Chapter 112 Recruitment (First Update)
Wu Youren sat on the rock, looked at the Arrow Beast whose limbs and mouth were bound, and decided to stay a few more days.
Today's testing and exploration have taken a toll on my energy, so I should eat more high-energy foods.
However, when cooking outdoors, there's really no room for being picky.
As he prepared the ingredients, he raised his hand and a small fireball landed on the wood—practice makes perfect, you have to keep practicing.
He had just chopped the ingredients into large pieces and was about to throw them into the stone basin when a soft exclamation came from not far away.
"Huh, she's actually Ability User?"
The same rough voice rang out. Wu Youren's right index finger twitched slightly as he continued his previous actions.
After throwing the ingredients into the "pot," he looked up and calmly gazed at the source of the sound.
This place is quite close to the outside of the mountains, and the fog is relatively thick, with visibility of about five or six meters.
A burly man walked out, followed by a bald woman.
This time, however, his attitude was much better; he even managed to force a smile.
But that smile—it was hard to describe, almost worse than crying. "Are you cooking?"
Wu Youren with a hint of helplessness, "I backed down just now not because I was afraid of you!"
"I'm from the Red Pine Martial Academy. There are quite a few instructors participating in the war; there might be one nearby."
"Yes, your watch is from Red Pine," the burly man nodded. " Teli Tribe doesn't like people who discriminate against us."
The wristwatch— Wu Youren never expected that the other party would discover his identity from this angle.
As for the unfriendly attitude towards Red Pine, he accepted the other party's explanation, which he considered quite reasonable.
He nodded slightly but did not respond, clearly indicating that he did not want to pay attention to the other party.
At this moment, he felt somewhat annoyed; he had been careless!
If he had known these two would come looking for him, he would have moved to another shelter.
The number of mechanisms here is still a bit too small, and their power is also somewhat lacking.
However, his indifferent attitude seemed perfectly normal to the burly man.
Having awakened at such a young age, one should have that kind of pride.
He asked cautiously, "We're hungry too, can we buy your food? We'll pay for it!"
Wu Youren glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke, "But I don't cook much."
He had already guessed why the other party was being so polite to him.
"I brought some food," the burly man said, pulling a large piece of meat, weighing about seven or eight pounds, from his backpack. It was dried.
"This is earthworm meat. Could you please cook it for me in your stone pot? Here's the money!"
Earth Dragon— Wu Youren recalled some relevant information; this thing was somewhat similar to a Komodo dragon.
Unlike the third sister-in-law, this creature grows in deserts and Gobi, and is adept at burrowing underground.
The earth dragon's main food is large sandworms, and it will occasionally eat carrion when food is scarce.
So the meat of this creature still has an earthy taste, but it's excellent for replenishing blood and energy, and it's not cheap.
The hostages didn't have much access to information about the Liang, but they had acquired a considerable amount of material related to cultivation.
"You'll have to wait until I've finished cooking before you start, otherwise this pot of soup will be ruined!"
The burly man glanced at the bald woman and continued, "Since you know about earth dragons, we can treat you to some; they're very good for replenishing your qi and blood."
Am I the kind of person who would just eat other people's food? Wu Youren shook his head slightly and changed the subject, "How did you find me?"
This question was a bit rash, and it was too forward for us to discuss things so casually. Fortunately, the other party has ulterior motives, so it shouldn't be a problem.
"My nose is great!" the burly man pointed to himself. "The best tracker in the Teli Tribe."
"I forgot about that!" Wu Youren nodded slightly: He hadn't been on guard before because he thought the other party couldn't catch up with him.
Who would have thought that they were tracking it by scent?
The Liang also has methods of tracking by scent, but these are usually done using trained animals.
Once a person's nose becomes sensitive, then animals will have no chance.
Wu Youren hadn't expected this before, because very few martial artists who came to kill the monsters carried similar beasts.
However, he was also puzzled, "You can smell the traces of Weird Qi?"
