Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Deep in the sea, the sounds of slaughter between giant sea beasts and yao rang out. This was a stabilized space-time passage. After the space-time node passage here was taken over by a certain faction of the sea clan, it became a trial ground for the sea clan. Space-time nodes did not appear without conditions. Only in certain special space-time nodes where space was weak could a space-time node leading to the demon realm be forcibly opened.

Near the Eastern Sea, there were only three such places so far. One was the node Lin Zheyu had entered last time, where he had used Origin Force to increase his strength before it was closed again. Another had been used to invade from the demon realm, but it had been brought under control early by powerful experts of the sea clan. Now, it had become similar to the space-time nodes in demon caves controlled by the Demon-Suppressing Army or powerful experts of the Buddhist sect, allowing only beings of this world to enter while preventing yao from entering.

The last one was here. This node passage had already stabilized, becoming a stable space-time passage connecting the two worlds. The space-time node where Lin Zheyu had previously competed for the opportunity of rule fragments would eventually become like this place as well, turning into a space-time passage that connected the two worlds.

Lin Zheyu entered the barrier and immediately sensed extremely dense demonic qi and a bloody aura. His powerful perception spread out, allowing him to discover that large numbers of sea clan troops and sea clan experts were locked in battle with yao inside the barrier. This was the sea clan’s trial ground, a place the sea clan used to train its troops and adapt in advance to the yao that were about to arrive. He passed through the fierce battlefield like an invisible man, attracting no attention from either side.

A cold, sharp gleam happened to slash toward Lin Zheyu by chance, but it passed straight through his body. His figure abruptly shifted two meters sideways, avoiding that icy streak of light.

Such dense demonic qi. This space-time passage can support the entry of yao at the strongest six-pattern, at the same level as the Golden Core realm. It is just right as a battlefield for Woo Yiyan and me, Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

After finding the location of the space-time passage, his figure swayed slightly and vanished from the spot in an instant, speeding toward the passage. Lin Zheyu was not trying to enter the space-time passage. Stable passages like this were all guarded by powerful experts, making it very difficult to slip inside without a sound. What he wanted was to find a suitable demonic river, absorb the pure demonic qi within it, and transform into his yao form.

The sound of the demonic river flowing reached him. Lin Zheyu raised his head and glanced toward the space-time passage several kilometers away. There, he sensed a powerful aura. It was the same kind of aura as the military formation dharma form condensed by the Demon-Suppressing Army.

This place will do, Lin Zheyu thought.

The pure energy contained in the demonic river here was enough for him to absorb and transform into his yao form.

Lin Zheyu shifted slightly and plunged into the demonic river. A six-pattern early-stage yao swam past him, yet under the concealment of the Heaven-Deceiving Art, it failed to notice his presence. Not every cultivator was like Woo Yiyan’s spirit beast, capable of perceiving those faint and intangible traces. Even cultivators generally could not do so, let alone mindless yao.

A yao covered in black lumps, with savage horns protruding from its head and a body resembling a giant python, slithered past Lin Zheyu. Suddenly, he made his move. Terrifying power erupted from his body as he drove a punch forward. The fist slammed into the yao’s head. Before the creature could even react, its skull exploded. Black writhing flesh and shattered fragments of hard bone scattered in all directions.

The vitality of a six-pattern yao far surpassed that of ordinary yao. Even after losing its head, a faint will still lingered within its body. Struggling instinctively, it coiled toward Lin Zheyu. Its massive body wrapped around him like a giant python, constricting tightly as it attempted to crush him to death.

Lin Zheyu felt nothing at all. His expression remained completely relaxed. Applying a little force with his left hand, he slowly pried apart the body wrapped around him. Then his right hand shot forward and seized the yao by the neck. A surge of immense power poured forth, suppressing the creature’s formidable life force.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Lin Zheyu’s mouth. ”Very good. You’ll serve as nourishment.”

With this yao as nourishment, his use of the Yao Transformation would proceed much faster.

***

Just as Lin Zheyu was using the Yao Transformation to assume a yao form, Woo Yiyan arrived within the barrier under the guidance of his spirit beast. The moment he sensed the incomparably dense demonic qi energy, his brows furrowed slightly, and a look of disgust appeared on his face.

All living beings of this world instinctively loathed the energy of demonic qi. One man’s honey was another man’s poison. To yao, this sinister and tainted energy was as sweet as nectar and formed the essential foundation for increasing their strength. To the living beings of this world, however, it was akin to the most potent poison imaginable. Even cultivators avoided it whenever possible.

”What is that fellow doing here?” Woo Yiyan frowned slightly. A thin layer of energy covered his body, isolating the surrounding demonic qi.

In such a dense environment of demonic qi, even his spirit beast’s tracking abilities were significantly affected.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

The spirit beast let out several anxious squeaks. Agitation, fear, and hesitation filled its face. It could sense tremendous danger ahead. The presence of numerous powerful yao and the overwhelming demonic qi made it deeply uncomfortable.

”Shh. Quiet,” Woo Yiyan said softly.

As soon as the words fell, the agitated spirit beast calmed down. However, the trembling of its body still revealed the unease in its heart. Woo Yiyan quickly formed hand seals. Several Divine Power Crystals flew out from his storage pouch, and the energy contained within them was drawn out by his technique.

His figure flickered. The next moment, he appeared beside the spirit beast. Raising his right hand, he lightly tapped its forehead. The energy extracted from the Divine Power Crystals flowed into the spirit beast’s body. At last, its trembling ceased, and the anxiety on its face gradually disappeared.

