That Na'vi's Banshee Dragon looked extraordinary at a glance; its sheer size was two or three times larger than its peers, fierce and ferocious, and entirely pure black. While it certainly couldn't rival a monstrous creature like the Tyrant Phantom Dragon, judging by its color and bulk alone, it was at least a Tier Four or Tier Five legendary creature!

Following the intelligence provided by rd, Fang Senyan and the other two placed a hand over their chests and bowed slightly: "Greetings to the great Ta'qi Chieftain. We bring you regards and gifts from Mo'ya, the Daughter of the Dragon Clan."

Mo'ya was the Shaman Priestess of the Omaticaya Clan. The reason she earned the title "Daughter of the Dragon Clan" was rumored to be that she inherited the bloodline of a relatively recent Phantom Rider. Consequently, not only was her communication with Eywa, the Great Mother, exceptionally smooth, but she also mastered secret arts for taming Banshee Dragons, meaning the Omaticaya Clan had significantly more Sky Riders than other clans. Her prestige among the Na'vi was also quite high.

Upon hearing Mo'ya's name, and seeing that these three outsiders displayed sufficient goodwill, under normal circumstances, this Ta'qi Chieftain might have ignored them, given the distinctly alien aura clinging to them. However, he had witnessed their strength, and the Ta'qi Clan was currently at its most critical juncture... The Ta'qi Chieftain cycled through many thoughts before finally nodding: "We appreciate Mo'ya's greetings, and the protection of Mother Eywa."

Fang Senyan tilted his head, and Jin Kuang stepped forward, presenting several bottles of spirits. The old Na'vi uncorked one, sniffed it, and a look of delight spread across his face: "Is this Mastatigaaf (fruit wine)?"

He immediately took a swig, but instantly his eyes bulged, as if he were choking, unable to catch his breath. That strange expression immediately made the nearby Na'vi cavalry tense up, and they glared fiercely at Fang Senyan and his companions, letting out loud whistles.

A few seconds later, however, the Ta'qi Chieftain hurriedly retrieved a piece of jerky from his waist pouch, threw it into his mouth, and then let out a comfortable puff of wine vapor, praising: "Truly excellent. Good! From this moment on, you are friends of our Ta'qi Clan."

As the Ta'qi Chieftain spoke, Fang Senyan and his group received the notification: "You have gained the friendship of the Ta'qi Clan. Ta'qi Clan Reputation Unlocked."

"It is just as I thought... This old fox won't yield benefits without a proper exchange," Fang Senyan mused internally. "Under our current difficulty setting, we probably can only unlock reputation with very small Na'vi clans. Only after reaching Revered status with these smaller clans can we unlock reputation with a major clan like the Omaticaya. If I hadn't played a trick on this Ta'qi Clan and reduced their population, turning them into a small clan, wouldn't it be too easy to manipulate the plot if everyone could pull strings in the Omaticaya Clan right from the start!"

Then, Jin Kuang pointed to the more than ten Hexapede-like creatures moaning pitifully: "These are also a welcoming gift for the noble Ta'qi Clan."

At his words, the five or six Na'vi riders erupted in cheers and one immediately galloped off. Before long, he returned with a group of Na'vi who were also riding heavily armored horses. While the initial few pursuers could be described as "old" and "weak," the group that followed could only be described as "sick" and "crippled."

Among the Na'vi who arrived later, one clearly limped, leading the group—a Na'vi with a severed leg. This Na'vi's features bore a strong resemblance to the Ta'qi Chieftain, though the weathering on his face was lighter. The group carried one half-dead Hexapede before him. This seated Na'vi reached out, grasped the creature's head, twisted it once, and had already rotated it a full 360 degrees.

Then, with a reverse pull, he drew a sharp, thin black horn blade from his chest sheath in a single, fluid downward slash—a cut that seemed to cleave the very air itself.

The coarse hair on the Hexapede’s body stood on end from the pain, as the black horn blade ripped open its cavity. The entrails spilled out, only to be grasped by the Na'vi, sorted, and neatly placed into a pile.

A single Hexapede weighed at least seven or eight hundred pounds, yet this Na'vi carved through it with effortless grace. Fang Senyan could tell that this individual was dissecting his kill through sheer skill and power; he likely would have been formidable if not for his lost leg. As his clansmen took turns hoisting the creatures over, he finished processing the dozen or so Hexapedes in less than ten minutes!

