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墨書 Inktalez
On the wide riverbank, dozens of bonfires blazed brightly, filling the air with the fragrant scent of burning pine branches and reeds. The Salar people gathered around the fires, lacking joyful songs and dances, roasted whole sheep, or intoxicating Kumis; those were reserved for esteemed guests from afar.
Their expressions were solemn and dignified, filled with reluctance and indignation. They dedicated their warmth to the brothers of the Xu Zhen while leaving their sorrow for their own kin.
During the day, they had suffered a devastating blow from Murong Xiao's Riding Team, resulting in the tragic deaths of many elders and children under iron hooves. They were now performing a fire cremation for their fallen tribesmen according to ancient tribal rituals.
The Xu Zhen and Li Mingda dismounted from their horses at a distance. The pure-hearted nature of the Salar people moved them deeply, as they stubbornly offered their most passionate hospitality to their esteemed guests. It was only late into the night that they allowed their profound grief to surface, evoking deep emotions in those who witnessed it.
A wizard wearing a wooden, fearsome Demon Mask danced by the bonfire, his vibrant long feathers adding to his mysterious aura. The tribespeople sang softly, and the air was thick with sorrow and reluctance.
The Zoroastrian Salar people had already noticed the Xu Zhen and Li Mingda. If it had been anyone else intruding on a tribal funeral, it would have been considered extremely disrespectful. However, the visitors were none other than the Xu Zhen, the wise Yarbo, and the legendary Son of Ahura!
Xu Zhenxin felt some regret; he believed he should not have deceived these simple people with Illusion. Yet he understood that in this nascent society on the grasslands, it was the quickest and most effective way to gain prestige.
Li Mingda tugged at the Xu Zhen's belt from behind; she felt an inexplicable fear towards the Demon Mask wizard. The Xu Zhen gently patted her hand to reassure her.
He had no intention of participating in the ceremony; after all, funeral rites were highly secretive matters in any tribe, and outsiders were always met with caution.
However, the wizard with the colorful feathers and Demon Mask shifted his gaze toward the Xu Zhen. He was a High Sorcerer within the Salar Tribe, second only to Sili and Ulyet who led the troops. But today, with the Xu Zhen emerging as the Son of Fire God, her deeds quickly spread throughout the tribe, earning her nearly universal respect. This was not good news for the High Sorcerer; instead, it filled him with a strong sense of threat.
His eyes brimmed with hostility as he provocatively tore his long robe apart. He pulled a pine branch as thick as a baby's arm from the fire and began to dance while rolling the flaming branch over his body; flames engulfed him, yet he remained unscathed!
At that moment, the voices of the elders in the tribe rose higher in song, clearly expressing their reverence for the High Sorcerer. Unlike the younger generation, they were more rational and understood well the contributions and value of the High Sorcerer to their tribe. Yin Zong and others had witnessed how the Xu Zhen could summon fire with her hands and walk on water; seeing the High Sorcerer provoke her left them both dissatisfied yet eager for her retaliation.
The Xu Zhen was slightly taken aback; where there are people, there is a world of martial arts—wherever one goes, conflicts are inevitable.
After lying low in Chang'an for three years, he had not found a suitable opportunity or enough of a stage. However, now that he had embarked on his journey, he would no longer fear challenges!
Under the expectant gazes of Yin Zong and others, Xu Zhen, the Son of Ahura, slowly approached step by step.
Sili, being the clan leader, was concerned about the stability of his tribe. Although Xu Zhen had brought unprecedented cohesion and fighting spirit to his people, without sufficient strength, such encouragement could only lead more young individuals to recklessly sacrifice themselves. Thus, he felt both anticipation and trepidation towards Xu Zhen; after all, the elders were always resistant to change.
Since Xu Zhen had decided to accept the challenge, he would not act recklessly. Not fully understanding the customs of the Salar Tribe, he placed his right hand on his chest and bowed to Sili and the High Sorcerer, as well as the surrounding Salarian people. His expression was solemn and dignified, while his left hand discreetly touched the belt at his lower back.
The ability to retrieve items with empty hands was one of the essential skills for a magician. During his time in Chang'an, Xu Zhen had witnessed some Taoists using the Five Ghosts Transport Technique, which largely relied on such profound skills.
As everyone saw the legendary Son of Ahura prepare to act, an infinite sense of hope surged within them. If Xu Zhen could once again demonstrate a Miracle, it would not only soothe everyone but also bring true peace to the departed. After all, they were all followers of Zoroastrianism, and at this moment, Xu Zhen was referred to as Yarbo by the people!
Although they could not see the expression of the High Sorcerer, Xu Zhen sensed the disdain and mockery in his eyes. He paid it no mind and walked directly to the side of the fire. The High Sorcerer provocatively extended a fire stick towards him, meaning was clear.
Xu Zhen naturally would not foolishly follow his lead; otherwise, he would end up burned. He feigned humility and waved his hand at the High Sorcerer before moving to a nearby pile of firewood. Seemingly casual, he quickly selected a straight and even branch that was appropriately sized.
The singing around them ceased as they were captivated by Xu Zhen's presence. It seemed that every move he made held special significance, as if each action carried its own unique magic!
To witness the Son of Ahura demonstrate a Miracle in person was an immense honor and glory for any devout Zoroastrian!
Li Mingda was particularly obsessed with Illusion; otherwise, he would not have been tricked by Moya and others back then. Hearing about Xu Zhenzhi today had already surprised him. Now seeing Xu Zhen about to showcase his abilities made him cover his mouth in anticipation while watching intently.