"I can't stand that smell," the burly man said bluntly, "Because there's no Spiritual Qi there."
"Your skills aren't very useful in the Weird Domain, are they?" Wu Youren nodded slightly. "That's a pity."
"It would be very convenient for me to pursue you," the burly man immediately retorted.
Clearly, he didn't like being looked down upon. "All those traps you set didn't work on me; I avoided them all!"
There was a reason why Wu Youren lowered his guard: he had passed by several checkpoints.
If the other side really keeps chasing after you, they will definitely trigger a trap.
Whether a trap can actually trap someone is hard to say, but the authorities that are supposed to issue an alarm should at least give a warning!
However, he received no warning and never expected that someone would actually follow him.
He nodded, forcing an unnatural smile. "So, my mechanism?"
"They're all here," the burly man replied readily. " The Teli Tribe wouldn't do anything trivial."
As Barbarian Tribe, they would never have any sense of social responsibility.
Why bother destroying it if they can get around it?
Analyzing the mechanism would take a lot of effort, and destroying it would also require considerable effort, while simultaneously offending the person in charge of the mechanism.
As for the benefits, they only benefit outsiders. Did he go through all that trouble for nothing?
Wu Youren nodded. "A very practical attitude towards life, I like it."
"I'm glad you like it," the burly man nodded, a genuine smile appearing on his face. "Friend, you haven't signed with a franchise, have you?"
This question is a bit beyond the scope of the curriculum— Wu Youren genuinely didn't understand it; these Barbarian Tribe knew more about the Liang than he did!
However, he couldn't ask directly, so he could only probe indirectly, "Don't underestimate me. At my age, do you think others can't see me?"
arrive?"
"Precisely because you're young," the burly man replied without hesitation, "Anyone who signs you will need at least two or three Knight to protect them."
"I see!" Wu Youren nodded. "Perhaps the Knight protecting me is quite far away."
"Come on," the bald man—or rather, the hairless woman—couldn't stand it anymore, "Even if someone signs you up, do you think you can get into Red Pine?"
"You'll definitely go straight to either Great Liang or Tianjing Martial Academy!"
These two Martial Academy are the only two high-ranking Martial Academy in the entire Liang.
Red Pine has indeed produced Ability User, more than just one or two, but these two high-ranking Martial Academy have produced far more Ability User.
"This matter—" Wu Youren hesitated for a moment, then said with a hint of embarrassment, "Okay, you're absolutely right."
Then, with a serious expression, he said, "My Lineage has offended someone we shouldn't have, so please don't pry into the details, okay?"
"Brother, you're wrong about that," the burly man said, reaching out his hairy hand to pat the other man's shoulder.
However, seeing the other person's wary expression, his hand froze in mid-air.
He withdrew his hand, pretending to scratch his beard haphazardly. "You messed with someone you shouldn't have? Who was it? Tell me!"
Wu Youren could understand why the other party was so enthusiastic— Ability User were truly rare.
Six months ago, when he and Luo Xi were sheltering from the rain on a mountain road, someone wanted to invest in his angel round.
However, he still shook his head, "No need, really. The waters in Tianjing are very deep; the Teli Tribe can't afford to get involved."
"Then we can take you back to your tribe," the hairless woman said. "You can then focus on your journey to becoming a full-fledged Ability User."
"Don't worry about resources, Teli will take care of everything!"
Women are not only decisive, but also insightful; basically, anyone can think of such things.
At this age, it's impossible for him to be a true Ability User. Even if he's Ability User Apprentice, he's still a genius among geniuses.
Similarly, as long as such a genius doesn't perish, advancing to the level of Ability User is only a matter of time!
"Thank you," Wu Youren said casually, "My rival is quite powerful, so it's best if we keep our distance."
The woman paused for a moment, then laughed. "Talking about strength with Teli? Hah, our tribe alone has over ten thousand Knight!"
You can't believe everything you hear! Wu Youren knew perfectly well that in the underworld, everyone boasts a bit.
