The Quest for Immortality

Chapter 862 – The Divine Child Almost Lost in the Mountains

Before encountering the Green Sparrow Tribe, they had believed that, under the leadership of the Black Stone Tribe, armed with black stone weapons, they—having gathered so many at once—would be able to sweep away any other tribe.

At this very moment, after enduring a war so disastrous it could not have been worse, and personally witnessing that indescribably strange cave along with the many people emerging from it, the leader of the Grass Tribe and those captured alongside her deeply realized the strength of the Green Sparrow Tribe, the insignificance of themselves, and how naive and foolish their previous thoughts had been.

The opposing tribe had beaten them so miserably, yet had not even used their full strength, and still left so many people in the tribe. If they did not lose, who would? If they were not captured, who would be captured?

At the same time, certain realizations also arose in the Grass Tribe leader’s mind. She understood why so many people had suddenly appeared behind them.

But she could not comprehend how the other side had relayed the news of their arrival to this tribe in such a short time, and how this tribe had moved so quickly that her group had not noticed a single hint.

The Grass Tribe leader’s shock did not fade, even though she was convinced that after seeing this unbelievably astonishing cave, nothing could shock her anymore.

Yet following these people into this massive cave brought a new, immediate shock.

Inside this strange cave lived a large number of deer, living leisurely within equally peculiar structures. Upon seeing so many humans entering, not a single one panicked.

One even glanced over at them and then walked behind a young doe, standing upright…

A herd this large, unafraid of humans, would have driven the Grass Tribe leader crazy with delight if encountered during regular hunting.

And now, such a large group of deer lived like this within the strange cave of the Green Sparrow Tribe.

Even this massive herd alone was shocking, but the Green Sparrow Tribe had more.

Not far from the deer, there was an enclosure similar to a deer pen, containing even more sheep than there were deer!

Most of these sheep were grazing, while others lay on the ground chewing leisurely, and some were butting heads in a competition for the little ewes.

No matter what they did, it did not change the fact that they lived inside the massive cave of the Green Sparrow Tribe.

On the other side of the sheep lived creatures far more numerous than all the fingers on her hands combined with those of another person.

The Grass Tribe leader had never seen these animals before, but judging by their size—larger than deer—they must be delicious to eat.

“Snort snort~”

While the Grass Tribe leader was agape at what she saw, a snorting sound came from another direction.

Startled, her body tensed and she instinctively turned toward the sound.

She was very familiar with this noise. In hunting, encountering such creatures brought both excitement and fear.

On one hand, their meat was abundant; on the other, these creatures were extremely fierce, and hunting them carelessly could lead to injury.

In her memory, multiple people in her tribe had been killed by such creatures when their eyes turned red and they attacked recklessly.

Hence, hearing such a sound now, her reaction was intense.

If a herd of such creatures charged at this moment, it would be disastrous—they had no weapons, and their hands were bound with ropes.

However, turning her head, the Grass Tribe leader’s worries vanished instantly. Her worldview was once again shattered by what she saw.

Before her appeared many wild boars, large and small, bigger than any pigs she had hunted before.

But unlike normal wild boars, these were enclosed within strange stone structures, like small caves made of piled stones.

What shocked the Grass Tribe leader most was that these once-ferocious creatures, like the deer and sheep, appeared calm inside the stone enclosures.

Seeing her group, they did not flee in panic nor charge recklessly with red eyes. They went about their business, completely ignoring her group of humans!

Walking a little further, new things came into view.

Large numbers of chickens, flying waterfowl, and geese lived inside similar structures. Some pecked at the ground, while others strolled about, humming leisurely.

Several Green Sparrow Tribe members collected various eggs from these animals and placed them in intricately woven baskets made of vines.

Not far away, another sizable building housed numerous rabbits. Many rabbits crouched, moving their three-lobed mouths diligently, eating the grass in their mouths.

Within moments, a single blade of grass would vanish completely.

