```
In the past, Yu Ziqing would never have had such thoughts. Leaving one's homeland is easier said than done. The village was the only ray of light that shone into the hearts and upon the bodies of the villagers during their most desperate times.
If it weren't absolutely necessary, even the village chief wouldn't entertain the slightest thought of leaving the village.
But now the situation necessitated consideration.
No new children would be born in the village, and in the future, it was unlikely that new people would come to replenish the population. Decline was inevitable.
Change was the only path forward.
However, leaving the village would not be easy. Along the way, many might not endure. By the time they found a new home, even if the villagers had remarkably good physical constitutions, they were still mortal. At that time, conservatively estimated, at least half would die due to the environment, warfare, and various dangerous creatures.
Yu Ziqing personally experimented and thus could not keep it hidden. He wanted everyone in the village to layer armor.
He didn't expect them to become exceedingly strong or what they might become in the future. Most might take the path of body cultivation, ultimately reaching no more than the fourth tier. This was because the villagers had long consumed the Jinlan Mushroom, had health-boosting fist skills, and innate conditions far superior to ordinary people.
With the thickest armor, they could possibly withstand the most venomous attacks and still survive.
In future possible battles, extreme cold, and other dangerous situations, survival rates would greatly increase.
Yu Ziqing explained this to the village chief, whose look at Yu Ziqing changed.
"You... have started body refinement?"
"I've tested it. Don't worry, with body refinement at Cece's place, once the static cultivation is over, and the turbulent qi-blood settles, there's no problem.
As for the active skill cultivation of 'Qi-Blood,' I think it's better to practice fist skills in the village, which would nourish the body and refine it simultaneously — this might be very effective.
Also, many in the village have been practicing diligently without interruption, having a solid foundation in fist skills, so their progress should be swift, like Er Han, for instance."
Yu Ziqing stopped mid-sentence, looking at the village chief in surprise.
"Village chief, what's wrong?"
The usually calm village chief, even in storms, turned his head, reached out to wipe his eyes quietly, turned back with reddened eyes, and spoke with a choked voice.
"I'm fine, fine. Although I, an old man, haven't seen much in life, I know something about cultivation and understand body cultivation..."
"Village chief?"
"Don't say anymore. I know, old sir is knowledgeable, well-read, much more than me, this foolish old man... we have burdened you. You are a good child, truly a good child. You shouldn't be weighed down by us..."
As the village chief spoke, he could no longer contain himself, completely losing his composure, tears streaming down as he continuously wiped his eyes.
Hearing about being burdened, Yu Ziqing finally realized what was troubling the village chief.
Oh no, the village chief misunderstood, and it was a big misunderstanding.
He thought Yu Ziqing started body cultivation for the village's sake.
Although the village chief never cultivated, he surely heard about the grueling, hopeless reputation of body cultivation.
He also knew that the path of cultivation, once embarked upon, allowed only forward movement, not retreat, without room for regret.
The village chief had witnessed Yang's knowledge, which was one reason he thought Yu Ziqing would leave the village for a bright future. Thus, he believed Yu Ziqing would never choose body cultivation.
Yu Ziqing, filled with inner conflict, quickly supported the elder, helping him breathe, assuring with a firm voice.
"Village chief, you surely have misunderstood, absolutely no burden here. I chose body cultivation after much consideration, it meets my requirements the best, a most practical choice, with no other reason!"
"Yes, I trust you. You're a good kid. I believe whatever you say."
The village chief nodded kindly, as if appeasing a child in the family.
After speaking, the village chief took a deep breath and shouted outside.
"Er Han, get in here."
In three breaths, Er Han dashed in, head bowed.
"Grandfather, you called me?"
"Er Han, kneel down. Grandpa has something to say to you."
Er Han was puzzled, hesitating for a moment before the village chief's cane swept with a gust, striking Er Han's legs.
Er Han bent his knees, knelt on the ground, head lowered, obediently pondering what he might have done to upset the old man recently.
"Er Han, listen.
Whatever Ziqing says in the future, you must do as told. Hesitate even a little, and I'll break your legs.
Do you understand?
With that wooden head of yours, once I'm gone, you'll find it hard to carry the village's banner, but we can't tie Ziqing down. Learn well from Ziqing, observe keenly.
When I'm in the grave, if anyone in the village dares to force Ziqing to do anything, you beat them to death, understand?"
"I understand, grandpa, rest assured." Er Han, still puzzled, didn't know what had happened, but seeing the old man red-eyed and solemn, he realized this wasn't a joke; it was indeed an important matter.
