Chapter 2

Night.

The 'False Sun' at the zenith of the dome had already gone out.

Under a massive stone pillar, a courtyard enclosed by a stone wall, about seven to eight acres in size, stood a black fortress that clung to the stone pillar.

Large patches of night-luminescent moss and vines clung to the outer walls of the fortress, their pale blue and light green glow illuminating the entire courtyard, adding an ancient and weathered atmosphere to the small stone castle.

Behind the main gate of the courtyard, two cow people responsible for the night watch lay sprawled on the ground, snoring loudly, with two large iron axes carelessly discarded by their sides.

Two gray rock lizards slowly circled the base of the wall. Each time they passed the two cow people, their amber eyes would glare at them with impatience, flicking their long tongues.

The main door of the stone castle opened silently.

Wutie, a slender figure, walked out. The two gray rock lizards quickly crawled over, affectionately licking Wutie's palms and feet before continuing to circle the base of the wall.

Looking at the two sleeping cow people, Wutie grimaced and quickly circled to the back of the stone castle.

There was a training ground about an acre in size, with sand and gravel scattered with various heavy and cumbersome equipment, including stone locks, stone tripods, and large stone balls with long chains. The largest stone ball was much taller than Wutie.

Carefully taking off his fine linen undergarment, Wutie stood in the center of the training ground, gritting his teeth, and slowly swung his arms and legs, moving awkwardly and slowly through a set of punches and kicks.

After a short quarter of an hour, Wutie, drenched in sweat, gasped for breath and fell to the ground. His pale skin was covered in prominent veins, many of which were violently pulsating, causing his muscles to spasm in pain, making his vision go black. He clenched his teeth tightly, not making a sound.

The spasms lasted for a while, and several times Wutie almost fainted from the pain, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.

When the pain gradually subsided, Wutie struggled to stand up and chose the smallest stone lock on the training ground, tightly hugging it.

Closing his eyes, clenching his teeth, and tensing his muscles, Wutie squeezed out the last bit of strength in his body, but the stone lock, which was almost half his size, did not budge.

After much effort, his last bit of strength drained, Wutie suddenly sat down, his hands hanging limply, and his forehead heavily hitting the stone lock.

"Some things are not achieved just by effort," a slightly hoarse but unusually gentle voice came from the edge of the training ground.

Standing about five feet tall, with a wolf's head and a human body, wearing a loose long robe made of fine linen, and with neatly combed gray fur, Master Hui walked step by step to Wutie's side, holding a leather scroll in his hand.

His deep eyes sparkled with wisdom, and Master Hui reached out to touch Wutie's sweat-drenched head, saying solemnly, "Taiping... I remember telling you. In this world, everyone has their unique, irreplaceable value."

Wutie looked up and muttered, "But we need to find the right path to realize our value!"

"Exactly, the right path!" Master Hui smiled. "And I have seen you waste your energy on the wrong path time and time again."

"I..." Wutie opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then held his breath, angrily lowered his head, and punched the stone lock.

His fist hurt, and Wutie gritted his teeth, trying hard not to show any pain.

"Trust me, physical strength is not the only kind of power." Master Hui looked up, and the black dome above, which was hundreds of meters high, was extremely oppressive. It would be a long time before the 'False Sun' lit up again.

"Since you are so energetic," Master Hui sat down next to Wutie, using his finger to write a long string of characters in the sand and gravel. "A long night, unable to sleep, solving a few math problems is also good."

"And this poem, I find it very beautiful. After solving the problems, you must memorize it with me!"

In the blue and green glow, the furry wolf head nodded and swayed, gently waving the scroll and softly reciting with the handsome young boy — "Listening to the spring rain on a small tower, tomorrow in the deep alley, apricot blossoms will be sold."

"But, Master... what are apricot blossoms? I have never seen them! No one has!" The night was filled with the boy's angry complaint.

"But, Taiping... apricot blossoms, they must exist!" Master Hui's gentle, slightly hoarse voice echoed softly. He mumbled with longing, "What a beautiful scene... apricot blossoms, they must exist!"

A few 'click, click' sounds came from the dome.

A 'False Sun' about thirty meters in diameter lit up with a red light at its center, gradually spreading out. An hour later, the entire 'False Sun' was fully lit, and the warm red light illuminated the several miles of the Witch Valley.

The moisture from the night before, carried by the wind from the surrounding mines and tunnels, had soaked the ground.

