Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Time flowed like water, passing in the blink of an eye. More than two months went by. After the shackles appeared, Lin Zheyu’s pace in cultivating divine repository techniques slowed considerably. Even so, he successfully brought the first stage to Perfection, and the second stage was not far from reaching Perfection as well.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 618]

[Skills: Earth Shrinking Technique (Perfection), Primordial Concealment Technique (Perfection), Seven Absolute Sabers (Fifth Stage: 3%), Primordial Golden Body (Second Stage: 100%), Purple Firmament Repository Returning Art (Second Stage: 78%), Spirit Martial Universe Secret Art—Advanced (Competence: 3%)]

Lin Zheyu looked at the data within his consciousness. Through his tireless efforts, his Origin Force had surpassed 600 units. The Purple Firmament Repository Returning Art had also progressed to 78% of the second stage.

Lin Zheyu threw a punch, and the blood qi within him surged violently, with faint traces of golden blood qi energy seeping from his body. At the same time, the phantom of chain-like shackles emerged within him.

As his blood qi churned, the shackles grew increasingly solid. Compared to before, the chains wrapped around his entire body had almost fully materialized, appearing as clear as a physical object within his perception. Upon closer inspection, he could even see mottled rust forming along the chains, as if aged iron had weathered countless years. Those rust marks carried a wild, ancient aura.

”Have they gotten thicker again?” Lin Zheyu muttered under his breath, frowning as he sensed the shackles coiled around his physique.

Half a month ago, he had already discovered that the chain-like shackles within him had fully solidified. Once solidified, they had a tremendous impact on his cultivation, slowing his progress by more than half. Fortunately, he could still continue cultivating, which made it somewhat acceptable.

Lin Zheyu had originally planned to see if he could keep cultivating and strengthening himself until his physique became powerful enough to forcibly break the Life Shackles wrapped around him. Such a feat would be unprecedented in the history of martial cultivation.

However, Lin Zheyu soon realized he had been overly optimistic. As he continued cultivating the Purple Firmament Repository Returning Art and his strength grew, the Life Shackles around his body actually thickened. What had once been a dark, rusted chain now showed mottled golden specks. These golden marks seemed to have formed after absorbing the golden energy within his body.

It seems that as long as I keep getting stronger, the Heavenly Dao Shackles around my physique will grow stronger along with me. Since when were the limits of the Heavenly Dao this flexible? Lin Zheyu could not help but grumble inwardly.

From the records of the Martial Alliance, he had learned that the strength of the Heavenly Dao Shackles was fixed. There had never been a case where they grew stronger alongside one’s cultivation. These shackles were engraved into the very genes of life, acting as a natural limit, like a ceiling. But who had ever seen a ceiling that kept rising as its owner grew taller? It was downright unreasonable.

”This won’t do. I need to go to the library and look up more about the Shackles realm. If this shackle can keep getting stronger without limit, how the hell am I supposed to break through?” Lin Zheyu said, losing all motivation to continue cultivating as he stared at the thickened chains.

The changes in his body stirred a sense of unease within him. Ever since the Grandmaster realm, his martial cultivation path had already deviated from the traditional route, giving rise to many unusual transformations. But all those changes had been beneficial, greatly enhancing his strength. This time, however, he could not tell whether the change was good or bad.

Lin Zheyu recalled his cultivation journey, and a sudden thought flashed through his mind. Could it be because I never opened the Bridge of Heaven and Earth?

There were two key turning points where he had diverged from the traditional martial cultivation path. The first was when, in the Blood Qi realm, he had cultivated his blood qi to an unprecedented level, condensing golden blood qi. The second was the Bridge of Heaven and Earth. To this day, Lin Zheyu had not opened it. Yet in the many texts he had read, the importance of the Bridge of Heaven and Earth was repeatedly emphasized, as it served as the connection between the body and the world itself.

