"Impossible! Misty Valley is a place of no return. How could you possibly leave alive?"
"They were transformed by demons."
"Indeed, no one can leave Misty Valley alive."
A wave of screams erupted from the scene.
Those people were all Shi Wu's subordinates.
They had all watched Kui En and the others enter Misty Valley with their own eyes and simply couldn't accept their survival.
Furthermore, their individual strength had all increased significantly.
The tribesmen in the village buzzed with discussion.
However, a faint smile appeared on Nong Nian and Liu Zhou's faces.
With Kui En's return, they still had a chance to contend with Shi Wu.
Otherwise, this person would undoubtedly become the new tribal leader.
If that were to happen, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Are you Xia Yuan?" Chief Gu Jian's clouded eyes revealed joy. He never expected to see his old brother again in his lifetime.
After all, he had been missing for over twenty years!
Xia Yuan walked forward, seeing his former brother in a state of utter exhaustion. He couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect you to have aged this much."
"Everyone has to die eventually!" Gu Jian managed a weak smile. "But if I can see you before I die, I have no regrets!"
"Chief, I have a蟠桃 (pántáo - immortal peach) here. Quickly consume it!" Kui En immediately produced a蟠桃 he had been reluctant to eat.
He owed his current cultivation to Gu Jian's silent assistance.
Therefore, he had specifically saved a蟠桃 for Gu Jian, intending to help him extend his lifespan.
"This is too precious. For me to consume it would be a grave waste..."
Before he could finish, Kui En interrupted him, "As long as it can extend your life for even one day, it will be worth it!"
"You are a good child!" Gu Jian said, filled with relief. He then put away the蟠桃 and asked, "Four people registered for this assessment. What were your results?"
Kui En took out a storage bag and released the corpses of the异魔 (yì mó - alien demons) within. They piled up like a small mountain, filling everyone with shock.
An elder from the tribe counted the异魔 corpses and announced, "Kui En hunted one hundred and ninety-eight异魔."
"A number far exceeding Shi Wu's."
"He is the first place in this assessment."
"According to the assessment rules, the victory belongs to Kui En."
"They cheated!" Chu Xiong roared. "All these异魔 were hunted by us. They acquired them through despicable means."
Having the异魔 they hunted become someone else's achievement was something the others found hard to accept.
"That's right, this result cannot stand."
"This is unfair to us."
Shi Wu's subordinates also clamored.
Gu Jian slightly raised his right hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down, and said, "There is no such thing as fairness in this world, though that may sound cruel."
"But it is an undeniable fact."
"Even the Heavenly Dao..."
"Has never been fair."
"If you truly desire fairness."
"Then I would like to ask, you hundreds of people against their five, was that fair to them?"
Silence fell upon the scene.
Shi Wu and his subordinates were filled with indignation.
They could feel Gu Jian favoring Kui En and his group.
However, Gu Jian was still the tribal chief and controlled the tribal formations.
Even though he was at the end of his strength, no one dared to defy him.
"Moreover, this assessment is about obtaining the corpses of the异魔. As for how Kui En and the others obtained these one hundred and ninety-eight异魔 corpses..."
"Does that matter?"
Gu Jian sighed softly. "Ten thousand years ago, the异魔 invaded, and the Heavenly Court was shattered. From that moment on, the human race's situation underwent a drastic change."
"From then on, survival became the most important principle in our lives."
"Therefore."
"I do not consider it cheating for them to have obtained your prey through so-called improper means."
"How can choices made for survival be considered cheating?"
As he spoke, he took a bite of the蟠桃 Kui En had given him. The sweetness that entered his mouth, along with the rich divine power, felt like a refreshing rain, nourishing his withered body and infusing it with vitality.
He knew he was being unfair and favoring Kui En.
But, what of it?
Although he was old, he was clear-minded.
Kui En was more suitable to be the new leader than Shi Wu.
Because he genuinely cared for the tribe.
Whereas Shi Wu harbored too much ambition and selfish desires.
The sinister grin on Shi Wu's face gradually receded, replaced by a brilliant smile. "Chief, in fact, the异魔 we killed were not just these one hundred and fifty."
As he spoke, he waved his hand.
One hundred异魔 corpses appeared on the altar.
Seeing this, everyone was greatly astonished.
They hadn't expected Shi Wu to have a backup plan.
Although Kui En had one hundred and ninety-eight异魔, Shi Wu's score had reached two hundred and fifty!
"I didn't intend to be so ostentatious."
"Even though we hunted two hundred and fifty异魔."
"For me, winning was enough."
"After all, one should be more low-key."
"But now, if I don't present all the异魔 corpses, I fear it will be difficult to convince everyone!" Shi Wu said with a hearty laugh, his gaze towards Kui En filled with provocation.
It was as if he were saying, "Even if you stole our achievements, what of it? The ultimate victory still belongs to me!"
He then looked at Gu Jian and asked with a smile, "Chief, can my one hundred异魔 be counted towards the final score?"
Shi Wu's face was smiling, but his heart was filled with cold amusement.
*Old man, you want to deny me?*
*No way!*
Gu Jian's face was sallow.
He hadn't expected Shi Wu to have this move.
Although he disliked Shi Wu, the rules were set by him.
He couldn't possibly negate the previous rules in front of all the tribesmen.
Such a thing was beyond him.
It was evident that Shi Wu was ambitious and had been wary of him all along.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept a hidden hand.
At this moment, Nong Nian stepped forward. "Chief, I am willing to gift the异魔 I hunted to Kui En, to be counted towards his final score!"
Boom!
As these words were spoken, everyone present, save for Chen Nan and Kui En, felt their scalps tingle and a chill run down their spines.
No one had expected Nong Nian to give his hunted异魔 to Kui En.
They rarely interacted with each other.
Why would he do such a thing?
Everyone was bewildered.
Shi Wu became furious. "You hunted a total of thirty-eight异魔. Even if you give your score to Kui En, the two combined will only be two hundred and thirty-six异魔, still not enough to surpass me!"
He hadn't expected Nong Nian to help Kui En. Although this wouldn't change the final outcome, it angered and disgusted him.
After all, Nong Nian was the top-ranked among the younger generation and held considerable influence in the tribe!
At this moment, Liu Zhou's indifferent voice rang out. "If my score is added, can I defeat you?"