Volume 1, Chapter 41: The Dawn Sorceress

Chihu Baolong awoke from a deep sleep.

He felt as if he had slept for a thousand years, his mind empty and free from joy or sorrow, yet filled with countless symbols, incantations, spells, medicinal knowledge, and celestial star charts. In his dream, Chihu was a mere observer, watching as his spirit and these strange memories merged seamlessly, eventually becoming skills he could use proficiently. Though in the dream, Chihu still sensed the absurdity of such a windfall.

With his eyes closed, he moved his body a bit. Thankfully, he seemed intact. Yet, who knew? Perhaps his limbs had bid him farewell and were reattached by the great sorcerers. Chihu sensed his body had broken through the bottleneck of a few days ago, reaching a new realm. His true essence flowed through his spacious, smooth, and incredibly solid meridians with a sound like rushing water.

It felt as though his body had dramatically increased in strength. Chihu thought to himself: it seems I've reaped the greatest benefits from this ritual akin to primitive tribes dividing the remains of their elders.

Opening his eyes, Chihu found himself in another deep dream.

He was lying in a pitch-black stone room, the stone bed beneath him emitting a bone-chilling cold that seeped into his body but felt pleasantly cool. At each corner of the room stood a lampstand with numerous branches extending from the central bronze column, holding fist-sized lamps that illuminated the room brightly.

A woman in a green robe sat in the center of the room on a stone chair facing Chihu.

At first glance, she seemed unremarkable.

But a second look revealed a delicate beauty, like a gentle breeze lifting the mist from a lake to reveal the green water beneath. Her face, pale and nearly translucent, was perfect with an oval shape, so delicate that a faint blue could be seen beneath her skin from the blood vessels. Chihu had never seen such flawless skin; even newborns couldn't compare.

With a third glance, Chihu was captivated by her almost transparent face, with a hint of blue and perfectly shaped oval face, so delicate that you could see a slight blue from her veins. He had never seen such flawless skin, not even in a newborn.

By the fourth glance, Chihu was completely enchanted by her natural and ethereal beauty, akin to lush mountains and rivers. Her long, jet-black hair flowed freely, her slender brows had a hint of green that was heart-wrenching, and her lips, lacking any hint of blood, were tinged with a slight green. Her eyes, a dark jade green, were like two perfect pieces of jade, emanating an intense vitality.

She sat there quietly, like a forest spirit. Her simple black silk robe had no adornments, but she seemed to radiate light, with a soft green glow filling the dreary stone room, making even the heavy stones seem alive.

Chihu had to admit, he had never seen a woman like this. Natural, ethereal, full of life—seeing her was like witnessing a dense forest on a majestic mountain peak. Her beauty was undeniable, far surpassing the likes of the beautiful women in Anyi, such as Xingtian Huaying, Qingyue, or the willful daughter of Anyi's magistrate. Compared to her, their beauty was like barren deserts against a splendid landscape, incomparable.

More importantly, her aura naturally invited closeness. Her sorcery was likely wood-elemental, full of natural essence. Yet, she exuded an unattainable quality; although you knew she was wonderful, you lacked the courage to approach her. Her beauty would leave many forever entranced, and Chihu wondered if those with fragile minds could ever awaken from such a dreamlike vision.

The woman sat cross-legged on the stone chair, gently resting her chin on her right hand, looking at Chihu with great interest. To Chihu, it felt like an eternity had passed before she finally spoke, "You're quite fortunate, barbarian. Six parts of the former Tian Wu's power went to Wu Yi, one part to Shang Tang, and you absorbed half a part. The other great sorcerers got nothing." She didn't acknowledge Chihu's attempt at humor, as if she hadn't heard it at all.

Her voice was like a warbler in spring rain and mist—clear but with a hint of ethereal quality. Just hearing it made Chihu feel a sudden heat throughout his body, startling him into quickly circulating his true essence to suppress the internal turmoil. He didn't dare look at her, instead letting out a forced laugh, "Half a part of the power nearly killed me."

The woman nodded repeatedly, "That's right. Before receiving Tian Wu's power, you were merely a mid-lower ninth-level sorcerer-warrior. One part of Tian Wu's power is equivalent to the full strength of a mid-grade nine-ding sorcerer. The fact that you survived after absorbing half a part is almost miraculous to us nine great sorcerers."

Nine great sorcerers!

Any ding-level sorcerer could be called a great sorcerer by others, but only the heads of the nine great sorcerer halls dared to call themselves great sorcerers. Chihu looked at the woman in astonishment, "You, you said you're a great sorcerer? You are?"

