Walk

Earlier, many had come just to join the crowd, never believing that Shi Yi's record could be broken. Now, their mouths were all agape in an "O" shape, simply unable to believe what they were seeing.

This was too astonishing. For a child so young to have already achieved this much, what kind of heights would he reach in the future?!

The crowd felt a complex mix of emotions. The elderly, who did not have much time left, were mostly overjoyed; such a child with heaven-sent talent made them feel delighted, as if they had suddenly grown many years younger.

However, some geniuses—like the few young people who had been watching coldly from the sidelines—all lost their composure. They had challenged Shi Yi in the past and returned in defeat; now that a child so small had done what they could not, their hearts were filled with a bitter, indescribable feeling.

Runes flickered as a five-colored Luan Bird soared into the sky, wreathed in colorful clouds and looking exceptionally resplendent as it charged toward the taller of the Twin Mountains.

"It's the Female War God from the Deer-Hunting Academy!"

"Rumor has it that this woman is extremely powerful and terrifying; otherwise, she wouldn't have earned such a title."

The five-colored Luan Bird broke through the clouds and arrived nearby. The Female War God was covered from head to toe in golden armor, yet it could not hide her proud figure—her chest was full, her waist was like a willow, and her legs were straight and slender. Bathed in golden light, she possessed a unique, unconventional beauty.

Although she wore a golden helmet, most of her face was visible. With features as delicate as a painting and skin as white and crystalline as jade, she was a rare beauty with a distinct temperament.

She looked at Little One, her pearly white teeth gleaming as she spoke: "I would like to invite you to join the Deer-Hunting Academy."

Everyone was astonished. The Female War God of the Deer-Hunting Academy was truly direct, extending an invitation right off the bat. But this was inevitable; they hoped to net all the heroes, or else how could they remain so powerful and transcendent?

A piece of animal hide fluttered as runes flickered, rushing toward the high heavens. Standing upon it was a group of women in white, each one beautiful and ethereal, like a gathering of fairies.

"Little brother, we would like to invite you to join the Heaven Mending Pavilion."

This made the crowd envious. Two great pure lands were competing for one child; surely, once he entered, he would be treated with the highest honors and groomed as a guardian or a successor. "Now, little friend, you must take your time deciding. If you wish to cultivate, you don't necessarily have to enter those places. Some ancient clans might be even more suitable for you." Just then, an old man with the hair of a crane and the complexion of a child spoke up, sitting cross-legged on a strange rock as he flew into the high sky.

"Hmm, little fellow, could we step aside and talk?" Another person chimed in.

In this single moment, over a dozen groups had extended an olive branch to Little One.

These were absolutely the top-tier major powers. The average large clans didn't even dare to speak, knowing they lacked the competitive edge against legacies like the Deer-Hunting Academy, the Heaven Mending Pavilion, and the ancient aristocratic families.

Little One came back to his senses, scratched his head, and gave a shy smile, appearing very restrained and awkward.

Many felt the child was very simple and honest, though some held reservations. In particular, the four clans that had been extorted were cursing in their hearts: Keep pretending! If you were really this innocent and shy, you wouldn't have set your sights on the Void God Realm's passageway! If you were truly this bashful, how could you have extorted us? Rage!

"Thank you, sisters, uncles, and elders. I don't know how to choose right now, so let me think about it," Little One replied, not wanting to offend everyone by choosing just one.

"Very well!"

These people were quite decisive. Whether they hailed from ancient pure lands or old aristocratic families, they did not pester him, knowing it would be useless, and retreated one after another.

Afterward, Little One's gaze became distant and profound again. He looked toward the horizon, lost in thought and somewhat distracted.

"I say, child, what are you thinking about?" Grandpa Essence Jade shouted, feeling that the boy looked melancholic and might be thinking of something unhappy.

"Sigh." Little One let out a sigh and said, "I forgot one thing."

"What thing?" Lord Bird asked, and the others looked on in surprise.

