Mysterious Golden Light

Everyone was stunned, and the Green-Scaled Eagle's eyes lit up too.

The egg brushed by the tender green willow branch was wreathed in rosy clouds and dazzling auspicious light. It shone brilliantly, as if it had been "deified" in an instant, becoming crystalline and radiant.

The spots on the eggshell all glowed like tiny fireballs, radiating fierce light and surging with vigorous life force. More intricate, unfathomable patterns appeared around them, dazzling to the extreme, like dragons and serpents dancing together, or firebirds soaring through fiery clouds.

The egg underwent a wondrous transformation. Strange patterns rapidly spread across it, and before long the entire egg had changed, covered in many more "markings" and shimmering with divine radiance.

"This is the bloodline of a Primordial Demonic Bird! The egg has actually returned to its ancestral form!" Village chief Shi Yunfeng exclaimed in shock.

Outside the village, the Green-Scaled Eagle understood as well. It nodded repeatedly.

A mere brush from Old Willow Tree's tender branch had brought about such a sight. It was astonishing!

The villagers were all deeply astonished. Outside the village, the Green-Scaled Eagle stood atop a massive boulder, its scales gleaming. Its eyes were fixed straight ahead, beams of light shooting from them like streaks of silk. It, too, seemed unable to believe what it was seeing.

The willow branch was so verdant it seemed to drip with green, brimming with life. After lightly brushing the egg, it slowly withdrew and made no further move.

Clearly, it was not very interested and had merely brushed it at random.

"Let's return the eggs. Otherwise, if it blocks the way out of the village, it'll be enough to give Stone Village a terrible headache. After all, we still need to hunt in the mountains," Shi Linhu suggested.

"Forget it. Let's return the eggs to that bald eagle," Shi Yunfeng said.

The villagers were disappointed, but there was nothing they could do. The Green-Scaled Eagle was powerful, the top predator in this region. As long as the creatures from the deepest part of the mountains did not emerge, it could be considered the overlord.

The group cautiously protected themselves with their two Ancestral Artifacts as they carried the three eggs to the village entrance. They set them down on the grass, then quickly retreated.

By then, the blazing light around the mutated egg had faded, and it no longer dazzled the eye. Yet the newly appeared mysterious patterns had not vanished. Compared with the other two eggs, it was plainly from an entirely different category—a different kind of bird.

The Green-Scaled Eagle spread its wings and swooped over in an instant. It thrust both wings forward, shielding all three eggs, then carefully studied the unusual one, its spots interwoven and its surface crystalline and bright.

It suddenly let out an excited, piercing cry. A strange gleam flashed through its eyes. It beat its wings, then gave a mighty flap. A howling gale swept up, pushing all three eggs into the village and rolling them toward the great willow tree.

"What? It doesn't want them? It's giving them to us?" Everyone was dumbfounded. What was going on? One strange thing after another!

"It wants to leave them with our Sacrificial Spirit and have us raise the eggs," Shi Yunfeng said.

"Has this bird become a spirit?"

"This is a vicious bird that has condensed mysterious runes within its body. It possesses a source bone that gives off mysterious power, and its intelligence is no lower than a human's," Shi Yunfeng explained.

The more powerful the vicious birds and exotic beasts, the greater their intelligence. Legend had it that some Primordial Remnants were far cleverer than humans, looking down upon the tribes of the earth as though they were gods.

Shi Yunfeng asked the Green-Scaled Eagle whether it was leaving its offspring behind. The great bird nodded, then gestured with its gaze: first at the three eggs, then at Old Willow Tree. After that, it flew straight away.

Everyone clicked their tongues. Was this bird really so decisive?!

"Dad, what do we do now?" Shi Lin asked.

"Figure it out yourselves!" Shi Linhu glared at him.

"Ah, no! Help!" a group of children shrieked.

The three eggs were placed beside the altar beneath the great willow tree, with someone assigned to watch over them as they waited for the chicks to hatch. After all, these were the eggs of powerful vicious birds—extremely precious.

Before long, the three eggs hatched one after another. The first and second eggs each produced a blue chick, while the bird from the third egg was purple.

The third egg was special. As it cracked, beams of rosy light shot out, followed by a cry. Then the sturdy shell suddenly crumbled all at once, turning to dust as divine radiance shimmered within.

"They've hatched!" A group of children cheered, running home to fetch chunks of meat to feed the three young birds.

Suddenly, a gale swept in. With a boom, dust billowed outside the village as the Green-Scaled Eagle opened its enormous talons. A colossal beast plunged to the ground, smashing a deep crater into it as earth and rocks flew and clouds of dust rose.

It was a gigantic Dragon-Horned Elephant, dead, its blood gushing out. It had been killed with a single blow!

Everyone was astonished.

"That giant bird really is incredible!" they exclaimed.

With a whoosh, a gale roared, sweeping up a mass of broken branches and dead leaves as the Green-Scaled Eagle shot into the sky once more.

Shi Lin approached the three chicks. He stroked the little blue bird, then the little purple one.

"Mm, the one that returned to its ancestral form really is prettier!"