The red light of the 'False Sun' quickly raised the temperature in the Witch Valley, causing the moisture to evaporate and form a white mist several meters high on the ground.

Wutie, holding a large cooked meat mushroom, stood on the watchtower at the courtyard gate, looking around.

In the Witch Valley, amidst the chaotic stone houses, sharp shouts and the sound of whips could be heard.

Several groups of gray dwarves were loudly shouting, waving whips to drive large groups of rock gnomes out of the stone houses. Two cow people led by seven or eight gray wolf warriors escorted the rock gnomes, delivering baskets of cooked white mushrooms to the courtyard.

The rock gnomes lined up, each taking a white mushroom, and quickly swallowed the bitter-tasting mushroom with blank expressions.

In a short half an hour, over a thousand rock gnomes belonging to the Witch family, carrying various tools, were escorted by dozens of gray dwarves to a mine outside the Witch Valley.

Soon, the sound of 'ding ding dang dang' hammering could be heard.

A gray rock lizard happily crawled to Wutie's side, looking up at the large meat mushroom in Wutie's hand.

Wutie looked at the direction of the mine, pouted, and grumbled to the two cow people at the gate, who were eating and drinking from a large basket of food, "Do you think, how many of those poor gnome slaves will die today?"

The two cow people grinned, their smiles filled with a mix of respect for Wutie, the young master, and a strange bloodthirsty aura — 'meat,' one of the cow people waved his fist and mumbled.

Wutie felt a wave of disgust.

He stuffed the large meat mushroom into the open mouth of the gray rock lizard, which was about three times his size. The lizard happily wagged its tail and quickly scampered down the courtyard wall.

Master Hui, holding the scroll, walked up, swaying with each step.

He looked at the gray rock lizard that had run far away, sighed, and shook his head, "So, you are not suitable for cultivation! Your father and your three elder brothers... they would never waste a single bit of food!"

"Even those poor gnome slaves?" Wutie pouted, feeling a surge of bitterness in his throat.

"At least your father and brothers have never touched them..." Master Hui spread his hands, looking at Wutie seriously and shaking his head, "Taiping... your father gave you this name, hoping for a peaceful life... this does not mean..."

Wutie turned his head, looking at the direction of the mine, and said stubbornly, "Are you saying I am weak? I am not..."

"This is a cruel world, and everyone must adapt to its cruel rules!" Wutie muttered, as if reciting a tongue twister, "So, I want to cultivate, but you say I have chosen the wrong path! Can reciting books kill enemies?"

Directly opposite the courtyard gate, about three miles away, on a rock wall about a hundred meters above the ground, a gray rock lizard, about four times Wutie's size, suddenly leaped out of a cave about ten meters in diameter.

A green wolf warrior, nearly two meters tall, sat on the gray rock lizard, holding a large iron spear in his right hand.

A head was impaled on the spear, and as the green wolf warrior waved the spear, the disheveled hair on the head moved, revealing a rugged face with a beard.

"Victory!" The gray rock lizard stopped steadily on the vertical rock wall, and the green wolf warrior stood on the lizard's back, letting out a high-pitched howl.

Three more large gray rock lizards leaped out of the cave, and the three green wolf warriors grinned widely.

With rapid footsteps, about twenty venomous hunting spiders, each as thick as a water vat and about twenty meters long, surged out of the cave. On each spider's back sat a muscular gray dwarf warrior, who excitedly swung a large hammer, striking the surrounding rock walls and creating a shower of sparks.

Four bull warriors, each nearly three meters tall, carrying large axes, slowly walked out of the cave.

Seeing the Witch family's stone castle from a distance, the four bull warriors snorted loudly, their large golden nose rings swinging happily.

Behind the four bull warriors, a rock python, as thick as a water vat and about twenty meters long, slowly slithered out. Wutie's father, Wuzhan, crossed his arms and sat on the python's head, exuding a sense of grandeur.

Wujin, Wuyin, and Wutong, Wutie's three elder brothers, who were almost as tall as Wuzhan and over two meters tall, stood on the python's back, laughing loudly at Wutie from a distance.

"Ha ha ha!" Wujin leaped up, creating a gust of wind as he jumped from the cave entrance, landing heavily on the ground and running towards Wutie.

In just a few breaths, Wujin covered the three-mile distance, leaping onto the five-meter-high wall and spreading his arms to embrace Wutie.

