Chapter 186

Chapter 186

The corpses were burned, and as the Sizhou Tribe watched their dead burn, tears streamed down their faces.

Chu Mi couldn’t help but feel sorrow as well. In the face of natural disasters, humanity always appeared so fragile and powerless.

With the bodies burned, the tribe gradually began to bounce back.

Half a month later, Chu Mi received a strand of beads. "Where did this come from?"

Recognizing them as pearls, she quickly took them to examine.

"They were given as tribute by a tribe two days' journey from here," Tian Yun explained. "My sister liked them very much."

Tian Xin immediately added, "Presenting them to the Divine Healer would honor their worth."

Chu Mi looked at them in surprise. "Where did their village get these?"

"They say they harvested them from the water. They’re hard to come by, and our tribe doesn’t have many."

"Can you take me there?" Chu Mi was astonished. Harvested from the water? Could there actually be a sea here?

"The Divine Healer wants in? I can take you." Tian Yun smiled.

...

Chu Mi went to find A Li. "A Li, let me show you the sea. The elder’s always dreamed of seeing it."

"The sea? Is there one here?"

"I’m not sure, but look at these pearls." Chu Mi held out the strand of pearls.

Their glossy shine clearly indicated they were sea pearls—different from freshwater pearls.

"These beads are beautiful." A Li’s eyes lit up.

Chu Mi had A Li pack up, then went to find A Jin, who was training with tribesmen.

"I won’t go."

"Goddess, I’ll go with you." Worried, Lang Di hurried after her.

...

Once the group was set, they set out the next day.

A two-day walk took less than four hours on horseback.

As they neared the coast, the briny scent of the ocean filled the air.

Chu Mi spurred her horse ahead, with A Li close behind.

Tian Yun remarked, "We don’t have these animals where we’re from. Any chance we could get some?"

"The Jiuzhou Tribe has more, but even our tribe doesn’t have many." They were waiting for breeding.

"The Jiuzhou Tribe hit the jackpot." No one had ever seen healing skills like Chu Mi’s.

Lang Di just smiled—no need to say that Chu Mi’s presence in the Jiuzhou Tribe meant nearby tribes all benefited.

...

Chu Mi and A Li rode up a hillside and beheld the vast expanse of the sea. A Li gaped at the endless expanse.

It stretched forever, it seemed to have no end. "How big is this sea?"

"It’s bigger than all the land you know put together." Chu Mi grinned. "Come, I’ll take you to the shore."

A Li kicked his horse after her. Lang Di and the others caught up, just as stunned.

He hardly ever traveled out here and had never seen the ocean before.

With no trade fairs held here, who’d trek two days to the middle of nowhere?

Who knew this backwater hid a river this huge?

Chu Mi and A Li walked toward the water. Digging her toes into the sand, Chu Mi glanced ahead, her heart raced—seafood feast, here I come!

...

Chu Mi hunted along the beach while A Li trailed behind, watching her haul in one weird catch after another.

Spotting a massive lobster, Chu Mi’s mouth watered—this beast was over two pounds!

She quickly whipped out her cooking pot. Tian Yun turned to Lang Di. "She..."

He’d been wondering but waited for a good time to ask.

"The Goddess is a divine messenger, straight from the gods."

Tian Yun gawked at Chu Mi in shock. He’d figured "Goddess" was just honorary—not the real deal.

...

After cleaning and cooking the lobster, Chu Mi pulled out dipping sauce and split half with A Li.

Dunking it in the sauce, their faces lit up like kids at a festival. Once finished, Chu Mi dashed off to scavenge more.

A Li also dove into the search. Though Lang Di and Tian Yun hadn’t eaten, they decided to pitch in.

"Who are you people?"

A group dressed in pelts, wooden spears in hand, approached.

"I am from the Sizhou Tribe." Tian Yun’s brow furrowed.

The Water Tribe was half a day’s journey from here. Nothing to hunt here—what brought them out?

"Chief Tian Yun?" Someone recognized him and hesitantly lowered their spear.

Tian Yun studied them. "You’re from the Water Tribe? What brings you here?"

"We are." They nodded, their faces twisted with fury and bitterness.

...

Noticing their distress, Tian Yun asked, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Demons attacked us—pale skins, blue eyes. They butchered everyone. We got out by the skin of our teeth."

The people of the Water Tribe snarled, "We pitied them and gave them a lot of help, never expecting them to be so vicious."

Tian Yun frowned, "Blonde hair and blue eyes?"

Bei Er had blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Take me to see them."

"Alright." Seeing they had the support of their leader, the Water Tribe members got their courage back. Lang Di frowned, recalling Nu Shi's words—could these be Nu Shi's people?

Noticing Chu Mi had already gathered a large pile of seafood, she said, "Goddess, we gotta handle something and must leave."

"What happened?" Chu Mi stashed the seafood in her storage space and hurried over.

When they mentioned blonde, blue-eyed folks, she was surprised and nodded, "I'll come too."

"Goddess, wait here. We'll handle it." Tian Yun shook his head. "You can cook here—it won't attract others."

With only the Water Tribe nearby, cooking was safe.

"Fine, I'll keep gathering seafood then." Chu Mi agreed.

……

With nothing else to do, Chu Mi resumed collecting clams and crabs.

"These things have no meat—they're not tasty." A Water Tribe member who stayed behind tried to dissuade her.

"You’re just not cooking them right." Chu Mi replied, "I'll show you how later."

She gathered clams, caught crabs and shrimp, then cooked them—buttery garlic shrimp, spicy stir-fried clams, and fragrant chili crab. The aroma carried for miles.

Squatting down to eat, the group devoured the sweet potatoes, crab, and shrimp, grease dripping from their chins. "Miss, you're amazing! Our people have lived here for generations and never knew how to eat these."

"Not at all." Chu Mi thought to herself—perhaps she could establish trade here, having them haul seafood to the tribe ASAP. That way, they could enjoy seafood freely—provided they realized how good it was.

After the meal, they cleaned up and began gathering more seafood. The Water Tribe members decided to collect extra for the others back home.

……

While beachcombing, Chu Mi spotted a blonde guy with blue eyes in the distance.

Knowing trouble when she saw it, she bolted—wasn’t this place off-limits?

The man reached out and grabbed her shoulder, immobilizing her. Chu Mi stabbed at him with a short knife.

The man hissed in pain, realizing this beautiful woman wasn’t some helpless damsel.

Seeing he still lunged despite the injury, Chu Mi swung the blade again. The man tried to disarm her.

……

"Now, Tiger Baby!" Chu Mi called out, planning a surprise attack.

Out of nowhere, a massive tiger materialized and pounced on the man.

Blindsided, the man just managed to raise his arm as Tiger Baby snapped at his neck, sinking teeth into his arm instead. Blood sprayed as the man pulled a jagged fishbone dagger from his waist and stabbed at Tiger Baby.

"Fall back, Tiger Baby!" The tiger obeyed, returning to Chu Mi’s side.

A Li showed up right then, sizing up the stranger.

The man licked his bloody lips, his eyes locked on the raven-haired woman before turning to A Li. "I’m keeping your woman. Leave her, and I’ll let you go."