Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

”Fellow Friend, did you come this time to avenge Fellow Tu Yuan?” Lin Zheyu asked, looking at Tu Mingzhen with interest.

He did not bother to hold back and said it outright. Beside them, Ji Zitong smiled faintly as she gazed out the window, as if she had not heard their conversation at all. This time, she had only come at Tu Mingzhen’s request to introduce her to Fellow Xiao Yu. As for the details, Tu Mingzhen would have to discuss them personally with Xiao Yu.

”No. Tu Yuan brought it upon himself. He was simply weaker. He has no one else to blame, least of all you,” Tu Mingzhen said calmly.

With a light pat of her storage pouch, she took out three high-grade spirit stones. Tu Mingzhen knew that back then, Xiao Yu had offered three high-grade spirit stones to return the storage pouch to Tu Yuan.

”This is my compensation for my previous offense. I ask that you accept it, Fellow Friend.” Tu Mingzhen raised her hand slightly, revealing the spirit stones along with a round medicinal pill.

The medicinal pill was called Profound Yang Pill. It was primarily used by martial artists for cultivation and was quite valuable, offering tremendous benefits to their training. Lin Zheyu accepted the spirit stones and the pill with a smile.

It was clear that the other party wanted something. Otherwise, she would not have personally asked Ji Zitong to make the introduction, nor offered three high-grade spirit stones along with a Profound Yang Pill to settle past grievances.

”May I ask what brings you here, Fellow?” Lin Zheyu asked with a smile after accepting the compensation.

Tu Mingzhen’s spirit stones had come at just the right time. Lin Zheyu did not have many left, not even enough to continue cultivating the Purple Firmament Repository Returning Art. Tu Mingzhen turned to look at Ji Zitong beside her and transmitted a few words.

Then, with a wave of her hand, an earthen-yellow barrier enveloped both her and Lin Zheyu. Seeing this, he did not stop her.

”Fellow Xiao, I wish to invite you to explore a Shamanic Clan ruin together,” Tu Mingzhen said directly.

After Tu Yuan’s death, she used certain methods to locate the hidden Shamanic Clan ruin he had concealed. She had secretly gone once, but only observed it from the outskirts. After confirming that the Nether Refining Flame was indeed present within, she left immediately. The ruin was just as Tu Yuan had described, extremely dangerous. Without the aid of the two special dharma artifacts on Lin Zheyu, obtaining the Nether Refining Flame would require surviving near-impossible dangers.

A Shamanic Clan ruin? A Shamanic cultivator inheritance?

Lin Zheyu’s mind sparked with sudden clarity.

He finally understood the whole story. No wonder Tu Yuan had refused to give up even after the price rose to three high-grade spirit stones. No wonder he had seemingly accepted the deal, only to secretly seek others to hunt him down afterward. It was all because Tu Yuan suspected that Lin Zheyu had uncovered the secret hidden within those two dharma artifacts. The three high-grade spirit stones had only been a smokescreen. He had never intended to let it go.

Lin Zheyu could not help but feel both amused and exasperated. Back then, he had only sensed the powerful Dao resonance energy of a Shamanic cultivator within the skull and the massive bone dharma artifacts. He had never connected them to any Shamanic Clan ruin. His mention of a Shamanic Clan inheritance had merely been a bluff to raise the price. He had not expected it to lead to so many complications. Fortunately, they had all turned out to be beneficial.

”I don’t trust you,” Lin Zheyu said after a moment of thought. Although Tu Mingzhen’s attitude was good and she had compensated for the previous assassination attempt, he still did not trust her.

”I can swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao,” Tu Mingzhen replied calmly.

She had long been prepared for this. Xiao Yu was stronger than Tu Yuan, and as a martial artist, he would have a greater advantage in a Shamanic Clan ruin compared to immortal cultivators. Since she had been able to cooperate with Tu Yuan before, there was no reason she could not work with Xiao Yu now. The chances of success would be even higher.

”Oh? I’ll need to know more,” Lin Zheyu said, raising an eyebrow slightly.

A complete Shamanic cultivator inheritance held immense appeal for him. Even if he did not walk the path of a Shamanic cultivator, Lin Zheyu still wished to perfect his own martial cultivation path, and the Shamanic Clan’s shaman patterns carried tremendous reference value for him.

