Xi Yue wanted to ask more, but the Willow Deity said nothing further. Its emerald branches trembled gently, then fell still.
Only belatedly did the villagers realize that their revered Sacrificial Spirit had awakened just now.
"Greetings, Willow Deity!" In an instant, all the villagers hurried forward, bowing respectfully in devout homage.
They held the Willow Deity in profound reverence. Though it rarely awakened, it had once led their village safely through a great upheaval and never taken so much as a scrap of their regular offerings. They were deeply grateful.
At the same time, they were somewhat puzzled. When Little One had still lived in the village, the Willow Deity had occasionally spoken with them, but ever since he had left on his travels, it had never done so again.
None of them had imagined that it would awaken again because of a girl from outside!
The villagers were delighted, because this meant that even their Sacrificial Spirit approved of the girl. She was someone they could truly trust.
Seeing her young mistress bow, Qing Shuang followed suit.
She could tell that this Sacrificial Spirit was extraordinary. Anything her young mistress regarded so highly must have an astonishing background.
The old village chief smiled as well, tugging at his beard. "Prepare the offerings."
Everyone in the village bustled about, bleeding and deboning fierce beasts with thoroughly practiced movements.
Despite their attempts to stop her, Xi Yue stepped forward to help, taking out a dagger. It was a Divine Artifact, and also the poorest item she carried.
Some blood essence, sinews, bones, and other parts were put aside. These were inedible-or rather, unpleasant to eat-but could be used to temper the village children's bodies. They could be considered precious medicines of flesh and blood.
The offerings were carried before the Willow Deity one by one. Though it accepted none of them, they still had to show the proper sincerity.
For a time afterward, Xi Yue stayed in Stone Village. Apart from her daily cultivation, she spent her time explaining bone text to the children.
Watching the little ones hopping and chattering around her, Xi Yue's expression softened, and the corners of her lips lifted without her noticing.
The children of Stone Village were wild, yet innocent and carefree, unlike the restrained disciples of the great sects outside.
They would chase the Five-Colored Sparrow all around the village, suddenly ask wildly imaginative questions while she explained bone text, and secretly crouch nearby while she cultivated, watching her with curious eyes.
"Big sister, you're so pretty! My dad says whoever gets to marry you must have earned an enormous blessing in his last life!"
A sturdy little boy beside her tilted his head back, his large black eyes shining as he stared at her, his little face utterly earnest.
Xi Yue froze for a moment, then laughed softly at his frank, innocent words.
A cultivation partner?
A faint ripple passed through her heart, but it soon grew still again.
She had never considered it. Ever since awakening the memories of her previous life, she had already made her decision-she would spend this life with only the Great Dao for company.
As for making her cater to a man, forget it. She simply could not do it. She would sooner fight creatures from the Foreign Realm to the death.
"It's good to be young," Xi Yue could not help remarking, before realizing that she herself was apparently still a child.
Ultimately, she knew too much. With memories that did not belong to this life, she always carried a sense of urgency in her heart and unconsciously overlooked her own age.
She was not even ten, yet her heart had long since weathered the years, as though she had witnessed every rise and fall of the mortal world, every ebb and flow of the Great Dao.
Late that night, when all was quiet and the children were asleep, Xi Yue went alone to sit beside the Willow Deity. She drew in vital essence, building her reserves in preparation to break through to ten heavenly caverns.
"Come forth, tenth heavenly cavern!" she cried in a low voice. The nine heavenly caverns beside her circled like stars across the heavens, intertwining and revolving.
She closed her eyes and emptied her mind, entrusting her consciousness to the boundless void as though merging with the Great Dao.
Runes densely covered her body. Ancient, profound bone text rose from her flesh and blood, becoming a shimmering rain of light that flowed ceaselessly through the night.
The nine heavenly caverns surrounding her grew ever more radiant, slowly revolving like stars arrayed across the heavens. They drew upon the natural essence of the Great Wilderness, making it pour toward her body like rivers flowing backward.
"What happened? Has someone attacked us?" Some villagers were alarmed and rose to their feet.
Even the village chief could no longer sit still. He flung his door open, then, upon seeing the figure nearby, waved a hand to tell everyone not to worry.
Xi Yue's robes snapped around her, and her black hair stirred without wind. Her blood energy surged like a dragon, charging straight into the clouds.
Outside her body, the nine heavenly caverns flowed with "magma," seizing the bounty of the greater world to nourish her. A tenth flickered indistinctly into view, poised to break free of the void at any moment.
With a thunderous boom, heaven and earth trembled and the void hummed. The tenth heavenly cavern fully took shape, dazzling and brilliant. She had opened it.
"Ten heavenly caverns!" Even the old village chief lost his composure, letting out a startled cry without any regard for appearances.
This was far too astonishing. Ten heavenly caverns existed in legend. Not only humans-even the young of heaven-tier primordial fierce beasts could scarcely open them.
The villagers were stunned as well. Though they had lived in the Great Wilderness for generations, they had heard the legends of ten heavenly caverns. They had never imagined that one day a legend would shine into reality before them, leaving them petrified.
Xi Yue abruptly opened her eyes. Divine light burst from them like a dazzling river of stars, illuminating half the village as brightly as daylight.
"Child, you..." The old village chief was momentarily speechless, unable to think of what to say. This girl was simply too extraordinary.
"Rest assured, we won't breathe a word of this." In the end, that was what he said, and all the villagers who had witnessed it gave their assurances as well.
The implications of ten heavenly caverns were immense. If word of such a prodigy spread, many powers would set their sights on her.
That was no good thing. Those great clans harbored deep schemes and cared only for profit. There was nothing they would not do. Little One was a living example.
Xi Yue smiled, warmth filling her heart. The people of this village were so honest and simple. They had truly accepted her.
In truth, though, she did not really care about any of this. After all, in the Three Thousand Provinces, geniuses with ten heavenly caverns were too numerous to count. It was nothing remarkable.
That day, beneath everyone's reluctant gazes, Xi Yue bade them farewell.
"Pretty big sister, will you come back to see us?" A sturdy little boy trotted over and caught her by the hem of her robe, his eyes full of reluctance.
"I will. We'll meet again," Xi Yue said softly, gently stroking his head.
"Little Yue, are you leaving already? Won't you stay a while longer?" The old village chief stepped forward, reluctant to part with her as well.
Xi Yue shook her head slightly. "I've been away too long. I just received some news, and there's an urgent matter I need to attend to."
Had the matter not been
so urgent, she would have liked to stay a little longer. This place was truly warm and welcoming, making it hard for her to leave.
But not long ago, the Heaven Mending Sect's Old Deity had sent word that the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow's whereabouts had been discovered.
That concerned something of the utmost importance, forcing her to set out immediately.
"Very well. Be careful on your journey, and remember to come back and visit when you have time," the old village chief said.
Xi Yue nodded, took out a War Halberd, and swept it through the void. A void passage opened just like that.
The villagers stared in bewilderment. When had they ever seen anything like this?
"Goodbye!" Qing Shuang waved to the children as well, then the two of them walked straight into the void passage.