<h4>Chapter 282 - Dwarf</h4>


    Xiang nudged Long Chen’s leg. After Ling Xi’s trantion, Long Chen understood his exnation.


    “The dwarf tribe is a human tribe that originated in the east of the Cangyang Kingdom. However, due to terrible environmental conditions, they migrated to a ce near the Biyang Imperial Capital. One of the more elite branches of the tribe, whose people were quite capable, formed the Harmony family in the Biyang Imperial Capital. They are now one of the three main factions of the capital, having the same power as what the Mo family previously held.”


    That was Xiang’s exnation.


    When Long Chen heard the exnation, he realized that the dwarf tribe was not a simple tribe at all.


    With Ling Xi as his trantor, Xiang said, “The dwarf tribe usually lives on the outskirts of the imperial capital. They have their ownnguage and look different from the people of the Cangyang Kingdom. They are usually very ugly and stout; they are violent, aggressive, and unreasonable by nature. Both the men and women of the tribe tend to be immoral, even inhumane. However, because they have the Harmony family in the imperial capital backing them, they live well and not many people dare to cross them.”


    “That’s right! They cannot even be called humans; they are animals with human skin!” Xiao Yu added angrily.


    “Xiao Yu, can you tell us why you think that?” Long Chen asked with concern. Although he wanted to head to the Biyang Imperial Capital as soon as possible, it seemed like there was something he could help with here. Furthermore, Xiang seemed to be sentimental over Goldfish Ind. If the people of Goldfish Ind were having trouble, Long Chen thought that he could perhaps lend a hand.


    “That’s because Goldfish Ind is almost done for!” Xiao Yu answered darkly.


    “What happened?” he asked.


    “Thend around the capital used to be controlled by the four main factions, but since the Mo family disappeared, the other factions started to fight over the unattendednd. Goldfish Ind doesn’t have anything worth fighting over, and it’s far from the city, which is why it has been peaceful here so far ...”


    Xiao Yu paused, then continued, “... But recently, the dwarf tribe has been conqueringnd like crazy, and they’re going to reach Goldfish Ind soon. Our chief said that the dwarf tribe is violent and beast-like, that everywhere they go, they burn, rob, and kill. Theymit every crime possible, and he said they always get their gnarly ws on pretty girls. We wanted to move, but most of the people on the ind are not willing to leave. This isnd left behind by our ancestors; we can’t hand it over to such beasts!


    “Our chief said we have five days at most. Right now, all the cultivators on our ind are cultivating like mad. We have sworn to fight until our deaths once the dwarf tribe arrives! We will not surrender our ancestors’nd, even if it costs us every drop of blood! And we will not let these beasts step on our heads!”


    Although Xiao Yu was young, she was very knowledgeable and told them about the ind’s situation. She clenched her small fist with great passion, and refusal to surrender filled her eyes!


    “That animal was probably a scout sent by the dwarf tribe, but he died here. If the dwarf tribe finds out about this, they will definitely speed up their attack! When that happens ...”


    Xiao Yu felt helpless when she thought about the dwarf tribe’s strength. Although she was afraid, she refused to give up.


    “Brother Chen, Xiang wants to help them. He said these are the people of the Mo family and he will not let other people harm them,” Ling Xi whispered.


    Long Chen looked down and met Xiang’s burning eyes, then he nodded.


    “Xiao Yu, we will stay behind to help you all,” he said with a smile.


    Even without Xiang’s input, Long Chen would’ve been unwilling to let a peaceful little ind be destroyed by violent people. He was also touched by Xiao Yu’s battle spirit, as if she was willing to sacrifice herself for this.


    Long Chen knew that she was proud of her people.


    “Really?” Xiao Yu was overjoyed. She had watched him kill an Earthly Core Realm cultivator. If Long Chen could help them, Goldfish Ind might stand a chance! At the very least, fewer people would die!


    There would be a small dy to his visit to the Biyang Imperial Capital, but he assumed it would be fine.


    “Big Brother, could you tell me your cultivation level? Mid Heavenly Core? Late Heavenly Core? Or are you one of those terrifying Heavenly River Realm masters?” she asked excitedly. She was currently at the Eighth Draconic Stage herself.


    Since this ce was close to the imperial capital and cultivation was popr here, Long Chen was not surprised that she was knowledgeable about cultivation.


    “Heavenly River,” he answered directly, not hiding his capabilities. Goldfish Ind currently needed help, and he was not going to be stingy.


    “Really?” eximed Xiao Yu. She eyed him up and down, and when she surmised that Long Chen would not lie to her, she jumped for joy on the little boat. Without the weight of her tribe’s annihtion weighing on her mind, she was still a child.


