Ancestor Bitter Bamboo pushed himself to full speed and finally managed to catch up with one of the four columns — the Jade Tribe, which was heading to Pill Fire City to plunder.
When the Jade Tribe saw Ancestor Bitter Bamboo, they were both terrified and reverent.
Bitter Bamboo didn't berate them. Instead, he asked the Jade Feather King, "You split into four routes — were any of you coordinating with each other?"
The Jade Feather King shook his head nervously. "We agreed at the start to stay in contact. But as things progressed, everyone went their own way. There was no real coordination."
Bitter Bamboo's expression darkened. "Are you people so reckless that you're not afraid of being ambushed by the human armies?"
The Jade Feather King had no response. He could tell that although Ancestor Bitter Bamboo wasn't flying into a rage, he was clearly displeased.
"Forget it. I can't entirely blame you for this. I was delayed by my own affairs and missed the window of opportunity — a true pity." Bitter Bamboo sighed. "Let's hope everyone can reach the Glazed City safely this time."
He said this, but in his heart, he had no confidence whatsoever.
Rather than rushing off to find the other three columns, Bitter Bamboo joined the Jade Tribe's formation and advanced together with them.
In truth, when the Jade Tribe had gone to ransack Pill Fire City, they hadn't struck it rich. After Pill Fire City had been defeated by the Glazed City, the Emperor in the Well had been stationed there for a period of time, managing the relationships with the major powers in the north and overseeing the aftermath at Pill Fire City.
In other words, Pill Fire City had already been stripped clean by the Emperor in the Well and his people back then. Most of its wealth and collections had flowed into the Glazed City.
So the Jade Tribe's plundering expedition this time had been a resounding failure.
The army marched southward day after day, and finally, they were nearing the territory of the Glazed City. Just then, the Jade Feather King received a message.
It was from the Yuan Qiang King.
After reading it, the Jade Feather King's face changed drastically.
"Ancestor, the Guonuo Tribe and the Bei Tribe have already arrived at the border of the Glazed City. At the gathering point, they've gotten into an argument — it could very well escalate into a full-blown brawl!"
"What?" The Jade Feather King's news made even Bitter Bamboo unable to sit still.
The Guonuo Tribe and the Bei Tribe were about to fight each other?
Bitter Bamboo was already simmering with frustration, and now these two great tribes were disregarding the bigger picture and preparing to slaughter each other? At a critical juncture like this, were they trying to get themselves killed?
"Advance at double speed!" Bitter Bamboo ordered, his face black as thunder.
They had already been close to the gathering point, and after Bitter Bamboo's command, the Jade Tribe's army accelerated their march even further.
Before long, they arrived at the assembly area.
The Yuan Qiang King was there, desperately trying to mediate and play peacemaker.
The warriors of the Guonuo Tribe and the Bei Tribe were split into two groups, facing each other like enraged bulls, glaring viciously at their opponents — ready to plunge into a chaotic melee at the slightest provocation.
"What do you think you're doing? All of you — what exactly do you think you're doing? Do you even have any respect for me as your Ancestor?" The fury that Bitter Bamboo had been suppressing for so long finally erupted.
Seeing these two tribes, he was consumed with rage.
Disobeying orders to march independently was one thing — but now, after all the difficulty of reaching the Glazed City, they wanted to start an internal war?
When the two opposing tribes saw Ancestor Bitter Bamboo, the fire of their anger deflated by more than half in an instant.
"Ancestor."
The Guonuo King and the Bei King both hurried over with their subordinates, bowing hastily. Every one of them wore a look of fear and unease on their face.
Bitter Bamboo stared down at the Bei King and the Guonuo King. "You two — very impressive, aren't you? Go on then, fight! I'll be your referee. Whoever wins can take my place as Ancestor!"
"And you, Bei Chieftain — I hear the plan to split into separate forces was your idea? Very capable of you! You're already making strategies for me, and making decisions on my behalf."
"And you, Guonuo Chieftain — your tribe discovered ages ago that the boundary markers of the human territories had weakened. Why didn't you notify me sooner? What was your tribe planning? Trying to hog all the spoils? Trying to get there first and grab a fortune for yourselves?"
Bitter Bamboo scolded them one after another.
Neither the Bei King nor the Guonuo King dared to talk back. They hung their heads and played dead, letting Ancestor Bitter Bamboo vent his fury.
"Now tell me — why were you about to fight?" Bitter Bamboo asked flatly.
"Ancestor, this Guonuo Tribe is impossible. The moment we got here, I simply asked how their campaign had gone, and the Guonuo King snapped at me like he'd swallowed a bundle of gunpowder — full of fire and smoke. He accused me of setting him up and causing his tribe devastating losses, claiming I'd deliberately chosen the most difficult route for them." The Bei King felt deeply wronged.
The Guonuo King fired back in defense: "Ancestor, the routes were decided by lottery. I never made an issue of that. But the Bei King, the moment he laid eyes on me, started with his snide remarks — saying my Guonuo Tribe didn't look like it had fared very well, that it seemed like we'd lost quite a few people. That kind of gloating — I won't stand for it."
Bitter Bamboo said coldly, "So over this trivial nonsense, you were ready to come to blows? Ready to stage a battle right at the gates of the Glazed City? Have you considered that every move you make might be under the Glazed City's watchful eye? They'd probably be laughing themselves sick — they wouldn't even need to attack us."
Bitter Bamboo's sharp words left both of them speechless.