Ji Xia quietly observed Yan Yi and Yan You, who remained kneeling on the ground, refusing to rise.
"Please, my lord, have mercy! If you and Brother Shi Yang take action, those vicious Pig-Tooth Clan bandits will surely flee in panic!"
"Please, my lord, spare us! We, the Jian Valley human clan, are skilled in forging and constructing ordinary spirit mechanisms. If you save us, we will devote ourselves to crafting spirit mechanisms for you for generations to come, without rest!"
"Spirit mechanisms?"
A hint of delight flashed across Ji Xia's brows.
He had read about spirit mechanisms in many ancient texts—practical creations capable of significantly enhancing people's livelihoods.
For instance, a colossal bronze ox for land cultivation: with a channeling of spiritual energy, it could tirelessly plow even the toughest terrains.
Or a vehicle akin to a truck from his previous life, capable of transporting massive loads of goods.
Many such ingenious spirit mechanisms could have immense utility.
Thinking about their potential, Ji Xia's heart burned with anticipation. Just as he was about to inquire further, Shi Yang spoke up.
Shi Yang's face showed a trace of compassion. "If I'm not mistaken, your tools and spirit furnaces for crafting mechanisms have likely been destroyed by those bandits. The products of generations are probably lost, and you may not be able to forge spirit mechanisms again for decades."
Beside him, Yan You trembled slightly, her expression despondent.
A century of heritage, lost in an instant!
Yan Yi buried his head even deeper. Now that his bargaining chips had dwindled, he had no idea if this silver-robed noble youth would agree to save them.
Ji Xia seemed unfazed by the loss of their tools and furnaces. He asked, "If I provide sufficient materials, how long would it take for you to craft a new spirit furnace and resume forging mechanisms?"
Hearing the faint possibility in Ji Xia's words, Yan Yi quickly replied, "If the materials are adequate, two months should suffice..."
"Brother..." Yan You's voice, weak and full of despair, interrupted. "Sunset is near, and the food in the mountain has almost been squandered by the Pig-Tooth Clan. The fields are ruined; we won't be able to grow crops for years..."
Yan Yi lifted his head, his eyes dull, and muttered, "Starving to death is still better than becoming food for the alien race."
Hearing their plight, Su Yao, standing nearby, felt a pang of empathy. Her gaze turned toward the now even more handsome young lord, silently hoping he would save them.
Ji Xia remained calm, seemingly indifferent to Yan You's despair. He said lightly, "None of that matters. You just need to move to a place where you can survive."
Yan Yi froze. "Where?"
"To Tai Cang."
Ji Xia smiled. "Just a few hundred miles from here lies Tai Cang, a human nation. Its lands are fertile, and its armies are strong. You will find peace and prosperity there."
Shi Yang looked puzzled. "Young master, have you been to Tai Cang?"
"Of course."
Ji Xia's eyes gleamed with pride. He was about to reveal his identity when Yan You shook her head and said, "My lord, we know of Tai Cang!"
"But Tai Cang has long been plagued by the invasions of neighboring alien nations. With little arable land, food is scarce, and its people live in hardship. If we move there with our ten thousand clansfolk, their resources will only be further strained. I fear they won't accept us..."
Ji Xia thought for a moment, then retrieved paper and pen from his spatial pouch. He wrote a few lines, sealed them in an envelope, and handed it to Shi Yang.
"Go ahead swiftly, head northeast. After crossing a smaller city, you'll reach a larger one named Taicheng. Enter the city and deliver this letter to Lord Tai Cheng. I'll proceed at a more leisurely pace with the others."
Shi Yang bowed deeply, accepting the letter without question, and immediately set off.
Ji Xia turned to the others. "Let's move toward Tai Cang. Someone will meet us."
Yan You grew anxious. "My lord..."
"Don't worry," Ji Xia said patiently. "Since the bandits aim to use Jian Valley as their base and your clansfolk as their rations, they should be safe for a day or two. Besides, moving ten thousand people will take more than just Shi Yang and me."
Yan You hesitated before asking, "My lord, do you have ties to Tai Cang?"
Ji Xia chuckled. "I am Tai Cang's..."
Suddenly, a massive saber-toothed tiger, over ten meters long, emerged from the woods. Its fangs gleamed coldly, and its body radiated spiritual energy.
It was a beast with a forming demon core, on the verge of advancing to spirit wheel and divine powers!
Yan You and Yan Yi were startled, immediately rushing to shield Shang Qianqian, Shang Luo, and Su Yao.
Ji Lin also surged with spiritual energy, guarding Su Yao.
Ji Xia, annoyed at being interrupted yet again, erupted in anger. With a single palm strike, an overwhelming torrent of spiritual energy burst forth!
The massive saber-toothed tiger crumbled like it had been struck by a boulder, its bones shattering into dust as it fell lifeless to the ground.
"Daring to interrupt me—utterly unforgivable."
Though Ji Xia was still simmering with frustration, his expression held a trace of approval.
These two Jian Valley humans were kindhearted, prioritizing others' safety in the face of danger.
Meanwhile, Shi Yang, harnessing his spiritual energy, sped across the land. Passing through Zhou Qing, traversing Cangqing Mountain, and passing by Cangcheng, he finally neared Taicheng.
He gazed at the distant city. Its walls were low, and its structures worn, showing no signs of grandeur.
As Shi Yang approached, he noticed a troop of about five hundred soldiers returning from the wilderness under the lead of a general.
"These soldiers..." Shi Yang was astonished to see that each of the five hundred was a cultivator of the Seventh Heaven!
And the leading general was at the Eighth Heaven!
"Five hundred Seventh Heaven soldiers! I didn't expect such a small nation to possess such power!"
Deeply intrigued, Shi Yang entered the city. Though its buildings were humble, the streets were remarkably clean, and the townsfolk appeared vibrant and cheerful, with smiles on their faces.
"Didn't Yan You say Tai Cang was food-scarce? Why do these people seem so well-fed?"
Even more curious, Shi Yang paused by a river where he saw a thousand-strong troop assembling under the command of four generals.
"About fifteen hundred troops, all at the Seventh Heaven... Combined with the earlier five hundred, that makes two thousand Seventh Heaven soldiers!"
"And the four generals leading them are Ninth Heaven cultivators with solid foundations!"
Shi Yang was shaken. "I never imagined such a small nation could have such strength!"
Suddenly, he felt two piercing gazes.
Looking up, he saw a red-haired female warrior in crimson armor and a young man in green standing atop a high platform, both radiating immense spiritual energy.
"Divine power cultivators!"
"And there are two of them!"