Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

By the time Lin Zheyu arrived at the arena, it was already the final hour, which was around one o’clock in the afternoon. Just as he reached the outside, he heard cheers and lively clamoring coming from within. This was one of the liveliest places in Wuji Manor.

”He is here!”

Outside the plaza, a man spotted Lin Zheyu arriving, and his eyes immediately lit up. He put on a nonchalant look and quietly followed behind. With a flip of his right hand, Calamity Wood Vine Incense fell into his palm. With a casual motion, he discreetly let the incense scatter into the air, where it drifted with the breeze and was inhaled through Lin Zheyu’s nose and mouth.

This colorless and odorless substance was impossible to distinguish even for Lin Zheyu, despite his long training and exceptionally strong perception. Fortunately, the Crimson Dream Orchid within his body had already been completely metabolized during his previous use of Origin Force to improve himself. Otherwise, this time something might truly have gone wrong.

Hm? Is this guy following me?

Lin Zheyu frowned slightly and looked toward the man trailing him at a short distance.

Since arriving in the Central Plains, the only ones with grudges against him were the Pei Family and the Tang Family. Oh, there was also Lai Mao, who had come with him from Bafang City, but Lai Mao was not qualified to enter this kind of martial cultivation exchange. He had thought the Tang Family and Pei Family would restrain themselves within Wuji Manor. It turned out they were waiting for him here.

They plan to make a move on the arena?

The corner of Lin Zheyu’s mouth lifted slightly.

If they truly intended this, he did not mind seizing the chance to kill in the arena. As the saying went, fists and feet had no eyes, and accidents were perfectly normal. Lin Zheyu had planned to remain inconspicuous and wait until reaching the arena. However, a thought flashed through his mind, and he actively suppressed the Tortoise Breath true intent and triggered the Dominance true intent seed within his consciousness. In an instant, a domineering impulse surged from his heart.

As expected, without realizing it, every action is always influenced by the Tortoise Breath true intent.

His steps halted, and his figure vanished from the spot in an instant. The man who thought he was hiding well and sneaking along behind Lin Zheyu froze in surprise when the target disappeared. Suddenly, his vision blurred. Before he could react, a hand that was as tough as forged steel clamped tightly around his throat.

”Who sent you?” Lin Zheyu asked indifferently, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority, as if he would snap the man’s neck the moment he refused to speak.

So strong! How is this possible? How can he be this strong?

Terror filled the man’s heart. He was a Marrow Refining realm martial artist, yet when facing Zhao Hao, he could not muster even the slightest resistance.

”Uh, cough... cough... do not... do not kill... I will talk!”

The moment the man hesitated, the grip around his neck tightened. Faint cracking sounds rang out as his neck was nearly crushed. Terror overwhelmed him, as he never expected this fierce man to dare act so recklessly within Wuji Manor.

”Speak.”

Seeing that the man was willing to talk, Lin Zheyu loosened his grip slightly.

”Cough, cough. It was Lord Tang Weizhong who sent me to keep watch on you. He said you would come to participate in the arena challenge this afternoon,” the man coughed lightly and said quickly while enduring the pain in his neck.

How did he know I would come this afternoon?

Only Li Mengqi, Li Mengxi, Li Wensi, and Li Yanming knew that he would participate in the arena challenge this afternoon. Even Li Guoming was unaware.

Li Yanming really does have a problem!

Lin Zheyu immediately identified Li Yanming as the source of the leaked information. During their recent interactions, Li Yanming had felt strange to him and somewhat awkward. If Li Yanming was the problem, then everything made sense.

”What else did he tell you to do?” Lin Zheyu asked calmly, his hand tightening slightly as if preparing to exert more force.

”Nothing more. Lord Tang Weizhong only told me to watch you, see which arena you were at, and then inform him,” the man replied hurriedly. His words were half-truth and half-lie, as he did not mention the Calamity Wood Vine Incense.

”Get lost!”

After obtaining what he wanted, Lin Zheyu flung the man away with a single motion.

He had only been trying to frighten the man and did not dare truly make a move. With so many people watching, acting would invite a thunderous strike from the Wuji Sect experts. This was the Wuji Sect’s home ground, and escape would be impossible.

Could it be that the Tang Family has found a powerful genius to deal with me? Lin Zheyu thought silently as he watched the man flee in panic.

Although he was curious about who the Tang Family might invite to act, Lin Zheyu did not really care. His current strength was formidable. Even if he faced a monstrous genius of the Marrow Refining realm, he was confident he could retreat unscathed by relying on his powerful movement techniques.

He entered the plaza. The plaza was vast, with a total of eight arenas set up. On each arena stood a martial artist, accepting challenges from others. Lin Zheyu headed toward the nearest arena.

Bang!

A dull sound rang out as a muscular man was blasted off the arena by a single punch from a man in brocade robes who looked like a scion of an esteemed family.

”Good!”

”Young Master Lin is impressive!”

”Haha, I won again. Young Master Lin is amazing!”