"I forgot to place a bet! Before breaking the record, I should have placed a wager on myself. I forgot!" Little One withdrew his distant gaze and shouted indignantly.

"Oh, get lost!" Everyone wanted to throw a shoe at him. They had seen his melancholic gaze and gloomy expression and thought something was wrong, but it turned out to be this trivial matter—he was just upset he didn't get to scam anyone?!

A moment ago, everyone had felt he possessed a certain charm; despite being small, he had looked toward the horizon with an extraordinary air. Now... his image was completely shattered. This brat was actually regretting that he hadn't managed to scam anyone!

With a whoosh, Little One jumped straight down from the mountain peak, startling the crowd into retreating at extreme speed. Having learned their lesson, none of them wanted to be sent flying by him again.

"Boom!"

The Adamantine Rock shattered, and a huge deep pit appeared on the ground. The eccentric child walked out completely unscathed, patted the dust off his body, and headed back along the path he came.

"Cough, cough..." Many were hit by the flying rocks and dust, coughing incessantly.

Little One breaking Shi Yi's record spread at an astonishing speed. First, the stone tablet emerged to record it, causing an earthquake in the Void God Realm, and then the news reached the Stone Kingdom and beyond, where major sects and the mansions of princes were buzzing with discussion.

This news was like a storm, spreading rapidly among the cultivators. Everyone now knew that a very small child was set to rise, possessing heaven-sent talent.

"In one day, he broke three records! Especially the last one, which demonstrated his unparalleled explosive power—he is a step above Shi Yi. What a god-like record!"

"Do your best to find him, figure out where he comes from and what his identity is. It would be best to invite him into the Imperial City!"

At this moment, the ancient kingdom was shaken. Major powers issued orders; this was a strange youth who might be able to rival Shi Yi, and he was absolutely worth paying the highest price to recruit.

"Investigate! You must uncover his background; do not miss or overlook anything!" At the same time, core members of major powers like the Rain Clan had ugly expressions, eager to track down Little One's identity.

Shi Yi's myth had been broken. Although it was only one record, it had triggered a massive uproar. Whether in the Void God Realm or the ancient kingdom, everyone was talking about this matter.

"Hmm, this child's background is not easy to find. Let's focus on his movements in the Void God Realm first."

Many wanted to know what Little One, who had just broken Shi Yi's invincible myth, was doing. Thus, many who hadn't come to watch earlier appeared, and the Initial Ground became packed with people.

"Eh, why is he squatting on that large blue rock again? What is he trying to do?" People were puzzled.

"Dong."

The blue rock shook, and then a curtain of light enveloped the area, shielding it from view.

"He... he wouldn't be destroying the Void God Realm's passageway again, would he?"

No sooner had the words been spoken than a stone tablet emerged, with a line of text appearing upon it: Destroyed the Initial Ground passageway...

"Oh, get lost!"

"He is a public enemy of both men and gods!"

"He actually broke it again in even less time!"

The crowd was dumbfounded, followed by an uproar.

"Are you kidding me? He got another Treasure Bone!"

Everywhere was in a frenzy. This brat was truly a freak; to get a Treasure Bone, he had actually set another record and shattered a golden passage once more.

"Heavenly principles cannot tolerate this; both man and ghost are enraged!"

"He's too bizarre, this kid is asking for a beating."

In every Heavenly Cave and blessed land, everyone was indignant. How could this be allowed? And the Void God Realm was really something, actually rewarding him with another Treasure Bone—how could it not make people angry?

"Who is going to the Initial Ground to beat him up? I really can't swallow this anger."

"In that godforsaken place, there are probably few who can get tough with that brat. Going there is just asking for trouble."

"Damn it... he broke the record again. Look, he actually... shattered the Initial Ground passage for the third time!"

The crowd went completely wild. This kid was too extreme; for the sake of a Treasure Bone, was there no end to his antics?

