After avoiding the Ghost-Cry Forest, which can erode Divine Sense and bewitch the mind, dodging the Ghost-Needle Peak where hundreds of ghosts with poisonous stings at their tails are so numerous that even Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot withstand them, and all sorts of other deadly creatures...
The caravan gradually approached the hunting grounds of an Ancient People tribe called the Marsh Lizard Tribe.
The Marsh Lizard Tribe is a small tribe. The Blackwater Marsh where their tribe is located is rich in a type of Blackwater Mystic Lotus. Its lotus seeds have the effect of warding off poison and calming the mind, and it is one of the caravan's targets on this trip.
To avoid being detected, the caravan naturally continued its previous trading style and habits.
Although caravans composed of cultivators have been traveling through the Great Li Mountain for many years, these Ancient People tribes still find it difficult to fully accept these outsiders, only allowing them to trade at one location outside their tribes.
Chen Shuangbai maintained his persona as a guard, watching from afar the incongruous Ancient People dressed in animal skins and various coarse cloths. He took out various rough, unprocessed Great Li Mountain specialties and traded them with the salt bricks, cloth, ironware, pottery and other items brought by the caravan.
In addition, there are corresponding trade items for the Ancient Shaman and Barbarian Warrior in the tribe.
Elixir!
Only elixirs are the universal commodity in the Great Li Mountain!
Neither talismans nor Law Artifact are as effective as elixirs.
Protected by several Barbarian Warrior tattoos gleamed with oil paint, an old man approached, wearing a robe made of colorful feathers and animal hides, his face painted with black and white oil paint, and carrying a bone staff.
The caravan leader took out the pills he had prepared beforehand and traded them with the Ancient Shaman for the Blackwater Mystic Lotus of the Marsh Lizard Tribe.
In front of the caravan, the Ancient Shaman directly selected a bottle of pills, opened it, took out one pill, and handed it to an Ancient People who was being led by Barbarian Warrior in chains, resembling a slave, and made him eat it.
After waiting a short while, and seeing that the slave was still lively and energetic, a satisfied smile finally appeared on the Ancient Shaman's face.
Human trials...
It must be said that it has a very Ancient People style.
Chen Shuangbai also saw clearly that most of the pills traded to the Marsh Lizard Tribe were pills that helped replenish Qi and Blood, and the rest were pills that healed injuries.
Presumably, the former was prepared for Barbarian Warrior, while the latter was used to treat injuries caused by various unexpected situations in daily life.
A mere small amount of pills was exchanged for a large quantity of Lizard Blood Vine, ores, and other mountain specialties from the Marsh Lizard Tribe, in addition to the Blackwater Mystic Lotus. This demonstrates just how much profit a single trip for a caravan can generate!
Taking advantage of the trade, the caravan leader inquired about the recent situation in the mountains from the Marsh Lizard Tribe.
Not long after.
The leader returned cautiously and reported, "My lords, according to the Ancient Shaman of the Marsh Lizard Tribe, every night, mournful cries echo from the Weeping Blood Peak, where the old eagle dwells, accompanied by lightning and thunder. Every now and then, the corpses of Demon Beast fall from the peak, killing countless Ancient People!"
Upon hearing this, the others all nodded.
It seems that the old eagle has indeed been in a bad mood lately.
After leaving the Marsh Lizard Tribe, the caravan continued its journey into the mountains along the ancient forest path.
Along the way, they stopped at several small and two medium-sized tribes to continue selling the various supplies and elixirs they had brought in from outside, and then purchased the specialties of each tribe, finally arriving near the Dark Crow Tribe.
The Dark Crow Tribe uses the black crow as its totem. Within its territory, various dolls decorated with crow feathers can be seen everywhere, either standing on tall trees or planted by lakes.
Various kinds of crows can be seen flying everywhere in the forest. Not long after entering, they were discovered by the Dark Crow Tribe who feed the crows.
After Heiming Xuanzhao revealed his identity, the other party's wary attitude immediately disappeared, and he greeted her with a smile as she entered the tribe.
The core of the Dark Crow Tribe was built in a valley with steep cliffs behind it and a deep, dark pool in front of it.
This valley is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only a few hidden paths leading through it, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Numerous caves of varying sizes have been carved into the towering rock walls. Some are lined with dry grass for crows to live in, while others are inhabited directly by the people of the Dark Crow Tribe.
In the center of the valley stand several of the tallest, clearly meticulously constructed stone and wood buildings.
On the roof of the building, there is an intricate raven totem, with some kind of dark gemstone inlaid in the raven's eyes, faintly glowing in the dim light, exuding an eerie and mysterious aura.
In the very center of the valley stands a towering altar.
Atop the altar stood a massive black stone pillar, its entire surface painted with patterns using oil paints made from various minerals. At its top was a lifelike statue of a black raven, its eyes inlaid with gemstones, giving it a strange and mysterious appearance.
However, as Chen Shuangbai continued towards the center of the valley, he saw many things that could only be found outside, far more than the small or medium-sized tribes he had seen along the way. This showed that the Dark Crow Tribe was indeed quite receptive to the outside world.
The return of Heiming Xuanzhao clearly caused a small stir in the tribe.
Many busy members of the tribe stopped what they were doing and turned to look.
Whether it's curiosity, nostalgia, or surprise...
In conclusion, the joy outweighed the hostility.
Several elderly clansmen even came forward, speaking in a local dialect that Chen Shuangbai and Wei Zheng couldn't understand, and chatted excitedly with Heiming Xuanzhao, occasionally bursting into laughter.
Heiming Xuanzhao greeted the tribespeople in fluent Ancient People language, a long-lost, heartfelt smile appearing on his face.
He pointed to Chen Shuangbai and Wei Zheng, and loudly introduced them in the local dialect, which softened the way the tribesmen looked at the two.
Not long after.
The crowd gradually dispersed, revealing a path leading straight to the tall building in the center, at the end of which stood a tall, elderly man.
The old man was somewhat hunched over, his face was covered with deep wrinkles, and his skin was pale from years of not seeing the sun. He wore a black feather robe, a raven feather crown, and held a staff with a raven skull inlaid at the top. His whole being exuded a somber and obscure aura.
At first glance, it seemed lifeless, yet strangely, it still possessed a certain vitality.
Chen Shuangbai felt a chill run down her spine.
It wasn't that the old man was approaching him with murderous intent, but rather because... some unknown and eerie entity seemed to be attached to the old man, making him feel uncomfortable.
This old man was none other than the high priest of the Dark Crow Tribe.
The high shaman's gaze swept over the three, finally settling on Heiming Xuanzhao. His voice, aged and hoarse, spoke, " Xuanzhao, my child, you have returned."
They weren't speaking the local dialect of Ancient People, but rather the pure official language of the Jing Kingdom.
This shows that the two forces do indeed have contact from time to time.
"Junior Chen Shuangbai ( Wei Zheng ) greets the Great Shaman."
"You've come from afar, so please don't stand on ceremony. Come in with me."
[PS: This is the third update today! Please support me with gifts! Please leave a 5-star review to improve the rating!]