Mu Yao stared at Shao Xuan in shock. It wasn't that he doubted Shao Xuan's claim that this was the Giant Eagle's land of worship. He knew that Shao Xuan was on a different side from them and had conflicts with them before. Before Yanjiao crossed the sea, they were hunted down by the Royal City's army. Most of their team had participated in the hunt. Even those who weren't directly involved did so indirectly. Yi Zong, who hadn't climbed up the mountain, was also a direct participant.
It would be strange if Shao Xuan treated them well! That was why Mu Yao's guard was up.
If even the Yi family couldn't stop this tribesman, what was he after? Just to warn them?
Looking at the surrounding environment and terrain, they were on a steep hillside. There were many mountain walls that were almost perpendicular to the ground. If they were not careful, they could directly roll down the mountain.
Shao Xuan chuckled at their wary gazes. "I'm not the one you should be wary of."
Mu Yao did not say anything, but he thought to himself, 'Who else can I guard against?' You must be hoping for all of us to die!
If Mu Yao was in Shao Xuan's shoes, he would have thought the same. That was why he did not let his guard down. Instead, he stared at Shao Xuan even more cautiously.
"It's about to begin." Shao Xuan looked up at the sky.
There was no angry roar, no murderous intent in his eyes. Shao Xuan's tone was calm but it sent chills down Mu Yao's spine. He panicked for no reason.
He looked up and saw clouds that looked like they were within reach. A chill seeped into his lungs, sending chills down his spine. It was even more chilling than before, as if something terrible was about to happen!
Chacha, who was beside Shao Xuan, did not pay much attention to Mu Yao and the rest. It looked up instead. Since Chacha had been to Eagle Mountain twice in a row, there was no need for him to go there again. But that didn't stop him from looking forward to it. When he sensed what was about to happen, he was so excited that he wanted to howl.
The Yang Guang in the sky was actually very strong. If they weren't here, Yang Guang could be felt from somewhere else in the forest. Even though the mountain was covered by clouds, there was still light shining through them. It was as if the sun could be seen through the thick clouds.
Gongjia Yue noticed that the star butterfly larvae had changed too. He couldn't see them clearly because they were too far away but he kept his eyes on the fat worm behind the swarm. Otherwise, he wouldn't have noticed the white worms in the snow.
At that moment, the Star Butterfly Worms stopped climbing. They were changing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Their bodies shrank and flattened. The white worms in the snow gradually merged with the snow. They looked like a mass of snow that was similar to the snow around them.
Below a protruding rock on the mountain wall, a star butterfly worm clung to it like a ball of snow. If one didn't consider the logic behind why there would be snow under the rock, the transformation was shocking.
This was the natural instinct of the star butterfly worm. Just like how creatures in the forest would disguise themselves when faced with a threat, these star butterfly worms were the same. They sensed danger.
Even Gongjia Yue, who didn't know much about insects, felt chills run down his spine. The fear of uncertainty was enough to push his heart into his throat.
It was dead silent, the entire mountain range seemed to have fallen into silence. Everyone's breathing became cautious, only the sound of the wind whistling in their ears.
Suddenly, the clouds above began to swirl as if something was blowing them.
Screech —
The cry of an eagle that seemed to come from beyond the heavens rang out from above.
Then, more eagle cries rang out, as if they were very far away, but also as if they would arrive in the next moment.
It was a giant eagle's cheer.
The clouds above rolled even more violently, as if there were strong gusts of wind blowing from above, spreading to the surroundings, trying to blow away the thick clouds that were blocking their line of sight.
Screech —
Screech —
The eagle's cries were getting closer, right above their heads!
Mu Yao and the rest had been staring up nervously, their eyes wide and mouths agape. They were shocked by what they saw but did not dare to make a sound.
Above their heads, in the thick layer of clouds, which was brightly illuminated by the sun, there were large swathes of shadows moving.
The airflow from above finally blew away part of the clouds. The sunlight released the golden light that had been brewing for a long time, like sharp swords that broke through the clouds and were thrown into places that had been blocked by the clouds for a long time, opening up a brighter world.
