Chapter 2: Bone Script

Under the prayers of the clan leader and the elders, all the young and strong villagers solemnly participated in the rites. Many women and children also gathered to silently pray, hoping that their loved ones who went hunting would return safely.

The mountains were perilous; beyond the protection of the willow-wooded village lay a completely different world, filled with terrifying raptors and giant beasts.

Thus, the strongest hunters of the village, carrying great bows and broad swords, set off into the mountains and valleys, immediately confronted by a wild and desolate aura.

As the hunting party departed, the old clan leader, Shi Yunfeng, led a group of children to the grassy area at the edge of the village, sat down, and said, "Alright, you little monkeys, it's time for you to study hard."

The children immediately showed looks of distress, each one sullen and unwilling as they gathered around, drooping like wilted leaves.

"Grandpa Clan Leader, those bird and turtle characters are as complex as ghostly runes. It’s really hard to learn; why should we memorize them?"

"Yeah, it's not as useful as the archery skills Dad taught me."

The children all had faces like sour plums, clearly resistant.

"You little ones really don't understand," the old clan leader said with frustration. "The bone scripts are symbols of the powerful ancient species, manifesting naturally on bones, containing mysterious and unfathomable powers. Many people have no way to learn them. Once mastered, they can surpass the strength of your fathers by many times." He scolded them, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Grandpa Clan Leader, could you show us the power of the bone script you’ve been studying for years?" asked one of the slightly older children.

"Little Dot, come here," the clan leader called out to a child from afar.

Little Dot, who had just finished playing with a five-colored sparrow and was vigorously pulling on a yellow dog's tail, turned around in confusion when he heard the call, let go of the tail, and ran over, blinking his bright eyes. "Yiya, Yiya, what’s the matter, Grandpa Clan Leader?"

"Show us the bone script I taught you," Shi Yunfeng instructed.

"Okay," Little Dot replied obediently, extending his small hands, closing his mouth, and exerting all his strength, his little face turning red from the effort.

With a "buzz," a glowing script appeared on his palm, taking on a strange shape, like it was forged from metal, with a metallic luster and texture. Soon, the same script appeared on his other hand.

Little Dot took a few steps forward and lifted a blue stone that was taller than him.

"Wow, amazing!" the children exclaimed in astonishment. How could such a tiny kid lift a stone of that size?

"Little Dot, did you use all your strength?" the children teased.

"Yiya, yes, I used up all my strength." Little Dot dropped the blue stone, sat down with a carefree smile, his face pure and innocent, while the script on his palm quickly faded and vanished.

"Grandpa Clan Leader, is this the mysterious bone power you've been studying for over a decade?" The children's eyes lit up, completely different from their earlier disinterest.

"Don't be too excited. This only serves to set you on the right path. It’s still far from the ancient legendary bone scripts," the old man said, nodding and then shaking his head.

"Grandpa Clan Leader, tell us about the outside world," the children pleaded with hopeful expressions.

Everyone in the village knew that the old clan leader had traveled to the ends of the earth with several strong villagers when he was young.

However, more than a decade ago, only two people returned, covered in blood, and one of them died shortly after. Only Shi Yunfeng survived.

Over the years, he had been researching the mysterious bone scripts, often using the strongest villagers for experiments. The children knew well that their strong and formidable fathers would often make chilling howls in the stone courtyard when called for such experiments, instilling early resistance and awe in them.

Only recently did the old clan leader’s research slow down, which reduced the villagers' fear. Moreover, Little Dot, who had been raised on the milk of a hundred beasts and the food of a hundred families, was adopted by him and became the best candidate for his research.

"Out there..." the old man’s eyes took on a nostalgic look as he reminisced and said after a moment of contemplation, "The world is vast and boundless. From one domain to another spans millions of miles. No one really knows how vast it is. Even if one walked their entire life, they might not leave their own domain. It’s desolate and endless. Communication between human regions is very difficult because it’s so dangerous. There are many powerful and mysterious species on the ground. Even a tribe of hundreds of thousands or a grand city could be destroyed by a few ancient species at night. Of course, there are also humans with unimaginable strength, comparable to the peak combatants of other species, with unmatched divine power. They can be called the prodigies of the human race."

