Momentum

"Cough, cough!"

Outside the stone hut, Xiao Yi frowned slightly. He reached out and gently pushed open the stone door—though it weighed two hundred catties, it was now effortless for him.

Inside, Elder Shi was still sorting herbs, placing one green stone jar after another on the ground. The air was thick with the scent of medicine. Over the past month, it seemed as if Elder Shi had aged significantly. His once slightly hunched figure now resembled a curled-up, cooked prawn.

Xiao Yi vaguely sensed something. Humans cultivated their bodies, nurtured battle energy, and refined their essence through the three realms: Blood Refinement, Bone Tempering, and Soul Fusion. Each stage marked an evolution of life itself. Reaching even the early stage of Blood Refinement ensured a lifespan of a hundred years; Bone Tempering extended it to two hundred, and Soul Fusion granted an astonishing five hundred years of life.

Elder Shi was already ninety-eight. After the battle last month, he had nearly exhausted his last reserves of strength.

"A man's life has its natural end. A hundred years... is enough."

Elder Shi's voice was calm. He did not turn around as he spoke, his hands continuing to grind an unknown red herb into thick, blood-colored juice beneath his pestle. A moment later, he poured the extract into a green stone jar and stepped out of the stone hut.

Xiao Yi glanced at the stone table inside the hut. On it were two large stone bowls filled with steaming, tenderly boiled long-tusked boar meat. The broth shimmered with oil, its fragrance rich and enticing.

This world is so full of wonders—I refuse to believe that nothing exists to extend life. I owe Elder Shi too much. Even if I must risk my life, I will do everything I can to find a way.

His gaze was resolute as he swallowed a bowl of the rich, tender meat. A surge of battle energy rippled through his body, instantly digesting the meal and channeling strands of its essence into his three awakened Heavenly Meridians, sustaining his daily energy consumption.

By the time he stepped out of the hut again, the sun had fully set, and the moon had begun its ascent. Elder Shi was still outside, gathering the herbs he had dried during the day. Xiao Yi cast one last glance at the old man's weathered figure before turning away, striding toward the center of the tribe.

Weaving through dozens of stone huts, he arrived at a grand courtyard of blue stone, four to five times the size of an ordinary house. Its walls were built from massive square slabs, each weighing over a thousand catties. Within the courtyard stood three interconnected stone houses, and hanging in the yard were various cuts of dried meat. Xiao Yi recognized three of them—ferocious beasts he had encountered in the primeval forest but had wisely avoided. Each possessed strength comparable to mid-tier desolate beasts.

The entrance to the courtyard was composed of two enormous blue stone gates, each weighing two thousand catties. Xiao Yi knew this place—it was Shi Lei's home. Shi Lei's father, Shi Qiren, was a Battle Master Centurion of the tribe, a warrior who had reached the Blood Refinement Great Accomplishment stage, granting him the privilege of building an independent courtyard.

In the Bloodstone Tribe, hierarchy was strict. Ordinary tribesmen and warriors could only live in common gray stone huts. Squad leaders were entitled to white stone dwellings. Centurions could build independent courtyards. The three Chiliarchs each possessed a personal blue stone tower, and the chieftain, Shi Zhixuan, had an entire stone estate spanning a hundred zhang.

"Brother Xiao!"

A voice called out. It was Shi Lei. Even after sunset, he was still in the courtyard, refining his spear technique. His movements were swift and fierce, a blur of blue in motion. His footwork was precise, his breathing steady, following a clear rhythm.

Upon seeing Xiao Yi, his spear halted instantly. His stance shifted fluidly, like a soaring falcon landing gracefully—effortless and precise. His mastery over his spear technique was undeniable.

Xiao Yi watched in quiet awe.

Shi Lei's spear technique... seemed to surpass his own. Regardless of the technique itself, his control over its essence was far more refined. Xiao Yi still had a long way to go.

The massive two-thousand-catty stone gate swung open under Shi Lei's push, yet it only produced a soft creak.

Xiao Yi's eyes flickered—Shi Lei's strength had deepened. In just one month, he had nearly opened his seventeenth Heavenly Meridian. His breakthrough was likely imminent within the next couple of days.

Xiao Yi and Shi Lei were not particularly close, but they got along well. This time, Xiao Yi had come with a purpose—to ask Shi Lei to enter the Military Division's Archives and search for certain records. If there was even the slightest chance of finding a method to extend Elder Shi's life, he had to pursue it.

"The Military Division's Archives…" Shi Lei pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I'll go there tomorrow. If I find anything, I'll let you know."

"Shi Lei, resume your spear training."

A deep, thunderous voice rumbled from within the stone house.

"Yes, Father!"

Shi Lei straightened, then turned back to Xiao Yi, flashing him a quick grin—as if telling him not to leave just yet.

"First Form of the Wind-Thunder Spear: Storm Rises, Thunder Strikes!"

Shi Lei shouted as his blue-iron spear howled through the air, unleashing a two-foot-long, pale-blue spear force from its tip. His figure blurred—his movements like a storm's gale—before the air exploded with a thunderous crack.

The spear force pierced through a wooden stake three zhang away, embedding itself deep within.

Xiao Yi felt a warmth in his heart.

The Wind-Thunder Spear Technique was a third-tier battle art.

In the Bloodstone Tribe, even squad leaders could only train in third-tier techniques, while centurions were eligible to learn second-tier techniques.

