That was why he needed to learn about the wider world that might exist outside through Man Yu.
Man Yu knelt respectfully on the ground and began to recount her experiences over the years. "Thirty years ago, I left the Fusang Tribe and traveled east, following Moon Maple Lake southward. Along the way, I encountered several tribes. None of them were particularly large, but they were all extremely vigilant, as if on guard against something. However, because I was traveling alone, I was able to pass through their territories with ease."
"After passing through several small tribes along Moon Maple Lake, I entered the territory of the Sunlight Tribe. This tribe was supposedly one of the main culprits behind the destruction of our Fusang Tribe, so I was very curious about them..."
At this, Man Yu’s voice faltered, and a grave look appeared in her eyes.
She let out a slow breath, then said gravely, "I posed as a member of a vassal tribe to enter the Sunlight Tribe’s territory. Only then did I discover how prosperous they had become. They had eight massive towns with populations of over one hundred thousand. Their armies wore standardized, cast-iron Armor, and their Weapons were all incredibly sturdy iron. They were waging one war after another, purging all the surrounding tribes that refused to submit. Even ordinary, medium-sized tribes were utterly defenseless against them!"
Hearing this, Li Chang’an was rather surprised.
When he had first come into being, he had seen the elite soldiers of the Sunlight Tribe with his own eyes. The Sunlight Tribe was formidable even then, but their soldiers mostly wore leather Armor. Only a few high-ranking commanders or the personal guards of the Royal Family were clad in any kind of iron.
He never thought that in less than three hundred years, they would have already established large settlements of over one hundred thousand people and entered the Iron Age.
To Li Chang’an, these three hundred years felt like a mere thirty when he had still been human.
Yet for mortals, it was enough time for a complete overhaul of their equipment.
Li Chang’an did not interrupt Man Yu’s story.
Man Yu continued, "Their annexation of many small and medium-sized tribes naturally provoked a great deal of resistance. I stayed within the Sunlight Tribe for half a year before finally choosing to join the Tribal Alliance of small and medium-sized tribes that was resisting them."
"The Sunlight Tribe worships the Sun Emperor, and legend says the Sun Emperor is one of the twelve new Emperors of the Celestial Realm. His power in the Celestial Realm is immense, so the Alliance was never a real threat to the Sunlight Tribe. They merely banded together to avoid being crushed one by one."
"When I first joined the Alliance, I was just a slave soldier. But because I demonstrated great combat strength in several battles, I was rewarded and began to gain some authority within the allied forces."
"In the ten years that followed, I commanded several campaigns."
"Using the skills you taught me, I was virtually undefeated. Even common, low-level Guardian Gods were no match for me. Because of this, I made quite a name for myself among the tribes..."
"That was around the time I last sent someone with a message for you."
Hearing this, Li Chang’an could already guess what had happened next.
Sure enough, Man Yu’s next words confirmed his suspicions.
She continued, "Because my personal strength was too great, the leader of the Nine Heavens Tribe told me that if I handed over the Technique I used for my cultivation, they promised to send me to the Celestial Realm to become a servant of the Mountain and Sea True Monarch. They also told me that once in the Celestial Realm, I could enjoy the great benefit of eternal life, just like the Guardian Gods..."
For Man Yu, this was obviously a huge temptation.
After all, her dream from the very beginning had been to reach the Celestial Realm and obtain a Technique for immortality.
But now, she just pursed her lips and continued, "However, I always remembered your teachings, so I never told them about any Technique for improving my strength. I just said I was naturally gifted and had been strong since I was a child. They were suspicious, but given my prestige and influence in the army, they didn’t dare move against me openly without clear evidence."
"Besides, while I did dream of entering the Celestial Realm and becoming immortal, I would not do so as a slave and a traitor..."
"Because I couldn’t explain the source of my power, I was targeted by a coalition of different factions. I had no choice but to flee for my life. Who would have thought that flight would turn into a twenty-year-long hunt? It was only a few years ago that I finally managed to escape by faking my own death. It was a harrowing ordeal, but I barely made it back here alive!"
As she spoke, a resentful look crossed her face, and her fists clenched unconsciously. "Those bastards are a pack of ungrateful animals! I raised my own Direct Lineage unit to help them resist the invasion, but instead of being grateful for my contribution, they colluded with the Sunlight Tribe to hunt me down, all because of the personal power I wielded. Thank God I never once mentioned I was from the Fusang Tribe. Otherwise, I fear I would have dragged the entire tribe into an abyss from which there is no return..."
Li Chang’an fell silent for a long time before finally speaking. "So, you should understand now, shouldn’t you? More than the infighting between tribes, they fear you. You wield an unknown power, and that kind of power is the true taboo in this world!"