Chapter Fifteen: Tendency

  "Cough, cough!"

  Outside the stone house, Xiao Yi slightly furrowed his brow. He stretched out his hand and gently pushed open the stone door. The two-hundred-jin stone door was now insignificant to him.

  Shi Gong was still in the house sorting out herbs, with one after another of the green stone jars placed on the ground, the smell of medicine was very strong. A month had passed and Shi Gong seemed to have aged a lot all at once, his originally somewhat hunched back now looked even more like a cooked shrimp.

  Xiao Yi vaguely sensed something, the human race cultivates the flesh, refines the aura, and practices the three realms of refining blood, tempering bones, and fusing souls. Each realm is a life evolution, as long as one reaches the small completion of refining blood, they can live for a hundred years, reaching the tempering bone realm allows them to possess a lifespan of two hundred years, and as for the fusing soul realm, it's possible to live up to five hundred years.

  Shi Gong is now 98 years old, and after that big battle last month, he has almost exhausted his last bit of energy.

  "A man has his lifespan, one hundred years is enough."

  The old man's voice rose, the old man did not turn his head, his tone was calm, under the medicine pestle, an unknown red herb was pounded into a liquid, as bright red as blood, after a moment, Shi Gong poured the medicinal juice into a celadon vase and walked out of the stone house.

  Xiao Yi looked inside the house and saw two large stone bowls on the stone table, filled with braised long-boiled pork that was tender and juicy, emitting a mouth-watering aroma, with the meat soup glistening brightly.

  "This world is so mysterious, I don't believe there's nothing that can prolong life. I owe Shi Gong too much, even if it costs me my life, I'll try my best."

  Xiao Yi's eyes sank, and he ate a bowl of rotten fragrant pork. The internal war gas shook, and it was completely digested. The threads of blood gas merged into the three heavenly veins, maintaining the daily life consumption.

  When Xiao Yi walked out of the stone house again, the sunset had completely fallen, and the bright moon was rising. Shi Gong was still sorting out some dried herbs from the day. Taking a glance at that weathered back, Xiao Yi passed through the stone house and headed towards the center of the tribe. After passing by dozens of stone houses, he arrived in front of a tall and majestic bluestone courtyard. This bluestone courtyard was four to five times larger than an ordinary stone house. The courtyard walls were built with heavy square bluestones weighing over 1,000 catties each. Inside the courtyard, there were three connected bluestone houses. In the yard, dozens of dried meats were hung out to dry. Xiao Yi barely recognized three of them, but he had never hunted any of them before. He only occasionally encountered them in the vast ancient forest and then kept a safe distance away because each type possessed strength close to that of a mid-tier wild beast.

  Looking at the gate of the courtyard in front of him, made from two huge bluestones weighing over 200 kilograms each, Xiao Yi remembered that this was Shi Lei's home. Shi Lei's father, Shi Qi Ren, was a hundred-man commander of the tribal war division, and his cultivation had already reached the realm of Blood Refining Great Completion, allowing him to build an independent stone courtyard residence within the tribe.

  The Bloodstone Tribe, with its strict hierarchy, ordinary tribesmen and even warriors could only live in ordinary gray stone houses. A Wuguan-level strongman could live in a white stone house, while a Baifu Zhang could build an independent stone courtyard. When it came to the three great Qianfu Zhangs, they could own an independent cyan stone building. As for the Tribal Chief's Stone Pavilion, there was a hundred-zhang square stone garden.

  "Xiao Da Ge!"

  A sound rang out, it was Shi Lei. Even though the sun had already set, he was still practicing his spear technique in the courtyard. Shi Lei's spear technique was swift and fierce, as if a green shadow was dancing around him. His footsteps were rich in rhythm, his entire body breathing steadily, harmonizing with the Tao. When he saw Xiao Yi, his movements suddenly stopped, without any awkwardness, his spear technique had already been released and retracted at will. Xiao Yi watched, secretly shocked in his heart, Shi Lei's spear technique realm seemed to be even higher than his own. Not to mention the pros and cons of spear techniques, just a hint of aura, he still had a long way to go.

