Chapter 501: Striking Out the Red in the Ledgers

In the civilization passed down in the Hellfire tribe from ancient times, a person with a feather on his head meant that he was in the ruling class in the tribe. The number of feathers indicated the level of his position in the ruling class.

According to the custom of thousands of years, in the weak Hellfire tribes, other than the headman and the powerful guardian spiritual monster in charge of the real power in the tribe, the native chiefs with three beautiful feathers on his head would always represent the highest ranking.

Similarly, in an intermediate or slightly powerful Hellfire tribe, a four-feathered chief would represent the upper ruling leaders, other than the overlord, in the tribe. In a mighty tribe, there would sometimes have a native chief with five feathers on their heads.

The Wizard Li Island tribe that had an 80-million population and a territory of 2.5 million square kilometers. It was a matter of time for five-feathered or even unprecedented six-feathered chiefs to appear. In fact, it was already too late for these positions to only be established now.

However, once Zhang Lisheng talked about the golden headbands and the black iron necklace, he saw that there were obviously 14 to 15 chief warriors who had stiffened at his feet. After all, these symbolized the position of four-feathered chiefs and above

Fortunately, after a few uncomfortable moments, these chief warriors and their other comrades who had also just been appointed as the Wizard Li Island legion commander immediately stuck their heads close to the ground. “Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty! Death will not even deprive my praise and pious to you…”

Having a five or six-feathered, a gold headband, or a black necklace to represent a higher status would be a trivial matter for a civilized person in a democratic society. However, to the Wizard Li that still had a social structure at the primitive tribal stage, this was a considerable change.

Such hesitation was actually not difficult to understand. In fact, there had once been a cruel massacre where hundreds of thousands of people died on Earth just because they did not want to change their hairstyle. In this context, feathers and hairdos were not as simple as just the way it was conventionally viewed. They represented a symbol of cultural tradition. Changing them would be acknowledging a change in civilization.

As the overlord of the Wizard Li tribe, Zhang Lisheng could force the Wizard Li tribesmen to do anything but could not force them to change their minds.

Now, when he saw that the tribesmen with the highest status in the tribe were not too reluctant to accept the change, he sighed quietly in relief and dropped the big stone in his heart. With a smile, he said, “Karuso, come in front of me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The big-headed chief warriors who had a fierce gaze was confused but stood up in excitement. He took a few steps forward and kneeled in front of the Wizard Li tribal overlord.

“My believer, in conquering Scorpion Island, you were the first to kill their guardian spiritual monster. In the battle against the Black Python Island, you cast the Earth Rifle Spell and destroyed the final assault from the Nidelia tribe…”

Looking down at Karuso, when the young man listed his most outstanding battle achievements, he picked up a dazzling golden headband from the stone box beside him. He then gently buckled it on his forehead. He then took the feathers out of his head. “Because of your piety and your fearlessness against the enemy, I, the Wizard Li’s overlord, now bestow you the glory and status of the commander-in-chief of 200,000 elite warriors.”

“Y-Your Majesty, Karuso is willing to be the sharpest spear in your hand to pierce the throat of all your false believers. I hope to be your devout singer forever, to sing praises on your generosity, glory, and greatness till I die…” When the Wizard Li’s overlord’s soft voice resonated in his ears, Karuso was overwhelmed with excitement when he heard that the overlord’s regarded him highly. After a long moment of silence, he said those words with a choke.

“Very good, my legion commander, retreat and go to the foreign tribes in the outer land to conquer more land for Wizard Li. I’ll protect your body and soul.” Zhang Lisheng patted Karuso’s shoulder with satisfaction, then called the name of another chief warrior, “Saruno, my devout believer, come here..”

Just like this, the young man deliberately acted mysteriously and clasped the 72 golden headbands onto the four-feathered warriors’ heads one after another in exchange for their grateful praises. After that, he seized this opportunity to dispatch and summon the bravest 280 warriors from the Wizard Li expeditionary army’s three-feathered chief warriors and gave them the black iron necklaces.

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After finishing everything, Zhang Lisheng initially felt that this could form the Wizard Li’s millions of army, and he should immediately return to the Wizard Li Island by ship. However, when he got onto the steamship, he suddenly realized that he had lost the power of the Witchcraft’s Gate of Death. If he left the Wizard Li tribe’s territory and lost his divine power, then he would only have the power of the ape and Eye Beast King’s transformation.

In such a situation, if he traveled in the Hellfire sea region without a large army escort, this long voyage would no doubt be dangerous. After thinking about it, the young man felt that it would be much safer to take an airship. Since the airship was much faster than that of a steamship, he rode the airship and rushed to the Wizard Li’s ancestral land, escorted by thousands of dragon hawk warriors.

