Before the sun dipped below the horizon, we were finally led by the Mist-Concealed siblings to the settlement of the Mist People!
Through a perilous valley dotted with watchtowers and arrow slits!
What lay beyond was a different world entirely!
It was like a hidden paradise; in a tranquil and meticulously arranged grove of cedar trees, stood charming small log cabins and larger lodges, immediately bringing to mind the settlements of the Elven race in modern cartoons!
In the clearings among the trees, we occasionally spotted deer, snow oxen, rabbits, and white-furred snow pheasants strolling leisurely, suggesting a harmonious coexistence between the animals and the Mist People here!
This made it hard for me to imagine the Mist Tribe as a fierce and warlike people; to me, they seemed more like the nature-loving, peace-pursuing Elves described in films!
At the very center of the clearing stood a massive lodge built around a great tree, and before it, the statue of a colossal monster, though what manner of beast it was, I couldn't discern.
With thick limbs and a savage visage, it was clearly the depiction of a terrifyingly powerful creature—perhaps it was the totem of the Mist Tribe!
The terrifying exterior of the monster statue stood in stark contrast to the surrounding serenity.
But what truly drew my attention was the large gathering of people already assembled before the great lodge, standing in neat formation!
Among them, several warriors with solemn and imposing demeanors stood at the front of the lines; clearly, these were the esteemed elders or great warriors of the Mist Tribe!
Someone must have returned to the settlement ahead of us to report our arrival, as they were well aware of our approach!
It was precisely for this reason that they had all gathered here!
Yet, the atmosphere made me feel a distinct sense of unease!
Everyone stared silently at me, Long Xin, and Sui Feng!
Seemingly sensing my apprehension, Sui Feng gave me a look that signaled patience!
The various minority groups across the continent each possessed their unique customs; mishandling the situation could easily lead to misunderstanding!
Upon reaching the entrance, Mist-Concealed and Mist-Wind quickly dismounted!
Long Xin, Sui Feng, and I dared not delay, swiftly following suit!
The figures resembling leaders slowly advanced to meet us!
Among them, a particularly robust young man stood out remarkably. At that moment, he scrutinized me intently, his eyes flashing with a strange, sharp brilliance: "Nine Luminaries Divine Truth."
"Dragon King Soaring Heaven!" As the young man sized me up, I returned his gaze without blinking.
My intuition as an expert told me this person was formidable, not remotely inferior to Yue Che!
Though no formal introduction had been made, I knew this man had to be Dragon King Soaring Heaven.
(Another magnificent supporting character, Soaring Heaven, makes his entrance—let’s hear it for him!
Soaring Heaven, forty-two years of age, is the Great Chieftain of the Mist Tribe, known as Dragon King Soaring Heaven, one of the Seven Great Spirit Bead Masters, wielding the exclusive weapon, the Dragon King Spear. His mount, the Blazing Dragon King, is one of the most terrifying war beasts on the Snow Domain Continent, always considering himself the supreme battle general!
There has long been controversy regarding his ranking against Yue Che! Now, the one who defeated Yue Che, Xing Chen, has delivered himself right to their doorstep!
This promises quite a spectacle!
We look forward to his brilliant performance!)
"Seeing is believing," the young man said, his true intentions unreadable, though I sensed a faint undercurrent of hostility: "You are the powerhouse from another continent who defeated Yue Che."
"I dare not accept such praise," I replied in a low tone.
I couldn't immediately determine if Soaring Heaven's ambiguous statement was a compliment or sarcasm!
However, Sui Feng and Long Xin, standing nearby, showed signs of concern!
"I am aware of the events," Soaring Heaven continued, his dark eyes scrutinizing me inch by inch, "and the survivors we found earlier in Jin Village confirmed that the Ice Clan was responsible for the atrocity! The tragedy of Jin Village, while not your doing, is directly connected to you."
"That is correct," I stated gravely. "That is precisely why we have come here, seeking to offer what compensation we can!"
"Hmph." Soaring Heaven seemed taken aback by my straightforwardness! My candid acceptance stunned him for a moment before he sobered. "My Mist Tribe has always clearly distinguished between grievances and favors. Since you put it that way, pressing the matter further would make my tribe seem petty."