"Wait, something's wrong. He wasn't rewarded with a Treasure Bone this time. This is... the heavens have eyes! Haha, he was actually warned by the Void God Realm and listed as an unwelcome person!"

"Haha... what a bizarre kid!"

Everywhere, people were laughing wildly. The Heavenly Dao was finally fair for once.

Little One was depressed. He had originally wanted to harvest a third Treasure Bone, as he was preparing to create a divine array himself. He hadn't expected to be severely warned; a dark cloud appeared over his head, gathering and refusing to disperse, impossible to shake off.

He muttered in a low voice, "Why warn me? It didn't say I couldn't attack the Void God Realm passages. If there were such explicit rules, I wouldn't have made a mistake."

"Hehe..."

"Haha..."

Everyone laughed out loud. For some reason, seeing this bizarre kid get thwarted with a dark cloud hanging over his head made people feel very refreshed and particularly happy.

Only Little One was unhappy, wandering around the Initial Ground, saying, "Find me ten beast kings; I'm going to break another record of the Double Pupil."

As soon as these words were spoken, it immediately caused a huge sensation. This bizarre kid truly couldn't be judged by common sense; he was going to stir up trouble again.

Not long after, some people actually went to look for beast kings, wanting to see just how strong he really was.

"Eh, what is he doing?"

People discovered that Little One was standing in front of the Record Stele, feeling it up and down, touching the Treasure Bone embedded within.

"Oh my, this brat is crazy. He isn't thinking of targeting the Record Stele, is he?"

Many people had a bad premonition, their eyes looking strange.

"Boom!"

A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering sound erupted, confirming everyone's suspicions.

"Ancestors, why can't you just settle down? You're even targeting the Record Stele?" Grandpa Essence Jade and the others gasped, truly not knowing whether to cry or laugh.

The others were stunned. This kid was too bizarre; he actually dared to do it!

Before long, the light curtain covering the stele receded, revealing Little One's true form and the shattered remains of the stele.

"Ah, he really shattered it!"

Light rain fell as a new stele emerged, with a new record appearing on it: Shattered the Initial Ground Record Stele, severe warning, will be expelled from the Void God Realm for two years.

At the same time, such inscriptions appeared everywhere, leaving everyone staring in a daze!

Only Little One was indignant, the dark cloud over his head becoming even denser, almost burying him.

"Hahaha..."

After a brief silence, the various parts of the Void God Realm boiled over; no one knew how many people were laughing.

"This must be the first time in history, right? Actually being expelled by the Void God Realm!" People were truly speechless; such a thing had actually happened.

"Haha... too interesting!" Many people laughed wildly.

Little One's figure began to fade, the dark cloud covering his body, forcing his form to blur until he was about to disappear.

"Why? I didn't do anything wrong, and the stele didn't say it couldn't be attacked?!" he shouted indignantly.

"Kid, two years will pass quickly. We'll wait for your return. During this time, you are destined to become a legend in the Void God Realm that no one can replace, hehe!" A group of people didn't know if they were gloating or genuinely seeing him off.

Two years—it's not long, but it's not short either. Perhaps many things will happen.

With the dark cloud pressing down and black mist shrouding him, Little One tried his best to resist, but in the end, he couldn't stop it. His body became increasingly blurred as he shouted in anger.

For some reason, seeing this bear child like this, about to be expelled, the crowd lacked sympathy; many people laughed until their mouths twitched.

"Hehe..."

"Haha..."

"I will return!" Little One left behind this childish voice, filled with unwillingness, regret, and anger.

"We'll wait for your return!" Grandpa Essence Jade squinted his eyes, stroking his gray beard as he responded loudly.

"Go early and come back early; don't be so money-grubbing next time." Uncle Hammer laughed heartily, waving a broken hammer to bid him farewell.

"Sigh, poor child. To be expelled by the Void God Realm—that must be a record in itself. I don't believe it has ever happened before," Lord Bird sighed. This child was truly speechless; he was indeed a rare specimen, willing to do anything just to obtain a Treasure Bone.