But soon, the light was blocked again. This time, it was not the thick clouds that blocked Yang Guang's view, but several large figures.
Unlike the old eagle Mu Yao had seen earlier, these figures were like newly awakened predators, eager to set the bloody rules of the hunt. Mu Yao thought the eagle he saw earlier was already a giant eagle but now, he finally understood what Shao Xuan meant when he said 'giant' in 'giant eagle'. The eagle from before, even if placed in the group of eagles above, was only an "ordinary" one.
Giant beast!
Real giant beasts!
According to legends, giant beasts ruled the world in an even more distant era. But for some reason, the giant beasts that once ruled the world and pushed humans to the bottom of the food chain disappeared one by one. Only then did the humans who lived in the dark usher in a new era.
Disregarding its strength, just its body size alone was enough to make it a true giant beast!
In the past, he had thought that the ferocious beasts he had seen in the forest were already large in size. However, compared to what he was seeing now, they were not even worth mentioning.
This was the first time he saw a true giant beast, and a group at that!
They seemed to be mocking Mu Yao for his shortsightedness. The huge figures easily stirred the clouds with their powerful wings. They soared in the sky as if they were born in the clouds. Looking down on everything! Looking down on everything!
That was the source of all the fear in Mu Yao's heart!
What did the tribesman say? This was the giant eagle's land of faith?
What else did he say? "You shouldn't be wary of me?"
Mu Yao's heart skipped a beat. He only had one thought: don't let the giant eagles discover them!
Just as he thought this, Mu Yao heard something whirring in the air.
Several figures flew in from above, drawing an arc in the air before crashing into the mountain wall where Mu Yao and the others were resting, exploding. The rocks on the mountain wall didn't crack, nor did Mu Yao and the others suffer much damage. Just some noise.
Bang bang bang bang! Clap clap! Thud!
Each thud was louder than the last.
Mu Yao: "…" He wanted to curse the Yanjiao ancestors!
When he looked up again, he saw a much smaller eagle flying out of the clouds that had yet to completely disperse. It swept its gaze across the mountain wall and flew towards the source of the sound. Soon after, more and more eagles broke through the clouds, which had dissipated a lot, and flew over.
The younger giant eagles were more curious. They were so excited that they had nowhere to vent their energy. When they heard the sound below, they followed the sound.
Behind the small eagles, there were a few eagles that were slightly larger than them. Then, a few eagles with a strong herd mentality also came down.
"Treacherous! Cunning! Shameless! "Mu Yao cursed. Shao Xuan was the one who threw the things that made the noise. If they weren't running for their lives, Mu Yao would have cursed even more.
Facing the incoming eagles, Mu Yao and the others drew their swords.
The sharp blades clashed against the eagles' claws. Just as Mu Yao had expected, these eagles were different from the ones he'd met before. Their claws seemed to be covered in a layer of hard armour. Even if they hit, they couldn't easily cut off a toe. Plus, Mu Yao and the others didn't have any divine weapons. The situation was even more disadvantageous for them.
Seeing that they were using weapons, the eagles became even more ferocious. They weaved through the air, using their sharp beaks and claws to attack those with weapons. Some people were directly taken away by the giant eagles, eaten, or thrown down from the sky. Whether they could survive or not depended on their luck.
Shao Xuan quietly watched as the people fled in panic after being attacked by the giant eagle.
Treacherous? Cunning? Shameless?
Why didn't the Royal City say that when they attacked Yanjiao?
Shao Xuan had no intention of attacking for now. Not all eagles were like the Chacha or the Hui tribe's eagles. Some hated humans too. Shao Xuan didn't want to attract attention now. That was why he didn't go out even when he saw people escaping the eagles' attacks. Instead, he hid behind a rock and watched.
Below, at the foot of the mountain.
"This is where the eagles are," Yi Zong said, looking up.
"The tribesmen are taking revenge." Yi Qi stared at the sky. He couldn't see clearly because of the distance and divination didn't work here but he could guess what was happening.
Those giant eagles were too conspicuous, and they made the humans look small and insignificant.
