Chapter 209: Chapter 208: North Snow is Doomed
Across the vast, snowy expanse, Jiang Qiu and his companions galloped relentlessly. Except for occasional stops to hunt for food and rest, they were on the move almost around the clock, without a moment’s pause.
During their journey, Jiang Qiu also tried to cultivate the Cyan Simurgh Technique he had inherited. Unfortunately, he made no breakthroughs; it seemed he was missing some core element, making cultivation impossible.
The Cyan Simurgh Technique recorded a method to reach the far shore of the Great Dao, a path more comprehensive than the current one for achieving the Martial Arts Grandmaster Realm. Furthermore, its Realm names were different from those used today.
Moreover, successfully cultivating the Cyan Simurgh Technique would allow one to walk a unique Great Dao. Reaching the Peeping Dao Realm—the equivalent of today’s Martial Arts Master Realm—meant one would manifest the will of the Cyan Simurgh.
The Cyan Simurgh was scorching hot, making it especially suitable for cultivation by Martial Artists who controlled the Fiery Flame Spirit Charm, as it could dissolve an opponent’s Spirit Power.
This was the extent of the introductory section of the Cyan Simurgh Technique he could access for now. As for High Tier content, he likely needed to reach a more powerful Realm to unlock it.
However, even the content of this introductory Chapter was meaningless to Jiang Qiu at the moment. Not only did he lack some sort of medium within his body, but there was no Spirit Charm for him to absorb. He couldn’t cultivate it...
’The introductory Chapter of the Cyan Simurgh Technique alone can lead to the current limits of Martial Arts. The later content must be even more magnificent and profound. The Human Race ancestor who created this Cultivation Technique must have possessed power beyond imagination.
With such powerful ancestors, what on earth happened in ancient times?’
Jiang Qiu’s gaze grew distant as the figure he had seen in the North Sea Palace replayed in his mind—faint and ephemeral, seeming both close and far away.
The term "ancient era" had only entered his awareness after the Demon King [Chen] appeared; he had never known anything about it before.
’The ancestors of the Human Race possessed such terrifying creativity... I wonder, did the Demon Emperor of the Demon Race also have similar abilities? Or, to put it another way, what level of existence was Demon King [Chen] before his reincarnation?’
All sorts of puzzles filled Jiang Qiu’s mind. He subconsciously began to ponder the situation outside the Great Secret Realm, speculating on the evolutionary speed of the Demon Race.
He also remembered the Elder Witch Priest once teaching him that the ancestors of the Northern Boundary Demon Clan were all called Demon Emperors.
"Hill!"
A sudden, low hiss interrupted Jiang Qiu’s thoughts. Looking up, he saw Hunt walking over from a nearby campfire, his pupils trembling slightly as if he’d been startled.
’Everyone is taking a break right now, roasting the Demon Beast Meat we just hunted. We couldn’t have run into any trouble... so what’s with his expression?’
Jiang Qiu’s brows furrowed at the thought. "What’s wrong?" he asked, puzzled.
"The Witch Priest of our North Snow Tribe has changed."
"Hm?"
Jiang Qiu froze. Seeing Hunt’s solemn expression and the glimmer of sorrow in his eyes, he knew it was no lie. His own tone grew heavy. "What happened?"
Although he didn’t understand how Hunt could possibly know, as the Leader of the North Snow Tribe, he undoubtedly shared some kind of inexplicable bond with his people.
He just didn’t understand what a change of Witch Priest truly signified.
"As Leaders of the North Snow Tribe, my lineage forms a special pact with the Witch Priest of each generation. The Witch Priest is the bridge between our tribe and our ancestors, and we share a very clear connection."
Hunt took a deep breath, his voice low. "Every Witch Priest possesses a special ancestral bloodline and has a deep relationship with the Chosen One of every era. My father once told me that Witch Priests are selected by the will of the ancestors, with the preceding Witch Priest responsible for passing the mantle.
