Time's passage always brings many changes.
Several years had passed.
The once miserable "criminal" forces, who seemed ready to die by the roadside at any moment, had truly taken on the appearance of an army, wearing armor and wielding blades, advancing and retreating in order.
There were now more than just two or three warriors who had advanced from Post-Heaven to Pre-Heaven realm.
After Niu's breakthrough, others gradually followed, becoming what everyone called "little combat masters" - Pre-Heaven martial arts grandmasters.
The elderly, weak, women, and children were settled in the rear by Xu Xi.
They farmed, wove clothes, and learned to read and write.
After several years across multiple prefectures, the Survival Army had grown in talent, no longer like before in Pingshui County where only Xu Xi and Wu Yingxue barely managed everything.
Now the Survival Army had more detailed divisions.
There were little teaching masters, little pig-raising masters, little blacksmith masters.
Everyone had their role.
But at every household's doorstep, hoes and dung forks were habitually kept.
Xu Xi had reassured them many times that the Survival Army's combat strength was now sufficient, and they no longer needed everyone to fight for survival like before.
The common people expressed gratitude but nobody listened.
They stubbornly kept their tools at hand.
Waiting.
Preparing.
If Xu Xi ever faced danger, they would charge forth again for Master Xu, for the young master who had painstakingly carved out a path for survival.
"Young Master Xi is just too honest, he's easily taken advantage of!"
This was their frustrated evaluation of Xu Xi.
...
Besides this, Wu Yingxue's progress in strength also greatly pleased Xu Xi.
"That child Yingxue..."
"Since changing her cultivation method, her progress has been getting faster day by day. The quality and quantity of her blood essence and inner world far surpass others at the same level, no worse than my former self, able to fight those at the third stage of Pre-Heaven realm."
"This special compatibility is truly an unexpected joy."
"If only her temperament could be more steady."
In Dixing Prefecture, newly conquered by the Survival Army.
Within the prefectural mansion.
Xu Xi was practicing his fist techniques in a quiet courtyard.
Compared to his time in Qingniu Town, Xu Xi's fist forms hadn't changed much - still pure, still simple.
Five fingers tightly clenched into a fist.
Sinking qi and striking forward.
There were no earth-shattering explosions, no flashy light effects.
There was only a slight breeze stirred up by the punch.
However.
Wu Yingxue knew, Niu knew, most of the Survival Army knew what incredible power was contained in that seemingly ordinary punch.
They had witnessed firsthand how Xu Xi could split mountains and rivers with such an ordinary-looking punch.
Great Master Xu was truly terrifying!
"This is the power of persistence."
In the quiet and empty courtyard, tree leaves were swept up and blown about by the wind.
Xu Xi stood in place, slowly withdrawing from his punching stance as leaf fragments brushed past his hand before falling onto the stone-paved ground.
The three stages of Pre-Heaven realm were all extremely difficult.
Unlike the five stages of Body Tempering which only required pure refinement of blood essence, the three Pre-Heaven stages focused more on perfecting and completing one's blood essence inner world.
This was an extremely time-consuming process.
And also very difficult to progress through.
Warriors were strong, far surpassing ordinary people, but still remained within the realm of humanity.
Trying to observe and imitate the world from a human perspective, even creating one's own blood essence inner world - just thinking about it was daunting.
This was why every Pre-Heaven warrior's cultivation was extremely slow.
Only Xu Xi was different.
The existence of his Persistence ability meant he could make gains every day, accumulating bit by bit, watching his blood essence inner world move towards perfection on its own.
Therefore, seeing one's true self's spirit, bestowing spirit to heaven and earth.
Seeing spirit without decay, achieving the supreme grandmaster realm.
Xu Xi closed his eyes, sensing the perfect and pure blood essence inner world within him. As his consciousness flowed, heaven and earth's power naturally reinforced his body:
"Pre-Heaven Third Stage, the Realm of Spirit Sight."
"This realm's name has two meanings."
"One is understanding one's heart and knowing the meaning of one's martial path. The other is seeing the spirit of one's blood essence inner world, making heaven and earth perfect, reaching a state without decay or leakage."
"Warriors in the Spirit Sight realm carry their inner world's power in every punch and kick, beyond normal reasoning."
"Building on this foundation, elevating one's blood essence inner world to create a true internal world - that is becoming a Martial Immortal."
"Though both called immortals, cultivation immortals are supernatural beings who transcend mortality, while martial immortals..."
"Are more literally about [Human] and [Mountain]."
Xu Xi's movements paused slightly.
Such a scene appeared in his mind:
A Martial Immortal realm warrior violently smashing one or several great mountains with their bare hands, throwing them like oversized artillery shells with the effect of supersonic missiles.
Very good, very strong, very Martial Immortal-like.
"The blood essence martial arts system truly has immense potential. Even something as powerful as becoming a Martial Immortal is just the beginning of the martial path."
"But such matters don't need my consideration for now."
"The urgent matter at hand."
"Is still the Great Qian situation..."
Pat pat.
Pat pat.
After finishing his practice, Xu Xi walked through the light-and-shadow-crossed corridor towards the inner chamber.
His cloth shoes were very light, making no echo when stepping on the ground.
But the dust under his soles being pressed and released.
Still startled some tiny creatures.
Ladybugs flew chaotically, circling around Xu Xi before finally crashing into the flowers and grass along the corridor.
"Heave-ho!"
"Heave-ho!"
"Food! Food!"
From outside came the voices of the Survival Army's simple folk. They laughed foolishly, like Niu, showing unique enthusiasm for meals.
Xu Xi stopped walking, briefly listening to the outside voices.
Only after the sounds faded did he resume walking.
"Qingniu Town, Xuanqi Prefecture, Jiangdao Prefecture..."
"After so many years of struggle, still unable to survive..."
The overly bright sunlight struck the building's tiles.
Creating dazzling rainbow halos.
Xu Xi walked in the light, casting a long shadow, following the light as he pushed open the wooden door of the temporary room.
Xu Xi wanted people to live.
He sincerely wished for this from his heart.
But reality's twists constantly reminded Xu Xi that this might be something doomed to fail.
"Great Qian, Emperor, Martial Immortal..."
"Everything is just too abnormal."
Xu Xi stopped walking. He knew that while the Survival Army seemed to be doing well now, having consecutively taken four prefectures, seemingly able to replace Great Qian at any time.
But reason told Xu Xi that the Great Qian Emperor's inaction was just too abnormal.
A normal emperor.
Whether tyrannical or wise.
Would never allow others to invade their territory.
Even the most inhuman type who viewed subjects as consumables wouldn't sit idle in the face of approaching rebellion.
Unless—
The emperor cared neither for the people nor for the Thirteen Prefectures of Great Qian.
He never viewed things from the perspective of an "emperor" or a "human."
"Sir, I've brought what you asked me to find!"