Chen Mu pondered for a moment. Since his mother was not in danger, he should not rush things.
We've only discovered warning runes so far; it's hard to say whether there are other traps waiting for us. Going back and making more thorough preparations before coming back is the best course of action.
After some internal struggle, Chen Mu finally left his mother's residence and went back to his own place first.
The next day, early in the morning, the outside was already packed with people.
Today is not only the day of the tribal competition, but also the day of the Flame Blessing Tribe's annual festival.
In the Wilderness, the annual festival is held a month before winter, but the exact date may vary from tribe to tribe and is usually decided by the village chief.
Although Chen Mu joined the Gu Lineage, he did so as a guest elder, so he was not required to participate in the ancestral worship ceremony; it was entirely up to him to decide.
Chen Mu had no fondness for the ancestors of the Flame Blessing Tribe, so he naturally did not participate in the morning ancestral worship ceremony.
He didn't leave his room until the sun was high in the sky to watch Gu Zi'an's tribal competition.
"Look, look, Young Master Gu is coming on stage."
I hope he wins; that Yuan Tao on the other side is just too annoying!
"That's right, Yuan Tao always acts arrogantly and domineeringly in the tribe because he is strong."
If I were in charge, I should teach the Third Young Master a good lesson and show him his place.
As soon as Chen Mu arrived at the competition venue, he heard some women discussing the match with their companions.
It seems that Gu Zi'an has a good reputation and many supporters in the Flame Blessing Tribe.
He scanned the competition square. On the east side of the square was a huge platform, where dozens of high-ranking members of the Flame Blessing Tribe sat. The chairs in the very center were empty, indicating that the Flame Blessing Tribe chief and other leaders had not yet arrived.
Eight arenas were placed in the center of the square. He had heard Gu Ruoyun tell him about the rules of the tribal competition. Anyone could go up and challenge anyone on the eight arenas until noon. Eight arena masters would then be determined, and these eight masters would fight in pairs to determine the final tribal champion.
Just as Gu Zi'an stepped onto the stage, Chen Mu glanced at him and knew that the person opposite him was no match for Gu Zi'an.
As expected, after the battle began, Gu Zi'an knocked his opponent off the stage in just a few moves.
"Well played!"
"Go for it, Young Master Gu!"
According to Chen Mu's estimation, Gu Zi'an would definitely have no problem making it into the top eight. The Flame Blessing Tribe is not the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion, so it's impossible for it to have as many monstrous geniuses as the Heaven-Questioning Pavilion.
He saw Gu Ruoyun nearby and went over to greet her.
" Ruoyun, do you want to go up too?"
Gu Ruoyun looked at the people fiercely battling on the stage and shook her head helplessly.
"No, I haven't broken through to the Qi Nourishing Realm yet, so there's no point in going up."
The two then watched the game together, occasionally exchanging a few words.
After a while, a handsome man dressed in brocade robes, around thirty years old, walked onto the platform and caught Chen Mu's attention.
" Tuoba Ziying!"
Chen Mu narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them.
The parents will become slaves of the Flame Blessing Tribe, and this Tuoba Ziying is the culprit. Although Chen Mu has never seen True Person, he has seen his portrait countless times.
Gu Ruoyun keenly noticed that Chen Mu's expression was off and followed his gaze.
"Brother Mu, do you know the eldest son of the Tuoba Lineage?"
"Oh, no, I just think he looks kind of annoying."
Gu Ruoyun was taken aback at first, then covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Brother Mu, keep your voice down, don't let anyone else hear you."
Although I don't like him either, the Tuoba Lineage is at the height of its power in the Flame Blessing Tribe. If the Tuoba Lineage hears about this, there could be trouble.
Chen Mu shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
Gu Zi'an was invincible. At first, many people challenged him, but after he defeated seven or eight opponents in a row, very few people dared to challenge him anymore.
Sitting atop the platform, Gu Hongsheng was overjoyed to see Gu Zi'an's victory, his face beaming with excitement.
Noon passed quickly.
"Alright, the top eight in this competition have been determined. Now, all participants will have half an hour to rest."
In half an hour, three consecutive matches will take place to advance to the finals. Please stay tuned.
An elder spoke on the stage, and then the crowd in the square gradually dispersed.
Most people went to eat, Chen Mu was no exception, returning to the Gu residence with Gu Ruoyun.
As for Gu Zi'an, a rest room was set up for him in the square. He was meditating and practicing his internal energy to try to maintain the best condition for the afternoon's battle.
" Ruoyun, I've heard from others that the Flame Blessing Tribe has a very powerful slave general, I think his name is Chen Haoran. Have you heard of him?"
To avoid revealing his identity, Chen Mu had never dared to ask others about his parents directly. Only now, feeling that he had integrated into the community, did he ask Gu Ruoyun in a relaxed tone.
" Chen Haoran? Oh, I've heard my father mention him!"
He is indeed very capable. He was a slave of the Mo Lineage, and in recent years he has helped the Mo Lineage expand their territory and conquer a considerable amount of land.
However, I heard that half a month ago, he led a cavalry unit to provide support at Nether Luo Mountain, and then disappeared without a trace. I don't know if he's still alive.
Gu Ruoyun's words struck Chen Mu like a thunderbolt. He never expected that his father would suffer such a terrible thing after he had only stayed at Black Wind Cliff for a few months.
" Nether Luo Mountain? What kind of place is that?"
"I don't know the specifics, but it's said that the area is filled with eerie winds and a dense Death Qi, and it's rich in minerals and spiritual materials with cold and yin attributes. The Mo Lineage has many businesses there."
Hearing Gu Ruoyun say that, the environment there is indeed similar to Ghost Yin Mountain.
My father also practiced the Acala Heart Sutra, so theoretically the environment there shouldn't have affected his strength. Moreover, the Acala Heart Sutra defense, so the possibility of him being killed is low; he was most likely just trapped.
Thinking this way, Chen Mu felt much more at ease.
"I see. Those commoners spoke of Chen Haoran as if he were a god descended from heaven. I thought he would become an unparalleled figure, but I never expected him to fall so tragically. It's truly a pity."
Chen Mu sighed, his expression somber.
"Brother Mu, don't worry too much. The main reason Chen Haoran ended up like this is because his status was too low."
If he weren't a slave, he could have become a powerful figure in the tribe long ago, and even the chieftain wouldn't be able to order him around at will.
"Brother Mu is now a guest elder of our Gu Lineage, which is a higher status than ordinary clansmen. If Brother Mu can perform meritorious service for our Gu Lineage in the future, our Gu Lineage will definitely not treat you unfairly."
Gu Ruoyun had no doubts. After all, it was only natural for someone like Chen Mu, who had just joined the Flame Blessing Tribe, to be more concerned about news from people outside the tribe.
She thought Chen Mu was worried that she would be used as cannon fodder in the Gu Lineage, just like Chen Haoran was in the Mo Lineage, so she quickly tried to comfort him.
Chen Mu nodded, then another thought suddenly came to his mind.
Her mother was able to live safely in the Flame Blessing Tribe entirely because of her father's merits on the battlefield, but now that her father was gone, what would become of her...?
Thinking about this, he could no longer remain calm.