A Fulfilled Endeavor

A piercing screech echoed across the sky.

Xiao Yi lifted his head and saw a Blue-Eyed Hawk circling four hundred yards above. This hawk, as large as a calf with a wingspan spanning over four yards, was an apex predator capable of tearing apart tigers and leopards. Though its raw strength was only eight juns, its speed was akin to a tempest—far too swift for ordinary warriors to catch.

A faint azure glint flashed in Xiao Yi's eyes. He took a step forward, and like an elephant surging out of water, the entire pool erupted, sending water splashing in all directions. The next instant, he was already at the water's edge, Azure Cloud Bow in hand. With a mere thought, an Azure Cloud Arrow flew out of the stone quiver on his back and settled between his fingers. He drew the bow to its full arc, as round as a full moon, the arrow tip radiating a pale blue aura three feet long. The air around him vibrated, torn apart by the force of the arrow's energy, igniting faint sparks.

At that moment, an invisible force spread from Xiao Yi's body, merging into the Azure Cloud Arrow. In his vision, it was as if an ancient gate had been flung open, and the wind could no longer shackle his arrow. Though the eagle was four hundred yards high, its cry rang as though it were mere steps away.

The Azure Cloud Arrow shot forth. There was an instant burst of sound, then eerie silence—like a ghost vanishing into the void. It was only half a breath later that the air seemed to shatter, producing a sharp, ear-piercing crack.

The eagle's throat was pierced clean through. Its massive body plummeted from the sky, its bones and sinews snapping upon impact.

"This is the Soundbreaking Realm… Merging intent, locking onto the target with supreme focus—silent, lethal. Within five hundred yards, my arrow will claim lives without fail."

Xiao Yi lowered his bow and dragged the eagle's corpse to his side. He took a deep breath.

"Today is the last day."

Indeed, today marked the final day of his hunt. He had secured enough blood provisions to sustain the Bloodstone Tribe for a full year. With the addition of this Blue-Eyed Hawk, his task was complete.

He gazed toward the distant Bloodstone Tribe, his heart filled with mixed emotions. A year ago, he had been weak and powerless, still living in a world of advanced technology. Now, he had fully adapted to the ways of the ancient ancestors. The number of wild beasts he had slain exceeded tens of thousands, and in the boundless wilderness, countless fossils would one day be unearthed from the creatures he had felled. Though he had long realized this world was vastly different from the future, he still found it surreal.

After a few breaths, Xiao Yi clenched his spear tightly.

Over the past year, he had gained much.He had unlocked six of his Celestial Veins, wielded a strength of thirty juns, and surpassed the first threshold of the Blood Refinement Realm, gaining insight into the principle of Effortless Might. From this, he had forged his own unique force, allowing his archery to evolve further into the Soundbreaking Realm.

This Soundbreaking Archery meant his arrows traveled faster than sound, piercing through anything in their path. It was not a skill that could be attained simply by comprehending Effortless Might or forming one's force—it required one to integrate their force into archery itself, achieving a state of oneness between man and arrow. Many squad leaders within the Bloodstone Tribe had been stuck at this bottleneck for years. If not for Xiao Yi refining his archery daily through the guidance of his future self, enduring countless near-death experiences, he wouldn't have advanced so swiftly.

Yet, despite all this, he still had not found the Thousand-Year Heartwood Spring.

"Elder Shi lifespan… is down to less than a year."

Xiao Yi's jaw tightened.

For those in the Blood Refinement Realm, the maximum lifespan was a hundred years. Elder Shi was now ninety-nine—his life nearing its final moments.

A year ago, Shi Lei had spent days searching through the military archives, only to find a single method of extending lifespan—a spiritual elixir known as the Thousand-Year Heartwood Spring, capable of prolonging life by ten years.

In this vast wilderness, rare herbs and treasures were plentiful. A plant that lived five hundred years was classified as a treasured herb, one that survived a thousand years became a spiritual elixir, those that reached five thousand years were known as King Herbs, and those that endured ten thousand years were called Emperor Herbs.

