Chapter Thirty: A Sojourn in Stone Village, Chen Xing Imparts the Way

At this time, three years had passed since Chenxing arrived at Stone Village. During these three years, he had not allowed the old patriarch, Shi Yunfeng, to teach Little One the art of runes. Instead, every day, he made the child drink a bowl of beast milk and bathe in water infused with various herbs and leaves.

Chenxing had also forbidden Little One’s companions from practicing the so-called refinement of their bodies with the blood of fierce beasts. Instead, he gave them the first eight cycles of the Sacred Body Method known as “Ninefold Profound Art.” This was the very method Pangu had cultivated to sanctify his flesh; once nine cycles were achieved, one’s power would affirm the Dao.

It was not that Chenxing was unwilling to impart the complete method at once, but he knew that even perfecting the first eight cycles would make them peerless within this world. If these children truly reached such heights, he would not be stingy and would grant them the final cycle.

Chenxing was aware that this world harbored grave problems: the Great Dao was hidden, the Heavenly Way elusive. The strongest cultivator was the Immortal Emperor of Bones deep within the Boundless Sea—a figure whose power shook ancient eras and whose origins were unknowable. He was also the root of the darkness and chaos that plagued this realm. Yet, his fate was tragic: in his prime, he gazed down upon all existence, unmatched in battle. But corrupted by black blood that dripped from a realm above the heavens, he lost his life, his body became a corpse, and only a strand of his soul escaped, unleashing endless calamity.

Chenxing understood that although this world was but a lesser realm, it had lost the protection of the Great Dao. Thus, its beings could no longer cultivate to the level of Saint of the Heavenly Way, and so they lost the chance to ascend to a greater world. Even if the future Emperor of the Wilderness reached the Immortal Emperor realm, it would only be equivalent to the Great Perfection of a quasi-Saint in the Primordial Era. To become a true Saint was as unattainable as flowers in water or the moon in a mirror. A world without Saints could never ascend to a grand world.

Cultivation in this realm’s manner could never reach perfection, for the traces of the Dao had vanished. Yet, this also granted its beings a tremendous opportunity: with the Dao hidden and the Heavenly Way absent, they were unshackled. Anyone with a flawless cultivation method had a chance to become a Saint, perhaps even embody the Heavenly Way.

Had Chenxing not arrived, the beings of this world would never have had the opportunity to acquire a perfect method. But Chenxing had come!

He would never again allow the children to practice the flawed arts of this realm. To nurture future companions for Little One, comrades who would fight alongside him, he bestowed upon them the Ninefold Sacred Body Method, cultivated by Pangu himself.

But for Little One, Chenxing provided no techniques. Beyond strengthening his body each day, he simply let him play joyously with his friends. Chenxing knew these years would become the most beautiful memories in the heart of the future Emperor of the Wilderness. As for cultivation methods, would Chenxing ever lack them? His beloved disciple would one day stand among the noblest in all realms. He merely wished to give him a perfect childhood before the blood-soaked battles of the world began.

This approach left Patriarch Shi Yunfeng and the hunting team’s leader, Shi Linhu, somewhat dissatisfied, fearing the children’s cultivation would be delayed. But as they prepared to confront Chenxing, they accidentally discovered that some of the children’s physical strength had become terrifying.

During a hunting expedition, the team encountered a pure-blooded Pixiu. Unable to escape, they engaged in a brutal battle, and several members were severely wounded in an instant.

At that moment, Shi Dashuang, who had just turned twelve and joined his first hunt, rushed forward. He fought the Pixiu alone, and with the villagers’ help, managed—at the cost of only minor injuries—to split the beast in two. Shi Linhu, the hunting team leader, was astounded.

One must know: to defeat a pure-blooded Pixiu single-handedly, one must possess the ultimate strength of one hundred thousand jin at the Blood-moving Realm. Yet upon inquiry, Shi Linhu was even more shocked. After three years of practicing Chenxing’s method, Shi Dashuang had only just begun, not yet completing the first cycle, and already he could wrestle with a pure-blooded Pixiu. How terrifying!

Returning to the village, Shi Linhu reported the matter to the patriarch. The old patriarch, greatly alarmed, summoned all the children who practiced Chenxing’s method. Upon examination, he found even the weakest among them possessed the strength of one hundred thousand jin. The most astonishing was Little One, who, without practicing any method, had, under Chenxing’s gifts of countless treasures, achieved several hundred thousand jin of force—a truly fearsome power.

Upon realizing that these children had not undergone refinement with beast blood, but had relied solely on a cultivation method to progress so swiftly, Shi Yunfeng’s expression grew grim. He pondered for a moment and instructed Shi Linhu, “Inform all villagers immediately. This concerns the life and death of Stone Village. No one is permitted to leak this secret. Offenders will be executed.”

