"I still haven't found a way to leave this place."
Xu Yi sighed softly.
With her strength, she would hardly encounter any danger on the Beast King Continent, but this was not a place to stay long-term.
The Jiuzhou Continent still had the Demon and Fiend races watching covetously, and she still needed to search for the Soul-Unraveling Bell in the West Water Region. Time was pressing, and she had no mind to linger here.
The first condition to leave this place was to tear open a spatial rift. However, they were now completely devoid of spiritual energy, and their physical bodies alone were insufficient for such a feat.
Now that Ji Buwang had woken up, Xu Yi's anxious heart finally found some relief.
With two people, they could surely devise a better plan.
After listening to Xu Yi's words, Ji Buwang fell into deep thought.
Afraid of interrupting Ji Buwang's train of thought, Xu Yi stood aside silently.
After half a cup of tea, Ji Buwang's body swayed unsteadily, and large beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
Xu Yi was startled and quickly stepped forward to support him, forcefully laying him back on the bed.
"Your injuries are too severe, and there's no spiritual energy here. You should lie down and rest first."
Xu Yi knew she couldn't rush things.
At the very least, they would have to wait for Ji Buwang to recover before they could figure out a way to leave this place.
Ji Buwang did not resist and obediently lay down. His eyes looked at Xu Yi, and he felt a strange sense of joy in his heart.
The timing of the accident was perfect, and Xu Yi, with her heart set on the Jiuzhou Continent, had no intention of blaming him.
At least for the time being, he didn't have to worry about Xu Yi turning against him.
Ji Buwang only hoped that he could redeem himself and give Xu Yi no further reason to blame him.
Xu Yi was unaware of Ji Buwang's little schemes.
At this moment, Xu Yi truly had no intention of dwelling on their past issues.
When they entered the spatial rift and Ji Buwang shielded her with his body, she knew that Ji Buwang's feelings for her were definitely not as she had imagined. That was enough.
What she wanted most was for Ji Buwang to recover quickly so they could find a way back to the Jiuzhou Continent together.
Leaving Ji Buwang to rest, Xu Yi turned and walked out of the wooden house.
The place where they were residing was located on the summit of a small mountain.
According to the customs of the tribe, the higher the status of a person, the closer their dwelling would be to the mountain peak.
Walking up a few hundred steps to the summit, Xu Yi stopped outside a wooden house and called out softly, "Witch, I've come to collect the medicine."
"Elder, please come in."
Xu Yi entered the wooden house and the first thing she saw was the large stone cauldron in the center of the room.
The lives of the tribesmen were inseparable from various stone implements.
Stone was also the most easily found and utilized material for them.
Beneath the stone cauldron was a tall fire rack, and steaming vapor wafted through the air above the wooden house.
"Elder, please wait a moment, the medicine will be ready soon."
The white-bearded old man standing beside the stone cauldron was the Witch of the Black Tiger Tribe.
Although Xu Yi had never fought him, she could feel a peculiar power within the Witch, a power known as Witchcraft.
It was said that each tribe's Witch possessed a different type of Witchcraft.
The Witch of the Black Tiger Tribe's Witchcraft could strengthen the bodies of the tribesmen and expel evil spirits.
"Thank you, Witch."
The medicinal herbs being brewed in this stone cauldron were said to be the most treasured possessions of the Black Tiger Tribe. Consuming them would instantly cure any illness.
Apart from the Witch and the Chieftain, other tribesmen did not even have the qualification to drink the medicine.
These were all told to Xu Yi by the tribesmen.
Xu Yi also understood their intentions.
The Witch, though he had not witnessed her fighting the tribesmen, knew from their descriptions that Xu Yi was exceptionally skilled, and even the Black Tiger Tribe's Chieftain was no match for her.
Therefore, upon learning that Xu Yi did not belong to any tribe, the Witch and the tribesmen of the Black Tiger Tribe all wanted to keep her.
Although Xu Yi had already expressed her refusal, they stubbornly believed that if they were sincere enough, they could move her.
And the precious medicine in this stone cauldron was their sincerity.
Xu Yi could not agree to their request but could not refuse this special medicine.
In this peculiar place, all medicines seemed so precious.
She decided that when she left, she would find a way to repay the Black Tiger Tribe for their kindness in gifting the medicine.
The dark medicinal liquid was scooped out of the stone cauldron by the Witch and placed into a stone bowl.
The Witch handed the stone bowl to Xu Yi, "Don't worry, Elder. After your man drinks this bowl of medicine, he will recover very quickly."
"Witch, that is my companion, not my man."
Xu Yi took the medicine bowl, unable to suppress a wry smile.
"Oh, I see. I misunderstood." A glint flashed in the white-bearded Witch's eyes, and he apologized with a hearty laugh.
Xu Yi shook her head, indicating she didn't mind, thanked the Witch again, and left the Witch's residence with the medicine bowl.
Until Xu Yi disappeared from sight, the Witch's benevolent smile vanished immediately, and he hurried to the room of Zhan, the Chieftain of the Black Tiger Tribe, which was not far away.
"Witch, please slow down."
Zhan, hearing the footsteps outside the door, rushed out to greet him, his eyes filled with anxiety and disapproval.
The Witch was the most important person in their tribe, and nothing should happen to him.
"Chieftain, quickly gather the strongest and youngest young men of the Black Tiger Tribe here. I have something important to announce."
The Witch's chest heaved with urgency, yet his tone was not one of panic.
The Chieftain nodded and was about to go out to call the men, without asking for the reason.
But he was called back by the Witch.
"Remember, it must be young men who do not have partners!"
Zhan nodded heavily, "Understood."
Soon, all the strong young men of the Black Tiger Tribe were gathered outside the Chieftain's wooden house.
They were robust and stood tall with their chests puffed out, exuding an aura of pressure when they stood together.
The Witch looked at the young men of the tribe and nodded repeatedly with satisfaction.
"Witch, all the young men without partners have arrived," said the Chieftain, standing to the side.
"Good, good. Young men, now there is an important task concerning the future of our tribe that you need to accomplish. Do you have confidence?"
"Yes!"
The young men responded loudly, their eyes filled with eager excitement.
"You all know that an Elder has recently arrived in our tribe. She is an envoy of the Great Beast King, possessing superhuman strength and speed. We must keep her in our tribe."
Hearing the Witch mention the Elder who had recently arrived, the youths' faces instantly lit up with fervor, and many involuntarily widened their mouths, smiling shyly.
The tribesmen feared strength, and even more so, they admired it.
Someone raised their arm, "Witch, how can we keep the Elder here?"
"You say we will obey."
"For the tribe! For the Elder!"
The Witch's smile deepened, "My young men, I have good news for you. The man brought back by the Elder is not her partner!"
"You mean..."
The youths were stunned for a moment, then their faces turned red, and their breathing quickened noticeably.
The Witch raised his arms, "That's right. Go forth, and whoever wins the Elder's affection will be a hero of the Black Tiger Tribe! Go and show the Elder your bravery!"
"Roar roar!"