"Hahaha, interesting, very interesting. To think that you ants would eventually need a child to step forward."
High in the sky, Gu Chen laughed heartily, clapping his hands in applause. The appearance of the little girl from the Iron Chain Tribe indeed gave him a surprise.
"Don't you have a secret technique in the Iron Chain Tribe where you merge your body with the chain? I thought you would sacrifice thousands of people to merge with the chains, thereby increasing the strength of your patriarch. I never expected it to be a child who would step forward in the end, hahaha! Good! Wonderful!"
Gu Chen laughed loudly, his voice echoing throughout the heavens and earth.
Upon hearing Gu Chen's words, Tie Xiong's body trembled violently. But before he could react, the voices of his tribesmen from the ground rang out.
"Patriarch! There aren't many people left in the Iron Chain Tribe!!!"
"Too many people have died in the Iron Chain Tribe today, Patriarch, we don't want to die!"
"Xiang Xiang, as the Great Witch of the Iron Chain Tribe, is obligated to protect the tribesmen!"
"Patriarch, with Xiang Xiang here, you can definitely withstand one move from that adult."
On the ground, the tribesmen of the Iron Chain Tribe cried out. They had less than ten thousand people left. If the patriarch were to truly use the tribe's secret technique, thousands would have to die. Who would be sacrificed?
They all wanted to live. Xiang Xiang could wield the power of the ancient tree and heal the patriarch's injuries. Of course, most importantly, it was much better for one person to die than for thousands of them to perish.
"You!!! You!!!"
Tie Xiong's eyes widened, and he looked at his tribesmen with disbelief, unable to fathom that they would say such things.
He himself had not yet made a decision, but his tribesmen's reactions filled his heart with anger and sorrow.
Were these tribesmen worth protecting? Were they worth the sacrifice of the five elders?
"Do you know, even with Xiang Xiang's help, I still wouldn't be able to withstand it!"
Tie Xiong roared, his heart aching, bleeding.
His response was the desperate pleas and demands of some tribesmen, and the silence of many others.
Seeing this, Tie Xiong let out a bitter smile. It was understandable. Most of the people who had survived to this point were those who clung to life and feared death. They had been fleeing since the invasion of the Giant Legion.
The valiant tribesmen, the warriors of the tribe, had already been crushed beneath the feet of the giants.
As the patriarch, he understood these tribesmen. If there was a chance to live, who would choose to die?
"Uncle, don't be afraid. Xiang Xiang is very capable. The great tree's vitality is very strong!"
Xiang Xiang said, her tender little hands wiping away Tie Xiong's tears.
What ulterior motives could a child have? Her thoughts were simple. The great tree's vitality was strong and could heal the patriarch's injuries, allowing him to survive. However, she hadn't considered herself.
"Have you decided? My patience is limited. If you continue to stall, I will retract my offer."
In the sky, Gu Chen's impatient voice rang out.
Tie Xiong heard this, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He knew he had no more time.
"Kill!"
Tie Xiong roared, directly burning his life force to increase his combat power, his aura soaring.
He used his actions to show Gu Chen his choice.
Gu Chen, seated on his throne, looked on with amusement. He casually waved his hand, and the Third Divine General beside him stepped forward.
"Boom!"
The Third Divine General grinned and unleashed a punch. Facing a weak enemy like Tie Xiong, he was too lazy to even reveal his Ancient God physique.
A massive fist shot towards Tie Xiong, tearing a rift in the sky as it passed.
"Kill!!!"
Tie Xiong roared, desperately increasing his combat power. Chains tightly wrapped around him and Xiang Xiang behind him, like a suit of armor, and then he punched, meeting the incoming fist.
"Rumble!"
With a deafening sound, Tie Xiong's arm instantly exploded, followed by half of his body.
However, an endless stream of life force surged in, healing his injuries.
At the same time, Xiang Xiang behind him silently vomited blood. She wanted to cry, but she lacked the strength.
The massive ancient tree of the Iron Chain Tribe withered at a visible rate, its leaves falling.
That was a punch from a late-stage overlord, containing terrifying destructive energy.
Tie Xiong not only had to withstand the sheer force of the punch but also the impact of the destructive energy contained within it.
"Crack!"
The giant ancient tree finally couldn't hold on, its dry branches snapping.
Tie Xiong, like a kite with a broken string, plummeted to the ground.
However, just before hitting the ground, Tie Xiong used his remaining strength to flip himself over, landing face down.
At the same time, a black shadow appeared on the horizon.
Li Xiaotian's face was icy cold. Seeing the scene at the Iron Chain Tribe in the distance, his heart sank to the bottom, a bad premonition creeping in.
"Whoosh!"
The Dragon Horse's extreme speed left a long phantom trail in the sky, emitting a piercing sound.
"Audacious! The Ancient God Tribe is conducting business here, stray mortals get out of the way!"
"Boom!"
On the outermost perimeter, a martial artist from the Ancient God Tribe had just spoken when his body instantly exploded.
"You court death!!"
"Presumptuous!!!"
At this moment, the people of the Ancient God Tribe were enraged. Beside Gu Chen, the Third Divine General unleashed a punch, the black-robed elder beside him scattered a cloud of black mist, and at the same time, the surrounding Ancient God Tribe powerhouses all attacked.
But who would have thought that all their attacks would miss? The enemy had long since vanished.
At this moment, a cry of surprise suddenly came from within the Iron Chain Tribe. Li Xiaotian and the Dragon Horse appeared beside Tie Xiong.
Tie Xiong's aura was now weak, leaning with difficulty against the broken branches of the ancient tree, tears flowing from his eyes, cradling a broken, tiny corpse in his arms.
Seeing Li Xiaotian's appearance, Tie Xiong showed no reaction. He was numb now, like an idiot.
Li Xiaotian's trembling hand reached out and took the tiny corpse from Tie Xiong's hands, his movements gentle, as if afraid of hurting the child.
He could never have imagined that the little girl with a smiling, tender face, who insisted on giving him a gift, would end up like this.
Her flesh and blood were mangled, and all her limbs were gone.
"Roar!!! Who is she?? Li Xiaotian, who is she? Human! Who is she? Tell this Sovereign, who is she?"
The Dragon Horse roared, its voice trembling.
Li Xiaotian held Xiang Xiang's body, and a surge of energy entered Xiang Xiang, restoring her complete form.
His hand brushed against a furry object, a doll, which Xiang Xiang had carried on her back.
After Li Xiaotian left, the little girl had taken the doll with her wherever she went.
"It's you! Quickly place Xiang Xiang on the patriarch! I knew Xiang Xiang was fine. Hurry and let her heal the patriarch, the patriarch cannot die!"
"Brother Li, quickly put down Xiang Xiang! If the patriarch dies, our Iron Chain Tribe is finished!"
At this moment, the tribesmen of the Iron Chain Tribe surrounding them, seeing Xiang Xiang restored to her form, all shouted. They thought this was Xiang Xiang's own power, they thought Xiang Xiang was still alive.
"Roar!!!"
The Dragon Horse let out a roar, its voice filled with grief and rage. It opened its massive maw and swallowed all the people who had spoken, instantly terrifying the tribesmen of the Iron Chain Tribe into retreating and daring not to speak.
"Li Xiaotian!!! This Sovereign hates oneself!!!"
The Dragon Horse roared, its cries filled with anger and sorrow.