Chapter 142: The Power of Persistence, Terrifying Indeed

The passage of time always brings about many changes.

Several years passed.

The "Sin-People" army, which was originally miserable and looked like it would die on the roadside at any moment, now truly had the appearance of an army, holding blades and wearing armor, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner.

The number of Martial Artists who returned from Acquired to Innate was no longer just two or three.

Since A-Niu's Breakthrough, one after another, others became what everyone called "Little Battle Masters," which is to say, Innate Martial Grandmasters.

The old, weak, women, and children were settled by Xu Xi in the rear.

They farmed, wove cloth, and learned to read and write.

The territory of several provinces and the passage of several years had increased the talent within the Qiuhuo Army, so it was no longer like before in Pingshui County, where only Xu Xi and Wu Yingxue barely managed everything.

The current Qiuhuo Army had a more detailed division of labor.

Such as Little Teaching Masters, Little Pig-Raising Masters, and Little Blacksmith Masters.

Everyone had their own duties.

But at the doorway of every household, they habitually kept tools like hoes and manure forks.

Xu Xi had consoled them many times, stating that the current Qiuhuo Army's combat power was sufficient, and there was no longer a need for almost everyone to fight for that sliver of survival as they did before.

The common people expressed their gratitude, but no one listened.

They stubbornly kept their handy tools.

Waiting.

Preparing.

If Xu Xi encountered danger, they would once again charge for Grand Master Xu, for that Xi-geer who had painstakingly forged a path to survival.

"Xi-geer is just too honest, he gets bullied easily!"

They evaluated Xu Xi with such exasperation.

…

Besides that, the progress of Wu Yingxue's strength also made Xu Xi very gratified.

"That child, Yingxue…"

"Since changing her Cultivation Technique, the speed of her Cultivation has been faster day by day. The quality and quantity of her Blood-Qi world far exceed those of the same rank, not inferior to the me of the past, and she can trade blows with the Xiantian Third Realm."

"This special degree of compatibility is truly an unexpected joy."

"It would be better if her personality could be more steady."

The newly conquered Diyanzhou of the Qiuhuo Army.

Inside the provincial government office.

Xu Xi was practicing boxing in a quiet courtyard.

Compared to the Qingniu Town period, Xu Xi's boxing stance had not changed much; it was still as simple and unadorned as before.

His five fingers clenched into a fist.

He sank his Qi and punched forward.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, nor were there any flashy light effects.

All there was, was the slight breeze stirred up when he threw the punch.

However.

Wu Yingxue knew, A-Niu knew, and most of the Qiuhuo Army knew just how incredible the power contained within that seemingly ordinary punch was.

They had once witnessed with their own eyes Xu Xi split mountains and sever rivers with that same ordinary punch.

Grand Master Xu is terrifying indeed!

"This is the power of Persistence."

In the quiet, empty courtyard, leaves were swept down by a strong wind.

Xu Xi stood in place, slowly withdrawing his boxing stance. A leaf brushed against the back of his hand and landed on the stone-paved ground.

Each of the Three Realms of Xiantian is extremely difficult.

Unlike the Five Stages of Body Refining, which only requires the simple polishing of Blood-Qi, the Three Realms of Xiantian focus more on the Perfection and refinement of the Blood-Qi world.

This is a matter that is extremely time-consuming.

And it is also a difficult thing to advance in.

Martial Artists are strong, far superior to ordinary people, but they still remain within the category of humans.

To try and observe and imitate the world from a human perspective, or even to shape one's own Blood-Qi world—just thinking about it feels difficult.

Because of this, the Cultivation of every Xiantian Martial Artist is incredibly slow.

Only Xu Xi is different.

The existence of the Persistence trait allowed Xu Xi to gain something every day, accumulating day by day, increasing day by day, as he watched his own Blood-Qi world move towards Perfection on its own.

Therefore, seeing the spirit of the true self, and endowing the spirit of the world.

Seeing the spirit without decay, achieving the supreme Great Grandmaster.

Xu Xi closed his eyes, sensing the perfect and pure Blood-Qi world within his body. As his mind flowed, the power of heaven and earth naturally blessed his body:

"The Xiantian Third Realm, the God-Seeing Realm."

"The name of this Realm contains two meanings."

"One layer is to understand one's original heart, knowing the intent of the Dao of Martial Arts one practices, and the other layer is to see the spirit of the Blood-Qi world, making the world perfect and reaching a state of no decay and no leakage."

"Martial Artists in the God-Seeing Realm carry the power of their own world in every punch and kick, which can no longer be fathomed by common sense."

"On the basis of this step, making the Blood-Qi world sublimate and achieving a true inner world is the Martial Dao Human Immortal."

"They are both Immortals, but the Immortals of the cultivation side are transcendental beings with Divine Abilities, while the Immortals of the Martial Dao side…"

"Are more like the literal meaning of [Human] and [Mountain]."

Xu Xi's movements paused slightly.

Such a scene appeared in his mind.

An Martial Artist of the Human Immortal Realm violently shattering one or several huge mountains with their hands, using them as large projectiles, throwing them with the effect of a supersonic missile.

Very good, very strong, very Human Immortal.

"The Blood-Qi Martial Arts system indeed has great potential. Even as strong as a Human Immortal, it is only the beginning of the Martial Dao system."

"But that is not something I need to consider for now."

"The most urgent task."

"Is still the situation on Da Qian's side…"

Patter.

Patter.

After finishing his boxing practice, Xu Xi walked along the corridor where light and shadow intertwined, heading towards the inner room.

The material of his cloth shoes was very light, making no sound as they stepped on the ground.

But the dust and sand that his soles stepped on and left behind.

Would still startle some small creatures.

A ladybug flew erratically, circling around Xu Xi, before finally crashing into the flowers and plants on the sides of the corridor.

"Heave-ho!"

"Heave-ho!"

"Time to eat! Time to eat!"

The sounds coming from outside were the voices of the fools of the Qiuhuo Army. They laughed very foolishly, just as foolish as A-Niu, full of a unique enthusiasm for eating.

Xu Xi stopped his steps, briefly listening to the sounds from the outside world.

He waited until the sounds faded before walking again.

"Qingniu Town, Xuanqi Province, Jiangdao Province…"

"After so many years of struggle, is it still impossible to survive…"

The overly dazzling sunlight hit the roof tiles of the house.

Forming colorful halos of light.

Xu Xi walked in the light, leaving a long shadow, following the light, and pushed open the wooden door of the temporary room.

Xu Xi wanted people to live.

He thought this from the bottom of his heart.

But the changes in reality constantly reminded Xu Xi that this was very likely a matter that would fail.

"Da Qian, Emperor, Human Immortal…"

"Everything, absolutely everything, is too abnormal."

Xu Xi stopped his steps. He knew that the current Qiuhuo Army seemed to be in a great position, having captured four provinces in a row, as if they could replace Da Qian at any moment.

But his reason told Xu Xi that the inaction of the Emperor of Da Qian was truly too abnormal.

A normal emperor.

Whether a tyrant or a wise monarch.

Would not allow others to invade their territory.

Even the kind that treats people the least like humans, the kind of monarch who treats the common people as consumables, would not sit idly by as a rebellion approached.

Unless—

The Emperor does not care about the people, nor does he care about the Thirteen Provinces of Daqian.

He never views everything currently happening from the perspective of an "Emperor," nor from the perspective of a "Human."

"Master, the thing you asked me to find, I have brought it to you!"