This chapter has been brought to you by me, and WanderingGummiOfDoom.
Chapter Five Hundred and Thirty One – The Tribe of Mist People
Wei Sheng and Zong Ru were also shocked by the skeleton. Even Silly Bird that was usually proud was unusually obedient the moment—the skeleton was not weak! Of all of them, the only one that showed calm was A Gui.
A Gui silently stood next to Zuo Mo and ignored everything happening in front of her.
The crystal skeleton was transparent. Every piece of bone was like a piece of art. The entire crystal skeleton was exquisitely beautiful. When the last bone attached the skeleton, the entire skeleton suddenly lit up with a blinding blue light. The blue light spread in all directions in ripples. The mist people who were touched by the blinding light were extremely excited.
The ink jade bones that Zuo Mo had picked up from the Burning Shen Realm were not whole. There were three bones missing, the skull, a rib, and a fingerbone.
But there was no imbalance that could be seen from this incomplete crystal skeleton as though it even like this it was complete. Wei Sheng and Zong Ru had terrible expressions. They suddenly had felt that the ocean of ice mist suddenly seemed to come alive!
Zuo Mo also detected the transformation of the ice mist. He was astounded. Shen power!
This was shen power!
The shen power released by the crystal skeleton was unusually gentle, so soft that it was almost impossible to detect. If Zuo Mo was not cultivating shen power, and was far more sensitive to shen power than others, he definitely could not detect it!
Zuo Mo was not very shocked that the skeleton was releasing shen power. He had picked up the skeleton from the Sun Shen Tribe’s Burning Shen Realm so the skeleton definitely came from the ancient era. It was normal for the skeleton to have a connection to shen power. What he was shocked at was that the skeleton also still contained a trace of life!
The shen power released by the skeleton was weak and gentle but Zuo Mo could feel the presence of life contained within it!
Even though this presence of life was very weak, but it was truly life force!
Zuo Mo looked uncertainly at the skeleton. Was this a joke? A skeleton tens of thousands of years old suddenly coming back to life … … this was ridiculous!
Fortunately, the skeleton did not change any further. Its light gradually dimmed.
The mist people that had been prostrated on the ground stood up. Several mist people that seemed to be of advanced age carefully went forward, picked up the skeleton, and disappeared into the ice mist.
A middle-aged mist person walked in front of Zuo Mo and made a strange bow to Zuo Mo’s group. “Respected Guests, all future generations of Mist People will remember what you have done for the Mist People Tribe! No matter when, you are our friends!”
Even though Zuo Mo felt slight pain that the ink jade bones had been carried away by the mist people, this also resolved a possible calamity. He hurriedly said, “You are too polite! This was just a coincidence!”
“Speech is unable to express the gratefulness of our clan. Everyone, please, no matter what, come to be guests at our tribe for a few days so that we can act as hosts!” the middle-aged mist person said sincerely.
Zuo Mo was slightly conflicted, “Apologies, we need to search for a water cloud embryo … …”
The middle-aged mist person looked at A Gui and understood. He then showed a smile and said, “Sire, do not worry. We know many places where water cloud embryos grow.” Finis.h.i.+ng, he spoke in a low tone to a mist person beside him. The language they spoke was strange and Zuo Mo’s group could not understand.
The mist person nodded as he listened and after he bowed respectfully to Zuo Mo’s group, he turned and disappeared into the ice mist.
“I have ordered him to harvest water cloud embryos. Water cloud embryos are not rare in this area of the Cloud Sea, but there needs to be great care taken with the method of harvesting that few know off. Although the effects of the water cloud embryo are best when they are just harvested, our clan has some special methods that can maintain its efficacy after being harvested,” the middle-aged mist person said to Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo instantly had a joyful expression on his face as he thanked the other person, “Many thanks! Many thanks!” Wei Sheng and Zong Ru also had happy expressions. They had travelled for so long and expended such effort, but obtaining their target did not take any effort!
The middle-aged mist person waved his hand and said, “Compared to the boon that Sir has given our clan, this minor matter is nothing.”
He ushered Zuo Mo to the side, “Guests, please!”
Zuo Mo’s expression suddenly became slightly strange. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “That … …”
The middle-aged mist person had a puzzled expression. “Sir, please voice any matters you have!”
Zuo Mo’s old face was slightly red as he pointed at the mist person tears on the ground. “That … … can I first pick those up?”
Zuo Mo did not notice that when he said this, the female mist person who had cried suddenly had a slight blush.
The middle-aged person roared with laughter. His hand moved, and those mist person tears flew into his hand. He handed them to Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo carefully took them with a wide smile. These mist person tears were good treasures! Things that could receive a judgment of “good treasure” from Pu Yao were definitely unordinary treasures.
Following behind the middle-aged mist person, the bone-achingly cold ice mist seemed to recognize them. It became a serene coolness that was comfortable.
The middle-aged mist person was extremely amiable and conversed while he continuously introduced the mist tribe to their guests. It was fine for Zuo Mo who already knew the history of the mist people, but Wei Sheng and Zong Ru gaped as they listened. The descendants of an ancient tribe that were isolated from the world?
“Then the skeleton is … …” Zuo Mo asked carefully and curiously. He was slightly worried that this would be a forbidden topic but he could not resist his curiosity.
