Chapter 34

Wearing a finely tailored fur coat that fit her well, Qiuye exuded a hint of martial valor as she stood on the open ground outside the Ironstone Tribe, gazing into the distance.

Her figure caught the attention of the young people in this simple tribe. Since Qiuye arrived at the Ironstone Tribe, she had become, without dispute, the most beautiful girl in the tribe... Young men vied to display their bravery in front of Qiuye, but none could attract her.

"Miss Qiuye, are you waiting for your young master?"

"Yes, I heard from Uncle Dalah and the others who returned that the young master is very powerful. He killed all the Ironwood Clan's hundred Blue Armor Guards in an instant!"

"Only a young master as powerful as that could match the beautiful Miss Qiuye."

"Unfortunately, he encountered a great demon! Even a powerful young master like him would struggle to survive against a great demon. A great demon can change the sky and earth with a single rage, freezing a large group of people to death. Uncle Dalah and the others only narrowly escaped because they ran fast. If the young master is dead, Miss Qiuye will have to find someone else to marry!"

The young people of the tribe were guarding the gate, whispering to each other.

In their eyes, a girl like Qiuye was like a fairy from a legend... Compared to Qiuye, the girls in their tribe were like heaven and earth apart.

...

Qiuye stood there, gazing into the distant mountains and forests.

She was waiting, waiting for the most important man in her life.

"Qiuye." A towering figure walked out from the tribe, it was another servant, Mo Wu. Mo Wu advised, "Rest for a while. If the young master comes, the guards at the tribe's gate will naturally see him."

"No." Qiuye shook her head gently.

Mo Wu glanced at Qiuye, then sat down on a nearby tree stump, his brows furrowed with worry. From Uncle Dalah, he had learned that Ji Ning had battled the great demon 'Water Rhinoceros King'... The outcome of the battle was unknown. Although he hoped the young master would return, reason told Mo Wu that the young master was likely in grave danger!

Because it took Uncle Dalah and the others nearly two days to return from the East Mountain Great Marsh.

At Ji Ning's speed, if he were alive, he could have reached the Ironstone Tribe in less than half a day... He should have returned to the Ironstone Tribe before Uncle Dalah and the others! But Uncle Dalah and the others had been back for two days, and Ji Ning still hadn't returned.

"If the young master dies, I and Qiuye will also have to die with him." Mo Wu said silently.

If the master dies, how can the servant live?

The Ji Clan, as a dominant power, had very strict internal rules.

"Um?" Mo Wu suddenly blinked. In the distant forest, a figure could be seen, a very familiar figure... It looked very much like the young master's figure!

"Young Master!" Qiuye had already run over.

"Young Master?"

"Miss Qiuye is running over."

"Look, it seems someone is coming from that direction. Could it be the young master Miss Qiuye has been waiting for?" The young guards at the tribe's gate whispered to each other, and immediately some guards ran into the tribe to inform the others.

...

Qiuye looked at the fur-clad youth walking towards her with a smile, the fear, panic, anxiety, and worry that had been suppressed for the past two days made her burst into tears.

"Young Master." Qiuye looked at Ji Ning, "I, I..."

"Didn't I come back?" Ji Ning's keen eyesight saw that Uncle Dalah, the one-armed man, and others were walking out from the tribe, and he couldn't help but smile, "It turns out Dalah has already returned. He told you about my battle with the Water Rhinoceros King? I haven't been back for a few days, and you're already scared like this?"

Qiuye tried to hold back her tears.

"For a Water Rhinoceros King, it's nothing to your young master." Ji Ning raised his eyebrows, looking spirited.

Qiuye exclaimed, "Young Master, you killed a great demon?"

"Yes." Ji Ning nodded proudly.

"Wow, a great demon, Young Master killed a great demon." Qiuye was extremely excited, "Young Master is only eleven years old, and he killed a great demon, this, this..." As a personal maid, Qiuye's life revolved around Ji Ning. Ji Ning was the most important person in her life, and his ability to slay a great demon naturally made her feel deeply moved.

Ji Ning lowered his voice, "Don't spread it around."

"Yes, yes." Qiuye nodded quickly.

"Let's go, let's take a look at this Ironstone Tribe." Ji Ning said. Over the past few days, Ji Ning had reflected on the two major battles in the forest. He had discovered some of his own shortcomings in battle, and after careful reflection, he had studied his two sets of sword techniques in detail, feeling that he had made significant progress.

Ji Ning led Qiuye towards the main gate of the Ironstone Tribe.

Uncle Dalah and a group of tribal men came out to greet them. The leader was a bald, white-haired old man. This bald, white-haired old man bowed deeply in respect, "I am Iron Three of the Ironstone Tribe. Thank you, great young master, for saving the people of the Ironstone Tribe multiple times. All the people of the Ironstone Tribe are extremely grateful to you... and have been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Ji Ning smiled and nodded, "I will stay in your Ironstone Tribe for a while. As for the rescue? It was just a matter of convenience, and... I don't want to be disturbed."

"Understood, understood." The bald, white-haired old man nodded quickly.

"Dalah." Ji Ning looked over.

The tall, bear-like Uncle Dalah stepped forward, looking very excited, "Young Master, seeing you return, I..."

"Alright." Ji Ning said with a smile, "You helped me for over a month in the East Mountain Marsh. I said I would reward you when we returned to the Ironstone Tribe. Here, take it." As he spoke, three pieces of beast-headed gold appeared in his hand, and he threw them over, each weighing ten pounds, which made the large, black Uncle Dalah momentarily stunned.

