The Mammoth Tribe’s territory was more than three thousand five hundred li from the Flame Demon Tribe. After flying for an entire night, the three of them arrived above this emerald green world.
They were completely captivated by the breathtaking scenery.
Although Lan Ling had crossed the Black Demon Banner’s territory several times, he had never visited the Mammoth Tribe’s territory.
This territory was not within the Black Demon Banner itself. It lay along its border and covered roughly two to three hundred thousand square kilometres.
From the sky, everywhere the naked eye could see was almost entirely emerald green, stretching endlessly like a gigantic piece of jade embedded in the earth.
Endless banana trees.
These banana trees were different from those on Earth. They were enormous, standing more than ten metres tall, and the bananas they produced were four or five times larger than those on Earth.
Apart from bananas, there were three or four other kinds of fruit trees, none of which Lan Ling recognised.
One type produced enormous fruit, weighing at least a hundred jin. He had no idea what was inside once the thick skin was peeled away.
“Master, originally this orchard covered only a hundred li in every direction. Through the Mammoth Tribe’s constant hard work, clearing and planting, it has gradually developed into the vast orchard you see today, stretching for a thousand li,” Gou Li said.
Lan Ling asked, “You mentioned that the Mammoth Tribe once owed the Black Demon Banner Lord a great debt. What happened?”
Gou Li replied, “Several hundred years ago, the Mammoth Tribe did not live here. They lived far to the southwest. Because of war, they were forced to flee all the way here. The Black Demon Banner Lord took them in and gave them a piece of land. From then on, the Mammoth Tribe continuously expanded outwards, eventually forming a huge defensive line that protected the northwestern part of the Black Demon Banner’s territory. The two tribes also established a pact. Whenever the Black Demon Banner needed them, it could summon Mammoth warriors to fight on its behalf.”
That was indeed a tremendous favour. No wonder the Mammoth warriors were willing to mobilise their entire tribe.
Gou Li continued, “Actually, the Mammoth Tribe and the Black Demon Banner family have had conflicts recently. The two sides have been estranged for many years.”
Lan Ling asked, “What kind of conflict?”
Gou Li replied, “Although the Mammoth Tribe avoids worldly disputes, they are kind towards others. Many near human refugees have nowhere else to go and eventually reach the Mammoth Tribe’s territory. At first, they are terrified because the Mammoths are so powerful and frightening in appearance. Yet while all the other tribes are slaughtering these refugees, the Mammoths instead kindly take them in, giving them food and shelter.”
Such kindness might not have seemed particularly remarkable in human kingdoms, but in the southern wilderness, it was an exceptionally noble virtue.
Gou Li continued, “The Mammoths also imposed no conditions when taking in these near human refugees. They did not require the refugees to give them anything in return. As a result, more and more people went to seek refuge with the Mammoths. At its peak, there were more than ten thousand of them. The Black Demon Banner Lord was furious. He severely reprimanded the Mammoth Tribe’s chief and ordered him to drive the near human refugees away immediately. The Mammoth chief refused.
“Then, one day, while the hardworking Mammoths were clearing land and planting crops in the southwest, the Black Demon Banner sent more than a thousand griffin riders. They slaughtered all the tens of thousands of near human refugees living in Mammoth territory. Afterwards, they spread rumours everywhere that the Mammoths had killed them. They claimed that the Mammoths had deliberately gathered near human refugees, fattened them up, and then killed them for meat.
“After that, near human refugees never dared flee to Mammoth territory for shelter again. The Mammoths rarely communicated with the outside world, so they had no way to defend themselves. They have carried this false accusation ever since.”
Lan Ling looked down at the lush green land and the countless flourishing orchards.
In the wilderness, almost every tribe knew only how to raid and hunt. The Mammoth Tribe alone obtained food through hard work and cultivation. On top of that, they were an extraordinarily powerful race. This was truly a noble quality.
Of course, in the wilderness, it was also considered foolish.
“Master, I know you have developed a favourable impression of the Mammoth Tribe, but you must remember that once they enter the battlefield, Mammoth warriors become savage killing machines,” Gou Li said. “Every race in the wilderness has the blood of slaughter flowing through its veins. Once they enter battle, you absolutely cannot show mercy.”
“I know,” Lan Ling replied.
They landed at the edge of the Mammoth Tribe’s territory. Looking at the enormous banana trees, Lan Ling saw fruit hanging everywhere.
No wonder the Mammoth Tribe could reproduce to several thousand members. This vast territory stretching for a thousand li provided them with an endless supply of food.
“Master, I will pick some for you to taste,” Gou Li said.
She then lightly leapt onto a banana tree and picked several enormous bananas.
