Shan Da watched the figures of the three people disappear quickly into the clouds, a bitter feeling welling up in his heart. From the moment his daughter was sent to the altar, he knew she would never forgive him. Even if she understood his choice, she would never forgive his inaction.
"Patriarch, how could our young lady, so frail, climb up there? Why didn't you stop them?" someone immediately whispered. If it had been another warrior from the tribe, Elder Xiao could have taken one more person.
Although the women of the tribe now hunted, many still considered women frail and a burden. Climbing this ten-thousand-foot sheer cliff was clearly a death wish.
"She can't climb it, but can you?" Shan Da looked at the tribesman who spoke and asked faintly. Why couldn't his daughter climb? Was his daughter, Shan Da's daughter, worse than others?
"Patriarch, the young lady is, after all, a woman."
"What about being a woman?" Shan Da's tone was extremely impolite. "Were you not born of a woman?"
"Patriarch, that's not what I meant..."
"You were born from a woman yourself, yet you look down on women. Why did your mother give birth to such an ungrateful wretch like you?" Shan Da reprimanded him with annoyance. When her daughter was chosen as a sacrifice, she didn't cry or fuss, she just went up. In the past, those chosen as sacrifices all cried and wailed, asking with heartbreaking sobs why it had to be them. Thinking about it now, perhaps they were indeed inferior to a woman!
Most of the tribe respected Xiao Man and Shan Da. They had no objections to Xiao Man taking Shan Yun with her. However, some people felt indignant, believing they were stronger than Shan Yun and that Xiao Man should have taken them instead. Yet, they dared not offend Xiao Man, so they could only complain to Shan Da.
"Some people, with little ability but big ambitions, want to go up themselves. Go and climb then, no one is stopping you," Ai Lai said sarcastically. "What's wrong? You usually call yourselves warriors, but now you're not as good as a woman? My master and Sister Yun, two weak women, dared to climb, but you, a large group of men, dare not?"
"When adults are talking, what is a child doing butting in?" The man retorted angrily. Even though what Ai Lai said made sense, they lacked the ability to climb the ten-thousand-foot sheer cliff.
"Whether they can climb this ten-thousand-foot sheer cliff is still unknown. Why are you arguing?"
Upon hearing this, everyone frowned, a hint of worry in their eyes. If Xiao Man were alone, she might be able to climb it, but with Qi Hong and Shan Yun, it would be difficult. For a moment, their moods turned heavy.
"Patriarch, can Elder Xiao and the others climb up?"
"My master can definitely make it," Ai Lai said without hesitation. He cast one last glance at the cloud-piercing sheer cliff, then turned to leave. "Let's go, training. We'll strive to climb up as soon as possible and reunite with Master."
"Alright!"
Ai Lai and the others went to train diligently. On the sheer cliff, Xiao Man and the others were quite unfortunate. Not long after they started climbing, they encountered a crosswind. Xiao Man, experienced with such situations, instructed them to use ropes to secure themselves to the cliff face, pressing their bodies tightly against it to avoid being blown away by the wind.
"Elder Xiao, the wind is too strong."
Xiao Man knew the wind was strong, but this area was a mandatory section of their climb. If they could not cross this crosswind area, they would not be able to ascend this ten-thousand-foot precipice.
"The crosswind area is not very wide. Press your bodies close to the wall." Xiao Man tied a rope around her waist and then handed it to Shan Yun and Qi Hong. "Tie the ropes around yourselves. I'll go first, and you follow behind me. We must cross the crosswind area quickly, otherwise, if our strength is exhausted, we will be swept away by this wind and smash to pieces." Su Dan Novel Network
"Okay."
The three carefully climbed upwards. The wind was so strong it stung their eyes. Fortunately, Xiao Man had them change into tight-fitting clothes earlier, otherwise, with the wind's force, even a heavy body would be blown about erratically, like a piece of paper flying away.
After the three emerged from the crosswind area, their clothes were soaked with sweat. They huddled together on a protruding platform to rest. Xiao Man offered dry rations to the two. Qi Hong thanked her and silently began to eat.
"Elder Xiao, have you climbed to the highest point? Have you reached it?"
"Not yet." Xiao Man looked up at the sky. This sheer cliff seemed to have no end. Without tools, she had already climbed over a thousand zhang. The effort required was considerable, so she had made markings along the way, noting places that could serve as rest stops.
"Elder Xiao, how long will it take to climb this sheer cliff?" Qi Hong finally spoke. If they continued like this, they might not have enough strength to climb further, and there were few footholds. It was evident that Xiao Man had used the "Tusks" for higher up.
"I don't know." Xiao Man's lips curved into a smile. "Didn't I give you the equipment? This is when you'll use it. At the beginning, I wanted to let you know that climbing this sheer cliff would be very tiring. If you can't endure it, you can still go back now."
"I will not go back," Shan Yun said resolutely. "Even if I return, it will only be as a corpse."
Qi Hong was startled by Shan Yun's determination. It was a do-or-die situation!
Xiao Man looked at Qi Hong. "And you? Are you going back?"
Qi Hong shook his head. "Since we've decided, we must go up and see. I want to know if it's paradise up there, as the patriarch said."
"Paradise?" A complex expression flickered in Xiao Man's eyes. Paradise was unlikely; hell was more probable. Even the isolated Primeval Tribe would scheme against each other for benefits. How much more so the people outside? The competition outside would only be fiercer and more terrifying.
"If the world outside is not paradise, but a human purgatory, will you regret it?"
Both fell silent. They didn't know what the outside world was like, but without seeing it for themselves, they would never be reconciled. So, whether it was paradise or purgatory, only by seeing and experiencing it themselves could they determine which it truly was!
"Following you, I will not regret it!" Shan Yun's eyes were full of starlight. From the moment Xiao Man saved her, she had wanted to follow her. Later, constrained by her gender, and enlightened by Xiao Man, she wanted to follow her, to see the world through her eyes. Even if the path ahead was fraught with thorns, she would willingly endure it.
"I will not regret it either!" Qi Hong looked at Xiao Man. "Elder Xiao, although I don't know what things are like outside, if I don't go and see, I will never know what it's like outside. And if I see it with my own eyes, I can tell the tribesmen what it's like outside."
Xiao Man shoved the last piece of dry ration into her mouth. "Then have you considered that they might not want the truth?"