nownovels Chapter 444 - 40: Infighting
Chapter 444 - 40: Infighting
After that major battle, both sides suffered losses, but the losses of the Lie Mountain Tribe were far greater than those of the Jiuli Tribe.
Because almost every time it was the Jiuli Tribe fighting many against few, strong against weak.
Jiuli inherently had a generation gap with Lie Mountain, the gap in hard power, and also held the advantage in soft power.
The brutal casualties were to be expected.
Lie Mountain Camp.
Gonggong’s face was pale, while Zhurong was furious as he listened to Zhu You’s report.
"What did you say? Ma Shihuang can’t come because he went to pick a rare herb?
It may be a while before he can return to the tribe?"
"At this critical moment, why is Ma Shihuang looking for rare herbs?"
Fire seemed to flicker from Zhurong’s head, and it was literal fire; he had a temper as fiery as the Immortal Technique he practiced.
Not to mention, the law he comprehended was named ’Explosion,’ which made his personality volatile.
He never conceals his rage, for suppressing his emotions would hinder his cultivation.
"What about Tier Nine, aren’t there many Tier Nine practitioners?"
Zhurong forced his anger down as he asked.
"Uh, the tribe said some Tier Nine Medicine Immortals are following the Common Lord to find ways to heal his injuries."
"Or they’re considering how to recover the Common Lord’s injuries."
"And some were given permission by the Common Lord to help the Youxiong Tribe against the other battlefield."
The speaker, Zhu You, was from the Zhurong Tribe and one of Zhurong’s many sons.
He spoke with a helpless expression.
"Are these people crazy, using these excuses to shirk responsibility?"
"I’ll go find them!"
Zhurong’s suppressed anger couldn’t be contained any longer. He stood up suddenly and said coldly.
However, Gonggong reached out and held him back, with a look of resignation.
"Don’t go. Even if you do, you won’t find anyone willing to come."
"Obviously, Ma Shihuang and the others are trying to undermine us. He plans to make us suffer a few disastrous defeats this time."
Though they are devoted to the tribe, some people inside might not be equally committed to it.
"Damn it, these folks shirk when asked to contribute, but are quite eager when it’s time to distribute benefits."
Zhurong frowned deeply, then worriedly asked, "What about your injuries?"
If it was a regular injury, or even one sustained during a fight.
Gonggong could recover on his own, it’s just a matter of time.
After all, for someone of their level.
Everyone has ways to recover their wounds, but this time Gonggong was different.
Twice his Immortal Pill was shattered; these aren’t injuries Gonggong can heal himself.
It’s a fundamental injury.
Now Gonggong can’t easily perform Immortal Techniques because his Immortal Pill is injured, and using an Immortal Technique might make it continue to crumble.
The losses of tribesmen and cultivators aren’t as severe as Gonggong’s this time.
"At this moment, you stay here. I shouldn’t make any move, so there shouldn’t be major issues, only gradually recovering."
Gonggong couldn’t help but think of the Jiuli Tribe. If it were within the Jiuli Tribe.
Such things surely wouldn’t happen.
’What exactly am I striving for?’
Gonggong wondered to himself, feeling that he had devoted himself completely to the tribe, even now his Immortal Pill was injured.
Yet the tribe still has schemers undermining each other.
"Then I’ll go back and find Leader Tingyao. Have her issue the order personally."
Zhurong proposed.
"No, you must stay here. Now that I’m injured, if you leave.
Jiuli will certainly launch an attack; then there would be no one capable of resisting the Jiuli Great Priest and Can Gang’s offensive."
Gonggong shook his head.
If Zhurong leaves too, then Gonggong might really have to fight with his life.
If it were before, for the Lie Mountain Tribe, he might not feel any concern.
Because he firmly believed Jiuli were barbarians, executioners extinguishing human civilization.
The Lie Mountain Tribe was the defensive line against the Jiuli Tribe; even if he fell, it would be for the human race.
But after these recent events.
He couldn’t help but ponder if the current Lie Mountain Tribe still represents the human race.
Intending to use his life to forge defenses for Lie Mountain, but is the present Lie Mountain still the human race’s Lie Mountain?
It’s no longer the Lie Mountain that healed wounds, controlled fire, and farmed for the human race.
Not just Chi Songzi and others, but even the Common Lord.
He can no longer control Lie Mountain, otherwise, he wouldn’t allow cultivators to occupy every inch of Lie Mountain.
Zhurong could only clench his fists, sighing: "Hopefully, Jiuli won’t launch another attack so soon."
...
Inside the Jiuli Camp.
Though the attack failed, they still could see their military achievements.
Because with the spread of firearms, beheadings to gain military merit became quite difficult.
So now the distributed guns had an additional function; if you killed an enemy.
If the mark on the bullet was polluted with death gas, the gun would change.
Allowing to determine how many people you killed.
Previously, Shen Fei mentioned this to Duan Xiu, according to Duan Xiu, it’s actually simple.
This was previously a means to discern if any tribe members were still alive.
Only now, reversing the method, it could be used.
After all, Duan Xiu was among the founding figures of the witchcraft system, naturally adept at modifying such witchcraft.
Therefore, in the Jiuli Tribe, there was no sense of defeat from the failed attack.
Instead, they were quite excited.
After all, this kind of combat that could gain military merit without much danger was desirable for everyone.
The Jiuli Clan just liked fighting, but it didn’t mean they liked risking their lives.
"Great Priest, why didn’t we continue the attack back then? Now it seems even without assistance from the other side."
"We could have captured the opposite bank of the river."
Can Gang expressed some confusion.
Shen Fei was writing on a scroll of sheepskin, shaking his head as he heard Can Gang’s words: "If it weren’t for Zhurong, I would have pushed forward relentlessly."
"But Zhurong indeed is formidable, not to mention, although we attacked from two main points, mixing real with fake to catch Gonggong off guard."
"To continue pushing onward, it would revert to a direct clash.
In that scenario, we wouldn’t consume much of the Lie Mountain Tribe, but casualties would be severe."
Shen Fei put down the sheepskin scroll. The Great Wilderness’s means of storing information were still quite rudimentary.
There wasn’t even a thought about how to find more efficient methods of communication.
In their view, humans were the most efficient.
Therefore, Shen Fei had Duan Xiu hurry up studying such witchcraft, as it was crucial to enhancing the Jiuli Tribe’s power.
"We’re inherently holding the advantage, and our arrangements are set; this trial aimed more to prevent Lie Mountain from detecting our plans too early."
"And also to probe a bit about the Lie Mountain Tribe’s foundation in this attack."
Shen Fei smiled: "Wasn’t this quite successful? Knowing Zhurong’s presence with minimal sacrifice."
"This time, the advantage is inherently ours."