The Black Panther Village warriors who barely escaped with their lives returned to their village just as people from the Sun Village arrived.
Elder Bao felt a prickle of fear. He didn't want to see them, but he dared not refuse, so he could only steel himself and invite them in.
"Elder Bao, our Great Priest requests your personal presence at Sun Village," the visitor stated his purpose. "He says there is something important to discuss."
"Something important?" Elder Bao was suspicious. They had just sent people to hunt down Xiao Man, who had seen through their plan. Now, Elder Shi sent someone to invite him over. Could it be that they wanted to lure him to Sun Village and strike when he was alone and vulnerable?
"Yes, the Great Priest says it concerns the life and death of all villages."
"What do you mean?"
"The small world we inhabit has developed a fissure, and powerful outsiders are attacking."
Elder Bao's heart pounded. Xiao Man was from the outside. After Xiao Man arrived, powerful outsiders had broken in. Could Xiao Man have led them here?
"Did Elder Shi say who the attackers are?"
"The Pseudo-God tribe."
Elder Bao was no longer just fearful; he was chilled to the bone. They had hidden in this small world precisely to escape the persecution of the Pseudo-God tribe. They had been hiding for tens of thousands of years, and now, they could no longer evade them?
Elder Bao, along with his people, hurried towards Sun Village. Along the way, they encountered priests from other villages also heading to Sun Village.
"Did you all receive the message?"
"Has the Pseudo-God tribe really found us?"
Their faces were grave. Normally, the twelve villages were constantly at odds, but when it came to the Pseudo-God tribe, their internal conflicts were insignificant. Sudan Novel Network.
"Whether it's true or not, let's go to Sun Village first," Elder Bai said slowly. "If the Pseudo-God tribe has come, we won't be afraid. Within this small world, the Pseudo-God tribe cannot act freely."
"That's true. We've been safe for tens of thousands of years. Perhaps it's just a false alarm." They kept reassuring themselves.
In the council hall of Sun Village, many people were already seated. Elder Bai saw Xiao Man there, and beside her sat two unfamiliar men, which made him feel perplexed.
"Elder Bai."
"Miss Xiao, what has happened?"
"I encountered an outsider by the Ruoshui River. The other party was dressed in white robes and claimed to be from the God tribe," Xiao Man explained. "I returned and asked Elder Shi, and he said the other party should be from the Pseudo-God tribe."
"Were you injured?"
"No, but the other party said they were merely scouts, and the main force was still behind them," Xiao Man said with a grave expression. "I fear more people will intrude here."
"How did these people get in?"
Xiao Man looked at Elder Bai apologetically. "I fear it's the trouble I left behind when I intruded here."
Elder Bai simply waved his hand, signaling her not to worry, and sat down to wait.
The priests from the twelve villages arrived one after another, even the new priest from Yanhu Village appeared. He glanced at Xiao Man before quickly retracting his gaze and sitting at the very back.
Their former positions were now occupied by White Wolf Village, and their warriors had been massacred, leaving only the elderly, weak, women, and children. Even basic survival was a problem for them.
"Now that everyone is here, I will be direct," Elder Shi stood up and scanned the hall. "The Pseudo-God tribe has found us."
"Elder Shi, why has the Pseudo-God tribe found us?" someone immediately asked in surprise. "We have been living in peace here for tens of thousands of years. How could we suddenly be found?"
"It's not that you were suddenly found; they have always known of your existence, but they simply didn't come looking," Xiao Man explained. "There is a teleportation array to this place in Duan'e Mountain. This array was destroyed when I came here. I presume they have repaired it."
"There's a teleportation array to this place in the outside world!" the council hall erupted in an uproar. They had thought the outside world could never find them, only to discover there had always been a teleportation array, but no one cared to use it.
"Miss Xiao, may I ask if the people of the Pseudo-God tribe are chasing after you?" Elder Bao asked abruptly. They had lived here for so many years without incident, but as soon as Xiao Man appeared, the Pseudo-God tribe pursued her. He couldn't help but suspect her.
"Yes," Xiao Man answered affirmatively.
"What did you do that the Pseudo-God tribe would hunt you?"
"I released the sealed Demon Lord."
The previously noisy council hall fell silent instantly. One by one, they looked at Xiao Man with shocked expressions, not expecting such a young girl to be so terrifying as to dare release the Demon Lord!
"Why did you release the Demon Lord?"
"I just wanted to, there's no reason," Xiao Man replied unhurriedly. "Moreover, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Facing the Pseudo-God tribe, I am alone. With the Demon Lord's assistance, I can live a little longer."
"For the sake of your own life, you released the Demon Lord and then led the Pseudo-God tribe to our sanctuary. What is your intention?"
"I originally intended to leave via the wilderness, but after arriving here, I couldn't find a way out for a long time," Xiao Man said apologetically. "Now, I can leave, but you cannot."
"If the people of the Pseudo-God tribe arrive, all we need to do is hand you over, and we will be safe."
Tao Tie let out a snicker, turning from suppressed laughter into unrestrained guffaws. "Did you hear that? You're here thinking about how to protect them, while they're thinking about how to put you to death."
The person who suggested handing Xiao Man over changed their expression slightly. "Am I not speaking the truth?"
"I finally understand why Xuan Xin destroyed her divine spark and entered the cycle of reincarnation in the past," Tao Tie said with a cold laugh. "With such selfish kin, she must have been immensely troubled, thinking that if she ceased to exist, perhaps these people would change. But it seems, after tens of thousands of years, their nature hasn't changed one bit!"
As these words were spoken, everyone's face turned ashen. "If it weren't for Xuan Xin betraying the God tribe for a human man back then, how would we have ended up in this predicament?"
"Have you forgotten that you are merely a group of commoners? It is because Xuan Xin became a god that you are called the God tribe," Tao Tie said deliberately. "You prospered thanks to her, yet you blame her for not bestowing upon you eternal wealth and power. How shameless."
"Indeed, very shameless," Jun Ru chimed in with Tao Tie. "Xiao Man, in my opinion, what do these people's lives have to do with you? You should quickly find a way out and leave."
Elder Shi, upon hearing this, became anxious. "Young sirs, please stop adding fuel to the fire."
"Elder Shi, it's not us adding fuel to the fire," Jun Ru looked at the people below. "You've seen the ugliness of these people. Do you, too, like them, intend to use Xiao Man's life to secure your own temporary survival?"