The Mystery of His Origins

The Blood-Moving Realm is the first true stage of the path of cultivation. Under normal circumstances, it is rare for even one person in a tribe of ten thousand to reach it, as the conditions are incredibly harsh and the path is difficult to traverse.

This realm requires one to mobilize the essence and blood throughout the entire body, surging like thunder, smelting bone inscriptions, and catalyzing divine radiance within the blood to refine the natural fortune of heaven and earth, thereby nourishing the physical body.

Simply put, the Blood-Moving Realm is the condensation of blood and runes to generate divine radiance, which then nourishes the body and seizes the fortune of heaven and earth to strengthen oneself, thus achieving the goal of cultivation.

The destructive power possessed in the early stage of the Blood-Moving Realm is already astonishing; it can easily suppress people like Shi Linhu or Shi Feijiao, who possess five or six thousand jin of divine strength in their arms.

If one must measure it by numbers, the early stage of the Blood-Moving Realm requires at least eight thousand jin of destructive power!

Little One only truly stepped into the Blood-Moving Realm after he fused runes into his flesh and blood, transforming them into divine radiance, and began to draw in the divine essence of heaven and earth as if he were an eternal divine furnace.

Even powerful men like Shi Linhu and Shi Feijiao cannot be considered practitioners of this realm, because it is too difficult; it is a stroke of luck if one person in a tribe of ten thousand can cross this threshold.

The middle stage of the Blood-Moving Realm possesses a destructive power of twenty thousand jin, while the late stage is even more astonishing, capable of erupting with fifty thousand jin of divine strength, allowing one to rampage through herds of giant beasts!

Even in tribes of tens of thousands, while some may step into the Blood-Moving Realm, they often struggle their entire lives to reach the late stage and unleash such staggering power.

Little One is only six years old, yet he can lift a thirty-thousand-jin boulder with physical strength alone. If one adds the secret power of the runes within his flesh, it is naturally even more astonishing; he is already at the peak of the Blood-Moving Realm.

Shi Lin is not far behind; at only nine years old, his arms possess sixty thousand jin of strength, and after fusing the power of runes, his strength can reach seventy thousand jin.

As the sun began to set, the evening glow dyed the horizon red, making the lake even more beautiful. A group of exotic birds played in the water until, suddenly, chaos erupted; all the giant birds flapped their wings and shrieked incessantly.

Among the water weeds, an egg the size of a human head rolled along at high speed, moving away from that area, dragged along by a furry golden ball.

The group of children watched, dumbfounded, as the golden Zhu Yan stole an egg from a fierce bird. The flock of Red-Feathered Cranes, several meters long and bright red, shrieked in rage.

"Furball, even though this egg smells delicious when roasted, it doesn't count as a medicinal supplement. Go steal a nest of Little Luan Bird eggs; those are the real treasures," the Snotty Kid instigated. He was small, but quite mischievous.

"Squeak..." Furball let out a cry, transformed into a streak of golden light, and vanished with a whoosh. Its speed was incredible.

Before long, the Little Luan Birds by the water weeds were shrieking in anger, flapping their wings and splashing water everywhere to vent their fury.

The fist-sized golden ball was highly efficient; in just a short moment, it had stolen over twenty eggs. If Shi Hao hadn't held it back, it would have continued. "So fragrant!" The children built a fire by the lake to roast the bird eggs, enjoying a feast with Furball.

Although there weren't many eggs, they were fresh and served as a nourishing treasure. They ate to their hearts' content, feeling a burning heat throughout their bodies. The golden Furball wasn't greedy and was happy to share.

However, its large eyes rolled around as it began to ponder which of the children's homes to visit tonight; it couldn't just keep stealing eggs for them for free, could it?

As night fell, the willow tree at the entrance of the village suddenly emitted a halo of light, enveloping the entire Stone Village, just as it had done every night when they were in the Vast Mountain Range.

It had only stopped because the tree had fallen into a deep slumber for over a year.

"The Willow Deity has awakened!" the villagers exclaimed.