"Hmph, hmph..." Little One was furious. He had actually been expelled, and his struggles were useless; the crushing black mist had squeezed him right out of the Initial Ground.

A vast expanse of ruins appeared before his eyes. Broken walls and crumbling pillars radiated an aura of ancient vicissitudes, and the rubble scattered everywhere spoke of past glories.

Further off, one Primordial Demon Mountain after another, wreathed in chaotic energy, appeared at the edge of the horizon. They were soul-shaking, as if he had arrived at the dawn of creation.

This was also the Void God Realm, constructed by the mental energy of gods. However, this place transcended the Initial Ground and the various blessed lands; it did not belong to that category.

In the distance, a towering willow tree was rooted in the ruins. Its five tender branches swayed in the wind, absorbing the mist, condensing chaotic energy, and shimmering with green light.

"Willow Deity," Little One called out softly. He was very depressed, his little face clouded with unhappiness as he shuffled over step by step.

The Willow Deity recovered from a deep state of cultivation, looking slightly surprised. "Why have you returned? Given your natural talent, even if you stayed for another half a month, your physical body in the outside world would not have been harmed."

"I was kicked out," Little One said indignantly, grinding his bright, crystalline little tiger teeth. "I am so unwilling. Is there any way to fight my way back in?"

"Who kicked you out? Did you encounter an opponent you couldn't defeat and get beaten out?" the Willow Deity asked, its voice soft, making one feel peaceful and serene.

"I was expelled by the Void God Realm. It won't let me stay inside anymore," Little One said dejectedly, kicking a piece of rubble as he hung his head.

"Hmm?" The Willow Deity was surprised. Always calm and tranquil, it seemed to show a flicker of emotion. "What happened? Why would the Void God Realm want to expel you?"

"I... I cracked a stone, and then accidentally shattered a stele. I dug a few bones out from inside, and the next thing I knew, I was being warned, and the black clouds were pressing down on me," Little One replied.

"That's not right. Something special must have happened. Tell me more specifically. If you were truly bullied or treated unfairly, it is possible to go back," the Willow Deity said.

"Oh, that stele was a Record Stele, and that stone was a passage to the Void God Realm..." Little One gave a concise account of what had transpired.

The Willow Deity: "..."

For a long time, the willow tree remained silent. Its charred trunk absorbed the chaotic mist, and the five fresh, dripping-wet willow branches drew in the essence of the void, as if it had turned to stone.

"Willow Deity, say something! Can I reason with it and go back? I'm so unwilling!" Little One asked in a small voice, his eyes filled with hope.

"No!" The willow tree was concise and firm, directly dashing his hopes.

"Why?" Little One felt guilty.

The Willow Deity sighed, "You really are... could you be any more outrageous? If it were me, I certainly wouldn't have just banished you."

"I knew the Willow Deity was the best. Sigh, it's a pity you aren't that heartless Void God Realm."

"If it were me, I would have thrown you directly into the Black Beast Prison," the Willow Deity said.

Little One froze upon hearing this, unable to stop himself from scratching his head. He whispered in his defense, "The Void God Realm is so big, and there are so many steles. It wouldn't miss just one, and besides, it didn't say you weren't allowed to break them."

"Come back in two years," the Willow Deity said, delivering the final verdict and decisively putting an end to his thoughts.

"By the way, where is Brother Lin? I haven't seen him since I came out," Little One asked the Willow Deity.

Just as he spoke, a flash of golden light flickered, and Shi Lin appeared.

"Brother Lin, why did you only just come out!"

"Oh, there were too many people, so I came out a bit late."

"Oh, we're leaving."

"Mm-hmm."

"I will return!" Little One ran to the edge of the ruins and shouted at a large blue stone; it was a passage leading back to the Initial Ground.

"Eh? How did I hear that child's voice? Is it real or fake? He was expelled, so how could he still have such great divine power?" A group of people in the Initial Ground looked at each other in shock and uncertainty.

