The more one learned, the more one understood how extraordinarily difficult Historians were to deal with. They had emerged from the shamans and were themselves powerful shamans. Like the exorcist Fangxiangshi, theirs was a hereditary profession.
The earliest Historians had also passed their profession down through the generations. They were required to truthfully record what they witnessed that favored their own side.
Whether it was a battle or a hunt, great shamans, warriors, and Historians all had to attend. On certain rare occasions that could not be made known to others, those great shamans would leave the Fangxiangshi behind, but bring Historians along to bear witness.
This included wars between two tribes. The merging of tribes after such wars would not harm the Historians.
Like the nobility of the early Spring and Autumn period, Historians were "people untouched by war."
Certain clues made some things easy to discern.
For instance, as Lin Feng gradually disappeared into the thick fog, the fact that no one followed him into it had already told him something.
The Fangxiangshi did not know everything, nor could they do everything. If they truly could, neither he nor Teacher Xun would have lived so long.
Because they could not, they needed people to "clear the way for the king."
Willing or unwilling.
They needed people to work for them.
The location the Iron-Crowned Daoist in the Underworld had given him lay ahead.
The Fangxiangshi knew nothing about it.
Seeing Lin Feng vanish before their eyes, the group finally grew anxious.
Like every organization burdened by human nature, the Fangxiangshi also had a bloated organizational structure.
Information did not flow smoothly enough.
The lower-ranking Fangxiangshi doing the work had no idea what those at the very top were doing.
All they could do was pass the news upward.