NOVEL WEB Chapter 21 - Zhunti’s Frustration and Xia Tian’s Rebuke of the Nine Golden Crows
Chapter 21: Zhunti’s Frustration and Xia Tian’s Rebuke of the Nine Golden Crows
“The fall of the Wu and Yao clans is inevitable—it is the decree of the Heavenly Dao. A mere Crown Prince of the Heavenly Court is unworthy of our concern,” Zhunti said, shaking his head. “Although our plan failed this time, there will be another opportunity.”
Zhunti’s face darkened despite his words, and a flicker of regret lingered in his eyes. He was clearly displeased with the outcome. His original scheme was to lure the Nine Golden Crows out of the Sun Grove and into the territory of the Wu Clan. The ensuing chaos was intended to provoke one of the Wu Clan’s great warriors, the peak Innate Daoist-level Kuafu, into combat. Zhunti planned to use underhanded tactics to have the Golden Crows kill Kuafu, escalating tensions further by having the Wu Clan retaliate against the Golden Crows.
[Kuafu (夸父, Kuā Fù): A great warrior of the Wu Clan in Chinese mythology, known for his unmatched strength and resilience.]
Had the plan succeeded, it would have driven the Wu and Yao clans into open conflict, pushing them towards inevitable destruction. The death of a Wu Clan warrior of Kuafu’s calibre or the loss of the Nine Golden Crows—each a prince of the Heavenly Court—would create irreconcilable enmity.
However, Xia Tian thwarted this plan midway. His intervention not only dismantled the scheme but also focused Zhunti and Jieyin on him, forcing them to acknowledge his significance.
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In the Heavenly Court, Xia Tian returned to his palace. Drawing out the Hetu and Luoshu, he released the nine Golden Crows.
Nine miniature suns burst forth, hovering in the air and circling wildly as the young crows cawed in protest.
“Big Brother! How could you trap us in a treasure? That’s too cruel!”
“Yes! I’ll tell Father and Mother that you bullied us!”
“We were just having fun!”
Their incessant cries filled the air, prompting Xia Tian to frown. His stern voice reverberated like thunder.
“Enough! Silence!”
His commanding tone silenced the chaos. The majestic aura he exuded, amplified by the Hetu and Luoshu, radiated an overwhelming presence that far surpassed that of a typical Golden Immortal. The nine Golden Crows felt an inexplicable dread, as though they were facing their father, Emperor Jun himself. Their brashness melted away, replaced by a mix of fear and respect.
“Do you understand the trouble you’ve caused?” Xia Tian’s voice was icy, his eyes piercing. “You’ve been warned not to leave the Sun Grove until you reach the Golden Immortal stage and fully control your Golden Crow flames. Why didn’t you listen?”
The nine Golden Crows, once defiant, now huddled together like chastened chicks.
“We’ve been in the Sun Grove for so long… It’s boring! We just wanted to have fun,” one muttered timidly. Another flapped its wings and performed a loop in the air, expelling a ring of fire for emphasis.
“You’re bored?” Xia Tian’s gaze hardened, his voice tinged with scorn. “The path of the Dao is arduous and unending. If you can’t even endure this, how can you hope to achieve it?”
He continued, his tone severe. “Our Golden Crow lineage is unmatched, our innate talents unparalleled. It is true that breaking through the Innate Dao Lord stage is seamless for us. But do you truly think your identity and gifts alone guarantee you’ll become a great being?”
His rebuke carried the weight of his own experience. “If I hadn’t intervened today, all of you would have died in the Wu Clan’s domain. Do you understand the magnitude of your recklessness?”
The young Golden Crows shrank further, their fiery bravado extinguished by Xia Tian’s stern lecture. For the first time, they truly grasped the dangers their arrogance had invited.
Xia Tian’s sharp admonitions were not without merit. The Golden Crow race, born as divine beings, wielded unrivalled talent and strength. From birth, they stood as Innate Deities at the Loose Immortal level, their paths to Innate Dao Lord unmarred by bottlenecks. Yet such innate blessings did not exempt them from the tribulations of the Dao. Their overconfidence, born from their noble status, was a fatal flaw.
Xia Tian knew that his younger siblings’ recklessness could easily lead to catastrophe. Without discipline, their potential could be squandered—or worse, weaponised by others, as evidenced by Zhunti’s plot.
“Great power comes with great responsibility,” Xia Tian concluded, his voice calm but resolute. “You must temper your arrogance and learn restraint. Only then will you truly honour our Golden Crow lineage and rise above the trials of the Dao.”
The chastised Golden Crows nodded silently, their previous bravado replaced by solemn determination.