With these dozen or so Hexapedes, the Ta'qi Clan joyfully began their return journey, and Fang Senyan and his group were, of course, invited along. Once they reached the area beneath the Home Tree, Jin Kuang gradually gathered much information from the Na'vi who were now quite well-disposed toward them.

It turned out the Ta'qi Clan was originally a medium-sized clan of nearly three hundred members, renowned for their skill in taming heavily armored horses, especially their archery prowess on horseback. They were affiliated with the Children of the Forest, but they had also learned some beast-taming techniques from the Hometree Clan of the Tsa'hik, making their cavalry exceptionally strong.

Because of this, they owed the Tsa'hik Clan a favor. Even after the Tsa'hik Clan declined into decay, the Ta'qi Clan sent aid. Upon hearing of the arrival of several outsiders, they dispatched their warrior Yacri and his companions, assuming the task would be easily accomplished. However, Yacri failed to return in a timely manner.

Yacri held high prestige and was well-liked within the clan, so this time, at least a hundred warriors set out. Unfortunately, they had the terrible luck to encounter the collapse of the Home Tree, which provoked the wrath of the Great Mother Eywa (Scientifically speaking, Fang Senyan's high explosives had already interfered with the already unstable magnetic field, and the ensuing collapse of the Home Tree, which maintained equilibrium through Pandoran crystals, catalyzed this process, causing something akin to a magnetic storm). Consequently, not a single one returned.

Losing nearly half their population overnight was a catastrophic disaster for the clan, especially when all the deceased were elite warriors. Thus, the clan had been filled with anxiety for days, and they were on the verge of running out of food. Before Fang Senyan's group arrived, the clansmen had been subsisting on half-rations for several days straight. The arrival of these dozen or so Hexapedes meant they could at least eat their fill for several days.

Only three individuals in the Ta'qi Clan qualified to ride Banshee Dragons, likely because after their previous shaman died, no successor had emerged to communicate with the Great Mother Eywa, making it difficult to subdue the fierce creatures. The Ta'qi Chieftain's Banshee Dragon possessed the bloodline of the Tyrant Phantom Dragon, making it exceptionally vicious; he had acquired it through a unique adventure in his youth—an experience that was utterly irreplicable.

The limping Na'vi acting as the "butcher" was the Ta'qi Chieftain's son, named Muru. He was originally the clan's foremost warrior and the first in line to lead the clan. However, the loss of his leg caused him to plummet from grace into despair, though this misfortune ironically saved him from dying in the massive explosion caused by Fang Senyan.

Hearing this, Fang Senyan's mind stirred. He teamed up with Mokan'sha and Reef, performed several tasks within the Ta'qi Clan to raise their standing to Neutral, and then sought out Muru... asking only one question: "Do you wish to restore your severed leg?"

Faced with such a question that seemed utterly foolish, even coming from the low-Charm Fang Senyan, a look of wild and fervent fire erupted in Muru's eyes, and he nodded vigorously: "I do!!!"

"I have a way, but if your leg is truly restored, I will pay a great price for it, so you must do me a favor..."

Muru agreed immediately without asking what the favor entailed: "Done!"

Muru was so quick to agree because... his leg had been gone for three full years, and no one had even bothered to ask him that question!

At this point, Fang Senyan estimated that Zina's group must have already set out to attempt that final side quest. They might not be confident in completing it, but they would at least try before retreating, and if they failed, they certainly wouldn't be sitting idle at the Hell's Gate base; they would be hunting down and killing a few legendary creatures.

Therefore, Fang Senyan brought Muru to the Hell's Gate base. Under the threat of reporting Supervisor Parker for accepting bribes and engaging in favoritism, he finally forced Parker to agree to restore Muru's limb using bio-technology. The cost was that Parker's relationship with Fang Senyan became Hostile... However, for Fang Senyan, Parker's utility had been completely exhausted. Thus, his personal relationship with Parker—be it worship or hostility—made no difference now.

To Fang Senyan's surprise, Dr. Grace showed no resistance to Supervisor Parker's orders and accepted the command readily. This left Fang Senyan, who had prepared several contingency plans, feeling genuinely astonished. But he soon understood: Dr. Grace genuinely loved this planet, so out of love for the whole, she naturally treated the Na'vi with the utmost dedication.

Earth technology at that time could even fabricate Avatars, let alone a Na'vi leg. When Muru took his first steps, his face a mask of disbelief, he finally burst into tears and let out a primal howl toward the sky!!

Oh, a few people guessed yesterday's question correctly, hehe. RO

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