Lin Mu gazed at the villagers that had appeared and found them to be a bit different.
The villagers hurriedly crossed their hands and bowed. Seeing this strange method of paying respects Lin Mu was startled.
Jing Luo who saw it also got alerted, his eyes went wide while the veins on his arms bulged.
'This method of greeting… isn't this…'
"Lord Cultivators, may we have the grace of knowing which tribe are you from?" the villager questioned.
"They are…" Jing Luo muttered as faint spirit Qi waves came from his body.
But just as he was about to act, he heard a voice.
"Hang on… let's not act so fast." Lin Mu spoke lightly.
Jing Luo stopped and lowered his hand that was half way raised. The villagers couldn't see it with their heads bowed, or they would have been alerted as well.
Lin Mu looked at the villagers who were obediently bowing and thought to himself before speaking, "we cannot tell you that."
The villagers trembled slightly before replying, "pardon us for the disrespect. It's just that… we wanted to ask where we are."
'Huh?' Both Lin Mu and Jing Luo were confused upon hearing this but didn't show it on their faces.
"Hmm… before I answer that, I'd like to ask what you all are doing here? I don't recall there being a village here." Lin Mu said, pretending to be familiar.
The villagers were a bit startled, and slight hesitation could be seen on their faces.
"Forgive us my lords, but… it would be better if you talk to our village head first. We do not have the authority to speak to someone of your ranks." The villagers stated.
"Very well, take us to him." Lin Mu replied, not minding this since more information was his goal anyway.
The villagers then brought Lin Mu and Jing Luo to the village, while Little Shrubby stayed behind. He was simply too… eye catching and Lin Mu didn't want there to be additional disturbances, just in case.
The other villagers were surprised to see Lin Mu and Jing Luo here. But they didn't dare to talk or gossip in their presence. They simply bowed their heads while doing the same gesture as the previous ones.
Lin Mu lightly gazed at them as he confirmed his suspicion.
'Sure enough… they are from the Northern tribes…'
The villagers brought them to the very back of the village. This was located along a small cliff that rose at the very side of the ocean shore. Here the second largest building in the village stood.
Even then, it was merely a shack built with straw, stone and some wood. It took the support of the cliff and had a slanted roof.
"Village head, lord cultivators are here!" The villagers called out.
~thud~
The sound of sudden movement came from inside as frantic footsteps could also be heard.
~Creak~
The door of the shack opened quickly as a nervous looking face looked out. Lin Mu observed it too and saw that it was a middle aged man. He too had dark tanned skin, but in addition to that, he also had what looked like a small tattoo on the side of his forehead.
He had long hair, a small bunch of it being braided while the rest laid free. There were three beads in the braid as well that looked to be made from stone and shells.
Recognizing this particular way of dressing up, Lin Mu understood who this person was.
'One of the lowest ranked Northern Tribe warrior.' Lin Mu understood.
The northern tribes had many customs and rituals, one of which was the way someone's rank was designated.
The different ranks all wore beads in their hair, and the number and quality of the beads decided what their designation would be. The man in front of them who was said to be the village head was barely at the lowest rank of an official Northern Tribe Warrior.
This rank needed for one to be at the very least, the seventh stage of the body tempering realm. Lin Mu found that this man was the strongest among all the villagers and the only one at this strength as well.
There was no threat to Lin Mu, nor Jing Luo here, which was why Lin Mu stopped him from acting. If they wanted, to they could eliminate all these villagers with a casual wave of their hand.
But Lin Mu didn't want that. He understood that there was something strange happening here and it would be in their best interest to know how exactly did these villagers that were from the northern Tribes ended up here.
If these villagers had a cultivation base, Lin Mu would have at least understood. But these were far too weak to even be able to cross over from the forbidden continent. Lin Mu reckoned that they would have perished in the harsh weather even before they crossed the pears belt.
Not to mention, Lin Mu greatly doubted that the Northern tribes would really send such weak people here. It wasn't that it was completely impossible, but the fact that it would not be worth for them to put the resources to send them here.
This was the point that made Lin Mu wonder about it all and also why the villagers were still alive now.
"L-lord cultivators! Y-you're finally here!" The village head spoke with difficulty.
Lin Mu could tell that the man was really surprised.
'It's almost as if… he's glad we're here?' Lin Mu felt.
"Have you come to finally take us back?" the village head questioned.
Hearing this a few ideas appeared in Lin Mu's mind but he didn't dare to confirm either of them.
"Hmm… perhaps. But I'd like to know what's happening here and why are all of you here?" Lin Mu questioned.
Hearing this, clear shock could be seen on the village head's face. As if what Lin Mu had asked was shattering his heart or killing his hopes.
