Lost in the Text

As children, lifting a hundred-thousand-jin block of divine iron was terrifyingly difficult—practically impossible. That was why it was known as the Extreme Realm! In the ancient times, divine birds and Heavenly-Rank vicious beasts used it to measure their offspring and judge their future potential. But not every youngling possessed the potential to reach that extreme.

Now Little One had done it. He lifted a hundred-thousand-jin boulder, and radiant light flowed over his body beneath the morning glow. The whole Great Wilderness shook, and countless vicious birds and beasts fled in terror, dreading the coming of each new day.

"Ah, I did it!" Little One let go. The boulder rolled down the waterfall, its thunderous rumble shaking the heavens and earth as if a great earthquake had struck.

To possess such strength through pure physical power at this age was nothing short of astonishing. It was a transcendent achievement; under ordinary circumstances, a mortal body simply couldn't do it.

Little One faced the morning glow, standing atop a boulder as rushing water thundered past him, white as snow. The roar shook the entire craggy mountain. His body gleamed with a healthy, translucent luster, and he seemed to have strength without end. He had broken through the hundred-thousand-jin limit, laying the firmest possible foundation.

A breeze swept past.

"Not bad, Little One. Your strength is every bit as good as mine now!" Shi Lin said, appearing from who knew where and draping an arm over Little One's shoulder.

"Hehe!" Little One was overjoyed.

"I can study the Original True Interpretation now. But I should probably get even stronger first!" Little One murmured to himself. He had broken through the Extreme Realm, but this wasn't his endpoint.

He didn't stop there. Instead, he planned to spend more time tempering his body and reach an even higher level. He would hold himself to the strictest standards and surpass his limits!

"Let's work hard together!" Shi Lin said.

"Okay!"

Day after day, no matter whether it was windy or rainy, Little One never missed a single day of training. He was now over seven years old, and Shi Lin had stayed by his side throughout.

"Boom!"

Lightning flashed and thunder roared as torrential rain poured down. Floodwaters surged across the Great Wilderness. Though it was daytime, the sky had grown so dark that one couldn't see a hand in front of one's face. Only when lightning ripped through the sky did the earth flare bright.

Amid the howling wind and driving rain, a tiny figure ran across the land, carrying a hundred-thousand-jin boulder into the mountain flood. He struggled upstream, pitting his mortal body against the might of heaven and earth.

This wasn't the rocky waterfall. It was a real flash flood!

Towering waves surged skyward. Boulders churned through the floodwaters, sweeping all before them and destroying swathes of primeval forest. It was an irresistible force of nature! Before nature, humanity seemed utterly insignificant and fragile.

Herds of vicious beasts fled, afraid of dying in that vast sea of floodwater.

Little One, however, wasn't afraid in the least. He pressed upstream, enduring the torrent with his flesh and blood, running all the way into the depths of the mountains to face the flood head-on!

"Rumble!"

Turbid, muddy water and enormous boulders surged ceaselessly out of the mountains. It was a calamity. But Little One feared nothing. At times, the towering flood slammed him into the air and sent him crashing against the cliffs, yet he never stopped. He steadied himself and continued forward.

No runes flickered, no divine arts soared into the sky. He trained through sheer physical exertion, tempering himself a thousand times over and enduring the storm's trials. Little One's body gleamed with a crystalline radiance. Without uttering a sound, he pressed on alone beneath the might of heaven and earth. By the time the storm finally eased, evening had fallen. The clouds had dispersed, but great trees lay broken throughout the mountains, floodwaters roared, and boulders tumbled. Many places had turned into vast marshes.

Little One was soaked through and covered in bruises, yet not a single bone was broken, and he hadn't shed a drop of blood. His body was astonishingly powerful. He had endured it all.

Day after day, Little One trained by using nature's might against himself. He had even leaped from cliffs, and sometimes he provoked enormous vicious beasts just so he could fight them.

