Chapter 165

164. Chapter 164: Sniping Position

Night.

In a bedroom within the Li residence.

"The first step of the cultivation method I control is entering meditative stillness. What is meditative stillness? It means freeing yourself from your body's control, allowing your consciousness to separate and stand alone—only then can your consciousness perceive the existence of cosmic energy. Now, I will teach you how to enter meditative stillness. If you learn it, you can merge this cultivation method with martial arts, gaining the same sinews, bones, and innate talent as I have. In the future, breaking through to Qi Channeling and even Qi Condensation will pose no problem."

"I will first give you this cultivation method. Once you master it, you may pass it on to Master and your junior brother, Skinny Monkey."

Li Yi now assumed the role of instructor, teaching Rong Niang and Zhao Qian the Earth cultivation method.

Both women listened with intense seriousness, determined not to disappoint Li Yi, and focused every ounce of their energy on learning.

"Now, close your eyes, sit cross-legged, regulate your breathing, clear away distracting thoughts, and prepare to enter meditative stillness." Li Yi began instructing them on the method of entering stillness and key precautions, aiming to have them master it in the shortest possible time.

In truth, Earth's cultivation method relies on innate talent—some can enter stillness quickly, while others need days, even one or two months.

Of course, this is only the first step. The crucial part is whether you can use your will to guide cosmic energy into your body.

Only by achieving this can you possess the potential for cultivation; otherwise, you must abandon it.

Li Yi did not know whether Zhao Qian and Rong Niang had such potential—he wanted to test them. If they did, their future achievements would be immense; at least in the Four Seas and Eight Provinces, they would have sufficient strength to stand firm and not fear for their survival.

After an hour of instruction.

Zhao Qian and Rong Niang gradually touched the threshold of meditative stillness, understanding what to do—but each attempt failed, either because their consciousness sank into darkness and frightened them, or because their bodies reacted too violently, instantly pulling their consciousness back.

After three or four hours of effort, they still gained nothing.

"Senior Brother, this cultivation method is too difficult. I feel I lack the talent to master it," Rong Niang said, her voice tinged with shame.

"Don't underestimate yourself. Just now, you showed signs of entering stillness—you only woke up because you couldn't overcome your fear. That's normal. Rong Niang, when you were in the abandoned temple, you weren't afraid of death. Are you afraid of this now? Keep trying. I don't want to hear you say anything like this again," Li Yi snapped, showing no mercy.

"Sorry, Senior Brother, I was wrong. I'll keep cultivating," Rong Niang replied, chastised but without resentment, accepting it humbly.

"Between life and death lies great terror. Your task is to overcome inner fear, detach your consciousness from your body, sink into the depths of darkness—only then can you see the light and perceive the cosmic energy permeating heaven and earth. Right now, Master Zhao holds up the Zhao Martial Hall alone. After this rebuilding, the hall has suffered heavy losses. The next generation depends on you. You must grow strong, share the burden for Master, and ensure the hall's survival." Li Yi continued, strengthening their resolve.

Perhaps his words took effect. Thinking of the Zhao Martial Hall's future rise or fall, they now carried an added sense of responsibility and mission.

This time, entering stillness became much smoother.

Just before dawn, Zhao Qian succeeded first in entering stillness and sensed the scattered cosmic energy around her—but her excitement caused her to snap back to awareness.

"Big Brother Yi, I saw it! I saw the cosmic energy you described—tiny specks of light, dazzling and brilliant," Zhao Qian said, her eyes alight with excitement.

Li Yi nodded. "Good. That means the first step is complete. Now, you must learn to guide that cosmic energy into your body, letting your body absorb it. Only then will your cultivation truly begin."

Indeed.

In this world, the cultivation method worked.

Moreover, here there was no risk of cosmic energy being polluted, so they could experiment boldly—unlike when Li Yi cultivated on Earth, where he needed Lin Jie to constantly remind, assist, and even guide him.

"Pity—cosmic energy here is scarce. Earth's cultivation method yields limited results here. But it's enough. If you can awaken a spiritual medium and undergo one transformation of your body, then combine it with martial arts, your future potential is limitless," Li Yi thought to himself.

He had Rong Niang and Zhao Qian enter stillness not expecting them to reach high realms, but hoping they would use cultivation to lay a solid foundation for their future martial path.

But now.

Li Yi looked outside and saw that dawn had broken.

Neither had yet entered cultivation—only just succeeded in entering stillness. He could no longer guide them further. He packed his things, slung his sniper rifle, and prepared to leave.

"Senior Brother, are you going to the Great Green Mountain for the duel?" Rong Niang opened her eyes, concerned.

Li Yi nodded. "Don't worry. I'll kill that Qi Condensation expert and return. Keep entering stillness. I hope when I come back, you've both entered the path."

Without looking back, he stepped out the door.

At that moment,

Master Zhao Ge stood in the front courtyard, having stayed awake all night, guarding the residence to ensure no unexpected incidents occurred before the battle.

"Master," Li Yi bowed respectfully.

"Meng De, are you ready to act now?"

Zhao Ge looked at him, his gaze tinged with shame. "I'm sorry—I lack the strength to help you. This crisis rests entirely on your shoulders. I thought all night about having you flee the Four Seas and Eight Provinces tonight with Rong Niang and Zhao Qian, but I couldn't bring myself to say it."

