The Old Wizard and Shan Guo'er

This Giant was extremely old.

He was very thin, with every exposed part of him little more than skin stretched over bones. His dark skin was wrinkled and covered in spots.

The old Giant wore a long gray robe of coarse hemp. He held an ebony staff in his left hand, and his head was completely bald. Tattoos covered his scalp, forehead, and part of his cheeks.

Yet perhaps because of his eyes, which had witnessed all the vicissitudes of life, and his broad, generous nose, he did not seem ugly or frightening. His white brows and beard hung down to his chest.

"Saga, Asurax?"

When he reached the table, he placed his right hand over his chest and bowed to Gao Jing.

Even without the special ability granted by snake blood, Gao Jing could clearly sense the goodwill the old Giant displayed.

"I'm sorry."

Gao Jing returned the bow. "I can't understand what you're saying."

He noticed one detail: the other party had clearly deliberately lowered his voice when speaking.

He had taken full account of the feelings of a "little person" like Gao Jing.

That gave Gao Jing an involuntary sliver of goodwill toward the aged Giant.

"Oh."

The old Giant suddenly understood.

Naturally, he could not understand Gao Jing either, so he reached into the pouch at his waist and rummaged around for a moment.

At last, he took out a dark brown wooden token.

Crack!

The token was crushed into fragments in the old Giant's hand, and a flash of flowing light immediately flickered across his palm.

He raised his index finger and lightly pointed it at Gao Jing.

Specks of silver radiance flowed from his fingertip, silently flying toward Gao Jing.

Gao Jing had no time to dodge. All the starlight merged into his body and vanished without a trace!

Gao Jing did not feel any discomfort in his body, but it seemed as though something extra had appeared in his mind.

The old Giant opened his right hand, and fragments of the wooden token rustled down.

He spoke again. "Greetings, Ancient Remnant Race member from the Abyss."

Gao Jing was startled.

The old Giant was still speaking the same words as before, yet this time, Gao Jing could understand every word!

Gao Jing opened his mouth, unsure how he ought to answer.

Should he answer in Mandarin?

Before Gao Jing could speak, the old Giant said apologetically, "I'm sorry. The Speech-Understanding Talisman can only allow you to understand the Great Wilderness Language. I do not have a higher-rank Spirit Word Talisman, so I cannot let you immediately master the Great Wilderness Language."

Gao Jing hurriedly shook his head to show that it did not matter.

Being able to understand was already wonderful enough.

It was truly miraculous.

At that moment, the little girl from earlier carried over a Purple Sandalwood chair.

Though the chair was taller and bigger than she was, she carried it with ease.

Racial talent?

"I believe you have many questions..."

The old Giant sat down on the wooden chair and said, "We can talk slowly."

Gao Jing indeed had a great many questions, so he nodded and sat cross-legged atop the wooden table.

In truth, from their brief exchange just now, Gao Jing had already grasped quite a bit of information.

In the Main World, if a miniature person barely over ten centimeters tall suddenly appeared, the discovery would absolutely shock the entire world. Anyone who saw him would certainly find it unbelievable.

Yet the old Giant had not appeared particularly surprised by Gao Jing.

He called Gao Jing an "Ancient Remnant People" and said Gao Jing had come from the "Abyss."

That was rather interesting.

Those words revealed two pieces of information.

First, this Great World had "little people" like Gao Jing.

They were the so-called Ancient Remnant People of the Abyss.

Second, the old Giant had seen them before!

After waking up earlier, Gao Jing's greatest worry had been that, as an outsider, he would be treated like a monster.

That worry could not be said to have vanished entirely, but at least more than half of it had faded.

Therefore, he was able to settle down for the moment and speak with the old Giant.

"First, let me introduce myself."

The old Giant stroked his long beard and said, "My name is Shan Yan. I am a Wizard of the Mountain Tribe."

"A Grand Wizard."

The little girl beside him suddenly corrected him. "Grandpa is a Grand Wizard!"

She looked extremely proud.

She clung tightly to the old Wizard's side.

"Hehe."

Shan Yan affectionately rubbed the little girl's head, making her hair even messier.

The old Wizard of the Mountain Tribe continued, "Our tribe's warriors discovered you while hunting Barbarian Bulls. At the time, you had fainted atop a rotten log."

"Our warriors found Deathsleep Mushrooms beneath that log..."

After hearing the old Wizard's explanation, Gao Jing finally understood.

He had actually been ambushed by a mushroom.

These Deathsleep Mushrooms were far from ordinary. Their growth conditions were harsh, so their numbers were extremely scarce.

Deathsleep Mushrooms could release a special scent. When small animals passed by and smelled it, they would immediately fall into a deep sleep.

Then, the Deathsleep Mushrooms would swiftly grow countless roots that pierced into the prey's body and released toxins, corroding and melting the prey's muscles and bones into liquid to absorb and digest, nurturing their own new seeds.

That was how the Deathsleep Mushroom got its name.

Gao Jing had been both unlucky and lucky.

Unlucky because he had actually encountered such a rare mushroom; lucky because Mountain Tribe hunters had found him and brought him back.

He had not become fertilizer for the Deathsleep Mushroom.

"Thank you!"

Gao Jing bowed in thanks.

Although he could not speak the Great Wilderness Language, the other party would certainly understand what he meant.

"You're welcome."

The old Wizard smiled. "When I was young, I traveled through the City of Ten Thousand Kings. There, I met members of your Ancient Remnant Race. Our two races share the same roots and origins, so we ought to watch over and help each other."

That was quite a lot to take in.

Gao Jing remembered the terms "City of Ten Thousand Kings" and "share the same roots and origins."

The old Wizard's words also confirmed Gao Jing's earlier guess.

"Very well."

The old Wizard said, "Guest from the Abyss, do you intend to continue traveling, or would you like to stay in our tribe for a while?"

Gao Jing hurriedly nodded. "I'd like to stay for a while!"

This was the best opportunity to understand the Great World. Even if some risks existed, he did not want to let it slip away.

Mm, it definitely wasn't because he was drawn here by the endless supply of top-quality Purple Sandalwood, there for the taking!

The old Wizard did not misunderstand Gao Jing's meaning. "Since you have chosen to stay, I can teach you the Great Wilderness Language before the effects of the Speech-Understanding Talisman fade."

Gao Jing's eyes immediately lit up—this was truly wonderful!

He could naturally tell that the old Wizard before him was no ordinary figure, one who possessed Transcendent abilities.

If he could study under him, even if it was only learning the language, he believed he would gain a great deal!

Gao Jing stood up and respectfully bowed to the old Wizard once more.

The old Wizard smiled faintly.

"Oh, right."

He pointed at the little girl clinging to his side and said, "While you are staying in our tribe, Shan Guo'er will take care of you."

Huh?

Gao Jing was instantly dumbfounded.

This little girl was going to take care of him?

Was this some kind of joke?!

Just as Gao Jing looked toward the little girl, Shan Guo'er turned her head toward him as well.

Their gazes met, and they stared at each other with wide eyes.

Gao Jing had small eyes.

Shan Guo'er had big eyes!

They stared at each other in mutual bewilderment.