Suddenly, golden light blazed from Shi Lin's palm. Strange runes appeared above the purple bird's head. Bathed in the golden light, the runes burst with divine radiance, sending out thousands of auspicious rays as shimmering mist swirled around them.

"What is this!" Shi Lin was dumbfounded. He had no idea what was happening.

But the little purple bird looked comfortable, so there probably wasn't anything wrong.

Before long, streams of light flowed through the runes, and golden beams shot from them straight into the sky.

In the blink of an eye, the runes seemed to evolve. Their patterns writhed like demons and spirits in chaos, resembling the Daoist arts of gods and devils—sacred beyond compare, like seals of the Great Dao.

"Ah, this!" Shi Lin exclaimed in surprise.

The little purple bird's body changed as well. Its lustrous purple scales gradually took on a glittering purplish-gold sheen, and a white glow enveloped its entire body. Its clear, limpid eyes grew even more expressive, and it seemed as if its whole body were covered in immortal energy. It rapidly grew larger, reaching two meters in height and nearly ten meters in length.

Most remarkable was the feather atop its head, marked with a primitive pattern. It was unmistakably a Primitive Treasure Feather.

"Ziyun has evolved!" Shi Hao cried out excitedly.

"The eldest is called Dapeng, the second Xiao Qing, and the third Ziyun." Those were the names the children had given the three young birds.

A piercing birdcall rang out as Ziyun let loose a cry toward the sky. The surrounding air shuddered violently.

A young bird had such fearsome power. It was extraordinary!

Old Willow Tree stirred. Its willow branch, wreathed in green radiance, descended like a shining divine chain and touched the runes.

In an instant, the willow branch brimmed with even greater life force and grew thicker. Even the charred trunk sprouted several new shoots.

"These runes can help the Sacrificial Spirit recover from its injuries!" Shi Yunfeng exclaimed.

"This bird has transcended its origins and returned to its ancestral form, evolving into the immortal bird Purple Emperor Immortal Eagle. It was said to be the mount of Immortal King Yunzi." The willow tree actually spoke in human language.

"Willow Deity, you... you mean it's very powerful?" Shi Yunfeng asked.

A mount of an Immortal King? It had to be at least at the Supreme Realm, Shi Lin thought.

"Indeed." The willow branch drew back.

"The primitive runes of this immortal bird will help heal my injuries. I have decided to help it grow."

"Excellent, excellent!" the village chief said happily.

Everyone smiled.

"Ziyun, you're amazing!" Shi Hao said, hugging Ziyun, who was several times larger than him.

"Chirp, chirp!" Ziyun was delighted too.

In any case, this was a very good outcome. Shi Lin alone was utterly bewildered: what exactly was the golden light inside his body...

At dawn, the red sun rose through the mist. Soft rays of rosy light spilled down, staining the heavy fog in the mountain forests with color as it drifted slowly by.

The air was fresh. Dewdrops rolled off grass and vines as a group of strong young men from Stone Village prepared to set out for another hunt.

Lately, Little One Shi Hao and Shi Lin had often spent time with the three young birds. With Willow Deity's guidance, it had not taken long for the two of them to grasp the runes within Ziyun's body, at least a little.

Strangely enough, Shi Lin found practicing these runes very easy. Even though he had never studied them before, he had stepped into the basics in no time.

The patterns born from the Primitive Treasure Bone of a Primordial Demonic Bird belonged exclusively to its race. The more powerful the Primordial Remnant, the more fiercely it forbade these runes from being passed on. Anyone who leaked them would surely be hunted down without mercy. Fortunately, these three young birds were special: they were being raised by the villagers. These primitive runes were extraordinarily rare, far surpassing the ordinary Bone Text studied by humans. They were a closely guarded secret and could be called a Treasure Rune.

One such rune could rival a powerful Bone Scripture of the human race. Any creature capable of naturally forming runes within its body was extraordinary.

The two Ancestral Artifacts of Stone Village had fallen from the bodies of two terrifying super-Primordial Remnants. Only after being polished and refined had they become the fearsome treasures they were now.

Ziyun in particular had returned to its ancestral form and inherited the mark of an ancient immortal bird. This was astonishingly powerful, and the runes within its body could absolutely be called a "Secret Bone Treasure Scripture."

If word got out, certain tribes would surely covet it.

"Wow, so that's how it works. The changes are so complicated, as intricate as the arrangement of countless stars." Little One stared wide-eyed at the brilliant patterns emerging from Ziyun's Primitive Treasure Bone and appearing on its body. At last, he understood much of it.

"Yeah, the way it works is really complicated. Let's try another method!" Shi Lin said.

"Mm-hmm!"

The two children carefully activated the runes. Patterns flowed across their arms, shining brilliantly.

Nearby, Dapeng and Xiao Qing were curious too. They watched the runes growing inside their brothers without blinking, as if trying to memorize them and absorb them into their minds.

Every day, the two of them practiced constantly, touching the birds' Treasure Bones. Crystalline light appeared there, mysterious symbols emerged, and their scales were reflected in dazzling, translucent colors. Besides drinking beast milk as usual and playing with everyone, the two spent each day practicing the runes.

