After a century of worship, I became the ancestor of the tribe.

Chapter 66: All Taken Down in One Go (Please Read On)
On the shore, Shen Can finally got a clear look at the red goldfish.

Its entire body glows with a bright reddish-gold color. Its whiskers under its chin are about a foot long. Its head is very different from that of ordinary bluefish, with its forehead protruding like undulating hills.

Auspicious beasts are highly intelligent and very rare.

A mythical beast has been appearing near the tribe's territory repeatedly, even rescuing people and irrigating fields. Could it be looking for a long-term meal ticket?

The dragon-whisker carp swam in the water for a long time before finally getting within three zhang of Shen Can.

Half of the fish's head rose above the water, and the area on the underside of its jaw, where the scales were reversed, gleamed with a bloody light, as if bloodworms were surging and clinging to it.

Seeing the blood, Shen Can understood: they weren't begging for food; they were asking for help.

They also knew the principle of giving before taking, so they irrigated the land in their clan.

That brain of a fish is a waste.

"Let me see."

Shen Can spoke, attempting to direct his divine sense towards the location of the reverse scale.

Then, he felt his consciousness rebound and his head started to ache.

Amidst the blood-red light, witchcraft blossomed, striking back his released divine consciousness like lightning.

The reverse scale is located on a pointed sorcerer's weapon, about the thickness of a finger.

"Purrl".

Sensing the impact on Shen Can, the dragon-whiskered carp spat out a bubble that landed on Shen Can's body. The warm, moist air on his head eased Shen Can's headache.

"It's been nailed down."

Shen Can recovered and approached the dragon-whisker carp to observe it carefully.

"Plu".

The dragon-whiskered carp shook its head, its two large, dark eyes filled with mist, from which rolled down tears.

"Puff, puff!"

"I'll pull it out for you, but the witch nail has a curse on it, and it will take a long time to heal."

"You can stay in my unit to recuperate for a while. I'll have someone prepare a cave and pool for you to live in."

Shen Can tried patting the dragon beard carp's lowered head.

"Plu".

Dragon Beard Carp nodded.

……

after one day.

Below Zushan Mountain, in the secluded pool on the rocky cliff, the water is clear and cool.

The dragon-whiskered carp tilted its body, and Shen Can poured some anesthetic powder on it. After a while, he used his large hand to hold the witch nail.

With a "plop," the dragon-whiskered carp jumped up, blood spurting from its jaw, which Shen Can then caught in a jar he had prepared beforehand.

A handful of anesthetic powder was applied to the wound.

"Plop!"

"Plop!"

The dragon-whiskered carp kept spitting bubbles from its mouth in pain.

The nail was a foot long, shaped like a spike, and its surface, covered in witchcraft, was red from being soaked in blood, shimmering with a translucent bloody light.

Shen Can recognized the witch's script on the nail at a glance.

From the Lingyu tribe.

It's similar to a kind of witchcraft that extracts the essence from blood.

"Take good care of your injuries. Our tribe has also secretly learned some witchcraft from this tribe, which can help you recover."

After thinking for a moment, Shen Can leaned over in front of the bubbling dragon whisker fish and said something.

This fish is spiritually aware. If it sees that the witchcraft he is using and the witch nails on his body are from the same source, there might be some unexpected problems. It's better to explain in advance.

"Plu".

A bubble flew out and landed in front of Shen Can, transforming into the shape of a fruit.

"Okay, I'll make sure you're well-fed every day."

The news of the new auspicious beast in the tribe did not spread, but the story of how the beast had saved the tribe members was spread throughout the entire tribe as gossip.

Shen Can returned to the ancestral temple with the witch nail, which he could use as a witch weapon for surprise attacks.

As for why it appears on fish, it's mainly to absorb the essence and blood of auspicious beasts.

The Lingyu tribe's eastern hunt involved capturing slaves, hunting beasts, and also capturing auspicious beasts to extract their blood essence, which is likely related to the Lingyu of their tribe.

As for why they didn't just arrest them, Shen Can guessed that they probably didn't catch them; if they had, they would have given them to Yu Ga directly.

In his eyes, the auspicious beasts were at most considered food ingredients with auspicious beast bloodlines in the Lingyu tribe.

"call out!"

After returning to the ancestral temple, Shen Can attempted to refine the witch nail. He attached his divine sense to it and injected witch power into it. The moment the witch nail was injected, it shot towards the jar containing fish blood.

Shen Can quickly recalled it, having finally managed to obtain some auspicious beast blood, only to be nearly beaten by the witch's nail.

The auspicious beast also belongs to the category of wild beasts, but the blood in this jar is completely different from that of ordinary wild beasts. It has no bloody smell and is as clear as amber.

The next day, Shen Can went to check on the little fish and found it sleeping soundly in the water, blowing bubbles.

The pool was filled with fruit.

Upon inspection, the wound had already formed a scab.

……

Another day passed, and the Fire Monkey returned to his tribe.

“I followed the chief south and along the way we found more than two hundred organized tribal soldiers. The chief feared it was related to the previous Shanghu tribe and asked me to come back and inform the tribe to prepare in advance.”

Upon receiving the news, Shen Can did not delay and summoned Huoshan and Huoqi, instructing them to prepare in advance.

The tribe's territory is surrounded by traps; those that need to be set up should be set up. Daily patrols should be expanded, and more attention should be paid to the direction of Shanghuang.

……

Ruins of Shanghuang tribe.

More than two hundred people were inspecting the ruins.

In just a few months, some areas of the burned-out tribal land have already been overgrown with weeds.

