Chapter 82

(Chapter 4, thank you...)

*Knock knock knock...*

Chen Xun heard someone knocking at the door outside the courtyard, unsure of what had happened.

Zuo Qiu and Gu Jianfeng insisted he live alone in a courtyard to avoid being disturbed during his cultivation. If there was nothing important, no one would come to disturb his cultivation.

Now that someone was knocking on the door, it must be something that required his attention.

Chen Xun lit the Frost Blade Technique, placed it in the fire basin, and watched the silk book turn to ashes in the blazing flames. With a mix of complex emotions, he stood up, fastened the Frost Blade to his waist, and pushed the door open to step out of the study.

Perhaps hearing him leave the study, Zong Ling, with an excited look, pushed the door and walked into the courtyard, saying, "People from the Northern Mountains have come, and Grandpa has also arrived..."

It had been over a month since the grand ceremony, and by now, the Northern Mountain tribes should have sent someone over.

Chen Xun didn't expect his grandfather Zong Tu to personally come to Canglan City, but he was extremely happy. He and Zong Ling hurried to the front courtyard, where, in the hall, besides his grandfather Zong Tu and Zong Sang, there were also Gu Hu and Gu Chen from the Black Mountain tribe, along with several other imposing men, none of whom were weaker than Zong Sang. They must be other powerful warriors from the Northern Mountain tribes.

Chen Xun didn't expect his grandfather to come to Canglan with other strong warriors from the Northern Mountain tribes, thinking that the possibility of the Northern Mountain tribes abandoning their grudges and uniting was indeed hopeful.

"Grandpa..." Chen Xun called out happily.

He walked to his grandfather Zong Tu and Zong Sang, and Nan Xi made room for him.

Chen Xun sat down, holding his grandfather Zong Tu's thin hand. Seeing everyone in good spirits, he knew that the Northern Mountains had been peaceful recently, and there was nothing to worry about. He said,

"I didn't expect you to come in person, Grandpa. Was the journey okay?"

"We brought a batch of goods and came with a merchant caravan, paying the Su family for protection. Do you think the Ghost Xi tribe would dare to attack us?" Zong Sang laughed, affectionately putting his arm around Chen Xun's shoulder, and said, "You little rascal, your cultivation has improved again. I heard that you alone made the Ghost Xi tribe's leader and hundreds of their disciples run away in fear?"

Although only forty to fifty of the Northern Mountain tribes' young men ultimately entered Canglan City, the others didn't all die on the way.

Many of the young men withdrew halfway, and the deeds of Chen Xun and his companions had already spread throughout the Northern Mountains.

"Thanks to the help of Jianfeng and Zuo Qiu, I was able to capture Lou Shiyi. The hundreds of them running away in fear is a bit exaggerated. If Lou Shiyi hadn't underestimated us, we might have been the ones running away..." Chen Xun laughed.

Everyone laughed heartily, feeling a warm and friendly atmosphere, without any sense of distance despite Chen Xun's young age and the fact that they didn't know each other well.

Chen Xun was telling the truth. If it weren't for Gu Jianfeng and Zuo Qiu, even if he dared to use the Reverse Scale technique, the outcome would have been that the Ghost Xi tribe's disciples would have taken the heavily injured Lou Shiyi back and then dismembered him with a thousand blades.

"I had selfish thoughts and almost got Jianfeng and the others killed. I had no face to live in this world. After Gu Fu's death, I suffered day and night. Today, I came to Canglan City with a thick face, just to thank you for saving the Black Mountain tribe..."

Gu Chen, sitting on a low table, straightened his back and bowed deeply to Chen Xun. Seeing Chen Xun's youthful face, he felt both regret and shame.

Chen Xun quickly bowed in return, indicating that he didn't dare to accept such a grand gesture, and said emotionally, "I consider Jianfeng like a brother. On the journey, Zong Ya, Zong Ling, and Nan Xi were all taken care of by him, and we managed to turn danger into safety. I don't deserve such a grand gesture from Uncle Gu..."

When he first went to the Black Mountain tribe hoping for an alliance, Gu Chen had obstructed him in every way, and Chen Xun had been frustrated by his narrow-mindedness.

