Chapter Summaries

A nameless living being with no memories used a Rotten Wooden Box to travel from a split-open grave beside a red river to a sacred ancient temple, where he rested within a mass of light. As his body suddenly began to rot and split apart, the temple’s light surged to protect him.

• The living being stared at the sun from the grave and wondered who he was, remembering only the words “Sun” and “Xi.”
• He activated the Rotten Wooden Box and appeared before a magnificent ancient temple.
• The Rotten Wooden Box’s melody stirred the grave and made the red river boil until the living being told it to quiet down.
• He entered the temple and sat within a mass of light that filled him with vitality before he fell asleep.
• His body erupted with black light, rotted, and began to split apart, but power from the mass of light and a brilliant radiance enveloped him.

After emerging from a long slumber, the being found his body greatly improved but still afflicted by mysterious black blood, and decided the ancient temple could not heal him completely. He left the Rotten Wooden Box and crossed the Red Sea toward the sun, arriving in a lush world whose sun felt unfamiliar.

• The being woke after regeneration, spat out black blood, and realized it remained the source of his illness despite his improved condition and clearer thoughts.
• He learned that the ancient temple was an unsuitable place to recuperate and sensed that the instinct preventing him from leaving had disappeared.
• The being left the ancient temple, chose to travel toward the sun because of its flourishing life and his connection to the name Xi, and put away the Rotten Wooden Box.
• He crossed the Red Sea and passed through a barrier into a separate world of mountains, forests, and lakes.
• The being looked at the sun in the new world and found it utterly unfamiliar.

A mysterious being entered a young, fragile world and discovered that his uncontrolled strength caused destruction as he traveled through the mountains. In Stone Village, the villagers worried about the Great Wilderness’s unrest and sought guidance from their Sacrificial Spirit, which asked the clan chief what had happened.

• The being stepped into the sunlight, found that the new world’s stone was unusually brittle, and realized his movements were devastating the mountains.
• Stone Village’s men told the clan chief that powerful mountain beasts had grown restless, and Shi Yunshan suspected they feared something in the sky.
• Shi Yunshan admitted that he had entered the mountains without permission and described how the beasts prostrated themselves beneath the moonlight.
• The clan chief decided to consult the Sacrificial Spirit, and Stone Village gathered to offer beast carcasses and pray.
• After accepting the offerings, Stone Village’s Sacrificial Spirit sent its thoughts to the clan chief and asked what had happened.

After the Sacrificial Spirit reassured Stone Village that the mountain’s turmoil would not endanger them, a powerful stranger arrived and startled the villagers. The stranger tried to greet Shi Yunshan and Shi Yunfeng with a hug, but they feared his strength and struggled to communicate with him.

• Stone Village’s Sacrificial Spirit told the old patriarch that the village would be safe and hinted that another presence helped guard it.
• Shi Yunshan reassured Yunfeng that Stone Village would be all right, but they noticed a stranger approaching from beyond the Great Wilderness.
• The stranger recognized the villagers as people like himself and shattered the ground with a single step in his excitement.
• The stranger tried to hug Shi Yunshan and Shi Yunfeng, who backed away in fear and begged him to stop.
• Shi Yunshan realized the stranger understood his words and asked him to lower his arms.

Di Yi arrived at Stone Village unable to understand its people, but the village chief used bone text to help him learn their language. After hearing about the world beyond the Great Wilderness, Di Yi was welcomed into the village, where he instinctively gave his name.

• Di Yi asked the people of Stone Village to find someone who could communicate with him, but he discovered their speech was only understandable to him in one direction.
• The old chief showed Di Yi a bone fragment, and its racial inheritance enabled him to learn the village's language almost instantly.
• The old chief explained that lands beyond the Great Wilderness held many villages and tribes, and that kings and lords ruled vast territories.
• Shi Yunshan urged the villagers to welcome Di Yi inside, and they invited him to share their best food and wine.
• When the old chief asked his name, Di Yi instinctively answered, “Di Yi,” and the chief praised it as he showed him around.

