Chapter 4, The Black Book

A subtle feeling arises, as if there is nothing in the world that can make one yield, no matter the matter or the person.

Yang Kai suddenly opened his eyes, drenched in sweat, with a lingering sense of fear.

In a hurry, he lifted the deer skin blanket off himself, carefully folded it, and adjusted the position of the black stone pillow. Just as he was about to get out of bed, Yang Kai furrowed his brow, turning his head to stare blankly at the black stone pillow.

In a state of confusion, Yang Kai reached out to pick up the black stone pillow again, and upon weighing it, he indeed found it to be significantly lighter than before

Regaining his composure, Yang Kai let out a dry laugh. It was truly absurd that he could scare himself in a dream. Rubbing his face, he gauged the time through the light filtering in from the roof, and was immediately filled with regret, realizing that he had slept for two full hours, and it was already approaching evening.

What kind of secrets are hidden in this black book, Yang Kai does not know; he only knows that the item he picked up from the Black Wind Mountain Range likely has a significant origin

The deerskin quilt was made by Yang Kai after he hunted a deer, skinned it, and dried the hide. Although it is not thick, it is just right for keeping warm. The black stone pillow was found by Yang Kai during one of his hunting trips in the Black Wind Mountain range after leaving the Lingxiao Pavilion.

The light that streamed in through several holes in the roof made the small room appear somewhat bright. The furnishings inside were extremely simple, consisting of only a bed; there were no tables or chairs, and even on the bed, there was only a deer skin blanket the size of a tabletop and a square black stone pillow. This was all that Yang Kai owned.

In reality, the black stone pillow beneath Yang Kai's head suddenly erupted with a burst of black light. This black light swirled as it emerged from the black stone, swaying in mid-air for a moment before drilling into the Baihui acupoint on Yang Kai's forehead, vanishing in an instant

In his sleep, Yang Kai did not notice that the black stone pillow under his head was emitting a deep and mysterious glow, which intensified in brilliance along with the fluctuations of his emotions.

After a long while, Yang Kai finally bent down to pick up the black book. The moment he held it, he felt an inexplicable sense of bloodline affinity arise within him.

It was as if a thick book had been thrown into the air, its pages scattering with a rustling sound. Yang Kai, in a state of astonishment, actually forgot to reach out and catch it

Although the hemostatic and bruise-removing ointment is quite effective for external injuries, its efficacy is likely to be significantly reduced after such dilution. However, with only this one bottle of ointment in Yang Kai's possession, he naturally intends to use it sparingly

At this moment, Yang Kai's emotions calmed down, not because he had defeated his opponent in a dream, but because he had conquered himself, overcoming the cowardice and submission within his heart

Yang Kai has been using this black stone pillow for more than a year, and I do not know if it is an illusion, but it always helps him fall asleep easily.

Eight lines with thirty-two characters occupy an entire page, giving a sense of being unparalleled in the universe, as if those characters are also filled with an overwhelming dominance

In his dreams, Yang Kai envisioned today's battle, being knocked out time and again by that Zhou Dingjun, his junior brother Zhou. Each time he stood up again, the indomitable spirit and persistence within him were fermenting, a surge of hot blood rising in his chest

In his dream, Yang Kai continued to experience the morning's encounter, being knocked down to the ground repeatedly by Zhou Dingjun. When he stood up for the thousandth time, the indomitable spirit and persistence that had been brewing in his heart suddenly erupted, and he charged forward without hesitation, fiercely bringing Zhou Dingjun down. In the moment Zhou Dingjun fell to the ground, his appearance became momentarily blurred, transforming into his own likeness.

It feels as if... the tactile sensation is different

This black stone is perfectly square, measuring 1 foot in length and 3 fingers in thickness. It appears to be made of stone, yet it does not feel like stone and lacks the weight of a rock. Yang Kai is unsure of what it actually is, but it serves perfectly as a pillow, so he does not dwell on it any further

Dressed, Yang Kai picked up a piece of blackened roasted sweet potato from the stove and tumbled down onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep

After finishing a bowl of medicine, Yang Kai finally managed to tend to his injuries. However, he was somewhat puzzled by the fact that the smell of this hemostatic and bruise-removing ointment was somewhat different from what he had previously encountered; it was not only lacking in fragrance but also had a somewhat spicy scent

He was awakened by that aura

With blood as the guide, the golden body descends; though the divine skill may not be perfected, the golden body remains undying

But what use is a wordless black book like this? Yang Kai turned it over and over, finding nothing of value.

After carefully flipping through it, Yang Kai had to admit that this black stone pillow was indeed a book, with a thick cover and thick pages. However, what left him speechless was that this black book contained not a single word, it was completely empty. Moreover, the texture of the pages was such that Yang Kai could not see through them; when he gently tried to tear a page with his hand, he found that it could not be ripped.

In just a moment, Yang Kai suddenly noticed some changes on the pages before him. As he focused, the wild aura that had descended upon him in his recent dream reappeared, and a line of gilded characters gradually emerged before Yang Kai's eyes

It is strange, how did a stone suddenly become lighter? Yang Kai casually tossed it, and with that toss, a problem immediately arose.

This aura surged directly into his heart, causing Yang Kai to abruptly close the black book, his hands and feet trembling uncontrollably. After taking several deep breaths, he finally managed to calm his emotions somewhat

After a long silence, Yang Kai finally opened the black book again. This time, he immediately saw the few lines of gilded characters on the first page.

With a loud thud, the black stone pillow fell to the ground. Yang Kai still could not believe his eyes, and to his astonishment, he discovered that this black stone pillow was indeed spread out on the ground just like a book.

Isn't this a stone? How did it suddenly turn into a book?

Gradually, several other lines of text also slowly emerged.

By some supernatural force, Yang Kai turned to the first page, glaring with disbelief and anger, intently staring at the blank page devoid of any words

The black stone pillow has been used by Yang Kai for over a year; he knows it all too well. He had never realized it was a book before. How is it that today the old turtle sheds its skin and suddenly transforms into a snake?

Meanwhile, an ancient and desolate aura of wilderness descended, akin to the tides of the sea and the might of crashing snow, rendering any individual utterly insignificant in the face of this presence

After washing his body clean, Yang Kai picked up the bottle of blood-coagulating and bruise-removing ointment, held it under his nose, and took a gentle sniff. He found that the medicine indeed had a pleasant fragrance, which made him feel refreshed and invigorated, shaking his head and nodding.

He opened the bottle cap and was about to apply some of the ointment to the injured area, but Yang Kai suddenly paused. In a hurry, he went to fetch a bowl of water, placed the ointment from his fingers into the water, and carefully stirred it until it was well mixed. Only then did he begin to treat the injury with the diluted solution.

The proud golden body, the tyrant's horizontal bar, the indomitable spirit, only then can one subdue it

As the dream continues, the blood surges more violently in his chest. In his sleep, Yang Kai's face is filled with pain, yet his expression is incredibly resolute. Within his heart lies a sense of determination; even if he were to tread upon a mountain of knives or be scorched in a sea of flames, he remains unafraid and at ease.

This is truly interesting; I have been resting my head on it for over a year, and it is only today that I have come to know its true nature

It turns out that ... ... is not a dream