abnabooks Chapter 23 Willow Goddess
Chapter 23 Willow Goddess
Upon learning that it was all a misunderstanding, the villagers of Shicun cheered with joy.
The crisis was averted, and the hunting party returned safely, bringing back a whole host of ferocious beasts.
The flesh of these ferocious beasts is enough for them to eat for several months.
"This...this is the Fiery Bull Demon?"
An old man recognized the wild bull in Shi Ziling's hand; it was as red as blood, its body engulfed in flames, and even in death, it still exuded a terrifying aura.
When they were young, they heard from the elders that a terrifying Fiery Bull Demon lived deep in the wilderness.
I never imagined that I would be able to see it with my own eyes in my old age.
"Uncle, Brother Ziling said that since it's our first visit, we should bring a decent gift, so..."
Shi Linhu didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.
Everyone was even more shocked. To casually kill the Fire Bull Demon was a feat that was incredibly powerful, even in the Great Wilderness.
Shi Yunfeng welcomed Shi Ziling into the village, bringing with him many ferocious beasts. He placed them in front of the lightning-struck wood and began to pray.
Shi Ziling stood quietly to the side.
He knew that this seemingly lifeless lightning-struck tree was once a powerful immortal king who had ventured into a foreign land alone and fought his way in and out seven times.
It was only because he was ambushed by petty villains from the Immortal Realm that he was forced to undergo a rebirth.
"You are extraordinary."
A peaceful voice appeared in Shi Ziling's mind.
Shi Ziling was startled, thinking to himself, "The Willow Goddess?"
"You know me?"
The voice rang out again.
"I come from the future, and I have seen you before."
Shi Ziling said calmly.
In the original work, Liu Shen, Elder Meng Tianzheng, and Qi Daolin were all Shi Hao's masters at different stages, imparting knowledge, teaching skills, and protecting him.
Shi Ziling was not afraid of the Immortal King, but he was willing to give Liu Shen enough respect.
The voice paused for a moment, then said, "The mist completely conceals you. It seems you are indeed extraordinary."
"Willow Goddess, I want to help you, and I also want your help."
Shi Ziling got straight to the point, explaining to Liu Shen that he wanted Shi Hao to become her disciple.
Liu Shen did not respond further.
[Ding! Check in at the "Ancestor of Spirits," Willow Goddess, and receive the reward: Willow Goddess Magic!]
Willow Divine Technique?
Shi Ziling was somewhat surprised. This technique was not particularly powerful in terms of killing force, but it could make one's life force inexhaustible and stronger in battle.
Combined with the physical strength of the [Eight-Nine Arcane Arts], wouldn't it become a tank that constantly regenerates health?
By this time, the village chief and the others had finished their prayers, but the Willow God still hadn't absorbed any essence, as if it had lost all vitality.
Next comes the busy period.
The villagers of Shicun began to butcher the beast's meat, collect its essence and blood, cut the meat into strips, marinate and roast it to make jerky.
Especially that Fiery Bull Demon, who wanted to make use of even his fingernails.
Such ferocious beasts are extremely rare and precious for villages in the Great Wilderness, and not a single one should be wasted.
Village chief Shi Yunfeng did not preside over the event; he wanted to personally entertain Shi Ziling, this distinguished guest.
"I come from the Kingdom of Stone, which was once our ancestral land."
Shi Ziling revealed a shocking piece of information.
"Our Stone Clan established a powerful ancient kingdom, which has a long history and remains incredibly powerful today."
However, due to ancestral precepts, we are not allowed to return to our ancestral land at will, lest we bring our enemies back here. Over the long years, we have long since lost our way back.
"It was purely by chance that I was able to find this place again."
Shi Yunfeng remained calm and showed no doubt.
There have always been rumors in the village that the Shi clan had an extremely prestigious and glorious origin, but due to various reasons, their lineage was lost and they gradually declined.
Now, they don't even have a cultivation method. The only one who can use runes, Shi Yunfeng, learned the method from an outside sect.
"Is there...is there anything we can do to help you?"
Shi Yunfeng said.
"..."
Shi Ziling fell silent.
They had clearly seen his strength and confirmed that they were of the same race, and even that their ancient and glorious kingdom owed too much to this ancestral land.
But Shi Yunfeng's first words were still "What can we do to help you?" instead of "What can you do to help us?"
This was something that Shi Ziling, who was used to intrigue and scheming, found difficult to adapt to.
After a while,
Shi Ziling smiled and said, "Village Chief, I would like to pass on to you the methods of cultivation."
"Is it really possible?"
Shi Yunfeng was overjoyed. He was injured, and it would be extremely difficult for him to advance his cultivation level any further. He had long since given up hope.
Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and others had also passed the optimal time for cultivation, and since they had not been properly baptized in their childhood, their cultivation was of little significance.
But Dazhuang and Ermeng are currently in the prime of their cultivation period.
If there were better cultivation methods, starting to cultivate from a young age would at least... at least make hunting much safer in the future.
"certainly."
Shi Ziling looked around, his eyes hardening.
...
That evening.
"Ouch! Help!"
"I don't want to be boiled, please spare me, village chief, I'm still young, I don't taste good."
A group of children screamed and fled in panic, running wildly through the village and hiding everywhere.
"You silly boy, you don't know how lucky you are. This is the precious horn of the Fiery Bull Demon, a rare tonic that can make you stronger."
The adults scolded and, with practiced ease, caught the children hiding in various places.
The children resisted fiercely, but their small legs were no match for the big arms, and they were all packed up and brought back.
"Dad, let go! I'm still too young; even if I'm cooked, it won't taste good."
A child was wailing.
Shi Ziling couldn't help but laugh and said, "The little ones are still tender; they'll get tough when they grow up."
The children were stunned for a moment, then struggled even more violently.
"Help! I don't want to be eaten!"
"Village chief, please spare me! I'll never steal bird eggs again! Please don't eat me!"
In an open space in the village, eight large bronze cauldrons had already been set up, with raging fires beneath them and boiling water inside.
Following the prescription, the old man threw in various herbs, a centipede several feet long, a spider the size of a fist, a toad the size of a watermelon, as well as a poisonous snake and a scorpion with a gleaming tail.
The originally clear water quickly turned black, like ink.
The children turned green with fear and wished they could run away on the spot, but they were all suppressed.
After the medicine has been boiled to a certain point, the elders will pour in the essence blood of a ferocious beast, which is very precious. If one can absorb it, both adults and children can improve their physical condition.
Once the flames died down and the boiling water cooled slightly, a group of children were thrown in, as if they were the last ingredients.
They grimaced, grabbed and kicked, and struggled to break free, only to be pushed back down by the old men, screaming in agony.
"I'll add some more ingredients for you."
Shi Ziling smiled and took out the body of Fei Yi from the cave. With a wave of his hand, a divine light flashed and he cut off a piece of flesh.
Runes bloomed, crushing the piece of fat remnant flesh into fragments, which fell into the cauldron with a thought.
Instantly, the water boiled even more.
The children cried out in even more pitiful ways.
The village chief and the others knew how terrifying the aura emanating from this flesh and blood was, even stronger than that of the Fiery Bull Demon.
Shi Ziling watched this scene with a smile, then turned to look at Shi Linhu and the others.
"Gentlemen, let's begin."