Teaching

On the third morning after Su Ming returned to the tribe, a group gathered at the center of the village where the Barbarian Awakening took place, led by Grandpa. Grandpa was still wearing his coarse cloth robes, his long white hair braided into numerous plaits, and he appeared to be in high spirits. His gaze swept across the group, landing on Bei Ling, Lei Chen, Su Ming, and a young girl of the same age as Su Ming.

This girl was named Wula. She was the one discovered to possess a Barbarian Body during the Barbarian Awakening. Several months had passed since then, and she had reached the peak of the second level of the Blood Condensation Realm, appearing as if she could condense her eleventh blood line at any moment to become a third-level Blood Condensation Barbarian Warrior.

Standing behind Grandpa were two other men. One of them was the tribe's Scout Leader, who was also Bei Ling's father. His sturdy frame was like an iron tower, and his piercing gaze held a hint of gentleness.

The other man was the cold-faced and taciturn leader of the hunting team, Shan Hen. Clad in beast skins, he appeared even more rugged and formidable. He never liked to speak much, yet the vast majority of the Barbarian Warriors in the tribe held him in high regard. Furthermore, because his hunting team was responsible for guarding the tribe and providing food, his status within the tribe was very high.

"Our Wu Mountain Tribe is small and cannot compare to the Fengzhen Tribe, so every few years, we must pay homage and offer tribute to the Fengzhen Tribe to show our respect for their leadership. In past years, I usually did not attend, but this year, I will go myself. Besides our Wu Mountain Tribe, the Black Dragon Tribe, the Black Mountain Tribe, and several other more remote small tribes in the surrounding area will all gather at Fengzhen."

"Therefore, this journey is a test for you. Whether you can stand out among your peers from many other tribes, and whether you can uphold the name of our Wu Mountain Tribe, will depend on you."

"I chose you this time because you are the outstanding talents of our Wu Mountain Tribe. Gaining some experience will be of great help to your future."

"Among you, Bei Ling has participated twice before and knows some of the details; you may ask him." Grandpa spoke slowly, his gravelly voice echoing in the surroundings.

Bei Ling whispered his acknowledgment, his gaze falling on Lei Chen, then glancing at the girl named Wula, before finally looking at Su Ming, who stood to the side, and knitting his brows.

"Grandpa, will this trip still have... the Great Trial, like the previous two times?" Bei Ling hesitated for a moment before asking Grandpa respectfully. Seeing Grandpa nod, Bei Ling's eyes flashed, and he pointed a finger at Su Ming.

"Grandpa, I suggest that Su Ming does not need to go. He is not a Barbarian Warrior; even if he goes, it will be of no use or help. It would be better to save the spot for other tribesmen."

As soon as Bei Ling said this, Lei Chen, who stood beside him, immediately revealed an unfriendly look. He stepped forward a few paces and roared, refusing to let it go.

"Just because he isn't a Barbarian Warrior, he can't go? Bei Ling, what do you mean by that!"

The girl named Wula remained calm. Her gaze swept over the silent Su Ming, a hint of contempt hidden in her eyes, but she did not speak or get involved.

"Grandpa, for every pilgrimage, we can only bring four juniors from the tribe. In the Great Trials of previous years, I was the only one from our Wu Mountain Tribe to enter the top fifty. This year, with Lei Chen, perhaps he can too. Even Wula, despite her low cultivation, was able to produce nine flashes during the Barbarian Awakening; perhaps she can enter the top one hundred."

"Such results would be much better than in previous years. If one more person could enter the top one hundred, wouldn't that be even better? But this Su Ming is purely a waste of a spot." Bei Ling spoke calmly, not even looking at Lei Chen, who was glaring at him.

"Su Ming will not participate in the Great Trial. I have my own arrangements for bringing him along." Grandpa spoke slowly.

Bei Ling wanted to say more, but the Scout Leader standing behind Grandpa glared at him fiercely, causing Bei Ling to swallow his words immediately. Since childhood, Bei Ling had always been very afraid of his father.

"Alright, there is not much time left; let us go." Grandpa raised his right hand and grabbed fiercely toward the clear sky. Immediately, a thunderous roar came from the heavens, shaking the surroundings, and the white clouds in the sky instantly turned pitch black.

At the same time, a Barbarian Mark clearly appeared on Grandpa's face, composed of numerous blood lines. It was a Black Python. After this mark appeared, the black clouds in the sky seemed to be stirred by invisible hands, instantly condensing together to form a terrifying, gargantuan Black Python, dozens of feet long!

This scene left both Lei Chen and Wula stunned, as if they were frozen in place. As for Bei Ling, he could barely maintain his composure, forcing himself to look cold.

Su Ming stood to the side, staring at the massive Black Python. As he took a deep breath, a look of longing appeared in his eyes.

The Scout Leader standing behind Grandpa looked at the giant python with a hint of reverence. As for Shan Hen, a flash of fanaticism crossed his eyes as he looked at the beast.

The python's form was so vivid that even the scales on its body were clearly visible. A tremendously powerful aura radiated from it. The python swung its massive head, its red eyes initially filled with ferocity, but that ferocity slowly dissipated, turning gentle. It descended from mid-air, lowered its head, and obediently lay down beside Grandpa.

