Chapter 4, The Rouge Tiger

At that moment, someone suddenly pointed to the center of the fortress and shouted, "Quick, look! What is that!"

The clan leader ascended to a high point to gaze into the distance and discovered that there was smoke rising from a certain area in the distant mountains, specifically in the direction of the Qing Shui clan's stronghold. His first reaction was, of course, not that the Qing Shui clan had been exterminated, but rather that a forest fire had occurred nearby. However, the location of the fire appeared to be quite far away, separated by several valleys, and the steep and rugged terrain of the area made it difficult for the fire to spread widely. The clan leader was not particularly worried about it affecting the nearby village; he simply informed his clansmen of the situation and advised everyone to refrain from going out today, especially not in that direction.

If Shan expressed his suspicion to the clansmen: the Qing Shui clan has encountered a catastrophic extermination, a group of formidable killers has come from beyond the distant mountains, slaughtering the residents here and burning the fortress to the ground. The cellar beneath this altar is a secret chamber, housing the precious collections of the Qing Shui clan. When the great calamity struck, someone placed this infant into the secret chamber

Ruoshān shook his head and said: "They are people, many people! No tribe in this area can eliminate the Qing Shui clan. Those individuals must have come from far beyond the mountains, each one extremely powerful. They surrounded and ambushed the fortress." In the fortress, many charred wooden beams still bore the marks of cuts from knives and axes, indicating that a fierce battle had taken place. Outside the village, numerous footprints of shod feet were found, while the locals usually do not wear shoes, and even when they do, they do not wear such types of shoes.

The patriarch Ruoshān said: "That is a strange beast, it may have attained spiritual communication. It wants to save this child and hopes that we can rescue him as well"

The steep mountains can obstruct sound and sight, yet they cannot isolate the winds that blow through the high altitudes. The smoke and dust raised by the fire that consumed the Qingshui clan's fortress drifted into the sky with the rising currents, and to some extent, it also permeated the surrounding highlands. On the day following the tragic extermination of the Qingshui clan, a faint scent of charred remains could be detected in the winds blowing from afar within this village.

It is hard to imagine that the powerful Qing Shui clan was completely annihilated without a trace, leaving not even a single corpse behind. Someone trembled and asked, "Who did this, the gods or the demonic beasts?"

The woman's expression was one of hesitation; clearly, the place she was in or her identity did not allow or was not convenient for her to take in the infant, and she had little experience with such matters. After a while, the woman soared into the sky with the baby in her arms, gazing at the sprawling mountains in the wilderness, where various other tribes, large and small, were also scattered throughout the mountains.

However, wildfires are not a trivial matter. Sometimes the wind can carry burning vegetation to distant areas, igniting fires over a larger region. If the unburned vegetation catches fire again due to the wind, it can easily trap those who enter the fire zone. Once smoke spreads, visibility is severely reduced. In the rugged and steep mountains, being trapped in a fire zone is extremely dangerous

The fibers of hemp can be woven into fabric, the seeds can be consumed or pressed for oil, and legumes are a delicacy. In the wilderness, when many tribes had not yet learned to cultivate, the people of the Qingshui clan had already specifically opened up the wilderness to sow and harvest each year. If one obtains these seeds and learns to sow them seasonally like the Qingshui clan, it would certainly be a tremendous blessing

The kind of person a child will grow into depends on the environment in which they live and the beliefs they are exposed to and accept from a young age. Even if this child is not of the Qingshui clan's bloodline, if raised here, they would naturally be considered a member of the Qingshui clan. Since there is no clear direction in the reasoning, Qingshui could only watch—he was very curious about how this woman would handle the infant

The patriarch ascended to a high point and confirmed that no more smoke was rising from the distant mountains. Only then did he gather the strong men of the village to set out. As they traversed the deep mountains, they naturally carried weapons, but more importantly, they brought bags intended for carrying various game. The sight of deer startled and fleeing beyond the village excited them; it seemed that there should be a herd of deer in that fire-affected area

If Ruoshan did not speak, he stood still and inexplicably shivered. He instructed his clansmen to step back, raised the bone staff in his hand, closed his eyes, and began to cast a spell. A faint wind stirred the ground, and ashes swirled around the tip of the bone staff. Suddenly, veins throbbed on Ruoshan's forehead; when he opened his eyes, it was as if he had been greatly startled, and the whirlwind ceased, causing the ashes to fall to the ground

Someone else said: "It is already late, if we go any further, we won't be able to return to the village. Before it gets dark, we are afraid we won't make it back."

