Seeing the message on the System screen, Theodore froze.
He had only cultivated this Whomping Willow branch to prepare ingredients for the Myriad Demon Golden Pill. He had not expected an unexpected harvest.
His gaze fell on the rewards listed by the System, and joy immediately appeared in his eyes.
Whether it was the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame or Fuxi's Divine Heavenly Resonance, both were incredibly high-level rewards.
The former, just from the System's description, was clearly a divine flame mastered only by the ancient phoenix race. It was wondrous beyond measure and had nearly vanished in later ages.
Even the famous Five-Fire Seven-Bird Fan from the Investiture of the Gods era only used a single phoenix feather to draw out a trace of the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame.
And that fan was already enough to serve as one of a Great Luo Golden Immortal's trump-card treasures.
In terms of pure flame power, it might even surpass the Nine-Dragon Divine Fire Barrier.
From that alone, one could see that if the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame was fully unleashed, its might would not be inferior to Samadhi True Fire.
But raw power was not even its true wonder.
This flame came from the phoenix. It was sacred by nature, and its destructive effect against demons and evil beings was multiplied.
More importantly, it also possessed healing power.
It could even allow one to undergo rebirth through fire.
The more Theodore thought about it, the more he felt this flame was perfectly suited to him.
Its evil-purging nature was practically made to counter the hidden horrors of the wizarding world.
If he incorporated the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame into the magic he had created, the Lotus Holy Road: Heaven-Opening Light, its power against evil would certainly surge.
Even Dagon's projection would have to pay a price before this flame.
At the same time, Theodore's current body was already extremely powerful. If combined with the healing ability of the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame, his recovery might rival the still-distant second turn of the Eight-Nine Mystical Art.
And that was not even mentioning its uses in alchemy and artifact refinement.
The Heavenly Demon Artifact Refining Art specifically mentioned that the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame was stable, easy to control, and one of the rare flames most suited to refining artifacts.
Compared to the Heavenly Demon Flame produced through the artifact-refining art itself, the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame could greatly increase refining efficiency. During the ancient war between witches and demons, countless great demons had longed for such a flame.
Theodore nodded repeatedly, deeply satisfied.
A flame so compatible with him would be of immense help.
Then his gaze moved to Fuxi's Divine Heavenly Resonance, and his expression grew even more moved.
A top-tier music-path divine ability created by Fuxi himself.
Fuxi stood alongside Nüwa. He was one of the supreme divine beings of the primordial world, an existence comparable to Saints.
Although Fuxi's Divine Heavenly Resonance was not a great divine ability, its power was likely among the very top of all divine abilities, already approaching certain great divine abilities.
In terms of sheer destructive force, Fuxi's Divine Heavenly Resonance should surpass even the Wu Earth Divine Light.
If paired with a zither-type treasure, especially a merit treasure, surpassing some great divine abilities would not be difficult.
With one melody, shaking heaven and earth and making ghosts and gods weep would be nothing unusual.
Theodore had many methods, but he still lacked true top-tier divine abilities.
A divine ability with limitless potential like Fuxi's Divine Heavenly Resonance was exactly what he needed.
If he had already mastered it during the battle with Dagon's projection, then combined with the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame and Wu Earth Divine Light, he might have destroyed Dagon's projection without using the Grand Celestial Constellation Formation Flag at all.
For a long time to come, it would probably be difficult for Theodore to find a divine ability above Fuxi's Divine Heavenly Resonance.
"Although cultivating this divine ability will be troublesome, and it requires extremely high attainment in music, the reward is worth it."
With these two great gains, Theodore's mood improved greatly.
When he looked at the Whomping Willow under the night sky, his eyes became even hotter.
"The rank of these rewards can almost compare to Voldemort and Dumbledore."
"The Whomping Willow has existed at Hogwarts for over a thousand years. It really is extraordinary."
Then Theodore looked down at the branch in his hand, now lush and green, and a thought stirred in his heart.
Using Wu Earth Divine Light to nourish the soil had revived a dying Whomping Willow branch.
Then what if he used it on the main body of the Whomping Willow?
What kind of scene would that create?
The original Whomping Willow was already powerful. Creatures like Acromantulas could not compare to it at all.
If it could benefit from the Wu Earth Divine Light, it might truly become a rare species worthy of notice even in the primordial world.
Once this thought appeared, it took root in Theodore's mind.
He drew a deep breath and carried the branch toward the Whomping Willow.
The closer he got, the more surprised he became by the size of this ferocious plant from the original story.
For a willow tree to grow to this scale, dozens of meters tall with countless branches, was astonishing.
And when its branches whipped through the air, they carried the force of steel whips, easily producing explosive cracks.
No wonder no student dared approach this place. Even the prank-loving Weasley twins never provoked the Whomping Willow.