  Squeak!

  The heavy stone gate was pushed open by Shi Lei, but it only made a faint sound. Xiao Yi's heart moved, Shi Lei's cultivation had become even deeper. It had only been a month since they last met, and he already showed signs of breaking through the 17th Heavenly Vein. He believed that the breakthrough would happen in just one or two days.

  Xiao Yi and Shi Lei didn't have a very deep relationship, but they got along pretty well. Xiao Yi had come now to ask Shi Lei to enter the Ministry of War's library to search for some records. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would go all out to seize it.

  "The Ministry of War's library." Shi Lei thought for a moment and then nodded, "Alright, I'll go to the library tomorrow. If I find it, I'll definitely tell you."

  "Shi Lei, practice your spear." A loud voice came from inside the green stone house.

  "Yes, Father." Shi Lei's expression turned serious, and he then winked at Xiao Yi, signaling him to stay put for the time being.

  "Wind Thunder Gun Technique First Form, Wind Arises Thunder Moves!"

  Shi Lei let out a loud shout, the Qing Tie gun hummed in response, and a pale blue battle aura overflowed from it. On the tip of the spear, a pale blue energy about two feet long emerged. As soon as he moved his body, the spear shot out like the wind, producing a deafening explosion-like sound. The spearhead pierced through a three-zhang-away wooden stake that was hugged by one person.

  Watching Shi Lei practice his gun technique, Xiao Yi felt a warmth in his heart. The Wind and Thunder Gun Technique was a third-rate soldier's trick. In the Blood Stone Tribe, even if one was a strong Wu Chang-level warrior, they could only cultivate third-rate soldier's tricks. Only a Bai Fu Chang had the qualifications to cultivate second-rate soldier's tricks. Shi Lei didn't let him leave because he wanted to take the opportunity to let him observe and comprehend a bit more. This was because he hadn't been recognized by the tribe yet and didn't have the qualifications to join the war division, so he couldn't enter the military department to choose his own technique.

  Desolate ancient forest, ferocious beasts roaming everywhere, every step fraught with danger. Having more means would add a bit of chance for survival. Xiao Yi guessed Shi Lei's intention and immediately focused his attention on observing.

  The Wind and Thunder Gun Method is divided into twelve forms, from the first form "Wind Arises, Thunder Moves" to the ninth form "Electric Flash, Thunder Rumbles". There are offensive stances and defensive stances. Shi Lei wields his gun like the wind, with the tip of the gun and the gun's energy being sharp and fierce. Every shot tears through the air, producing a whistling sound, with dust flying everywhere and an atmosphere of grandeur.

  Jiushi Wind Thunder Gun Technique, Shi Lei practiced continuously for three rounds. By the end of the third round, his aura reached its peak, and his entire body was shrouded in battle energy. The cyan iron gun was infused with battle energy, and the gun's tip emitted a more condensed gun energy that was at least one foot six inches long.

  "The Tenth Form: Gathering of Wind and Thunder!"

  Suddenly, Shi Lei let out a loud roar, his eyes gleaming with intensity, his right hand grasping the air, and the qing tie gun spinning like the wind. His entire body was filled with a fierce energy that converged at the tip of the gun, where a burst of brilliant light erupted, only to dissipate like flowing water, covering the head of the gun before spreading down the shaft. Although it only covered one-tenth of the gun's length, Shi Lei's aura had become far more powerful than before, causing Xiao Yi's heart to tremble with shock. The style of this move was far superior to the other nine, and seemed to contain a mysterious something that couldn't be put into words, yet left one's heart racing with excitement.

  Boom!

  Shi Lei thrust out a spear, and the sound of muffled thunder rang out. Three zhang away, the wooden stake that was hugged by one person instantly shattered, turning into wood shavings that fell from the sky.