In the ruins, green light flowed like water. The Willow Deity glowed, and then suddenly erupted with a heaven-shaking fluctuation. Its five tender branches surged, growing who knows how many miles long, rushing upward to pierce the firmament.

"Boom!"

The void trembled, and a portal appeared. Thick mist and auspicious energy swirled as it wrapped around Little One and surged upward, leaping through the gate.

In Stone Village, the main body of the Willow Deity glowed, showering the entire village in endless divine radiance. Then, a majestic will descended into the tree trunk.

Under the tree, a beautiful child was sitting cross-legged, his small face as white as jade with long eyelashes. At this moment, he suddenly opened his large eyes and stood up quickly.

Beside him, a handsome youth with light in his eyes also opened his eyes and stood up immediately.

"The children are awake. How do you feel?"

"Your bodies didn't move, and your spirits were gone. We thought something had gone wrong. Did your souls leave your bodies?"

A group of clansmen gathered around, looking very worried and tense.

"We are fine. With the Willow Deity looking after us, there was no danger. I went to a place called the Void God Realm," Little One stood up and told them he had merely been wandering the void in spirit.

"Ah, I should have guessed! It must be the Void God Realm, though I have never been inside," the village chief exclaimed.

"Wow, wandering the void in spirit! What kind of feeling is that? What kind of place is the Void God Realm?" Qingfeng asked curiously, and then a group of children gathered around, chattering and demanding he tell them all about it.

Little One told them the truth, hiding nothing. The group listened in a daze, completely stunned, before bursting into laughter a moment later.

"I must say, child, you really know how to cause trouble. You weren't wronged at all for being expelled."

Everyone was laughing, except for Little One, who had a dark little face and was still fuming.

"We want to go there to cultivate, too," a group of children shouted, filled with longing.

After exiting the Void God Realm, everything returned to normal.

As night fell, Shi Lin sat cross-legged on a stone, his mind drifting back to what he had witnessed in the Void God Realm.

When Little One was in the midst of shattering Shi Yi's record, Shi Lin had stood upon a mountain and caught sight of the girl in green standing atop the beast bones.

It's her! Shi Lin's pupils dilated slightly.

The girl in green was none other than Lin Jiuge, and standing beside her was a Red-Clad Woman.

Lin Jiuge seemed to sense something, casting a glance toward Shi Lin's direction.

Shi Lin locked eyes with Lin Jiuge.

He has come as well! Lin Jiuge murmured to herself.

With the distance between them, Shi Lin felt much calmer this time, though he remained somewhat stirred.

Shi Lin gazed at her with deep affection; if a Celestial River were to stretch between them, they would surely be the spitting image of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.

Setting aside the memories, Shi Lin began his meditation once more.

Little One had resumed his training, venturing deep into the mountains and braving the Great Wilderness every day to battle various ferocious beasts.

Yet, whenever the night grew deep and silent, and he sat alone to contemplate the Original True Interpretation, he found it difficult to settle his heart, always returning to his recent experiences.

This spiritual journey had shown him the world beyond, igniting a longing within him. There were so many powerful figures clashing, endless sects, pure lands, and ancient kingdoms of princes vying for supremacy—he yearned to be a part of it.

Finally, he shared these thoughts with the village chief, who remained silent for a long time before nodding. "Child, it is indeed time for you to spread your wings and soar. Stone Village is too small; it is no longer suitable for you."

Upon hearing the news, the villagers all rushed over. While they understood Little One's decision, they found it hard to let go.

Watching him learn to walk, babble his first words, and grow into someone so extraordinary, only to see him leave now, all the aunts and grandmothers were moved to tears.

Even the group of grown men fell into a heavy silence. The child had finally grown up; the small Stone Village could no longer contain Shi Hao. He needed a vast sky in which to spread his wings.

"Little One, why don't we go with you?" Er Meng, Pi Hou, and the others crowded around, eager to see the world outside as well.

