Nanqi, the old lands, Taicang, Licheng.
Unfamiliar territories, an unfamiliar world. For Jiang Wen, this place was entirely unknown.
The three sat cross-legged before the fire, roasting the ferocious beast. After sharing the meal, the woman recuperated while conversing with Jiang Wen.
The woman's name was Jiang Wenji, daughter of a side branch of the Jiang family of the Taicang Dynasty, bestowed the title of Princess for her efforts in developing the old lands.
As for Nanqi, it was a tributary tribe of Taicang, and like Taicang, a land of the Human Race.
The so-called 'old lands' originated from places mentioned in the books written by the ancient emperors. These absurd and fantastical worlds, yet to be tread by anyone, were referred to as the old lands.
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Jiang Wenji's departure from Licheng was under royal decree. She was to go to the Tuoba tribe to gather warriors to develop the old lands and resist the alien races. Unexpectedly, she was ambushed on the road and strayed into the deep forest of this old land. Had Jiang Wen not appeared, she would likely have died at the fangs of the ferocious beast.
She asked if Jiang Wen was willing to go with her to the Tuoba tribe to see. Jiang Wen considered it and agreed. From Jiang Wenji's words, he understood where he had arrived. He had also read many rumors about Taicang. Tens of thousands of years before the establishment of the Great Qian, the Taicang Dynasty already existed in the world. The world he had arrived in was probably the period when the Taicang Dynasty had not yet been destroyed.
He only wondered why he had returned here. Jiang Wen always felt that there was some karma involved.
Setting off again, they traveled on land for five days.
The Tuoba tribe was already within reach. Strips of animal hide were hung high. A soaring giant serpent seemed to leap upon them. Its face was solemn, coiling and twisting, its wings outstretched in a long howl to the sky.
That was the totem of the Tuoba tribe—the Teng Serpent, the faith of the Tuoba clan.
Jiang Wen looked at the Teng Serpent and thought of the creature Yun Ze had killed that time. That thing claimed to be a Teng Serpent. He wondered if there was any connection.
The tribe sounded its horns, and the Tuoba chieftain announced to everyone the arrival of the envoy of the Taicang Dynasty.
"Wen?"
Jiang Wen followed Jiang Wenji towards the tribe. On both sides were newly cultivated wastelands, with Tuoba people tilling the land with stone shovels and planting bean-sized seeds. Seeing him watching with some fascination, Jiang Wenji reminded him with a smile.
"Have you Nanqi people never seen such vast and fertile land?" Jiang Wenji said with a smile.
Jiang Wen knew that she was not deliberately mocking him, because from what Jiang Wenji said, he knew that the Nanqi people lived in mountain forests and caves. Although they could forge iron armor and iron tools, they had no supernatural powers and could only eke out a living.
"It's quite vast," Jiang Wen said, looking at the Tuoba people beside him. These people were probably two to three meters tall, truly mighty and powerful. No wonder this princess, Jiang Wenji, had come here to gather troops.
Along the way, the women of the tribe boldly expressed their love for the guards, but paid no attention to Jiang Wen.
In the eyes of the tribal women, the vigorous, handsome, and burly guards were far more attractive than Jiang Wen, this pretty boy. Their strong bodies could hunt more prey, giving them a better life, and their tall stature provided a sense of security that Jiang Wen lacked.
According to the current aesthetic, Jiang Wen had already been categorized into the ranks of women by the tribal girls. Men with masculine faces were the appearance they were most fond of.
Just like in animal herds, the strongest males could enjoy the most females. There was no such thing as infidelity. In primitive tribal societies, the physique of the guards, which ordinary people lacked, was also extremely attractive. Every girl didn't mind having relations with the guards.
Not thinking about these things, Jiang Wen looked at the continuous planting fields in the distance. They had already begun to bear fruit. In an era without artificial cultivation, to be able to grow so luxuriantly was truly a miracle of nature.
