Chapter 56: The Guirong Clan

Gaocun Town, the Earth God Temple.

As the only place within a hundred li for children to begin their schooling, this place has always been bustling.

Even on ordinary days when there is no market, many mountain folk come here to pray for blessings, hoping to draw a good lot from the temple keeper.

However, since a month ago, that always amiable old grandmother has ceased holding the schooling classes.

Except for the apprentice who has been confirmed as the next temple keeper, the old grandmother has hardly seen outsiders at all.

Until today, when the old grandmother pushed open the great door of the Earth God Temple with trembling steps.

The townsfolk living nearby finally saw this kind-hearted temple keeper again, and their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, immediately settled.

Since the old grandmother took on the role of temple keeper at the Earth God Temple, Gaocun Town has enjoyed decades of peaceful atmosphere.

This is extremely rare among the mountain folk; it would not be an exaggeration to call it unique.

From a small village with only dozens of households at the beginning, to the most prosperous small town covering a hundred li in all directions now...

Gaocun Town has, to some extent, even transcended the category of "town," becoming the hub connecting all the small villages within this hundred-li radius.

Regrettably, in this world where supernatural power truly exists.

Gaocun Town lacks the strength of the Guifang Tribe, so naturally it cannot build cities or establish a nation like the Guifang Tribe does.

"Xiao E, how many days has it been?"

Slowly raising her head to gaze at the sky, the old grandmother, who had not seen sunlight for a long time, asked in a low voice.

"It has already been the twenty-seventh day."

Looking at the old grandmother with a worried expression, Xiao E, who wore dirty dreadlocks, answered cautiously.

"So much time has already passed..."

"It seems I am truly old, so old that I have even forgotten time."

A kind smile traced across her aged face as the old grandmother gently stroked Xiao E's head and said.

"Xiao E, I will have to go on a long journey shortly; I will temporarily leave the Earth God Temple in your care."

"If you encounter something you cannot handle yourself..."

"You can go to a place called 'Li Family Village' to the south, find a 'Red Child' whose entire body, even his hair, is red, and he will help you."

Seeming to hear the subtext in the old grandmother's words, Xiao E asked with a slightly trembling voice.

"Grandmother, do you not intend to return?"

Gazing at Xiao E's hopeful little eyes, the old grandmother did not directly answer her question.

"Xiao E! After I leave, you will be the temple keeper of this Earth God Temple."

"You are different from me; you can choose your own life."

"When you feel that the identity of 'temple keeper' is a constraint, you can leave here; no one will stop you."

Blinking her eyes as if understanding yet not quite, Xiao E tried hard to commit the old grandmother's words to memory.

Although she could not yet understand the meaning of these words, Xiao E knew the old grandmother would not harm her.

"I understand, Grandmother, please be sure to stay safe!"

A trace of reluctance and unwillingness flashed in her eyes, but the old grandmother finally smiled and waved her hand at Xiao E.

"Look at what you're saying; am I the type of person who causes trouble?"

Meanwhile, on a country dirt road hundreds of li away.

An army of nearly ten thousand people was migrating, and their destination was the direction of Gaocun Town.

Of course, calling it an "army" is not entirely accurate.

Because among this migration force of nearly ten thousand, more than ninety percent were emaciated, skeletal slaves.

These slaves were originally mountain folk living in various mountain forests.

Now, however, they were bound by various wooden yokes and leg irons, forced to join this large-scale migration.

Every ten meters forward, multiple slaves would be abandoned for failing to keep up with the column, left to lie on the ground in despair, waiting for death to descend.

The non-stop migration day and night left this group of already frail slaves too weak to even wail.

A death-like silence continued to spread throughout the entire column.

Everyone knew they could die at any moment, yet they were powerless to resist this happening.

Because the true leader of this force was the Guifang Kingdom's legion dedicated to serving the gods—the Guirong Clan.

The members of the Guirong Clan numbered only eight hundred, yet they were the true army forged by the Guifang Kingdom with the strength of the entire nation.

Any member capable of joining the Guirong Clan was a collateral descendant of a Guifang Kingdom noble.

They received professional martial arts training from childhood, and each possessed the strength to slay a fierce tiger.

When they reached around ten years of age, these noble descendants without inheritance rights would join the priests' training, learning various sacrificial rituals under the current High Priest.

After approximately five years of training, the outstanding children among them would become priest candidates.

Those children who were eliminated would become members of the Guirong Clan, waging war against the disobedient on behalf of the gods.

Especially after the grand-scale "human sacrifice" began three years ago.

The Guirong Clan fought in all directions, sweeping through all the mountain folk villages surrounding the Guifang Kingdom.

After all, human sacrifice requires a large number of human victims, and it also serves to exterminate those mountain folk who are not very obedient.

This resulted in the Guirong Clan escorting slaves numbering ten times their own strength every time they returned to the Guifang Kingdom.

Their deterrent power had long since spread throughout these hundred mountains and hills.

"Mu Zheng, shall we continue to advance?"

Riding a black strange beast, a handsome-faced youth arrived at the very front of the column.

To escort this huge number of slaves, the eight hundred members of the Guirong Clan were distributed almost throughout every corner of the column, relying entirely on specialized scouts to transmit orders.

And this handsome youth was the leader of the scout unit, as well as Mu Zheng's confidant and deputy.

"Deep and Heavy, when there are no outsiders present, you may address me directly by my name."

Mu Zheng glanced sideways at Deep and Heavy and spoke in a slightly low voice.

Mu Zheng was the leader of the Gui Rong clan, and also the strongest among the children who had stood out from the crowd.

Do not think his age was much greater than Deep and Heavy's.

Yet whether in personal strength or military capability, Mu Zheng was absolutely the first tier of the Gui Fang State.

"Very well, Ruan."

The calm voice held no emotional fluctuation whatsoever.

Deep and Heavy acted as if merely following Mu Zheng Ruan's orders, leaving the other quite helpless.

This was the rule of the Gui Rong clan, or rather the Gui Fang State—the command of a superior is absolute to a subordinate.

"Enough, address me however you wish!"

Sighing softly, Mu Zheng no longer corrected Deep and Heavy's address but issued a command directly.

"Continue forward; we must carry out one final raid."

"This target is the village named 'Gao Cun Town,' also the last threat of the Gui Fang State in this region."

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(End of this chapter)