Unexpected

After learning that he was a genius at cultivating battle techniques, Gao Jing did not slack off in the slightest. Instead, he worked even harder.

He was already twenty-six years old.

By the standards of the Great Wilderness Giants, he had long passed the best age for martial training.

Precisely because of that, Gao Jing had to seize back the time he had lost.

He yearned to become a true powerhouse, and becoming a Totem Wizard was his most important goal.

The Bone-Tempering Stage was merely the...

Second step of a journey of ten thousand miles.

It was far too early to relax.

Over the next three days, Gao Jing rode the momentum at Ten-Mile Slope and completed the final five battle forms.

Everything went so smoothly it was as though the gods themselves were helping him!

On the fourth day, when Gao Jing performed all thirty-six battle forms of the Great Wilderness Battle Record from beginning to end for the first time, he clearly felt the tremors arising from every inch of bone in his body.

The sensation was exceedingly strange.

It was somewhat like driving a car without shock absorbers over a rocky riverbed.

His head had practically been shaken numb.

Yet after the bone-shaking ache, itchiness, numbness, and pain came comfort and relaxation flowing from head to toe.

The more he practiced, the better it felt!

Furthermore, after entering the Bone-Tempering Stage, in addition to the medicinal meat that replenished his vitality and blood, his three daily meals now included large lumps of greasy bone marrow.

He had no idea what kind of beast bones this marrow had been boiled from, but it tasted even worse than beast meat.

Its nourishing effects, however, were far stronger!

Just as Gao Jing thought these days of devoted, grueling cultivation would continue until he ignited his bloodline...

On the morning of the sixth day after speaking with the old Wizard, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

Gao Jing immediately pulled out the Copper Anchor hanging from his chest.

One glance left him completely dumbfounded!

When he had transmitted to the Great World this time, four Silver Scales had remained on the Copper Anchor.

Now, there were three.

In that very instant, one had vanished.

Fuck!!!

Gao Jing's feelings at that moment were beyond words. He nearly coughed up blood.

This was simply fucking outrageous.

He had never imagined that the Copper Anchor's Silver Scales could be consumed without any transmission taking place.

This was clearly closely connected to the amount of time Gao Jing stayed in the Great World.

If he remembered correctly, this should have been his thirty-first day in the Great World.

That meant one Silver Scale would be consumed for every month spent in the Great World!

Gao Jing could not help but smile bitterly.

Now all his plans had been thrown into disarray.

According to Gao Jing's original plan, he would return to the Main World only after igniting his bloodline and awakening Totem Power.

But at this point, Gao Jing had absolutely no confidence that he could advance to become a Totem Warrior before the final Silver Scale was used up.

No matter how gifted he was, it was impossible.

He had to go back.

Now that he had mastered all thirty-six battle forms of the Great Wilderness Battle Record, continuing his cultivation in the Main World would not be a problem.

It was also a precaution against the unexpected.

He could not guarantee that his guess was completely correct. What if another Silver Scale vanished in a few days?

That would be disastrous.

Of course, Gao Jing could not just leave immediately.

Before departing, he still needed to make thorough preparations.

"Gao Jing!"

Just then, Shan Guo'er hopped onto the huge boulder, with a large fish still clutched in her hand.

She grinned and said to Gao Jing, "How about grilled fish for lunch?"

Having to eat medicinal meat every day to replenish vitality and blood during cultivation did not mean they could not eat anything else.

Schools of fish lived in the deep pool beneath the Great Falls, and fish often followed the stream downriver.

This was not the first time Shan Guo'er had caught stream fish.

Since Gao Jing had learned all the battle forms, the little girl no longer acted as his instructor. While he practiced, she often ran to the stream to catch fish and dig for snails.

"Mm."

Gao Jing nodded and said, "Shan Guo'er, I'm going back."

Shan Guo'er froze for a moment. "Going back now?"

Over the past month, Gao Jing had trained every day until sunset.

Not even wind or rain had been an exception!

"I'm planning to go home in two days."

Looking into her innocent, guileless eyes, Gao Jing felt inexplicably sad. "My own home."

If he ultimately could not find a way to recharge the Copper Anchor, then the days he had left with the little girl would be few.

"Going home?"

Shan Guo'er's eyes immediately lit up. "Will you bring back candy again?"

The two hundred pieces of candy Gao Jing had brought her this time were already all gone.

The little girl had not eaten all of them herself. She had shared quite a few with the other children in the tribe.

Shan Guo'er did not know that Gao Jing had only one final chance to return to the Great World. She dearly missed the sweet fragrance of peanut candy, and as she spoke, she could not help licking her lips.

She looked terribly greedy.

"I will!"

Gao Jing nodded without hesitation. "I'll bring back even more candy."

If he could return only one more time, he would clear out more storage space and bring Shan Guo'er gifts!

"That's wonderful!"

Shan Guo'er immediately cheered and danced with joy, tossing aside the large fish in her hand and extending her hand toward Gao Jing.

She hooked up her little finger.

Gao Jing had been the one to teach her this pinky promise.

She was afraid he would go back on his word.

Gao Jing smiled and held the little girl's pinky, giving it a shake.

"All right."

Shan Guo'er was delighted. "I'll wait for you to come back!"

To her, parting with Gao Jing marked the beginning of a beautiful expectation.

So she did not feel the slightest sadness.

But the appearance of this unexpected situation left Gao Jing in no mood to continue practicing.

He had the little girl take him back to the wooden huts.

There, he found the old Wizard.

"Chief Wizard."

Gao Jing respectfully bowed to him. "I plan to return the day after tomorrow."

"Mm."

The old Wizard was not surprised. "Do you still need timber this time?"

"Yes."

Gao Jing nodded. "Also, I need some medicinal meat and bone marrow. Would that be possible?"

"Of course."

The old Wizard smiled. "I'll have someone prepare smoked meat, medicinal herbs, and beast bones for you. I'll give you the recipe as well, so you can boil it yourself after taking it back."

"That would be wonderful!"

Gao Jing was overjoyed. "For this trade, should I still bring salt back?"

As long as he had the ingredients and recipe, he could cultivate in the Main World all the way to the Blood-Burning Stage!

The next time he came, he would be able to directly awaken Totem Power.

Even if he could not become a Totem Wizard in the end, he could at least become a Totem Warrior and gain some ability to protect himself.

"That will do."

As the old Wizard spoke, he took a talisman plaque from his waist pouch and handed it to him. "This is the Protective Talisman Plaque I made for you."

"Unless you encounter an attack with power beyond its rank, it should be able to protect you for a while in a critical moment."

The old mountain Giant was somewhat embarrassed. "My abilities and materials are limited, so I can only make one for you."

Gao Jing solemnly accepted it with both hands. "Thank you!"

Although Gao Jing was not a Wizard and knew little about Totem Talismans, he was certain that this Protective Talisman Plaque was an extraordinary treasure.

It could save his life at a crucial moment!

Moreover, Gao Jing believed that its protective effect had to be immensely powerful.

Because the people it was originally meant to protect and defend were undoubtedly Giants, perhaps even Transcendent Giants.

In the Main World, it could probably withstand even a missile bombardment.

This sincere debt of gratitude was as weighty as the Totem Talisman in his hands!