”Continue. Find Xiao Yu’s location,” Woo Yiyan said calmly.

This time, he had made up his mind to eliminate the heart demon that plagued his younger brother, allowing Woo Yixuan to focus wholeheartedly on cultivation. Given Woo Yixuan’s bloodline talent, if he could truly settle his mind and devote himself to cultivation, his future achievements would be beyond measure.

Squeak! Squeak!

The ugly and bizarre-looking spirit beast, which resembled a monkey, let out two squeaks before vanishing from the spot with a whoosh. Woo Yiyan’s figure flickered as he followed after it.

Using some unknown secret technique, Woo Yiyan concealed his presence. Man and beast moved through the fierce battlefield as though no one else existed, drawing neither the sea clan’s nor the yao’s attention.

The roars of nearby yao shook the surroundings. Even in the depths of the sea, the voices of these powerful creatures could not be suppressed.

Following a roaring sound, a humanoid yao suddenly entered Woo Yiyan’s perception. It stood over three meters tall, with a pair of enormous wings on its back and a body covered in magnificent, streamlined scales.

This yao was different from the others. It was simply too beautiful. Its scales were gorgeous, its humanoid form slender and graceful yet filled with the beauty of strength, its proportions seemingly perfect. Even Woo Yiyan could not help but give it a second glance.

A trace of curiosity arose in Woo Yiyan’s heart. What kind of yao is this? A newly emerged mutant species?

His thoughts stirred, and he found himself wanting to capture it alive and bring it back for study. Before he could act, however, the unusual yao that so closely matched human notions of beauty moved first.

Rooaar!

Disguised as a mindless yao, Lin Zheyu let out a savage roar and charged toward a sea clan expert near Woo Yiyan.

He kicked off the seabed, and the terrifying force blasted a huge crater into the deep-sea floor. The magnificent wings behind him gave a gentle flap. The scales along their edges were like the sharpest blades, slicing through the surrounding waters with a hiss.

After observing for a moment, suspicion arose in Woo Yiyan’s mind. It’s not an intelligent-type yao?

Despite his doubts, he still intended to capture it and study it. A special yao like this possessed considerable research value.

Woo Yiyan stepped forward. His blood qi surged violently, and the phantom image of a purple tiger suddenly appeared around him.

His fist shot forward, detonating the surrounding seawater. The tiger phantom roared as it lunged toward Lin Zheyu’s head. Woo Yiyan possessed extensive experience hunting yao and knew well how tenacious their vitality was. Against a yao, destroying its head first would rob it of most of its combat strength.

Feeling the terrifying power contained within Woo Yiyan, Lin Zheyu could not help but exclaim inwardly, So strong! As expected of a bloodline genius who has broken free from four shackles!

Yet this overwhelming momentum qi did not make him retreat in fear. Instead, it ignited an even stronger desire to fight.

The wings behind him beat sharply. Lin Zheyu’s figure paused for an instant before narrowly evading Woo Yiyan’s attack. The terrifying energy brushed past his body. Yet when it struck the magnificent scales covering him, it failed to leave even the faintest white mark.

Lin Zheyu stomped his right foot heavily against the ground. Terrifying power erupted from his body as boundless demonic qi surged skyward around him, making him appear even more like a yao than an actual yao.

He actually dodged it! How is that possible? A mindless yao shouldn’t be capable of something like that.

A trace of surprise flashed through Woo Yiyan’s mind. However, his formidable strength and extensive combat experience allowed him to react instantly.

Lin Zheyu shot forward like a cannonball. His fist, covered in hard scales, blasted toward Woo Yiyan’s chest. This was a weakness he had identified through observation and analysis with the golden Heavenly Eye. Other than taking the attack head-on, any response Woo Yiyan made would expose an even greater opening.

”Hmph! A mere yao. Die!” Woo Yiyan let out a cold snort. Stepping back with his right foot, he crossed his clenched fists before his chest.

Vast purple energy surged forth and enveloped his entire body. At that moment, he seemed to transform into a terrifying, ferocious tiger.

Lin Zheyu’s fist struck Woo Yiyan’s crossed arms head-on, producing a metallic clash. The surrounding seawater exploded outward. Centered on the two of them, violent underwater currents surged in every direction. For an instant, a hollow sphere devoid of seawater formed around the point of impact.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Woo Yiyan’s mind. What incredible strength! Is this a peak six-pattern yao?

From that single punch, he had felt an unmatched force crash into his arms. Even his body, which rivaled a dharma treasure in toughness, had turned crimson beneath the impact. The redness came from blood vessels bursting under the overwhelming force beneath his skin. However, the crimson hue vanished almost instantly.

This is sea clan territory. Powerful experts are stationed here. I can’t stay for long. I need to end this quickly.

His expression shifted slightly as his blood began to boil. Powerful bloodline powers erupted from within him, and the purple tiger phantom became increasingly solid.

”Tiger’s Roar Dragon’s Cry!” Woo Yiyan shouted in a low voice. The sounds of a tiger’s roar and a dragon’s cry echoed from within his body.

A purple dragon let out a mighty dragon cry as it burst from his body and coiled around the tiger phantom. In an instant, Woo Yiyan’s aura soared explosively. His muscles swelled and tightened. Veins and sinews bulged across his body like twisted vines.

Tiger’s Roar Dragon’s Cry was a secret bloodline technique of his clan. Once activated, it caused a dramatic increase in physical power. On top of his current strength, it granted another twofold increase, bringing his overall power to an astonishing three times its original level. Such terrifying strength had already surpassed the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm and reached the level of the late-stage Golden Core realm.