The crowd stood in formation without moving, their hearts filled with tension. The strong men from the wilderness had learned to hunt from a young age; they could coordinate with their weapons to hunt various powerful beasts. However, in typical situations when encountering large predators in the mountains and fields, they generally would not take the initiative to attack. Instead, they would hold their weapons for mutual protection and shout loudly to scare the beasts away.

The chieftain is the most knowledgeable person in the tribe; his words carry the greatest authority and are seldom questioned. Everyone displayed expressions of sudden realization. At that moment, someone shouted, "Shan Ye, look quickly, there is a hole dug out on this side of the altar, and below it seems to be a cellar, which appears to contain quite a few treasures!"

The patriarch is named Ruoshan, and the clan members all refer to him as Elder Shan. Elder Shan holds a bone staff in his hand and carries a long knife at his waist. Looking at the darkening sky, he muses, "Since we have come this far, we might as well go to the fortress of the Qing Shui clan to spend the night, and conveniently exchange for some necessary items."

The next day after sunrise, a flock of colorful birds suddenly flapped their wings and flew over the village. Shortly thereafter, someone in the village shouted, "Look, a deer!"

Ruo Shan: "I also feel that something is not quite right. Normally, when taking this path, I can always see wild animals appearing. Moreover, there is a forest fire on the opposite side, and the frightened animals should be running this way. What is going on today? Let's go a bit further and take a look."

After each wildfire, many animal carcasses are often left behind, some of which are even partially cooked. Most of these animals lost their way in the smoke and flames, and in their frantic attempts to escape, they were suffocated, burned, or killed in falls

According to the patriarch Ruoshan, the descendants of the Great Emperor Taihao entered the Bayuan region from a very distant place a long time ago and established the State of Ba. An ancestor of the Lu clan was once recruited by the State of Ba to participate in the construction of roads traversing the plains and mountains. Later, he returned to his tribe in the deep mountains, where he was referred to as "Wuding the Road Builder," abbreviated as Lu Wuding. Subsequently, this tribe adopted the surname Lu and became known as the Lu clan.

... ...

One of the clansmen remarked, "It is truly strange. Clearly, I saw the smoke rising from the mountain fire, and outside the village, I also saw startled deer fleeing, yet along this route, we have encountered no wild beasts."

What surprised them the most was that the secret room also stored legumes and hemp seeds, which were not ordinary food but seeds left for planting. The Qingshui clan established a walled settlement; with such a large population, it was impossible to rely solely on hunting for sustenance. In fact, most members of the Qingshui clan did not hunt. They crafted tools, cultivated crops, and raised livestock. Their settlement also served as a trading hub for nearby tribes. The Qingshui clan established a walled settlement; with such a large population, it was impossible to rely solely on hunting for sustenance. In fact, most members of the Qingshui clan did not hunt. They crafted tools, cultivated crops, and raised livestock. Their settlement also served as a trading hub for nearby tribes

Bo Zhuang and Zhong Zhuang are brothers, and they are also the most formidable warriors in their tribe. The chief of the Ruo Mountain tribe was exceptionally shocked and wanted to understand what calamity had befallen the Qing Shui clan. However, he possessed an extraordinary keen sense, able to perceive the unusual and tragic aura lingering in the ruins of the fortress, as if a horrifying tragedy had just occurred not long ago

Ruo Shan quickly walked over, sheathed his long knife and bone staff, and took out an infant who was not yet a year old from the bamboo basket. The clan members gathered around, expressing their astonishment and discussing among themselves

"How could there be a child here? Could it be a descendant of the Qing Shui clan? How did he survive?" "Looking at the posture of that tiger just now, the basket should be in its embrace. Why didn't it eat the child?" "As soon as the fierce tiger left, the child started crying. My goodness, could it be that the fierce tiger was nursing the child?"

