I Couldn't Understand

Yu Ziqing had never thought this way before. "One cannot bear to leave one's homeland" was no empty saying—the village was the only ray of light that had shone into the villagers' hearts and upon their bodies when they were at their most desperate.

Without an absolute necessity, even the Village Chief could never have conceived the slightest thought of leaving the village.

But now, the situation had made it necessary to consider it.

No new children would be born in the village, and there probably would not be any population replenishment in the future. Its decline was only a matter of time.

That made adapting the only path forward.

But the road of departure would be difficult. Many people might not be able to endure it halfway there. By the time they found a new home, even though the villagers' physical constitutions were terrifyingly strong, they were still ordinary mortals. Conservatively speaking, at least half of them would die from the environment, warfare, and all kinds of dangerous creatures.

Yu Ziqing had personally experimented with it, so he could not keep it hidden. He had to make everyone in the village stack their armor.

He did not expect them to become especially strong or accomplish anything remarkable in the future. Most of them might take the path of body cultivation, and in the end, they would probably reach no higher than the Fourth Tier at most. Even that was because the villagers had consumed Jinlan Mushrooms for so long and practiced a fist technique that nourished the body, giving them far better inborn conditions than ordinary people.

They would stack the thickest armor, so that when the most vicious blows came, they might not die.

When future clashes and dangers such as extreme cold appeared, their chances of survival would rise substantially.

Yu Ziqing explained all this to the Village Chief, whose gaze at him immediately became somewhat strange.

"You... have already begun Body Refining?"

"I tested it myself. Don't worry. Refining the body at Cècè's place is fine. Once Quiet Cultivation is over and the surging Blood Essence settles down, there won't be any problems.

"As for the Active Cultivation of 'Blood Essence,' I feel it would be better to practice fist techniques in the village instead—nourishing the body while refining it. The results might be quite good.

"On top of that, many people in the village have trained tirelessly for years. Their fist techniques have given them a strong foundation for nourishing the body, so their progress should be very quick. Take Er Han, for example."

Yu Ziqing had not finished speaking when he suddenly stopped, staring at the Village Chief in astonishment.

"Village Chief, what's wrong?"

The Village Chief had weathered gales and storms, and whenever trouble arose, he had always remained steady. Yet now he turned his head aside, quietly raised a hand, and wiped at the corner of his eye. When he turned back, his eyes were slightly red, and his voice was choked with emotion.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Though this old man has spent his whole life with little knowledge, I still know a thing or two about cultivation. I also know what a body cultivator is..."

"Village Chief?"

"Don't say anything more. I understand it all. That old gentleman is learned and well-traveled; he certainly knows far more than this worthless old man... We've dragged you down. You're a good child, truly a good child. You never should have been dragged down by us..."

As the Village Chief spoke, he could no longer hold himself together. His emotions completely broke loose, and tears streamed down his old face as he repeatedly wiped them away.

Only when he heard the words "dragged you down" did Yu Ziqing finally realize what was happening.

Oh no. The Village Chief had misunderstood—and misunderstood terribly.

He thought Yu Ziqing had begun Body Refining for the sake of the village.

The Village Chief had never cultivated, but he had certainly heard of body cultivation's bitter, joyless, and hopeless "illustrious reputation."

He also knew that once one took the first step onto the path of cultivation, there was only forward, never retreat, and no room for regret.

The Village Chief had witnessed Old Yang's learning, too. That was one reason he believed Yu Ziqing would eventually leave the village and have a brilliant future. Precisely because of that, the Village Chief felt Yu Ziqing could never possibly choose Body Refining.

Yu Ziqing was torn inside. He hurriedly supported the old man, helping the Village Chief—whose tears streamed down and whose breathing had grown uneven—catch his breath. With utmost sincerity and absolute firmness, he said,

"Village Chief, you've definitely misunderstood. There's absolutely no question of dragging anyone down. I chose Body Refining after a very long period of consideration. It best fits my requirements and is the most practical choice. There's absolutely no other reason!"

"Mm, I believe you. You're a good child. I'll believe anything you say."

The Village Chief wore a benevolent smile and nodded repeatedly, just like someone humoring a child at home.

After taking a breath, the Village Chief shouted toward the outside,

"Er Han, get in here!"

Within three breaths, Er Han rushed in with his brows lowered and his expression obedient.

"Grandpa, you called for me?"

"Er Han, kneel down. Grandpa has something to tell you."

Er Han did not know what was happening. He hesitated, and the Village Chief's cane came wrapped in the sound of wind, striking him across the legs.

Er Han's knees bent, and he dropped to the ground. He lowered his head and listened obediently, racking his brain over what he had done these past few days to anger the old man.

"Er Han, listen carefully.

"From now on, whatever Ziqing says, you must listen. However he tells you to act, you must act. If you hesitate even a little, I'll break your legs.

"Do you understand?

"With your blockhead, once I'm dead, you'll probably have trouble carrying the village's banner. But we can't tie Ziqing down, either. Follow him and learn properly. Watch him carefully.

"After I enter the coffin, if anyone in the village dares to force Ziqing to do anything, beat that person to death. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Grandpa. Don't worry." Er Han still had no idea what was going on, but seeing the old man's reddened eyes and solemn expression, he knew this was no joke. The old man was truly entrusting him with something important.

At the side, Yu Ziqing raised one hand and covered his forehead, his face full of turmoil.

It was completely over. He could swear to Heaven right now, and no one would believe him.