A wave of cheers erupted beneath the arena. Those who had bet on the brocade-robed man’s victory shouted the loudest.

”Is there anyone else who wants to come up and give it a try?” Lin Weizhuo swept his gaze across the martial artists below the stage and asked calmly, carrying himself like a true expert.

”I will... ah!”

”Damn!”

A martial artist suddenly leapt up, trying to rush onto the arena. However, Lin Zheyu was even faster, lightly sending him flying with a single palm strike and landing neatly on the arena himself.

”I will take you on,” Lin Zheyu said calmly as he glanced at the martial artist he had knocked out of the ring.

He realized that he had started to enjoy this feeling. After suppressing the Tortoise Breath true intent and actively stimulating the Dominance true intent seed, it was as if he had become a different person altogether. His essence, qi, and spirit were completely different, becoming far more domineering and forceful.

”Good!”

”This guy is interesting. I am betting on him to win this time.”

”Hah, then you are going to lose. This round will definitely be Young Master Lin’s victory.”

A chaotic clamor rose from below the stage.

Hearing their voices, Lin Zheyu suddenly felt a bit of regret. He had been in such a rush to get on stage that he forgot to place a bet on himself. With his first display of strength, his odds would definitely have been high, making it a perfect opportunity to earn a large sum.

”You have pretty good movement techniques. Friend, state your name. Your strength is decent enough to qualify me to know your name,” Lin Weizhuo said indifferently, his arrogance unmistakable.

”Wait until you beat me, then we will talk. Someone this weak has no qualification to know my name.”

Lin Zheyu shot him a sideways glance, clearly displeased with Lin Weizhuo’s pretentious attitude.

He sized the other party up and, after a moment of thought, continued. ”I will not take advantage of you. I will give you fifteen minutes to rest.”

After speaking, he ignored Lin Weizhuo’s protest and walked straight to the edge of the arena.

”Senior, may I ask if stepping off the arena now counts as a loss?” Lin Zheyu cupped his hands toward the martial artist acting as the referee.

”The match has not started, so it does not count. Moreover, each martial artist has two challenge opportunities per day,” the referee looked at Lin Zheyu with interest and replied with a smile.

”Many thanks, Senior. Hey, rest for a bit. I will be right back,” Lin Zheyu turned to Lin Weizhuo and said. Without waiting for a reply or caring whether Lin Weizhuo agreed, he jumped straight off the arena.

”This guy...” Seeing how the other party completely ignored him and treated him as insignificant, Lin Weizhuo felt extremely displeased. He let out a long breath, cleared the distractions from his mind, sat cross-legged, and began regulating his breathing to recover.

As an outstanding junior of the Lin Family, Lin Weizhuo had won nearly thirty consecutive battles. Both his strength and mental resilience were formidable. He only felt briefly unsettled before quickly regaining his composure.

Lin Zheyu’s act of jumping off the arena aroused the curiosity of the surrounding martial artists. When they saw him walking toward the nearby betting area, looks of interest appeared on their faces.

”Can participants place bets?” Lin Zheyu asked the staff member.

”Yes, but you may only bet on yourself to win,” the staff member replied.

”Alright. I will bet on myself to win with 40,000 taels of silver,” Lin Zheyu took out four 10,000-tael silver notes and handed them over.

”Sorry. For a martial artist of unknown strength and background like yourself, the maximum bet on your victory for the first match is 1,000 taels of silver. With each additional match you fight, the maximum bet increases by 1,000 taels. Only after ten matches will the betting limit be removed,” the staff member explained.

”Alright, then I will bet 1,000 taels.”

Those who ran the betting tables were extremely shrewd, sealing off every possible way to exploit loopholes. Still, earning 1,000 taels of silver from a single win was quite substantial. As long as he kept winning, by the time Lin Zheyu succeeded in the hundred-match unbeaten challenge, he would have accumulated a vast sum of silver.

”Let’s not drag this out and begin.”

Seeing Lin Zheyu step onto the arena, Lin Weizhuo stood up and spoke calmly. He intended to make this man pay for underestimating him.

”Alright,” Lin Zheyu replied with a smile.

At the referee’s command, Lin Zheyu’s figure flickered and vanished from the spot he was in an instant. Just as he was about to knock his opponent off the arena with a single punch, he abandoned the idea.

”I will play with you a bit longer. I cannot ruin my grand money-making plan,” Lin Zheyu muttered softly.

Whether he could earn enough silver to buy the techniques he desired would depend on his acting. Ideally, every match would be a narrow and lucky victory, misleading the betting houses into misjudging his strength and raising his odds.

Bang!

Lin Zheyu deliberately slowed down and collided fists with his opponent, retreating several steps in succession.

”Your strength is not bad, but it is still not enough,” Lin Weizhuo said calmly.

”You are not bad either.” Lin Zheyu grinned and launched another attack.

Violent collision sounds rang out as the two exchanged blows back and forth. The battle was extremely intense, drawing startled exclamations from the surrounding martial artists from time to time.