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While the guards cleaned away the grounds littered with dismembered limbs and blood, Qi Lin and the other barbarian disciples were called to assemble at a barracks and drilling field. Having just witnessed the wretched scene of the dismemberment, many were somewhat feeling ill. Their faces were pale, and they retched.
“I never imagined this King Zhou would be so cruel, to actually treat people’s lives as items for amusement.” Shang Yangjun recalled the scene from a moment ago. The bloodcurdling screams of the Shang Moose Tribe’s disciples echoed in her ears. Although it could be said that she had seen wild beasts eat people when she trained in the wildlands, that she had seen corpses that were even more wretched, this time, she was personally witnessing how one person could treat other humans as tools for amusement; those had been real people, and now, they were dead.
This had been far more shocking than those carcasses. Even the girl, whose heart was as steady as stone, felt endless revulsion.
Qi Lin’s mind was also not very at ease. However, he had experienced much more compared to the girl and was not very affected. He felt only anger and grief. Anger for King Zhou’s savagery, grief for the brutality in the powerless struggle of the weak.
“If you don’t feel well, just vomit. You’ll feel much better afterwards.” Qi Lin patted her shoulder.
“You truly are too cool-headed.” Shang Yangjun sighed.
“Shang Xuan, Shang Yangjun.” Just as the two of them were talking, a husky voice came from the side. They turned to see the towering and powerful Shang Meng run towards them, overjoyed.
“Shang Meng! When did you arrive.” Qi Lin smiled.
Seeing that they were safe, Shang Meng breathed a sigh of relief: “As long as you two are safe. Before, while you were in the tomb, I rushed towards Zhaoge first. I was afraid you wouldn’t arrive in time and reserved some seats.” Pausing, the man apologetically said: “Don’t blame me for not going around searching for you two.”
“This was more important.” Qi Lin said. If they had been late, the entire tribe would have been implicated. There was nothing to blame Shang Meng for in his plan, but this man did not consider that even if he had obtained a spot for the Pixiu, he would have suffered the five carriages dismemberment for not having the Pixiu Banner.
“It doesn’t matter that much anymore. The Great King is too…” Shang Meng looked around, not daring to say any more.
“They’re all trash, nothing but dismembered bodies now. This has always happened during tribal hunts. Hmph, back then, I witnessed my own family eaten alive by a lion.”
A solid voice interrupted them. Several tall and burly men walked over, showing sneers towards the discomfort and pale faces of the young barbarian men and women all around. Judging by their garb and totems, they were from the Shang Suan’ni Tribe. Shang Meng was already very tall, but this young man was even bigger, already standing 80 to 90 centimeters taller.
The Shang Suan’ni and the Shang Tiger Tribes were two of the strongest among the Twelve Tribes. These people surprisingly were also Qi Refinement Seventh or Eighth Deva in cultivation. No one dared to utter a word in the face of their mockery.
“Little Sister Yangjun, it is so good that you came. I just knew you would be the banner guardian for sure.” The lead youth walked towards Qi Lin’s party and greeted them.
“Shang Shiwu,1 you’re wrong. I’m not the banner guardian.” Shang Yangjun flatly answered.
“Little Sister Yangjun, don’t joke around. Everyone knows about the talents of Shang Yangjun of the Twelve Tribes. To have entered the Heavenly Spirit Realm at fifteen years old, ha, ha, This Big Brother cannot compare.” Shang Shiwu laughed.
Shang Yangjun was uninterested in explaining.
“You’ve finally come to Zhaoge. We must obtain the Great King’s favor, seize glory for the tribes. Little Sister Yangjun, I won’t lose to you.” Shang Shiwu stroked his chin.
“Big Brother Shiwu is Qi Refinement Eighth Deva, incredible.” Shang Meng enviously said. Entering the Heavenly Spirit meridians was very difficult. That Shang Shiwu was twenty and able to refine Heavenly Spirit True Qi was also considered outstanding talent.
“Shang Meng, you need to bulk up more, ha, ha.”
“I wonder what purpose the Great King has in convening the tribes.” Qi Lin said.
“We obey the Great King’s orders, that is all. Why overthink things. If you think too much, be careful of ending up like those people from earlier.” Shang Shiwu harrumphed. He disdainfully looked at Qi Lin, “I never imagined you would actually come to Zhaoge, wolf child. Could it be that the Pixiu Tribe had no one else? Where is Shang Ci?”
