Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Lin Zheyu followed Fan Qingxue’s instructions, grasped the Hidden Dragon Tokens, and silently recited the incantation. In an instant, a map flickering with points of light appeared within his consciousness. As long as Lin Zheyu focused his attention on a point of light, the corresponding martial artist’s name and general location would surface in his mind.

Lin Zheyu took a look. Within Wuling City, there were only three people in total. Himself, Fan Qingxue, and Monk Puji. Outside the city, there was only one person, Xiao Shi of the War God Sect. He focused his attention on Puji’s point of light, and the following appeared in his consciousness.

Puji, ranked seventy-one.

The information was very limited, containing only the name and ranking. Even the location information was extremely vague. He could only roughly determine that Puji was within Wuling City, but could not sense his exact position at all.

However, Lin Zheyu discovered that as long as he willed it and intended to challenge someone, the other party would immediately sense it. They would need to accept the challenge within one month. Otherwise, the effects of the Hidden Dragon Tokens would directly lapse until the challenge was accepted. This type of challenge also had distance restrictions, requiring both parties to be within the same city or within five hundred kilometers of each other.

How interesting. The Hidden Dragon List is actually this intelligent.

The level of intelligence of this thing was comparable to legendary spirit artifacts that possessed artifact spirits, and it was clearly no ordinary artifact.

Seeing the surprise on Lin Zheyu’s face, Fan Qingxue said with a smile, ”Isn’t it astonishing? When I first used this function of the Hidden Dragon Tokens, I was also startled. Such miraculous abilities do not seem like something martial cultivation could achieve at all. They are far more like immortal methods.”

As a true disciple of the Azure Rainbow Sect and a genius who had made it onto the Hidden Dragon List, Fan Qingxue knew many secrets. She had long grown accustomed to the various traces suspected to have been left behind by cultivators of immortality in this world.

Lin Zheyu put away the Hidden Dragon Tokens and said with a smile, ”It is indeed astonishing. Many thanks for your guidance.”

Yesterday, after encountering Senior Sister Guo Wenzi and asking about the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art, he had immediately immersed himself in cultivation and forgotten to ask about the Hidden Dragon List. He truly had not known that the Hidden Dragon Tokens possessed such a function.

”Young Master Lin, you’re too polite. Next month, there will be a gathering of Hidden Dragon List martial artists in Guanghua City. I wonder if you’d be interested in going together?” Fan Qingxue said with a smile as she poured Lin Zheyu a cup of wine.

Almost every year, there would be a gathering belonging to the Hidden Dragon List martial artists. At the gathering, martial artists could challenge one another and determine the final rankings. After the challenges concluded, they would also invite one another to form groups and travel to other regions to challenge the Hidden Dragon List geniuses of those regions.

”I will not be going. Miss Qingxue should know that I have only just joined the Wuji Sect and need to relearn the Wuji Sect’s techniques, so I do not have much time. Rank seventy-eight on the Hidden Dragon List is already sufficient for me. If fate allows and I encounter other higher-ranked martial artists in Wuling City, I will challenge them then,” Lin Zheyu said with a smile.

Traveling to other cities required far too much time, and there would not be enough time along the way to break limits and obtain Origin Force. Compared to the cultivation effects brought by the Hidden Dragon Tokens, Origin Force was far more important to Lin Zheyu.

”That is truly a pity. With Young Master Lin’s current strength, entering the top sixty of the Hidden Dragon List would be no problem at all,” Fan Qingxue said with a smile.

”There are gains and losses. It is merely a matter of choice,” Lin Zheyu replied.

”Young Master Lin is truly open-minded. You’re completely different from the domineering image you displayed earlier in the battle,” Fan Qingxue said with a smile.

The two chatted casually for a while longer before Lin Zheyu took his leave.

After returning to the Wuji Sect, Lin Zheyu resumed his previous routine. The battle with Fan Qingxue had not drained him much. Upon returning to the Wuji Sect, he went straight to the Waterfall Deep Pool to begin training. After several days of recuperation, his essence, qi, and spirit returned to their peak.

Rumble, rumble.

The waterfall crashed down from hundreds of meters above. Bare-chested, Lin Zheyu practiced the Great Strength Vajra Fist beneath the icy torrent.

”As expected! I knew Martial Uncle would come here again.”