Even if we exaggerate it tenfold, having over a thousand Knight is still pretty impressive, isn't it?
A look of curiosity crossed his face. "How many Great Knight are there?"
"Over a hundred," the burly man answered quickly, "Not many, but their fighting strength is very high."
"Do you think I believe it or not?" Wu Youren nodded calmly. "That's indeed impressive. Is their combat strength really stronger than the Great Knight of Liang?"
"Of course," the burly man replied without hesitation, "Martial arts duels between warriors from Liang are fine, but battlefield combat—uh, never mind."
His words came to an abrupt halt because the hairless woman glared at him.
Then he realized that it seemed a bit inappropriate to belittle a martial artist in front of the students of the Liang Martial Academy.
In the past, Barbarian Tribe tribes often spoke like this when they gathered together, but now that the environment has changed, they do need to be more careful.
Wu Youren didn't mind the other person's hesitation and casually started talking about other things.
He wasn't proactive in speaking, his words were disjointed and he didn't seem very enthusiastic.
However, at the same time, he was genuinely curious about the Barbarian Tribe, as this was a very rare opportunity to gather information.
He was mainly talking to burly men, and they spoke quite directly, rarely beating around the bush.
The hairless woman would only occasionally speak up to offer a hint when he used inappropriate language.
This shows that the latter has a higher status.
During the exchange, the burly man's attempt to win him over was as obvious as it could be.
Even if Wu Youren doesn't respond or deliberately changes the subject, he will still insist on bringing the topic back.
Finally, Wu Youren couldn't take it anymore and said, "Does your Teli Tribe really need Ability User?"
"We don't lack those," the burly man said without hesitation, "But aren't more Ability User always better?"
"The main problem is the lack of resources," the hairless woman suddenly interjected.
She stated casually, "Those with the Ability User are very difficult for us to retain."
Wu Youren rolled his eyes. "Couldn't you two at least agree on what to say before you start talking?"
He knew that the Barbarian Tribe were ignorant and backward, but that didn't mean they were necessarily honest and reliable.
But it's one thing for the seemingly reckless, burly man to speak so incoherently, but why is this woman the same way?
Chapter 113 Turning Against Each Other (Second Update)
As if hearing Wu Youren's innermost thoughts, the woman asked in a deep voice, "Do you know who mainly controls these Resentment Qi Crystal?"
Wu Youren shook his head blankly, "I don't know, I've never thought about that."
His appearance is deceptive in revealing his age; it's perfectly normal for young people not to think things through.
Even now, he didn't show much interest in this topic. "Are there no Weird Race around your territory?"
None of you are Liang, so you can't just wait for the government to distribute the Resentment Qi Crystal. Why don't you take matters into your own hands?
"That's all I wanted to say," the woman said calmly.
" The Weird Race certainly exists, but if we find Resentment Qi Crystal —or other ghostly creatures—we must hand them over to the Great Liang."
"So that's how it is," Wu Youren nodded, looking as if he had just realized something.
It's quite normal that the Liang were warlike, plundering, and oppressed the surrounding small tribes.
Having come this far, there were some questions he simply had to ask, otherwise it would be too abnormal.
"So you're saying you'll provide cultivation resources—are you kidding me?"
"Things are different now!" the burly man quickly replied, "We no longer have to hand them in."
Wu Youren looked at him speechlessly. "Don't you have any idea what kind of image you have in other people's eyes?"
"Shut up," even the hairless woman couldn't stand this guy anymore—did he think this boy was as brainless as she was?
She stated calmly, "Not much is being handed over anymore. Our warriors come to Liang to kill monsters, and the spoils are theirs."
Wu Youren couldn't help but nod, muttering softly, "That makes more sense."
Seeing that he had finally softened his tone, the woman seized the opportunity to ask, "At your age, isn't it a waste of your talent to work so hard killing monsters on your own?"
Wu Youren remained silent for a long time before finally asking, "Such a heavy promise, in your Teli Tribe, can the Knight make that decision?"
