Chapter 31 – Baptism
Black Dragon Wood was hard and sturdy like fine metal. The body of the tree is shaped like a hornless dragon, snake-like yet robust. Drenched in complete black, even its leaves were like black jade.
This strange wood was solid and profound, and could be refined into any type of weapon. At the same time, it had another use. After being ignited, it would produce a vigorous and flourishing flame; even a palm size piece of it would be able to thoroughly cook two pots full of meat. Typically, regarding the smelting of ores and weapons, this was the best type of flame.
“Hey, chop this down for me!”
In front of a vacant lot in Stone Village, Shi Linghu and a group of able-bodied men were all hammering down with their huge hatchets. This Black Dragon Wood was not something ordinary men were able to chop down.
Kacha sounds echoed through occasionally, and sometimes even a Keng Qiang sound could be heard as strings of sparks bursted out. The wood was truly too sturdy.
For the sake of Shi Hao’s baptism, the village was undergoing all kinds of preparations. Old medicines, poisonous bugs, ancient cauldrons were brought out, and even the wood used to refine the True Blood was the best Black Dragon Wood.
On top of a huge piece of jade, the little guy was currently taking a bath. The villagers unceasingly rinsed his body in sweet mountain spring water to clean his body as much as possible before letting him into the cauldron.
Everyone was serious, including the little guy. He did not mutter a single word the entire time and silently prepared.
The Suan Ni was carried over a long time ago. Its entire body was golden as it flashed with brilliant radiance. Its golden fur was as shining like silk under the illumination of the multi colored sunset. It was extremely beautiful as it glistened and dazzled.
The several meter long scarlet colored horn also laid nearby. It seemed as if it was made out of cornelian as scarlet light radiated around it. Like other Archaic Descendants, it contained the Mythic Flaming Bull’s most precious True Blood.
The Demonic Ape’s arm was similar in length to that of an adult’s. It wasn’t actually too large, but it emitted an aura that overflowed into the heavens. It contained Archaic True Blood, making it very rare and precious.
A black cauldron was emitting a simple odor. A sun and moon, as well as the mountains and rivers were engraved upon it. Birds, beasts, fish and bugs decorated the exterior alongside them, and the ancient natives’ offering ceremony looked mysterious and enigmatic. Right now there was a lot of water in the cauldron. Under the cauldron, the Black Dragon Wood burned, and the water rapidly boiled. The water needed to be as hot as possible in order to boil the most potent precious medicine.
The chief had a serene expression on his face as he stood in front of the cauldron personally, tossing in one pellet of old medicine after another. They were all treasures saved from last year. In the guarded desolate lands, medicine leaves were abundant.
Not long afterwards, the boiling water released all kinds of medicinal fragrance. It was quite refreshing as the water changed colors.
Soon after Shi Yunfeng took out over ten jars. Carefully and prudently, he opened them one by one. From the first jar, a Chi sound was heard and a big purple centipede scurried out. It was half a meter long and shocked many people.
Pa, the chief’s finger flashed with some symbols and held a little purple hammer before lightly striking, knocking out the purple centipede and throwing it into the boiling water.
Afterwards, the second one was a jar wrapped in thick iron sheets. After it opened, silver light radiated outwards and a pangolin rushed outwards. It was only an inch long and its entire body was shining with a dazzling silver. It was similarly knocked out in the head before being tossed into the boiling water. After a violent yet short struggle, it finally quieted down and became part of the auxiliary medicine.
Over ten jars were opened. There were strange little beasts and poisonous bugs inside them. They were all special, and critters such as golden snakes as long as chopsticks and silver flying spiders were among them.
This cauldron water immediately became multi-colored. All kinds of eccentric fragrances wafted out.
The group of children’s faces turned green at that time. This was too terrifying; all of these different types of poisonous vermins were packed so closely together, and all those old medicine were mixed in as well. No matter how you looked at it, it gave off an ominous presence.
Fortunately, this cauldron was prepared for the little guy and those who needed to undergo refinement.
As the water gradually boiled more and more, the water in the cauldron lessened and almost dried up in the end. Medicinal grass and all kinds of strange bugs were all boiled into a paste. This was the auxiliary medicine to ease the little guy’s suffering and to help him refine the True Blood.
“Dismember the Suan Ni and prepare to pour the True Blood into the cauldron.” Shi Yunfeng shouted loudly.
The Suan Ni’s entire body looked as if it was molded in an awe-inspiring and brilliant golden brilliance. Although it was dead, it was still emitting an utmost powerful aura. Its fur was incomparably sturdy, and normal hatchets could not hope to chop it off. Streaks of sparks would fly and keng qiang sounds echoed as if they were forging iron.
The good news was before the old Suan Ni died of old age, it had engaged in its final combat and wanted to destroy itself. Although it did not succeed, its entire body was already cracking and in its golden divine splendor had streaks of bloody scars.
The villagers followed the split wounds and brandished their huge hatchets before chopping it open with great difficulty.
Every person was incredibly shocked. Shi Linghu and Shi Feijiao both had godly arm strengths of five to six thousand jin. In this desolate forest, they were already considered one of the few stronger people. However right now, they were out of breath and drenched in sweat. They were simply following the cracked flesh, yet chopping it tired them out to such an extent.
Clearly this showed how tough and durable the Suan Ni’s precious body was, vastly exceeding a person’s imagination.
