Great Sage Path

Chapter 5 Divine Wilderness Bone

Sun Sheng was filled with curiosity. To be honest, he had never encountered a demon spirit that could speak human language up close before. He had hunted some low-level demon spirits in Qingluan Mountain, but this was the first time he had seen one that could speak human language, filling him with curiosity.

“I never expected that Tiezhu, whom I unintentionally adopted, would actually be a demon spirit. Not only can it speak human language, but it also seems to be quite intelligent; even I can't understand what it's saying,” Sun Sheng said.

“You really don't remember anything about your past, not even the dreams you used to have, the dreams you often had,” Qingniu said to Sun Sheng, his words carrying another layer of meaning.

“Dreams I often had?” Sun Sheng paused, thought for a moment, and said, “What do you mean by ‘past’? I do have dreams I often had… I often dream about going to brothels with the rich kids in the city…”

Qingniu was speechless, its huge bull head shaking, its pair of bull eyes exceptionally bright in the darkness.

The night was silent, save for the rushing water from the moat behind the city. The man and the ox stood facing each other under the night sky, neither speaking.

"Old ox, how powerful are you now? Are you comparable to a Qigong master?" Sun Sheng broke the silence.

Since this green ox claimed to be a demon spirit, it was somewhat inappropriate for it to be associated with Tie Zhu, after all, it possessed its own will.

The Green Ox didn't answer Sun Sheng's question, but instead said, "I observe that your dantian is damaged and your left leg is crippled. These factors make it difficult for you to make progress in cultivation. Although you've tried to nourish your dantian with qi, this method is impractical and will only worsen your injuries. I have a way to give you a complete transformation, but you'll have to endure a certain amount of pain. Are you willing?"

Hearing this, Sun Sheng's eyes lit up, and he said, "You have a way? Really? My grandfather went to great lengths to consult many experts, but none of them could help me with my injuries. You have a method?"

The Green Ox nodded, its massive head bobbing up and down.

"What method?" Sun Sheng asked eagerly, somewhat impatiently. After all, he had been troubled by this damned, damaged dantian for many years, dreaming of being healed and returning to his former talent.

"It might be very painful, but I can guarantee that as long as you can endure it, you will be completely transformed and reborn," the Green Ox said.

“It’s alright, it’s much better than kicking the bucket before I’m eighteen. Tell me, I’m willing to try anything.” Sun Sheng nodded firmly. He had lingered in the depths of despair for so many years, and long wanted to break free from this damned shackle.

The Green Ox, with its bright pupils and imposing physique like a small hill, said, “In me, there is a piece of bone. Dig it out, then pierce your own chest and transplant this bone into yours. Everything will fall into place naturally. This bone can help you be reborn.”

“What! You…you mean I should kill you?” Sun Sheng was immediately shocked.

The Green Ox shook its head, saying, “I won’t die. That bone was superfluous to me anyway. Transplanting it into yours might have a miraculous effect.”

“No, no, I can’t do it.” Sun Sheng quickly shook his head.

“You don’t need to worry. Even if you cut open my abdomen, I have a way to heal. I won’t die,” the Green Ox assured him repeatedly.

“No, I don’t really like eating beef, I’m allergic, and it’s yours, Old Ox, I definitely can’t eat it,” Sun Sheng waved his hand and said. He and the Green Ox had been inseparable for so many years, he absolutely couldn’t bring himself to eat it.

The Green Ox was speechless, its ox face darkening. It said, “This is an opportunity. You don’t want to live a life of mediocrity, being bullied, do you? I promise you, I’ll be fine. You just need to do it boldly and without worry. If you follow your method to slowly nurture your dantian, the only result will be that you die a miserable death before you turn eighteen, unable to achieve anything.”

This time, Sun Sheng hesitated. He saw that the Green Ox wasn’t joking, and he genuinely trusted the Green Ox, knowing that the old ox wouldn’t harm him. After all, they had known each other for so many years, and even though the Green Ox couldn’t speak before, Sun Sheng could sense that their relationship was like that of brothers.

“Are you serious? You’ll really be alright?” Sun Sheng asked again to confirm.

The green ox nodded earnestly, its eyes shining brightly.

"Alright!"

Finally, Sun Sheng gritted his teeth, rushed into the courtyard, and grabbed a wood-chopping knife. He decided to trust the green ox.

The green ox was a spirit; it should have a way to protect itself. Whether this would change his life was no longer important. If he didn't take this gamble, perhaps, as the green ox said, he would live a life of mediocrity, and with his dantian damaged, he might die before the age of eighteen.

The green ox lay down by the river, turning back to Sun Sheng, clearly indicating the location so he could cut into its abdomen.

"Thud!"

