A group of Miao people walked down from the mountain, and Gui Li and Xiao Bai looked over to see seven or eight robust Miao warriors surrounding an elderly man who appeared to be in his fifties walking down.

  The loud shout just now was made by this old man.

  The Miao warriors around him bowed one after another, and the originally excited crowd suddenly quieted down. Everyone lowered their heads to show respect to the old man.

  As the group of people walked closer, the old man walked out of the crowd and came to the front of Gui Li and Xiao Bai. He looked at them, and they also looked back at him simultaneously.

  The old man was quite tall and large in stature, although with age, white hair had appeared at his temples, but his spirit was extremely robust. His eyes were bright and piercing, and he furrowed his brow as he carefully scrutinized the two of them.

  "What's all this nonsense you're talking about?"

  The ghost was taken aback for a moment, and upon listening, it seemed that the question was almost the same as what the soldier had asked earlier. It must be asking about its own identity and what brought it here.

  He could only guess, but still couldn't understand what he meant. He had to say: "We have important things, want..." As he was about to raise his hand, he suddenly came to his senses and quickly put it down, saying: "Want to pay respects to the great shaman in the altar."

  He said that, in fact, he was also worried in his heart. These Miao people couldn't understand the meaning of his words at all. What's the use of saying it? But not saying it would be impolite, and he feared that if he didn't speak up, he would offend these Miao people immediately, and his heart was anxious to the extreme.

  Unexpectedly, the old man heard Gu Ye's words and suddenly furrowed his brow. He looked them up and down carefully before asking in a half-familiar Central Plains dialect: "You... are you people from the Central Plains?"

  Gui Li and Xiao Bai were both shocked, then overjoyed. At this moment, the most pleasant sound in the world was probably the old man's rustic words. Gui Li hastily nodded and said, "That's right, we are from Central Plains and have an urgent matter to discuss with your noble clan's great shaman."

  The old man glanced at them, and saw that they were wearing the ethnic costumes of the southern border, which looked coarse in texture. However, the two had an extraordinary air about them, clearly not ordinary merchants. Especially the woman, who was born with a natural beauty, even this ordinary Miao girl's clothes couldn't compare to her, yet she wore it with a unique charm.

  "Who are you people? What business do you have with the great wizard?" The old man said slowly.

  Gui Li and Xiao Bai exchanged a glance, cupped his hands and said: "This gentleman... sir, I have a friend who was seriously injured, three souls and seven spirits were scattered nine out of ten, only one soul left. For ten years, he has been like a dead man, really..."

  He said that at this point, the image of Bi Yao's body still lying in the cold ice chamber on Fox Qi Mountain appeared in his mind. For a moment, he was moved by emotions, and his voice couldn't help but tremble slightly. Although most of the Miao people beside him didn't understand what he was saying, they could tell from his expression and tone that he was pleading for something, and for a moment, they also had some good feelings towards this person.

  As for Xiaobai standing beside Gui Lian, a pair of bright eyes gazed at Gui Lian. At this moment, she also put away the faint smile that seemed to see through the world's emotions, which had been hanging on her mouth, and became solemn.

  The ghost's expression turned solemn, and he calmed his mind, saying: "I once heard a wise man point out that for this kind of injury and illness, one must find an extraordinary person who understands the art of retrieving souls. With the remaining soul as a medium, they can perform a miraculous technique to summon back the scattered spirits, only then can it be cured. I have been searching for ten years, but unfortunately, the world is so vast that I couldn't find anyone. Fortunately, recently," he glanced at Xiaobai and continued: "Fortunately, I heard that the great wizard of the noble family has this soul-retrieving technique, so I came to beg for help. Please, great wizard, you must lend a hand! I am truly grateful!"

  The old man listened, his eyebrows furrowed, and his face was a complex mixture of emotions. However, looking at Gui Ye's sincere expression, he didn't seem to be lying. After a moment of contemplation, he said: "It's rare for people from the Central Plains to have such strong bonds of friendship. However, I'm not in charge of this matter. You all wait here for a while, and I'll go to the altar to consult with the Great Shaman. If he doesn't want to see you, then there's nothing I can do."

  The ghost was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, saying: "Thank you, old man."

