Chapter 198

In the Loulan tribe's camp.

A fluffy-haired head and a shiny hard-boiled egg walked side by side along the only street in the camp, which was not particularly bustling. The fluffy-haired one looked around curiously.

Along the way, Uchiha Gin discovered that although the residents settled here were materially poor, their faces were filled with smiles, and their words were full of love for a beautiful life, which made him sigh at the simple folk customs of this place.

"Mr. Gin is truly worthy of being a great traveler; your experience is so rich!"

Along the way, the knowledgeable Uchiha Gin had provided Shamon, who was acting as his guide, with reverse popular science about the customs and human sentiments of other countries,

which left this sheltered young man with eyes shining and mouth clicking in wonder. The look he gave Uchiha Gin now carried a hint of respect.

"Hey! Not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning~"

In any case, these were all things Uchiha Gin had seen on television and in comic books, and every single one had a record to refer to, so he had no burden at all while bragging.

"When does Mr. Gin plan to leave? We can help with an escort."

Uchiha Gin pretended to purchase some supplies, appearing as if he were in a hurry to set off, which caused Shamon, who was still enjoying the conversation, to let down his last shred of vigilance and ask.

"Boss, wrap up this little doll for me. Er... I'll set off after I've purchased enough supplies. After all..."

Pointing to the simple-looking ancient doll displayed on the stall, Uchiha Gin turned his head, feigning contemplation in his eyes, and then revealed an embarrassed expression, his speech becoming hesitant.

"After all, what?"

Hearing Uchiha Gin stop mid-sentence, the still relatively simple-minded Shamon hurriedly asked, completely unaware that he had already fallen into the trap.

"Sigh~ I was originally too embarrassed to say it, but since you asked, Shamon brother, then I'll tell you."

Uchiha Gin paused, a mysterious expression appearing on his face, and whispered to Shamon,

"First, let me state that I don't mean to look down on anyone, but as you know, I am a traveler and am only interested in the secret lore of various places."

Looking at Shamon's puzzled little eyes, Uchiha Gin suppressed the laughter in his heart and continued to explain,

"Forgive my bluntness, but your tribe doesn't seem like a place with any interesting secrets, so I don't have much interest in staying. As for my next step, I want to return to my hometown in the Land of Fire first to report that I'm safe to my family..."

"Huh? Who are you looking down on!"

A simple provocation can reap unexpected surprises.

This tactic is truly foolproof when used against simple natives.

Shamon's shiny forehead had veins popping out, and then it instantly flushed with a red color representing shame and anger. Looking resentful, he stared at the sincere-looking Uchiha Gin, a struggle flashing in his eyes.

"Shamon brother, don't take it to heart. If you have the chance in the future, come visit my hometown; I'll take you to see the local specialties of our hometown."

Patting Shamon on the shoulder, the sincerity in Uchiha Gin's eyes was visible to the naked eye, leaving the bald man with nowhere to vent his annoyance, and the struggle in his eyes grew even more intense.

"Mr. Gin, actually, our Loulan also has secret lore passed down for many years..."

In the end, Shamon, who had not yet experienced the malice of society, spilled the beans about his family's secrets to Uchiha Gin without reservation.

"Really? Tell me about it~"

Uchiha Gin cooperatively revealed a look of overflowing thirst for knowledge, which greatly satisfied Shamon's vanity. He pointed toward the center of the camp, signaling for him to follow.

"Legend has it that a thousand years ago, the Land of Wind was still a vast expanse of fertile soil. The climate here was pleasant, and the water and grass were lush, until one day, a huge divine tree grew on this land."

Shamon walked while telling the story that had been passed down for a thousand years to Uchiha Gin, who was following behind.

A divine tree? It wouldn't be that one from the ancestors, would it?

This was the first time he had heard the story of the divine tree from the mouth of a native. Uchiha Gin frowned; sure enough, the dragon vein hidden deep within Loulan had an inseparable connection with the Otsutsuki clan.

"At first, people saw this spectacle and came to worship it one after another, thinking it was a manifestation of the gods. But as time passed, the local residents discovered that although the divine tree was becoming more and more lush, the fertile soil it took root in was becoming increasingly barren. This change swept through the entire Land of Wind like a plague."

Shamon, walking in front, did not notice Uchiha Gin's strange expression, only feeling that the other party was shocked by the secret lore he had told, so he continued to narrate to himself.

"The residents at the foot of the divine tree could not adapt to this change and had to painfully leave their hometowns, but a small group of people chose to stay and hold their ground in this desert."

Shamon, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped and raised his finger to point ahead. Uchiha Gin also raised his head from his thoughts, and following the direction the other party pointed, he saw a towering black spire.

The exterior of the tower was surrounded by thick stone walls, and several burly guards patrolled in front of the gate. It was clear that this was a forbidden area of Loulan.

"This is?"

Even without activating his super-sensory perception, Uchiha Gin could feel the profound power contained within the pagoda. The surrounding space was stirred into ripples by this overflowing power.

