Legendary Clan Chief

Under the shroud of the night, Black Cloud Mountain seemed to merge with the darkness, silent without the slightest sound. The colossal wall of the Black Mountain Tribe, was like a giant beast sprawled at its feet.

The moonlight tonight was very dim. Above the open sky, there were a few stars scattered haphazardly. Unknowingly, a dark cloud slowly drifted into the sky, covering Black Mountain Tribe ominously in silence, making it seem eerily terrifying.

"Bastards! A bunch of insects dare to insult me, their tribal chieftain. Scorpion Li isn't afraid of getting himself killed."

At this time, in the Black Mountain Tribe, Xiong Li's eyes were crimson, and he roared furiously. Following that, he suddenly stood up. His mountain-like body seemed as if it would burst through the entire Stone House.

His huge hands, akin to a palm-leaf fan, smacked against the wall, causing even the ground to vibrate. The Stone House, constructed from large stones, swayed as if it would collapse at any moment, presenting a scene reminiscent of the apocalypse.

Almost instantly, the tribespeople outside the Stone House in the Black Mountain Tribe scattered in all directions, afraid of being caught by their unpredictable chieftain and becoming an outlet for his rage.

Ever since Xiao Chen led forces out of the Black Mountain Tribe, within just two or three days, the number of tribesmen personally killed by Xiong Li over minor issues amounted to a handful, causing restlessness within the tribe. Everyone feared provoking the capricious chieftain and losing their lives in his venting of anger.

In front of Xiong Li sat an old man with white hair, Elder Mu Yan, who had rushed back from the Underground Scorpion People. He had relayed everything the Scorpion People had asked for to Xiong Li, and Xiong Li flew into a rage, predictably.

Before Xiong Li's roar, Mu Yan looked distraught. The Scorpion People's demands were truly outrageous. These were five hundred children, not five hundred cats or dogs. Even if one combined the Withered Wood Tribe and Black Mountain Tribe, the number of boys and girls in the tribes would total not more than two thousand. These children were the future of the tribes, not something to be casually offered as a sacrifice.

As the Grand Elder of the Withered Wood Tribe who had weathered through a century of strife, he had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into preserving and advancing the tribe. His attachment to the tribe was irreplaceable and relinquishing his tribe's children to the other races as snacks was something his heart could not bear.

"Elder Mu, you're over a hundred and twenty years old, right?" Xiong Li, seeing the hesitant look on Mu Yan's face, asked.

To Xiong Li's question, Elder Mu did not refute but confirmed, "Indeed, I am a hundred and twenty-three years old."

He understood Xiong Li's meaning. On the continent of the Great Wasteland, warriors in the Bone-Tempering Realm generally lived about a hundred years. By breaking through the early stage of the Blood Refining Realm, one could extend their lifespan by about thirty years and so on. Once they reach Blood Refining Realm Perfection, their lifespan would extend to two hundred years.

Elder Mu Yan had not made any progress since he broke through to the early stage of the Blood Refining Realm decades ago. Now, his life was nearing its end. If he didn't break through to the next level, he could only accept his fate and pass away, turning into a handful of yellow soil. Furthermore, once he was gone, the Withered Wood Tribe would be left in a precarious situation without successors. The outcome was clear.

"Elder Mu! The Blood Clan Battlefield will open in less than two years!"

Perhaps Xiong Li felt that the situation wasn't tense enough so he added fuel to the fire.

Bang!

Upon hearing Xiong Li's words, Mu Yan's body trembled and a wave of mighty energy rushed up to the top of his head, creating so much pressure that the stone chair he was sitting on split apart.

This was the final straw that broke down the defenses in Mu Yan's heart. Who doesn't want immortality, to laugh proudly in the Great Wasteland? The longer one lived, the more they feared death and the more they were willing to resort to any means necessary to prolong their life.

"Very well! If one doesn't look out for himself, they'll be punished by heaven and earth. I, Mu Yan, have fought for the tribe for decades. It's time for these little brats to repay me."

"Indeed. All of this was forced upon us by that bastard Xiao Chen. Otherwise, why would our young men need to lose their lives to the alien races?"

At this moment, hatred had shifted towards Xiao Chen for the two of them. They wouldn't rest until they had killed him.

A heroic leader can bear what others cannot and do what others don't dare to, resorting to any means to reach their goals. Friends and family are but pawns to them; they're ruthless and don't hesitate to harm others.

.....

"We greet the tribal leader."

At this moment, several male and female tribespeople were paying their respects to Xiao Chen in his Stone House. They were all childhood friends who had grown up with Xiao Chen. However, after Xiao Chen's rebirth, he had been avoiding them for fear of giving himself away.

But ever since returning from the Black Mountain Tribe and dealing with the traitors, Xiao Chen had felt that he was stretched thin. He needed more help within the tribe, so he had no choice but to put aside worries of revealing any anomalies and summoned his childhood friends back.

After all, these were brothers with whom he had grown up. They knew each other well and could work smoothly together.

"Why are you all so restrained? We've grown up together as brothers. There's no need to be so polite."

Seeing that his companions were becoming somewhat restrained because he had become the tribal leader, Xiao Chen voiced his displeasure.

"Exactly! The tribal leader has already said not to be so formal with him. Why are you all acting like those stubborn old people in the tribe?"

The young girl Cai Er was the first to speak up. She quickly walked forward, grabbing Xiao Chen's arm and leaning her body against his. Her large, soft chest rhythmically pressed against his arm.

"Cai Er! You..."