Each time he returned covered in wounds, he swallowed the golden liquid in the medicine cauldron. His physique continued to transform, growing stronger by the day. The villagers could hardly believe how rapidly he was improving.

When Little One was seven and a half, he finally stopped. After such a long period of tempering, not only had his body become astonishingly strong, but his will had grown as hard as iron.

After such intense training, Little One had caught up with Shi Lin. Only his understanding of divine arts still lagged behind.

"Willow Deity, I've reached a stopping point in my physical training," Little One said as he came to the village entrance and looked up at the charred willow tree.

"What have you achieved?" the willow tree asked.

Little One walked to the lakeshore and lifted a boulder weighing more than a hundred thousand jin with one hand. The whole shore trembled. The children, the adults, and even the rare birds and beasts were all stunned.

What kind of strength was this? Lifting a boulder weighing more than a hundred thousand jin with one hand was simply too shocking. No one had ever heard of such a thing!

Then he switched to his other hand and lifted it just as easily. A layer of radiance covered his whole body, born spontaneously from his flesh. It was the sign of an Extreme Realm!

Even the willow tree fell silent for a moment, not answering at once.

"Child, put it down quickly! Don't hurt yourself!" the villagers shouted.

Who else could move that boulder? They usually used it to dry meat and beast hides. It was incredibly huge, yet now it rested in Little One's hands, a sight that shook the heart.

"With a single sweep of your arm, you can wield a hundred and eight thousand jin of divine strength. You've done very well—far beyond my expectations!" the willow tree sent its voice to him, sounding surprised as well.

Willow Deity asked how strong Shi Lin was now.

Little One said Shi Lin was just as strong as he was.

Then Shi Lin lifted the same boulder to demonstrate his strength.

Everyone was shocked all over again.

Forget the human race—even the strongest young Golden-Winged Dapeng or True Hou could do no better. It was hard to imagine anyone becoming stronger. The sight truly shook the heart.

Such peerless strength wasn't one of humanity's natural advantages. Yet Little One and Shi Lin had reached the utmost limits in this regard, leaving even the willow tree amazed.

These two little fellows had enormous potential. They were even stronger than anyone had imagined!

"Little One, how did you manage that?" A group of children rushed over and crowded around the two of them, looking them up and down in disbelief.

"That's practically a Stone Mountain! Little One, you're incredible—you lifted it with just one arm. That kind of strength would terrify the Primordial Remnants in the mountains. Their young could never do this."

The children were both astonished and excited. They surrounded Little One and Shi Lin, chattering away. The adults were just as dumbfounded. They were only children, yet they had become so powerful. It was almost impossible to believe.

"Lin, Dad doesn't ask for much. One day, bring me a Suanni cub to guard the house and yard."

"Get out of here! You call that not much? You're asking for one of the strongest vicious beasts around! What else do you want? Lin, Uncle's request is much simpler. One day, catch me a genuine bloodline-pure Pixiu cub."

"Get lost! Is a Pixiu any weaker than a Suanni? They're both among the strongest!"

The adults teased and joked with them, telling the two boys not to forget Stone Village when they grew strong. They should bring back a youngling of a genuine Primordial Vicious Beast to guard the village.

Only after a long while did everyone finally disperse.

"Willow Deity, can I cultivate the Original True Interpretation now?" Little One looked up. He was seven and a half now, and quite a bit taller, but he still looked young. His large, black-and-white eyes were bright and clear.

"Yes," the willow tree replied firmly.

Little One's physical strength had not only surpassed the requirement; his spiritual will was astonishing as well. Throughout that year and a half of arduous training, he had never bowed to adversity. He had trained beneath all manner of terrifying natural forces, and his will was like iron.

"But what exactly is the Original True Interpretation?" Little One took out the lustrous white bone and asked eagerly. His large eyes shone with yearning.

"Study it closely for yourself. The path is made by taking one step at a time. This Bone Scripture is earth-shattering; it cannot be shown to others lightly," Willow Deity cautioned him.

