Although the Green Hill tribe's power was extraordinary, only the elders and chiefs were powerful. The people in front of me obviously didn't have a high status and their power was limited. Naturally, I didn't feel threatened by them.
Moreover, I had the fatty's Monster Refining Gourd. Even if the Green Hill tribe came with all their people, I wouldn't care.
I looked at the two newcomers in their traditional Han attire and waited for them to continue.
These people looked young, and they were rather impatient. After a while, one of the two white-haired men in ancient attire asked me in a sinister tone, "Who are you? How dare you hold my Green Hill clansmen hostage and come to my Green Hill clansmen's land? Do you have a death wish?"
He sounded fierce, but I didn't care at all. I cupped my hands and said, "You misunderstood me. I didn't kidnap the Green Hill tribe members, and I didn't plan to show off here."
Then, I pointed at Yaoyao and continued, "This Miss Li is from the Green Hill tribe and is also my good friend. She has been living in the mortal world since she was young. She heard that this place is the ancestral court of the Green Hill tribe and wanted to visit her people. She was worried about her safety on the way, so she asked me to help her escort.
Now that you have shown up, I didn't disappoint Miss Li's trust. "
This was the excuse I had thought of. After I said it, they hesitated. However, the wary and suspicious expressions on their faces did not disappear. The young man who had spoken earlier seemed to want to say something but was stopped by the middle-aged woman who had brought us here. Then, the middle-aged woman who was wearing the staff uniform of the scenic spot looked at me with a kind expression. She said, "Oh, you are friends who escorted my Green-hill tribe back. Since you are friends, my Green-hill tribe will naturally not blame you for trespassing on my tribe's land.
Friends are guests. If you don't mind, why don't you come to my Green Hill tribe and have a few cups of wine to thank you for protecting my people? "
Although she was inviting us, they were standing around us. It was obvious that they weren't just inviting us for a drink.
My original plan was to let Yao Yao go back alone, find the Seven Star Mugwort and give it to me.
However, that was then and this was now. Now that I had absolute power in my hands, there was no need for me to worry too much. It would be best if I could make a trip to the Fox King Palace by myself. Thus, I was not against their actions. Instead, I was rather happy. I pretended not to understand their threat and nodded my head. "Since Big Sister has sincerely invited me, it would be impolite of me to decline."
They probably didn't expect me to agree so readily. After a moment of shock, the middle-aged woman nodded and pointed behind her, making an inviting gesture. "Please follow me."
After she said that, she took the lead. The other three people gathered behind us, cutting off our path of retreat. They stared at us like tigers watching their prey.
I smiled faintly and didn't think much of it. I called Fatty and Yao Yao over and followed them.
However, just to be safe, I asked the fatty to put the Qilin back into the Monster Refining Pot.
Although the Qilin was an ancient beast, in essence, it belonged to the monster race. Just like Yao Yao, it could survive in the Monster Refining Pot and obtain benefits.
In front of us was a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. After walking for a dozen meters, we reached the end of the path. A stone wall stood in front of us.
There was no path in front of us, but the middle-aged woman who was leading the way didn't stop. Instead, she walked directly to the bottom of the mountain wall. She reached out her hand and touched the mountain wall a few times. Then, she turned her head and said to me, "Follow me." Afterwards, she directly bumped into the mountain wall. Her body didn't bounce back. Instead, she hid inside.
Since the Qing Qiu tribe lived in this scenic area that looked like a bustling city, they must have some kind of concealment technique. I wasn't surprised and followed her in.
The mountain wall looked like it was made of rocks, but after I hit it, it was as if I had hit a soft and elastic membrane. I pushed my feet and went through it.
My vision darkened at first, but then it became bright again. When I looked up, the mountain wall was gone. At this moment, I was still in a valley full of birds and flowers. From its position, it was obvious that it was the same valley as the one outside. It was just that the Qing Qiu tribe had used a technique to hide it.
This valley was obviously the habitat of the Qing Qiu tribe. It was different from the wilderness outside. The flowers and trees here had obviously been carefully trimmed and cultivated. They didn't grow in a messy way but retained the beauty of nature. They looked orderly and harmonious.
On the slopes on both sides of the valley, there were many pavilions and houses.
These houses didn't look like human buildings. They weren't orderly or well-proportioned. They were scattered messily on the hillside and connected to each other without any order. However, the pavilions and houses were like mushrooms growing in the meadow in the shade of the flowers and grass. They complemented each other and created a beautiful scene.
I scanned my surroundings and was impressed by the beautiful scenery. My only regret was that the surrounding buildings were all very small. No matter which one it was, it couldn't be related to the "Fox King Palace" that the fox girl had told me about.