“It is the totem of our tribe, called Lan!” The middle-aged mist person’s eyes flashed with excitement and happiness. He then sighed, “Ever since our clan has moved to this jie tens of thousands of years ago, the totem of our tribe had vanished suddenly soon after. We lost all sense of where it was. Ever since then, the shen power of the mist people weakened gradually so we are only able to live in the depths of the Cloud Sea isolated from the world.”
“Totem!” Zuo Mo finally realized. He had many guesses about the skeleton but he had not imagined it was a totem of a tribe.
When the mist people lost their connection to Lan was definitely when the Sun Shen Temple had imprisoned Lan in the Burning Shen Realm.
The Sun Shen Tribe had declined and its last shen temple turned to dust. Yet Lan who they had captured managed to barely survive.
When Zuo Mo spoke of this, everyone couldn’t help but sigh.
The middle-aged mist person nodded. “So it was the Sun Shen Tribe, no wonder! Even though we are isolated from the world, there are always one or two of our number that are sent into the ice mist to collect information. I heard that the bloodlines of the ancients have all died out on the outside?”
Looking at the middle-aged mist person’s unresigned expression, Zuo Mo didn’t know how to comfort him and could only nod.
The middle-aged mist person was silent. As this news was confirmed, the last bit of hope he had was extinguished. A moment later, he said in puzzlement, “Why have they died out?”
Zuo Mo shook his head. “I don’t know, there are probably many reasons.” For some reason, he did not want to tell the other about the thousands of years of pursuit and killing Four Realm Heavens did to the descendants of the ancients.
He saw the depressed expression on the face of the middle-aged mist person and comforted, “Now that Lan has been found, the Mist Clan can resume its previous strength, that is just a matter of time.”
Hearing this, the middle-aged mist person finally showed a smile. “Yes! As long as Lan is present, our clan can continue!”
He was full of confidence in Lan!
They quickly approached the public gathering area of the mist tribe.
Along the way, an area appeared in front of Zuo Mo’s group, it contained blue pools of various sizes. The sizes of these pools were all different and the water was deep blue. Looking around, it seemed like thousands of mirrors. There were blue b.a.l.l.s of mist floating on top of some ponds. It was possible to faintly discern the figures of mist people within the mist.
“These are the mist pools of our clan.” Seeing Zuo Mo’s group show curiosity, the middle-aged mist person explained, “Lan disappeared, we lost our totem and our belief had no place to go, and we were unable to produce shen power. The ancestors spent great effort to create this Mist Pool body cultivation method to help our clan survive until now.”
“Powerful!” Zuo Mo praised sincerely. No matter what, any person that could create their own method were very able.
Seeing Zuo Mo and the others, the mist people along the way bowed.
Walking out of the mist pool area, large sections of blue building appeared in everyone’s view. These buildings were completely blue as though they were constructed from crystal and gave off the feeling of transparency. The walls flickered with light. It was this layer of light that blocked off the gazes of people outside and prevented them from seeing inside.
Each building was not large and could only be called a small house. Other than the material that were exquisite in feeling, the style of the buildings were simple and basic. Occasionally, they could see faint wall paintings sketched in faint grey strokes.
There were more mist people here than in the mist pools but Zuo Mo and the others found to their surprise that the strength of the mist people here seemed to be much weaker than the mist people they had originally met.
Zuo Mo suddenly saw an altar out of the corner of his eyes. The skeleton was on top of it.
The sacrificial altar was surrounded by mist people as they wors.h.i.+ped it devoutly.
Zuo Mo found to his shock that the shen power of the skeleton was stronger than just moments ago!
“It is a pity that we have lost Lan for too long. There is no priest in the clan. We can only wors.h.i.+p daily and hope that Lan can recover as soon, and is able to protect the clan!” the middle-aged mist person said emotionally.
“It will be very fast.” Zuo Mo strangely followed up.
The middle-aged mist person paused and then smiled.
When he finished saying this, Zuo Mo suddenly seemed to feel something. The skeleton on the sacrificial altar seemed to be looking at him! This discovery caused his heart to jump but when he looked closely, the feeling had disappeared.
Zuo Mo smiled. It seemed that he was really too nervous. Lan didn’t even have a skull, and no eyes, how could Lan be looking at him?
Shaking his head and smiling, he followed the middle-aged mist person to walk towards the largest building.
“This is the conference room of the clan.” The middle-aged mist person was apologetic. “We have been isolated from the outside word for too long and do not have any buildings to receive guests. Everyone, you will have to make do. Please forgive us for our shortcomings!”
Zuo Mo and the others hurriedly said that he was too courteous.
Walking into the conference hall, they found that the inside had clearly been just cleaned. There was a layer of pure white gra.s.s laid out on the ground. The table was piled up with all kinds of fruits and foods. Even though it was simple, it made people feel very comfortable.
Stepping on the white carpet, everyone felt a wave of coolness seep into the body and their minds clear up. Their nervousness instantly eased and their tiredness swept away. It was unspeakably comfortable.
A good thing!
Zuo Mo’s eyes lit up.
Translator Ramblings: Lan means Mist. Creepy skeleton without a head, Zuo Mo is a magnet for Halloween costumes.