Though what Shamanic cultivators practiced was not a purely evolutionary path of life, it was still a way of achieving the Dao through the physical body. This path shared many similarities with that of martial artists and was one of the closest cultivation paths to martial cultivation among all systems.

”Of course. But since this concerns a ruin, I’ll need you to first swear an oath not to divulge anything,” Tu Mingzhen said with a faint smile, taking out a contract she had prepared in advance.

After signing the contract, the two began a more in-depth discussion. Ji Zitong casually gazed out the window, occasionally glancing at the two as they talked. Although she was quite curious about the contents of their exchange, she had no intention of prying.

After more than an hour, Ji Zitong saw Lin Zheyu and Tu Mingzhen smiling as they removed the energy barrier. It was clear that their discussion had gone very well.

”My apologies. I neglected you just now,” Lin Zheyu said apologetically as he looked at Ji Zitong.

He had been entirely focused on negotiating with Tu Mingzhen about the Shamanic Clan ruin and had ignored Ji Zitong. Through subtle probing, Lin Zheyu had also finally understood why Tu Mingzhen, even after discovering the ruin’s location, still sought his cooperation. The two dharma artifacts he had obtained from Tu Yuan played a significant role within the Shamanic Clan ruin. Without them, the danger would rise by several levels.

”You’re too polite. I came this time precisely for Fellow Mingzhen’s matter,” Ji Zitong replied with a faint smile.

”What about Fellow Ziyang? Is he still not out of seclusion?” Lin Zheyu asked curiously after taking a sip of wine.

Of the group they had once formed, everyone else had already come out of seclusion. Only Ji Ziyang remained unheard from.

”My brother should be coming out soon as well. This time, he spent more time in order to achieve an eight-pattern Golden Core,” Ji Zitong said slowly.

Ji Ziyang’s ambitions were great. To attain an eight-pattern Golden Core, he had gathered a vast amount of resources through various means.

”I see. Since you’ve already reached the Golden Core realm, I suppose I’ll have to start calling you senior soon,” Lin Zheyu joked with a smile.

”Fellow Xiao, you jest. I’m sure it won’t be long before you enter the Shackles realm as well,” Ji Zitong replied with a gentle smile.

This time, she had mainly come at Tu Mingzhen’s request to help make the connection. With Tu Mingzhen’s matter settled, the group chatted briefly before taking their leave.

”A Shamanic Clan ruin... talk about perfect timing,” Lin Zheyu said with a soft chuckle, a hint of emotion in his voice.

Encounters like this were rare along his journey. If not for the existence of Origin Force, with Lin Zheyu’s terrible luck, he would have long since become a pile of bones somewhere unknown. As for the Shamanic Clan ruin expedition with Tu Mingzhen, he agreed to undertake it after exiting the demon god barrier. By then, his strength would undergo a significant leap. Whether facing the threat of that old fellow Fan Hongwei or the unknown dangers within the ruin, he would be far better prepared. Tu Mingzhen had already waited this long, so a little more time made no difference. With that, the two settled on the plan.

Returning to the courtyard, Lin Zheyu resumed his leisurely and steady cultivation life. With a fresh supply of spirit stones, he once again incorporated the Purple Firmament Repository Returning Art into his daily training routine.

In the courtyard, beneath the shade of a tree, Lin Zheyu sat cross-legged. Blood qi surged within him as immense vitality brewed in his body. Invisible chains wrapped around his entire form. Under the suppression of these shackles, the burgeoning vitality was restrained, forced back into his divine repository.

After a long time, Lin Zheyu slowly exhaled a turbid breath as his blood qi was completely spent. He checked his body. Ever since the shackles had appeared, the vitality of his physique had barely improved.

The shackles are becoming more solid. Once they fully condense, their suppressive effect will reach its peak. When that time comes, will I still be able to continue cultivating other divine repository techniques?

However, the appearance of the shackles was not without its benefits. Lin Zheyu found that although the increase in the vitality within his body was minimal, it had become far more refined and powerful. The power of the shackles that bound his entire body suppressed the growth of his vitality, yet at the same time helped temper and purify it. Each unit of power now contained a stronger, purer form of life force.

Lin Zheyu looked at the data within his consciousness. The Purple Firmament Repository Returning Art was already nearing Perfection. The emergence of the shackles had not affected his cultivation of divine repository techniques.