| GB | Strong | 118
Splash—splash—
The autumn sky was clear, and the Shell tribe could manipulate the seawater. The waves were relatively calm at the moment.
Huo Duo'er brought over a stack of chopped firewood and glanced coldly at the Shell tribe’s priest as he looked at the pot of soup bubbling with milky foam.
This shell had nearly harmed Bai. If it weren't for their strong will, they would have been trapped in the illusion and died. He couldn't bring himself to show any kindness towards it.
Elder Meng Xun was caught in a dilemma, feeling somewhat awkward.
Then he thought, the Water God's domain was their territory. As hosts, why should they fear outsiders?
Besides, they had already agreed to cooperate.
So he nodded slightly to Huo Duo'er: "Our tribe has many treasures. In addition to what we discussed during the cooperation, we can offer extra gifts as a token of gratitude."
Clearing his throat, he added, "The Shell tribe will not take these benefits for granted."
Meng Xun had initially wanted to make some sarcastic remarks, as the land-dwelling orc tribes were greedy and evil, deserving of scorn!
But the orc tribe from the Fantasy tribe were indeed different from those orcs, and Huo Duo'er, as the chief, had inherited the Mountain God's power. From the Water God's perspective, it was best not to be too rigid with them.
That illusion... they had been a bit overbearing, but this little priest had figured out how to dispel the misty forest and had boldly entered. After some back and forth, it could be considered even!
Meng Xun had already sent the signed contract from the cooperation talks to the chief, who pondered for a long time before agreeing.
The task of hosting the orc tribe from the Fantasy tribe had been fully entrusted to him, so giving some extra gifts to Yu Bai was no big deal.
The shell priest still had its shell slightly open, not having eaten enough.
Meng Xun avoided Huo Duo'er's cold gaze: "Priest Bai, could you please feed our priest a few more bites?"
As he spoke, he turned to instruct the disciples nearby to bring up a few boxes from the clam shells.
The boxes were also shell-shaped, and when opened, they revealed some brightly colored seaweed, along with the Shell tribe’s pearls and coral.
These pearls and coral could be used as medicinal ingredients. Yu Bai's eyes lit up, and after Meng Xun explained their uses, he smiled gently and said, "These are indeed precious treasures. Thank you, Elder Meng."
His hair fluttered in the sea breeze, his features soft, his skin smooth and fair. His handsome appearance and gentle demeanor easily won the favor of the orcs.
Meng Xun nodded to him: "After all, Priest Bai gave us many cooking methods on the tablets. Our clan will not take the orc tribes knowledge for granted. We will give what we can."
The Shell tribe allowed the orcs of Fantasy tribe to create sacred artifacts, namely salt, but in exchange, they had to share the method with them.
Yu Bai agreed to all the terms.
Meng Xun raised his hand and pointed to the box of seaweed.
"Flower grass can be woven into thin, soft, and cool fabric, just like the kind we are wearing. I heard that summers on land are scorching hot, and making robes from flower grass would be very comfortable to wear."
Yu Bai's eyes lit up again.
The robes worn by the Shell tribe orcs on the shore were made of a gauze-like material, with a beautiful sheen that shimmered in the sunlight. They looked cool and smooth to the touch. Now, Meng Xun had gifted him a large box of seaweed, and its value was evident.
He sincerely expressed his gratitude, "Elder Meng, I am truly thankful to the orc clan this time. If there is anything we can assist with, as long as it doesn't go against morality, please don't hesitate to ask."
As soon as he finished speaking, he patted the large hand that had been resting on his lower back and now moved to his belly, silently signaling to Huo Duo'er: Don't be angry.
After Meng Xun left, Yu Bai fed the Shell tribe’s priest a few more mouthfuls of fish soup and patted its shell, indicating that it was enough.
Meng Xun had warned that the priest couldn't eat too much, or it would leak out of its shell.
It hadn't fully grown yet, so the amount it could eat was even less.
The shell slowly closed its gap, emitting a soft whimper.
Ah...
After feeding the shell, Yu Bai leaned into the firm, warm chest behind him.
"Still angry?" he asked.
He added, "This shell can't transform; it's just a shell with no offensive capabilities. You've already crushed half of its shell. Consider the debt repaid, okay?"
"Elder Meng said that its nature is pure; it was only following their orders to lure us into the dream."
The Shell tribe’s priest possessed the most powerful illusionary techniques in the entire clan, but because it couldn't transform, its mind remained in a childlike state.