The woman tilted her head, looking at Chihu with a gaze that made him feel like a child seeing a fascinating new toy. With that perfect voice, she said, "I am Li Wu Liuxin."

Li Wu, this woman whose beauty could only be described as otherworldly, was actually one of the great sorcerers standing at the top of the stone steps, wrapped in black cloth and appearing to be seven or eight hundred years old? Chihu couldn't believe it. She looked no more than seventeen or eighteen. Thoughts of soul possession, rejuvenation, and other strange ideas flashed through Chihu's mind.

Li Wu frowned, seemingly able to guess what Chihu was thinking, and scolded angrily, "If the Hidden Sect Leader hadn't asked me to save you, do you think I'd want to deal with a disgusting, bloody mess like you? If you dare to have such thoughts, I don't mind turning you back into that mess."

Chihu quickly composed himself, focusing his mind and refraining from any odd thoughts. Who knew what strange abilities these great sorcerers had to read minds? Chihu climbed off the stone bed and bowed to Li Wu, "Thank you, Li Wu, for saving me."

Li Wu nodded lightly and smiled, "No need to thank me. By saving you, I earned a favor from the Hidden Sect Leader, Tai Yi. Now I can go to the Hidden Hall and find some interesting things. So, it's I who should thank you." She sighed wistfully, "Too bad your injuries weren't more severe. If they were ten times worse, I could have gotten more from Tai Yi."

Chihu felt a chill down his spine. Indeed, the most venomous thing is a woman's heart, and Li Wu was no exception. He had almost been pulverized, yet she said his injuries were too light?

While Chihu silently cursed Li Wu's ruthlessness, she looked at him curiously and asked, "But I'm very curious. Shang Tang, who has much stronger sorcery and lighter injuries than you, is still unconscious after my treatment. How did you recover so quickly? It doesn't make sense!" Li Wu's eyes sparkled with intrigue, and her voice sounded like a mischievous child about to steal a candy, "Do you have any protective sorcery items? But when I treated you, you had nothing on you, which is strange."

Such questions couldn't be answered honestly. Chihu quickly replied, "I don't know! If a great sorcerer like you doesn't understand what's happening to me, how could I?"

Li Wu stared intently at Chihu for a long time, long enough for beads of cold sweat to form on his forehead. Only when she was satisfied that he had no secrets to hide did she finally relent. With a slightly disappointed expression, she said, "So that's how it is? Perhaps you just have extraordinary talent, which is why you survived. Of course, it's also due to my exceptional medical skills that you're even alive."

A self-satisfied smile spread across Li Wu's face as she reveled in her own praise. After a while, she continued, "You were lucky to absorb half of Tian Wu's power, but your sorcery level hasn't increased much. You're now at the peak of a ninth-level sorcerer-warrior, just a step away from reaching the first ding level. However, your physical body has greatly benefited. The chaotic sorcery power was sealed into your body by my incantations, boosting your physical strength to the level of a second ding sorcerer. Quite fortunate for you."

So his physical body had reached the second ding level? That meant he was now far stronger than Xingtian Dafeng and the others! Chihu was overjoyed, itching to test his newfound strength. Perhaps he could now toss a small mountain like a hand grenade. He understood better than anyone the importance of immense power.

But Li Wu quickly poured cold water on his excitement: "Don't get too happy. Your physical body might be at the second ding level, but we don't acknowledge that. In the Great Xia Sorcery Sect, sorcerers are ranked solely based on their sorcery power. Your sorcery level is still at the ninth level, so you are a ninth-level sorcerer-warrior."

Chihu took it in stride, grinning as he said, "No worries, I don't care about titles as long as I get the benefits."

Li Wu was momentarily taken aback by his response, muttering something under her breath that Chihu couldn't catch. After a moment, she looked at him with a puzzled expression and said, "But that's the strange part. Based on the sorcery power you absorbed from Tian Wu, if your sorcery level is only at the ninth level, that minimal loss should have been negligible. Your physical body should have reached the seventh ding level, yet it's only at the second ding."

Li Wu floated up, and Chihu noticed she was barefoot. Her delicate, pale feet hovered slightly above the ground as she drifted around the stone room, murmuring to herself, "According to our calculations, you indeed absorbed half of Tian Wu's sorcery power. So where did ninety-nine percent of that power go? Strange, very strange. Chihu, is there anything wrong with your body?"

