Chapter 520: 520
Although Li Yao and his party were filled with doubts, they still followed the chieftain to their town.
The place was thriving with people coming and going. The majority of the buildings were huge tents made of animal skins, with a scattering of houses made from animal hides and wooden frames.
What surprised Li Yao and his companions were the half-human, half-horse creatures here, who, like the chieftain, appeared calm and natural.
The adult centaurs were busy with their own tasks, either transporting goods, sun-drying animal skins, or practicing their bow and arrow skills. They observed Li Yao and his group with curiosity, but simply watched without trying to approach.
Even some young centaurs playfully teased them, provoking laughter and admonishments from the adults. They urged their young ones not to neglect the guests but failed to stop their playful actions.
With a child’s nature, Dung Dung had many fun trinkets and some snacks in her bag.
Generous Dung Dung offered candies and similar treats to the approaching young centaurs, spreading joy along the path and even causing a young centaur to stick with them persistently.
The chieftain scolded him a few times, yet the young centaur refused to leave, only keeping his head down and following Dung Dung.
Out of his wits, the Chieftain said, “This is a pitiful child. His parents… well, let’s talk about it inside.”
The Chieftain then led Starfire’s people into an enormous tent.
“Why do I feel weird about this? If we had to fight, would you really be able to?” Guardian Angel whispered in the team channel.
“No one is allowed to start a fight. These little centaurs are so adorable. How could we kill them? That would be too cruel.” Dung Dung directly started shouting in the team channel.
Although others remained silent, they saw nothing but peace and happiness along their way. The centaurs had welcomed them gently; now thinking about killing the Chieftain felt… unthinkable.
“Dung Dung, calm down. Looking at the current situation, it’s unlikely we’ll have to fight. Let’s see what the chieftain has to say,” Li Yao comforted.
“Yeah, I trust Big Brother,” Dung Dung said, glaring fiercely at Guardian Angel.
Desperately wanting to cry but lacking the tears, Guardian Angel responded, “I didn’t say we should fight either. How unfair is that?”
However, no one paid him any mind; they all followed Li Yao into the tent.
Upon entering, everyone’s faces changed—many centaurs gathered inside. Shadow Dance shouted, “My God, there are no Elite Silvers here, only lower-level boss figures.”
Other members of Starfire were terrified by the scale of the operation. There were at least twenty centaur bosses in the field, meaning there were more than twenty bosses at once.
Among these bosses, at least eight or nine were on par with the chieftain. Thinking about the terror of the first boss, Starfire felt utterly hopeless.
If a battle should break out, they would fail a hundred times over.
“I hope it doesn’t come to a fight, or else this will be suicide,” Guardian Angel prayed silently.
“Are these the invaders who’ve managed to breach our defense? How are they so weak?” The leading centaur said with a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
The chieftain who had brought Li Yao and his team said, “Young Khan, don’t underestimate them. The traitor and the High Priest fell to their hands, and it wasn’t just an illusion…”
“The news has been confirmed?” The Young Khan asked, surprised.
Chieftain nodded, saying, “I’ve specifically gone to visit Khan, who confirmed that the High Priest’s soul has been absorbed into the Array. It’s currently undergoing the ritual of the Evil God and will soon become a new monster.”
Young Khan nodded, bowed to Li Yao and his group, and said, “Strangers from afar, no matter how you got here, you’ve all been deceived.”
Li Yao asked in surprise, “Deceived?”
The Young Khan nodded, stating, “Exactly. Don’t you think the Ancient Tree of War, who helped you defeat the High Priest, is on your side?”
“Isn’t it?” Li Yao asked in astonishment.
“Wrong, of course it’s wrong. Strictly speaking, they are the ones responsible for our tribe’s current state,” Young Khan’s words left everyone astounded.
The members of Starfire’s guild were stumped. The Ancient Tree of War had been helping them and providing them with tools. Without those tools, they wouldn’t have stood a chance against the High Priest.
“It can’t be, those Treants have always been striving to maintain the peace in this forest, they even pushed us to purge the pollution here.” Dung Dung couldn’t help speaking.
The Young Khan lightly smiled, not arguing further. Instead, he said, “Let me tell you a story.”
Without waiting for Li Yao and others to respond, he continued, “In ancient times, there was a prosperous centaur tribe called Split Hoof Tribe. Under their ancestor’s protection, they lived harmoniously on a fertile land. But one day, they felt the earth trembling and the world seemed to weep.”
“As they were in a state of confusion, their ancestor appeared. The ancestor told them that the demons were coming, intending to destroy the world. They, the ancestor said, needed to unite with other races and drive the invaders away to ensure the survival of our race.”
“The tribe revered and loved their ancestor. They followed closely behind and finally gathered behind the Father of the Natural Demigod and the Mother of the Wilderness God, their ancestor’s parents. There was a brutal war, and the world fragmented.”
“In the end, the ancestor’s mother fell into a deep sleep due to her severe injuries, while the ancestor’s father, one of the most powerful demigods in the world, was killed by a powerful demon while trying to save the ancestor.”
“Although the war was won, the tribe paid a steep price. The ancestor was severely injured and was taken back to the Great Khan’s tribe, where he was betrayed by the traitors. The tribe fought desperately to save him.”
“Even though several years had passed since the world’s fragmentation, the tribe couldn’t recover due to the heavy losses, and ultimately failed to save the ancestor. From then on, the centaur tribes completely fell apart. The Split Hoof Tribe was excluded by all the other centaur tribes and eventually moved into a beautiful valley to regain its vitality.”
“It has been peaceful for several thousand years, and the tribe has started to flourish again. Just when they were considering returning to their ancient glory, the entire world changed.”
“In the forest, there were many Ancient Trees that hid and recuperated with the centaurs because the Natural demigod, the ancestor’s father, was their deity. So, they coexisted harmoniously.”
“Until one day, a group of tribesmen got lost in the forest.”…..
ps: The power went off for a day, and it won’t be restored today, so I’m updating from a hotel tonight…