Chapter 115: You Picked Her Up Once Again

Creating a Cultivation Technique from scratch is difficult.

Attempting to create a technique that ignores Aptitude and bone structure…

Is even more difficult.

Xu Xi had no other martial arts to draw from, and no knowledgeable person to provide assistance. He could only rely on himself and a few Cultivation Techniques he had brought from the real world.

Practicing.

Martial Arts Evolution.

More practice, more evolution.

Xu Xi's life was dull and monotonous. In the courtyard where he was the only occupant, he silently threw punches and held his stances.

Only the scorching sun, the whitening floor tiles, and the large tree in the courtyard witnessed his day-after-day efforts and his countless drops of sweat.

"Time is running out…"

An unknown amount of time passed.

The figure that had been continuously throwing punches finally stopped, letting out a long sigh.

From the winter of last year until the summer of this year, the Yangyuan Technique had undergone several transformations through Martial Arts Evolution, but none were what Xu Xi wanted.

A technique that ignores Aptitude and bone structure.

Can such a thing really be created by man?

Xu Xi knew that the difficulty of deducing such a technique was extremely high, but he was unwilling to give up. He didn't want to watch those vivid, familiar faces pass away.

…

[A warning sounds in your heart]

[It is the intuition of a Martial Artist, a reminder of a future calamity]

[The scale of the next winter's Demon Tide will expand further. Demons in the same Realm as you, or even stronger, will appear. They are existences that the people of Qingniu Town cannot hope to withstand]

[You reduce some of your practice time and devote more time to deducing the Cultivation Technique]

[You are surprised to find that the reduced practice time has not slowed your growth in strength; in fact, your blood and Qi flow seems even faster]

[This is because your entire heart and soul are dedicated to following your own Dao]

[When deducing the Yangyuan Technique, your martial conviction is firmer than ever before]

[Smiling, you take another bite of a bitter vegetable bun and bury your head in the increasingly tattered pages of the Yangyuan Technique, pondering where it can be improved]

…

[Long hours of martial arts practice and evolution have become your daily routine, but occasionally, you still go out]

[Either heading to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to slay demons and hone yourself, sharing the excess meat with the townspeople]

[Or standing on high ground, overlooking the much calmer Qingniu Town, reminiscing about those who are no longer there]

[People from the outside world arrive]

[They are in a hurry, searching for fugitives just like they did last year]

[This time, the officials search thoroughly. It is no longer just simple questioning; they enter every household to check]

[Naturally, they find nothing]

[Ignoring the slightly dilapidated Qingniu Town and its halved population, the officials leave quickly, fearing that if they stay too long, they too will be attacked by demons]

[They ride away on Azure-Scaled Horses. As an Xiantian Martial Artist, you silently follow behind them]

[You watch them enter several more villages and towns. After failing to find anything there as well, they return to the mountain pass, cursing all the way]

[Vaguely, you catch words like "disgusting" and "swine"]

[You look at the dense army guarding the pass]

[You look at the tall city walls that keep out both demons and men]

[The burning fire in your heart and your flowing blood and Qi grow a bit hotter in the silence]

…

When Xu Xi returned to Qingniu Town.

The sky had turned dark.

A fine drizzle was falling.

Raindrops struck the blackened walls—a mixture of human and demon blood. Over time, it had formed stubborn stains that were hard to remove.

No one thought of removing them, because they couldn't see a future for tomorrow.

Gradually, the rain grew heavier.

Xu Xi walked through the surging curtain of rain. His Protective Aura radiated from his body, forming an invisible shield that blocked the water as he walked home.

"The idea I had last time could perhaps be improved upon."

"The quality of the Yangyuan Technique isn't high, but it's precisely because of that that it's suitable for improvement."

"Only with a low threshold can I ensure that everyone can learn it."

Xu Xi pondered as he walked.

He wanted to officially complete the improvements to the Yangyuan Technique before winter arrived, even though it was fraught with difficulties and required much effort.

*Creak—*

Pushing open the heavy, reddish-brown wooden door, Xu Xi entered his home.

His footsteps paused slightly.

In that empty, clean courtyard, he saw mud being washed by the heavy rain. Mud mixed with blood was being cleansed bit by bit by the rain, revealing a figure that Xu Xi wasn't surprised to see at all.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Xu…"

The girl, in a wretched state, coughed up blood with a bitter smile: "I might not be able to pay the fee this time."

"It's fine. I'm a kind-hearted person."

Xu Xi shook his head, stepped forward, and helped up the immobilized Wu Yingxue: "You can pay me back in installments later."

The girl was taken aback, seemingly wanting to say something.

But her injuries were too severe, and she fainted immediately.

"Such heavy injuries… did she fight an Xiantian Martial Artist?" Xu Xi glanced at the girl's wounds, circulated his Protective Aura to stop the bleeding, and carried her into the house.

He treated her wounds, cleared her blood and Qi, and applied simple bandages.

After doing all this, Xu Xi waited for Wu Yingxue to wake up.

"In the past few days, I haven't heard any news of this child at the border. She must have truly returned to the Thirteen Provinces of Daqian."

"Is there a special passage for entering and exiting that isn't guarded by the pass garrison?"

"I can ask her later."

"If we really can't hold out this winter, I can have everyone leave the border so they don't have to die in Qingniu Town."

Xu Xi lowered his gaze and gripped the girl's Dragon-patterned long spear.

He brought it before him.

He examined the wear and tear on the spear tip.

As well as the various nicks and chips on the shaft.

Besides being interested in the girl's method of moving across the border, Xu Xi was also interested in her experiences after she left.

He was curious about what she had gone through to cause the officials to search for her again—and more seriously and thoroughly this time.

"It's a good thing the border is complex; otherwise, this child wouldn't have had the chance to run back."

Drip—

Drip—

Outside, the heavy rain continued to pour.

The pitter-patter of the rain sounded like a compact performance, rapidly striking everything.

While Xu Xi evolved the Yangyuan Technique, he waited for Wu Yingxue to wake up. This wait lasted until nightfall.

The rain stopped, and the moon was dim.

The heavily injured seventeen-year-old girl slowly woke up.

"Thank you, Mr. Xu…" she lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. She was completely devoid of her former alertness and liveliness, remaining silent and still.

Xu Xi was familiar with such a look; he had seen it in other girls before.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Xu Xi inquired.

…

[Once again, you have picked up the injured Commandery Princess]

[This time, her injuries are even more severe, and her appearance is even more wretched. Even the sturdy Dragon-patterned long spear has numerous unusual signs of wear]

[You suspect that the girl faced an enemy above the Innate Realm]

[You ask the awakened girl for the truth]

[She remains silent for a long time, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. In a raspy, dry voice, she says that both her parents are dead]