Chihu quickly examined himself internally. His physical body had been greatly strengthened, and his internal true essence had transformed into a mercury-like state. But his golden core... Chihu almost fainted upon seeing it. Due to absorbing Tian Wu's sorcery power, his single golden core had multiplied into ten, each larger and more condensed than the one he had cultivated himself. These ten silver golden cores were spinning rapidly in his dantian, following the orbits of the solar system.

How was he supposed to continue his cultivation with this bizarre development? Chihu knew the method to cultivate a single golden core, but ten? He had never heard of such a thing.

Li Wu's voice interrupted his thoughts: "Is there anything wrong with your body? Any sudden cold or hot spots, or places where you see a silver glow when using your sorcery vision?"

Chihu raised his head, his face full of sincerity and honesty, and solemnly replied, "Li Wu, I'm perfectly fine. There's nothing strange about my body."

Li Wu floated closer, her face almost touching his, and glared at him, "Are you sure there's nothing unusual?" A powerful mental force accompanied her words, shaking his entire consciousness, as a thunderous voice echoed in his mind: Tell the truth, tell the truth, you cannot hide anything.

Drawing on his past life's experiences and his more stable primordial spirit compared to a sorcerer, Chihu gritted his teeth and shouted, "Yes, my body is perfectly normal, with no issues whatsoever."

Li Wu's spirit deflated, and she looked at him angrily, "Had I known, I wouldn't have wasted my time waiting for you to wake up. I thought your body would have some strange changes so I could use you for experiments. This is infuriating!" She floated back to her stone chair, sulking. After a while, she said, "Chihu, I saved your life. Do you admit that?"

Chihu nodded quickly, "Of course, Li Wu saved me. I'm extremely grateful."

A sly glint appeared in Li Wu's eyes as she chuckled, "Good, as long as you understand the principle of repaying kindness. Though I saved you at the Hidden Sect Leader's command, you must acknowledge that I used a lot of my sorcery power and spent an entire night on your recovery. Not to mention the rare medicines you consumed."

Sensing the situation turning unfavorable, Chihu quickly said, "I don't have money to pay you back."

Li Wu's lips turned white with anger, "Who said anything about money? Do you think, as one of the Nine Great Sorcerers, I would extort you for money?" Her imposing aura surged, leaving Chihu speechless. It wasn't that he was weak-willed, but the difference in their power was too vast—like an ant facing the might of the ocean.

After a pause, Li Wu's face softened into a friendly smile as she withdrew her aura, "However, I noticed that your sorcery power has a unique quality. The vitality in your earth-element sorcery is a hundred times stronger than that of the earth-element sorcerers under Li Wu's command. So, there's something I need you for."

Chihu smiled wryly, knowing why his sorcery power had such vitality—it was backed by earth-element true essence. True essence was closely connected to the world's spiritual energy and carried the nurturing quality of the Earth. Unlike sorcerers who focused solely on their cultivation, severing ties with external forces, Chihu's sorcery power naturally exhibited unmatched vitality.

Looking at this ancient yet childlike Li Wu, Chihu could only smile and say, "If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." After saying this, he felt like a piece of meat on a butcher's block, waiting to be sold.

Li Wu's face lit up with joy, "Great! Since you haven't formally joined any sorcery hall, join my Li Wu Hall. I'll give you the status of a Li Wu Hall guard, allowing you to freely enter the inner areas of the Sorcery Mountain." She seemed well-prepared, pulling a green wooden token from her sleeve and handing it to Chihu.

He reached out and took the wooden token. The green token, carved from an unknown type of wood, was about the size of a palm. It was intricately engraved with cloud patterns and various exotic flowers and plants. In the center of the token was an image of a peculiar plant with nine leaves. On the token in his hand, five of the leaves were glowing faintly green.

Seeing Chihu's puzzled expression, Li Wu smiled and pulled out a similar token to show him. The token she held had all nine leaves glowing green. She explained, "This is your pass to enter the Wu Mountain Hall. The nine green leaves symbolize the Hall Master of Li Wu Hall; eight leaves indicate a Festival Wu; seven leaves signify a Royal Wu; and six leaves represent a Command Wu. Your token has five green leaves, meaning you are the highest-ranking Wu Guard in Li Wu Hall, second only to the Hall Master, three Festival Wus, nine Royal Wus, and twenty-seven Command Wus. You will have unrestricted access."

Hearing this, Chihu quickly clutched the token tightly. Was this a joke? The titles of Festival, Royal, and Command Wus were the highest-ranking sorcerers in the Wu Hall, aside from the Hall Master, numbering only a few dozen and forming the core of the sorcery sect's power. Holding a token that granted him a rank just below theirs, Chihu knew he had to safeguard it well. With this token, his status would be significantly elevated. If he encountered someone like the An Yi Ling's children again, they would likely fall to their knees at the sight of it.

