Chapter 804
(Unedited)
…
Four people waded through the thick shrubs and foliage of the forest, while once in a while, they would encounter some random beast lurking in the shadows.
Im Ao and Im Jae have been busy as they would be the one fighting against those beasts. Shin Jiao slowly guided them and would help the two every now and then when faced against more powerful beasts.
The group has also gathered many ingredients and food which Shin Jiao kept inside his dimension. Nariz Gumal wanted to ask about how he is still able to use his ability in this place, but decided to keep the question to herself.
She knew that she is not welcome in this group and that she is just with them because of the kindness of the man leading the group.
Though Shin Jiao wanted to leave her yet he couldn't as he has gained something from her. He is someone who pays his debt and would not take advantage of others in normal circ.u.mstances. Hence he brought Nariz Gumal with them, but whether she follows or not is up to her.
Soon the group arrives in a clearing where they discover a trail.
"This might be a trail where people would usually use in this place…" Shin Jiao said as he checks for prints on the ground.
And true to his conjecture, he discovers that this particular trail has just been used by a large group of people which passes this area around 2 hours ago.
"There are around 20 people who just passed by here. And it seems that some of them are wounded." Shin Jiao muttered as he checks the traces of blood on the ground.
The three following behind him showed a hint of astonishment in their eyes as they did not expect Shin Jiao to determine such facts by just looking at the ground.
"They are going that way…" Shin Jiao said as he pointed at the direction following the trail.
"The village must be in that place." He said as he scanned his surroundings and tried to connect with the drone that he sent before.
However, no matter how hard he tried to search for it, he could not connect to the drone. This only means two things; either the drone was caught by the people or the beasts in this place, or it crash-landed somewhere.
But he is not worried about it, this is because is someone forcefully opens the drone, it would explode. That's why he is not that worried.
The four of them began walking towards the direction of the possible location of a village. Not long later, they soon discover some people walking towards them.
"Hide your gears…" he said to the two.
Soon they saw a party of 5 people. From the looks of what these people are wearing and the weapons on their body, they might be hunters or adventurers in these parts of the forest.
When the party of adventurers saw Shin Jiao's group they immediately became wary and scrutinized them. Seeing that there's only a single a.d.u.l.t male, two very beautiful young women, and a child, the party relaxed a little.
One of them eyed Nariz Gumal and a tint of l.u.s.t could be seen in his eyes as he licks his dried lips.
A tall woman wearing a body hugging leather armor stood in front of Shin Jiao and his group. Her companions stopped walking as they throw evil glances.
"It seems that it is our lucky day…" she said while eyeing the two women.
Her burly build and tanned skin, made her look more of a muscular man than a woman. From the short sword on her waist and the small shield on her back, one could tell that she is a warrior.
"We have fresh meat, just like Holden's party. And these people seem to belong to the Long clan from the outside judging from their robes…" a thin man commented on the side.
"Well, we should help ourselves before selling them in the village… Keke…"
"Oh, you guys don't go overboard… we don't want to break the 'merchandise' do we? Hehe…"
Hearing the words from the party, Shin Jiao knitted his brow and stop at about 10 meters away from the party.
"Hihi… Come now, don't be shy… You know you cannot escape us… Hihi…" a burly man said as he takes a step forward while gesturing his hand as if enticing a little child.
"Hahaha…"
The party laughed at this scene as if they already have everything in the palm of their hands.
Upon seeing this, Shin Jiao could not help but sneer.
"I've seen a lot of stupid people, and you guys are one of the worst…" Shin Jiao said with a smirk.
Although the distance is a bit far, yet the party heard what Shin Jiao said. And this made them immediately seethes in anger.
"Did you just call us stupid? Hahaha… I think the stupid one is you…" shouted the thin man as he suddenly flicks a small dagger from his hand.
As soon as the dagger landed on his hand, he suddenly sent it flying towards Shin Jiao's left shoulder. From the way the man flung the dagger, Shin Jiao could tell the he is an expert.
"It seems that they did not want to kill us…" he thought as he willed his psychokinesis and stop the blade on its tracks just inches away from his robe.
Seeing the dagger flying everyone began laughing.
"Who's the stupid now?"
"Haha… That's what you get for challenging us…"
In the midst of the party outburst, one of them noticed something.
"Huh?"
The burly woman looks at the dagger and with wide eye; her body suddenly began to shiver. Fear is clearly written all over her face.
She could clearly see the dagger floating just inches away from the young man's robe. Though it looks like the young man's shoulder was pierced by it, but as she looks closer, she could clearly see the tip of the dagger already bent.
With her reaction, everyone in the party stopped laughing and looks at her in confusion.
But before they could say or do anything, Shin Jiao sent the dagger back to the thin man and it cleanly pierced through his shoulder.
Since the man did not want to kill him, then he would not kill the thin man.
Argghhh!!!
The party was rattled upon hearing the howling cry of their companion. They then saw a dagger embedded on the man's shoulder. And this made everyone feel fear in their hearts.
"A… a mage! He is a mage!…" shouted the burly man who suddenly takes a step back in fear.
The others feel down on their butts as fear is clearly written all over their faces.
They were born in this land and they knew that mages are the most powerful beings in this land. Although they knew of the place outside the invisible wall and the story about powerful beings outside, none of them has ever seen one. Instead, every now and then they would encounter those people in sorry state and the mages would buy them at a high price.
This is the reason why the party did not want to kill the group in front of them as they wanted to sell them to the village mages.
It is known that those who came from the other side of that invisible wall are weaklings and easy target for any person living in the village.
But who would have expected that the party would encounter a mage and it seems that they just offended him.
"Your Excellency Master Mage… We implore you to forgive our folly… we… we are blinded by our greed, please forgive us…" the burly woman cried as she kowtowed on the ground.
She did not want to die and knew that they just offended a powerful being by attacking him. Hence, she gritted her teeth and immediately lowered her head.
Everyone followed suit and also began kowtowing towards Shin Jiao.
This made Shin Jiao feels a bit surprise. Im Jae on the side then whispered to Shin Jiao's ears.
"Master, they think that you are a powerful mage. In these lands, mages are admired and feared as gods at the same time. My… My father is also a mage, but he is not as powerful as Master Shin…" she said.
She then proceeds to explain to Shin Jiao how people look at mages in this land and the advantages if he would act as one.
Shin Jiao in fact could be considered as a mage, and a very powerful one at that. He came from Gaeus Ro where both mana and Qi exists. He has developed his own cultivation technique using both mana and Qi, so how could he not know how to use mana?
With that in mind, Shin Jiao already agreed with Im Jae. At least their troubles would not be that much once people views him as a powerful mage.
And from this their travel in the Land of Death might become easier.
Shin Jiao wave his hand to stop those people from talking and kowtowing.
"Lead us to the village and I might consider pardoning your offenses."
As Shin Jiao's group travel with the party, he learned that the village they are going to is called Jixinyo Village, a village of warriors and mages.