Bone Script

Over the years, he had been immersed in the study of the mysterious bone script, often conducting experiments on the robust individuals within the village. The children were well aware that whenever their strong and fierce fathers were summoned, chilling howls would emanate from the stone courtyard, giving rise to feelings of resistance and awe within these young hearts.

It wasn't until recent years that the old chieftain's research began to ease, no longer instilling fear into the hearts of the villagers. Moreover, the little one who had been nurtured on the milk of various animals and the meals of countless families had been adopted by him, becoming the prime candidate for study.

"The outside world..." The old man's eyes took on a reminiscing shade. He drifted into a reverie and sighed before continuing, "The world is vast and boundless. Moving from one realm to another can easily span hundreds of thousands of miles. Nobody truly knows just how expansive it is. One could spend their entire lifetime on foot and still not traverse a single realm. The vast wilderness stretches endlessly. Communication between different human territories is difficult due to the immense danger. There are countless fierce and enigmatic creatures on the earth. Even tribes with tens of thousands or grand cities may be annihilated by several ancient species overnight. And of course, there are humans who possess unimaginable power, rivaling other species, and they are the ultimate pride of humanity."

The children felt a mix of reverence and longing, curious about the unknown world. One of them asked, "Within the landscapes of the earth, are there treasures and elixirs that can transform a person overnight? Just how formidable are the greatest prodigies among our people?"

The old man chuckled and said, "If you wish to know, you must first make yourselves strong."

"If we were to master the mysterious power of the bone script, could we then venture into different domains and realms?" Some of the children displayed expressions of aspiration.

Shi Yunfeng affectionately patted a child's head and said, "Don't even think about different domains. Just in our own realm, if someone could traverse half the territory, that would already be remarkable!"

All the children were left in a daze.

"I can only guide you onto the path. What steps you take in the future will depend on yourselves. What I teach you shouldn't be any worse than what children of your age learn in the outside world." The old man concluded with a gleam in his eye, his hand lightly touching a peculiar jade bone in his possession.

A group of children gathered around the old chieftain, finally focusing their attention and listening earnestly to his teachings, which continued until noon before dispersing.

"It's too difficult. The chieftain actually said that it might take several years for a few people to assimilate even a small portion of the bone script, and many may never succeed."

"But Little One is so young, and he actually managed to do it."

Little One blinked his innocent, large eyes and then went to pull the tail of the big yellow dog. The dog responded with a helpless bark.

As the sun set in the west, casting a warm hue across the stone village, the distant echoes of apes and roars of tigers reverberated. Yet, within this expanse of stone houses, an air of holiness and tranquility prevailed, reminiscent of an ancient temple.

On the horizon, a group of dozens emerged, their elongated shadows trailing behind them in the sun's embrace, while their figures were outlined with a golden hue from the evening glow. They were immensely tall and robust, nearly each one dragging along a massive beast, laden with their triumphant return.

"They've returned!" The women and children who had been waiting at the village entrance erupted in cheers. Their prior unease and apprehension vanished in an instant, replaced by joyful shouts.

"Father and the others have returned safely!"

"My goodness, there are so many prey animals. This is an unprecedented harvest!"

The hunting expedition had been exceptionally successful. Dozens of men returned with valuable spoils: the enormous dragon-horned elephants, the ox-like single-horned qilins, and the winged serpents as thick as a water bucket...

The village elders wore expressions of astonishment. These creatures were usually incredibly difficult to deal with, some even considered ferocious beasts. Yet today, so many had been hunted down, leaving behind a trail of blood - a truly unexpected turn of events.

For example, the dragon-horned elephant had iron-like skin, impervious even to iron spears; its pair of dragon horns were as sharp as diamond, capable of easily pulverizing boulders. The qilin produced roars that could shake the heavens; if approached too closely, it could shake a person to death. As for the winged serpent with colossal wings, it was a terror of the mountains, able to swoop down from a peak at any moment, striking fear into all.

Among the prey were even more formidable creatures, like the crimson dual-headed fire rhinos and the impure-blooded pixius... all of them were truly ferocious beasts. It was inconceivable that these creatures, which one would usually avoid from a distance, had been hunted down en masse today - a stark departure from the norm.

"This is truly a stroke of luck. We return laden with success, yet not a single person was injured," the leader of the hunting party, Shi Lintiger, laughed heartily, explaining to the chieftain and the villagers. Over the past few days and nights, the mountains had been frequented by super-sized behemoths, causing tremors that crushed and wounded many of the native beasts. During the day, the hunting party had trailed them, managing to kill quite a few severely injured ferocious creatures that were typically avoided by villagers.

"There are some footprints in the mountains that resemble human footprints, but they're truly enormous, spanning nearly a hundred meters!"

"So massive?!" The villagers exclaimed in shock. This was indeed an astonishing piece of news.

Even the village elders couldn't help but take a sharp intake of breath upon hearing this news. It seemed the deep recesses of the mountains were undergoing extraordinary events, attracting ancient species from the vast wilderness.

Regardless, it was a bountiful harvest. The villagers were filled with joy, and the stone village echoed with the laughter of children, enveloping the atmosphere in delight.

Chieftain Shi Yunfeng led the group towards the willow tree, carrying dozens of beast corpses with them. They reached the large stone platform nearby, where all the bloodstained creatures were laid out. It was evidently a massive altar.