Li Wu squinted her eyes and giggled, clearly pleased. She looked at Chihu and said, "Alright, if I need you in the future, I'll send someone to fetch you. You won't have to do much hard work in Li Wu Hall. There's a medicinal garden behind the hall with a few divine herbs from the heavens growing slowly. Your earth-element sorcery, rich in vitality, should help them grow. If you tend to them diligently, you can repay the cost of the elixirs you consumed."

Chihu was speechless for a moment, realizing that Li Wu had sat by his bedside, waited so long, and gone through all this trouble just to recruit him as a laborer. But he knew he was well-suited for the task. His earth-element true essence, brimming with vitality, had a significant effect on wood-element plants. Li Wu indeed knew how to use people's talents effectively.

Looking at her joyful and beautiful face, Chihu felt an inexplicable sense of frustration. He suddenly had a strange thought: "What would it feel like to kiss her face?" He blurted out, "Can Great Wus get married?"

Li Wu floated up again, the green glow surrounding her, her bare feet now covered by a pair of grass-woven slippers. She glided towards the door like a ghost in the night, laughing softly and happily. As she drifted away, she said, "You haven't been unconscious for long; it's still not daylight. The sorcerers from all the major clans and the Wu Hall are out searching for the person who disrupted the stars and caused Tian Wu's premature death. If you feel up to it, you should go help."

Watching her beautiful figure fade into the darkness outside, Chihu felt compelled to ask, "Li Wu Hall Master, may I ask a question?"

Li Wu stopped and turned to look at him, "What is it?"

Chihu, his mind momentarily blank, asked instinctively, "How old are you, Li Wu Hall Master?"

Li Wu was taken aback, instinctively replying, "Me? I should be almost twenty years old. Why do you ask?"

Suddenly, her face flushed with a faint blush, and she angrily said, "Did those Xingtian clan guys tell you some rumor about me being an old hag? I'm so angry." She waved her hand at Chihu, and a crisp slap echoed through the room. Chihu's large body was sent flying, crashing into the stone wall, nearly knocking him unconscious.

When Chihu looked up again, Li Wu was fully enveloped in a black cloak, not a single strand of hair visible. Her voice, now strange and unrecognizable, said, "Chihu Baolong, if you dare tell anyone what I look like, I'll plant you in the Li Wu Hall's medicinal garden. Try me if you dare!"

With that, a gust of green wind arose, and Li Wu vanished into the shadows.

Chihu slowly got up, rubbing his burning cheek. Li Wu's slap had nearly knocked out a few of his teeth, and his face was swelling like a steamed bun. He muttered, "Damn, she's got a bad temper. Almost twenty? How did she become the Hall Master?"

"There is a type of sorcerer known as Heaven's Gifted Sorcerers," a tall, black-clad figure said, appearing in the stone room and speaking in an elderly voice.

Xiahou glanced at the figure also covered by a cloak and asked, puzzled, "Who is this gentleman? Do we know each other? Could it be that Li Wu is also a Heaven's Gifted Sorcerer?"

The man chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You ask too many questions," he said, ignoring Xiahou's initial query. Sitting down on the central stone chair, he continued, "Heaven's Gifted Sorcerer? Clearly, Li Wu is not one of those."

Seeing Xiahou's bewildered expression, the man laughed. "However, there's another possibility that could allow a young girl to have the strength of a Hall Master. Li Wu's grandfather was the previous Spirit Wu Hall Master, and her grandmother was the previous Li Wu Hall Master. With the combined efforts of two Hall Masters, even a fool could become a Nine-Ding Grand Wu, let alone someone as naturally gifted as Li Wu."

Xiahou suddenly understood. No wonder Li Wu had such formidable power yet still retained the demeanor of a young girl. But then he asked, "So, did you come here to see me?"

The man chuckled and nodded. "Yes, I came to see you. I only have one question: did you inherit all of Tian Wu's wisdom?"

After pondering for a moment, Xiahou nodded honestly. "Yes!" There was no point in hiding it. Someone who could move freely within the Wu Hall was clearly a high-ranking member. With their abilities, it would be easy to determine the inheritance of Tian Wu's power and wisdom.

The man smiled and tapped the armrest of the stone chair with satisfaction. "Excellent, excellent. You are indeed lucky to have received such a great opportunity. The entire wisdom of the previous Tian Wu has come to you. This is indeed marvelous. Chihu Baolong, I won't say much more. This is a blessing from the gods. Use it well."

