Chapter 45

The small town of Xiaogushan suddenly became empty as all the powerful figures left together, and everyone followed the experts of the four major clans to rush to the stone village, eager to witness a great battle.

The forest was dense, and the leaves on the ground, accumulated over the years, were more than a foot thick, making it very soft to walk on. This was not counting the already decomposed leaves that had turned into black soil, which would have made it even thicker. The mountain soil was fertile, and ancient trees towered to the sky.

The forest was home to many fierce beasts, but with so many people moving together, both giant beasts and fierce birds were startled and retreated, as the number of people was like a flood.

"Is this the village?"

From a distance, still two or three li away, the four major clans stopped, unwilling to advance further. They climbed up the cliff, ascended to a high place, and occupied advantageous terrain to overlook the village.

There was nothing unusual about the village; it was a very ordinary and simple place. Stone houses built with mountain rocks had animal skins and smoked meat hanging on them. Chickens and dogs could be heard, and elderly people were basking in the sun by the wall. A group of children were chasing and playing around.

"Is this village worth such a large-scale mobilization? In my opinion, a single charge would level this place," said a person from the Golden Wolf Tribe. They were a group of iron cavalry, all riding scaly horses, with bright armor, sharp spears, and snow-white broadswords, pointing forward.

"Anyone who dares to challenge the dignity of the Luo Fu Great Marsh will be punished, no matter how far they are. This village will be destroyed today!" a group of young people shouted, their expressions cold. Jiao Cang had lost an arm and become a cripple, and they wanted revenge.

However, the leaders of the four major clans gave orders not to act rashly and to wait for instructions from above. Anyone who acted on their own would be severely punished.

"It seems this village is not simple, making even these formidable figures so cautious."

"Hey, where are the leaders of the four major clans? What are they doing?"

The strong figures who followed discussed, closely watching everything.

The stone village was peaceful. In the courtyard at the village entrance, Xiaobudian was holding a small earthen pot, preparing to boil animal milk. He was sneaking around, occasionally glancing at the courtyard gate, afraid of being discovered by the older children.

"So fragrant." Over the fire, the animal milk in the earthen pot was boiling. He twitched his little nose, half-closed his big eyes, and looked completely entranced.

"Swoosh!"

Suddenly, the sound of birds flapping their wings came. Xiaobudian looked up, his face showing surprise. "Why are there so many birds, even fierce ones? Has another beast tide appeared?"

He stood up, walked out of the courtyard, and looked at the sky. He soon noticed something unusual. Birds were flying up from all sides of the forest, and they were all about two or three li apart.

"Something's wrong. There are fierce beasts or people surrounding us!" Xiaoshihao, being very perceptive, immediately shouted, warning the villagers.

In fact, Shilinhu, Shifeijiao, and others had also noticed it at the first moment. The villagers were simple, but they were not without vigilance. Living in the harsh wilderness for a long time, they had to have a keen sense of perception.

"Could it be those bastards from last time are back?" the father of Ermeng shouted.

In the mountain, the strong figures of the four major clans all showed surprise. The villagers' quick reaction was indeed unusual.

"Hey, the clan leaders are here!" the people from the Golden Wolf Tribe exclaimed.

A tall and imposing old man appeared, his eyes a pale gold, with lightning flashing from them, startling everyone. This old man was incredibly powerful.

Beside him was a golden divine wolf, not very tall, but walking with its head held high, looking down on the strong figures of the various clans, exuding a sense of supreme dominance.

The wolf was covered in golden light, with a more powerful aura than a human. Its cold, golden eyes swept over everyone, making every strong figure retreat, nearly suffocating. It was even more terrifying than the old man.

Everyone understood that this must be the most powerful sacrificial spirit within a five-thousand-li radius!

"Golden Wolf Tribe, you must not act rashly. Retreat another li and wait for my orders." The imposing old man stood there, spoke these words, and then transformed into a beam of golden light, disappearing into the forest.

Soon, he arrived a li away from the stone village, standing on a peak with the sacrificial spirit, staring at the village.

At the same time, three other supreme strong figures appeared in the other three directions, ascending the stone cliffs and overlooking the stone village.

