At those words, a trace of reluctance appeared in Li Dao's eyes as well.
Over these six years, he had experienced an indescribable warmth of family in this little wilderness village.
Everyone here had treated him like their own kin. How could he not be moved?
He nodded solemnly to the Village Chief, his eyes full of resolve.
"I'll come back, and I'll bring everyone lots and lots of good things!"
Li Kai stroked his head without saying anything more, but the relief in his eyes deepened.
When the two returned to the village, Li Kai had the villagers set up a large pot and build a bonfire in the village center, preparing a farewell celebration for Li Dao.
When everyone learned that Li Dao was going to venture into the Great Wilderness, they offered him their blessings despite their reluctance to see him leave.
Li Dao's presence over the past few years had made the village considerably more prosperous, and they were deeply grateful to him.
The bonfire blazed, and the aroma of roasted meat spread through the night as the adults danced primitive dances around the flames.
The children gathered around Li Dao, their eyes brimming with curiosity about the world outside.
They said they wanted to follow Li Dao out to see it someday, too.
The night of revelry drew to a close, and morning came.
At the entrance to Golden Feather Village, everyone, young and old, had gathered.
Whenever the hunting party left, the villagers would come out to see them off. Li Dao was already used to it.
But today was different. Today, they had come to see him alone off.
"Brother Dao, be careful out there!"
"Li Kaixin, make sure you train hard. I'll bring you something tasty when I come back."
"Brother Dao, remember to think of us!"
"I will, Er Ya. Don't neglect your cultivation. I'll check when I get back."
"..."
After bidding everyone farewell one by one, Li Dao shouldered the pack Grandpa Village Chief had prepared for him and waved to them.
Then he strode toward the Great Wilderness.
Li Kai watched his figure recede into the distance, a glimmer of tears flickering in his deep, clouded eyes.
With a faint smile on his face, he murmured:
"Child, you'll have to walk the road ahead on your own."
Golden Feather Village grew smaller and smaller behind him. As Li Dao ventured deeper into the Great Wilderness, much of his reluctance gradually faded.
The wilderness was hushed, yet never truly quiet. Towering ancient trees spread their canopies, blotting out the sky and sun.
Boom-
The sound of something heavy hitting the ground instantly shattered the stillness of the forest.
"Cough, cough-"
"This damned thing is pretty tough!"
Li Dao shook his body slightly, pulverizing the surrounding earth and stone, then immediately climbed out of the deep crater in the ground.
His clothes were in tatters, and a foul, bloody stench clung to him. Compared with a month ago, he looked every inch a wild man.
A month had passed since he entered the Great Wilderness.
The excitement and exhilaration of the beginning had given way to nothing but profound exhaustion.
In this wilderness, where Ferocious Beasts could attack anywhere at any time, he did not dare let down his guard for a moment.
He had traveled only thirty thousand miles since leaving Golden Feather Village, yet the Ferocious Beasts he had encountered were already beyond counting.
He had fought bloody battles and fled for his life all along the way. Countless Ferocious Beasts had died at his hands, and countless times he had been hunted by them.
"Ptoo-"
He spat out a mouthful of bloody froth and shook his body. A pair of golden wings immediately unfurled behind him.
With a gentle beat of his wings, he shot into the air like lightning.
"Screee-!"
The moment he appeared in midair, a Ferocious Beast with a horse's body, a bird's head, and a pair of wings on its back cried out and charged toward him.
Seeing the Wind-Howling Beast charge at him again, Li Dao could not help twitching his lips.
All I did was eat one of its eggs! Did it really have to chase me for over ten miles?
When he first saw such a peculiar creature, he had only wanted to find out whether it gave birth to live young or laid eggs.
But after finding an egg radiating divine essence in its nest, he had failed to restrain himself and eaten it.
Unexpectedly, the creature had returned without warning, catching him off guard and chasing him for over ten miles.
The Wind-Howling Beast seemed to read Li Dao's thoughts, and the fury burning in its eyes grew fiercer.
This shameless egg thief still dared to act so arrogant! In a moment, I'll skin him, rip out his tendons, and turn him into jerky!
As the thought crossed its mind, three Cave Heavens opened behind it. Magma gushed within them, and divine power instantly coursed through its entire body.
"Screee-hiss-"
At that shrill cry, Li Dao keenly sensed blades of wind, as fine as gossamer threads, slowly forming all around him.
His expression grew more solemn. This was the Wind-Howling Beast's innate Treasure Art, capable of killing without a trace.
"Flesh Manifestation: Divine Furnace!"
His body shook, and he traced a large circle before him with both hands.
The next instant, runes shot out of his body and settled over him.
Hum-
With a deep, resonant sound like the tolling of a Yellow Bell and Great Lü, a divine furnace, dark yellow in color and bearing three legs and two handles, slowly materialized.
It enclosed his body firmly within its protection.
During this month of constant fighting, he had not been without progress.
Aside from the gradual increase in his strength, he had learned the Golden Feather Eagle's Treasure Art, Golden Feather Wings.
He had also further perfected the Flesh Furnace he had initially devised. It could now manifest outside his body and withstand all kinds of attacks.
The Wind-Howling Beast's eyes filled with anger as it watched that Mystic Yellow Great Furnace appear again.
If not for that furnace, it would have torn this egg thief into eight pieces long ago.
"Screee-"
With another shriek, strands of wind blades instantly shot toward Li Dao from every direction.
Swish, swish, swish-
Though invisible, the sound of the wind blades slicing through the air echoed clearly between heaven and earth.
Boom, boom, boom-
Wherever the wind blades passed, towering, gnarled ancient trees toppled.
Smooth cuts could be seen across their bases.
Clang, clang, clang-
At the very instant the trees fell, the divine furnace around Li Dao also came under a storm-like barrage.
Li Dao was forced back again and again. The force of the impacts struck his body, only to be blocked by the treasure light shimmering around him.
"You damned thing! Do you really think I'm afraid of you?!"
Killing intent flashed in Li Dao's eyes as he watched the Wind-Howling Beast flap its wings ceaselessly, creating wind blades.
The wings behind him beat fiercely as well. Braving the tempest of blows, he rapidly closed in on it.
Clang, clang, clang-
The sound of the wind blades colliding with the divine furnace
grew clearer and clearer, and fine cracks could faintly be seen appearing on the furnace.
But Li Dao could no longer spare a thought for any of that as he watched the Wind-Howling Beast come within arm's reach.
Boom-
With a tremendous crash, the divine furnace before him exploded, instantly sweeping away the wind blades attacking from the front.
A humanlike look of triumph appeared in the Wind-Howling Beast's eyes. It thought it had already sliced Li Dao to pieces.
But before it could smell any blood, a figure burst out of the heart of the explosion.
In an instant, he appeared right in front of it.
At the sight of the blood-covered youth, alarm flashed through its eyes. But before it could cry out,
a small fist containing terrifying power landed squarely on its chin.
Boom-
That single punch sent it flying. Naturally, Li Dao would not let this chance to beat a drowning dog slip away.
With a beat of the wings behind him, he instantly closed in and seated himself directly on the Wind-Howling Beast's neck.
His legs locked firmly around its neck like iron bands.
He swung both fists, raining blow after blow onto the Wind-Howling Beast.
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