Chapter 61

Zhang Tianyuan made some rabbit meat into a paste and fed it to the little eagle. After all, it had been a long time since it had eaten anything, and this little guy probably couldn't eat large pieces of meat. This meat paste was the most suitable.

After eating and drinking to its heart's content, the little guy fell asleep right in Zhang Tianyuan's arms, looking so peaceful, just like a baby who had just had its fill of milk.

"I hope there won't be any trouble. Let's go!" Shelin sighed. He was still a bit worried. Why was the eagle tied up there, and why was it injured? These were all mysteries. It was impossible for him not to be nervous.

The group continued forward, carefully walking along the stone-paved path. After all, they had come to a strange place, and no one dared to be careless, especially since there were examples of people who had entered and then disappeared. It was always better to be cautious.

They hadn't walked far when they suddenly heard the sound of children playing. Following the sound, they discovered a village ahead, with about twenty to thirty households. At the village entrance, there were seven or eight children playing.

These children were dressed in clothes from the Southern Song Dynasty. In modern terms, they looked like they were wearing bizarre costumes, which was a bit unsettling.

The reason for the fear was probably due to too many horror stories. It seemed almost unbelievable to see children dressed in such clothes in a remote valley. They would usually be considered ghosts or fairies.

But Zhang Tianyuan could sense that those children were human, living, breathing humans. This couldn't be wrong. The eyes could be deceived, but the感应 of the earth's qi would not lie.

"Be careful. Look at what those children are wearing on their hands," Shelin said. As a professional soldier, his eyes were sharp. Even from a distance, he noticed something was off.

Zhang Tianyuan focused the earth's qi in his eyes and looked closely. He was surprised to find that a few of the children were actually wearing watches! Yes, watches, and one of them was a very expensive brand, a famous Swiss import!

"Could it be that all the people who entered Shenlu Valley were harmed by them?" Xu Gang said worriedly.

"It's too early to say. They might have saved those people, or they might have encountered them when they were already dead. Of course, your guess might not be wrong; perhaps those people were indeed harmed by them," Shelin said, frowning.

"What should we do now? Should we go around?" Xu Gang asked again.

"No, let's go into the village. But not all of us should go in. Leave a few people outside to provide support. If something happens, we can respond. If we all go in, we won't know what to do if something goes wrong," Shelin shook his head and said.

Zhang Tianyuan also agreed with Shelin's suggestion. He thought for a moment and said, "I'll go in with Gangzi, and the rest of you stay outside. Shelin, protect everyone and wait for us. If something really happens to us, please come to our rescue."

"Bro, are you serious? I have a girlfriend, you know. You want to play with my life?" Xu Gang said with a mournful face.

"Stop whining. Since we've entered Shenlu Valley, don't talk about being afraid. Follow me!" Zhang Tianyuan directly grabbed Xu Gang's collar and walked toward the village.

He had a good reason for this arrangement. He studied archaeology and had some knowledge of ancient languages. With the help of the earth's qi and the Six True Words, his chances of survival would be greater than anyone else's if something happened.

He brought Xu Gang because Xu Gang was his most trusted friend. No matter what happened, Xu Gang would never betray him or shoot him in the back. This friendship and默契 had been cultivated from childhood, making it more reliable than any temporary team or even so-called love.

This was a matter of life and death, and Zhang Tianyuan couldn't afford to be careless.

"Be careful. If something happens, shout loudly. We'll fight to the death if necessary. We still have plenty of bullets, and dealing with these natives shouldn't be a problem," Shelin said, clearly agreeing with Zhang Tianyuan's suggestion.

"I'll go with you," Lan Fenghuang suddenly said.

"No, one more person means one more thing to worry about. It's unnecessary. If we're two, it's easier to escape. Besides, we need you and Shelin to take care of everyone here," Zhang Tianyuan rejected her request and then scanned the group, his gaze lingering on Liu Mengxun's face, which was a bit complicated.

Liu Mengxun also looked at Zhang Tianyuan, opening her mouth as if to say something, but she couldn't. However, the concern on her face was evident.

Actually, Zhang Tianyuan didn't expect Liu Mengxun to like him just like that. As long as she was worried about him, it was a step forward, considering they had only known each other for a short time.

"Wife, if I die, remember not to kill yourself!" Xu Gang said to Mou Ying.

"Don't worry, I'll live well and marry a better husband than you," Mou Ying said with a smile.

"Are you serious? That's harsh!"

"So, you'd better come back safely, or else don't blame me." Tears welled up in Mou Ying's eyes, but she held them back.

"Alright, it's not like we're going to our deaths. Why be so dramatic? Let's go!" Zhang Tianyuan dragged Xu Gang toward the village.

As they walked toward the village, Shelin began to arrange for the others to hide in concealed places, just in case. They didn't know if they were already being watched, but it was always better to be cautious.

Zhang Tianyuan and Xu Gang reached the village entrance. The children, seeing strangers, immediately stopped playing and looked at the two with curious eyes.

Suddenly, one of the children saw the sleeping little eagle in Zhang Tianyuan's arms and screamed.

"Oh no, oh no, the offering has been brought back! This is bad!"

His shout quickly drew the attention of the adults, who came out of their houses. Seeing the little eagle in Zhang Tianyuan's hands, they all looked terrified and at a loss.

"Brother, what are they saying?" Xu Gang didn't understand what they were saying. If he listened carefully, he could have understood, but it was normal to be a bit unclear the first time.

It felt like when someone from out of town first arrives in Nanjing and hears the local dialect. If the speaker talks a bit faster, it's hard to understand.

"They're saying this little guy is an offering!"

"Oh no, oh no. It seems this is their custom. I've heard that in Africa, if someone disrupts their customs, they can be killed," Xu Gang said, shaking his head.

Just as they were talking, an old woman emerged from the crowd. She looked to be in her seventies or eighties, leaning on a cane and supported by a girl around thirteen or fourteen years old. She walked over slowly and unsteadily.

The old woman first clasped her hands together and then said, "Wu Liang Tian Zun, why did the guests from afar take our offering? This will bring disaster to our village."

Zhang Tianyuan noticed that the old woman had the same habit as Wumu Daozhang, which made him speculate. Could this village be where the descendants of Shenlu Kingdom lived? Could those who entered before have been killed by these people?

But that didn't seem right. He couldn't sense any killing intent or even a hint of malice. Instead, these people seemed very simple and honest, with no complex expressions in their eyes.

"Wu Liang Tian Zun, we only saw the little eagle was injured, and the stick had fallen, so we saved it. In Daoism, there is a concept of good fortune and destiny. Since we have a connection, it shouldn't be a disaster. Why don't we sit down and talk about it?" Zhang Tianyuan said, mimicking Wumu Daozhang's manner.

The old woman's face showed a hint of surprise, and then she smiled. "Good, good. Meeting is a form of destiny. Please come inside, and the rest of you, go about your business. Prepare a new offering, and hopefully, it will be in time to make up for it!"