Volume 1, Chapter 22: Rising Fame

Outside Anyi City, a hundred li to the east, lies a small fortress. Inscribed on the gate's main plaque in tadpole-script are the characters "Huntian," marking this as the fief Huntian Hou earned through his military exploits across several battles. Unlike Li Tianhou, who only owns a modest residence within Anyi City, Huntian Hou enjoys much more freedom here.

This small city, nearly a li in length and width, is surrounded by only a shallow, narrow moat. No civilians live within its walls; all residents are either soldiers under Huntian Hou or the elite guards he has gathered. The city layout is straightforward, with just two main intersecting streets forming a cross. Pairs of soldiers clad in black iron armor can be heard loudly shouting as they run back and forth along the streets, carrying heavy stones. Sweat drips from their bodies onto the scorching cobblestones, instantly evaporating and leaving behind faint white salt stains.

Huntian Hou's residence in the city is modest, consisting of just three courtyards. At the center stands a large hall flanked by three rows of chambers on each side, a parade ground at the front, and a garden at the back. Around the estate, dozens of guards cloaked in black capes walk slowly, accompanied by over a hundred fierce beasts with tiger heads, bull bodies, and leopard tails. Despite it being broad daylight, the security is extremely tight.

Inside the main hall, Huntian Hou sits relaxed on a stone chair at the center, holding a large bowl carved from black granite and sipping strong barley wine. Three zhang in front of him, a watery mirror floats in the air like a shimmering portal, showing the ongoing combat between Xiahou, Li Tianhou, and the four assassins.

Suddenly, Huntian Hou throws his bowl aside and applauds vigorously, "Excellent, Lao Shisan's assassins are impressive; their sword positions are skillful and their movements swift. Hehe, although they are still not as troublesome as that overseas swordsman I have, they are certainly formidable. Hmm, this barbarian is in trouble."

Two rows of stone chairs line the hall, and one of them is occupied by an elderly man dressed in a thick blue robe adorned with wave patterns. The old man, holding a strange talisman, watches the battle in the water mirror silently, then chuckles softly, "Hasn't Tianhou noticed? Since the fight started, that barbarian must have been struck by a hundred swords. Has a single drop of blood been shed from his body? Earth-type sorcerous power is indeed the strongest in defense; his skin is thicker than triple-layered jade armor."

Huntian Hou quickly joins in with a laugh, "The priest is right, I hadn't noticed that. Indeed, there are no wounds on him. It looks like once this Chihu Baolong leaves the new army camp, the brothers of Xingtian Dafeng will definitely take him around to stir up trouble everywhere. Ah, such a capable ninth-grade sorcerer-warrior who isn't from a noble family is indeed rare."

The priest sneers, changes the talisman gesture, and zooms the water mirror in on Xiahou, clearly showing the assassins' sword blades sparking against his skin. He nods and murmurs to himself, "Since Tianhou has already tied connections with that stubborn girl from the Xingtian family, he must make good use of it. Hehe, one should never really believe that the Xingtian family lacks strong warriors in this generation."

Huntian Hou gestures, and a maid appears from nowhere, carrying a black wooden tray with six gleaming green jade blocks on it. Each block is about a foot square and thick, carefully polished, with gentle mists of water slowly steaming from them. Huntian Hou smiles, "This is the Water Jade Six Sides I fortuitously obtained from the Eastern Great Ocean recently. Please accept this gift, priest. By the way, how powerful is the Xingtian family nowadays?"

The priest waved his left sleeve, and the six jade blocks vanished without a trace. The maid quickly walked away, and the priest, his tone now tinged with satisfaction and ease, smiled and said, "In the nine great sorcerer temples of Anyi, to my knowledge, the Xingtian family has sent nearly a thousand descendants over the past ten years. The strongest among them is Xingtian Dafeng and Xingtian Xuanzhi's sixteenth brother. Last winter's festival, Xingtian Sixteen effortlessly lifted the five national cauldrons with his sorcerous power."

Huntian Hou's expression shifted slightly, "A Five-Cauldron Sorcerer? How old is he now? And what about the other Xingtian descendants?"

The priest's eyes gleamed with blue light as he smirked, taking a moment before responding, "The other descendants sent to the temples for training under the great sorcerers are now, at the very least, lower-grade Two-Cauldron sorcerers. The most outstanding publicly known descendant from the Xingtian family is Xingtian Huaying, who possesses only two cauldrons of sorcerous power."

