12dz Chapter 106 The Dark Village
Chapter 106 The Dark Village
Chapter 106 The Dark Village (Please Subscribe)
The eerie wind gradually subsided, and the blue lightning also calmed its fury, moving and flashing like a trapped dragon in the thick black clouds.
Several furtive figures moved cautiously among the ruins, heading towards the area where Lin Jingchu and Song Yu had been "separated." Just as they were about to reach the stone forest...
A calm voice suddenly came from the shadows to the side.
"Hey Baron, how have you been?"
Baron and his group froze abruptly, turning around sharply, their bone weapons aimed directly at the source of the sound.
Lin Jingchu and Song Yu walked slowly out of the shadow of a giant rock, side by side. Their expressions were calm, and although their clothes were covered in dust, they were not in any disheveled state.
Baron's eyes darted around, and he secretly made a hand gesture behind his back, his face instantly lighting up with joy: "Great! You're all alright! That sea ape beast usually sleeps deep inside, but today it somehow swam to the outer edge. The situation was too urgent, so we had to leave first—"
Lin Jingchu remained noncommittal, a hint of lingering fear appearing on his face: "That beast was indeed ferocious and terrifying. Fortunately, it seemed to be attracted by some commotion in the distance and turned away. That's how we narrowly escaped death."
He changed the subject, his expression turning worried: "We don't know when that demonic ape will return. This place is ultimately not safe. We'd better leave as soon as possible."
Song Yu also lowered his head slightly at the opportune moment, gently touching his chest with his hand, revealing a look of exhaustion and lingering fear.
Her delicate figure, coupled with her slightly disheveled yet alluring moon-white dress, immediately caused the men opposite her to stare wide-eyed, their Adam's apples bobbing involuntarily.
Baron quickly composed himself and chuckled twice. "Brother Lin is right! We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's go back to the village! Please follow me, and we'll make sure we get there safely this time." He turned and led the way, walking faster than he had come, eager to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible.
Lin Jingchu and Song Yu exchanged a glance and followed silently.
The group walked in silence for a long time before finally leaving the rocky area. They then crossed a small, desolate gravel plain and finally arrived at a narrow valley.
At the mouth of the valley stands a rough city wall, more than thirty feet high, built of dark boulders.
Outside the city wall, numerous barricades made of thick bone spikes were piled up, behind which stood a tightly closed, heavy hardwood gate. On the city wall, several figures holding spears stood silently on guard, their gazes sweeping the wilderness with vigilance.
As Lin Jingchu and his group approached, the guards on the wall immediately spotted them. One of them shouted, "Chief Baron and his men are back! Open the gate!"
Squeak—
The heavy hardwood door opened a crack with a screeching sound, revealing two burly men wielding bone swords who waved to them from behind.
Baron and the others entered first. Lin Jingchu, holding the Dragon Scale Sword, followed closely behind Song Yu as they passed through the doorway, remaining vigilant.
The village scene came into view. The valley was more spacious than I had imagined. In addition to the stone and wood houses built on the ground, there were many more houses carved into the steep mountain walls on both sides, layer upon layer.
All the houses were low and compact, constructed of a mixture of stone and wood. The villagers, both men and women, wore animal skin clothing; their skin was dark and rough, but they were not thin. Despite the desolation, they did not appear emaciated, suggesting that food was not particularly scarce.
Many villagers stopped what they were doing and stared curiously at Lin Jingchu and Song Yu, especially at their different clothes and demeanor, which attracted a lot of scrutiny, but there was not much obvious wariness or hostility.
"Baron, you're back? Why so fast this time?" A slightly hoarse voice rang out. A gray-haired old man with bulging muscles, almost bursting through his thin animal skin coat, walked towards them.
His gaze was sharp. He first swept over Baron and the others, then landed on the bulging storage bags at Lin Jingchu and Song Yu's waists. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Cultivators who just came from the outside world."
"Elder," Baron stepped forward and bowed, "These two are Brother Lin Jingchu and Miss Song Yu. We met them outside the Stone Forest, which is why we turned back early."
The elder narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Lin Jingchu and Song Yu, lingering for a moment on Lin Jingchu's sword-wielding hand. He slowly spoke, "Now that you two have come here, there is no longer any distinction between cultivators and mortals. I observe that your blood and energy are vigorous, indicating that you have achieved some success in body tempering. Why not join my hunting team? There are currently five hunting teams in the village. With your abilities, you could establish another one and take command of it yourselves. Wouldn't that be wonderful? My external martial arts skills are quite renowned here; I can offer some guidance."
Baron was taken aback, not expecting the Grand Elder to value these two so much, immediately suggesting a leadership position. But he quickly recovered and followed up, saying, "The Grand Elder is recognized as the strongest person in the surrounding villages! A peerless expert capable of single-handedly killing a mid-level Yin Beast! If you two could receive guidance from the Grand Elder, you would definitely be able to establish a more secure foothold here."
The Grand Elder seemed quite pleased with the title "peerless expert," a smug look on his face, and was about to continue his recruitment efforts—
"Elder, you are mistaken." A voice interrupted him. A middle-aged man with a lean face and bright eyes walked slowly with several people.
Baron's expression changed slightly, and he bowed his head, saying, "Second Elder."
The Second Elder bowed slightly to the First Elder, his tone calm yet firm: "First Elder, since you are fellow cultivators, it is only right and proper that you should be under my jurisdiction. The village's protective and water purification arrays both need maintenance and operation, especially the irrigation of the black jade potato fields, which consumes a great deal of water and requires frequent use of the arrays. We are short-handed. These two fellow cultivators should lend me a hand."
The elder's face darkened: "Hmph, it is precisely because of the high use of the magic array that the village's consumption of beast crystals is increasing daily, making hunting even more difficult!"
These two are exceptionally skilled; only by joining the hunting team can we obtain more beast crystals and ensure the village's survival!
The Second Elder said calmly, "If the magic array is not properly maintained, what use are the spoils of the hunting team's hard work? The continued safety of the village is the top priority."
Seeing the two elders at loggerheads, Lin Jingchu spoke up at the opportune moment, cupping his hands and saying, "Elders, my senior sister and I are new to this place and weary from our journey. Could you allow us to settle in for a while before we discuss this further?"
The First Elder glanced at the calm Lin Jingchu, then at the unyielding Second Elder, and snorted, "Very well. Baron, take the two guests to the empty room at the east end to rest. We'll discuss other matters later."
The Second Elder nodded slightly and said no more. He simply said to Lin Jingchu in a gentle voice, "Both of you young friends, please rest well. If you have any questions about cultivator formations or would like to learn more about this place, you are welcome to come to the three-story wooden building on the west side to find me at any time."
After saying that, he turned and left with his men.