Chapter 3: Recognizing Barbarians as Kin

The life essence contained in the blood and flesh of the roe deer is even inferior to that of the fish yang grass by a considerable margin

Zongya observed the half of the skull of the black-scaled beast emerging from the water, its massive body comparable to that of a wild bull, and asked Uncle Zongsang:

In the end, he climbed up the tree himself, tied a rope around himself to the branch, and thought he would spend the night there

Do not say that your hands and feet, your body are cut to the bone by the jagged rocks, such intense self-exploitation causes the organs within the body to be riddled with cracks, and spitting out a mouthful of saliva is akin to spitting out blood

He needs to consume six to seven pounds of meat in one meal to feel satisfied, eating raw roe deer meat, and just half a pound gives him a sense of fullness, while his strength quickly recovers.

Zongya was also surprised by Uncle Zongsang's generosity. It should be noted that when Grandpa decided to take in Chen Xun, Uncle strongly opposed it. Even now, although he no longer insists on driving Chen Xun away from the Wumang tribe, he still does not show much kindness towards Chen Xun. Unexpectedly, at this moment, he was willing to give Chen Xun the Wumang Dan to treat his injuries

Although each time he pushes his body to the limit is a form of training for him, enduring several instances of pushing his body to the brink of collapse in one night is beyond what his body can withstand

To prevent the sudden increase of mountain floods at night, which could wash away the strange beasts on the banks, Chen Xun tied one end of the rope to a cliff tree with a thickness of about two embraces.

Chen Xun tied the grass rope around his shoulder and then pushed the corpse of the giant beast into the ditch, indeed feeling much lighter than before

At this point, they had already moved far from the territory of the Heishi tribe. Continuing forward for another ten or so miles, they would reach the hunting area of the Wumang tribe. The thought of soon encountering the Wumang tribesmen who ventured into the mountains for hunting filled Chen Xun with excitement.

Thus, with each step he took, his body instinctively adjusted its posture. And books.

The portable beast meat had long been consumed, and apart from the fish yang grass taken earlier, the other herbs picked by Chen Xun in the morning were all ordinary medicinal herbs. Chewing them in large bites could only slightly alleviate hunger and thirst

However, Zong Sang was wholeheartedly dedicated to guarding the Python Tribe, showing no good demeanor to anyone. It was rare to hear a word of praise, so Chen Xun felt quite pleased in his heart.

"Where have you been all night?" Zongya placed the black longbow on his thigh, crouched down, and looked at the battered Chen Xun. "How did you get so hurt? Did you encounter the people from the Heishan tribe?"

Chen Xun finally managed to steady himself, tying the grass rope around his waist. He felt puzzled, wondering why, as soon as his mind relaxed a little, he felt so much heavier, almost being dragged into the water.

Excessive consumption is of no benefit, and the weak cannot be supplemented. Taking elixirs that exceed the body's tolerance limit often results in the most common outcome of exploding and dying.

To my surprise, the roe deer meat, aside from being exceptionally tender, also released a subtle warmth as I savored it slowly, the blood and flesh sliding down my throat, spreading throughout my body.

I cannot be certain either, I have to call your grandfather over... The black-faced giant, Zong Sang, squatted on the riverbank, his tall and robust figure resembling a half iron tower even while crouching. He stared at the strange beast for a long time, uncertain whether it was the legendary wild exotic species.

In the village, individuals like Uncle Chen, who are of the upper echelon of the barbarian warriors, may not even be able to obtain a single Black Python Pill in a month

Chen Xun's shoulders and waist were bruised and battered by the ropes, and his hands and feet were cut by the rocks, leaving countless wounds. He resembled a bloodied figure, lying in the grass.

The dark pill enters the mouth with a bitter and fishy taste, but it quickly transforms into saliva in the oral cavity. As it goes down the throat, the medicinal power becomes a rolling heat that spreads throughout the body, causing the blood to nearly boil...

After a while, seeing the members of the Python tribe emerge from the jungle, Chen Xun finally breathed a sigh of relief

Zong Sang's smile was even more unappealing than crying. Chen Xun thought to himself, is it necessary to mention it again?

Chen Xun thought to himself, no wonder the various tribes large and small surrounding Mangya Ridge regard the exotic beasts as precious supplements, their effects are indeed extraordinary

The sky was pitch black, and one could not see the stone trees just four or five steps away. It was uncertain whether there would be another downpour during the night. Dragging the black-scaled beast along the mountain stream, there were too many unknown dangers ahead.

Dragging the corpse of the strange beast onto the shore, Chen Xun lay exhausted on the ground, feeling as if his bones were about to fall apart, his mouth full of blood.

Not only is the posture the same with each step, but upon closer inspection, from the shoulders to the waist and down to the feet, the taut muscles, resembling a bowstring, exhibit a rhythm of tension and relaxation, as well as a pattern of entanglement, all of which are in constant repetition

... ...

It is truly remarkable that you have not exhausted yourself after dragging such a heavy load alone for an entire night

His hands and feet lay flat on the rugged rocky shore, resembling a stubborn ox straining to plow the ground, maintaining its posture with each step, and exhaling softly with every move

He took out a dark pill from his pocket and placed it into Chen Xun's mouth, urging him to swallow it

All of his vitality permeates every tendon from the shoulders to the waist to the legs, ensuring that every drop of potential in his body is extracted without reservation

... ...

Chen Xun thought to himself, no wonder a single fish yang grass can be exchanged for an iron tool from the hands of those large tribal merchants, its medicinal properties are indeed quite potent

The black-scaled beast was extremely heavy, and it was only with the combined efforts of two members of the black python tribe that they managed to drag the enormous corpse of the strange beast onto the shore.

