Volume 1, Chapter 4: Family

The sun hung tenaciously on the western mountain peak, reluctant to set. Its crimson rays spread across the land, covering the wooden floor of the house.

In a room that was four meters high and over ten meters wide, the floor was paved with green stone slabs. In the center of the room, there was a pit with a burning bonfire. Three stones supported a clay pot, in which a pot of fragrant fresh meat was stewing. In the southeast corner of the room, an area about the size of three beds was covered with flooring, padded with luxurious animal skins, creating a warm and comfortable resting place.

Xiahou, who was a little over three years old according to the local calendar, was curled up in the corner on a fur blanket, with his legs crossed and his head drooping as if he was dozing off. However, inside his body, a not insignificant amount of earth elemental energy was slowly flowing, circulating through his meridians according to the cultivation method of the Xuanwu True Solution. Strands of earth energy entered his body from beneath him, nurturing his flesh and blood and tempering his soul.

A young white píxiū, about two feet long, had a purple mountain vine looped around its neck. The other end of the vine was securely tied to a stone anchor on the ground. This píxiū, still in its juvenile stage, had a body like a lion, strong and powerful hind legs, unusually long forearms, claws glinting with white light, and its body covered in fine scales with tufts of downy fur peeking through the gaps. When it opened its mouth, it revealed sharp white teeth; a slight roll of its golden eyelids would reveal a blood-red glow, marking it as a top-tier fierce beast. It was also sitting cross-legged next to Xiahou, its head bobbing against Xiahou's thigh, looking like it was about to fall asleep.

Suddenly, the píxiū lost its balance and its head crashed onto Xiahou's thigh. Xiahou's eyes snapped open, and he slapped it away, sending it flying about ten feet. The little píxiū whimpered pitifully at Xiahou, cautiously inching back with a fawning expression. It licked Xiahou's hand with its pink tongue and then climbed onto his lap.

Xiahou sighed, patted the little píxiū's head, untied the vine from the stone, and tied it to his wrist. He then led the píxiū, which he had named Bai, out the door. After being cooped up inside all day, Bai was thrilled to see the open sky and started jumping around wildly. However, the vine was securely held by Xiahou, and Bai's strength was not yet a match for Xiahou's. Frustrated, Bai stumbled around Xiahou's legs before sitting on the ground, baring its teeth at the two pack beasts in the corner of the yard.

Xiahou patted Bai, who was almost as tall as him when sitting down, and looked up at the sun on the western mountain. He shouted loudly, "Mom, when is Dad coming back?"

Xiahou's mother, a woman without a personal name, responded with a few laughs from the woods beside the house. She emerged carrying a bundle of firewood weighing at least two hundred pounds. Seeing Xiahou standing at the door with the píxiū, she hurried over and smiled, "Hungry? Eat a few pieces of meat to fill your stomach. When your dad gets back, there will be fresh fruit for you."

Xiahou nodded, tightened the piece of hemp cloth tied around his waist, and said, "I'll go wait for him at the village entrance." Without waiting for his mother's reply, he pulled Bai and walked out of the courtyard.

His mother casually tossed the bundle of firewood over three meters away, onto the firewood pile in the corner of the yard. She brushed the grass leaves off her hemp jacket and cautioned Xiahou, "Don't leave the village. Just wait at the entrance, understand? There's a pack of tooth wolves in the forest these days. Don't get taken away."

Xiahou grunted in acknowledgment and, leading Bai, headed out.

This village wasn't large, with over two hundred wooden houses housing more than twelve hundred members of the Chihu Clan. In the forest within a five hundred-mile radius, it was one of the largest clans. Among the Chihu Clan, there were six hundred strong men capable of fighting. In this world's forests, this was a formidable force, enough to dominate. Therefore, since Xiahou was born, he had lived a happy life. There was a sufficient supply of food, especially a large amount of meat and fresh fruits to provide nutrition. The abundance of fierce beasts and monsters couldn't pose much threat to the village, allowing Xiahou to practice the Xuanwu True Solution from his previous life with peace of mind.