Messing with the Whomping Willow could genuinely get someone killed.
But now, the famously violent Whomping Willow did not attack Theodore despite him stepping into its range.
Instead, its swaying branches softened, and the howling wind became a gentle breeze.
The dense branches parted, opening a path for him.
When Theodore reached the trunk, several thick branches lowered carefully and touched the tender green branch in his hand.
That careful movement was like an old man looking at a precious descendant born after endless difficulty, full of affection.
Because of this, the Whomping Willow's attitude toward Theodore became visibly friendly.
A few branches even brought out the tree's treasured "gifts" — mice and birds it had knocked unconscious — as though it wanted to entertain him.
Theodore did not know whether to laugh or cry and quickly waved them away.
After all this time, the birds and rodents around Hogwarts probably knew to stay far away from the Whomping Willow.
It must not have been easy for the tree to save up these little nutritional reserves.
Then a strange look flashed in Theodore's eyes.
Judging by its behavior, the Whomping Willow could not speak, but its intelligence was not low.
It had lived for over a thousand years and was an extremely rare species. It was likely just like the thousand-year-old basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, something unique in the wizarding world.
Its potential was absolutely extraordinary. Even in the primordial world, it would count as a rare species.
Now that he and the Whomping Willow could be considered friends, there was no harm in nurturing it.
After a moment of thought, Theodore asked,
"Whomping Willow, do you want a better life?"
The branches swayed blankly, as if it did not understand him.
Theodore waved his wand, and trails of magic resembling the movement of branches appeared in the air, imitating the Whomping Willow's language.
"You could move…"
"You could bathe in sunlight and rain whenever you wished…"
"You could have endless birds and mice to eat…"
The next moment, the Whomping Willow's branches began swaying excitedly.
Theodore smiled, as expected.
Even plants knew to seek benefit and avoid harm.
For the Whomping Willow, its current location was not actually ideal. There was not enough sunlight.
Judging by its habits, it also had carnivorous tendencies, but here it could barely eat birds or mice. Clearly, this was not its best environment.
"In that case…"
Theodore raised his hand, sending a stream of Origin Sea force into the sky.
Then he used the method recorded in the Heavenly Demon Artifact Refining Art to create Imperial Moon Essence.
Invisible power drew down the starlight and moonlight like a funnel, gathering them above the Whomping Willow.
Streams of pure white Imperial Moon Essence poured down.
At first, the Whomping Willow seemed cautious.
But when the first branch touched the Imperial Moon Essence and felt its benefits, every branch on the tree trembled.
Then all of its branches spread toward the sky, revealing the trunk as much as possible to bathe in the falling essence.
Joy appeared in Theodore's eyes.
Compared to the Acromantulas, the Whomping Willow could absorb far more Imperial Moon Essence.
In a short time, it had already surpassed the total absorbed by the entire Acromantula colony, and it was still continuing.
According to the Heavenly Demon Artifact Refining Art, this meant the demon being enlightened had extremely high potential.
"If the Whomping Willow had been born in the primordial world, it might not have been impossible for it to become a demon immortal."
After some time, the Whomping Willow's absorption speed began to slow.
Theodore frowned.
He could sense that this was not the tree's limit.
The reason it was slowing down was because the land that had nourished the Whomping Willow for a thousand years, no matter how special, was still mortal soil from the wizarding world.
As the Whomping Willow absorbed Imperial Moon Essence and began transforming toward a demon, the soil beneath it could no longer support its growth.
This was where plant demons were far inferior to flesh-and-blood demons.
Their restrictions were too great. Even after becoming demons, they were often unable to move their bodies for a very long time.
If they were born in a place with thin spiritual energy and broken earth veins, they would have almost no chance of attaining the Dao.
The original Whomping Willow was the same.
But now, a light flashed in Theodore's eyes.
In the next moment, seals formed. Yellow-brown Wu Earth Divine Light fell into the soil.
Threads of yellow-brown radiance instantly seeped through the ground, transforming the entire area into spiritual soil rare even in the primordial world.
The Whomping Willow's countless branches danced with wild joy.
It felt the shackles restricting it begin to vanish.
As a plant, its life was rising toward an unimaginable higher level.
Green light flowed across every branch.
The Whomping Willow, which had once looked somewhat dry and malnourished, became lush and vibrant.
Every branch shone with a strange luster.
Every willow leaf was crystalline like jade.
An extremely powerful aura began to emanate from its body.
Sensing this aura, Theodore's eyes filled with delight.
The Whomping Willow's aptitude was even higher than he had expected.
If placed in the primordial world, it would absolutely possess the potential of a demon immortal.
