What appeared first before his eyes was, surprisingly, a painting.
On the scroll, there was only one thing: a blood-colored Blood Jade War Spear. This spear was covered with countless fine cracks, each one clearly visible. The cracks covered the spear entirely, making it seem as though it was pieced together from countless shards of blood jade. It looked like a piece of pottery on the verge of shattering—one slight touch, and it might crumble completely.
Yet the moment Yi Tianxing laid eyes on it,a surge of indescribably fierce will flooded into his mind and branded itself into his soul.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!!""Kill all powerful enemies, slay every evil demon!""Even if I die, I'll tear a piece of flesh from your body!""Charge, soldiers! Even if we perish, we must drag a few down with us. Better to die as shattered jade than live as intact tile!""You can destroy my body, but never my will. Even in death—I will fight, fight, fight! Burned in flames, perishing together!"
Each and every roar of grief and fury came from the Blood Jade Spear, as though every crack contained an epic and tragic battle. From these emanated a resolute aura: a spirit of "Better to die in honor than live in disgrace," a defiant will.
This was fearlessness, a resolve to fall at any time.Only such resolve could bring forth ultimate combat power—invincible above and below the heavens.
"Better to shatter as jade than survive as clay... Perishing together, all for an unyielding will. What a domineering spear intent! What a tragic and fierce martial intent! This... this is the true essence of martial intent—true meaning behind a battle technique. On par with Divine Abilities from Life Apertures!"
Yi Tianxing could feel it clearly:Without this supreme resolve to fight to the death, to give everything—even blood and soul—one could never truly cultivate this spear art to its peak or forge the 'Shattered Jade Spear Intent'.
This spear technique emphasized momentum. The greater the momentum, the more explosive its power. Its doctrine was simple:
"I fight you. Even to the death."
Without unshakable resolve, one would be utterly suppressed by this spear technique.
Yi Tianxing wasn't deterred in the slightest—instead, his anticipation for this martial art only grew stronger.
With a shift of thought, he turned to the next page.
Again, it was a painting.
This time, there was also a line of text. The painting depicted another war spear—this time, a snow-white White Jade Spear, crystal clear, flawless. At first glance, it looked like the most perfect work of art ever crafted. One could hardly bear to look away. You'd want to own it, embrace it, never let go. Its beauty was breathtaking—pure, without blemish. The kind of beauty that defied destruction.
On the body of the white jade spear was inscribed a single line of text:
"Flawless white jade shines across the Nine Provinces!!"
Just seven characters—but in Yi Tianxing's eyes, they conveyed a profound realm. He felt as though he were submerged in jade—pure and pristine, untainted and unrivaled.
Simultaneously, a spear technique imprinted itself into his mind.
The technique itself wasn't particularly special—just a variation of basic spear techniques. A bit faster, a bit more refined in its delivery of force. At its core, it involved how to strike in a way that unleashed nine phantom spear shadows in an instant—elusive and unpredictable.
"The key is not the technique but the intent.The spear intent."
This spear intent was embodied by the white jade spear and its inscription—this was the name and the will of the spear.
"What a dominating intent. This Shattered Jade Spear Technique truly lives up to its name. Once mastered, a single thrust could make the world feel like flawless jade, cleansing all enemies!"
It took Yi Tianxing quite some time to pull his mind away from the image of that spear.
That image was the spear intent.
But—it wasn't entirely clear or solid. It felt... faint, illusory.
"This isn't the original Shattered Jade Spear Technique, just a replica. Merchants, after all, care only for profit. Of course they'd make reproductions to maximize value."
Yi Tianxing shook his head as he looked at the jade booklet on the bookshelf. He had already guessed it might be a copy, not the original.
But dreaming of getting the original was wishful thinking anyway. If Jia Chengxin had truly handed out the genuine version, he'd be a disgrace to merchants everywhere.
