Chapter Fifty-Two: Kuafu Chases the Sun

As the demon army approached, Emperor Jiang decisively issued his highest order: protect and evacuate all the hybrids born of the union between the Wu tribe and humans. Not only did they possess the identity of the Wu tribe, but more importantly, they were capable of cultivating their primordial spirit. With such a race in the wilderness, would they not become a dominant power? They had the robust bodies of the Wu tribe and the ability to cultivate the primordial spirit of humans. Thus, safeguarding these "seeds" of the Wu tribe became a matter of utmost importance.

On the eastern shore, the territory belonged to Jumu, one of the twelve ancestral Wu. As the god of eastern wood, his proximity to the sea made his tribe particularly prosperous. Jumu had sternly instructed the great Wu of his tribe to protect their people well, for these hybrids were the hope for the resurgence of their lineage. Thus, Kuafu was stationed here to guard them.

"Big brother, why is the sun in the sky so hot today? It's unbearably scorching," a great Wu stood under the shade of a large tree, sipping water as he complained to a burly man beside him.

"Who could disagree? What sort of weather is this?" The burly man gazed upward, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the heat emanating from the Golden Crows in the sky intensifying. What was happening?

As he stepped forward for a closer look, he realized—were those not the ten Golden Crows? Why would they be "playing" here now?

Suddenly, a Wu tribesman hurried over, sweat streaming down his face, barely able to catch his breath. "Kuafu, Great Wu, something terrible has happened!" The heat was so overwhelming that even those who had cultivated to the realm of Taiyi Xuanxian struggled to resist the fiery aura of the Golden Crows, a testament to the immense heat they radiated.

This burly man was Kuafu, the Great Wu. He grabbed the messenger's hand, his voice urgent, "What happened? Speak clearly." Jumu, before leaving, had repeatedly warned him to ensure nothing befell the tribe, for if calamity struck, Kuafu would bear the guilt of the entire Wu people. Knowing the weight of his responsibility, Kuafu was anxious.

"The newborn children and many tribesmen have collapsed, mainly because the heat is unbearable," the messenger's sweat dripped onto the ground. If even those at the level of Taiyi Xuanxian could not withstand the heat, then the energy released by the ten Golden Crows was truly immense.

Kuafu rushed toward the gathering place of the tribe, seeing clusters of his people fainted upon the earth. Glancing at the Golden Crows drawing ever closer in the sky, he knew the day would not end peacefully. Turning to the other great Wu, he ordered, "Take the wounded into the shade. I will see what the Golden Crows intend."

Although there were many great Wu in Jumu's tribe, few had mastered the "Wu Arts" to their fullest. The "Wu Arts" comprised several parts: physical cultivation, five elements sorcery, weapon skills, and beast mastery, among other formidable techniques. Among them, Kuafu was a standout; so long as Jumu was absent, the tribe belonged to Kuafu.

Today, urgency left no time for deliberation. Kuafu realized that if he perished, who would protect his people? Suddenly recalling his good friend Hou Yi, he told the other great Wu, "If anything happens to me, lead the tribe to Hou Yi." Without waiting for their reply, he soared into the sky. The blame could not fall on Kuafu alone—after all, as the Golden Crows approached the wilderness, their energy grew ever more intense. Kuafu could not afford to delay.

"What are you doing here? This is Wu territory. You should leave now, lest your kin suffer irreparable regret." The Wu and demon tribes already bore deep grudges, and this was the critical moment in their war. For the safety of his people, Kuafu wished to drive them away.

"Hmph. Hand over the souls of your tribe for us to absorb, or else—heh heh," sneered Little Ten, one of the Golden Crows. He spoke deliberately; after all, this was the decisive period between two races. If, at such a critical juncture, one met their enemy and simply let them go, what would that signal? Clearly, it implied the enemy was weak and trying to bluff their way out.

Before Kuafu could reply, Little Ten exclaimed, "Isn't that the human tribe down there?" Ignoring Kuafu's warning and making no effort to restrain his aura, he descended. As he touched down, the creatures below instantly evaporated into nothingness, not even their souls escaping.

Kuafu, witnessing this atrocity, was furious. "Since you refuse reason, do not blame me for striking mercilessly!" For the sake of his tribe, he would risk everything. He raised his staff and struck Little Ten with all his might. With a scream, Little Ten's body plummeted toward the earth.

Seeing their brother wounded, the other Golden Crows were enraged. They beat their wings furiously, blazing with intense heat as they charged at Kuafu. Meanwhile, Little Eleven, after landing, was slain by the other great Wu. Pitifully, the Golden Crows, once providers of warmth to the wilderness, met such a tragic end.

Kuafu mustered all his power to resist the fire unleashed by the Golden Crows. As the god of eastern wood, Jumu's essence flowed in Kuafu's veins. But wood against fire could not easily quell the flames; even Kuafu's body began to burn, turning him into a living torch.

The Golden Crows, witnessing their sibling's death at the hands of the Wu, intensified their punishment of Kuafu. The raging flames tormented him with unbearable pain.

Kuafu knew his time was short. Enduring the agony, he gazed down at his tribe, his heart brimming with fury and grief. Gripping his staff tightly, he struck at the nearest Golden Crow with all his might. With a cry, the Golden Crow fell silent, and Kuafu vanished into the embrace of his ancestral father.

The staff struck Little Five, another Golden Crow, causing him to lose control and plummet rapidly. The great Wu on the ground, seeing their kin scorched to death by the Golden Crows, rose in righteous indignation, charging at the remaining Golden Crows. Little Five received special attention, disappearing from the world.

Kuafu cultivated the eastern wood essence of Jumu, and his staff was crafted from a rare wood. After striking the Golden Crow, the staff fell to the earth and transformed into a peach grove.