Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

After returning to the sect, Lin Zheyu’s days grew even more leisurely. He even found time to visit the Li Residence and catch up with Li Mengxi, Li Mengqi, and Li Wensi. By attaching themselves to Lin Zheyu, a true disciple of Azure Tide Pavilion, the siblings found their lives far more comfortable. Although Lin Zheyu had joined Azure Tide Pavilion for only a year, the monstrous talent he displayed had already earned him the attention of the entire pavilion. With resources tilted in his favor, it was simple enough to use connections to open a small door for the Li siblings. This was the importance of background and influence.

”Martial Uncle, Martial Uncle, you’re back and didn’t even inform me!” Huang Youwei called out loudly as he rushed into Lin Zheyu’s courtyard, speaking with a hint of complaint.

He had grown increasingly respectful toward this martial uncle. Ever since being stimulated by Lin Zheyu that time, Huang Youwei had begun practicing Lin Zheyu’s so-called extreme cultivation method, only to discover with astonishment that the results were unexpectedly excellent.

Huang Youwei’s natural talent was actually decent. Otherwise, no amount of piled-up resources would have allowed him to cultivate to his current realm. He simply lacked a certain fierceness and ruthlessness due to his privileged upbringing, and he had no real drive to cultivate.

Stimulated by Lin Zheyu and tempered by the so-called extreme cultivation method to hone his will, the results were naturally outstanding. This method was useful only for those lacking firm resolve and discipline. For martial artists who were already extremely diligent but limited by their talent and comprehension, it offered little benefit.

”Why should I inform you?” Lin Zheyu replied without even lifting his head.

He sat leisurely in the courtyard, holding a martial cultivation manual borrowed from the Heavenly Blessing Pavilion and reading it with relish. As his displayed talent grew ever more monstrous, Lin Zheyu’s status and position rose accordingly. Many martial cultivation texts that were not especially important could now be borrowed freely from the Heavenly Blessing Pavilion for his perusal.

The manual Lin Zheyu was currently reading concerned the structure of the human body and theoretical concepts of martial cultivation. It did not involve any cultivation techniques or martial skills. It was mainly meant to broaden knowledge and enrich one’s understanding of martial cultivation. Elder Yang feared that the Primordial Wuji True Technique would drag Lin Zheyu down and waste his monstrous talent, so he kept delaying and refused to bring him to the main sect to exchange for other techniques. Lin Zheyu had no solution to this and could only wait for Huang Baizhong to return before discussing the matter.

During these days, he spent most of his time browsing martial cultivation texts to expand his knowledge base. Accumulated knowledge of martial cultivation was extremely important. Every seemingly insignificant detail could, in the future, bring Lin Zheyu unexpected gains.

Lin Zheyu possessed Origin Force. After entering the consciousness space and relying on its unique properties, he could perform many unconventional feats. Back then, he had integrated a method of stimulating potential and burning life potential into a blood qi condensing technique, allowing him to cultivate powerful golden blood qi quickly.

Otherwise, relying on an ordinary blood qi condensing technique, he estimated it would have required more than ten times the Origin Force to transform all the blood qi in his body into golden blood qi. This was the most powerful aspect of Origin Force aside from accelerating cultivation speed.

Some speculative ideas, techniques, and knowledge that carried severe side effects and were impossible for other martial artists to practice could be forcibly cultivated successfully by Lin Zheyu through the unique nature of his consciousness space. Most of the martial cultivation texts he had been reading recently were of this type.

”Don’t be so heartless. I’m your direct martial nephew. You were out on a mission for so long, Martial Uncle. Of course I should welcome you back the moment you return.”

Huang Youwei casually dragged over a stool and sat down beside Lin Zheyu as if perfectly at home.

The boy showed no restraint. He poured himself a cup of wine and, seeing that Lin Zheyu ignored him, displayed no displeasure. Huang Youwei knew Lin Zheyu’s temperament well. This martial uncle of his was a typical cultivation fanatic and had little interest in matters outside of cultivation.

Well, he believed that that was not entirely accurate. His martial uncle was quite interested in food, entertainment, and novel things. He simply knew when to stop and was never addicted.

After drinking alone for a while and finding it dull, Huang Youwei stood up and curiously moved behind Lin Zheyu to see what text his martial uncle was reading.

”The three great repositories of the human body: the essence origin divine repository, the essence and qi divine repository, and the spirit divine repository... Martial Uncle, you’re reading this text? The three great repositories are only a hypothesis. Those who can truly break them open are one in ten thousand. Even Martial Innate realm martial artists may not be able to accomplish it.” Huang Youwei remarked aloud.

He had only heard of this text and had never read it himself. He had no interest in such messy theoretical explorations of martial cultivation. He had not even fully comprehended his own cultivation technique, so how could he have the time and energy to study these things? Even so, he had heard his grandfather, second granduncle, and sixth granduncle mention it before.

Lin Zheyu lifted his head and said with a smile, ”You rascal, you may seem useless, but I didn’t expect you to know something about the three great repositories. Tell me your views. Let me see how deeply you understand them.”

What insights could Huang Youwei possibly have? He was simply a second-generation martial heir planning to coast through life. But his starting point was high. Having grown up in the sect and influenced by its powerhouses, his understanding of martial cultivation was deeper than that of many martial artists. Lin Zheyu asked for his views only to learn, through Huang Youwei’s words, how other experts understood the three repositories of essence, qi, and spirit.

”How am I useless? Among the many inner sect disciples, I can rank in the top ten.” Huang Youwei protested and said, ”Ahem, well, maybe not the top ten, but at least the top twenty.”