Over the past year, Xiao Yi had come across many thousand-year-old plants, but none of them could be classified as true spiritual elixirs. A plant needed to awaken its spirit and consciousness before it could bestow miraculous effects. Without this, even if a plant lived ten thousand years, it would still only be a treasured herb, not a true spiritual elixir.

The Thousand-Year Heartwood Spring could only be birthed from a ten-thousand-year-old ancient tree. While thousand-year-old trees were abundant, trees that exceeded five thousand years became increasingly rare, and those that reached ten thousand years were almost extinct. Over the past year, Xiao Yi had encountered only three such trees, yet none contained the elusive Heartwood Spring.

"I will keep searching."

His eyes flickered with determination.

Even though Elder Shi passing was the natural course of life, even if finding the Heartwood Spring would only grant him ten more years, Elder Shi had given him far more than that.

It wasn't just the corpse of an ancient celestial warrior.It wasn't just the Azure Cloud Bow.It wasn't just the Mammoth Might Art.It wasn't even just his life.

It was hope.

As long as he lived, he could return.Return to his home.

Bloodstone Tribe

The dark green mountain walls bore the scars of countless battles. In front of the walls, a stone monument stood tall, its inscriptions altered over the past six months. The first line, once nameless, now read "Warrior Shi Yuan", marked with seventy-nine tally marks. The second line followed with "Warrior Li Luo", boasting seventy-seven. The third line, however, remained unnamed, with only seventy marks engraved beneath it.

"Brother Xiao, you're back!"

A familiar voice called out.

Shi Lei approached, his gaze falling upon the Blue-Eyed Hawk Xiao Yi dragged behind him. His eyes widened in admiration.

"You actually managed to capture a Blue-Eyed Hawk? That's incredible! With today's hunt, you've secured enough blood provisions—this means you're officially one of us now!" Shi Lei beamed with excitement.

"Come! Let's report to the Chiliarch! He will grant you the tribe's emblem!"

Xiao Yi nodded. Becoming a recognized member of the Bloodstone Tribe would grant him access to the Military Division, and even if he didn't qualify as a War Master, he would still gain the right to select a third-tier martial technique. At the very least, he could master all twelve forms of the Thunder Gale Spear Art. Moreover, his Azure Cloud Bow was no longer suited for his growing strength. Only the Purple Mist Bow could now withstand the full force of his pull.

The two strode toward the Military Division, and along the way, Shi Lei couldn't help but sigh.

"Brother Xiao, just a year ago, you were still frail and weak. And now? You're hunting Blue-Eyed Hawks! No one fights harder than you do. At this rate, I bet you'll become a War Master within the year and earn your place as a Warrior!"

Xiao Yi chuckled softly but said nothing. In truth, with his current combat prowess, he could hold his own against a Squad Leader-level warrior—a battle between them would be uncertain at best.

The Military Division

The Military Division was anything but quiet. A large crowd had gathered, and at the forefront stood Centurion Chang He, a figure of authority. Xiao Yi's expression shifted slightly.

"A Terra-grade Blood Pill... So this is Centurion Chang He fulfilling his promise to reward outstanding warriors. This time, the recipients are Shi Yuan from the younger generation and Li Luo from the middle generation," Shi Lei murmured excitedly. "If I could get my hands on one, I might break through my bottleneck and awaken my twenty-first Heavenly Vein!"

"Shi Lei, you're here too?"

A cold voice rang out.

Shi Qian approached from a distance, accompanied by Shi Yuan. Half a year had passed since they last met, and Shi Qian's Qi and blood had grown significantly stronger, radiating heat like a roaring fire. Beside him, Shi Yuan's expression remained frosty, his gaze toward Xiao Yi filled with hostility.

Shi Lei glanced at Shi Qian, surprise flickering in his eyes.

"You've awakened seventeen Heavenly Veins already?"

