Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

The banquet was lively. Almost everyone inside was handsome or beautiful, and it was rare to see anyone who looked aged. Any martial artist who broke through to the Marrow Refining realm before forty, reshaping their foundation and revitalizing their vitality, appeared like someone in their twenties. Those who broke through after forty did not show such obvious changes in appearance.

Whether a martial artist looked young was also an outward display of their latent potential. Tonight’s banquet was a gathering of young prodigy martial artists. Lin Zheyu’s disguised middle-aged appearance made him stand out rather conspicuously in Fenyang Pavilion.

”So this is the martial artist you recently recruited? He does not look like much. If you are short on manpower, just tell me, and I will help you find a few reliable hands.” In Fenyang Pavilion, the burly man sitting opposite Li Mengxi sized Lin Zheyu up and spoke with a chuckle. His words were very direct and showed no consideration for Lin Zheyu’s feelings.

”Brother Zhao, do not take it to heart. Xiong Yonghao always speaks like this and means no harm,” Li Mengxi said apologetically.

Xiong Yonghao was one of his friends. He had originally wanted to bring Lin Zheyu into his circle and introduce him to Xiong Yonghao and the others. He had not expected this fellow to blurt out such words upon seeing Lin Zheyu’s disguised middle-aged appearance.

”It is fine.” Lin Zheyu smiled faintly to show that he did not mind.

However, he soon began to reflect.

Was my reaction just now too bland, influenced by the Tortoise Breath True Technique?

With a thought, Lin Zheyu quietly circulated the Tortoise Breath True Technique, drawing in and suppressing the Tortoise Breath true intent. At the same time, he actively mobilized the Dominance true intent primer in his consciousness, amplifying its influence to the maximum. Even so, the effect of the Dominance true intent seed on him was still unsatisfactory. The Tortoise Breath true intent, suppressed to its limit, continued to exert a strong influence on him, leaving Lin Zheyu feeling calm as still water and exceedingly detached.

If I had first mastered the Dominance true intent and only then cultivated the Tortoise Breath true intent, would it have been easier? Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

However, he was only entertaining the thought. Although he had condensed the Dominance true intent seed, without a corresponding technique to assist comprehension and cultivation, it was very difficult to use Origin Force to improve and cultivate the Dominance true intent. True techniques and true intent diagrams complemented each other, and without the corresponding true technique, directly comprehending a true intent diagram was extremely difficult.

If Lin Zheyu had the subsequent true technique of the Barbaric Ox Fist and practiced it for several hours every day, the true technique would subtly strengthen the Dominance true intent seed and reduce the influence of the Tortoise Breath true intent. Had he first comprehended the Dominance true intent and then cultivated the Tortoise Breath True Technique with a complete true technique, it would have been much easier.

”Brother Yonghao, you are not allowed to talk about Young Master Zhao like that. He is very impressive.” Li Wensi spoke up for Lin Zheyu.

”In what way is he impressive?” Xiong Yonghao curled his lips and asked with a smile.

”Do not underestimate Brother Zhao. If not for Tang Zhentao stopping him, Brother Zhao would have beaten Tang Weizhong to death back then. On the way to Wuji Manor, Brother Zhao was nearly assassinated by a killer from the Soulcall Tower, yet he not only avoided serious injury but also wounded the other party. That assassin had already condensed threads of true strength,” Li Mengxi said.

When he had witnessed that scene back then, even he had been deeply shocked, and his regard for Zhao Hao had risen to an even higher level.

”Oh? Has Brother Zhao also comprehended true intent and begun advancing to the Force Transformation realm?” Xiong Yonghao asked with a bit more seriousness.

Even within their family, there were not many Force Transformation realm martial artists. Marrow Refining realm martial artists could be produced through medicinal pills, but Force Transformation realm martial artists could not. To advance to the Force Transformation realm and condense true strength, one first had to comprehend a true intent. Even with the assistance of true intent diagrams, the difficulty of comprehending true intent was still extremely great and required not only talent and comprehension but also perseverance and a compatible temperament.

”No. It was only a little over two months ago at Heavenly Blade Peak that I comprehended a true intent seed, and I have yet to fully comprehend true intent, so please excuse me for any embarrassment,” Lin Zheyu said with a faint smile.