With that, a flicker of icy killing intent crossed Soaring Heaven's eyes: "I only wonder what form this compensation you speak of will take."
"The dead cannot be brought back to life," I said solemnly. "The only thing this King can offer is to exact blood vengeance for the deceased villagers, personally slaying Yue Che to honor the spirits of the hundred souls of Jin Village. I wonder if that will satisfy the entire Mist Tribe."
"Pretty words are easy to say," Soaring Heaven countered dismissively. "Even without the hundred lives of Jin Village, you would never have let Yue Che go, would you?"
"Brother," Mist-Wind and Mist-Concealed, perhaps startled by the tense atmosphere of this meeting, looked anxious and started to speak, but I cut them off.
"You speak the truth; even without the hundred souls of Jin Village, this King absolutely would not spare Yue Che. But that is entirely separate from whether we came or not," I asserted. "At the very least, my presence here is fueled by remorse, hoping to offer some compensation, nothing more."
"Let us speak plainly amongst clear-minded individuals," Soaring Heaven pressed. "You merely wish to borrow the strength of my Mist Tribe to find Yue Che."
"That is one of the reasons," I admitted, knowing Soaring Heaven would perceive it, yet continuing regardless. "But even if we hadn't come, wouldn't the Mist Tribe still pursue Yue Che?"
"Whoever dares to kill our people must be prepared to face retribution," Soaring Heaven’s expression became frighteningly grim. "Even the Ice Clan is no exception."
"Since our goals align, what is wrong with cooperating?" I proposed earnestly.
"The Mist Tribe has its own dignity and code of conduct," Soaring Heaven stated deeply. "We will absolutely not let the Ice Clan off lightly, but we will not rely on the hands of others."
"It seems this King has come to the wrong place," I noted, recognizing the hostility in his tone, and promptly losing patience for any further softening of the mood.
"No, you have arrived at the perfect time," Soaring Heaven scrutinized me darkly. "You mentioned offering compensation to my tribe."
"This King did say that," I replied, uncertain of Soaring Heaven's true intentions, keeping my guard up. "I truly wonder what it would take to satisfy the entire Mist Tribe."
"I once heard of your duel beneath the Throne City arena where you decisively defeated Yue Che," Soaring Heaven said, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
This fellow, is he looking for a fight? A wave of unease washed over me, but I kept my voice steady. "That is correct! This King did defeat Yue Che!"
Soaring Heaven declared proudly, "For a long time, I have yearned to settle the score with Yue Che—to determine who is truly the King of Mounted Combat."
Saying this, Soaring Heaven looked at me meaningfully: "Unfortunately, due to pressing tribal matters and the constraints of my status, I have never found a suitable opportunity."
After all this roundabout maneuvering, it was simply the arrogance of a martial artist at play.
As the saying goes, literature has no absolute first, and martial arts have no absolute second!
The ranking between Soaring Heaven and Yue Che had always been contentious!
But Yue Che was defeated by my hand!
If he could defeat me, it would be equivalent to defeating Yue Che!
Perhaps this was Soaring Heaven's true objective!
No wonder he set up such a grand reception the moment we arrived!
"I see now," I realized with sudden clarity. "If you want a fight, just say so!"
"Hahaha, truly bold," Soaring Heaven laughed heartily, surprised by my bluntness. "But you suit my temperament. Regardless of victory or defeat in this bout, everything preceding this moment is wiped clean."
"It's a deal," I said, delighted.
"Never go back on your word," Soaring Heaven affirmed.
Behind him, all the warriors shouted in unison!
It was clear the entire Mist Tribe was eagerly anticipating this duel.
No wonder such a large contingent had gathered here so early!
It was clearly premeditated!
"Apologies," Mist-Concealed offered with a sheepish look. "That's just how Brother is; he loves to compete in martial skill, but unfortunately, no one left in the tribe can match him anymore."
"Knowing that, you still brought me here," I grumbled out of habit.
It seemed the seemingly simple siblings were not as naive as they appeared; bringing me here was clearly intended to use me as a punching bag.
But I certainly wouldn't dwell on such minor tricks.
Even though Soaring Heaven’s attitude was unfriendly!