  His complexion slightly pale, Shi Lei put away his spear and stood up, taking a deep breath. A hint of regret flashed across his face as he said, "What a pity! The Wind and Thunder Spear Technique has twelve forms, with the first nine being ordinary techniques and the last three being ultimate skills. Each of the three ultimate skills surpasses the previous one, and even the tenth form can barely reach the level of a second-rate martial art. However, I've always been unable to fully grasp it, apparently my cultivation is still lacking."

  Three rounds of Wind and Thunder Gun Technique, plus the tenth style of Wind and Thunder Initial Gathering, Xiao Yi gained a lot, although he only got its shape, not clear about the force method inside, but with the basic gun technique verified, I believe that soon after, the gun technique can be further advanced, most importantly, in the future, his body may undergo some changes.

  For a month, Xiao Yi confronted his future self every day, honing his combat skills and discovering some things that only he knew how to do. His future self could only display them when standing at the pinnacle of the Blood Refining Great Circle. In Xiao Yi's view, his Ten-Form Wind Thunder Gun Technique was merely a superficial imitation, but if executed with the realm of his future self, it might be able to reach the divine marrow, and at least possess seven or eight parts of the divine rhyme. If he could comprehend it, even in the desolate ancient forest, he would have an extra chance of survival.

  Before becoming a warrior, I just didn't use this Wind and Thunder Gun Method in front of people. After becoming a warrior, when choosing two third-rate soldier's techniques, I chose this Wind and Thunder Gun Method. Now it seems like I've taken it out ahead of time.

  Xiao Yi thought to himself, just as he was about to bid farewell, a cold hum came from the Qing Shi hut. Then, a tall middle-aged man walked out of the house. The middle-aged man wore a black beast cloak and looked very ordinary, with slightly curled long hair and a pair of eyes as black as ink. Without seeing him take a few steps, he had already crossed several meters and appeared in front of Shi Lei.

  "You don't understand that having one's own power is what makes things easy, and you blame it on insufficient cultivation. Watch closely, I'm only using the cultivation of fifteen heavenly veins."

  Buzz!

  A middle-aged man made a grasping motion with his empty hand, and the green iron spear that was originally in Shi Lei's hand suddenly buzzed loudly. Then it shook open Shi Lei's hand and automatically fell into his own hand.

  Hundred-man leader, Shi Qiren!

  Xiao Yi's expression changed, this was Shi Lei's father. It turned out that he had been paying attention to everything in the yard all along. So to speak, he had already understood everything before, as for why he didn't come out to stop it, there were some interesting connections.

  Suddenly, Shi Qiren's aura changed, and a mysterious oppressive breath emanated from him. The surrounding air seemed to thicken, and with him as the center, within a radius of three zhang (about 10 meters), small stones the size of thumbs floated up into the air.

  Xiao Yi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, this is the first heavy war law realm of the Refining Blood Realm, once understood, one can have their own momentum, this momentum is not referring to aura, but a kind of spirit, which can bring great pressure to the opponent, before even engaging in battle, it can crush the enemy on a spiritual level.

  Xiao Yi carefully observed and studied, this is also one of the shortcomings of his future body. Currently, his realm is too low, with the realm of refining blood to achieve perfection in the future body, many times he has not yet had time to comprehend the divine rhyme before being killed. If he reaches the realm of refining blood to completion, he will suddenly make rapid progress and quickly reach the realm of refining blood to perfection, because there is already a foundation that can be rapidly built upon.

  Of course, this is just Xiao Yi's speculation. In fact, even if he didn't have any foundation at all, under the tempering of his future self, in just half a year, he would be able to comprehend the realm of "lifting heavy as light". Compared to many Wu Chang and Bai Fu Chang from back then, this was already an unimaginably fast speed. It's just that for this one month, he had gotten used to the rapid progress of his archery skills, so he wasn't very satisfied with the speed at which he comprehended his own realm.