is one of them, and they will completely forget the previous things and their families.

So, sometimes, even if a child comes down from a high platform where sacred rituals are performed, he or she may not necessarily be able to live to adulthood in good health.

And when she saw it, the young woman suddenly cried inexplicably, and Cao Yanchao, who was still hugged by her and couldn't move, was also aroused to tears by her, and couldn't help but think of his mother, so he also cried.

For a while, one big and one small, two people, on the street, cried into two tears.

The scene was very embarrassing for a while.

And at this time, there is one person who can't stand it.

So, a thin old man who didn't know that came out of there roared fiercely at the two tearful people.

"What are you crying about? What are you crying for? In broad daylight, here the ghost is crying wolf howling, Lao Tzu I am not dead yet! If you want to cry, go home and cry. ”

Cao Yanchao glanced at the old man disdainfully, and he thought: You are the green onion, master, and I don't know you.

However, being so troubled by the old man, Cao Yanchao also put away his sadness and stopped crying, after all, he was already an adult, and he was no longer the innocent ten-year-old child.

However, the young woman who claimed to be Cao Yanchao's mother looked at the thin old man with an aggrieved face, but she was obviously a little unwilling, so she weakly replied.

"Uncle Seven, our family Xiaochao, but after participating in the sacred ceremony, he came back for the first time, but he doesn't know me anymore, this mother, you have to be the master of our mother!"

Unexpectedly, as soon as he heard the sacred ceremony, this thin old man, known as the seventh uncle, was suddenly like an eggplant beaten by frost, and the whole person suddenly became stunned.

"Be the master, what to do? Since the person is back, it's good, so many people are just gone, I don't remember the person, what does it matter, when I turn back, you can teach him slowly. ”

After finishing speaking, without waiting for the young woman to respond, this thin old man, known as Uncle Seven, hurriedly walked away.

And Cao Yanchao, who saw such a scene, couldn't help but be a little dumbfounded.

Why did you suddenly get intimidated? Wasn't it still fierce just now?

However, the young woman who had been holding Cao Yanchao explained to herself as if she was talking to Cao Yanchao.

"Hey, Uncle Seven, he is also a poor man, a few years ago, his son, after attending the sacred ceremony, never came back. ”

For a while, both of them fell into silence, and Cao Yanchao looked at this young woman very seriously, wanting to awaken the part of the memory that remained in his body.

And the strange woman holding Cao Yanchao also looked at her son seriously.

still has black and smooth hair, small eyebrows as straight as a sword, a pair of bright eyes, a high nose bridge, ruddy lips, and a round little face, it is the standard appearance of a handsome guy.

Although there are some unnatural folds in the clothes on her body, all this proves that the child in front of her is her own son Xiaochao!

But Xiao Chao looked at her like a stranger, which made her feel a little heartache.

As a result, the scene fell into embarrassment for a while.

In the end, it was Cao Yanchao who broke the deadlock first.

"Mother, is it mother? I finally found you. ”

Then, Cao Yanchao hugged the young woman and cried "woo".

However, his voice was not loud, and it was obvious that the thin old man's words still had an effect.

Of course, this is not that Cao Yanchao really recognizes the young woman in front of him.

Mainly to get out of here quickly.

After all, standing on the street and then being watched by a group of strangers is not a good thing.

It turned out that I don't know when it began, dozens of people poured over the streets, and they all gathered around this strange mother and son.

After all, a situation like their mother and son is rare in Black Mountain Village.

Moreover, everyone is talking about the two of them.

The old woman who gave Cao Yanchao the way before, but she took care of the matter, and said her guess, it should be after participating in the sacred ceremony.

This child of the old seventh family doesn't remember anything, as if he has lost his soul, and he can't recognize his own mother anymore.

For a while, the villagers felt a burst of booing, after all, they were all from here.

Although not everyone's children will suffer from soul loss, there are many similar situations.

Some children, after returning from the sacred ceremony, become demented, and when they see something to eat, they will pick it up and eat it, and when there is nothing to eat, they will stay on the side honestly, and finally they will faint from hunger.

There are also children who, when they return from the sacred ceremony, become completely deaf and can no longer hear any sounds.

There are also children who, when they come back from the sacred ritual, become crazy and become a real madman.

You know, every time we send a child on a high platform to perform a sacred ceremony.

But all of them are healthy, sane, and well-limbed children!

But no one dares to disobey the requirements of this sacred ceremony, all children who have reached the age of ten must participate in the sacred ceremony, which is not only the iron law of Montenegro Village, but also the iron law of all villages at the foot of Montenegro.

On the one hand, it is naturally because of the authority of the old village chief, and no one dares to oppose his orders at all.

On the other hand, it was because of the information they received from people from other villages, after communicating with each other, that if they did not send a ten-year-old child to the high platform for sacred rituals.

Then their entire village will be destroyed, and without exception, there will be no room for maneuver at all.

This made everyone very dissatisfied, but helpless, after all, this is not a problem of that family, or a certain village, but a problem related to a mysterious force.

However, so far, they have not had the strength to resist it, so everyone can only endure it silently.

At the very least, wait until someone who can observe the whole process and truly understand what the sacred ritual is all about.

After all, without knowing who the enemy is, it is difficult for everyone to rise to the courage to fight it.

Of course, there are also people who blame the enemy on mysterious forces such as ghosts and gods, but that is clearly not the case.

Although there are a group of goddesses and gods who can communicate with ghosts and gods in some very special villages, they can't tell why the ghosts and gods want to harm children under the age of ten.

Shouldn't the ghosts and gods prefer bloody food to a bunch of skinny kids?

Moreover, there is no reason why the number of children who have disappeared inexplicably varies after each sacred ceremony, sometimes only one or two people go missing, and sometimes more than a dozen people disappear together.

Obviously, it can't be, the style of those ghosts and gods, because they never say anything about returns.

The sacred ritual is not like the kind of evil sacrificial ritual that still needs some blood food, but more like a choice.

As for what exactly it picks, only God knows.