Chen He placed the medicine basket down, took out the two fish sun grasses he had fortunately gathered in the morning, and slowly chewed on half a stalk that he held in his mouth

The consumption of elixirs by ordinary people is limited

In the distance, a rustling sound emerged, startling Chen Xun awake from his slumber. He then realized that the dark clouds in the night sky had dissipated, and the bright moonlight poured down upon the mountains and valleys, as if the entire world were submerged in the clear and transparent depths of a lake

No wonder this gentle and docile creature is also classified among the wild and exotic species

This time, consuming four to five jin of roasted beast meat still could not compensate for the immense energy expenditure just experienced, and the hunger emanating from deep within the body remained entirely unrelieved

Chen Xun glanced at the black-scaled beast that had been pulled to the shore. His understanding of this world was still too superficial, and he did not know what kind of rare and exotic species this black-scaled beast was. However, he was certain that its flesh and blood must be rich in life essence that would bring great delight.

The leading black-faced giant approached, and it was evident that Chen Xun bore no knife wounds or arrow injuries. However, to be this exhausted was indeed quite remarkable. He gently patted Chen Xun's shoulder with his palm, which was as large as a fan, and spoke in a deep voice

At this moment, footsteps can be heard coming from the front of the mountain stream

Regardless of the preciousness of the roe deer fat, Chen Xun took out the roe deer from the medicine basket and directly cut off a small piece of meat with a stone knife to stuff into his mouth

What is this thing

After a considerable amount of time, Chen Xun opened his eyes, feeling a surge of powerful energy coursing through his entire body at that moment. The mountains and ridges around him, shrouded in twilight, appeared even clearer and brighter, indicating a significant improvement in his vision

Chen Xun could feel his strength rapidly recovering, realizing that the Dark Sense Black Python Pill was indeed a remarkable item. He did not expect that Zong Sang would be so generous to him; it seemed that the hardships of this night were worth it.

If it were not for Chen Xun's unique constitution, an ordinary person might have already collapsed and perished on the shore

However, he did not expect that once he relaxed his mind, the subtle state would no longer be present, and it felt as if several hundred pounds of weight had suddenly been added to his shoulders, nearly causing him to stumble.

It is tiring

The Wulin Beast was too heavy, and Chen Xun's body, tempered by demonic blood, despite possessing the strength of initial-stage barbarian martial arts, had to exhaust every bit of energy within him with each step he took

Over the past three years, he has long since become accustomed to a life of living off raw flesh and blood

The flow of water in the mountain stream has not diminished, yet Chen Xun has walked out fifteen or sixteen miles in the deep valley this time, and his body has surprisingly not been pushed to its limits.

At this moment, the sky had completely darkened.

Perhaps the most dangerous are the Black Mountain tribesmen who may enter the mountains under the cover of moonlight at any moment

The herbal liquid is bitter and astringent, yet upon entering the throat, it transforms into a warm current of medicinal power, permeating directly from the throat into the four limbs and blood vessels. Chen Xun faintly senses that at this moment, his entire body's vital energy is being strengthened.

Chen Xun walked six or seven miles into the mountains along the rushing ravine, which turned twice, and his body was once again pushed to the limit

You are not a bother

As dawn approaches, a faint blue light spreads through the valleys. Chen Xun drags the massive corpse of a strange beast, moving upstream along the ravine, his muscles taut like a bowstring pulled to its limit.

He thought to himself: Why is Zongya's face so big?

Chen Xun now has no strength at all. When the members of the Python tribe hurriedly untie the ropes binding him, he collapses on the riverbank in a sprawled position, gasping for breath like an old ox, unable to move even his toes.

As the clear sky revealed the moon, Chen Xun dared not linger any longer. He untied the rope, turned over, and descended from the tree, pushing the black-scaled beast into the ravine before continuing on his way

This area is not far from the Black Mountain Department, situated in the hunting zone between the Black Mountain Department and the Python Department. Generally speaking, there will not be particularly formidable ferocious beasts or fierce birds appearing here

He currently lacks the strength to utter even a single word. Fortunately, Zongya and the others came looking for him; otherwise, he would not even know if he had the strength to return to the village to report. Now, looking at Zongya's youthful, unrefined, and rugged face, it feels particularly endearing

The potency of the medicine is significantly stronger than that of the fish yang grass

However, after consuming a fish yang grass, the effect of the medicinal power penetrating into the bones has not diminished. Even after being pushed to the limit, the body still has the capacity to absorb the medicinal power. Chen Xun secretly felt that during this period, his physical strength had increased by several points... At this moment, he swallowed the second fish yang grass and chewed it slowly.

The faint sounds are of a beast passing through the distant mountains and forests

Although he could not master the profound art of refining medicinal power, Chen Xun still closed his eyes to experience the mysterious sensation of the medicinal energy permeating his bones

The sky is overcast, resembling a scene that is about to unleash a heavy downpour

The giant face, with its deep ravines and furrows, is adorned with a python head totem, resembling a stone ridge that has been washed by a mountain flood, appearing exceptionally fierce. Its brows are thick, as if drawn with heavy strokes of a brush, furrowed together, and it turns back to Chen Xun with a smile

Or perhaps just now, being too focused, I unconsciously felt a reduction in the pressure on my shoulders and lower back?

In such weather, even the strong members of the Blackstone Tribe would not easily venture out; there were also no members of the Blackstone Tribe seen downstream carrying torches in search, which reassured Chen Xun considerably

Even the simplest act of dragging is continuously pushing Chen Xun to the limits of his body, reaching a subtle realm of unity between body and mind

... ...