The human-faced bird reached the place where it had caught the little two-legs. Huh? Where are the two-legs? Where did they go?
Meng was hiding between the tree branches. When he saw the human-faced bird, he promptly made a loud resounding whistle.
As soon as the human-faced bird heard the whistle, it glanced at the big tree, and soon found a two-legged beast hiding inside.
But this tree’s leaves were so annoying, it’s too big. That two-legged monster shrunk further into the branches when he saw it, even if it dove down it might not succeed pulling him out of the tree.
At the sound of Meng’s whistle, there’s a movement on a small hill nearby. A hole was dug from the inside and a human head peeked out of the hole.
Looking up, Yuan Zhan saw that it was the human-faced bird and his expression turned scary in a flash. He looked back inside, “It’s human-faced bird Jiu Feng! It came back!”
Lie squeezed through the opening, sneaking a head out from Yuan Zhan’s side, “Jiu Feng is the god of Tiangui Mountain, that’s its hunting area, why would it come here?”
“Seems like the slave’s flesh tastes so good that this bird god wants some more.” Yuan Zhan scowled. He had only heard of the famous human-faced bird before, he had never seen it. He saw this bird for the first time two days ago, and only because the little slave was snatched away. The anger and urgency of the moment had exceeded fear, he even chased after the mountain god for so long.
He had gone to tail the big goats and fetched his spear back. He told his companions about what happened when they regrouped and described how the human-faced bird looks to Lie in detail. After hearing it, Lie was really scared for him and seriously told him that the human-faced bird should be Mountain God Jiu Feng. Only then did he know that that was the god of the Tiangui Mountain, an enemy they couldn’t afford to provoke.
“It’s an honour for that child to be so liked by the mountain god. Don’t go out, if it can’t find anyone it’ll leave by itself.” Lie wriggled back inside.
This hole was not dug out by them during these two days. Yuanji warriors often came here to hunt and there was nowhere good to camp for the night, so they directly dug out a cave inside this small hill. The hole was not big, it’s completely packed with eleven people inside. There’s no place for everyone to lie down and sleep, so they could only take turns.
The appearance inside was also quite rough. The walls were peppered with grassroots and some roots were trailing on the ground.
But at least this place could cover them from rain and winds, and meat-eating beasts would not easily find them.
Yesterday because of the heavy rain, all eleven of them had worked together to make the hole a bit bigger. They hadn’t dared to make it too big, they had often expanded too far and made their caves collapse before. Even if this cave was crowded and small, they just have to deal with it. After expanding the cave, they made the gutter on both sides significantly deeper so that rain water that seeped in would flow back out of the cave.
Yuan Zhan stood by the cave entrance clenching his spear. Ever since he came back and told everyone that little slave was caught by mountain god Jiu Feng, no one in the team thought that Yanmo could still be alive. Everyone seemed to accept that the little slave couldn’t have survived it and no one reacted emotionally. Cao Ting and Meng looked somewhat sad, but they didn’t bring up wanting to rescue the boy.
For his tribesmen and companions to react in this way, was just normal. Yuan Zhan knew that even if it was him who was taken by mountain god Jiu Feng, no one would come to rescue him. Firstly, Mount Tiangui was on the northwest of the tribe, the distance was very far away, so no one in their tribe had ever gone there. Secondly, according to Lie, mountain god Jiu Feng was stronger than everyone in their tribe, even a fourth-grade warrior chieftain was not its opponent.
When they see the mountain god, what they can do is not attack, but only avoid and hide from it.
Yuan Zhan also understood this reasoning (principle), but his circumstances made it hard for him to accept. He thirsted for more power, wanting the ability to do what he itches to do.
Lie turned to him, “Zhan!”
Yuan Zhan raised his head.
“Don’t think about that slave of yours again. When we find salt, take some salt to exchange for another slave. If you like Yanshan slaves, you can take some other items and go trade it with the Zhi clan.” Lie also really liked that priest disciple. That kid had a good heart, but in the end, he isn’t a member of their tribe, and a slave to boot. It’s okay even if they lost him, they already had some leads about salt.
