Eight Totem Pillars

Lei Mo remained in the Hall of Ancestral Spirits for a full thirty days. He did not know what the others had gained, but he had obtained seven Runes.

That was a profit. The trip had not been in vain, and he had even uncovered a great secret within the Hall of Ancestral Spirits. If he still could not find a path to advancement in ten years, Lei Mo would return to the Hall of Ancestral Spirits.

No matter how reluctant he was, Lei Mo had to leave the Hall of Ancestral Spirits with the main group. They then returned to the courtyards of their respective clans and reunited with the others.

By the time Lei Mo returned to Bloodhoof Courtyard, there was hardly anyone left on the road.

With Lei Mo's "small and nimble" build, it had originally been easy for him to slip through a crowd of hulking giants.

But as he was leaving, Lei Mo felt a tremor in his heart. He searched carefully but found nothing unusual.

What Lei Mo did not know was that when he walked out of the Hall of Ancestral Spirits, the Purple Totem Pillar at the center of the hall began to tremble faintly. The movement was slight, but it continued without any sign of stopping.

Having returned to the platform where the Ancestral Court stood, Lei Mo was filled with questions and desperately needed someone to answer them.

But he was unfamiliar with the place and had no idea whom to ask. It would have been nice if there were something like a library.

The Tauren had some simple writing, and Lei Mo knew some of it. However, compared to Chinese characters on Earth, it was terribly incomplete.

It was probably only on the level of Korean writing. Many words that should have differed, and many characters that should have been distinct, instead shared the same symbol. Statements that had originally been clear became ambiguous once recorded in writing.

The Bloodhoof Tribe had no library. It only had a few books bound from tanned beast hide, and they merely recorded major events and crafting techniques.

He wondered whether the Ancestral Court had a place similar to a library. He would have to ask around.

Given Lei Mo's current status, he could not casually bother the chieftain with trivial questions. Of course, things would be different if he revealed that he was in the Saint Realm.

Lei Mo decided to seek out Captain Thomas instead.

"Uncle Thomas, do you know if there is a place in our Ancestral Court where beast-hide books are kept?"

"The kind that ordinary Tauren can look through."

Lei Mo asked after finding Thomas.

"What do you need that for? If there is something you want to know, you can ask Asa here at the Ancestral Court. He is an old shaman responsible for receiving those in magical professions. You are not in a magical profession, but you are a Rune Engraver, so you can barely count as half of one."

"Besides, old Asa has a very good temper. Though he possesses Level Nine strength, he has not fought for many years. He is old enough too—supposedly more than four hundred years old," Thomas said.

"Thank you, Uncle Thomas. Also, I feel like I am about to break through to Level Eight. Can I apply to the chieftain for permission to travel outside?"

Lei Mo asked.

"Really?" Thomas asked in surprise.

Thomas had never paid much attention to the Level Seven strength Lei Mo had been hiding. Although the Bloodhoof Tribe was a small tribe, Tauren were naturally formidable, and there was no shortage of Level Seven warriors in the tribe. Only Level Eight warriors counted as the tribe's absolute main force.

Even without holding any position, one would receive great respect from the chieftain. But Lei Mo, who was on the verge of reaching Level Eight, was different.

Lei Mo was only eighteen. If he broke through successfully, there was a high chance he would become a Level Nine powerhouse in the future. That made him a candidate for chieftain.

Although Lei Mo's height was a serious flaw, if Chieftain Leland died of old age and the tribe had no other Level Nine powerhouse, Lei Mo could only inherit the position of chieftain.

That was both an ancestral rule and a necessity for the tribe. As for anyone within the tribe who refused to accept it, that was easy—beat them into submission. That was how Tauren reasoned.

Once Lei Mo reached Level Nine, he would have a lifespan of five hundred years. He would have plenty of time to straighten out the tribe's internal affairs and cultivate his own trusted followers.

Thomas could not help but take this seriously. He hurriedly reported the matter to the chieftain, who soon came over.

"Lei Mo, face me and throw a full-force punch. Let me feel your strength."

Chieftain Leland spoke directly upon arriving.

Lei Mo also understood the benefits of showing some of his strength. After a brief pause, he solemnly threw a punch at Chieftain Leland. Yet he did not dare use his full power. Who knew whether reaching the Saint Realm in magic had greatly amplified his warrior strength?

If he used too much force and blasted the chieftain out of existence, he would be completely screwed.

Chieftain Leland took the punch head-on without moving an inch. He closed his eyes to feel it for a moment, then said,

"Your strength is indeed at the peak of Level Seven. Lei Mo, you are very good."

Lei Mo had no blood relation to Leland, but he was still very happy!

Among Tauren tribes, and even throughout the Orc Race, succession to the position of chieftain had never depended on bloodline, but on strength!

This was also one of the reasons Orcs looked down on humans. They were clearly weaklings, yet they still acted so high and mighty.

Calling themselves kings and obsessing over bloodlines—was that not laughable? If your bloodline was truly superior, why were you so weak?

"I heard you wanted to read beast-hide books. Is there something you wish to know?"

Leland asked kindly. To the three-hundred-year-old Leland, Lei Mo was no different from an infant. Even Lei Mo's grandfather would have been a child before him.

"Yes, Chieftain. I gained much from my enlightenment in the Hall of Ancestral Spirits this time and received the Ancestral Spirit's Blessing for seven Runes. I would like to ask about the origins or legends of these Totem Pillars."

Lei Mo said.

"I can clear up a large portion of your questions. Though I am not an elder-level powerhouse, I am only below the elders. Many secrets are no secrets to me."

"Legend says that countless years ago, a group of Tauren were born in the center of this plateau. They lived carefree lives close to nature."

"But nature was not safe. To obtain food and survive, they had to fight wild beasts."

"At first, the Tauren relied on their powerful physiques and feared no ferocious beast. Gradually, however, those beasts gained certain abilities."

"Some could breathe fire, some could unleash wind blades, some could wield lightning, and so on. The Tauren began suffering heavy casualties."

"At that time, eight Tauren stepped forward. From this point onward, it is no longer legend."

"It is said that these eight ancestors still exist, cultivating somewhere on the continent. Unless the Tauren face a crisis of extinction, they generally will not appear."

As Leland explained, Lei Mo learned many things. For instance, the Eight Totem Pillars had not been crafted by anyone. They had been discovered here at the Ancestral Court by the eight ancestors, which was one reason the Ancestral Court had never been relocated.

When the eight Totem Pillars were first discovered, they had not been so thick or tall. The ancestors had indeed used them as weapons for a long time.

Later, as the strength of the eight ancestors gradually grew, the Totem Pillars also became heavier and thicker.

Their weight was not a problem for the immensely powerful ancestors, but their thickness truly made them difficult to use.

The eight ancestors placed the Totem Pillars back where they had originally found them and built the present Hall of Ancestral Spirits.