Chapter 517: Clan Territory, Death List (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Gong Xilai knew her sworn brother was very powerful, but she didn't have a concrete idea of ​​just how powerful. She only breathed a sigh of relief when Gong Xichou returned looking refreshed and invigorated; it seemed he hadn't lost. She hurriedly went forward: "Brother, are you injured?"

Gong Xichou grinned.

I hadn't even noticed it until she mentioned it.

He did suffer a minor injury, but compared to the young man surnamed Xun, it was merely a trivial scratch. A few cycles of circulating martial energy would leave not even a bruise.

He slapped his breastplate loudly: "I'm not injured."

Gong Xilai then asked, "Where...where is that person?"

Gong Xiqiu turned his head towards the direction from which the young man surnamed Xun had come, and said casually, "Him? Ha, of course I spared his life. After he grows up for a few years, perhaps he can give me some thrills. Right now, he's still a tender seedling."

There's no sense of accomplishment in killing them.

Gong Xilai: "..."

At first glance, her sworn brother's words seemed reasonable, but upon closer listening, something felt off. She blinked and saw a young man with a bruised and swollen face, covered in blood, slowly approaching—

Upon hearing Gong Xichou's words, the other party's face darkened.

They were silenced by the brutal force of the fist.

Gong Xichou gestured towards his personal guards and gave orders: "Go, take inventory of the belongings, and return to the clan's territory before dark."

Seeing that most of his guards were injured, Gongxi Chou unceremoniously ordered the young man surnamed Xun to allocate men to help with the transport. The latter glared at him, seemingly displeased, but could only suppress his anger. After all, the local bully couldn't control this powerful dragon that had descended from the sky.

Gong Xilai's eyes were filled with envy.

Having ability is really good.

Before Gong Xichou arrived, dozens of people were being held captive here, and whether they could pay to avoid trouble depended on the host's mood. After Gong Xichou arrived, he treated the host's people as his own. This extreme contrast made her feel both relieved and somewhat saddened.

"What are you looking at, A-Lai?" Martial arts practitioners have keen senses, and Gong Xilai's gaze was too intense to ignore.

"I was thinking how impressive my brother was today."

Gong Xichou thought it was something else, and said with a matter-of-fact pride, "I am always very powerful."

Gong Xilai: "..."

Yang Ying couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Gong Xichou looked bewildered: "Did I say something wrong?"

That's right, it's just too honest.

Gong Xilai said with regret and longing, "I also want to be this powerful, instead of relying on my brother to show off—it's better to have what others have than what you don't. My brother can't always arrive in time. If we had encountered someone who was lustful this time, he would have been killed long ago."

She spoke very softly.

But which of the brave warriors present couldn't hear it?

Yang Ying was close by and could hear it clearly.

A sorrowful heart, a melancholy expression on her face.

These were Gong Xilai's true feelings, and weren't they also her wishes? Gong Xilai was fortunate to have a sworn brother who protected her; as long as Gong Xichou didn't fall, she could always rely on him. But her father, who had protected her, had already died tragically in Xiaocheng.

She survived the chaos of war by sheer luck, which accounted for 99% of her survival. If, if only she had the ability, she could have at least done her part, if not fight alongside her father, to be a pillar of support for her blood relatives. Her father is gone, but she remains!

Gong Xichou muttered to himself, "This is getting a bit difficult..."

Upon hearing this, Gong Xilai's eyes lit up, and he grabbed the man's arm guard: "A bit difficult? That means there's still a chance?"

Because of Gong Xichou's power, her trust in her sworn brother became somewhat blind, as if he were omnipotent.

Yang Ying also looked over.

Gong Xilai's strength wasn't even enough to tickle him, so he just laughed and said, "Logically, that should be the case, but our ancestors didn't achieve it. The oracle said that yin and yang must be balanced in the world, and there is no way a man can cultivate literature and martial arts while a woman cannot. Besides—our clan has lived in seclusion for over two hundred years, always revering women, and even the deities worshipped in our clan's territory are depicted as women—"

If men were superior to women in a tribe, the Gongxi tribe would not have continued its long-standing matrilineal communal living tradition, nor would it have practiced monogamy. Even when worshipping deities, they would worship male deities, not female deities seated on the altar.

Therefore, women are also capable of studying literature and martial arts.

Isn't Mama a typical example?

As for why others didn't—

The oracle did not say.

But if one Mama appears, another will naturally follow. This shows that in this world, apart from life and death, nothing is absolute.

"...Since I have nothing to do, I'll go back and thoroughly examine the clan records. Perhaps I can find some clues. However, let me be frank, the chances are slim. If not, don't be discouraged. As long as your brother is alive, he will be your support. The martial artists in this world who could take your brother's life—humph, they are either still young or old and frail."

Gong Xichou was very confident in himself.

He may not be the strongest in the world right now, but he's still young, his abilities are rapidly developing, and the golden age of his life has just begun. Even if he's not the strongest now, he will undoubtedly shine brightly on the future stage!

It would be more than enough to shelter a male from the West.

