"Of course, I have seen it," Little Dot murmured in agreement.
"Autumn winds cut yellow leaves, wildfires burn dead grass, cold winds howl, and spring comes to sprout new branches," the willow tree transmitted.
The withering and flourishing of plants is a natural cycle, but at this moment, it greatly moved Little Dot, who understood the meaning behind the willow tree’s words.
"Willow Spirit, are you saying that the Supreme Bone inside me might have a chance of regenerating?" Little Dot's bright eyes were filled with tears, radiating youthful vigor.
"Nothing is absolute. I am merely suggesting a possibility," the willow tree did not deny.
Little Dot immediately clenched his small fists, his eyes sparkling with a bright light, filled with longing and anticipation.
Although he was cheerful and did not believe that a single Supreme Bone could dictate his life, the thought that it was something inherent to him, something that could rival the true hound or the Golden-Winged Great Peng, which had been cruelly taken from him and gruesomely implanted inside him, still left him feeling disheartened.
Now, it felt as if a ray of dawn had entered his heart, brightening it considerably and invigorating his fighting spirit.
"Willow Spirit, can you be more specific and guide me further?" Little Dot's large eyes were lively and clear, appearing both innocent and radiant.
"Actually, there is not much to say. The simplest and most profound truths are contained in ordinary things. An ancient tree might die if it breaks because its vitality is exhausted. Like chives, when first planted, they are yellow and weak, but after repeated harvests, they become greener and stronger. Similarly, silkworms that are confined in their cocoons will die if they do not break free. But if they do, they will transform into butterflies, vibrant and beautiful. This is a kind of rebirth, transcending the past."
The Willow Spirit spoke calmly and without agitation, describing common occurrences.
Little Dot's eyes grew even brighter as he looked at the blackened tree trunk and the remaining tender green branch, saying, "Just like the Willow Spirit, regaining vitality in destruction, growing stronger in the future—this is a form of tempering, a unique form of cultivation. After rebirth, it will surely surpass the past."
"Your insight is very good, but you should not make random assumptions about my situation," the Willow Spirit transmitted, with a rare hint of emotion and a faint smile.
"Willow Spirit, did you save me?" Little Dot seemed to recall something. At that time, he was so weak, his body severely deteriorated, and he almost died.
The mountain wind blew, and the green branch swayed. The Willow Spirit transmitted, "If I had given you vitality, you would have only survived and lived an ordinary life. At first, I merely observed silently."
"I survived on my own?" Little Dot asked in surprise.
"Yes. When you were on the brink of exhaustion, vitality reappeared, gradually growing stronger, and you ultimately pulled through on your own, without me intervening," the Willow Spirit stated truthfully.
"The withering and flourishing of plants, so I managed to persevere on my own," Little Dot realized, his gemstone-like eyes shining even brighter.
The Willow Tree, having witnessed Little Dot’s emergence of vitality from exhaustion, was also somewhat touched, finding a certain sympathy in their similar circumstances.
"I must remind you that nothing is absolute. Although you survived on your own and generated vibrant vitality, whether or not you can regenerate the Supreme Bone remains uncertain."
"I understand," Little Dot nodded seriously, not blindly optimistic, as he still had not felt the Supreme Bone within him.
The Willow Spirit continued, "But if regeneration does occur, it will undoubtedly be groundbreaking. It will be a rebirth on the original foundation, and the symbols will become even more complex, containing secrets of the heavens, surpassing the past and being completely different."
As the chaotic mist cleared, tranquility returned to the village head, and a golden light streaked in. A golden, fist-sized, fuzzy ball landed on Little Dot's shoulder, chattering incessantly.
The village chief and a large group of people gathered around. Seeing the tears on Little Dot’s face, Aunt Hu and others comforted him, helping him wipe them away, showing him great affection.
"Little Dot, this place is your home. Regardless of whether you know your background, we are all your family," a group of middle-aged women said.
A group of older men stretched out their rough hands, ruffling his head, and smiled widely, saying, "It’s no big deal. Our Stone Village has even given birth to deities. In the future, you will surely become a powerful figure capable of fighting against the ancient ferocious beasts like the Golden-Winged Great Peng. Remember, they are beings that can slay gods."
"Little Dot, don’t cry. We are here for you. We grew up together, and we will face anything together in the future," a group of children also shouted.
