This winter the morning breeze blew with traces of chill, like a sharp knife. However, thanks to the numerous bonfires lit within the tribe, the cold was kept away, while warmth permeated the whole settlement.
For a Mán-cultivator, just the circulation of blood qi was enough to resist the cold. However, the majority of the tribe consisted of ordinary tribesmen. As such every winter, they venture outdoors less.
When they did, thick hide coats were draped over their bodies to help shelter against the cold. It was also during this season that the healer in the tribe was the busiest, having to make large amounts of medicinal brews for tribesmen to fight the cold.
Even Grandpa was involved, during the coldest periods he would unhesitatingly circulate his blood qi to protect the whole tribe from the chill of winter.
Treading the snow with muffled footsteps, Su Ming, wrapped in a beast hide jacket, walked around the village. Watching the familiar faces who smiled and nodded at him, that sense of warmth could seemingly repel the chill of winter.
The houses within the tribe are mostly simple ones, sufficiently functional normally. Only, during winter they cannot completely provide shelter against the wind, thus large sheets of beast hide were laid on their exteriors to prevent the entry of the chilly wind.
Except these layers of beast hide was unable to adhere very well and thus required frequent adjustments. The bonfires in the homes also needed firewood to sustain its flame.Hence, for most tribesmen, winter proved to be quite the ordeal.
Fortunately, no one usually did freeze to death. It was only slightly troublesome.
Walking, Su Ming arrived at a building that was fenced, guarded by tribesmen around the clock. This was the medicinal storage of WuShan Tribe. The house’s exterior was laid with thick beast hide, and bonfires burned around it. He could feel a mix of warmth and cold as he approached.
Su Ming was very familiar with this place. It was where his contribution of herbs to the tribe over the years were kept. As such, the guards flashed a smile when they saw Su Ming, and did not obstruct him further.
Su Ming smiled in return and exchanged greetings with them. Passing the fence, as he was about to enter the door, a surprised voice came behind him.
“Su Ming, when did you return?”
It was a girl’s voice, one which was pleasant like a lark.
Su Ming’s feet paused as he turned around. He gazed softened when he saw the girl who was clad in thick leather. She was tall, and the ears were adorned with two delicate white bone rings. Her skin was slightly rough, but it could not tarnish her beauty.
Her eyes were prominent, as clear as calm waters, revealing her innocence. With joy in her eyes, she quickly came before Su Ming.
“I returned yesterday.” Su Ming smiled. The girl was the one who maintained his home while he was away, Chen Xin. Suddenly, Su Ming’s smile froze, and his gaze wavered.
She wasn’t alone, behind her was a young man of eighteen or nineteen. He looked strong, even more domineering than Lei Chen. In the freezing weather, he merely wore a thin leather jacket, his hair unkempt but clean. Coupled with his sharp features, he gave people an impression of arrogance.
Especially his eyes which dazzled like stars, as though there was a weird totemic power in them. It gave one an inexplicable sense of pressure, putting them on alert as if they had seen a fearsome beast.
He stood there, with a huge bow on his back. He looked at Su Ming, his gaze like arrows.
“Su Ming!”
“Br-brother… Bei Ling.” Su Ming replied with deference, although a hint of convolution flashed in his eyes.
This young man in front of him was the strongest among the younger generation of WuShan Tribe. Even Grandpa acknowledge the former’s Mán body surpassed that of his own. Subsequently, it was only Lei Chen whose Mán body was comparable.
As the strongest of the younger generation, his cultivation progressed quickly. Su Ming even once heard Grandpa mention that he was the one in the tribe with the most potential to breakthrough the blood condensation stage, and attain the legendary awakening stage.
His name was well-known in nearby tribes as well. FengZhen Tribe even sent people to bring him away to cultivate at FengZhen. Su Ming did not expect to see him today.
The reason for feeling convoluted, was because when Su Ming was young, Bei Ling took great care of him, as though a real brother. Even his archery skills was taught by Bei Ling back then, after all the latter was the son of the tribal Marksman, and displayed aptitude in archery.
However, it all changed the year Chen Xin became twelve. Perhaps she was becoming too close to Su Ming, the way Bei Ling looked at Su Ming gradually changed. Initially, it was with confusion and doubt, which then became coldness. Subsequently, they drifted apart, and he would pretend not to see Su Ming.
It was later when Su Ming learn that it was because the tribe’s patriarch and Bei Ling’s father, had fixed a marriage..
Su Ming wanted to explain, but for all his efforts, Bei Ling still looked at him with coldness. Slowly, with disappointment, he unknowingly distanced himself from Chen Xin as well.
He knew that with his background he could only be considered a normal tribesman, he also clearly knew that if not for Grandpa, perhaps back then he would not even have been accepted into the tribe.
It was all because, for the first time Grandpa left the village in over ten years, he came back with an abandoned child, which was Su Ming. Even as he grew up, the people in the tribe had all been very kind to him. But not even all this could change the fact that he was different from the others in the tribe.
Su Ming rubbed his nose while avoiding Chen Xin’s gaze. After all, his feelings towards her was familial and not something romantic, also he did not want Bei Ling who had been very good to him to further misunderstand things.
“Big brother Bei Ling, when did you get back?” Su Ming looked towards that dignified Bei Ling. At this distance, he could clearly feel the bursts of vast amounts of blood qi erupting forth from him, so much so that, Su Ming was sure that other than Grandpa and the few tribal leaders, he was probably the strongest.
Only, the pride and arrogance exuding from his body was equally as strong as the blood qi, giving off a suffocating feel for Su Ming who was standing in front of him.
“Yesterday.” Bei Ling half-heartedly replied with few words, revealing his coldness towards Su Ming as he turned to face Chen Xin.
“Xin’er*, didn’t you come to get some herbs for your grandmother? Let’s go inside.” As Bei Ling said this, he pulled Chen Xin passed Su Ming into the door of the medicinal herb store.
Chen Xin wanted to say something but ended up hesitating and not saying them, only nodding towards Su Ming while allowing Bei Ling drag her inside the store.
Su Ming stood there pondering a while before sighing and entering the store as well.
*I believe you all probably already know this but addressing someone with ‘er is something like a sign of affection/addressing someone much younger.