heaven money

“You bunch of little rascals, weren’t you all once his age?”

The old clan chief laughed and scolded.

“We weren’t still breastfeeding when he was a year and a half old, hehe.”

Faced with the older children's teasing, the little one smiled innocently, his bright black eyes narrowed into crescent shapes, completely unconcerned. He sat in front of the earthenware pot, scooping milk with a wooden spoon, and ate with great relish.

Looking at his son's honest and adorable appearance, Shi Ziling smiled.

Having lived in this village for a year, he felt an unprecedented warmth and relaxation, which was much better than his previous life in the Wu Prince's Mansion.

This place is truly a sanctuary for the soul, free from intrigue and deceit.

The villagers were all very simple and honest, and they did not discriminate against them because they were outsiders.

Just as Shi Ziling was lost in thought, a beautiful woman approached him, carrying a food box, and said softly:

"Ziling, let's eat first!"

Seeing his wife's slightly protruding belly, Shi Ziling quickly took the lunchbox, helped Qin Yining sit down on a softer chair, and said with concern:
"You're in this state, why are you still cooking for me? Didn't I tell you I'd bring food home later!"

Qin Yining smiled gently upon hearing this:
"I just can't sit still, and besides, I have cultivation, so as long as I don't fight anyone, there won't be any problems!"

He then opened the food box, which was filled with Shi Ziling's favorite dishes.

Then he turned to the old village chief, Shi Yunfeng, and said:

"Uncle Feng, please eat with us!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Yunfeng said cheerfully:

"Okay! Okay!"
Yining's cooking skills are arguably the best in our village!

Shi Yunfeng is still deeply moved by the changes in the village.

After they discovered the changes in Yuntao's courtyard, the village's casualty rate decreased significantly, the young and strong became much stronger, and they were able to hunt much more food than before.

Furthermore, after Shi Ziling arrived, he taught the village some rune techniques. Combined with the powerful strength of Shi Ziling and his wife, the village's current strength has become even greater.

If he were still the same as before, the village would probably still be struggling to make ends meet and survive, but now there is no such worry.

Although Shi Ziling did not demonstrate his strength, Shi Yunfeng, who had seen the world, could sense that Shi Ziling's strength was probably no less than that of some kings and nobles of the major tribes outside.

Especially after recovering from his injuries and improving his aptitude in Yun Tao's courtyard, he became even more unfathomable.

After breakfast, several elderly villagers came to the courtyard of clan chief Shi Yunfeng. Although their hair and beards were already white, they were still full of energy.

"Something's been off lately. There are always big guys passing by late at night, making a huge commotion. Something must have happened deep in these mountains."

"Hmm, I was startled awake several times last night, my skin was chilled to the bone. There must have been some ferocious beast or giant insect passing by here."

Several elderly people spoke up one after another, some frowning and some deep in thought, discussing some recent signs of danger, feeling that something unusual had happened.

"I think something extraordinary might have appeared deep in this wilderness, attracting the attention of some ancient species in the surrounding areas, who have all rushed over there."

After pondering for a moment, the old clan chief Shi Yunfeng said.

"Could it be that a treasure has appeared in the mountains?"

An old man's eyes widened in surprise, his hair and beard bristled.

The others also showed surprise, their eyes burning with desire, but they quickly extinguished the flames in their eyes. That kind of thing was not something they could obtain; it was located deep in the mountains, and no one could go there.

Over the years, no one has ever been able to enter and leave alive. Various powerful species roam the mountains, and even if everyone from Stone Village were to venture in together, they wouldn't even make a ripple.

Then, Shi Yunfeng looked at Shi Ziling and his wife beside him and asked:
What do you all think?!

The remaining elders also looked at Shi Ziling and his wife. After all, they all knew that Shi Ziling and his wife were powerful juniors from the Martial King's Mansion of the Shi Kingdom. Although they were of higher seniority, they were far inferior to Shi Ziling and his wife in terms of strength and knowledge.

Upon hearing this, Shi Ziling's expression also turned serious, and he said:
“Uncle Feng, fellow uncles, I have also sensed the passing ancient remnants. Their strength is at the Spirit Transformation Realm and the Inscription Realm, which I can handle. There is no need to worry too much for now.”

