Witch Clan Sacred Land

Ten Thousand Witch City, Houtu Tribe territory.

At the High Priest's invitation, Li Su temporarily stayed behind. He was arranged to live near the edge of the tribe.

The simple stone dwelling, built from natural boulders, stood in a relatively quiet area filled with a peaceful, heavy earth aura. It greatly aided his comprehension of Wu Earth Essence and the Bedrock Dao Rhythm.

In return, he began fulfilling his promise and assisting the Houtu Tribe.

Rather than heading to the fiercely contested front lines, he relied on his attainments in arrays and that trace of Guardian Dao Rhythm to help maintain the defensive arrays and healing barriers around the tribal district and nearby city areas.

This work was not difficult for him. If anything, it was another form of cultivation.

The Witch Clan's arrays differed from the Mystic Sect's arrays, as well as the arrays he had comprehended himself. They focused more on drawing upon the pulse of the earth, the power of blood and vitality, and the strength of ancestral witch totems. They were crude and direct, yet their might could not be underestimated.

Using the Minor Chiliad Array Analysis as a foundation and combining it with his own understanding of array dao, Li Su often offered ingenious suggestions for improvement, making the arrays more efficient and stable. The Witch Clan priests responsible for the arrays began to see him in a new light.

When treating the wounded, he activated the faint Guardian Dao Rhythm emitted by the damaged jade pendant. It could soothe their pain to a certain degree and speed up the healing of their injuries.

Though its effect was far inferior to a true great witch healing art, it still earned him considerable goodwill within the Houtu Tribe.

Many Witch People began affectionately calling him "Stone Bamboo" or "Guardian Bamboo."

That day, the High Priest summoned Li Su once more.

"Young friend Mo Xing, you have worked hard these past days," the High Priest said with a smile. "Judging by your aura, you seem to have gained considerable insight into our Witch Clan's Dao of Earth. Your cultivation has also improved greatly."

"This junior is ashamed. Thanks to the environment here and the guidance of the Witch Clan friends, I have gained a little."

Li Su spoke modestly. After refining the Wu Earth Essence, he truly felt closer to the earth. The Bedrock Rune had also grown considerably stronger, and his cultivation had completely stabilized at the peak of the Earth Immortal realm, only a hair's breadth away from becoming a Heaven Immortal.

The High Priest nodded. After pondering for a moment, she said, "You carry the essence of 'Buzhou,' have obtained a treasure of Wu Earth, and are fated with our clan's Dao of Earth.

"I shall make an exception and permit you to enter the Bedrock Altar outside our tribe's Ancestral Witch Hall for one day.

"There remain the will and Dao traces of Ancestress Witch Houtu and many great witches of earth. It may help you advance further.

"However, whether you gain anything will depend entirely on your own fortune."

The Ancestral Witch Hall! The Bedrock Altar! Li Su's heart shook. This was the Witch Clan's core territory!

Even if it was only an outer altar, it was still an enormous opportunity! It seemed that his efforts during this time, along with the goodwill brought by the Oathkeeper Jade Pendant, had played a crucial role.

"Many thanks for your great kindness, High Priest! This junior will certainly cherish this opportunity!" Li Su solemnly bowed.

Under the High Priest's arrangements, Li Su followed a taciturn Witch Clan priest through layer after layer of Houtu Tribe guards until they arrived before an ancient, magnificent stone hall.

The entire hall was built from an unknown yellow divine stone, emanating an ancient, heavy, compassionate, and majestic aura. This was Ancestress Witch Houtu's hall.

He did not enter the main hall. Instead, he was led to a somewhat smaller open-air altar beside it.

The altar consisted of nine enormous bedrocks engraved with countless ancient witch characters. At its center was a flickering, condensed yellow glow as tangible as substance—the aura of earth origin!

The moment he stepped within the altar's range, an unimaginably heavy pressure crashed down upon him!

It was as though the weight of the entire Primordial World had been placed upon his body!

At the same time, countless chaotic yet vast fragments of will flooded into his mind—there was Ancestress Witch Houtu's immense will to pity all living beings and transform herself into reincarnation;

There was the unyielding battle intent of generations of great witches who had fought heaven and earth to protect their tribes; there were also the most devout faith and prayers of countless Witch Clan people toward the earth and the ancestral witches...

