Chapter 367: Home

The lush, emerald-green branches and sparkling silken threads cascaded down, making the entire tree radiate a crystalline glow.

The Willow God had changed daily; today, the signs of lightning strikes were nearly invisible, the scorched marks had vanished, and dragon-scale-like bark had appeared. The entire tree had eighty-one tender branches.

It stood tall and vigorous, emitting a hazy green light.

Shicun was serene and brimming with spiritual energy, thanks to the several dozen spiritual herbs planted in the village and a silver peach tree near the center that was close to achieving the sacred herb realm.

A faint milky white mist flowed through the streets, a sign of the astonishing spiritual energy nourishing this secluded paradise.

"Zhuzi, don’t run off, come home and eat," shouted a tall and sturdy young man.

In the village, a group of children was running around, from a wobbly one-year-old to older kids of eight or nine, all chasing after a multicolored sparrow.

Shicang was speechless. It was like a playful version of his own childhood; these village kids had inherited that style, frolicking around with wild abandon.

"Someone’s coming to the village entrance," a small child said in a milky voice.

"Ah, it's Brother Hao who’s back," an older child of eight or nine called out.

"It’s Uncle Hao, and he’s brought more delicious food," a two-year-old baby shouted excitedly, running over with little steps, his legs kicking in the air.

Since returning from the Northern Sea, Shicang had come back to Shicun, only to leave hurriedly again after hearing about his grandfather causing a ruckus in the Stone Kingdom's imperial capital.

In fact, it had only been a few months since leaving the village, not a very long time. Even the very young babies remembered him, especially the delicious treats he had brought back. Those large lobsters and sea turtles made their mouths water just thinking about them.

Shicang’s return naturally caused a stir; men, women, and children all came out, creating a lively scene.

Everyone was safe, and there had been no major incidents in the past few months. Shicun had become a haven of peace, with villagers enjoying good health under the nourishment of the spiritual herbs.

In particular, the children who had grown up in such an environment since birth had incredibly strong constitutions and were excellent cultivator prospects, far surpassing their parents.

"Ah, another pure-blooded creature, this is fantastic! The Qingluan meat from last time made my mouth water, and now we’ve hunted another gray dragon," villagers said joyfully.

The villagers were ecstatic, especially the young teens, who were jumping and running around, excitedly flipping over.

They had tasted the benefits; such blood and meat were more effective than any spiritual herb for their cultivation. A single bite made their pores emit radiant light, allowing them to rapidly break through their previous realms.

As a result, the villagers benefited greatly. Some had entered the Cave Heaven Realm, while the leaders, Shilinhu and Shifeijiao, had reached the Spirit Transformation Realm, their cultivation levels quite profound.

The most noticeable effect was on the tribe leader whose white hair had turned black again. The pure-blooded creatures had made him lighter and healthier, eliminating his chronic illness years ago and leading to significant cultivation breakthroughs, the result of decades of suppression.

The group of youths, including Dazhuang, Ermeng, and Pihou, had all entered the Cave Heaven Realm, and Qingfeng had advanced into the Spirit Transformation Realm earlier, which was quite impressive for his age.

The village was bustling and festive, with Shicang’s broken sword used to slaughter the gray dragon and dismember those large and rare beasts.

Soon, the village was filled with the aroma of cooked meat and a surge of spiritual energy, which was quite astonishing.

"Kid, don’t eat too much; this is a pure-blooded creature. Although it’s not fully grown and cannot compare to their ancestors, it’s still very formidable. If you eat too much, you’ll be running around the village all night," an elder warned.

"Such things, even an ordinary person could float after a bite. Don’t be greedy, take it slow and nourish your body; otherwise, you’ll definitely overdo it."

Despite the elders’ warnings, the young teens still wolfed down the food. Before long, they were running around the lake, glowing all over and excitedly flipping around.

It was like a case of not being able to handle too much supplementation. Even though they were strong and their physiques were good, the pure-blooded creatures were incredibly terrifying, with their divine essence capable of making their blood burn and boil.

"Thank you, Uncle Hao," some small children were placed into a copper cauldron, filled with steaming heat. Several elder clan leaders dripped some dragon blood into the cauldron, causing them to grimace.

These children, once educated, practiced diligently, unlike their predecessors who cried and ran away during their training.

"You need to work hard; even your Uncle Hao never had such pure-blooded flesh to cleanse his body back then," the elders advised.

The village was lively and warm. Shicang observed it all, feeling warmth in his heart. It was only here that he could truly relax, without the need for vigilance or defense.

"Ha ha, I’ve made a breakthrough, and my cultivation has advanced significantly," from afar, Ermeng’s father shouted, grinning broadly.

"I’ve broken through too, and I’m surpassing you now," Ermeng said, scratching his head and laughing foolishly.

Ermeng’s father gave him a smack on the head and said, "You little rascal, what are you comparing? Your old man missed the best time for cultivation and started too late, missing out on the golden years of youth."

"Ah, I’ve broken through too, wahaha!" From a distance, a snot-nosed kid shouted, now a big teenage boy.

At the village head’s lake, very clear and shimmering with golden light, dragon beard fish swam about.

