The Lower Realm, in the Great Wilderness.
Fresh air caressed his face, carrying the scent of soil and the fragrance of flowers, filling the surroundings with nature's essence.
In the distance, rolling, picturesque mountains rose, lush with trees. Nearby, oddly shaped rocks and ancient, robust trees stood, with vines as thick as water buckets twisting like coiling dragons. There were also verdant grass and fragrant wildflowers, teeming with life and vitality.
At first glance, it seemed like a bright world, full of vibrant life.
However, the reality was different.
"A Lin, you have to hold on. We'll be back soon!"
Beneath a towering ancient tree, a resolute man, covered in wounds, leaned against the trunk, breathing heavily. Blood occasionally trickled from the corner of his mouth. "Cough… cough… Big Brother Yunfeng… I can't… I can't go on. Don't worry about me anymore. Take the Bone Script and return to the clan…"
The man known as Shi Yunfeng was tall, and his body was covered in wounds. Though he was covered in dirt and looked disheveled, his expression remained resolute.
"A Lin… I'm sorry, brothers!" Even a man as strong as Shi Yunfeng couldn't help but feel immense pain at this moment.
A dozen or so brothers, for the sake of their descendants, had resolutely left the Great Wilderness. Although they had brought back some Bone Script, the brothers were now separated by life and death.
"Cough… Big Brother Yunfeng…" A Lin gasped twice, barely managing to raise his hands and gripping Shi Yunfeng's palm. A radiant smile appeared on his face, as if a final burst of energy.
"We did it to make our people stronger, to allow them to hunt better and survive better. If there's a next life, I'll still follow Big Brother out of the Great Wilderness… The outside world is really wonderful…"
In the end, A Lin passed away. His eyes, which had been smiling, lost all their light, and even his hands involuntarily drooped.
Shi Yunfeng tightly embraced the body that was about to collapse, his heart aching as if cut by a knife. Tears streamed down his face. This was his brother, with whom he had shared life and death. Out of the original dozen, only he remained.
No one could understand this feeling.
Some say that all living beings suffer, struggling in the mortal world. How many truly transcend? Everyone has emotions; who can truly see through them?
石云峰 (Shi Yunfeng) slowly stood up after an unknown amount of time. He gathered some dry wood and placed the stone forest upon it, then took out a fire starter and ignited it.
The Great Wilderness was full of danger, with countless ferocious beasts, but he had no other choice.
Burial wasn't possible here, as the animals would dig up the body. He didn't want to witness that, so he had to cremate, even if it attracted the beasts.
石云峰 (Shi Yunfeng) knelt before the fire, watching the body disappear with the flames. His lips moved, trying to speak, but he couldn't.
Faintly, he seemed to see that radiant smile in the firelight. He seemed to be silently telling 石云峰 (Shi Yunfeng), "Big brother, embrace the sunlight, and tell yourself to live well..."
"Chirp!"
Suddenly, a cry pierced the sky, sharp and piercing, with a terrifying penetrative power that made 石云峰's (Shi Yunfeng's) eardrums ache.
He looked up and, through the gaps in the dense forest, saw a majestic eagle circling. It was extraordinary. It was golden all over, and even from afar, its brilliance was palpable, as if cast from gold, with a shimmering golden light.
"Golden Lightning Eagle!"
Shi Yunfeng knew things were bad. He shouldered the Bone Script, hastily grabbed a handful of bone ash, tied it up with the cloth he had prepared, and didn't even have time to extinguish the fire. He used the cover of the leaves to quickly make his escape.
The Golden Lightning Eagle was a high-level ferocious beast in the Great Wilderness, known for its incredible speed and ability to unleash lightning. It typically preyed on Savage Elephants, Blood Tigers, and Fierce Pythons. It was incredibly vicious. Even a village's hunting party would have to retreat if they encountered it, avoiding a direct confrontation.
The mountain forest was dense, with a foot of fallen leaves accumulated on the ground, making it soft underfoot. Towering trees blocked out the sun, and ancient vines snaked like dragons, clinging to giant trees. Animal roars echoed from afar, shaking the mountains.
Shi Yunfeng was very cautious. The appearance of the Golden Lightning Eagle had alarmed the various ferocious beasts in this area, causing them to become agitated.
At this moment, the golden eagle that had been circling in the sky flew a distance towards this area, becoming increasingly clear. Then, it finally located its prey and suddenly dove towards this mountain area, directly targeting Shi Yunfeng!
Shi Yunfeng was shocked. He forcefully activated a Rune on his palm, and his speed increased dramatically, allowing him to dodge out of the area. Even so, the sharp wind still caused him pain.
Boom!
A large swathe of ancient trees collapsed behind him, and dirt flew everywhere as the Golden Lightning Eagle crashed down like a meteor, its presence sharp and intimidating.
The Golden Lightning Eagle was enormous, seven or eight meters long, with a wingspan of fifteen meters. Its body was covered in golden feathers that shimmered with a cold, metallic luster, exuding a fearsome aura!
Shi Yunfeng disregarded everything else, desperately activating his Rune and fleeing for his life. He knew that birds of prey had excellent eyesight, and he wouldn't be able to escape in an open area.
Therefore, he specifically ran towards the densest parts of the forest, trying to evade the ferocious bird with its gleaming golden form.
Boom!
Dozens of towering trees were shattered by the Golden Lightning Eagle's iron wings, branches and leaves flying everywhere. It was like it was made of steel; it failed in its first strike and then dove down again, unstoppable.
Shi Yunfeng was terrified, his face pale as he fled. Although he had some abilities, he was no match for the Golden Lightning Eagle; the difference between them was too great.
That Golden Lightning Eagle glared with a ferocious light, its eyes locked onto the human. Its iron wings beat against the sky, capable of destroying everything. Its feathers shimmered with a golden light. With a dive, it decimated a large portion of the forest, sending fragments of wood and leaves flying, as if toying with its prey.
But Shi Yunfeng had no other choice but to flee into the dense forest. The Golden Lightning Eagle was too strong, its body incredibly tough. Its wings were like broadswords, capable of cleaving a mountain. The trees were no obstacle. It wouldn't be long before he had nowhere left to run!
"Boom!"
Amidst the rumbling, swathes of towering trees snapped. Many were massive, requiring over a dozen people to encircle them. The Golden Lightning Eagle plunged straight through, its iron wings shattering any obstruction, leaving the ground littered with branches and debris.
With a loud crash, a massive boulder blocked its path, only to be split apart. Sparks flew, and rocks scattered. Many boulders, each weighing hundreds of pounds, crashed in all directions, breaking more trees and creating a terrifying spectacle.
This was the Golden Lightning Eagle, its body covered in cold, golden feathers, brimming with boundless power. It was like it was cast from gold, sweeping through the forest and treating the giant trees as nothing.
"Bang!"
Shi Yunfeng was sent flying, landing in front of a giant boulder. His body slammed into the ground, his internal organs churning violently, as if they had shifted position, forcing him to cough up a mouthful of blood.
"Boom"
Seeing the Golden Lightning Eagle about to charge again, Shi Yunfeng forced himself to stand up. His will wouldn't allow him to fall here.
Whether it was heaven's mercy or just his good luck, Shi Yunfeng had just stood up when he spotted a very deep stone cave not far away.
At that moment, the Golden Lightning Eagle had already charged again. He didn't have time to think, and could only rush towards the stone cave like a madman.