The Chiqiong tribe was originally a beast species, whose ancestors were enlightened by the Ghost Extreme Great Emperor to transform into human form upon reaching adulthood.
Therefore, the deity they worshipped was the original form of the Ghost Extreme Great Emperor – a halberd.
More coincidentally, this was also the final battlefield where the Ghost Extreme Great Emperor and Ming Lang Yuanjun ultimately perished together.
At this point, Luo Yingbai could almost certainly confirm that Ge Panming was very likely the Ghost Extreme Great Emperor. Perhaps he was now waiting for Xia Xianning and Luo Yingbai to approach Mie Meng Hill, making this place the final battlefield once again.
As Luo Yingbai was thinking, Xia Xianning ahead had already stopped, turning back to ask, “Should we disguise ourselves? Otherwise, we’ll be immediately recognized by Zhu Caiwei?”
Luo Yingbai thought for a moment and said, “If the person who ambushed you back then was really her, she must be secretly wondering whether you already know her whereabouts. Instead of being evasive, you might as well appear openly as a visitor from Changliu Sect. Zhu Caiwei will think you’re in the dark while she’s in the light, and she won’t think about running away.”
Xia Xianning understood: “Actually, aren’t you the one in the dark while she’s in the light?”
Luo Yingbai snapped his fingers: “Hmm, I plan to disguise myself as a member of the Chiqiong tribe and infiltrate their group, then coordinate with you inside and out. So I’ll just disguise myself, you don’t need to.”
“Hmm… quite comprehensive, a good idea.”
” Xia Xianning looked Luo Yingbai up and down thoughtfully, “But how are you going to disguise yourself?”
Luo Yingbai: “…What’s with that tone? Is there something special?”
“There wasn’t anything particularly special,” Luo Yingbai mumbled, watching Xia Xianning seriously weaving a flower crown on the grass. “Let’s just charge in instead.”
Xia Xianning, skillful with his hands, quickly finished a large flower crown and placed it on Luo Yingbai’s head, his fingers sliding down to lightly trace Luo Yingbai’s cheek, a shallow smile in his eyes: “You’re already disguised, so what’s there to be shy about?”
Luo Yingbai uncomfortably touched the flower crown: “But a man wearing so many flowers feels weird. Xianning, do I look like a matchmaker?”
Xia Xianning was about to tease him but stopped when he looked at the person before him.
Luo Yingbai had always had excellent skin, delicate and white as if soaked in milk. His features and facial lines were beautiful, but his demeanor was not effeminate. Now, wearing the flower crown, the vibrant flowers complemented his white skin perfectly. Far from looking strange, he appeared even more ethereally beautiful, with a clean and attractive quality.
Xia Xianning whispered: “No… you look very good.”
Luo Yingbai gave him a skeptical look, circled around the hill, waded through a small stream, and carefully approached, quietly blending into a group of young people nearby.
The Chiqiong tribe were not humans, born in beast form. After reaching adulthood at twenty and gaining some spiritual power, they would cultivate at specific locations and transform into human shape.
Now, these young people had different colored fur at their feet, obviously having just completed their transformation. At this moment, they were seeing each other’s human appearances for the first time and might not even know each other, so it wasn’t difficult for Luo Yingbai to blend in.
He chose a group that looked easy to deceive, quietly sliding over, not crowding in to talk, just sitting quietly on a nearby stone, looking well-behaved.
The young man closest to him was touching his arm ecstatically: “Ah, so this is what smooth, hairless skin feels like! So comfortable! Feel how smooth!”
The round-faced girl pouted: “I don’t like turning into a human at all. It’s so strange, and without fur, it feels cold.”
Shenhui replied: “But having fur is so hot in summer. When it’s cold, you can wear more clothes, but when it’s hot, you can’t just pluck out all your fur. I still prefer being human.”
The boy next to him was sticking flowers into his hair while mockingly saying: “Alright, we all know you like being human. You’ve been transforming for three years. Shenhui, I suggest you keep practicing, or you might turn back into a furball in a few days, and that would be truly embarrassing.”
Luo Yingbai glanced at him silently.
However, few could truly pull it off. The speaking boy was dark-skinned with small eyes and a flat nose, and with flowers stuffed all over his head, he looked utterly ridiculous.
Yet his words, though unkind, carried good intentions, clearly frustrated with Shenhui’s lack of progress.
Shenhui didn’t seem ashamed, laughing: “One day at a time, worrying won’t help.”
His unmotivated attitude irritated the others.
The round-faced girl said: “How can you be like this? You and Shentu are both the tribe leader’s sons and should be more capable than us! Although the tribe leader’s wife isn’t your birth mother, she’s always cared for you. If she and the tribe leader heard you, they’d be heartbroken.”
The terms “tribe leader’s wife” and “tribe leader’s sons” caught Luo Yingbai’s attention. He carefully observed Shenhui and noticed a furry little beast by his feet.
The small beast was about the size of a newborn puppy, with light gray fur. This was apparently Shentu, Shenhui’s brother, whom the girl mentioned was also of an age to transform but, like his brother, delayed due to insufficient spiritual power.
Shenhui petted his brother’s fur, chuckling: “If you don’t tell them, they won’t hear. Whether he transforms early or late, he’ll transform eventually.”
He finished speaking and suddenly turned to Luo Yingbai and said, “Hey, who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”
Luo Yingbai remained calm, raised his head and smiled leisurely, saying, “I’m Ming Lang. I transformed a bit slowly, and the brothers who came with me after changing into human form couldn’t find each other, so I came to join our clan. Is that okay?”
Their clan was large, and when they were in beast form, they would run around everywhere, so it was normal not to recognize each other. A group of young people heard Luo Yingbai speak and didn’t suspect anything, instead falling silent because of his smile.
His gentle smile accompanied by fresh flowers was particularly charming, and the small-eyed boy’s flower branch fell to the ground.
Shenhui exclaimed in the same tone she had used to praise his smooth skin: “You’re so beautiful.”
Luo Yingbai, looking adorably naive, laughed and said, “You’re beautiful too!”
Shenhui was happy.
Just as Luo Yingbai was about to speak, a boy ran over from a distance, shouting, “Everyone’s transformed now, let’s go back to our clan! It’ll take three days, and if we don’t hurry, we’ll eat up all the food we brought.”
Everyone stood up, and Luo Yingbai followed, not forgetting to compliment the round-faced girl even in the midst of the bustle.
He was skilled at flattering young girls, and with just a few words, he made the round-faced girl very happy.
He said, “If you can’t find your companions, come with us. We’re all going back to the clan… But won’t your family worry?”
Luo Yingbai said melancholically, “Ah, who has time to worry about me? My father was sent out a few days ago and still hasn’t returned, with no news. I wonder if something happened to him…”
The round-faced girl showed a sympathetic expression: “Was he sent by the clan leader’s wife to find something?”
Luo Yingbai said, “Really? Seems like it. My father mentioned something before leaving, but I didn’t hear clearly.”
