Body Cleansing, Cave Heaven Realm

A ten-thousand-jin Black Cauldron stood tall in the center of the crowd.

The white-haired clan elders moved with nimble hands and feet, unsealing ceramic jars and pouring their long-treasured medicinal herbs, ancient spring water, venomous insects, and even spiritual objects into the cauldron without a hint of hesitation, stirring them into a mysterious medicinal liquid.

The old village chief, Shi Yunfeng, held a sharp bone knife, carefully dismembering the Old Suanni, whose entire body seemed cast from gold and shone with brilliant divine light. Its golden true blood flowed in bubbling streams from the gruesome wounds into the cauldron, not a single drop wasted.

The true blood of an archaic descendant was of immense value, containing abundant divine energy and fragments of divinity inherited from its ancestral sovereign; it was the perfect material for medicine.

Beside him, two other elders were dismembering the massive Devil Ape and the Separated Fire Bull Demon. Black, crimson, and golden, the three powerful true bloods entangled, clashed, and eroded one another, eventually merging into one.

The children huddled in their mothers' arms, peeking through their fingers at the busy elders. Even the naughtiest, Pihou, knew that what was happening before them was no ordinary event.

After a while, a seven-colored medicinal liquid emitting a strange fragrance appeared before everyone.

The moment the mysterious liquid took form, the archaic Black Ancient Tripod underwent a transformation; all the patterns on its surface seemed to come to life in an instant.

Vast projections of the sun, moon, stars, and ancient mountains and rivers emerged. An archaic True Hou roared, a Pixiu raged, and one ancient ancestor after another stepped out from the imagery, sitting cross-legged in the void to chant and praise an unknown existence.

"It seems this ancient tripod passed down through our village is quite extraordinary..."

A flash of brilliance crossed the cloudy eyes of the elders, and they fell into deep thought.

"This is the foundation-building medicinal liquid made according to our clan's ancient records, using the complete precious bodies of three archaic descendants combined with over a thousand secret medicines. However, because its potency is too fierce, only you, Little One, can undergo the baptism first."

"Once the baptism is complete, the remaining liquid will be diluted so the other children in the village can bathe in it. After all, their foundations cannot compare to yours."

After placing a pair of Golden Beast claws into the Black Cauldron, Shi Yunfeng let out a long sigh of relief and turned around, saying, "Little One, enter the cauldron."

Shi Hao nodded gently and leaped in without hesitation, sitting cross-legged in the cauldron with a solemn expression. Massive, pure streams of divine essence surged through his pores and skin, rushing into his body with frantic intensity.

"Seal the cauldron!"

At the old village chief's wave, several men worked together to lift the millstone-sized lid, sealing the massive opening of the cauldron tightly.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Several strange, unearthly roars erupted, and the heavy lid was shaken upward.

Three faint, fierce beast projections appeared before the clansmen's eyes: miniature versions of the Old Suanni, the Devil Ape, and the Separated Fire Bull Demon, their sky-piercing ferocity undiminished.

"Not good, the divine imprints of the archaic descendants have awakened! Little Shi is in danger!"

"Quickly open the medicinal cauldron! We must join forces to disperse the remaining divinity with Bone Text!"

The elders' expressions changed in unison, and they rushed forward with agility that defied their age.

"Right, then let's—"

Shi Yunfeng's expression was equally grim as he nodded heavily.

"Boom!"

At the same time, the lid was once again jolted high into the air.

"Since you've already come, why the rush to leave?"

A light laugh fell, and a small, fair hand reached out as fast as lightning, grabbing the three terrified beast projections with wild force before quickly retracting into the cauldron.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

The moment the lid fell shut, a series of rapid, desperate, and shrill beast cries echoed from within the cauldron before vanishing completely.

"..."

For a moment, the elders stared at one another in silence.

"Uh, I think... I think Little Shi shouldn't be in any danger right now, right?"

