When the crowd heard the words "Pig Treasure," they immediately turned their heads to look.
They saw Aunt Jiu carrying a large basin, and inside it was a huge ball of flesh.
The ball of flesh was pink with golden patterns tracing its surface, giving it an incredibly mysterious appearance.
A faint, clean fragrance wafted from it.
All who smelled it felt their minds clear and their bodies relax.
Seeing this, the Old Village Chief’s grin stretched from ear to ear. "A fine thing, a fine thing indeed! Quick, quick, cut it up and share it among everyone. This can't be left out for long. After two hours, its medicinal effects will be gone."
In Yaoxu, many living creatures could gestate a mysterious "treasure" within their bodies. When consumed, it could greatly increase a person's strength.
The Pig Treasure was quickly sliced. The first piece was given to Hu Zi.
True to his name, Hu Zi was fierce, devouring the Pig Treasure in just a few bites. Immediately, white steam began to rise from his body. "Grandpa, I feel like I've gotten stronger!"
With that, Hu Zi walked over to a large stone block, wrapped his arms around it, and took a firm hold.
"That's a five-hundred-jin stone block. Don't tell me Hu Zi can actually lift it?" someone whispered in astonishment.
"It's possible! This Pig Treasure is no ordinary thing."
"Heave!" Hu Zi planted his feet firmly, then, putting his back into it, he actually hoisted the massive stone block over his head.
The villagers erupted in cheers and applause.
"Well done, Hu Zi!"
"Isn't Hu Zi only eight? He can lift a five-hundred-jin block! He's strong enough to join the hunting party!"
"Keep working hard and try to catch up to your Uncle Qing Shan!"
"Good, very good!" The Old Village Chief was also beaming with joy.
For the village, the stronger the children were, the better their future would be, and the more prey they could hunt.
Strong children were the hope for the small village's continued prosperity.
Watching this scene, Zhang Chu sighed inwardly.
An eight-year-old child lifting five hundred jin would be an absolute fantasy on Earth.
But in this world, it was quite common.
It was said that when Tong Qingshan, the captain of the hunting party, was this age, he could lift fifteen hundred jin. He was truly born with divine strength.
Soon, the Pig Treasure was distributed among the children and the members of the hunting party.
The children needed it to grow, and the hunters needed the nourishment even more, as they were the main force for hunting.
Finally, the Old Village Chief personally brought a piece of the Pig Treasure to Zhang Chu. "Teacher, you have a piece too."
This was the core piece of the Pig Treasure. It was golden all over and radiated an intoxicating aroma.
Zhang Chu could even see mystical symbols coalescing and dispersing within its shimmering light.
One look was enough to tell it was the most potent part.
But Zhang Chu just gave a wry smile. "Old Village Chief, I'll pass. It would be a waste on me."
In truth, over the past three years, the village had acquired Pig Treasures, Donkey Treasures, and even Tiger Treasures on several occasions.
Zhang Chu had eaten them all, and each time he was given the core piece.
But strangely, his body never underwent any change after eating these things.
Even five or six-year-old children would experience a great boost in their physique after eating these various "treasures."
When the adult hunters ate them, their strength would increase directly and significantly.
But Zhang Chu was the odd one out. For him, eating such a "treasure" was like drinking a bowl of water; it didn't even sate his hunger.
So, Zhang Chu said, "Old Village Chief, please give my share to Hu Zi. I can see that boy has a bright future."
Zhang Chu was very content with his current life: teaching the children to read and write, and waiting in the village for the hunters to return. It was peaceful, simple, and fulfilling.
But the Old Village Chief was insistent. "Teacher, you must eat this piece. Without the bait you provided, they never would have been able to hunt this creature."
Beside them, Tong Qingshan also spoke with great solemnity. "Teacher, if you don't eat it, then none of us will."
Someone in the crowd immediately shouted, "That's right! The Teacher is our village's sage! Only you are worthy of eating this piece."
Hu Zi also shook his head vigorously. "I can't eat it. My mom said you have to follow the rules. The Teacher is the one who teaches us to read, so he must have the best. I can't eat the Teacher's share."
"Alright, then." Zhang Chu had no choice but to accept.
The people of the small village were simple and unyieldingly principled. No matter how much he refused, he couldn't win against their stubbornness.
With that, Zhang Chu swallowed the piece of Pig Treasure in one gulp.
Although it was raw, it wasn't the least bit gamy. It melted in his mouth with a delicious, fresh flavor, and a warm current spread through his stomach, leaving him feeling pleasantly warm.
To be honest, for a food lover like Zhang Chu, this Pig Treasure was a rare delicacy.
But other than that, he felt no change in his body whatsoever.
"Sigh..." Zhang Chu spread his hands with a wry smile. "You see? It's a complete waste for me to eat this."
The Old Village Chief, however, said happily, "Even if it doesn't increase your strength, it's still good if it can prolong your life."
"That's right! We need our Teacher to live a long and healthy life!"
...
The morning proceeded as usual.
