Jiang Chen was tremendously excited. He hadn’t expected the eight statues that he’d taken from the Prince of Shangping to contain such a momentous secret.
“Is Saint Dan still alive?” The consciousness sounded vaguely sorrowful and forlorn.
“I don’t think he’s present in this world anymore,” replied Jiang Chen honestly. “Perhaps his good works has allowed him to ascend to the heavenly planes, or perhaps he’s pa.s.sed away and reincarnated. It’s been hundreds of thousands of years since the primordial age, maybe even a million.”
Truthfully, Jiang Chen didn’t know exactly how long it had been since the primordial age, but the ancient times was a dozen or more hundred thousand years at minimum. In light of that, his estimate didn’t seem too over the top.
The primordial age was likely the origin of all civilization on Divine Abyss.
The consciousness found this a bit odd. “A million years? Has it been that long?”
“Yes, after the primordial age came the ancient age. In the ancient age, the demon race invaded and changed Divine Abyss’ history forever. The Divine Abyss Continent of today is in its weakest and most abject time. Maybe we need a resurgence of a primordial race like the Primordial Stone Golems. Your reintroduction may be the catalyst that revitalizes this world!” Jiang Chen offered the tribe a timely bit of praise.
“The ancient age? What age is that? Does it come after the primordial age? The demon race? Where did that race come from? The Divine Abyss Continent has no such race.”
The Primordial Stone Golem Tribe had been born in the primordial age, but hadn’t experienced the ancient age. Therefore, it was no wonder that it neither knew what the demon race was nor what had happened during that era.
“The demon race is a race from the outer planes that invaded Divine Abyss Continent.”
“Divine Abyss has many powerful races. How strong are these demons to dare invade like this?”
“Haha, that’s a long story. Maybe you should find out for yourselves what’s happened after you reawaken. The demon race is one known in the heavenly planes, and Divine Abyss cannot rest a single day while it remains unextinguished. The other races can’t possibly peacefully coexist with it.”
The tribesman was furious. “How can this have happened? Do these demons have three heads and six arms?”
“Not just that, but numerous abilities and methods.” Jiang Chen intentionally provoked the tribesman. “You Primordial Stone Golems were one of the strongest races in the primordial age, but perhaps these demons exceed even you in their capabilities.”
“Impossible. There were very few races stronger than my tribesman in the primordial age. Hmph, if not for our tribe’s honesty and low reproductive rate, we should have been the rulers of the continent!” There was a deep loyalty to his race in the golem’s voice.
Jiang Chen chuckled in tacit agreement. “Alas, your race had neither the ambition nor the boldness to conquer the world. Alright, enough with the small talk. I’m going to use the secret method required to revive you. I do need your cooperation, though. If the secret method fails, your consciousness and body will never reunite ever again.”
“Of course, of course,” the consciousness agreed hurriedly. “You are a junior of Saint Dan, and thus the Primordial Stone Golem Tribe is indebted to you. We will do what you say.”
A Golem always repaid his debts. He returned even the smallest favor ten times over, and the gravity of Jiang Chen’s life-saving actions was much weightier than that.
“Don’t worry,” nodded Jiang Chen. “I will use my full strength to revive all eight brothers of your clan.”
As long as there was a secret method available, he was confident he could pull it off. He had always been sure of his own skills.
In his previous life without cultivation, he’d still been able to become a pill dao master renowned in the heavenly planes. Now, he had more than sufficient cultivation and talent to back his knowledge up.
Following his prior actions, Jiang Chen found the sealing points on the giant statue. Because the larger statue held the tribesmen’s bodies, the resolution of the bindings was considerably more difficult.
Under his concerted efforts, more and more of the seal broke.
“Alright, the seal on your outer body is no more. Prepare yourself. I will use the secret method to transfer your consciousness back into your body. Remember, this is the most key component of the revival ceremony. If anything is done improperly here, your mind and body will never be united for the rest of eternity!”
Jiang Chen emphasized the importance of this fact again and again.
This was no idle threat. The final step was also the deadliest. Since consciousness and body had been separated for so long, whether they could return to their prior states was a very good question. If there was a misstep somewhere along the way…
Because of this, utmost caution was required for the entire process. Using the figurine, Jiang Chen guided the Stone Golem’s consciousness out. Making a series of hand seals, he cried out, “Go!”
A streak of bright light surged into the larger statue under Jiang Chen’s supervision and impetus.
Whoos.h.!.+
There was a rapid ripple on the exterior of the body as its consciousness entered, countless cracks visibly forming on the surface. These cracks tore away multiple layers of discarded granite, revealing new skin and runes beneath.
This was a sign that life had returned, and that the body had regained a modic.u.m of vitality.
