"Brother Xu, if I eat this, will I really become stronger?"
"Of course, you will."
Life in Qingniu Town was never pleasant.
The land here was barren, and demons and monsters frequently invaded, making it impossible for the people to obtain enough food.
The howling wind carried a foul, fishy stench.
The swirling dust was stained with dark, dried blood.
At sunrise, the blazing sunlight illuminated everything, turning the Ten Thousand Mountains into a silent, dark forest, where twisted and menacing creatures lurked in hiding.
At sunset, the deep darkness spread across the world, revealing a true hell where demons of all shapes and sizes bared their fangs.
No one wanted to live in such a place.
But those who lived here often had no choice.
Humans have an innate desire to survive, and now, Xu Xi had provided a way to do so—by **eating**.
Eat one's own qi, eat one's own spirit, and awaken the essence within the body.
This would allow even the frailest mortal body to possess the strength of a martial artist.
"Hehe, I trust Brother Xu. I want to protect my mother."
The honest man scratched his head.
He trusted Xu Xi completely, neither doubting the authenticity of the technique nor believing that Xu Xi would harm him.
His rough, clumsy hands followed Xu Xi's instructions, imagining and eating those empty yet surging things.
As for what exactly they were,
Niu didn't quite understand.
Xu Xi had explained it in great detail, but Niu still couldn't grasp it. All he knew was that he just had to eat.
As long as he did this, he would gain enough strength to protect his increasingly frail mother.
"Gulp."
"Gulp."
The martial arts technique, simple enough for even a fool to learn, began to take effect.
It felt as if Niu had truly eaten something, with the sounds of chewing and swallowing coming from within him. Soon after, his dark, weathered face broke into a smile, blooming like a flower.
"I did it!"
"I did it!"
"Brother Xu, look, look! I really did it!"
Niu's face was still dark and rough, like the soil beneath his feet.
But at that moment, the light in his eyes seemed to outshine the sun, brighter than it had ever been before.
"Yes, I see it."
Xu Xi smiled as he spoke.
He reached out, placing his hand on Niu's wrist, sending a surge of energy into his body to examine his meridians.
"Your qi and blood are starting to flow. At this rate..."
"Perhaps it won't be long before Niu reaches the first stage of body tempering?"
Compared to the normal progression of martial artists,
this speed of advancement was quite fast.
However, it also came with significant drawbacks.
This was a path of fighting to sustain oneself, where those who couldn't survive had no choice but to rely on themselves, burning their lives and staking everything to gamble on an uncertain future.
"The strength of an ox!"
"The speed of an ox!"
"The rage of an ox!"
Niu shouted excitedly, and Xu Xi let go of his hand, allowing Niu to test his newfound strength on his own.
Niu was the first ordinary person to practice the "Fool's Technique," and Xu Xi planned to observe him for a few more days to ensure there were no hidden issues with the technique.
Additionally, Niu's success in cultivation would serve as an example.
It would show the other residents of Qingniu Town that
a way out truly existed.
"Where will the future of Qingniu Town lead after this technique takes hold...?" Xu Xi murmured to himself, standing in the autumn wind.
He had done all he could.
For those who couldn't survive, he had created a path that could open up a future.
As for more,
Xu Xi couldn't do it.
Just deducing this "Fool's Technique" had consumed all of Xu Xi's energy, leaving him with no capacity to handle anything else.
"These past few days have been more exhausting than the previous seven years combined..."
The flow of qi and blood throughout his body alleviated the fatigue in every muscle and bone.
But while physical fatigue could be relieved, mental exhaustion kept resurfacing.
The time spent deducing the "Essence Nurturing Technique" had been too long.
In the past, during every day and night, whenever Xu Xi thought of the faces of those who had passed away, he found it difficult to rest, silently practicing martial arts over and over again.
Now that the technique was complete, he no longer had to endure that torment.
"Yingxue, you should go back and rest."
Xu Xi glanced at the girl beside him.
She had been by his side the entire time, her eyes bright and sparkling, though they couldn't hide her weariness.
During this period, to help deduce the "Essence Nurturing Technique" and create hope for the people of Qingniu Town, Wu Yingxue had provided considerable assistance.
The mental energy she had expended, the effort she had put in—
it was no small amount.
"Mmm~~~"
In the courtyard, Wu Yingxue stretched her left arm over her right shoulder, leaning back in a stretch that highlighted her graceful figure.
She looked up at the sun,
squinting her eyes into a thin line.
A smile spread across her face, revealing a sense of relief that Xu Xi hadn't seen in a long time.
"Finally, it's over. All that effort wasn't in vain."
"From now on, when the people of Qingniu Town survive, it'll be partly thanks to this heroine!"
The girl placed her fists on her hips,
feeling quite proud of herself, and rightfully so.
Then, she took a step to leave but noticed that Xu Xi was still standing in place.
"Sir, is there something else you need to do?"
"Yes, I plan to practice some fist techniques before going back to rest."
Xu Xi replied.
The effects of persistence would increase over time, but if there was any interruption, the benefits would diminish significantly.
Xu Xi didn't want to waste that.
"Is that so...?" Wu Yingxue hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to stay as well.
She said she couldn't let Xu Xi be the only one improving; she wanted to get stronger too, so she stayed to practice her spear skills.
Although Xu Xi urged the girl to go rest,
she refused to listen.
In some ways, the young heroine was particularly stubborn, and Xu Xi had no choice but to let her stay.
Fists flew, spears thrust, and the wind whistled.
Shifting forms, stepping quickly, their movements were like fleeting shadows.
The two of them practiced in the courtyard for an hour.
This wasn't Xu Xi's limit,
but considering how exhausted his body truly was, he decided to end the training for the day.
After bidding the girl farewell and reminding her to rest immediately, Xu Xi returned to his room and quickly lay down on his bed.
"No more deductions."
"No more worrying about the future."
"Just thinking about it makes me feel completely relaxed."
Lying flat,
a wave of drowsiness washed over him, crashing against his mind like tides.
Reflecting on the hardships of the past days, Xu Xi sighed inwardly, then closed his eyes, letting his consciousness sink into the overwhelming fatigue.
Martial artists were still human.
They got tired, they suffered.
They weren't cold, unfeeling machines that worked year-round.
To prepare for the upcoming winter, Xu Xi needed to keep his body in peak condition, ready to face the demon tide at its strongest.
He slept deeply, soundly.
When Xu Xi opened his eyes again, his fatigue had dissipated, and his eyes were no longer heavy with sleep.
"A good sleep really refreshes you."
Xu Xi was satisfied with the quality of his rest.
He looked out the window and saw that the sun had long since set, replaced by a faint crescent moon surrounded by twinkling stars.
He had slept for a long time.
Straight from day into the middle of the night.
Suddenly, the sound of rustling paper in the courtyard caught his attention.