Translator: ChibiGeneral Editor: ChibiGeneral
Ge tribe leader had some doubts when he heard Chang Shan Yin’s name in his subordinate’s report.
Now, when he received Fang Yuan’s confirmation, he was very moved.
All the elders present there also cried out in shock.
“Chang Shan Yin?” Ge Guang was sitting at the side and said with some doubts.
“You are young, not knowing is normal.” Ge tribe leader heaved a sigh and instructed, “Son, toast to Chang Shan Yin. He is not only your benefactor but more importantly, he is our northern plains’ hero!”
“Old tribe leader.” Fang Yuan gave a bitter smile and placed down his wine cup, “I am only a broken vagabond, not a hero. Maybe it was the blessing of longevity heaven, I was able to luckily escape from the edge of death. But I have slept for twenty years and when I woke up, everything seems to have changed. I am an unfilial child and have no face to return to my tribe…”
Tears dripped down Fang Yuan’s eyes as he said this.
The elders sighed.
Ge tribe leader promptly consoled: “Benefactor Chang Shan Yin, what are you saying? If you are not our northern plains’ hero, who can it be? Ha Tu Gu’s group of bandits were so savage and who knows how many tribes were looted by them, the weaker ones were even wiped out and even the livestock were not spared.”
“By killing them, you have eliminated a huge threat in our northern plains. Your mother was injured by a villain, it was not because you were unfilial. On the contrary, your morals and righteous conduct were widely spread and known by all of us. Your return is the fortune for our northern plains’ righteous path.”
“Lord tribe leader is correct!”
“So sir was actually Chang Shan Yin, it is really our honor for being able to see the hero.”
“That’s right, the return of hero Chang Shan Yin is a great fortunately event for our righteous path!”
The elders praised repeatedly.
Ge Guang’s eyes shone, he only knew now that Fang Yuan actually had such a great origin and so many tales. This intensified his respect towards Fang Yuan.
“Let the past remain as the past. Everyone, our meeting is fate, let’s drink to it.” Fang Yuan did not want to talk of these; he understood the past of Chang Shan Yin, but it was best if he avoided the topic.
He showed a depressed and gloomy expression.
Everyone observed his expression and did not mention the topic again, only speaking of joyous events.
After confirming Chang Shan Yin’s identity, Fang Yuan received much passionate treatment.
The banquet lasted all the way from afternoon to late at night. The elders were lying down after drinking too much, if not for Fang Yuan pretending to be drunk, he would not have been able to leave.
Next day, Ge tribe leader invited Fang Yuan to banquet again.
“Benefactor Chang Shan Yin, this is a small gift as thanks for saving my son’s life. Please take it!” Before the banquet started, the old tribe leader gave a million primeval stones to Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was somewhat surprised as he had not thought he would get such a big gift.
Ge tribe was only a small-mid scale tribe which was not in a good financial situation; it could be seen from the position of their camp and the clothings of the people.
Currently, Fang Yuan was in poverty; these northern plains’ primeval stones could be used to resolve his current problems. He accepted the gift: “Ge tribe leader, I did not rescue Ge Guang for money. However, to be honest, I am currently out of primeval stones. I won’t be polite then. I will definitely repay Ge tribe’s kindness in the future.”
Hearing Fang Yuan’s final sentence, Ge tribe leader, Ge Guang and the group of elders all smiled.
Being able to make friends and connect to such a heroic expert like Chang Shan Yin was the thing that a small-mid scale tribe like theirs would dream about.
The banquet continued and the atmosphere was much more bustling than yesterday.
Yesterday was only a first meeting, and today, both sides were familiar with each other. Fang Yuan raised his cup and proposed to all the elders; he remembered all their names clearly.
This made all the elders feel overwhelmed, making them feel even more closer to Chang Shan Yin.
During the banquet, some people were inevitably curious of Fang Yuan’s experiences.
Fang Yuan had already prepared a good tale and told it to everyone. It was the same thing he told to deceive Ge Guang, but compared to deceiving a young girl, he spoke more carefully this time.
He recounted his events and said his cultivation had fallen from rank four peak stage to initial stage due to injuries.
His words had no flaws, causing everyone to gasp, sigh and feel even more respect towards him.
And Fang Yuan just kept on sighing, not caring the slightest bit about his past accomplishments; his gaze showed the vicissitudes of time and his tone was melancholic.
Ge tribesmen realized the legendary hero also had a painful side to him; seeing such a sincere person, they grieved and sympathized with him, feeling even more closer to Fang Yuan.
On the third day, Ge tribe still continued the banquet with very high liveliness.
This time, a strange elder appeared in the banquet. He was in charge of Ge tribe’s intelligence, and just as Fang Yuan had reached the camp, he had received an order to lead a group to search for Ge Yao.
“Sigh, it is all my fault. I have a crafty girl, I have spoiled her too much, she actually fled her marriage!” Ge tribe leader sighed.
“Right, big brother Chang Shan Yin, you returned from the poisonous grassland. Did you see my little sister on your way?” Ge Guang asked.