Huntian Hou stood up and respectfully bowed to the priest, "Thank you for your guidance, priest."

The priest glanced at Huntian Hou and spoke softly, "It's hardly guidance; anyone with some status in the sorcerer temples knows this. However, the princes cannot intervene in the temples, which is why this information is worth six pieces of water jade." With a flick of his hand, the priest shattered the water mirror into pieces and sighed, "Tianhou understands our great Xia's rules. Direct descendants of the great sorcerer families cannot openly clash, yet to gain favorable evaluation within their families and the royal court, they must compete against each other."

The priest chuckled coldly, reaching into his left sleeve with his right hand to feel the six pieces of water jade, his smile content: "Thus, the publicly known descendants of the great sorcerer families in Anyi can only use their associated guests to fight each other, making sorcerer-warriors and sorcerers from the eight barbarian regions highly sought after. However, around Anyi, a massive spirit-gathering formation is set up, and cauldron-level sorcerers cannot act within it."

Huntian Hou nodded repeatedly, "So the ninth-grade sorcerers and sorcerer-warriors, who are closest in power to cauldron sorcerers, are the most in demand." Smirking, Huntian Hou asked the priest suggestively, "It seems that if Chihu Baolong can withstand the siege of four ninth-grade sorcerers for so long, once Xingtian Dafeng and his brothers start using him to trouble other sorcerer family descendants, no one will be able to stop them, right?"

The priest nodded, "Indeed, Xingtian Dafeng and his brothers will surely make a big name in Anyi. Tianhou should understand that in Anyi, influence is not always about the power behind the scenes; more often, it's about the public reputation."

Smiling, Huntian Hou picked up his large bowl and took a few hearty swigs of barley wine, laughing, "Huaying just sent me a message about that Qingyue matter, asking me to arrange some benefits for that barbarian."

The priest shrugged and stood up, "Treat that barbarian like an ant, just give him something small. That barbarian is just a tool; Tianhou using him to get close to Xingtian Dafeng and his brothers is just for appearances. Really, a ninth-grade sorcerer-warrior isn't worth all this scheming."

Huntian Hou laughed, "Who says our great Xia's rules aren't strange? Heh, look at Lao Shisan's actions; if it weren't for the royal command restraining him, he would've probably used a cauldron sorcerer to kill Chihu Baolong by now." He glanced thoughtfully at the priest and whispered, "It's said that thirty years ago, the priest Jiang who left the Earth Sorcerer Temple is now serving as the chief steward in Lao Shisan's residence. Hmm!"

The priest's face twitched a few times before he let out a peculiar laugh, "The matters of the Earth Sorcerer Temple are none of our concern in the Heaven Sorcerer Temple." Seeing the obvious disappointment on Huntian Hou's face, the priest's lips curled into a faint smile, and he lowered his voice, "However, it is said that when Priest Jiang Lü left the Earth Sorcerer Temple, it was due to a power struggle with another priest. That priest is now the Earth Sorcerer of the Earth Sorcerer Temple, and it is rumored that he has not forgotten the events of that time."

Huntian Hou laughed again, standing to bow repeatedly to the priest, "I see. Is the priest returning to the temple now? I still have some matters to attend to and will return to Anyi later, so I won't see you off."

The priest nodded, "No need." As he walked towards the hall's door, he suddenly turned back to Huntian Hou, "A few days ago, I was in the palace. The king has been very bored recently. Anyi has been too quiet these past two years. If Tianhou can stir things up a bit, it might catch the king's attention." With that, a surge of blue waves rose from the ground, engulfing the priest. In an instant, he vanished, leaving a large wet area in front of Huntian Hou's hall.

In the training ground of Bear Camp's First Battalion, Xiahou was roaring furiously, wielding his steel axe like a windmill, resembling an enraged bear swinging a tree trunk wildly. His movements were erratic and uncoordinated, yet the sheer brute force of his thousands of pounds of strength transformed the steel axe into a whirlwind of green light, creating long trails of green light and wind as he swung at the four men in black.

At first, the men in black only sneered, thinking that Xiahou's attacks were undisciplined, like those of a brute with mere physical strength. They believed such attacks could never hit them.

Gradually, the four men in black let their guard down, focusing on slashing and stabbing Xiahou repeatedly with their swords. The continuous clash of metal rang out as sparks flew from Xiahou's body. His black robe, a gift from Xingtian Dafeng, was quickly shredded to pieces, leaving Xiahou bare-chested, awkwardly but powerfully charging at his opponents like an enraged, mindless bear. He would swing at one man and then stomp at another, but he couldn't land a single hit.