"Mm! Then can I study it together with Big Brother Shi Lin?" Little One asked.

"Yes."

From that day onward, Little One and Shi Lin became like men possessed. They studied it sitting down, pondered it standing up, and furrowed their brows over it even in their sleep. They never stopped trying to comprehend and understand this heavenly scripture.

The pristine bone was densely covered with characters. It described the origin of runes, explained the mysteries of Primitive Treasure Bones, and annotated the strengths and weaknesses of Primordial Vicious Beasts and divine birds.

This Bone Scripture began with the most fundamental principles, explaining the mysteries of heaven and earth. It touched on countless subjects and encompassed everything. The only pity was that it didn't record a single divine art.

One could cultivate and break through by following it. It was an invaluable heavenly scripture, a treasure to every race—though it lacked peerless divine arts.

Little One and Shi Lin were entranced. They had vomited blood several times. Though they were far stronger than the old clan chief, they had still been injured repeatedly because the things recorded in the Bone Scripture were too terrifying.

To explain runes from their very origin, it even included examples of battles. One showed an Azure Sky Peng fighting a deity. The image was clear, and a brutal aura swept over them as though blood would seep from the page. It was like crossing the ages and witnessing that battle come alive.

That was only one illustration, and there were others. They didn't involve divine arts, only the workings of runes and such, yet there were dozens of examples from real battles alone. Every detail was captured in miniature on the lustrous white bone.

This white bone was a peerless treasure, recording boundless mysteries: the essence of runes, and engravings of Primordial Vicious Beasts battling deities. Everything began from the most fundamental principles. Little One was entranced, utterly fascinated. He clutched the crystalline bone, comprehending and pondering it at every moment, as if bewitched. Shi Lin was just as spellbound. So engrossed was he that he walked right into the lake and only snapped out of it when the water reached his nose and mouth. The villagers didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"I held a bowl of beast milk in front of him, and he didn't even see it. That's not normal."

"I put Shi Lin's favorite food right in front of him, and he didn't so much as glance at it! How strange!"

"Oh no, Little One and the others are completely obsessed. Could they end up going stupid?"

A group of children muttered among themselves. Seeing the two of them like this, they all thought they were bewitched.

"Don't strain yourselves too much. Be careful not to get hurt," the old clan chief sternly warned them. Shi Lin and Little One had vomited blood more than once. No matter how strong their bodies were, they still had to be careful.

Little One was completely absorbed, forgetting to eat or sleep. The translucent bone never left his hands. He turned it over and over as he studied it, carefully comprehending it until he forgot himself and the world around him.

He came across another account of a battle: a Golden-Winged Dapeng fighting a divine being. The bone was densely marked with symbols. The engraving was tiny, yet it seemed so real it might burst out through the bone!

Shi Lin grew even more focused. His eyes never blinked, and his essence, energy, and spirit were concentrated to the point that he seemed about to enter the bone itself. He was so engrossed that even the engraving he saw began to change.

The Golden-Winged Dapeng took on a pale golden sheen, then gradually grew radiant all over. It materialized on the bone, seemingly cast from gold and lifelike, as if it were about to fly out!

It fought the divine being in a fierce battle. Both were wounded. The bird was stained with divine blood, and its own golden blood spilled as well. Its might dominated heaven and earth, its enormous golden wings blotting out the sky, its power peerless and fearsome.

The engraving didn't record any earth-shattering divine art. It only explained the wondrous uses of orthodox runes, sketching a few lines that captured the pivotal moments of the battle. Their profound meaning was truly boundless.

Shi Lin had only looked at the first illustration, yet he was spellbound all over again, lost in it and unable to wake. Only when his spirit was utterly exhausted did he cough up several mouthfuls of blood and slowly open his eyes.

The villagers felt nothing but heartache at the sight. He was far too absorbed. Such an obsession could lead to serious trouble, so they all urged him to stop.

