I couldn't bear to stay in this damned place for another moment, but before leaving, I had to confirm one thing.
That was the current state of the Du'an tribe.
I believed that the old schemer, the Grand Shaman, would surely have backup plans within the Du'an tribe since he could bring Hu Tu to the ritual.
This wasn't my primary concern. The only person in the Du'an tribe I still had any attachment to was Ada, the number one warrior under Hu Tu.
I walked along the small paths of the Du'an tribe. The tribe was still in its usual peaceful state, showing no signs of the recent god-slaying battle.
As I walked, two familiar faces appeared at the end of the path – tribal warriors who usually patrolled behind Ada.
"Brother, where is Ada?!"
I shouted, stopping the two tribal warriors.
"Commander Ba Du, Commander Ada is recuperating in his tent."
Having learned Ada's whereabouts, I bid farewell to the two tribal warriors and headed towards Ada's tent, a subtle unease growing in my heart.
I had expected some turmoil in the Du'an tribe, but it was as if nothing had happened. Where was the Grand Shaman's backup?
I wasn't blinded by the superficial peace of the Du'an tribe. Although the Grand Shaman had planned for so many years and was confident of success, an old schemer like him wouldn't leave without a contingency.
"Ada!"
I called out at the entrance of Ada's tent and only entered after hearing a weak response from inside.
As soon as I stepped into Ada's tent, I was met with the unpleasant smell of herbs, a scent much stronger and more offensive than when I had been recovering from my injuries.
"Ba Du, you're here. Was the ritual successful?"
Ada coughed a few times. The once tall warrior seemed hunched over now. He leaned against the wall, lying down weakly, and looked at me.
"Cough, there was a slight accident, and it's been temporarily postponed. It needs to be held later. That's precisely why I've been able to find time to visit you in the tribe."
I sat on a stool beside Ada's bed and looked at him assessingly.
Although Ada was arguably the only companion in the Du'an tribe with whom I had shared life and death, considering the precedent set by Hu Jia Luo, I couldn't immediately reveal everything to Ada. For one, his current poor physical condition might not be able to handle it.
Secondly, even Hu Tu had been controlled by the Grand Shaman. Until then, he had acted like a model leader. Who knew if Ada had also been ensnared and become a puppet of the Grand Shaman?
"Cough, cough, I don't know when your ritual will be extended to. If I can recover by then, I can personally witness you receiving the blessings of the Shepherd God."
A flicker of envy flashed in Ada's eyes. He laughed heartily, and his expression didn't seem fake.
I looked at Ada with complex emotions, pursed my lips, and remained silent for a moment, weighing things in my mind.
In fact, on my way back, I had already been contemplating Ada's future. Currently, the overt leaders of the Du'an tribe, the Grand Shaman and Hu Tu, were both gone, and even the temple had collapsed.
As the new commander of the temple, I couldn't stay in the Du'an tribe long-term, as I had to return to the side of the one I loved.
Since the three highest-ranking individuals were no longer potential leaders, the most suitable candidate for the new Du'an tribe leader, by extension, would naturally be Ada, who was currently recuperating on his bed.
Seeing my silence, Ada's laughter gradually subsided, and he looked at me with confusion.
After much thought, I finally made up my mind to tell Ada everything.
"Ada, what I'm about to tell you might be beyond your imagination. In fact, the ritual wasn't extended; it failed completely."
I calmly recounted the events of the Shepherd God ritual to Ada, omitting only the part where Mr. A carried away the crystal statue.
As I spoke to Ada, I observed his expression. If there was any abnormality, I would have no hesitation in drawing my sword.
This wasn't a matter of not trusting Ada, but rather my deep-seated wariness of the Grand Shaman's methods of turning people into puppets. After all, Hu Tu had acted like a normal person until the critical moment, suddenly becoming the Grand Shaman's tool.
Who knew if Ada had been implanted with any keywords by the Grand Shaman, which would trigger subconscious commands upon hearing them.
Fortunately, Ada showed no signs of abnormality until I finished speaking, only a look of sorrow on his face.
A strange silence fell upon the tent. This was not the time to waste. Seeing Ada's silence, I could only clear my throat and initiate the conversation.
"Ada, I can no longer stay in the Du'an tribe. From now on, the Du'an tribe will rely on you alone."
I sighed and gently patted Ada's shoulder.
"Is the King truly dead..."
Ada seemed to come back to life only after I touched him, his voice trembling, his face filled with disbelief as he looked at me.
"Yes. From today onwards, you are the new King of the Du'an tribe."
I nodded seriously. Just as I was about to offer more comfort to Ada, I suddenly heard a faint sound from outside the tent.
"Who's there!"