The airship cabin was huge, but Zhang Lisheng was the only passenger. Aside from his ten chief choresmen who would serve him, the rest of the cabin had all kinds of delicious and seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Unfortunately, no matter what the young man ate now, everything tasted like wax to him. Even so, he still forced the food onto himself during the three meals, with the hopes that one day, he would feel be able to taste again.

With a speed of over 200 kilometers per hour, he could travel 5,000 kilometers in a day. Thye could journey for 10,000 kilometers in two days and two nights. Zhang Lisheng wanted to make up his mind as to what he should do to the Atlanteans who attacked the Wizard Li Island. However, before he could finalize what was on his mind, the airship he took had already landed at the Wizard Li’s ancestral land.

Deep in his thought, while walking out of the airship, the young man absent-mindedly felt that the scene before him was both familiar and unfamiliar. He was familiar with the underground river cave and distant mountain range. Still, he was unfamiliar with the Hellfire kids, who looked like giant puppets of Earth that were only several dozens of centimeters tall.

“Tugra, I didn’t know that there are so many talented children in Wizard Li’s ancestral land. Are they your newly appointed tribal chiefs? Why are there no feathers on their heads?” Zhang Lisheng did not ask about the Atlanteans. Nevertheless, he looked at the Wizard Li’s headman at his feet of whom he had not seen for a long time and asked with a smile when he finally snapped back to reality.

“Great Wizard Li’s God! These children are not chiefs in the Wizard Li tribe, but the babies born after you rule the tribe. They have just completed their first hunting and are willing to dedicate their prey to you.” Tugra kneeled at the young man’s feet, kissed his instep, and said respectfully.

“Great Wizard Li’s God, your devout believers are willing to offer our first hunting prey!” The instant the Wizard Li headman’s voice landed, thousands of children’s tender voice shouted excitedly.

The Hellfire people were naturally born valiant and precocious, and that they would reach their maturity earlier than the Earthlings. However, it had only been six to seven years since they had mistaken Zhang Lisheng as the guardian spiritual monster of the Hellfire tribe and ruled the former Tudenan tribe. Even if the children were born when he became the tribal overlord, they would only be seven years old at most. The animals that they could hunt was not worth mentioning at all.

However, throwing aside the value of the prey, the meaning of these children offering the animals they had captured were significant, because, in a sense, they were the real Wizard Li people.

“Tugra, you can always cheer me up!” The young man grew silent for a while before looking down at the Wizard Li headman and saying in a light voice. Then, pointing to the birds in front of the Hellfire children, he said in a loud voice, “My young believers, your ‘belief’ will accept these sweet offerings of yours. I will remember your piety.”

When the young man was speaking, some choresmen went to pick the birds up and placed them on a wooden plate. Delight could be seen on the face of every Hellfire child whose offering was taken, and they would bury their heads deeply in the soil.

Upon seeing the reverence of this endless symbolization of the Wizard Li tribe, Zhang Lisheng suddenly was overcome with a sense of pride. However, when he recalled that he still had things waiting for him to do, he took a few deep breaths and suppressed his emotions. Without any delay, he said, “Tugra, follow me…” before leading the Wizard Li headman to the huge bark house beside the totem pole.

Sitting on the unusually familiar animal carpet under the altar, the young man pondered but still asked nothing about the Atlanteans. Instead, he said without beating around the bush, “Tugra, I had reformed the Wizard Li’s army system two days ago. I’ve decided to change the feather on the four-feathered chief warriors, who have the highest position in the tribe, in charge of 10,000 elite warriors to a golden headband. I allowed them to rule 200,000 warriors instead. After the reform of the military system, we will also reform the civil system. Two extra levels will be added and will use the golden headband and iron necklace to show their authority. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Faintly realizing that the Wizard Li’s overlord had already started to erase the imprint of the tribal Hellfire civilization, Tugra’s heart clenched tight. However, he still replied with great respect.

“Also, I’ve thought about it. Aruba has made a great contribution to Wizard Li, so as the headman of all craftsmen, he doesn’t need to use any gold headband to show his status. As the headman of the entire tribe, you, on the other hand, also don’t have to wear any animal hide with long hide to show off your status like the other outer islands’ headmen. I’ll grant the two of you the right to cast the two seal rings of ‘God bestowed authority’ and ‘God bestowed wisdom.’ These two seals will always be one of a kind.”

Aruba had mimicked and improved the iron steamship and allowed Wizard Li to make an expedition to the outer islands. He had also created mighty artillery, so the tribal armed fleet is no longer afraid of the threat of sea monsters. Besides, he had even invented the airship to help his own people conquer the sky and created the Red Mountain Furnace using volcanic magma to create all tools needed by the tribe along with the wind turbine and hydraulic machine tools. The Wizard Li headman deeply understood the contribution of this genius to the tribe. When he heard Zhang Lisheng placing this genius at a position next to himself, he did not get angry but kneeled as he felt even more gratefully. “Thank you for regarding me so highly, Your Great Majesty!”