Why were this young chieftain's thoughts so complicated?
During the first few days after arriving at the riverside cabin to cultivate, Wu Wang's questions had been fairly simple, all basic matters of cultivation. Lin Suqing had, after all, personally raised several junior brothers and sisters, so answering them was no problem.
But as Wu Wang's questions gradually delved deeper, Lin Suqing was swiftly overwhelmed.
"Miss Lin, if everyone's Five Elements are somewhat imbalanced within their bodies, and cultivation techniques differ according to their Five Elements affinities...
"Then why not determine which element one is more inclined toward before cultivating, then supplement it with the corresponding Foundation Establishment method? Wouldn't that yield twice the result with half the effort?"
"Only great sects have the resources to do what you describe, Young Chieftain. Ordinary small sects find it difficult."
"So class divisions had long since appeared in the Human Domain as well. Thank you... Miss Lin."
"Young Chieftain, there's no need to be so polite. Just call me Xiao Ai."
Wu Wang smiled calmly, but did not directly call her "Ai" or "Eh" again.
For instance:
"Miss Lin, how do you understand this line: 'Qi relies on form; when form is exhausted, qi is not exhausted. Fire relies on fuel; when fuel is exhausted, fire is not exhausted'?"
"I, uh..."
"Miss Lin, look at this qi-circulation diagram. Can you see anything wrong with it?"
"Hiss—mm—wouldn't this be overly complicated for a Return to Origin Realm cultivator?"
"Suqing, if some techniques from the Star Invocation Technique were expressed through the Path of Talismans, wouldn't they be able to unleash extraordinary power? You know how to draw talismans, right?"
"A little, but I'm not particularly skilled at it."
"Suqing, the method of using qi to control objects that you mentioned yesterday seems to have many flaws. It could easily be disrupted by an opponent."
"Suqing?"
"Suqing..."
Each scene, each moment, each layer upon layer of memories was like an arrow, piercing Lin Suqing straight through the heart!
The young chieftain was a cultivation monster!
Even calling him extraordinarily gifted would be an insult to those favored sons of the immortal sects in the Human Domain!
Thus, whenever the night grew still, Lin Suqing would take out the sect texts she had kept hidden away at the bottom of her Storage Treasure and review twice over everything she had heard as a child.
She was an old Return to Origin Realm cultivator herself. Could she really be stumped by a boy of twelve or thirteen?
After devouring all the books in her own collection, Lin Suqing went straight to the nearby market to buy every cultivation manual she could find, then returned and pored over them so obsessively that she forgot to eat and sleep.
She would fight for this one breath!
In cultivation, her own field of expertise, she absolutely could not let a mere boy stump her!
And so, half a year later.
"Suqing."
A familiar greeting suddenly came from outside the cabin.
Lin Suqing, dressed in a loose, coarse-cloth long dress and sporting enormous dark circles beneath her eyes, jolted. Half the mountain of bamboo slips, Parchment Scrolls, and paper books before her collapsed.
"Ah! Don't come over! I don't want to discuss the Dao with you!
"The Dao has no name, the law has an end; all formless things must be founded upon form. Everything you say is right!
"My knowledge is too shallow! I should never have argued with you!"
Wu Wang called out somewhat helplessly, "Dinner."
"Uh, dinner."
Lin Suqing heaved a sigh of relief and slumped weakly over the table, a faint smile of surviving a great calamity on her lips.
Those muddleheaded, confused days of the past had truly been wonderful.
When one focused all their attention on a single matter, the years seemed light and frivolous, racing past with almost reckless abandon.
After dinner, Wu Wang, who was already capable of Grain Abstinence, sat behind his desk and opened a copy of Green Wood Thunder Technique: Annotations by Daoist Sanxian, which Lin Suqing had traded for at the market, reading it carefully.
Lin Suqing sat not far to one side, cautiously writing something on a jade recording talisman.
Half a year into formal Immortal Cultivation, Wu Wang had many feelings to reflect upon.
He had discovered that Immortal Cultivation itself was an extraordinarily interesting thing. Constantly developing one's own potential, constantly blending with nature, pursuing communion between the spirit and heaven and earth—allowing fleeting life to revere the eternity of heaven and earth—was romantic in itself.
Only...