"That's right." Shi Qian's expression was proud and aloof. He looked at Shi Lei and stated coldly, "I may not surpass you yet, but give me a year—I will overtake you."

"Good!" Shi Lei's eyes gleamed with intensity. "I know you've already grasped Effortless Might and forged your own martial force. I'll be waiting for you at the top!"

Though Shi Qian's physique was slightly inferior, his spiritual strength was naturally formidable. His willpower had long reached the mid-tier of the Ordinary Realm, granting him early insight into Effortless Might. In truth, Shi Qian's talent was not beneath Shi Lei's. Yet, Shi Lei remained confident—he feared no challenge.

The Awarding of the Terra-Grade Blood Pills

"Shi Yuan, Li Luo," Centurion Chang He's voice resonated across the courtyard. "For capturing and slaying a Celestial Soldier, you have both earned great merit. As promised, I now grant you each a Terra-grade Blood Pill. Seize this opportunity well—if you can break through your bottleneck and achieve Blood Refinement Mastery, the tribe will promote you to Squad Leader."

At his words, the Military Division fell into absolute silence.

Two stone-green vials, each no larger than an infant's fist, were tossed toward the two warriors at the front.

Warrior Shi Yuan. Warrior Li Luo.

One from the younger generation, the other from the middle generation—both stood on the threshold of Blood Refinement Mastery. With a Terra-grade Blood Pill, their chances of breaking through were eight or nine out of ten. If they succeeded, they could even gain insight into Effortless Might—a crucial step toward true martial dominance.

The two warriors, Shi Yuan and Li Luo, accepted the stone-green vials with solemn expressions, bowing respectfully to Centurion Chang He. This was no ordinary reward—it was a personal gift from the Centurion himself. Their hearts swelled with gratitude.

"One more remains," Chang He announced, his voice carrying through the crowd. His sharp gaze swept over the gathered warriors, waiting for someone to step forward.

Yet, no one did.

Murmurs broke out among the onlookers.

"Who is the third-ranked warrior on the stone monument? A Terra-grade Blood Pill, and he doesn't want it?"

"That nameless fighter... Is he even truly one of us?"

"One Terra-grade Blood Pill could help me awaken another Heavenly Vein instantly!" Shi Yuan's companion, Shi Yuan, clenched his fists, his eyes burning with frustration and envy. "Damn it! What kind of fool would refuse such a treasure?! If they don't want it, they should just hand it over to me!"

Shi Qian cast him a sideways glance, his tone laced with disdain.

"Could you even handle it?"

With that, Shi Qian turned away, leaving Shi Yuan standing there, his face flushing with embarrassment. A moment later, his gaze darkened, and he shot Xiao Yi a hostile glare before storming off after Shi Qian.

Still, no one stepped forward.

After half a cup of tea's time, disappointment flickered in Centurion Chang He's eyes. He let out a quiet sigh before tucking the stone vial away and departing. The Bloodstone warriors whispered among themselves, regret coloring their voices.

Yet, not a single one dared to claim the reward.

A warrior's battle merits were earned through blood and fire—to falsely claim another's honor would be an insult to one's own convictions.

The Military Division

The first time Xiao Yi had stepped foot into the Military Division, he had come wielding Lord Elder Shi stone token to claim a bow.

But today, he came to claim his own stone token—one that bore his own name.

Among the three Chiliarchs of the Bloodstone Tribe, one was permanently stationed at the Military Division. Before its grand halls, four Squad Leaders stood guard.

When their gazes landed on Xiao Yi, a glimmer of recognition and respect flickered in their eyes.

A year ago, he had been considered useless.

But now, he had forged his place through bloodshed and battle, proving to everyone that he was no weakling.

Before Xiao Yi or Shi Lei could even speak, one of the Squad Leaders stepped forward, presenting him with an ancient stone token.

The token was simple and unadorned, yet upon it was inscribed a single character—Xiao (萧).

The writing bore no resemblance to any known script of the present age, yet Xiao Yi understood it at a single glance.