I am the sacred tree, evergreen for eternity.

As the autumnal equinox approaches, the westward-bound procession sets off with the rising sun.

Xuan didn't bring too many people; the twenty totem walkers were all the best of the new generation of the Eastern tribes.

Qi walked in the middle of the group, a short knife hanging at his waist and a bag on his back.

Just two weeks ago, he won the selection competition and was appointed as the captain of the tenth squad, guarding the eastern outpost.

Before he could even take office, Xuan selected him to join the westward expedition team.

In his early thirties, he had already spent two years honing his skills in the Bright Spirit Realm, the Heavenly Light Stage. His use of spiritual light was masterful, and his swordsmanship was sharp and fierce.

But what Xuan values ​​most about him isn't these things—

Qi came from a farming family and grew up in millet fields. The calluses on his palms were from knife handles and hoe handles, respectively.

Such a person is down-to-earth and doesn't get carried away.

Xuan walked at the front, the iron axe on his back gleaming darkly in the sunlight.

The group proceeded westward along the ridgeline at a moderate pace.

The treacherous mountain path was traversed with remarkable ease by this team.

Occasionally, a foolish wolf would pounce out of the bushes, becoming the perfect target for the young men who had mastered the art of spiritual energy.

Iron chains bind demons, a swift wind slices through legs, a battle blade severs heads...

In just a few breaths, the three demonic wolves became tonight's food.

"Sizzle—"

Qi gripped the short knife and skillfully began to dismember the demon wolf.

First, cut open the throat to bleed the meat out, then open the abdomen to peel off the skin, then disassemble the bones and separate the meat into different parts.

The whole process was smooth and fluid, with the blade moving precisely between the bones as if it had been done a thousand times.

"The captain is amazing."

"Not only is she strong, but her cooking skills are also amazing."

A young traveler watched with envy as Qi, the butcher, skillfully dissected an ox.

Without even looking up, he said, "You brat, you'll be punished by eating two fewer pieces later."

"Ah... Captain, I was wrong."

"Hahaha."

Amidst laughter, Qi skewered the fattest pieces of wolf leg meat with a twig and sprinkled some salt on the meat.

The other team members also came to help; some gathered firewood, some started a fire, and some went to the stream to fetch water.

Before long, a campfire was lit.

The meat skewers sizzled over the flames, dripping oil and releasing a fragrant aroma.

Xuan didn't participate in any of this; he leaned against a rock and watched the young people busy themselves.

There was no fear or tension on their faces, and even the killing of the three-headed demon wolf had not excited them much.

For the Xia clan totem walkers, slaying demons is as commonplace as eating and drinking.

Monsters are no longer beings that strike fear into the hearts of humankind.

They are blood feuds, achievements, and prey that can be slaughtered and eaten.

Xuan recalled the scene of his first time killing a demon when he was young.

His hands were shaking at that time, and after killing it, he squatted next to the demon corpse and dry heaved for a long time.

Now, the first thing these children think of after killing a demon is how to roast the meat to make it taste good.

Sixty years.

However, in just three generations, the Xia family has completely changed.

"Chief, while it's hot."

Qi handed over a skewer of roasted wolf leg meat. The surface was golden brown, the fat was still bubbling, and the aroma was even more intense after being sprinkled with salt.

Xuan took the meat skewer and took a bite.

The meat was firm, cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—truly excellent.

"Excellent craftsmanship."

He rarely gave a compliment.

Qi grinned and went to work on the next batch of meat skewers.

Xuan took out a small ceramic pot from his pocket and uncorked it.

A rich aroma instantly filled the air, overpowering the greasy smell of the roasted meat.

Several young travelers twitched their noses and turned their gazes in unison.

"This is..." Qi's eyes lit up.

"This is wine brewed by a tribe in the Northern Regions." Xuan handed him the earthenware pot. "Try it."

Qi took the pottery pot and carefully took a sip.

The spicy liquid slid down my throat, exploded in my stomach, and then a mellow sweetness rose from the back of my tongue.

