Gavin created another stone monument beside the first, engraving upon it a new fist technique. This technique consisted of eleven steps, similar in structure to the claw technique, as it was also divided into four parts. However, while the claw technique had only one step in the fourth part, the fist technique contained two, making it a more intricate practice.
As he observed the newly inscribed technique, a thought crossed his mind.
"I should rename the realms of the hunters—Ordinary Hunter, Blood Awakening Hunter, and Spirit Blood Hunter. Their essence is the same, so they can be unified into a single realm."
He pondered further.
"The foundation of all three realms is the same—strengthening the body to form energy. That means they should be called the Gathering Energy Realm."
With this realization, Gavin structured the first three parts of both techniques as training methods for the 0-rank, now officially named the Gathering Energy Realm. The reasoning was simple:
- The first part of the techniques focused on strengthening the body.
- The second part led to the formation of energy within the body, which he decided to name Inner Energy—the condensed force that accumulated through disciplined training.
- The third part refined this energy, hardening it from a soft, malleable state to one as solid as iron. However, as Inner Energy reached this stage, it became increasingly difficult to control. To counter this, practitioners had to focus on another crucial aspect—gathering the spirit within the body.
This led to the fourth part, the awakening of the mysterious space.
"The spirit inside the body is the subconscious force that governs movement and instinct. By gathering and taking control of it, one can unlock a hidden power."
Upon successfully gathering the spirit, a Life Field would form around the practitioner, initially spanning a one-meter radius.
"The Life Field is essentially the bioelectromagnetic energy of the body, condensed and spread outward."
This field allowed one to sense and absorb spiritual energy from the surroundings, gradually expanding its radius. Once the Life Field reached a 10-meter radius, and both Inner Energy and Spiritual Energy were fully developed, a practitioner could begin sensing the Mysterious Space, the gateway to a higher level of power.
With these thoughts in mind, Gavin scanned the tribe using his Spirit Field, observing the tribesmen practicing the newly revealed technique with great enthusiasm. A satisfied smile formed on his face.
"Once the tribe becomes strong, I won't have to watch over them constantly. In time, they may even aid me in my journey."
However, he quickly realized a potential issue.
"I must remind the elder that the tribe should focus on mastering a single technique first. Trying to master both would only be a waste of time."
While it was possible to train in both techniques up to the third step, their true essence differed greatly beyond that point.
- The Claw Technique originated from his clone, the Earth Wolf, making it inherently infused with the Earth Element. Mastering it required comprehension of Earth Intent and the formation of Earth-Aligned Fighting Energy.
- The Fist Technique, on the other hand, was derived from the Snow Ape, containing the Ice Element's Intent. Practicing this technique led to the formation of Ice-Aligned Fighting Energy.
If a practitioner attempted to cultivate both techniques beyond the third step, the conflicting elemental natures would clash, preventing further advancement. This revision of the two techniques did not increase their power but instead helped him refine his understanding of their essence.
"Both techniques strengthen the body and are derived from the hunter path of the Three-Eyed People, as well as the warrior and knight paths of humans."
"At their core, both techniques belong primarily to the Body Path, with minor aspects of the Energy Path and Spirit Path."
"It is the Body Path that binds the Energy and Spirit Paths together."
In his previous life, he had been a Ninth-Rank Psychic, which, in this world, would be equivalent to a peak Golden Realm Extraordinary. He had studied many different psychic cultivation methods, but he knew that all of them ultimately stemmed from three fundamental paths—the Body Path, Energy Path, and Spirit Path.
After spending two months in this world, he realized that its cultivation system followed the same fundamental structure as his previous world.
However, he also understood that trying to create a full cultivation method from the two techniques alone was impossible. These were merely fighting skills, not full-fledged cultivation paths. From the Bronze Rank onward, fighting skills only enhanced combat strength—they did not contribute to realm advancement.
And advancing in the realm was far more important than raw strength.
No matter how powerful a Bronze-Rank fighter was, at best, they could challenge and potentially defeat a Silver-Rank opponent. But it would be difficult. Recklessly challenging a higher rank could lead to severe injuries—or even death.
"The most important aspect of advancing in the realm is the increase in lifespan."
For him, extending his lifespan was the utmost priority.
Even though he was designing a practice method for the tribe, not for himself, longevity was still a crucial factor. A longer lifespan meant more time to grow stronger. With enough time, one could master multiple fighting techniques. But with a short lifespan, one would be forced to dedicate themselves to a single skill, limiting their potential.
He took a break from comprehending the Bloodstone of the Ice Scale Snake and the Bloodstone of the Snow Ape, both of which he had obtained from a Bronze-Rank Snow Ape's corpse.
His goal was clear—he needed to create a cultivation method for the Bronze Rank.
This way, when one of his tribe members broke through to the Bronze Rank, they could follow his method, rather than rely on an external one.
Relying on foreign cultivation methods was dangerous.
A cultivation method always carries traces of its creator's will, forming a connection between the practitioner and its originator. In an extraordinary world like this, forming such a connection with someone stronger could be disastrous. If the creator wished, they could exert influence or even control over those practicing their method.
And if his tribe ever clashed with a force whose cultivation method they had borrowed?
"I don't even want to think of the consequences."
The thought alone was enough for him to solidify his decision.
"I must create a practice method for the tribe—nipping this danger in the bud before it can take root."
In his past life, he had created his cultivation path from Rank 7 to Rank 9 psychic. While he had never developed a method from the very beginning, starting from scratch now was not an impossible task.
The only real constraint was time.
He had to complete the Bronze Rank cultivation method before any of his tribe members advanced, or the opportunity would be lost.
Moreover, he also had to create a separate practice method for the Shamans.
With the knowledge he had gathered about this world's cultivation system, he was confident he could devise a Bronze-Rank Body Path practice method. This would be the best option for the tribe, as at least 50% of its members had a natural talent for the Body Path.
In his previous life, he had primarily followed the Spirit Path, but he had also cultivated the Body Path as a minor focus. Within the Body Path, he had reached the Sixth Rank as a Psychic, which in this world corresponded to the peak of the Silver Realm. This experience gave him the foundation to create a Bronze Rank practice method, but he did not want the tribe to rely solely on the Body Path.
Among the three major cultivation paths—Body, Energy, and Spirit—the Body Path required the most resources. Furthermore, if a practitioner had only average talent, they would be unable to hide the weakness of practicing a singular, making them easier targets for opponents.
Instead of committing fully to the Body Path, he sought to create a hybrid cultivation path, integrating elements from multiple paths while still keeping the Body Path as the foundation.
Unlike the two existing combat techniques, where the Body Path pulled the Energy and Spirit Paths together, he envisioned a method where two paths would work in unison, reinforcing each other.
However, integrating all three major paths—Body, Energy, and Spirit—into a single method was both highly complex and exceptionally difficult to cultivate.
Thus, he made his decision.
He would start with a dual-path method, combining the Body Path and the Energy Path.
With this concept taking form within his Soul Space, a three-eyed race model materialized before him. He focused his mind, channeling his understanding of cultivation principles, and began crafting the foundation of a new practice method.