Li Su let out a muffled grunt. His eighty-foot bamboo body was instantly forced to bend, its joints creaking. Profound Star Swirl Body Protection activated on its own to its limit, barely keeping him from being crushed.

He hurriedly steadied his mind and fully circulated the Bedrock Rune and the Wu Earth Essence he had just refined. He struggled against the pressure while trying to comprehend and absorb the Dao of Earth and Bedrock true intent contained within those fragments of will.

It was painful! Yet it came with tremendous gains!

Here, his understanding of "heaviness," "bearing," "resilience," "compassion," and "protection" rose at an unprecedented pace!

The Wu Earth Essence was refined and absorbed at an unprecedented speed, completely merging into his bamboo body and blending perfectly with the Dao Rhythm of his original Bedrock Rune, making it more complete and powerful!

His bamboo body grew darker, as if forged from mysterious yellow divine stone that had endured billions of years. Its weight increased enormously, yet it formed a wondrous connection with the earth beneath his feet, drawing forth an endless stream of energy. Under the pressure, his divine sense was madly tempered and became even more condensed.

After an unknown amount of time, when he had gradually adapted to the pressure at the edge of the altar, the damaged jade pendant in his robes suddenly began emitting a gentle milky-white glow on its own!

The light was not intense, yet it carried a strange power of soothing and purification.

The violent, majestic fragments of Witch Clan will around him became much gentler upon touching the white light. The negative emotions within them—slaughter, savagery, resentment, and the like—were quietly purified.

Only the purest laws of earth and intent of protection remained, making them easier for Li Su to absorb and comprehend!

Even the aura of earth origin at the center shifted ever so slightly toward the white light, separating an extremely pure wisp of origin that merged into it.

It nourished the damaged jade pendant, and even the cracks on its surface seemed to diminish by the slightest amount!

[Absorbed the Dao Rhythm of the Bedrock Altar in the Ancestral Witch Hall. Bedrock Rune greatly perfected. Proficiency increased to Advanced!]

[Physical body strength greatly increased. Earth affinity greatly increased. Obtained a weak ability to control the power of earth.]

[Oathkeeper Jade Pendant absorbed earth origin and received weak nourishment. Guardian Dao Rhythm slightly restored.]

[Divine sense strength increased. Resistance to will impacts increased.]

The system notifications sounded one after another.

Li Su was both shocked and delighted. He had never expected the Oathkeeper Jade Pendant to possess such wondrous effects!

It could actually purify fragments of will, help him comprehend them better, and even draw upon the aura of earth origin!

He did not dare waste this precious opportunity and devoted himself fully to comprehending and absorbing it.

A day passed in the blink of an eye. Only when the guiding priest arrived did Li Su awaken from his deep comprehension.

He felt as though he had been reborn. Though his cultivation had not broken through, his foundation had become incomparably solid. His understanding of "bedrock" and "protection" had reached a new height, and his strength had increased by far more than double!

More importantly, the jade pendant seemed to have formed a deeper connection with him.

After leaving the Ancestral Witch Hall area and returning to his stone dwelling, Li Su immediately entered seclusion to digest his gains.

However, on the third day of his seclusion, a sudden change erupted above Ten Thousand Witch City!

Woo—woo—woo—

A desolate, urgent horn suddenly echoed throughout the city! It was the highest-level warning horn!

Immediately afterward, an incomparably terrifying demon aura rolled in from the distant horizon like tangible black clouds, blotting out the sky and the sun!

Within the demon clouds, banners fluttered, and the figures of countless demon soldiers and generals appeared and vanished. An oppressive aura that made hearts tremble locked onto the entire city!

"Enemy attack! The demon army is attacking the city!" Panicked shouts instantly spread across the city.

Li Su suddenly opened his eyes and rushed out of the stone dwelling. The sky had already been covered by demon clouds, and an enormous shadow descended.

Deafening booms and cries of battle came from the city walls. The light screen of the city's Defense Array swayed violently, clearly suffering a fierce assault!

War had finally reached Ten Thousand Witch City!