Zhubao and his group approached the Mountain Tribe entrance. As they got closer they could see how much suffering the Mountain Tribe had undergone. The land is covered in snow and the surrounding water bodies are currently frozen due to the sudden drop of temperature during the last phases of the storm. The guards on the entrance were wearing thick clothes on them but despite that, the paleness of their skin and the slight trembling of their bodies due to cold couldn't be controlled. The guards looked like they were ill and their lips were starting to turn purple. There are clear symptoms of them suffering from frostbites.
"They look sick." An apprentice doctor commented after seeing the guards by the entrance.
"Uncontrollable shivering, pale skin and purple lips. High Elder I think these guards are suffering from a major case of frostbite. We need to treat them immediately!" The current head doctor of the group said.
Zhubao also understands what a frostbite is. It is an ailment that one could suffer from being exposed to ice and snow for a very long time. This is something his son, Xuebao personally explained to their tribe doctors. He also explained the way of treatment for it. It is because of this that Xuebao had strictly told the tribesmen to never forget to wear their shoes and clothes during winter especially for the children.
Zhubao approached the entrance with urgency. "Let's go!"
As soon as they get near the entrance the guards raise their spears despite their arms shaking from their bodies weak state.
"Who are you!? This is the Mountain tribe's territory!!" yelled by the guard.
The guards didn't recognize Zhubao because he is wearing a hood over his head. Most people from their group were provided with wide hood thick jackets in preparation for sudden snowfall. This is something Xuebao asked of them to wear during their journey. On their way down the mountain a short snowfall had descended, it is because of this that they wore their hoodies over their heads as a cover. Seeing such aggression the other warriors from Zhubao's group step forward to protect the high elder and the doctor but they didn't pull their weapon just raise their head and pull down their hoodies.
A warrior of the former Lune tribe stepped in with his hand raised in air, "Stop! It's me… Yezhu, look at me. I'm Yaxiong!"
The Mountain Tribe warrior murmured the name as if remembering something. "Yaxiong? Yaxiong from the Lune Tribe!? Is it really you!? Lower your weapons. These people are our friends!" said the Warrior named Yezhu.
The warrior called Yezhu after ordering his team to lower their weapons and instantly run over to the group welcoming them despite his bad state. He almost stumbled on his way but was caught by Zhubao preventing his fall.
Zhubao asked with a smile, "Careful, child. Can I ask if Linma is around?"
Upon recognizing Zhubao in front of him, the warrior couldn't stop his tears from falling. He knew who this person was before him. This is a man who had the highest authority from the Lune Tribe. The Lune Tribe's Leader, Zhubao.
"Tribe Leader Zhubao~ You came. You really came for us. As Tribe Leader Linma had said!" replied the warrior in tears.
Seeing the reaction of the guard he felt that something must have happened to his close friend.
"Where is Linma? Is he okay? What happened to the Mountain tribe? Where are your elders?" asked Zhubao.
A warrior from Solune tries to calm their leader down, "High Elder please calm down. We should meet the tribe leader of the Mountain Tribe or the elders first. To know the situation."
Zhubao started issuing orders. "Sigh~ indeed. Except for the head doctor the rest go help the Mountain Tribe's people cure their frost bites. The females start cooking using the ingredients we brought with us. IF possible make something with soup. Cook for a whole tribe worth. Don't filter the food we can get more when Meizhou returns. The warriors help with the guarding duties while the rest of the warriors from the Mountain tribe is being examined. Some of you also help the females from carrying the food we have."
"Yes, High Elder!" The tribesmen of the Solune Tribe replied.
Just after Zhubao finished giving orders, few elders of the Mountain Tribe finally arrived. Seeing their states clearly isn't that much different from those warriors who guard the entrance of the camp.
"G-Greetings~ Tribe Leader Zhubao!"
"It's our pleasure to be at your service."
There are obvious tear tracing at the corner of their eyes, this is the first time Zhubao saw the men of his friend suffer mental breakdown of such. Not only have they gotten physically weaker, even their mentality had suffered greatly.
"Sire~ Please help our tribe leader!"
"As the Lune Tribe young leader had said before, the snowstorm had gotten stronger for us to bear and… sobs~"
Zhubao pats their shoulder in comfort. "Report the details to me later. Bring me to your Tribe Leader so I could have our Head doctor to check on his state."
"Y-Yes!" An elder replied.
Suddenly an elder from the former Soleil tribe asked, "High Elder please allow me to bring a small group to check on the River Tribe." He is worried for their friend's tribe the same way Zhubao is currently feeling.
"Go ahead. Bring some doctors and food as well. If you could ask them to go here and send someone to report immediately." said Zhubao.
But before the former elder from the Soleil Tribe took his leave with the rest of his team, an elder from the Mountain Tribe seemed to overheard their conversation and spoke on behalf of the rest of them. Likewise, they also knew the current situation of their neighbor, the River Tribe's state.
A Mountain Tribe Elder explained. "If it is the River Tribe then… this warrior had no need to check on them. We had accepted the remaining survivors of the River Tribe."
"S-Survivors?!" exclaimed by the elder from the former Soleil Tribe.
"Y-Yes. They've lost most of their tribesmen when their campsite got buried under the snow like us. The River Tribe is no more. The survivors are only a few children and females. The other warriors from the River Tribe had suffered frost that broke their limbs and most of them had taken their lives in despair. Right now there are only 10 remaining former members of the River Tribe.
