Check-in Location: Beneath the Willow Deity Tree in Stone Village

The surrounding mountain terrain had been reduced to molten ground, ground corroded by demonic mist, and barren stretches scorched pitch-black.

Yet at the heart of the battlefield, blood had also pooled into great puddles. Mangled flesh and splintered white bones lay everywhere, filling the air with a chilling stench of blood.

The Green-Scaled Eagle carried Shi Hao and Xiao Tian through the clouds and landed on the ground. She hurriedly seized the Suanni's split corpse first, followed by the Divine Li Fire Bull's horn, the Demon Ape's arm, and the incomplete corpses left by other variant savage beasts.

Xiao Tian immediately used an ice-type Treasure Art to freeze the wounds on the corpses, preventing any more blood from flowing out.

The Treasure Art belonged to an Inscription Realm Cold Flood Dragon and ranked as the Xiao Clan's third most valuable Treasure Art.

The most valuable was the Sacrificial Spirit's, followed by the Luan Bird's, then this Cold Flood Dragon Treasure Art.

Xiao Tian even used the materials at hand, cutting large rocks with a Treasure Art to make stone jars. He gathered some of the blood and bone fragments left on the ground into the jars he carried. Having learned a Treasure Art specifically for collecting blood and bone fragments, he worked with extraordinary speed.

Of course, he stored the Suanni's Treasure Blood, the Demon Ape's Treasure Blood, and the Li Fire Demon Bull's Treasure Blood separately.

In all, he filled four stone jars.

Anything more would have been impossible to carry, so Xiao Tian poured the rest straight into the Green-Scaled Eagle's mouth on the spot. Rich blood should not flow into an outsider's field.

The blood, minced flesh, and shattered bones here were mixed with the blood of three King-Sealing-level Primordial Remnants. For the Green-Scaled Eagle, consuming them offered only benefits and no drawbacks. She had no fastidious aversion to filth, either. This was simply how birds and beasts lived in the wilderness.

"Time to go. Let's get out of here, quick."

The moment everything was done, Xiao Tian spoke.

Then the two hurried onto the Green-Scaled Eagle's back and raced toward Stone Village. After the terrifying battle that had just taken place, no other savage beasts or fierce birds appeared nearby. At the Green-Scaled Eagle's speed, they covered several thousand li and returned to Stone Village in only a few minutes.

Stone Village. The Willow Deity!

Knowing he would soon be able to check in, Xiao Tian was filled with anticipation.

He had already reached the utmost limit of the Blood Moving Realm. He believed that many pure-blooded descendants of primordial fierce beasts, first-generation prodigies of the Upper Realm, and others could likewise cultivate their fleshly body power beyond a hundred thousand jin in the Blood Moving Realm.

Thus, every additional jin beyond a hundred thousand was a step forward.

In the original story, little Shi Hao had cultivated until a single shake of his arm unleashed a hundred and eight thousand jin of strength. Perhaps that had already been the true utmost limit, beyond which the rules of this world prevented any further increase.

Now, however, a single shake of his own arm unleashed a hundred and nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine jin of immense strength. This was the result of a year of arduous cultivation after turning six, perhaps aided by the Da Wa Panel from the Calabash Brothers that he possessed.

The innate divine ability that came with the Da Wa Panel contained Great Dao runes, allowing him to break through the barrier of a hundred and eight thousand jin.

But now that he had reached this level, he was stuck again.

If he could fuse with another Calabash Brothers' innate talent, would he be able to advance further?

By the time they returned, the sun was sinking behind the western mountains. Its lingering rays blazed crimson, bathing the entire mountain landscape in the day's final light. In the distance, cooking smoke curled above Stone Village, peaceful and serene.

On the Green-Scaled Eagle's back, Little One, Shi Hao, remained silent. Xiao Tian had asked for his clothes to use as an apron, which he felt was unnecessary. Skinny Monkey and the others in the village often went around stark naked. Sometimes he also ran about without clothes, making it easier to jump into the water and catch fish and such.

At last, once the Green-Scaled Eagle had expertly brought all the corpses back to Stone Village, their journey could be considered a complete success. Within the territory sheltered by the Willow Deity, Xiao Tian's taut nerves finally relaxed. Let any blind fool of a fierce bird or savage beast try making trouble in Stone Village!