Xiahou responded straightforwardly, "I will only do what I must."

The man laughed heartily. "Good, very good. You barbarians are simple-minded, without too many complicated thoughts. That's best. As long as you maintain your innocence, your future is limitless."

After another bout of laughter, the man suddenly changed the subject. "According to Li Wu, you now have the physical strength of a Two-Ding Grand Wu? Besides the bow that the Xingtian family made for you, do you have any close combat weapons?"

Before Xiahou could respond, the man continued, "It seems you don't. Earth-element Wu naturally have greater strength than other elements. Given your barbarian nature, you probably prefer heavy weapons for hacking and slashing. A weapon weighing several thousand pounds would feel light to you. If you go to battle against the Sea People, you'll need something hefty."

Clapping his hands, the man smiled. "You're in luck. I happen to have a piece of Chi You bone, weighing over a hundred thousand pounds. Take it to Xingtian E and tell him his creditor says he must personally forge it into a suitable weapon for you. Xingtian E owes me a long-standing debt. He won't refuse. Here, take it."

The man rummaged in his sleeve and slowly pulled out a white bone, two meters long and about a foot thick, resembling a rib. After reluctantly caressing the Chi You bone, he muttered, "I should find more of Chi You's remains. This is good stuff."

With a few chuckles, he tossed the bone to Xiahou, who caught it with some effort. Xiahou asked, "Who are you? Why are you helping me?"

The man laughed strangely, then leaped up and disappeared. His laughter echoed through the air. "Guess, just guess. Even if you guess until your head bursts, I won't tell you. Ha ha ha! What can you do about it?"

Xiahou's face twitched with anger. The pain in the cheek where Li Wu had slapped him suddenly flared up again. He muttered, "Damn, that woman has a vicious hand."

Suddenly, Xingtian Dafeng and his brothers, Xingtian Xuanzhi, rushed in, shouting, "Chihu, are you alright? We were so worried."

Xingtian Dafeng grabbed Xiahou's shoulder and, after a quick glance around, whispered in his ear, "Glad you're alive. We heard Li Wu was in the room. Did you see her? Is she an old man or an old woman? Or is she really a beautiful young girl as the rumors say? Did you see her?"

Xingtian Xuanzhi had already snatched the Chi You bone from Xiahou's hands, staring at it in astonishment. "Chi You bone? This is top-quality material for making sorcerous weapons. Who gave you such a big piece? Even our great-grandfather's treasury only had fist-sized pieces."

Ignoring Xuanzhi's question, Xiahou looked at Dafeng with a peculiar expression and solemnly said, "Brother Xingtian, how can you speak so disrespectfully about a Hall Master? Li Wu is an elder over eight hundred years old, with a youthful face and a serene, immortal presence. She's a very kind old person. How could she be a beautiful young girl? Think about it, how could a young girl become a Nine-Ding Grand Wu? Unless she's a monster!"

Xingtian Dafeng, Xingtian Pan, and Xingtian Aolong immediately slumped. "So she really is an old person. Who started the rumor that Li Wu is a beautiful woman? We were so curious. If we find the rumor-monger, we'll teach him a lesson."

A cold laugh came from outside the door. "Oh? Is that so? I'm also curious to know who dares to spread rumors about me in Anyi."

Dressed in the standard black robe of a Grand Wu, with a hooded cloak, Li Wu walked in, followed by twelve Eight-Ding Grand Wus.

Xiahou shrank back in fear and quickly said, "Be careful, this has nothing to do with me."

Li Wu stared coldly at Xiahou for a while before turning her gaze to the stiff Xingtian brothers. "Xingtian family, find the rumor-monger in Anyi and bring me his head. The culprit is likely from a noble family training in my Li Wu Hall. Identify and bring them to me. Anyone who dares to slander a Hall Master must be executed!"

The Xingtian brothers regretted their words, realizing the trouble they had brought upon themselves. Why was Li Wu so petty?

Li Wu laughed coldly. "Chihu Baolong, there's a report that the Purple Sun Gourd in the medicinal garden is about to mature. There's only one plant in Li Wu Hall. Go tend to it. If you can help it bear more Purple Sun Fruits, there will be rewards."

Xiahou signaled to the Xingtian brothers and glanced at Xuanzhi holding the Chi You bone. Resigned, he followed Li Wu out.

The Xingtian brothers hurriedly carried the Chi You bone and fled in panic.