Vanessa killed a colorful venomous snake neatly, carefully collected the venom, and complained with good reason.
Robbie and Vanessa entered the ancient Zandalar Empire era through Xal'atath's time beacon and with the help of the bronze dragon.
Their initial location was a dense primeval forest. They walked for three days and three nights, but still could not see the edge.
Both of them have mastered powerful magic and can easily overcome all difficulties in the forest. Unfortunately, the physical and mental fatigue cannot be relieved.
"The direction I specify will not be wrong."
Robbie said confidently, but actually he was not sure.
The magic element in this era is extremely active. A novice magic apprentice can also cast powerful magic, especially the power of holy light, which is everywhere.
Robbie had reason to suspect that the Naaru had not yet monopolized the Holy Light in the world of Azeroth.
The two of them walked along the river. Under normal circumstances, intelligent life likes to live on both sides of the river. If you are lucky, you will soon see traces of civilization.
The ancient Zandalari Empire, which lasted for hundreds of thousands of years, was a great era that filled people's imagination. It tempted the two of them, and they wanted to understand and experience it, even if they were just witnesses.
Robbie was lucky and found a monster walking upright where the river flow slowed down a bit.
This is a ferocious-looking creature. It is very tall, but its back is curved and skinny. It only has a rag around its waist. It has messy green hair and two long fangs. It is dirty and cannot be seen.
Bring out the skin’s original color.
When Robbie and Vanessa found him, the monster was putting a nest of ants and soil into its mouth. When it noticed someone approaching, it made a whining sound and ran away in panic.
Walking upright symbolizes enlightenment and civilization, but the intelligence of this creature is obviously not high.
Robbie ignored the monster, used the Eye of C'Thun to investigate the surrounding area, and discovered a small village.
Whoosh!
An arrow flew over, and the arrow hit the fleeing monster's abdomen, which aroused the monster's ferocity. It roared loudly and planned to pounce, but for some reason, the monster suddenly knelt on the ground.
A figure rushed out of the forest. According to the description of First Emperor Dasa, this person should be an ancient Zandalar man. He was already over middle age, wearing simple animal skins, barefoot, with a handsome face, not counting two fangs.
Sharp, the color of hair and leaves.
"Finally I found you, lowly carnivore."
The Zandalar man pulled out a bone dagger and neatly ended the monster's life. Only then did he notice Robbie and the other two.
"Dear guests, Pariah Akalari sends his regards."
The Zandalari man greets politely.
With the help of Xal'atath, Robbie made a language scroll of this era, so he could understand the man's greetings.
Both Robbie and Vanessa felt surprised.
Most people will become defensive when encountering strange aliens. A heartfelt greeting like this Zandalari man's is almost unimaginable.
"Two distinguished guests, please come with me. My people will welcome you with the most sincere respect."
Akalali expertly carried the monster's corpse and led the way.
Robbie and Vanessa followed. Along the way, Robbie curiously asked about the origin of the monster.
Akalari said respectfully:
"Anyone who offends Emperor Atta will receive the most severe punishment, be deprived of wisdom and reason, and turn into a monster walking in the wilderness. We call it blood food."
Robbie was shocked and looked at the monster's corpse carefully. It indeed had some characteristics of the ancient Zandalari, but the long fangs and ferocious face were more like the Zandalari of Robbie's time.
"Blood food, is it eaten as food?" Vanessa asked without any surprise. It is their traditional custom for trolls to eat their own kind.
Akalari shook his head:
"Untouchables are not allowed to eat any blood food, otherwise they will be cursed."
The small village is not big, with dozens of simple thatched houses standing there, which seem to be blown away by a strong wind.
Akalali's wife came out, took the blood food on her shoulder, and processed it skillfully. The troll tribe's meat preservation technology has been passed down for a long time. They use special juice to apply on the meat, and then hang it in the shade to dry.
.
There are three children in Akala, the eldest one is about sixteen or seventeen years old, and the other two children are less than ten years old. They looked at the stranger curiously, but were quickly scolded and went about their business.
Vanessa took out three pieces of magic bread and gave them to the children, but Akalali refused.
"Dear guest, the Zandalari people are dignified. The great Zandalari Empire never accepts gifts from foreigners."
Akalali's wife added: "In the City of Babel, Emperor Atta supports millions of foreign nobles. I don't know if you two are interested."
"Where is the City of Babel?" Robbie asked.
Akalari said proudly: "The Zandalari Empire is vast, and the City of Heaven is a year's journey away from here."
When the villagers learned that a distinguished guest was visiting, they sent them good food.
Most of them were hard dried meat that was smoked black and had a smell. The best one was a piece of black honey. Vanessa shook her head as she looked at it.
In order not to affect this era as much as possible, Robbie and Vanessa ate magic bread and stared at the densely packed bee corpses on the honey. Robbie asked: "This is what you usually eat."
Akalali shook his head: "These foods are just for entertaining distinguished guests. Zandalar people are close to nature and rely on the big forest to live."
There are various birds and animals in the forest, but the blood-eating pariahs are not allowed to eat them, so the rest are wild fruits, plant roots, etc.
Robbie noticed that this group of Zandalar people made a living by grazing, raising a fat, slow-moving creature about three meters in length that looked like a giant silkworm.
The giant silkworm has white flesh like snowflakes, but it needs to be dedicated to Emperor Atta.
Robbie and Vanessa remained silent. They were just bystanders and could not change anything.
The processing of the blood food came to an end. Akalali's eldest son walked up to his father. He was a somewhat shy young man and handed over a stone-carved pendant that he found from the blood food.
"This is a gift I gave to my second brother when he left home. He is my elder brother." The young man pointed at the broken flesh and blood on the ground and whispered.
"Shut up, he is just a blood-eater, a sinner who offended Emperor Atta." Akalari yelled at the child and threw the pendant far away.
In the evening, the tax collector entered the small village, first visited Robbie and Vanessa, once again explained the hospitality of Emperor Atta, and then summoned the whole village to convey the king's order.
Late at night, the Zandalar couple, who had been unable to sleep for a long time, discussed in a low voice.
"I have to pay taxes again." The wife sighed.
"The tax collector said that the Crystal Sky has discovered a riddle left by the gods, and has increased taxes in order to solve the riddle. The City of Heaven is the pride of the Zandalar clan and cannot be compromised." Akalari whispered.
The wife said with some reluctance: "This time we can only let Mqimba go."
Mqimba is their eldest son, the young man who discovered the stone pendant.
The Guzandalar Empire has no currency, and all their output is turned over to the emperor.
The so-called tax refers to population.
Before Mqimba, seven brothers and sisters had become tax.