White String: The Future And The Past
Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Wood Spirit II

Author: Hin Alfa

Editor: Bakul Ganyong Team of Earth Dwellers

Ah Mei and Ah Yun, two boys who were frightened by the White String, were curling up behind a middle-aged man while occasionally glancing at the White String.

“Hey, am I so scary? I just showed up suddenly and you guys ran straight away,” White String muttered to himself.

Ah Yun who happened to hear it thought, “Isn't it natural that we were frightened when you appeared all of a sudden? You're like a ghost!”

Without noticing Ah Yun and Ah Mei, Old Kong smiled kindly to White String and DiaoFei. Although it is still a question of how he saw DiaoFei.

“Include, I'm Old Kong. That said, I am a Great Elder* in the Wood Spirit tribe here.”

(*Grandfather)

Old Kong's face was filled with bleached hair. Even his eyelids were no longer visible.

“Greetings, Old Kong. I'm DiaoFei. May I know, why is Wood Spirit said to be extinct? Aren't there still many of you here?” ask DiaoFei to the point.

Old Kong stroked his long beard. A long sigh sounded very painful from the old man.

“I don't remember much. As far as I know, it was five thousand years ago when the empire set a ban on hunting Wood Spirits. We one tribe found this folded space and started living here..”.

He glanced towards Ah Yun and Ah Mei as a nostalgic look shone past his eyes. After a long time, he continued.

“This folded space provides us with all the resources so that we can live. Over time, we began to shut down communications from the outside world and completely shut ourselves down here.

Last time, we only knew that the Wood Spirit was declared extinct three thousand years ago.

A lot has changed since then. The resources that are here are starting to run low. And some have had to hibernate to save on spending.

Finally there were only the three of us left, Mei'er, and Yun'er who stayed awake while the others were asleep.” Old Kong ends the story.

Five thousand years ago, that was quite a long time. Plus they shut themselves in a folded room.

Although Old Kong did not seem to be lying, White String felt that there was something odd about the story. And DiaoFei's questions answered his doubts.

“It...a bit dramatic. But why do you want to stay here and cut off contact with the outside world? It's not like you guys did it of your own volition.”

A surprised look glimpsed in Old Kong's wrinkled face, but he quickly covered it up. After gesturing for Ah Mei and Ah Yun to leave, he was finally able to calm down.

“Can you tell us?” This time White String spoke. He's quite curious.

“AGain it happened five thousand years ago, when a mysterious young man came to our tribe. He said, our tribe will not last much longer.

Therefore he told us to go to the peak of the Snow Ice Mountains Range. That's when we found this place..”.

No time for Old Kong to finish the story, White String had already cut it, “Sorry if I was rude, but this place is the Frozen Andes Mountains Range and not the Snow Ice Mountains Range.”

“I know. The name of this place was replaced by a similar place name in the southern continental hemisphere. I just assumed that his name was changed for a certain purpose.

Son, there's a group of humans living at the foot of this mountain since that name hasn't been changed. According to their tradition, they would tell the legend of a six-peaked mountain around their residence.

If you're lucky, you can follow them when they bring offerings to their ancestors on that mountain.” Old Kong explained everything patiently.

After listening to Old Kong, White String glanced at DiaoFei. Glanced to ask, “What?”

“No. I mean, that mysterious young man five thousand years ago wasn't you, was he?” White String asked suspiciously.

The identity and origin of this strange person had become a huge question mark on his head over the past few times.

Instead of directly answering, DiaoFei looked at White String like he was looking at a strange person. “I lived about 4000-3500 years ago. There's no way it's me. Unless I have the ability to go to the past,” replied DiaoFei.

When he looked up at the sky, he whispered, “It's more likely that you or someone related to you who became that mysterious young man.”

White String pretended not to hear it.

✾✾✾

“According to you, what is meant by a group of humans living at the foot of this mountain is the White Tribe that you happen to have to visit?” diaofei asked as he floated behind the White String.

The one asked just shrugged his shoulders. “Better we ask first. Not good to guess.”

They both descended the snow mountain quickly. There are many slippery and steep cliffs on various sides.

On one of the cliffs, Long Shan saw a group of people fighting with the Snow Wolf herd. They were seen protecting some frightened girls on the brink.

“White Tribe?” long Shan's brows were somewhat linked. With the science of lightening the body, Long Shan quickly arrived at the center of the White Tribe army.

He pulled out a sword and slashed several wolves at once. The tribe members were very surprised but quickly put aside their shock as there were still many Snow Wolf surrounding them.

The few wolves that saw their companion killed so easily escaped immediately. The White Tribe members heaved a sigh of relief.

“Mr Swordsman!” Lian exclaimed happily when she recognized White String.“Dad, this is the one who helped me when I got separated from the tribe members,” said Lian introducing White String.

Peng is the father of Lian, as well as the White Chieftain. It had a sharp and unfriendly look of eyes directed for the White String. The posture of his face makes people easily intimidated.

“Ara~I thank Mr. Swordsman then. May I know your name and origin?” Peng tried to look friendly even though his hand gripped tightly White String while shaking hands.

“Oh?” Peng was a little surprised, “What sect responded to our request?”

“Sure. If you don't believe me, I brought Elder tokens here.” White String smiled faintly looking at Peng's expression.

