Chapter 393 - 284: Don’t Advance! Don’t Advance

Chapter 393: Chapter 284: Don’t Advance! Don’t Advance

But even desolation has its tiers.

The Silver Wolf Territory and Flame Camp were in the harsh, cold Northern Border.

Godforsaken places where not even a bird would shit.

Any faction worth its salt wouldn’t deign to occupy them.

In contrast, the central region, the sphere of influence of Ganshan City, was the most prosperous.

And the Southern Border, the Ten Thousand Mountains, was the most treacherous.

It had the greatest number of Exotic Beasts, and they were the most powerful.

This was something Tang Wen had gradually come to understand after becoming the young master of the Black Water Gang and an Elder of the White Tiger Tribe.

The central region was prosperous, yet the strength of Ganshan City’s three major families was no match for the White Tiger Tribe.

But the White Tigers had not withdrawn from the Ten Thousand Mountains to occupy the central lands.

It turned out it wasn’t that they didn’t want to leave.

Nor were they masochists who enjoyed life-and-death battles with other Fifth Grade Exotic Beasts in the Ten Thousand Mountains!

They simply couldn’t leave.

If they left, never mind who would hold back the Exotic Beasts and Demons of the Ten Thousand Mountains; everyone in the White Tiger Tribe would suffer the torment of the "Earth Curse."

He read the words Hu Lan had sent on the Unity Mirror:

"The White Tiger Race cannot withdraw from the Ten Thousand Mountains."

"The White Tiger Village you previously had contact with was guarded by only a single Sixth Grade Exotic Beast, which led you to mistakenly believe we are a Sixth Grade power."

"I know many in Ganshan City thought it was a test."

"It was indeed a test, but not a test of Ganshan City."

Tang Wen blurted out in his mind, ’They’re testing the absolute farthest boundary the White Tiger Tribe can be from the Ten Thousand Mountains!’

He continued reading.

Sure enough, Hu Lan’s next sentence meant exactly that.

"That Sixth Grade White Tiger advanced to its current rank within the confines of Baihu Village. In that village, the White Tiger felt discomfort."

"Only by coming to the depths of the Ten Thousand Mountains could the throbbing pain in its heart be alleviated."

"That’s right. Although we are a mighty Fourth-Grade race, we are trapped by the Ten Thousand Mountains!"

"Trapped forever by the very mountains that nurtured and raised us!!!"

Tang Wen shivered, a chill creeping into his heart.

Hu Lan’s demeanor was always so calm and collected.

But reading between the lines of her message, he could almost see a woman calmly facing despair.

She was gazing into the Abyss, and inevitably, she was about to be devoured by it.

Fate!

Shackles!

The White Tiger Tribe seemed free and powerful, but they were bound by the shackles of fate.

The White Tiger Race had a Fourth-Grade Powerhouse.

They could flatten Ganshan City and push all the way to the Northern Border, seizing countless territories and resources.

But the next generation of White Tigers would be unable to produce another at the Fourth Grade.

Even reaching Fifth Grade would be difficult.

Not to mention, without their Deterrence, the threats within the Ten Thousand Mountains would surely surge southward and overrun the entire Northwest Land.

Tang Wen frowned, his thoughts in a tangle. ’Will I also be trapped in Flame Camp forever?’

’I have the Experience Panel. I wonder if I can break free from this kind of fate.’

’No, that’s not right.’

’Flame Camp’s location should be part of the same landmass as Ganshan City.’

’Further south, the edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains is the true dividing line.’

And, according to his agreement with Hu Lan, he would have to make a trip to the Ten Thousand Mountains by summer.

’Perhaps I can try to advance to Sixth Grade in the depths of the Ten Thousand Mountains, to see if I can break through this "Earth Curse".’

The Experience Panel gave Tang Wen confidence.

On the Unity Mirror, a large blank space followed.

It was as if the person writing the message had fallen into a long silence after finishing those words.

But the message wasn’t over:

"This has almost no effect on ordinary people."

"It’s difficult for them to become Martial Arts masters."

"For those with ordinary Talent, it’s not too cruel."

"Unfortunately, for you and me, people of exceptional talent..."

"...we cannot step outside the boundaries drawn by fate to pursue higher Realms."

Tang Wen met this with silence.

As for Hu Lan’s words, he only partially agreed.

This matter had a huge impact on ordinary people.

Because the fate of a race is often decided by a select few.

The best and the worst write history, while the mediocre propagate the race.

If the geniuses cannot leave, the race will be trapped forever.

Tang Wen couldn’t help but think of the ill-fated nations from his past life. If not for the emergence of great leaders, who knew how long their people would have floundered in turmoil!

At the end of the message, Hu Lan wrote:

"That female leader of your camp, the one at the Peak of Sixth Grade."

"If you can’t have her return to her ’homeland,’ then it’s best not to let her advance to Fifth Grade."

