Chapter 728 347: The Exiles

The Clan Leader trembled slightly, as if pondering how to speak.

He knelt on the ground, fingers gripping tightly to the earth, as if searching for a reason to sustain his speech.

After a moment, he finally lifted his head and said softly:

"We are exiles who fled to this place..."

You Su raised an eyebrow, thinking it was just as he thought.

As the elderly man spoke, the surrounding tribespeople lowered their heads even more.

"To escape to this deserted place, it seems there must be unforgivable sins on their shoulders." You Su scooped a bowl of venison soup, sniffing deeply at the tip of his nose. It had been a long time since he had smelled this kind of scalding aroma of meat, making him feel as if he was finally returning to human society.

And his indifferent tone only made the sins he spoke of sting deeper into the old man's heart.

The old man looked up at the young man, eyes filled with deep regret:

"We are indeed heavily burdened by sin."

Little Deer listened in a muddled state; she recalled the Clan Leader always stared blankly at the white-clad world, murmuring, "The snow buries the earth, but also masks many more things."

She didn't understand the deep meaning of this sentence, but thinking back now, she vaguely started to grasp a hint of its flavor.

"No need to beat around the bush, state your purpose directly." You Su replied coldly.

The old man was taken aback, seemingly not expecting the young man to be so decisive, but he didn't hesitate further, saying:

"We want to ask the Immortal Master to save us!"

"The price?" You Su retorted.

His mercilessness also left Little Deer somewhat stunned; in the little girl's eyes, this godlike figure seemed quite approachable. But in front of the tribespeople, he turned indifferent and ruthless.

The old man's body trembled, "The Lord has come from a distant place and may not know, leaving the Arctic Snowfield is by no means easy. We can take you out, but you also need to do us a favor."

"You know I came from far away?" You Su asked coldly.

"Your body lacks the rough texture of ice and snow; you are at least not someone from Beiao Continent." The old man did not lift his head.

You Su knew the old man's words were somewhat abstract, but it was indeed the reason for his judgment. People living in a frozen world and those in a world of floral scents and birdsong have extremely obvious differences, such as skin color, clothing, intonation, etc.

"Being a foreigner doesn't mean being easily deceived." Naturally, You Su wouldn't easily trust their transaction.

"The Arctic Snowfield is frozen all year round with endless snow, yet it isn't barren and poor everywhere. The snow also nurtures treasures unique to this land. If the snowfield were normal, there should still be cities north of Beiji City." The old man replied.

You Su furrowed his brows, the Clan Leader's words made sense.

Human greed destined them to never stop exploring; if they stopped, it was either because the way forward would endanger them or because there was no profit in the path ahead.

"I managed to walk here from the glaciers, which already proves I don't need your help." You Su still hoped to press the elder for more.

The old man complied with his wish: "You can walk for five days or seven days in the vast snow, but not for a month. This path home was found at the cost of many lives."

"Why exaggerate the danger? Stars guide the way from the sky, just follow them south and one will eventually find a way out. The path lies in the sky, not on the ground." You Su was puzzled by their ignorance.

"True, but the scariest thing is not being unable to find a direction." The old man raised his head, his eyes gleaming, "The scariest thing is finding a direction but knowing that path won't reach the other side. The snow there is even greater than here, as if all the snow in the world originates there. It's a natural barrier, blocking everything trying to enter Beiao Continent from the Arctic, including us."

Upon hearing this, You Su froze in the act of sipping soup; the old man's final words sent sparks through his mind.

This Clan Leader was indeed no ordinary man; he knew there were no Divine Radiance Stones on the arctic shore!

"But why should I trust you can lead me through the snowstorm you describe?"

"The Immortal Master can only trust us, can't he? Otherwise, the only way to leave here is to return the way you came."

Return the way he came?

You Su completely put down the bowl; the old man easily saw through his previous story of accidentally arriving here. According to the saying that no one could casually travel through that snowstorm, it seemed the old man concluded he came from the sea.

A story so alarming that no one would believe it, the only safe passage on the sea was the Divine Feather Ship, but it couldn't sail to this far north. In the old man's eyes, he was no different from a monster. No wonder he was held in such reverence, as they would call demons gods, so in their eyes, he was also a god.

"Tell me then, why were you exiled here?" You Su stood up, brushing the snow off his rear, "No need to kneel to me, I am not a god."

"The Divine Radiance Stone was stolen by us."

The old man's words sent a jolt through You Su's heart.

"A thousand years ago, the seemingly endless snowstorm didn't exist, so the ancestors placed the Divine Radiance Stone on the shore. But as time passed, it became increasingly difficult for people to delve into the Arctic Snowfield, as though this land was rejecting people.

We were once an obscure small Sect, studying the art of traversing snowstorms for generations. But as the snowfield was sealed off, the resources inside were still coveted by people. So, the knowledge passed down through our ancestors finally became useful, turning us into special porters for those in power, fetching treasures from the depths of the snowfield for them. We made a fortune until we received an unusual request: someone wanted us to transport the Divine Radiance Stone.

We didn't dare, so they tested it personally for us; even evil spirits couldn't pass through the snowstorm. So, with this natural barrier, the valuable Divine Radiance Stones became unnecessary. The stones are incredibly rare treasures, and they've always been in the control of the Divine Mountain. Moving them is a severe crime implicating nine generations. But they promised us immense benefits, and this shoreline stone had long been forgotten. Tempted and persuaded, we wavered.

But we regretted it. Just as we were about to emerge from the snowstorm, we saw the evil spirit they used for the test again; it never entered the storm. That test was a lie. We wanted to return the Divine Radiance Stone, but it was too late. They seized the stone, then stripped us all of our cultivation. We fled with all our might, and could only seek refuge in the snowstorm... we've been hiding for thirty years."

The old man recounted through tears the tale of himself and his tribespeople being reduced to this state, yet You Su couldn't muster much sympathy.

"How do you want me to help you?"

"I know where they hid the Divine Radiance Stone!"