The Grass Tribe leader was utterly overwhelmed. The sights before her mind churned relentlessly, leaving her dazed and disoriented.

She even forgot how to continue walking forward.

It was too shocking! Truly too shocking!

Before coming to the Green Sparrow Tribe, she had some understanding of their wealth through the dead Shu Pi and people from the original Shu Pi Tribe.

But only upon arriving did the Grass Tribe leader truly grasp the Green Sparrow Tribe’s affluence.

Even the wealthiest scenario she had imagined before paled in comparison.

Not to mention the countless, massive prey—all alone, they stunned her and the captured companions.

She realized that even if they spent a whole year hunting continuously, they could not match the Green Sparrow Tribe’s stock of game.

What astonished her most was how this tribe could keep so many animals alive in their cave, not only without starving them, but keeping them plump and tame.

This was a truly remarkable, wealthy, powerful, and mysterious tribe.

Many things she had never dared or imagined were here before her eyes.

The Grass Tribe leader felt she had genuinely gained knowledge.

Not just her; the newly captured slaves reacted similarly, even the least perceptive among them were struck by the sight.

The Green Sparrow Tribe members naturally noticed these reactions.

They had seen this many times before—outsiders always reacted this way—but even after countless times, watching such reactions still brought great satisfaction.

This pleasure was insatiable—like food one could never tire of.

At this moment, the Green Sparrow Tribe members instinctively straightened their posture. Even the old slaves in the tribe did the same.

They felt proud of what they had created with their own hands, proud to live in this tribe, proud to contribute to its development.

The dazed Grass Tribe leader’s gaze fell on the Green Sparrow Tribe members beside her.

She sensed something different from these people.

She could not describe it, but she could feel it—a quality her own tribe lacked…

For those who accomplished something, applause and flowers alone were insufficient; material rewards were necessary.

For the Green Sparrow Tribe, the best reward and celebration came in the form of a feast.

And if during the feast, they could drink two bowls of tangy, irresistible wine, it was even more perfect.

Under Shaman’s orders, the Green Sparrow Tribe began preparing for a post-victory celebration. Soon, wonderful aromas wafted through the main tribe.

As everyone worked, numerous delicious foods appeared, carried from the dining hall and placed in the sunlit courtyard.

Nearby, the Grass Tribe leader and the other captives watched in utter astonishment.

Compared to these sumptuous foods, everything they had eaten before seemed insignificant.

Their understanding of the Green Sparrow Tribe’s wealth and cuisine was again profoundly updated.

The simple wild vegetable stew they had thought delicious now seemed trivial compared to these mouthwatering dishes.

Shaman observed the reactions, a layered smile on his face.

He had placed the celebration in the Green Sparrow plaza and allowed the new slaves to observe—his idea.

He knew the power of his tribe’s delicious food.

Long ago, the Elder of the Wind Tribe had been captivated using this method by the Third Senior Brother.

Shaman’s intent now was to make these captives fully appreciate the Green Sparrow Tribe’s wealth and the deliciousness of its food, so they would integrate quickly and remain without thoughts of escape.

From their reactions, Shaman could see his strategy was effective.

When the final dish was served, everyone eagerly began eating.

As ten or more jars of tangy wine were brought out and poured for each person, the already lively atmosphere grew even more festive.

People laughed, carefully raising bowls to their mouths. Many grimaced, yet refused to spit it out.

The Grass Tribe leader and the others watched, swallowing their own saliva, as they saw the Green Sparrow Tribe revel in the feast. It felt almost cruel.

Many, including the Grass Tribe leader, secretly wished they could partake in such food.

Victory belonged to the entire Green Sparrow Tribe, and the celebration naturally could not be confined to the main tribe.

After the main tribe’s celebration, the Shaman sent some people with donkey carts to deliver ingredients to the Copper Mountain settlement as rewards for their contribution.