"No, your cultivation is not yet enough to traverse this Great Wilderness. You are still far off—stay here and cultivate properly!"

"That's right. Er Meng, Pi Hou, you are already twelve or thirteen; it is time to marry and leave behind a litter of children before you think of leaving."

Their fathers and the village elders opposed the idea, even bringing up marriage, which left the boys blushing and deeply embarrassed.

"I will go with Little Brother," Qingfeng said.

No one objected, as Little One was intending to send him to the Heaven Mending Pavilion anyway.

Little One was also pulled in by Shi Lin, who claimed the outside world was far more interesting. Shi Lin had agreed, as he also harbored intentions of heading out.

"Alright, we set off tomorrow. We will cultivate along the way and slowly make our path," Little One nodded. Finally, he went to bid farewell to the Willow Deity and ask for its guidance.

"Go. Be careful on your journey, but it would be best if you returned before you turn twelve," the Willow Deity advised.

Little One looked puzzled and asked why.

"To return to Stone Village for your baptism," the Willow Deity informed him.

Children of great tribes, descendants of princes, and disciples of pure lands underwent several baptisms at the ages of five, ten, and fifteen. They used the true blood of ferocious beasts and rare medicinal treasures to refine their bodies and cleanse their internal organs, as it was crucial to their future achievements.

Before the age of five, Little One had been sealed within a cauldron and refined with the precious blood of the archaic descendant Suanni, laying a solid foundation.

"Your natural constitution is excellent. Whether you perform the second baptism a year or two early or late is fine, but you must not miss it entirely. Remember to return," the Willow Deity cautioned.

Little One nodded earnestly, indicating he had remembered. He felt grateful in his heart; the Willow Deity seemed to place great importance on this, and he wondered what kind of baptism it had in store for him.

The day of departure finally arrived. The entire village came to see them off. The unicorn Little White glowed all over, its silver-white coat shining like refined gold, and its horn shimmered with runes. It had nearly transformed into a ferocious beast and had now become the leader of the herd of precious steeds.

The group of unicorns was no longer unfamiliar with the people of Stone Village, having essentially accepted them.

"Little White, I cannot take you with me this time. The place we are going is too far, and there will be many dangers," Little One patted its lowered, massive head.

Bird cries rang out as Ziyun, Dapeng, and Xiao Qing descended. Each was several meters long, becoming increasingly miraculous and powerful, their bodies flowing with runes.

Ziyun, in particular, had purple feathers that drifted with immortal energy, its entire body radiating the aura of mysterious runes.

In another year or two, they would surely reach full maturity and dominate the nearby mountain ranges. By then, not only would Stone Village be as secure as a fortress, but the villagers would face no danger when hunting outside.

"Ziyun, you cannot come along either. The journey is too far, and it is truly dangerous," Little One comforted them, telling them to stay behind and guard Stone Village.

The three exotic birds rubbed their heads against his body, expressing their affection and dissatisfaction, but there was nothing to be done.

In the end, only the golden Furball jumped onto his shoulder. Being only the size of a fist, it was a small target, making it convenient to take wherever he went.

Before they left, the village chief took out a stone box, opened it solemnly, and produced a red feather. "Child, take this with you."

This had been left behind by the Little Red Bird from years ago. The Willow Deity had healed its wounds, and having no other way to repay the kindness, it had left a divine feather as a token. For some giant clans, it could serve as a powerful deterrent.

"Child, take care of yourself out there!" Shi Linhu embraced Shi Lin, the corners of his eyes turning red.

"Father, don't worry!" Shi Lin shed tears.

Although he had arrived through reincarnation, Shi Linhu was, after all, his biological father in this world. Blood was thicker than water, and that could not be forgotten.

Finally, Little One, Shi Lin, and Qingfeng set off. The villagers walked with them for several miles, many of them weeping. They were truly afraid that these two children might meet with misfortune, given how young they were—though they were not nearly as worried about Shi Lin.