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, but at that moment, the sound of a baby's cry broke the eerie silence that hung over the ruins. Right where the Rouge Tiger had just settled, there was a bamboo basket on the altar, and the cries were coming from there.

Although it is rare for wild beasts in the mountains to nurture human infants as if they were their own young, there have been ancient tales of such occurrences in the wilderness, leading people to consider this possibility. However, the situation seems somewhat unusual; ferocious beasts that are nurturing their young are the most easily startled and often exhibit much greater aggression than usual. Why did that rosy tiger flee upon seeing everyone?

When Shan spoke again, his voice was inexplicably hoarse: "They went nowhere, all perished in the great fire, leaving no remains. This was not an accident; it was arson, a complete annihilation of the Qing Shui clan." He had already sensed clearly that the ashes contained the remains of bodies burned to ashes, scattered throughout the ruins of the entire fortress.

Although Ruo Shui is referred to as "Grandma," she actually appears quite young and beautiful. She often wears a long, flowing dress made of hemp and has long, flowing hair, sitting outside her door spinning cloth, concealing the vicissitudes of time behind her clear and gentle eyes. The villagers hold Ruo Shan, the clan leader, in high regard, while they are filled with reverence for Grandma Shui; even the most mischievous children often behave themselves in her presence.

Naming among the clan members may seem arbitrary, yet it carries significance. The meaning of 'mountain' not only signifies strength but also symbolizes stability, power, and reliability. Although the stature of Shan may not be exceptionally tall or imposing, he is robust. He stands as the most formidable protector of the clan, a leader who is the most reliable and trustworthy.

Suddenly, the sound of the flute shifted, its pitch rising gradually, reaching a peak that became inaudible. It was not that the flute's sound had vanished, but rather that the pitch had exceeded the limits of what an ordinary person's ears could perceive. The woman also cast a spell to protect the infant cradled in her arm, shielding him from the impact of this extraordinary divine sound

The fortress of the Qing Shui clan is the most prosperous place in this wilderness. For many tribes, stepping out of the high mountains and dense forests into this open valley is akin to entering the vibrant world beyond the mountains. Many have never ventured out of the deep mountains for generations, and this is the most prosperous and thriving place they have ever seen in the human realm.

As this group of people emerged from the dense forest into the flat valley and looked up, they were all taken aback, their eyes wide open in disbelief, with some dropping the items they held unconsciously to the ground. The once prosperous Qing Shui clan stronghold had turned into a desolate ruin, with only the charred remains of buildings left, and the surroundings were eerily silent, devoid of any human presence

The birds flying around the woman seemed to be driven by the sound, suddenly flapping their wings and flying towards the distant mountains, followed by the roar of beasts from within. The woman was indeed using magic to command the birds and beasts. Witnessing this scene, Li Qing Shui became even more suspicious that she was a master who had perfected the Art of Shape Swallowing. Although there are many secret techniques in the world that can achieve this, the Art of Shape Swallowing is undoubtedly one of the most effective.

The so-called clan surname merely indicates one's origin and distinguishes it from other tribes. The tribespeople in the wilderness do not yet possess the consciousness of being named with a surname. For example, when Ruoshan introduces himself in front of outsiders, he would say, "I am Ru clan's Ruoshan," rather than the customary, "My name is Ru Ruoshan."

If the mountain is the clan leader, he is the one who leads the clan members in worshiping their ancestors and the mountain deity. The beliefs and worship of primitive tribes are relatively chaotic and ignorant; the so-called ancestors may not necessarily refer to the one who left the clan name, Lu Wuding, but rather serve as a general symbol, representing both the origins of the clan members and the grace of life bestowed upon them. The mountains are the nurturing ground, providing everything necessary for the survival of the clan members, while the mountain deity serves as a personified symbol. In fact, all the mysterious things in the world between heaven and earth may be objects of worship for primitive tribes, and even become their totems. The mountains are the nurturing ground, providing everything necessary for the survival of the clan members, while the mountain deity serves as a personified symbol. In fact, all the mysterious things in the world between heaven and earth may be objects of worship for primitive tribes, and even become their totems.

