Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Outside Wuling City. Deep within the mountains.

Whoosh, whoosh.

A figure darted rapidly past, the ferocious wound on his chest healing at an astonishing speed. He rushed into the dense forest filled with poisonous miasma and vanished in an instant. Not long after, the two figures chasing after him stopped before the forest.

”Should we chase after him?” the man on the left asked, frowning as he looked toward the forest filled with poisonous miasma.

”Up ahead is the Black Baleful Forest. It is filled with Baleful Yin force, inhabited by all kinds of powerful yao and demon creatures, and gathers a large number of yao martial artists. Rushing in recklessly would be no different from courting death. Let us go. We will return and regroup with the others first.”

The man on the right shook his head and turned around, disappearing into the forest.

After the two left, a figure slowly emerged from the forest. It was precisely the man who had just fled in a sorry state.

”Heh, a bunch of cowards. If you have the guts, come after me,” the man sneered coldly as his appearance shifted and transformed, taking on the look of Pei Xuan.

”The palace master ordered us to hide and lie low for a while. Pei Xuan, why did you still go out to provoke them?” a somewhat cold voice sounded from within the forest.

Rustling sounds followed as a man with delicate, effeminate features slowly stepped out.

”How did I provoke them? I was just wandering around the city and was inexplicably targeted by them. It was not like I went looking for trouble,” Pei Xuan said unhappily. He then turned around and entered the forest together with the effeminate man.

”Has the palace master issued new orders?” Pei Xuan asked.

”Orders came a few days ago for us to wait in the Black Baleful Forest. A new task will arrive soon,” the effeminate man said calmly.

”Oh, then I will be off first.”

Pei Xuan waved his hand. His figure moved, and he disappeared into the forest.

Within the forest, the roars of yaos and demons could be heard from time to time, echoing through the mountains. The entire forest was saturated with Baleful Yin force to an extreme degree. Any ferocious beast that accidentally entered the Black Baleful Forest would gradually be transformed into a new yao. Within this forest filled with dense Baleful Yin force, Pei Xuan felt not the slightest discomfort. Instead, he felt as though a fish had entered the water.

Upon reaching the depths of the Black Baleful Forest, Pei Xuan slipped into a section of dense woods and appeared within a deep tunnel. After proceeding for a short while, the cave suddenly opened up, revealing a vast plaza and a cluster of buildings filled with a mysterious style.

”Duan Ping, there is a task I am assigning to you,” Pei Xuan said calmly after finding Duan Ping.

”My Lord, please give your instructions,” Duan Ping said respectfully.

”Take several Force Transformation realm experts who are skilled in lightness and movement techniques. Keep watch on Lin Zheyu, the newly promoted true disciple of the Wuji Sect, at all times. Find an opportunity to strike and bring his head back to me,” Pei Xuan said calmly, a trace of savage killing intent flashing through his eyes.

”Yes, My Lord,” Duan Ping responded and immediately turned to leave.

So he has actually become a true disciple of the Wuji Sect and even made it onto the Hidden Dragon List. His martial cultivation natural talent is indeed monstrous. So what if his natural talent is high? Before he grows, he is nothing but an ant. I love strangling these genius martial artists the most. You chased me down several times and nearly brought me down. Not only the Wuji Sect, but the other sects as well. I will settle accounts with all of you one by one.

Pei Xuan’s heart was filled with a desire for slaughter.

In his eyes, the whites had almost vanished. If he failed to restrain himself even slightly, they would completely turn into black pupils, looking extremely terrifying and eerie.

”If you do not restrain yourself and continue to recklessly absorb Baleful Yin force to increase your strength, even the Mother of Pain will not be able to redeem you,” the cold voice sounded again from behind. The effeminate man walked into the hall and sat down opposite Pei Xuan.

”You should worry about yourself first. If it were not for relying on Ice true intent to freeze your mental emotions, would you really be any better off than me? Wu Chen, do you still have any Demon Suppressing Pills on you? Lend me a few. When the next batch arrives, I will return them to you,” Pei Xuan said as he looked at the effeminate man.