The old patriarch’s face was murderous. Shi Linhu nodded, knowing well that if the secret were revealed, powerful clans would stop at nothing to destroy Stone Village for the method. He hesitated, then asked, “Should we have them share the method with everyone? That way, we could strengthen Stone Village.”

After some hesitation, the old patriarch shook his head, “The method was entrusted to them by that senior. Without his permission, no one may inquire further, lest we offend him!”

Shi Linhu agreed and went about carrying out the patriarch’s orders.

Watching the children, the old patriarch was deeply moved. These were Stone Village’s future. He firmly believed they would surpass even the emperor who once left this place—far surpass him, for they had encountered the great Chenxing.

Thinking of Chenxing, the old patriarch glanced at the little one with a milk bottle hanging from his neck—a milk bottle, as Chenxing called it. He was filled with emotion. The child had suffered greatly since birth, but now, finally, his hardships were over. With this master’s protection, surely no more suffering would befall him.

Shi Yunfeng understood that Chenxing’s imparting the method to the children was meant to make them future allies for Little One. The patriarch was naturally pleased, for they were all Stone Village’s children, bound by blood.

At the village entrance, before the giant stone altar, Chenxing was drinking with Willow God. Willow God’s wounds had healed well, and her cultivation was only a step away from returning to the Immortal King realm. Though still shy of her peak, she would surely regain it within a millennium.

As the two drank in silence, Willow God suddenly said, “Senior, your cultivation is unlike any I have seen. Why not venture to the depths of the Boundless Sea and sweep away the darkness, returning clarity to the world?

Though I do not know what terrors lurk at the root of the darkness, with your power, even if you were outmatched, you could surely retreat unscathed?”

Chenxing lazily stretched, glanced at Willow God, downed his spirit wine in one gulp, and shook his head, “This great calamity has endured countless eras. You, too, have lived since the Ancient Immortal age; you should know that there were opportunities then to eradicate the enemy from the other domain. Ultimately, it was the beings of this world who interfered. To quell external threats, one must first pacify the internal. To truly end the chaos, one must cleanse from the lower to the upper realms, layer by layer. Otherwise, even if the root of darkness is eliminated, the calamity cannot be ended.”

Willow God recalled those days—battles alongside the Immortal Kings of Endless and Reincarnation against the dark entities from the other domain. But the gap in ultimate power was too great. Endless and Reincarnation fell, and no one could succeed them. The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were lost. In despair, she rose, and in a world where all were enemies, charged into the other domain for a final battle. Her name struck terror there, and she fell gloriously amid their ranks.

Fortunately, she severed her past and revived in the outside world from a single seed. Remembering the ancient era, she returned and was reborn anew.

Yet upon her rebirth, she was ambushed by the Immortal King Ao Sheng, gravely wounded, and fell into Stone Village, becoming its revered spirit.

Willow God understood Chenxing’s reasoning: no matter how boundless one’s cultivation, with countless traitors lurking, pacifying the chaos would be... exceedingly difficult.

Willow God sighed mournfully, “I wonder when the chaos will end, when the splendor of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths will return. Alas!”

Seeing Willow God’s sorrow, Chenxing earnestly said, “Though calamities abound, how many dazzling geniuses have arisen in this realm over countless years? Though the chaos is not yet ended, the world has been preserved. Heroes are born in troubled times. Are you not one of them?”

After a moment’s silence, he continued solemnly, “I could indeed quell this world’s great calamity, but for certain reasons, I cannot act rashly. If you wish to fulfill your heart’s desire, I can now lend you my aid.”

Willow God’s heart stirred. She asked, “What method do you propose, Senior?”

Chenxing pointed to a small figure running toward them, “The method lies with that little one.”

Willow God was speechless, then said helplessly, “Are you jesting? What can Little One do? He has yet to cultivate. Even with you as his master, it would take hundreds of thousands to millions of years to reach that level.”

Chenxing smiled mysteriously, “Let us wager, then. Within at most tens of thousands of years, my disciple will sweep clean the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, restoring clarity to the world.” He murmured inwardly, “The time is nearly upon us.”

As Willow God was about to speak, Little One ran up to them, his childish voice full of indignation, “Master, you’re biased! Why have you taught them the method but not me?”

Looking at the adorable child, Chenxing teased, “Who is it that only asks me for treats every day and refuses to learn?”

“N-no! I... I just didn’t have time to learn! I... I have time now!” Little One’s cheeks flushed as he replied, hugging Chenxing’s right leg and shaking it. The village chief had just asked them to test their strength; though Little One was the strongest, upon hearing his companions had learned Chenxing’s method, his competitive spirit was piqued. He thought that if he learned as well, he’d surely surpass them, which prompted him to come ask for the method.

“Senior, you taught them a method?” Over these years, Willow God had been healing and restoring her cultivation, unaware of this, and couldn’t help but ask. She was curious what sort of method Chenxing—the one who claimed he could quell all chaos—practiced.