More than ten miles away from the valley where the Qingshui clan resides, there is another tribe's village high up in the mountains. While ten miles may seem like a short distance on the plains, traversing it in these rugged and treacherous mountains is a long and perilous journey. This tribe lives on a gentle slope by a spring, surrounded by dense forests, and not far from the village lies a bottomless cliff.

Under the leadership of Ruo Shan, the group cautiously entered the ruins, where the ground was covered with scattered ashes and charred wood, producing strange cracking sounds underfoot. They inspected the partially collapsed houses but found no one, not even a single corpse. Bo Zhuang, puzzled, remarked: "There is absolutely no one inside, and it doesn't look like there was any attempt to extinguish a fire; everything remains untouched. Where on earth has the Qing Shui clan gone?"

Most people in the primitive clan tribes of the wild plains may not yet understand what a spy is, let alone what an undercover agent entails. However, Li Qing Shui is well aware that it requires cultivating a loyal confidant who has taken a death oath before being sent to infiltrate another faction, and it is certainly not possible to use a newborn infant for such a task

Everyone witnessed what happened today. This child has experienced such extraordinary events since infancy, and he is destined to become an exceptional person in the future. It may be that the divine has manifested, unwilling to see the Qing Shui clan face extinction, thus allowing him to remain. He is also a gift bestowed upon this tribe, so the clansmen must take the infant back and raise him well

It turns out that the smoke and dust seen by the clan leader yesterday did not originate from a mountain fire, but rather from a great fire that broke out in the Qingshui clan's fortress. However, where have the members of the Qingshui clan gone? Even if there was a fire here, there is a water source nearby, so it should not have spread to the point of destroying the entire fortress. Even if the entire fortress were burned down, it is impossible that not a single person could escape.

Several deer rushed panic-stricken from the forest, which are the most favored prey of the tribe. The meat of the deer is not only delicious but also the fat can be rendered into oil, and the deer hide is soft and comfortable. Some individuals picked up their weapons intending to hunt the deer, while more people suggested to the tribal leader, "Let us go check the area near the forest fire; it should have been extinguished by now. If we do not go, other tribes will take advantage of it."

There are more than 400 men, women, and children living in the stockade; they belong to a tribe in the deep mountains. Such wild and uncivilized people typically do not have inherited clan names and are not referred to as belonging to a certain clan. However, they do have totems and clan surnames. The people here are referred to as the Lu clan or Lu villagers, and this stockade is called Lu Village

The clansmen were all stunned, momentarily at a loss for words. The world beyond the mountains, powerful enough to annihilate the Qing Shui clan overnight, was beyond their imagination! A gentle breeze swept through, and the ashes that were lifted from the ground settled at the feet of the crowd. In the sunlight, the ruins took on an inexplicable eerie and terrifying quality, causing many to involuntarily shiver.

Others have said: "How could Lord Mountain be mistaken! Even I can smell the distant scent of fireworks coming from afar"

The members of the Lu clan, regardless of age, all refer to Ruoshan as "Mountain Lord." In fact, Ruoshan does not appear old; if he were to shave off his goatee and tidy up his tousled hair, he might even look quite young and handsome. However, he has indeed been the guardian of the Lu clan and Lu village for many years. According to the elderly villagers, Ruoshan was already the clan leader when they were children, and his appearance has not changed much compared to now.

The tribespeople living in the wilderness are well aware that the rarer the exotic beast, the more dangerous it often is. Before them stands a never-before-seen rosy tiger, and they dare not act rashly, not even daring to shout, all waiting for the chieftain's command. The rosy tiger glanced at them and suddenly leaped down from the altar, a jump of over ten zhang, and in the blink of an eye, it vanished beyond the city walls, as if what the people had just seen was merely an illusion.

The woman cradled the infant in one arm while bringing a white, bamboo-like artifact to her lips, producing enchanting divine sounds; this object could also serve as a flute. The flute's melody was melodious and clear, and gradually, the surrounding mountains echoed with the harmonious calls of birds. Many birds spread their wings and flew in, circling around the woman as if dancing gracefully in the air

If a powerful beast goes mad and attacks fiercely, it is easy for the hunting tribe members to suffer casualties. Sacrificing one or several tribe members' lives for the sake of hunting a single wild animal is certainly not worth the cost. In the mountains and forests, there are prey that are much easier to hunt and pose significantly less danger. Generally, people do not engage in life-and-death struggles with large ferocious beasts, and in most cases, these beasts are also aware of how to protect themselves.

