A finely tailored leather jacket clung to her body, giving Autumn Leaves an air of elegance and poise. She stood on the open ground outside the Ironstone Tribe, gazing out at the distant horizon.

  Her figure also attracted the attention of young people in this simple tribe, and since Akira came to the Ironstone Tribe, she has become the most beautiful girl in the Ironstone Tribe without dispute... One by one, young men showed off their bravery in front of Akira, but none of them could attract her.

  "Miss Autumn Leaf, is waiting for her young master at home."

  "Hmm, I heard from Dala Shu that the young master is extremely formidable. The hundreds of Iron Wood Clans elite guards were killed by him in the blink of an eye!"

  "Its only a young master as formidable as you who can match up with the beautiful Akane-chan."

  "What a pity to encounter the Great Demon! That formidable young master will probably not survive either, for when the Great Demon gets angry, the heavens and earth change color, and at that moment, a large group of people were frozen to death. Luckily, Uncle Dala and the others ran quickly and barely escaped with their lives. If that young master dies, Autumn Leaf girl will have to find another person to marry!"

  The young people of the tribe were guarding at the gate, whispering to each other.

  In their eyes, a girl like Autumn Leaf is simply a legendary fairy... Compared to the girls in their tribe, shes as different as heaven and earth.

  ……

  Autumn leaves stand there, gazing far into the distant mountains and forests.

  She was waiting, waiting for the most important man in her life.

  "Autumn leaves." A tall figure emerged from the tribe, it was another servant, Mo Wu. Mo Wu advised, "You rest first, once the young master arrives, the guards at the entrance of the tribe will naturally see him."

  "No." Akane shook her head lightly.

  Mo Wu glanced at the autumn leaves and sat down beside a felled tree stump, his brow also filled with worry. From Dalas return, he had already learned that Ji Ning was battling the great demon Water Rhinoceros King... As for the outcome of the battle, he didnt know. Although in his heart he hoped for the young masters return, reason told Mo Wu... The young master probably wouldnt make it back!

  Because Dala Shu and others returned from Dongshan Daze, it took nearly two days.

  At the speed of Ji Ning, if he were alive, he would probably arrive at Tie Shi tribe in less than half a day... Logically speaking, he should have returned to Tie Shi tribe before Uncle Da La and others! However, Uncle Da La and others have been back for two days, but Ji Ning has not returned yet.

  "If Gongzi dies, Im afraid well have to be buried with him too." Mo Wu said quietly.

  When the master dies, can his servant live?

  The Ji family is a tyrannical ruler, and its internal rules are very strict.

  "Huh?" Mu Wus eyes suddenly blinked, and in the distance, a figure was faintly visible among the mountains and forests. The figure looked very familiar... just like the young master!

  "Prince!" But Akira had already sprinted past him.

  "Your Highness?"

  The autumn leaf girl ran past.

  "Look, it seems like someone is coming from over there. Could that be the young master that Akane-chan has been waiting for?" The young guards at the entrance of the village whispered to each other, and immediately some of them started running towards the inside of the village to inform the others.

  ……

  Akira looked at the beast skin boy who walked towards her with a smile on his face, and the fear, panic, anxiety, worry and other emotions that had been suppressed for two days suddenly made her burst into tears.

  "Prince." Akira looked at Ji Ning, "I, I..."

  "Am I back?" Ji Nings incredible eyesight saw that the people from the tribe, including Daluo Uncle and the one-armed man, were walking away in the distance. He couldnt help but laugh and say, "So Da has already returned, did he tell you about my battle with the Water Rhino King? Youve become like this even though Ive only been gone for a few days?"

  Akira struggled to hold back tears.

  "Its nothing but a trivial matter for Master Water Buffalo, and even less worth mentioning to your young master." Ji Nings eyebrows rose, looking spirited.

  "Autumn Leaf exclaimed: Young Master, you killed the Great Demon?"

  "Mm." Ji Ning nodded in satisfaction.

