Chapter 199: Joy

"Auntie, before you stew it, stuff its belly with a few old ginseng and blood fungus; that will make it taste even better," Little Dot suggested rather unkindly.

Aunt Tiger, upon hearing this, immediately instructed, "Snot-nosed kid, hurry up and dig up a few old herbs from behind the village. Fill this big fat bird's belly with them and stew it."

The clamor of Er Tuozi's cries surprised the group of aunts, who marveled and clicked their tongues. They grabbed its neck, pulled at its big thighs, and tugged at its wings to examine it closely.

Er Tuozi screamed in agony as he saw several large black iron pots, the water in them nearly boiling. Terrified, his legs turned to jelly, fearing he might be stuffed into one and cooked alive.

"The meat is very firm; it must be a precious medicinal ingredient," Aunt Leopard said, sharpening a knife with a clatter. Sparks flew from the whetstone, making Er Tuozi shiver and struggle desperately.

"There's also a big red bird that the kids brought back," the group of aunts then turned their attention to the brightly colored red bird.

The big red bird retracted its neck, extended its long legs, and fled. The women were too fierce; they seemed to dare to eat anything.

However, there was a sacred ancient tree at the village entrance that deterred it from running wild.

Kind-hearted Qingfeng, hearing Er Tuozi's screams, quickly came over and said, "Auntie, this one can't be eaten."

"What kind of people are these?" The red bird and Er Tuozi, walking through Stone Village, were both quite nervous and a bit scared.

After two years, Little Dot and Qingfeng looked at the familiar village with a feeling of warmth, surrounded by a large group of relatives and endless conversation.

"Uncle Linhu, Uncle Feijiao, you've made breakthroughs again," Little Dot was astonished. When he left, these two were already on the cusp of higher realms, and now they had even opened up their own realms.

"Haha," both of them laughed heartily.

First, they had consumed the blood and flesh of the Suan Ni, and then a strange golden pangolin used in sacrificial rituals. Their late start in cultivation issues were resolved, allowing them to advance.

"Brother Dazhuang, Er Meng, Pihou, you’ve also entered the Blood Movement realm," Qingfeng was surprised.

In the Talent Camp, this was not considered much, but in a village, it was quite remarkable. It was not easy for these childhood friends to embark on the path of cultivation.

It should be noted that even in a larger tribe, only a few practitioners emerge, and this was just a village.

The group of youths all smiled. They had laid a solid foundation, the village chief taught them the bones, and they had been refining themselves in the cauldron since childhood. They had also consumed Suan Ni blood and ritualistic blood, laying a very solid foundation.

Moreover, the large lake at the village entrance had dragon whisker fish, and there were also little phoenix birds on the lake shore—rare creatures that strengthen bones and increase power. For the people of Stone Village, it was indeed a great blessing.

In a large tribe with many people, ordinary folks rarely get to consume such spiritual creatures.

Within Stone Village, whether young or old, their physical fitness had greatly improved over the past two years, and cultivation had naturally become much smoother.

The village was bustling with activity. A crowd gathered, endlessly chatting, and laughter occasionally rang out.

At this moment, a small child wobbled over, about a year old, having just learned to walk.

"Uncle, Uncle, Little Uncle," he babbled, his speech unclear, calling out to Little Dot and Qingfeng.

"Ah, who is this?" Qingfeng was surprised.

Little Dot scratched his head, still a child himself. A few years ago, he was just as innocent, and now, in the blink of an eye, he was an uncle. Whose child was this?

"Leopard Sister, is this your child?" Qingfeng asked in surprise.

"Yes," a girl about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a smile on her face, played with the little one, making him call her uncle.

"I thought it looked a bit familiar," Little Dot said, turning to look at a group of former friends, each one observing.

"Hehe," everyone burst into laughter.

One person looked particularly embarrassed, clearly uncomfortable.

"Brother Dazhuang," Little Dot was quite surprised. In just two years, his childhood friend not only got married but also had a child. It was all happening so quickly.

"Dad," the one-year-old wiggled his little bottom and tottered toward Dazhuang, extending his tiny hands to be picked up.

"Brother Dazhuang, you are really fast," Little Dot marveled, then reached out and took the child from Dazhuang's arms. "Let Uncle hold him."

He was still a child himself, but now he found the presence of an even younger child in Stone Village quite refreshing and kept playing with the little one.

Dazhuang felt awkward, completely different from his usual straightforward self. He glared at Er Meng, Pihou, and others, saying, "What are you laughing at? Haven't you all gotten married too?"

"Ah," Qingfeng exclaimed. In just two years, the changes were indeed rapid and significant; many of his friends had gotten married.

Er Meng and Pihou looked shy, while Leopard Sister and the others were quite nonchalant, standing there criticizing the youths for being like old maids.

After a moment of thought, Little Dot understood. Dazhuang, Er Meng, and Pihou were five or six years older than him, now around sixteen years old. In the village, getting married early and having children was quite normal.

"Uncle, what's outside?" the one-year-old asked, twisting his little body.

"The outside world is vast, full of fierce beasts, magnificent cities, and ancient countries. When you are older, I'll take you to see it," Little Dot said with a smile.

He then took out a rare medicinal herb from his Universe Bag, which immediately filled the air with a fragrant aroma. It was a Snow Jade Ginseng, pure and crystal-clear, with a strong fragrance, emitting a magical glow.

"This is a gift from me and Qingfeng for meeting you. You can’t just call me uncle for nothing," Little Dot said with a smile, placing it in the child's small hand.

"Ah," everyone exclaimed in surprise. They recognized it as a rare medicinal herb, significant for cultivation, capable of helping someone break through to the next level.

Especially for the people of Stone Village, with the youths in the Blood Movement realm and the adults in the Cavern Realm, consuming such a herb would definitely enable rapid advancement.

