First sight of a great tribe

As soon as the New Year passed, the tribe began preparing for the Tribal Contest held by the White Wolf Tribe once every five years.

Within several thousand li of this place, there were nine tribes comparable to the Haibei Tribe, all within the White Wolf Tribe's sphere of influence and under its protection.

Every spring, these small tribes had to offer prey, beast cores, medicinal herbs, and other goods to the White Wolf Tribe as a show of respect and obedience to the great tribe. Offering Day, which came once every five years, was also the day when members of all the tribes under the White Wolf Tribe's influence exchanged skills and competed.

Ostensibly, the White Wolf Tribe had established this rule to give each tribe an opportunity to display its strength. In truth, it used this to tighten its control over them. Anyone with discerning eyes could see through this trick, but no one dared expose it.

For the contest, each tribe had to send five young cultivators under fifteen to compete against outstanding youths of the same age from other tribes. The top ten would not only receive generous rewards but also earn the chance to pit themselves against the White Wolf Tribe's young prodigies. They might even catch the White Wolf Tribe's eye and be taken into the tribe for special training.

For the boys and girls from those small tribes, this was an enormous temptation.

Back then, Hai Ang had stormed into the top three in the great tribe's contest. Not only had he been rewarded with a mid-grade Soul Soldiers halberd, but he had also been allowed to cultivate in the White Wolf Tribe for three years, breaking through the barrier to become a second-level soul cultivator.

Twenty years had passed, yet every time Hai Ang took up his halberd, his heart still swelled with heroic pride. He had never forgotten his unrivaled glory back then.

For this contest, the Haibei Tribe selected Hai Chen and the four children who had inscribed their Soul Marks over the following two years-Hai Hang, Hai Dong, Hai Qing, and Hai Ling'er.

As for Mu Bai, although he too possessed the fighting strength to compete against the talents of other tribes, the Clan Patriarch would not allow him to participate because of his secret identity as an Alchemist. He was only allowed to accompany the others to broaden his experience and knowledge.

"The purpose of this contest is to broaden your horizons. You must not vie for supremacy or chase victory. Leave the rankings for others to fight over!" Before their departure, Hai Ya solemnly addressed them. "Until a Fourth-Level Xiu Zun emerges in our tribe, we must do this at every contest!"

They were all at an age when they craved competition and victory. Hearing the Clan Patriarch's words, the five children could not understand and all turned to look at him.

"The tree that rises above the forest will surely be battered by the wind; the man whose conduct rises above others will surely be condemned by the crowd! Before our tribe becomes powerful, remember to keep a low profile, lest you invite disaster."

"We will heed your teachings, Clan Patriarch..."

Though unconvinced in their hearts, the five children dared not defy the Clan Patriarch's wishes.

Having finished speaking, Hai Ya chanted an incantation. A Divine Crow more than ten zhang long materialized and crouched before them.

"Children, come! We depart!"

Hai Ya stepped onto the Divine Crow's back, a black cane in hand and his white hair drifting in the breeze. At his words, the others leaped aboard in turn. The Clan Patriarch, Hai Ya, would lead this journey personally, assisted by Hai Zhan, with the six children making up the rest of the party.

Standing on the Divine Crow, the party of eight soared into the sky and flew toward the White Wolf Tribe.

The journey passed without conversation. After more than half a day, they caught a distant view of the White Wolf Tribe from the air. Earthen and stone buildings dotted White Wolf City like stars scattered across a chessboard. There were residential areas for the White Wolf Tribe's subordinate tribes, breeding grounds where Fierce Beasts were kept, barracks housing the White Wolf Tribe's cultivators, and, of course, a bustling tribal market.

Looking toward White Wolf City's inner city, they saw the place where the White Wolf Tribe's core members lived. Altars and ancestral temples towered into the sky, seeking communion with heaven and earth and honoring ancestral spirits, while also displaying the great tribe's supreme majesty.

"Look! That's the tribal market!"

