Book 2 Chapter 87: The White Stone - Martial God

**Chapter 87: The White Stone** A massive stone slowly ascended, not moving very quickly, yet showing no signs of stopping. After a moment, He trailed the large stone to the surface of the water, emerging from the pool. During this process, He had roughly discerned the layout of the water pool. It turned out that the area beneath the pond was much larger than he had imagined. Based on the flow of water, He sensed that this was not a stagnant pool, but rather a lively body of water connected to the outside world. With a soft sound, the stone finally left the water's surface, continuing its steady ascent until it hovered about half a meter above, slowly coming to a halt. The milky white glow emanating from the stone expanded rapidly once out of the water, its range now several times greater than when submerged. He’s expression subtly changed. Upon the stone leaving the water, he keenly felt his "Wind Listening" ability disappear. No matter how sharply his ears twitched, he could no longer hear the distant winds. Feeling fortunate, He realized that such divine artifacts existed in this world. When using his Wind Listening technique outside, he hadn't detected another creature within the canyon akin to the Two-Headed Beast, leading him to wrongly believe there was no ambush awaiting him here. Now, he knew he had narrowly avoided an ambush, purely by luck. The Wind Listening technique possessed formidable eavesdropping prowess, yet it wasn't without limitations. If there had been another beast in league with the Two-Headed Beast, He might have struggled to escape unscathed from a surprise attack. Henceforth, He resolved to act with caution, recognizing that even the magical Wind Listening was not infallible. Gazing intensely at the stone's mystical glow, He felt astonishingly revitalized; the fatigue from the recent battle swiftly dissipated. Not only that, but his inner energy surged to unprecedented levels. He felt a strange compulsion—to release the excess energy through a primal scream. Shaking his head to dispel the bizarre thoughts, He mused that his grandfather would surely mock him if they knew he harbored such odd impulses. His thoughts turned to Yuan Li Xun; surely, her cultivation would be influenced too, given that she wasn't as adept as him. Glancing over, He was slightly taken aback. She stood there calmly, her bright eyes quietly observing him, and there was a captivating feeling in her gaze that stirred his heart. Rubbing his head in sudden realization, He asked, "Li Xun, how do you feel?" "What feeling?” she replied, puzzling over He’s question. Observing her within the white glow, He noted that she seemed genuinely unaffected. After a moment’s hesitation, He recalled texts evaluating human vitality, a hopeful look flashing in his eyes as he suggested, "Li Xun, try channeling your energy now and see if something changes." Though puzzled, she didn’t contradict him and immediately sat down to practice her internal energy techniques. He closely watched her expression. Even without his Wind Listening ability, his keen eyesight allowed him to perceive her state clearly. Soon, He breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that there appeared to be no harm in channeling energy under this mystical glow. Gradually, He’s expression grew slightly tense. He noticed that she was on the brink of overcoming the barrier to the sixth level of her internal technique. Typically, when they practiced together, this breakthrough attempt had ended in failure. Yet, this time, there was a distinct difference. As she pushed her internal energy against the bottleneck, there was only a brief obstacle, which she effortlessly overcame. Like a floodgate opening, her powerful energy surged through the barrier with tidal force. He’s eyes focused sharply on the large stone floating over the pool, pondering deeply. Before long, She finished her practice, her face beaming with the utmost excitement and joy. He understood her emotions well, having experienced similar events himself. "Young Master, was it because of this stone?" Her excitement gave way to curiosity. He nodded slightly, "Indeed, it’s due to this stone." "What exactly is this?" Her eyes sparked with intrigue. "Can it help us to break through barriers?" He contemplated briefly, then shook his head slightly, saying, "I don't know what this thing precisely is, but it's undoubtedly priceless. We might as well chip off some fragments, take them with us, and study them slowly." "But Young Master, won’t you take it all with us?" She was surprised. He smiled wryly, "It’s simply too large to conceal. If its miraculous powers were revealed, it would undoubtedly attract countless greedy eyes, leading to endless trouble." Her expression turned serious as she calmed down, considering the implications of his words. He’s gaze shifted toward the remains of the Two-Headed Beast, recalling something, "Li Xun, how did you get in here?" Her face flushed crimson. "Young Master, seeing you battle the beast so fiercely, and knowing it was severely injured before, I wondered how it recovered so quickly and felt urged to check. I came into the inner valley and saw this stone." Her eyes moved overhead, clearly indicating the profound impact it had on her. He frowned slightly, "How did you bypass us into the inner valley?” The stone's effect range was limited to the inner valley, yet while he and the Two-Headed Beast clashed outside, he remained vigilant. How could She have slipped past his notice? Her sly smile revealed a simple truth, "Young Master, I swam in." His confusion persisted, seeking further clarification. Pointing with her delicate fingers to the side, "This pond has a waterway leading out. I didn’t know before, just took a chance and made it through." She looked more embarrassed, adding softly, "I arrived only shortly before the beast rushed in to recuperate in the white glow. Then you arrived, battling it fiercely, and thanks to the stone’s glow, it held firm. So I…" He felt a surge of emotion; She had faced the beast's power head-on, understanding its formidable nature. Yet, despite the danger, she fearlessly pressed onward, courageously prompting the stone to sink into the pond. Without this, given the beast's limitless energy replenishment, He wouldn't have dared claim a definite victory. Sighing deeply, He softly thanked her, "Li Xun, thank you." His quiet words resonated clearly with her; her cheeks warmed with unusual satisfaction. I’m not worthless after all; I can actually