“That’s terribly rude!” the old priestess exclaimed. “Quickly, untie them!”

But judging from her expression, she was clearly also somewhat amused and exasperated.

Qing Bazhi flicked his fingers, and the vine moved like a snake, coiling back around his arm.

The man with disheveled hair sat up abruptly, still looking completely bewildered.

The other, more slender one, pushed himself up with his hands. Though his face was smudged with dirt, one could still discern handsome features.

“The Xiang Hunting matter can wait. I’ll give Bazhi a satisfactory answer,” Qing Jiuye said, stepping forward. “Right now, we have three Dragon God Messengers. What do we do?”

“Your answer is not needed,” Qing Qishu gritted out. “It was my decision to halt the Xiang Hunting. I’ll satisfy Bazhi!”

The priestess seemed disinclined to interfere in this matter, addressing only the Dragon God Messengers, “The verification ritual will be held together tomorrow.”

The “Dragon God Messenger” still sitting on the ground seemed to finally realize what was happening, and he was making muffled sounds.

“Bazhi, you shouldn’t deprive them of their ability to speak,” the priestess said.

So Qing Bazhi walked over, pinched the man’s chin, and with two fingers, pulled out a pinecone-shaped object, tossing it casually out the window. It was this thing that had temporarily silenced them.

Seeing him walking toward him, the refined man with a hairpin quickly followed suit, reaching into his mouth and extracting his own “pinecone.”

“Can I ask you a few questions?” The man who had been sitting on the ground immediately asked, as soon as his voice returned, staring at the white-haired old woman. He obviously recognized her as the one giving orders.

The priestess’s voice was kind: “Of course.”

“What kind of altar are you building? What are you planning to do? How will you verify us?” Finally able to speak, he clearly cherished the opportunity, firing off questions like a volley of arrows: “Who exactly are you people? Which tribe? What Dragon God Messengers nonsense is this? What is a Dragon God anyway? Aren’t dragons just legends? Are there any other human settlements besides this one? What will it take for you to let us go?”

In ancient times, humans lived in tribes. The question he had mixed in among the others undoubtedly treated these people as remnants of the ancient past.

Given the vastness of the present world, with countless smaller worlds, secret realms, and extraterrestrial lands… it wouldn’t be unusual for groups that have been isolated from the outside world since ancient times to have survived to this day.

“Slowly, don’t be nervous. In the Land Sheltered by the Dragon God, you will not be harmed. I am the current priestess of the Sacred Tribe, and I am responsible for your safety,” the old priestess said with a soothing voice. She said kindly, “What are your names? Where do you come from?”

“I’m Wu Quji,” the man with disheveled hair said, standing up and blurting out everything in a straightforward manner: “From the Qi Kingdom of the Eastern Region, born in the Golden Needle Sect.”

The other one rolled his eyes helplessly. Seeing how honest he was being, he had no choice but to follow suit: “I’m Su Qi, from the Qi Kingdom.”

His voice was rather rough, which didn’t match his appearance.

Qing Qishu said blankly: “What is the Qi Kingdom?”

He turned to look at Jiang Wang: “Are you from this place too?”

For some unknown reason, the old priestess interrupted: “The Dragon God Messengers’ homeland involves divine secrets. Do not ask too much.”

Jiang Wang could probably understand Su Qi’s feelings. This Wu Quji was being a little too honest, revealing his background so readily in an unfamiliar place…

He could only answer vaguely: “Sort of.”

Having escaped from their anxiety and fear, Wu Quji and Su Qi now noticed Jiang Wang.

Seeing that his clothes were intact, he looked refreshed, he was accompanied by a beautiful woman, and a cute little girl was hiding behind him, they couldn’t help but feel envious…

Everyone had come to participate in the Seven Stars Tower Secret Realm, and their star positions weren’t that different. Wu Quji’s was even a little ahead.

What right did he have!

But now was not the time to be envious.

Wu Quji looked very seriously at the old priestess: “I’ve answered your questions. Now it’s your turn to answer mine.”

The priestess was also a little taken aback, probably not expecting someone so straightforward.

But she was, after all, experienced and composed. She only paused slightly before saying, “This old woman is getting old, and my memory isn’t very good. One question at a time. What was the first question you asked?”

“What kind of altar are you building?” Wu Quji asked.

“No, that doesn’t seem right,” the old woman said, trying hard to remember. “The question before that.”

Wu Quji thought for a moment and repeated: “Can I ask you a few questions?”

“No,” the old priestess refused outright.

Wu Quji: …

Jiang Wang: …

Wu Quji was direct, but not stupid. Since the old priestess wasn’t willing to answer, he certainly wouldn’t draw his sword and force her to answer.

He had no choice but to shut up.

“Alas, I’m getting old, and my energy is lacking,” the old woman sighed. “Qishu, Jiuye, and Bazhi, the three of you, take the three potential Dragon God Messengers to rest first. Tomorrow, we will hold the verification ritual to see which one is the Messenger truly chosen by the Dragon God, to help my Sacred Tribe regain its new life.”

“Grandmother, let Qinghua take them,” Qing Qishu said quietly: “I’ll stay here and give Bazhi an explanation later.”

His expression was quite firm. He was the one who had lost the Xiang Hunting, and he couldn’t let Jiuye give the explanation for him, no matter what.

Bazhi snorted: “Letting these smelly men get close to Qinghua? How could you even think of that? As for explanations, let’s wait until we’ve determined the Dragon God Messengers! If none of them are real, do you think you and Jiuye can escape unscathed?”

Jiang Wang and Wu Quji couldn’t help but glance at Bazhi. Eight braids, constantly calling them “smelly men,” she was really hateful.

Wu Quji even lowered his head to sniff himself… After being dragged all the way here, he did smell a bit.

The priestess waited for a moment, and seeing that Qing Qishu and Qing Jiuye didn’t say anything, she nodded: “Then you may all retire for now.”

Her gaze swept over Jiang Wang, Wu Quji, and Su Qi, “The three of you should rest well tonight. Don’t worry about your safety. Entering and leaving the Land Sheltered by the Gods requires permission. It is very safe here.”

Jiang Wang understood the unspoken meaning in her words – it’s very safe here, but if you try to run, you won’t be able to escape. Don’t cause yourselves unnecessary trouble.

Perhaps Wu Quji and Su Qi’s experience of running away at the sight of Qing Bazhi prompted her to say that.

Ever since Qing Bazhi returned to the Land Sheltered by the Gods, Qing Qishu had been in a bad mood. After Bazhi questioned him about the Xiang Hunting, he became even more dejected.

Bazhi escorted Wu Quji, Jiuye escorted Su Qi, and Qishu escorted Jiang Wang.

They split into three groups and walked out.

“Is it really just rest? Really just rest? Is it the kind of rest I’m thinking of?”

As he walked out of the inner chamber, Jiang Wang heard Su Qi asking incessantly.

Before, in the inner chamber, he had been trying to remain silent, afraid of being noticed. Now that he felt he was out of danger, he let himself go.

His rough, grating voice was quite annoying.

Based on the personalities displayed by these Sacred Tribe warriors:

Bazhi would probably beat him up, and Qishu would probably ridicule him.

But he was being escorted by Jiuye, who simply replied: “Yes.”

Jiang Wang turned his head and saw Su Qi take a deep breath of relief, his eyes filling with tears as he said: “Mother, I thought I was going to be eaten.”

A grown man speaking in such a “delicate” tone…

Observing his “competition,” Jiang Wang immediately turned his gaze away, unable to help but shudder.