At first, Xingtian Chao and his men feared that the four swords gleaming on Xiahou's body would seriously injure him. Xingtian Chao was about to order the hundreds of archers he had brought to shoot the men in black. But seeing the remarkable defensive power of Xiahou's earth-colored body, Xingtian Chao and the other officers were stunned: "Is this really a ninth-grade sorcerer-warrior's body? It's stronger than ours. No wonder earth-type sorcery is known for its defense."

Xiahou, meanwhile, continued to lumber around awkwardly, his eyes narrowed as he closely observed the sword techniques of the men in black. After a few rounds of attacks, he nodded to himself, noting that their swordsmanship, if it could be called that, was very basic—simple chops, thrusts, slashes, and parries executed with their significant physical strength, making their sword strikes fast and destructive. Any ordinary warrior caught in their sword light would be down in three to five strikes.

He knew his own capabilities well. Having trained to the highest level of the Xuanwu True Scripture, his body was more than twice as strong as one merely enhanced by sorcery. Additionally, his use of Taoist techniques to apply various mystical armors to his body made his skin as tough as dragon scales, rendering ordinary attacks ineffective. This gave him ample time to study their sword techniques.

Sneering, Xiahou suddenly moved with a tenfold increase in agility, effortlessly dodging the four swords. He quickly shrank his body and got close to one of the men in black. His left hand formed a fist, glowing faintly with yellow light, and he delivered a clean uppercut to the man's chin.

With a dull thud, the man was sent flying thirty meters into the air, crashing heavily to the ground.

The remaining three men in black hesitated, called out urgently, and then retreated a few steps warily. The man who had been hit by Xiahou's punch let out an angry howl as red light flashed across his body. His sword ignited with a faint flame, and he seemed to float towards Xiahou, his body moving unnaturally.

His right hand moved rapidly, displaying the full strength of a ninth-grade sorcerer-warrior. Muscles bulged, and veins as thick as a thumb pulsed under his skin like pythons. The sword spun like a windmill, slicing through the air with a hissing sound and generating waves of heat as it slashed down towards Xiahou.

Xingtian Chao shouted, "Sergeant Chihu, be careful! That's the sorcery technique 'Flame Slash'!" He exchanged a worried glance with Xingtian Bei. Although Flame Slash was a low-level sorcery technique, it could unleash the full destructive potential of sorcerous power. Barbarian warriors were not known for using such techniques, relying instead on brute strength. Xiahou could be seriously injured trying to block it without proper skills.

But Xiahou sneered. He could clearly sense the flow of the black-robed man's sorcerous power. What sorcery technique? It was merely akin to channeling true essence along specific meridians to concentrate power into a weapon for a powerful strike. This technique of focusing energy was not difficult for Xiahou but was impressive for sorcerers who relied solely on their innate talents.

"Flame Slash? Ah, how about this 'Mount Hua Splitter'!"

A yellow glow enveloped Xiahou's steel axe, making it resemble a chunk of rock. The so-called Mount Hua Splitter was just a reverse application of the common 'Split Mount Hua' technique, which was quite laughable to boast about.

The yellow axe clashed with the red sword with a loud 'clang' and 'crack.' Xiahou's steel axe shattered, and a red slash struck his upper body, leaving a five-foot-long, one-inch-deep wound. Blood quickly oozed from the gash.

Xingtian Chao bellowed, "Damn! That guy's using a high-grade weapon!" The steel axe Xiahou wielded was merely a tool for cutting trees, whereas the long sword only had a chunk chipped off from the clash.

Xiahou staggered back, cursing, "Damn it, someone lend me a good weapon!"

Two swords flew towards Xiahou simultaneously—Xingtian Chao's serrated greatsword and a pitch-black heavy sword from Shengong Bao. Xiahou quickly grabbed Shengong Bao's black heavy sword with his left hand and deflected the whirlwind of attacks from the black-robed man. Amidst the clashing sounds of metal, he grabbed Xingtian Chao's serrated greatsword with his right hand and, with a roar, counterattacked with ninety-nine precise strikes, each blade flashing with an inch-long yellow glow.

The sounds of metal striking metal echoed as the two ninth-grade sorcerer-warriors clashed furiously. Although the black-robed man's strength paled compared to Xiahou's, his sorcerous power was well-honed. If not for Xiahou's earthen true essence doubling his physical strength, he might have been sliced to pieces.