Yu Ziqing stood aside, a hand on his forehead, looking conflicted.
It was entirely ruined now; even swearing an oath to the heavens wouldn't convince anyone.
The village chief had now begun to think that when he died, everyone in the village, including Er Han, would want Yu Ziqing to take over as the village chief, fearing he'd get trapped here by emotions.
Now, with things explained in advance, what else could he say?
"Sigh..."
Leaving the village chief's place, Yu Ziqing sighed deeply.
Never mind, focus on layering the armor first. Anything else could wait; survival rates needed a slight boost first.
According to Old Yang's predictions, conflict was likely to erupt on the Wilderness, and it wouldn't be fought on their own lands, likely unrestrained...
Yu Ziqing's body refining cultivation progressed smoothly, but it required a lot.
When he first arrived at the village, he weighed less than ninety pounds, barely skin and bones, now nourished back to about one hundred thirty. Body refining, the first stage of the Qi Blood Realm, was highly demanding on qi-blood, and without nutrition, would take a long while.
The plentiful Jinlan Mushrooms kept his weight from plummeting again.
Upon starting that day, water grinding for seven days, Yu Ziqing only then moved the qi-blood, circulating it through his limbs and torso.
In the village, the second fastest was Er Han, who had already completed the first stage of Qi Blood Realm cultivation and could circulate qi-blood throughout the body at once, uniting power in a single flow.
Combined with Er Han's terrifyingly strong health foundation, even before starting body cultivation, he could contend with cultivators. Now, a single punch could likely kill an ordinary second-tier Marrow Cleansing Realm body cultivator before they could retaliate.
In just half a month, Er Han completed marrow cleansing. Blood like lead-mercury, he reconditioned his internal organs, causing qi and blood to churn with heartbeats like drumbeats, awe-inspiring.
A month later, Er Han had arrived at the third stage of body refinement, Returning to the Orifices Realm, his meridians robust like dragons, openings clear, reaching over one hundred ninety, and still progressing. Would practice static cultivation daily — qi-blood energy too strong for anyone to sit nearby.
Er Han's case was predictable, but what baffled Yu Ziqing was the village chief despite his age, following along, progressing even more extraordinarily than Er Han...
Yet, with all factors combined, Yu Ziqing himself was only at the second stage.
Watching the village chief's thin form, slightly hunched, with a cane, seemingly unchanged, Yu Ziqing couldn't forget when the chief had broken the cane striking Er Han, then kicked Er Han flying from the Despair Abyss...
"I don't understand, but I'm profoundly shocked."
"I don't understand either..." Old Yang chuckled with resignation.
"I knew beforehand, given their long-standing health-building, turning to body cultivation would progress swiftly, but I never imagined this fast, and without side effects, with roots more solid than earned by arduous cultivation...
Especially the chief, clearly aged, with declining qi-blood, yet faster and steadier than Er Han.
Traditionally all cultivators, including Dao cultivators, paid little attention to body cultivation.
You're within my expectations — solid foundation, unbelievably fast.
But for them, it's truly beyond my understanding. Earlier, I even suggested improving their fist skills. Turns out, I overestimated myself, underestimated the forebears here."
"Maybe their foundation, like that of a Dao cultivator, is but the tip of the iceberg in daily life," Yu Ziqing voiced his conjecture.
"Maybe so."
Old Yang silently withdrew. At night, waking famished, Yu Ziqing, intending to eat, discovered Old Yang using a black stone, stealthily practicing a mountain goat version of a fist skill he'd presumably modified...
After eating, Yu Ziqing returned to his abode, lying in a daze, felt as though something about the villagers had become abnormal.
Even Old Yang was acting strangely...
Though unspoken, Yu Ziqing sensed that Old Yang, once dismissive of body refinement, had secretly trained...
Impossible to sleep, having practiced fist skills already, Yu Ziqing decided to continue cultivation.
Returning to the Despair Abyss, it continued its ceaseless playback.
He didn't stop, pondering as he walked past the Despair Abyss, emerging outside the village.
Bitter cold winds swept, snow on the ground reached a foot high. As he ventured further, snow deepened, temperatures plummeted. Despite qi-blood flowing throughout his body, diminishing the cold, it still pricked like needles.
Watching the horizon, a streak of light suddenly flew by, exploding in the sky, extinguished quickly. Following, several more streaks flew, colliding, with streaks frequently extinguishing.
Yu Ziqing knew each light represented a cultivator using an escape skill.
Once extinguished, either they had ceased using the escape skill, or they were dead.
"It truly has started, and it's not particularly far from us..."
```