Chapter 172 – A totem tattoo is not like this (1/2)

Translated by Joycelyn

Li originally believed that all he needed was one strike; in a direct face off, he could beat someone to waste. However he had never thought that the present Yan Shuo had actually burst out with explosive power different from the past, even the speed of wielding his knife was a lot faster. This forced Li to bring out the stone knife hanging by his waist to block.

Ping ping ping ping!

Sounds of stone knives colliding travelled through the area where the wanderers lived.

However, no one from the surrounding approached, they all stood afar, spectating.

Wanderers being killed off was no surprise; they had no strength, and no support from the tribes. Even the people who got along well with Yan Shuo and his family, or those who had received help from Yan Shuo before, were not willing to incur the wrath of a slave master.

Only, the thing that made everyone surprised was something that looked like totem patterns appearing on Yan Shuo’s face; they weren’t there before, they had appeared during the battle. They didn’t seem to be drawn on deliberately, it was different from those liars who pretended to be totem warriors.

Although, compared to totem warriors, the pattern was lighter, but it had still made the people who were spectating become shocked.

The explosive power of the stone knives meeting caused debris from the knife to disperse; some hitting Li’s face and causing a tingling pain. Then looking at Yan Shuo, his face also had a few blood stained scars that were cut by the debris too; however, he felt like nothing he had ever experienced before, he became even braver.

Feeling that his wrist was getting numb, the killing intent in Li’s eyes grew stronger. Luckily he came today, who knows exactly what kind of method Yan Shuo had used to increase his strength, if Li had waited longer, Yan Shuo have become even stronger. At that time, if Li wanted to kill him off, it would be difficult.

Fortunately, the Yan Shuo now, although his strength had increased, it was still not enough.

Ping!

The material used for the two’s stone knives were not of very good quality, and added with the explosive strength of Yan Shuo, after one fierce strike after another; in the end, the two stone knives broke into pieces.

The knife in Li’s hand was the first one to break apart, the knife in Yan Shuo’s hand had also obvious cracks. It only needed just one more strike before the stone knife would break apart as well.

Both the knives couldn’t be used anymore.

The two people, who just now had countless exchanges, split up.

The surrounding wanderers spectating were startled, after all, wanderers did not have much strength, and Li was someone who had received power from a slave master. But Yan Shuo, who was always low key, was actually that strong!

After Yan Shuo had stopped, he had only felt a moment of soreness in his two arms. He had never exploded out like this before, even when he was in the most dangerous situations, this sensation had never happened. It was like there was a well of power within his body. Just now, he had unconsciously focused his power in one point and exploded, resulting in the continuous knife strikes.

Looking at the broken knife pieces, Yan Shuo felt excitement welling up in his heart. He believed that if he were given more time, he would become even stronger. Even Li would not be his opponent!

Li’s eyes were hazy, looking over at Yan Shuo, who was resting both his arms on his knees and taking big rough breaths, his heart had enforced his decision of ending Yan Shuo’s life today.

Li abruptly threw the broken knife in his hand at Yan Shuo’s direction, but was dodged with Yan Shuo turning sideways.

Peng! Ka!

Half of the wooden hut had fallen when it was stabbed by the broken knife.

Within the house, Yan Shuo’s wife hugged her children, her face filled with worry as the three of them refused to utter even a peep. The one year old child in her arms had looked fixedly at his father outside with his eyes wide open, not seemingly knowing what had happened, or understanding what was fear.

As Li met with stares from the three within the hut, the sly mocking intent in his eyes became deeper. He would not spare any life within Yan Shuo’s house.

“Yo, what is this?” A light floating voice travelled over to them.

Yan Shuo looked over, both fists tightening. He still had a chance as he faced Li, but against this new person, he held no confidence.

And the originally furious Li, when hearing this voice, had immediately put on a complementing smile as he spoke, “Why have you come?”

The newcomer was wearing a piece of clothing that was similar to snakeskin, his jacket being slightly longer, along with a tail that was added on as a belt behind. His body was also wrapped with a living snake that was as thick as an adult’s thigh. Those snake eyes, that were seemingly emotionless, were staring at the surrounding people.

Those who received it’s stare, all felt that their scalp tingle in fright.

This new person was also a slave, but his rank was higher than Li by a level. Quite often, a slave master could not bother themselves with trivial matters and would usually hand them down to people of a lower level to do. And Li was such a person, belonging to this type of people.

“You’re really trash who can’t even take care of a wanderer, why do I still need you.” That person slowly said.

Li started sweating from his forehead, he nervously skittled over, squeezing out a smile as he tried to find a reason so as to cover his mistake, “Chief, this Yan Shuo, I am unsure what has happened to him that he obtained totem tattoo, allowing his strength to greatly increase.”

The person who casually teased the enormous snake on him lifted his eyes, swept over Yan Shuo with a glance and lightly hmphed. As if he had seen a horrible joke he disgustingly said, “Totem tattoo? Is this how a totem tattoo is?”

While talking, that person had lifted his hand up, the snake already sliding off from him.

And on that person’s body, from his neck to his arms, his two legs, and so on, appeared a clear tattoo. Those tattoo lines looked like rings that linked together, forming a chain.

That person was elated as the wanderers who were spectating had increased even more, thinking back to when he also once was a wanderer. But he followed a slave master soon, got promoted, and thus had received even more power. Only those at his level really had their slave master’s brand.

Not every slave would have the qualifications to get branded, only those who were given responsibilities by their slave masters would have the qualifications. Slaves such as Li still did not have the right as of yet.

To the tattooless wanderers, totem tattoos were just like an extravagant hope. Even if it was not considered a totem tattoo, these other tattoos worked just as fine. They represented power. Some wanderers, when they saw the brand mark on that person’s body, their eyes flashed with their inner struggles. No matter what kind of brand or mark, it was all proof of power, and that was what they strongly wished to have, power.

Maybe, becoming a slave was not a bad idea after all? It was only a little bit more tiring, and maybe one day, they could climb up to the standard of receiving a mark?

Not caring how the others thought, Yan Shuo vigilantly glared at that person in front of him. This guy was strong enough that Yan Shuo knew that he could not defeat him. His opponent was even openly showing off his killing intent for him to understand that this conflict would not be avoided.

Yan Shuo will die.

Not only himself, but his wife and children in the house behind him as well.

Run?

It was impossible to get away as he was being eyed by these slaves, and so it is impossible to run.