In a boundless expanse of mountains, a village had survived for generations. They lived by hunting, and countless wild beasts had fallen by their hands; even some monster beasts had been caught in their traps. However, a massive giant bear had recently appeared in the area. Its hide was thick and tough, like a suit of armor, and the villagers were no match for it. Several attempts to surround and kill the creature had only served to enrage it. The bear had charged the village multiple times, killing many, yet they had failed to inflict even the slightest injury upon it. When they sought help from neighboring villages, none were willing to assist.
The young people of the village urged everyone to abandon their home and flee the mountains, but the elders refused. They believed that because their ancestors had lived in these mountains for generations, this place was their root. They would rather die here than ever leave. Some of the youth, seeing no other option, departed on their own, but the majority remained.
Now, those who stayed knelt before the statue of their Mountain Master, praying for protection. They did not know if the Mountain Master would answer; after all, the deity had not appeared in over a thousand years. Many villages in these mountains once worshipped the Mountain Master, but because of the long absence, some had abandoned their altars. Even their own village had neglected their worship for a long time, and it was only now, driven to a dead end, that they t…
Chapter 571