... ...

They have lived in the deep mountains since childhood, and even when traversing the rugged and perilous mountain paths, they walk with agility, following the road leading to the settlement of the Qing Shui clan outside the mountains. However, they have yet to discover any forest on fire. By afternoon, someone asked the clan leader, "Mountain Elder, what is going on? Did you perhaps see it incorrectly?"

However, the entire Qingshui clan perished, and no one could return to rescue the infant. Yet, a mystical beast passing by sensed the presence of the baby, dug open the cellar, and carried out the bamboo basket containing the infant. This baby was the last orphan left by the Qingshui clan and was under the protection of the deities.

If Shan was the first to react, he held a bone staff in his left hand, pointing it forward, while drawing a long knife from his waist with his right hand. He commanded, "Something serious has happened here, and I don't know where everyone has gone. Let's go take a look... Bozhuang, Zhongzhuang, you two stay by my side, everyone else follow behind me, prepare your weapons, the situation is very unusual"

The clansmen deeply agreed and praised Chief Ruoshan for his extensive knowledge and ability to understand what others did not. Holding the infant, Ruoshan instructed, "Thoroughly inspect the fortress once more to see if there are any other people to rescue or any useful items left... We do not know if those murderers are still nearby; we cannot stay here for long. Let us retreat into the mountains to find a place to light a fire and spend the night. At dawn tomorrow, we will return to the village"

Zhong Zhuang asked, "Mountain Master, what exactly have you discovered? Where have all the people gone?"

This tiger is unlike any ordinary one; its pure white fur is adorned with streaks of crimson. Its posture appears so beautiful and graceful, revealing it to be a rare blush tiger. Everyone, including Ruoshan, is seeing such a creature for the first time. The blush tiger, startled by the crowd, also stands up and turns to look this way

The secret chamber beneath the altar of the Qing Shui clan has been excavated, and it has just been discovered by them. Everyone enters the chamber to take a look, occasionally letting out waves of exclamations. The so-called treasures of the simple tribal people are often what they truly consider precious. The chamber contains various artifacts, including some gold and jade items, most of which are used for worshiping the mountain deity. However, what intrigues the tribespeople even more are the other metal tools or processable metal ingots, which are exceedingly rare for a mountain tribe.

Deep within the mountains, there lies a broad and gentle slope, backed by dense forests that extend down to the edge of a cliff. In the mountains, there is a spring, and the water from the spring converges into a stream that flows around the slope into the valley below the cliff, forming a delicate waterfall. The terrain on both sides of the gentle slope is relatively lower, so when heavy rains occur, the resulting mountain torrents do not impact the center of the slope, where a walled settlement has been established.

Their village was also surrounded by walls built of stone, with a total population of over 400 people, including men, women, and children. Although they could not be compared to the Qingshui clan, they could still be considered one of the more prosperous tribes in the area. Due to the isolation caused by the surrounding mountains, the tribespeople here did not hear the sounds of battle coming from the Qingshui clan's settlement that night, nor could they see the flames.

As people followed the direction of his finger, their expressions suddenly turned even more horrified. They tightened their grips on their weapons, forming a semi-circular defensive perimeter around the chieftain, Ruo Shan, with spears raised high and bows drawn, as if facing a formidable enemy. In the center of the fortress, on the partially collapsed altar, lay a fierce tiger.

At sunset, if Shan held the surviving infant and led the group away from the ruins of the fortress under the setting sun, their bags filled with various items found among the debris. A woman concealed in the clouds watched them depart, while in the distance, atop the hill of trees, Li Qing Shui quietly observed this scene.

In the village, there is another mysterious figure, just like Ruoshan, named Ruoshui. Everyone refers to Ruoshan as "Shanye" and Ruoshui as "Shuipo Po." According to the elders in the village, Shuipo Po has been living in the house at the back of the fortress since they were young, and her appearance has not changed much to this day. It is likely that only Shanye knows how many years Shuipo Po has spent here.