My 1995 Small Farm.

"Perhaps... this is an opportunity."

A bold idea emerged.

These days, every time Chen Ling passes by the altar, he respectfully bows to the Willow Goddess.

He could sense that although the Willow God remained silent, the vitality emanating from those few tender green willow branches was slightly stronger than when he first saw it.

In the original story, Liu Shen suffered severe injuries and needed a long time to recover.

"If I use the spiritual spring to water the Willow Goddess and help her recover, perhaps I can gain her trust and add a layer of protection to Stone Village."

Just do it.

At midnight, all was quiet.

Chen Ling quietly approached the altar, carrying a jar of spiritual spring water infused with ancient tree leaves.

The charred willow tree stood still in the moonlight, its tender green branches swaying gently.

He bowed respectfully and said in a low voice, "Senior Willow God, I am Chen Ling. I was taken in by Mengshi Village and have nothing to repay you with. This water was obtained by chance and has the effect of nourishing life. Perhaps it can help you recover. I have no other intentions. If you do not mind, please accept this water."

After saying that, he slowly poured the spiritual spring water onto the roots of the willow tree.

Spring water seeped into the scorched soil, and the tender green willow branches suddenly moved without wind, emitting a soft halo.

Chen Ling sensed that a vast, ocean-like aura seemed to awaken within the willow tree for a moment before quickly subsiding.

But unlike before, this time, a willow branch gently drooped down, paused for a moment in front of him, and dripped a crystal dewdrop from its tip into his hand.

The dewdrops are cool to the touch, containing the pure essence of life.

Chen Ling was shocked: "This is... a return gift from the Goddess of Willow?"

He quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, senior!"

The willow branches were withdrawn, and everything returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

Chen Ling returned to the stone house and looked at the drop of willow dew in his hand, feeling excited.

He carefully collected the dewdrops into a jade bottle; it was an absolute treasure, capable of saving lives in critical moments.

"The Willow Goddess accepted my kindness, which is a good sign."

For the next two weeks, Chen Ling would water the spiritual spring every three nights, and each time the Willow God would give him a drop of dew in return.

Chen Ling treasured the dewdrops, not daring to use them lightly.

As for Xiao Shihao, Chen Ling began to have him take a small sip of the spiritual spring liquid every day.

The effects were remarkable. Xiao Shihao's blood and energy became increasingly vigorous, and the frequency of nightmares decreased, but the feeling of heat in his chest became more and more obvious.

On this day, Chen Ling was studying the bone inscriptions in front of the altar when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the village.

"The hunting party is back! They've hunted down a ferocious beast!"

The villagers flocked to the village entrance, and Chen Ling followed them.

Lin Hu and a dozen other strong men returned carrying a giant beast the size of a house. The beast resembled a wild boar, with tusks like knives and its body covered in black scales. Although it was dead, it still exuded a ferocious aura.

"It's a Blackscale Boar! This is a ferocious beast comparable to the late stage of Blood Transformation!" a villager exclaimed.

Lin Hu was covered in blood, with a deep wound on his left arm that exposed bone, but he grinned and said, "Luckily, this beast was alone, so we set a trap and caught it! Enough to feed the whole village for half a month!"

The old patriarch stepped forward to examine the wound, his expression grave: "This wound... it wasn't inflicted by the fangs of a Black-Scaled Boar, but rather looks like a sword wound. Did you encounter someone else?"

Lin Hu's smile faded, and he said in a low voice, "At Eagle's Beak Cliff, a hundred miles away, we saw several outsiders wearing uniform cyan leather armor. They were very strong, at least one of them was at the peak of the Blood Transformation Realm. They seemed to be searching for something. After seeing us, they glanced at us from afar and left."

"Blue leather armor..."

The old clan chief frowned: "They might be from a large tribe. The Great Wilderness has been quite turbulent lately. I heard that a treasure has appeared, attracting many outsiders."

Chen Ling's heart stirred slightly.

In the original novel, there were indeed outside forces active in the Great Wilderness when Shi Hao was young, seemingly searching for clues related to the Mountain Treasure.

He looked at Xiao Shihao in the crowd.

The little guy was standing on tiptoe watching the excitement, completely unaware that danger might be approaching.

That evening, Chen Ling approached the old clan chief and said frankly, "Uncle, I heard what Brother Lin Hu said today. Those outsiders probably have ill intentions. Stone Village is secluded, but it is inevitable that it will be affected. We need to make preparations as soon as possible."

The old clan chief nodded: "I have instructed the hunting team to increase their vigilance and avoid going far away in the near future. However... if a large tribe really comes, Stone Village will find it difficult to resist."