  "Wow, great demon, young master killed the great demon." Akira was extremely excited, "Young master is only eleven years old and has already killed a great demon, this...this..." As a personal maid, Akiras life revolved around Kinomoto, always turning around him, Kinomoto was the most important person in her life. Since Kinomoto could slay the great demon, Akira naturally felt excited from the bottom of her heart.

  "Keep it under wraps."

  "Yes, yes." Akane nodded repeatedly.

  "Go, take a look at the Ironstone tribe." Ji Ning said. For the past few days, Ji Ning had been reflecting on his previous two major battles in the mountains and forests. During the battle, he discovered some of his own shortcomings. After careful reflection, he once again carefully studied his two sets of swordsmanship, feeling that he had made significant progress.

  Ji Ning walked towards the main gate of Tie Shi Tribe with autumn leaves in hand.

  Dala Uncle and a group of tribal men are actively coming to greet, the one walking in front is a bald old man with white hair. After the bald old man came over, he bowed his head to show respect: "I am Tie San from the Tie Shi tribe, thank you for saving my Tie Shi tribe people several times, all the people of my Tie Shi tribe are extremely grateful to you... and have been looking forward to your arrival."

  Ji Ning smiled and nodded: "I will temporarily reside in your Ironstone Tribe for a period of time, as for saving? Its just convenient to do so, besides... I dont want to be disturbed."

  "I understand, I understand." The old man with a bald head and white hair nodded repeatedly.

  "Arrived." Ji Ning looked over.

  Tall and majestic like a black bear, Uncle Dala rushed forward, looking very excited: "Young master, seeing you return, I..."

  "Alright." Ji Ning smiled and said, "You helped me out in Dongshan Ze for over a month. I told you that once we return to the Ironstone Tribe, Ill repay you handsomely. Take it." As he spoke, three beast-head gold ingots appeared in his hand, each weighing ten kilograms, leaving Hei Da Ke Dala momentarily stunned.

  Closely following him, the other villagers were very envious.

  "Lets go." Ji Ning glanced at Mo Wu and Autumn Leaf, then directly headed towards the Iron Stone Tribe.

  Ji Ning could have given a more valuable gift, but the Tie Shi tribe was a small tribe of barely over a thousand people, and something too precious would be a disaster!

  ******

  Inside Tie Shi Tribe.

  "Prince." Akira poured fruit wine for Ji Ning and presented water fruit delicacies, "Muo Wu and I arrived at this tribe over a month ago. Not long after we arrived, we got in touch with your Ji clan."

  "Mm." Ji Ning nodded.

  He himself was outside making a name for himself, and every month he would communicate with the Ji clans scattered garrisons and Western Capital City through connections.

  "There is also a letter for you from Xifucheng." Akira took out a scroll from her bosom.

  Ji Ning took it, unfolded the yellowish-brown leather scroll, and couldnt help but reveal a smile on his face. This was a letter from his mother! The letter didnt say much, mainly some words of concern, but his mothers nagging made Ji Ning, who had just gone through life-and-death battles, feel warm in his heart.

  "All right, Akira, you look like you havent had a good rest in days. Go take a break." said Kiyo.

  "Im not sleepy," said Akane repeatedly.

  "Go." Ji Ning ordered.

  Autumn leaves drooped their heads and quietly went back to their dwellings to rest.

  ……

  Time flies, half a month has passed since I went to Dongshanze, most of the time was spent in Tieshi tribe contemplating swordsmanship, and before I knew it, more than a month had passed.

  "Hmm." Ji Ning was sitting on the rooftop, holding a bamboo tube containing fine fruit wine. "Although Xifucheng is large, its not as cozy as this small tribe."

  Rest at sunset, work at sunrise.

  The Tie Shi tribe is very united and mutually supportive, as close as brothers.

  "Hurry up."

  "Everyone go back."

  "Hurry up and put them away."

  The originally peaceful and quiet village suddenly became noisy and chaotic, which made Ji Ning, who was drinking fruit wine on the rooftop, wonder. He immediately jumped off the roof and grabbed a young man running by: "You."