Although his words were humble, they did not sound humble at all. Instead, they carried a pointed response to what Xiong Yonghao had said earlier. After suppressing the Tortoise Breath true intent, Lin Zheyu deliberately allowed himself to appear more sharp-edged, letting his once blunted edges grow back.

”What? You have not even condensed your true intent yet?” Xiong Yonghao was slightly startled, and a trace of shock and astonishment could not help but appear on his face.

The gap between a martial artist who had condensed true strength and a Marrow Refining realm martial artist was extremely large. Powerful true strength, even if it consisted of only a few faint strands of energy, could allow a martial artist to unleash power and attacks far beyond the Marrow Refining realm. This was especially true for assassins of the Soulcall Tower.

Every assassin of the Soulcall Tower was extremely powerful. The weak ones had long been killed in turn by their targets. Those who remained were all terrifyingly strong killers. Xiong Yonghao put himself in their place and realized that if he were to face an assassination attempt by a martial artist who had condensed true strength, he might lose his life before he even had time to react.

”It seems I misjudged you, Brother Zhao. My apologies. I will toast you with this cup to show my regret,” Xiong Yonghao raised his wine cup and said with a smile.

Lin Zheyu clinked cups with him and accepted the apology with a smile.

”Brother Zhao, with your strength, you can step onto the arena. If you can win one hundred consecutive matches or remain undefeated for five days, you can obtain a true technique from the Wuji Sect. I heard that this year’s reward is the Great Strength Vajra Fist brought from the Western Regions, and its power is extremely formidable.” Xiong Yonghao said with a laugh.

”The Buddhist sect?” Lin Zheyu asked curiously.

He had seen records of the Buddhist sect in ancient texts, but in Great Wei, he had not encountered a single monk. Great Wei had only one belief, which was the pantheon of deities headed by the Supreme Celestial Sovereign of the Myriad Dao and the Golden Palace. Other than that, there were none.

”That is right. The techniques of those bald monks are not bad, but I absolutely do not agree with their ideas. Damn it, talking about laying down the butcher’s knife and becoming a Buddha on the spot. For people who have done every evil deed, just cut them down. Why give them any chance to become Buddhas? Those bald monks are simply hypocrites,” Xiong Yonghao said disdainfully. He was this kind of straightforward person, cutting down what he disliked and admitting it when he was wrong.

”Well said, Young Master Xiong.” Lin Zheyu agreed with a smile.

He also felt that evil people should simply be cut down. Why waste effort trying to reform them and give them a chance to become Buddhas? With that time, why not reform good people and give them a chance instead?

”Are you also interested in this technique?” Li Mengxi asked.

”I’m not too interested. I only heard Tu Zifan mention it in passing. By the way, where is Zifan? Did he run off to flirt with girls again?” Xiong Yonghao scanned the surroundings. He had been here for quite a while and still had not seen Tu Zifan.

”I just saw him go to look for Rong Siying. That kid has no self-awareness. Is a woman like Rong Siying really someone he can handle?” Li Mengxi asked as he shook his head, clearly pessimistic about Tu Zifan.

Rong Siying was not only stunningly beautiful, but her martial cultivation talent was also exceptionally outstanding. Many young masters and talented martial artists surrounded her. Although Tu Zifan also came from a distinguished background, he paled in comparison to them.

”Exactly. With a great beauty like Miss Mengqi right beside him, Zifan still insists on going the long way around. In terms of looks, Miss Mengqi is not inferior to Rong Siying. It is just that Rong Siying has the support of the Sangharama true intent[1], making her appear more alluring,” Xiong Yonghao said as he grinned at the quiet Li Mengqi.

Li Mengqi was extremely beautiful. In terms of appearance, she could rank among the top ten beauties of Wuling City, holding the sixth position. She was slightly inferior to Rong Siying, but purely in terms of facial features, the two were evenly matched. This was mainly because Rong Siying cultivated the Sangharama Allure Canon, which made her more attractive to men under the enhancement of Sangharama true intent.

”That’s right. Sister Mengqi is much prettier than that Rong Siying,” Li Wensi chimed in.

The group sat and chatted casually, and not long after, Xu Zifan also arrived. Xu Zifan had refined features and carried the elegance of a scholar, with polite and refined speech. However, from their conversation, it was clear that he was infatuated with Rong Siying alone and showed no interest in other beautiful women.

1. Saṅghārāma is a Sanskrit term meaning a Buddhist monastic complex or sacred precinct where monks live, practice, and study. ☜