Henry Walker, before the catastrophic destruction of his clan, was well-versed in swordsmanship and had studied various schools of Confucianism. However, after experiencing the annihilation of his clan in Boling City, his temperament changed drastically—he abandoned Confucianism entirely, his heart filled with hatred. He wrought great slaughter in Yongning Commandery, achieved mastery in the art of Biluo spear techniques, and his hatred became a bottomless chasm. His views on the world grew extremely radical.

Adam Carter, though living in troubled times, managed to retain a childlike innocence in his heart, and thus his views were vastly different from those of Henry Walker. At first, Caleb Carter could debate with Henry Walker to some extent, but being young and inexperienced, he would inevitably contradict himself the more he spoke, making his arguments hard to sustain. Henry Walker, however, never mocked him. Gradually, whenever Caleb Carter touched upon topics he disagreed with, he would fall silent and simply listen to Henry Walker speak alone.

Whenever Henry Walker spoke of military strategy, affairs of war, geography, or resources, Caleb Carter would focus intently, his eyes shining, clearly fascinated by these subjects. When the conversation turned to matters he understood, he would eagerly interject, his excitement plain to see. If Henry Walker encountered a topic Caleb Carter was familiar with, he would say little and switch to another subject. Over the past two months, Henry Walker had mostly chosen these practical, worldly skills to discuss with him. By now, Caleb Carter could rarely find a chance to speak. Though it still appeared to be a conversation, in reality, Henry Walker was passing on his own understanding and practical skills to him.

Whenever Caleb Carter encountered something he didn’t understand, he rarely asked questions, but would instead ponder it carefully. Seeing his deeply furrowed brow and serious expression, Henry Walker could not hide his approval, but would also smile wryly. He would not explain further, letting him think it through on his own, while he himself sipped tea or gazed out the window. Only when Caleb Carter had thought long and hard without finding the answer would Henry Walker explain in detail. Over the course of several months, Henry Walker had unknowingly imparted to him all the experience he had gained from over a decade of warfare. Although Caleb Carter could not absorb it all yet, once he gained more experience, the day his reputation soared would surely come. However, when it came to teaching him the Still Water Heart Sutra, Henry Walker was very hesitant.

As the end of the year approached, two heavy snowfalls had already blanketed Jiangjin City. The snow on the main street in front of the building had been cleared away. Outside the window, Mount She was covered in pristine white snow, sparkling and beautiful. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the rising mist, gently illuminating Henry Walker’s thin, handsome face. At this moment, Henry Walker’s eyelids were lowered, the light in his eyes subdued, his expression silent and contemplative.

Seeing him silent, Caleb Carter assumed he was pondering revenge and did not disturb him. He placed his feet on the lid of a bronze basin, which contained burning charcoal—since southerners did not use heated brick beds in winter, they used this for warmth. In silence, Caleb Carter guided his internal energy to flow slowly according to the Astonishing Spirit Formula taught by Ethan Brooks. While circulating his energy, his mind was clear, and the pain in his lower abdomen became even more distinct. However, once the energy had completed its circuit, his damaged meridians would heal a little. Thus, whenever he had a spare moment, he practiced diligently without pause.

When Henry Walker saw him finish circulating his energy, sweat running down his cheek, he felt a pang of pity and said, “The The Brooks Family Astonishing Spirit Spear is the most domineering and forceful of all, with a speed of energy circulation rarely seen in the world. When the true energy leaves the body, the extremes of cold and heat arrive in an instant, and the sudden shock is like being struck by lightning. Practitioners need exceptional talent; without resilient meridians, harming the enemy also means harming oneself. In the The Brooks Family clan, apart from the martial prodigy Ethan Brooks, who alone mastered the Astonishing Spirit Spear, there is no one else who can be called a true expert. Thus, Ethan Brooks’s abilities, lacking support from his clan, could only remain in Wanling by the East Sea. You learned the Astonishing Spirit Formula and survived the great disaster at Bayang City. The two streams of cold and hot energy merge at the Crane’s Crown point to form the most balanced and harmonious energy, reaching the initial stage known in Daoism as ‘Danxi’, which nourishes and restores life, greatly benefiting your damaged meridians.” At this point, Henry Walker’s expression grew solemn as he warned, “But you must remember: never let your energy leave your body to fight others. Your meridians are too delicate to withstand great force. If you force your energy out, it will be both swift and powerful, and wherever it passes, your meridians will be damaged. At that point, your life will be in grave danger, and you may not survive the day.”

Hearing this, Caleb Carter was instantly plunged into despair, staring blankly into space, his eyes unfocused.

Henry Walker felt helpless, but could not bear to see him so hurt, so he gently comforted him: “Though things have come to this, there is still hope. If you can find another school’s internal cultivation method, as long as there is a stream of Danxi energy passing through the Crane’s Crown point, you can continue your practice.” However, he kept the thought “but your achievements will be limited” to himself. He thought: There are hundreds of internal cultivation methods in the world, of varying quality, each with different energy routes. The The Brooks Family Astonishing Spirit Formula is especially unique; finding another Danxi method that passes through the Crane’s Crown is no easy task. If I devote myself to research, I could surely create a suitable Danxi method for him within a few years. Moreover, by carefully breaking through his meridians and acupoints, and using his innate true energy to nourish and restore them, it would not be difficult to rebuild his meridians anew. But do I have that much time? Never mind, I’ll just teach him the Still Water Heart Sutra.

Having made up his mind, Henry Walker sat upright and said solemnly, “Gengsu, five years ago, I went to Xinghua to see your father and asked him to come out of seclusion. He refused, saying my reputation for ruthlessness was already too great. We debated the state of the world for several days without result. Now that he has passed away, perhaps our debate will one day find its answer in you. I will now teach you the Still Water Heart Sutra. This is a mental cultivation method, derived from the Buddhist practice of cessation and contemplation, but surpassing it. With regular practice, your five senses will become keener than most. If you achieve mastery, your mind will remain clear and insightful amid chaos and illusion, like a mirror untouched by dust. When practicing internal cultivation, this method will help prevent deviation or madness. Its true marvels in combat are for you to discover in the future. Most importantly, remember: only those who have mastered the Still Water Heart Sutra can truly unleash the Qinghe Charge.”