Yuan Zhan kept telling the same thing to himself, but…… that person was taken right in front of him, from his hands. This humiliation, unwillingness, as well as anger at his own powerlessness, made it impossible to let it go. At least, for now, he couldn’t.
“Zhan, that place really have rocks that are salty?” Da Shan also squeezed to the entrance, he needed some fresh air. Morning was here, they were just about to set off to the place Yuan Zhan told them about.
Two days ago, they had run into the Duci people and had fought with them, so they couldn’t go. Yesterday there was heavy rain, so they couldn’t go either. Who’d have thought that mountain god Jiu Feng would come back today? Now no one could leave, they could only wait until the bird left.
Yuan Zhan nodded, “Yes, I’ve licked it. If not because the rock was too big, I would’ve brought back some for you guys.”
A rock that could make Zhan say it was very big, must be enormous. Some of the warriors had an impression of that area, hearing Yuan Zhan’s words, images of towering walls of rocks appeared in their minds.
“Chiiu—!” The sharp bird-like whistle echoed again.
Yuan Zhan immediately looked outside.
“Dammit! Meng! Stay on the tree!” Yuan Zhan yelled from the cave entrance.
Lie face changed, he pushed Da Shan back to check the situation.
On the Water God tree, human-faced bird Jiu Feng who couldn’t find the other two-legs didn’t leave and instead flew around the tree. It had just found a gap between the thick foliage and was now fiercely tearing open the branches with its claws.
With the branches torn, the gap became bigger, getting it closer to the two-legs in the tree.
Meng didn’t think this scary bird could be this smart, no wonder his older brother said they couldn’t provoke this bird. Waa aaa— It’s gonna reach him soon!
Anyone seeing this huge and weird monster bird face at a close range would be frightened, a warrior like Meng was no exception. His body begun to shift to the side, wanting to get away from Jiu Feng.
“Meng! Don’t move!” Lie’s face changed drastically. That mountain god Jiu Feng was too smart, who’d expect it to know to break the branches that keep it out?
But it would be more dangerous for Meng if he came down. The distance between the cave and the tree was more than a spear throw, although it’s pretty close, there’s no way Meng can be faster than the mountain god Jiu Feng who was said to be the child of the wind god.
“It’s too dangerous for Meng like this, we have to think of a way to make it leave!” Yuan Zhan’s expression sunk.
Lie suddenly turned around, “Bing, give me your slave, I will pay you back later.”
Without saying a word, Bing got up, grabs Yang Wei who turned pale in seconds by the arm and dragged him to the entrance.
Bing speed was fast and Yang Wei stumbled when dragged off, he didn’t even have the time to grab his walking crutch. His injured leg got dragged, after suffering new stress, the sharp pain made him tremble.
Yang Wei didn’t beg for mercy, he knew that it’s useless to plead.
All warriors were like this. When they encountered a dangerous situation they couldn’t resolve, they would toss out the slaves like food reserve. If there were no slaves, the old and weak warriors would walk out on their own.
When mountain god Jiu Feng appeared outside, it could be said that all the slaves in the cave had prepared themselves for this possibility of being thrown out to be bird’s food.
Yang Wei was pushed outside.
Because of his bad legs and the forceful push when he was tossed out, Yang Wei rolled forward on the ground for a while before stopping.
The human-faced bird named Jiu Feng noticed a new two-legs rolling out of a cave immediately.
Jiu Feng flew over. Tearing out the tree branches was so troublesome, there’s one in the open he could snatch away now.
Yang Wei propped up his body with his arms. He stood up and ran, but being too scared and freaked out, he almost fell face-first to the ground. In the end, he could only walk limply and slowly, with despairing eyes at the incoming human-faced bird.
“Cheeeihk—!” Bad legs? Don’t want! Next! Jiu Feng made threatening high-pitched cry towards the cave entrance.
“Why doesn’t it catch Yang Wei?” Lie eyes widened, unable to believe what’s happening.
Yuan Zhan said without thinking much, “That’s a mountain god, maybe people like Yang Wei is not good enough for it.”
But everyone in the cave thought that what Yuan Zhan said made sense. That’s true. Yanmo was a slave, but the boy was his tribe’s priest disciple before he was made into a slave.