Under the old jujube tree, Zhang Chu held *The Great Wilderness Scripture* and taught a lesson to a dozen or so children of various ages.
"Thirty thousand li north of Kunlun, there is a water named Peach Creek, beneath which lies much gold and jade. In it are fish, as large as Kui oxen..."
The children ranged in age. The older ones, like Hu Zi, were eight or nine, while the younger ones still wore open-crotch pants, with snot bubbles forming at their noses.
But right now, they all sat respectfully on small stools, listening intently. Even the youngest child was completely absorbed.
After reciting a few lines, Zhang Chu let the children ask questions.
Hu Zi raised his hand. "Teacher, is the Great Wilderness really that big?"
Zhang Chu smiled. "It should be. At least, that's what's written in *The Great Wilderness Scripture*."
"Then where is our Zaoye Village? Can we find it in this book?" Little grapes asked, her big eyes blinking with curiosity.
Little grapes was Tong Qingshan's daughter. Her two large eyes were perfectly round and bright, like grapes, framed by long, beautiful eyelashes.
Zhang Chu shook his head. "You won't find Zaoye Village in this book."
In *The Great Wilderness Scripture*, even the entire Yaoxu was mentioned in a single sentence: *West of Kunlun, there is a land named Yaoxu, where one cannot travel at night.*
In the context of the book, Yaoxu seemed very small.
But in reality, outsiders who occasionally came to Zaoye Village said that Yaoxu was immense, stretching thirty-eight thousand li from east to west and ninety thousand li from north to south.
To think that such a vast expanse of land was covered in just one sentence in *The Great Wilderness Scripture* gave one an idea of just how enormous this world truly was.
"Forget our little Zaoye Village, even the legendary Dashuo City isn't qualified to be named in *The Great Wilderness Scripture*," Zhang Chu said.
Dashuo City was said to be a super-city where humans gathered, but the villagers had only heard of it from outsiders. No one from the village had ever been there.
"The Great Wilderness is so big..." Hu Zi marveled.
"I hope when I grow up, I can leave the village and see the outside world!" Little grapes's pure eyes were filled with longing.
Zhang Chu's expression remained calm. After three years in this world, he had grown accustomed to this peaceful and warm life.
In his view, living out his days peacefully in this mountain village would be a fine way to spend a lifetime.
...
*Rumble...* Suddenly, the ground outside the village began to shake violently.
It was as if a prehistoric behemoth was stampeding, and even the distant mountains could be seen trembling.
Immediately after, terrifying flashes of light flickered across the distant sky, as if divine beings were locked in battle.
Waves of a terrifying aura washed over them. Even from such a great distance, they could feel an earth-shattering, heaven-destroying power being unleashed.
Just then, however, the Old Jujube Tree began to glow faintly. Luminous patterns enveloped the entire village, shielding it from the outside disturbance.
But Zhang Chu and the children were shocked. They had never seen anything like this before.
"Teacher, what's happening?" Little grapes's large eyes were filled with fear.
"Is it a Great Demon?" Hu Zi asked, his voice tense.
Zhang Chu looked up at the thin curtain of light above the village, a hint of worry on his face.
At that moment, the Old Village Chief and some of the able-bodied men of the village came out, their gazes fixed on the distance.
The Old Village Chief sighed. "There's a great disturbance in the mountains. Qing Shan, for the time being, don't go hunting in the mountains."
Tong Qingshan nodded. "Understood. Lately, while hunting, I've been running into outsiders frequently. They seem to be searching for something."
"Good thing we stored enough game beforehand, so we don't have to worry about going hungry," someone muttered.
Zhang Chu then asked, "Has something like this ever happened before?"
The Old Village Chief let out a wistful sigh, his eyes filled with memories. "I remember it happened once, over sixty years ago. I was still young then. Many outsiders arrived in the area... they seemed to be looking for some kind of treasure."
Sixty years ago!
A thought struck Zhang Chu. In China, sixty years was a full cycle.
Many concepts in this world were similar to those in China. Could it be that there really was some kind of treasure nearby?
"But don't you worry, Teacher. Those outsiders won't bother our little village. They seem to have their scruples. As long as we stay far away from them, we'll be safe," the Old Village Chief said.
Zhang Chu then instructed the children, "For the next little while, don't leave the village."
The children nodded hastily.
Just then, a woman's excited voice suddenly rang out from the distance. "Look, a Zixing Jujube!"
The clear and pleasant voice was so piercing that everyone in the small village heard it.
The crowd immediately turned toward the source of the sound.
In the sky to the southwest of Zaoye Village, three young women in pale purple robes were flying rapidly toward them, riding a long, narrow reed leaf.
The reed leaf was as large as a small boat, accompanied by pale purple auspicious clouds. Within the clouds, dense warding symbols flickered.
At that moment, one of the women's faces lit up with joy.
"Hm? It really is a Zixing Jujube! Legend says the wood of the Zixing Jujube has purple, star-like dots inside, and its grain resembles a river of stars. It's incredibly tough, making it a superior material for carving blocks. I happen to need just that."
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