"Her identity is no ordinary one," the burly man surprisingly spoke up again, "If you don't believe me, you can go and see for yourself at the Teli Tribe."
"If we can't do it, you can leave anytime."
"Hmm... I'll think about it," Wu Youren finally said, leaving himself an opening.
By the time they finished chatting, his meal was ready, so he invited the two of them to eat together.
The two of them didn't stand on ceremony. The other party had prepared the meal beforehand, and since the three of them were eating together, there was no way the food would be a problem.
Then, more earthworm meat was placed in the stone pot, and soon a muddy smell wafted out.
However, the taste doesn't really affect my appetite.
While eating, Wu Youren mumbled, "This earthworm meat—the flavor isn't as pungent as I expected."
"It's been specially treated," the burly man replied, chewing his food. "That's the Teli Tribe's forte; other tribes can't do it!"
Food meant for one person was eaten by three, and it was completely devoured in just a few minutes.
Although the two Knight had been trying their best to win over Wu Youren, they were also very wary of him.
After all, it's the middle of nowhere, and strangers meet there. Who knows what kind of person the other is?
After the two shared the boy's food, they visibly relaxed and waited for the earthworm meat to soften.
Wu Youren stretched and casually asked, "You move around in the Weird Qi, your aura is extremely weak—can I learn that?"
"It's something you develop over time, like my nose," the burly man replied casually. "You can try to learn, but I'm afraid you won't be able to."
"Don't listen to him," the hairless woman spoke again, "There's a secret to concealing your presence—you!"
She thought the relationship between the two had eased, but to her surprise, after the boy stretched, a long knife suddenly appeared in his hand.
He swung his sword backhand, aiming directly at the burly man with incredible speed.
With a flash of light, the burly man was cleaved diagonally in two.
Immediately afterwards, a gleaming blade flashed back, and the burly man's massive head fell to the ground.
The man's wide-open eyes were filled with bewilderment—why did they suddenly start attacking after all that talking?
The hairless woman was terrified at the sight and retreated abruptly, shouting, "We have members of our tribe—"
She was also Knight, but the opponent could kill her companion with a single strike, clearly indicating she was more than just Knight Apprentice.
The boy had awakened supernatural abilities, but this strike did not demonstrate them.
The woman noticed that as the other person swung their sword, a blade of light swept out—a skill only Knight could possess.
At such a young age, he's not just Ability User Apprentice, but also Knight?
She was of higher status than the burly man, but slightly weaker. The burly man was both her fighting partner and her bodyguard.
The woman didn't understand why the other person had suddenly turned hostile, but there was no doubt that she needed to leave as quickly as possible.
Even though the surrounding area was filled with Weird Qi, it was clear that the opponent was more dangerous than the Weird Race!
Even so, she still had to consider the influence of the Weird Qi, so she couldn't fight with completely unrestrained and powerful attacks.
This causes her mindset to be somewhat affected when she's dodging.
At the same time, Wu Youren completely ignored her threat and stabbed her again.
A white blade of energy emanated from the blade and swept towards the opponent's left side.
"He really is Knight!" The woman gritted her teeth and quickly dodged to the right. "Wait—wait, something's not right!"
The first thing she noticed was that the opponent's sword aura didn't seem to be a pure Knight's aura; there was something unusual about it.
However, before she could analyze the situation, a large net descended from the sky, completely covering her.
This is the second mistake.
The woman was instantly stunned. She had heard from her companions that the boy knew how to set up traps, but she only had a general understanding of it.
The burly man didn't destroy the traps; instead, he led her around them, and she didn't find anything wrong with it.
But once she took action, she realized just how dangerous the trap her companions had led her around was.
The woman reacted quickly, drawing a short knife from her waist and slashing at the large net beside her.
The dagger was extremely sharp, but ultimately it was too late.
Even though she chose a short weapon, the large net had already been cast over her, hindering her movements.
Her right elbow struck the net and was then blocked.
The large net was completely empty, unaffected by the Battle Qi, yet it blocked the speed and power of her sword strike!