“I’ll go.” Cao Ting offered to go herself.
The other two slaves didn’t say anything but if you look closely, Xia Fei and Wen Sheng were visibly heaving a sigh of relief. No one wants to die. They could only thank Cao Ting inwardly for taking the initiative to be sacrificed.
Diao grabbed onto her hand, but soon let go of her hand, though reluctantly.
Lie nodded to Cao Ting and solemnly said, “The spirits of the tribe be with you.”
Cao Ting ducked out of the cave opening with her crutch and slowly got closer to Yang Wei.
After Cao Ting stepped out, Yuan Zhan followed soon after with his spear, while the warriors swarmed towards the entrance in his absence.
Jiu Feng watched the wooden stick in Cao Ting’s grip, first determining that it posed no threat to itself, before staring at Cao Ting’s legs.
“Cheeeihk—!” Jiu Feng blew up. Why is it getting another one with bad leg! Can’t walk! If they can’t jump and run how will they play with the little two-legs!
Jiu Feng swept its glance at Yuan Zhan in front of the cave and subconsciously determined that the two-legs in that cave all have bad legs. With that determined, it flapped its wings and turned toward Meng who’s shrinking into the tree.
Meng hugged the tree and wailed. Ack, god, why did you come back here!
The warriors in the cave looked dumbfounded at this development.
Why was this mountain god-daren so picky? It didn’t even like a slave like Cao Ting?
Yuan Zhan clenched his spear tightly, his eyes grim and murderous. Too bad.
But he still had another chance.
Jiu Feng had decided on Meng on the tree. It repeatedly charged toward the tree, taking a lot of leaves down every time it swooped down.
That poor innocent water god tree was getting destroyed willy-nilly, its precious water god leaves fell like rain.
Meng grabbed unto his spear and chose to fight.
Lie also pushed out of the cave. The one on the tree was his own brother. If they couldn’t use slaves, he’d use himself as an exchange.
But Yuan Zhan made his move first before they could.
He had been keeping his eyes at the big bird in front. He didn’t believe this bird was so holy that even a spear can’t injure it!
Meng was finally exposed to Jiu Feng. It reached to grab him and Meng hurled a spear to fight it off. Jiu Feng dodged the spear and flew away. The moment Jiu Feng paused a bit in the air before launching another attack, Yuan Zhan threw out his spear!
“Swiish—!” The spear hurled with all of Yuan Zhan’s strength sharply pierced into the air.
Jiu Feng’s head turned to see a sharp wood about to pierce into its body. Within a hair’s breadth, Jiu Feng opened its giant hard beak and puffed out a strong burst of wind towards it.
The arrow-like wind blade clashed with the flying spear and altered the spear’s trajectory. It brushed against Jiu Feng’s tail feathers and fell far off.
Lie, Yuan Zhan, and all the warriors and slaves seeing this scene, couldn’t understand nor explain what just happened. The spear was about to hit, why did it suddenly fall? They only saw mountain god Jiu Feng turning its head to the incoming spear, its beak opened then the spear fell.
Yang Wei knelt down at once, he had long been unable to prop up his body.
Cao Ting also kneeled down with slower movements, lying low to to beg the mountain god for mercy.
Meng was still hugging the tree, looking up in awe at the big bird soaring proudly in the sky. That’s a real God…… he had seen a God! He could die without regret now!
Meng suddenly jumped down from the tree and ran to the open space. He waved to Jiu Feng in the sky and shouted, jumping and bouncing, “God, come here, catch me! Let my tribesmen go!”
How could Lie let his brother be taken away? He rushed over, kicked Meng to the ground then stood on top of his body. He lifted up his spear and shouted, “Catch me, I’m right here!” But following his words, he threw his spear at Jiu Feng again, not giving up on resisting.
Jiu Feng was not interested in any of them. The one he’s eyeing now was that two-legged monster that had almost hurt him.
This two-legged monster looked a bit familiar to the bird. Although all two-legs looked similar to each other, its memory was not just visual. This two-legs’s voice and sour-smelling sweat were the same as that big two-legs who had tried to hurl a spear at it when it had caught the little two-legs.
Looks like this two-legs is the little two-legs’s family. This one, then!
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