Free and Easy Wandering!

The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the entire residence was already bustling with activity.

"Haha, Brother Zhou, I haven't congratulated you yet on becoming a commander yesterday!"

Having finished a night of cultivation, Zhou Hao had just stepped out of the quiet room when he saw Tieniu striding into the courtyard.

"Brother Tieniu, what is this?" Zhou Hao saw that the people of the Iron Ox Tribe had already packed their belongings, looking as if they were about to depart immediately.

"Old Blind Man and I spent all day yesterday running around, and we found a suitable place for a camp about eight hundred miles from Jade Dragon City," Tieniu explained.

"It's not a long-term solution for so many people to be squeezed in here. Since we've picked a spot, we want to head over as soon as possible."

"So fast?" Zhou Hao was stunned; Xiangcao hadn't mentioned this at all last night.

He had originally thought it would take at least three to five days to settle on a future site for the Iron Ox Tribe, never expecting Tieniu and the others to find one in just a single day.

"It was Zhao Hu. He came looking for you yesterday morning, and when he saw you weren't there, he asked me a few questions. Knowing I was going out to look for a site, he arranged for an elderly local from Jade Dragon City to guide us," Tieniu laughed.

"There aren't many good spots suitable for a tribal settlement. After visiting two places, Old Blind Man and I took a fancy to a wide valley. It's not only easy to build defenses in, but the area is also large enough for over a hundred thousand people to live."

"That sounds excellent." Zhou Hao nodded, feeling quite satisfied with how capable Zhao Hu was.

Adding in how he had run around helping him with matters yesterday, Zhou Hao made up his mind to find an opportunity to repay him.

"Brother Zhou, there is one more thing I need to discuss with you." Tieniu's tone shifted, and he looked hesitant.

"Brother Tieniu, if you talk about 'discussing,' you're treating me like an outsider. Am I not a member of the Iron Ox Tribe?" Zhou Hao asked with a smile.

"Yes, yes, I misspoke." Tieniu laughed heartily. "It's like this: the little ones in the tribe, like Zhuzi and Shitou, should be learning to read and write and starting to practice martial arts.

The conditions in the tribe aren't as good as in Jade Dragon City, so I want to let the children of the right age stay here to attend the martial arts school in the city. Since the husbands of Sister-in-law Zhamu and Sister-in-law Qingshi are both gone, I'd like to leave them here to look after the little ones."

"No problem. When I have time, I can teach them martial arts as well." Zhou Hao nodded. Seeing Xiangcao walking over from outside, he subconsciously asked, "Is Xiangcao going to the new camp too?"

"What? You don't want me to stay?" Xiangcao raised an eyebrow. "Should I leave then?"

Zhou Hao paused, then shook his head. "No, the military issued an order yesterday. They've only given us five days to familiarize ourselves with drills before we have to head out to sea for garrison duty, and we won't be back for at least a month. I'm just worried that if I'm gone, there won't be anyone in charge at home, and it wouldn't be safe for Sister-in-law Zhamu and Sister-in-law Qingshi to be alone with all these children."

"You have to go out to sea for military duty?" Xiangcao pressed. "Is it dangerous?"

"No danger," Zhou Hao laughed. "It's just guarding an island. I'll stay there for a month and come back when the time is up."

Jade Dragon City's main operations were in the East Sea. Previously, the most important task for the Xiantian Battalion, besides guarding the maritime trade routes and island residents within their sphere of influence, was to garrison three islands with Origin Stone mines.

After this expansion and renaming, the five squads of the Jade Dragon Army, except for Yang Yun's Fourth Squad which remained to guard the city, were all to be dispersed to garrison the sea.

Because their Fifth Squad was newly formed, the military department had granted them an extra five days to get acquainted, while the other squads had already set sail yesterday right after the martial arts competition.

"With Brother Zhou's strength, what kind of opponent could there be at the Xiantian realm? Even if there were danger, we wouldn't be afraid!" Tieniu grinned.

The news of Zhou Hao's feat of destroying the Vine Wood Puppet in a single breath during yesterday's Green Flood Dragon Army competition had already spread throughout Jade Dragon City, and Tieniu and the others felt immensely proud when they heard it.

Brother Zhou was one of their own from the Iron Ox Tribe!

Only when Xiangcao heard it was just guarding an island did she set her mind at ease.

"I'm not leaving. I'll stay here and look after things for you, look after this home."

Having said that, she turned and walked away quickly.

"If you aren't leaving, then don't. Why are you running?"

Watching Xiangcao flash out of the courtyard like a gust of wind, Zhou Hao was a bit puzzled.

However, the fact that Xiangcao wasn't leaving made him quite happy.

After all, having transmigrated into this world, Xiangcao was the first person he had met. After spending these days together, he had grown accustomed to it; no matter how late he returned, there would always be someone waiting for him.

"Master Jingzhi, Master Jingzhi?"

In front of the Martial Repository, Zhou Hao called out while carrying a steaming pot of Zhilong Meat.

"It's early in the morning, what are you howling for!"

Creak~~~~

The door opened, and Master Jingzhi walked out with dark circles under his eyes.

"Master Jingzhi, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you?" Zhou Hao lifted the Zhilong Meat in his hand. "I bought this at Zhu Da Restaurant. Shall we eat while it's hot?"