  The old man nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then turned to say a few words in Miao language to several Miao warriors beside him. Those warriors nodded simultaneously. Afterwards, the Miao elder walked alone towards the middle of the mountain, while the remaining Miao warriors slowly gathered together, their eyes fixed on Gui Liang and his companion, it was unclear whether they were monitoring or ordered to protect them.

  As for the other Miao people who were watching, they only saw the old man and the two outsiders chattering away (in their ears, the Central Plains language was also a confusing bird language) and after saying something, he ordered several warriors to guard the people and returned to the mountain altar himself. For a while, there were discussions and whispers everywhere.

  Under the gaze of so many pairs of eyes, Gui Li's heart was heavy with thoughts, and he didn't notice the other Miao people at all. Xiao Bai, on the other hand, still had a gentle and charming smile on her face as she slowly looked around, attracting countless lustful, jealous, or resentful glances.

  Only Xiaohui was looking around on her shoulder, uninterested in these people. Her gaze finally fell on the stream beside her, and she was very interested in the fish swimming inside. She stared intently, occasionally curling up her mouth to smile. Her body also squirmed with excitement, wanting to jump into the stream to play.

  The altar of the Miao people, all made of huge stone blocks, is majestic and grand, with a hint of rough simplicity. The old man walked up from the mountain path and came to the front of the altar, where he saw that in front of the altar was a platform, paved with long rectangular stones, quite flat. Behind the platform was the location of the altar.

  Two gigantic stone pillars stood tall in front of the altar, at a glance, they seemed to be over ten zhang high. Moreover, there was not a single crack on the surface of these pillars, they were carved out of complete and intact massive stones. It's really unknown where the ancestors of the Miao people could find such gigantic stones back then, and how they managed to transport and erect them in front of the altar.

  Beyond these two giant stone pillars is the altar built with stones. The Miao people's altar in Qiliangdong, has long been famous in the southern border of China. Half of it was built with giant stones and the other half was carved directly into the mountain body, dug out from the hard stone wall.

  The old man walked in and suddenly the light around him dimmed. The temperature around him also seemed to be much lower than outside.

  The old man was clearly of high status, and the Miao people were very familiar with this sacred place. He didn't seem to have any hesitation and walked directly towards the inner part of the altar. Occasionally, a Miao shaman would appear on the road, and they would greet each other. If Gui Li and Xiao Bai saw him, they might be able to guess his identity.

  Only the tribal chief of the entire Miao tribe, apart from other shamans in the altar, can ask someone with the status of a Miao shaman.

  The old man continued walking in, passing through a spacious corridor and arriving at the deepest part of the altar, which was also the largest room within the altar.

  On the stone gate, decorations made of fierce beast skeletons hang down. The surrounding stone walls are smeared with bright red blood everywhere, symbolizing the piety of sacrificing to ancestors.

  Looking out from the darkness, everything here seems particularly terrifying.

  But for the Miao people, this is the most sacred place. The old man's face also became solemn, and he adjusted his clothes and walked in slowly.

  In the vast stone chamber, it was empty and desolate, with only a ball of flames burning at the very back, which stood out particularly in the dim light.

  In front of the flames, there is a strange stone statue carved out of huge boulders, with a dog-like head but ten legs on its body, sharp claws on its feet, and two pairs of wings on its back. It's really a weird carving, seemingly the deity worshipped by the Miao people.

  In the vast stone chamber, however, there was only one person. The back view looked very old and hunched, silently sitting in front of the flames, as if in contemplation, yet seemingly silent.

  This strange place somehow gives people a weird feeling that time is stuck and won't move forward.

  Here, everything seems quiet and silent.

  The flames illuminated the figure of the person in front of them, casting a flickering light on their shadow.

  The old man walked slowly up and stopped one zhang behind him, saying in a low and respectful tone: "Great Shaman."

  The figure sitting in front of the flames moved, and a hoarse voice came: "Tuma Bone, why have you come back again? The will of the Dog God, didn't I just tell you? Is there still something that puzzles you?"

  This old man, who was called Tuma Bone by him, is the current chief of the Miao ethnic group in southern Xinjiang. He only heard him say respectfully: "Great Shaman, I fully understand the meaning of the Dog God, and I will definitely follow the will of the Dog God."

  The great wizard still didn't turn his head around, only heard him say: "Oh, that's good. But what is it that made you come back, I feel like there's some unease in your heart."