Huang Youwei, Xu Kai’en, and Wei Dongguang arrived at the back mountain and looked at Lin Zheyu beneath the waterfall with helpless expressions.

They had originally wanted to invite their martial uncle out to have some fun and celebrate his entry into the Hidden Dragon List at rank seventy-eight. Instead, however, he returned to his monotonous cultivation in the blink of an eye.

”Martial Uncle truly lives up to being Martial Uncle. It’s no wonder Martial Uncle is so powerful while we are so useless. Damn it, I cannot take this anymore. Starting today, I will also make cultivation my companion like Martial Uncle and strive to enter the Hidden Dragon List as soon as possible.” Wei Dongguang suddenly stripped off his clothes and plunged straight into the pool.

”Hey, you are already in the Marrow Refining realm. This is not where you should be cultivating. This place is not suitable for you,” Xu Kai’en said helplessly as he watched Wei Dongguang jump into the pool.

”This kid is beyond saving. I will go drag him back.” Huang Youwei also took off his clothes and dove into the deep pool. Mimicking Lin Zheyu, he advanced to the bottom of the pool and began practicing fist techniques there.

Xu Kai’en remained speechless.

”These two guys are planning to abandon me!” Xu Kai’en said helplessly.

He glanced at Lin Zheyu beneath the waterfall, then swept his gaze over the cultivating Wuji Sect disciples. He also took off his clothes and dove into the deep pool. The three of them were truly stimulated by Lin Zheyu. Someone with better natural talent, greater strength, and even more diligence than you simply left no room to survive.

***

Time slowly passed. Winter gave way to autumn, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a year had gone by. Aside from the occasional challenges from martial artists ranked below seventy-eight, Lin Zheyu’s life returned to its former calm.

Rumble, rumble.

At the back mountain, by the Waterfall Deep Pool.

This area had been modified, with no distinction between flood season and dry season. No matter if it were spring, summer, autumn, or winter, the waterfall poured endlessly and violently from hundreds of meters above, crashing down with a deafening roar.

Immersed in the deep pool, Lin Zheyu unleashed the Great Strength Vajra Fist, detonating within the water with terrifying power. For several months now, Lin Zheyu had been doing almost nothing but cultivating the Azure Tide Boundless True Technique and the Great Strength Vajra Fist. This fist technique, originating from the Buddhist sect, was extremely powerful. It was said that the Vajra Fist represented the totality of the three secret activities of all Tathagatas[1], body, speech, and mind, and was the foundational fist technique of the Karma-mudra[2] among the Buddha’s hand seals.

Unfortunately, Lin Zheyu did not cultivate Buddhism. He lacked a Buddha heart and Buddha essence, making it impossible for him to display the full power of the Great Strength Vajra Fist. He had only cultivated this fist technique to the fourth stage of Perfection, and could not advance it any further. Cultivation at the fifth stage involved various Buddhist sect secret arts and mental states, which were beyond the reach of an outsider like him. Being able to cultivate it to the fourth stage at Perfection was only possible because he had fused the Tortoise Breath true intent and the Dominance true intent, and relied on his powerful comprehension to succeed.

Puff, puff, puff.

His fists kept blasting out, breaking through the ever-present water pressure with popping sounds. The disturbance from his cultivation was so great that within a hundred meters, no other disciples dared to come close.

A Wuji Sect disciple who had just surfaced from the bottom of the pool said with a face full of reverence, ”Martial Uncle has started again. His Great Strength Vajra Fist has become even more terrifying.”

”Is that not obvious? Martial Uncle is a powerhouse ranked seventy-eight on the Hidden Dragon List. How could he not be formidable? There is an interesting piece of news. I wonder if you have heard it,” the man said mysteriously.

”Spit it out. Stop keeping us in suspense, or I will hit you.” His companion glared at him and waved a clenched fist in front of his eyes.

”Hehe. Two months ago, didn’t Shu Jingfeng, ranked eighty-one on the Hidden Dragon List, challenge martial uncle? He lost that battle cleanly and decisively. And do you know what happened after that? Hehe, I heard that not long ago, Shu Jingfeng challenged Wen Ji, who is ranked sixty-one on the Hidden Dragon List, and won,” the man said with a grin.

”You mean martial uncle’s strength is enough to rank within the top sixty of the Hidden Dragon List?” the companion beside him exclaimed.

