Chapter Twenty: Arrogance

Witch treasure, witch treasure, the inheritance of the witch treasure.

Ji Hao’s mind was in turmoil, a thousand thoughts tumbling as he stared nervously at Ji Xia.

With a wild laugh, Ji Shu rushed up to Ji Xia, his wooden staff wreathed in tri-colored flames, and brought it crashing down on the dragon scale shield. The muffled impact sent waves of magma surging dozens of meters high beneath them, waves of blistering heat rolling outward in all directions. On the surrounding peaks, countless trees suddenly ignited like torches.

Ji Xia gripped his shield, uttering a deep incantation. The dragon scales that formed the shield lit up one after another, each inscribed with natural, arcane patterns that spewed flames. Countless fine sparks shot out, intertwining like a silken cocoon to protect Ji Xia at the center.

Shrill cries of birds pierced the air as a fire phoenix burst from the wooden staff, breathing blazing flame. The long streams of fire slashed at the shield’s fiery barrier like sharp blades. The harsh screech of friction mingled with Ji Shu’s relentless pounding, the chaotic cacophony so intense that the onlookers of the Fire Crow tribe clutched their ears in pain.

“Kill!” Ji Shu unleashed a frenzied assault. Ji Xia roared, and his spear transformed into a dazzling streak of light, lunging forward.

With a whoosh, Ji Shu’s body suddenly dissolved into countless hair-thin threads of tri-colored fire, shooting outward like a fountain, soaring thousands of feet into the air. Gathering in midair, sparks burst forth and Ji Shu’s form reassembled.

“Big brother!” Ji Shu laughed exultantly. “This is the legendary witch staff once wielded by the ancient Human King, the Lord of Fire. Unlike the postnatal flames controlled by our great shamans, the fire within this staff is the primordial tri-flame, capable of incinerating all things with boundless power!”

Gripping the Lord of Fire’s staff with both hands, Ji Shu swung it forcefully, sneering, “You’ve seen for yourself. As long as this witch staff is in my hands, no attack can harm me! Not a single hair, big brother!”

Flames raged as Ji Shu’s body once again became tri-colored fire, merging with the fire phoenix’s blaze and swooping down.

Ji Xia retrieved his spear, snorted coldly, and bit his tongue, spraying an arrow of blood onto the dragon scale shield. With a piercing dragon’s roar, the shield tore free from his arm, hovering above him and unleashing layer upon layer of thick, viscous flame to protect him.

Fiery light exploded from the dragon scales, and a hundred-zhang-long fire dragon’s phantom slowly emerged. The air grew ever hotter, and even the mountains twenty li away from Ji Xia showed signs of melting.

Clutching his spear to his chest, Ji Xia pressed his hands to his abdomen, chanting incantations as streams of fire gushed from within him like flowing water.

“It’s useless, big brother! Even if you awaken all your bloodline power, you’re just a great shaman. How could you possibly withstand the inherited witch treasure of the ancient Human King?” Ji Shu laughed madly. The shadow of the Lord of Fire’s staff flickered through the flames, and in an instant, Ji Shu struck down at Ji Xia hundreds of times.

Flames burst outward, surging into a wall of fire that swept across the landscape.

Ji Hao felt a stabbing pain in his eyes—the blazing light was so intense he couldn’t open them.

Amidst the blinding glare, a piercing crack rang out. Ji Hao forced his eyes open just in time to see the dragon scale shield shatter with a thunderous crash, the fire dragon’s shade torn to pieces. Tri-colored flames engulfed Ji Xia, who, unable to muster his bloodline power in time, vomited blood in great gulps as he was sent flying by the staff’s blow.

Ji Xia’s chest caved inward, the devastating strike shattering all his ribs, leaving a head-sized pit in his torso. The flesh on his chest was reduced to ash, the wound gushing blood that was instantly vaporized by the tri-colored fire.

He spat blood, his eyes glazed, tumbling backward. This blow sent him flying dozens of li, slamming into a cliff, hundreds of zhang high. The mountainside collapsed, the rocks incinerated to smoke by the flames clinging to Ji Xia.

