No orc can resist summer; the orcs of the earth will…
"Road construction?" Cangmu Yuya asked in confusion.
He recalled the roads and signs he had seen in the Xia clan and asked Jiang Yunlan curiously, "Why did you suddenly decide to build a road to the mountains?"
However, that kind of road surface was indeed very suitable for orcs who needed to walk on the ground, and also for vehicles. From now on, when they traveled from the mountains to the Xia clan, they would no longer have to worry about getting lost.
“Summer needs a lot of ore, and having roads will shorten the travel time. Moreover, roads leading not only to the mountains but also to other places will be gradually built,” Jiang Yunlan replied.
If Xia wanted to develop, it couldn't remain peacefully on the grasslands forever. Xia needed to become a place that neighboring clans could reach at any time.
Fortunately, many orcs had stayed in Xia during this period, so the tribe had an abundant labor force. Some clans had left half of their people behind for food, clothing, and other supplies. She planned to have her tribesmen lead the orcs to repair the roads.
The orcs of different races who stayed to work in the summer would return to their habitats in groups when the snow season was about to begin, and they could repair roads for more than two seasons.
“Once those roads are repaired, I will set up some inns along the way. Xia will ensure the safety of the inns and will also sell food and water. You can stay in the inns and rest well on your way to the Xia clan.” Jiang Yunlan said with a smile as she looked at the clear sky.
These things will take a long time to complete, but she looks forward to a future where the beastmen come and go, and summer becomes even more lively.
As Aoki Yuya imagined the scene she described, a smile appeared on her lips. "I really hope that day comes soon."
In the sunlight, Jiang Yunlan turned to look at the winged beastman. Her black-gray gradient hair, tied together with a hair tie, fluttered and then settled steadily behind her. Her eyes curved into a smile, her clear, bright black pupils reflecting the world she saw. "I will try my best to make that day come sooner."
“Azurewood, you and the other orcs are going back to the mountains, aren’t you? This time, my people and I will go with you,” she said.
Cangmu Yuya nodded slightly and followed in her footsteps. "Is Lan also going to collect ore this time?"
“Yes. But besides ore, I also want to look for other energy stones in the mountains. Greysia said she would go with me.” She thought of the morning glow and the twenty-one Zephyranthes in her house, and the smile on her face faded, replaced by a hint of distress.
Without consuming energy stones, Zelan cannot become healthy. With so many Zelan in the tribe needing energy stones, she needs to stockpile them for the tribe as soon as possible.
With a sigh of resignation, Jiang Yunlan continued, "Once we've finished searching the mountain range, I should take my people on a long journey. If I find energy stones elsewhere, I'll bring back an extra set for Greysien."
“Graceion”.
As Cangmu Yuya spoke, recalling Long's reactions over the past few days, she paused for two seconds, then hesitated slightly before saying, "I can tell that he prefers to be with his own kind. Zelan. That's what the Earth Beastmen were originally called, right? I've already guessed. He's been going to play with Chaoxia these past few days."
Jiang Yunlan wasn't surprised that he had guessed. If he still hadn't guessed, she would have told him directly. Zhaoxia had said that he was willing to reveal his identity, hoping that other Zhelan who knew of Xia's existence could find him.
Summer will be Zelan's second habitat. This is what the dawn of summer has already acknowledged.
Jiang Yunlan pulled her wandering thoughts back and continued walking towards the second training ground, saying, "Last fruit season, you didn't see Aliya and the others in the woods, so you should have realized that they had left the grassland. We went on this long journey to find supplies and also to find them."
“Greysien wants to go with you to find it.” Azure Wood Crow suddenly realized. He could finally understand why the dragon would unusually refuse to eat any orc food and only eat energy stones.
Greysien wants to become stronger because he wants to find the Zerans.
Speaking of this, Jiang Yunlan couldn't help but smile as she recalled the scene of Xiao Qiu being held by Greysien to sense the power of nature. "You guessed right. He's been going to the second training ground every day recently because he wants Xiao Qiu to take over the snowfall for the mountains before he leaves. Although Xiao Qiu doesn't know the Water's Compassionate Rain, she can use Abundant Snow."
"Morning Glow was quite willing to use his power, but he was forbidden by Greysien. After that, the creature that used the power of nature in the mountains was probably Little Chirp."
As Cangmu Yuya listened to Lan's explanation, he turned his gaze to the raging dragon in the second training ground and said in a calm tone, "Please let Greysien go with you. 'Guardians' are beings that exist for the purpose of 'protection'. He should go find the Zerans."
Not far ahead, the irritable dragon demonstrated the snow-condensing technique to the giant bird once again, its eyes fixed on the bird that always managed to turn snow into ice.
“Graceion”.
Upon hearing the winged beastman call his name, the dragon's expression instantly brightened. Dragging his tail, he ran happily towards the Azure Feathered Crow, leaving his good-for-nothing student behind.