It was the children's first visit to a great tribe. At such a magnificent sight, they all craned their heads out, cheering and looking around.

Hai Hang even forgot that he was ten thousand feet in the air. He stood up excitedly and pulled Hai Qing along to look at the tribal market.

To fend off the fierce winds at this altitude, Hai Ya had sent out waves of mental energy to gently envelop each child. As long as the children sat low, they were safe enough. But when Hai Hang abruptly pulled Hai Qing to his feet, Hai Ya was too late to stop them with a shout. They felt the wind strike fiercely, and before they could recover their senses, they were flung from the Divine Crow's broad back.

At that critical instant, Hai Ya had to maintain the manifested Divine Crow while also protecting the other children. He had no time to act before Hai Hang and Hai Qing shot away like human cannonballs, then plunged straight down from high in the sky.

Seeing this, Hai Zhan summoned his Divine Crow soul spirit without hesitation, leaped off, and sped after the two.

As a Mid Second Level soul cultivator, Hai Zhan already possessed some ability to fly. Driving his Soul Power fiercely, he pursued them like a flying arrow, like a shooting star.

During the fall, Hai Zhan reached out and caught Hai Qing. The child, who had only just turned ten, was already ashen with terror, his eyes fixed blankly on empty space, unable to make a sound.

Turning to look at Hai Hang, he saw that the boy was already several hundred zhang away. Hai Zhan immediately felt his strength ebb.

Seeing that he could not catch up with Hai Hang's fall, Hai Zhan's face filled with despair. Just then, a streak of blue-green light shot up from White Wolf City's inner city and flew toward Hai Hang. A hand reached out and steadily supported Hai Hang's falling body until he landed safely.

Moments later, Hai Ya landed with the five children, followed by Hai Zhan with Hai Qing tucked under his arm.

"Hai Ya greets Lord Wu Yuan, fellow cultivator of the great tribe. Thank you for lending us your aid!"

"Hai Zhan of the Haibei Tribe greets Lord Wu Yuan..."

As soon as they landed, Hai Ya and Hai Zhan cupped their fists and saluted Wu Yuan in turn.

"Clan Patriarch Hai Ya, strictly speaking, you are my senior. There is no need to stand on such ceremony..."

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Thanks to the great tribe's kindness and protection, our tribe still has a place to survive and prosper. This old man is endlessly grateful..."

The Haibei Tribe's arrival at the White Wolf Tribe in such a fashion immediately drew a crowd of onlookers. Some members of other tribes who had arrived earlier also gathered around.

"Haha, look at those wooden chickens! They've been scared senseless!"

"Look, look! What's that wet yellow stuff on those two idiots' trousers?"

"Haha, a bunch who shit and piss themselves with fear think they're fit to compete with us? Has the Haibei Tribe run out of people?"

Hai Hang and Hai Qing were still in shock and had yet to recover their senses. The crowd's mockery never even reached their ears.

Hai Chen stepped forward, raised his spear, and pointed it ahead. "Who said the Haibei Tribe has no one? Step out here!"

Hai Chen glared furiously, the fluctuations of his mid-stage first-level Soul Power unmistakable.

"What an arrogant Haibei Tribe! I wasn't the one who said it, but seeing how arrogant you are, do you think our Taoyuan Tribe is afraid of you?"

Before the words had finished ringing out, a graceful, poised boy of thirteen or so stepped out of the crowd.

"It's Tao Hang from the Taoyuan Tribe. I heard he reached the mid-stage of the first level the year after his soul awakening. Another two years have passed since then. His strength must be unfathomable now. He's sure to place in the top ten in this contest!"

"He might even make the top five and win a mid-grade Soul Soldiers weapon. How enviable."

"Who's that boy from the Haibei Tribe?"

"Who knows? His cultivation is passable, but unfortunately, he's kicked an iron plate!"

Hearing the crowd's comments, Tao Hang chuckled and walked slowly toward Hai Chen.