"Yes," Little Dot wiped his tears away and nodded firmly. The kindness of his people made him happy as he grew up, his childhood free from hatred.
Of course, he would have to visit that ancient country eventually, to seek an explanation.
"Grandpa, I want to become stronger." Little Dot had never desired power as much as he did today. However, his training in Stone Village had reached its limits, and there was nothing more to learn.
The ancient country, commanding millions of miles of mountains and rivers, was vast and densely populated, with countless talents emerging, and every generation had its exceptional figures.
His "big brother" was a dazzling sun among them, his brilliance destined to illuminate the entire land. With his unique eyes and his Supreme Bone, if he grew up, he would be almost god-like.
Stone Yi, now nearly ten years old, was already famous in the imperial capital.
Facing such a highly anticipated "big brother" who was destined to challenge the heavens and rival ancient beasts like the True Hound, Little Dot felt considerable pressure.
"Becoming stronger would be a pity for our clan's heritage. This is our ancestral land, and it should have passed down the most terrifying bones and techniques, but they have all vanished with time," the village chief sighed in deep regret.
But soon after, his heart pounded violently as he touched the bone in his arms, unable to calm down.
When the crowd had dispersed, leaving only Shi Yunfeng, Little Dot, and the golden Zhu Yan, the village chief solemnly pulled Little Dot under the willow tree, saying, "Child, I have no more teachings to offer you. You are a true prodigy. But I have a bone here. The complexity of its symbols is such that one glance can make a person vomit blood. I have been reluctant to show it to you for fear of harming you, but now there is nothing else to teach you, only this. If you choose to look at it, you must be cautious."
The old village chief carefully took out a bone from his chest, white and lustrous like a palm-sized piece of jade, exquisite and translucent.
Though small, it was covered with numerous symbols, intricately carved, seemingly resonating with the chants of celestial beings, causing a tumult in one's blood.
The sight was astonishing. Despite being just a bone, its revelation was shockingly impressive.
"Don’t stare at it for too long. Look away after a glance, or you might hurt yourself," the old village chief sternly advised.
"Yes, Grandpa, I understand," Little Dot said as he took it into his hands, gently rubbing it. It felt incredibly smooth and cool, very comfortable to hold.
Needless to say, this bone had an extraordinary origin. It was clear from the start that it was not an ordinary object but seemed to record the supreme truths of the path of bones.
"Chirp, chirp." The fist-sized golden Zhu Yan jumped up and down restlessly, its bright eyes wide with anxiety. It emitted sharp cries, seemingly eager to snatch the bone away, clearly unsettled and agitated upon seeing it.
"Grandpa, how did you obtain this? It seems like this treasure bone is quite extraordinary," Little Dot asked.
"Indeed," the village chief said, his voice trembling as he held up the bone, looking up at the thick and charred willow tree, feeling a stirring in his heart.
"It's related to the Willow Spirit?" Little Shi Hao was surprised.
The village chief nodded. On that stormy night decades ago, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring, heavy rain pouring down, and fierce winds howling, many mountains were struck down by lightning, and floods surged like seas. The beast tides rampaged, creating a terrifying scene that made people shiver.
The willow tree, bathed in a sea of lightning, was surrounded by immense bolts as thick as mountains. Thousands of willow branches transformed into fiery divine chains, piercing through the entire sky. Eventually, it broke, turning entirely black, and fell from the sky. Along with it came a glowing orb, wrapping around the white bone, which also fell to Stone Village.
"Wow, so it fell from the sky along with the Willow Spirit," Little Dot was astonished.
"Yes," the village chief nodded vigorously. He had been young at the time and witnessed the entire event, the shock he felt was unimaginable.
Over the years, Shi Yunfeng had repeatedly performed rituals and bowed to the willow tree with the bone, but he never received any response from the willow tree, nor had there been any divine communication.
To the village chief, it seemed that perhaps the Willow Spirit was only interested in Little Dot, as the few times it had spoken in Stone Village were mostly related to him.
"Willow Spirit, what exactly is this?" Little Dot asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
The willow tree remained silent, its massive and scorched trunk like a black monolith, giving no response.
"Chirp, chirp." The fist-sized golden ball of fur grew increasingly eager, as if trying hard to recall something. Its lively eyes darted around, and it lunged towards the white bone, attempting to hold it in its embrace.
After an unknown amount of time, the willow tree finally spoke again, with just four words: "Primordial True Solution."
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