The benefits of practicing the Xuanwu True Solution from a young age quickly became evident. At the very least, Xiahou showed ten times the strength of children his age. Even though children his age, by the standards of his previous life on Earth, were already like little monsters. A child over two feet tall could lift a foot-wide stone and run around. On Earth, such a child would end up being dissected for research in a scientific institute. But here, even when Xiahou accidentally kicked a stone roller three months ago, the adults only expressed delight without finding it strange.

Besides a strong body, Xiahou's soul and internal energy were also well-trained. The most practical benefit was that after regulating his breath, based on his previous life's experience, he determined that the days in this world were still around twenty-four hours, though slightly longer. But the difference wasn't significant. A year was also about three hundred sixty-five days, with no discrepancies.

The sun rose in the east and set in the west. Many plants and animals recorded on Earth were also present here, which initially made Xiahou delightedly deceive himself into thinking he was still on some remote, isolated corner of Earth, preserving many rare species.

However, his first look at the night sky shattered this illusion. In the sky, he could distinguish the Big Dipper, the North Star, and the major constellations, with positions identical to those seen on Earth. But where was the moon? The sky lacked the familiar bright moon! Between the planets that should be Mars and Jupiter, there was a brilliantly shining star that didn't exist on Earth.

Thus, a confused Xiahou initially could only tell himself that this was a damned, primitive world still reliant on hunting, limited animal husbandry, and rudimentary farming for essential goods. Yet, it luckily had a natural environment nearly ninety-nine percent similar to Earth.

What utterly confused Xiahou and finally made him give up questioning this world was the large knife his father, Chi Hu Pi Xiu, used for hunting.

The first thing Xiahou did once he could lift that large knife was to test its material using every method he could think of. He ended up downing an entire jar of cheap strong liquor, disregarding the potential damage such alcohol could cause to his then two-year-old, still-developing brain.

Xiahou nearly went mad when he discovered that the knife was made of high-quality steel, seemingly mixed with other metals. This black alloy was not only heavy but also extremely hard and resilient. If he had to compare it to something, the material of the combat knife he had custom-made in a secret weapons research facility in China in his previous life was slightly superior, but not by much.

Xiahou could only numb himself and stop caring about the kind of bizarre world he was in. He even mocked himself, thinking that if one day the Daoist masters of the Three Pure Ones or some other deities or demons suddenly appeared, he shouldn't be surprised. After all, his father, Chi Hu Pi Xiu, had once successfully killed a velociraptor with the help of the clan. The skeleton of that velociraptor, meticulously prepared by the old shaman who had "baptized" Xiahou, now hung over their front door as a decoration.

In summary, this was an extremely abnormal world, where nothing could be explained by common sense.

Holding his head high, Xiahou completely ignored the snot-nosed kids wielding thick wooden sticks and fighting each other. Bai, snarling and baring his teeth, scared those bruised and battered children into giving way. Xiahou strutted towards the small hill at the village entrance.

Joking aside, Xiahou had already been in his thirties in his previous life. If it weren't for Xiao Hua's job, Xiahou might have had several children by now. How could he possibly have anything in common with these kids? Even though their "battles" were astonishingly fierce, those sticks, thick as an adult's fist, often broke over their little heads.

"The old shaman's 'baptism' potion is truly effective. I've never heard of a child in nearby tribes dying of illness after being born. Each one is stronger than a buffalo," Xiahou thought maliciously as he watched his peers cheer and beat each other up. "Perhaps my father and the others are overly simple-minded, having their heads bashed in when they were kids."

Sitting quietly on the hill waiting, Bai jumped and pounced around him, snarling and making mock attacks at a few docile pig-like livestock. Every time Bai was about to catch one, Xiahou would sharply tug the vine, pulling Bai back into the air. The plump "pigs" blinked their small eyes and lay on the ground, watching Bai repeatedly and determinedly pounce and get pulled back, as if enjoying a performance.