This crop, like wheat, had large grains like soybeans, satisfying the tribe's growing demand for food.
After all, hunting was not a long-term solution. As the tribal population increased, the amount of meat consumed each day was very high. To maintain survival, planting crops was an inevitable step. The crops in front of him could indeed satisfy the Tuoba people's burly physiques.
However, this world gave Jiang Wen many surprises, so much so that he felt no fluctuations in his heart when he saw this man-high wheat.
He squatted beside the ripening wheat, pinching the ear of wheat with his hand. The plump grains rolled in his palm. He clenched his fist and gently squeezed, and when he opened it again, it was already powder. He stuck out his tongue and licked the powder. The long-lost taste of flour carried a hint of sweetness.
When this field of wheat matured, it would be able to meet the food needs of the entire tribe. And the entire tribe had already cultivated such a large field of wheat.
Bamboo baskets, rattan nets, black bronze tools, houses, and even captive hunting—this was the origin and development of human civilization. It was the most vibrant symbol of this era.
"I..." Jiang Wen was about to say whether there was anything inappropriate about him and Jiang Wenji living together. The clamor outside interrupted him. The gradually noisy voices gradually boiled over, and Jiang Wen followed Jiang Wenji out of the small wooden house.
Outside, countless Tuoba clansmen held torches, lighting up the dark night. They gathered from all directions to the center of the tribe, holding various weapons in their hands. Many people looked nervous and serious.
What was going on? Jiang Wen frowned.
By the light of the fire, Jiang Wen saw the young man on the ground. He was covered in blood, and the animal skin wrapped around his body was torn open. Deep wounds revealed the pale bones. His body rose and fell slightly, but it seemed that he was already near death.
Such exaggerated wounds almost tore the person apart. This was not something that ordinary beasts could cause. Jiang Wen looked at the dark night outside the fence, and his intuition told him that something was stirring. You should know that no one would walk around outside the tribe at night. The gate of the fence would be tightly propped up with wooden stakes. Even if the thick gaps would let some small things through, they were all unimportant.
"Ga! !" A strange cry came from the distance, echoing in the sky above the tribe, stimulating people's ears.
People held the torches high, nervously holding the weapons in their hands. They raised their heads and looked around, trying to see clearly what it was.
"Poof! !"
The head of a person standing on a high place was thrown high, and blood spurted from the neck like a spring. The rapid sound of the wind passed by, and something was passing over their heads. The head fell into the crowd, and the women screamed in terror, squatting down. The children were stunned by the brutal scene, shivering and daring not to move.
They lived in a comfortable environment, carefree, forgetting the cruelty of the world, but the scene now made them return to their cautious life of the past. People waved their torches, roaring angrily at the sky, and banging on their weapons, issuing provocations.
Jiang Wen watched the sky, his ears twitching slightly, listening to the anomalies in the sky. The Tuoba warriors had already taken out their bronze spears from the house.
The rapid sound of the wind cut through the night sky, whistling and rushing towards the dense crowd.
Taking a spear from the Tuoba warriors, Jiang Wen looked at the place where the sound wave came from. He suddenly threw the spear in his hand, and the sharp spear made a harsh sound. With a scream, a huge crustacean fell from the sky.
It was a huge double-scythe blade insect, its face hideous and terrifying, and the zigzag saw teeth still had filamentous substances remaining. The dark carapace was covered with thorns, the whole thing resembling a reckless calf.
Someone used a bronze weapon to poke its shell, and only with strained strength could they break a small crack in the carapace. Such a hard defense could be considered extremely terrifying even for the strong Tuoba tribe.
Jiang Wen pulled the spear that pierced the giant insect from its body. Along with the overflow of black blood, a disgusting smell permeated the surroundings. The spear in his hand had already begun to rot. Jiang Wen looked at the black blood, feeling the erosive power emanating from the blood.
But what Jiang Wen could be sure of was that there was definitely more than one of these things.
