Thick white mist steamed from the rainforest as the downpour subsided, and a rainbow arched high across the sky. Li Xiang regrouped with Luo Feifei, Yao Yao, and the others. He had, of course, spotted the transport plane and parachutes long before. With a flash, he created a faint sonic boom and arrived at their landing zone.

The transport plane had also airdropped a massive supply crate, which Li Xiang promptly stored in his system’s warehouse.

In truth, with him around, they didn’t need supplies. But since the military had gone to the trouble of preparing them, it would be a waste not to take them.

Li Xiang looked over everyone’s gear and said, "Everyone, change into the Obsidian Battle Armor. That Space Exotic Beast can parasitize hosts and contaminate its surroundings. It gets in everywhere. The Obsidian Battle Armor will keep you all much safer."

Everyone found a secluded spot to change into their armor, then regrouped. The jungle’s dense foliage made it easy to find privacy.

The others took off their shoes and jackets, but Yao Yao only removed her jacket. She wore her Snake Skin Soft Boots inside her Obsidian Battle Boots, giving her a double layer of protection. Since the Snake Skin Soft Boots were exceptionally soft, they didn’t feel cumbersome inside.

Luo Feifei, on the other hand, wore her Saint Tier Electric Light Illusion Armor. Fine arcs of electricity flickered across its surface, and the exquisite texture of the Saint Tier Crystal Armor refracted a dazzling iridescence in the mist.

Although everyone else’s Obsidian Battle Armor was also quite stunning, it couldn’t compare to Luo Feifei’s. It was the difference between a ten-dollar online knockoff and a multi-thousand-dollar custom-tailored piece—they were worlds apart.

They all glanced at her with envy but said nothing. After all, Luo Feifei’s power was far greater than theirs, second only to Li Xiang.

’I’ll have to work extra hard to become number three,’ Yao Yao thought. ’In my mind, Jiang Cai’Er is definitely the main wife, and Luo Feifei is number two. That means the rest of us have to compete for spots three, four, and five. I don’t know if there’s a number six, but either way, I feel like I should claim the number three spot.’

After suiting up, they all looked like Super Saiyans, their bodies almost completely invulnerable. Even their eyes were protected by high-strength goggles made of a transparent Crystal Stone material, which were embedded in their Face Armor.

However, since their power levels were still relatively low, they couldn’t survive entirely without oxygen. The Face Armor, therefore, had respiratory vents over the nose. It wasn’t a problem, though; they could just channel a small amount of Spiritual Power to shield the two small openings.

The small area meant it consumed very little Spiritual Power.

As for their discarded clothes and shoes, they were all temporarily stored in Li Xiang’s warehouse to be returned later. The exception was Luo Feifei, who had her own spatial storage and didn’t need his help.

Li Xiang led the group through the rainforest, and they soon arrived at the stone house he had built earlier, where they met up with the Shaman.

With so many people around, neither Luo Feifei nor Yao Yao and the other two women acted overly familiar with Li Xiang. There simply wasn’t a chance.

"This is Yaki Toto, the last Eagle Eye Shaman of the Yanomami Tribe," Li Xiang said, introducing the Old Shaman to the group.

The group studied the Old Shaman. He was a gaunt man with a face full of bark-like wrinkles. Seven Vajra Parrot Tail Feathers were tucked into his graying hair. A Soros Wood Totem Pole etched with star patterns hung from his animal-hide belt, and his body was covered in indigo tattoos.

His body was covered in wounds, with new and old scars weaving a horrific web across his bronze skin. He was a pitiful sight.

"Greetings, elder."

"Hello there, sir."

"Good morning, Grandfather."

They all greeted him, but the Old Shaman didn’t understand them. He simply bowed respectfully, performing the tribe’s highest rite of salutation, reserved for the Divine Envoys of the Sun God. In the Old Shaman’s eyes, if Li Xiang was the incarnation of the Sun God, then these people must be the true envoys.

Li Xiang stifled a laugh and briefly translated for them, introducing everyone. When they learned that the "Old Shaman" before them was actually only thirty-six years old, they were all as stunned as Li Xiang had been.

’Oh, crap,’ they thought. ’We were just calling him "elder" and "Grandfather." It’s a good thing he couldn’t understand us, or that would’ve been incredibly rude.’

In truth, even if the Old Shaman had understood, he wouldn’t have been offended. In his tribe, he really was an old man; he even had a young granddaughter. Tragically, his entire family had met a violent end.

The average life expectancy here was said to be only about thirty-five years. At thirty-six, he truly was considered elderly.

South America has many modern nations that are part of global civilization, but the indigenous tribes living deep in the primeval jungle still lead isolated lives.

In fact, due to the treacherous environment of the vast Amazon Rainforest and the extreme lack of infrastructure—many rivers and cliffs have no bridges—the only way into its depths is on foot or by boat. As a result, it is home to the world’s largest concentration of uncontacted tribes.

Others can be found in parts of Africa, North America, various islands in the Indian Ocean, Australia, the Malay Archipelago, and Indonesia.

The "modern civilizations" bordering the Amazon Jungle do their best not to disturb the indigenous tribes. For one, the jungle is too dangerous to enter. For another, outsiders could bring catastrophic, tribe-ending disasters upon the uncontacted peoples within.

