Chapter 6: Quiet Departure

The Longshan people, like intrepid sailors poised to embark on a long and arduous journey, skillfully and swiftly hoisted their animal-hide sails.

Amidst the whistling wind and rain, the airships soared forward like giant birds spreading their wings. Below them lay a vast, undulating expanse of thousands of peaks and valleys, along with a primitive forest that appeared deep, mysterious, and boundless, as if it were an infinite ink-wash painting.

When the airships exerted all their strength to break through the thick, leaden clouds, a beam of brilliant sunlight, like a sharp sword, suddenly pierced through and struck the vine-woven ships with precision. The crimson hulls instantly glowed with a charming, jewel-like splendor. It was the animal fat, carefully applied by the Longshan people to protect against the relentless erosion of wind and rain, now awakened by the sun to emit a unique brilliance.

The earth below was tightly shrouded in surging, roiling mist, which moved incessantly like the waves of a vast, turbulent ocean. The three airships were like lonely, fragile skiffs drifting in the middle of a boundless sea, rising and falling with the waves of mist, occasionally swallowed whole and vanishing, as if they might be consumed by the endless sea of clouds at any moment.

The Longshan people were filled with conviction and faith. They firmly believed that the immense energy contained within the moonstones would be enough to sustain them as they traversed the endless mountain ranges, riding the wind and waves to reach their promising new home—a place that would serve as their sanctuary and the harbor for their dreams.

Behind the mountains of the Eight-Direction Valley, Nuka looked grave. With eyes like torches, he carefully scrutinized every inch of the terrain before finally selecting a relatively flat mountainside location.

He raised his arm and gave a steady, powerful signal to Waza, indicating for the first ship to descend slowly while signaling the other two airships to hover in place.

Full of curiosity and anticipation, the people looked around. The mountains stood tall and majestic, piercing the clouds like guardians of the earth, while the deep, secluded canyons exuded a mysterious aura that inspired awe. Only in a mountain basin could they faintly discern a lush, green terrace, which looked like an emerald embedded in this grand landscape, radiating an alluring vitality.

Watching Waza focus intently and steadily maneuver the airship toward the clearing, the entire process was smooth and orderly, exceeding all expectations. Soon, the other two airships descended one after another, landing firmly on this strange yet hopeful land.

Nuka turned and gestured for the people on the other ships to remain in place and stand by. He then led Waza and a small group along the winding, rugged mountain path, moving forward with caution.

Suddenly, Waza, who was at the front of the group, seemed to sense a lethal danger. He stopped abruptly and let out a low, warning sound: "Halt!"

The group instantly understood. With nerves as taut as bowstrings, they crouched down, not daring to breathe, fearing that the slightest sound might disturb the lurking, unknown danger.

Sure enough, a low roar came from the depths of the forest, filled with wildness and ferocity, as if some beast were issuing a warning. Nuka reacted quickly, his sharp, eagle-like gaze fixed on the silent yet dangerous forest to their side.

They could faintly see a massive brown bear slowly emerging from the dense woods.

It stood over three meters tall, its enormous frame particularly conspicuous in the forest. It had not yet noticed the humans hiding in the shadows and was walking with a leisurely, steady gait directly toward the Longshan people.

The Longshan people knew that mountain beasts possessed extraordinary endurance, and only a surprise attack offered a chance of victory.

Waza made a gesture for silence, signaling everyone to remain still and wait. He then moved as agilely as a cheetah, silently creeping toward the bear.

Nuka remained calm, showing no signs of worry. He knew that although Waza was young, his years of arduous training had turned him into an excellent hunter, more than capable of handling the current situation.

Everyone held their breath, eyes wide, staring ahead, unable to predict what would happen next.

Suddenly, a loud shout of "Hey!" rang out, followed immediately by the beast's startled whinnying.

Peering through the dense foliage, the group saw the towering brown bear stand up in terror, appearing almost human. As it shrieked, it used its massive paws to beat its chest repeatedly, producing a dull, thunderous thudding sound.

