The Post Sky Tipping Era
Chapter 179 - 143: A Gunshot

Chapter 179: Chapter 143: A Gunshot

"Let’s go meet up with Master and the others, and discuss the reconstruction of the martial arts hall along the way."

Li Yi, at this moment leisurely riding a black steed, walked along the streets of Sanyang City with a robust Eight Treasure Deer following behind him. This type of Shen Zhen was a top-notch spirit monster possessing high intelligence, so there was no worry of it getting lost or straying.

Next to him, Rong Niang said, "Master has probably rescued the other disciples by now, but I’m not sure where he is. If we want to meet up with Master, it’s going to take some time."

"Since we’re free now, let’s treat it as exploring the streets. It’s my first time in Sanyang City, and I’m quite curious about this place. Rong Niang, how long have you lived here?" Li Yi inquired.

"I’ve lived in Sanyang City since I was a child, for twenty-seven years now. I’m very familiar with Sanyang City, and I can show you around if you’d like to visit some places," Rong Niang immediately responded.

Li Yi then asked, "So Rong Niang, you’re already twenty-seven years old. Why haven’t you married? Usually, at this age, one would be married and have children."

Rong Niang shook her head and said, "After my parents passed away, I had no thoughts of starting a family. For me, Zhao’s Martial Arts Hall is my home."

"I didn’t realize Rong Niang also had such a tragic story," Li Yi remarked somberly.

"My situation isn’t considered tragic. My parents were nearly fifty, not martial artists, and they died of illness, which is nature’s course. It’s just unfortunate that I was practicing martial arts all those years and didn’t serve my parents well. I have many regrets about that," Rong Niang said with a slight purse of her lips.

"It’s an age-old saying; children want to provide for their parents, but they may not always be there."

At this point, Li Yi suddenly became curious and asked, "But what I want to know is, do ordinary people here generally live around fifty years? Isn’t there anyone who lives to seventy or eighty?"

He had found it strange when his master mentioned this before but hadn’t asked more at the time. Now, during their casual conversation, he raised the question.

Even in ancient times, people with poor medical conditions and insufficient food had short lifespans, yet there were still those in better circumstances who lived longer lives.

Rong Niang paused, seemingly not expecting Li Yi to ask such a question. However, she seriously replied, "That’s how it is for everyone. Life spans of around fifty are common, and for non-martial artists, living into their sixties is almost impossible."

"Is that really the case?" Li Yi’s eyes flickered.

"Yes, everyone knows this. Why would I deceive you, senior brother? Perhaps in your world, everyone lives to be seventy or eighty, but that’s not the case here," Rong Niang explained, shaking her head.

Li Yi replied, "No, I don’t doubt your words, Rong Niang. Rather, I find it curious that the people’s lifespan in the Four Seas and Eight Continents seems problematic."

"What do you mean by that, senior brother?" Rong Niang became curious immediately.

Riding his horse and observing the pedestrians on the street nearby, Li Yi slowly said, "Each person is different, some die young, some are plagued with illness, but there are those who live long, healthy lives, free from ailments... Humanity is diverse, it’s unlikely everyone is nearly the same, unless... "

"Unless what?" Rong Niang, pulling her horse closer, couldn’t help but interrogate further.

"Unless, the lifespan in the Four Seas and Eight Continents is indeed decided by the heavens, with everyone’s lifespan controlled within a normal range. Only under such circumstances would it be impossible for ordinary people to live long lives," Li Yi explained, looking up at the sky.

Rong Niang immediately added, "It’s said that the deities are three feet above our heads; spirits and gods have always existed. Before, our master engaged with the Yin God and wounded his Divine Soul, which is why his lifespan was shortened."

"Yin God... this reminds me of what the city lord, Fan Zhizhou, mentioned before. A martial artist who reaches the Refining God stage can gather Yin God, detach from the physical body, and exist in the world indefinitely. Are these two related?" Li Yi inquired.

Rong Niang nodded, "Yes, top practitioners of Refining God can transform into a Yin God upon death. Our master was injured by such a being."

"Then, is Yin God stronger, or is a Qi Cultivation Martial Artist stronger?" Li Yi continued.

Rong Niang’s face showed a bit of embarrassment, "Senior brother, I’ve only reached the Marrow Training stage, I haven’t even begun Blood Training, so I don’t know. However, I once heard from master that although a Yin God is a powerful Refining God practitioner transformed after death, lacking a physical body means their strength is not at its peak. Yin God’s methods are elusive and can harm a person’s soul and kill someone in their dreams, making them hard to combat. Only high-level Qi Cultivation experts, leveraging their Qi-Blood Gang Qi, are qualified to clash with a Yin God. Otherwise, other martial artists have no means to contend and are simply at the mercy of the Yin God, which is why we all greatly respect spirits and gods."

"I see," Li Yi understood now. Hearing this explanation, he realized that a Yin God was akin to a top-tier ghost, and ordinary people had no means to combat such ghosts. Even a Blood Martial Artist could only passively suffer, dying in confusion and obscurity. A Qi Cultivation expert, because they could harness their Qi-Blood outwardly, had the capacity to harm these ghostly beings, therefore earning the right to stand against a Yin God.

However, if one could master the means to counteract ghosts, would that mean a Yin God could also be killed?

In reality, not only in the Four Seas and Eight Continents but even on Earth, methods to combat spirits and ghosts are scarce.

Investigators encountering supernatural occurrences involving ghosts also dare not intervene, as they too lack effective methods to deal with spirits and choose to stay away instead.

"The person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it, perhaps only a Yin God has the means to counteract another Yin God. If there’s a chance, I should ask that city lord, Fan Zhizhou; being a disciple from a long-standing family, he must have records on this subject," Li Yi thought to himself, recalling the Hanging Man Spear at home – a weapon of the Yin God.