The Village Chief had already begun thinking that after his death, everyone in the village—including Er Han—would have Yu Ziqing take over as Village Chief and bear the responsibilities of the position. At the same time, he feared Yu Ziqing would be too sentimental and truly become trapped in the village.

He had already arranged everything in advance. What could Yu Ziqing even say now?

"Haah..."

After leaving the Village Chief's place, Yu Ziqing let out a long sigh.

Forget it. I'll stack my armor first. Whatever happens can wait until later. For now, I'll just raise our chances of survival a little.

According to Old Yang's deductions, a battle would most likely break out on the Wasteland. Moreover, the sides would not be clashing on their respective home grounds. Once they started fighting, they should have no scruples at all...

Yu Ziqing's Body Refining progressed very smoothly, but it consumed a great deal.

When he had first arrived in the village, he probably weighed less than ninety pounds, so thin he was skin and bones. He had only just nourished himself back to around one hundred and thirty pounds, yet the first stage of Body Refining—the Blood Essence Realm—consumed a great deal of Blood Essence. Without supplements, it would take a very long time.

There were enough Jinlan Mushrooms to go around, which was the only reason his weight had not fallen again.

He had entered the basics on the first day, then spent seven days grinding away. Only then, when circulating his Blood Essence, could Yu Ziqing send it flowing through his limbs and torso.

Er Han, whose progress was the second fastest in the village, had already completed the cultivation of the first-stage Blood Essence Realm. When he circulated his Blood Essence, he could send it through his entire body in one breath, condensing his whole-body strength into a single force.

Moreover, Er Han's foundation from nourishing his body was terrifyingly good. Even before beginning Body Refining, he had dared to fight cultivators. Now, if he threw a punch, an ordinary body cultivator in the Second-Tier Marrow Cleansing Realm probably would not even have room to resist and would be beaten to death on the spot.

Over the past half-month, Er Han had completed Marrow Cleansing. His blood was like lead and mercury, and he had once again nourished his internal organs. When his Blood Essence began to boil, the sound of his heartbeat was like thunderous drums, shaking the soul.

A month later, Er Han had already reached the third Body Refining realm, the Return to Apertures Realm. The meridians throughout his body were like mighty dragons, vigorous and powerful. He had opened more than one hundred and ninety apertures, and he still showed no sign of stopping. Even when he practiced Quiet Cultivation each day, his Blood Essence was so abundant that no one could stay beside him.

Er Han was one thing; his progress had been expected. What Yu Ziqing could not understand was why the Village Chief, at such an advanced age, insisted on joining them. After beginning Body Refining, his progress was even more astonishing than Er Han's...

As for Yu Ziqing himself, after all sorts of factors were added together, he had only reached the Second Realm.

Looking at the Village Chief's thin body, his slightly hunched waist, and the cane he still leaned on, with all his aura restrained so that he appeared no different from usual at first glance, Yu Ziqing could not forget what had happened moments ago. When the Village Chief had broken his cane while beating Er Han, he had sent Er Han flying out of the Abyss of Despair with a single kick...

"I can't understand it, but I'm deeply shaken."

"I can't understand it either..." Old Yang shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Though I knew long ago that because of their accumulated foundation from nourishing their bodies over the years, their progress would be extremely fast once they turned to Body Refining, I never expected it to be this fast. And without the slightest side effect—their foundations are even more solid than those gained through bitter cultivation...

"Especially the Village Chief. He's clearly already very old, and his Blood Essence has begun to decline, yet he's faster and steadier than Er Han.

"In the past, among all cultivators, including Dao Practitioners, few paid much attention to body cultivation.

"You're still within my expectations. Your foundation is solid, and your speed is astonishingly fast.

"But them... I truly can't understand it. I even said earlier that I would help improve their fist techniques. Now it seems I was overconfident and underestimated the predecessors here."

"Perhaps their accumulation is like that of Dao Practitioners. What can usually be seen is only the tip of the iceberg." Yu Ziqing voiced his guess.

"Perhaps."

Old Yang silently left. That night, Yu Ziqing woke hungry in the middle of the night and went to replenish himself with food, only to discover Old Yang secretly using the Black Stone to practice a Goat-Style Fist Technique that he had somehow modified...

After eating, Yu Ziqing returned to his Earth Den. As he lay there in a daze, he felt that none of the villagers were quite normal.

Old Yang had also started acting strangely...

Though no one had said it outright, Yu Ziqing could sense that Old Yang had previously looked down on Body Refining as well. Yet now he was secretly practicing it...

He could not fall asleep, and he had already practiced his fist techniques, so he might as well continue cultivating.

He returned to the Abyss of Despair, where the same scenes were still playing on repeat.

He did not stop. After thinking for a moment, he walked through the Abyss of Despair and arrived outside the village.

Cold winds swept past in waves. The snow on the ground was already a foot deep. The farther he went, the thicker the snow became and the lower the temperature fell. Even though his Blood Essence now coursed through his entire body and he was not as afraid of the cold, he still felt the chill stabbing into his body like needles.

As he gazed into the distance, a streak of light suddenly flew across the horizon. In the blink of an eye, it exploded and went out. Right after that, several more streaks of light flew past. They collided with one another, and from time to time, one of those streaks was extinguished.

Yu Ziqing knew that every streak of light was a cultivator using an escape technique.

When the radiance went out, either they had dispersed their escape techniques—or they had died.

"They really have started fighting, and they're already not especially far from us..."