Night fell again. The ropes on the Grass Tribe leader’s hands were untied.

She lay on a raised platform made of mud, lined with soft, dry grass. Sleeping there was comfortable.

Though it was her first time on such a strange sleeping surface, she immediately liked it.

Everything in this tribe seemed wonderfully comfortable to use.

After resting, she contemplated the fate of her scattered tribe members.

Returning to their original homeland would be ideal—they were free there—but that was temporarily impossible.

She decided to set that thought aside and consider other options.

Before encountering the Green Sparrow Tribe, her tribe had two noteworthy possessions: bows and arrows, and fish traps.

After seeing the Green Sparrow Tribe’s bows, she no longer expected much from her own.

Compared to the Green Sparrow bows, theirs seemed disposable.

Thus, the only valuable possession left was the fish trap.

Though the Green Sparrow Tribe appeared overflowing with food, she had considerable faith in her fish trap.

No tribe would complain about too much food, she thought.

If she could present the fish trap and demonstrate its power, she and her tribe would surely receive favorable treatment—just like the Shu Pi Tribe captives had when presenting traps and bows.

Perhaps she could, like that Shu Pi Tribe member, often sneak into the grass with the strong-looking Green Sparrow Tribe leader…

If so, escaping with her tribe would be much easier.

Before escaping, she resolved to learn as many of the Green Sparrow Tribe’s skills as possible, so that upon returning home, her people could live as well as the Green Sparrow Tribe.

Thinking this through made her increasingly excited, confident that her plans could succeed.

She even felt that her current predicament wasn’t entirely bad—it might even be a great opportunity.

If she had not joined the Black Stone Tribe’s attack on the Green Sparrow Tribe, she would never have witnessed all this.

Now, with neighboring tribes nearly annihilated or captured, if she could master the Green Sparrow Tribe’s techniques and return, her tribe could dominate the region.

She could even attack the Black Stone Tribe herself, seize their people, and demand tribute from surrounding tribes…

Just imagining this made her heart race with excitement.

Only when the Green Sparrow Tribe’s chickens crowed several times did she finally drift into sleep, a lingering smile on her face. Who knows what dreams she had…

At dawn, someone called her awake. Though she had slept little, her spirit was excellent, especially recalling her previous plans.

She adjusted her animal-skin garments, ready to present the fish trap today, impress the tribe, and secure special treatment for herself and her people—just like when she first saw such a trap.

But often, ideas remain just ideas. The world does not revolve around supporting a minor character.

Watching over ten fish traps being lifted from the water and emptied, she could not help but stagger.

Without doubt, she was struck by a crushing blow—more shocking than any physical injury.

The Green Sparrow Tribe had fish traps too, and theirs were even more exquisite and practical.

Her tribe’s traps, once prized, now seemed as disposable as their bows compared to Green Sparrow’s.

Her heart sank—half the night’s excitement and planning had been shattered before it even began, without even a chance to struggle…

What was left that this tribe did not possess?

She roared internally, on the verge of going mad. How could it be so hard to accept?

“Hey! Digging the ground!”

A veteran slave from the Green Sparrow Tribe, paired with her in a “senior guiding the new” group, saw the Grass Tribe leader distracted by the fish traps and admonished her, pointing sharply at the hoe in her hand, signaling her to work.

On the verge of madness, the Grass Tribe leader immediately calmed down.

Mimicking the old slave, she awkwardly held the strange tool and began digging.

Meanwhile, far away, on a hilltop, Han Cheng looked out at the suddenly wide-open view and could not help swearing with relief:

“Finally made it out!”

Not only him, but Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, Shitou, and the others exhaled deeply; some even shouted in joy.

It was no wonder—they had journeyed through endless mountains, narrow passes, and worn-through leather shoes, all under Han Cheng’s leadership, seeking a route for their tribe.

Thankfully, Han Cheng, their Divine Child, led them. Without him, many would have turned back long ago.