Chen Ling was silent for a moment, then said, "Perhaps... I can consult Goddess Liu."

The old clan chief gave him a deep look: "Since the Willow God descended, he has rarely shown his power. Unless the village faces annihilation, he will not easily take action."

Chen Ling said no more, but he had already made up his mind.

He returned to the stone house, his consciousness sinking into the Sun and Moon Cave.

The leaves on the jade-green sapling glowed faintly.

These days he watered the willow tree with the spirit spring, and the dew that the willow tree gave him in return was also dripped at the roots of the tree. The sapling seemed to have grown an inch taller, and the leaves were even more lustrous.

"We must speed up our cultivation. At the same time, we must ensure the little one's safety."

He took out a drop of the seven-colored fairy dew, hesitated for a moment, and then swallowed it.

A surge of immense energy exploded within his body. Chen Ling groaned and fully activated the Xuan Turtle Bone Script, causing clear tortoise shell patterns to appear on his body surface, gradually refining the violent energy.

A night of arduous practice.

As dawn broke, Chen Ling opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning.

He felt his blood and qi surging like a great river, and when he threw a punch, a slight sonic boom echoed in the air.

"Mid-stage Blood Transfusion, successful!"

With a single arm swing, he possesses at least two thousand pounds of strength.

But Chen Ling showed no joy.

In the Great Wilderness, those at the mid-stage of the Blood Transformation Realm are still weak. The powerful figures of those large tribes may be at the Cave Heaven Realm, the Spirit Transformation Realm, or even higher.

"I must comprehend more bone inscriptions as soon as possible to improve my combat strength. At the same time... perhaps I should try consuming other divine leaves."

He looked at the jade-green sapling, his gaze settling on the "golden leaf".

The leaves are shaped like short swords, with their sharpness subtly revealed.

"The Golden Spear Bone Script is primarily for offense, while the Black Tortoise Bone Script is for defense, making it both offensive and defensive."

Chen Ling reached out and plucked the golden spear leaf.

The leaf felt slightly cool to the touch, and a sharp sensation traveled up his arm and into his body. He quickly put it in his mouth.

"boom--"

In my mind, it was as if thousands of swords were ringing out in unison.

He saw a golden divine halberd sweep across the sky, cleaving through the heavens and destroying everything in its path.

At the same time, the golden and bronze inscription on the altar stele came to life in his eyes, resonating with the artistic conception of the leaf.

After staying indoors for three days, Chen Ling finally gained a preliminary understanding of the Golden Bone Script.

On this day, he was practicing in front of the house, holding a wooden stick and circulating the Golden Bone Script. A faint golden light appeared on the surface of the stick, and when he swung it, there was a sound of air being cut.

Little Shihao squatted down beside him, his big eyes wide with admiration: "Uncle is so amazing!"

Chen Ling finished his practice and smiled, "Want to learn?"

"Yes!" Xiao Shihao nodded vigorously.

"Then I'll teach you a breathing technique that can better guide the heat in your body."

Chen Ling adapted the basic breathing technique he had learned in the cave and taught it to Xiao Shihao.

Although this method is simple, it can cultivate the perception of qi and blood, laying the foundation for future cultivation of bone script.

Little Shihao studied diligently, sitting cross-legged on the ground, his little belly bulging up and down, looking adorable.

Chen Ling looked at him, her heart softening yet heavy.

This child, who looked remarkably like his own son—both chubby and adorable—was the future Desolate Emperor.

We are destined to walk a path paved with blood and bones.

The bright moonlight shone on Shicun Village.

Chen Ling sat cross-legged in his stone house, with three leaves emitting a faint light floating in front of him.

These are the divine leaves that grew on the jade tree in the Sun and Moon Grotto: the Black Tortoise Leaf, the Ancient Tree Leaf, and the Golden Spear Leaf.

"I've made a basic grasp of the three types of bone script, but this speed is still not enough," Chen Ling muttered to himself.

The appearance of outsiders outside Shicun made him wary.

If they harbor ill intentions, Ishimura's current strength is insufficient to resist them.

"We must become stronger faster."

Chen Ling's consciousness sank into the Sun and Moon Cave Heaven and arrived at the Jade Tree.

Milky white mist swirled around, and the spring water gurgled. The jade-green sapling shimmered with a lustrous sheen under the moonlight.

Dozens of leaves, each with a different shape: a dragon, a phoenix, a tortoise, a white tiger, a bell, a tripod, a pagoda, a mirror...

Each piece contains a different Daoist charm.