While I was looking around, the fatty and Yao Yao were also looking around curiously.
The fatty was an idiot. He obviously didn't look at the beautiful scenery around him. His eyes were fixed on the beautiful Qing Qiu women in the valley.
The little fox girl had a strange expression on her face. She looked at the beautifully cut trees, and then at the uniquely designed houses. The corners of her mouth curled up into a smile.
It was obvious that the similar beauty brought by her bloodline had made her fall in love with this place.
The four members of the Qing Qiu tribe who had brought us in didn't feel anything about the scenery around them. After we entered, they urged us to continue walking.
We walked along the mountain path until we reached a spacious three-story house at the bottom of the left hillside. The middle-aged woman who had been leading the way stopped and turned to me with a smile. "This is where our Elder Yushan handles the tribe's affairs. Please wait here for a moment. I will bring her in to see the elder. After she reports this matter, she will come back to receive you."
Finding a member of the tribe who had been lost outside was no small matter for the Qing Qiu tribe. As for how to deal with the two outsiders, the fatty and I, these people probably couldn't decide. No matter what, they had to consult the elder first.
I understood and nodded with a smile. When Yao Yao heard my words, she took two steps back and said in a panicked voice, "I … I don't want to go … I want to stay with you!"
The fox girl was naturally timid. It was inevitable that she would be scared after suddenly coming here and having to separate from me.
I patted her shoulder and comforted her. "Don't be afraid. These are all your clansmen. You've returned home. What's there to be afraid of? Follow this big sister in. I'll wait for you outside."
The middle-aged woman turned and smiled. "He's right. We've returned home. We, the Qing Qiu tribe, won't harm our own people. Don't be afraid."
After some persuasion, Yao Yao finally put down her fear, step by step she turned her head and followed the middle aged woman inside.
The fatty and I waited outside, while the other three Green Hill clansmen guarded by our sides, not moving an inch away from us.
The fatty turned his head and said to me in a low voice, "This Qing Qiu tribe is really unreasonable. We've sent their people back. Not only are they not grateful, but they also look at us coldly. It's as if we owe them money."
I shook my head and smiled. "They are often captured by humans. They have a grudge against humans. It's normal for them to be cold to us. Don't worry about it."
We chatted as we waited. Not long after, the middle-aged woman who had gone in earlier came out and smiled at us. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I've asked someone to prepare a simple meal and some wine. Please come with me and have a drink."
I craned my neck to look behind her. Yaoyao didn't appear with her.
Seeing my action, the middle-aged woman explained, "Yao Yao is chatting happily with the elder. Elder Yushan is worried that you'll be waiting outside for too long, so he specially arranged for me to come out and entertain the two of you. When Yao Yao is done, she'll naturally come to find us. You don't have to worry."
I frowned. When Yao Yao had gone in, she had told me to wait here. Now that Yao Yao hadn't come out, she wanted to take me away. It was obviously inappropriate.
The middle-aged woman would definitely notice that. It was obvious that something was wrong.
The fatty wanted to say something, but I extended my hand to stop him. I turned and nodded at the middle-aged woman. "I'll do as you say. If that's the case, I'll have to trouble big sister to lead the way."
Yao Yao definitely wouldn't be harmed here. I wasn't afraid of the Qing Qiu people either. Rather than feigning civility with them, it would be better to let them arrange things and see what they were planning.
The fatty had always been obedient to me. After I stopped him, he didn't say anything and followed the middle-aged woman into the valley.
The other three people who had been guarding by our side also followed. Just like before, they blocked our way without saying a word.
She said that she was taking us to eat, but the middle-aged woman led the way through many twists and turns. In a short while, she brought us to an extremely desolate forest.
Before we could ask anything, the woman suddenly stopped and turned to look at the fatty and me. The smile that had been hanging on her face earlier had disappeared, replaced by a cold expression. She said coldly, "My Qing Qiu people have been persecuted by you humans for thousands of years. We were forced to hide in the deep mountains and struggle to survive. We didn't communicate with the outside world. Who knew that you would find your way here!
If that's the case, don't blame us for being ruthless! "
She had suddenly turned hostile, but I was prepared for it, so I wasn't surprised. I shook my head faintly. "We only sent Yao Yao back. We don't have any intention of persecuting her. As for the grudge between your Qing Qiu people and the humans, if you want to take revenge, go find the person who persecuted you. Why do you have to take it out on the two of us?"
The middle-aged woman smirked coldly. "I don't know what you are planning, but you know where our Qing Qiu people are. After you leave, once you leak the news, you will definitely bring trouble to our Qing Qiu people. No matter what, I won't let you leave alive!
Attack! "