novelThe Mysterious Ancient Witch Race
| ← Ch.131 | Ch.133 → |
At the entrance of the mountain village was a piece of flat ground, where several grass shacks were erected. Under a glowing fire, several busy figures could be seen moving around the grass shacks.
A mouthwatering fragrance wafted out from the grass shacks. The Qin family members couldn't help but drool when the aroma of food assaulted their nostrils.
After their arduous escape from Luosang City, they have walked so far, but they still hadn't had their dinner yet. Their stomachs had been rumbling for a while now. Just a moment ago, they had still been in a tense state from fleeing, but now, they were smelling the fragrance of food. How could they resist?
"Dad. Mom. I'm hungry." A few young children immediately spoke out.
"Haha, child, hungry are you?" Old Bull smiled honestly, "Everyone can come over and eat. After all, the food was prepared for all of you. It's been ready for a while."
Did they prepare this for them?
The Qin family members were endlessly doubtful, but they were also amazed.
"Everyone, eat up. After you eat your fill, you can go and rest." Qin Zong also spoke a few words.
As soon as Qin Zong spoke, the Qin family members no longer had any apprehensions. The crowd all charged towards the grass shacks. Immediately, a large group of people walked out from the grass shacks. They welcomed these guests who had suddenly appeared with warm smiles, and they started handing out hot food and mantou. [1. A type of chinese buns]
Qin Yu, who was supporting Qin Wu, didn't move. He looked at Qin Zong. His curiosity got the better of him and he couldn't help but ask, "Family head, what is going on?"
Qin Zong smiled, "Qin Yu, you go and eat something with your dad first. I will be there soon." After speaking, he walked to the mountain-like Old Bull, "Old Bull, take me to see Wu Lao."
"Of course. Follow me." Big Bull straightforwardly agreed and brought Qin Zong past the grass shacks. They disappeared into the dark mountain village.
"Dad, let's go eat something." Seeing that Qin Zong had already left, Qin Yu could only help Qin Wu over to the grass shacks. He wasn't hungry. As a Transformation Realm expert, he could go several days without food and still be fine. However, his dad wasn't the same. He still needed to eat something.
......
Qin Zong followed Old Bull into a wooden building that was three stories high.
At the top floor of the wooden building, a single lamp flickered from atop a rectangular table in the dim room. An old man that had long, grizzled white hair sat on the ground beside the table.
Knock knock knock.
Soft footsteps could be heard from outside the room, followed by a series of knocks on the door.
When he heard that, the white-haired elder looked up. Two sharp rays of light shot out from his eyes. However, the light quickly dimmed, and the ball of green light that he held in his hands also disappeared.
"Come in." His aged voice rang out. His tone, which had an ancient rasp to it, gave others the feeling that he had been through many tribulations.
After receiving the approval of the old man inside, Qin Zong walked into the room in a prudent and careful manner. Then, the one called Old Bull turned around and left.
After Qin Zong entered he carefully closed the door and walked to the table. Then, he sat down while facing the white-haired old man.
"Old friend. Your journey has been hard. Sigh..." The old man let out a melancholic sigh that seemed to contain wisps of guilt and self-blame, "Fate, I've long known this fate would come true. Unfortunately, it's too late. I'm very sorry, I can't help the Qin family avoid this disaster."
Qin Zong's face was full of sorrow, "Maybe this is what you often call destiny. The Qin family is destined to have this ending. Fortunately, there are still some people who are alive."
"Certainly, as long as people are still alive, there will be hope." The words of the white-haired old man seemed to trail off into a sigh. He seemed like he personally understood Qin Zong's sorrow, almost as if he had experienced something similar before.
"Wu Lao, can you figure out the origin of those people? Who are they, and why do they want to massacre Luosang City?
Wu Lao didn't give his reply immediately. He moved his wrinkled hand and picked up a wooden stick next to the table. Then, he pointed toward the darkness, the area where the lamp's light couldn't reach. Only then did he slowly start talking, "Under the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain lives a group of special humans. Their history surpasses ten thousand years, or possibly one hundred thousand years, and maybe even much more."
"They are the ones who massacred Luosang City. They are no longer content with living underground, and they want to conquer the world above. They want to conquer the entire continent... Luosang City was the closest city to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain. Thus, you all were the first to have experienced this calamity."
After listening to Wu Lao's explanation, a look of incredulous surprise appeared on Qin Zong's face. He really could not have fathomed that there would be an underground world with humans living in there.
After that, Wu Lao said a few more things that he already knew about. However, what Wu Lao knew was also limited. He could only roughly understand that this was a disaster that would befall on the whole of Qiongxi Country as well.
"Wu Lao. This calamity... will my Qiongxi Country be able to withstand it?" Qin Zong was thinking of returning to Luosang City and rebuilding the Qin family there after the calamity ends. He would not let the Qin Family be destroyed in his hands.
Wu Lao nodded, "This calamity will end. But, the one who will resolve this calamity is not going to be Qiongxi Country. Qiongxi Country doesn't have the strength to resolve this calamity. The one who is going to resolve this calamity is a single person."
"A single person?" Qin Zong couldn't believe his ears, "How can the strength of a single person surpass the strength of an entire country?"
Wu Lao's aged face curled into a mysterious smile, "This person is actually in your Qin family."
Qin Zong became even more shocked, "They're one of my Qin family members?"