A few small boats drifted on the lake. Shicang lay back on one, with Dazhuang, Ermeng, Pihou, and Qingfeng accompanying him, all enjoying the moment.

Since returning, Shicang had not practiced or prepared for battles but had completely relaxed, chatting with old friends about the past few years.

This feeling was wonderful; they were childhood friends, and after a few years, things had changed a lot. Except for Qingfeng, everyone else had children of their own and had become fathers.

"The village’s spiritual energy is abundant, and the newborns are strong. I feel they will become remarkable figures in the future. Even the two or three-year-olds can move stone mills, which is a bit frightening."

"Although not as good as Shicang in his youth, they are indeed much stronger than us."

Ermeng and Dazhuang sighed in amazement, delighted. If this development continued, Shicun would surely become a sacred land and produce many powerful figures who would shake the Great Wilderness.

On the grassy meadow by the lake’s edge, a group of unicorns galloped, their silver light sparkling, growing from dozens to over a hundred. Among them was a large, snow-white unicorn covered in dragon scales, raising its head and neighing as it chewed on dragon meat. This was Xiao Bai, who had been evolving rapidly in recent years, growing fiercer and now eating not just grass but also ferocious beasts.

According to the village elders’ speculation, this creature might be on a super evolution path, and if it continued, it could become a celestial steed.

With a gust of wind, a few massive ferocious birds appeared in the sky, circling with outstretched wings.

"Qinglin Eagle Auntie, Dapeng, Little Qing, Ziyun," Shicang greeted happily, waving to the sky.

The four giant birds were now several times larger than before. Over the years, they had practiced under the willow tree and their strength had grown exponentially.

They were very happy, stretching their necks and calling out, circling the large lake, stirring up waves of wind.

Shicang leapt up and jumped onto Ziyun’s back, soaring through the clouds and mist, flying across the boundless wilderness. They didn’t return until a long time later, landing back in the lake.

On the shore, a land chicken walked around calmly, completely ignoring Shicang. This was the Bajin Chicken.

It held a high status in the village, often laying spiritual eggs, and the villagers treated it as a treasure. Even the most mischievous children would not bother it.

"Mountain Chicken, you dare to show off to me? Be careful or I'll just eat you. I’ve heard you were the most famous delicacy in ancient times, even the gods and demons liked you," Shicang said, revealing his pearly white teeth.

The Bajin Chicken, feeling embarrassed, quickly dashed into the village, not daring to continue its arrogance.

"Where are Maoqiu, Ertuzai, and the Big Red Bird?" Shicang asked, urgently wanting to see Maoqiu, grab its little ears, and question where Shanbao was.

"These three guys are always appearing and disappearing mysteriously. They even sometimes invite the Qinglin Eagle Auntie to search for the Supreme Divine Vault," Dazhuang said.

Over the past two years, the Big Red Bird and its companions had brought back numerous broken weapons and fragments, all excavated from the mountains, tirelessly searching for that unparalleled treasure.

A few times, they even captured people from Little Western Heaven for interrogation.

"Maoqiu and the others originally found the entrance to the Divine Vault, but it turns out the underground treasure managed to escape and disappeared without a trace," Pihou added.

Shicang had heard about this Divine Vault since he was young, but there was still no outcome to this day.

In the dead of night, Shicun was tranquil and misty, shrouded in a faint glow, as if draped in a layer of mysterious veil.

The moonlight was gentle, and the large willow tree at the village entrance was thriving, emitting a greenish light with many more branches than before.

Shicang sat under the willow tree, recounting his experiences and various observations from the outside world. The Willow God listened quietly, saying little.

Shicang knew that the Willow God had become vastly more powerful than before. When it only had one willow branch, it could move Shicun across a hundred thousand miles. Now with eighty-one branches, its vitality was like an ocean, crystal clear and verdant, and one could easily guess its depth.

"Willow God, how is the Kunpeng Technique?" he asked.

"Very good, worthy of being one of the Ten Ancient Fiends, a supreme divine art," the Willow God praised, adding, "Once applied, it reverses the heavens and shatters the cosmos."

Shicang was taken aback. This was the difference in realms. The results of using it together with the Willow God would be vastly different.

Back then, the Willow God had descended from the nine heavens, bathing in endless lightning, and was mysterious and astonishing. It was easy to imagine that with the Kunpeng Technique now, its strength would be even more terrifying.

"I also have a technique I planned to teach you, but with the decisive battle approaching and your realm still insufficient, you'll have to wait for the future," the Willow God said.

Shicang was immediately invigorated. The Willow God’s technique would surely shake the world, and he looked forward to it eagerly.

There were three days left before the decisive battle, and a massive upheaval was about to arrive. The outside world was already in turmoil, with everyone eagerly anticipating the battle.

As for the Void Realm, it had been in an uproar for many days, with people anxiously waiting for that moment to arrive.

Two god-like youths, reigning supreme in the wastelands and known as the most exalted among their peers, were about to engage in the most intense final battle in the sky.

This was an ancient battlefield, known as the divine arena. Once it opened, it would signify the collision between different major realms, with young prodigies preparing to cross realms and battle.