Life and death on the battlefield often hinge on the slightest reaction.
If she had been highly vigilant about any potential traps beforehand, even a fraction of a second faster—
I can't say for sure that we can avoid it, but at the very least, there's a certain chance.
At this moment, she felt extremely regretful: her companion had reminded her so many times, how could she have forgotten this detail?
However, now was not the time for self-pity, and she quickly adjusted her mindset.
She was now completely wrapped in the net, and without the aid of a sharp blade, even Knight would have no choice but to surrender.
The woman stopped thinking about those trivial matters, stared at the boy outside the net, and slowly uttered three words, "Why?"
"The villains die from talking too much, but... it's really enjoyable," Wu Youren muttered softly.
Then he raised his eyelids and looked at the other person calmly, "For no reason other than your dissatisfaction with Great Liang, and you shouldn't have tried to take me away."
The woman, who originally had no hair, was now tightly bound by a large net, her face distorted, making her look even uglier.
She spoke with a sneer, "Boy, my father is the chief of the Teli Tribe, you—you're doomed!"
She didn't dare say "You're dead," because if she did, she would die first.
"You're the ones who wanted to take me away," Wu Youren replied seriously, "And you even chased after me. I had no choice."
"How many years has Great Liang robbed us?" the woman roared, no longer caring that she was still caught in their web.
"In the end, we didn't steal from you, did we? We even planned to provide you with cultivation resources. There are really no good people in Liang!"
Wu Youren didn't intend to waste time arguing with the other party, but in the end, he couldn't help himself.
At this moment, he really wished he had an ally; going it alone was just too exhausting.
However, the other party harbors great resentment towards Liang, so it's not something that can't be considered.
He spoke calmly, "If I really went to the Teli Tribe, would I be able to leave?"
"Of course," the woman replied without hesitation, "I swear to the God of Wind and Snow, you can leave anytime you're not satisfied."
"Still talking nonsense," Wu Youren shook his head and sighed softly.
He raised his hand and thrust out with his sword, "Isn't Teli Tribe who believes in the Moon God?"
"What Moon God?" The woman roared in anger, her face contorting even more. "You—your knife is a bit dull!"
To be honest, although Wu Youren had trapped his opponent in the net, killing him wasn't actually that easy.
The long knife was very sharp, but its mesh was layered, allowing only sharp objects to pierce through.
He had a longsword, but it was a broadsword, and the tip wasn't sharp enough.
There were plenty of small daggers, but their materials were of poor quality, making it difficult to penetrate the Knight's Battle Qi defense.
The thrust from the longsword was quite powerful, but it didn't draw any blood!
The woman still winced in pain, and only calmed down slightly when she saw the other person put away the long knife.
She didn't know why the boy had turned against her, nor was she sure of her fate—her companion had been killed, presumably because he had tried to steal the crystal.
She just said that she is the chief's daughter.
Among the various Barbarian Tribe tribes, there was a clear hierarchy. If a tribe was defeated, those of higher status could pay a fine to redeem themselves.
Or the other party could detain them and force the tribe to do something—somewhat similar to the Liang detaining hostages from other countries.
It's no wonder she had such a guess; society is just that realistic, where everything is driven by self-interest.
But the woman dared not continue to provoke them. She gasped for breath and painfully reminded the other woman, "I can pay the ransom!"
However, Wu Youren put away his longsword, simply feeling that the weapon was not very useful.
He did not answer the other person, but turned and walked towards the burly man who had been killed.
Seeing him rummaging through the corpse, the woman sensed something was wrong. "Don't do anything rash," she said. "Our tribe doesn't believe in the Moon God."
Wu Youren searched the burly man's body thoroughly and finally found a dagger hidden in the straps binding his calf.
The dagger looked dusty and gray, but when he ran his fingers over it a couple of times, it felt exceptionally sharp.
Seeing this, the woman felt even more uneasy. "He's dead, so be it. He was just a guard. I won't avenge him!"