  The leader of the Tu Ma Bone Tribe furrowed his brow, seemingly hesitant about how to explain, but after a moment he decided to speak directly: "Great Shaman, two unfamiliar people from Central Plains have arrived below Qili Valley. They hope to meet with the Great Shaman."

  The great wizard in front of the flames moved his body, still facing the flames and the head of the dog god statue in front of the flames also slightly turned over, but vaguely could only see his completely white sparse hair.

  "Who is it? I have not left this altar for nearly a hundred years. How could there be someone from Middle-earth coming to find me?"

  Tuma Gedao said: "Yes, I also feel very strange, so I came up to ask the great shaman whether they should be allowed to come up or not?"

  The great wizard was silent for a moment, then said: "Do they have anything to say about what they came here to do?"

  Tuma Gedao said: "Yes, it's a man and a woman. The man said he wants to ask the great shaman to help his friend with an illness."

  The grand wizard hummed and said: "I want to attend to the Dog God, I have no time to deal with these people, you reject them for me."

  Tuma's expression changed slightly, but he didn't say much. "Alright, I'll go convey your message," he said, turning around and walking away.

  He had just taken a few steps when suddenly the voice of the great wizard came from behind: "Wait."

  Tu Ma Gu turned around and said, "What's up, is there something else, Great Shaman?"

  The great wizard's hunched figure remained facing the flames, but his aged voice slowly came: "What disease did they ask me to cure?"

  Tu Ma Gu Dao: "I heard that it's a rather strange illness, as if a person's soul is gone nine out of ten..."

  The great wizard's figure in the firelight suddenly shook.

  Tuma Bone continued: "The man said that he had been instructed by a superior being, and that this situation could only be treated with the Soul Retrieval Technique. The man also somehow got the news that Great Shaman, you might have this technique, so he wants to ask you for treatment."

  Tuma Bone slowly finished speaking, but the great witch did not react at all. Her figure remained still and it was unknown what she was thinking in her heart.

  The flames kept rising and falling, engulfing the firewood in the flames. Tuma Bone waited for a long time, but still didn't see the Great Shaman speak. He hesitated for a moment before saying: "Great Shaman, then I... go reject them, tell them to leave immediately?"

  The great wizard remained silent, without saying a word.

  Tuma Bone slowly turned around and walked out, but just as he was about to leave the stone room, the voice of the great witch rose again.

  This time, even he could hear it. The usually mysterious and wise great wizard seemed to have spoken slowly after a long and complicated thought process.

  "You... bring them up here!"

  The ghost's face was stern and unyielding, but he couldn't help clenching his fists tightly before slowly releasing them again. Suddenly, he realized that his palms were sweating due to anxiety.

  How long has it been since there was such excitement and yearning? With growing unease, Gui Li continued to gaze at the altar on the mountain slope. But that old man, after going for a long time, still hadn't returned.

  Wouldn't the great wizard in the altar be willing to heal outsiders?

  Still, didn't I do something wrong again?

  Kihiro couldn't help but think so, and even his heart started beating faster and faster.

  Xiaobai stood by, his eyes falling on Gui Li's face, looking at the man whose eyes couldn't hide his anxiety, that faint deep affection seemed to be carved on his face.

  She sighed softly and turned her head away.

  The Miao people surrounding the scene were no longer as numerous as they had been at the beginning, after all, they had waited for so long. The tribal chief had entered the altar but never came down, and there was no order on how to deal with these two outsiders, a considerable number of people had dispersed.

  However, because of Xiao Bai's extremely beautiful appearance, she still attracted many young Miao men standing nearby, boldly looking at her while loudly chatting and laughing, seemingly discussing her beauty.

  As for Little Gray, he had already jumped down from Xiaobai's shoulder and ran to the riverbank, crouching beside the clear stream water, watching the fish swimming in the gaps between the stones. Suddenly, he pounced on his body, wanting to catch the fish with his hands. Unexpectedly, the fish were very cunning and slippery, running away from his hands and splashing him with a whole body of water.

  However, Xiao Hui didn't care, withdrew his hand and waited patiently. After a while, the water surface calmed down, and those fish swam back. Xiao Hui seized the opportunity and dived again. Repeating this process, Xiao Hui was very interested in this game and never got tired of it.