”No. The two remaining pills are ones I need myself. Go ask Bao Guanlin. He should still have quite a few Demon Suppressing Pills on him,” Wu Chen said coldly.

”Where is he, then?” Pei Xuan asked.

”He has not returned yet. He is probably still being hunted by experts from the major sects,” Wu Chen said without the slightest emotion, as if speaking of something utterly insignificant.

His expression was extremely cold. Deep within his emotionless pupils lay a terrifying savagery and madness. This savagery and madness were being forcibly suppressed by him. When the day came that he could no longer suppress it and it erupted, Wu Chen would likely instantly lose himself and become a yao with no consciousness, knowing only slaughter.

”Damn it!” Pei Xuan cursed.

He rose and left the hall, arriving at the plaza. Taking three sticks of incense, he devoutly worshiped the demon god statue standing in the plaza. Without Demon Suppressing Pills to restrain the Baleful Yin force within his body, he could only rely on this method to borrow the power of the Mother of Pain. If there were another choice, Pei Xuan did not want to rely on the power of the Mother of Pain. Worshipping too frequently would cause one’s spiritual will to be cleansed by the Mother of Pain’s power and transformed into a fanatical believer of the Mother of Pain. Such an end was not much better than losing one’s intelligence and becoming a yao that knew only slaughter.

***

Morning.

Golden sunlight filtered through the cloud layer and fell upon Lin Zheyu’s face. Unknowingly, he had spent another night immersed in cultivation. Guo Wenzi had already left the previous night, leaving Lin Zheyu alone to sit in the courtyard until dawn.

”Young Master, Young Master, it is dawn.” Yu Qing’s voice came from beside his ear as Lin Zheyu slowly opened his eyes.

He had instructed Yu Qing that if he accidentally cultivated until the next day, she was to wake him after daybreak. Today, he still had to go to the Azure Rainbow Sect to challenge Fan Qingxue.

”Young master, the medicinal bath has already been prepared. After you soak in the medicinal bath, you may have breakfast,” Yu Qing said respectfully.

Lin Zheyu nodded lightly and stood up to enter the room. With a gentle shake, the frost condensed on his body fell away.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 3]

[Skills: Ninefold Origin Lock Art (Perfection), Evernight Slumber Secret Art (Perfection), Tortoise Breath True Technique (Sixth Stage: 0%), Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art (Initial Mastery 59%), Golden Goose Technique (Eleventh Stage: 100%), Azure Tide Blood Condensing Technique (Sixth Stage: 88%), Great Strength Vajra Fist (Third Stage: 24%), Azure Tide Boundless True Technique (Fourth Stage: 100%)]

While soaking in the medicinal bath, Lin Zheyu looked at the data within his consciousness. After Senior Sister Wenzi’s guidance yesterday, the proficiency of the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art had leaped forward. His physical qualities and his control over essence, qi, and spirit had long met the requirements of the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art. He had only stagnated because there were certain aspects he did not understand.

After Senior Sister Wenzi’s guidance resolved the difficulties he encountered, his subsequent cultivation became smooth and unhindered. As long as he trained according to the methods she had taught, he would be able to raise the proficiency of the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art to Perfection within two months.

***

In Wuling City, at the Illusory Sea Hall branch of the Azure Rainbow Sect.

Wearing a light blue fitted outfit, Lin Zheyu arrived at the front hall plaza together with Huang Youwei and the others.

”Hmph, where did this random nobody come from? And you think you can challenge Senior Sister Fan Qingxue,” a cold snort sounded as a man slowly walked out from the crowd.

He sized up Lin Zheyu from head to toe and revealed a disdainful expression as he said, ”So it turns out you are the newly promoted true disciple of the Wuji Sect. Truly arrogant. You only just defeated Heng Qiming a few days ago and climbed onto the Hidden Dragon List, yet today you already dare to challenge Senior Sister Fan Qingxue,” the man mocked coldly.

When Lin Zheyu delivered the challenge letter yesterday, this man had learned of it. Today, he had come early on purpose, wanting to test just how much substance this newly promoted true disciple of the Wuji Sect really had.

”Martial Uncle, this person is named Hong Xin. He is a junior brother of Fan Qingxue, a disciple of the Second Elder of the Illusory Sea Hall, and also a true disciple of the Illusory Sea Hall,” Huang Youwei whispered.