Gong Xilai couldn't contain his excitement; he felt his heart pounding in his throat and couldn't wait to set off.

During their conversation, the young man surnamed Xun had already packed his things. Gong Xichou then instructed him to accompany him on the escort.

"Do you still need an escort?" The young man surnamed Xun treated his injuries briefly, with a cloth strip around his neck and his left arm in a sling.

Given his appearance, it's hard to say whether Gong Xichou needs an escort or he needs protection. For those bandits in Minfeng, anyone who encounters Gong Xichou is like someone who didn't check the almanac before leaving home and is about to meet their maker.

Who knew that a high-level martial arts expert would emerge from such a tiny place as Minfeng? It's already a miracle he didn't cause trouble for others. Gong Xichou retorted, "Why not use it for free?"

The young man surnamed Xun: "..."

They were angry but dared not speak out!

With a dark expression, he helped Gong Xilai and his men drive the twenty carriages, which they had stolen, and now they were returning them just as they had been stolen.

This was Gong Xichou's first time returning home after many years away, and even he, who was usually so open-minded, felt a bit apprehensive about being close to home.

The entrance to the valley of the clan's territory was overgrown with weeds, and the path that the clan had cleared was also submerged by weeds due to the loss of human activity.

The young man surnamed Xun glanced at the valley.

While driving, they chatted casually: "Your surname is Gongxi?"

Gong Xichou was holding his father's urn, feeling grieving.

Hearing this, I temporarily interrupted the building-up of my emotions.

"yes."

The young man surnamed Xun asked again, "When you asked me before whether my surname was Gongxi or Jimo, did you misunderstand that I was a member of the Gongxi clan?"

Gong Xichou lifted his eyelids: "So what if it is?"

The young man surnamed Xun said, "Not good."

His eyesight isn't very good.

Gong Xichou then noticed that the young man knew the way. The path from the valley entrance to the core of the clan's territory was complex, and the original road was still hidden by wild grass, making it very easy for non-clan members to get lost. At several forks in the road, he didn't give directions, and the young man didn't go astray.

The young man denied that he was a member of the Gongxi ethnic group.

This means—

Have you met any other Gongxi people?

The young man replied cryptically, "You could say that, but it's not entirely true."

Gong Xichou became anxious: "What do you mean by 'reluctantly'?"

The young man, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, skillfully steered the carriage with one hand. Seeing Gongxi Chou's anxious expression, he felt a sense of relief. He said unhurriedly, "Because that grandfather and grandson haven't admitted their surnames. I only learned about 'Gongxi' and 'Jimo' by chance from reading the county annals. It said the Gongxi clan was exterminated, with no survivors, but that grandfather and grandson clearly..."

Before he could finish speaking, he cried out.

"If you crush my right arm, you can drive the car!"

Gong Xichou released his grip and asked, "What grandfather and grandson?"

"About two years ago, three people came over, two of whom were a grandfather and grandson dressed like you..." The young man shook his right arm, which had been pinched so hard, and muttered, "That old man was just as unreasonable as you. I've never seen anyone ask for favors like him."

They used some unconventional methods to get the young man to deliver supplies regularly. He was the one who knew the mountain path well back then.

Gong Xichou: "So they're still in their clan's territory?"

It must be!

It must be the elder brother taking his grandson/son back to the ancestral home!

As for why his elder brother, who was thirty-seven or thirty-eight, looked like an old man, he ignored it. There were only three eternal lamps left in the clan: one for the former high priest, one for his elder brother, and the other for himself.

The Hui people must be one of the two!

The young man said, "They're gone. They left a long time ago."

"Gone? When did they leave?"

The young man frowned: "How should I know?"

He didn't care when those unlucky people left.

Seeing that the young man didn't seem to be lying, Gong Xiqiu could only suppress his emotions; the short mountain road felt like an eternity. Finally, before sunset, the group arrived at their clan's territory. Gong Xilai carefully lifted the carriage curtain, only to be met with a desolate landscape. It was unimaginable that this was the paradise Gong Xiqiu had described.

Gongxi Chou ordered his guards to prepare a place where they could stay for the night, while he led Gongxi to the clan's altar. Yang Ying and the young man surnamed Xun also followed. It was clear that the area around the altar had been carefully prepared.

"My brother really came back—"

He suddenly remembered something.

"I'm going to check on the Lamp of Fate. You all wait here."

With a few leaps, he disappeared from sight. It wasn't that he didn't want to take Gongxi with him, but the place where the life lamp was enshrined was a forbidden area of ​​the tribe, and the tribe's rules stipulated that those without a life lamp were not allowed to enter.

He approached the towering statue, which stood several dozen feet tall. The statue was graceful, wearing a veiled hat. Behind the veil, the eyes and brows conveyed the same compassion as always, and a delicate, small mark adorned the temple. The statue's eyes were slightly lowered, and its hands formed a mudra.

Gongxi Chou bowed respectfully.

Take a deep breath and turn the mechanism at the feet of the statue.

A door, about the height of a person, is visible beneath the base of the statue.