Wu Wang sighed, somewhat depressed.
He could not forget that the primary goal of cultivation was to cure his strange illness and avoid the tragedy of dying alone.
Yes, never forget why one started, and one could see things through to the end.
What one never forgot would surely leave an echo!
Cultivation could not be accomplished in a day or a night. Rushing for success would only put one on a lower path. His progress over the past half year was already quite good; he ought to take half a day off and relax.
"Suqing, let's call today's cultivation—"
"Young~ Chieftain~"
General Xiong San's thief-like call suddenly came from outside.
"General San, just come in."
The wooden door was pushed open. General Xiong San's burly body curled up as much as it could, shifting left and scraping right as he barely squeezed through the doorway.
This great general, tasked with guarding the Royal Court and protecting the young chieftain, craned his head outside like a thief, glanced around several times, and carefully shut the wooden door.
"Hehehe, Young Chieftain..."
Old Third Xiong called out in his quietest voice.
"What is it, General San? There are only a few guards within a hundred zhang. Speak freely."
Wu Wang greeted him with a smile and invited the fiercely loyal general to sit on a wooden chair by the wall.
Lin Suqing also rose from one side and nodded in greeting.
"I didn't disturb you, did I, Young Chieftain?"
Old Third Xiong rubbed his large hands together, chuckled a few times to work up the mood, then said quietly:
"Young Chieftain, I came to tell you something. Three days from now will be your first Chieftain Trial."
Had the day come so quickly?
Wu Wang glanced at the simple calendar he had made himself.
"You didn't forget, did you?" General Xiong San asked, a little worried.
"Of course not," Wu Wang said, clearing his throat. "I'll return to the Royal Court early to prepare."
General Xiong San said:
"Well, Young Chieftain, it's like this.
"By custom, a future chieftain's first trial involves fighting a three-hundred-year-old Fierce Beast.
"But you're strong, Young Chieftain. Everyone knows that. And considering your strange illness, the Chieftain ordered us to capture a thousand-year-old Fierce Beast alive at the border.
"Don't worry. We already secretly injured the beast. It only looks frightening.
"When the time comes, you just need to strike, finish it cleanly, and the trial will count as passed."
Wu Wang nodded with a smile. "Thank you for your trouble, General San."
General Xiong San promised, "Rest assured, everything has been arranged. There absolutely won't be any accidents that day."
"I naturally trust in General San's ability," Wu Wang said seriously. "Where will the trial be held?"
"Near the Royal Court," General Xiong San said. "We'll deploy a hundred thousand Giant Wolf Riders around the area ahead of time to patrol every direction and ensure the trial proceeds smoothly."
Wu Wang frowned. "Isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill? Just make it a small affair."
"That won't do. This is a major matter!"
Wu Wang asked, "Will my father return?"
"The Chieftain went to inspect the northern border. It seems he won't make it back in time."
General Xiong San hurriedly added, "The Chieftain has complete confidence in you, Young Chieftain. Looking across the Northern Wilds, even the strongest Wave Tribe has never produced a young chieftain with the strength of a Great Star Sacrifice.
"Everyone is eagerly awaiting your trial!
"Young Chieftain, you must dress more formally that day. You'll definitely captivate countless girls of the tribe... though it wouldn't do much even if you did, hehe."
Wu Wang smiled blandly. "We're all family. What difference does it make what I wear?"
Lin Suqing, who was bringing over tea, wrinkled her delicate nose. Having spent some time with Wu Wang already, she suddenly smelled the scent of hypocrisy.
After giving a few more reminders, General Xiong San laboriously squeezed back out through the wooden door and rode his giant wolf back to the Royal Court.
Wu Wang stood behind the door with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the general's figure gradually disappear into the night.
The Chieftain Trial.
The men of the Northern Wilds valued martial prowess, and most tribes had similar trials.
Before succeeding to the position, Wu Wang would have to undergo five to seven trials. The first was at the age of thirteen, which would be three days from now.
Although he, the young chieftain who cultivated the Star Invocation Technique, was rather unconventional, his combat strength was not a problem.
"Young Chieftain, what will you wear that day?"
Lin Suqing asked softly at his side, "Would you like me to make you an embroidered robe in advance? The clothing styles here in the Northern Wilds are still rather simple."
