A terrifying pressure descended from above, enveloping everyone beneath it. Even Li Na lowered her head, trembling, not daring to speak.

The little white fox curled up in Mu Nan Zhi’s arms, its furry body shivering.

Mu Nan Zhi frowned repeatedly, feeling discomfort, and sidled behind Xu Qi An.

Such powerful pressure… Xu Qi An frowned slightly. If he remembered correctly, Li Na had mentioned that her father was at the peak of Third Rank twenty years ago during the Shanhai Pass Battle.

Xu Qi An, having removed eight Demon Sealing Nails, was now at Great Achievement in Third Rank. In terms of the cultivation realm, he wasn’t far behind Li Na’s father, though in actual combat, his odds of victory would be higher.

“Hiding your aura?”

Long Tu scrutinized Xu Qi An.

He couldn’t sense even the slightest fluctuation of energy from this young man, and more bizarrely, this youth had no protective divine light—the Bronze Skin Iron Bones.

The young man before him looked like an ordinary person, but how could an ordinary person withstand his pressure?

“Greetings, Chief Long Tu.”

Xu Qi An hadn’t understood a word of the Southern Borderlands language until Long Tu looked at him. He cupped his hands and said:

“I am Ling Yin’s elder brother. In this matter, I hope Chief Long Tu can show some flexibility.”

He spoke in Great Feng’s official language, not worried that this tribal chief with muscles more exaggerated than a Vajra wouldn’t understand, since even Li Na and the tribe’s elite (the patrollers) could speak Great Feng’s official language—there was no reason the chief wouldn’t know it.

Long Tu gave Xu Qi An a deep look, withdrew his terrifying pressure, and spoke with authority in his deep voice:

“Li Na, you brought her back wanting me and the elders to acknowledge her.

“Then let’s handle this officially—gather the elders for a meeting.”

Although Li Na had been clever since childhood, she was equally willful, doing whatever came to mind with little consideration for consequences.

Regarding her taking a Central Plains girl as a disciple, Long Tu was angry but neither surprised nor found it absurd.

Long Tu glanced at Xu Ling Yin, then turned to leave.

“Father, you’re going personally?” Li Na said happily.

Long Tu continued walking without looking back, saying in a deep voice:

“I need to visit the Sky Insect Tribe later, Sky Insect Grandmother has sent word.

“But before that, we’ll deal with your issue.”

As he finished speaking, he had just walked out of the courtyard.

“Father, I’ll go with you!” Li Na called out, then summoned a female slave to attend to Xu Qi An and the others while she scurried after him.

All along this journey, most of the Force Insect Tribe’s young and middle-aged members weren’t at headquarters, presumably out hunting… If one were to deploy troops avoiding the outer sentries and directly strike here, they could destroy the Force Insect Tribe’s nest in a short time… Xu Qi An silently “deployed troops” in his mind.

But he quickly realized he was overthinking it, as such action would be meaningless.

With the young and strong not at headquarters, even destroying this place wouldn’t deal a heavy blow to the Force Insect Tribe. And based on what he’d observed on the plains, the entire Force Insect Tribe was militarized—even old grandmothers could move swiftly and walk on walls, not helpless civilians to be slaughtered.

Moreover, the Force Insect Tribe seemed quite poor. While not completely destitute, they had little value-destroying it would accomplish nothing.

Soon after, Xu Qi An’s ears twitched as he heard hurried footsteps.

He took a sip of what was aged tea sold from the Central Plains, set down the porcelain cup, and smiled:

“Li Na’s back.”

As his words fell, Li Na walked back in fuming, her clothes torn and tattered as if she’d just been in a fight.

“Master, your clothes are torn.”

Xu Ling Yin pointed at her skirt as if making a great discovery.

“I just fought with the elders.”

Li Na had her hands on her hips, still visibly angry.

She led Xu Qi An and the others out of the large courtyard, and down the wide, flat road to the open space outside the building cluster.

Xu Qi An swept his gaze across, finding nearly a hundred people gathered there.

They formed a circle, with six chairs inside it. Six elders sat on the chairs.

Long Tu didn’t sit, standing in the circle with his arms crossed, his tall frame proud and imposing.

Xu Qi An could guess with his toes that these six old men were the Force Insect Tribe’s elders, though they weren’t quite what he had imagined. Originally, Xu Qi An had pictured elders as white-haired figures leaning on canes.

They should have been at death’s door, their vital energy declining, yet maintaining high prestige within their respective tribes.

At the same time, they were supposed to be synonymous with decay and stubbornness.

But today, the Force Insect Tribe’s elders shattered Xu Qi An’s fixed image of “elders.”

While they did have white hair, they weren’t elderly at all, possessing muscles comparable to bodybuilders, their vital energy as vigorous as young men’s.

Seeing Li Na bring the outsiders over, one elder sneered:

“Why did you run? I hadn’t even used my full strength when I beat you into fleeing.”

Li Na’s eyebrows stood on end:

“Pah, I only showed mercy because your old bones looked about to fall apart.”

That white-haired elder with exaggerated muscles flexed his chest muscles and snorted:

“This old man’s muscles aren’t just for show.”

The other five elders had already started removing their robes and throwing aside their canes, ready to fight Li Na.

“First Elder, let’s deal with Li Na’s unauthorized teaching of secret arts first.”

A young woman with dark skin and delicate features called out.

“Ah Zi is indeed clever.”

The First Elder nodded, no longer dwelling on the duel.

This single comment brought everyone’s attention back to the main issue.

The crowd’s expressions turned serious, facing Li Na and the outsiders with emotionless faces.

Seeing this, Mu Nan Zhi and Bai Ji became somewhat nervous. These “simple” Force Insect Tribe people had suddenly turned cold and murderous.