"This is too precious; we can't accept it," Leopard Sister and Dazhuang hurriedly refused, not daring to let the child take it.

"Brother Dazhuang, please accept it. Little brother still has more," Qingfeng persuaded.

"This isn’t for you; it’s a gift for my little nephew. Keep it for his foundation. In the future, I'll personally help him refine it into his body," Little Dot said firmly, pressing the herb into the child's chubby little hand.

He then looked at Er Meng, Pihou, and others and said, "If you have children too, bring them here, and I’ll give them gifts as well."

These guys all scratched their heads, usually lively but shy at this topic, shaking their heads in unison, indicating they didn’t have children yet.

"Little Dot, you give such rare gifts to your little nephew but forgot about us," Snot-nosed Kid came up, his age similar to Little Dot's. He was cheeky and thick-skinned.

"Everyone will get gifts. I’ve brought many good things this time; I promise you’ll be satisfied," Little Dot said with a smile.

The youths cheered, their eyes shining with anticipation. They had envied the medicinal herb and knew that if given to them, they would immediately advance and boost their power.

Even Stone Tiger and Stone Feijiao, the young and strong men, widened their eyes in amazement.

"Child, you may have gained some opportunities outside, but you can’t squander them like this. You still need to cultivate," an elder of the clan said.

"Yes, we’re all family here; there's no need to be so formal," the villagers said, their simple and honest demeanor evident as they nodded, especially the elders who advised against wastefulness.

"Grandpa, Uncle, don’t worry. I’ve brought back so many good things. How could it be considered wasteful? We are all family, and I have even more to share," Little Dot said cheerfully to the villagers.

He then began measuring the village and selecting suitable locations to plant the medicinal herbs, aiming to improve the area's spiritual energy concentration.

When Little Dot opened his Universe Bag, a pile of gleaming treasures spilled out, nearly causing the villagers to gasp in disbelief. They could hardly believe their eyes.

"Chief Grandpa, Uncle, you can rest assured now. I have plenty of medicinal herbs here. If they are successfully planted, they can completely change the richness of Stone Village’s spiritual energy," Little Dot said with a smile.

Everyone was stunned. The pile of herbs included more than thirty intact specimens, an astonishing sight, shimmering and exuding a fragrant aroma.

"Is this real? Am I dreaming?" an elder trembled as he touched the herbs, feeling a sense of comfort as the medicinal fragrance soothed his organs.

The area was radiant, with each herb glowing and casting light like a colorful rain of spiritual energy, enveloping the place in brilliant hues and divine mist.

At this moment, everyone felt their breathing ease, basking in the spiritual light rain. Their pores opened, and they felt refreshed, as if they were floating.

"This is wonderful. Even without consuming the herbs, just cultivating in such rich spiritual energy every day will rapidly enhance our cultivation," the youths, like claws scratching their hearts, could hardly sit still and were eager to begin their training.

"Child, you’ve brought back so many precious herbs, but can they be planted and survive? I’ve heard that only one herb can be sustained on a spiritual mountain," the old chief said with excitement, his voice trembling.

"That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve brought back sacred soil that can nourish the herbs, allowing them to grow here and attract the essence of heaven and earth to create a beneficial cycle," Little Dot said with a smile.

If it were outside, he would never reveal such things and would be cautious. But in the village, he was open and generous, bringing back many rare treasures to share with the villagers and transform this place into a blessed land.

Little Dot asked Er Meng, Pihou, and the others to help, choosing locations in the village, digging one pit after another, evenly distributing them throughout the village.

He took out a large beast skin bag from his Universe Bag. As soon as he opened it, golden light soared into the sky, and auspicious energy burst forth like a surging golden tide.

"What is this?" all the villagers exclaimed in amazement.

"This is sand soaked in the Elixir of Immortality, possessing immortal divine qualities. Just burying a handful of this soil around the roots of each herb is enough to nourish them," Little Dot explained.

"Child, where have you been to obtain such things?" Chief Shiyunfeng was shocked, as were the others.

"Chief Grandpa, Uncle, Brother Dazhuang, I have even more precious items here. I’ll give them to you later; they will surely surprise you," Little Dot said.

Everyone was astonished and then jubilant, their joy evident because even just these items had already left them in awe.

Little Dot was very happy. The village felt warm to him; he had grown up here, and every villager was sincere and like family. He was eager to share his joy, bringing all the medicinal herbs and treasures back because this was his home, a place where he felt a sense of belonging.

Seeing the villagers’ happiness and joy, he also wore a big smile.

The people of Stone Village worked together to bury the golden sand in the dug pits, then planted the medicinal herbs and covered them with soil to prevent the golden light from spilling out.

"Wow, it seems the transplantation was successful. These herbs are starting to emit even brighter light," many people exclaimed, showing their delight.

A total of thirty-nine intact medicinal herbs were planted, rooted in Stone Village, radiating colorful light, exuding a pleasant fragrance, and attracting the essence of the sun and moon. Their leaves were transparent, and auspicious energy surrounded them.

"Over time, our village will be transformed into sacred land," the elders were deeply moved and incredibly excited.

The youths cheered, running around the village, breathing in the fragrant air, surrounded by radiant light. Each person was elated and thrilled.

"This child has really grown up, bringing such great blessings to the village," the group of fierce aunts were all smiling from ear to ear.

"It seems your fortune is no small thing," at that moment, the ancient tree at the village entrance swayed gently, its branches glowing with brilliance as it spoke.

"Willow Spirit, I also have a gift for you. I have a few rare items that might be useful to you; they are precious treasures," Little Dot said.

Continuing to work hard today, aiming to finish by the third watch. If anyone still has monthly votes, please cast one.