The air in the valley seemed to freeze. The thick stench of blood mingled with the murderous aura radiating from Zhen, making it nauseating.
Lin knelt with one knee on the ground, his chest heaving. Every breath tugged at his injured organs, bringing a searing pain. He stared fixedly at Zhen, who had temporarily lost the ability to move because an old injury had flared up, and racked his brain for any chance of survival.
Run? In his current state, he couldn't outrun Zhen even with one of its legs crippled.
Fight? That was even more absurd. His last attack had succeeded through sheer luck. Now both his arms were numb and his inner energy was in disarray. He could barely even stand.
[System! Is there anything you can do?] he cried out inwardly. [Option one: Use the Minor Universe Shifting Talisman (on cooldown, unavailable). Option two: Try to communicate with Zhen and express a desire for reconciliation (estimated chance of success: below 0.01%). Option three: Pray that some passing mighty expert is in a good mood and casually saves you.] The system's reply was so calm—or perhaps so indifferent—it was despairing.
Was he really going to die here? Lin Xuan watched Zhen's vertical pupils grow ever more violent, almost as if they were about to drip blood. He knew the beast's patience was nearly exhausted. It would rather cripple one of its legs than let the ant who had injured it escape!
Just as Zhen endured the pain, braced its body with its three tails, and slowly rose again to launch one final attack—
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
Heavy, rhythmic footsteps rang out like a war drum, rapidly drawing nearer! The ground trembled faintly beneath them!
The footsteps brimmed with strength. Unlike the galloping of a monster, they carried a wild, primal air, yet still seemed somehow orderly!
Zhen suddenly froze. For the first time, its scarlet vertical pupils showed unmistakable wariness—and perhaps even a trace of fear. It abandoned its attack on Lin Xuan and turned toward the valley entrance, lowering its body and growling a warning. Yet anyone could hear the bluster in its growl.
Lin Xuan also struggled to turn his head and look.
Five tall, burly figures had appeared at the valley entrance!
They were over two meters tall on average, with bronze-colored skin and bulging muscles that radiated explosive strength. They wore crude animal-hide clothes, their bodies painted with mysterious totem patterns, and carried rough but enormous stone axes, bone clubs, and other weapons. The man at their head was especially imposing. He held a giant bone bow nearly as tall as a person, with several arrows like short spears strapped to his back.
Simply standing there, they exuded an overwhelming force of blood and qi, as weighty as a mountain. It was entirely unlike the spiritual energy of cultivators, yet just as powerful! The towering bowman leading them in particular put almost as much pressure on Lin Xuan as Zhen had at its peak!
[Insight Technique!] Lin Xuan used it instinctively.
[Target: Witch Tribe (Houtu Tribe).] [Cultivation: Qi and Blood Like Mercury (equivalent to at least the late stage of Refining Essence into Qi). Status: On hunting patrol.] [Warning: The Witch Tribe does not cultivate their primordial spirits. Insight Technique cannot accurately determine their cultivation. Extremely dangerous! The host is advised to remain still and avoid provoking them!]
The Witch Tribe! They were actually the Witch Tribe!
Lin Xuan was shaken to the core! One of the rulers of the Primordial World, a race born from Pangu's blood essence! What were they doing here?
The towering bowman leading the group had a sharp gaze. He first looked over Zhen, who was covered in wounds and breathing weakly but still held a battle-ready stance. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Then he looked at Lin Xuan, who lay badly injured and in a miserable state, and furrowed his brow.
"Huh? An injured Zhen? And a... member of the Human Race?" The giant's voice rang through the valley like a bell. "Did you injure that Zhen?"
He clearly found it hard to believe. How could a member of the Human Race who looked so weak—in his perception, Lin Xuan's blood and qi were pitifully feeble—have wounded a Peak of Refining Essence into Qi Zhen so badly?
Feeling the terrifying pressure of blood and qi coming from the Witches, especially the deadly threat posed by the towering bowman, Zhen growled and actually retreated several steps. Its single eye was full of unwillingness, but even more wary of the Witch Tribe. It was no fool. It understood that if it kept fighting, it might become the Witches' prey.
At last, Zhen glared viciously at Lin Xuan, as if committing to memory the little bug who had injured it. Then it pushed hard with its three tails and, despite its wounded left foreleg, fled in a streak of red light into the dense forest deep in the valley, disappearing from sight.
With the powerful enemy gone, Lin Xuan's tension eased. He could no longer hold on. He spat out another mouthful of blood, his vision darkening as he nearly passed out.
Seeing this, the towering bowman waved a hand. "Go see if that Human Race boy's still alive."
A younger Witch warrior behind him answered and bounded over to Lin Xuan in a few leaps. He crouched beside him and pressed a rough hand to Lin Xuan's wrist. A surge of scorching, vigorous blood and qi flowed into Lin Xuan's body. Though overbearing, it quickly steadied his disordered inner energy and temporarily suppressed his injuries.
"Brother Houyi, he's badly hurt. His internal organs are shaken, and several bones are cracked, but he won't die," the young Witch called back.
Houyi?! Though Lin Xuan's consciousness was hazy, hearing that name shook him to the core once more! Houyi, the Great Witch who had shot down the nine suns?!
Houyi strode over with heavy steps and looked down at Lin Xuan, curiosity and scrutiny on his bronze-colored face. "Kid, you're a member of the Human Race. How'd you end up deep in Buzhou Mountain all by yourself? And why'd you provoke a beast like Zhen?"
Lin Xuan forced himself to stay alert and answered weakly, his voice hoarse. "Thank you... all of you... for saving me. I... wandered in here by accident, and that beast found me... I had no choice... but to defend myself..."
His account was only half true; he deliberately left out the details. Until he understood the Witches' attitude, he didn't dare reveal too much.
Houyi looked at Lin Xuan's tattered clothes and bloodied body, then glanced toward the depths of the valley where Zhen had fled, and at the Vermilion Fruit tree giving off an enticing fragrance. He seemed to understand what had happened. Grinning and revealing a flash of white teeth, he said, "Heh, you're an interesting kid. You're not much to look at, but you've got guts. Surviving a brush with Zhen means you're lucky—and tough!"
He patted the younger Witch beside him on the shoulder. "Kuafu, carry him. I like this kid. Let's take him back to the tribe and see what he's like. There's been a big fight here, and the stench of blood will soon draw other things. We can't stay."
The young Witch named Kuafu easily hoisted Lin Xuan onto his back, as if picking up a chick.
As Lin Xuan lay across Kuafu's broad, rocklike back, he felt the furnace-hot blood and qi inside him and was filled with mixed emotions.
He never expected his life-and-death fight with Zhen to end this way. And he never expected his first real encounter in the Primordial World to be with the legendary Witch Tribe—let alone with the Great Witches Houyi and Kuafu!
Would being taken to the Witch Tribe be a blessing or a curse?
Before you continue