Stone Village, Center
Apologizing was useless, and calling out "Senior" came too late. Shi Yi's audacity had crossed a line—daring to relieve himself on the willow's very trunk. If he's bold enough to do this today, who's to say he won't try to ride on her in the future?
The massive, weathered willow tree, its lone branch glowing with faint green radiance, showed no mercy. Its shimmering tendrils held Shi Yi tightly, binding him like a human dumpling suspended in midair.
Soon, a group of children emerged in the open area before the great willow, ranging from four or five to over ten years old, totaling twenty or thirty in number. Facing the morning glow, they trained diligently, their voices ringing with effort.
"Hmph! Ha!"
"Hmph! Ha!"
"Hmph! Ha!"
Boys and girls alike, their young faces flushed red with exertion, trained with earnest focus. There was no slacking or cutting corners. In the Cangmang Mountain Range, teeming with primordial beasts, every moment of effort was vital for survival. Laziness was not an option.
At the head of the group stood a middle-aged man, his physique as robust as a tiger or leopard. Clad in beast hide, his bronze skin gleamed, and his black hair hung loose. His piercing eyes scanned each child, offering careful guidance.
"The sun rises, and all things begin. The breath of life is at its peak. We may not be like the legendary Taotie, feasting on the morning mist, but training in this dawn light brings great benefits. It fills us with vitality, strengthens our bodies, and prepares us for survival."
"The morning sets the tone for the day. Rise early, work hard, strengthen your muscles, temper your bones, and invigorate your blood. Only then will you have a chance to survive in the Cangmang Mountains. Step outside Stone Village without strength, and a beast will snatch you away."
He paused, then bellowed, "Do you understand?"
"Understood!" the children roared back, their voices brimming with vigor.
As they spoke, the wilderness beyond Stone Village stirred. Primordial beasts prowled, and occasionally, massive wings eclipsed the sky, casting grotesque shadows over the village.
As the man had warned, without sufficient strength, surviving even a single day in this land of primordial beasts and ancient remnant species was impossible. A moment's weakness could mean being carried off by a beast. Ancient remnant species, however, wouldn't bother with ordinary humans—they'd simply crush them underfoot, like ants, as they passed.
___
Meanwhile, Suspended in Midair
A hundred meters away, Shi Yi, immobilized and hanging, felt his mind go numb upon hearing the name "Stone Village."
A fantasy version of a survival reality show? he thought, incredulous. All because I can't handle hardship and prefer a life of luxury? Those old fogies secretly dumped me in this desolate, bitter place? Why does my little brother get to stay in the Martial King Manor, living it up, while I, the older brother, am stuck here to be tempered? Did I owe him in a past life?
As Shi Yi wallowed in his thoughts, his gaze fell on the willow tree, and his heart sank. A chilling realization hit him.
Willow tree? Liu Shen? Willow Mom? I'm done for! I've become the younger brother! I've become Shi Hao's stand-in!
His mind raced, a stampede of imaginary curses thundering through it. At just six years old, his small face paled. What is this nonsense? Which blind idiot sent me to Stone Village? And it seems I've already offended Liu Shen!
In that moment, Shi Yi felt utterly wronged. A blink of an eye, a change of scenery, and all because of an urgent need to relieve himself, he was now strung up and whipped.
But the worst was yet to come.
As Shi Yi's sense of despair deepened, the children of Stone Village delivered a public execution of his dignity.
"Look! The sacrificial spirit—no, Liu Shen—she's tied someone up and hung him in the air!"
"No way, really?"
"Isn't that the boy who was abandoned here a few days ago? He's been meditating in that bronze cauldron all this time. Has he finally woken up?"
"So impressive! Meditating for days without a single bowl of rice or water, and his spirit hasn't weakened at all. As expected of someone from the outside!"
"Do you think he offended Liu Shen?"
"Probably. Otherwise, why would Liu Shen tie him up for no reason? Look at his backside—his pants are torn. He definitely got whipped by her branches."
The children's innocent chatter, unaware of its impact, inflicted devastating mental damage on Shi Yi. Only one thought remained in his mind:
Just end it all, hurry up, I'm tired!
As the middle-aged man instructed the children to keep watch and left to inform the clan leader, Shi Yi closed his eyes. This public humiliation had branded him with shame. For the rest of his life, he'd never escape the story of being strung up and beaten by a willow tree.
He could already imagine returning to the Martial King Manor, where his parents, aunts, uncles, and even that little pest Shi Hao would relentlessly probe for details.
"Yi'er, your mother will tell your father right away. We'll rally the Stone Clan, Rain Clan, and Demon Spirit Lake to flatten that willow that dared bully you!"
"Yi'er, you're a Heavy Pupil bearer, a reincarnated sage of antiquity. This humiliation will one day be avenged!"
"Yi Gege, you're already so amazing, how could you still get tied up and beaten by a willow tree? Is that tree really that powerful?"
___
Stone Village, East End, Clan Leader's Home
The modest house was sparse, furnished only with a stone bed covered in beast hide and simple stone pots, bowls, and utensils—true to the village's rugged namesake.
"Clan Leader, it's been some time since we last went hunting in the mountains," said a burly man, the leader of Stone Village's hunting team and the next in line to be clan leader.
Named Shi Linhu, he stood over two meters tall, his broad back bearing a massive sword weighing over three hundred jin. His bronze muscles rippled like coiled pythons, giving him the appearance of a human bear.
"It's been restless lately," replied the old clan leader, Shi Yunfeng, his brow furrowed. Though over sixty, his tall, sturdy frame retained a commanding presence, like a dashing grandfather from a modern world. "Not just at night—even during the day, primordial beasts and ancient remnant species have been roaming near the village."
"But our food stores are running low," Shi Linhu said, voicing his concern. "We adults can go hungry, but the children can't."
"True, the kids need to grow. They can't starve. We need a plan," Shi Yunfeng nodded in agreement.
"Clan Leader, though the nights have been chaotic, the daytime risks are manageable. I'll take some men out, stay cautious, and we should be fine," Shi Linhu offered.
"Be careful. And that boy left at our gate—he was abandoned by someone, but after meditating so long, he'll need plenty of blood-rich food to replenish his strength."
Before Shi Yunfeng could finish, the middle-aged man burst in, his tone urgent. "Clan Leader, the boy's awake! But for some reason, Liu Shen has him tied up and hanging in the air."
"The little one's awake?" Shi Linhu asked, surprised.
"He is, but he seems… unable to accept reality, like he can't believe he was abandoned," the man confirmed.
"Abandoned? Unlikely," Shi Linhu said, his towering frame belying his keen mind. "The boy's refined features, luxurious clothes, and the lingering blood qi from his baptism suggest he's from a noble house. And he was left with a vial of ancient remnant species true blood. Someone likely entrusted him to us for a time."
"I spoke with Liu Shen yesterday," Shi Yunfeng added, affirming Shi Linhu's guess. "Two terrifyingly powerful elders left him at our gate. It seems Stone Village has become a training ground for the heirs of great powers. That true blood is our payment. And according to Liu Shen, those two elders haven't truly left—they're guarding the village from the shadows."