During the war between witches and demons, it would have been one of the promising seedlings carefully nurtured by the great demons. Perhaps later myths would even record the legend of a willow demon immortal that reached from earth to heaven.
With such aptitude, once it achieved even minor success, it might not be able to match the Old Ones of the wizarding world, but ordinary horrors would only be whipped into blood mist before it.
With the Whomping Willow guarding Hogwarts, Theodore would no longer have to worry about some horror wiping out everyone in the castle.
At that moment, however, a pressure like heavenly might gathered in the sky.
Thunderclouds abruptly appeared above Hogwarts, and lightning flickered within them.
The Whomping Willow, which had been ecstatic over its leap in life level, now felt an instinctive fear. All of its branches shrank back, with nowhere to hide beneath that overwhelming heavenly pressure.
A cold look appeared in Theodore's eyes.
"Your aptitude is too high, so the process of becoming a demon and awakening intelligence has drawn a heavenly tribulation?"
Even primordial rare species facing such a trial during transformation would suffer nine deaths and one life.
After all, heavenly tribulation was the greatest counter to demons. Even if demons possessed bloodline divine abilities and all kinds of strange powers, facing tribulation at a shallow cultivation level was still too difficult.
The current Whomping Willow had no so-called bloodline divine abilities.
It could only withstand it directly.
If Theodore let it face the tribulation on its own, there would only be one ending.
Certain death.
He had spent so much effort enlightening it. It was also unique in the wizarding world. How could he watch it be destroyed under heavenly tribulation?
If he only wanted to scatter the thunderclouds, that would not be hard.
But while heavenly tribulation was meant to destroy, it also contained threads of fortune and creation. For beings becoming demons, it brought endless benefits and could raise their future potential.
Because of this, the descendants of ancient great demons in the primordial world often longed for heavenly tribulation.
If the Whomping Willow could survive it, its future achievements might become even greater.
This kind of fortune was too rare in the wizarding world. It could not be missed.
Moreover, for Theodore himself, heavenly tribulation was also rare nourishment. Since it had delivered itself to him, how could he let it go?
After a moment, Theodore looked at the Whomping Willow.
"This is tribulation lightning. If you can survive it, you will have the chance to go even further."
"I can take the earlier lightning for you, but the final bolt must be endured by you yourself."
"You have no inheritance, so today, I will grant you one. Watch closely."
Then, to the Whomping Willow's shock, Theodore changed form.
Origin Sea force surged. The profound mysteries of the Eight-Nine Mystical Art unfolded fully.
Before the Whomping Willow, he transformed into another Whomping Willow.
But the Whomping Willow Theodore transformed into was nearly a hundred meters tall. Its branches swayed and traced mysterious paths through the air, like blades, spears, swords, and halberds. The aura it released was far stronger than the real Whomping Willow's.
The Whomping Willow's branches froze.
It could not understand what it was seeing.
What was this?
Hadn't that been a little wizard just now?
How had he turned into one of its own kind?
And so powerful…
Was this its ancestor?
Before its young intelligence could understand any of this, Theodore's cold voice sounded.
"Focus!"
Boom!
In the sky, thunderclouds rolled, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket fell.
The Whomping Willow stood near the edge of Hogwarts, beyond the full protection of the castle's defensive magic. The lightning was barely weakened at all as it struck downward.
The Whomping Willow's branches trembled as it felt the terrifying aura of destruction.
But in the next instant, Theodore, in the body of a Whomping Willow, erupted with ringing sword qi.
Branches swept out like sharp swords. Sword qi crossed the sky and met the descending tribulation lightning.
In an instant, the lightning was pierced through by the sword qi, shattering into scattered arcs. Theodore absorbed them as nourishment.
His voice continued to ring in the Whomping Willow's heart.
"You are naturally suited for battle and slaughter. Quiet meditation is not your path. The sword path suits you perfectly."
"The sword path is pure killing. A true sword heart does not bend or perish."
"Even a single blade of weak grass can unleash sword qi capable of cutting down the sun, moon, and stars."
"You were born as a willow. Are you truly inferior to a fragile blade of grass?"
"There was once a willow in another world that became divine. Peerless in grace, it made gods bleed and was honored as the Willow Deity. You are also a willow. Do not disgrace that name."
Then Theodore, in Whomping Willow form, fully displayed the mysteries of Sword Heart Clarity, Swordlike Fleeting Grace, and the Slaughter Sword Dao.
One bolt of tribulation lightning after another fell, yet all were shattered by willow branches blazing with sword qi.
In the Whomping Willow's heart, Theodore's figure gazing proudly toward the heavens was deeply engraved.
Within its hazy young intelligence, the image of a blade of grass cutting down the sun, moon, and stars, and the peerless grace of the Willow Deity, was branded forever.
At last, the thunderclouds churned, and only the final bolt remained.