"Based on my previous insights, leaves in the form of living beings correspond to bone inscriptions or bloodline supernatural powers, while leaves in the form of artifacts correspond to the path of assistance. I have already consumed the Xuan Turtle Leaf, the Ancient Tree Leaf, and the Golden Spear Leaf, but I have only carefully cut off fragments and dared not consume them whole."

Chen Ling reached out and gently stroked the tree trunk, suddenly feeling something.

He circulated the three kinds of bone script power within his body: the weightiness of the Xuan Turtle, the vitality of the ancient tree, and the sharpness of the golden spear. The three kinds of artistic conception flowed through his meridians and finally converged in his palm.

In that instant, something unexpected happened!
The jade tree suddenly shook violently, and all the leaves on the tree glowed. In particular, the True Dragon Leaf detached itself from the branch and turned into a golden light that shot straight at Chen Ling's brow!

"what?!"

Before Chen Ling could react, the golden light had already entered his forehead.

boom--

Deep within my consciousness, a dragon's roar shook the heavens!
He saw a golden dragon stretching across the sky, its scales and claws flying, looking down upon the eight directions.

The dragon was not a physical entity, but rather composed of countless golden runes. Each rune contained the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, which were completely different from the cultivation methods of the Blood-Moving Realm, yet far more profound and vast.

Golden runes fell like raindrops, imprinting themselves on Chen Ling's bones.

Excruciating pain!

It was as if every bone was being reshaped and engraved.

Chen Ling gritted his teeth and persevered, circulating the Xuan Turtle Bone Rune to protect his mind.

He could sense that the runes were not harmful, but rather a baptism, a legacy.

After an unknown amount of time, the dragon's roar gradually subsided.

Chen Ling opened his eyes and found himself still standing under the jade tree, but his whole body was soaked in sweat.

He clenched his fist, and a soft crackling sound came from his bones, accompanied by the faint roar of a dragon.

With a casual punch, the air exploded, creating a visible shockwave!

"This strength... at least five thousand jin!" Chen Ling exclaimed in shock.

At most, a mid-stage Blood Removal cultivator possesses two to three thousand jin of force, yet this punch he delivered was already close to the late stage.

Even more remarkably, when he looked inward, he discovered that the surface of all his bones had been covered with a layer of pale golden patterns, resembling dragon scales or runes, exactly the same as the patterns on the real dragon leaf.

"The True Dragon Leaf willingly recognized me as its master, branding itself onto my bones?" Chen Ling's heart was filled with shock. Before he could think further, another leaf detached from the tree.

Divine Phoenix Leaf!
A crimson light streamed into his chest.

This time, Chen Ling was prepared, but he was still hit by the overwhelming power of life force and let out a muffled groan.

The phoenix's cry was clear and melodious, and flames burned the sky.

He saw a seven-colored phoenix undergoing rebirth in the fire, each flap of its wings scattering endless life essence.

The essence transformed into crimson runes, imprinted in his blood.

Blood boiling!
The blood that was originally surging like a river now seemed to have turned into magma, hot and powerful.

Each cycle strengthens the muscles, internal organs, and meridians.

Black impurities seeped from Chen Ling's body; these were filth deep within his flesh, which was being refined and expelled by the Divine Phoenix Fire.

As the crimson light faded, Chen Ling felt completely refreshed.

His vital energy and blood were several times stronger than before, and his every move was accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder.

"True dragon forging bones, divine phoenix refining blood... this is to rebuild my foundation!"

Chen Ling was both surprised and delighted.

Just then, the remaining life-shaped leaves on the jade tree...

White Tiger Leaf, Black Tortoise Leaf, Qilin Leaf, Kunpeng Leaf... all vibrated together!
"Could it be..."

Before Chen Ling could finish speaking, seven streams of light shot out simultaneously, entering different parts of his body.

The White Tiger Leaf enters the lungs, filling them with sharp metal energy, and even sword energy arises with each breath.

The leaves of the black tortoise shell enter the kidneys, where the power of water is concentrated and condensed, and the kidney water is like a deep pool, nourishing the whole body.

Kylin leaf enters the spleen, embodies the earth element, and makes the physical body as stable as the earth.

The Kunpeng leaf entered its legs, accompanied by wind and thunder, and its speed increased dramatically.

Furthermore, the Suanni leaf enters the heart, causing the power of thunder to surge; the Taotie leaf enters the stomach, doubling the power of digestion; the Bifang leaf enters the liver, where wood and fire mutually generate each other…

With the seven leaves entering his body, seven kinds of power intertwined and merged within Chen Ling's body.

His bones, blood, internal organs, and even every inch of his muscles are undergoing tremendous changes.