The greatest of these disasters is the risk of modern viruses and bacteria. Having been isolated for generations, the tribes lack medicine and have no immunity to pathogens from the outside world, which have evolved for countless generations.

Fortunately, Li Xiang and his team were sealed tightly within their Battle Armor. As for the Old Shaman, he was one of the strongest in his tribe, with a first-class constitution.

Moreover, Li Xiang had also given him a Spiritual Medicine.

While waiting for Luo Feifei, Yao Yao, and the others, Li Xiang had taught the Old Shaman a Breathing Technique, mostly just to see what would happen. Unexpectedly, the Old Shaman proved to have "outstanding talent." He quickly mastered the basics and generated Spiritual Power within his body.

His tribe, in fact, had an ancient tradition—a ritual for worshiping their gods that had the subtle effect of strengthening one’s Spiritual Power. The Old Shaman had performed this ritual for years and had already achieved some rudimentary success.

This in itself was a form of "natural selection"—the kind that produced only one such individual for every few hundred Shamans.

When Li Xiang offered to teach him the Breathing Technique, the Old Shaman was so grateful he dropped to his knees on the spot. Pressing his rough hands onto the decaying leaves, he whispered, "Paya, permit me to follow your breath, as a vine clings to a great tree."

Li Xiang pondered for a moment. In the Yanomami language, "Paya" meant "Rainforest Spirit" or "Lord of the Root System," symbolizing the bond between the earth and the starry sky. It also meant "Mentor." While the tribe didn’t have the same secular master-disciple culture as in China, the Shaman’s intention was clearly to ask Li Xiang to be his master.

Li Xiang refused on the spot. Communicating in the indigenous tongue, he explained that he wasn’t interested in taking disciples. However, he wasn’t one to jealously hoard his knowledge, so he was willing to teach him the Breathing Technique regardless.

The Old Shaman was disappointed that he was not fated to be accepted as Li Xiang’s disciple, but he still kowtowed respectfully and presented a rustic wooden tablet inlaid with a Cat’s Eye Stone as a gift of gratitude.

This wooden tablet was the Old Shaman’s most prized possession—his tribe’s Eagle Eye Totem, an heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

How could Li Xiang possibly accept his gift? Besides, it was just a Tier One Extraordinary Item; he had no use for it.

Not only did he refuse the gift, but he also took out a Tier Four Battle Saber that he had previously forged from the Obsidian Ore Vein and bestowed it upon the Old Shaman.

After all, in Chinese culture, it was customary for a master to give a new disciple a meeting gift. Li Xiang had plenty of Spiritual Soldiers, so it was no great expense for him.

To the Old Shaman, however, it was an incredibly precious treasure. He was moved to tears of gratitude and cherished the opportunity to learn, applying himself with extraordinary diligence.

When Luo Feifei and the others heard about this backstory, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of kinship with the Old Shaman and began to see him as one of their own.

After all, everyone present had been taught the Breathing Technique by Li Xiang. Their Spiritual Medicine, Spiritual Soldiers, and Extraordinary Battle Armor were all gifts from him.

Strictly speaking, they were all Li Xiang’s disciples and shared the bond of fellow apprentices.

Yao Yao giggled. ’I can understand why Brother Xiang won’t accept us girls as his disciples,’ she thought. ’We’re all beautiful. If he made us his students, how could he *take* us later? That would be scandalous, wouldn’t it? But this Old Shaman is an ugly old man, and Brother Xiang wouldn’t accept him either. Looks like Brother Xiang really just doesn’t like taking on disciples.’

But even without a formal discipleship, the Old Shaman treated Li Xiang with the reverence due a master, respectfully calling him "Paya" at every turn. Li Xiang just let him.

After a brief rest, Li Xiang led the group toward the Land of Demons.

He had considered leaving the Shaman behind, as his low strength would make him a liability.

The Shaman, however, insisted on coming and pleaded earnestly to join them.

Li Xiang said, "The Land of Demons is extremely dangerous. Are you sure you want to go? We might not have the spare capacity to protect you."

The Old Shaman’s eyes were resolute. "I... need no protection. No matter the danger, I must go. I will avenge my fallen people!"

Li Xiang nodded in agreement.

However, the Old Shaman had not yet formed a Spiritual Power Vortex, and his physical strength was still relatively low. He was unable to wear the Obsidian Battle Armor, so Li Xiang didn’t give him a set.

Despite appearing thin and light, the Obsidian Battle Armor was actually incredibly heavy. The lightest set weighed over a hundred pounds. With the Old Shaman’s current level of cultivation, he simply couldn’t handle it.

He wouldn’t be able to equip it until he formed a Spiritual Power Vortex, learned to absorb and nurture Extraordinary Items within the vortex, and saw a substantial increase in his own strength.

"Paya, let me lead the way." The Old Shaman was intimately familiar with the surrounding terrain, down to every plant and tree. With exceptional courage, he brandished his Battle Saber and took the lead.

They were still quite a distance from the Demon’s Nest, so Li Xiang let him clear the path. The others all gave the Old Shaman looks of admiration. If he had been some coward, cowering in the back of the group, they would have truly looked down on him.

The Old Shaman hacked through obstructing vines with his Battle Saber, startling a cluster of poison dart frogs from their hollow in a tree. As he cleared the path, he began to sing an ancient song. It held no joy, only tragic grandeur, indignation, and grim resolve.