He quickly caught them, and the other tribesmen nearby were very envious.

"Let's go." Ji Ning glanced at Mo Wu and Qiuye, then walked directly into the Ironstone Tribe.

Ji Ning could have given even more valuable gifts, but the Ironstone Tribe was a small tribe of barely a thousand people, and too precious items would be a disaster!

******

Inside the Ironstone Tribe.

"Young Master." Qiuye poured fruit wine for Ji Ning and served him fruits and delicacies, "Mo Wu and I have been in this tribe for over a month. We contacted the Ji Clan shortly after arriving."

"Um." Ji Ning nodded.

While he was out, he would contact the Western Capital City through the Ji Clan's troops stationed in various places every month.

"Western Capital City also has a letter for Young Master." Qiuye took out a scroll from her chest.

Ji Ning took it, unfolded the earth-brown leather scroll, and couldn't help but smile. It was a letter from his mother! The letter contained nothing special, mainly some words of concern, but his mother's nagging made Ji Ning, who had just experienced a life-and-death battle, feel very warm.

"Alright, Qiuye, you look like you haven't rested well for days. Go rest." Ji Ning said.

"I'm not sleepy." Qiuye said quickly.

"Go." Ji Ning ordered.

Qiuye bowed her head and obediently went to her quarters to rest.

...

Time passed, and he would go to the East Mountain Marsh every ten days or half a month, spending most of his time in the Ironstone Tribe contemplating sword techniques. Before he knew it, over a month had passed.

"Tsk." Ji Ning was sitting on the roof, holding a bamboo tube containing fine fruit wine, "Although the Western Capital City is big, it's not as warm as this small tribe."

The people of the Ironstone Tribe were very united, helping each other, and were as close as brothers.

"Quick, quick, quick."

"Everyone, go back."

"Quick, put everything away."

Suddenly, the originally peaceful and quiet tribe became noisy and chaotic, which made Ji Ning, who was drinking fruit wine on the roof, puzzled. He immediately leaped off the roof and grabbed a young man running by, "You."

"Young Master." The young man, seeing it was Ji Ning, respectfully responded.

"What's going on?" Ji Ning asked, "Why is the tribe suddenly in chaos? Weren't you practicing spear techniques earlier? Why did you stop?"

"It's the Black Mountain Tribe!" The young man said, "The Black Mountain Tribe has come to our tribe to collect furs. Some of the good furs in the tribe should be hidden, otherwise, if the Black Mountain Tribe finds them, they'll take them away. Young Master, I need to hurry back—"

Ji Ning nodded thoughtfully, "You go."

Qiuye was also watching from the front of the house and said, "The Black Mountain Tribe is a super-large tribe with tens of thousands of people. Smaller tribes like ours have to pay tribute to them every year."

"Hmph." Ji Ning frowned, "This land is the territory of the Ji Clan! Only the Ji Clan has the right to tax. The Black Mountain Tribe making the surrounding small tribes pay tribute is no different from taxing."

The Ji Clan taxed every tribe in its territory.

At the same time, the Ji Clan was a vassal of the Great Xia Dynasty, and most of the taxes collected were sent to the Great Xia Dynasty!

"That's what they say." Qiuye shook her head, "But do these small tribes dare not to pay? If they don't, the Black Mountain Tribe can completely crush a small tribe and sell the captives as slaves."

Ji Ning sighed deeply.

Yes.

Because there were too many tribes, and the conflicts between tribes were impossible to manage, the Ji Clan could only let it be. Not just the Ji Clan... even the Great Xia Dynasty, which ruled vast territories, could only let it be. The Ji Clan and the Ironwood Clan, who were like mortal enemies, could fight each other because the territory was too large to manage!

"They're here." Qiuye said, "The Black Mountain Tribe has arrived."

Ji Ning also looked over and saw a group of half-armored guards led by a fur-clad man strutting arrogantly, as if patrolling their own territory. The leaders of the Ironstone Tribe, Uncle Dalah, and others accompanied them, obediently and without the slightest disobedience.

The leader of the Black Mountain Tribe, Ke Yong, was looking around the dilapidated small tribe with a satisfied expression.

"Hmph." Ke Yong glanced at the people of the Ironstone Tribe, seeing their fearful and flattering expressions, which made him even more pleased.

He was a core member of the Black Mountain Tribe. Coming to a small tribe like the Ironstone Tribe... he could do whatever he wanted! If he was angry, this small tribe would be finished. Just the hundred armored guards he led could sweep through such a small tribe. He had absolute authority over such small tribes.

"Hmm?" Ke Yong suddenly noticed a youth and a girl standing not far away, and his eyes lit up. The armored guards beside him also held their breath.

"Beautiful, very beautiful." Ke Yong was instantly captivated, and a strong desire to possess her rose in his heart. He had to capture this beautiful girl and make her his personal maid, and he would pamper her every day! Just thinking about it made Ke Yong feel his whole body surge with blood.

"Ha ha ha..." Ke Yong laughed loudly and walked directly towards the youth and the girl.

Ji Ning frowned slightly, looking at the tall man with exquisite ornaments walking towards him. This tall man was looking at Ji Ning and Qiuye with the eyes of a superior tribe inspecting goods, especially when looking at Qiuye, his greed was completely unhidden: "This fur coat is very well tailored, did you make it yourself? Your hands are very skillful? The fur coat of the youth beside you is also well tailored, is he your brother?"

***

It's 2013, brothers and sisters of the Red Alliance, Happy New Year~~

Finally, I'll continue to work hard to ask for votes, remember to vote for recommendations!

{Piaotian Literature}