The children were filled with awe and curiosity about the unknown world. Someone asked, "Are there treasures and elixirs in the mountains and rivers that can transform people overnight? How powerful are the strongest prodigies of the human race?"

The old man smiled and said, "If you want to know, you should make yourself strong first."

"If we master the mysterious power of the bone scripts, can we explore all the domains of the world?" Some children looked hopeful.

Shi Yunfeng patted a child’s head and said, "Don’t talk about other domains. Even within our own domain, if someone could traverse half the territory, it would be extraordinary."

All the children were dumbfounded.

"I can only guide you to the path. Where you end up depends on yourselves. What I teach you should be no worse than what children of the same age learn outside," the old man said in the end, his eyes showing a strange light as he touched a peculiar jade bone in his chest.

The children, now focused, gathered around the old clan leader and began to listen attentively to his teachings. They stayed there until noon before dispersing.

"It’s so difficult. The clan leader said it might take years for someone to incorporate a small amount of the bone script into their body, and most people might never succeed."

"But Little Dot is just a tiny thing, and he managed to do it."

Little Dot blinked innocently and then went back to pulling on the yellow dog’s tail, which barked innocently in response.

As the red sun set, the entire stone village was bathed in a pale golden light in the twilight. In the distance, the cries of monkeys and tigers could be heard, but the stone houses in the village appeared sacred and peaceful like ancient temples.

Dozens of people appeared on the horizon, their long shadows stretched out by the setting sun, their bodies outlined with golden edges by the evening glow, appearing tall and robust. Almost everyone carried enormous beasts, returning with full loads.

"They’re back!" The group of women and children who had been waiting at the village head cheered, their anxiety and fear instantly vanishing, replaced by loud cheers.

"Dad and the others have returned safely."

"Oh my, so many prey. This is a rare harvest."

The hunt was a tremendous success. Dozens of adult men made gains. The prey included a giant horned elephant, a single-footed Kui beast that resembled a cow, and a winged flying python as thick as a water barrel.

The village elders showed expressions of shock. These creatures were usually very difficult to deal with, some of which were ferocious beasts, but so many had been killed today, covered in blood, which was truly unexpected.

For example, the giant horned elephant had a body as tough as iron; even iron spears were difficult to penetrate, and its double horns were sharp as drill bits, capable of easily shattering boulders. The Kui beast’s roar was like thunder; if close, it could shake a person to death. As for the winged flying python, it was a mountain forest killer, capable of suddenly swooping down from a mountain peak, extremely terrifying.

There were even more powerful creatures among the prey, such as the crimson double-headed fire rhinoceros and the impure-blooded Pixiu. These were genuine ferocious beasts, and discovering them should have warranted a wide detour, but they were hunted today, which was highly unusual.

"This is truly lucky. We returned fully loaded without anyone getting hurt." The leader of the hunting party, Shi Linhu, laughed heartily and explained to the clan leader and villagers. During the past few nights, super giant beasts had passed through the mountains, causing tremors and injuring many mountain beasts. By day, they tracked and killed many severely wounded ferocious beasts, which were normally formidable creatures the villagers would avoid.

"The mountain had footprints that resembled human feet, but they were enormous, nearly a hundred meters long."

The villagers gasped in surprise, realizing the frightening news.

Even the village elders took a sharp breath, increasingly convinced that something unusual was happening deep in the mountains, attracting some ancient species to the nearby wilderness.

Nevertheless, it was a harvest. The clanspeople were all filled with joy, and the stone village was filled with the laughter of children and a festive atmosphere.

Clan Leader Shi Yunfeng led everyone towards the willows, carrying dozens of beast carcasses. Upon reaching, he placed all the bloodstained ferocious beasts on a stone platform, clearly an altar for a large ritual. To be continued...