Even when looking at their fellow tribesperson Li Na, their eyes were icy. This made Mu Nan Zhi increasingly aware of the Force Insect Tribe’s strict rules.

The First Elder asked in a deep voice:

“Who is your disciple?”

Everyone’s hostile gazes fell on Xu Qi An.

Among these outsiders were a six or seven-year-old girl, a frail ugly pale woman, a fox, and a man.

The so-called disciple must be this man. With the Force Insect Tribe people’s wisdom, they could easily deduce this.

When tribal women went out, they were most easily deceived and seduced by wild men, then, carried away by so-called love, would betray tribal interests—such incidents were common.

With the Force Insect Tribe’s wisdom, this was a simple deduction.

“Hmph, hateful, may Central Plains men die terrible deaths.”

“Let’s just cook him and share him around.”

“Li Na, you’ve disappointed me so much, Granny was thinking of asking the chief about a marriage proposal.”

“What marriage proposal? No one would want her now that she’s this pale. Hmph, secretly teaching the chief’s secret methods to outsiders, and still has the nerve to bring back a wild man.”

The crowd was agitated.

Li Na waved her hand:

“Ling Yin, come here!”

The little dumpling stepped forward on her short legs.

Li Na placed her hand on the little dumpling’s head and announced loudly:

“First Elder, this is my disciple.”

The surrounding scolding and shouting suddenly froze. The other elders seemed to have known this already. The First Elder looked at Xu Ling Yin:

“What realm has she reached?”

Li Na said: “Peak of Ninth Rank. She could have advanced to Eighth Rank long ago, but I held her back.”

The tribespeople’s expressions softened. Only the most basic secret arts had been taught—this was relatively acceptable, as they often taught pre-Fourth Rank techniques to slaves with good aptitude, cultivating them into war slaves.

The First Elder nodded slightly, saying:

“Rules are rules. Secretly teaching secret arts to outsiders, especially Central Plains people—you’ve committed a grave taboo. Even your father can’t shield you. Li Na, today we six are gathered here to reach a decision.”

After speaking, he huddled with the six elders, muttering something in the Southern Borderlands language.

Xu Qi An couldn’t understand, but he saw Li Na’s expression turn extremely poor.

Several minutes later, the six elders finished their discussion. The First Elder slowly shook his head:

“The Insect Tribe has no precedent for accepting Central Plains people as disciples, nor do the other six tribes. We Force Insect Tribe cannot set such a precedent. Moreover, too many of our tribespeople died under Central Plains experts’ blades during the Shanhai Pass Battle years ago.

“If our Force Insect Tribe takes a Central Plains person as a disciple, the other six tribes will surely be displeased.

“So, this little girl has only two paths. Either stay in the Insect Tribe as a war slave or have her natal insect removed.

“As for you, ten thousand lashes and six days of starvation.”

Six days of starvation… Li Na’s expression gradually stiffened.

“What did he say?” Xu Qi An asked Li Na beside him.

“He said Ling Yin must either stay in the Insect Tribe as a war slave or have her natal insect removed.”

Li Na explained with a gloomy face:

“War slaves rarely live past thirty, and the natal insect is fused with one’s life force—removing it means nine deaths and one life.”

…These are exactly like the elders I imagined! Xu Qi An said:

“What do you plan to do?”

Although he thought Li Na was unreliable, he decided to ask her opinion first, since this was her territory.

“Even if you hadn’t come to the Southern Borderlands, I would have invited you here later.”

Li Na wore an “I’m so clever” expression and said: “In our Force Insect Tribe, rules are just rules—power is our creed.”

After speaking, she walked forward a few steps, standing before the six elders and her father, saying loudly:

“No! If you don’t agree to me taking a disciple, then they’ll just have to return to the Central Plains. Ling Yin won’t stay in the tribe as a war slave. And her natal insect can’t be removed either.”

“Hmph, that’s not for you to decide.”

One elder began removing his outer robe again, indicating he would beat Li Na.

Li Na wasn’t intimidated at all. Pointing at Xu Qi An, she said:

“He is Ling Yin’s elder brother. If you want to deal with Ling Yin, first ask if he agrees.”

Understanding how to use powerful backing, Li Na had indeed grown during her time in the Central Plains. When she heard Xu Ning Yan wanted to go to the Southern Borderlands and have her lead the way, she realized this was her chance to get Ling Yin acknowledged by the tribe.

Hearing this, the six elders frowned at Xu Qi An.

The surrounding Force Insect Tribe people also turned their heads, their gazes—friendly, hostile, or curious—focusing on him.

The First Elder frowned, staring at Xu Qi An: “Who are you?”

Li Na keeps causing trouble for me. There’s no point in showing off in front of her friends and tribespeople… Xu Qi An walked forward a few steps, wearing a composed smile:

“I am Xu Qi An, Silver Gong of Great Feng.”

The First Elder slowly shook his head: “Never heard of you.”

An unknown nobody… The Force Insect Tribe people all shifted their gazes away, no longer interested.

Is there no internet in the village? Xu Qi An’s expression became uncontrollably stiff.

The First Elder said indifferently: “Long Tu, throw this youngster aside. For Li Na’s friend’s sake, we won’t kill him.”

After speaking, he found Long Tu hadn’t moved, his gaze deep as he stared at the young man from the Central Plains, like staring at an enemy that required his full attention.

Then, the First Elder felt a terrifying aura revive behind him.

Mountain-toppling pressure descended from the sky, enveloping every Force Insect Tribe person’s heart.

The First Elder suddenly turned around to see a golden figure, with a blazing ring of fire behind its head, bringing scorching heat.

Xu Qi An slowly withdrew the sword finger pointed between his eyebrows and smiled:

“The Vajra Divine Technique—surely you recognize that?”