"Then you have to be careful. You were at the front of the team that chased after the Flaming Horns. Tribesmen are vengeful. Mu Yao and the others couldn't avoid it, so you can't either, "Yi Qi said expressionlessly. He didn't gloat or worry over this, it was as if he was just chatting. Compared to what he cared about, none of this was important.
Yi Zong smiled bitterly. "What's coming will come, no one can avoid it."
This sentence seemed to be referring to the current situation, but it also seemed to be a metaphor for something else. After Yi Qi heard it, he did not refute, but only sighed heavily. He wanted to lament, wanted to curse, but did not know what to say. But soon, his conflicted eyes became firm, and he sighed softly in agreement. "Indeed, what should come, even if it is late for so many years, will still come. No one can avoid it. If it is not us, it will be our descendants. Why don't we bear it?"
As he spoke, there was the sound of rocks sliding down the cliff. A figure rolled down the cliff and landed on the ground. He didn't even have time to check his injuries before he scrambled to his feet and ran away from the foot of the mountain. "Retreat!"
He still remembered the eagle whose two toes he had cut off. To be on the safe side, he decided to leave first. There were too many giant eagles here. What would he do if the eagle who had a grudge against him came with reinforcements? Wait for death?
As long as he knew this was the larvae's nest, even if he failed this time, he could come back next time. As long as he was alive, there was a chance he could come again.
Shao Xuan did not tell Mu Yao that although this was a place of worship for the giant eagles, it was not their nests. The eagles that entered Eagle Mountain had to wait a long time before coming out. Some eagles did not even come out after entering.
When Mu Yao passed by Yi Qi and Yi Zong, he saw that they didn't intend to move. He shouted, "Are you stupid? Why aren't you running?! "
"You guys go ahead. We're not leaving," Yi Zong said.
Mu Yao stopped, looking at Yi Zong in disbelief. "What did you say?!"
"We're staying here for now," Yi Zong said calmly.
Mu Yao wanted to pull his ears and tell himself he'd misheard. He wanted to pry open Yi Zong's head and see if it was filled with bird shit!
He looked at Yi Zong. "You're not leaving too?!" Yi Zong had said 'we'.
"Mm." Yi Qi didn't want to waste time. He flung his sleeves and walked back to where he'd been sitting. Mu Yao was so angry he wanted to kill them.
The Yi family was crazy!
So what if they didn't leave? He didn't want to die here with them!
"Retreat!" Mu Yao shouted and fled with those who could still run. There were close to five hundred of them when they arrived but not even a tenth of them left. Some of them were those who had stayed at the foot of the mountain. Almost everyone who followed Mu Yao up the mountain was wiped out. Mu Yao was almost taken away by a giant eagle but in the nick of time, he threw Gongjia Yue out to block the claw for him. At that moment, the Master and his weapon were no longer important. Nothing was more important than his own life.
In the sky, there were many eagles circling, searching for humans. Yi Zong and Yi Qi watched from the forest, relieved that the eagles didn't like to eat on the ground. Even if they did, they would bring their prey to higher ground.
Yi Zong and Yi Qi's slaves paled when they heard the screams. Their muscles tensed, the slightest movement in the leaves made their hairs stand on end.
In contrast, Yi Zong and Yi Qi were calm, as if they did not hear the thuds of the people thrown by the eagle. They did not hear the screams and cries for help. They stared intently at their trays, as if nothing could distract them. Everything around them calmed down, the eagle's cries grew distant, and the people's cries stopped.
Rustle rustle rustle —
The sound of rustling grass followed by footsteps approached.
Yi Zong and Yi Qi, who had been staring at the plates, moved their attention away from the plates and looked at the newcomer. Their eyes swept over the other party's animal hide armor and oddly colored broadsword. "Shao Xuan of Yanjiao?"
The blade flashed with a cold light, as if it carried the cold breath of metal. Yi Zong and Yi Qi's slaves tensed up and guarded them. They watched vigilantly as Shao Xuan walked towards them.
"You were among the people who hunted down the Yanjiao migration team, right?" Shao Xuan looked at Yi Zong. Although his tone was a question, there was certainty in it.
Yi Zong took a deep breath and pushed aside the two slaves in front of him. "Give me three days. After three days, you can do whatever you want with me."
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