Ji Shu clenched his teeth, lips pressed tight, his form blazing as he pursued Ji Xia. Dozens of giant fire phoenixes swooped down ahead, spewing searing flames from afar.

“Big brother, keep fighting! Don’t tell me you’re going to hand over the title of tribe warrior chief so easily?” Ji Shu raised his staff and struck at Ji Xia again, goading him loudly, “You’re a tough man, aren’t you? You wouldn’t just give up like this, would you?”

In the blink of an eye, no one had expected Ji Xia to fall so quickly. Even the elder shamans like Ji Kui were stunned by the terrifying power of the Lord of Fire’s staff. Despite being protected by a witch treasure, Ji Xia was shattered by a single blow from Ji Shu.

With no one able to react in time, if Ji Shu’s next strike landed, even if he didn’t dare kill Ji Xia outright, Ji Xia would at the very least be crippled, never to recover.

Only Ji Hao, who had mentally prepared for Ji Xia’s defeat, reacted instantly. Before Ji Shu could finish his taunt, Ji Hao summoned all his strength, the immense power in his Purple Mansion spirit core evaporating in a breath. “I concede… My father has lost. Uncle Ji Shu, you are now the warrior chief of our Fire Crow tribe. All our warriors will follow your orders now.”

Ji Hao’s voice rang out like a sword’s song, splitting the clouds, with the force to shatter gold and jade. Dozens of clansmen near him had their eardrums burst by his shout, blood gushing from their ears as they fell to the ground howling in pain.

Ji Kui shuddered, snapped from his trance by Ji Hao’s cry, and shouted sternly, “Ji Shu, you have won. Stop!”

Ji Shu’s body stiffened. Several fire phoenixes had already reached Ji Xia, their flames about to engulf him. If Ji Shu stopped now, he could still prevent disaster.

But Ji Shu only hesitated for an instant, then, feigning panic, raised the Lord of Fire’s staff and cried, “Ah! The power of this witch treasure is too great—I can’t control it…”

The fire phoenixes’ flames surged forth regardless. Suddenly, a figure appeared before Ji Xia—Qing Fu, stepping on a green leaf, shielded him. With a wave of her hands, countless vines and flowers sprang into existence, forming a thick wall in front of her.

The flames from the phoenixes sliced into the living wall, and the green vines and blossoms exploded into smoke and sparks. Qing Fu’s small body quivered, her long hair erupting into flames, blood spurting from her orifices.

“Ji Shu, damn you!” Ji Hao clenched his fists and roared with all his might, watching helplessly as the flames threatened to consume Qing Fu and Ji Xia—yet he was powerless to stop it.

At the critical moment, Ji Kui and eight other elder shamans appeared in front of Qing Fu. With a sweep of their hands, a flurry of golden crow feathers soared up, merging into a supple wall of feathers that blocked the phoenixes’ fire.

Ji Kui looked at Ji Shu’s twisted face and spoke calmly, “By the law of our ancestors, Ji Shu, you have defeated Ji Xia. You are now our tribe’s warrior chief.”

Ji Shu gripped the Lord of Fire’s staff tightly as the fire phoenixes circling before him faded away one by one.

Exultant, he raised the staff high and burst out laughing, “Yes! I have defeated Ji Xia—now I am the warrior chief of the Fire Crow tribe! From today, guarding the sacred land and defending the Fire Crow territory falls to me! Those weaklings have no right to lead our warriors!”

Casting a haughty glance at Ji Kui, Ji Shu declared, “Great shamans, from now on, leave the battles and campaigns to me. You needn’t concern yourselves any longer. Just concoct your witch medicines, commune with the ancestral spirits, eat well, drink well, and enjoy your rest!”

Ji Kui and the other elders were dumbfounded, their faces twitching as they stared at Ji Shu in a daze.

On Golden Crow Ridge, most of the tribe was silent as the grave—only Ji Shu’s clansmen cheered aloud.

***

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

Eat more mooncakes!

Snatch more red envelopes!

Happily remember to vote for Pighead!