The Wilderness World was not Earth; almost every commoner practiced martial arts, and their three daily meals were primarily meat-based.

Zhou Hao didn't care much for food, but he had bought a pot on his way here.

After all, he was coming to ask for guidance today, and it wouldn't look good to arrive empty-handed.

The old man and the young man set out bowls and chopsticks on the stone table in front of the Martial Repository and began to feast.

Master Jingzhi ate with refined manners, while more than half of the pot of Zhilong Meat ended up in Zhou Hao's stomach.

"You have no reason to be so attentive unless you want something." Master Jingzhi took out a silk handkerchief, wiped the corners of his mouth carefully, and looked at Zhou Hao. "Speak, what do you want from me?"

"I knew I couldn't hide anything from your sharp eyes, Master." Zhou Hao chuckled. "I want to learn a movement technique. I wonder if there is a suitable cultivation method in the Martial Repository?"

"There is." Master Jingzhi's mouth curled slightly. "But one must be at the Xiantian stage of Qi cultivation to even begin, and you..."

"My Qi cultivation is already at the Xiantian middle stage." Zhou Hao nodded repeatedly, and with a wave of his hand, a strand of True Origin surged out from his body.

BOOM!

The black stone slab used as a blackboard during the lecture the day before was instantly blasted into powder.

"..." Master Jingzhi stared at Zhou Hao, the corners of his mouth seemingly twitching.

"I'll pay for it, I'll pay for it!" Zhou Hao offered a bitter smile, promising repeatedly.

He had subconsciously lashed out at the blackboard just now... what a grudge!

"Wait here." Master Jingzhi tossed the silk handkerchief in his hand aside, stood up, and walked back into the Martial Repository.

Zhou Hao finished the last few pieces of meat and sent a wisp of consciousness into the Blue Flower Space. Seeing the two wisps of water vapor drifting inside, he felt truly gratified.

Of the sixty High-Grade Origin Stones he had won from Ren Baili, Zhou Hao had used twelve last night to cultivate the fourth level of the Water Source Sutra to perfection, reaching the fifth level of the Xiantian mid-stage realm.

Following that, he offered eight High-Grade Origin Stones to the Blue Flower Boss, allowing the Blue Flower Space to gain two more wisps and seventy-two threads of water vapor.

It was only because his body was a perfect Xiantian God and Devil physique nurtured by cultivating the Chiming Nine Heavens Map, with incredibly tough meridians, that he could withstand such a toll; a normal Xiantian Qi-refiner would never dare to act so recklessly.

After all, High-Grade Origin Stones were not Origin Liquid; using too many still placed a burden on the body.

However, this had reached Zhou Hao's limit.

His body's meridians needed to be scoured and improved by more refined Xiantian True Essence; otherwise, if he blindly sought speed, he would risk damaging his foundation.

This was also the reason he had come to the Martial Repository today to see Master Jingzhi.

Qi-refining could not be cheated for speed, and body-refining required slowly guiding and absorbing the Power of Taiyin and Power of Taiyang. In his spare time, he wanted to hone his fist techniques, staff techniques, and movement techniques.

Yesterday at the Drill Ground, after integrating a trace of the True Meaning of Wind into the Gang Step he had practiced since childhood, his movement technique had crushed Hu Yong and forced him to concede. However, that was merely a set of footwork; without the coordination of True Essence circulation, its potential was limited.

Systematically learning a movement technique and using it as a reference for improvement was the wise choice.

After waiting for a full cup of tea's time, Master Jingzhi finally emerged carrying a brand-new book with a cyan cover.

"Here." Master Jingzhi tossed it to Zhou Hao, clearly still dissatisfied that he had destroyed the blackboard used for preaching and answering questions.

"I'll go find a larger black stone slab to bring to you in a moment, Master," Zhou Hao promised repeatedly, then lifted the book with both hands.

The cover of the book was simple, bearing only three large characters: Free and Easy Wandering!

"Eh? No need to swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao?" Zhou Hao flipped open the book and saw that, unlike the Water Source Sutra, the first page was not an oath but rather dense, small characters of the technique. He couldn't help but look at Master Jingzhi.

"No need. This is a movement technique obtained by a... a fairy from the Jade Dragon Sect's inner sect during a chance encounter at an ancient cave dwelling." Master Jingzhi's eyes seemed filled with reminiscence.

"Because she also originated from the Green Flood Dragon Army of Jade Dragon City, she left this Evasion Secret Technique here."

"In the future, if you wish to pass it on, as long as the person has a pure heart and is not a great villain, then it is up to you."

"Rest assured, Master, I will certainly not pass it on indiscriminately," Zhou Hao solemnly guaranteed.

"Mm." Master Jingzhi nodded slightly, walked to a recliner nearby, and lay down, staring blankly at the sky.

Zhou Hao sat on a stone bench and carefully flipped through the book in his hands.

"The Free and Easy Wandering Evasion Technique is a divine ability created by a great Dao Sect predecessor. It was later modified by numerous immortals and simplified into an Evasion Secret Technique, which can also be practiced by Qi-refining cultivators."

"When practiced to the pinnacle, one can tread on blue clouds to roam the four seas, covering ninety thousand miles in an instant... It is one of the top evasion techniques of the Dao Sect."

"This—this is actually a secret technique?" Zhou Hao held his breath. "And the original was even a divine ability?"