Protect Our Chief

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Beyond Celestial County, heading south, lies a vast and sprawling region of rolling hills.

There are no insurmountable peaks or perilous ridges here, only hills rising no higher than a hundred feet.

The hills undulate unpredictably, sometimes forming continuous clusters, other times stretching hundreds of miles before another appears. Occasionally there are river valleys and wetlands, making the geographical environment extremely diverse.

Tall trees occupy the sunny spots, lush bamboo groves fill the gaps between the trees, and various shrubs and vines flourish in the mountain forests, showcasing an abundance of plant species.

Due to the humid and warm climate, the temperature is suitable, and natural resources are quite rich. Therefore, there are numerous bird species here, with many Spiritual Birds residing.

However, the humid and warm environment not only suits bird life but also breeds a plethora of snakes, insects, rodents, poisonous bugs, frogs, and a variety of colorful mushrooms, any of which can easily be fatal. Some of them are beyond even the Black Tortoise Cultivators’ ability to handle.

Moreover, because of the unique geographical location, mountain winds converge here. Each summer, there is a heavy presence of poisonous miasma that can easily be lethal.

In any case, until these issues are resolved, this is not a suitable place for human habitation.

But, there is a large tribe that has lived here for generations.

That would be the Southern Border Barbarian Gu Race.

The Southern Border Barbarian Gu Race resides deep in the jungles, far from the border of Celestial County.

In fact, initially, the entire mountain range belonged to the Southern Border Barbarian Gu Race, including the river basin area on the Celestial County side.

But as Daqian occupied the Celestial Mansion and subsequent years of war ensued, the Southern Wilderness Barbarian Gu Race’s settlement moved farther and farther, deeper into the sparsely populated dense forests.

Over the years, they gradually regained their footing.

The history of the Southern Border Barbarian Gu Race is incredibly old; they lived on this land long before Daqian was established. Over countless years, the Barbarian Gu Race has developed its unique regional culture.

Following ancient traditions, the Barbarian Gu Race is organized by villages, scattered throughout the jungles and hills.

These villages range from small, with around a thousand people, to large ones, housing tens of thousands. Centered around the Gu God Village where the Saintess resides, numerous villages radiate outward, forming the entire settlement of the Barbarian Gu Race.

The harsh living environment has also caused the Barbarian Gu Race’s population to remain low.

Their territory is considerably larger than Longzuo County, yet the total population of the Barbarian Gu Race is less than ten million, even less than one-eighth of Longzuo County’s current population.

However, this was the situation several decades ago.

In recent years, the circumstances for the Barbarian Gu Race have changed significantly, you could even describe it as revolutionary, and their population has surged considerably.

In a typical part of the Barbarian Gu Race’s settlement, there is a medium-sized village known as "Golden Mushroom Village."

This village is situated beside a stretch of rolling hills, covering quite a large area.

Within the village, many characteristic stilt bamboo houses of the Barbarian Gu Race are scattered, with human living quarters above and earth ovens below, used for cooking. The nearby open spaces are used for raising livestock and toxic insects.

In the dawn light, the golden bamboo stilt houses appear to be coated in a layer of halo, with wisps of cooking smoke rising, filled with a rich sense of life.

On the hillside that extends across the village, terraces stretch from the foot to the summit over ten miles away, appearing spectacular from a distance.

The terraces host tall mulberry trees, short Spirit Tea trees, and other economically valuable plants and herbs. Close to the Spirit Veins, several acres of Spirit Fields have been cultivated specifically for planting Spiritual Mulberry trees, Spirit Tea trees, and special varieties of Spiritual Medicine.

Everything is meticulously arranged.

On the horizon, dawn begins to break.

Yet within the mulberry groves on the terraces, several young girls are already busily picking mulberry leaves.

The silkworm-eaten mulberry leaves must not have dew on them; it causes the silkworms to suffer from diarrhea, and the leaves do not keep fresh for long. Once picked, they dry quickly, so the leaves for daily consumption must be harvested and set aside before sunrise.

Once the sun rises and dew settles on the leaves, they cannot be fed to the silkworms.

Seeing the sun about to rise, the girls noticeably hasten their pace. As the sun rises in the sky, casting dawn light over the entire area, the group of girls has already finished picking the leaves and gathers together, laughing with baskets full of mulberry leaves.

The girls are evidently young, the eldest appearing around twenty, and the youngest presumably thirteen or fourteen.

Whether due to the local environment or genetic factors, these girls possess extraordinarily fair and delicate skin, making them a beautiful sight when gathered together.

On the road beside them, the rugged dark-skinned men with hoes, about to start working, stare wide-eyed.

Among these girls, there is one who is exceptionally beautiful and radiant.

She is dressed in the Barbarian Gu Race’s unique light green short sleeves and cropped pants, with bare arms and ankles exposed. Around her waist is a skirt sewn from colorful fabric adorned with gold-thread-embroidered phoenix totems, looking exceptionally beautiful.

Her name is Sang, and she is nineteen years old.