Theodore withdrew, exposing the Whomping Willow to the lightning.
After a brief moment of fear, countless branches stretched across the sky.
Imitating Theodore, the Whomping Willow actually released faint traces of sword qi.
Crack!
Even though its branches tried to block it, the final bolt of tribulation lightning still tore through them and struck the Whomping Willow's trunk, leaving large patches of charred black.
In an instant, all of its branches drooped.
But Theodore's eyes revealed joy as he looked at a single green bud on the charred trunk.
"The Whomping Willow survived that final tribulation lightning after all. New life is brewing from destruction."
"Perhaps a true Willow Deity may really be born in the wizarding world."
At the same time, Theodore's mind moved.
"System, receive the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame."
In an instant, an aura from the ancient phoenix race of the primordial world poured into Theodore.
A majestic, sacred presence spread from his body, like a phoenix soaring through the nine heavens, commanding all birds beneath the sky to bow.
He opened his mouth and exhaled a golden-red flame. It carried that same sacred aura, and within it brewed a powerful vitality.
It was the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame.
Theodore looked at the Whomping Willow, flicked his finger, and sent a spark of the flame onto its charred body, where it burned like something eternal.
Yet beneath the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame, the green bud did not die. Instead, it became even more vibrant.
The life hidden within the charred trunk seemed to begin flowing faster.
Expectation appeared in Theodore's eyes.
"Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame. This is the last fortune I will give you."
"Perhaps when your vitality fully blooms and you revive from destruction, you may even possess a trace of primordial Jianmu's bearing."
…
At the same time.
Inside the Headmaster's office.
A clear phoenix cry rang out.
Dumbledore suddenly woke. His startled gaze turned toward his phoenix, Fawkes.
Since obtaining Fawkes, Dumbledore had never seen him so restless.
Fawkes had always been proud to the extreme.
Although he was close to Dumbledore, he still had his temper.
For instance, if Dumbledore wanted him to cry, Fawkes would usually give him a disdainful look.
But now, Fawkes seemed almost prostrate, as if worshiping in a certain direction.
Dumbledore froze, rapidly searching through the magical knowledge in his mind.
What could possibly make a phoenix behave like this?
A moment later, a shocking thought flashed through his mind.
Since ancient times, only the Dumbledore family had been able to raise phoenixes in almost every generation. Phoenixes seemed especially fond of the Dumbledore bloodline.
But not every Dumbledore heir could make a phoenix truly close to them.
Only those with especially strong blood and powerful magic could do so.
For example, Albus Dumbledore himself was one of the rare family members in their records who could persuade a phoenix to shed tears willingly.
But even he could not make Fawkes behave like this.
Then there was only one explanation…
The one causing Fawkes to react like this might be another member of the Dumbledore family, and their bloodline was even richer than his own.
The instant that thought appeared, even Dumbledore felt it was absurd.
But it was the only explanation.
Perhaps a branch of the Dumbledore family had spread outside long ago, and that bloodline had suddenly awakened.
It was not unprecedented in history.
In any case, this was of enormous importance to Dumbledore.
He immediately released Fawkes and followed him, his eyes filled with excitement and unease.
Soon, Dumbledore reached the edge of Hogwarts. His gaze fell upon the charred Whomping Willow.
But immediately after, his attention was drawn to Fawkes.
Fawkes had landed on the shoulder of a figure he knew well, rubbing his face against that person's cheek with almost fawning affection.
The sight could only be described as sycophantic.
When Dumbledore saw that figure, his whole body trembled.
"Theodore Snow?"
Then everything suddenly made sense.
Dumbledore had always been shocked by Theodore's achievements at his age.
But now, he understood.
He understood everything.
"So Theodore carries the bloodline of the Dumbledore family. That makes perfect sense!"
Theodore, who had still been confused by Fawkes suddenly flying over to please him, now saw lines of text flashing across the System screen.
[South Pole Immortal suddenly feels his heart stir. He calculates the heavenly secrets and discovers that he still has bloodline descendants left from before he attained the Dao.]
[Under heavenly calculation, all signs point to you.]
[South Pole Immortal is deeply shaken. No wonder he felt so close to you the first time he saw you. So you are actually his descendant?]
[Karma cycles in mysterious ways. In that case, you should call South Pole Immortal great-grandfather!]
Even after seeing countless storms, Theodore nearly choked on his own saliva and could not help shouting,
"Wait, what? What is this?"
"Great-grandfather?!"
The next second, Dumbledore answered with a face full of affection.
"Yes?"
The System screen displayed another notification.
[Long-lost bloodline affection surges within South Pole Immortal's heart. His relationship with you deepens once more.]
[South Pole Immortal's relationship with you has reached: Life-and-Death Friend.]
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