What was originally just a preliminary grasp of the essence of bone script is now deeply imprinted in my body's instincts.

"Roar--"

Chen Ling couldn't help but let out a long roar, a sound like the roar of a dragon and the howl of a tiger, which shook the immortal mist in the cave.

Various unusual phenomena appeared on his body.

A dragon's shadow coils around his left arm, a phoenix pattern emerges on his right arm, a tortoise shell pattern floats on his chest, and a white tiger's phantom roars on his back...

"The Blood Transformation Realm... has it reached its peak?"

Chen Ling felt the immense, boundless energy within his body and was incredulous.

According to Shicun, to complete the Blood-Moving Ceremony, one needs to have a surge of vital energy and be able to lift a boulder weighing 80,000 jin (approximately 40,000 kg).

And now, with a single swing of his arm, he probably possesses the strength of two hundred million jin!
This goes far beyond the scope of the Blood Removal Realm.

"No, this isn't just a simple Blood Transformation Perfection, this is... the Ultimate Realm!"

Chen Ling recalled the original novel's setting, where each realm had an ultimate level, and only one in ten thousand could reach it, making their combat power far surpass that of others of the same level.

His current power is far beyond what an ordinary Blood Transformation Perfection cultivator could achieve.

Even more miraculously, after the seven leaves entered the body, the objects and leaves on the jade tree also began to resonate.

The bell-shaped leaf trembled slightly, emitting a melodious bell sound. The sound waves swept through Chen Ling's soul, making his soul clear and his perception of the essence of heaven and earth ten times more acute.

The cauldron-shaped leaf rotated, transforming into a virtual cauldron that sank into the dantian, where it began to automatically refine the absorbed essence of heaven and earth, doubling its efficiency.

The tower-shaped leaf fell and transformed into a nine-story pagoda in the sea of ​​consciousness, guarding the soul and protecting it from all evil.

With the mirror-shaped leaf floating and reflecting his own image, Chen Ling could clearly see every subtle change within his body, eliminating any blind spots in his cultivation.

Knife, sword, spear, halberd, zither, chess, calligraphy, painting...

Dozens of artifact leaves each displayed their unique abilities, merging into different parts of Chen Ling's body to enhance his senses, assist in cultivation, or protect his soul.

As the last "medicinal gourd leaf" merged into his liver, Chen Ling was enveloped in a dazzling array of colors.

Within the Sun and Moon Cave, the immortal mist surged wildly towards him, and the water level of the spiritual spring dropped at a visible speed, as he devoured all the energy.

After an unknown amount of time, the light gradually faded.

Chen Ling opened his eyes, and a fleeting image of the sun and moon revolving and stars rising and falling flashed in his eyes.

He stood beneath the jade-green sapling, his form unchanged, yet he exuded a profound sense of weight and grandeur, like a mountain, a deep abyss, or the ocean.

Her skin was as smooth and lustrous as jade, her bones shimmered with golden light, and her blood flowed like the Yangtze River.

"Reaching the pinnacle of blood cultivation, achieving physical perfection."

With a thought, Chen Ling's blood and qi surged, and seven phantom images of grotto heavens appeared behind him!

No, it's not a true Cave Heaven Realm, but rather a strange phenomenon caused by the Blood Removal Extreme Realm.

The seven illusory caves correspond to the seven true spirits: the true dragon, the divine phoenix, the white tiger, the black tortoise, the qilin, the kunpeng, and the suanni. At this moment, they are only in their embryonic form, but they can already absorb and exhale the essence of heaven and earth, with an efficiency a hundred times greater than before!
"At this rate, I'll be able to truly open up my own grotto-heaven and enter the Grotto-Heaven Realm in less than a month!" Chen Ling thought excitedly.

Just then, he suddenly felt a vast divine thought descend upon him.

That divine thought was gentle yet powerful, like a spring breeze, yet unfathomable.

The entire Sun and Moon Grotto-Heaven trembled slightly under this divine thought, and the jade tree drooped down with countless rays of light, as if to welcome it.

"The Willow Goddess?" Chen Ling's heart skipped a beat.

Before he could react, the divine thought had already enveloped his soul and gently pulled—

……

In a daze, Chen Ling found himself in a strange place.

This place is boundless, with chaotic mist swirling around it from all directions.

In the mist, a towering willow tree quietly took root, its trunk charred black, with only nine tender green branches hanging down, each exuding a gentle yet powerful vitality.

Beneath the willow tree, a hazy figure sat cross-legged.

The figure was indistinct, resembling both male and female, old and young, surrounded by three thousand divine kingdoms and millions of believers chanting scriptures.