This time, Sun Sheng didn't hesitate. Having made up his mind, he couldn't be indecisive. He plunged the knife into the green ox's belly. The ox's dark blue leather was thick and tough; Sun Sheng used all his strength, yet the knife only penetrated a tenth of the way in.

"Old ox, bear with it," Sun Sheng said.

“This pain is nothing,” the blue ox said, turning its head away.

Finally, Sun Sheng managed to cut open the blue ox's hide, but it took a great deal of effort, leaving him drenched in sweat. The hide was incredibly tough; even with his razor-sharp wood-chopping knife, cutting through such tough skin required his full strength.

“A bone…” Sun Sheng searched diligently inside.

Strangely enough, no blood flowed from the cut open; the ox's slow, writhing movements stopped the flow.

Following the blue ox's guidance, Sun Sheng finally found a bone in its abdomen. This bone, about the size of a three-year-old's palm, was a purplish-jade color.

Moreover, this bone wasn't part of the blue ox's body; it was encased within its skin. Now, under the blue ox's deliberate manipulation, the skin loosened, and the bone fell off on its own.

Sun Sheng carefully picked it up and held it in his palm. The bone was like jade, even more translucent than amethyst, almost semi-transparent, imprinted with countless tiny runes, incredibly divine, emitting a shimmering luster in the darkness.

“This…what is this?” Sun Sheng exclaimed in surprise. Although he didn't know why, he could feel a divine power drawing him from this bone.

Moreover, just as Sun Sheng grasped this amethyst-like bone, a drop of something condensed on its surface, like a dazzling ruby, imprinted on the bone.

It was this drop that attracted Sun Sheng, making him feel a connection in some mysterious way.

“This is the Divine Desolate Bone,” Qing Niu asked.

“The Divine Desolate Bone? What’s it for? The runes on it are so complex, far more profound than those mastered by runesmiths,” Sun Sheng said.

Runesmiths are a rare profession, highly sought after in both the Chu Kingdom and other nations, considered national treasures. They possess powerful rune techniques that can enhance or even imbue weapons with greater power.

Sun Sheng's maternal grandfather, Bai Huatian, owned a weapon imbued by a runesmith. Sun Sheng had observed it before; the runes were complex yet possessed immense power.

Now, this jade-like bone also bore numerous complex runes, but these were even more subtle, profound, and unfathomable than those wielded by runesmiths.

"Once you fuse with it, you'll understand its wonders. Let's not delay; let's begin now," said the Green Ox, standing up. The wound on his abdomen was slowly healing.

Sun Sheng held the Divine Wilderness Bone in his hand. It was crystal clear, with a jade-like luster, and divine runes swirled within it. Inside the bone was a drop of exquisitely beautiful, ruby-like pearl.

"I'll risk it all!"

Sun Sheng gritted his teeth and did as Qing Niu instructed. He used his woodcutter's knife to cut open his wound, and blood immediately flowed out, the skin peeling back in a horrifying sight.

Sun Sheng pressed the Divine Wilderness Bone onto the wound. This jade-like bone emitted a strange luster, and purple energy emanated from within.

At that moment, Sun Sheng was astonished to discover that the bone was actually merging with him, being enveloped and absorbed into him. Clusters of divine purple energy flew out from the Divine Wilderness Bone, drilling into his body and entering his being.

Instantly, Sun Sheng's skin also emitted a purple glow, flickering and ephemeral. These purple streams entered Sun Sheng's body, drastically transforming it. His life force rapidly increased, his qi surging and billowing. Finally, this purple energy entered his dantian.

In an instant, Sun Sheng felt a sharp pain in his dantian. The pain was so intense and sudden that Sun Sheng screamed in agony and immediately fainted, collapsing to the ground.

...

However, Sun Sheng did not lose his will. He could still sense the divine bone embedded in front of him and unleash divine power. This power filled his entire being, turning everything a purplish-blue, even his hair, into a translucent purple.

The bone, like purple jade, was entwined with divine runes, indescribable and inexplicable, yet possessing a power to transform the mundane into the miraculous.

At the same time, a drop of bright red, like a dazzling ruby, fell. In an instant, Sun Sheng's entire sea of ​​consciousness turned red. Images, figures, and names vividly appeared before him—these images...were actually a person's memories!

In the desolation, Sun Sheng saw himself, a young man who looked exactly like him, with identical appearance, but with an extra quality and a divine, jade-like demeanor. He wore a purple Taoist robe, carried a purple sword on his back, and thousands of purple energies swirled around him, as if a purple aura was coming from the east. He walked between heaven and earth, and wherever he passed, the Great Dao flowers bloomed, and the heavens and earth lowered down a peaceful light.