A young clansman, unable to bear the bizarre atmosphere any longer, poked his head out and asked weakly.

"No, no, of course not..."

The old village chief, Shi Yunfeng, subconsciously shook his head, answering in a strange tone.

After this scene, the elders completely set aside their worries for Little Shi and sat down on the ground to wait patiently.

After all, a foundation-building baptism was a long and arduous process.

Seven days and seven nights later.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous roar, the Black Ancient Tripod shook violently. Massive, surging blood energy boiled upward like billowing smoke, condensing into a pillar of crimson light that shot into the sky.

"Look, Little Shi has finished his baptism!"

The clansmen stood up in unison, their eyes burning as they stared at the figure in mid-air.

"Cave Heaven, open for me!"

In the center of the crimson pillar of light, the figure, looking like a young god, stood in the void. Amidst the sound of divine chanting, he clenched his fists, his voice clear and impassioned.

As his shout fell, the void shattered.

Five massive Cave Heavens rumbled into existence above his head, like ancient volcanoes erupting, continuously inhaling vast amounts of essence from heaven and earth into his body.

Faintly, a sixth, slightly smaller, illusory Cave Heaven began to emerge.

Perhaps it was because it manifested too early, or perhaps its foundation had been exhausted; in any case, after struggling valiantly for a brief moment, the illusory Cave Heaven had no choice but to dissipate in unwillingness.

Five Cave Heavens, completely formed!

"Willow Deity above, what am I seeing? Five Cave Heavens? I recall the Chief spent many years adventuring outside, and he only managed to open five Cave Heavens, right?"

"Indeed. Logically speaking, once one has opened five Cave Heavens in the Cave Heaven Realm, one should already be considering accumulating power to charge toward the next realm."

"The Divine Child! Our village has produced a supreme Divine Child!"

Gazing at this heaven-shaking phenomenon, the entire Stone Village erupted!

In the Desolate Region, opening four to five Cave Heavens qualifies one to charge toward the Spirit Transformation Realm.

Six Cave Heavens are called geniuses, seven are the pride of a generation, eight are peerless prodigies rarely seen in the world, nine exist only in ancient texts and have not appeared for many years, and ten are already near-divine, belonging to the creatures of the mythological era.

Almost all the clansmen rushed toward that small, descending figure, expressing their enthusiasm and joy in the unique way of the Great Wilderness.

Well, regardless of whether the recipient accepted it or not.

The clamor eventually died down.

The elders, having calmed down, began to use the medicinal liquid left over from Little Shi's baptism to create a diluted version of foundation-building liquid for the other children in the village to bathe in.

One after another, the Pihou were forcibly dragged from every corner by their fathers and shoved into ancient cauldrons, baring their teeth and howling incessantly as they underwent unified foundation building.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

Seeing yet another burly, broad-shouldered auntie force her way through the crowd as if no one were there, intent on bestowing a "devil's kiss" upon him, Little Shi had no choice but to turn and flee in a panic.

To think that he, Shi Hao, a dignified Cave Heaven Realm cultivator, had been reduced to such a state—how pathetic and lamentable!

"Willow Deity, my foundation-building baptism is complete."

At the village entrance, beneath the charred willow tree, Shi Hao wiped the saliva from his face with great effort.

"Well done. I saw it all."

Beneath the Willow Deity's calm exterior lay a hint of amusement that could not be concealed.

Shi Hao: "..."

PS: Actually, there is no need for everyone to send red packets for this book.

Firstly, it is a waste of money, and the effect is minimal; it only increases dead collections that won't actually read the book.

Secondly, I would rather see my true level; don't let the virtual growth brought by red packets blind me.

Thirdly, editors do not judge a book's performance solely by collections. They look more at daily active users, retention, and paid subscriptions. It is about comparing oneself to oneself, today to yesterday. If the paid conversion rate is high, even if the initial subscription count upon release isn't high, subsequent recommendations will make up for it.