The Invincible Slab Brick

"Burp~"

Shi Hao and Shi Jue both clutched their swollen bellies, looking utterly satisfied as they burped. Faint Dawn Light drifted from their mouths, originating from the meat of the ancient descendants they had eaten. Though it was not pure-blooded, it still carried some inherited bloodline power.

"I won. I ate three more huge chunks than you!" Shi Hao said carefree, rubbing his belly.

"Whoosh!"

In a second, Shi Jue's belly visibly shrank. The food inside was instantly absorbed, transforming into essence that nourished his blood.

"Sigh, why digest it so quickly? You really don't know how to enjoy yourself," Shi Hao grumbled. At the same time, his own belly returned to normal.

"Enjoying the taste is enough. It's not like I'm pregnant—I don't need to walk around with a huge belly."

"That makes sense. Satisfying your appetite is enough; you don't need a big belly to feel full."

"Oh, right. Do you want to read the Primordial True Scripture? I've been studying it for a long time, but you still haven't read it!"

Shi Hao took out a palm-sized piece of white bone from his clothes. A layer of fluorescence covered its surface. It looked less like bone than jade, crystal-clear and translucent.

That was not the important part. Dense symbols were carved across it, like passwords that communicated with heaven and earth, covering nearly every inch of the white bone. In a daze, one could faintly hear the chants of Gods and Demons. Shi Jue immediately felt his mind tremble, while the blood in his body began to surge rapidly on its own.

Shi Jue was incomparably shocked, his heart pounding wildly. As expected of a scripture created by an Immortal Emperor—even one glance could provoke such an intense reaction.

"I won't say thanks. Once I've studied it for a while, I'll return it to you." Shi Jue calmed his turbulent emotions and accepted the palm-sized Primordial True Scripture.

Not only did it resemble Mutton Fat Jade, but its texture was also exceptionally pleasant when he rubbed it in his hand—smooth and cool, as if it had been carved from the finest white jade. It was impossible to imagine that this was bone, especially since it bore none of bone's natural grain.

"Why are you thanking me? We're brothers, aren't we?" Shi Hao said carelessly, patting his chest.

The two had grown up sleeping in the same bed. They were close in age and had always been the best of childhood friends.

"When you first start reading it, don't get too absorbed. Back then, I was so focused that I didn't even realize I was coughing up blood," Shi Hao said solemnly.

Shi Jue nodded and carefully put it away.

"Who's that? Why don't I remember him?" Shi Jue asked, pointing toward the white-clothed youth who was catching fish with Pihou and the other children.

"Qing Feng. He's my little brother. He's pitiful—I brought him back to Stone Village a year ago."

Shi Jue now understood. This was Shi Qingfeng from the Second Ancestral Land, who had spent all these years living as Shi Hao's substitute.

Three days later, Shi Jue went to see Liu Shen. Over the past few days, he had eaten and drunk well, visiting households throughout the neighborhood. Everyone had been extremely welcoming.

"The Primordial True Scripture is a heaven-shaking Bone Book. You are qualified to study it now. However, it is a record compiled from the experiences of those before you. You may use it as a reference, but do not become so obsessed that you cannot pull yourself free. Your path is destined to be forged by yourself," Liu Shen instructed.

After the cleansing of his body through Tribulation Liquid, along with several years of arduous cultivation beneath Ten Thousand Layered Mountain, Shi Jue's will had been tempered countless times. Whether in body or spirit, he had reached the standard required to read the Primordial True Scripture.

"I have selected several opponents for you. From now on, your only goal is to defeat them."

"Are you ready?"

"I can begin anytime!" Shi Jue flexed his wrists, his bright eyes brimming with fighting spirit.

"Whoosh!"

The instant Shi Jue nodded, one of Liu Shen's tender green willow branches swelled explosively, resembling a divine chain forged from Immortal Gold. It gleamed with divine radiance as it pierced through layers of space and stretched deep into the Great Wilderness.

"Roar!"

A moment later, Liu Shen dragged over a five-meter-long Mountain Cat. Its body was covered in stripes, and the half-meter Horn atop its head glinted with sharp light. If it struck solid rock, it would likely punch a huge hole through it. Its two forepaws were also formidable weapons, its extended claws effortlessly leaving streaks of scratches across the ground.

Yet even such a Mountain Cat, whose aura was equivalent to that of a human expert in the Cave Heaven Realm, was easily suppressed by a single willow branch from Liu Shen. Only its limbs continued to flail and struggle as it let out miserable howls.

"If you want to live, defeat him," Liu Shen said blandly, then released the Mountain Cat from its restraints.

"Roar!"

Free of suppression, the Mountain Cat rose to its feet. It turned in terror to glance at the slightly dark tree trunk, then roared at Shi Jue. Ferocious light flashed in its eyes, its fur bristled, and icy killing intent radiated from its entire body.

It had just been getting intimate with a female Mountain Cat when it was captured by that willow branch. It could not afford to provoke the big one, but this little thing, Shi Jue, did not seem threatening at all.

"Shi Jue, be careful. This big cat has the strength of two Heavenly Passages!" Shi Hao warned.

"Of course I know that, but I don't know a single Precious Technique. Can I at least get a weapon that fits my hand?" Shi Jue's mouth twitched. That Horn could easily disembowel him.

He should have learned a few Precious Techniques from Shi Hao earlier. After being cleansed by Tribulation Liquid, cultivating Lightning Dao Treasure Arts would have been easy for Shi Jue—and Shi Hao just happened to possess the Suanni Treasure Technique.

"Little Jue, how about this?"

"Whoosh!"

Shi Jue did not even look before catching it instinctively. When he realized the feel was wrong—why was it so square?—he froze in bewilderment. What was this? A green brick?

"Uncle Hu, why did you throw me a brick?!" Shi Jue was practically in tears. Even an axe would have been better!

Shi Lin Hu scratched his head and gave an awkward smile. "Little Jue, none of us brought weapons. This brick is the only weapon we could find nearby. Don't worry, it's very sturdy. It won't break."

"Fine!"

"With a slab brick in hand, the world is mine!"

Shi Jue could only accept reality. He swung the green Slab Brick twice and found that it actually felt incredible in his hand—so well suited that it could not have fit better.

"Here I come, kitty!"

Bang!

With a powerful kick against the ground, Shi Jue shot forward. His speed stunned not only the Mountain Cat, but also everyone in Stone Village. Was he flying?

In truth, even Shi Jue himself was startled. This terrifying explosive force made his body feel as though all restraints had been removed, incomparably free. The sound of air tearing past his ears left him momentarily confused about what was happening.

Bang!

But he was in the middle of a fight. Shi Jue did not lose focus for long before swinging the Slab Brick in his hand and smashing it heavily onto the Mountain Cat's head.