Chapter 701: A Visit

After a general inspection of the camp, Feng Mountain said goodbye to Paine, crossed the wooden bridge, and arrived at the Mossy Tundra.

Under the care of the Fire Seed, the moss was once again showing signs of life.

However, the scene before him still made Feng Mountain frown slightly.

The regrown moss was only about ten centimeters tall and was extremely sparse.

Parting the blades of moss, he could clearly see the bare earth beneath.

Before the cold snap, the moss here had been forty centimeters tall and extremely dense. Its current state was a significant step down.

Feng Mountain immediately focused his mind and began to communicate deeply with the Fire Seed.

Thanks to the River Beach’s continuous supply of Soul Power, the Fire Seed now resembled a blazing, crimson-to-violet sun. It burned fiercely, emitting a light so dazzling it could almost sting the eyes.

Feng Mountain used his consciousness to gently soothe the exuberant Fire Seed.

He then asked it about its current reserves of Soul Power.

The Fire Seed’s violet-red flames swayed gently, like a nimble Elf dancing with joy.

A wave of joy and delight radiated from the Fire Seed, clearly conveying a message to Feng Mountain: even if a few more cold snaps were to come, it was fully capable of protecting the Mossy Tundra.

Receiving this response, Feng Mountain could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

There was no time to waste. He immediately issued a command to the Fire Seed.

It was to focus its light on the Mossy Tundra and restore it to its former size before the cold snap as quickly as possible.

The Fire Seed’s flame flickered in acknowledgement.

It then burst forth with an even more intense light, which washed over the entire Mossy Tundra like a surging heatwave.

Wherever the light touched, the slightly withered moss trembled as if it could feel the immense power.

It seemed to be gathering its strength, preparing for a new burst of vigorous growth.

After breaking his connection with the Fire Seed,

Feng Mountain placed two fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle.

The piercing sound shot through the biting wind like an invisible arrow, echoing freely across the vast, empty expanse of the Mossy Tundra.

A moment later, the low thudding of hooves could be heard in the distance.

The sound grew closer, its rhythm steady and powerful.

Soon, the agile form of Ashes appeared before Feng Mountain, leading a herd of robust horses.

Every horse was nimble and sleek-coated, their breath pluming white in the cold air.

Feng Mountain vaulted deftly onto Ashes’s back, seating himself firmly.

He gently patted Ashes’s thick, powerful neck. “Let’s head to the Bear Tribe’s camp,” he said softly.

NEIGH!!

Ashes tossed his head, neighing excitedly.

He kicked up his hooves and galloped off toward the Bear Tribe’s camp.

His hooves kicked up flecks of moss that scattered behind him, leaving a trail of prints, deep and shallow, across the Mossy Tundra.

The cold wind howled past his ears.

Feng Mountain leaned low over the horse’s back, feeling the rhythm of Ashes’s powerful gallop.

Along the way, he saw members of the Bear Tribe on horseback, driving flocks of sheep with long whips.

The cattle and sheep the camp had raised before had all frozen to death in the cold snap. These new flocks had been purchased by Yves from Horned Ranch.

He watched the sheep contentedly nibbling moss on the tundra.

A sense of gratification washed over Feng Mountain.

Ever since the Christmas party where a drunken Feng Mountain had performed a miracle—summoning the Iron Brown Bear, the guardian Elf of the Bear Tribe—the tribespeople’s attitude toward him had changed dramatically.

Just as now, the gazes of these Bear Tribe shepherds were filled with an indescribable fervor.

Seeing Khilla ride toward them, the male shepherds hastily dismounted and performed deep bows, leaning forward with their heads lowered and their eyes fixed on the ground.

This bow holds a special significance in Indian culture.

It is typically reserved for tribal chiefs, highly respected elders, or as a way to express profound reverence to the gods during solemn religious ceremonies.

The low posture expresses humility and awe for the other person’s lofty status or divine power.

Female Indians, in contrast, perform a curtsy, typically a slight bend of the knees with their hands at their sides or on their skirts, lowering their heads in deference.

Feng Mountain felt a little awkward seeing this.

‘They all dismounted, but I’m still up here on my horse. It feels a bit arrogant.’

He hastily leaped from his horse, hurried forward, and took hold of a tribesman who looked simple and honest. He asked,

“Is there enough fodder for the flock now?”

This Bear Tribe member was named Bear’s Eye. He was responsible for the tribe’s flock and was a seasoned expert in animal husbandry.

He was about forty years old.

He wasn’t tall.

But he was sturdily built and exuded the tough air of someone who spent their years working outdoors.

Even with the Fire Seed’s protection, the temperature on the Mossy Tundra still hovered at more than ten degrees below zero Celsius, and the biting wind felt like a razor.

Yet Bear’s Eye wore only a thin animal-hide tunic, as if the cold meant nothing to him.

When he heard Khilla speak to him, a look of panic flashed across Bear’s Eye’s dark-tanned face.

Like a startled fawn, he hastily took a step back, his eyes filled with reverence and confusion.

Feng Mountain shook his head with a sigh, knowing the Bear Tribe’s reverence stemmed from the miracle he had performed.

But this sense of distance made Feng Mountain feel rather uneasy.

With no other choice, he could only get back on his horse and continue toward the tribal camp.

As Bear’s Eye watched Khilla ride off, he seemed to suddenly remember something important.

He quickly grabbed a nearby tribesman and said something rapidly in their native tongue.

The young tribesman listened and nodded immediately.