Many had fallen in repeated battles against ferocious beasts, but not a single one died a coward. Each man stood tall, spine straight and head held high, blood spraying to the heavens—true warriors, real men. In the face of danger, no one backed down, no one fled. Even when fear gripped their hearts, even when terror gnawed at their courage, they held their ground—for behind them stood the old, the weak, women, and children. No one flinched.
The army's numbers were steadily declining.
From over three hundred soldiers, only around two hundred now remained after countless life-and-death struggles. Yet the rewards of such relentless fighting were significant. Among the remaining two hundred, almost everyone had successfully entered the "Iron-Blood Fiendish Qi" cultivation technique, drawing fiendish energy into their bodies and opening their Divine Sea. Their strength increased drastically.
Moreover, they honed their basic combat techniques through repeated real combat, achieving rapid progress. Every improvement was paid for in blood and wounds. The more they fought, the more fiendish energy they accumulated—and the faster they cultivated.
Wang Dahu had already opened two meridians in half a month, officially reaching the second level of the Divine Sea Realm. Others had various degrees of breakthrough into their first meridian, allowing their true qi to flow directly into their weapons, making their attacks sharper and their battles easier.
All of Xuanhuang Village now radiated a strength forged in blood—resolute, tenacious, and indomitable.
Even the old, weak, women, and children were no exception. Even in the face of death, there were no more tears. They understood now: in this chaotic world, tears were useless. They made the heart weaker, more fragile. This truth had been carved into them through countless bloody battles.
As descendants of Yan and Huang, they carried a resilience that refused to be broken. As long as there was even a flicker of hope, a sliver of light, they would rise again after every fall—stronger than before.
Not just the soldiers—most of the villagers had successfully cultivated the "Pure Essence Art", officially entering the path of cultivation and opening their Divine Seas. Their strength and endurance increased. Some middle-aged women even experienced smoother skin and appeared several years younger. Their bodies regained vitality and became full of strength.
Even women who were once frail could now carry large logs with ease and haul water buckets as if they weighed nothing. They could wrestle calves, and their appetites soared. Compared to before, they were all robust and sturdy women.
Still, some couldn't cultivate the Pure Essence Art—such as the elderly, whose potential had long been depleted, their innate essence completely exhausted. Even in the Eternal World, despite the rich energy, their bodies couldn't recover. For them, cultivation was nearly impossible—unless they encountered some heaven-defying opportunity to remold their physique and enhance their potential.
As for the very young, their bones were still growing, and their minds were unsettled. They were more suited for body-tempering practices. True cultivation would have to wait until around age ten. Starting too early would damage their root and foundation, which would be detrimental in the long run.
Apart from those groups, the entire Xuanhuang Village had effectively become a cultivator community.
Even if most wouldn't reach great heights, they were still far stronger than before. At the very least, they would enjoy better health and resistance to illness. It was even possible to prolong their lifespan. According to records, anyone who opened the Divine Sea could live to at least 120 years, with the strongest reaching 150—a clear transcendence of the mortal state.
Furthermore, due to the abrupt exposure to the Eternal World's spiritual energy, many had begun awakening life apertures during cultivation. Some of these were incredibly powerful. The rate of awakening wasn't as high as the modern survivors from Earth, but it was still remarkable.
One villager awakened a strange life aperture called "Growth". It didn't cause him to grow, but instead allowed him to greatly accelerate the growth of plants and vegetation. With a single application of his life aperture divine ability, a blade of grass could grow as tall as a person, and if he wished, it could grow even more.
Thanks to his help, the wooden walls around the village were now entwined with dense vines, strengthening the structure. It was now comparable to stone walls in defense. The greenery even increased the resistance to fire, making it nearly impossible for normal flames to ignite the wall.
These vines had deep roots, intertwining underground, making any underground infiltration nearly impossible.
Within the village, houses were rapidly springing up.
Under Elder Huang's guidance, the village layout had been divided with Yi Tianxing's mansion at the center, branching out into east, south, west, and north.
The west, associated with metal and killing, held the military camp, where drills, training, and rest took place. Every day, the sound of orderly footfalls and battle cries could be heard.
The south became the market district, with a main road leading to the front gate. Plans were in place to build various shops—blacksmiths, carpenters, clinics, and more.
The east and north were residential zones, with rows of wooden houses topped with thatch, shielding against wind and rain. Though modest, these homes gave people a deep sense of security and belonging—a foundation to live for, to fight for.
It was a village built from blood and sacrifice, by soldiers and commoners alike.
In this chaotic world, to establish a home was never without cost in blood and tears.
That day, atop the wooden wall…
Yi Tianxing stood, gazing into the distance, his eyes filled with emotion. He murmured, "Only now can I say that Xuanhuang Village has truly taken root in this world. We haven't been swallowed by the chaos. We've endured."
There was a new aura of slaughter and power about him—earned through endless battle. His hands were soaked in blood.
He had not rested a single day. Constant threats came in waves—beasts, monsters, birds of prey. Even his cultivation was crammed in between crisis and chaos.
And yet, in this fragmented time, he had already opened ten of the twelve main meridians.
Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin
Pericardium Meridian of Hand-Jueyin
Heart Meridian of Hand-Shaoyin
Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming
Triple Burner Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang
Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang
Spleen Meridian of Foot-Taiyin
Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin
Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming
Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang
Only two remained:
Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin
Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang
His true qi now accumulated faster than ever. The amount of True Dragon Qi within his Divine Sea surged dramatically. Breaking through the last two meridians and reaching perfection in the second level of the Divine Sea Realm was only a matter of time.
And all this progress came without dedicating himself fully to cultivation, as he had to constantly defend against external threats. His speed of advancement was nearly inconceivable—thanks to his powerful cultivation method, natural talent, and the blessings of Xuanhuang Village's fate.
"Yes, my lord," said Huang Chengyan, walking up beside him, voice filled with meaning. "Now we've finally established a tiny foothold in this world. But to truly grow stronger… we are still far from sufficient."
"You mean the population issue," Yi Tianxing said knowingly.
"Exactly. The past half month of fighting has cost us dearly. Villagers and soldiers alike have perished. We're losing people and can't replenish them. It's like water without a source. Unsustainable. Eventually, we'll collapse."
Huang Chengyan's complexion was now rosy, his once white hair turning jet black. His energy and spirit had undergone a complete transformation. His gaze was piercing—those with guilty hearts would not be able to look him in the eye.
Clearly, he had achieved a breakthrough in cultivation. From his expression alone, he was no ordinary cultivator. Even Yi Tianxing couldn't gauge his depth. It was evident that he had surpassed him in cultivation.
His accumulation had been vast, and as a Confucian cultivator, his rise had been explosive once he broke through. During his Talent Infusion, he had awakened a Confucian life aperture, making his strength truly formidable.
And yet, he remained humble and respectful toward Yi Tianxing.
Without him, the village wouldn't have developed this quickly. His management had been impeccable.
"I've considered that as well," Yi Tianxing replied.
"But in this kind of world, though I'm sure many survivors are out there struggling, we're powerless to reach them. Don't be fooled—we may have taken root, but step out of this valley, and we won't make it three miles before we're wiped out."
Cawwwww!!
At that moment, a strange call echoed from the sky.
"A bird!! A huge bird!!" someone shouted from atop the wall.