Although it was revered as the priest, it was more like a tool of the Shell tribe.
When Elder Meng brought it ashore to bewitch them, it was somewhat confused itself. After a few days, before it could act, it became so tempted by food that it wanted to beg for something to eat every day.
So much so that it forgot its mission on shore...
That night, if Elder Meng hadn't suddenly appeared to urge it, Yu Bai and Huo Duo'er wouldn't have fallen into the illusion.
In Yu Bai's eyes, the priest was like a child, and its "attack" had its reasons.
Fortunately, the reason had been resolved.
They agreed to teach the Shell tribe the method of making salt and also to cook for them, sharing some recipes.
A’Sen took a few orcs out to search for flint. The sea was dark, and there wasn't much that could ignite a fire. Fire was crucial for the orc clan, and even the Shell tribe, living in the sea, needed it. In the more backward and weaker orc tribes, there weren't many decent pieces of flint that could start a fire.
As part of the trade, they stayed by the shore to collect salt, and during the process, they could also catch some seafood.
Besides that, Yu Bai discovered a type of tree resembling a coconut tree in the forest on the other side of the Salt Mist Forest.
The fruit of this tree had an extremely hard shell, larger than a modern watermelon. When cracked open, a milky, slightly sweet juice spilled out, bearing a six or seven out of ten resemblance to a coconut.
According to the Shell tribe orcs, this fruit was called the Hard Fruit.
Huo Duo'er used a stone knife to crack open a hole in the Hard Fruit's shell: "Bai, drink."
Yu Bai held the fruit, larger than his face, and drank the juice inside. After seven or eight gulps, he felt a bit full.
He pushed the remaining fruit toward Huo Duo'er and licked the wet residue from his lips.
Huo Duo'er's orc eyes darkened slightly as he fixed his gaze on those petal-like lips, the corners of which were stained with a trace of white moisture, resembling...
He swallowed hard, lowered his body, and swiftly captured that sweet, moist sensation.
Yu Bai's face was cupped, his lips parted, and Huo Duo'er's tongue swept over them, inside and out.
The fragmented autumn light filtered through the treetops, falling upon them. His nose twitched rapidly, and he was only released when he was almost out of breath, his cheeks flushed with a rosy hue.
Yu Bai's fair skin turned pink, and Huo Duo'er's orc eyes burned with intensity, as if he were about to devour him like a delectable treat.
After spending some time by the sea, the male orcs had tanned more than usual, but Yu Bai, who didn't tan easily, had shed some skin, revealing a soft, pink complexion that made him look even younger.
Huo Duo'er took a deep breath and bit Yu Bai's soft cheek, not too hard but not too gently either.
Yu Bai let out a soft "Ah."
His moist eyes blinked rapidly, glancing at the bulge beneath the orc's rough robe, then quickly looked away.
In broad daylight, he felt too shy to engage in such activities with Huo Duo'er...
But the orc's thoughts were elsewhere, and he didn't care about such trivialities.
Huo Duo'er scooped Yu Bai into his arms and carried him straight back to the tent, letting the curtain fall behind them.
The other orcs, like A’Sen, were busy, and the shell priest disciples on the shore had gone to dig and dry salt nearby.
The tribes priest, left behind on the sand, "saw" the tent swaying back and forth, and the two-legged creature who usually fed him seemed to be in some distress.
It let out a series of soft "ying ying ying" sounds, rhythmic and soothing, carried by the waves, bringing a calming force.
The movements inside the tent paused slightly, and the orc lifted the ankles behind his waist even higher.
Yu Bai's cries grew louder.
The shell lying on the sand: Ying.
Huh?
Why couldn’t it make sounds anymore?
—
After staying by the sea for nearly thirty days, in the second month of autumn, the warriors of Fantasy tribe set off on their return journey, carrying crudely made salt, several large crates of seafood, and hard nuts.
Yu Bai clung to Huo Duo'er's back, his left arm wrapped around the orc, the fair skin of his wrist shimmering with a soft glow.
The orcs of the Shell tribe cherished beauty, adorning themselves with exquisite and precious ornaments.
Even Huo Duo'er, a relatively simple orc, had developed a sense of aesthetics. He had selected the finest pearls to craft a bracelet for Yu Bai.
In addition to this, Yu Bai also held a seashell in his hands.
Ying ying ying~
Ai ya ya~
It was clear that the seashell was in a joyful mood, its sounds melodious and soothing, washing over the heart.
