Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

After exchanging pleasantries, the two came to sit at the stone table beside the courtyard. Yu Qing had already prepared wine and refreshments.

”Senior Brother, why is there an aura of Baleful Yin force in the courtyard? You did not capture a demon puppet and bring it back, did you?” Lin Zheyu asked curiously.

”Oh. I did not expect you to be so perceptive. I wanted to give you a surprise, yet you discovered it in advance. I was going to replace Gu Ye in guarding Soaring Serpent Mountain, but she told me you kept a pet at her place. Since I had some spare time, I brought it back for you,” Chen Ding said with a smile. He stood up, walked to the storage room at the side, pushed open the door, and in the corner stood a familiar demon puppet, tightly bound in iron chains.

Seeing the demon puppet, Lin Zheyu was at a loss for words. Chen Ding truly thought differently from ordinary people. He had heard that Chen Ding once kept a demon puppet as a pet. Out of curiosity, he had even nearly cooked it to taste the flavor. Only after being severely scolded by Huang Baizhong did he abandon the idea. However, Lin Zheyu suspected that Chen Ding might have secretly tried it already.

”Do not worry. I have experience raising this kind of thing. This is an Evil Warding Pill. After the demon puppet takes it, it will remain sluggish at night just like during the day and will not disturb your sleep,” Chen Ding said with a smile, patting Lin Zheyu on the shoulder.

”Thank you, Senior Brother.” Lin Zheyu could only smile and express his gratitude.

”Besides this demon puppet, I also captured an Ink Fox. See whether this one is your original pet.”

Chen Ding clapped his hands. A disciple carried in a robust Ink Fox from outside the courtyard. Although Chen Ding’s thinking was somewhat peculiar, he was quite serious when it came to preparing gifts.

”This is not the one. The one I used to raise was very fat, as plump as a pig,” Lin Zheyu said with a smile after just a glance.

”Hm... An Ink Fox as fat as a pig? I saw one before, but that fellow was too ugly. Being that fat, it did not even look like an Ink Fox. I thought you would not fancy it, so I did not bring it back,” Chen Ding said. As he described the one he had seen, Lin Zheyu realized it sounded very much like Little Black.

”Senior Brother, where did you see it?” Lin Zheyu asked curiously.

”Deep in the mountains. Who knows exactly where. I saw a flicker of firelight and went over out of curiosity. To my surprise, I saw an Ink Fox fat as a pig roasting meat like a human. The little fellow was clever and alert. It was just too ugly. Otherwise, bringing it back as a pet would have been a good choice,” Chen Ding said with a laugh.

Alright, it was undoubtedly Little Black.

From Chen Ding’s description, Lin Zheyu was certain of it. Knowing that Little Black was still alive and living well made him genuinely happy. After all, Little Black had accompanied him for a period of time.

After delivering the gifts and chatting for a while, Chen Ding departed. He had originally been on his way to Soaring Serpent Mountain, but upon hearing that Lin Zheyu had defeated Xiao Shi and risen to the thirtieth rank on the Hidden Dragon List, he had specially returned to deliver the gifts.

”Yu Qing, this Ink Fox is entrusted to you. Remember to feed it every day,” Lin Zheyu said to the maid.

Although it was not Little Black, Chen Ding still left the Ink Fox behind. This kind of fierce beast was a favorite pet among many esteemed families and noble young masters. Lin Zheyu planned to ask Li Mengqi next time he saw her whether they wanted it. If so, he would let them raise it.

Meanwhile, Lin Zheyu had other things to attend to. Pushing open the storage room door, he walked in and examined the demon puppet he had not seen for some time. It had not changed much, but it felt weaker. Without nourishment from Baleful Yin force and without blood food, it had grown increasingly feeble over time.

Lin Zheyu casually stabbed several holes into the demon puppet’s body. Soon, dense Baleful Yin force seeped out from the wounds. In less than a minute, the wounds completely healed.

What an enviable recovery ability. I wonder if, after cultivating the Tortoise Breath True Technique to Perfection, I can possess such powerful recovery as well.