At this moment, the golden fur on the Zhu Yan stood on end. Its eyes were wide and round, and it stared intensely, with great nervousness, at the glowing green sprout on the charred trunk.

Whoosh.

It suddenly lunged, pouncing onto the willow tree, seemingly intent on biting the sprout, having sensed the astonishingly abundant divine essence and the immense life force contained within.

"Furball, no!" Shi Hao shouted.

A glowing green willow branch descended, binding Furball and hanging it in mid-air. If one didn't look closely, it would appear as if it had hanged itself. This turn of events shocked the creature, its large eyes bulging as it struggled violently.

Little One hurriedly explained, "Willow Deity, please don't hold it against him. Although he is a descendant of an ancient beast, the runes within his body are shattered, and he may have forgotten his past."

After a long while, the Willow Deity released it. It was clear that the deity cared about this golden Zhu Yan, though it said nothing more.

Once freed, Furball let out a startled cry, tumbled down, and jumped onto Shi Hao's shoulder, hiding behind his hair. It blinked its large eyes, staring at the willow tree, and dared not move again.

Everyone in Stone Village arrived, acting with utmost piety and performing the rituals with sincerity to express their reverence.

Finally, the village chief, holding onto a sliver of hope, asked for guidance, detailing Little One's cultivation progress and inquiring what should be done next.

No one expected the willow tree to respond. It emitted a divine thought: "In the ancient era, the most powerful fierce beasts, such as the True Hou or the Golden-Winged Dapeng, could lift one hundred thousand jin of divine iron when they were young."

"Ah!"

Everyone gasped; it was truly earth-shattering.

The Willow Deity was an existence of such stature that its words could not be false; they were far more reliable than any legends they had heard, yet the news was simply too shocking.

"That was purely physical strength, without utilizing the supreme precious techniques unique to their races," the Willow Deity added.

The Golden-Winged Dapeng and the True Hou—these heavenly-tier ancient beasts—undoubtedly possessed peerless, incomparable precious techniques!

The villagers were all stunned, unable to speak.

"Therefore, do not be in a rush to break through. Strive to have your pure physical strength surpass the extreme threshold of one hundred thousand jin in the shortest time possible; it will be of immense benefit to you," the willow tree admonished.

The villagers were taken aback. It was clear that the Willow Deity held Little One in high regard, having spoken more to him now than it had in the past several decades combined.

"I will work hard!" Little One blinked his large eyes and clenched his small fists. Then, he asked timidly, "Willow Deity, can you help me look into my subconscious? I want to know what happened back then."

He was nervous, fearing he might uncover a cruel truth, yet he desperately wanted to know the result and understand the events of the past.

"I can," the willow tree replied with those two simple words.

The charred willow trunk emitted a hazy mist that spread outward like chaos. The entire world seemed to fall silent, as if they had returned to the time before the creation of the world. Everyone was alarmed; in the past, only a single willow branch would glow, but now the broken trunk itself had changed, producing such an astonishing sight that they instinctively retreated.

"Squeak..."

The fist-sized Furball shrieked and darted away, nearly falling into the lake. Its eyes were wide as it watched from afar.

The villagers also backed away, leaving only Little One at the village entrance. He was gradually enveloped by the mist, appearing hazy and difficult to see clearly.

Little Shi Hao stood motionless, as if standing at the edge of the world. The chaos energy permeated the air, and the scenes he had once seen—but could not remember due to his youth—reappeared before his eyes from the depths of his subconscious.

"Profound and eternal, the origin of the people. The Imperial throne is established, and the moral order is spread. The Five Virtues cycle in turn, receiving the mandate and the tally..."

A grand voice resonated between heaven and earth, solemn and majestic; it was a scene akin to mythology.

A massive altar, towering into the clouds, exuded an aura of antiquity and vicissitudes, as if it had existed for billions of years. Carved upon it were various ancient motifs: the sun, moon, stars, and rivers; primordial fierce beasts; ancient ancestors; and deities, all of which struck awe into the heart.

The altar was magnificent and boundless, surpassing the mountains, surrounded by clouds. Upon it lay the corpses of primordial remnants, their blood dripping down to flow into the patterns. There were also strange, divine treasures and rare medicinal herbs... This was a nation-wide sacrifice to the heavens!