In the wilderness, taking another tribe’s prey or food meant battle and slaughter to the death.
But taking food from the Mammoths was completely different. Whether bananas or any other fruit, you could freely eat them, and you could even take plenty away. You simply could not damage the fruit trees.
Lan Ling took one.
The banana was enormous, thicker than his arm. Eating just one would fill him up.
He peeled it, and an enticing fragrance immediately filled the air. Unlike bananas on Earth, it had none of that bitter taste.
He took a bite. It was indeed fragrant and sweet, even more delicious than the best bananas on Earth.
“Actually, the bananas here were originally small and a little astringent. After years of research by the Mammoth Tribe, the bananas they cultivate have become both large and sweet,” Gou Li said.
Impressive. This tribe had actually unlocked the agricultural technology skill tree.
After eating the sweet banana, Lan Ling began searching for the Mammoth people.
He released his powerful mental energy and began scanning the surroundings.
They travelled deeper into the banana forest. After going about five li inside, he detected a huge energy source.
When they approached, it was indeed a Mammoth warrior.
Lan Ling’s eyes widened.
So this was a Mammoth.
Unlike the Centaurs, the Mammoth had an elephant’s head, with no trace of human features.
However, like the demons, it could walk either on all fours or upright. Its forelimbs had evolved four thick fingers. When walking on all fours, the four fingers were pressed together. When standing upright, they spread apart like a pair of enormous hands.
This was a Mammoth patrol warrior. He wore armour and carried a battle blade, walking upright.
Centaurs were already extremely tall, but when this Mammoth warrior stood upright, he was more than fifteen metres tall, roughly the height of a five storey building.
His trunk alone was more than six metres long, while his two tusks were more than seven or eight metres long.
A Mammoth warrior like this should have been terrifying.
Yet his actions completely dispelled that sense of terror.
Because he was loosening the soil.
He was a patrol warrior, so he should have been patrolling the orchard’s surroundings and ensuring its safety. He should have been a majestic warrior.
Instead, every Mammoth seemed to have a hardworking farmer living inside them. Holding a mighty battle blade, he was loosening the soil around the banana trees and applying fertiliser.
His movements were extremely practised. He appeared completely unaware of his surroundings, entirely absorbed in his work.
The Mammoth Tribe had two modes, battle mode and labour mode.
Once they entered battle mode, their vigilance became extremely high and they were ferocious and bloodthirsty. Once they entered labour mode, they devoted themselves completely to the land beneath their feet and paid no attention to anything around them.
To be honest, Lan Ling really could not bring himself to hurt such an excellent and noble race.
Fortunately, this Nightmare Flower would only make the Mammoths sleep for a period of time. It would not endanger their lives.
Lan Ling drew his bow and nocked an arrow. The arrowhead had been coated with Nightmare Flower juice, though only a tiny amount.
Whoosh.
Lan Ling released the arrow.
The arrow shot forward like lightning and struck the Mammoth warrior in the back.
Although it was not a crystal arrow, Lan Ling’s shot was already extraordinarily powerful. The arrowhead was also plated with black gold. Yet it still penetrated less than half an inch.
Lan Ling had expected the Mammoth warrior to roar in rage and summon countless other Mammoth warriors.
Instead, the warrior seemed to feel nothing. He simply reached behind himself and slapped his back, knocking the arrow away.
He did not even look at it.
Because to him, Lan Ling’s arrow was lighter than a mosquito bite.
Damn, this was truly incredible.
Lan Ling was an exceptionally powerful archer. Yet even when he fired a black gold plated arrow with all his strength, the damage he inflicted on a Mammoth warrior was barely more than that of a mosquito bite.
This was the limitation of archers. The power of a bow and arrow was ultimately limited.
Only half a minute later, the powerful Mammoth warrior suddenly swayed.
Then, with a thud, he sat directly on the ground and began snoring, falling into an unconscious sleep.
Yin Ji had indeed been right. The Nightmare Flower really was the Mammoth Tribe’s natural enemy. Even the tiniest amount could send them into deep sleep.
Moreover, the Nightmare Flowers that Sisi had collected were enough to knock out one or two thousand Mammoth warriors.
No wonder the entire Flame Demon Tribe, including the Centaurs and the Mirror Demon King, knew nothing about the existence of the Nightmare Flower. It grew inside extremely narrow underground caves, places that the barbarian tribes simply could not reach.
Sisi had already rendered Lan Ling two enormous services.
First, she had helped him subdue the three headed Chimera.
Second, she had found a way to defeat the Mammoth Tribe.
Now, Lan Ling was even more curious about her identity and secret mission.