Grandpa lifted his foot, stepped onto the python, and stood upon its head.

"All of you, come up."

Bei Ling was the first to leap up, landing on the giant python's back and sitting cross-legged. Lei Chen and Wula followed, leaping up one after another. Su Ming hesitated for a moment before he, too, leaped up and stood on the python's back. Just as he was about to step back to sit with Lei Chen, Grandpa's voice reached him.

"Su Ming, come to my side!" Grandpa's voice sounded stern, causing Su Ming to pull a bitter face as he walked over to Grandpa. As soon as he sat down, he saw Grandpa glare at him.

"Grandpa... I was wrong... I was truly wrong..." Su Ming quickly whispered.

Grandpa ignored him, waiting until the Scout Leader and Shan Hen had also boarded the Black Python. He raised his right hand and waved it. The Black Python let out a roar toward the sky and immediately took flight, heading toward the clouds.

The tribe below shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye, eventually becoming nothing more than a tiny dot. As the python climbed, the gale howled like thunder, causing Su Ming's face to turn pale instantly.

Lei Chen and the others were the same, but at this moment, the Scout Leader and the hunting team leader stood at the middle and the tail of the python, respectively, guarding the three juniors.

As for Su Ming, he felt his breathing grow labored in the fierce wind, but soon, a gentle force enveloped him. It was Grandpa's aura, allowing Su Ming to endure the discomfort of his first time in the sky.

"You know you were wrong? Where were you wrong? It was clearly Lasu from the Black Dragon Tribe who borrowed five thousand stones from you and used his spear as collateral." The wind howled all around them, but Grandpa's words fell clearly into Su Ming's ears. With Grandpa's blood-energy pressure, no one else on the python could hear them.

"This..." Su Ming looked embarrassed. After returning to the tribe, he had excitedly gone to tell Grandpa, only to have Grandpa's expression darken immediately. He had been lectured and even had the spear taken away, leaving Su Ming sighing and lamenting in his room, not knowing what he had done wrong.

"Grandpa, I was truly wrong... I shouldn't have taken Sikong's Barbarian Artifact, I shouldn't have been greedy..." Su Ming said with a bitter face, carefully observing Grandpa's expression as he spoke.

"I shouldn't have made him write that blood oath either. Sigh, Grandpa, I know I was wrong." Su Ming looked at Grandpa with pleading eyes.

"Oh? Is that all? Nothing else? Think again, where exactly did you go wrong?" Grandpa looked at Su Ming and said slowly.

Su Ming was stunned and instinctively scratched his head. He pondered Grandpa's words, wondering if there was some deeper meaning. Besides those mistakes, could there be others?

Su Ming frowned and thought seriously for a while. A flash of coldness suddenly crossed his eyes, and he looked up abruptly.

"Grandpa, I know now. I should have killed him, disposed of the body, and then taken the Barbarian Artifact!"

Upon hearing Su Ming's words, Grandpa's pupils visibly contracted. He stared at Su Ming, his gaze seemingly looking not at the boy before him, but at something with a meaning Su Ming did not understand.

"Oh? Why do you think the mistake lies there, and why should you have killed him?" Grandpa looked at Su Ming and said slowly.

"Because he wanted to kill me, Grandpa. You don't know, he really wanted to kill me. If I hadn't been cautious, you wouldn't be able to see me anymore. But... but I couldn't bear it. I thought that if I really killed him, it would bring trouble to the tribe..." Su Ming recalled the scene from a few days ago, still feeling a lingering fear, and explained in a low voice after hesitating.

"You are right... Su Ming, you must remember one thing: whenever you encounter someone who harbors murderous intent toward you in the future, you must nip the danger in the bud!" Grandpa closed his eyes. After a long while, he slowly opened them, his gaze toward Su Ming filled with tenderness.

"However, the mistake I said you made was not referring to this. Think again, what else did you fail to consider? Killing is simple, but how do you ensure your own safety after killing? How do you find a way out of a dead end during a crisis?" Grandpa looked at Su Ming and said softly.

Su Ming scratched his head. He was still just a boy; despite his impressive performance, he was, at the end of the day, still a youth. He was slightly confused by Grandpa's words, but even more so, he was puzzled.

"Think about it. No need to rush to give me an answer. Tell me when you have figured it out. You must learn to think, learn to ponder." Grandpa closed his eyes.

Such things happened often during the years Su Ming grew up. Throughout his development, Grandpa's teachings played a crucial role.

Su Ming's eyes were filled with contemplation as he recalled the scenes of that day, from the spear strike outside the Black Dragon Tribe to Sikong's subsequent pursuit, and right up to the very end...

Time slipped away slowly, and soon half an hour had passed. When they were still a short distance from the Fengzhen Tribe, a powerful gust of wind seemed to blow from the distance, causing the Black Python's body to shudder slightly, which in turn jolted everyone upon its back. Amidst this tremor, a realization struck Su Ming's mind like a bolt of lightning.

"Grandpa... I understand now..." Su Ming murmured, a cold sweat breaking out across his back.