Capítulo 18: Chapter Eighteen: Witnessing History! Have We Overstepped?
At the conclusion of the meeting, Nalan Xia proposed that the three clans adopt a unified calendar system, designating the year of the deity's manifestation as the "Year of Divine Descent," as a mark of reverence for the divine.
Upon hearing this, Zuo Qiu Yue and Huyan Gui exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the inherent wisdom of this remarkable woman.
On the surface, these proposals appeared to be the collective outcome of the three clans' discussions.
Yet the initiator of the conference was Nalan Xia, and it was she who championed the change in the calendar.
From this day forward, she would indelibly etch her name in the annals of the three clans' history!
Moreover, with the adoption of the "Divine Descent" calendar, it was likely she would garner even greater favor and blessings from the deity...
Observing her youthful and vibrant demeanor, one could hardly believe she was approaching the average life span of a Nalan leader.
How many advantages had she extracted from the deity, one wonders!
Regardless of their private musings, Zuo Qiu Yue and Huyan Gui could not outwardly dissent; they praised Nalan Xia's foresight.
Thus, the triad conference concluded successfully, establishing the date as July 1st of the "Third Year of Divine Descent."
The three prominent clans collaborated as never before, poised to usher the micro-world into a prosperous new era.
Yet a series of peculiar occurrences soon shattered this hard-won peace...
...
In the "Third Year of Divine Descent," on August 20th.
The micro-world had entered the height of summer.
While the northern mountains and western hills offered some shelter from the blazing sun, the eastern plains were not so fortunate.
On the vast, flat grasslands, the Huyan people toiled under sweltering heat, enduring grueling days.
However, having personally witnessed the awe-inspiring displays of the "divine gift," their reverence for the exalted Wang Hui was profound.
"If I could just find one more..."
Bare-chested, Huyan Guze muttered to himself, vigorously wielding an iron pickaxe crafted by the Nalan clan, diligently excavating for potential heavenly crystal stones.
At the age of forty, he was considered elderly in the micro-world.
Regrettably, his earlier children had either perished or fallen on the battlefield, leaving him with only his youngest son.
Huyan Guze had invested all his hopes and affections into this son, born to him in his later years!
Last month, he was fortunate enough to unearth a heavenly crystal stone, which he exchanged in the clan for an impressive leather tent, intending it as a marital dwelling for his youngest.
Should he manage to gather another stone, he could secure a complete set of quality armor, along with a fine sword and shield for his son.
This would ensure that, even in the event of future conflicts, his son could sufficiently defend himself.
Then, Huyan Guze could comfortably enjoy his twilight years…
Lost in such thoughts, he gradually drifted, mechanically swinging the pickaxe under the scorching sun.
Thud… Thud… Thud…
Before he realized it, the pit he was digging became exceedingly deep.
Bang!!
Suddenly, a resounding noise jolted him, sending a tremor through his hands and almost causing the pickaxe to slip from his grip!
Snapping out of a near-heatstroke stupor, he muttered, "What have I unearthed...?"
Crouching down to inspect, he discovered a smooth rock face beneath.
Striking it with the pickaxe produced a muffled thud, indicating it might be hollow!
"Could there be heavenly crystal stones within...?"
Huyan Guze's spirits soared, his eyes filled with excitement.
He unfastened his water pouch and took a few swigs, then gripped the pickaxe tightly to deliver a forceful blow.
Thud! Thud! Bang!
After several powerful strikes, cracks began to form in the rock layer.
As the fissures multiplied, they ultimately gave way with a loud crash, revealing a dark, gaping hole!
Huyan Guze leaned over the opening to peer inside, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Although he was in a deep pit, the relentless sun above continued to beat down upon him.
Why was the interior shrouded in utter darkness, devoid of any light...?
He attempted to lower the pickaxe into the hole to gauge its depth.
Yet, after just a few movements, he felt the pickaxe snagged by something, abruptly yanked down!
"Hiss..."
The force was so immense that the rapidly slipping handle of the pickaxe tore through the skin of Huyan Guze's palm!
In wide-eyed astonishment, he watched as a four-legged, purple-skinned creature, adorned with spots, emerged from the depths.
Clamped in its jaws was his pickaxe, which it effortlessly crushed before swallowing whole!
"Ah—"
Panic surged through Huyan Guze as he scrambled to escape the pit, only to feel the creature's bite latch onto his calf, dragging him back down!
With savage glee, it began to tear into him, as more of its kind crawled up from the hole...
...
In the "Third Year of Divine Descent," on September 17th.
"For nearly a month, eighty-six of our clansmen have vanished!"
In the Huyan clan's meeting tent, a high-ranking member could no longer contain his rage.
"It must be the cunning Nalan and Zuo Qiu clans, preying upon our isolated individuals in their quest for heavenly crystal stones!"
"A bunch of shameless scoundrels! We should never have signed a peace treaty; we ought to wipe them all out!"
Smack!
Huyan Gui slammed his hand on the table, barking, "Enough!"
Having been chief for nearly three years, his authority was no longer as tender as it once was; the chaotic uproar quickly subsided.
Just as he was about to speak, a messenger burst into the tent.
"Report—
Envoys from the Nalan and Zuo Qiu clans seek an audience with the chief!"
Huyan Gui's expression shifted slightly, raising his hand, "Let them enter."
Moments later, representatives from both clans entered side by side.
Perceiving the unabashed hostility from the Huyan leaders, the two exchanged glances before stating their purpose directly:
"Chief Gui! Has the Huyan clan also experienced cases of missing clansmen?
We have come regarding this matter!"
"Hah..."
A hot-tempered Huyan leader sneered,
"Playing coy, are we? This is clearly a collusion between your clans, targeting us, and now you come to accuse us?"
Huyan Gui shot a glare at the man, then turned to the two envoys, his expression impassive:
"Since you are both aware of the disappearances, then please provide a reasonable explanation!
I must also give an account to the families of the missing clansmen."
As he spoke, a keen Huyan leader instinctively drew his sword, exuding an air of readiness to resort to violence!
"Everyone, do not be impulsive! This is not the doing of our two clans!"
The Nalan envoy, wiping sweat from his brow, hurriedly interjected: "According to our knowledge, it is likely that during the excavation for heavenly crystal stones, we inadvertently breached a rock nest, which allowed subterranean monsters to emerge.
The missing clansmen were devoured by them!"
"Subterranean monsters?"
Huyan Gui frowned at this revelation: "If what you say is true, then such creatures must exist across the territories of all three clans; what kind of nest would have such vast reach?
Moreover, it has been a month since the disappearances began.
If there are beings emerging from below, why have we never encountered them ourselves?"
"The Zuo Qiu clan has seen them!"
In anticipation of Huyan Gui's skepticism, the Zuo Qiu envoy was prepared.
He gestured outward, and two subordinates entered, carrying an oddly-shaped beast's corpse.
A thick, foul odor instantly filled the entire meeting tent!
The creature's body measured over two meters in length, its skin exhibiting a bizarre purple hue with malevolent spots.
Its limbs were long and powerful, equipped with sharp claws, perfectly designed for excavation.
Most peculiar was its elongated head, devoid of eyes, featuring only a nostril-like opening and a mouth filled with menacingly sharp teeth.
The blood and flesh clinging to its fangs sent chills down the spine!
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