The Priests, riding on the winds, manipulated the Ice Wind Thunder, while the wielders of sharp blades galloped across the vast plains.
The furious beast seemed intent on shattering the land. Its nearly severed spine spilled blood like magma, and the shattered glacier melted rapidly, yet its massive body continued to arch upward.
On either side of the huge beast, siege engines embedded in the ground were steadied by dozens of strong men, with two rows of sturdy bodies pulling the winches.
A few Priests at the side quickly chanted spells, coating the thick wooden arrows with a metallic sheen.
When the view widened, similar scenes were replicated across the plains, forming a long line...
Wu Wang's voice, devoid of any emotional color, rose occasionally as the various forces were precisely deployed into the battle.
Today is not yesterday.
The four horns of the huge beast had barely emerged from the ground when they impatiently began to flicker with orange light, and fireballs with a diameter of a thousand feet rapidly took shape.
Prayers sounded everywhere. A curtain of wind shielded the huge beast's head, directing the fireballs into the sky, where they exploded into fireworks and vanished in an instant.
Baseless fire fears the swift wind most.
The upper body of the huge beast had just broken free from the earth when piercing shrieks rang out on both sides. A row of twenty-foot-long 'wooden stakes' flew towards it from left and right, embedding into the beast's tough hide and spattering jets of blood.
The Bear Hug clansmen by the siege engines roared excitedly, yet upon Wu Wang's command to "Load the arrows!" they quickly busied themselves again...
The huge beast fell.
With a thick sense of unwillingness and boundless rage, it fell in the twilight's dying light, its eyes, pierced with spears, unable to close.
These ants! They have no beastly honor! Attacking in a group is one thing, but they even targeted its heels and tail! And not only did they hack away, but they also loudly boasted about their tally, comparing their progress with others...
The entire ambush was characterized by 'low damage and extreme insult.'
The death of this huge beast was essentially due to widespread capillary ruptures causing it to bleed to death.
The Blessed Beast, which should have been devoid of emotions and thoughts, had by the end shifted its gaze from the Royal Court, staring deathly at the two most active clan leaders, intent on crushing these incessantly whining wretches.
"My son Xiong Ba alone can subdue this beast!"
"HAHAHA! My son Xing Tian has the bearing of a Heavenly Emperor!"
Wu Wang: ...
Better cherish the days when your sons still have heads.
As the huge beast lay collapsed in a pool of blood, waves of exhaustion washed over those who had been performing the Praying Star Technique for almost the entire time. Even Wu Wang was struggling to hold on.
Looking down at the cheering and jumping warriors of the seven major clans, Wu Wang carefully checked the state of the huge beast. Confirming that it was indeed dead, he turned to leave.
He would leave the cleanup and distribution of spoils to his father and the others.
Wu Wang headed straight to the Royal Court, half-destroyed the day before. Reaching his own tent, he dragged over an animal-skin lounge chair, silently lay down upon it, and gazed at the stars that began to appear in the sky, releasing a deep yawn.
This place was quieter than it had been in over a decade.
Immediately, two groups of giant wolf riders rushed over, forming a human wall a hundred feet away to protect their Young Master.
I can't rest yet; there's still something important to do.
Wu Wang reached into his bosom, grasping the necklace his mother had given him. He called out to her several times in his heart. After receiving her response, he carefully instructed her a few more times.
「Atop the Peak of the Snow Mountain, inside the projection of the Temple.」
Cang Xue, who had been standing quietly, suddenly opened her eyes. She raised and lowered her wooden staff. Light burst forth from the twelve pillars of the Temple, and golden chains materialized one after another from thin air. The six previously faint figures regrouped, forcefully pulled back by Cang Xue.
The six Sun Ritual Priests suddenly became nervous, each retreating a few steps.
One of the Priests said, "Lady Cang Xue, the Star God's blessing has ended. The Bear Hug clan has not suffered any catastrophe; on the contrary, they have gained many benefits and greatly enhanced their prestige..."
"I am not here to trouble you all, but there is a matter I wish to discuss."
Cang Xue's smile grew increasingly gentle, yet the other six Sun Ritual Priests instinctively took two more steps back.
「...」
"Young Master, Young Master? If you don't wake up soon, I won't be polite anymore~"
"Hmm?"
Wu Wang opened his eyes in a daze. He was greeted first by fluttering hair, the familiar refreshing fragrance, and a faint scent of alcohol. Turning his head, he saw Lin Suqing's pretty face tinged with a slight flush.
"What do you want?"
"Just wanted to take a look~"
Lin Suqing giggled, then remembered something and hurriedly said, "There's been an incident over there! The Chief said for you to go take a look quickly."