Raising the branch above his brow, Xu Zhen bowed to the fire pit as an offering to the flames, praying for divine power. Then he rubbed his hands along the branch before suddenly spinning it around. The branch swept across the edge of the fire pit as flames licked it like a demon's long tongue. In front of everyone's eyes, the branch burst into flames!
Xu Zhen held the fire staff steadily in her right hand, while her left hand was drawn back to her chest, as if she were manipulating the flames from a distance. Her right hand slowly extended, fingers spreading wide, causing the fire staff to suddenly lose weight and fall. However, Xu Zhen's palm waved into the air, and her body began to spin. The fire staff hung in mid-air, seemingly suspended just half a foot around Xu Zhen, rotating along with her movements!
"Hiss!"
Everyone gasped in astonishment. Although Yin Zong and Ulyet had witnessed Xu Zhen walking on water before, they could not help but exclaim in surprise. If it weren't for the fear of disturbing the deceased, they would have shouted out loud!
The elders of the clan and the High Sorcerer looked on in disbelief. Initially, they thought that Yin Zong and the younger generation were exaggerating Xu Zhen's abilities to gain independence, but seeing it with their own eyes now left them in shock!
The moment the fire staff left her hand was just a breath away. After spinning around once, Xu Zhen bumped her knee upward, sending the fire staff soaring into the air. Her palms faced each other from a distance, and astonishingly, the fire staff stabilized between her hands as if controlled by an invisible force!
Everyone felt their throats dry up, their eyes not daring to blink for fear of missing any part of this spectacle. Meanwhile, Xu Zhen's expression was serious; on this cool autumn night, her cheeks burned bright red from exertion. The fire staff hovering in front of her gently trembled as if it had been endowed with spirit!
Xu Zhen began to dance. Her movements were unlike anything seen before. Li Mingda, who prided herself on her extensive knowledge of various dances—from the grand war dances of the Celestial Empire to folk dances and even foreign theatrical performances—was taken aback. The dance of Xu Zhen was both slow and fast; at times flowing like clouds and water, at others fierce like a storm. Unbelievably, the fire staff continued to spin around her!
"Yarbo! Yarbo!"
While Sili and the clan elders managed to maintain their composure, Yin Zong and the younger generation had already begun to chant in unison!
After all, Xu Zhen had not prepared for this in advance. Achieving such an effect in haste left her satisfied yet anxious that lingering too long might reveal flaws. She immediately bent her left arm, abruptly halting her spinning motion. Pointing toward the bonfire with her right hand, she shouted loudly: "Let the living remember, may the deceased rest in peace! Command!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the fire staff shot into the bonfire, exploding into a brilliant flower of flames that soared over three feet high. Within the flickering flames appeared a hazy silhouette as if a spirit were ascending. Everyone stood dumbfounded, believing that the deceased had indeed ascended to heaven. The entire venue fell silent except for the crackling of the roaring flames!
Xu Zhenxin felt a chill run down his spine, fearing he had revealed some flaw. Although he added a few words of remembrance to align his Illusion with the funeral rites, he was uncertain whether he had offended any of the present Salarian.
Just as Xu Zhen was sweating nervously, Salar's Sili patted his chest and proclaimed with vigor, "Son of Ahura!"
As the chief of the tribe, Salar's Sili was not foolish; he would not easily believe Xu Zhen. Thus, during the day, he feigned injury to excuse himself, leaving Yin Zong and Ulyet to discuss matters with Xu Zhen, wanting to maintain a wait-and-see attitude. However, the methods displayed by Xu Zhen at this moment were beyond imagination. Even if the elders felt that Xu Zhen was merely putting on a show, the hearts and passions of the younger generation had already been conquered. If they opposed her, there would be no need for the Murong Clan to retaliate; they would split from within, leading to internal strife within the entire tribe!
In such a situation, Sili could only join forces with the younger faction led by Yin Zong and Ulyet. It could be said that until this moment, after Xu Zhen demonstrated the Fire Dance technique, the entire Salar Tribe had firmly united in their determination to retaliate against the Murong Clan!
The High Sorcerer slowly approached and solemnly bowed to Xu Zhen. She did not act arrogantly and quickly returned the gesture humbly. The crowd erupted in cheers once again. Until the end of the ceremony, everyone remained immersed in the magical moment just experienced, unable to calm down for a long time, viewing Xu Zhen as a divine envoy walking upon the earth!
Xu Zhen felt an additional pang of guilt at the fervor in their eyes. However, everything she did was not only to harness the power of the Salar Tribe to fight against enemies but also to help this tribe free itself from others' oppression and live freely.
Even after returning to her tent, Xu Zhen still could not sleep. After tossing and turning for a while, she decided to get up and took a cold bath by the riverbank. Instantly invigorated, she rode her horse up to a high ridge and discovered that Zhou Cang and Gao He Shu were already on duty. The two were grinning and chatting by the campfire, discussing either martial arts on horseback or training techniques with Prairie Girl inside the tent.
Seeing Gao He Shu always carrying his Longbow intrigued Xu Zhen; she wanted to learn how to bend the bow and shoot eagles. However, despite her best efforts, she could not fully draw back that horn bow. Feeling disheartened, her interest waned as she practiced swordplay with Zhou Cang, who gave her a thorough "humiliation."
Just as Xu Zhen was preparing to regroup and duel Zhou Cang until dawn, he suddenly became alert. He took several quick steps onto a high rock and gazed southeast with a serious expression before saying in a low voice to Xu Zhen, "Someone is coming!"
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