"No need. Something casual will do."
Wu Wang replied calmly, "That's enough for today. Go back and cultivate."
"Okay~"
Lin Suqing agreed with a smile, tidied up the teacups and tray, and hummed a tune as she returned to the cabin next door.
Not long after sitting down to meditate, Lin Suqing opened one eye, crept over to a crack between overlapping Wooden Planks in the two cabins, and peeked into the neighboring room.
Hehe, just as I thought.
Before an ice mirror formed from the Star Invocation Technique, a certain young chieftain was holding robe after robe sewn from beast hide against himself, occasionally making a few gestures of waving his hand or clenching his fist.
Snort!
Lin Suqing quickly covered her little mouth and floated back to the meditation cushion on her bed. Throughout the entire night's meditation, a smile lingered at the corners of her lips.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
The current young chieftain's first Chieftain Trial brought another grand celebration to the Bear Hug Tribe.
Men and women, young and old, living near the Royal Court had come specifically to witness it. The crowd had already begun gathering the night before;
Young men and women sang and danced, respected elders were surrounded by food and fine wine, and children carried giant wolf cubs around as they played.
A powerful future chieftain represented a prosperous future for their tribe.
To personally witness the future chieftain, still only a youth, display divine might was a rare blessing that came only a few times in a lifetime.
The Sun Star had barely climbed from the grassland's curtain when it impatiently lit the golden roof of the King's Tent.
Near the King's Tent, a group of burly men blew long horns;
On the outskirts of the Royal Court, over a thousand wolf riders held high colorful banners made of bark as they galloped back and forth.
The scene was a clamor of gongs and drums, a sea of people, lively beyond compare.
A Thornback Lizard over twenty zhang tall had been driven here by a large force of Giant Wolf Riders the previous night, then sealed by dozens of priests that morning. It was now trapped in the center of a small lake, issuing powerless low growls.
Soon, Wu Wang would leap into the lake and 'fight this Fierce Beast to the death.'
By noon, the tribe's revelry had reached its peak.
At the King's Tent, many white-haired priests and retired generals watched the youth's figure with kindly gazes.
Wu Wang was already standing atop his carriage. Four Frost Wolves were being held by two guards, lowering their heads obediently as they gnawed on meat.
Today, he wore a light white short shirt and long trousers, with a pale gray cloak draped over his shoulders. The skull of a young beast atop his head, symbolizing his status, had also been carved with decorative patterns.
"Casual."
By tribal tradition, Wu Wang had to carry a weapon, so he wore a dagger at his waist, held the Crystal Ball flat in his left hand, and gripped a priest's staff in his right.
Everything was ready.
General Xiong San ran over and asked, "Young Chieftain, may we begin?"
Wu Wang nodded with a cold expression, and General Xiong San immediately turned and waved his hand.
Woo—
A unified blast of horns rang out near the King's Tent. Wu Wang's carriage trembled slightly, and the four giant wolves held their heads high and chests proud as they took tiny steps forward. The carriage began moving steadily ahead.
"Young Chieftain!"
Several girls on either side let out shrieks so high-pitched that their voices broke, followed by the hearty laughter of elders and young adults.
As the carriage moved before them, the crowd all lowered their heads and pressed hands to their chests, offering heartfelt blessings to the youth upon it.
He was their future chieftain, who would lead them and their children to continue surviving in the Northern Wilds.
Pray to the Star Gods!
Pray for the tribe's prosperity;
Pray for the chieftain's long life;
Pray for the family's peace.
A faint smile rested at Wu Wang's lips as he continually raised his hand to acknowledge those around him, calmly handling the situation before him. The handsome back of his head drew the gazes of countless unmarried women.
His carriage slowly left the Royal Court, with the strongest Giant Wolf Riders serving as guards on either side and a tide of singing, dancing people following behind.
Lin Suqing stood beside the King's Tent, looking upon the grand scene, and inexplicably felt a touch of, Ah, the young chieftain has finally grown up.
"Eh?"
She tilted her head slightly, looking at a point of cross-shaped light appearing in the azure sky, as though a star were shining.
With such a huge Sun Star hanging directly to the south, how could a shooting star possibly be visible?
The Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth seemed to have gained something.