help him… ※※※※ The two lingered there for half a day, resting and drying their clothes, as well as devising a plan for handling the Two-Headed Spirit Beast’s body and the mysterious white stone. Despite having faced four spirit beasts already, dealing with a corpse was a first for He, akin to a young woman on her inaugural trip to the city. He knew well that to gain the greatest benefits from the beast’s body, precise handling was paramount. After some thought, He decided to pack up the remains, intending to seek guidance from his grandfather. Finally, their attention returned to the stone. Removing it was simple; a light jump and a firm grip would allow it to sink back to the ground. The entire massive stone was a solid entity, shaped like an irregular rectangular coffin. Yet, this "coffin" was so large that even three Hes could fit inside comfortably if it could be opened. Such a gigantic stone surprisingly seemed weightless, but when touched, it had the texture and feel of metal. Even He Yi Ming, despite his experience, couldn’t help but marvel at such an extraordinary object. Given the stone's size, He wasn’t shy about experimenting, and soon chipped off a thumb-sized shard from one of the protruding parts. However, as soon as he removed this piece, something astonishing happened. The fracture on the stone began to move and, within moments, the crack disappeared entirely, leaving a perfectly smooth surface. He Yi Ming’s eyes widened in disbelief. This stone could regenerate? Turning his head, he met the equally astonished gaze of Yuan Li Xun. "Young Master..." "What is it?" "Do ghosts exist in this world?" He pondered for a while before responding, "I don’t know. Why do you ask?" "I'm afraid of ghosts." "Who isn’t! I’m scared too." "Then maybe we should leave," she suggested cautiously. He considered for a moment, then replied, "Hold on a moment." He summoned his large guandao back into his hands. Taking a deep breath, the elemental qi within him cycled continuously, beginning from his evolving water-based technique and flowing into the stronger metal element through the Five Elements Theory. Raising his guandao, He suddenly exuded an incredibly powerful and awe-inspiring aura. The intensity of this aura was such that Yuan Li Xun couldn’t help but retreat. Yet, to her surprise, the pressure eased significantly when she neared the stone, allowing her, even with her newly reached sixth-layer cultivation, to withstand it. With a sharp shout, He swept his guandao down in a mighty arc. It was as if a colossal blade, capable of splitting mountains, had materialized, aiming directly at a distant rock wall. With a thunderous crash, the rock wall shattered, spraying stones like an explosion had occurred and forming a cavern large enough to host ten people. Though He staggered as if about to collapse from exhaustion, a firm step steadied him. His eyes lit up with a fierce gleam, showing no trace of fatigue from his powerful strike. Yuan Li Xun gaped in amazement, glancing at He’s feet. Only then did she realize—He had positioned himself within the milky glow of the white stone when delivering that earth-shattering blow. Having felt the effects of the stone’s miraculous power herself, Yuan Li Xun understood this, though she was perplexed by He’s sudden decision. He then sheathed his guandao, seemingly contemplating something before nodding in satisfaction. In a moment of past crisis, he had once utilized this very move, expending all his internal energy in an instant. However, after that occasion, he had been unable to unleash such an extreme and potent strike again. Despite practicing the "Mountain-splitting Thirty-six Forms" enhanced by the Five Elements Theory in private, none matched the power or unleashed the full force so recklessly as this moment did. But witnessing Yuan Li Xun fall into the water had blanked his mind, unexpectedly triggering the Five Elements’ automatic flow and releasing all his internal energy. This was how he managed to slay the Two-Headed Spirit Beast with a single strike. Now, He pondered how this feeling—of concentrating and releasing all his qi in an instant—could be intertwined with his martial forms to achieve tremendous power. He instinctively sensed that this almost self-contained technique might enable him to confront higher-level masters. Feeling a burgeoning confidence unlike any before, He's assurance soared because he had truly mastered this powerful strike. Although the cost of performing it was steep, it was undeniably a life-saving trump card akin to the beast’s ultimate wind-fire attack. A gleam flashed in his eyes; if he met "Cheng Fu" again while utilizing this technique, the renowned martial master of Kai Rong country wouldn’t stand a chance against it. The blend of relief and excitement on He’s face conveyed a deep satisfaction to Yuan Li Xun. Understanding that such joy only stemmed from breakthroughs in martial arts, Yuan Li Xun couldn't help but share in his jubilance. They exchanged smiles before she looked up, suddenly saying, "Young Master, it’s getting late. We should return." He nodded resolutely. A full day had passed since the pursuit of the Two-Headed Spirit Beast began. He guessed that both He Wude and He Laibao had already returned to their rendezvous point. Initially, He had intended to stay beside this white stone to study its secrets. The stone’s enchanting qualities tempted him strongly, and he felt that training near it profoundly benefited his growth in innate qi. Yet, the thought of the two elders waiting anxiously at the meeting point dispelled his interest in further research. After some hesitation, He swung his guandao against the rock wall, carving out a large cavern big enough for three stones to fit. He then pushed the stone inside, sealing the entrance with massive rocks and covering it with vines for concealment. Although the cover-up was a bit crude, unless one scrutinized it closely, the secret hidden within would remain undiscovered. Satisfied with his work, He dusted off his hands and washed up in the pool. Without a hint of reserve, he embraced Yuan Li Xun and sprinted back along the path from which they had come. Though unfamiliar with the forest, He vividly recalled their route from the day’s journey. Channeling his mastery over the Wind element to its fullest, Yuan Li Xun felt as if she were flying through the dense forest, akin to soaring through clouds. This sensation was wondrous, made warmer by being in his protective hold. She wished for this feeling to last forever, unchanging and eternal...