"What a wonderful place, where even pets for children are such 'gentle' creatures!" Xiahou sincerely admired. When he was just over two years old, and his father, Pi Xiu, had given him the palm-sized, blind Bai as a toy, Xiahou had no idea how terrifying Pi Xiu could be.

But that night, Xiahou experienced firsthand the terror of adult Pi Xius. Two white Pi Xius, driven by the scent of their missing offspring, charged in like the wind, impervious to blades and arrows, with extraordinary strength. The Chi Hu clan's men mobilized en masse, struggling all night and using every method at their disposal. In the end, it was the old shaman who secretly sprinkled some herbal powder that knocked out every living creature present, allowing them to subdue the two Pi Xius.

Even so, over thirty warriors, each capable of carrying a thousand pounds, were bedridden for half a month. These were men who could single-handedly kill a saber-toothed tiger without sustaining any injuries. According to the old shaman, those two white Pi Xius were merely adults, not yet old enough to possess some of the unique abilities of a Pi Xiu. Otherwise, the Chi Hu clan would have had to hand over the little Pi Xiu and immediately migrate a thousand miles away.

Seeing Bai beside him, having pounced dozens of times and now shedding tears of frustration, Xiahou softened. He picked up Bai and comforted him, "Bai, be good and listen. When Dad comes back, there will be fresh meat for you. Remember last time when you tore off several pounds of flesh from the shaman's horned cow? He was so angry he nearly plucked all your fur."

"You're not allowed to touch anything raised by our clansmen. If it's meat from the village, you can't eat it unless I give it to you. Understand?"

Bai blinked, his fiery eyes darting around, and the tears vanished. He even emitted a sound akin to human laughter. Xiahou, his scalp tingling, immediately grabbed Bai by the neck. "I'm telling you, you're not allowed to touch the livestock of the nearby tribes either. They're pitiful enough!"

Bai stretched lazily, looking defiant, then laughed a few more times and lay down on Xiahou's lap, gazing expectantly towards the mountain pass.

After a long while, as the sun was about to set, a series of earth-shaking howls erupted from the mountains, and hundreds of figures rushed towards them like the wind. The men, wearing only animal skins around their waists and wielding weapons like steel knives, spears, and heavy bows, carried or dragged a bounty of well-furred beasts, clearly another successful hunt.

Xiahou's father, Pi Xiu, had a giant arrow-toothed beast slung over his left shoulder and his large knife over his right, with a massive boar—twice the size of any Xiahou had ever seen—hanging from the blade. He jogged towards the village with a wide grin, covering five meters with each step, moving twice as fast as the fastest sprinters from Xiahou's past life.

Pi Xiu tossed the two thousand-pound beasts to the ground with ease, grabbed Xiahou by the neck, and hugged him tightly. His whiskers, as stiff as steel needles, pricked Xiahou's face as he squinted and asked, "What did you do today? Didn't play with Two, Three, Four, Five?"

Xiahou rolled his eyes, exasperated.

Indeed, they were a simple bunch. In the Chi Hu clan—and most other tribes now—children were nameless until they hunted a fierce beast themselves at twelve. They were simply numbered according to their birth order that year: One, Two, Three, Four, and so on. Xiahou was lucky to be born just after the New Year, making him the eldest of that year's children, hence called Ah Yi. Others, like Xiong's Ah Er and Mang's Ah San, followed the same pattern.

Only at twelve, after solo hunting a fierce beast, would they be named after the beast. Xiahou's father, Chi Hu Pi Xiu, had been fortunate to encounter and kill a juvenile five-foot Pi Xiu after a fierce struggle, earning the name Pi Xiu. The price was over a dozen deep scars still visible on his body, like knife cuts.

Kicking Pi Xiu in the stomach, Xiahou jumped down, grabbing Bai with one hand and dragging the giant boar's hind leg with the other, heading into the village. Bai agilely climbed onto the boar's belly, tearing into a front leg with sharp claws and devouring the fresh, warm meat with delight.

Pi Xiu laughed heartily, lifting the arrow-toothed beast and his knife, pointing at Xiahou with the knife tip. "Look, my Ah Yi is much stronger than I was at his age. None of you can match him. He'll surely be a great warrior when he grows up."