“Let’s go back to the Flame Demon Tribe,” Lan Ling said.
Having dealt with the three headed Chimera and the Mammoth Tribe, Lan Ling was now completely confident that he would win the upcoming battle. All that remained was for Chihuo Khan to lead his army of more than twenty thousand Centaurs north.
…
The appearance of the Little Rakshasa King’s Consort stunned the entire Black Demon City.
Countless chiefs and citizens of Black Demon City had never seen such a beautiful, seductive and graceful woman.
Not only that, but she constantly radiated an extraordinarily powerful energy aura, making people afraid to even raise their heads and look at her.
The Black Demon Banner Lord received the arrival of the Little Rakshasa King’s Consort, Meng Tuoluo, with the highest ceremonial courtesy.
Na Shu was even somewhat excited. He thought that the Little Rakshasa King had sent his most beloved consort to lend him support.
However, Meng Tuoluo had brought terrible news.
She had come to persuade Lan Ling to surrender.
If she succeeded, the upcoming war would become unnecessary. The hard won million strong army would have to disperse, and the more than one thousand Mammoth warriors summoned through countless favours would also have to leave.
Most importantly, the humiliation of Na Shu’s defeat at Lan Ling’s hands would remain forever.
In an instant, Na Shu developed an intense hatred for Meng Tuoluo. There was no doubt that the idea of persuading Lan Ling to surrender had been hers.
She had perhaps not mentioned surrender on the night of the wedding because she had not been confident. Now that she had proposed it, perhaps the Little Rakshasa King’s favour had given her enormous confidence.
“Does Princess Sha Yan know about this?” Na Shu asked.
Meng Tuoluo replied, “She knows.”
Na Shu said nothing.
His father, the Black Demon Banner Lord, said, “Everything shall follow the Consort’s wishes. When are you planning to leave for the Flame Demon Tribe? I will personally escort you.”
“No need. The Little Rakshasa King has sent thirteen Black Blood Demon Riders to escort me. There is no need to worry about my safety,” Meng Tuoluo replied.
The Black Blood Demon Riders were the highest ranking knights of the Rakshasa royal family.
Each knight’s bloodline had undergone special refinement, giving them combat strength beyond that of a Demon Sect level expert.
Meng Tuoluo herself had already broken through to the Demon Sect realm. With thirteen Black Blood Demon Riders accompanying her, she could travel unhindered throughout the entire territory of the Rakshasa race.
Na Shu’s face twitched slightly again.
The Little Rakshasa King actually favoured Meng Tuoluo so much that he had sent thirteen Black Blood Demon Riders to protect her.
After the banquet ended, Meng Tuoluo rode an elegant and magnificent flying ray, accompanied by thirteen Black Blood Demon Riders, and flew towards the Flame Demon Tribe.
…
After a full day of flight, Meng Tuoluo arrived above the Flame Demon Tribe.
What she saw was a devastated tribe.
Countless corpses lay neatly across the ground. Traces of burning were everywhere. All the giant crossbows and giant catapults had been destroyed by fire. The buildings within the tribe were charred black, and countless structures had collapsed.
Lan Ling was truly in a terrible state.
His Flame Demon Tribe had been attacked by the three headed Chimera and was already on the verge of collapse and destruction.
For some reason, Meng Tuoluo suddenly felt a surge of joy in her heart. She knew she should not feel this way, yet she could not help feeling relieved.
She was relieved that she had made the right choice. If she had chosen Lan Ling back then, she too would now have been helpless, facing destruction at any moment.
Instead, she could now appear before Lan Ling like a saviour, rescuing him and saving his tribe.
She floated above the walls of the Flame Demon Tribe with the thirteen Black Blood Demon Riders.
Dark clouds immediately gathered in the sky, as though a storm were pressing down upon the earth.
An enormous energy pressure descended upon the Flame Demon Tribe, making it feel as though no one could breathe.
This overwhelming pressure was ten, even a hundred times stronger than what Na Shu had displayed before.
“The Little Rakshasa King’s Consort has arrived. Tell your chief Lan Ling to come forward immediately and kneel to receive her!” one of the Black Blood Demon Riders shouted.
The entire sky above the Flame Demon Tribe seemed to shake. The ears of countless Flame Demon Tribe citizens felt as though they were about to be deafened.
“No need. You stay here. I will go see him alone. This is an order,” Meng Tuoluo said.
She then gently descended to the ground and gracefully walked into the Flame Demon Tribe, her exquisite figure radiating unmatched beauty.
Lan Ling walked out of the castle and looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar peerless beauty, Meng Tuoluo.
After a moment of astonishment, he said,
“Long time no see.”