Witch Priests have the ability to borrow Ancestral Power. Perhaps due to the influence of their ancestral bloodline, they can live for a very long time—at least a thousand years. But no Witch Priest has ever died a natural death, with their Soul returning peacefully to the world.
A change of Witch Priest means the previous one has forcibly channeled Ancestral Power through their own body and their life is nearing its end. They’ve either passed the torch to a new Witch Priest under the ancestors’ guidance, or... they have already fallen, and the ancestors chose a successor on their own..."
Jiang Qiu’s expression hardened. "The Elder Witch Priest is going to die?"
"There have never been two Witch Priests at the same time. When one chooses to step down, they must fulfill their final duty: to unleash the ancestral heritage buried within the tribe, infuse it into their own body, and fight for the tribe’s very survival."
Hunt fell silent. Jiang Qiu said nothing, vaguely aware of the THUMP-THUMP-THUMP of his own heart. An unidentifiable emotion tugged at his thoughts.
’Seventeen years have passed in this life. I grew up in the North Snow Tribe. It was Xiong, the captain of a Hunting Team, who brought me here. The tribe’s Elder Witch Priest taught me the language of this world and told me the myths and legends passed down for tens of thousands of years.’
’The debt of his teachings cannot, and will not, be forgotten.’
SNAP.
Jiang Qiu shot up from the snow. He gave the Northern Snow Lance in his hand a casual twirl, then strode over and mounted the Blue-Hoofed Horse tied to a nearby tree. Looking back over his shoulder, he asked, "How long can the Elder Witch Priest survive after relinquishing his position?"
’According to Leader Hunt’s description, the Elder Witch Priest must be temporarily wielding a power his body can’t sustain. He probably won’t die instantly.’
’If he died instantly, that would be a gross underestimation of the ancestors’ methods. How could such a momentary burst of power possibly protect the North Snow Tribe?’
’So, the Elder Witch Priest is probably not dead yet.’
The moment Jiang Qiu vaulted onto his Blue-Hoofed Horse, the Warriors from the other tribes—and even those from the North Snow Tribe—were stunned. They all stared at him, the roasting meat in their hands forgotten.
Only Hunt managed a rough shout in reply. "I don’t know! A Witch Priest’s power comes from the ancestors! How long he can last depends on his body’s capacity to store the Ancestral Power and his efficiency in using it. The Elder Witch Priest hasn’t made a move in a thousand years. If the Great Witch Priestess of Cold Heaven Cliff gets involved, he could be completely drained within three days!"
"All Warriors of the North Snow Tribe, follow me back to North Snow!"
Jiang Qiu roared the command and, without a backward glance, whipped his horse. With a sharp neigh, the Blue-Hoofed Horse shot forward. Hunt was already mounted and in pursuit, and the other North Snow Warriors hastily dropped their roasted Demon Beast Meat to follow, leaving the campsite in disarray.
The remaining warriors from the other tribes exchanged confused glances. "The Elder Witch Priest relinquished his position?"
"Drained completely within three days?"
A position like Witch Priest only existed in a Main Vein Tribe. In fact, they were the very symbol of one. The existence of a Witch Priest is what made a tribe a Main Vein Tribe; it had nothing to do with population, Talent, or any other factor.
Now, it looked like the North Snow Tribe’s Witch Priest was about to die. Were they finished?
For a Witch Priest to be forced into a state of death, the enemy had undoubtedly deployed a figure of equal standing. North Snow was at its absolute nadir!
Compared to the transient strength of a Chosen One, the Witch Priest was the eternal foundation of a Main Vein Tribe. During the long ages when no Chosen One was present, it was the name of the Witch Priest that held the Main Vein Tribes together.
As far as they knew, the North Snow Tribe was facing two great powers: the West Ice Tribe, the most powerful of the Human Race, and the Cold Heaven Cliff demons, who dominated the skies for the Demon Race...
Most of the warriors and leaders from the smaller tribes began to murmur amongst themselves, still gathered around their own campfires. But Fan and Wall exchanged a look of perfect understanding, each seeing a similar worry reflected in the other’s eyes.