The tunnel was illuminated by luminous pearls, leading to a cave with recesses carved into its walls. Each recess held an exquisitely crafted lamp. The cave, which should have been brightly lit, now had only three lamps flickering quietly.

"Three lamps...it really is three lamps..."

Gongxi Chou's heart pounded like a drum.

His father hadn't lied to him after all!

Each life lamp base is engraved with a name.

He found his lamp with ease.

Beside him, another lamp was quietly lit.

Gong Xichou carefully picked up his cup and held it for a while: "How could I have only realized this now—"

If it had been discovered earlier, things might have been different.

Suppressing his grief, he found the lamp holder for Ji Mo Can's life lamp, carefully placed it in his bosom, and then turned his gaze to the lamp representing his elder brother. The flame of that life lamp was strong and bright, meaning that its owner still possessed a tenacious life force. In contrast, the third lamp was much weaker, a sign of aging and entering old age.

It must be that former high priest who had a rebellious streak.

"Brother, I will find you."

He toyed with the flame of the life lamp, the wick's temperature matching that of a human body. He glanced at it intently, then turned and left.

I'm just glad to know that my brother is still alive and well.

He will eventually find the other person.

The most important thing right now is to settle my father's affairs properly and prepare lavish offerings to appease the gods. For the sake of the offerings, please be lenient with my rebellious father.

Perfect timing, we have enough people surnamed Xun, they can work for free.

The young man surnamed Xun: "..."

Ha, who told him to be less skilled?

He endured it!

This work lasted for almost half a month.

The next day, Gongxi Chou buried her father's ashes in the ancestral grave, and Gongxi Lai, as his adopted daughter, also put on mourning clothes. However, she was unaware that the customs of the Gongxi tribe were completely different from those of the outside world. The mourning clothes were taken off before she could even warm them up. Wasn't it necessary to build a hut and observe mourning?

Gong Xichou asked in bewilderment, "What do you mean by building a hut to observe mourning? He has so many clansmen with him, why would he need us to bother him? It's good enough that he didn't say we're bad luck."

His father really had the nerve to say that, so he wasn't going to go looking for trouble.

Gong Xilai: "..."

Unlike the simple funeral, the offerings to the gods were quite varied, with trays of gold and silver jewelry placed on them as he murmured devoutly. Gong Xilai listened intently, his expression growing increasingly awkward. His adoptive father disliked his adoptive brother for bringing bad luck…

There's a reason for that.

Fortunately, it was burned to ashes.

If they were to bury the whole body in the ground, wouldn't they be so angry that they'd lift the coffin up?

The brother and sister temporarily settled in the clan's territory. Unlike their leisurely life, Shen Tang was living in dire straits.

The cause was still Qi Shan and Qi Shan's enemies.

Longwu County, its administrative center was Ruyao.

Qi Shan slammed a scroll in front of her with a snap. Shen Tang looked at the scroll and then at him, her heart pounding.

"What for?" His tone was somewhat hesitant.

Qi Shan gave a forced smile: "My lord, why don't you recruit talents according to this list and give me a quick and easy solution!"

Shen Tang muttered, "...Isn't this like raising a venomous insect..."

In short, this was a "Complete List of Qi Shan's Enemies." Shen Tang's fingers trembled as she opened it. From beginning to end, the book was densely covered with Qi Shan's handwriting. Each character had a brief biography, and Shen Tang trembled as she read each one.

Qi Wu said weakly, "...This...this isn't quite right..."

She discovered that it wasn't herself who was poisoned.

It's clear that praying for good is poisonous!

Is there a single normal person among his enemies?

The information was very detailed, and each person had their own strengths, but they all had one thing in common, which Shen Tang could sum up in one sentence.

[Don't come if you're not tough!]

They're all formidable characters!

Not every one of them was a rip-off for the lord, but every single one of them screamed "expensive," meaning Shen Tang couldn't afford them with her limited resources. She might be tough enough, but her wallet was too soft.

She chuckled awkwardly, "...We...we can't afford to accept them..."

Qi Shan pinched the bridge of her nose.

Good heavens, our lord is actually tempted.

Shen Tang whispered a suggestion: "Yuan Liang, you must have a few friends, right? Some of them aren't that expensive, you can try to win them over."

Qi Shan: "..."

He had a premonition that he would either be tricked to death or die of anger, and in order to delay his death, he decided to do something.

"Yes, my lord's suggestion is excellent."

Qi Shan has many enemies, but also many friends.

However, most of his friends are like-minded people, such as Gu Chi, and under normal circumstances, he really doesn't want to work with them.

But now—

We have no choice but to make a move.

ヾ(ω`)o

I hope the glucose tolerance test goes well tomorrow.

September 8th. I'm taking the day off today. I felt fine in the morning after the glucose tolerance test, but I haven't had much energy in the afternoon and evening (probably because I went out to buy Mid-Autumn Festival gifts in the afternoon and suddenly had a strong appetite, so I ate eight fried buns, which upset my stomach). No update today, but I'll try to update earlier tomorrow (hopefully I can keep this month's author incentive award (._.｀)).

(End of this chapter)