It could be seen that Peng only existed in the eighth Earthly Qi Realm realm and was only a step away from the Heavenly Qi Realm. Knowing his interlocutor was an Elder of the Thousand Swords Mountain Sect, Peng became even more polite.

It was an open secret that only a Heavenly Qi Realm expert and above could become an Elder. For a small tribe like the White Tribe, destroying it was only as easy as flipping a palm. Fortunately, White String was here on another matter.

They entered a cave. The White Tribe is a nomadic tribe, so this cave was clearly only discovered some time ago. The women prepare bonfires for cooking while the men look for firewood around the gu and clean the game animals. White String was just watching from the side.

The cold wind never stopped blowing at the top of this snowy mountain. The bonfire was seen shining under the darkness of the cave walls.

Actually, life here is pretty decent. They have warm clothes, a bed, and enough food reserves.

The kids also play happily. White String had no idea what made this little tribe go all the way making a mission request of me Thousand Swords Mountain Sect. But he made a guess.

“Chairman, if not mistaken, was this place formerly the Snow Ice Mountains Range?” asked White String suddenly. Tribe Leader Peng was silent for quite a while before finally willing to open his mouth.

But, before hearing the desired answer one of the tribe members came over while shouting, “The Snow Wolf tribe has come! They're suing the Chief!”

Tribal Leader Peng jumped from his seat. “How dare they come to this place!” his grunt was irritated when he pulled out his axe.

Some other tribe members were also preparing to fight. This time around appeared some Snow Wolf who possessed strength equivalent to the Earthly Qi Realm. Although there were some White Tribe members who were also Earthly Qi Realm level, they were clearly outnumbered.

From the wolf crowd, appeared a half-human figure with wolf fangs and ears. “Chairman of the Peng Tribe, as a human being you are so disgusting to renege on your promise. Hand over your daughter now and I'll release my tribe members!” exclaimed the figure that turned out to be Du Lang, the son of the Snow Wolf Chieftain.

Although it was only at the Monarch Qi Realm level, Peng knew Du Lang was not someone that could be provoked. “Hmmp, if you don't kill my tribe members first, I don't mind marrying him to you. Besides I won't let my daughter be your toy!” sneer at the Peng Tribe Leader coldly.

Du Lang's face gradually darkened. “You disgusting basic man, today I will destroy your tribe!” Du Lang hinted for his troops to begin advancing.

“Destroy them!”

Two armies of tribesmen met and fought each other. This inter-tribal bloodshed was completely incomprehensible to the White String. “Nona Lian, what happened?” White String asked Lian who was trembling in fear.

“Master, that was a misunderstanding. The White Tribe had experienced a plague, so the Chieftain asked the Snow Wolf Tribe for help. But they asked me to marry Du Lang,” explained Lian while trembling in fear.

“Your father was forced to agree, and since then the Snow Wolf Tribe has oppressed many members of the White Tribe. So your father refused this marriage?” White String tried to guess what happened.

Lian nodded, “But Chief Snow Wolf said that if I was married and the groom could defeat Du Lang, the White Tribe would be free from the marriage agreement.”

This time White String sighed, “So your father has already tried every means to avenge the Snow Wolf Tribe?”

“By the way about the outbreak, can you tell me more?”

Lian bit her lip. It seemed like White String had just reminded him of something bad.

“My mother had the outbreak last year. On his body appeared bluish spots and his body was extremely cold. He died shortly after that.

But the plague victim wasn't just my mother. Many other tribes. And, and s-everything, no one survived..”.

White String was speechless looking at the sobbing Lian. Indeed, it was a hard experience for him. Watching the people closest to you go one by one…

He shook his head strongly. Although he could not revive the members of the White Tribe, he could still save the surviving members of the Snow Wolf Tribe.

“What you told me about, reminds me of a similar outbreak that had occurred in my place before,” whispered White String.

“Oh, must have died a lot too, right? Just like here,” Lian said sadly.

“No. No one died, all survived. Maybe I know why no one's alive on your side.”

Lian jerks. “B really it?”

White String nodded softly in response to Lian's question. “The outbreak is called a blue plague. The healers at my previous place worked hard to find a cure. If not mistaken, is your mother's spiritual energy having problems?”

“It..my mother can't use qi when sick. Even the spiritual energy in his body disappeared without a trace,” he explained.

“Blue pottery can be cured by using jade crystal grass regularly. It was strange because there was no one around this,” thought White String.

“All herbs including jade crystal grass are monopolized by the Snow Wolf Tribe. At first we weren't too suspicious, but it seems like they're really hiding something.” An old man suddenly joined the chatter of White String and Lian.

“Grandpa Song! What is it, really happened?” asked Lian doubtfully.

Grandpa Song had round cheeks covered by his beard and mustache. His body is fat and short.

White String expressed his opinion, “Jade crystal grass is not rare and is quite common. These outbreaks may be related to them indirectly.”

“That may happen.”

“Argh!”

Shouts came from the direction of the White Tribe and Snow Wolf battle. It seemed like the White Tribe was taking a loss and was in an unfavorable position.

“I will help them,” White String said as he carried his sword.

〜〜〜

*The White Tribe's clan is 'Bai', but because the author forgot yes...