  At the foot of the mountain, the crowd gradually dispersed, and the surroundings returned to calmness.

  Tuma bone still hasn't returned, Gui Li's heart is getting more and more anxious, several times he really wants to rush up, break into the altar, catch that great witch doctor and beg him well, but every time he thinks of Bi Yao's figure, he finally suppresses the idea.

  The taste of waiting is actually so torturous.

  His increasingly obvious anxious expression, except for Xiaobai seeing it in his eyes, the Miao warriors also saw it at this moment, looking at each other, and these Miao warriors were actually very curious in their hearts.

  Just asking, why does it take so long? Is there something else important that the clan leader and great shaman need to attend to?

  The Miao people are straightforward and simple in nature. Although they still don't understand what kind of status Gui Li and the others have, having them wait here for so long makes these Miao people feel a bit embarrassed.

  A moment later, that tall and burly little headmaster walked up, coarsely and loudly saying to Gui Li: "Hulu hulu, galarala!"

  The ghostly figure was taken aback, not understanding what it meant, but saw the Miao warrior untie a large animal skin bag from his waist and toss it over to him.

  Gui Li stretched out his hand to catch it, and as soon as he did, the weight of the bag sank into his palm. He saw that there was a wooden stopper at the opening of the bag, and then he looked at the Miao warrior who had stretched out his hand to his mouth, making a drinking motion. Gui Li suddenly understood something in his heart, pulled open the wooden stopper and took a sniff, and indeed it smelled strongly of alcohol, just one bag of strong liquor.

  He let out a wry smile, he didn't like this wine to begin with, and now even less so, but all those Miao people were staring at him, thinking about it, it wouldn't be good to disappoint their kind intentions, so he nodded and smiled at that Miao warrior, putting the wineskin to his lips and forcing down a mouthful.

  Unexpectedly, this entrance made him frown, the wine brewed by the Miao people was extremely strong and had a flavor that carried the wind and bones of the southern border, with a numbing and spicy air, rushing into his throat, he was caught off guard and felt quite uncomfortable.

  His expression fell into the eyes of those Miao people, and more than a dozen Miao people couldn't help but burst out laughing. It was probably not the first time they had seen the unaccustomed expressions of the Han people drinking their strong wine, and there was also a hint of pride in their laughter.

  The ghost was furious in his heart, but he immediately thought that these people actually had no malice and he himself was seeking help from others. How could he get angry? He could only smile wryly and was about to return the wine bag when the Miao warrior chuckled and stretched out his hand to take it over.

  Suddenly, a white palm stretched out from the side and took over the large bag of wine from Gui Li's hand. Everyone, including Gui Li, was stunned to see that the one who had taken over the wine bag was actually Xiao Bai standing beside them.

  She picked up the wine bag and put it to her nose, taking a deep breath. The aroma of the wine was overwhelming, but she didn't seem to mind at all. Instead, she looked like she was in a state of intoxication. Then, with both hands raised, she brought the wine bag to her mouth and started drinking heavily.

  Everyone was shocked, and Gui Li was also surprised!

  Xiao Bai took a sip of Lao Da's wine and finally put down the wine bag, with a look of satisfaction gradually appearing on his face. After a while, he let out a soft sigh.

  "Good wine!"

  "Wow..."

  This shout was made by a group of Miao warriors. The strong wine from southern Xinjiang has always been known for its fierce nature, and in this region, there is a saying that the strongest man is also the one who can drink the most. Among the Miao people, women generally do not touch this kind of strong wine that only men drink.

  Unexpectedly, the seemingly gentle woman in front of me today unexpectedly drank this strong liquor with a big mouth, and judging from her reaction after drinking it, she had a special expression that only a seasoned drinker would have. The Miao men were all fond of wine, and they suddenly cheered up, calling out in praise.

  The pale face, seemingly due to the liquor entering her throat, was covered with a faint red glow. But as she suddenly perked up, her right hand grasped the wine bag and her left hand relaxed, using her slender white fingers to snap at the group of Miao warriors, producing a soft "crack" sound.

  That group of Miao warriors was in an uproar again, each face filled with surprise and amusement. This gesture was unmistakably the inviting posture that men in southern Miao territory often used when competing in drinking games, and yet this rustic-looking woman had executed it flawlessly, leaving everyone staring at one another in astonishment.

