Chapter 40: Tales Underneath a Crimson Sky

Chapter 40: Tales Underneath a Crimson Sky

Everyone seemed down and out, yet the Lang brothers still seemed more energetic than most, continuing to shoot Lin Mu with withering glares, their pride still stinging.

It was one of the older tribesmen, a wiry man with a braided beard, who finally broke the silence. "Hey I got a good idea." he said, his voice loud enough to catch everyone's attention, "Why don't we lads tell some stories to lighten up the mood. Since we're all basically tuckered[1] out, we might as well have a blasted good time while we're at it."

" Nice one Senior brother Zhang!." Another Serinerian grinned with obvious enthusiasm. "Got one for us, Brother Wang?"

The Serinerian sitting directly opposite Lin Mu chuckled. "Oh, You know I always do hehehe."

" Come, come, everyone lend me your ears now." He gestured for everyone to pay attention. Their feline ears Perkin up all of a sudden while the retreating sun continued to cast long shadows around them. As they settled, Brother Wang began his tale.

"Long, Long Ago, back to the distant times of the past. There once was a warrior named Wang Chung, famous for his strength and fearlessness. But Wang Chung wasn't like most warriors. You see, he had a habit of fighting everything. And i don't mean just enemies, The stubborn headed mule also fought trees, boulders, even the wind if it dared blow too hard. He'd challenge the stars themselves if he thought they were looking at him wrong!"

The group chuckled at the absurdity, though the two Lang brothers simply harrumphed, though that still didn't change the fact that the tension surrounding everyone had eased slightly.

"One day," Brother Wang continued, "Wang Chung heard about a ferocious beast terrorizing a nearby village. 'Finally,' he thought, 'a worthy opponent!' So he marched out into the vast dessert, bellowing threats, until he found the creature, a giant scaled king boar, with tusks sharp enough to split boulders and slay countless Peak stage Qi Condensation realm warriors with one sweep."

" They fought for hours, their battle shaking the very ground. Wang Chung finally bested the beast, but when he turned to claim his prize, he realized something. The two battle absorbed fools had fought for so long, transversing several territories that He was hopelessly lost."

The tribesmen burst into laughter, even some of Lin Mu's detractors cracking smiles.

Brother Wang raised a finger. "The moral of the story?, It doesn't matter how strong you are if you don't know where you're going."

" Ok ok, quiet down my brothers."

The laughter grew louder, and when it subsided, Brother Wang turned to Lin Mu with a grin. "Your turn, Brother Lin. Surely someone as… unique as you has a tale or two." he asked with eyes filled with obvious interest.

Lin Mu hesitated, unsure if the invitation was genuine or another setup for mockery. But before he could decline, a few of the friendlier tribesmen joined in.

"Yeah, Brother Lin, Tell us something from your land."

"Now that you mention it, We don't even know where you come from. Enlighten us dear brother!"

"Come on, it's not like we've got anything better to do."

Lin Mu sighed, realizing he wasn't getting out of this. He sat up straighter, his mind racing for a story.

" Oh, I got one." Finally, he began." Forgive me my dear brothers."

" I'm sorry for feeding your curiosity all this while, let me make it up to you with this legendary tale." Lin Mu gave a broad grin as he continued.

"There's a tale from my homeland about a man named Old Hushai," Lin Mu said, his voice steady but low. "Hushai was a farmer, not a warrior. He lived a simple life, tending his fields and minding his own business. But one year, the rains failed, and his crops withered. The other farmers, desperate, turned to a wandering priest who promised to bring rain, but for a price."

The Serinerians leaned in, intrigued.

"This priest wasn't exactly what he seemed," Lin Mu continued. "He demanded offerings. Gold, livestock, even children. The farmers, desperate to save their lands, gave him everything. But the rains never came. It was Hushai who finally spoke up. He said, 'Rain doesn't fall because of gold or sacrifices. It falls when the earth is ready.' The priest laughed and mocked him, calling him a fool. 'Then you bring the rain,' the priest said."

Lin Mu paused, his eyes scanning the faces around the fire. "And you know what Old Hushai did?"

"What?." They all unconsciously asked in unison, all but the Lang brothers of course, although even they were genuinely curious.

Lin Mu smiled. "He didn't pray, nor offered sacrifices, or beg the heavens. He dug. Every day, from sunrise to sunset, he dug trenches, tilled his fields, and planted seeds. The other farmers called him mad, but he didn't stop. And when the rains finally came, his fields were ready to catch every drop. While the others stood in flooded fields, Hushai harvested more than he'd ever dreamed."

The group fell silent, the weight of the story sinking in.

"The moral?" Lin Mu said, leaning back a little."Desperation makes people easy to deceive. But real solutions take work, not shortcuts."

For a moment, even the Lang brothers seemed impressed, their glares softening. But the moment didn't last.

"Nice story," one of the Lang brothers sneered. "But it sounds like something a coward would say to avoid a fight."

"Yeah," the other chimed in. "No wonder you like it. It's all about hiding behind hard work instead of facing real challenges."

To their irritation Lin Mu unconsciously stared at them as if he were looking at a pair of utter idiots, The genuineness in his gaze was the thing that irked them the most.

Before they could speak, Lin Mu suddenly forced a smile. "Hahaha, I see. Funny you'd say that, considering how hard you were hiding behind me earlier today."

The camp erupted into laughter, and the suitors' faces turned red. One of them out of irritation suddenly stood up and stepped forward, his hand on his weapon. "Say that again, outsider!"

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[1] Tuckered: it simply means his tired, exhausted, needs some rest.