Gu Chen said he had selfish thoughts, and Chen Xun guessed that he probably hoped his only son, Gu Fu, would have a chance to enter Canglan Academy.

Gu Fu and the other seven Black Mountain disciples were all killed by Lou Shiyi and his group on the way, which was a cruel enough punishment for Gu Chen.

Even if Chen Xun still harbored resentment towards Gu Chen, for the sake of the alliance between the Black Mountain and the Black Python, he wouldn't show it on his face.

Chen Xun continued, "I was framed by villains and expelled from Canglan Academy. This time, I also involved Jianfeng and the others. To be honest, I feel guilty towards the Black Mountain..."

"How can this be your fault?" Gu Hu said.

After learning the truth, Gu Hu and the others realized that their understanding of the dangers of the trial journey was too shallow. The fact that Jianfeng and the others survived was already a stroke of luck.

Moreover, Jianfeng had broken through to the seventh level of Blood Change and obtained a Vajra Mystic Armor. Even if he couldn't enter Canglan Academy, what he gained was already far more than they had imagined.

"This is Zuo Chonggu, the chief of the Left Jie tribe..." Zong Tu introduced a tall and imposing man to Chen Xun.

"Chen Xun greets Lord Zuo." Chen Xun saw that Zuo Chonggu was about forty years old, also at the peak of the ninth level of the Savage Warrior, but his aura was more restrained, reaching the realm of returning to simplicity, just one step away from entering the Rebirth stage.

He carried a black giant sword on his back, with a faint spiritual aura, and Chen Xun was surprised to find that it was also a rune sword.

Zuo Chonggu was Qianlan's father and Zuo Qiu's uncle.

Qianlan's entry into the inner courtyard of the academy and becoming a purple-clothed disciple meant that regardless of whether Zuo Chonggu could enter the Rebirth stage, his and the Left Jie tribe's status in Canglan would rise.

However, Zuo Chonggu knew that the survival of forty to fifty disciples from the Northern Mountain tribes and Qianlan's entry into the inner courtyard of the academy were all thanks to this young man.

He had previously thought it was a stroke of luck, but now, looking at the young man sitting sideways, with a restrained and solid aura like a rock in water, he felt that perhaps it wasn't just luck.

**************

After Zong Tu and the others entered the city, it was already dusk. After the clan members unloaded the furs, herbs, and other goods into the courtyard, it was already dark.

Zuo Qiu had already bought cattle and sheep, which were roasted on iron racks in the courtyard, sprinkled with green salt and spices, emitting a fragrant aroma.

Everyone drank turbid grain wine, laughing and chatting, and didn't disperse until the moon was high in the sky.

Although the courtyard already housed forty to fifty young men, with the arrival of the Northern Mountain tribes, all of whom were elders, it would be inappropriate to stay in an inn, so they all squeezed into the courtyard.

Zong Ya, Zong Ling, and Nan Xi also specially vacated their rooms and moved to Chen Xun's courtyard with Grandpa Zong Tu and Zong Sang and other Black Python clan members.

Zong Tu also brought the young leopard to Canglan City for Chen Xun.

When they left the Black Python, Zong Ya, Zong Ling, and Nan Xi had taken the Nine Yuan Nourishing Aperture Pill, restarting the soul sacrifice, and absorbed a lot of soul energy from the young leopard.

After that, the young leopard fell into a deep sleep, waking up twice, eating only one or two Black Python pills before falling back asleep.

Others couldn't see anything unusual about this young leopard with its sky-blue fur, but Zong Tu, who presided over the soul sacrifice, knew that this young leopard, born only one or two months ago, with even some congenital deficiencies, had a soul strong enough to support a soul sacrifice, and its bloodline was truly extraordinary.

Chen Xun put the young leopard on the bed, letting it continue to sleep, and then discussed serious matters with his grandfather and the others.

The Canglan wilderness spans three to four thousand miles, with three to five thousand tribes of various sizes. The Python Tooth Ridge and its surroundings are just a small part of it.