A golden sun radiated an intense aura, so blinding that one could not open their eyes. Within it stood a terrifying figure, illuminating the entire firmament like a Heavenly Emperor, looking down upon the heavens and the earth. The golden blood-energy naturally radiated outward, creating such a phenomenon.

This was the Human Emperor of the ancient kingdom, ruling over billions of miles of mountains and rivers, now personally presiding over the sacrifice to the heavens with utmost solemnity.

Behind him stood a group of royal powerhouses, each possessing an intimidating presence, their eyes flashing like lightning when opened or closed. Behind them were the various dukes and endless ministers.

This group alone numbered in the tens of thousands, hailing from different fiefdoms. Each was a formidable expert who shook their respective regions, their radiating auras causing the very heavens and earth to tremble.

Further back were endless armies, truly boundless and without horizon. It was impossible to tell how many there were; they crowded the land, and even from the altar, one could not see the end.

A single duke governed hundreds of millions of people, and none were simple characters. With so many ministers and nobles gathered, even if they only brought a small portion of their forces to the sacrifice, the scale would still be staggering.

A nation-wide sacrifice to the heavens—the momentum was so vast it was unimaginable, like a scene from a myth!

On the other side, the families of some important figures also participated in this grand sacrificial ceremony, bathing in the ocean-like sacred radiance. Among them, a young woman held an infant still in swaddling clothes. The child laughed happily, constantly reaching out with small hands; his large eyes were very similar to those of little Shi Hao.

Under the willow tree, Little One froze, lost in a trance.

The scene of the sacrifice vanished, and other images appeared. A vast lake, crystal clear and azure, was incomparably beautiful. The spiritual energy was so dense it could not be dissolved, making it perfect for cultivation. Many rare birds and beasts appeared on the banks, including many primordial remnants.

Such a sacred lake was a place ordinary people dared not approach.

In the distance, tens of thousands of fierce cavalry sat atop powerful beasts, soldiers in gleaming armor holding divine spears toward the sky, the metal flashing with a cold, chilling luster. They possessed a murderous aura, standing motionless as they stood guard while princes hunted ahead.

On the banks of the sacred lake, terrifying remnants and descendants of divine birds lurked. It was a forbidden zone that ordinary people could not approach, or they would surely face a fatal disaster.

Yet, at this moment, hundreds of people were sightseeing and hunting, fearless. Each one possessed a heaven-shaking blood-energy, powerful enough to make one tremble!

A flock of fierce birds with vibrant, colorful wings resided at the sacred lake. Disturbed, they all became enraged. Each fierce bird was six or seven meters long, their feathers glowing as if divine flames were burning.

In particular, one bird king was seventeen or eighteen meters long, its body flowing with five-colored divine light. Its wings were stunningly gorgeous, surrounded by a divine radiance so powerful that it made the tens of thousands of iron cavalry in the distance palpitate.

With a long cry, it erupted with heaven-piercing divine light, startling the endless cavalry into retreating; its might shook the sacred lake.

"Haha... what a fine Luan Bird, it is actually a powerful remnant with the blood of a primordial divine bird flowing in its body. Truly a rare, precious medicine! Watch how I shoot it down!" an old man laughed.

He took out a giant bow with a black frame and a string made of dragon tendon. The entire weapon exuded a tragic, murderous aura. In an instant, he bent the bow and notched an arrow, pulling it into a full moon before firing toward the high heavens.

"Chi!"

This arrow shot out like a dragon soaring into the sky, emitting bursts of wind and thunder. It radiated heaven-shaking light, trailing endless divine brilliance as it charged toward the Luan Bird.

With a "Boom," a thunderclap exploded in the sky. The arrow collided with the descendant of the primordial divine bird, and endless rays of light erupted, turning into an energy storm.

With an angry cry, such a powerful primordial remnant was actually injured. Daring not to fight any longer, it transformed into a streak of five-colored divine light and dove into the clouds, attempting to flee.

