In a perfect world, you start by relying on your own strength.

Shi Geng stood there, watching the green branch swaying gently in the wind, and a huge weight was lifted from his heart.

The powerful figures from Luofu Great Swamp were at a loss, frozen in place, unsure whether to advance or retreat. In the end, it was Jiao Cang, the leader of this operation, who slowly stepped forward.

A surge of resentment welled up within him, yet he was also enveloped by a deep-seated fear. Standing at the village entrance, he forced himself to remain calm and began, "Powerful spirit, please forgive my ignorance and offense..."

But before he could even finish his sentence, the green willow branch moved again.

A gentle breeze stirs the willow branches, causing them to sway lightly and a wisp of mist to fall.

Without a deafening roar or dazzling runes, there was only a soft "poof" sound as the willow branch, like a divine needle, pierced through the air and pinned Jiao Cang's right arm to mid-air.

In an instant, excruciating pain swept over his entire body. Jiao Cang's body trembled violently, a scream caught in his throat, and his face turned ashen white.

His protective runes and powerful physique, which he was so proud of, were no different from paper in front of this seemingly delicate willow branch.

Jiao Cang struggled with all his might, but it was as if he was nailed to the laws of heaven and earth, unable to move.

The divine light within his body was extracted at an alarming speed. His right arm, pierced by the willow branch, withered, dried up, and cracked at a visible rate, with the skin and flesh cracking inch by inch, and his life force vanishing in an instant.

"puff--"

With a soft crack, the entire arm snapped off completely, falling heavily to the ground, lifeless.

The entire room fell silent.

The people in Luofu Great Swamp stood frozen, not daring to even breathe, their faces as pale as paper, their pupils filled with only extreme terror and despair.

The powerful figures from the Golden Wolf Tribe, the Thunder Clan, the Purple Mountain Family, and others felt a chill run down their spines, their fear reaching its peak.

Just moments ago, they were secretly discussing how to divide up Stone Village, seize the Suanni treasure bone, and even plotting how to capture Shi Geng alive.

But the scene before us, with willow branches swaying gently and a severed arm falling to the ground, revealed the majesty of the sacrificial spirit.

The chilling bloodshed and despair sent shivers down everyone's spines, chilled them to the bone, and sent shivers down their spines.

At this moment, they had no greed left in their hearts, only one thought remained—to escape.

Leave this horrible village immediately.

A boy who is only four years old has such combat power, and behind him lies such a terrifying sacrificial spirit.

This place is no longer a fat sheep they can covet, but a deadly place where one touch means certain death.

But before they could make a move, the emerald green willow branch swayed again.

Without warning or mercy, it pierced through the arms of several powerful individuals in an instant.

These people were just now clamoring to massacre Stone Village, or making threats and coveting the Suanni treasure bone.

At this moment, with a gentle inhale from the willow branch, the life essence in their bodies was frantically drained away like a river overflowing its banks, and their pierced arms withered away at a visible speed.

"escape!"

It is unknown who was the first to lose their composure and let out a roar.

In an instant, the powerful figures from the Golden Wolf Tribe, the Thunder Clan, the Purple Mountain Family, and the Luofu Great Swamp were terrified, losing all will to fight and wishing they had been born with two more legs.

The crowd scattered and fled in disarray, their previous arrogance and greed now replaced by a pathetic and desperate escape.

The Willow God stood at the village entrance, its charred branches motionless, only a section of tender green branch trembling slightly in mid-air.

As the members of the powerful clans departed, Stone Village returned to silence. The clamor in the air dissipated, leaving only a heavy sense of solemnity.

The villagers' expressions gradually became solemn, and one by one, their smiles faded. They brought out the offerings they had prepared, and the entire village, young and old, stood together before the willow tree to respectfully perform the sacrifice.

Everyone closed their eyes in prayer, their expressions devout, and they murmured incantations.

The sound was faint yet unified, seemingly resonating with heaven and earth. A strange, indescribable power slowly emanated from beneath the willow tree, ancient and sacred.

"Thank you for the protection of the Willow Goddess!"

Shi Yunfeng led the entire village, young and old, in bowing respectfully, still feeling lingering fear.

In the critical situation just now, he was prepared to use all the resources of Shi Village to protect Shi Geng and the children of the village from leaving.

If it weren't for Liu Shen's intervention at the most crucial moment, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Shi Geng stood at the very front, his heart pounding with excitement.

Just now, powerful figures from the Luofu Great Swamp and other major clans arrived together, aggressively trying to seize the Suanni Treasure Bone and the True Blood of the Ancient Remnant from their Stone Village. If it weren't for Liu Shen's gentle touch that dispelled all the killing intent, even if he could fight today, he would have surely plunged Stone Village into an abyss of no return.

He looked up at the Willow God, his heart filled with utmost respect: "Thank you, Willow God, for protecting Stone Village."

However, Liu Shen did not respond.

The only branch still droops, withered and desolate like an ancient dead tree, devoid of sorrow, joy, surprise, or anger.

It simply stood there quietly, seemingly existing alongside heaven and earth, yet also seemingly having transcended this vast wilderness, without even a trace of divine thought escaping its grasp.

A sense of disappointment swept through Shi Geng's heart.

He had thought that his recent display of talent had earned him Liu Shen's special attention, but to this moment, Liu Shen remained silent and did not respond in the slightest.

But he quickly came to terms with it.

This was once an ancestral spirit, and countless geniuses throughout countless eras have witnessed his rise to prominence, with astonishing talents appearing in droves.

My current meager achievements are probably not even worth a speck of dust in the eyes of that being.

Mountains crumble, people leave; the most reliable person in this world is always yourself.

Upon realizing this, the slight disappointment in my heart vanished instantly, replaced by a burning fighting spirit and arrogance.

Since I can't latch onto the supreme Liu Shen, then I'll be my own thigh!

The tranquility of Shicun is only temporary.

The greed of the outside world will not be extinguished; even stronger storms will come sooner or later.

The ceremony lasted for a long time, until midnight, when the crowd gradually dispersed.

Just as Shi Geng lay down, preparing to close his eyes and rest, his mind suddenly sharpened, as if he had sensed something unusual, and his consciousness instantly fled into the True Spirit Space.

The world remained a hazy, chaotic gray. The Heavenly Dao Stone and the Dragon-Snake Stone stood silently in their respective places, but now, an unfamiliar figure appeared in the space.

He was a ragged boy, thin as a rake, pale and emaciated. At a glance, it was clear that he had suffered from malnutrition and hardship for many years.

"A new person has joined?"

Perfect Stone's heart stirred slightly, and his gaze swept over the other person. It seemed that he was doing quite poorly.

At this moment, the newcomer Shi Geng had already completed the memory sharing with the Heavenly Dao Shi Geng.

First, his eyes suddenly went vacant, and his expression was blank for a moment. The next moment, the grievances, frustrations, despair, and resentment that had been building up for more than a decade exploded like a flood breaking through a dam.

He couldn't hold back any longer, squatted on the ground, and cried his heart out, tears streaming down his face.

It wasn't childish crying, but rather the cathartic release of someone who had been worn down by life for over a decade, struggling to even catch their breath, as they suddenly saw hope, strength, and the chance to finally turn their life around.

Years of hunger and cold, cold stares and humiliation, nowhere to turn for help, struggling to survive... all the unspeakable repression turned into a torrent of tears at this moment.