Chapter 1 – Full of Life
Stone Village was situated within the boundless mountain range, surrounded on all sides by great peaks and deep ravines. Vast and obscure mountains towered majestically nearby.
Sunlight passed through the dyed clouds, scattering down a golden radiance that bathed the people warmly within.
Dozens of children were gathered together, their ages varying from four to over ten years old. They were currently within the village courtyard at the front of the village, and as they faced the sunlight, they trained their bodies with hmph and ha sounds. Their young and tender faces all had serious expressions. The older children seemed powerful like tigers, while the younger ones still practiced with good form and posture.
A well-built middle aged man dressed in beast fur scanned over each and every child with bright and lively eyes. Copper-toned skin covered his powerful body, and black hair scattered down his shoulders. He was currently giving out instructions with a stern voice.
"When the sun rises, all living things begin to move, so the air of life is the most exuberant at that time. Although we cannot take in the sunlight as meals and ingest air like people from legends, there are still great benefits to be had by training oneself under the sunlight. It can fill one's body with energy, and in doing so, affect the rest of your day. Rise early and work hard every day. Strengthen your muscles, tendons, and bones. Allow your blood to circulate. You must all do this in order to survive in this mountain range." The middle-aged man stood in front of them and instructed the children in a strict manner, "Do you all understand?"
"We understand!" The group of children were full of vitality as they loudly replied.
There were many appearances of prehistoric lifeforms within the mountains. Occasionally, huge wings that covered the sky would pass over and cast giant shadows on the ground. There were also some desolate beasts who stood on mountain peaks, howling as they absorbed the moon's essence. Of course, the various poisonous insects that moved about could not be forgotten, as they were also abnormally terrifying.
"Understand!" A little guy, who was clearly distracted and half a beat slower yelled out with his immature voice.
He was a very young child, roughly one or two years old. He barely learned how to walk a few months ago, yet he already began to train with everyone else. Of course, he waddled over by himself into that group and clearly didn't belong here.
Hmph hmph ha heh! The little guy made sounds from his mouth, and his tender little hands tried their best to wave around. He tried to imitate the older children's movements, but he was too small and young. His movements were slanted, and his steps were unstable as he staggered around. In addition, there were white-colored milk stains on the corners of his mouth, making him appear quite foolish.
When the older children saw him, their eyes and eyebrows began to squirm about. The previously tense atmosphere of the morning exercises immediately began to relax by quite a bit.
The little guy was quite beautiful. His skin was white and tender, and his eyes were large and black as they moved around. He looked extremely cute, just like a porcelain doll. The yi yi ya ya sounds coming from his mouth, as well as his young and tender movements, made him seem extremely lovable and naive. Nearby, some of the elders who were sitting cross-legged on large rocks also revealed smiles as they breathed in and out.
Even the robust and bare-chested male adults looked over with smiles. These were the strongest people in the village, as well as the powerful individuals that guarded and hunted for the village. Right now, they were also training. One of them held a big bone club that originated from the skeleton of an unknown beast, and another individual had a black metal-cast broadsword in his hands. As he brandished it about, the wind it brought forth created thunderous sounds.