  But what's even more frightening is yet to come, and it will leave them staring with their eyes wide open.

  All that could be seen was Xiaobai lightly laughing, her eyes at this moment truly soft and gentle like water. She raised her head, her hair fluttering, and put the wine pouch to her mouth, gulping down big mouthfuls.

  The crowd of Miao people were shocked and lost their color, the ghostly severe was unclear but that's okay, they just blamed Xiaobai in their hearts for causing trouble at this time. But in the eyes of the crowd of Miao people, this woman was almost the number one strange woman in the world at this moment.

  The Miao liquor is extremely strong, and a big bag of such strong liquor can make even the most capable man among the entire Miao ethnic group unable to finish it in one breath. Most men would already be heavily drunk after drinking three-quarters of it. But now, looking at this woman's throat moving non-stop, she was actually drinking it down with big gulps without stopping, and all the Miao men present were shocked.

  And coincidentally, Xiao Bai just made that extremely classic gesture a moment ago!

  The Miao people are straightforward and bold by nature, and when so many men face a seemingly weak woman's challenge, who would dare to retreat. Nor did anyone know who was the first to shout loudly, throwing the long-handled spear on the ground, untying the wine bag hanging from his waist, and drinking with his head raised.

  The Miao people's customs, generally every man has a wine bag by his side. Once it's opened, it's like opening the lid of a pot, and all the Miao people rush to drink wine with guns, the scene is really magnificent.

  Only the Miao tribal leader suddenly came to, reached for the wine at his waist, but unexpectedly found it empty. He then realized that the wineskin was actually in Xiao Bai's hands. Seeing all the men around him drinking, the Miao tribal leader's face turned bright red with anxiety, as if not drinking now would bring a danger of being ridiculed for eternity.

  With a quick turn of his eyes, Miao People's leader suddenly rushed to the side of a Miao soldier who was close to the river and snatched the wine bag from his hand. He put it to his mouth and took big gulps.

  The soldier was furious at once, and the so-called soldier could be killed but the wine must not be drunk. He shouted loudly and wanted to come up and take the wine. Unexpectedly, the leader of the Miao people had been prepared for a long time. Suddenly, he kicked his foot and immediately kicked him into the river with one kick. With a loud splash, a big wave of water splashed out, scaring the little gray who was playing on the shore to jump up.

  The soldier was extremely humiliated and concerned about his reputation, how could he just give up? He crawled to the shore, looked around and saw that it was impossible to catch up with the Miao warrior leader. In a fit of rage, he stomped his foot and ran into a nearby house. A moment later, amidst the cries of surprise, he grabbed a large bag of strong liquor and rushed out, standing together with other Miao warriors, drinking loudly in big gulps.

  The ghostly figure stared in amazement, momentarily forgetting the altar on the mountain waist. A large group of Miao men were on one side, while the other side was a delicate woman. Both sides were drinking wildly like madmen. The scene was magnificent but also ridiculous, making people sweat involuntarily.

  The scene was too grand and terrifying, instantly attracting other Miao people around, and the news spread out in an instant. Only the sharp voices of the Miao people were heard, as a large crowd of people swarmed over, at least three times more than the onlookers earlier.

  The peddlers dropped their stalls, the hunters threw away their prey, and everyone in the house ran out. The place was surrounded by a sea of people, with three layers inside and three layers outside, truly a sea of people.

  Occasional shouts and screams could be heard from the crowd, mostly people's excited cheers.

  Only in the center of the venue, both sides were engaged in a drinking contest. At this moment, it had already reached a critical juncture. The Miao people's liquor was not to be underestimated. Even for the Miao warriors who often drank, some had slowly begun to fall down at this point.

  Every time someone falls, a "wow" sound is suddenly heard from the crowd, and there is a commotion, but the excitement is even more filled with people's faces.

  After a while, more and more Miao men showed painful expressions, their faces flushed, standing unsteadily, swaying back and forth, although they still tried to hold on, but under the dizzying spinning of heaven and earth, they finally fell to the ground.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  Most of the Miao warriors were not far apart in their drinking capacity, and a large number fell down. On this side of the Miao people in the arena, only three people stood up, barely supporting each other, including that small-headed Miao warrior.