His voice lacked confidence. Aside from his primary cultivation technique and its accompanying martial techniques, he knew very little about other martial cultivation techniques and knowledge. Even now, he had yet to condense true intent.

”Ahem... Speaking of the three great repositories of the human body, I have quite a bit to say. Martial Uncle, you looking down on me like this truly chills my heart. My understanding of martial cultivation knowledge is not as bad as you imagine.”

Seeing Lin Zheyu curl his lips and smile at him, Huang Youwei coughed twice and immediately changed the subject.

He carefully chose his words and, after processing and simplifying what he had heard from his grandfather, second granduncle, and granduncles, expressed it in his own way.

”The three great repositories of the human body are simply three extremely important acupoints, aren’t they? Who doesn’t know that? Our bodies contain enormous treasures, and the acupoints throughout the body are the keys to unlocking them. After advancing to the Force Transformation realm, one must use true strength to completely open the acupoints throughout the body and unlock the human treasure. Among them, three acupoints are the most important and mysterious, said to contain a person’s essence origin, essence and qi, and spirit.

”But martial artists who have truly opened these three divine repositories are extremely rare, perhaps existing only in legends. Some even suspect it is merely a hypothesis, a conjecture by powerhouses that cannot actually be achieved. My grandfather once said that the three great repositories do exist, but they are not something martial artists below the Martial Innate realm can open. To open the three great repositories, one’s physique must be unimaginably powerful before it becomes possible,” Huang Youwei said without pause.

Although this boy did not like to study proactively, his background was simply too good. The things he encountered in daily life and heard from his uncles, grandfather, second granduncle, and others were beyond what ordinary martial artists could imagine. Even without deliberate study, his knowledge base far surpassed that of most martial artists.

”Not bad. You do have some insight. It seems I need to look at you in a new light.” Lin Zheyu praised with a smile.

What Huang Youwei described was largely consistent with what was recorded in the books. The so-called three great repositories were a cultivation path explored by countless powerful martial cultivation predecessors through their research into the martial path. The difficulty of opening the three great repositories was almost unimaginable. According to the records, it might only be possible after reaching the Martial Innate realm.

Martial Innate realm in martial cultivation. I wonder what realm lies beyond it. Lin Zheyu felt a sense of longing.

At Soaring Serpent Mountain, although he had only seen from afar the astonishing scene of the space-time node connecting to the Yao Demon Nest being opened, it had already left an indelible impression on Lin Zheyu. The darkness that blanketed the entire sky, the Baleful Yin force filling the air, and the endless waves of demon puppets surging forth all signified the overwhelming strength of the yaos and demons.

Lin Zheyu wanted to grow stronger as quickly as possible so that he would possess the power to protect himself in the disasters that might come in the future. With that thought, he put away the martial cultivation text and took out the Hidden Dragon Tokens from his chest. After learning that he had to wait for Huang Baizhong to return before going to the main sect to exchange for the Primordial Wuji True Technique manual, Lin Zheyu, having nothing else to do, issued a challenge to Xiao Shi of the War God Sect.

The higher one’s ranking on the Hidden Dragon List, the better the supportive effect of the Hidden Dragon Tokens for a martial artist.

Lin Zheyu had personally experienced this. Holding the Hidden Dragon Tokens while reading martial cultivation texts made his thoughts sharper and his inspiration flow endlessly. Unfortunately, the Hidden Dragon Tokens could only be used for one hour per day. If they could be used continuously for twenty-four hours, it would be perfect.

I wonder whether Xiao Shi has accepted my challenge. It is a pity that near Wuling City, Xiao Shi has the highest ranking on the Hidden Dragon List. After going to the main sect, I will see which Hidden Dragon List genius is nearby and challenge him as well.

He took out the Hidden Dragon Tokens to check whether Xiao Shi had accepted his challenge. Like Lin Zheyu, Xiao Shi came from a humble background. More than a decade ago, at the annual martial cultivation exchange, Xiao Shi had shown his talent and was noticed by the War God Sect, which made an exception to accept him as an inner sect disciple. When he first joined the sect, he was only an inner sect disciple, unlike Lin Zheyu, who had become a true disciple upon entering Azure Tide Pavilion.

However, Xiao Shi’s talent and comprehension were astonishing. Within a few years, he defeated many geniuses who had trained in the War God Sect since childhood and advanced to become a true disciple. He then overcame numerous obstacles, ascended the Hidden Dragon List, and soared to prominence. Now he was ranked thirtieth on the Hidden Dragon List. Among martial artists of his generation, his talent was strong enough to place him within the top thirty. But the thirtieth was likely his limit.

Due to his humble origins, Xiao Shi possessed great talent but had not laid the most solid foundation. After reaching the thirtieth on the Hidden Dragon List, he began to lose momentum. He was now fifty-eight years old, with just over a year left before reaching the sixty-year age limit of the Hidden Dragon List. To achieve another major leap in strength within that time was almost impossible.

Seeing Lin Zheyu take out the Hidden Dragon Tokens, Huang Youwei could not help but say excitedly, ”Martial Uncle, are you going to challenge another genius on the Hidden Dragon List again? Who are you challenging this time? I will deliver the challenge letter for you and call the other senior brothers to cheer you on!”

He loved striding into other sects, showing off, and then delivering a challenge letter. Unfortunately, when his martial uncle defeated Yue Chengzhi, he was not present and had missed the chance to see that arrogant fellow fall at his martial uncle’s hands. He had long found that man displeasing. Back when Yue Chengzhi and Kong Bo came from the Shattered Star Pavilion to Azure Tide Pavilion, their condescending attitude had been infuriating.

”Mm.” Lin Zheyu nodded lightly. Holding the Hidden Dragon Tokens, a vast map surfaced within his consciousness.