Jiang Chen let out a long breath. He understood that this dangerous process was over. More importantly, he had succeeded!
After soul was joined to body, the giant’s form began to slowly rumble into movement from his previous paralyzed state. Vigor and cadence began to flow within the giant’s body once more. Blood pumped through the veins, and organs roared to life. Gradually, the senses began to return as well.
There was a distinct rumbling. The golem’s joints popped continuously like a wok of fried beans.
Suddenly, his neck moved from left to right. Enormous eyes the size of bronze bells opened wide, the celestial light emanating from them, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with spirit.
Freed from the shackles of a million years of being sealed away, a living Stone Golem had been restored to new life!
“Don’t get overexcited, big guy. Calm down. Calm down. You have seven brothers who are still stuck. If you attract the celestial demon lord, there’ll be a lot of trouble.”
“Who is the celestial demon lord?” The golem waved his thick, powerful arms around. His voice was full of energy and strength.
“The celestial demon lord is a lord of the demon race sealed away here.”
“Hmph, is he strong? We braves of the Primordial Stone Golem Tribe aren’t scared of a celestial demon lord. If he comes, he can eat my fist!”
“I don’t know if he’s strong or not, but the ancient Primosanct Sect couldn’t kill him. That’s why he was sealed away here.”
“Impossible. Saint Dan was ridiculously strong. How could he not kill a celestial demon lord?” The golem tribesman was in disbelief.
“Saint Dan was a primordial expert. There were innumerable generations between him and the ancient age,” Jiang Chen reminded.
“Oh, that means you’ve failed his heritage then. Pretty useless, if you ask me.” Stone Golems seemed to be quite brutish as a whole. Such words were harsh enough to make anyone actually from the Primosanct Sect cough up blood.
Thankfully, the ancient sects’ forefathers had died out in the present day.
“Haha. By the way, big guy, I’m Jiang Chen. What’s your name?” The human spoke like he was the big bad wolf luring in a little bunny.
The golem tribesman scratched his head. “We Stone Golems are all called Stone. We don’t have any real names. I’m Big Stone, my second brother is Second Stone, third brother is Third Stone...”
Jiang Chen quickly stopped him. “Alright, that’s enough. I know you have a lot of brothers. Your seventh brother is called Seventh Stone and the eighth brother is Eighth Stone, right?”
“How did you know?” The big man reacted in unfeigned shock, as if Jiang Chen had solved the hardest problem in the world. The human didn’t know what to say or think.
Were Stone Golems really this simple?
Was there a point to asking ‘how did you know’ to something so obvious?
“Aha! I’ve got it. Saint Dan must have told you.” The giant looked very thoughtful. Jiang Chen was at a complete loss for words.
What was he supposed to reply with? His eloquence had no outlet here.
The Primordial Stone Golem Tribe was naïve enough to the point of being mentally handicapped. Jiang Chen even felt guilty, like he was tricking a three-year-old.
Alas, the present circ.u.mstances meant that he had to take hold of these tribesmen and exert absolute control over them, lying through his teeth if necessary. Otherwise, they would be extremely troublesome if mobilized by the celestial demon lord.
“Big Stone. Saint Dan saved your lives, and I returned them to you. Don’t you think that you and your brothers should listen to me from now on?”
The big man nodded multiple times in quick succession. “Oh, of course. You are Saint Dan’s junior and heir, and our savior. That’s right, Jiang Chen, I hear that humans are a wily and crafty race. Not many good people. You aren’t tricking us, are you?”
“Of course not. If I wanted to do that, why would I rescue you?”
“Mm, I guess so.” The big man nodded. “Get my brothers alive first.”
Jiang Chen knew that the Stone Golems were a tribe of simple-minded creatures, but he estimated the one before him to be a child of that race despite his musculature. Otherwise, the race would have bordered on straight-out idiocy.
The Stone Golems could not possibly be that simple. How would they have survived in the primordial age otherwise?
Jiang Chen was even more pumped up when he considered this possibility. He had picked up a few younglings of the Primordial Stone Golem Tribe! While they were in this stage of their lives, they would be easy to guide and tame. Ent.i.ties with more experience were far harder to brainwash.
The Vermilion Bird patrolling outside was overjoyed to see Jiang Chen’s revival of the Primordial Stone Golems and t.i.ttered with excitement. It also became a bit more curious about this human youth.
The secrets of these eight Stone Golems hadn’t been uncovered by anyone in the ancient Primosanct Sect. How unexpected and quaint that this modern youth had revived them while his forebears could not!
A primordial secret that had pa.s.sed through the long ancient age, then the hundred thousand years after that, without being revealed. This young man had practically pulled off a miracle!