Chapter Thirty-Two: The Mystery of Origins, Yearning to Leave the Great Wilderness

Seeing how Little Stone looked so different from his usual self, she felt puzzled and asked, “Your master might have gone off for something. Little one, what’s wrong with you?”

Hearing Her Excellency Willow’s question, Little Stone’s eyes were red, and he choked out, “Just now, Grandpa Village Chief told me that I have parents. But they went off to find spiritual herbs to heal me and haven’t returned for many years. I’ve never seen them since I was little. Her Excellency Willow, why haven’t they come back? Do they not want me anymore?” Though small, he was enveloped in sorrow.

It all began when Little Stone excitedly ran to Old Clan Chief Shi Yunfeng, telling him that his master wanted him to travel across the Great Wilderness for a hundred thousand miles, and upon his return, would teach him the supreme arts.

The old village chief saw that Little Stone had fully recovered and knew that Chen Xing was ready for him to begin cultivation.

After much deliberation, Shi Yunfeng decided to tell Little Stone about his origins, so that during his journey through the Great Wilderness, he might visit the Shi Clan’s Second Ancestral Land. After all, there was a pitiful child there suffering in his place; it was time someone rescued that poor little one, though he didn’t know if the child was still alive. As for Little Stone’s safety, Shi Yunfeng believed Chen Xing would never let him come to harm.

After hearing the old village chief’s rough account of his life, Little Stone was stunned. He had always believed his parents to be long gone; he hadn’t expected things to be like this. Sorrow overwhelmed him, and his first thought was to find his master and cry in his arms.

Her Excellency Willow fell silent after Little Stone’s words. She had witnessed countless such tragedies—brothers at odds, family strife leading to heartbreak. At her level, such events rarely stirred her emotions anymore.

Little Stone sobbed to himself, “I always thought I had no parents, no family. Today, I learned I have a name and kin. My name is Shi Hao, but I don’t even know what my parents look like. Who tore our family apart? Why did they do this?”

Her Excellency Willow heard Shi Hao’s murmuring and sighed softly, “If you truly wish to know everything, I can help you.”

Shi Hao’s eyes brightened. He pleaded, “Her Excellency Willow, please help me! I want to know what my parents look like, who hurt me and separated me from my family. Once I master what my teacher has to offer, I will never let them escape!” His usually lively, adorable eyes now flashed with a touch of murderous intent.

With a helpless sigh, Her Excellency Willow had Shi Hao sit by the altar. Her form faded into nothingness, and a towering willow tree appeared before Shi Hao, its countless branches swaying high in the heavens, radiating divine might as if they could crush the cosmos.

Her Excellency Willow’s true form had been severely wounded, but Chen Xing had saved her with a Yellow Plum, and she had recovered most of her strength. Over the past three years, Chen Xing had brewed spiritual wine from rare treasures, restoring her to nearly eighty percent of her peak power. Now, revealed in her true form, she could suppress all ages.

A dignified voice came from the willow tree, “I will use the supreme arts to awaken the memories hidden deep in your subconscious. Are you ready?”

Shi Hao was nervous, afraid to face the cruel truth, yet desperate to understand the past.

Calming himself, Shi Hao replied calmly, “Go ahead.”

As soon as his words fell, the willow tree emitted waves of gray mist, enveloping Shi Hao, who sat within as if he had returned to the primordial chaos before the creation of the world. The air was thick with chaos, and he witnessed scenes he couldn’t remember due to his young age.

He saw a majestic altar radiating divine power, countless beings worshiping under the leadership of a great king in a mighty nation, thunderous voices echoing through the skies as if gods whispered.

He saw a spirited old man cradling a baby and laughing heartily, his eyes filled with doting affection. Beside him, a handsome young man held a beautiful woman; the two looked at the baby in the old man’s arms with infinite tenderness. The baby resembled himself.

He saw the spirited old man, in order to baptize the baby’s body, venture to the battlefield of the hundred clans, slay a young mythical beast, and be hunted by an adult pureblood beast, disappearing ever since. The young couple, searching for the old man, left the baby in the care of their sixth sister from the clan.

He saw a boy, slightly older than himself, pulling the woman called Sixth Sister and pointing at the baby, saying he possessed a bone of unmatched power. As he spoke, his strange double pupils flashed coldly.

He saw the usually gentle woman, together with the double-pupil boy, in a secret chamber, gazing at the baby on a stone bed with cold eyes, filled with endless greed and madness.

Shi Hao’s eyes brimmed with tears. He knew what would happen next; this scene had haunted his dreams countless times, and now he knew he was that baby. Yet he forced himself not to cry—he wanted to see what happened next.

Just as in his dreams, the baby’s so-called “Supreme Bone” was ruthlessly excavated and transplanted into the double-pupil boy. His precious blood was used to nourish it, and the agony left him barely alive.

The young couple, having failed to find the old man, returned to find the baby grievously wounded and dying, his Supreme Bone stolen. Their fury erupted, slaughtering countless clansmen and killing the venomous woman. When they sought to kill the boy, the clan elders stopped them, forcing the couple to leave in grief for the Second Ancestral Land of the Shi Clan.