However, the commotion deep within the Great Wilderness is quite significant, likely involving ancient species at the level of array kings or even venerables vying for power.

"For the upcoming hunting trips, it's best to have the younger generation accompany you, in case you encounter any overly powerful ancient remnants!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Yunfeng's expression also turned serious, and he looked at Shi Ziling and said:
"Then I'll have to trouble Ziling!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Ziling quickly waved his hand and said:

"Not at all, not at all. If it weren't for the village taking us in and helping us, Hao'er would have had a hard time recovering. Besides, we've really enjoyed life in the village during this time. This is our second home, so helping the village hunt is just what we should do!"

Finally, dozens of young and middle-aged men gathered at the village entrance and, led by clan chief Shi Yunfeng, went to the lightning-struck tree next to them to earnestly pray to the old willow tree.

"Spiritual deity, please bless our people, so that our children may hunt delicious prey and return safely. We will worship and make offerings to you with devout hearts for generations to come."

Under the prayers of the chieftain and some elders, all the able-bodied men and women solemnly performed the worship. Many women and children also came over, silently praying that their relatives who had gone hunting would return safely.

Shi Ziling and Qin Yining also solemnly offered sacrifices. They could sense that the Willow God was extraordinary and was definitely not an ordinary sacrificial spirit!

The mountains are too dangerous. Once you leave the village protected by the willow tree, the outside world will be a completely different place, full of terrifying birds of prey and giant beasts.

And so, the strongest group of men in the village, led by Shi Ziling, Shi Linhu and others, set off with their giant bows and broadswords, venturing into the mountains and marshes, where a vast, desolate atmosphere immediately greeted them.

After watching the hunting party depart, the old clan chief, Shi Yunfeng, led a group of children to the grassy area at the edge of the village, sat down cross-legged, and said:

"Alright, you bunch of mischievous monkeys should start studying now."

The group of children immediately looked gloomy and listless, sitting around the perimeter unwillingly, like wilted leaves.

"Grandpa Chieftain, those bird-script and tortoise-script characters are as complicated as ghost symbols, they're really hard to learn, what's the point of trying to memorize them?" "That's right, they're not as useful as the archery my father taught me!"

All the children had sour faces and were very resistant.

"You bunch of kids are so ignorant! Bone inscriptions are symbols naturally manifested on the bones of powerful ancient races, containing mysterious and unpredictable power. Countless people want to learn them but have no way of doing so. Once you master them, you will be many times stronger than your fathers." The old patriarch scolded them with exasperation.

"Grandpa Chief, please demonstrate the power of the bone script for us," said one of the older children.

"Little one, come here," the clan chief called out to the distance.

After chasing the five-colored sparrow, the little one was diligently pulling on the tail of a big yellow dog. Hearing this, he turned his head in confusion, let go of the dog's tail, and came running over with a trot, blinking his bright eyes, and said, "Eeya eeya, what's the matter, Grandpa Chief?"

“Use the bone script I taught you,” Shi Yunfeng said.

"Okay." The little one was very obedient, stretched out his two little hands, closed his mouth, and strained with all his might until his little face turned red.

With a "buzz," a bright light appeared in his palm, revealing a strange character that seemed to be cast from metal, possessing a metallic luster and texture. Soon, another hand appeared as well.

The little boy took two steps forward and picked up a blue stone that was taller than himself.

"Amazing!" a group of children exclaimed. How could a little guy who was only a year old lift such a big rock?

"Little one, you've used all your strength, haven't you?" the older child teased him.

"Eek, yes, I've used up all my strength." The little one threw down the bluestone, plopped down on the ground, and laughed carefree and innocently, while the runes on his palm quickly dimmed and disappeared.

"Grandpa Chief, is this the mysterious bone script power you've been researching for over a decade?" A group of children's eyes lit up, a stark contrast to their lack of interest not long ago.

"Don't get excited. These can only guide you on your journey. They are far inferior to the Heavenly Bone Script that appeared in ancient legends." The old man nodded, then shook his head.

"Grandpa Chief, please tell us about the outside world!" A group of children asked hopefully.

Everyone in Stone Village knows that when the old patriarch was young, he and a dozen or so powerful members of the clan had traveled to the far reaches of the earth and ventured out into the world.

