Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

woo-

Woo——woo——

The deep, resonant sound of the horn, like the roar of a sleeping beast, rolled down from the top of the tower, crashing against the cold cliffs, echoing layer upon layer throughout the entire valley.

Most remarkably, the deep, resonant sound of the horn was confined to within ten miles of the edge of the mountain valley; it could not be heard at all in places a little further away.

The heavy impact on the training ground abruptly stopped. The young soldiers, shirtless and muscular, suddenly looked up, their sweat-drenched chests heaving, their eyes fixed intently on the direction of the mountain pass.

In the stone houses of families who went out hunting, figures emerged one after another. The old man held the door frame, the child mischievously climbed onto the roof, and the woman put down the bone needles and animal skins in her hands. Their faces were a mixture of anticipation and tension as they all looked towards the outer city wall illuminated by torches.

"Uncle Chigu is back!" The sharp-eyed Chi Huan'er was the first to jump up and down and shout, her voice full of excitement.

At this moment.

"Open the gate!" came a rough shout from the tower.

A heavy, grating grinding sound rang out as dozens of strong warriors pushed open a gap in the massive log fence at the mountain pass, which was entangled in thorny vines.

The flickering firelight cast long shadows of the returning team onto the hard ground covered with ruts and hoofprints.

Akaya took the lead, his majestic figure appearing at the intersection of light and shadow at the entrance.

The ferocious tiger head totem on his chest was stained dark red by the congealed blood scabs, and the wound, which had not yet fully healed, was particularly glaring in the firelight. Although he was covered in blood, his aura was like a sharp blade returning to its sheath, carrying a fierce and composed quality that came after a battle.

Behind him, the hunting team members, weary from their journey, walked with heavy steps, yet exuded a triumphant air.

The most eye-catching thing was the enormous, dark red corpse being carried by four people in the middle of the group—a Void Peak Earthworm!
Originally placed among the world's treasures, but as they were about to enter the tribe, the hunting team, as is customary, brought in their most valuable prey in the most traditional way... This would both showcase the hunting team's strength and boost the morale of the entire tribe!

Even in death, the earthworm's massive body, covered in magma-patterned rock armor, and its menacing ring-shaped mouthparts still exuded a chillingly ferocious aura. Especially the horrifying, almost piercing, gaping hole in its flank silently testified to the battle's brutality and lethality.

"Hiss—it's an earthworm!" A knowledgeable warrior gasped in shock.

"Peak of the Void Realm! The warriors of Red Valley have actually hunted down an earth dragon that was about to transform into a dragon?!"

"Good heavens! Look at that wound...it's horrible!"

Exclamations and exclamations instantly shattered the silence around the tribe.

The crowd parted to make way, their awe-inspiring gazes falling on Akaya, so much so that the two figures behind him, whose styles were clearly incompatible, were temporarily ignored.

As Akaya listened to the tidal wave of exclamations and praises surrounding him, the shouts of "Akagaya Warrior is mighty!" and "Akagaya Warrior's divine might is unparalleled!" felt like a hot iron, making his face tighten and burn slightly.

The enormous earthworm carcass and the horrifying, fatal wounds have now become silent medals, all of which have been hung under his name.

This honor, though heavy, weighed on his heart and made him feel somewhat suffocated.

Chi Gu was an upright man, and it was clearly his friend Gu You who killed the earthworm. He felt unworthy of such credit!
His lips moved as if he wanted to explain, but his gaze swept over the pure, enthusiastic atmosphere and excitement in the eyes of the people around him, saw the young warriors' backs straightened with excitement, and saw the smiles on the faces of women and children that bloomed with a sense of security... He swallowed the words back down.

While revealing the truth at this moment is certainly honest, it also instantly extinguishes the tribal morale ignited by the great victory.

Especially given the recent loss of several brothers and sisters, this "false" glory is nothing short of a shot in the arm.
As straightforward as he was, he could only suppress his embarrassment and guilt, letting out a low groan. His pace quickened unconsciously, his robust body like a bull being whipped by an invisible lash, wanting only to quickly pass through the cheering crowd and escape the vortex of praise that made him feel uncomfortable.

"Let's go." He said in a low voice, his tone slightly hoarse.

The team members behind him immediately understood and quickened their pace, the heavy corpse swaying slightly with each step.

soon.

The clamor of the main crowd was left behind, and the enthusiastic cheers gradually turned into whispers and discussions. On both sides of the road, behind the doors and windows of the low, sturdy stone houses, curious and inquisitive gazes finally focused more on the two incongruous figures in the group.

