53: Chapter 53 Tribal Celebration

According to the System's ranking, a village is merely the starting point.

Tribe, City-state, Royal City, Imperial Capital, Holy City; every leap in rank means a larger territory, stronger structures, more resources, and a wider sphere of influence.

And the ultimate goal, to unify the Savage Continent and establish an immortal dynasty, is a long and arduous journey.

But at this moment, at this moment, he only wants to stand here.

Standing on the newly completed gate tower at the village entrance, the sunlight shines from behind him, with the smiling faces of sixty-three people behind him, and the home watered by sweat and spirit power beneath his feet.

Before him lies the boundless Savage Continent, the Lingxi River shimmering with golden light under the sun, and the Savage Beast Forest casting deep green shadows in the distance.

Although the stars in the firmament are invisible, he knows the danger is still there; no matter how many Savage Beasts, how many Shadow Clan, or how many powerful enemies lie ahead, he will not take a single step back.

Because behind him, are they.

"Guangming Village," he spoke.

The voice was not loud, but the Holy Light Warrior's vocal tone carried a natural penetration, like golden bell chimes echoing over the village, "From today on, we are no longer just a camp!"

Cheers spread like a tidal wave from the village entrance in all directions, "Long live Guangming Village!" "Long live the Chieftain!" "We're going to live in big houses!" "The spirit fields have new seeds, Su Mengyao, look!" "The animal pen! The animal pen! Who is going to catch Savage Beasts!"

Zhao Linger's Spirit Sound Technique amplified the cheers threefold, her crisp voice echoing like silver bells at the village entrance, "Guangming Village is officially established!"

Sixty-two girls simultaneously looked up at Wang Sheng on the gate tower, the sunlight shining from behind him, enveloping his entire figure in a golden outline.

Their Chieftain, their man, their only reliance in this Savage Continent, stood at the highest point of the home they had built with their own hands, just like a sun rising from the horizon of the Savage Continent.

Shen Xun'er looked up at him, moonlight flowing in her moist almond-shaped eyes, appearing like two stars gently lit up.

Her lips moved slightly without making a sound, but Wang Sheng understood the lip-reading, "I am proud."

Frost Mage Lin Shiyun turned her head away, her silver-white long hair drifting like snow in the sunlight, the crimson spreading from her ear roots mostly covered by her long hair, but it could not hide the light, shallow smile at the corner of her mouth, like a warm current surging beneath the ice.

Her lips also moved, which Wang Sheng did not see, but if he had, he would have discovered the lip-reading was, "Idiot."

But in that "idiot," there was not a single shred of disdain.

The celebration lasted from noon until sunset.

Hundred Herb Medical Immortal Hua Jieyu and Zheng Liuli joined forces to prepare the most sumptuous spirit meal since their transmigration: newly harvested spirit wheat from the spirit fields baked into Savage Continent bread, spirit fish from the Lingxi River smoked over spirit fire, Savage Beast meat captured from the Beast Tide marinated with jade heart herb and frost moon orchid and then stewed, spirit fruits ripened by Su Mengyao made into fruit platters, and Savage Continent honey collected by Zhao Linger mixed into sweet drinks.

The spirit meal was laid out in the open space in front of the Chiefs Tent, with over a hundred people sitting in three circles, the spirit fire crackling in the center, the aroma of the food like the warmest invitation in the Savage Continent, drawing everyone's hearts together.

Wang Sheng sat in the innermost circle, Shen Xun'er on his left, and Frost Mage Lin Shiyun on his right.

The Moonlight Priestess's left hand gently held his left hand, and the Frost Mage's right hand held a cup of spirit fruit wine, but her shoulder leaned unconsciously in his direction, like two planets attracted by the same sun, orbiting in their respective paths while always maintaining a perfect distance.

Su Mengyao sat opposite him, her emerald green long hair like a jade-green banner in the light of the spirit fire, her jade-colored eyes reflecting the warm yellow of the spirit fire and the emerald green of the spirit fields, she smiled as she distributed spirit fruits to everyone, her movements as gentle as if she were handing out gifts, every spirit fruit having been ripened by her Power of Nature, with sweetness and spirit energy content three times that of ordinary spirit fruits.

Zhao Linger sat next to Murong Xue, the two of them chatting about something, the Spirit Sound Master laughing until she swayed back and forth, and the Holy Light Knight rarely showing a smile, her silver armor like a mirror in the spirit fire, her brown ponytail swaying gently with the laughter.

Liu Ruyan sat at the edge of the crowd, holding a cup of spirit fruit wine, her smoky, misty eyes like two pieces of amber soaked in warm light in the spirit fire, her gaze occasionally sweeping toward Wang Sheng, then quickly withdrawing, just like the instinct of a Phantom Assassin, always observing, always guarding, always in the most unnoticeable corner.

Hundred Herb Medical Immortal Hua Jieyu was adding dishes for everyone, gentle as water, weaving through the crowd, her almond eyes curved like two warm crescent moons, her slender, fair fingers holding a bowl of spirit medicinal soup, smiling with shallow dimples.

She stopped for a moment when she reached Wang Sheng, "Chieftain, would you like another bowl?" "Sure."

She bent over to hand him the spirit medicinal soup, and in the moment of bending, her neckline opened unconsciously, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin on her chest, exposed nakedly before Wang Sheng's eyes.

Her gentle face in the light of the spirit fire was like a fine-brush painting soaked in warm tones, her curves as soft and beautiful as a landscape painting, her slender, fair fingers like carvings of white jade.

The steam from the spirit medicinal soup rose at her fingertips, like a white orchid blooming in the mist.