Everyone laughed bitterly at Lin Cai Er's behavior, helpless at the sight. The young girl, petite and cute, had an incredibly sweet mouth. All the tribespeople adored her like a treasure.

Following some debate, under the compelling pressure of Xiao Chen, each side made some concessions. In private, they would call each other brothers, but in formal settings, call him the tribal leader.

The group comprised three men and two women. Among them was a man bulky as a bear, exceptionally built, at least two meters tall. His ebony-colored skin covered his entire body, and two giant axes were strapped across his back, clinking as he walked. He was Shi Ya, the only son of the Tribe Centurion, Shi Yong.

Another one was Tie Wen, son of the Grand Elder of the tribe. As his name suggests, he was as steady as his father in handling matters and adept at strategizing. The last man was Huang Liang, from an ordinary family of the tribe. His parents died in the tribal warfare. Unlike Shi Ya, Huang Liang was thin and did not carry any weapons.

As for the women, they were none other than the beauties Mu Qing and Lin Cai Er.

Seeing that everyone had already taken their seats, Xiao Chen was the first to speak, "I gave you each a prescription the other day. Have you tried them? How are the results?"

No sooner had Xiao Chen spoken, all started chattering away. Shi Ya was the first to exclaim, "Brother Xiao, is this a miracle cure given by the gods? It's magical. In just one day, my strength rose by hundreds of catties and my stagnant cultivation level was broken. In a few months, I could become a Blood Refining Realm Warrior like you."

"Yes, yes!"

After hearing Shi Ya, the others started nodding and agreeing. They all experienced considerable progress after taking the prescription.

Xiao Chen was not surprised by their response. After all, he had personally experienced the effectiveness of the prescription. After much contemplation following his return from the Black Mountain Tribe, he decided to share the prescription. At this point, any progress was beneficial, and it could reduce the danger they faced from the Black Mountain Tribe's retaliation.

However, he did not distribute the medicine to the entire tribe. Xiao Chen understood that possessing valuable things could spell trouble, so he discreetly dispensed it within the Gu Yuan Tribe.

Xiao Chen limited the distribution to several tribe members he was close to, apart from his playmates, only a few more like Lin Shan, Tie Wen, etc. He made sure to warn them to keep it a secret.

"Remember to keep it secret. Also, I remember that Tie Wen and Huang Liang reached the Perfect Bone-Tempering Realm two years ago? Have you felt any breakthroughs?"

Answering Xiao Chen's question, Tie Wen said, "Whenever I try to breakthrough, I feel powerless. I guess it's because I didn't accumulate enough strength."

As someone who had already gone through the process before, Xiao Chen understood Tie Wen's situation. He freely imparted knowledge from his experiences about breaking through to the Blood Refining Realm. after all, the martial arts journey is endless, and the first to reach it wins.

Everyone hushed to listen to Xiao Chen speak, realizing the importance of his words. Even the usually lively Lin Cai Er became quiet. This was a rare opportunity; not everyone gets advice from a Blood Refining Realm Warrior.

After exchanging information everyone left, except Mu Qing. Lin Cai Er left last, playfully making teasing gestures at him, and chuckling, her face reminiscent of a cheeky little mouse.

Bearing Lin Cai Er's teasing, Mu Qing blushed with embarrassment. Her delicate countenance glowed beautifully under the firelight, making Xiao Chen momentarily spellbound.

Nevertheless, Xiao Chen had no intentions of making an indecent proposal. He was purely appreciating her beauty. Having experienced an extraordinary death and rebirth, his mentality had become like bedrock, at least for now, his thoughts stayed far from that realm.

Seeing Xiao Chen staring at her incessantly, Mu Qing's face turned even redder. She gently swept her hair from her forehead and called him a "Fool".

The call startled Xiao Chen from his stupor. To cover up his lapse, he hastily spoke, "Qing Er, didn't you have something important to say to Brother Xiao?"

"Brother Xiao, I've broken through to the Blood Refining Realm."

"Oh, you've broken through to the Blood Refining Realm…What! You've really broken through!"

The startled Xiao Chen was disoriented and didn't register her words immediately. However, once he did, his excitement knew no bounds. Rushing forward, he gripped her hands, "Quick, tell me how you did it!"

Mu Qing wasn't uncomfortable or offended by Xiao Chen's actions nor did she try to withdraw her hands.

Facing Xiao Chen's interrogation, she shyly replied, "I...I prepared the bath according to the recipe you gave me Brother Xiao. Then...then I fell asleep during the bath. When I awoke, I found that I had broken through to the Blood Refining Realm."

Listening to Mu Qing's explanation, Xiao Chen was speechless, thinking bitterly to himself, 'when one person compares to another, they really can die of jealousy.' He had expended so much effort to break into the Blood Refining Realm, whereas Mu Qing did it by merely sleeping through the process. That's not a small difference.

"Who else knows that you've broken into the Blood Refining Realm?"

"No one, Brother Xiao is the first to know."

"Don't tell anyone about this."

"Okay."

The exact reason for Mu Qing's breakthrough to the Blood Refining Realm remained unknown to them. Giving it a thought for a while, they still didn't find an answer. They set the topic aside for later exploration. Regardless, Mu Qing's breakthrough increased the strength of their tribe and brought a glimmer of hope amidst the crisis.

After conversing, Xiao Chen realized he still hadn't let go of Mu Qing's hand, and she also hadn't attempted to withdraw her hand.

They let go of each other's hands simultaneously and exchanged a glance, resulting in an awkward moment.

After all, which young man isn't prone to love and which young maiden doesn't yearn for it!