Chapter 9, Scheming

Ji Wu bared his teeth and growled softly: "Amu, I was just accidentally ambushed by him. At the ancestral worship ceremony, I will not give him a chance; I will split him apart with an axe."

Seven or eight towering women, each nearly three meters tall, robust and muscular, stood by the hot spring, continuously tossing bundles of medicinal herbs made from various sizes of grass leaves into the water.

Ji Wu roared in a deep and resonant voice: "Slaves? I do not lack slaves. Over the years, Amu and Baba have annihilated more than a dozen small tribes, and I have hundreds of slaves. Why would I want Ji Wu to be my slave? I want to eliminate him."

Several miles away, Ji Hao stood at the top of a towering tree, smiling as he observed the commotion over here

In the mountains and forests, within ten miles of her, the flowers, grasses, trees, and plants around the Lady of the Orchid will all become her eyes and ears

Since childhood, Ji Hao has been unwilling to associate with the other children of the tribe. Ever since he learned to walk, he has spent his days wandering in the mountains and forests. Over the years, Old Stone, Old Tree Demon, Lord Henglou, and several other peculiar beings have become Ji Hao's friends

You need to make that brat Ji Hao your slave, do you understand

Old Stone is a 'Stone Monster', a giant rock in the mountains that has gained spiritual essence and is nourished by the power of the stars, giving rise to a 'Spirit Monster' of a different kind

"Make him a slave, you foolish boy." Jiang Yao's voice became particularly strange and eerie: "Make him a slave... If Am kills Qingfu during the ancestral ceremony, you can do whatever you want. But if Am fails, then use Ji Hao's life to force Qingfu to hand over the two heirloom witch treasures that she brought as her dowry!"

Wu, you are the son of Jiang Yao. Your grandfather is the great shaman of the Bifang tribe, the most powerful elder of the Bifang tribe. Your bloodline is far more noble than that of the lowly Huoya tribe. How could you possibly lose to a little brat who is three or four years younger than you

Ji Wushu was comfortably soaking in the hot spring, with faint glimmers of firelight occasionally appearing on her skin

When it came to his proud moments, Ji Wu excitedly raised both hands and vigorously waved them a few times in the air

Hengluo Jun looked at Ji Hao with great curiosity: "The women of the Qingyi tribe? Are you referring to your mother? Hao, I really like the scent on your mother."

At the treetop, beside Ji Hao, there was a girl draped in wisteria, exceptionally beautiful, who was playfully handling a long bow with a smile. The girl's temperament changed in an instant; when she furrowed her brows in contemplation, her aura was clear and ethereal, like a fairy in the mountains; when she gently smiled and raised her delicate brows, she resembled a myriad of blooming roses and peonies, her boundless charm making her appear both enchanting and bewitching. The girl's temperament changed in an instant; when she furrowed her brows in contemplation, her aura was clear and ethereal, like a fairy in the mountains; when she gently smiled and raised her delicate brows, she resembled a myriad of blooming roses and peonies, her boundless charm making her appear both enchanting and bewitching.

Ji Hao listened to the sounds coming from the flowers and said slowly: "I also like my Amu, but some people are not pleased, so I have no choice."

The originally clear and transparent hot spring gradually changed color. Under the influence of Jiang Yao's witchcraft, the spring water slowly transformed into a thick, blood-red liquid. Strands of red gas continuously penetrated into Ji Wu's body, causing his body to convulse violently, and his rugged face gradually became distorted and hideous.

Jiang Yao briskly walked around the hot spring, throwing various peculiar medicines into the water while sternly admonishing Ji Wu

The ancient tree demon, known as the 'tree demon', is a clan of 'monsters' formed from old trees in the mountains and forests that have gained spiritual intelligence, received the creation of heaven and earth, and cultivated themselves into human forms.

Old Shi was anxiously pacing around the big tree. His body was too heavy for any tree to bear his weight. He could only look at Ji Hao with impatience, curious about what he had actually seen

In the dense jungle where sunlight is obscured, a hot spring bubbles up with water.

Very good, very good, her man wants to take my father's position, she wants to seize my aunt's inherited magical treasures; her son wants to eliminate me! Truly a family of kind-hearted good people

The bottom of the crystal-clear hot spring is covered with a layer of fine white sand, and the area around the spring is pristine, featuring a large black stone slab. The spring water continuously gushes from underground, flowing along several traces on the stone slab, and soon seeps into the thick humus soil surrounding it, disappearing from sight

Jiang Yao walked slowly around the hot spring, holding a red, monstrous python approximately one zhang long, reciting obscure ancient incantations. The python's neck was severed by a black jade knife in Jiang Yao's hand, and the bright red, scalding snake blood flowed continuously down, forming dozens of bizarre runes the size of human heads on the stone slabs by the hot spring.

The ancient tree spirit opened its mouth, swallowed the wine jar whole, and swayed its massive body towards the direction of the Hetushu Hot Springs

Amidst the quacking sounds, Lord Huangluo suddenly reached out and tapped a branch beside him. A green sprout quickly grew from the paper, soon transforming into a flower the size of a human head. A rich fragrance emanated from the flower, accompanied by the voices of Jiang Zhao and Ji Wu.

The young girl is named "Hengluo Jun," a name given to her by Ji Hao. She belongs to the clan of the "Mountain Ghost" or "Mountain Deity," a peculiar being formed by the natural gathering of spiritual energy in the mountains and forests, nurtured by the earth and heaven, embodying the essence of nature. She possesses an innate ability to control animal herds, identify plants, and communicate with spirits and supernatural beings.

However, Wu, do not kill him. During the ancestral worship ceremony, you and that brat Ji Hao made a blood oath to the ancestral spirits; whoever loses will become the other's slave

Ji Hao listened with great excitement, sincerely applauding and praising Jiang Yao's clever schemes.

With a laugh, Ji Hao pointed in the direction of the hot spring

A tree spirit, which can generally be seen to have limbs resembling those of a human, stands beside the old stone, yet it still appears as an ancient tree. Its branches are coiled around a large wine jar, and it sips the fine wine slowly, taking small mouthfuls from its gaping, pitch-black mouth

Jiang Yao squinted her eyes and said coldly: "That's right, you carry the noble bloodline of our Bifang tribe, how can you lose to a bunch of descendants of black crows? In front of countless members of the Huoyan tribe, you must kill this kid Ji Hao... My son Jiang Yao cannot lose to the son of a lowly Qingyi tribe woman."

Ji Hao squatted beside Hengluo Jun, quietly listening to the conversation between Jiang Yao and her son.

Amidst the enormous flowers, Jiang Yao's voice continued to resonate

Every time Old Stone wandered in front of him, the Old Tree Demon would extend a branch and give Old Stone's backside a sharp slap. However, Old Stone showed no reaction to the pain, and the branch had no effect when it struck him.

Sometimes, they throw into the hot springs some peculiar and bizarre items, such as the fangs of beasts that vary in length to that of an adult's arm, various strange venom glands and sacs, as well as the bodies and shells of inexplicable insects and creatures.

A young girl rides on a completely fiery red leopard, adorned with silver spots among its red fur. This massive creature, measuring over three zhang in length, stands like a ghost on a branch as thick as a child's fist, with the slender branch showing no signs of movement.