At that moment, a strange figure wearing a mask painted with a red gourd appeared like a phantom behind the bear. With a fierce roar of "Ya!", the figure raised a thick wooden club high and struck the bear on the head with all his might.

Although this blow was likely insignificant to the thick-skinned beast, it successfully caught the giant off guard.

As the bear turned to counterattack, it was struck again from the side with a swift jab. It panicked instantly, its massive body stumbling a few times before it dropped to all fours and fled desperately into the depths of the forest.

After completing these maneuvers, Waza returned to the group as silently as he had come. Everyone cast looks of admiration his way, and even the usually stoic chieftain Nuka could not help but let the corners of his mouth lift into a knowing smile.

With the brown bear driven away, Nuka’s tense nerves finally relaxed. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to shout aloud. Everyone understood that this was to intimidate any other beasts that might be lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity. Had Waza not successfully repelled the bear, the chieftain would never have risked such a move; in this unknown forest, every action could trigger unexpected danger.

As Nuka listened to the calls of his people, he pondered silently. Although he was not familiar with this area, his years of experience in the wild led him to conclude that there were likely no giant wolves in this deep valley. After all, giant wolves preferred open grasslands, where they could utilize their group tactics to hunt and kill.

The group searched the mountains carefully for the better part of the day, their eyes missing nothing and their ears catching the slightest suspicious sound. However, they found nothing and returned to the vine-woven ships with a hint of disappointment.

The moonstones on the ships continued to emit a faint blue glow—a mysterious and cold light. It was the powerful kinetic energy that fueled the ships' flight, yet it could not provide the warmth and comfort of a real fire.

Waza was quick and agile; he led several clansmen to search for dry grass and skillfully employed the method of drilling wood to make fire. Before long, a bright flame flickered among the grass, and a bonfire roared to life, bringing rare warmth and a sense of security.

Everyone took the dried meat and wine they had prepared from the ships and sat around the bonfire, beginning to enjoy a dinner that was simple yet hard-won.

Night gradually descended, and the darkness wrapped around the earth like a massive black silk curtain. Only the bright bonfire jumped and flickered, acting like a beacon of hope in the darkness and illuminating the faces of the people. In the distance, the long, chilling howls of wild beasts echoed through the silent forest, adding to the sense of mystery and unknown fear.

Nuka called Waza to his side, his eyes full of approval as he said earnestly, "Waza, you performed well today—composed, calm, and courageous. There will be many more things in our tribe that will require you to take the lead in the future..."

Just then, both of their gazes were drawn to the dark valley.

From the depths of the ravine, a faint blue light shimmered, like embers that would never burn out, flickering in the heavy night and exuding an indescribable, mysterious aura.

Waza’s eyes widened, and he was so stunned he was speechless for a moment before finally blurting out, "This is..."

Nuka stared at the ghostly light, a flash of surprise and certainty in his eyes as he said firmly, "That is the moonstone we need!"

Both were filled with excitement and quickly called everyone over to share the encouraging news.

Upon hearing that the moonstone had been found, the tribespeople were instantly wide awake, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation. They acted quickly, deciding that everyone would board the airships to descend into the valley to search for the mysterious moonstone.

The Longshan people quickly and orderly packed their belongings and boarded the vine-woven ships that carried their hopes and dreams. They skillfully released the energy of the moonstones, and the ships vibrated slowly, rising into the air amidst a thunderous hum before moving steadily toward the mysterious valley floor and landing quietly.

Under the gentle glow of the bright moon, the world below looked like a shimmering, starry sky—deep, blue, and dreamlike.

Nuka looked at the scene before him, his joy difficult to contain, like a surging tide. He knew that this was the energy gem the Longshan people had yearned for day and night; with it, the future of the tribe would be filled with hope.

In his excitement, Nuka quickly made arrangements. He asked Waza to remain with the ships, relying on his outstanding ability and courageous character to guard their final retreat, while he and Lalong led the first group of brave and fearless Longshan warriors, leaping from the ships without hesitation.

However, the moment their feet touched the ground, a chilling voice rang out. "Hahaha..." It was the voice of the Halaha people, filled with triumph and malice, echoing through the silent valley and sending shivers down their spines.