Although the taste was astringent, it was still the tribe’s main staple for filling their stomachs. After all, the hunting party didn’t always return with a catch, and any meat obtained had to be reserved for the strong young members of the tribe to maintain their peak vitality.

After leaving the valley, Ethan Brooks let out a long breath. Before his eyes stretched endless mountains and wilds, boundless grass and trees, primitive and desolate. In the distance, layers of blue mist and miasma hung over the mountain wilderness.

Outside the valley, the dense grass was taller than a person, with all kinds of vines intertwined and tangled, making it look like there was no path at all. Fortunately, Reed was leading the way, hacking down with his stone knife, sending green sap splattering.

Yet, strangely, the wild grass that was cut quickly healed at the wound, then grew long again at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“This is the place.”

The ground in the ramie forest was covered with a kind of brown vine, densely packed like a cluster of pythons, hanging down from the tall trees.

Ethan Brooks saw a patch of toppled vegetation, shrubs as thick as a person’s embrace snapped in half, the earth churned up, bloodstains still remaining, and many wild yams scattered on the ground.

“Be careful.”

He hid himself in the thick grass, watching the outside.

“Watch out!”

At that moment, Ethan Brooks suddenly felt a heat in his chest. In a daze, a flash of blue light appeared, and a wave of panic swept over him. He immediately grabbed Wade and Reed and retreated backward.

Run!

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Rumble! Rumble!

In the ramie forest, wild beasts roared, their voices shaking the sky, the ground trembling. Large swathes of vegetation were uprooted and sent flying, more than a dozen figures converging into a torrent, crushing everything in their path.

A herd of tusked armored beasts!

The leading tusked beast was three meters tall and five or six meters long, its four legs like pillars. Each step made the mountains tremble. Its two tusks were two meters long, stained with blood, churning up dirt as it plowed forward.

This is bad!

Ethan Brooks ran for his life. Even as a totem warrior, he could hardly withstand the ferocity of these beasts. He shouted to the two beside him.

“Reed, Wade, you two hurry back to the tribe and guard the valley entrance.”

“Chief, you…”

“Cut the nonsense, get back now. I’m the chieftain, guarding the valley is what matters.”

“Chief, be careful!”

“Damn it, these primitives are really something.”

Watching Reed and Wade run toward the valley entrance along the path, Ethan Brooks slapped his forehead.

“Serves you right for showing off! Serves you right! Now you’ve really done it!”

He wanted to slap himself, but was afraid of the pain, so he let it go.

Crashing through the wild grass ahead, Ethan Brooks heard the sound of wind whistling past his ears. Behind him, more than a dozen tusked armored beasts were bearing down. He was indeed a totem warrior, but his strength was not yet overwhelming.

These big guys behind him—even if he brought out everyone in the tribe, they wouldn’t be able to take them on. Besides the largest leader, there were three other adults.

Each was comparable to four totem warriors at the Stone-Splitting level.

One-on-one, a totem warrior’s physique was still inferior to a tusked armored beast. Even if he managed to kill one, the tribe would still suffer in the end.

His men were few and precious; he couldn’t afford to lose them. They were his capital, after all, and he had to use them sparingly.

“At least I’m the leader of a tribe. Brawling with these things is beneath my dignity.”

He thought about climbing a tree, but after seeing a tree as thick as several people’s arms being pushed down, he gave up on the idea and found himself another excuse. Ethan Brooks ran even faster.

He didn’t dare run toward the tribe. If these beasts discovered the tribespeople, they would definitely block the entrance and refuse to leave. Even if they couldn’t break into the valley, they would trap everyone inside.

“Chief.”

“Chief, run this way.”

In the nearby forest, Reed emerged from a clump of grass and shouted.

Ethan Brooks turned and sprinted, the vegetation behind him collapsing, air surging, the ground shaking, earth rolling.

“Chief…”

“Hurry back to the tribe and gather all the stone tools.”

Reed only felt a gust of wind rush past his ear, and heard Ethan Brooks’s words. He saw Ethan Brooks already running up the hill.

The next moment, he chased after Ethan Brooks.

“Chief, run!”

Ethan Brooks turned to see Reed following, then suddenly overtaking him.

“Damn it, are you trying to get me killed so you can inherit my position as chieftain?”

Chapter 7: Wizard Sullivan’s Dragon-Skinning Formation Doesn’t Work

Ethan Brooks watched as the burly Reed blocked his way as he desperately tried to escape. The little bit of gratitude he’d felt for Reed coming back to help vanished instantly.

I’m behind you.

I’m your chieftain.

For a moment, he wanted to curse out loud.

Reed was the leader of the tribe’s hunting party. Even if he grew two more legs, he still couldn’t outrun Reed in this wilderness.

“Hurry back to the tribe, gather all the stone knives and stone spears, and bury them outside the valley.”

“Remember, according to the size of the stone tools, bury the smallest ones at the farthest point from the valley entrance, leaving just a bit exposed. Every two steps, bury another row. The further back, the longer and sharper the stone tools should be.”

……