Dao Venerable E Gu's Expectations, a Blessing to Pave the Way!

Myriad Bones Ridge is located directly north of the Ancestral Court Floating Land.

Shi Jian stood a hundred miles outside the ridge, looking up.

The mountain was entirely white, devoid of even a single blade of grass; its surface was covered with dense, bony patterns, resembling the skeleton of some ancient creature pieced together.

The Barbarian Bone Dao charm emanated from the depths of the mountains.

It completely sealed off the void within a radius of millions of miles. The Daoist aura was so heavy that it was suffocating, making even breathing difficult.

Shi Jian took a deep breath, suppressing the urgency in his heart.

He had lived for hundreds of years, seen Spirit Transformation and killed Nascent Soul; yet standing outside Myriad Bones Ridge, he felt as insignificant as an ant.

The Dao Venerable Dao Fruit the supreme being who wields the Great Dao of Barbarian Bone.

"Come in."

A voice rang in his ears, unhurried yet carrying an unquestionable authority that left him with no room for resistance.

Shi Jian moved his feet and his body flew uncontrollably into the depths of the mountains; it wasn't a teleportation technique, but rather space itself moving.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared in a huge bone palace.

The Bone Palace spans dozens of miles and is entirely constructed of bone-white material. The interior is surprisingly spacious, devoid of any furnishings, except for a bone-white throne suspended in the very center.

A figure sat regally on the throne.

The figure was not the real body, but merely an avatar; yet even so, the aura emanating from it made Shi Jian almost lose his footing.

Dao Venerable E Gu.

He was covered in a bone-white robe, his face indistinct; only his vertical pupils, like two white, blazing suns, looked down at Shi Jian below the palace.

Shi Jian knelt on one knee and bowed deeply. "Junior Shi Jian greets the Dao Venerable."

The Dao Venerable E Gu did not speak immediately, but simply watched him quietly.

That gaze seemed to penetrate the flesh and reach the depths of the soul; Shi Jian felt that everything about him was clearly seen by those vertical pupils.

After a long silence, the Dao Venerable E Gu finally spoke.

"Get up."

The voice was calm, yet it carried Barbarian Bone Dao quality; Shi Jian felt his feet lighten, and his body involuntarily stood up.

"You're a promising young man."

The Dao Venerable E Gu raised his hand, and a light and shadow image appeared in the void; within the light and shadow image was none other than Shi Jian's battle record over the years.

Slaying a Nascent Soul outside Burning Lion City, Fallen Fire Valley, the Territory Enfeoffment Ceremony for the conquest of the Frenzied Lion Clan...

Scenes shifted in the interplay of light and shadow, finally settling on the image of Shi Jian battling the seven Dao of Lightning Kings.

"Nascent Soul Perfection, invincible among those of the same level; soul strength comparable to a Nascent Spirit Transformation, and bloodline Root Bone also excellent."

The voice of the Dao Venerable E Gu unconsciously carried a hint of approval. "What's even more commendable is that you're ruthless enough to not hesitate to kill when necessary."

He paused, then added, "Our Giant Bear Clan has achieved its current status not through mercy, but through force."

"If you understand this principle, you'll go far in the future."

Shi Jian was startled and bowed, saying, "This junior understands."

The Dao Venerable E Gu waved his hand. "However, although your bloodline and innate Root Bone are not bad, they are still a bit weak."

"The path of the Barbarian Bone emphasizes the physical body as its foundation; your Pale Lightning Bear bloodline, though possessing some of the essence of the Barbarian Bone Dao, has never truly touched the core of the Barbarian Bone Dao Fruit."

Shi Jian Dao of Darkness that his bloodline had not yet fully transformed; although he possessed the Daoist essence of the Barbarian Bone Dao, there was still a considerable gap between him and the true Barbarian Bone bloodline.

"I summoned you here today for this very reason."

The Dao Venerable E Gu stood up, his bone-white robes fluttering even without wind; "I wield the Barbarian Bone Dao Fruit, which allows me to draw upon the power of the Great Dao to temper your bloodline Root Bone."

"If you can break through to the Spirit Transformation or even reach the Dao Venerable in the future, this foundation will be your greatest reliance."

"While it won't greatly help your understanding of the Dao of Lightning, it's enough to fill the gaps in one aspect of your physical body."

"At least in the future, when you seek higher realms, your physical body will not become a burden, allowing you to better pursue the Thunder Method."

Shi Jian's heart pounded, but he suppressed his excitement and bowed, saying:

"Thank you, Ancestor!"