Di Yi attended Stone Village’s feast, learned more about the Great Wilderness and the Stone Kingdom, and agreed to stay in the village for a while. A sudden, violent storm began, and Di Yi sensed something strange in the lightning as it struck the mountains nearby.

• The old clan chief welcomed Di Yi at Stone Village’s feast, and Di Yi asked him about the region and where people like himself might be found.
• The old clan chief explained that Stone Village lay in the Great Wilderness of the Western Frontier, within the Stone Kingdom, and suggested Di Yi might find powerful people in its imperial capital.
• The old clan chief invited Di Yi to stay in Stone Village, and Di Yi agreed because he had not decided where to go.
• Thunder and heavy rain abruptly interrupted the feast, but the rain did not touch Di Yi, who sensed flashes of blades and swords in the clouds.
• Shi Yunshan told Shi Yunfeng to secure the windows, and Shi Yunfeng watched lightning split distant mountains and prayed for the Sacrificial Spirit’s protection.

Shi Yunfeng witnessed a colossal Willow Tree undergo a lightning tribulation before enemies struck her down, and she fell into Stone Village. Di Yi caught the village’s strange stone sacrificial spirit when it tried to leave and revealed himself to it, though it still could not see him.

• Shi Yunfeng watched the immense Willow Tree battle a storm of lightning and realized she was a divine being undergoing a tribulation.
• Di Yi recognized the Willow Tree’s nirvana tribulation and sensed attackers beyond the firmament interrupting her transformation.
• The Willow Tree was struck by lightning and blades, charred black, and fell into Stone Village to take root at the sacrificial spirit’s place.
• Stone Village’s strange stone sacrificial spirit tried to leave, but Di Yi caught it and returned it to the altar.
• Di Yi questioned the strange stone and demonstrated his presence by picking it up, though it still could not see him.

Di Yi learned that the strange stone planned to leave Stone Village and revealed that the village was the Stone Kingdom’s ancestral land. The stone agreed to leave a written statement clearing Di Yi of responsibility, while Di Yi asked whether the charred Willow Tree was still alive.

• Di Yi questioned the strange stone about why it could not see him and why it wanted to leave Stone Village.
• The strange stone said the Willow Tree was better suited to be the village’s Sacrificial Spirit and revealed that Stone Village was the Stone Kingdom’s origin.
• Di Yi showed little interest in the ancestral land and accepted the stone’s decision to leave.
• Di Yi asked the strange stone to write a statement explaining that its departure had nothing to do with him.
• The strange stone wondered whether Di Yi was a deity, and Di Yi said he was human.
• Di Yi asked whether the charred Willow Tree was still alive.

After the strange stone departed and left a written statement, Stone Village learned that its former Sacrificial Spirit had chosen the broken willow as its successor. As the villagers began adjusting to the change, Di Yi joined the children’s morning training and sensed that the exercises helped him.

• The strange stone left Stone Village after telling Di Yi that the broken willow was still alive and leaving a written statement.
• The old chief read the statement and learned that Stone Village’s former Sacrificial Spirit had departed and the broken willow was the new one.
• The old chief explained the change to the villagers and urged them to accept it and return to their daily work.
• A middle-aged man led the children in their morning exercises, and Di Yi asked the old chief about their training.
• Di Yi joined the children’s exercises and felt his blood circulate more freely as he practiced.

Di Yi joined Stone Village’s hunting party as they entered the Great Wilderness to replenish their dwindling food stores. After the hunters chose an enormous wildcat as their target, an arrow suddenly flew from another direction, interrupting their ambush.

• Di Yi spent nearly half a month in Stone Village learning its language and customs while joining the villagers’ morning exercises.
• Shi Yunshan led Stone Village’s hunting party into the mountains because their food stores were running low.
• Di Yi asked about a powerful creature that could crush mountains, but Shi Yunshan declined his offer to hunt it, fearing the danger.
• The hunting party found an enormous wildcat and prepared to attack when it pounced on its prey.
• An arrow shot from another direction, startling the hunters and disrupting their planned ambush.

