Chapter 320 - Show Some Respect

Deep in Miao territory lay the Light Miao Shuiyun Village.

Inside a bamboo house, a tall elderly man had just finished his meal and held a teacup in one hand, but his brows were furrowed in worry.

Several knocks sounded at the door.

"Come in," the old man said, setting down his cup.

Ge Bao pushed open the bamboo door and stepped inside, stopping beside the old man. "One-Eyed Ba has brought a few thousand Dark Miao soldiers this way. They’re coming with an aggressive attitude. I doubt it’s anything good."

The old man snorted coldly. "He’s desperate. Ba Hu died at Wuchi Pass, and they have yet to break into Shu territory. Right now, he’s relying on the fact that the imperial court is temporarily unable to send a large army to suppress him. He’s eager to seize a few more towns and secure his foothold during this time. This visit is likely an attempt to force me to take a stand."

Ge Bao’s expression grew concerned. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Grandfather... what should we do?"

The old man remained silent for a long while before shaking his head. "Send messengers to the other Light Miao villages. A single tree can’t hold up the forest; when the lips perish, the teeth grow cold.

"One-Eyed Ba is powerful and has united the Dark Miao. If he’s determined to tear apart this fragile peace, we can’t survive on our own. If Shuiyun Village falls, the other Light Miao villages won’t escape unscathed either. Go and send the word."

"Understood," Ge Bao replied, lowering his head before turning to leave.

"Wait," the old man called out suddenly.

Ge Bao turned back. "Grandfather, do you have other instructions?"

"That..." The old man hesitated for a moment. "Any news about Ling’er?"

Ge Bao’s eyes showed a flash of resentment, and he said angrily, "No. The people we sent out said they couldn’t find her. It’s as if she vanished into thin air."

The old man let out a long sigh. "Can’t find her... maybe that’s a good thing. At least it means Ling’er might still be alive. As long as there’s hope, that’s all that matters."

"Go on," the old man said, waving his hand. Ge Bao nodded and left.

***

Smack—

Xue Qiming slapped himself across the face, the sound ringing out crisply.

When he opened his palm, there was a smear of bright red blood.

"Argh!!! I’ve had enough of this!" Xue Qiming roared angrily, blasting a nearby tree into splinters with another single slap. "I should never have come to this damned Miao territory. How can there be such annoying mosquitoes in the world?!"

Xue Niang yawned and kept walking, ignoring Xue Qiming as he ranted behind her.

Xue Qiming flailed his arms wildly, trying in vain to swat away the cloud of mosquitoes surrounding him.

Eventually, Xue Qiming caught up with her and pinched her cheek as he asked, "Why don’t these bugs bite you?"

Xue Niang swatted his hand away and replied with a smug smile. "Miao children are bathed in medicinal water when they’re young. After soaking for a month, we become immune to mosquito bites."

Waving his hands to fend off the insects, Xue Qiming grumbled, "I should have asked Carpenter Tang for one of his herbal patches back when we were in Liangzhou. He’s got plenty of tricks for dealing with poisonous bugs."

"This place is unlivable! I don’t know how your Miao people have managed to survive here for generations." Xue Qiming slapped another mosquito dead and held it out to Xue Niang. "Look, this mosquito is as big as my palm! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life."

Xue Niang pushed away the blood-smeared hand in front of her. "That’s exactly why we choose to live here. The harsh environment serves as a natural barrier against outsiders. This area isn’t even the worst. Deeper into Miao territory, there are poisonous mists, along with all sorts of highly venomous insects and plants. Only the village’s Gu Masters dare to venture there."

"Who told you all this?" Xue Qiming asked curiously.

Xue Niang twirled a strand of her hair around her finger and replied, "Grandfather told me. Back when I was a kid, Grandfather used to tell me all these things."

"Grandfather?" Xue Qiming wasn’t entirely sure about the term. "You mean your grandpa?"

Xue Niang nodded. "Yes, Grandfather is my grandpa. But he’s also the village chief, so everyone in the village calls him Grandfather."

As they talked, the mountain path gradually leveled out beneath their feet. Without knowing it, they had already crossed the peak.

Xue Niang pointed ahead. "I recognize this road. Once we pass through that forest, we’ll reach the village."

"So we’re almost there?" Xue Qiming’s eyes lit up. "Looks like that guy gave us the right directions after all. Finally, no wasted detours. Let’s hurry, I haven't had a proper drink for ages."

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the rooftops of bamboo houses in the distance became faintly visible. In high spirits, Xue Qiming lifted Xue Niang onto his back and bounded eagerly toward the village.

Emerging from the forest, the scene opened up before them. But the first thing Xue Qiming saw wasn’t Shuiyun Village. It was the throng of Miao people surrounding it.

"Looks like you’ve got visitors..." Xue Qiming gestured ahead and asked Xue Niang, "Is it your grandfather’s birthday?"

Xue Niang leaned forward to look and muttered, "Idiot. You’ve killed so many Dark Miao and still don’t recognize them? Look at their clothes; they’re obviously Dark Miao. They have never gotten along with us, the Light Miao. They’re definitely here to cause trouble for Grandfather."

Thousands of Dark Miao had gathered in dense crowds, completely blocking the path an d surrounding Shuiyun Village.

All the Dark Miao were focused on the village gates, clearly watching something unfold there. They were so engrossed that nobody no one noticed the new arrivals.

Xue Qiming stood at the back of the crowd of Dark Miao, trying to peer inside. Unable to see anything, he tapped the shoulder of the person in front of him.

"Hey, brother, let me through."

"Oh, sure..." The Dark Miao man instinctively stepped aside, but when he looked up, he didn't see a fellow tribesman. He was instead greeted by Xue Qiming’s grinning face.

"Wh-who are you?" The Dark Miao man was stunned. The man and the little girl in front of him were clearly not dressed like their people, and their sudden appearance left him momentarily at a loss.

Xue Qiming didn’t stop moving, continuing to push forward as he casually responded, "I need to get into that village. Excuse me. Hey, brother, show me some respect and let me through, will you?"

Someone among the disoriented Dark Miao was the first to react and shouted, "Get him!"

After a brief moment of silence, a swarm of Dark Miao people charged at Xue Qiming and Xue Niang.

"So you're not gonna show me any respect, huh..."

***

The Shuiyun Village chief, referred to as Grandfather, stood at the village gates, surrounded by the strongest and sturdiest men of the Light Miao. Not far in front of him stood Ba Hansang, clad in military gear. Outside, he was the infamous One-Eyed Ba.

As the old man had anticipated, One-Eyed Ba had come to force their hand. There were two choices, submit or be slaughtered. The tense atmosphere at the gates made clear that the conversation between the two was far from amicable.

Ba Hansang narrowed a triangular eye, speaking in a sinister tone. "Grandfather Lan Zhuo, I’m done playing games with you. I’ll ask you one last time... will you—"

Boom!

A sudden explosion shook the ground violently beneath their feet.

Both the old man and One-Eyed Ba’s expressions changed as they simultaneously turned toward the source of the sound. It seemed like an elephant was trampling through the crowd of Dark Miao, sending Dark Miao screaming through the air before they crashed back down.

One-Eyed Ba stammered, "Wha-what is that...?"

Amidst the screams, the crowd was forcefully split in two, clearing a trench-like path down the middle.

Under the watchful eyes of all, a man carrying a little girl on his back emerged from the crowd.

The old man’s pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints.

The man dusted off his pants, waved casually to the Dark Miao behind him, and said, "Thanks a lot!"