337: Chapter 337 Paid the Price

He discovered that there weren't many people left in the Royal Court; it seemed they had all migrated before their arrival.

However, everything remained largely untouched, which didn't look like a flight from danger.

At that moment, from the direction of the Ural Mountains, two groups carrying large black banners with red totems slowly approached.

The people in these groups all wore colorful masks.

Lin Xiao took one look and saw they were all followers of Shamanism.

When the two groups of followers reached Lin Xiao and his party, a young beauty with skin as white as snow, wearing a long black dress with colorful tassels, stepped forward from the middle.

She had long hair that reached her waist and wore a skull headpiece of Shamanism.

Her facial features and contours were similar to Princess Meng Xi's, possessing the unique depth of a woman from the grasslands.

Her thick eyebrows were slender, her eyes were like stars, her lips were full, and her figure was well-proportioned and tall, with charming curves.

The beauty bowed to Lin Xiao from a distance, appearing to have no hostility.

"General Lin, welcome to the sacred Ural Mountains."

"Tuya?"

Princess Meng Xi recognized the person and called out her name.

The woman named Tuya nodded coldly. "Princess Meng Xi, it's been a long time."

"You two know each other?"

Lin Xiao asked casually, while simultaneously taking in all of her information.

[Tuya, 21 years old, Holy Maiden of Northern Desert Shamanism. Aptitude: Heaven Grade, Blood Qi Body]

[Cultivation Technique 1: Thunder Dragon Sword Art (43 years of cultivation), secret sword technique of Shamanism. Grade: Earth Grade]

[Cultivation Technique 2: Heaven-Returning Art (7 years of cultivation), a secret art that only successive Grand Shamans can cultivate. Grade: Heaven Grade]

[Traits: Northern Barbarian Holy Maiden (Special), Martial Arts Prodigy (Special), Gifted Talent (Special)]

Good grief, three special traits. Given her age, this woman is quite the character!

"Tuya, have you officially become the Holy Maiden?" Princess Meng Xi asked.

Tuya nodded. "That's right."

Princess Meng Xi's gaze was complicated, containing envy, reluctance, and also regret.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

After the two women finished their pleasantries, there was a sense of melancholy between them.

Princess Meng Xi turned back to explain to Lin Xiao, "General Lin, Tuya is the foster daughter of Marshal Suhe. We've known each other since childhood and get along quite well. Although we are in different camps, we have kept in touch through letters."

"She was always a Holy Maiden candidate before, but looking at her attire now, she must have officially become the Holy Maiden of the Shamanism headquarters."

Lin Xiao realized why this Tuya's "Heaven-Returning Art" had so little cultivation.

It was likely because she had just officially become the successor to the Shaman, so she had only recently learned the Heaven Grade technique.

However, since she possessed a Heaven Grade special constitution, her cultivation should progress very quickly.

According to the system's explanation, this "Blood Qi Body" was a constitution with extremely tenacious vitality.

As long as it wasn't a fatal wound, she could generally recover herself through the essence qi between heaven and earth.

It basically came with a built-in "Heal" spell!

"I'm here to find Khan Jilun. What do you mean by sending out a Holy Maiden?"

Lin Xiao joked, "Could it be that Jilun is hiding behind a woman like a coward?"

The members of the Zhenbei Army all burst into laughter.

"General Lin, your bravery has already spread throughout the Northern Desert grasslands."

"The Khan does not wish to cause more unnecessary bloodshed, so he wants to meet you alone to decide the future of the Northern Desert."

Tuya gestured behind her and said, "The Khan is already at the Wudugan Temple, awaiting your arrival."

"A private meeting?"

Lin Xiao said strangely, "What, does he want to duel me?"

"With just him?"

Mu Wanying said disdainfully, "Husband, why don't you let me go? How is he worthy of your action?"

Lin Xiao waved his hand. "No rush. I'd like to ask, why does Jilun think I would agree to such a ridiculous request?"

Tuya had obviously guessed that Lin Xiao would not agree easily.

She ordered someone to bring forward two red trays.

After uncovering them, one was a scroll with gold-thread patterns, and the other was a pure gold seal.

As soon as Princess Meng Xi saw that seal, she couldn't help but exclaim.

"The Golden Tent Royal Seal!?"

Tuya nodded. "Correct. Here is a state letter and Khan Jilun's royal seal."

"In the state letter, the Khan has already promised that for the next ten years, as long as the General is in the Northern Border, there will be no incursions into the Dagan border."

"Furthermore, the Northern Barbarian Army will withdraw five hundred li and tribute ten thousand cattle and fifty thousand sheep to the Northern Border every year."

"In addition, there are reparations in gold and silver, all of which are detailed in the state letter."

"If General Lin is willing to agree, he can apply the royal seal now and take the state letter."

"With this state letter, it is impossible for the Golden Tent Khanate to go back on its word, otherwise it would lose face before the world."

"We only hope that Khan Jilun's concession can buy ten years of peace for the people of both nations."

The generals and soldiers of the Zhenbei Army couldn't help but gasp upon hearing this!

These terms could be described as extremely generous!

Even if they actually finished a fierce battle and severely damaged the Northern Barbarians, this might be all they could get.

Of course, they said it was a ten-year tribute, but who knew what would happen within ten years?

Moreover, Lin Xiao's goal was to establish the Dingbei Protectorate and directly control the entire Northern Desert grasslands.

In that case, the Golden Tent Royal Court would have to be destroyed!

But at the end of the day, war meant people would die. The Zhenbei Army were also human; if everyone could live, they naturally didn't want to die.

Besides, whether establishing a protectorate would go smoothly or how long it could be maintained was also a question.

On one side was a distant dream, and on the other was meat within reach...

The soldiers each had their own thoughts, but no one dared to make a decision for Lin Xiao.

"Quite the Golden Tent Khan. To get me to meet him alone, he's really gone all out."

"But these scraps aren't enough to satisfy this General!"

Lin Xiao naturally couldn't agree to this so-called ten-year pact.

The Northern Desert was too big and too far. If he didn't get rid of Jilun this time, it might not be easy to even find him next time!

The Wudugan Temple was most likely a trap, but...

Lin Xiao glanced at the ridiculous "Indestructible Diamond Body" in his skill bar—a full sense of security!

"Holy Maiden Tuya, let me confirm one last thing. That fellow Jilun is hiding in the temple and refuses to come out even if he's beaten to death, right?"

"Yes. Even if General Lin kills us all, the Khan will not come out."

Tuya said, "Khan Jilun has made a deal with the High Priest. The High Priest will protect him until the very last moment."

"What deal?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.

"He... paid the price." Tuya's eyes were somewhat sorrowful.

"What price?" Lin Xiao frowned. Why was this woman talking so cryptically?

"General Lin, as far as I know, the Grand Shaman will not actively protect any grassland lord unless they sacrifice their wife and all their children."

Princess Meng Xi reminded him in a low voice.

"What did you say!?"

Lin Xiao suspected he had misheard.

Princess Meng Xi smiled bitterly. "Only those who sacrifice everything they cherish most to the gods are worthy of enjoying the protection of the gods' messengers."

"Bullshit! He's just a coward!!"

Lin Xiao didn't bother with that broken gold seal and state letter, and directly roared:

"Brothers! Come with me to see what kind of wimp this so-called grassland hegemon is!"