The earth-type essence spread through Xiahou's body, healing and strengthening it. The wound on his upper body quickly healed without a trace. Xiahou roared skyward, cursing loudly in London slang from his previous life, his muscles swelling even more, his broad shoulders expanding by several inches. His arms extended like those of a gorilla, and he put all his true essence and strength into swinging both swords at the black-robed man.

In his left hand, he wielded the heavy sword with ferocious slashes, using a technique known as the Door-breaking Cleaver. In his right, the serrated greatsword danced in sinister circles, employing the devilish Pursuing Soul Sword technique.

The black-robed man, engulfed in flames over an inch high, let out a fierce howl and slashed at Xiahou with all his might.

After 135 strikes, Shengong Bao's black heavy sword shattered the black-robed man's sword into pieces. Xiahou's Pursuing Soul Sword pierced the black-robed man 99 times, nearly turning his upper body into a mass of flesh.

With a final roar, Xiahou swung both swords, their hundred-pound blades smashing into the black-robed man's waist. A massive explosion of flames erupted, sending the man flying. His spirit dissipated, losing control of his fiery essence, and he exploded mid-air, scattering burning chunks of flesh across the training ground.

With a resounding 'clang,' Xiahou clashed the two swords together, roaring at the remaining three black-robed men, "Come and fight! Your grandpa Chihu has always put his life on the line. If I'm not afraid of dying, why should you be? Come on, die a glorious death!"

With a roar, Xiahou slammed both swords into the ground. The bloodlust and killing intent from countless battles surged around him, mingling with the yellow earth essence and a bloody red aura. Panting heavily, he moved forward step by step, chanting the battle song of the Four Spirit Generals from his previous life, charging at the three remaining black-robed men like an enraged bull or a maddened elephant.

Xingtian Chao and Shengong Bao simultaneously clapped and cheered, "What a warrior! Such fierce energy!" Both men were loud, and upon hearing each other's voice, they exchanged a fierce look that nearly sparked a fire. Xingtian Chao almost ordered the archers to deal with Shengong Bao on the spot, deeply displeased with how Shengong Bao had tossed his own sword to Xiahou to curry favor.

Although the three black-robed men were Li Tianhou's death warriors, they were far from being truly fearless. Seeing Xiahou, who seemed to have doubled in size, charging at them with foam at his mouth, their legs began to tremble. Originally top-tier ninth-grade warriors, they were now barely able to muster the power of a seventh-grade warrior. Sorcery relies on the will and resolve of the spirit, and their spirits were shattered by Xiahou's ferocity, making it impossible to focus their energy.

Xiahou, on the other hand, had an incredibly stable soul. In his previous life, he had been a hardened soldier and elite agent, and in this life, he had witnessed countless savage battles between beasts and men. His battle spirit surged, and his spiritual energy pulsated in his brow chakra like a nuclear explosion, doubling his combat power!

As the ground shook and buildings in the First Battalion collapsed, yellow earth energy erupted from the ground, surging into Xiahou, amplifying his sorcery and the ferocity of his earth essence. He no longer appeared human but rather like a beast carved from yellow earth.

With a beastly roar, Xiahou swung his black heavy sword in a sweeping arc with his left hand, while his right hand executed a graceful "Thousand Mountains Floating Snow" with the serrated sword. A flash of black sword light followed by countless yellow snowflakes filled the sky. The three ninth-grade sorcerer-warriors couldn't even raise their swords before they were sliced into countless fist-sized pieces. The flesh, infused with powerful earth energy, turned into dirt-like clumps as they fell to the ground.

Xiahou held his swords aloft, howling madly into the sky like a wild beast!

This roar caused the earth energy around him to explode outwards uncontrollably, sweeping across the area like a bomb.

New soldiers scattered, officers didn't bother intervening, and armory soldiers fled in terror as a circle of yellow light swept out for hundreds of feet. Where the earth energy touched, countless earth spikes, pillars, and boulders erupted from the ground, creating enormous fissures with an awe-inspiring force!

From that day on, Xiahou, as a ninth-grade sorcerer-warrior, became famous in the new army camp for easily slaying four warriors of the same level in battle. The Xingtian family's sons proudly boasted about their formidable guest warrior.

However, Xingtian Chao was furious, waving his sword and shouting about going to Anyi to confront Xingtian Dafeng for compensation for the massive damage to the Bear Camp. Xiahou's final earth energy explosion had destroyed over thirty barracks and injured more than four hundred armory soldiers, resulting in a staggering cost!