There, guided by others, they sought the true ancestral land. To avoid detection, another pitiful infant named Shi Hao appeared at the Second Ancestral Land.

After untold hardship, the couple found the true origin of the Shi Clan, but gazing at the ordinary village before them, they fell into despair. With no other choice, they left the infant at the ancestral land and journeyed to the Undying Mountain in search of spiritual medicine.

The gray mist shrouding Shi Hao faded, and Her Excellency Willow appeared before him, gazing at the tear-streaked Little Stone and sighing, “How do you feel?”

Shi Hao shook his head, wiped away his tears, and softly replied, “My heart aches. I wonder how my parents are now.”

“You are a compassionate child, not blinded by hatred.” After a pause, Her Excellency Willow asked, “They took your Supreme Bone—do you not hate them? This Shi Yi must now be dazzling, surrounded by endless divine radiance.” Shi Yi was the boy who stole Little Stone’s Supreme Bone, his cousin from the clan.

Shi Hao naturally understood that Shi Yi must now be radiant and glorious. He replied calmly, “Supremacy isn’t achieved through a single bone. Only by fighting to the top step by step can one truly become supreme.”

A gleam flashed in Her Excellency Willow’s eyes, and she said with satisfaction, “Your outlook surprises me.” She pointed to some wild grass nearby and asked, “Do you know why these weeds grow again after being torn out?”

Shi Hao’s eyes brightened. “Are you saying my Supreme Bone might grow back?”

Her Excellency Willow nodded, about to speak, when a voice rang out, “Such a trivial thing—what’s the use of it?”

Hearing the voice, Shi Hao jumped up in delight. “Master!”

Chen Xing’s figure slowly appeared beside them, stroking Shi Hao’s little head and turning to Her Excellency Willow, saying, “Hasn’t your friend yet realized? There is no ultimate path of transcendence in this realm. Even if the so-called Supreme Bone grows anew, what use is it?”

Her Excellency Willow forced a bitter smile. Indeed—this man could give her a technique that transcends the realm at a whim. With such a master, what need had Little Stone for a Supreme Bone?

Chen Xing had deliberately used Her Excellency Willow to let Shi Hao learn the truth of his past—not that he couldn’t do it himself. If he wanted, he could even reverse time directly. But he didn’t want to see the little one sad, fearing he might lose control and, in anger, storm the Shi Kingdom and the Rain Clan with Shi Hao. The Rain Clan was the venomous woman’s kin, slain by Shi Hao’s father, Shi Ziling, and to solidify Shi Yi’s position, they tormented the “Shi Hao” of the Second Ancestral Land.

Deliberately letting Her Excellency Willow reveal the past, Chen Xing rushed back when she mentioned the rebirth of the Supreme Bone. He didn’t want Shi Hao to cultivate the techniques of this realm—his future lay in the myriad worlds. Otherwise, Chen Xing wouldn’t have stopped Shi Yunfeng from teaching Little Stone the rune treasure arts.

Shi Hao lowered his head, feeling a bit dejected after hearing his master’s words. Seeing his precious disciple’s mood, Chen Xing gently asked, “Little one, what are you thinking? Tell your master.”

Shi Hao pursed his lips and said, “Master, I know the Supreme Bone may mean little to you, but my parents grieved bitterly for it, and I nearly died at their hands. Even if I don’t pursue its rebirth, I must retrieve what was taken from me.” His voice was resolute.

Chen Xing couldn’t help but laugh. How could he ever stop Little Stone from reclaiming his Supreme Bone? He himself wished to slaughter those who plotted for it.

Softly, he said, “If someone steals from us, we naturally must take it back. When your cultivation is sufficient, your master and Her Excellency Willow will go with you to settle the score. Remember, don’t hesitate to kill when necessary—even if they are your kinsmen. The moment they shield Shi Yi, you and they are already strangers.” His words were full of murderous intent.

Shi Hao nodded happily, earnestly replying, “Yes, Master! I won’t hesitate.”

Chen Xing nodded in satisfaction, seeing in him a teachable child.

Her Excellency Willow, overhearing the exchange, could only smile wryly. In this lower world, a prison of eight wildernesses, an Immortal King and a being who might already have transcended, planning to deal with a mere clan of the Shi Kingdom—wasn’t that overkill? Wasn’t it bullying?

Chen Xing abruptly turned serious, instructing Little Stone, “Now, you need not worry about anything. Just travel a hundred thousand miles through the Great Wilderness. When you return, I will teach you the supreme arts and even let you meet your parents. Work hard. If you fail, I’ll still teach you, but you’ll have to find your parents yourself.”

Shi Hao leapt in joy, repeatedly agreeing, and ran toward the village, determined to cross the Great Wilderness and complete his training to see his parents as soon as possible.

As he ran toward the village, his gaze drifted into the distance, and he murmured, “Big brother, is my bone useful? I’ll soon take it back myself. Wait for me!”