"Good! That was satisfying!"
The old clan chief, Shi Yunfeng, came over, grinning from ear to ear.
"Since Ye Xuan put it that way, everyone can relax. Get back to what you were doing, and don't let it interfere with morning training!"
"Yes!"
The men answered and scattered.
Morning training was an unbreakable rule in Stone Village.
In the perilous Great Wilderness, only a strong body could keep you alive.
"Ha! Hah!"
Roars shook the Martial Arts Arena.
A group of bare-chested men were lifting stone locks and swinging stone rollers.
Even the smallest stone lock weighed several hundred pounds, yet in their hands, they seemed as light as straw.
The children were training alongside them.
The older children were practicing their punches, their fists cutting through the air.
The younger ones were either playing tug-of-war or moving some smaller stones.
Ye Xuan stood to one side, watching, but his eyes searched through the crowd.
Soon, he found his target.
In an inconspicuous corner.
A little boy, no more than two or three years old, was among a group of older children.
He was fair and delicate, like a finely carved porcelain doll, with long eyelashes and big, bright black eyes.
At that moment, he was crouched beside a slab of bluestone, straining with all his might.
The slab wasn't very large, but it was certainly heavy for a three-year-old.
"Lift!"
Little Dot called out in a babyish voice.
The muscles in his little arms tensed.
The slab of bluestone really did rise in his arms, wobbling as he lifted it over his head.
"Good!"
The adults nearby laughed kindly and cheered him on.
"Little Dot's getting stronger!"
"He'll make a fine hunter one day!"
Hearing their praise, Little Dot's cheeks turned pink. He dropped the stone, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and gave a silly grin.
As if he sensed someone watching him, Little Dot turned toward Ye Xuan.
He blinked his big eyes, his nostrils twitching slightly.
So fragrant.
A fresh, unfamiliar scent drifted into his nose on the breeze.
It wasn't the fragrance of flowers or meat.
It was a special kind of scent. One breath made every pore in his body open, while a warm current stirred in his belly.
It was the Innate Spiritual Qi radiating from Ye Xuan.
To Little Dot, with his keen senses, Ye Xuan was like a walking human-shaped treasure.
Little Dot hesitated.
He glanced at the Pottery Jar on the ground beside him, then at Ye Xuan.
Finally, he picked up the jar and ran over on his short little legs, pattering along.
"Big brother."
Little Dot tilted his head up, his voice soft and sweet.
"You smell so nice."
Ye Xuan looked down at the future Desolate Heaven Emperor.
He hadn't yet endured those trials of blood and fire. His eyes held only innocence and curiosity.
"You smell pretty nice too."
Ye Xuan smiled and crouched down, reaching out to pinch Little Dot's cheek.
It felt wonderful—soft and squishy, with a milky scent.
"What's your name?" Ye Xuan already knew, but he still wanted to ask.
"Everyone calls me Little Dot."
Little Dot shyly tried to dodge, but Ye Xuan caught him.
He held out the Pottery Jar in his arms.
"Big brother, are you hungry?"
"Have some."
The jar was filled with white beast milk, still steaming and giving off a rich, milky aroma.
Shi Yunfeng had specifically gone deep into the Great Wilderness to find this Hundred Beast Milk for Little Dot, to help build up his strength.
For a child whose Supreme Bone had been stolen and whose body was frail, it was the best nourishment.
Ye Xuan looked at the jar of milk, not sure whether to laugh or cry.
Was this the legendary "Desolate Heaven Emperor's favorite"?
"Thanks, Little Dot."
Ye Xuan shook his head.
"But Big Brother's all grown up. I don't drink milk anymore."
Little Dot froze.
He looked down at the jar in his hands, then up at Ye Xuan's tall frame.
His face turned red as an apple.
"I... I'm all grown up too," Little Dot mumbled, embarrassed, as he drew the jar closer to his chest.
"But... Grandpa Chief says I have to drink lots of milk to get stronger."
"And beast milk is really tasty!"
After speaking, he couldn't help swallowing, his eyes clear and sincere.
Ye Xuan chuckled.
This child was far too earnest.
He looked at Little Dot's thin frame. Though Shi Yunfeng had taken good care of him over the past few years, a trace of weakness still lingered around his chest.
That was the Dao Injury left behind after his Supreme Bone was stolen.
It wasn't life-threatening, but it seriously affected his foundation.
If nothing was done, the child would have to suffer quite a bit before he could slowly recover.
"Since you offered me milk, I'll give you something good to drink too."
Ye Xuan's thoughts stirred.
He opened his palm.
A small Jade Bottle appeared in it.
It was the Three Lights Divine Water Nuwa had bestowed upon him.
It was the greatest healing medicine in the Primordial Wilderness. They said that as long as someone still had a breath left, it could save them.
It could even bring the dead back to life and restore flesh to bare bones.
Ye Xuan didn't dare give him too much.
Little Dot's body was too weak to withstand such potent medicinal power.
Carefully, he tilted the mouth of the bottle.
A crystal-clear droplet rolled out.
The droplet shimmered with three colors—gold, silver, and purple—corresponding to sunlight, moonlight, and starlight.
Just that single drop made the air around them turn damp as an immense wave of life energy spread outward.
The grass on the ground nearby instantly grew taller.
The villagers training nearby all stopped and stared in surprise.
"Smells wonderful!"
"What kind of treasure medicine is that?"
Little Dot's eyes widened as he stared fixedly at the droplet.
His instincts told him that this was important to him.
A hundred times more important than beast milk!
"Little Dot."
Ye Xuan flicked a finger.
The drop of Three Lights Divine Water landed precisely in the Pottery Jar Little Dot was holding.
"This sweet drink tastes a hundred times better than beast milk."
"Want to try it?"
Little Dot looked at the jar.
As soon as the droplet fell in, the white beast milk changed color, taking on a faint Three-Colored Radiance. Its fragrance grew so rich it seemed to fill the air.
He didn't hesitate at all.
He felt an instinctive trust in this big brother who smelled so nice.
He lifted the jar.
"Glug, glug."
Little Dot tipped his head back and gulped down every last drop of the beast milk, now infused with the divine water.
"Burp—"
After lowering the jar, Little Dot let out a satisfied burp.
Before he could say anything—
Boom!
A terrifying wave of heat exploded in his belly.
"Ah!"
Little Dot cried out in surprise, and the Pottery Jar slipped from his hands and shattered on the ground.
He felt as though he'd swallowed a tiny sun.
Rolling waves of heat surged through his meridians and limbs before converging in his chest.
That was where he'd once felt the most pain.
That was where a Supreme Bone had once grown with him, before a cruel clansman ripped it out alive, leaving behind only a hideous scar.
But now—
That spot began to grow warm, then hot, then bright!
"Hum!"
A brilliant divine light shone from Little Dot's chest, passing through his skin and clothes.
Within the radiance, countless intricate runes could be seen intertwining and rearranging themselves.
"It hurts... It itches..."
Little Dot reached for his chest, a strange expression of pain and comfort on his little face.
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