Xu Yang remained composed, as if all the noise and investigation around him were irrelevant. His gaze calmly swept over the stone pillars carved with tiger and bear totems, over the warriors' stone houses with golden battle flags, and finally landed on the Yongzan Hall, which stood like a mountain and exuded a heavy aura.

The two obsidian tiger statues in front of the palace gate seemed to come alive in the night, their eerie green crystal pupils carrying a scrutinizing air.

Guji seemed a little absent-minded. He sniffed hard, and the omnipresent aroma of roasted meat in the air grew stronger and stronger, making his stomach rumble.

He tried his best to keep a straight face, imitating Xu Yang, but his peripheral vision kept glancing in the direction from which the aroma was coming—it was near the Yongzan Temple, where several large, unidentified animal legs were roasting and sizzling with oil.

"Big brother..." Guji couldn't help but lean closer to Xu Yang, her voice extremely low, tinged with a hint of grievance, "I'm so hungry..."

Xu Yang nodded helplessly and transmitted his voice, "Once we figure out the surrounding environment and forces from the Yongzan tribe, we'll let you eat your fill in the wilderness."

After hearing this, Guji finally suppressed his craving and nodded.

Akaya's steps finally stopped at the edge of a relatively open square paved with huge bluestone slabs.

In front of the square stands the deep, gaping gate of the Yongzan Temple, resembling the mouth of a giant beast.

The light of the campfire dimmed here, and the air was filled with the glow of grease lamps and a heavy, earthy scent that emanated from the cliffs themselves.

He took a deep breath, as if to expel the embarrassment and frustration from before, and was about to speak to report to the palace—

A deep, resonant voice, as if carrying the texture of rubbing rocks, resounded directly in everyone's ears like the pulse of the earth, gentle yet containing an undeniable, eternal majesty:
"Red Valley, you're back? It seems today's trip was quite fruitful, and... quite difficult."

"Come in and talk."

Akaya's expression hardened, and all his distracting thoughts were instantly suppressed.

He quickly turned around, his gaze sweeping over Xu Yang and Gu Ji, lingering briefly on Xu Yang's calm face before giving a slight nod. Then, he looked at his wife, Chi Baihu, and gestured with his eyes. Chi Baihu immediately understood, stepping forward and speaking gently to Xu Yang, "Gu You, Gu Li, the chieftain has summoned Chi Gu, which will delay you a little. Please come with me; the tribe has prepared roasted meat and clear water to welcome our returning warriors and honored guests."

She kept a humble attitude and did not turn her back on people just because she returned to the tribe and had the support of the Eternal True God Chieftain.

Xu Yang readily agreed, "Thank you for your trouble."

When Guji heard the word "roast meat," its eyes lit up instantly. It tried its best to resist swallowing and maintain its composure, but its gaze had already drifted uncontrollably towards the several huge, leaping bonfires at the edge of the square.

Without further hesitation, Akaya turned and strode into the deep palace gate, his figure quickly disappearing into the shadows within.

Chi Baihu led Xu Yang, Guji, and the team members carrying the earthworm carcass toward the most blazing bonfires at the edge of the square.

……

The interior of Yongzan Hall is exceptionally rugged and ancient, even carrying a hint of primitive oppression.

The towering hall was constructed of deep blue-green boulders, with only a few fist-sized, strange crystals emitting a soft white light embedded in the walls. The dim light barely illuminated the vast space. The air was filled with a rich, thick, burning oily fragrance, similar to that outside the hall, mixed with the cold aura of the rocks themselves and an indescribable pressure emanating from the depths of the earth.

Deep within the hall, there was no lofty throne, only a huge, uncarved black rock platform.

On the platform, a figure sat cross-legged.

That was Yongzan, the chieftain of the Yongzan tribe.

His physique was not as imposing as that of Chigu; instead, he appeared somewhat lean and reserved, wearing a simple, dark blue leather robe that seemed to blend seamlessly with the stone hall. His face was etched with the marks of time, like ancient, eroded rock layers, and his eyes were closed, as if he were dozing.

However, simply sitting there quietly gives one a sense of heaviness, as if facing a towering mountain.

He is the foundation of the entire tribe, its eternal and indestructible pillar!