After completely splitting it open, a few elders personally took on the task of retrieving the True Blood. The True Blood contained a little bit of eye-dazzling and splendid golden liquid.
This was where its treasures were hidden. This was the source of the Archaic Suan Ni’s divine strength. Hidden within its blood was a tiny bit of priceless gold colored blood coveted by even the largest of clans.
Although the Suan Ni was dead, its blood did not congeal and it was quite easy to deal with. They brought silverware to store the True Blood, and the floor was covered in brilliant and shining large silverware that were eventually filled to the brim.
The chief decided to take action, and he brandished a jade knife filled with symbols. Hundreds of colored lights rushed outwards as he dug towards the precious heart. It was as large as a sink and faint gold all over. It contained an incomparably strong divine force, and when it was shaken, gold colored rain began to fall out.
The chief did not dare to dawdle and immediately put this precious heart directly into the middle of the huge black cauldron in fear of wasting the Suan Ni’s precious divine splendor. At the same time, he shouted “Pour in the True Blood!”
Several able-bodied men carried the huge silverware over. Gudong, gudong sounded as the blood was poured into the middle of the black cauldron, replacing the spring water. The precious liquid blood was the catalyst in mixing together the medicinal paste.
The Black Dragon Wood beneath the cauldron was burning ever so intensely, cooking this huge cauldron until it was rumbling. That most precious heart was even more eye dazzling. Golden rain erupted and brightened up the entire cauldron. The liquid on the inside became gold in color and an especially fragrant smell wafted into the air.
This was an Archaic Suan Ni. Its entire body was an extremely valuable treasure!
“Cook it until it boils into the medicine. Little guy, prepare yourself to quickly enter the cauldron.” Chief Shi Yunfeng said earnestly.
“Understood!” Shi Hao agreed with a loud voice.
The raging inferno cooked the medicine, and the intensity of the fire was ferocious. Inside the cauldron, everything became a faint gold colored liquid. From time to time, shouts from Archaic Descents could be heard, terrifying the human heart and soul.
Sometimes, a golden Suan Ni faintly appeared before their eyes, terrifying even the heavens, swallowing the sun and the moon and trembling even the constellations.
Everyone was dumbstruck and breathed in a large breath of cold air. Many people could not help but shudder.
“This is a fragment that the original Archaic Suan Ni left behind within that diluted golden precious blood.” An elder calmed down and exclaimed.
This was not the end. Villagers also pulled out a few tendons and released them into the cauldron. They extracted some faint golden marrow from its precious bones and also released it into the black cauldron, making the medicine appear even more splendid as the fragrance became even more concentrated.
“Chief, there is a symbol on this piece of bone flowing with mysterious divine power!” At this moment, Shi Feijiao cried out in fear.
“What?!” The older generator of the clan all rapidly rushed over and could no longer keep a steady head.
After peeling away the Suan Ni’s flesh, a symbol appeared on its forehead. It was complicated yet subtle, dazzling and glistening as it constantly changed like the endless stars moving in the heavens.
“Wow, it was actually preserved!” Shi Yunfeng was shaking with excitement and then bursted out into laughter towards the sky and tears almost flowed down.
The Suan Ni was self-destructing before dying, and its entire body cracked. According to the villagers’ speculations, all of its primitive symbols were most likely destroyed. Archaic Descendants would think of any way possible to destroy the imprints it inherited from its ancestors to prevent it from falling into foreign hands.
This was the rare treasure of a vicious primitive bone. The reason precious techniques were priceless was because of this!
Truly huge clans often only had one type of strong precious technique and some weaker abilities on the side. This was the extent of their treasures.
No one from Stone Village could have imagined that the fight between the Suan Ni, Mythical Flaming Devil Bull and the Demonic Ape would unexpectedly fail to destroy that piece of imprint on its precious bone.
“Hide it well, no one can spread this information” Shi Yunfeng quickly came back to reality and his face became serious and said “The heavens spared my clan, and gave us such a strong precious technique. This matter is of the utmost importance, we must protect our secret well.
Afterwards, the chief turned his head and urged “Little guy, quickly enter the cauldron to start your baptism. When you come out, you can start comprehending the Suan Ni’s most powerful and tyrannical precious technique!”
“Grandpa chief, I was prepared a long time ago!”
After the bath, the little guy was sparkling all over. He looked pretty and adorable as symbols flickered on his body. He leaped right into the boiling cauldron and was immediately submerged in this brilliant and splendid golden liquid.
“Seal the cauldron!” Shi Yunfeng shouted. The villagers brought over the huge black cauldron lid and a few people cooperated to put the lid on and sealed it tightly.
The other children all felt dizzy as their faces paled. If they sealed the lid this tightly, wouldn’t the water in there be so much more painful? How would they breathe?
The chief looked towards them and said “When you guys have also practiced to the point that the Bone Text has entered every inch of your body, you will no longer need to worry. You will be able to refine it into a multi-colored light, transforming it into a divine radiance. You will be able to draw the divine force of the heaven and earth to nourish your body. Entering water or fire for a long time without breathing for a long time will no longer be a problem.
The multi-colored precious horn and the Demonic Ape King’s arm were not boiled inside, because Shi Yunfeng was wary that the little guy might be unable to handle it. After all, the little guy was still too young and he would make a decision later based on the current circumstances.