Chapter 102: Return

“Caw!” The crow suddenly poked its head out from Ji Hao’s embrace, staring in shock at the bloodthirsty Bloodfang Legion as it turned to dust in the wind.

Over ten thousand elite warriors, including hundreds of powerful Great Shamans, had been slain by a single sword strike from Si Wenming. What chilled the heart further was that this silent, devastating blow had killed thousands without even damaging a single piece of armor. Not a leaf was torn, not a blade of grass disturbed in the forest.

The power of that sword was earth-shattering, yet it was delivered with the lightness of a passing breeze.

Ji Hao stared blankly at the armor and helmets scattered on the ground, still trembling faintly, and involuntarily took a sharp breath.

Si Wenming’s strength, Si Wenming’s realm—Ji Hao could no longer fathom it. To wield annihilating terror and transform it into such a seemingly effortless sword stroke, like a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface, was beyond his imagination. Such a feat must demand unimaginable power.

Si Wenming lazily waved the ancient, simple black iron sword in his hand—matte and unadorned, no rune glowing even at the moment of the strike. He tore a hemp rope from his shoulder, wrapped it around the sword, and slung it back onto his back.

“Hmm, it’s been a while since I last swung this, a bit rusty. Almost ruined all the treasures on them,” Si Wenming chuckled, then stretched out his hand. A radiant, exquisitely crafted sword, its hilt encrusted with over a hundred colorful gemstones, flew into his palm by itself.

“This sword’s not bad. A bit flashy, but truly genuine. A good piece. Take it back to Puba, it could fetch thousands of large livestock, and thousands of jars of fine wine,” Si Wenming said, stroking the sharp blade and flicking it with a finger, smiling as he nodded at Ji Hao. “According to the customs of the Southern Wilds, all who see it share in the spoils. Ha! I’ll take this sword to trade for wine; the rest, you two kids can divide among yourselves!”

Manman tugged gently at Ji Hao’s sleeve and shook her head softly. “I don’t want any. Manman isn’t short of armor or weapons. Give them all to Ji Hao; his tribe must be in need of these.”

Ji Hao didn’t fuss over it. He smiled and coughed twice, expelling the last of the blood clots within him. He took a deep breath, feeling rejuvenated, and bowed deeply to Si Wenming. “I dare not refuse what a senior bestows. I will accept them all. These are fine items indeed; our Fire Crow Tribe truly lacks such exquisite armor and weapons.”

Si Wenming smiled and nodded, then stroked the flock of pigeons watching from Ji Hao’s shoulder with a broad voice: “Hmm, so it is. Ji Hao, you’re a child of the Fire Crow Tribe? Fire Crow Tribe, Fire Crow Tribe... Now that these troubles have come up here, I might as well visit the Fire Crow Tribe on my way.”

Shrugging, Si Wenming laughed freely. “I don’t have any particular destination in mind anyway. Wherever I reach, that will be the place.”

Ji Hao and Manman watched curiously as Si Wenming moved next. He extended a finger and drew a complex rune in the soft, damp earth. Placing his right hand lightly in the center, he whispered an incantation.

Ji Hao narrowed his eyes, his keen spiritual senses spreading outward. He clearly felt waves of strange soul energy emanating from Si Wenming’s body, instantly radiating across the surrounding forest for miles around.

A low roar approached from afar, accompanied by the snapping of branches. Soon, two black panthers, each five or six zhang long, came dashing through the black smoke. The two great panthers glanced at Si Wenming from a distance, squinting their eyes to sense the soul energy he emitted. Their deep roars softened into gentle ‘huffing’ murmurs as they wagged their tails and approached happily.

Not long after, several brightly striped giant tigers charged forward.

Initially wary of Ji Hao and Manman, the giant tigers quickly shed their caution under the call of Si Wenming’s soul energy, approaching with almost smiling faces.

Leopards, fierce tigers, giant elephants, mammoths... Within just a quarter of an hour, hundreds of giant beasts arrived in a steady stream. Ji Hao and Manman busily gathered the armor and weapons scattered on the ground, carefully tying them with vines and slinging them across the backs of these beasts.

After more than two hours of effort, everything was organized. Si Wenming rode a sturdy wild ox leading the way, with Ji Hao and Manman mounted on agile giant panthers following close behind. The large procession of fierce beasts moved in neat formation, swiftly plunging into the dense forest, heading toward the Fire Crow Tribe.

With Si Wenming—whose skills were as godlike and demonic as any—accompanying them, Ji Hao and Manman finally relaxed completely.

After days and nights of relentless pursuit and fierce battles, both had been gravely wounded. Manman was utterly exhausted, and the moment she sat on the panther’s back, her head drooped, leaning heavily on Ji Hao’s shoulder as she fell into a deep sleep.

Ji Hao sat cross-legged, supporting Manman with his shoulder, his eyes half-closed as he silently practiced the Soul Nourishment Method from the Nine-Character Mantra Pill Scripture to restore his strength. The surrounding qi of heaven and earth continuously gathered toward him, circulating through the meridians for several great cycles before condensing into pure elixir energy, merging into the Purple Mansion Core Pill within.

Riding the wild ox, Si Wenming sensed the strange fluctuations in the surrounding qi of heaven and earth. Curious, he turned back and gave Ji Hao a long, deep look.

In Si Wenming’s eyes, Ji Hao’s body resembled a vortex, endlessly drawing in boundless heavenly and earthly qi, which then vanished into the black-hole-like depths of his body.

“This kid’s got some promise.”

While gathering the armor and weapons, Si Wenming had already learned from Manman about their recent ordeals.

Despite only possessing the early-stage power of a minor shaman recently awakened to his bloodline, Ji Hao had repeatedly slain Great Shaman-level warriors of the Jia Clan and, even while frantically pursued by the Bloodfang Legion, had managed to flee thousands of miles with Manman. This left Si Wenming astonished.

More importantly, Ji Hao was still so young, born into a declining tribe in the Southern Wilds, unlike Manman, who hailed from noble lineage. His resources and shamanic inheritance were, in Si Wenming’s eyes, negligible.

Yet, with such modest resources and legacy, Ji Hao had achieved such remarkable feats. Si Wenming couldn’t help but be deeply moved.

“A good kid... Hmm, I wonder if he’s weaned yet—a fledgling eaglet daring to leave the nest and fly far?”

Ji Hao had no energy to heed Si Wenming’s musings. He was wholly devoted to diligent cultivation, recovering his strength and nourishing his essence while silently absorbing the immense terror and great joy brought by their life-and-death chase.

His mind became clear and bright. The heavy veil that had once blocked his soul in a previous life suddenly shattered.

A brilliant, shining path opened before him. His essence surged wildly, and he howled deeply as the elemental qi of various attributes from the void of all directions rushed in. Mysterious forces from the eight extremes of the cosmos, summoned by the Nine-Character Mantra, appeared out of thin air in his soul space, directly infusing the now solid purple mansion core pill.

Suddenly, Ji Hao opened his eyes, purple energy spurting more than three feet outward.

Nine golden true-word seals materialized atop the Purple Mansion Core Pill. The ethereal core pill was rapidly undergoing a profound, irreversible, miraculous transformation into a tangible golden elixir.

Si Wenming watched Ji Hao in shock as the elemental qi within a hundred-mile radius swirled wildly under the sway of some mysterious power inside Ji Hao’s body.

Such qi fluctuations—never mind a minor shaman—could not be achieved even by a Great Shaman-level shamanic priest without decades of ritual refinement!

“This kid, I’ve got to claim him!” Si Wenming slapped his forehead hard, laughing silently.

***

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