However, in the Immortal Dao, no one had ever been seen deliberately opening the Bridge of Heaven and Earth. In the eyes of immortal cultivators, the human body was already complete. Forcibly opening the Bridge to connect with the world was like smashing through a wall to create a door where none should exist. Such an act was considered unwise.

Martial artists who later transitioned to the Immortal Dao often encountered numerous problems upon reaching the Golden Core realm if they had previously opened the Bridge of Heaven and Earth. This was why Lin Zheyu had never opened it, nor advanced to the so-called Martial Innate realm of martial cultivation.

”Probably not. The Bridge of Heaven and Earth is indeed extraordinary and differs from cultivation aptitude, but it shouldn’t affect the Life Shackles. Could it be because of this golden energy within me?” Lin Zheyu shook his head.

Compared to the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, Lin Zheyu was more inclined to believe that the cause lay in the golden energy within his body, something somewhat similar to the bloodline power of ancient esteemed martial families. The mottled golden specks on the shackles were proof enough of that.

”When the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself out. There’s no point in overthinking it. As long as I can keep getting stronger, what if I can’t break the shackles? Maybe once the shackles around my physique grow strong enough, I could even refine them into some kind of special dharma artifact,” Lin Zheyu muttered to himself as he headed toward the library.

Refining the Heavenly Dao Shackles, a form of rule-based power, into a dharma artifact was indeed something Lin Zheyu had once considered. But he also knew it was nothing more than wishful thinking. Perhaps there were truly powerful beings capable of refining Heavenly Dao rules into dharma artifacts, but that was far beyond what his current strength and realm could achieve. In the end, it was little more than a self-comforting joke.

On the way, Lin Zheyu ran into Qiu Kun, who had just returned from a mission. ”Fellow Xiao, long time no see! I was just about to ask if you were free. Didn’t expect to run into you here. Come on, come on. I just got back from a mission, and I’m exhausted. Let me treat you at the Profound Light Tower.”

Lin Zheyu looked Qiu Kun over and offered his congratulations with a smile. ”You’ve advanced to the Shackles realm? Congratulations.”

After the shackles had appeared within his own body, Lin Zheyu had become far more sensitive to their power. He could now sense the shattered Heavenly Dao Shackles within Qiu Kun’s body.

”Oh?” Qiu Kun exclaimed in surprise, then laughed. ”As expected of a genius who awakened a spirit divine ability, you can even notice that. But it’s not fully successful yet. I’ll need to go into seclusion for a while longer.”

The shackles within his body had only been partially broken. The shattered chains still coiled around his flesh, embedded deep within his cellular genes.

”Could I take a closer look?” Lin Zheyu asked, unable to resist after sensing the shattered shackle power within Qiu Kun.

He quickly realized that his request was somewhat presumptuous and added, ”I’ve also come into contact with the phantom of shackles within my body, so I’m a bit curious.

”Actually, never mind. This is a bit inappropriate. Just pretend I didn’t say anything,” Lin Zheyu said, waving his hand with an apologetic smile.

”Hah, that’s nothing. We joined the Martial Alliance to exchange with powerful martial artists and learn from each other. Back when Elder Su broke his shackles, he even held a martial cultivation gathering and let everyone observe. You joined late. A few years ago, when our Hall Master broke through to the Shackles realm, he also opened it up for us to study.” Qiu Kun laughed heartily, his demeanor open and straightforward.

”Then I’ll have to thank you,” Lin Zheyu said with a slight pause before smiling in gratitude.

The openness of the Martial Alliance and its culture of free exchange were even greater than he had imagined.

”No need for thanks. We’re all friends, it’s nothing. You’re a true genius. In ten or a few dozen years, once you soar to the heavens, I’ll be counting on you. With such a good chance to have you owe me a favor, how could I not seize it?” Qiu Kun said with a hearty laugh.

This guy spoke his mind without reservation, yet instead of being off-putting, it only made him seem straightforward and genuine.