“Big Brother Shang Shiwu is unaware that Shang Xuan defeated Yangjun to become our Pixiu Tribe’s banner guardian.” Shang Meng said.
“He is the guardian?” Another disciple of the Suan’ni Tribe, Shang Shiya, burst out laughing. “Do you take us for fools? This wolf child can’t even refine qi and was still somehow able to defeat Yangjun. The Pixiu Tribe really doesn’t have anyone.”
Qi Lin shrugged. He was not interested in a struggle.
Shang Shiwu raised his brow. Just as he was about to speak, an officer issued orders. “Lord Elai has arrived. All tribal disciples are to assume formation!!”
“Let’s hurry and get into formation.” Shang Shiwu immediately returned to his formation upon hearing this.
Having seen the bloody and merciless law of Zhaoge firsthand, none of the disciples dared to be late. They quickly formed ranks. Each of the Twelve Tribes had dispatched three to five disciples to Zhaoge. Other than the Twelve Tribes, there were also other barbarian tribes, totaling about a hundred people.
The twelve banner guardians formed the front row while everyone else was behind them. Everyone stared straight ahead, sweating profusely.
A woman in revealing clothes, black armor, and a cloak stepped onto the field. This woman’s face was like jade, beautifully made up. At first glance, she was like a delicate beauty, but her eyes were filled with a cruel glint. The woman’s pace was bold and decisive, each step landing heavily on the ground. Her skin had a bit of a tan, appearing very healthy and fit.
At the Deer Terrace before, Qi Lin had taken a look at her. Only now when he was up close did he notice that this woman had a ruthless beauty about her from head to toe.
She was one of the “Five Notes of Zhaoge”2 – “Finger Painting Kill” Elai.3
There was a fierce general, Dian Wei, in Cao Cao’s army that he took to calling “Old Elai” precisely in reference to this Elai. Back then, he and Feilian were King Zhou’s right and left hands. The two of them were fierce generals of boundless strength.
The woman’s armor revealed her cleavage, a large expanse of snow-white skin. With each step, it seemed about to burst out from the restraints of her armor, an extremely alluring sight, but everyone who saw this captivation felt only fear. They were afraid that if they so much as snuck a glance, they would suffer execution by bisection, bronze toaster, or some other cruel and unusual method. It was known that this Elai was famous outside of Zhaoge for her cruelty.
Elai surveyed the tribal disciples from the platform. The innocence that these young men and women exuded made the woman lick her lips.
“Unfurl your banners.”
She said.
Qi Lin and the other banner guardians revealed their banners and planted them in the ground.
The twelve Ten Thousand Beasts Banners flapped in the winds, formidable and awe-inspiring.
“All of you circulate True Qi. I want to see your cultivation.”
Whoosh.
Primordial True Qi flowed throughout their bodies, eddies spinning hundreds of times. Other than the Suan’ni and Tiger Tribes, very few had True Qi that reached the Heavenly Spirit level. Most were still at Earthly Fiend meridian True Qi. Although Qi Lin had Prince CHangqin’s Heavenly Spirit meridian bridge, he had only reached Qi Refinement Sixth Deva before. However, he needed only to cultivate to Qi Refinement Seventh Deva to instantly be able to cross the Heavenly Spirit meridian bridge and enter the Eighth Deva.
“Weak, truly too weak.” Elai berated them: “How unexpected that not a single one of you has reached Ninth Deva, and that there is actually a Qi Refinement Sixth Deva banner guardian?”
“To the front!!” Elai coldly glared at Qi Lin.
Qi Li stepped forth. Shang Shiwu glanced at him, showing an expression of derision.
“What is your name.”
“Reporting to Lord Elai, Your Servant is Shang Xuan!”
“You are the banner guardian for the Pixiu Tribe?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph, someone make this Shang Xuan take the bronze toaster!!”4 Elai waved her hand and impatiently said. “With a guardian this weak, the tribe has failed to comply.”
Qi Lin was shocked. Fuck.
This was enough to get the bronze toaster?
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…..What the hell? Nobody said there was a level requirement!
Qi Qi! Come out here! Big brother needs help!