"You are a natural Qiangzhe. In the future, you may become an invincible one. That spirit cannot be broken. If you survive this trial, it will greatly benefit your martial cultivation. If you retreat now, every future challenge will make you retreat—you'll reveal your inner cowardice. Go. I await your return with the enemy's head in hand."

"Master, rest easy. Stay here and have the servants prepare yellow mutton for me. I love the yellow mutton here," Li Yi smiled.

"Good. I'll have a feast ready for your return," Zhao Ge replied, his eyes brightening.

At that moment, Skinny Monkey led a black steed forward. "Senior Brother, your horse. I'm waiting here for your victory. When you have time, can you take me along on your travels? I want to see the world."

"Easy. If you break through to Qi Channeling, I'll take you across realms. Otherwise, with your current strength, you'd only end up working in a factory back home," Li Yi laughed, then mounted the horse. "Let's go."

With that, he slung his sniper rifle and galloped away, showing no trace of urgency before the looming threat.

Zhao Ge watched Li Yi depart, sighing. "Truly heroic spirit. The Four Seas and Eight Provinces are too small to contain a man like Meng De. If he truly slays a Qi Condensation expert today, he will become a legend."

Skinny Monkey felt no such reflection—only admiration and reverence for Li Yi. He dreamed of one day following his senior brother across the world.

Li Yi rode his steed through San Yang City, bought a few items, ate breakfast, then left the city heading straight for the Great Green Mountain.

He left early precisely to prepare thoroughly. After all, the enemy had six men—one Qi Condensation, five Qi Channeling. Such a force was excessive for one man. If so, he would choose a favorable feng shui spot to bury their corpses.

Soon,

Li Yi arrived at the duel site. He surveyed the surroundings and selected a small hill.

The hill held a dilapidated pavilion, offering elevated, unobstructed views of the plains ahead, with the Great Green Mountain behind it—excellent feng shui. Perfect for burying the enemy.

After selecting his sniping position, Li Yi took three rolls of cloth from his saddlebag, fashioned branches into flags of three different colors, and planted them across the open plain before him.

These were distance markers.

One flag every five hundred meters, the farthest at fifteen hundred meters—three li total.

With these markers, Li Yi could aim with greater confidence. Long-range sniping requires many considerations, especially against a Qi Condensation expert—better to prepare thoroughly.

After completing this, two hours had passed.

Colorful flags dotted the ground in every direction. Li Yi stood in the center of the pavilion, smiling faintly.

"The shooting range is set. Now, just wait for the target to enter."

He drank some water, swallowed a potent pill to replenish his energy, inspected his rifle, adjusted its settings, and began loading the red bullets one by one into the magazine.

One magazine held ten special rounds.

Plus one already chambered—eleven total.

Eleven rounds. One hit would kill. But since the enemy was a Qi Condensation expert, possibly with astonishing reflexes, Li Yi prepared a second magazine as backup.

"You're a Qi Condensation expert. Facing this extraordinary M200 sniper rifle isn't beneath you," Li Yi thought.

Everything was ready. Now, he waited quietly.

Meanwhile,

In San Yang City, a carriage emerged.

Prefect Fan Zhizhou and his old servant arrived discreetly near the Great Green Mountain.

They wanted to witness how Li Yi would confront the Meng family's Qi Condensation expert—and to see who would win this battle stirred up by the Yin Spirit.

"Stop here. This is far enough. If we go closer, we'll provoke Li Yi's displeasure," Fan Zhizhou ordered his servant to rein in the carriage at the first flag.

Fan Zhizhou scanned the surroundings and saw many tricolor flags planted across the ground, each spaced over two hundred steps apart—not randomly placed, but systematically arranged.

"The flags are ordinary. Nothing special."

Fan Zhizhou studied them, found no hidden meaning—each was simply a branch with a cloth tied to it. To an outsider, they looked like bird-scaring markers in a field.

"I can't make sense of them either," said the wounded Qi Channeling servant, "but I suspect they're military distance markers. Look—three colors, aligned east to west, one every two hundred and fifty steps. From here, seven hundred and fifty steps lead to Li Yi's pavilion."

Fan Zhizhou smiled. "Li Yi has prepared. He's confident. The enemy comes from afar, ignorant of his tactics—they're in for trouble."

"I'm curious too—what method can kill a Qi Condensation expert?"

The servant gazed at Li Yi in the distance and saw him calmly resting in the pavilion.

"Less than half an hour until the Meng family's expert arrives," Fan Zhizhou stood with his hands behind his back, atop the carriage, awaiting the spectacle.

As time passed,

Suddenly,

On the distant horizon, six magnificent steeds appeared, each bearing a rider. The six galloped forward, kicking up dust, radiating the aura of a thousand troops. Even before they drew near, a powerful pressure surged toward them.

"The Meng family's expert has arrived," Fan Zhizhou's gaze sharpened, fixed on the approaching six.

But he didn't know which Meng family member led them.

"Are they here yet?"

Li Yi's pupils glowed, his vision sharp—he had already locked onto the group from afar.

But they were still too distant—not yet within sniping range. He would act only when they reached about one thousand meters.

Yet against a Qi Condensation expert, Li Yi decided to let them enter the thousand-meter zone.

Only then could the sniper rifle's power, precision, and accuracy be maximized.

So there was no rush.

Li Yi stood motionless in the pavilion, his rifle already set on the ground, ready to fire at any moment.