"Even many years later, whenever I et guests from afar, I will still think of that forest where I hunted the black bear, think of that ambusher's arrow, think of that distant afternoon!..."
"At that ti, I faced an ambush from a Shikari Faction hunter. He shot the feathered arrow, and the arrow was aid at my head!.. In that life-and-death mont, I instinctively turned my head, and the arrow grazed my ear, leaving a glorious scar. At that mont, I heard the voice of Guardian Divine Might!.. He said, 'Child, this is the blessing I bestow upon you, a sacred mark! The ambush cannot harm you, you are destined to survive and in the tribal election, beco the Ainu People's Great Chief!..."
"Later, I, a warrior who hunted bears, carried the black bear and the head of the Shikari Faction hunter, and walked into the council hall of the Elders. With the unanimous election of the tribal elders, I beca the tribe's Great Chief! In the blink of an eye, it has been over ten years... Over ten years have passed!..."
"Ah! So thrilling, yet so wonderful!... Chief Divine witnesses! You are truly an Ainu Great Chief blessed by Divine Might! Co! Let's drink to the brim again, drink until we are drunk!..."
"Haha! Good! Another drink, drink until we are drunk!..."
The music played through the hall, beautiful maidens brought in wine jars. The two Great Chiefs sat facing each other, drinking intimately, talking about past adventures and stories, sighing over past dangers and glories. Their conversation was so congenial, their faces full of warm smiles, just like real brothers! And this was already the sixth night of celebratory banquets Zuwaro spent at the Cold Swamp Tribe.
In Ainu culture, "six" is an auspicious number, often appearing in stories of tradition. Going out fishing should take six days, six owls should perch on the treetops, a tribe should have six villages... Entertaining the most honorable guest should also last six nights! And after this night, the guest should leave. Therefore, the last and the most important conversation between host and guest should happen at this ti...
"Zu! The situation on the western continent is like this! Various tribes have ford loose alliances, each tribe demarcating hunting grounds and pastures. Conflicts and fighting over grazing lands among neighboring tribes are not uncommon. But even if people kill each other, it does not prevent intermarriage later, nor does it hinder exchanging what is needed. And even if intermarriage has occurred, when faced with threats to the tribe, they still go to battle, even engaging in a massacre..."
"All this is to perpetuate the tribe, to survive! It's just, they are not bound by Divine Might, so they are more brutal, they annihilate the defeated, killing all the n!... Those Sorun Tribe I have visited, usually very hospitable, especially friendly towards trade caravans, even allowing won at ho to entertain guests... But when the White Disaster cos, they turn into extrely ferocious beasts, plundering livestock from each other, fighting cruelly, even resorting to cannibalism against enemy tribes..."
At this point, Great Chief Bei Yu Nizhao paused, observing Zuwaro's reaction. Zuwaro looked tranquil, seemingly unmoved and showing no sign of fear. The Great Chief pondered, then continued to test further.
"Zu! You have much gold, this astounding wealth is bestowed by Divine Might. But Divine Might will not always bless you! What you gave to the tribe, ten pieces of Gold Talisman, exceed greatly in value what we offered in food and hospitality! Although I don't know how much gold you still possess, in the end, it needs to be used sparingly, like water trickling steadily. Do not give gold away carelessly, and never expose a large amount of gold to powerful tribes! Even if you have a thousand warriors, when faced with truly formidable Southern Great Tribes, it is insignificant!..."
"Ah! I genuinely thank you, my Brother, Nizhao!..."
Zuwaro earnestly nodded, respectfully bowed in gratitude for the Great Chief's reminder, yet let no word slip.
"Guardian's Divine Might! These Thousand Islands Tribe sitting in longships, how much gold is there in the ships? Is it worth it for all Bei Yu Various Factions to take action together, or even pull in more tribes? And the opposing tribe, exactly where is it located in the Thousand Islands, how many skilled samurai remain in the tribes that might co for revenge?"