  But looking at Xiaobai, everyone's eyes widened in surprise. They saw that Xiaobai's eyes were almost closed, her face flushed with a deepening red glow, as if it was emanating from her pale skin itself, exuding an enchanting charm. Moreover, her watery gaze seemed to be overflowing, making one feel dizzy at just a single glance.

  She was so beautiful, but her drinking capacity was even more terrifying. Until now, she still didn't show any signs of instability, and she continued to drink the strong liquor in big gulps.

  The Miao people present, including some women, were all connoisseurs of drinking. At a glance, they saw that the woman was not pretending at all, and she really took on this group of Miao men with her own capacity for wine. Surprised and intimidated by Xiao Bai's extraordinary beauty, they cheered loudly in admiration.

  Bang!

  Bang!

  Two muffled sounds, and two more Miao warriors fell to the ground. At this moment, only one Miao warrior, a small leader, was struggling to hold on, but his footsteps were getting increasingly unsteady, clearly reaching his limit.

  While Xiao Bai's face turned redder and redder, he suddenly stumbled, causing the onlookers to exclaim in surprise. However, Xiao Bai slowly put down his wine bag, let out a long sigh, and his eyes seemed to be welling up with tears. The wine had brought out his charm, making him as beautiful as a flower. His right hand still held onto the wine bag, while his left hand waved at the crowd, and he smiled coquettishly, saying "Ah Ke Xi!"

  The crowd suddenly burst into a commotion, Akxi is exactly the meaning of good wine in Miao language, this woman has an extraordinary capacity for liquor, and her appearance is even more beautiful, and she shouted so aptly "Good wine..."

  In an instant, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.

  Xiaobai shook his head, seemingly also having a few points of intoxication, and his footsteps were also more staggering. He slowly walked to Gui Li's side, leaned against his body, and smiled at him with a "heh heh".

  The ghost was stern and severe.

  Xiaobai closed his eyes, gently shaking his head for a moment, and suddenly burst out laughing loudly: "Three hundred years! Three hundred years!"

  Head up, hands raised, drink!

  The manner of drinking is also a stunningly beautiful and charming elegance!

  Boom!

  The last Miao person, the leader finally fell to the ground, although he was extremely unwilling, but his face turned red like a small gray buttocks, and he had already lost all strength. A moment later, he fainted and fell asleep. Someone next to him ran over to pick up his wine bag and found that there was still half a bag of strong liquor left. He couldn't help but change color and loudly announced it to the surrounding crowd, causing an uproar. It was clear that this had already set an unbelievable record.

  However, people did not forget that there was still an incredible woman who was still drinking.

  Xiaobai's face was like a red jade at this moment, and even her white neck and the exposed skin of her chest had a faint reddish tint.

  She looked like she was about to fall over at any moment, but she leaned against Gui Lian's body and continued drinking in big gulps.

  In the crowd, it gradually quieted down at this moment. The expressions on people's faces had slowly changed from excitement to admiration.

  At last, Xiaobai downed the last mouthful of strong liquor, took away the wine bag, and her eyes seemed to be unable to open. Then she smiled with a red face, looked languid, and casually waved her hand, throwing the big wine bag out.

  Someone immediately ran over to pick up the wine bag and check it, only to find that the wine bag was empty!

  The man stood there like a wooden chicken, and after a moment, he loudly announced to the crowd that was staring at him intensely. The crowd fell silent for a long time before suddenly bursting out with earth-shattering screams and shouts.

  In the midst of the noise, Gui Li was like sitting on pins and needles, Xiao Bai's soft and boneless body leaned against his, her face pale with a hint of red, her bright eyes half-open and half-closed, her gaze as gentle as water, staring tightly at him.

  "You, are you alright?" The ghost was silent for half a day before muttering this sentence.

  Xiao Bai reached out and grabbed his collar, his body paused for a moment, as if he was drunk, his snow-white teeth lightly biting his lip, his breathing gradually becoming heavier, but his eyes were gentle and charming, with a hint of a smile on the corner of his mouth, yet remained unchanged.

  "Y...ou..." Xiao Bai's voice was as gentle and soft as if it were about to drip with water, whispering in Gui Li's ear.

  "Do you like me?"

  “……”