”Of course!”

”Hiss...”

Upon hearing this, everyone drew in a sharp breath.

A splash of water erupted from the pool. Water splashed violently from the pool. Lin Zheyu’s figure shot out of the water like a cannonball, landing lightly on the shore as he continued practicing his fist technique. His stamina had been heavily depleted, making it difficult to continue cultivating at the bottom of the deep pool, so he could only move to the shore to continue training in order to push his body to its limits. When the disciples saw him emerge, they all fell silent and watched him cultivate quietly. This scene was no longer unusual to them.

***

Time slowly passed. After about an hour, Lin Zheyu finally stopped, collapsing weakly onto the ground. He panted heavily, his mental state becoming momentarily clear and empty.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 3]

[Skills: Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art (Perfection), Ninefold Origin Lock Art (Perfection), Evernight Slumber Secret Art (Perfection), Tortoise Breath True Technique (Sixth Stage: 0%), Golden Goose Technique (Eleventh Stage: 100%), Azure Tide Blood Condensing Technique (Eighth Stage: 98%), Great Strength Vajra Fist (Fourth Stage: 100%), Azure Tide Boundless True Technique (Fourth Stage: 100%)]

”Finally, I can break through to the eighteenth transformation of blood qi. That was truly not easy.”

Lin Zheyu looked at the data within his consciousness, feeling deeply moved.

As the number of qualitative changes in blood qi increased, the cultivation effect of the Azure Tide Blood Condensing Technique grew worse and worse. It was like fitness training. After exercising for a period of time, the original weight used for lifting no longer produced improvement for the body and could only maintain physique and strength. To continue improving, one could only increase the weight.

The process of condensing blood qi was exactly like this. As blood qi became purer and the energy it contained grew higher, the effects of ordinary blood qi condensing techniques became worse and worse. Lin Zheyu could no longer find a better blood qi condensing technique. The Azure Tide Blood Condensing Technique was itself an improvement based on the blood qi condensing method within the Azure Tide Boundless True Technique, with an added component of burning latent life potential.

Without this improvement, cultivation efficiency would be even lower. Even so, after reaching the seventeenth transformation of blood qi, a single unit of Origin Force could only increase progress by about one percent, which was slow to a maddening degree.

3 units of Origin Force will be enough to raise the Azure Tide Blood Condensing Technique to the eighth stage of Perfection. At that time, all the blood qi in my body will completely transform into golden blood qi, thought Lin Zheyu as his eyes were filled with anticipation.

He had been waiting for this day for a long time. In order to transform all his blood qi into golden blood qi with higher energy density and greater power, he had long been unwilling to enter the Marrow Refining realm. After resting for a while, Lin Zheyu recovered some of his strength. Supporting himself with both hands, he sat up from the ground and took out three Essence and Qi Pills, swallowing them.

”Martial Uncle!”

”Martial Uncle!”

”Greetings, martial uncle!”

As he walked out of the back mountain, Wuji Sect disciples respectfully saluted Lin Zheyu one after another.

After entering the Hidden Dragon List, his fame soared, and the disciples within the sect held greater awe and admiration for him. Martial artists all revered the strong. Someone like Lin Zheyu, who had no backing and reached his current realm purely through his own cultivation, was simply unbelievable. After witnessing the ruthlessness with which he cultivated, their admiration for him only deepened. Many sect disciples even regarded him as an idol of grassroots ascent.

A Wuji Sect disciple walked over and said respectfully, ”Martial Uncle, Elder Yang instructed that after you finish cultivating, you should go to see him.”

”Did Elder Yang say what the matter is?” Lin Zheyu asked.

”No, but it may be related to the matter of Soaring Serpent Mountain,” the disciple replied.

Soaring Serpent Mountain was a medicinal garden belonging to the Wuji Sect, where various rare medicinal herbs were planted.

1. A Tathagatas (”Thus Come One” or ”Thus Gone One”) is an honorific title for a Buddha, often used by Gautama Buddha to refer to himself, signifying one who has transcended the cycle of birth and death to achieve enlightenment. ☜

2. Karma-mudra (”action seal”) is a specialized Vajrayana Buddhist practice involving sexual union with a physical partner to harness bliss, directing it to realize the non-dual nature of emptiness. ☜