At this mont, a series of unknowns and doubts lingered in the Great Chief Bei Yu Nizhao's heart, never finding answers. Of course, the thing he feared most was what he could not comprehend—the "Thunderbolt Ritual Artifact", and the amazing tribal manpower reflected behind those three "long and large ships." After a while, he finally sighed, suppressed the last bit of greed in his heart, earnestly advised.
"Zu! You must trade to bring back the four-legged livestock to your tribes... Horses and pigs are in the nearby Sorun various factions. As for cows and sheep, you must get them transferred through Sorun various factions from the further west Great Tribes! As for traded goods... Sorun various factions show little interest in gold, preferring southern Wa people's liquor, ironware, and clothes. But you have enough gold, Sorun various factions could resell the gold further west, so they acknowledge gold, albeit at much lower value..."
"Oh? You ask about the western Great Tribes? Those truly powerful nomadic Great Tribes are inland in the west, all riding on horseback! Listening to Sorun people, they have countless herds, migrating along the fertile rivers, like migrating salmon groups!..."
"Of course, you can also continue to sail south along the coast of the western continent. But the further south you go, the more dangerous the journey becos. This danger does not co from the sea, but from the Shan Dan Great Tribes on land! The characteristic of those tribes is, the fewer people, the more peaceful and friendly. The more people, the more fierce and aggressive. Just like a pack of wolves in the woods, once large enough, they will certainly devour people!"...
At this point, Great Chief Bei Yu Nizhao felt a bit emotional, for he had witnessed the battles between northern and southern Sorun Tribes. The archers on horseback, wearing hats and fur, chasing each other, shooting arrows—if encountered on land, it would truly be an Evil God's nightmare! At that ti, escape is impossible, pursuit is ineffective, only to be carried away by the persistent arrows until eventual death!...
"Guardian's Divine Might! Zu! Northern Sorun Tribes are better. Their numbers are not many, usually just a few hundred people. Their hunting and fishing grounds can support the tribe, not aggressive. So others are quite hospitable. Facing your fleet of over a hundred people, they will surely coexist peacefully, eager for trade!..."
"And the further south, Sorun people say, the larger the tribes beco, reaching thousands, even one Great Tribe can have two hundred hundred people! Similarly, the further south, the fiercer the battles among tribes! Not only have the land battles never ceased, but even mariti battles occasionally occur!..."
"Those Shan Dan Great Tribes by the sea all habitually raid across the sea, so even sail over the sea, raiding Wa people, even sailed to Maoxili Island... Ships like yours, very striking at first glance, easily attracting those southern Shan Dan Tribes' attention! And the gold on your ships, once exposed, is like a bleeding stag, attracting countless wolves!..."
Speaking this, Great Chief Bei Yu Nizhao shook his head, drank another cup of wine. Then, exhaling the wine's scent, he forcefully patted Zuwaro's shoulder, sincerely advised.
"Zu! For the sake of our shared heritage, listen to this elder brother of yours, don't travel too far south! Doing business with northern small Sorun Tribes is enough. No matter how much gold the tribe has, how much wealth, livestock can be traded from the south... Rember, you need to preserve life to spend it! Guardian's Divine Might has always taught us, not to be too greedy. A too greedy fox will surely fall into the hunter's trap, it is only a matter of ti..."
"You should know, in front of western continent's southern Great Tribes, your over a hundred warriors really don't amount to much! Not to ntion mariti battles, those plundering boats erging from unknown locations... You always need to dock on land for supplies, require tribal trade! And as long as you trade, your gold will be exposed to the attention of other Shan Dan Great Tribes, even the trading Great Tribe might take action..."
"Those horseback-riding Shan Dan people, gather quickly and run fast. Once they encounter 'valuable prey,' they beco fiercely villainous, relentlessly pursue... And given your numbers, as long as you're ambushed or surprise-attacked on the shore, lest you won't make it back!..."
"I say, the western continent is a chaotic and clashing forest. To trade south on the continent, you must have twenty large ships, a thousand mighty warriors, and Shan Dan guides familiar with the terrain, hydrology, and tribes along the way to possibly co and go safely!...
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