His eyes brightened, and he took another sip, this time a larger one.

"Delicious!"

Xuan looked at his greedy expression and smiled, a rare occurrence for him.

The wine was brewed by the northern tribes using millet and wild fruits. More than ten years ago, Meng asked someone to send several jars to the eastern tribes.

At first, he wasn't used to the taste and found it spicy and pungent.

Later, after drinking more, I began to appreciate the flavor.

The earthenware pot was passed from hand to hand among the young travelers, and each person drank from it with utmost care, as if it were some precious elixir.

Wine is not commonly seen outside the Northern Regions; its production is too small and transportation is difficult. Most totem travelers have only heard of it but have never seen it.

"After the alliance meeting ends, I'll take you all to the Northern Region for a good drink," Xuan said.

The young people's eyes lit up.

The campfire was burning brightly, and skewers of meat were being grilled one after another, while half of the wine in the earthenware pot had been consumed.

The atmosphere gradually became lively. Some people started to talk about the interesting things they had encountered at the border outpost, some boasted about their achievements in slaying the monsters last time, and some hummed the folk songs passed down from generation to generation by the Xia family.

Xuan leaned against the rock, looking at the young faces illuminated by the campfire, and for a moment felt as if time had turned back.

In those years, I led my restless peers into the mountains and seas, running on the ridges and traversing the dense forests. When we were hungry, we roasted animal meat, and when we were thirsty, we drank from mountain springs.

Back then, they sat around the campfire like this, just as young and naive.

My father was still alive then.

The tree spirit was still around then.

Xuan looked past the campfire and gazed at the western sky.

The setting sun was sinking below the horizon, turning the sky a dark red.

The western tribes are still hundreds of miles away, and at the current speed, it will take at least four or five more days to travel.

He was lost in thought when a barely perceptible fluctuation suddenly pierced his senses.

Xuan's body stiffened slightly, but his face remained expressionless.

He slowly put down the meat skewers in his hand, stood up seemingly casually, and stretched.

"You guys continue, I'm going to the restroom."

No one suspected anything; the young people continued drinking and eating, their laughter echoing through the night.

Xuan turned and walked into the dense forest, his steps unhurried, as if he were really just looking for a secluded place.

But after walking several dozen feet, his figure suddenly accelerated, spiritual light surged within his body, and his feet barely touched the ground, like a gust of wind sweeping through the forest.

The source of the foul air was deep in the dense forest, about five miles from the camp.

Xuan arrived there in a few breaths, having already taken the iron axe from his back, with spiritual light condensing into a line of cold gleam on the axe blade.

Then he saw it.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, illuminating a moss-covered rock.

A silver-white fox sat atop a rock, its three tails swaying gently behind it, their tips glowing with a cold, eerie light.

Xuan's pupils contracted slightly.

Great demon!

The three-tailed fox raised its head, its amber eyes calmly looking at Xuan.

"The leader of the Xia clan's eastern tribe."

"I meant no harm."

Its voice was neither fast nor slow, carrying a gentle quality that was difficult to distinguish between male and female.

"Heh... a blood feud between humans and demons."

"Your very existence is an act of malice."

Xuan's voice was calm, but every word was like iron that had been tempered.

The fox spirit stood up from the rock, its four legs firmly planted on the moss, without making a sound.

It circled Xuan for half a turn, then stopped a few feet away, its amber eyes never leaving Xuan's face.

"You are to go to the western tribes to participate in the Four-Way Alliance."

Xuan frowned slightly. Although the news of the Four-Party Alliance was not exactly a secret, it was only circulated among the high-ranking members of the four major tribes.

How could a fox spirit know?

"The demon race has its own information channels, just like your human race."

The fox spirit seemed to see through his question, "Don't be surprised."

"Let's get down to business." Xuan didn't want to beat around the bush.

The fox demon's tail stopped swaying, and its voice became serious.

"I've come to ask you to convey a message to the Four-Party Alliance."

"What did you say?"

"The demon race is willing to negotiate peace with the Xia clan."