"Yes. But also no." Wu Lao continued smiling mysteriously. His words made Qin Zong go dizzy with confusion.
What the hell does "but also no" mean?
Wu Lao didn't explain himself. He held the sparkling translucent ball atop the table. When he started mumbling to himself, the ball started letting out faint and insipid green light.
"Take a look yourself." Wu Lao moved his hand away. On the translucent surface of the ball, a young and delicate face appeared.
"Qin Yu?" Qin Zong eyes grew wide as he stared at the image that was gradually dissipating from the ball. He didn't speak for a long time
Qin Zong already knew that Qin Yu was special, and he also knew that Qin Yu was an incredible person. But he could never have imagined that Qin Yu would be the sole person to quell this calamity.
Wu Lao watched Qin Zong's expression. Then, with a slight smile, he asked, "Old friend, is it that hard to believe?"
Qin Zong regained his spirits. However, his expression was still a bit unconvinced, "Wu Lao, if it is as you say, and Qin Yu will be able to extinguish this calamity, we can call him over right now. Then we can tell him..."
"No no no." Wu Lao cut off Qin Zong's words, "The mysteries of heaven must not be revealed. Nature will take its course. If we tell him, it'll produce the opposite effect instead. Keep that in mind."
Qin Zong looked at him blankly for a half a day before he smiled bitterly, "Then, Wu Lao, can you tell me? How long will it be before this calamity will be resolved?"
"Ah. This rotten old man is unable to predict accurately." He sighed, before continuing, "It could be a year. Or three years. Or ten years, or possibly even more. My Ancient Witch Race is able to peek into destiny. But there are some things that we have no way to peek into."
"Sigh..." A trace of disappointment flashed on Qin Zong's face.
"Qin family head, there's no need to sigh. That's just how things are. You don't need to worry about returning to Luosang City." Wu Lao consoled him."Wouldn't it be better to temporarily find a place to settle down? You also need time to cultivate the Qin family's people. In the current Qin family, you're the only Transformation Realm expert left."
However, this was something better left unsaid. As soon as he said those words, Qin Zong's heart started to hurt. Still, this is the current Qin family's reality. He must, at the very least, cultivate a group of people at the Elder's rank.
"It seems like everything is set. I've inconvenienced you." Qin Zong spoke gratefully.
Wu Lao shook his head as he smiled, "Qin family head, your words are cutting this Old Man short. Thirty years ago, if it wasn't for your help finding this piece of land, our Ancient Witch Race would've long since been exterminated. Today, it is my Ancient Witch Race's turn to return the favor."
"No matter how you say it, I must still thank you greatly for offering us shelter." After Qin Zong sincerely said this sentence, he suddenly changed the topic of the conversation, "Right, my fifth brother Qin Zhan sent Qin Yu's mother here. How is she doing?"
"Don't worry. Nothing serious is wrong with her. She's just very anxious. Anxiety needs to be cured slowly."
"Alright, I understand. I will go call Qin Yu and his father over."
When he finished speaking, Qin Zong stood up and withdrew from the room courteously.
After a short moment later, Qin Zong brought Qin Yu and Qin Wu over.
The instant Qin Yu saw Wu Lao, his gaze grew sluggish and great waves seem to have arisen in his heart.
Wu Lao's body emitted a very peculiar aura. He was like a cultivator... but at the same time, totally unlike a cultivator. It was hard to see him as a cultivator with his withered and wrinkled body, but If he wasn't a cultivator, why does he still give off a cultivator's aura?
Who was Qin Yu? In the previous world, he was Xie Di. Yet, he could not see through this old man's withered skin. From this, one could see how scary this old man was. No wonder he could create that Maze Formation. He was a peculiar yet terrifying person.
He was sure, this white-haired old man concealed a profound secret on him.
Wu Lao also looked at Qin Yu. Wu Lao's deep pupils were seemingly carrying a light smile. He directed a kind and benevolent gaze at Qin Yu.
"Qin Yu, this senior here is the leader of his race." Qin Zong introduced Wu Lao from the side.
"Haha, Young Hero Qin. Welcome to my humble abode. The road has been exhausting." What was hard for anyone to imagine was that Wu Lao was the first to open his mouth. His tone was even more courteous than when he received Qin Zong, causing the face of the person in question to twitch.
"Senior is too polite." Qin Yu hurriedly replied, "We came so suddenly; we are the ones inconveniencing senior."
"Young Hero Qin. By all means, don't call me senior. This old man will take responsibility, so just call me Wu Lao. This is how your family head always calls me." Wu Lao was even more polite, which in turn caused Qin Zong's face to twitch even harder. What kind of attitude was this? It is proper for Qin Yu, a youngster, to call him a senior. How could he assume responsibility? This old man is really worthy of being cursed at. There's nothing wrong with this old man's head today, right?
Qin Yu was also dumbstruck for a moment. Honestly speaking, when he looked into those deep pupils, he could see some things from within. But even after having looked at them for seemingly half a day, other than being deep, mysterious, and hard to predict, he couldn't see anything else.
"Alright, then this youngster won't be polite. Wu Lao, I'll have to trouble you to bring us to see my mother." Qin Yu was disinclined to prattle on, so he directly called Wu Lao by his name.
"Of course, please follow me." Wu Lao stood up. He pushed open another door in the room and he started walking slowly into the other room.
| ← Ch. 131 | Ch. 133 → |