"Perhaps the people who held their ground here moved the gods. One morning, everyone woke up from their sleep and discovered that the originally sturdy divine tree had vanished into thin air. If it weren't for the bottomless pit left on the ground, everyone would have thought it was just a long nightmare."

After pausing briefly in front of the tower, Shamon led Uchiha Gin toward the gate of the black tower. The patrolling guards, upon seeing the visitor, all wore respectful expressions and consciously made way.

"Shamon brother, it seems your status isn't as simple as just a guard captain, is it?"

Sensing the patrolling guards slightly, Uchiha Gin discovered that the strength of these people was not as weak as those guarding the gate outside the camp; they were at least at the level of Jonin.

He just hadn't expected that such a barren place would hide so many experts. He then turned his gaze to Shamon in front, asking slowly with a tone carrying moderate "shock."

"Originally, I only wanted to interact with you as an ordinary person, but I didn't expect that what I would get in return was suspicion..."

Shamon, that bald guy, became more and more excited as he spoke. The curve of his mouth was almost impossible to suppress, and his two small eyes were filled with smugness. He walked swaggeringly into the black tower with Uchiha Gin, turned around, raised his hands high, and announced loudly,

"Alright! I won't pretend anymore; I'm showing my cards. I, Shamon, am the guardian of Loulan, the Dragon-Protecting Clan that has guarded the dragon vein for generations~"

Er... Shamon brother, I think you've really been driven crazy by this place; you have too much drama.

Uchiha Gin rolled his eyes secretly and muttered in his heart.

"Huh? I didn't expect Shamon brother to be from the Dragon-Protecting Clan. My respects, my respects~"

However, as a qualified straight man, Uchiha Gin did not shirk his duty to show qualified professional quality, clapping to show respect.

"Hmph, hmph~ I didn't expect the prestige of our Dragon-Protecting Clan to have already reached other countries."

Shamon was very pleased with Uchiha Gin's flattery, and the smugness in his eyes was almost about to spray out from the dragon claw.

"Er, not really. This is my first time hearing it, but it doesn't matter; this title sounds very impressive."

I love telling the truth, buddy~

"Pfft! Then what are you clapping for?"

Shamon was so angry that his blood almost flowed backward. After finally stabilizing his mind, he looked at Uchiha Gin with an unhappy expression and accused him.

"Hey~ we're buddies. By the way, you haven't finished your story yet. What happened after the divine tree disappeared?"

Uchiha Gin used the "buddy card" to offset Shamon's negative emotions and eliminate the dissatisfaction in the other party's heart.

"Ahem... Mr. Gin, look at this pit. This is the ruin left behind after the divine tree disappeared back then."

Since the other party was so enthusiastic, Uchiha Gin stopped declining. He stretched his head to look into the bottom of the pit and saw a touch of blue light surging at the very bottom. Even from this far away, he could feel the mysterious power within it.

"What is that below?"

Frowning, Uchiha Gin pointed to the blue halo overflowing from below and asked.

"After the divine tree disappeared, the people who stayed behind discovered a power within the pit. This power nourished the surrounding environment and created patches of oases. Thus, the grateful people guarded this pit and built a camp on top of it, which eventually formed the tribe."

Shamon raised his hand and pointed to the murals inside the black tower, which depicted the history of the people who guarded the pit and multiplied under the protection of this power.

But what surprised Uchiha Gin most was that in the very center of the mural, a giant dragon was clearly drawn, and under the dragon's feet, countless Loulan ancestors were kneeling.

"Shamon brother, where did that dragon come from?"

"Mr. Gin, that is the power coiled beneath the pit. Because it often appears in the form of a dragon, we Loulan people call it the dragon vein."

I really didn't expect that the dragon vein would be related to the divine tree of the Otsutsuki clan. I just don't know if it's a byproduct of the divine tree or a source power produced by the Earth itself to resist the divine tree's erosion.

"The ancestors of Loulan, in order to prevent the power of the dragon vein from being coveted by evil people, instructed their descendants to guard this place for generations."

After finishing the ancient secret lore of Loulan, Shamon's narrow eyes were filled with reverence. He raised his hand to touch the tattoo on his head and said to the thoughtful Uchiha Gin,

"To commemorate becoming a member of the Dragon-Protecting Clan that guards the dragon vein, I specially got a dragon tattoo on my body. Cool, right!"

"Er... it suits you quite well."

Uchiha Gin found it difficult to comment on this point; after all, everyone's aesthetics are different, and one cannot force one's own aesthetics on others.

After visiting the dragon vein, the two did not linger long. After all, this was a forbidden area of Loulan, and Shamon bringing Uchiha Gin in for a close-up contact with the dragon vein was already a very presumptuous act.

"How about it? The secret lore of our Loulan is no less inferior to other countries, right?"

After walking out of the black tower, Shamon proudly raised his hairless brows at Uchiha Gin, his mouth filled with a simple smile.

"Indeed, it is incredible. I will record it properly and go back to do some tourism promotion for your Loulan. Don't forget to give me a commission when it becomes popular~"

(End of chapter)