Lin Zheyu stepped forward and said with courtesy and restraint, ”I am Lin Zheyu. I have come specifically to seek instruction from Fan Qingxue. May I ask whether Miss Fan Qingxue is present within the sect?”

”If you wish to challenge Senior Sister, you must first get past...”

”Step aside!” Before Hong Xin could finish speaking, a sharp shout suddenly rang out.

The disciples of the Azure Rainbow Sect retreated one after another, opening up a path. A woman with long hair tied into a single topknot, a white ornament circling her forehead to hold her hair in place, and snow-white skin slowly walked forward. Behind her were Deng An and Deng Rou, both looking curiously at Lin Zheyu opposite them. When they learned that Lin Zheyu had actually challenged their Martial Aunt, Fan Qingxue, they were utterly shocked in their hearts.

”I am Lin Zheyu. Please grant me your guidance.” Lin Zheyu stepped forward and made an inviting gesture.

”Good. The Wuji Sect has truly taken in an extraordinary disciple,” Fan Qingxue said calmly. Seeing Fan Qingxue step forward, Hong Xin dared not speak further and silently retreated a few steps, watching Lin Zheyu with a cold gaze.

”Please.” Lin Zheyu made another inviting gesture.

Fan Qingxue did not stand on ceremony. With a light tap of her toe, her figure shot toward Lin Zheyu like lightning. She flicked her right hand and with a sharp clang, a streak of silvery cold light cut through the air. What Fan Qingxue practiced was the powerful sword art of the Azure Rainbow Sect, the Azure Rainbow Sword Art. Its might was extremely formidable and was said to be like a cyan rainbow blade capable of severing the heavens.

Bang!

Lin Zheyu also moved. Blood qi surged within his body, and his figure moved like a roaming dragon, losing some of its ethereal ghostliness and gaining a fierce, domineering brutality. He threw a punch, the fist wind billowing and stirring up bursts of violent gusts.

Clang.

The sound of metal striking rang out as his fist slammed into his opponent’s sword edge with an ear-splitting roar. At the instant his fist and the longsword collided, the incomparably hard blade instantly turned supple like silk. With Fan Qingxue exerting force, it let out a sharp whoosh as it coiled around her arm and stabbed toward Lin Zheyu’s chest. Lin Zheyu stepped back and abruptly seized the blade with his left hand.

Sizzle.

A sizzling sound rang out as Fan Qingxue suddenly exerted strength, wrenching the longsword free from Lin Zheyu’s palm.

Whoosh.

Lin Zheyu released his grip in an instant, and his right leg swept out violently. Fan Qingxue shifted her body, her whole form seeming boneless and incomparably supple, evading the sweeping whip-like kick with an astonishing posture.

Bangs and clangs sounded as they exchanged moves. The battle was extremely intense. Fan Qingxue truly lived up to her reputation as a powerful, genius martial artist ranked seventy-eight on the Hidden Dragon List. Her combat techniques and battle awareness were immensely strong, and her Azure Rainbow Sword Art was overwhelmingly powerful. In her hands, the longsword could be rigid or supple, with endless variations.

”Your strength is impressive, but it is useless against me. Use the lightness and movement techniques you excel at. Otherwise, you are not my opponent,” Fan Qingxue said calmly.

”That may not be so. What you saw just now was merely a warm-up,” Lin Zheyu said lightly as the corner of his mouth lifted.

In order to temper his combat awareness and enhance his fighting experience, whenever Lin Zheyu fought others, he refrained from using lightness and movement techniques whenever possible, especially when facing sufficiently powerful opponents. As his words fell, the momentum qi around Lin Zheyu surged continuously, and an overwhelmingly domineering true intent pressure spread outward.

This pressure contained a powerful true intent force like surging waves, layered upon layered and vast in its turbulence. This was the Azure Tide true intent, belonging to the Azure Tide Boundless True Technique. With an ample supply of True Intent Pills, Lin Zheyu had condensed an Azure Tide true intent seed. Although it had not yet fully formed into true intent, it could already be applied in real combat.