Although the Su family is the dominant force in Canglan, with a status akin to royalty, they are not officially appointed by the Xi Wu Dynasty, so they do not have formal rule over the tribes in the Canglan wilderness.

The tribes, both openly and secretly, recognize the Su family as their leader, but internal and inter-tribal affairs and disputes are not controlled by the Su family.

The Su family has just extended its reach to the north of the Python Tooth Ridge, and the Ghost Xi tribe, intimidated by the Su family's power, has become more restrained, but it remains a threat to the Northern Mountain tribes.

Some tribes still had illusions, but after nearly a thousand tribal young men were brutally killed by the Ghost Xi tribe, everyone realized the situation.

Zong Tu and Zong Sang came this time to discuss the alliance of the nine tribes with Gu Hu, Zuo Chonggu, and others.

Although the Northern Mountain tribes are not officially part of the Su family's territory, everyone knows that the nine tribes need the Su family's approval to form an alliance.

The nine tribes, with a population of three to five thousand, have no Rebirth stage or higher Heavenly Savage warriors, so they are far from being able to match the Ghost Xi tribe in terms of absolute strength. They need the Su family's power to restrain the Ghost Xi tribe.

None of them have the right to directly meet the true leaders of the Su family, but the Su family's Northern Wilderness and Python Tooth Ridge tribal affairs are handled by the Su Wu Wei Mansion.

As long as the Su Wu Wei Mansion recognizes the alliance of the nine tribes, it can make the Ghost Xi tribe wary.

"The Su Wu Wei Mansion is currently managed by Su Quan and Su Qingfeng, handling internal and external affairs," Chen Xun said in the courtyard, sharing what he knew with Grandpa Zong Tu. "The Ghost Xi tribe is nominally under Su Qingfeng's command, but after this trial, I see that they are very close to Su Quan in the Su Wu Wei Mansion. For the Left Jie, Black Mountain, Black Python, and other nine tribes to form an alliance, gaining Su Qingfeng's support is crucial. Su Qingfeng is not easy to meet, but you can still visit Ge Yi..."

"This matter should be led by the Left Jie tribe, and we are not in a hurry," Zong Tu said.

Chen Xun nodded. The Left Jie tribe not only has a large population but more importantly, Qianlan has entered the inner courtyard of the academy.

As a purple-clothed disciple, Qianlan's status is higher than ordinary enforcers and guest scholars, and she may even advance to the Heavenly Yuan stage in the future.

The Left Jie tribe, although currently insignificant among the thousands of tribes in Canglan, is worth courting due to Qianlan's presence.

The nine tribes' alliance should be led by the Left Jie tribe, and the Black Python should not appear too eager. Everything should happen naturally.

"I was expelled from the academy, and I also caused Zong Ling and Nan Xi to be expelled," Chen Xun said, feeling apologetic about the situation.

"Don't say that, it's too formal," Zong Tu shook his head and smiled. "Zong Ling and Nan Xi are still young. They will return to the village this time to focus on cultivation. In three years, they might have another chance to enter the academy. Zong Ya will stay in Canglan City to handle some miscellaneous affairs..."

Chen Xun listened quietly as Zong Tu continued:

The Black Python tribe has only a thousand members, and its strength is too weak. Participating in the nine tribes' alliance is mainly to maintain peace with neighboring tribes and gain more time to rest and recover. They will also use trade routes to obtain essential resources for the disciples' cultivation.

The grand ceremony caused a stir, and almost everyone in the Canglan wilderness knows that he is only a guest of the Black Python and not a member of the tribe. In the future, he will need to establish his own clan.

He needs to focus more on cultivation and cannot take on the affairs of the Black Python in Canglan City.

However, the Black Python has three upper-level Savage Warriors: Grandpa, Zong Sang, and Nan Liao. One of them could be sent to Canglan City to oversee affairs, rather than putting all the responsibility on Zong Ya.

In front of Grandpa Zong Tu and Zong Sang, there was no need to hide any questions, so Chen Xun asked directly, "Wouldn't it be better to have Zong Sang or Uncle Nan Liao come to Canglan City?"

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