The leaders of the Lei Clan, Luo Fu Great Marsh, Zishan Clan, and Golden Wolf Tribe had all arrived, each occupying a direction. They were about to unleash a devastating attack.

The sound of waves like thunder came from the southwest, where a large river flowed through the forest. The master of the Luo Fu Great Marsh stood there, his body submerged in water vapor, glowing. A huge fierce dragon was forming.

He was summoning blood essence, trying to form a giant dragon, which slowly emerged from his spine, coiling on the mountain, creating a terrifying scene.

He was performing a treasure-summoning ritual, but the method was somewhat strange.

The dragon emerged from his spine, quickly growing to a width of about ten feet and a length of over two hundred feet, terrifyingly powerful. Gray mist swirled around it, and huge runes appeared, shimmering in the air.

The fierce dragon roared, causing chaos in the surrounding area, rocks rolling down and leaves flying.

"Roar..."

A roar echoed, and the gray fierce dragon stood up and charged toward the stone village, launching a fierce attack. The massive dragon body covered the sky, gray mist surging, heavy and overwhelming. It seemed to come from chaos, opening its mouth and emitting a terrifying light, shattering the rocks below.

Outside the stone village, the rocks, trees, and forest suffered a devastating attack, the ground cracking. The fierce dragon was too large, its attack so powerful that it made people tremble.

"What a powerful treasure-summoning technique!" Everyone two or three li away was shocked, their hair standing on end. Such a technique was astonishing, capable of destroying an entire tribe.

"Wait, the village is unharmed!"

At the village entrance, a green branch on a willow tree glowed, emitting a hazy light that enveloped the entire village, blocking the fierce dragon's devastating attack.

Then, the willow branch rapidly spread, reaching the sky, aiming to pierce through the fierce dragon!

"Boom!"

Suddenly, in the north, a bright lightning appeared, black lightning bolts striking the stone village from a cliff, intercepting the willow branch extending toward the sky.

Lei Hou had acted, a powerful lord, using his most powerful treasure-summoning technique, transforming into a thunder god.

"Spring comes to the withered tree? I represent the thunder god, destroying you again, turning you into complete decay!"

The loud voice echoed like thunder, shaking the mountains and valleys. All the strong figures covered their ears; the sound was so powerful that it made the leaves in the forest fly.

He did not attack the main trunk of the willow tree but intercepted the thin, tender branch. The black lightning danced, pressing down, darkening the sky and earth.

In the south, a wolf howl echoed through the heavens and earth. The divine wolf howled at the moon, golden light covering the entire mountain. The sacrificial spirit underwent a terrifying transformation.

Its back split open, a golden seam appearing, the fur parting to the sides. The sacrificial spirit roared, shaking the mountains.

It was shedding its skin. After the golden fur split, a more brilliant divine wolf emerged, its fur like gold.

"Wow, that golden wolf is indeed terrifying. No wonder it is the supreme sacrificial spirit within a five-thousand-li radius. It has already undergone a rebirth, shedding an old skin and refining it into a treasure."

The golden wolf usually remained hidden, wearing its old skin. Now, it revealed its fierce true form, displaying its full strength.

Golden light shone brightly, and the wolf skin quickly inflated, becoming lifelike, like another living divine wolf, even with teeth that glinted in the cold light.

Clearly, when the sacrificial spirit shed its skin, it was very thorough, leaving a complete exoskeleton, making this treasure extremely rare and powerful!

"Roar..." The divine wolf howled, shaking the heavens and earth. The wolf skin treasure emitted boundless light, turning the sky and earth golden, charging toward the stone village, attacking the willow tree.

Everyone was shocked. No wonder it was the most powerful sacrificial spirit within a five-thousand-li radius. Its power was truly terrifying, instilling a deep fear in people's hearts.

The golden wolf skin transformed into a divine wolf, directly pouncing on the scorched and thick roots of the willow tree, aiming to destroy it at its foundation. Golden light surged, flooding the village entrance.

"Boom!"

Purple qi came from the east, covering the sky and earth, forming thick clouds that enveloped the entire forest. The terrifying power was overwhelming, and the first strong figure, Zishan Hou, had also acted!