  "Your Highness." The young man looked up and saw it was Ji Ning who had grabbed him, and hastily replied with a bow.

  "Whats going on?" Ji Ning asked, "How did the tribe suddenly become chaotic? Werent you all practicing archery before? Why has everyone stopped?"

  "Its the people from the Black Mountain tribe who have come!" The young man said, "The people of the Black Mountain tribe have come to our tribe to collect pelts. Some good furs in the tribe should be hidden away, otherwise if they are discovered by the people of the Black Mountain tribe, they will be taken away and it will be a disaster. Young master, I still need to hurry back——"

  Ji Ning nodded as if in thought: "You go."

  "Autumn leaves also stood in front of the house, watching these, and said: "The Black Mountain tribe is a super-large tribe with tens of thousands of people. Like some small tribes, they have to pay tribute to them every year."

  "Hmm." Ji Ning furrowed her brow, "This land is the territory of my Ji clan! Only we, the Ji clan, can collect taxes. Isnt it equivalent to collecting taxes if the Black Mountain tribe makes the surrounding small tribes offer them goods?"

  The Ji clan levied taxes on every tribe within their territory.

  At the same time, Ji Shi was a vassal of the Daxia Dynasty, and most of the taxes he collected had to be submitted to the Daxia Dynasty.

  "Its easy to say that." Akira shook her head, "These small tribes dare not give in? Once they dont give in, the Black Mountain tribe can completely destroy a small tribe and capture them as prisoners to sell."

  Ji Ning let out a long sigh.

  Yes.

  Because there are too many tribes, the tribes are fighting each other and its impossible to control. The Ji clan can only let things slide. Its not just the Ji clan... even the Great Xia Dynasty, which rules over an endless territory, can only manage by letting things go. The Ji and Tie Mu clans are not like sworn enemies, constantly at war with each other? The place is too big, its hard to control!

  "Theyve arrived." Akira said, "The people from Kuroyama Village have come."

  Ji Ning also looked over, and saw in the distance a group of armor-clad guards led by a man with animal hide, swaggering as if patrolling their own territory. The leader of the Tie Shi tribe, Dala Shu and others, were following one by one, extremely obedient and not daring to show any disobedience.

  The leader of the Hei Shan tribe, Ke Yong, was proudly scanning this dilapidated small tribe with a satisfied expression.

  "Hmph." Kui Rong glanced at the people of Tie Shi tribe beside him, seeing their fearful and flattering expressions, he couldnt help but feel even more pleased with himself.

  He was a high-ranking core in the Black Mountain tribe, and now he has come to this small Ironstone tribe... He can do whatever he wants! If he gets angry, this small tribe will probably be finished. With just his hundred-man elite guard alone, he can sweep through this small tribe. He has absolute control over this small tribe.

  "Huh?" Ko Yu suddenly glanced at a young man and woman standing not far away, and his eyes lit up instantly. The some guards beside him also held their breath when they saw it.

  "Beautiful, lovely." Shellong was stunned for a moment, and then an intense possessive desire rose up in his heart. He must capture this beautiful girl as his personal maid, and pamper her every day! Just thinking about it made Shellong feel like his whole body was filled with excitement.

  "Hahaha..." Shell Yong burst out laughing and walked directly towards the young man and girl.

  Ji Nings eyebrows slightly furrowed as she looked at the tall, large man walking towards her with exquisite accessories on his body. The man scanned Ji Ning and Akira with a gaze that was typical of a high-ranking tribesman inspecting goods, especially when looking at Akira, his greed was not concealed: "This animal skin coat is finely tailored, did you make it yourself? Your hands are really skilled? And the fur coat on this young man beside you is also well-tailored, is he your younger brother?"

  **

  Its 2013 now, brothers and sisters of Red Alliance, Happy New Year ~~

  Lets continue to work hard and vote, remember to cast your recommendation votes!