Chapter 118:

“Sir, there’s something I don’t understand.”

“Say it.”

“Why did Daqian… end up like this?”

“You mean to ask,” Xu Xi replied, “why, even though Daqian enjoys good weather, prosperous prefectures, and abundant resources, so many people still cannot survive?”

His eyes, deep and solemn, seemed to hold the weight of the world. A faint spark glimmered within them, fragile yet undeniable.

“The answer is simple,” he said.

“Some people stand too high, and from that height, they can no longer see the suffering below. Over time, they stop seeing others as people.”

“Some suggest managing livestock better so they don’t die from exhaustion.”

“Some suggest watering the fields more so new grass grows next year.”

“But no one ever suggests…”

“Treating people as human beings.”

Wu Yingxue stood there, stunned, unable to respond for a long time.

The harsh reality Xu Xi spoke of was as cruel as it was undeniable.

…

[The girl’s father was executed by a Daqian’s Emperor .]

[Her mother was poisoned by the emperor and took her own life.]

[The girl lost everything—her family, her purpose—and couldn’t see a way forward.]

[But now, you see a familiar light flickering in her eyes, faint but growing stronger.]

[Wu Yingxue has decided to follow your path and join you in studying the exercises.]

[You readily agree.]

[From that day, the girl who had lost everything became a part of your household once again.]

[Wu Yingxue provides you with incomplete royal martial arts techniques.]

[She shares the martial theories she learned as a child and the principles of qi and blood taught to her by King Dingyuan.]

[Though she lacks a profound understanding of martial arts, her natural talent and unconventional ideas bring unexpected insights as she studies the “Primordial Energy Technique” with you.]

[Your progress accelerates.]

…

[Through relentless effort, your persistence bears fruit. Practicing martial arts day and night, regardless of rain or shine, strengthens you further and condenses your energy.]

[Your attempts to refine the “Primordial Energy Technique” have led to two significant transformations.]

[But the technique is still far from your ultimate goal.]

[The girl falls silent, disheartened.]

[You, however, continue as always, undeterred by setbacks.]

[You comfort her, telling her not to lose hope.]

[“Failure is the mother of success.”]

[The girl, heartened by your words, repeats them with a spark of determination.]

[“Failure is the mother of success.”]

[Her misquoted repetition leaves you wondering if your teaching methods are at fault.]

…

[The grief of the past has faded, and the confusion has lifted.]

[The girl has returned to her former self.]

[In addition to studying the “Primordial Energy Technique,” Wu Yingxue takes on other tasks in your household.]

[She experiments in the kitchen, attempting to improve the coarse taste of demon meat.]

Clang. Clatter.

The sounds of spatulas and sizzling flesh filled the air.

When the cooking was done, both Xu Xi and Wu Yingxue stared in silence at the charred remains in front of them.

“Yingxue,” Xu Xi said after a long pause, “I think it’s best if you avoid the kitchen in the future.”

“You’re absolutely right, sir,” she replied with surprising humility.

Her pride usually didn’t allow such easy concessions, but even she had to admit defeat in the face of her disastrous cooking.

Though her attempts didn’t end in explosions like the witch’s meals Xu Xi remembered, the charcoal-like demon meat was no less inedible.

In a town as resource-starved as Qingniu, there simply wasn’t enough food to spare for culinary experiments.

…

[Besides practicing martial arts, the girl regularly sparred with you.]

[You suppressed your innate qi, matching your strength to her level in the blood realm to help her consolidate her martial cultivation.]

[The sparring also allowed you to identify and address gaps in your own techniques.]

“Ha!”

A fierce wind swept through the courtyard as Wu Yingxue wielded her spear with fiery intensity. Her movements were aggressive and precise, the tip of her weapon gleaming as it struck forward.

Clang.

Xu Xi deflected her attack effortlessly with his fine iron sword.

“Yingxue, come again. Your speed isn’t fast enough yet. Focus on the smooth flow of your qi and blood.”

Following his guidance, she adjusted her form and attacked again.

…

[The young princess had been living in your home for three months, training in the “Primordial Energy Technique” and sparring with you daily.]

[Her competitive spirit was unmatched, driving her to seek your evaluation after every session.]

[C-level. Passable, but far from perfect.]

[Summer passed quietly, giving way to autumn.]

Breathing heavily, Wu Yingxue murmured to herself, “C-level… I still have a long way to go.”

Determined, she resumed her practice with renewed vigor. The spear in her hands moved with ferocity, carving white marks into the courtyard’s stone tiles.

She was desperate to grow stronger—not just to avenge her parents but to ensure others could live.

…

[Tax collectors from Daqian arrived in Qingniu Town.]

Their presence reminded Xu Xi of the looming hardships of winter, deepening his sense of powerlessness.

[In the past three months, you had made 27 attempts to refine the technique.]

[Of those, 25 were entirely unworkable, and the remaining two had fatal flaws.]

As the screams of swords and spears echoed in the distance, Xu Xi’s mind raced with possibilities.

[The principles of the “Primordial Energy Technique,” the incomplete royal martial arts from Wu Yingxue, your own experiences, and the struggles of Qingniu Town’s people…]

[Is it truly impossible to create such a technique?]

The answer still eluded him.

Yet, as autumn’s chill began to settle over the town, both Xu Xi and Wu Yingxue pressed on.

With every step, they worked toward a single goal:

To create a way for people to survive.