After cleaning himself up, Yang Kai picked up the bottle of Coagulating Blood Ointment, placed it under his nose, and took a gentle sniff. The fragrance was indeed refreshing, invigorating him instantly. Shaking his head in delight, he uncorked the bottle and scooped out some ointment, about to apply it to his wounds. His actions paused, and he quickly fetched a bowl of water. He diluted the ointment carefully before treating his injuries with the weakened solution. Although the ointment's effect might be reduced, Yang Kai needed to conserve his only bottle.
After using up the entire bowl, Yang Kai finally finished treating his wounds. However, he noticed that the ointment's scent had changed; it was no longer fragrant but rather pungent.
He dressed, grabbed a charred yam from the stove, and devoured it whole before collapsing onto his bed, falling into a deep sleep.
The light streaming through several holes in the roof made the small room seem brighter. The furnishings were extremely simple, with only a bed, no table or chairs, and the bed itself merely covered by a piece of deerskin. The black stone pillow was his most prized possession. The deerskin blanket was made from a deer he once hunted, while the black stone pillow was something he found during a hunting trip in the Black Wind Mountains.
The stone was perfectly square, about a foot long and three inches thick. Despite resembling a stone, it felt different to the touch and lacked the weight of stone. Yang Kai never understood its nature, but it made an excellent pillow, and he had used it for over a year, always finding it easy to fall asleep.
In his dreams, Yang Kai relived today's fight, repeatedly being knocked down by his junior brother Zhou Dingjun, only to get back up each time. His indomitable spirit fermented within him, his chest swelling with hot blood.
As the dream continued, the heat in his chest intensified. Yang Kai's face showed pain, but his expression was resolute, filled with an unwavering determination, unafraid of any trials.
He did not notice that the black stone pillow beneath his head had started emitting a deep, mysterious glow. As his emotions fluctuated, the glow grew stronger.
In his dream, as he charged at Zhou Dingjun once more, knocking him down, Zhou's face blurred and transformed into his own. At that moment, Yang Kai's heart calmed, not because he had defeated his opponent, but because he had conquered his own fear and submission.
A profound feeling arose within him, as if nothing in the world could ever make him yield again.
In reality, the black stone pillow suddenly erupted with black light, swirling out and entering Yang Kai's Baihui acupuncture point, vanishing instantly.
Simultaneously, an ancient and desolate aura descended, like a tidal wave or a collapsing glacier, rendering anyone insignificant before its presence.
Yang Kai woke up drenched in sweat, his heart pounding with fear.
It was this aura that had startled him awake.
Calming himself, Yang Kai chuckled dryly. It was absurd that a dream had scared him. He rubbed his face and, judging the time by the light coming through the roof, realized with some annoyance that he had slept for two hours, almost till dusk.
Hurriedly, he folded his deerskin blanket, adjusted the black stone pillow, and was about to get out of bed when he noticed something odd. The pillow felt different.
Puzzled, Yang Kai picked up the black stone pillow, finding it significantly lighter. He tossed it casually, and to his astonishment, it fell apart like a heavy book thrown into the air, pages fluttering open.
For a moment, he was too stunned to react. When it hit the ground, he saw it was indeed a book, splayed open.
This black stone pillow, which he had used for over a year, was actually a book. How had he never noticed?
Finally, Yang Kai bent down and picked up the book. The moment he touched it, a strange feeling of affinity surged through him.
Examining it closely, Yang Kai confirmed that it was indeed a book, though there were no words on its thick pages. The material was so tough that even with effort, he couldn't tear it.
How fascinating! He had been using it as a pillow for over a year without realizing its true nature.
But what use was a book with no words? Yang Kai inspected it thoroughly but found nothing.
Driven by curiosity, he opened to the first page and stared at the blank sheet. After a moment, the same ancient aura from his dream returned, and a line of golden words appeared on the page: "With blood as the guide, the golden body descends. If the divine skill fails, the golden body remains."
The aura pierced his soul, and Yang Kai snapped the book shut, trembling. After taking several deep breaths, he managed to calm himself.
What secrets did this black book hold? Yang Kai only knew that the item he found in the Black Wind Mountains was extraordinary.
After a long pause, Yang Kai opened the book again. This time, he immediately saw the golden words on the first page.
It wasn't a dream after all.
More lines slowly emerged:
"Stubborn bones, a domineering stance, only an unyielding soul can claim it!"