"According to our records, after reaching Fifth Grade, it’s not just a throbbing pain in the heart; a piercing pain also begins between the eyebrows. Based on the writings left by those who have experienced it, the latter pain is not as simple as an uncontrollable tremor in the hands."

"It is ten times more agonizing than the intense throbbing of the heart."

"The record of one Fifth Grade female remains vivid in my memory: ’The Earth Curse has descended upon me. Every night, it feels as if I’ve given birth to three children, the agony leaves me completely drained! To my descendants: return to our homeland, or do not advance, do not advance, do not advance!’"

Tang Wen read it over and over again.

He thought uncertainly, ’The Queen... she should be at the Peak of Sixth Grade, right?’

He lifted his head and looked outside. Xia Qingge was holding a gourd in one hand, drinking with a GULP GULP GULP, while her other hand seemed to be pressing the spot between her eyebrows.

"Are you rubbing the spot between your eyebrows?" he asked subconsciously. His voice was calm, but his heart sank.

His hands flew across the surface of the mirror, wanting to ask if there was any way to alleviate the pain.

Xia Qingge’s hand paused slightly. She looked in Tang Wen’s direction, her tone displeased. "What are you talking about, kid?"

The motion of rubbing her brow didn’t stop. "I haven’t even had any new wine on this trip! What a huge loss."

"Is the spot between your eyebrows starting to hurt?"

"Are you looking for trouble? You should be wishing me well!"

GULP GULP GULP.

She raised the gourd and drank deeply.

Tang Wen was skeptical. "It really doesn’t hurt?"

"How strange." Xia Qingge turned around, sat down with her back against a large tree, and left him with a view of her back, clad in a white dress.

Tang Wen wiped away the long message he had just written on the mirror’s surface.

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

He began a normal conversation with Hu Lan.

He told her all about what he’d been busy with recently: searching for food, the corruption of the Huang Family, the cowardice of the Boat Gang, and the mysterious Fifth Grade Jiao Snake in the lake.

Then, he casually mentioned, "If someone has already advanced to Fifth Grade, how can they alleviate the pain brought by this ’Earth Curse’?"

He put down the Unity Mirror.

Tang Wen revealed himself and walked over to the dead tree, crouching down. ℯ𝓵.

"What’s so great about wine?"

"You’re still young."

Tang Wen said, "...And how would you know?"

Unexpectedly, Xia Qingge’s willow-like eyebrows shot up, and she gave him a flick on the forehead.

"Hey!"

"What are you ’hey’-ing about? You think I don’t know what you mean? Ha! I used to frequent brothels all the time!"

"Flame Camp’s place doesn’t count as a brothel." It wasn’t that Tang Wen was trying to be difficult. It was just that the Red House in Flame Camp had a lot of rules.

For example, if a guest took a liking to one of the girls and paid, the girl wouldn’t entertain him right away.

Instead, the two would have to get to know each other for a few days before taking the final step.

"I’ve been to the brothels in Five Families City, too."

Tang Wen shot her a glance. "You’re so pretty, even in men’s clothes, people can tell at a glance. Those women were just teasing you!"

Xia Qingge huffed.

She had indeed been recognized as a woman.

At the time, a group of courtesans had just gathered around her and laughed.

The wine gourd was passed over.

Tang Wen took it, raised it for a sip without letting it touch his lips, and then passed it back.

They passed it back and forth a few times.

Tang Wen then remembered something and casually took out a few stones he used as Flying Locust Stones.

He drew the dagger from his waist and made a few motions with it.

The dagger’s blade was thin; carving stone with it should have been difficult.

But as soon as Tang Wen started, the stone was like clay in his hands. Shavings fell away, and in the blink of an eye, it had become a perfect cube.

Xia Qingge watched him work, drinking from her gourd.

It wasn’t until he used his dagger and a piece of charcoal to poke holes and leave marks on the small stone cube that she realized. "Dice. You want to play high-low?"

"Only kids play high-low!"

Xia Qingge’s phoenix eyes narrowed. She often dragged her female officers into playing that very game back at the camp.

Tang Wen used some deadwood from the forest to fashion two identical wooden cups.

"Come on! Let me tell you the rules of a new game."

He explained the rules of "Liar’s Dice," then said, "No using Spiritual Power, and no listening in. The loser can choose to drink or answer a question, but they can’t lie."

"The loser drinks? Why would you reward the loser?"

’Right,’ Tang Wen thought, ’forgot you’re a drunkard.’ "...Alright, change of rules. The winner gets to drink. The loser has to answer a question."

RATTLE RATTLE RATTLE.

After one round...

...Xia Qingge had lost.

Tang Wen looked into her bright eyes. "Did you break through to Fifth Grade?"

She pursed her lips, just about to deny it.

When a voice drifted down from the sky, "That’s right, that’s right. Judging by her aura, she’s just at the Initial Entry into the Fifth Grade."