However, more than a decade ago, only two people returned covered in blood. One of them lost consciousness soon after and lay in the room like a living dead. The other was the old village chief, Shi Yunfeng.

Over the years, he has been studying the mysterious bone script, and occasionally uses the strongest people in the village as test subjects. These children know that their fathers, who are as strong as tigers and dragons, would let out heart-wrenching howls in that stone courtyard every time they were summoned, which made these children develop a sense of resistance and awe at an early age.

It wasn't until the old clan chief's research slowed down in recent years that the villagers stopped being so afraid. Moreover, after the little boy and his family of three arrived a year or two ago, they seemed to have a complete inheritance of runes, which made it easier for these mischievous monkeys to learn the bone script.

"The outside world..."

The old man's face lit up with reminiscence, and after a moment of contemplation and wistfulness, he said:
"The world is too big and vast. It can be millions of miles from one region to another. No one knows how vast it really is. A person can walk for a lifetime and still not leave one region. The wilderness is boundless and endless."

It is very difficult for humans to communicate with each other in different regions because it is too dangerous. There are many powerful and mysterious species on the earth. Even a tribe of hundreds of thousands of people or a magnificent city can be destroyed overnight by a few ancient species.

Of course, there are also humans who are unimaginably powerful, possessing unparalleled combat strength comparable to other species, and unmatched divine might; they can be called the pride of the human race.

A group of children, filled with awe and longing, were curious about the unknown world. Someone asked:

"Are there any earthly treasures and immortal medicines among the mountains and rivers that can transform a person overnight? How powerful are the most outstanding geniuses of the human race?"

The old man paused slightly, recalling the special little statue he had encountered with Yun Tao. It was because they had obtained that item that they were hunted down by the powerful members of the large tribe.

Finally, Yun Tao somehow borrowed the power of the statue and wiped out all the enemies. However, at that time, only the two of them remained of the clansmen who had gone out.

Moreover, after using the statue, Yun Tao seemed to have exhausted his life essence. It was because of this that after struggling back to the village, Yun Tao fell into a deep sleep and never woke up.

If it weren't for the fact that he had been emitting an aura that could help people heal and recover, and even improve their aptitude, since he fell into a deep sleep, he would have doubted whether Yun Tao was beyond saving.

Then he said with a smile:

"If you want to know, make yourself stronger first."

"If we master the mysterious power of the bone script, will we be able to travel to all corners of the world?"

Some children looked on with anticipation.

Shi Yunfeng patted a child's head and said:
"Let alone other regions, even in our own region, if there were an extraordinary person who could traverse half of the territory, that would be remarkable!"

All the children were in a daze.

"All I can do is guide you on the path. How far you go from here is up to you. What I teach you should be no worse than what other children your age learn."

As the old man finished speaking, a strange light appeared in his eyes, and he touched a peculiar jade bone in his bosom.

A group of children sat around the old patriarch, finally settling down and listening attentively to his teachings, not dispersing until noon.

"It's too difficult. The clan chief actually said that it would take several years for only a few individuals to be able to incorporate a small amount of bone culture into their bodies, while most people may never succeed."

“But the little guy is only as big as a bean, and he actually did it.”

The little one blinked its big, innocent eyes, then went to tug at the big yellow dog's tail, and the big yellow dog barked even more innocently.

As the sun sets in the west, the entire stone village is bathed in a pale golden glow. In the distance, monkeys howl and tigers roar, while the large stone houses here appear as sacred and peaceful as ancient temples.

Dozens of people appeared on the horizon, their long shadows stretched across the ground by the setting sun, their silhouettes edged with gold by the evening glow, making them appear incredibly tall and powerful. Almost every one of them was dragging a huge beast, returning laden with their spoils.

"They're back!" A group of women and children who had been waiting at the village entrance for a long time cheered. Their unease and fear vanished instantly, and they shouted loudly.

"Father and the others are back safe and sound!"

"Oh my god, there are so many prey, what a rare harvest!"

The hunt was a great success, with dozens of adult men all making their own catches, including a massive dragon-horned elephant, a one-legged kui beast resembling an ox, and a flying python as thick as a water bucket with wings...

The village elders were astonished. These creatures were usually difficult to deal with, some even considered ferocious beasts, yet so many had been hunted down today, leaving behind a trail of blood—it was truly unexpected. (End of Chapter)