Our Mountain Tribe would have suffered the same way if not for the warning of the Young Tribe Leader Xuebao of the Lune Tribe. During our last visit to the Lune Tribe before the snowstorm, Young Leader Xuebao had suggested to our tribe leader to join the Lune Tribe to the mountain for this winter but our leader sadly didn't agree in fear we would become a burden.
During the snowstorm our Tribe Leader Linma had been able to prevent our tribe's demise thanks to young leader Xuebao's word of warning. He said to immediately leave their territory once they've experienced shaking of the land. He had left our original camp the moment the tribe leader had felt the quake of the land even though we had still suffered casualties, we had lost only a few courageous warriors who protected our retreat." explained the elder from the Mountain Tribe.
Zhubao and the rest of their group was stunned when they heard that their current tribe leader had passed few instructions and warnings to the other tribes before the snowstorm.
"My Baobao told you all those?" said Zhubao.
An elder replied, "Yes. He had spoken personally with our Tribe Leader before we left. He approached us together with his male warrior called Meizhou. Of course we had also spread his words to the other tribes in the lowland like the River Tribe. But clearly they didn't believe our words and ended up… that way. Sigh~"
After hearing this explanation Zhubao and his group knew some information about what happened in the lowlands. First, the River Tribe is no more and second the Mountain Tribe had successfully escaped extinction because of Xuebao's warning. They were lucky. It is also thanks to the relationship between Zhubao and Linma that the Mountain Tribe had passed the tribulation. If not for Linma treating Xuebao as his own nephew, there is no way he would remember the words of a young man like Xuebao. It is because he treats the others as family that he keeps Xuebao's warning in his heart which in the end resulted in the Mountain Tribe being able to pass the trial with less casualties than the other tribes.
Zhubao pats the shoulder of the elder from his Solune Tribe. He knew that the elder is in shock and despair knowing that their friend's tribe is no more. This elder's face turned ashen because of the blow.
"You… I will free you a day of duties. You can do whatever you want for the rest of the day." said Zhubao.
The former elder of Soleil Tribe upon hearing the high elder's comfort couldn't stop his eyes from reddening. "T-Thank you, High Elder. Please excuse this old man for… today."
"Un. Head doctor came with us to check on Linma. Do you have things you need to prepare ahead of time?" asked Zhubao.
The head doctor of the group stayed silent for a moment as he thought of the things he might need to be prepared ahead of time.
"Please prepare me a wooden tub if you have. Bring it over to where the patient is. Fill it with warm water. Not hot but warm. I would need fur blankets which could be soaked in water as well.
I would also like to meet your tribe doctors please. So I could instruct them how to make aloe vera oil. Thank God I came prepared thanks to the tribe leader's warning and brought tons of aloe vera oil." murmured the head doctor.
An elder responded, "I will call on the doctor to see you and prepare everything you had mentioned. For now please follow me. The tribe leader's current place is this way."
Afterwards the group disperse and work on their duties. Only Zhubao, the head doctor and few elders from the Mountain Tribe had left to meet Linma. They two were escorted in a big tent. Once they've entered the tent, what welcomes them is a bedridden man, who had few traces of ice on his toes, legs and arms. There are few purple bruises on his face as well. This man's case of frostbites is worse than those guards at the entrance. The man is already one step to his grave as his white is already white from coldness.
The head doctor frowned seeing his state. "This is… worse than I thought. Tell them to bring what I need as soon as possible!"
"Yes!!!"
Zhubao approached his bedridden friend who is currently asleep on the bed. He was trembling as he gently placed his hand above the man's chest in fear that he was no longer breathing. But the heartbeats felt by his palm are still strong, obviously this man is a strong and physically fit warrior in his healthy state. The only reason he is still alive is because of his strong will.
Zhubao gently removed his hand and sighed in relief, "T-Thank God… H-He is still…"
"The tribe leader had just fallen asleep just now." An apprentice doctor who was on duty reported to Zhubao. He recognizes him as the tribe leader's friend.
The arrival of Zhubao and his team brightens the mood within the Mountain Tribe. It is thanks to their arrival that the Mountain tribe had seen hope for the first time after experiencing that calamity.
The head doctor who came with Zhubao immediately worked on treating Linma. As soon as the wooden tub had arrived he had people lift the patient off the bed and have him slowly soaked with the warm water. Once the water got colder the doctor had ordered for it to be changed immediately. This treatment lasted for hours and was done until the traces of ice on Linma's body completely melted. The elders and doctors from the Mountain tribe had watched the whole event with astonishment and joy in their eyes. This is the first time they had seen their tribe leader not totally looking all white all over like a corpse.
He looks a bit better now than before. Then they all listen to the doctor with Sir Zhubao and help with gently warming the frozen limbs of their leader with warm towels. They've continued doing this for half a day until the sun is about to set.
Meanwhile before the sun had completely set, the Mountain tribe was in chaos once again. The cause of it is because a wounded warrior Laohu carried by warrior Lang and apprentice priest xiong arrived in the Mountain tribe covered in blood.
Warrior Xiong yelled, "Doctor. Get us a doctor!! Please call our high elder Zhubao. We need to report something important!!!"
