Chapter 117: I Only Know That Some People Can No Longer Survive

Wu Yingxue was merely too sorrowful, which made her appear dull and numb; she was not truly foolish.

Through Xu Xi's words, she instantly realized what kind of immense changes such a Cultivation Technique would bring once it appeared.

The entire border… no, the entire Great Qian, would become turbulent because of it.

What puzzled the girl even more was whether such a Cultivation Technique could truly be created, and why Xu Xi would do such a thankless task.

Xu Xi's talent was clearly very high; he shouldn't need to consider Cultivation Techniques.

Could it really be for the sake of rebellion?

"No, I have no interest in rebellion," Xu Xi shook his head, dismissing the young girl's thought.

Several days passed.

The overcast rain and dark clouds had long since dispersed.

Replacing them was a bright, scorching sunny day.

The sky was azure blue, dotted with pure white clouds; from time to time, birds would flap their wings, passing over Qingniu Town in flocks.

Under the sunlight, the girl's confusion became even more apparent.

"Then why are you doing this? It clearly cannot bring you any benefits," Wu Yingxue asked, puzzled.

Creating a Cultivation Technique that everyone could practice would ultimately only result in ordinary people being able to become Martial Artists.

But for Xu Xi, for Xu Xi who was already in the Xiantian Realm, this kind of Cultivation Technique was useless.

Xu Xi did not answer immediately; instead, he stood in the sun-drenched courtyard, shaped his palm into a blade, and slashed at an inconspicuous spot in the air.

"Chila—"

The sound of fabric tearing rang out.

A blade of Protective Aura shot from his hand, severing the body of a demonic bird; flesh and blood flew everywhere, eliciting gasps from the people in the town.

"Brother Xu is amazing! There's meat to eat again!"

"A-Niu, hurry, cut off the tenderest part and send it to Xi-geer."

"Alright!"

Cheers, jubilant shouts, and noisy clamor.

The demonic bird's body was very tough and difficult to cut into pieces, at least for Mortals.

Thus, Qingniu Town became lively.

The elderly, women, and children watched with smiles as the adult men hacked at the demonic bird's flesh again and again with their knives, taking a long time to cut off just a small piece.

During this process, the cheers of the Qingniu Town commoners for Xu Xi almost never ceased.

Even without stepping out of the house, Wu Yingxue could hear that clear, heartfelt gratitude that seemed to reach the depths of the soul, as well as the exhaustion and weakness hidden within the voices.

"Yingxue, did you hear that?"

Xu Xi slowly retracted his hand-blade.

He looked sideways at the girl: "This is the reason."

His voice was very calm, like water without joy or sorrow, but beneath that tranquility lay an indescribable, repressed flame:

"I have no interest in rebellion, no interest in the position of Emperor, and I have never thought about becoming a Martial Dao master who teaches the world."

"I only know that on this land ruled by Great Qian, on this land filled with demons."

"Some people can no longer survive…"

Life was fading away rapidly.

There were many reasons for this passing.

Perhaps being devoured by demons, crushed by taxes, or beaten to death.

These reasons were not normal; they were full of sickness and deformity.

People should not be like this.

"When people are hungry, they should eat food, not the flesh of demons."

"When people are cold, they should wear clothes, not be wrapped in tattered straw mats."

"When people are afraid, they should run away, not stand there waiting for death."

"People should live like human beings, in a human way."

"If they lack strength, I will provide it."

Unlike the Acquired Martial Artists of the Five Stages of Body Refining, who only simply strengthened their physical bodies, after ascending to the Xiantian Realm, Xu Xi, who was at the first step of Observing Principles, already possessed a special Martial Dao divine ability that allowed him to observe the changes in the operation of heaven and earth.

It was a special Martial Dao Heavenly Eye that allowed him to see extremely far.

Thus, Xu Xi saw it.

Through countless earthen walls, he saw where the demonic bird had fallen.

The people were staring intently at the demon meat, their stomachs rumbling with hunger, yet they still urged A-Niu, who held the knife, to cut off the tenderest part for Xu Xi first.

They were very hungry.

So hungry that their legs were weak.

After enduring a cruel winter, Qingniu Town had long since run out of food.

Only the flesh of demons and the weeds and trees sprouting in spring could serve as rations for people.

But.

It was not enough to eat.

It was simply not enough.

As winter passed, without the arrival of a Demon Tide, Qingniu Town lost its most important source of food.

The people were so hungry that their cheeks clung to their bones, revealing a deep purple color from long-term consumption of demon flesh, yet even so, they still wanted to eat.

Anything would do, anything was fine.

They were too hungry…

There was already, already no way to continue surviving…

"Survive."

Wu Yingxue muttered to herself, repeating these three words over and over.

They were very ordinary words.

Yet inexplicably, they made the girl, whose body had been numbed by sorrow, feel the warmth of blood once again.

Childhood memories flooded her mind; at that time, the girl was still a noble princess, reading novels and listening to storytellers.

She had infinite fantasies about the saviors in the stories, about the heroes who saved everything.

She dreamed, longed, that one day she could become such a hero, being praised and loved by others with the grand and righteous slogans of "saving the world" and "slaying demons."

But now, the 17-year-old girl suddenly realized.

A simple "survive" surpassed thousands of words in the world.

Father… Mother…

Prince Dingyuan, who rebelled in anger for the "rebel army," her own mother who died tragically in the celestial prison, the commoners forced into a dead end, the Mortals cruelly devoured by demons.

In this instant, many memory scenes flashed rapidly through Wu Yingxue's mind.

Finally, they froze on the present, on Xu Xi's face, on the "survive" that Xu Xi had spoken.

The eyes that had been dim for many days regained their luster.

Her dejected face once again recovered its heroic spirit and fighting will.

The girl felt that she had probably found it.

With Xu Xi's help, she had found a new meaning in life.

Wu Yingxue wanted to survive, and furthermore, help more people survive!

"Sir."

"What is it, Yingxue?"

"Can you let me research that Cultivation Technique that allows everyone to practice with you?"

The sky was clear for ten thousand miles, and the sunlight shone through the clouds, illuminating the longing in the girl's eyes.

Xu Xi was stunned for a moment.

Then he smiled: "Alright, but I cannot guarantee that this path can eventually be walked; it is more likely to be a wasted effort."

"It's okay, Sir," Wu Yingxue took a deep breath and also revealed a brilliant smile, "At least for now, I want to try, together with you."

"Alright then, I welcome you to join," Xu Xi said.

After all, Wu Yingxue came from the royal family; even if her Realm was low and her Cultivation Technique was incomplete, that knowledge and foundation could still be helpful.

Perhaps, with Wu Yingxue's joining, the Yangyuan Technique could truly undergo a transformation and become the way Xu Xi expected.