Spear in hand, Hai Chen did not budge.

He did not care how profound his opponent's cultivation was. If you want to humiliate my Haibei Tribe, then we can only fight!

Tao Hang had not actually intended to fight either. He merely wanted to use this opportunity to overwhelm his peers with his presence and build an invincible reputation before the official contest. But seeing that Hai Chen had no intention of retreating, Tao Hang could only put away his contemptuous expression and draw his Peach Soul Sword. Black light flashed.

"Hang'er, however much strength you have, use it in the arena. Why engage in a hotheaded quarrel now?"

Seeing the two poised to strike, the Taoyuan Tribe's Clan Patriarch walked over. She was an old woman, an Early Third Level Divine Cultivator, with crane-white hair and a youthful face. With her formidable Peach Soul Sword Formation, she was a match for Middle Third Level cultivators.

The old woman would never allow Tao Hang to fight anyone before the official contest. Even if he won such a pointless fight, exposing his trump cards would only benefit his other opponents.

"Clan Patriarch Tao Lan is quite right. The children are all young and hot-blooded. Isn't this contest the perfect chance for them to exchange skills properly...?"

"We have made a spectacle of ourselves before you, Lord Wu Yuan!"

The Taoyuan Tribe's Clan Patriarch bowed slightly in greeting to Wu Yuan, then turned and walked toward Hai Ya. "A fine child. He bears quite a resemblance to you in your youth. But what is too rigid breaks easily, and a fully drawn bow snaps readily. I hope you will conduct yourselves wisely!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Clan Patriarch Tao Lan..."

"Hmph!"

Tao Lan turned away and said no more.

Mu Bai studied the Taoyuan Tribe's Clan Patriarch closely, then stole a glance at his own Clan Patriarch, his mind growing restlessly active.

Seeing this, Wu Yuan knew very well about the relationship between Hai Ya and Tao Lan. He hurriedly summoned two tribesmen to take the Haibei Tribe and Taoyuan Tribe parties to their respective lodgings.

A great tribe truly had wealth to spare. Not only had it arranged dedicated lodgings for each tribute-bearing tribe, but everyone even had a room of their own. Though there were no carved railings, painted beams, or jade masonry, the rooms were clean and elegant. The children had never stayed in such fine rooms before, and every one of them was beside themselves with excitement.

Hai Ya sternly warned everyone that private fights were strictly forbidden, particularly cautioning Hai Chen against hotheaded quarrels. Not daring to act out before the Clan Patriarch, all six children nodded their agreement. They quickly dispersed and entered their own rooms.

Once inside his room, Mu Bai opened the bundle he carried against his chest, changed into coarse black clothes, put on a bamboo hat, and slipped lightly out the window and beyond the courtyard.

He had finally gotten a chance to visit a great tribe, and here there was even the fabled tribal market devoted to trade between cultivators. Mu Bai had no intention of merely taking in the sights. He planned to sell the pills he had refined. Once he had Soul Crystals, he could buy more raw materials for alchemy.

To avoid drawing attention, Mu Bai had deliberately changed into this outfit. Rather than someone going to sell goods, however, he looked like someone setting out to steal and rob. Even his walk had taken on a somewhat furtive air.

Trading with others for the first time, Mu Bai was cautious and careful. Whenever he spotted a shop selling pills, he went over to inspect its wares and make inquiries.

After quite some time, Mu Bai finally gained a rough idea of the market prices for the few bottles of pills he carried.

Soul-Nourishing Pills are fifty Soul Crystals each, and I have five. Soul-Cleansing Pills are thirty Soul Crystals each, and I have ten. Golden Marrow Pills are thirty Soul Crystals each, and I have twenty...

As Mu Bai walked, he calculated inwardly. Wow, they're worth over eleven hundred Soul Crystals! Amazing! They all say, "Murder and arson earn you a golden belt," but alchemy is a craft that guarantees a profit too!