The hundreds of hunters laughed, nodding in agreement. Who among them didn't admire a strong child? A three-year-old who could drag a giant boar around was a rare sight even in larger tribes.

A big man adjusted the black-striped tiger on his shoulder, smacking his lips and shouting, "Pi Xiu, that's not fair. A hero shouldn't only come from your family. This year, we need to store more winter food, go home, and make some effort so my wife can give birth to a couple more. Ha ha!"

The men burst into laughter again, striding toward the village.

Suddenly, a burly man with a hint of cleverness moved closer to Pi Xiu and shouted, "Pi Xiu, maybe your Ah Yi, with such talent, could learn from the shaman in the future. Our branch of the Chi Hu clan might produce a formidable warrior."

Pi Xiu laughed heartily, "No doubt about it, my Ah Yi is the best. Your kids can't match him. If you want a kid as good as mine, you'd better work harder on your wives and have a few more."

The men roared with laughter. Pi Xiu smacked his lips, grinning with satisfaction, "In a couple of years, when Ah Yi is a bit older and more sensible, I'll let him stay with the shaman for a few months and see if he can learn something."

The men squinted happily, "Yeah, if our branch can produce a powerful warrior, we'll make a good showing at the Chi Hu tribe's grand meetings. Maybe the elders will select him for the army, and we'll have good wine to drink."

Xiahou's ears twitched, and he suddenly turned around, squinting his eyes as well, "Dad, what will I learn from the shaman?"

Pi Xiu blinked, rubbed his head with the knife handle, and muttered, "Ah, learn, learn what? Hmm, well, I'll ask the shaman tomorrow."

Feeling that Xiahou's question had embarrassed him, Pi Xiu kicked Xiahou's butt and scolded, "Why are you asking so much? You're just a kid, always asking this and that since you could talk. Of all the kids, you're the most troublesome. If you ask any more strange questions, I'll spank you."

Xiahou was kicked two or three meters away, landing awkwardly in a pile of 'pig' dung.

Xiahou grimaced in pain. Bai, who was yanked by the vine on Xiahou's wrist, flew through the air as well, landing in the same dung pile. Bai jumped up, chattering angrily. Xiahou, infuriated, got up, thinking, "If this were in my past life in America, a kick like that would have the police and reporters at your door for child abuse. Oh, my butt, I hope my Xuanwu True Explanation's first stage isn't complete while my butt is already at the ninth stage of defense."

Seeing Bai baring his teeth at him, Pi Xiu smashed Bai on the head with the knife handle. Sparks flew as steel met the scales on Bai's forehead. Bai's eyes rolled, and he collapsed. Pi Xiu casually kicked Bai's butt and shouted, "Get up and go back with Ah Yi for dinner. If you glare at me again, I'll skin you and make Ah Yi a coat."

Bai let out a sharp scream, immediately jumped up, and curled itself onto Xiahou's shoulder, not daring to look at Xiu again.

Xiu shook his head, casually picked up the giant boar from the ground, and walked towards his wooden house with broad strides. As he walked, Xiahou vaguely heard Xiu complaining, "One Pixiu skin is worth a thousand white tiger skins or a hundred saber-toothed tiger skins. Hmm, when Bai grows up, should I really skin it? Ah Yi's marriage will need a good wife. A good wife will require a lot of fur to be exchanged for."

He spat a thick glob of phlegm heavily onto the road, hitting a rock with a crisp sound. Xiu tilted his head and muttered, "Hmm, I need to get the clansmen to find out where within a thousand miles there are pretty girls, and start paying attention for Ah Yi. Don't want to end up like that kid Huohu, who got a wife for two bear skins and ten pigs—dumb and clumsy, can't do anything but have kids."

Xiahou felt a chill run through him, goosebumps rising all over. What kind of world was this?

Bai, with its sharp ears, heard Xiu's words clearly. Tears welled up in its eyes as it clung tightly to Xiahou's neck, trembling all over.