Wu Wang immediately flipped over and leaped up, seeing circles upon circles of guards around him.
They had all been replaced by faces familiar to him.
It was now nighttime. Judging by the star positions, it should be late. Life had begun to stir again in the Royal Court, with new tents added to areas previously burned by the great fire.
Torches illuminated all four sides of the grasslands. The clansmen who had come to aid the Royal Court were now setting up camp to rest, planning to start their return journey the next day.
Wu Wang's Frost Wolf chariot was already waiting nearby. Guards brought over a brand-new beast-hide cloak and presented clear spring water.
Lin Suqing, taking small, unsteady steps due to her slight intoxication, approached. Growing a bit bolder, she sat directly opposite Wu Wang, her legs crossed beneath her skirt, one hand propping her smooth chin, smilingly watching him.
Wu Wang: ...
I get the feeling this 'auntie' has some improper designs on me tonight.
As the chariot moved forward with slight jolts, Lin Suqing swayed along, her delicate feminine figure all the more enchanting.
"The Young Master is so good-looking... hehe."
Wu Wang's mouth twitched slightly. He turned and asked, "How much did she drink?"
A guard riding a Frost Wolf beside them reported, "It seems Madam Lin only had two cups."
Two cups and she's this drunk? Forget it, just let her be.
"Have the chieftains of the clans who came to help left already?"
"To answer the Young Master, they have already departed. The Chief has dispatched men to transport the promised giant crossbows and arrows to them. The Young Master of the Big Wave Tribe also invited you over for a drink..."
The guard hurriedly briefed Wu Wang on matters that had occurred since he went to rest.
The clan members who perished would be buried tomorrow. After slaying such a huge beast, the Bear Hug Clan would also hold a celebration.
The guard continued, "Earlier, Lady Cang Xue sent a snow eagle with a letter to the Chief. After reading it, the Chief instructed us to inform the Young Master that everything at the Peak of the Snow Mountain has been arranged properly, and there's no need for the Young Master to worry."
Upon hearing this, Wu Wang raised an eyebrow.
Did Mother 'convince' the other six Sun Ritual Priests with her mana? Or did she have a calm and amiable discussion with them? Being so gentle, it must have been the latter. The beautiful Lady Cang Xue, what kind of violence could she possibly use? She only wanted to better protect our people and the Northern Wilderness.
Wu Wang asked, "Why the urgency for me to go over there now? Did something happen?"
The guard replied, "There have been some changes with the beast's corpse. I can't explain it well; you'll know once you see."
Changes with the corpse? What, is it going to turn into a zombie beast and start hopping around?
The Frost Wolf chariot, along with a large contingent of Frost Wolf riders, quickly headed towards the site where the beast was slain. As they drew closer, Wu Wang stood up, frowning at the scene before him.
Where was the corpse?
A small hill rose gently under the starry sky, lush and green, covered with bushes, teeming with life.
The pools of the fierce beast's blood on the ground had vanished. Instead, a clear spring and two small streams had appeared.
Frost Wolves were drinking by one of the streams, and many clansmen were chopping down some bushes, examining them to see if they were real or fake.
Wu Wang suddenly thought of a legend from the Northern Wilderness.
"Kuafu chased the sun. After he died, his body turned into mountains, and his wooden staff became the Deng Lin forests."
But the scene before him still exceeded his understanding.
"Has Ba'er arrived yet?"
Xiong Han's booming voice came from ahead. Wu Wang leaped down from the chariot and, escorted by guards, hurried to the side of the hill.
There, hundreds of burly, bare-chested clansmen had dug a huge hole into the hillside.
"Ba'er, come and see! Look what the huge beast left behind!"
Wu Wang, somewhat puzzled, jumped straight to the edge of the large hole and looked down. His expression instantly became quite remarkable.
At the bottom of the hole lay a multicolored, speckled stone pillar.
The pillar's diameter was about thirty feet, with both ends buried in the soil.
If one were to compare the hill's location, the current depth of the hole, and the previous size of the Zhu Huai beast, this stone pillar should be located in the center of the beast's spine.
"This is..."
A small flash of lightning went through Wu Wang's mind, and he recalled the entire process of the Star God's blessing his mother had revealed to him.
It was the Star God's strand of hair!
"This is star ore," Xiong Han lowered his voice, speaking solemnly. "It's one of the most precious ores in the Northern Wilderness. Just this piece we've unearthed could be exchanged for enough food to supply our clan for an entire year!"
"Ba'er!"
Xiong Han raised a fist, then gently let it fall on Wu Wang's shoulder. "You've really done it! Other clans never dared to kill a Blessed Beast. Who would have thought there'd be something like this afterward!"