Lin Suqing blinked gently. At the spot on her forehead that Wu Wang's mother had touched, a faint six-pointed star mark appeared.
At the same time;
At the summit of the snow mountain, within that cabin concealing a sea of stars.
Cang Xue still stood at the center of the temple above the myriad stars. She had been meditating with her eyes closed, but suddenly opened them.
The divine radiance in her eyes quickly faded. Her beautiful brows furrowed slightly, and her face grew a touch colder.
But before Cang Xue could turn around, clusters of light appeared in corners throughout the temple. Six figures first took shape in outline, then swiftly solidified into human forms.
They were six beautiful female priests with holy features and somewhat indifferent gazes.
They spoke:
"Lord Cangxue, you cannot destroy the Star God's Blessing."
"This is the rule of the Northern Wilds. We must maintain the balance between the clans."
"The Star God has answered our prayers. The Star God's Blessing can no longer be stopped. Please wait quietly here for the result."
Cang Xue stood motionless, clutching the staff swirling with starlight in her hand until her knuckles gradually turned white.
Now, look to the Bear Hug Tribe's Royal Court.
Wu Wang's carriage began to accelerate, gradually leaving the tribesmen behind as it sped toward that marshy lake with large numbers of Giant Wolf Riders on both flanks.
After traveling several more li, General Xiong San shouted loudly.
The Giant Wolf Riders on both sides of the distant lake retreated like the tide, and the priests responsible for sealing the Fierce Beast withdrew at the same time.
The Thornback Fierce Beast, a thousand years old, threw back its head in an enraged roar. It broke free from chain after chain beneath the water, its savage gaze locking onto the carriage charging toward it from afar.
It began crawling toward the edge of the great marsh. Tongues of flame flowed within its gaping, vicious maw!
Several li still separated them from the thousand-year Fierce Beast;
Wu Wang raised the scepter in his hand high. The Giant Wolf Riders on both flanks spread out to either side, leaving only his carriage racing ahead.
The four Frost Wolves let out wave after wave of threatening howls, and the carriage's speed rose another notch!
This was a trial... meant only for a king...
Hm?
Without warning, the giant wolves suddenly slowed.
Even stranger, the thousand-year Fierce Beast that had been about to unleash its fury a moment ago suddenly shut its jaws the next. Its four short legs struggled desperately as it tried with all its might to halt its charge, its massive body twisting frantically to the left.
The ferocity in its scarlet beast eyes had completely vanished, leaving only terror.
This thousand-year Fierce Beast, which had been driven here with great difficulty from the clan borders, actually...
Ran away?!
The four Frost Wolves pulling the carriage kept letting out mournful howls. The carriage had stopped charging forward, and they were restless, desperately trying to break free of their reins.
But Wu Wang had no time to pay attention to them.
He raised his head and looked toward the sky.
At some unknown moment, the entire sky had been dyed blood-red. A fireball streaked across the heavens, while seven red halos, each a hundred li in diameter, revolved between earth and sky!
Endless spiritual power flowed across those halos.
Each time the fireball shot through a halo, its descent speed halved, while the shadow within it doubled in size!
"Bless... blessing."
Before a great tent in the Royal Court, several elderly priests watching this scene trembled all over, their faces deathly pale.
A female priest cried out in a shrill voice, "It's the Star God's Blessing!"
"Why... why us?"
The fireball had already crashed down, its point of impact that very lake!
Roars. Explosions.
The earth trembled. The gale seemed ready to swallow the entire grassland. Boundless water vapor formed a mushroom cloud that slowly rose into the air, while white mist swiftly blanketed an area ten li around. Like a drawn curtain, it outlined the mountainous, vicious black shadow.
BOOM!
A gigantic foot etched with black-red patterns stepped out of the white mist and crushed the thousand-year Thornback Lizard beneath it.
The earth trembled once more.
Four savage giant horns emerged from the white mist, and a majestic bull's head filled Wu Wang's sight.
Fierce Beast: Zhuhuai! Age: Unknown!
"Young Master, hurry, hurry back!"
(PS: So no one has to wait too long, today's 18:00 chapter has been moved up to half an hour from now—that is, it will update at 0:30! Losing one chance for bookshelf exposure still hurts quite a bit for a new book, so please vote and support~)
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