The atmosphere in the river valley was somewhat oppressive.
Li Changshou looked at the figures before him and felt as though he were facing a blood-drenched chapter of human history.
Great Mage sat by the river grilling fish. Ling'e and Youqin Xuanya stood behind Li Changshou, both of them frowning as they watched the more than hundred figures standing by the riverbank.
These figures could hardly be called living beings;
There was not the slightest fluctuation of aura around them. Their eyes were vacant, and they stood utterly still, like stone statues or clay figurines.
Yet they truly were living beings;
They were still alive. Most bore wounds of varying severity, half had missing limbs, and beneath their ancient-style armor, it seemed as though sleeping ferocious beasts lay hidden.
"Senior Brother, they are..."
"Humans."
Grand Master Xuandu rose with the grilled fish in hand and smiled as he made a gesture. A man and a woman stepped out from among the hundred-odd figures.
The man was nearly ten feet tall, his dark muscles bulging all over, the iron armor on his body seemingly fused with his flesh.
The woman was rather petite and delicate, with a scar across her cheek. Yet the impression she gave was still more one of gentleness.
The two raised their right hands to their hearts, dropped to one knee, and said in unison:
"Greetings, my lord."
Behind them, the more than hundred figures stood silently, looking even more like clay figurines.
Ling'e instinctively shrank behind Li Changshou, while Youqin Xuanya stared at those figures, slightly lost in thought.
"Alas..."
Great Mage sighed. "Communicating with them is rather troublesome. It took me several months just to speak with each of them once.
They are all willing to return to the Primordial Wilderness and heed your command,