The Tortoise Breath True Technique was divided into two parts. The first part locked in essence, qi, and spirit to reduce their loss. The latter part stimulated essence origin at its root, fundamentally increasing lifespan. According to the technique’s records, the true strength condensed from the Tortoise Breath true intent possessed powerful restorative effects on the body.

After seeing the wounds heal, Lin Zheyu slashed a few more times before turning to leave. The demon puppet was still not weak enough. Injuries could accelerate the consumption of Baleful Yin force within it. He planned to feed it blood food once the Baleful Yin force inside of it was nearly depleted. After arranging matters concerning the demon puppet and the Ink Fox, Lin Zheyu changed clothes and left.

Originally, he had planned to save his Origin Force to enhance the Primordial Wuji True Technique once he obtained it. However, after learning from Guo Wenzi that strengthening the spirit and spiritual soul could reduce the influence of true intent on a martial artist, Lin Zheyu decided to first raise his spirit and spiritual soul strength.

After leaving the Wuji Sect, Lin Zheyu found a deserted place and skillfully disguised himself as someone else. There were many powerful figures within the Wuji Sect. At the moment of completing an enhancement with Origin Force, a powerful aura would uncontrollably leak out from him. Therefore, he never used Origin Force to enhance himself within the sect.

In Wuling City, he purchased one hundred sets of Blazing Flame Blood-Burning Powder before heading to the riverside courtyard.

”I only have 830,000 taels of silver left. Money really flows away like water...” Lin Zheyu could not help but sigh.

In less than two years, he had spent nearly 4 million taels of silver, leaving him with less than 1 million. However, the improvement in his strength was equally astonishing. Relying solely on the power of his physique, Lin Zheyu was already comparable to a martial artist in the Force Transformation realm. With his golden blood qi added, he would rank at least among the first-rate experts of the Force Transformation realm. Perhaps he could even rival those at the peak of the Force Transformation realm. It was only because he had never fought a peak Force Transformation realm martial artist that he was not entirely certain.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 25]

[Skills: Tortoise Breath True Technique (Sixth Stage: 0%), Blood Burning Saber Technique (First Stage: 96%), Azure Tide Boundless True Technique (Sixth Stage: 70%)]

Lin Zheyu looked at the data within his consciousness. Including the 4 units of Origin Force he had just obtained today, he had accumulated a total of 25 units.

I will first use 5 units of Origin Force to enhance it and see the effect.

Using Origin Force to enhance the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art consumed very little of his spirit. Using 10 units of Origin Force in a single day posed no pressure. However, he did not intend to spend all his Origin Force on the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art. He only planned to raise his spirit and spiritual soul to the extent that it could reduce the influence of true intent to the greatest degree. Raising it too much would not bring significant additional benefits.

”It cannot be that I directly cultivate spiritual sense and fly on a sword, can it? If that were the case, cultivating immortality would be far too cheap...” Lin Zheyu muttered to himself.

Martial artists cultivated their physique and will, not their spiritual sense. If he could use the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art to directly cultivate a spiritual sense capable of sword flight, Lin Zheyu would be willing to spend even 100 units of Origin Force.

I wonder what the upper limit of the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art is, and to what stage it can raise the spirit and spiritual soul. I don’t need to project my spirit outward, but I do want to observe my insides...

He took out a large basin and crushed the Blazing Flame Blood-Burning Powder herbs into powder, adding thirty sets in total. Enhancing the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art consumed a considerable amount of blood qi energy. Now that his physique was so strong, while the cultivation effect was excellent, the strain on his body was also substantial.

After finishing the preparations, he immersed his right hand in the thick herbal paste.

Use 5 units of Origin Force to cultivate the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art.

As the thought was transmitted, Lin Zheyu’s spirit wavered, and in an instant, he entered the familiar space of consciousness.

***

”... This mission was completed well. Your master is not here. If you have any confusion regarding cultivation, you may ask me,” Elder Yang said with a smile within the sect. Sitting opposite him was Guo Wenzi, who had just returned from completing her task.