The teaching session at the second training field has temporarily come to an end. Zhaoxia walked over to Xiaojiu and comforted the dejected child.
As the bird's body evolved, so did its mind. It gained a sliver of intelligence, and could tell that Greysien would occasionally look at it with the same eyes one would use to look at rotten wood.
The large bird on one side sought solace against the morning glow, while Graysien on the other side had selectively forgotten about the bird behind him. He looked curiously at the Azure Wood Crow, then at the Storm, and asked in bewilderment, "Why did you come looking for me?"
“Greysion. Today is the day to return to the mountains. Have you forgotten the time again?” Azure Wood Raven said, reaching out to him and taking the paw that was offered.
Jiang Yunlan stood beside them and called out to the two little ones not far away, "Zhaoxia, Xiaojiu, come here quickly. We should set off."
The morning glow responded, pushing the grumpy bird toward the mist.
The grand procession emerged from Xia's habitat.
Jiang Yunlan equipped her team with plenty of dry rations and brought enough combat strength. She planned to cross the mountains and explore the area beyond.
The winged beastmen and honey butterfly beastmen in the team took on most of the reconnaissance tasks.
When Jiang Yunlan saw the Honey Butterfly Beastman's outstretched wings, she was completely stunned. She finally realized that what she thought were Bee Beastmen were actually Honey Butterfly Beastmen. She couldn't help but feel fortunate that since she met the Honey Butterfly Beastmen, she had always called them in the Beastman language and had never used the Chinese term "Bee Beastman" to refer to them.
Great, no orc knows she mistook the Honey Butterfly orc's beast form.
With nothing to do on their journey, the beastmen would chat from time to time to pass the time. The story of how the Xia clan had wiped out the beast tide in the previous fruit season became the first thing the Xia beastmen told.
The orcs in the mountains listened as a group of Xia clan orcs recounted how they used the traps and strategies taught to them by Lan to slaughter the wild beasts, and how they charged into battle, killing a beast with a single claw.
Their words were vivid and evocative, and the orcs in the mountains were excited, repeatedly asking, "And then? And then?"
The Xia orc, eagerly questioned by the other orcs, recounted the entire story with satisfaction—a story shared by all the Xia clan orcs. They did not forget the warriors who had fallen on the battlefield.
Upon hearing the final words, the orcs of the mountains were shocked to learn that they had only lost 34 members of their tribe. Such a small death toll meant that the Xia clan had become powerful enough to settle in one place for a long time, unlike them, who had to wander the continent once they detected signs of an impending beast tide.
The orcs of Xia do not need to migrate due to the beast tides.
This realization resonated with all the orcs in the mountain range. They were stunned for a long time before slowly uttering, "If only we didn't have to leave the mountains."
Many of the orc clans in the mountain range are stubborn. No matter how many times they migrate, they will always return to the mountains after the disaster.
Along with the winged beastmen and other mountain beastmen, they couldn't help but speak up: "If only the Xia clan had originally settled in the mountains. If the Xia clan were a mountain clan, we would definitely have become Xia's beastmen, just like the original clans in the grasslands."
But they will not become the beastmen of summer, because they do not want to leave the mountains for the grasslands.
The Xia clan's orcs, who had been poaching orcs from other clans, perked up their ears, wagged their tails, and approached them with a blatant, enticing smile, saying, "Although our clan initially settled in the grasslands, Lan said that our clan's habitat will expand to other places in the future."
"The mountains will also be our place of settlement. Even if you don't want to leave the mountains, you can become Xia's beastmen." Gray Creek and the other beastmen blinked, smiled, and suddenly extended an invitation.
The orcs, including Cangmu Yuya, were surprised and instinctively turned to look at Lan, who was sitting in the carriage.
Sensing the intense gazes around her, Jiang Yunlan looked back at them and said with a bright smile, "My people are right. Once the road from the grassland to the mountains is completed, Xia will build a second settlement in the mountains."
"If possible, would you like to become one of my people?" she asked the beastmen of the mountains with a smile, her words sincere and her gaze earnest.
The Honey Butterfly Beastmen, Mountain Deer Beastmen, and the rest of the beastmen fell silent, then smiled shyly after several seconds. They met Lan's gaze with bright eyes and said excitedly, "Lan! Don't worry, once we get back to our tribe, we'll bring our chieftain over to find you!"
Xia is the clan that can wipe out the beast tide, and it's the clan ruled by the wise Lan! Getting close to Xia means getting away from hunger, cold, and death.
No orc could resist summer.
They couldn't, and neither could the winged beastmen. Back in the last harvest season, when Cangmu Yuya arrived at the Xia clan, he understood one thing: the Xia clan would become the most powerful clan on the continent. He knew that sooner or later, Xia would not be content with merely living peacefully on the grasslands.
This day came sooner than he had imagined. Aoki Yuya sighed inwardly, accepting it with equanimity.
He looked at his people, nodded, and together they said, "Please let us join the Xia clan."
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