"Ha ha, Taiping! The bear family, who have been opposing us for years, has finally been exterminated!" Wujin laughed, unstrapping a large leather bag from his back and pulling out several old, damaged animal skin scrolls.

"Who would have thought the bear family had book traditions!" Wujin widened his eyes, handing the scrolls to Wutie, "Surprised? We don't know many characters, and these are all strange, twisted characters. Take a look, do you like them?"

Master Hui's eyes suddenly lit up, and a trickle of saliva appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Wutie stared at the scrolls without a word.

This was not the gift he wanted.

This was definitely not the gift he wanted.

The image of the head on the green wolf warrior's spear still lingered in his mind.

He remembered three years ago, when this bearded man, the head of the bear family, Xionghu, led a group of warriors to raid the Witch family. Wuzhan and Wujin, Wuyin were out hunting, and Wutong, who was left at home, was severely injured and almost killed.

"Do you only bring back these few people?" Wutie did not look at the scrolls but at the family warriors Wuzhan and the others brought back.

He remembered clearly that when they set out half a month ago, Wuzhan and the others took many more warriors, and the Witch family had mobilized all their forces.

"The bear family had over a thousand mine slaves and many surrendered warriors to guard, as well as many mines and farms," Wujin handed the scrolls to Master Hui, who looked delighted, and said casually, "So, some people were left behind to manage things."

Wuzhan and his group arrived at the courtyard gate, smiling and waving at Wutie, "Taiping, bring out all the good food and drinks from the warehouse!"

Wuzhan smiled confidently, "Swallowing the bear family, it will take some effort to integrate their strength, but hey, I've been eyeing the Black Wind Valley for years... it's a fertile land!"

"Let's celebrate properly!" Wuzhan waved his fist and laughed loudly.

The returning Witch family warriors all laughed joyfully, and the bull warriors' muscles trembled, causing their newly scabbed wounds to burst open, but they seemed to be oblivious.

The light from the 'False Sun' gradually dimmed.

Several animal oil torches were inserted into the courtyard walls, and the large fireballs emitted bright light, overpowering the glow of the night-luminescent moss and vines, illuminating the courtyard.

Bitter potato root starch wine was poured into bowls, large pieces of fatty roasted meat were continuously brought in, and piles of high-starch roots were cooked and cut into pieces, scattered on the stone tables.

The Witch family warriors enjoyed themselves heartily, and the rock gnomes, who were serving them, sneaked around, picking up the leftover roasted meat and roots from the ground and quickly stuffing them into their mouths.

Some bold gnomes even approached the warriors, and when drops of wine fell on the stone ground, they quickly lay down and licked the wine clean.

The entire Witch family stone castle was filled with joy.

Only Wutie, in the back courtyard, by a large water pool, filled a stone basin with clear water and carefully washed the blood-stained head of Xionghu.

He combed the disheeled hair neatly, and with great effort, finally cleaned the grim trophy.

Heavy footsteps sounded, and Wuzhan walked over, standing behind Wutie and watching silently.

After a while, Wuzhan said in a deep voice, "This is an ancestral custom... cutting off the head of the enemy leader and offering it to the ancestors can bring better luck to the family and make it prosperous!"

Wutie sat cross-legged in front of Xionghu's head, his hands supporting his chin, and quietly looked at the closed eyes.

"Father, one day, will we also be beheaded and become trophies for others to boast about?" Wutie asked seriously.

Wuzhan was taken aback, then he shook his head and laughed loudly, "How could that be!"

He patted his chest proudly, unstrapped a leather necklace from his neck, touched the white, foot-long fang on the necklace, and hung it around Wutie's neck.

"Hmph, hmph, the Witch family is not to be trifled with." Wuzhan patted Wutie's head, almost knocking him to the ground.

"This thing is called 'Chiyou's Tooth,' a family heirloom of the bear family!"

"When you come of age, I will take you back to the main family to meet the elders!" Wuzhan said, raising his head. "By the way... your elder brothers have met your mother... you and the youngest have not met your mother and your little sister... in a few years, when we have more good things, I will take you to see her!"

Pointing to the 'Chiyou's Tooth' hanging around Wutie's neck, Wuzhan squinted and muttered, "This thing, you can play with it for a couple of years, but eventually, it will be taken by your mother!"

A strange smile flashed across his face, and Wuzhan rubbed his back, "At that time, we will definitely have another brother... or sister, too!"

Wutie looked up at Wuzhan in surprise.

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