He just sat there quietly, yet he seemed to be the center of the entire universe.

"Junior Chen Ling greets Senior Liu Shen." Chen Ling bowed respectfully.

He knew that this must be the soul space of the Willow God.

The fact that he was able to be brought here shows that Liu Shen's recovery was far beyond his expectations.

The blurry figure slowly opened its eyes.

In that instant, Chen Ling seemed to see the creation of heaven and earth, and the birth and death of all things.

What kind of gaze was that? It encompassed everything, saw through everything, yet remained indifferent to everything.

"...I never expected to see such a divine object in this era." The Willow God spoke, his voice resounding directly in the depths of Chen Ling's soul, devoid of joy or sorrow.

Chen Ling felt a chill run down his spine; he hadn't been able to hide anything from Liu Shen after all.

"Senior, you are wise. I obtained this paradise by chance and had no ill intentions whatsoever," Chen Ling said frankly.

“I know.” Willow God nodded slightly. “You used the spiritual spring to nourish my body and help me recover. I remember this kindness. I summoned you here today to repay the debt of karma, and also for the future of Stone Village.”

Chen Ling listened intently.

"The seven-leaf mark within your body has already reached the Blood Extreme Realm, and the thickness of your foundation is rarely seen in this era. However, the path of cultivation values ​​balance. Although you have received external infusion and made rapid progress, you have lacked the understanding of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth."

Willow God slowly said, "I can help you refine your cultivation and solidify your foundation, but you need to open your mind and communicate with me."

"Sympathy?" Chen Ling was taken aback.

"Yin and Yang complement each other, and the souls resonate. I transmit to you the insights of the Great Dao, and you return to me with the essence of divine treasures. This is the method of dual cultivation, not the path of lust, but the mutual support of the Dao paths," Willow God explained.

Chen Ling suddenly realized.

The Willow Goddess was severely injured and needs a massive amount of life force to recover.

The celestial mist and spiritual spring of the Sun and Moon Grotto were of great benefit to her, and her understanding of the Great Dao was exactly what Chen Ling lacked most.

This is a win-win situation.

"This junior is willing," Chen Ling replied without hesitation.

"good."

Liu Shen extended a finger and pointed it at Chen Ling's brow.

Chen Ling relaxed his mind and let the finger strike him.

boom--

Endless Daoist principles flooded into his sea of ​​consciousness like a torrent.

That was the enlightenment that Liu Shen had gained through millions of years of cultivation.

It awakens its spirituality from an ordinary willow tree, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.

After enduring countless tribulations, they shed their mortal form.

Then he traversed the nine heavens and ten earths, discussing the Dao with the Immortal King.

Ultimately, he perished in a calamity, only to be reborn from the ashes...

The insights gained from each realm, the principles behind each supernatural power, the understanding of the Great Dao, the perception of Heaven and Earth…

The vast flow of information, like a sea of ​​stars, washed over Chen Ling's soul.

If it weren't for the Sun and Moon Grotto protecting his soul and the Jade Tree nourishing it, Chen Ling would probably have been overwhelmed by this torrent of information in an instant.

He gritted his teeth, activated the Seven-Leaf Imprint, using the bones of a true dragon to bear its weight, the blood of a divine phoenix to ignite its soul, the lungs of a white tiger to absorb its energy, and the kidneys of a black tortoise to guard its essence...

At the same time, he took the initiative to open the Sun and Moon Cave Heaven, continuously supplying the purest essence of the sun and moon, immortal mist and spiritual spring within the cave heaven to Liu Shen.

The willow tree itself glowed faintly in reality, and a hint of green appeared on its charred trunk.

The nine tender green willow branches grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the new leaves unfurled, each leaf flowing with Dao runes.

Within the spiritual space, time seemed to lose its meaning.

Chen Ling was immersed in the endless Daoist charm, and his understanding of cultivation improved rapidly.

The mysteries of the Blood Transformation Realm have been thoroughly understood, the bottleneck of the Cave Heaven Realm is clearly visible, and even the subsequent realms such as Spirit Transformation, Inscription, and Array Formation have been vaguely understood.

What's even more remarkable is that the Willow God not only passed on cultivation methods to him, but also combat experience, the application of supernatural powers, and the ultimate principles of heaven and earth...

This is priceless.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Shen withdrew her fingers.

Chen Ling opened his eyes, his gaze filled with wisdom, his demeanor profound and unfathomable, a stark contrast to his previous appearance.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior." Chen Ling bowed deeply.

This moment of connection saved him centuries of arduous work. (End of Chapter)