Di Yi joined Shi Yunshan’s hunting party and demonstrated overwhelming strength by killing a hidden Five-Colored Great Insect with one arrow. He asked about Blood Moving cultivation, but Shi Yunshan could only offer a rough explanation as the party continued its hunt.

• A hunter from Fei Village claimed a wildcat he had killed, and Shi Yunshan led Stone Village’s party away in accordance with the Great Wilderness’s rules.
• Di Yi sensed a large creature hiding nearby and borrowed Shi Yunshan’s bow to shoot at it.
• Di Yi’s arrow blasted apart the mountainside and reduced the hidden creature to scraps of flesh.
• Shi Yunshan identified the creature as a Five-Colored Great Insect and said it had been a powerful ferocious beast.
• Di Yi asked how his strength compared with the creature and learned about the Blood Moving realm.
• Shi Yunshan described Blood Moving as a cultivation realm but admitted he did not know its limits, and Di Yi asked whether anyone in Stone Village had reached it.

Di Yi learned from Shi Yunshan how rare it was to reach the realm of a hundred-thousand-man warrior and concluded that he was invincible in this part of the Great Wilderness. When a furious primordial remnant fought Carved Bear, Di Yi left the hunting party and headed toward the battle.

• Shi Yunshan told Di Yi that true experts of that realm might number only one in a hundred thousand and could rival primordial remnants.
• Di Yi considered how group strength compared with individual strength and judged that nothing in the area could match him.
• A primordial remnant roared angrily, and Shi Yunshan and the hunters heard a precious technique being used.
• The hunters recognized Carved Bear among the creatures fighting and discussed the danger and possible rewards of approaching.
• Shi Yunshan warned Di Yi not to approach the battle, but Di Yi parted from the hunting party and leaped toward the fighting.

Di Yi crossed the beast tide and watched a golden primordial remnant battle a Carved Bear, gaining a glimpse of the Great Wilderness’s dangers. The Carved Bear was badly wounded but began a sudden attack, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Di Yi pushed against the beast tide, and fleeing creatures caused destruction along his path.
• Di Yi reached a hill and observed a golden primordial remnant fighting a Carved Bear.
• The primordial remnants’ battle devastated the surrounding mountains and river, and Di Yi reflected on Stone Village’s struggle to survive.
• The golden primordial remnant pierced the Carved Bear’s abdomen and dodged its counterattack.
• The Carved Bear appeared to consider retreating, then spread its wings and attacked as the golden primordial remnant fired beams from its eyes.

Di Yi watched the primordial remnant radiating golden light defeat the Carved Bear, then discovered the victor was injured and fought it when it attacked him. He subdued the creature and found its golden runes gave him a pleasant electric sensation.

• The Carved Bear feigned a counterattack, escaped the primordial remnant radiating golden light, and fled into the mountains.
• A hidden creature ambushed the Carved Bear with flames, and the golden primordial remnant struck its back, leaving it gravely wounded as it escaped.
• The golden primordial remnant drove the surviving powerful creatures away, then spat blood and revealed its injuries after the battle.
• Di Yi considered testing himself against the wounded creature, but it sensed him and attacked before he could leave.
• Di Yi caught the primordial remnant's foreleg and pinned it down, then let its golden runes discharge over him and enjoyed the tingling sensation.

Di Yi spared the Primordial Remnant after it stopped fighting, but it followed him back to Stone Village carrying a huge pile of beast carcasses. The villagers were stunned when they recognized the creature as the legendary Golden Hou.

• Di Yi realized the Primordial Remnant had given up and stroked its fur before leaving the battlefield.
• The Primordial Remnant followed Di Yi and used golden light to gather the carcasses of giant and savage beasts.
• Di Yi returned to Stone Village at sunset with a mountain of prey, followed by an even larger pile carried by the Primordial Remnant.
• The villagers marveled at the haul and recognized the second moving mountain as a Golden Hou.
• The old chief recalled the Golden Hou's deadly reputation, and the villagers wondered whether Di Yi had subdued it.

Di Yi brought the Golden Hou to Stone Village, where its harmless behavior surprised the old chief. The Golden Hou chose to stay, giving the village a powerful deterrent while Stone Village remained uncertain about its new sacrificial spirit.