Shi Lei had deliberately let him observe this.

Because without official recognition from the tribe, Xiao Yi was ineligible to join the Battle Masters, meaning he could not access the Military Division's battle arts.

Shi Lei's small gesture allowed him to memorize and comprehend the technique—a silent act of generosity.

The primeval forest was untamed, teeming with savage beasts. Every step concealed peril. The more techniques one mastered, the greater the chances of survival. Xiao Yi immediately understood Shi Lei's intention and focused all his attention on observing.

The Wind-Thunder Spear Technique comprised twelve forms, beginning with Wind Rises, Thunder Moves and culminating in Lightning Strikes with Thunderous Roar. Each form contained both offensive and defensive maneuvers. Shi Lei wielded his spear with the swiftness of the wind, the spearhead slicing through the air, emitting a low whistle. Dust spiraled around him as he moved, his presence overwhelming.

He practiced the first nine forms three times in succession. By the third repetition's end, his momentum reached its peak. Battle energy enveloped his body, pouring into the blue-iron spear, the aura extending from its tip now an imposing one foot and six inches long.

"Tenth Form—Wind and Thunder Converge!"

With a sudden roar, Shi Lei's eyes flashed with a sharp glint. His right hand clenched the air, and the blue-iron spear spun like a whirlwind. The battle energy within him surged like rivers converging into the sea, condensing at the spear tip. The one-foot-six-inch aura instantly compressed, bursting into a dazzling azure glow. Then, like flowing water, the light melted over the spearhead, creeping down the shaft. Unfortunately, it only managed to cover a tenth of the weapon before stagnating. Even so, the sheer aura emanating from Shi Lei at that moment far surpassed his earlier state.

Xiao Yi's heart trembled.

The essence of this technique was leagues above the first nine forms. It carried a certain indescribable profundity—something intangible yet profoundly compelling.

Shi Lei thrust his spear forward. A deafening clap of thunder echoed. Three zhang away, a wooden stake as thick as a man's embrace exploded into a cloud of splinters.

Shi Lei withdrew his spear and took a deep breath. His face was slightly pale, his expression tinged with regret.

"The Wind-Thunder Spear consists of twelve forms. The first nine are basic techniques, but the final three are true masterstrokes, each surpassing the last. Even this tenth form alone holds the might of a second-tier martial art. Yet, I have never been able to fully comprehend it... It seems my cultivation is still lacking."

Watching from the side, Xiao Yi absorbed every detail. Though he had only grasped the outer form of the technique and had yet to understand its deeper mechanics, comparing it with his foundational spear techniques would undoubtedly advance his skills. Most importantly, this newfound knowledge might influence his Future Self.

For the past month, he had been clashing with his Future Self daily, honing his combat techniques. Through these battles, he had discovered a crucial fact—his Future Self only wielded techniques that he himself had learned. The difference lay in their respective cultivation bases. If Xiao Yi's comprehension of the ten forms was mere surface-level, his Future Self, possessing a perfected Blood Refinement Realm cultivation, could execute them with profound mastery, achieving at least seventy to eighty percent of their true essence.

If Xiao Yi could fully grasp these techniques, his survival chances in the primeval wilderness would increase significantly.

"Before becoming a battle soldier, I just need to avoid using the Wind-Thunder Spear in public. Once I officially enlist, I can choose two third-tier martial arts—I'll simply select this technique then. Consider this an early investment."

Just as he was about to take his leave, a cold snort came from within the blue-stone house. Moments later, a towering middle-aged man strode out.

Dressed in a simple black beast-hide robe, the man's long hair was slightly curled, his dark eyes deep as ink. Without seeming to move much, he crossed several zhang in an instant, arriving before Shi Lei.

Shi Qi Ren.

A Centurion of the Bloodstone Tribe.

Xiao Yi's expression sharpened. This was Shi Lei's father. It was now clear that he had been silently observing everything in the courtyard. The fact that he had refrained from intervening earlier was... intriguing.

Suddenly, a shift occurred.

Shi Qi Ren's presence changed in an instant. A formless pressure radiated from his body, as if the surrounding air had thickened. Within a three-zhang radius, pebble-sized stones lifted into the air, trembling in his presence.

Xiao Yi's eyes gleamed.

This was "Mastery of Momentum", the first profound battle concept of the Blood Refinement Realm.

Once comprehended, a warrior could develop their own momentum—not merely an imposing aura, but a spiritual force capable of crushing an opponent's will before a battle even began.

Xiao Yi observed closely.

His Future Self had a flaw—it lacked this level of insight.

At his current cultivation, Xiao Yi was too weak to grasp the true essence of battle arts. In every fight against his Future Self, he was defeated before he could fully comprehend these techniques. If he could reach the mid-stage Blood Refinement Realm, however, his understanding would likely advance by leaps and bounds, swiftly approaching perfection in the Blood Refinement Realm.

Of course, this was merely his hypothesis.

In reality, even without a solid foundation, the grueling tempering from his Future Self would allow him to grasp Mastery of Momentum within six months at most. Compared to the training speeds of many Squad Leaders and Centurions, this would already be an unbelievable feat.

Still, over the past month, Xiao Yi had grown accustomed to rapid improvements in his archery skills. This had led him to feel slightly dissatisfied with the pace of his realm comprehension.

But deep down, he knew—his path had only just begun.