The two thought carefully, refining what they had learned over the past several days.

"It should work like this. The intricate patterns connect and evolve, then shine, and mysterious power emerges..." Little One murmured.

Specks of light shone on Little One's left hand. Then a brilliant golden wave slashed out, streaking toward the distance. With a crack, it cut down a towering tree, which crashed to the ground with a rumble, stirring up clouds of dust.

"There's still a small mistake here. This symbol should be linked to this one to activate it," Shi Lin said.

"Okay!" Shi Hao followed Shi Lin's instructions and activated the runes. One of his arms began to tremble slightly. A streak of blazing light raced along it into his palm, then broke free.

"Clang!"

The light rang out like a treasure being drawn from its sheath. A brilliant, sacred golden moon flew out, slicing through the air. With a hiss, it struck a massive, sturdy boulder five or six meters tall. Golden Moon spun on the spot, and with a crack, the boulder split in two.

The cut was smooth. With a rumble, the upper half, weighing several thousand catties, crashed to the ground. Rocks burst apart and dust billowed.

In the distance, a group of people stood frozen. How powerful was this? A golden moon had appeared and directly cleaved a boulder as hard as iron in two. It was truly astonishing!

"We did it, Brother Lin!" Shi Hao sprang up and shouted excitedly.

"Brother Lin, you try it too!"

"Okay!" Shi Lin closed his eyes and activated the runes. Golden light poured from both his hands as patterns flowed along his arms. He followed Shi Hao's method and activated them.

A streak of blazing light shot through his palm. He waved his hand, and it transformed into a huge golden moon that flew toward a nearby boulder ten meters in diameter.

"Clang!" The boulder exploded, breaking into pieces.

"This... this is even more powerful than Little One's attack!" The people in the distance were astonished.

"Wow, Brother Lin, you're amazing!" Shi Hao clapped his hands hard in praise of Shi Lin.

"Heh, heh, heh!" Shi Lin laughed shyly.

"What powerful runes! This purple chick really did inherit the mark of an ancient immortal bird, and it has manifested again." The village chief, Shi Yunfeng, was extremely excited. "Little One and Shi Lin are incredible. It's only been a month, yet they've already figured out the secrets of this primitive Treasure Rune. Their talent is astonishing!"

"You little brats, go learn from the two of them. This skill will help you survive in the Great Wilderness!"

"No, no! Just looking at it gives us a headache!" the children cried.

Ziyun, Dapeng, and Xiao Qing also looked astonished. They were still young and could not yet unleash the mysterious power of the runes within their bodies. Seeing this result thrilled them all.

"Grandpa Chief, I think I understand it!" Little One shouted happily, his eyes shining.

Shi Yunfeng hurried over and quietly warned him, "The primitive runes you used just now can definitely be called a 'Secret Bone Treasure Scripture.' They're extraordinarily rare and so powerful they inspire fear. Don't use them lightly unless the situation is critical."

"Mm-hmm!" Shi Hao obediently replied.

"Shi Lin, remember that too!"

"Okay, Grandpa Chief!" Shi Lin answered.

The two continued discussing.

"I don't think this is complete yet. I feel like a tree and a palace could also appear on that Silver Moon, but I can't manage it yet," Shi Hao said.

"Exactly. We've only used a small part of these runes. We still have a long way to go!" Shi Lin replied.

"You two can already contend with your Uncle Lin Hu and Uncle Feijiao. The 'Secret Bone Treasure Scripture' is something an entire tribe would covet! You must keep it secret!" the village chief said solemnly.

"Mm!" the two replied.

That day, the two kept practicing and refining their technique. Even the village chief was repeatedly amazed; he could not help them at all.

The sun set, staining the horizon red. A group of hunters returned. They had not brought back much prey, and one of them was being carried home.

"What happened?" The villagers rushed out, all extremely worried.

"Don't worry, no one died. But Pi Hou's father was badly injured. Someone shot him with an arrow, damaging his lung," Shi Linhu said, his expression grim.

"What happened?" Several clan elders appeared and questioned him.

"It was people from Bei Village, dozens of miles away. We hardly ever see them, even once in a year or two, but now they've entered our hunting grounds to compete for prey. They nearly shot Pi Hou's father dead."

"Dad!" Pi Hou burst into tears and rushed out of the village. He threw himself down beside Shi Shoushan and clutched one of his arms, tears streaming down his face. "What happened to you? Who hurt you like this?" His mother ran over too, her eyes brimming with tears as she grasped one of Shi Shoushan's hands and stood by his side, sobbing softly.

"What are you crying for? It's just an arrow. I get torn up by wild beasts when I hunt all the time. What's a little blood?" Shi Shoushan glared at them, refusing to let them cry. He was a tough man.

His upper body was smeared with blood. An iron arrow had pierced his protective steel armor, passed through his right lung, and emerged from his back. The metal shaft, a full meter and thirty centimeters long, gleamed coldly, stained with blood. The sight was horrifying...