The Dao Venerable E Gu pointed a finger.

A bone-white mark flew from his fingertip and entered Shi Jian's brow; then the mark merged into his soul, transforming into an extremely pure wisp of Barbarian Bone Dao charm.

"This mark can protect your life; it will automatically activate if you encounter a life-or-death crisis in the future."

"But only once, then it's gone."

Shi Jian was shocked; such methods were truly unbelievable.

The life-saving technique bestowed by the Dao Venerable is so powerful that it could probably withstand even a full-force attack from Spirit Transformation!

"Thank you Dao Venerable!"

Without saying anything more, the Dao Venerable E Gu raised his hands, and bone-white Daoist aura surged from his palms; the Daoist aura condensed in the void, transforming into an extremely complex array.

Within the formation, the aura of the Barbarian Bone Dao Fruit emanated.

Under that supreme power, Shi Jian unconsciously knelt on one knee; the next instant, the formation descended and enveloped his entire body.

Boom!

As the powerful Daoist energy of the Savage Barbarian Bone Dao Sect poured into his body, Shi Jian felt his bones crackle simultaneously; the force washed over his flesh, bone marrow, and meridians like a torrent.

Pain!

Excruciating pain!

Every bone was shattering and reforming, every drop of blood was boiling and burning; the pain was a hundred times more intense than when he had undergone body tempering.

Shi Jian clenched his teeth, and blood vessels bulged in his vertical pupils.

His skin began to crack, and blood seeped from his body; but before the blood could hit the ground, it was evaporated by the Barbarian Bone Dao.

The bones are shattering.

Flesh and blood are being reborn.

The meridians are widening.

The Dantian is expanding.

The entire process lasted for an unknown amount of time. Shi Jian felt as if he had been thrown into a furnace; his physical body gradually transformed through repeated destruction and rebirth.

Finally, the Daoist aura slowly faded away.

Shi Jian knelt on the ground, his body covered in blood; yet he could clearly sense the changes within his body.

The bloodline is now purer.

His Root Bone has become even stronger.

The Nascent Soul in the Dantian had gained a touch of bone-white Daoist charm; that was the mark left by the Barbarian Bone Dao Fruit, causing its physical body to undergo another transformation!

It even faintly exudes a pure white texture, like white jade.

"Get up."

The voice of the Dao Venerable E Gu rang out.

Shi Jian struggled to his feet and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you for your blessing Dao Venerable!"

"It's not so much a blessing, it's just laying a foundation for you."

The Dao Venerable E Gu returned to his throne, his gaze sweeping over Shi Jian; "How far you can go from here on out depends on yourself."

"Although my Giant Bear Clan has now established itself as a royal family, the Nine Domains of the world are filled with powerful figures; I alone, a Dao Venerable, cannot protect all my clansmen."

"If you can attain the Dao, you will become the second Dao Venerable of our clan; only then will our clan truly have a firm foundation."

"Furthermore, the Dao of Lightning is without a master. If our clan truly wishes to stand at the pinnacle of the Nine Realms, we still need a Dao Embryo supreme expert to oversee it."

"If I cannot succeed, you may also seek the Dao of Lightning."

Shi Jian was startled.

The Dao Venerable's expectations of him are so high!

"This junior will certainly not fail the Dao Venerable's high expectations!"

The Dao Venerable E Gu waved his hand. "Go, cultivate diligently; within three hundred years, I want to see you break through to the Spirit Transformation."

"Here you go!"

Shi Jian bowed again, then turned and walked out of the hall.

But just as he was about to step out of the palace, the voice of the Dao Venerable E Gu rang out again.

"By the way, the Divine Firmament Dao Fruit has been vacant for a long time."

"If you can comprehend all six Immortal Foundation, you will be qualified to compete for that position. At that time, my clan and even the entire Beast Domain will pave the way for you."

"Go for it, my young people!"

"However, you must also remember; the struggle for power has always been bloody and brutal."

"Throughout the Nine Realms, there are countless geniuses who cultivate the Dao of Lightning; if you truly wish to walk that path, you must be prepared to climb to the top by stepping over countless corpses."

Shi Jian remained silent for a few breaths.

"I understand."

He stepped out of the palace gate, and his figure transformed into light and vanished.

Inside the Bone Palace, the Dao Venerable E Gu looked in the direction Shi Jian had left, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his vertical pupils.

"An interesting little fellow, he really does resemble me a bit in my younger days."

He raised his hand, and the clone slowly dissipated.