Chigu walked to a spot about ten feet in front of the stone platform. Like the most devout believer facing a god, he knelt down on one knee without hesitation, bowed his head deeply, and pounded his right fist heavily on the cold bluestone ground, producing a dull sound.

"Clan leader!"

"Get up." Chief Yongzan did not open his eyes, but his deep and resonant voice echoed from the depths of the earth, directly reverberating in Chigu's mind.

He slowly raised one hand, a hand covered in calluses with unusually large knuckles.

He casually pointed towards the area near the palace gate.

hum!
An invisible force arose out of nowhere, like the gentlest breeze, carrying away the dust and debris scattered on the ground, instantly coalescing into two solid and flat stone blocks.

"Sit down." The clan chief's voice remained calm.

"Thank you for the seat, Clan Chief." Chi Gu replied respectfully, rising to sit on one of the stone stools, his back ramrod straight, his hands neatly placed on his knees, like a disciple awaiting instruction.

Before the clan leader, he, one of the eighteen warriors who had once dominated the battlefield, concealed all his sharpness.

"Tell me," Chief Yongzan finally slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant, the entire hall seemed to light up!
His pupils were not the usual color, but rather like the deepest golden-brown earth, as if countless layers of rock were slowly moving, compressing, and shaping within them, containing the vicissitudes of endless years and the earth's heavy and majestic power.

His gaze appeared calm, yet it possessed a profound depth that seemed to see through everything.

"That wound... wasn't done by you."

His gaze seemed to pierce through space, landing on the fatal wound of the earthworm carcass at the edge of the plaza outside the hall. "Sharp, precise, and deadly, with a pure penetrating will... This is not the fighting style of our mountain region. And those two unfamiliar auras... Tell me about them."

Akaya felt a chill run down his spine; the clan leader had indeed seen through him at a glance!
He dared not conceal anything and quickly recounted in detail his encounter with Xu Yang and his companion that day, the ambush by the earthworm, the instant death of several team members, his own desperate struggle and near-death experience, and how Xu Yang killed the earthworm and scared away the ferocious beast in the lake.

"...That friend Gu You's strength is unfathomable. In my opinion, he is at least a top-tier existence among the Void True Gods! He might even have touched the threshold of eternity! He claimed to be lost and wanted to trade some information with the tribe, so he meant no harm. As for Gu Li, he hasn't made a move yet, but since he calls Gu You 'Big Brother,' he can't be too bad." Chi Gu carefully chose his words.

Chief Yongzan listened quietly, his face expressionless, except for a slight acceleration in the flow of the rock strata within his earth-like pupils, revealing the turmoil in his heart.

To kill a peak-level Void True God earthworm with a single blow... This strength is indeed astonishing at the Void True God level.

“Gu You… Gu Li…” The clan chief repeated the two names in a low voice, as if searching for some connection in his memory. “In our Xishan region, there doesn’t seem to be a large tribe with the surname Gu… Perhaps it’s a hidden lineage, or… perhaps they come from other regions?”

After saying that, he shook his head slightly, "Alright, since you have been kind to us and have no ill intentions, you are a friend of the tribe. Treat us well and do not neglect us."

"Yes! Chi Gu understands!" Chi Gu responded quickly.

The clan chief remained silent for a moment, his heavy aura seemingly freezing the air in the hall. He slowly raised his hand, his rough fingers unconsciously rubbing the cold edge of the black rock platform beneath him, the hard rock making a soft rustling sound under his fingertips.

“Chigu,” the clan chief’s voice lowered, carrying a hint of imperceptible gravity, “compared to this suddenly appearing powerhouse, the ‘Stone-Splitting Tournament’ is the more imminent crisis.”

"The Rock-Splitting Tournament?!" Akaya's pupils contracted, and his body tensed instantly.

That is a matter of vital importance concerning the tribe's resources for the next hundred centuries!
"The Black Mountain, Wild Fang, and Bone Erosion tribes have all decided to start the competition ahead of schedule." A sharp glint flashed in the chieftain's golden-brown eyes. "The once-in-a-century hunting area division will take place next month."

"Why? Isn't there still almost three epochs before the appointed time?" Akaya couldn't help but ask. "Could it be that some unforeseen event has occurred, making these three families so eager to start the war ahead of schedule?"

Yongzan nodded, "You guessed right, it's a direct descendant tribe under the Great Sage of Wine who's coming to my Xishan territory to recruit new members..."

“We four old folks can’t possibly abandon the tribe and head to the Wine Plains, but you can!” (End of Chapter)