"Thank you for your hard work." Wang Sheng took the spirit medicinal soup.

"It's not hard work," Hundred Herb Medical Immortal Hua Jieyu smiled, her shallow dimples floating at the corners of her mouth, "You are fighting on the front lines, and I am stewing soup in the back; I am actually the one with the easiest job."

She turned and left, her footsteps as soft as if she were stepping on clouds, the Hundred Herb Medical Immortal's gentleness like a spring breeze, not passionate, not dazzling, but the quietest, most enduring, and most reassuring warmth.

Spirit fire crackled in the night, moonlight spilled from the firmament, like a silver waterfall pouring onto the newly completed Guangming Village, the earth and stone surface of the defensive wall like a sleeping stone dragon in the moonlight, the emerald green of the spirit fields like a silver ocean in the moonlight, and the silver-blue light of the Ancestral Spirit Altar beating slowly like a heart in the moonlight.

Shen Xun'er stood up, the silver-blue light of Moonlight Blessing flowing out from her fingertips, like a gentle river, winding toward every corner of the village.

The upgraded Ancestral Spirit Altar significantly enhanced the range and effect of Moonlight Blessing, the silver-blue light flowing slowly over the village like a huge river, covering every building, every spirit field, and every section of the defensive wall.

Wherever the moonlight passed, fatigue faded, wounds healed, and spirit power recovered, and everyone simultaneously felt a warmth and peace as if bathing in moonlight.

Frost Mage Lin Shiyun closed her eyes slightly in the moonlight, her ice-blue pupils hidden behind silver-white long eyelashes, her mouth curved in that light, shallow smile.

The Frost Mage's spirit power recovered 30% faster than usual under the blessing of Moonlight Blessing, which was the effect of the superposition of Moonlight Affinity and Frost Affinity, like the resonance of two different frequencies achieving harmony at a higher frequency.

Zhao Linger leaned on Murong Xue's shoulder, the Spirit Sound Master's breathing becoming even and long, she had fallen asleep, a smile still hanging on her baby face, the light of the spirit fire casting warm shadows on her cheeks.

Su Mengyao sat by the spirit fields, her emerald green long hair like a jade-green banner in the moonlight, her hands buried in the soil of the spirit fields, the Power of Nature blending with Moonlight Blessing, the spirit wheat in the spirit fields swaying gently in the moonlight, as if dancing a silent dance.

Liu Ruyan stood on the defensive wall, the Phantom Assassin's figure like a flowing shadow in the moonlight, those smoky, misty eyes sweeping across the darkness outside the village, a low beast roar coming from the depths of the Savage Beast Forest, like a whisper of the night.

She turned to look at Wang Sheng on the gate tower at the village entrance, the moonlight drawing a silver-blue edge on his silhouette, appearing like a King of the Savage Continent crowned by moonlight.

Then she withdrew her gaze and continued to keep watch.

The night deepened.

Wang Sheng stood on the gate tower at the village entrance, watching the silver-blue light of Moonlight Blessing flowing slowly over Guangming Village, like a gentle river, gently embracing the entire village into the bosom of the night.

The Lingxi River shimmered with silver-like light in the moonlight, the sound of the river water like a lullaby.

The earth and stone surface of the defensive wall was like a silent guardian in the moonlight, the emerald green of the spirit fields like a silver ocean in the moonlight, and the silver-blue light of the Ancestral Spirit Altar beating slowly like a heart in the moonlight.

Behind him were sixty-three people, some laughing and talking by the spirit fire, some cultivating by the spirit fields, some keeping watch on the defensive wall, and some sleeping peacefully in the Chiefs Tent.

More than twenty days ago, he was just a liberal arts student sitting in the back row of a bus, surrounded by sixty-two chirping girls, and he was the only boy, like a bee that had wandered into a flower garden.

More than twenty days later, he stood at the highest point of a village, with the breathing and heartbeats of sixty-three people behind him, the home watered by sweat and spirit power beneath his feet, and the boundless Savage Continent before his eyes.

This is just the beginning.

The nine regions of the Savage Continent are still waiting for him to conquer, the conspiracies of the Shadow Clan are still waiting for him to crush, and the countdown to the collapse of the seal is still waiting for him to reverse.

But at this moment, at this moment, he only wants to stand here.

Listening to the sound of the Lingxi River, smelling the fragrance of the spirit fields, feeling the warmth of Moonlight Blessing, and listening to the steady breathing of those sixty-three people behind him, then, he smiled.

That smile was like the warm sun of winter, surging from his chest, blooming silently in the night, not a release from the past, not satisfaction with the present, but a certainty about the future.

Guangming Village.

These three words are no longer just a line of text, no longer just a stone slab; it is a promise, a vow, a vow he made to the Savage Continent, to the sixty-three people behind him, and to the Savage Continent Chieftain deep in his heart who had transformed from an ordinary college student, "I will protect this place."

Protect everyone.

Until every inch of land on the Savage Continent is bathed in light.

Until the seal is completely repaired and the Demon God sleeps forever.

Until this Savage Continent becomes the foundation for all generations.

Moonlight was like water, and the Lingxi River shimmered with silver-like light in the night.

Guangming Village slept quietly in the night, the defensive wall like a sleeping stone dragon, the spirit fields like a silver ocean, and the silver-blue light of the Ancestral Spirit Altar beating slowly like a heart.

And on the gate tower at the village entrance, a young man stood in the moonlight, his golden pupils reflecting the stars and moonlight, appearing like the first star lit up on the Savage Continent.

This is a new beginning.

From a camp to a village, the story of Guangming Village has only just turned the second page.