Still, the difference between an original and a replica lay only in how strong the martial intent was within it. Once fully mastered, Yi Tianxing could inject his own spear intent into it. At that point, even a copy might outshine the original.
As long as it could be cultivated—that was enough.
He also selected another martial art: a saber technique called "Eight Strikes of Iron and Blood"—a top-tier Yellow Rank combat art. There were stronger ones available, but he didn't choose them.
Why this one?
Simple: Every strike was designed to kill. Each move intended for the battlefield.
After choosing the two combat arts, he didn't linger in the Scripture Pavilion. He turned and left.
That Night
Villagers gathered in the open square, lit campfires, and began cooking. Though they now had homes of their own, everyone still preferred eating in groups around communal fires—chatting, joking, sharing meals, and washing away the day's fatigue with laughter.
Over the days, they had all grown familiar.Like old friends. Like family.
This bond, forged through shared suffering, had become a deep, unspoken connection. Even with kitchens at home, few bothered to cook alone—they all preferred the liveliness of shared meals.
Yi Tianxing sat by one of the fires, chatting with Huang Chengyan and the others. He held a large, plump mountain pheasant skewered on a wooden stick, rotating it slowly over the flames.
A layer of golden oil glistened over the surface, and a tantalizing aroma wafted through the air. He sprinkled on some salt, and the smell became almost unbearable.
"Here, Elder Huang, Dahu, Yucun—come try this roast chicken I made."
Earlier, when soldiers escorted villagers to chop wood, they found a few wild pheasants nearby. They hunted them down and brought them back so Yi Tianxing could treat himself.
He buried four of them underground with herbs and clay, turning them into Beggar's Chicken, and kept one for roasting on the fire.
The golden skin and irresistible scent were drool-inducing.
With a military knife, he cut the bird into portions and began eating himself. He tore off a wing and took a bite.
Wild pheasant tasted different from domestic chicken. It had a wild sweetness, a refreshing aroma, and incredibly springy meat—each bite releasing bursts of flavor that made his mouth water.
As he chewed, he felt the energy surging through his body. After the Food Cauldron refined the meat, the nutrients immediately fused into his muscles and bones.
Gradually, streams of Heaven and Earth energy seeped into his flesh, reinforcing his strength and vitality.
These past days, feasting on wild game and feral beasts had constantly stimulated his gourmet cells, evolving his physical strength.He had gained several hundred pounds of strength—just from eating. No training required. Subtle, natural growth.
And this was just from casually cooked meals. If a top-tier chef were to prepare it? The effects would be unimaginable.
He swallowed the Beggar's Chicken, savoring its tender, juicy texture—it was so delicious it felt like he could swallow his own tongue. Every cell in his body cheered in delight. Waves of Heaven and Earth energy streamed into him.
A single Beggar's Chicken had granted him hundreds of pounds of strength, making his body tougher and stronger.
"Only top-tier cuisine can make the body truly powerful. I'll need to recruit some master chefs in the future. There must be plenty of them out there. I'll have to keep my eyes open."
Yi Tianxing made a mental note.He had no resistance left to the allure of gourmet food—it was just too magical.
Suddenly, a soldier ran up to report:
"My lord! We've spotted signs of life. Smoke and fire in the depths of the valley. We didn't notice before, but the more we look, the more it seems like... another village."
Yi Tianxing stood up immediately, tossing his chicken bones aside.
"To the wall!"
He made his way to the wooden palisade and looked out into the valley. Sure enough, he saw the flickering of firelight in the darkness. Judging by the glow, it wasn't far—maybe less than ten miles away.
"In the valley... and not far," he muttered.
Huang Chengyan nodded. "My lord, shall I go? Perhaps I can bring them back with us."
"No need," Yi Tianxing said. "This time, I'll go myself. Don't forget—Jia Chengxin mentioned a military force nearby. We still don't know where it is. The village can't be left unattended.Elder Huang, your cultivation is now stronger than mine. With you guarding the village, we'll be safe."