Fang Yuan calmly replied with no hesitation, his expression extremely natural: “I am sorry, I only had wolves as my companion on my way. You guys were the first humans I saw, so I felt even closer to you.”
Ge Guang was also casually asking and did not have any expectations.
Besides, the poisonous grassland was so huge, Fang Yuan not running into Ge Yao was also normal. If they met each other, it would instead be a rare thing.
“This insensible little sister, I really don’t know where she fled to without leaving behind any message. Sigh… it has become troublesome, Man tribe leader’s third son Man Duo is the person who wants to marry her. Now, sister has fled the marriage, and because he failed to obtain her, Man Duo might take it out on Ge tribe.”
Ge Guang sighed with a frown on his face.
The other elders also looked gloomy. Man tribe’s pressure on them had been increasing these days.
None of them knew that Chang Shan Yin whom they had been enthusiastically entertaining for three days had already killed Ge Yao.
“Trees die when moved, humans live when they move. Brothers of Ge tribe, why are you reluctant to leave this place? There is only just over a year left until the great blizzard. You can migrate to the north, participate in the heroes assembly and rely on Huang Jin tribe. With this, you can hide in Wang Ting blessed land when the great blizzard comes.” Fang Yuan persuaded.
The Gu Master world was a world of cruel environment and was not easy to survive in.
In southern border, humans made fortified villages which could defend against the beast tides, but northern plains had no mountains and the tribes would have to suffer the baptism of wind and snow.
Every ten years in northern plains, there would be a great blizzard that engulfs the entire northern plains.
It would last for months, the sky would be gloomy and snow would drift everywhere. Cold winds would whip around like blades and white snow would cover up the world. The whole vast plains would freeze into a world of ice and snow.
Every time the blizzard occurs, it would bring about a large number of deaths. Wolves, foxes, eagles, vegetations and humans; none could escape.
Especially during the blizzard, large numbers of strong wild Gu worms would appear.
Often, after the blizzard, the large scale tribes of northern plains would shrink down to mid-scale and mid-scale would shrink down to small scale due to the large numbers of casualties.
Ge tribe leader heaved a long sigh: “Brothern Shan Yin, I am old and no longer have ambitions I had when I was young. If we seek refuge with Huang Jin clan, our Ge tribe will be dragged into the whirlpool of conflicts. It is good if we succeed, but the consequences for failure is too severe. Our Ge clan had been making progress with great difficulty, we won’t be able to endure the loss.”
“The struggle in the imperial court is not something small clans like ours can participate in. Actually, this environment is not bad, soil is fertile and there are abundant resources. There is even Hong Yan valley nearby where underground fire burns. During the blizzard, our tribe can move inside the valley and survive this disaster.”
However, Hong Yan valley was firmly controlled by the overlord of this place, Man tribe.
Ge tribe would need to come in terms with Man tribe to enter Hong Yan valley.
Man Duo’s marriage proposal to Ge Yao was an extremely good opportunity. For the whole tribe’s benefits, sacrificing a girl’s happiness for marriage was a very good deal to Ge tribe leader and Ge Guang.
Sacrificing an individual benefits for the whole, this was the most common scene in an organization.
However, Ge Yao fled the marriage with her whereabouts unknown. Man tribe has been pressuring them to hand over Ge Yao, but Ge tribe was not able to do that.
Fang Yuan immediately realized the intention of Ge tribe leader from his words, they wanted to seek refuge with Man tribe.
He understood this very well but felt some pity inwardly.
Heroes assembly was his next target destination. If he could make Ge tribe migrate, he would be able to journey smoothly without having to face the many dangers along the way.
After mentioning the blizzard and Man tribe, everyone’s mood turned grim.
“Brother Shan Yin, are you really not going to return to Chang tribe?” Ge tribe leader asked.
“Of course I can’t return. If I return, wouldn’t it be easy for my impersonation to be exposed?!” Fang Yuan thought in his mind while speaking, “Sigh, in my current circumstance, I am unable to face my elders and tribesmen.”
Ge tribe leader nodded his head, expressing his understanding and feeling some sympathy.
Chang Shan Yin slept for twenty years and after waking up, everything had changed. His mother had died, his wife had been remarried to his brother. Chang tribe had become his sore spot, it was a normal thing for him to not able to face these for a while.
In the previous banquet, Fang Yuan had mentioned he wanted to go to the heroes assembly and also recover his cultivation quickly.
“Brother, if you really want to participate in the heroes assembly, just relying on your current wolf group, it would not be enough for your journey. It will be better for you to rest for a few days.” The old clan leader proposed.
Fang Yuan nodded and did not object: “I have the same idea. But this way, I will have to continue imposing on your tribe.”
“Of course not, it is our honor that you are a guest here!” The old tribe leader laughed heartily, expressing his willingness.
Ge Guang also smiled: “A few days later, the surrounding few tribes will hold a market together. Uncle chang can come take a look.”
Like this, Fang Yuan stayed over at Ge tribe.
Several days later, Ge tribe decamped and moved towards the southwest, converging with several other tribes.
An enormous tribal market rapidly emerged.
Fang Yuan rejected Ge Guang’s invitation and entered this hustling and bustling market alone.