    “Big Brother, and the beautiful Big Sister, I’ll take you to Goldfish Ind now to see our chief!”


    Then Xiao Yu rowed her oars. Their boat passed the dwarf’s body and they headed towards Goldfish Ind. They reached it quickly and found that the ind was small; it was even a little smaller than Baiyang Town.


    The only special part of the ind was its center. There was a small mountain there, and Long Chen sensed some heating from it.


    <i>There’s a volcano on this small ind? </i>Long Chen was surprised. Perhaps this whole ce was the top of a volcano, but due to the movement of the terrain, the volcano’s mouth had sunk and ended up bing this small.


    Xiang also seemed to have noticed the peculiarities of the mountain. He sniffed the air carefully, then he shook his head in confusion.


    “Xiang says he can sense the aura of demonic beasts ...” Ling Xi whispered into Long Chen’s ear.


    “Demonic beasts? Probably not. If there are beasts here, Goldfish Ind would have long been destroyed. They wouldn’t have been able tost this long,” said Long Chen, shaking his head.


    “Big Brother, follow me!” Xiao Yu waved at him cheekily, standing in front of the group.


    Long Chen and Xiang put this matter aside and focused on following her. It was clear that life was peaceful on Goldfish Ind. There were not many people here; most people fished for a living and lived simple lives. Long Chen felt veryfortable on the ind.


    However, he was puzzled because he passed a few houses but did not see many men. He only saw women doing chores and children ying freely. Everything looked peaceful.


    “Everyone else is with the chief, who is guiding them in cultivation. They’re working hard to prepare for the battle! They have already dug a cave at the back of the mountain, and tomorrow, the old, the young, and the women will start to move to the caves while the rest will stay and fight to their deaths! I’m twelve this year, but I’m already at the Eighth Draconic Stage! Though the chief won’t let me fight, he says I must protect the rest! He says it’s an even more important job!” Xiao Yu was very proud of herself.


    Long Chen was solemn.


    She was only twelve, yet she had to face such huge pressure. If this went south, she would die. Based on their descriptions, Long Chen learned that their enemies, the dwarves, were violent and aggressive like beasts. If they lost, they would suffer greatly.


    “The ind chief lives beyond this bamboo forest. But I’m guessing that they’re at the training grounds, so I will take you there! The chief will surely praise me for bringing him a Heavenly River Realm cultivator, hehe!” she said with glee.


    “Xiao Yu, do you know how both sidespare in terms of strength? How many strong cultivators does Goldfish Ind have? And how many do the dwarves have?” asked Long Chen.


    “About that ... We have two Heavenly River Realm masters, the chief and his son. We have many Heavenly Core Realm cultivators too. As for the dwarves, all I know is that only one of the families of the dwarves is attacking us. I don’t know their specificposition though. But seeing as the chief is so anxious, they must be very strong!”


    Long Chen nodded.


    A few bamboo houses appeared in front. They were all built in a neat row and looked extremely sophisticated. Passing through the bamboo houses, the bamboo forest opened up into a clearing. They were far away, but Long Chen could already hear the noises from the training grounds.


    “Haargh!”


    Long Chen could clearly hear loud cries and the sounds of weapons shing.


    Very soon, he spotted a group of about two hundred people up ahead. They were mostly topless, strong men, all drenched in sweat and fighting fiercely. Some of them were using divine jades to cultivate in the bamboo forest nearby.


    “Chief, Chief!” Xiao Yu did not dare approach, so she yelled from the side.


    Everyone turned and saw Xiao Yu. They did not care much about her, but Long Chen and Ling Xi attracted their attention. Long Chen because of his strength, and Ling Xi because of her beauty.


    “Carry on with your cultivation!” bellowed an old man coldly. He had white hair and a hawk-like re. Then he turned to approach Long Chen and Ling Xi.


    “Chief, Chief! I found a huge helper! Big Brother is a Heavenly River Realm cultivator! He promised to help us defeat the dwarves!” she yelled excitedly.


    Xiao Yu’s words made everyone stop fighting. They all looked at Long Chen, puzzled.


    Long Chen was so young, and he was already at the Heavenly River Realm?


    A prodigy like that could be found in the Biyang Imperial Capital, but not in a small ce like Goldfish Ind.


    Everyone stopped cultivating and looked at each other, discussing Long Chen and the beautiful Ling Xi.


    “Heavenly River Realm?” When the ind chief heard Xiao Yu, he gasped in surprise. He could tell with just one look that Long Chen was an impressive prodigy, though he did not expect him to be at the Heavenly River Realm. Even the chief, at his ripe old age, was only at the First River Stage.


    The chief of Goldfish Ind walked up to Long Chen and asked seriously, “Hey kid, is what Xiao Yu said true?”