After returning, the Green-Scaled Eagle promptly lay down beside the Willow Deity and fell asleep. Xiao Tian had fed her so much high-quality flesh and blood that she had stuffed herself.

In the original story, the Green-Scaled Eagle had been both injured and poisoned. After snatching the Suanni's corpse, the Li Fire Demon Bull's horn, and the Demon Ape's arm together with Little One, she had hurriedly fled.

There had been neither time nor inclination to clean up the battlefield. With Xiao Tian there, however, things were different. Nothing could be wasted; waste was shameful. Everything he could not carry, he fed to the Green-Scaled Eagle.

This had rapidly warmed the relationship between him and the Green-Scaled Eagle.

Shi Hao followed his example, and together, they stuffed Auntie Green-Scaled Eagle so full that she fell asleep without even finding time for a mother's reunion with her three little ones.

After all, the Divine Li Fire Bull had been enormous and had shed the most blood. Even a little of what it left behind formed a puddle.

On top of that, the Suanni's body had split open and was bleeding too.

The Demon Ape had been smaller, so it had left behind the least blood.

Now, however, all of Xiao Tian's attention was drawn to the charred willow tree at the village entrance.

The charred willow did not look particularly thick; only two adults were needed to encircle it with their arms. Most of its trunk was scorched black, with just one tender green branch remaining. Its buds were so vividly green they seemed ready to drip, and in the hazy dusk, they released strand after strand of gentle radiance. A misty halo enveloped the entire village.

The Willow Deity! It was this being who had founded the path of Sacrificial Spirits during Immortal Ancient, allowing the innately weak human race to offer worship to inherently powerful spiritual beings, gain protection for their communities, and grow stronger.

From ancient times to the present, the Sacrificial Spirit method had always been important.

Although some beings cultivated the Sacrificial Spirit method yet refused to protect the Human Race, even using it to raise humans like livestock. One example was the Qiongqi that fought over the Mountain Treasure. That creature had once served as the Sacrificial Spirit of an ancient kingdom. After exploiting it to attain the Venerable level, it had turned around and devoured every living being in the kingdom. Its sins could truly be said to rise to the heavens.

Still, more Sacrificial Spirits chose peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit. After all, the Human Race was innately far too weak and desperately needed the protection of powerful beings.

"Little One, your big brother needs a rest too. That took too much out of me."

His heart burning with excitement, Xiao Tian went beneath the willow and plopped onto the ground. It was very clean here, as people swept the area regularly.

"Check-in requirements met. You have reached the check-in location: beneath the Willow Deity Tree in Stone Village. Please remain here for at least three minutes during check-in."

At that moment, the mechanical system voice Xiao Tian had heard just after his birth finally responded again, seven years later.

Unfortunately, before Xiao Tian could rejoice, before he had even settled into his seat, he heard a roaring clamor outside Stone Village.

The people of Bei Village had gone mad. After watching the Green-Scaled Eagle return and immediately lie flat on the ground, their scout leaped down from his lookout tree and relayed the news to the Bei villagers hiding in the forest.

Upon learning that Stone Village's people were suspected of having gone to the treasure site in the forest where the battle had erupted, Bei Village naturally refused to abandon the chance to claim a share of the spoils. Once they persuaded the Bei Village Sacrificial Spirit to join them, their arrogance swelled beyond all bounds.

The two villages already bore grudges against each other over hunting. This time, the entire Bei Village turned out, carrying their Sacrificial Spirit with them, hoping to share in the Old Suanni's flesh and blood.

Or rather, they wanted to seize the Old Suanni's flesh and blood outright. Better still, while their Sacrificial Spirit was willing to act, they could wipe out Stone Village.

Xiao Tian had never imagined people could be so ignorant and greedy. Could they have been influenced by their Sacrificial Spirit, that old Wolf-Companion Beast?

The wolf-companion beast was a legendary animal. Because its forelegs were exceptionally short, it had to lie on a wolf's back to move around.

That was where the saying "a wolf and its companion conspiring in evil" came from.

It was a very cunning savage beast. Since this Wolf-Companion Beast could shelter Bei Village, its cultivation was respectable as well. It had reached the Cave Heaven Realm and opened three heavenly grottoes, making it extremely dangerous.

(End of chapter)