Ah, this? Could the fib I told the clan Priests actually be true?!
Wu Wang instinctively said, "Father, lock down the news!"
"Don't worry. If this gets out, it could easily cause trouble. Your father isn't that foolish. The news has already been locked down."
"No, wait!"
Wu Wang suddenly looked up at the starry sky, then down again at the multicolored vein of ore below.
Gaining dominance alone would only bring disaster. Shared prosperity is the path to development for the Northern Wilderness! The vast lands of the Northern Wilderness still hold immense potential. At the current reproduction rates of the various clans, it won't be crowded even after several thousand years.
Wu Wang's lips curled into a wide grin, his eyes reflecting the dazzling starlight.
Calculate! Calculate quickly! How many strands of hair does the Star God have? This is the cornerstone for the future development of the North Wilderness People! This is the guarantee for their future rise! As long as I can understand the 'blessing' mechanism and establish an effective hunting system, these beasts from the heavens could become a controllable resource. We're going to be rich!
Uh, there are risks, though. What if the Star God wakes up one day, opens those profound eyes, like clusters of stars in the lonely void, and raises a hand to touch her somewhat cool scalp... The great Goddess would be bald. It seems necessary to spread some legends in the Northern Wilderness, like 'You grow stronger as you go balder,' just in case.
So how can I systematically and efficiently obtain the Star God's blessings without affecting the ordinary clansmen?
Wu Wang stood there, lost in thought for a moment.
Xiong Han muttered, "What's wrong? What's not right?"
"Father, lock down the news first. I have several questions that I can't figure out," Wu Wang said, shaking his head. He then instructed, "It's best to bury this place for now, guard it with heavy troops, and don't start mining the star ore yet."
"Your brain takes after your mother's; it works better than your father's."
Xiong Han said, "The clan isn't lacking anything right now, so there's no rush to sell the ore. Besides, if people from outside the Northern Wilderness get wind of these mines, it could also cause trouble. Who would have thought the Star God's blessing is truly a blessing!"
Wu Wang nodded, but heavy doubts rose in his heart.
If the Star God's blessing really is a blessing, truly a resource for the strongest clan of the century to further develop, then what about the three constraints Mother mentioned? What are they all about? Could it be that these constraints aren't meant to suppress, but that their real meaning is actually a trial? Then what of the clansmen who died for this? What was the significance of their sacrifice? The blood that had flowed on the ground before turned into meandering streams in a blink, nourishing all things and highlighting the Star God's greatness and tolerance.
Wu Wang suddenly felt an aversion to the Star God, a disgust that came from the depths of his heart, yet he couldn't pinpoint its source.
"Father, I'll head back first."
"Rest well, don't overthink things," Xiong Han patted his son's shoulder. "If the sky falls, your mother and I will be there to hold it up for you. You should learn from your neighbor, Brother Xing Tian. He's always smiling; that kid is so cheerful."
Wu Wang forced an ugly, insincere smile.
In my past life, the 'child from next door' was a prodigy in math and science. In this life, it's the War God Xing Tian. That's some sort of progress, I guess. But I certainly don't have the potential to hop around, lively, without a head.
When Wu Wang returned to the chariot, Lin Suqing was already curled up on the seat, fast asleep, murmuring things like, "The Young Master is getting cuter," which was a complete lie against her conscience.
I was clearly getting more handsome as I grew up!
Wu Wang sat back in his seat, pondering the matter of the star ore.
Perhaps it was because he had been watching Lin Suqing, or perhaps her fragrance was somewhat alluring, or maybe because he had slept for too long earlier and his body was brimming with energy...
Soon, Wu Wang shifted his position, grabbing a blanket to cover his lap.
TCH. I've hit puberty in this life too. What's the use? I can't touch her anyway.
"'If such a huge beast appeared in the Human Domain, all the hidden Immortals would stand up!'" The 'auntie's' words still echoed in his ears. Wu Wang smiled, his eyes narrowed, as a multitude of plans formed in his mind.
The Human Domain... I really want to visit. Not just to find a cure for my strange illness, nor just to fulfill my wish to admire the graceful figures of the Fairy Immortals. I want to become stronger. The Foundation Building Technique, the Thousand Absorption Technique, can only take me to the Qi-gathering realm. To advance further, I must decide on a future Cultivation Technique. Changing techniques midway would significantly deplete my vitality. No matter how strong the Praying Star Technique is, it's ultimately borrowed power. The Northern Wilderness's Body Refining Technique lacks a systematic approach, has many limitations, and also doesn't extend one's lifespan.
Let's set a five-year goal then. I swear on the Star God's hair, within five years, I *must* begin my journey to the Human Domain!
「…And so, four years later.」