"Mm, I know. Those engravings are too profound. I haven't reached the level where I can comprehend them yet. I'll just have to take my time," Shi Lin said, heeding their advice and reflecting seriously.

If these battle accounts and engravings were revealed to the outside world, they would surely cause an uproar. Even without the evolution of divine arts, they could absolutely be called the "War God Records."

How many people had ever seen a Golden-Winged Dapeng fight a divine being? Once such a record appeared, it would shock the world. It was a treasure that any expert would dream of acquiring—not just humans, but every great race!

That was what made the Original True Interpretation so terrifying. When explaining the profound meaning of runes, it often used battle accounts like these, guiding the reader from the shallow to the deep and from the deep back to the shallow, touching on a realm beyond comprehension.

A small skiff drifted across the lake. The clear water rippled in the breeze, and golden Dragon-Whisker Fish leaped from the surface, shimmering brilliantly and splashing water high into the air.

Little One lay on the skiff, serene and peaceful, his whole body glowing. Threads of Divine Radiance sparkled as the runes within him were rebuilt, blending with his flesh and blood.

After reading the Original True Interpretation, he had gained profound insights and surpassed his former understanding. He now knew the most fundamental meaning of runes and began to cultivate the Blood-Moving Realm anew. One speck of light after another appeared, like gods and demons from the heavens dwelling within his body, chanting scriptures for him, guarding his form, and nourishing his spirit as they transformed and strengthened him. The results were astonishing. Little One was like a blazing furnace, glowing day after day from within and without. One crystalline, brilliant pattern after another appeared across his skin.

Divine Radiance spread around him, taking shape outside his body like layer upon layer of divine feathers. Blood and qi rumbled within Little One. Every drop of blood gave birth to a rune, and as the runes gathered together, his aura grew stronger and stronger.

Divine Radiance covered him from head to toe, crystalline and holy. He seemed about to ascend to immortality, scattering a rain of light that illuminated the entire lake.

The villagers were all roused and gathered along the shore to watch. Even rare birds and beasts like the Little Luan Bird and the Unicorn stared blankly at the lake. Schools of Dragon-Whisker Fish swam closer, bathing in the rain of light. Their bodies were covered in golden scales, shining together in the glow.

Little One kept his eyes closed. Radiance flowed across his body as light rained down, and he continued to transform.

The essence of heaven and earth poured into his body, nourishing his organs and flesh. He looked crystalline and translucent, his vital blood flowing in a great river, surging as if he were shifting the heavenly constellations.

At last, he succeeded. He had cultivated anew, bringing the Blood-Moving Realm to perfection and reaching its utmost limit.

Little One opened his eyes, and all the Divine Radiance drew back into his body. His flesh was translucent, as if carved from warm jade. A school of golden fish in the lake was startled; they flicked their tails and darted toward the bottom.

Splash!

Little One jumped into the water and caught a Dragon-Whisker Fish weighing more than three hundred jin. Golden light flowed across its body, its whiskers were crystalline and fragrant, and every part of it was a treasure.

"Snotty Kid, catch!" Little One shouted as he tossed it onto the shore.

Then he plunged back under the water and quickly chased after another. He caught a golden giant fish weighing more than two hundred jin, its body giving off a fragrant scent, and flung it straight to shore.

"Wow, a fish king! We used to think a few dozen jin was big. Who knew these treasure fish could grow so huge!"

"Little One, there are lots of big fish! I saw more than twenty that size just now. Hurry up and catch them!"

Shi Lin joined Little One and caught several large fish.

A group of children cried out in excitement. Fish kings like these would surely have excellent medicinal properties. Eating them would greatly boost their blood and qi and give them tremendous strength.

Little One didn't keep catching fish. Instead, he leaped onto the shore. It wasn't easy for the great blue lake to nurture such rare fish, so he couldn't catch all the fish kings. They still had to lay eggs.

Shi Lin understood as well and followed him onto the shore.