The moment the map was brought out and studied, the army of the Ancient Nuo tribe felt a fresh wave of morale surge through them. Sure enough, the Heavenly Dragon Sect was right there, practically within arm's reach.
"Cross this river, and we'll reach a valley. Pass through that valley, and we'll arrive directly at the Holy Land of the Heavenly Dragon Sect. This is one of the three strongest sects of the human race, and it's said to carry the bloodline inheritance of the ancient True Dragon clan. This sect will absolutely not let us leave empty-handed!"
The elder of the Ancient Nuo tribe kept rallying everyone's spirits.
"Excellent! Let's move out now — no need to rest. It's just a valley, isn't it?"
"That valley won't be full of dangers again, will it?"
"Haha, this valley is right next to the Heavenly Dragon Sect. Do you really think they'd let threats lurk right on their doorstep?"
"Good point. By that logic, this valley should be safe."
"Let's go. Safe or not, we'll see as we march. With the Chieftain leading us and so many tribal elders alongside, would they let us take a loss?"
The warriors of the Ancient Nuo tribe had gleams in their eyes — they were clearly filled with eager anticipation toward the Heavenly Dragon Sect. The raid on the Moon God Sect had already given them a taste of the rewards.
This was a first-rate sect even more powerful than the Moon God Sect. How could the harvest possibly be small?
But the Ancient Nuo King issued a command: "No rush. Everyone has crossed mountains and traversed ridges — you're exhausted. Rest for the night, and we'll set out at first light."
When the Ancient Nuo King gave an order, the army had to comply whether they liked it or not.
So the entire force settled in for rest. After a night's sleep, the army had recovered much of its vitality, and everyone's spirits were even more roused than before.
The Ancient Nuo King surveyed their morale and nodded with satisfaction. "According to our intelligence, the Heavenly Dragon Sect had previously submitted to the Tempest Sect. After the Tempest Sect was defeated, the Heavenly Dragon Sect was sealed off by the Glazed King City. Most of their strong cultivators have already fallen. The Heavenly Dragon Sect as it stands is a tiger wracked with illness. Children, this is our chance to grow rich. Are you willing to risk your blood and your lives for it?"
"We are willing!"
Every warrior of the Ancient Nuo tribe was utterly fired up.
"Move out!" The Ancient Nuo King himself was brimming with vigor. The night's rest hadn't been about physical fatigue for him — it had been about clearing his mind.
Now that the army had pushed deep into the heart of human territory, they were essentially a lone force, cut off from support. Every step demanded caution and foresight. Each movement had to be considered before it was made.
The Ancient Nuo King differed somewhat from the other chieftains. He still preferred to think things through before acting, even though the Kuman tribe as a whole was not known for its wisdom.
After crossing the river, they entered a stretch of mountain ranges. Before them lay a valley — pass through it, and they would be on the fringes of the Heavenly Dragon Sect's main stronghold.
The valley appeared to pose no danger.
The Ancient Nuo King stood at its mouth for a long while, then turned to the person beside him. "Gu Qi, do you see anything peculiar about this valley?"
Gu Qi studied it for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile. "Your Majesty, I can't make out anything unusual. It should be different from those barren wastelands, shouldn't it?"
The Ancient Nuo King gazed for a long time and sighed. "I don't know why, but yesterday the army could have pressed on, and instead I chose to halt for the night. I just felt... unsettled, somehow."
Gu Qi's eyes sharpened. "Your Majesty, should we make further preparations? Or take a detour?"
The Ancient Nuo King laughed despite himself. "Am I really going to avoid a route based on a vague feeling? A detour? Do you know how many extra days that would cost us?"
Gu Qi smiled bitterly. "Two or three days."
"Mm. We can't afford the delay. The other three major tribes are taking routes less circuitous than ours. Our Ancient Nuo tribe cannot fall behind."
"Agreed — at least not by too much." Gu Qi nodded.
"Come. We've already endured roads far more arduous than this. Will a valley that looks harmless at first glance be enough to defeat this King?" There was a natural air of authority in the Ancient Nuo King's tone — the bearing of one accustomed to command.
Men of his stature were supremely confident by nature. Even if some alarm stirred within, he would not shrink from it, much less flee.
The Kuman tribe was forged in a culture of ferocity — the very concept of retreat was alien to them.
If the Heavenly Dragon Sect was foolish enough to resist, so much the better — they could crush them in one stroke and ransack everything. A first-rate sect's wealth would be enough to make the entire Kuman tribe explosively rich.
To the Kuman tribe, the lands of the human race were paradise itself.
The Kuman tribe was different from the human race in this regard: their leaders bore even greater responsibility than human ones. Now, the Ancient Nuo King strode at the very head of the column.
Several of the Ancient Nuo tribe's strongest fighters followed behind him. Two more brought up the rear — a perfectly sound tactical arrangement.
Unlike what one might expect, the Ancient Nuo King did not stride forward with sweeping steps. Instead, he set a deliberately slow pace as he gradually entered the valley.
The valley was quiet. Occasionally, the cry of a Spirit Beast echoed through the air, but to cultivators of this caliber, such sounds posed no psychological threat whatsoever.
By all appearances, the valley truly harbored no ill omen.
And yet, the deeper the Ancient Nuo King walked, the more an inexplicable sense of irritation gnawed at him. A nagging thought kept whispering that choosing this valley had not been a wise decision.
But as the army continued to advance, the source of his unease never materialized. No crisis appeared.
"Could it really be that I'm worrying over nothing?" A flicker of doubt crossed the Ancient Nuo King's mind. Still, he had tremendous faith in his own instincts.
"I have cultivated for so many years, and my intuition has seldom been wrong. Could there really be an ambush hidden in this valley?" The Ancient Nuo King slowed his pace even further.
At the same time, he sent a voice transmission to the warriors behind him: "Everyone, stay alert. Prepare for battle."
None of them understood why the Ancient Nuo King was being so cautious, but their chieftain's strength and ability spoke for themselves — if he gave such an order, there had to be a reason.