• Di Yi arrived at Stone Village with the Golden Hou and explained that the remnant had fought another primordial remnant in the Great Wilderness.
• The old chief worried that the Golden Hou might endanger the villagers, especially the children, but Di Yi said it would likely leave once its curiosity faded.
• The Golden Hou approached Di Yi, lay beside him, and showed that it wanted to stay by arranging beast meat and giving him a massage with its lightning.
• Di Yi stopped the Golden Hou’s dangerous massage and told the old chief that its presence could deter beasts from threatening Stone Village.
• The old chief agreed that the Golden Hou could protect the village, which still had no response from its new sacrificial spirit.

Di Yi offered Stone Village the enormous beasts he had brought back, but the old chief refused to accept them as a gift and arranged for the village to process and store the materials. As the villagers began butchering the beasts, Di Yi noticed that the village children were missing.

• Di Yi told the old chief that the enormous beasts were meant for Stone Village, but the old chief refused to accept them outright.
• The old chief proposed that Stone Village process the beasts and keep the materials for Di Yi until he returned with a storage treasure, and Di Yi agreed.
• The old chief swore an oath in Stone Village's name and summoned the villagers to haul away and butcher the beasts.
• The villagers identified valuable materials from descendants of Yayu, a Two-Headed Fire Rhinoceros, a Dragon-Horned Elephant, and Kui Beasts as they processed the carcasses.
• Di Yi asked the old chief where the village children were because he had not seen them among the bustling villagers.

Di Yi watched Stone Village prepare medicinal baths for its children and learned how they strengthened the body using beast ingredients. After sharing a feast of roasted vicious beast meat, he asked whether he could try a medicinal bath himself.

• The old chief told Di Yi that Yunshan and the others had returned with giant beasts and were preparing medicinal baths for the village children.
• Di Yi persuaded the old chief to roast some of the processed vicious beast meat, and Stone Village shared a celebratory feast.
• When the old chief announced the medicinal baths, the children panicked and tried to flee, but the adults caught them.
• The old chief explained that heated medicinal baths drew out beast essence to strengthen the children's bodies, while training and technique built their further strength.
• Di Yi asked whether he could try a medicinal bath himself.

Di Yi asked to experience Stone Village’s medicinal bath, and the old patriarch prepared an ancestral cauldron for him. The ingredients were simmering, and the old patriarch invited Di Yi to bathe before entering it.

• Di Yi offered vicious beast essence as payment for a medicinal bath, and the old patriarch agreed to prepare one.
• The old patriarch brought out an ancestral black cauldron carved with images of mountains, rivers, and ancient rites.
• The old patriarch told Di Yi that the cauldron aided medicinal baths and that Stone Village considered him no outsider.
• The villagers added herbs, spring water, and precious blood from Di Yi’s vicious beast carcasses to the cauldron.
• The old patriarch extracted the beasts’ organ essences, which still held traces of divinity, and added them to the brew.
• As the cauldron simmered with colorful light and fragrance, the old patriarch asked Di Yi whether he wanted to bathe before entering.

Di Yi entered Stone Village’s great black cauldron for a medicinal bath, and the treatment produced extraordinary manifestations that drew divine radiance into the vessel. As the old chief watched in alarm, Di Yi discovered that breathing in the medicinal mist made his body feel more comfortable.

• Di Yi declined to wash off dust, then agreed to take a sealed medicinal bath in the great black cauldron.
• The villagers sealed Di Yi inside the boiling cauldron while the adults urged the village boys to learn from his toughness.
• The cauldron rumbled as its carvings seemed to come alive, and a pillar of light rose into the sky.
• Silver light and sacred mist streamed into the cauldron, where Di Yi sensed the beasts’ residual divinity and began breathing in the liquid mist.
• Di Yi felt his body grow more comfortable as iridescent light flowed over him and the cauldron resonated with his body.
• Golden divine radiance appeared within the pillar and was drawn back into the cauldron, leaving the old chief shaken by the extraordinary bath.