"Where are you going!" The old man bent his bow again, and another divine arrow was released. It carved a terrifying trajectory, a beam of light piercing the sky and vanishing into the clouds. With a "pfft," a rain of blood splattered, and the Luan Bird plummeted to the ground.

"Fifteenth Elder, I never expected your archery to reach such a divine level. You shot down a powerful Luan Bird in just two arrows; others would have had to endure a great battle regardless. Such a feat will surely shake the capital again," an elderly man praised.

The old man who had shot the primordial remnant laughed heartily. He then personally stepped forward, using a silver knife to cut open the body of the divine bird's descendant. He drew out the most precious blood, filling half a bowl; this half-bowl alone contained most of the bird's essence.

He strode toward a young couple—the man heroic and the woman beautiful—who were holding an infant in swaddling clothes.

"My good grandson, come taste the precious blood of the divine bird. In the future, you will surely far surpass your grandfather and your father." The old man took out a jade chopstick, dipped it in a few drops of the crystalline blood, and placed it into the infant's mouth. "Father, Hao'er is still so young, is this alright?" the young couple tried to dissuade him.

"It is fine!" The old man waved his hand and insisted on feeding him several more large drops of the divine bird's blood. The infant did not resist; he sucked vigorously, his eyes bright, actually laughing, which left everyone marveling.

"Our royal lineage is truly flourishing in this generation, with heroes emerging one after another. This little one might not be much worse than Yi'er. In the future, he may be able to suppress the eight wildernesses and intimidate the various clans," an even older man remarked.

When the name "Yi'er" was mentioned, everyone looked toward a child, their faces filled with loving and concerned smiles. He was truly extraordinary, born with double pupils—two pupils in one eye—which was the phenomenon of an ancient sage.

He was a child of about three years old, standing not far away, looking toward them. Although young, he was very steady. With four pupils in total, divine light flowed within them, and there was a faint sense of majesty that did not match his age at all.

In the ancient era, those with double pupils were sages, gods. The few who had appeared were all world-shaking, earth-shattering figures.

Shi Yi was discovered to have double pupils the moment he was born, which naturally caused a great stir within the clan. Everyone held high hopes for him. In fact, he was truly extraordinary, possessing heaven-sent talent; he learned everything quickly, far surpassing his peers.

"Although our lineage is royal, as relatives of the Emperor, we also have imperial blood flowing in our veins. According to the rules, we can compete for the throne of the Human Emperor," an old man said.

Everyone turned their gaze back to Shi Yi, placing great expectations on him!

"Iya..." the infant in swaddling clothes chirped, his small face flushed red as he smiled at everyone, looking simple and honest.

Everyone smiled, and an old man said, "Of course, our little Hao is very well-behaved and extraordinary. In the future, he can become the right-hand man to your elder brother and will surely be a prince of a region."

"With so many of our descendants, surely many will be enfeoffed to the bitter, desolate lands, becoming princes there?" someone joked.

They knew that in the remote Great Wilderness, there were self-proclaimed princes who were not enfeoffed by the ancient kingdom; the two could not be mentioned in the same breath!

"Daring to call themselves princes with only tens of millions of people? Playing the tyrant in the bitter wilderness, exploiting the suffering people, with no one to restrain them—they are merely self-proclaimed, ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. True princes are all powerful experts governing over a billion people. A single house-general under them could easily wipe out those tribes of tens of millions."

The scene changed again, and the beautiful lake instantly blurred.

The towering Imperial Capital was magnificent and vast, as if it were a divine city that had fallen from the firmament. It occupied a vast area with an endless population; the city walls alone were like mountain ranges, continuous and imposing.

"Fifteenth Elder shot and killed a primordial remnant—a Pixiu—on the Hundred Clans Battlefield. I don't know why, but it has shaken the eight wildernesses and triggered a great chaos!"

The news returned, sparking heated discussion.

"There is confirmed news: it was only a young beast, but it was far more powerful than an ordinary primordial remnant. It is suspected that an adult Pixiu with very pure bloodlines is about to enter the Hundred Clans Battlefield!"

The Imperial Capital was shaken.