The shell priest... Since it had no specific name, the orcs of the Shell tribe always referred to it as the priest. Therefore, Yu Bai called it Little priest.
Little priest wanted to accompany him to the land to broaden its horizons (and join in the fun).
At first, Elder Meng and a group of Shell tribe’s orcs were adamantly opposed.
But Little priest was unusually insistent.
The innocent and naive Little priest threw a tantrum for the first time, ying ying ying-ing at the Shell tribe orcs, which actually caused the entire tribe to fall into a deep slumber.
Little priest must have communicated with them in some way within the illusion. When Elder Meng woke up, despite his grim expression, he agreed to let the little priest to make this journey.
Thus, the brave warriors of Fantasy tribe were joined by four Shell tribe orcs, all of whom were advanced disciples of the tribe.
From autumn until the arrival of spring, the Shell tribe orcs could venture away from the sea. But in spring, they would have to return to the water and live alongside their symbiotic clams.
After passing through the Salt Mist Forest, the group took a detour to pick up the Gray Rat orcs.
Yu Bai and Huo Duo'er had already agreed to let the Gray Rat orcs join their tribe.
Chang Sheng, the Gray Rat orc who followed Yu Bai, stood on a tree and blew a rat bone whistle. Soon, rustling sounds emerged from the depths of the mountain valley, and Elder Gray Rat and A’Di appeared with their entire clan.
A’Sen couldn't help but chuckle.
Yu Bai's lips curved into a gentle smile.
Huo Duo'er remained expressionless, though the corner of his eye twitched slightly.
The Gray Rat orcs were indeed very short, standing only about 1.2 to 1.3 meters tall, with a dull gray complexion and a thin build.
Now, as they moved with their families, they carried almost all their belongings.
The weight of their possessions caused them to stagger, and they were soon out of breath after walking only a short distance.
The warriors of the Fantasy tribe were tall and sturdy, their legs long and their bodies robust. Looking back at the Gray Rat orcs struggling to keep up, they couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Little priest, held in Yu Bai's hands, also emitted ying ying ying sounds, clearly laughing as well.
The scene was quite comical.
Chang Sheng, who was leading the group, saw his clansmen stumble and, blushing, hurried back to lend a hand.
The Gray Rat orcs gritted their teeth and struggled to carry their belongings, determined to keep up.
The elder had said that the Fantasy tribe, which had accepted them, was incredibly powerful, led by brave warriors, and that the mountain-like male orc was the chief.
The chief was a giant!
And the sub-female orc on the chief’s back was even more remarkable—he was Priest Bai, who had received many inheritances from the Orc God!
They secretly looked up at the strong warriors, feeling hopeful for the future, finally having found a powerful ally.
Not wanting to be looked down upon by the chief and the priest, over the course of nearly ten days, no one complained, no matter how slow or fast they moved. They relied on their own strength and the unity of the Gray Rat clan to reach their destination.
Along the way, the warriors either eliminated or drove away all the wild beasts, leaving the Gray Rat clan increasingly moved to tears.
Even the Shell tribe began to realize just how formidable the warriors of Fantasy tribe were.
—
In the afternoon, the warm, dry sunlight heated the soil slightly, and the air carried the scent of fruit.
On the watchtower of the Fantasy territory, the orc on duty spotted the chief and the priest. In his excitement, he forgot to grab his bone whistle, tilted his head back, and let out a few howls.
"Chief Huo and Bai are back—!"
"Chief—!"
"Bai—!!"
The gray rat orcs were startled. They looked up, staring blankly at the massive tribal gates that resembled a giant beast. Their weary faces first showed a dazed expression, but soon broke into smiles.
This... this...
They had never seen a tribe like this before. Though it was a bit intimidating, it exuded a strong sense of security. They hadn't chosen the wrong side!
All the perseverance along the way had been worth it!
Huo Duo'er gave a slight nod to the gray rat orcs who had collapsed just outside the territory gates.
Throughout the journey, their determination had been witnessed by the warriors of Fantasy tribe.
Despite not having strong physiques, these orcs had shown great perseverance and a willingness to endure hardship. The Fantasy tribe welcomed them to join.
The disciple of the Shell tribe slowly closed his gaping mouth.
So this was a land-based tribe?
Though it wasn't as splendid as the underwater palace of the Water God's domain, it had a powerful aura. And those orcs who came out to greet them... they were truly strong...
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