Xiahou held Bai tightly, gently comforting it, "Bai, be good, listen to me. Don't worry, even if I don't get married... no, even if I don't find a wife in this lifetime, I won't let them take a single hair from you."

Bai was extremely touched, sticking out its long tongue to lick Xiahou's face repeatedly, covering it in a mix of blood and saliva. This Pixiu's intelligence was remarkable; although it couldn't speak, it was in no way inferior to a human child in other aspects.

Xiahou sighed softly, "Heaven and earth bear witness, I'm telling the truth. According to my aesthetic standards from my past life, if I have to marry a 'capable' woman here, I'd rather castrate myself and become a eunuch."

As he glanced sideways, he saw Huohu's mother smiling at him with a 'simple' expression. Standing over 1.9 meters tall, with a build like a bear, Huohu's mother effortlessly picked up a stone roller and smashed chestnuts on a stone slab. The ground trembled slightly, the chestnuts turned into flour, but so did the stone slab.

Huohu's mother laughed cheerfully, excitedly scooping the chestnut flour mixed with stone powder into a clay pot and headed inside to make dinner. Just before entering the house, she suddenly turned around and gave Xiahou another 'simple' smile, "Pi Xiu, Pi Xiu's Ah Yi, come to my house for pancakes." Her mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth with a few strands of fresh meat hanging from them.

Xiahou, terrified, ran away with Bai in his arms, panting heavily as he returned home. Trembling all over, he held Bai tightly and resolutely swore, "Bai, don't worry. I care about you the most. Even if I never marry, I won't let my dad skin you."

Bai was deeply moved, affectionately rubbing its head against Xiahou's chest, smearing the 'pig' dung all over him, then leaped towards the fire pit, eagerly eyeing the meat soup in the clay pot.

Over there, Xiu was wildly hacking away with his large machete, cutting the saber-toothed beast and the giant boar into chunks of meat. He skewered the meat onto branches and hung them under the eaves. Some pieces were taken inside by Ah Mu to roast over the fire pit. All around the village, smoke rose from cooking fires, filling the air with the aroma of roasting meat, meat soup, and millet cakes. After a while, some of the men emerged from their wooden houses, bringing half of the day's hunt, skewered on branches, to the stone house where the shaman lived. Soon, smoke began to rise from the shaman's stone house as well, though its colors were strange and varied.

Leaning on the windowsill and watching the colorful smoke billowing from the shaman's chimney, Xiahou muttered darkly, "Eat, eat, eat! Keep eating! With all the scorpions and centipedes in that meat soup and roast, one day you'll poison yourself, you old skeleton."

A large log flew through the air with a whoosh and struck Xiahou squarely on the buttocks. Xiu, holding a two-foot-wide clay pot, shouted loudly, "Ah Yi, come here, eat! Eat, eat more meat! Only by eating meat will you gain strength! Hurry up!"

Holding up the pot, which could easily hold over ten pounds of meat,Xiu gulped down its contents and reached for the two-inch-thick, foot-long millet cake. "Hurry up and eat! Eat, eat more. You need to eat a lot of millet cake too, otherwise, the grease will make you sick."

A large clay pot and half a millet cake were placed in front of Xiahou by Ah Mu. Xiu, burping, mumbled, "Eat, eat, hurry up and eat. If you don't finish all this food today, I'll beat you."

Xiahou sighed deeply, his face full of sorrow as he nearly buried himself in the clay pot, swallowing large mouthfuls. "Gorging... God, in the 21st century, even pets wouldn't suffer such abuse. Do babies in this world really have such a high survival rate?"

The night sky was filled with twinkling stars, and there was no moon.

A cold, thin mist enveloped the village, and from the distant forest came the mournful howls of the tooth wolves.

Xiahou sat on the roof of the second floor, squinting at the stars in the sky, as thin streams of earthy yellow energy gradually merged into his body. Bai, with a large bone in its mouth and drool hanging from its lips, lay on Xiahou's lap, sleeping soundly.

Throughout the village, the heavy breathing of men and women could be heard. Finally, after countless long howls, the village fell into silence.