After some investigation, the traces of the ruins were found to be from events that had occurred in the last few months.

This coincides with the day when the chief of the Shanghu tribe led several hundred tribe soldiers northward.

Elder Cang Li of the Azure Bird Clan spoke up, "Brother Yuanfu, in the past ten years, not counting the tribes destroyed by natural disasters, four tribes within our territory have been suddenly wiped out, their ancestral lands turned into a wasteland by raging fire." Yuanfu looked at the ruins after the fire and nodded.

"Rumors are circulating that it was done by our three major tribes. I thought it was done by your Yuanshan tribe or Shanghu tribe."

“What a coincidence.” Yuanfu nodded. “We also thought it was done by you, Azure Bird or Upper Lake Department.”

The two tribal elders exchanged a glance.

Okay, now I understand, it was done by Shanghu.

The three tribes were considered the most powerful tribes in the region, and were revered as superior tribes by the smaller tribes, which is why they were able to unite to establish a market.

Only those three tribes had the power to completely annihilate a lower-level tribe.

After several tribes were involved in incidents, rumors began to circulate that the three major tribes were responsible.

"The Upper Lake tribe is really well hidden. If we hadn't come looking for them this time, we probably would still be in the dark."

The Shanghu tribe went deep into the mountains to capture slaves, but there was no movement for several months. The Shanghu tribe was keeping it hidden.

In addition, they were aware of the custom that during each flood, most of the Lingyu people in the west would walk along Juyue Mountain to hunt in the Eastern Giant Marsh.

A group of people from the Shanghuang tribe in the mountains appeared in the copper shell market wearing dazzling armor, attracting the attention of many people.

When the market was established, the three parties had a rule: whoever encountered it first got to keep it, and the other two parties were not allowed to interfere with the transaction, which allowed the Upper Lake Department to get the benefit.

Otherwise, they would have wanted to get involved long ago.

The Shanghu clan chief and his men have been in the mountains for so long without making any moves, and they are afraid that the Shanghu tribe has obtained a great opportunity.

"Elder, we've checked, there's nothing left, it's all ruins," a clansman reported.

Ape-Duck nodded. "Like those tribes that were destroyed in the records, there's not a single useful trace left."

A tribe has at least seven or eight thousand people. If we include Shanghuang, the five tribes would have at least forty thousand people.

Where have all the people and resources gone?

Cang Li slapped the broken wall and said bitterly, "This time I must catch Shui Miao's tail."

If things continue like this, Shanghu will become the sole dominant force, truly becoming the upper part of the region.

……

In the distance, on the mountaintop.

Huotang watched the figures setting up camp, then looked at the people carrying water bags down the mountain.

He had been observing them all along the way. Each time these two hundred-plus people set up camp, they would cook their own meals, and even the water for the tribespeople was boiled and poured into water bags for each person.

The meals prepared each night were also very formal, including thick porridge with dried meat.

He followed them, repeatedly trying to get closer and eavesdrop, but he never managed to find an opportunity.

Unable to eavesdrop, they couldn't figure out where these people came from, and could only guess that they were from the Upper Lake region.

Therefore, he arranged for his clansmen to go to Shanghuang territory ahead of time to make some preparations.

Unexpectedly, this group of people actually came to the Shanghuang tribe's territory.

Now, Huotang dared not take any more chances.

"Ah Qing, go and administer the drug."

Regardless of which one it is, let's buy them all for now.

The dozen or so people from the Shanghuang tribe split into two groups: one group searched for water, and the other group searched for firewood.

Huotang paid no attention to the woodcutter, but focused on the person looking for water.

There are springs only in the eastern valley; there are none elsewhere.

……

The eastern valley of Shanghuangbu.

The pool is clear, and springs gush forth within it.

After entering the valley, Huo Qing greeted Huo Mu and Huo Qiang, who were waiting there.

"They're here! Quick, pour them out!"

Huo Mu and the other person quickly sprinkled the anesthetic powder into the spring water.

Because the spring water flows slowly, the medicinal effect can only be guaranteed by timing it precisely.

"Hurry up, stir it."

"The anesthetic powder from the temple is really effective this time; it dissolves as soon as it hits water."

"Go on your way, without leaving a trace."

The three quickly hid in the valley, and soon seven or eight people carrying water bags came in.

"It wasn't easy. We finally found a place with water, and it's a spring. We don't need to dig a well anymore."

"Hurry up and pack, we still need to go back and cook."

The seven people glanced around and, noticing the clear spring water, began to unpack their water bags.

As for drinking it directly, there isn't any.

They did not drink untreated water along the way.

After a plague, all water must be boiled before drinking; this is a tradition passed down through generations.

As for why, the cooks didn't bother to ask; they just did as instructed.

……

into the night.

A campfire was lit in the ruins of Shanghuang Village.

Two large pots were steaming, and the martial artists who carried wooden bowls with them began to serve themselves rice, then found a corner to squat down against the wall and start eating.

When they go to the tribe, they can only eat something hot in the evening; in the morning and at noon, they just eat whatever is available.

Pfft!
Before long, some people felt their eyelids trembling, drowsiness overcame them, and they fell asleep leaning against the stone wall.

One, two...

……

"They've all fallen down, they've all fallen down."

"Ah Chan's medicine is pretty strong."

Huo Tang peered into the distance, then turned to Huo Qing and asked, "How many did you release?"

"I saw that the water was flowing, so I put it all in."

Huo Qing stared at Shanghuang tribe without turning his head, "Ah Can's medicine this time is really effective. After drinking it, I even thought I was sleepy."

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(End of this chapter)