In this way, wave after wave, as a source of blood energy for the tribe’s children to temper their bodies, the living wood tribe members are far more valuable than the dead ones!

……

After reuniting with the clansmen guarding the scale-horned horses, Brooks Warriors sprinted madly toward the The Brooks Mountains, making it back into the mountains by nightfall.

Chapter 11: Tribal Support, Condensing Flesh and Blood!

Under the night sky, the The Brooks Mountains became somewhat lively. One woman after another stood in the flickering firelight, craning their necks in anticipation. When they saw the Clan Warriors return, their bodies surging with blood energy, each woman looked around anxiously.

When a woman spotted her own man among the bloodstained Clan Warriors, her worried expression relaxed. On this wild and desolate land, where battles are fought in blood, life and death are separated by only a moment. Even the strongest at the Divine Repository Realm can easily perish while roaming the wilderness, so every time the men go out, it is an ordeal for the women of the tribe.

Where there is joy, there is also sorrow. Blood-soaked men were held in the arms of women, who cried out in anguish, but there was no more life in them. Even the surrounding Clan Warriors had reddened eyes—brothers-in-arms who fought side by side, now separated by life and death in a single day.

The women wailed, blood staining their black hair, yet they still clung tightly to the men in their arms.

Where in the great wilderness is there a place of peace? For any warrior, every return from an expedition feels like surviving a disaster.

Henry Brooks also did not leave. He followed his elder brother, passing by each fallen Clan Warriors. Although they had caught the wood tribe off guard this time, the The Brooks Family had also lost twenty-three Clan Warriors, with over a hundred wounded.

“Uncle!”

Henry Brooks murmured softly. This was a middle-aged man with a gaping wound in his chest. He grasped the man’s bloodstained hand and called gently, but could no longer wake him.

In front of the middle-aged man knelt a boy of about ten, sobbing in grief.

Soon, the twenty-three fallen Clan Warriors were gathered into wooden coffins, to be buried deep within the The Brooks Mountains the next day.

After settling everything, Henry Brooks and his elder brother finally headed toward the clan hall.

“A thousand-year tree heart, what a treasure!”

Inside the clan hall, Jack Brooks held a green thousand-year tree heart in his hand, his eyes shining with excitement.

“Great Elder, your decades-old injuries can finally be healed. With the plant essence in this tree heart, you can nourish your body anew and take another step forward. Our The Brooks Family will advance once more!”

As he spoke, Jack Brooks handed the tree heart to the Grand Elder, whose cloudy eyes also sparkled with excitement.

He was now over a hundred years old, and his body’s blood energy was already on the decline. If nothing changed, in another ten years or so, even his peak Divine Repository Realm cultivation would completely fade.

In fact, this was the reason why the The Brooks Family, after discovering the wood tribe, went all out to exterminate them—the Grand Elder was in desperate need of a healing treasure.

In the great wilderness, such treasures are hard to find. When ordinary Clan Warriors are injured, the tribe merely grinds beast bones into powder to make healing salves, which are applied directly to wounds. Such chronic injuries are beyond help. But now, there was hope!

“Logan Brooks, you’ll handle tribal affairs for the next few days. I’ll assist the Grand Elder in seclusion to refine the plant essence. Our The Brooks Family is about to produce another Spirit-Seizing powerhouse. Then, the surrounding Langyun and Fire Dragon tribes will have to keep their distance!”

Henry Brooks and his brother were not surprised by Jack Brooks’s words. They knew their father too well—he only felt at ease when things were firmly in his own hands.

As the saying goes, father and son are of one mind. Henry Brooks’s stubbornness in never letting go of an opportunity was inherited from his father. To put it bluntly, if there’s a chance, he’ll seize it, and only when it’s in his grasp does he feel secure.

A wolf’s greatest strength, besides its ferocity, is its persistence. If it fails once, it tries again, until the meat is in its mouth. This time, the The Brooks Clan had won a complete victory in a single strike.

“This seclusion will take some time. Be careful when you go out, boy. I don’t want to see the old burying the young.”

As he said this, Jack Brooks’s gaze fell on Henry Brooks. Though his words were harsh, Henry Brooks was long used to his father’s roughness. Most importantly, next time he wouldn’t have to sneak out!

“This time, the old man owes his opportunity to Huan’er. Remember, The Brooks Family is your home. In the future, your enemies on the road will be the enemies of all of Qingyang. If the thirty thousand people of Qingyang each take a bite, they’ll tear the flesh from their enemies.”

Patting Henry Brooks again, the Grand Elder stood up and walked out of the clan hall.

“And one more thing, brat. The other day, you brought out that cultivation technique. Your father and I won’t ask where it came from. I’m going into seclusion now. If I’m lucky enough to advance to the Spirit-Seizing Realm, I’ll be your protector. In this ancient land of Lushan, if anyone dares to make a move against you, even if I die, I’ll drag them down with me!”

“Grand Elder!”

Looking at the Grand Elder’s slightly hunched back, Henry Brooks felt a lump in his throat, but saw the old man burst out laughing.

“Brat, just remember: the ten miles of Qingyang Mountain are your home. Your enemies are the enemies of all Qingyang, and the safety of all Qingyang is your responsibility!”

Jack Brooks followed the Grand Elder out of the clan hall, disappearing into the night, leaving only the two brothers in the great hall.