The days passed at an unhurried pace, filled with grueling training and playful antics.
One afternoon, hurried footsteps and a sudden clamor rang out along the mountain path outside the village.
"They're back! The hunting party's back!"
"Quick, tell the village chief!"
Wang Xuan looked up to see Shi Linhu and Shi Feijiao leading a band of men back into the village at a brisk pace. Every man was wounded, yet their faces were taut with both tension and excitement, as though they had stumbled upon something earth-shattering.
Everyone crowded around them in the clearing before the village.
Shi Yunfeng hurried over at the news and asked sternly, "What's all the panic about? What happened in the mountains?"
Shi Linhu panted heavily. His voice was tight and low, but he could not hide his excitement.
"Village chief, it's that Old Suanni."
"He came out from deep in the mountains and reached the outskirts. He found a spot, and it looked like... like he was choosing a place to die."
A hush fell at his words, followed by an uproar.
"Old Suanni!"
"Heavens, he's a Primordial Remnant Species! Every part of him is a treasure!"
Shi Yunfeng's pupils contracted, and even his graying beard trembled.
Still, he remained composed. He raised a hand to quiet everyone.
"Silence," he said gravely. "Would Old Suanni not destroy his treasure bone before dying? This opportunity won't be so easy to seize."
"But his true blood, flesh, and bones are all extraordinary too," Shi Feijiao interjected, his eyes shining. "Village chief, a chance like this comes once in a century. We can't just stand by and watch."
"I know." Shi Yunfeng nodded, sweeping his gaze over the crowd. "Let me think. Disperse for now."
The crowd broke up amid a babble of discussion, every face