”Thank you for your concern, Elder Yang. I am only a step away from the peak of the Force Transformation realm. As long as I break free from the influence of true intent, I can begin condensing my Grandmaster’s will,” Guo Wenzi said with a smile.

She was also a genius and had once ascended the Hidden Dragon List. After becoming Huang Baizhong’s disciple, she rarely sought direct instruction. True geniuses were guided through the door by their masters, but cultivation depended on themselves. Only when encountering bottlenecks would they seek their master’s guidance.

”That’s good. If you wish to break free from the influence of true intent, you can travel more, experience different things, or even have a deeply moving romance. You are not young anymore. You may try marrying and having children, stepping away from martial cultivation for a time, and changing your role. That is also a possible method,” Elder Yang suggested.

Back then, it was after he married and had children, returning to the life of an ordinary person, that he unconsciously freed himself from the influence of true intent and embarked on the path of condensing his Grandmaster’s will.

”I will consider it,” Guo Wenzi replied, though without much sincerity. Anyone with keen eyes could see that she had no such intention.

”If you do not wish to marry and have children, you could also learn from that boy, Jiang Jun...” Elder Yang offered several suggestions in succession. As someone with experience, his advice was practical and highly actionable.

”Mm, thank you, Elder Yang.” Guo Wenzi expressed her gratitude.

She pondered Elder Yang’s suggestions, considering which method to try. Secluding herself in bitter cultivation would not work. It would only cause the influence of her technique’s true intent on her to grow heavier and heavier.

”After returning, did you go see Lin Zheyu?” Elder Yang asked with a smile.

”I did. Junior Brother Lin’s natural talent is truly monstrous. His entry into the Grandmaster realm in the future is practically certain,” Guo Wenzi said with emotion.

”Hard to say. Your junior brother wants to cultivate the Primordial Wuji True Technique. Adding the Dominance true intent and the Tortoise Breath true intent he has already condensed, if he truly learns this technique, he will possess ten kinds of true intent. Before reaching the Grandmaster realm, condensing so many true intents makes me truly worry that he may not be able to advance to the Grandmaster realm in the future,” Elder Yang said helplessly.

He was also troubled now, unsure of whether to allow Lin Zheyu to cultivate the Primordial Wuji True Technique. Huang Baizhong was not present, so he had no way to discuss it with him.

”Ten kinds of true intent? Junior brother’s ambition is actually that great, eh. No wonder he was so happy after hearing what I told him,” Guo Wenzi said in sudden realization.

”What did you tell him?” Elder Yang asked in confusion.

”I told him that the stronger the spirit and spiritual soul, the smaller the influence of true intent on a martial artist...” Guo Wenzi said softly, feeling as though she had made a mistake. Lin Zheyu did not seem as steady as she had thought.

”You, honestly... That boy was already very determined to cultivate the Primordial Wuji True Technique. After hearing this news, he will be even less likely to give up,” Elder Yang said irritably, glaring at Guo Wenzi.

”Elder Yang, I think junior brother may truly have a chance of successfully cultivating the Primordial Wuji True Technique. His natural talent in the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art is simply terrifying. He has not only completely mastered it, but can even split his focus and maintain its operation during daily life,” Guo Wenzi said quickly, worried she would be scolded.

”Hm? That boy mastered the Sacred Evolution Spirit Nurturing Art so quickly?” Elder Yang exclaimed in surprise, his tone rising several degrees.

”Yes. Even after cultivating for so long, I still cannot achieve that level. Junior Brother Lin’s natural talent is truly monstrous. Compared to him, I feel like a useless person,” Guo Wenzi said with emotion.

”Incredible... If that is the case, it might truly be possible. No, I must send Baizhong a secret letter and have him return quickly to discuss this,” Elder Yang muttered.

If before there had been a trace of exaggeration in his evaluation of Lin Zheyu as an unparalleled monstrous genius, after hearing this news, Elder Yang was convinced that Lin Zheyu truly deserved that assessment.