Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Lin Zheyu opened his eyes and emerged from his contemplation, a flash of golden light vanishing from his gaze. Nothing unexpected had occurred during those seven days, nor had the demon realm launched an invasion. He had awakened because he sensed Mo Qingyang and the others approaching.

”Fellow Xiao, Fellow Zong, we leave our safety in your hands.” Mo Qingyang cupped his hands toward Lin Zheyu and Zong Linjing with a smile.

Their plan to cross the node’s rift and launch an invasion of the demon realm was fraught with danger. The slightest misstep could even see them perish there. The first line of defense manned by Lin Zheyu, Zong Linjing, and the others would serve as their refuge should they encounter danger.

Of course, Mo Qingyang was merely being polite. Their expedition chiefly relied upon the strongest expert in the city, an unfathomable Deity Transformation realm powerhouse. Only after establishing contact with that expert and securing their aid in keeping the enemy’s strongest combatant occupied could they invade the demon realm without fear.

Lin Zheyu smiled faintly and cupped his hands. ”I wish you all a safe journey.”

Among the group, Yao Lang cast Lin Zheyu and Zong Linjing a cold glance. He said nothing, but his expression was livid. Lin Zheyu guessed that Yao Lang might have already confronted Wang Zhengtian and come away worse for it. After all, Wang Zhengtian was a powerful expert who had transcended the limits of the Shackles realm, entered the Dao through martial cultivation, and switched to the path of a Gu Immortal.

”Haha, may your auspicious words prove true. We shall be off!” Mo Qingyang laughed heartily, transformed into a streak of light, and flew into the rift.

Seeing this, the others also transformed into streaks of light and followed him.

Before leaving, Shi Tianyun glanced at Lin Zheyu, the corners of his mouth curling into a sinister smile. ”Hehe...”

Lin Zheyu watched Shi Tianyun depart and could not help furrowing his brow. Was this fellow not making his ill intentions far too obvious? Was he afraid Lin Zheyu might somehow fail to notice?

Be careful, Fellow Zong. Something is not right about that Shi Tianyun, Lin Zheyu warned through voice transmission.

Mm. But everyone from the Shi Family is like that. You’ll get used to it once you’ve met more of them, Zong Linjing replied.

In the eyes of the Shi Family, martial artists were nothing more than crude warriors. Within the Martial Alliance, only Qin Hu, Xia Ping, and Wang Zhengtian, collectively known as the Three Heroes of the Martial Alliance, were worthy of their notice.

”Oh? How interesting.” Lin Zheyu smiled faintly.

He sat down cross-legged once more and continued contemplating the surrounding formations and restrictions. Lin Zheyu had no interest whatsoever in Mo Qingyang and the others’ expedition. He did want to venture through the node and explore, using the pure energy within the demonic lake to enhance his strength.

However, that would have to wait until his three-month guard duty ended. Calming his mind and casting aside all distracting thoughts, Lin Zheyu once again immersed himself in studying the surrounding formations and restrictions.

”These formations and restrictions are quite fascinating. Much like the formation I discovered deep beneath the lava in the demon realm, they incorporate a vast number of demonic patterns. The demonic patterns are used to construct a Spirit-Gathering Formation that absorbs the immense quantities of demonic qi surging from the rift, condensing it into an energy pool that powers the formations and restrictions. What an ingenious design!” Lin Zheyu could not help exclaiming in admiration.

The immortal cultivation world had never lacked geniuses. During the nearly ten thousand years of conflict against the demon realm, countless brilliant cultivators had emerged. Drawing insights from the laws and Dao resonance of the demon realm, they had devised numerous powerful formations and restrictions designed to counter the yao. When Lin Zheyu had previously studied the mysterious formation deep beneath the lava of the demon realm, he had been outside it and had grasped only its most superficial aspects.

Now, however, not only was he inside the formation, but he also controlled one of its formation nodes, allowing him to glimpse many of the profound intricacies contained within its formations and restrictions. The insights into formations he had gained alone made Lin Zheyu feel that his journey to the demon cave had been worthwhile. With a slight thought, the data within his mind blurred for an instant before becoming clear once more.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 1188]

[Skills: Heaven-Deceiving Art 2.0 (Dormancy), Seven Absolute Sabers (Seventh Stage: 100%), Earth Shrinking Technique (Third Stage: 100%), Primordial Golden Body (Fourth Stage: 100%), Primordial Chaos True Art (First Stage: 1%), Eight Desolations World-Suppressing Art (First Stage: 0%)]

”It worked!” The corners of Lin Zheyu’s mouth lifted into a smile.

He was in no hurry to improve the Heaven-Deceiving Art. For one, he did not want to waste spirit stones or the energy within the Primordial Chaos Pool. For another, version 2.0 of the Heaven-Deceiving Art had not yet achieved the results he desired. The surrounding formations and restrictions did more than suppress the rift and defend against an invasion from the demon realm. They also possessed powerful aura-concealing properties that prevented outsiders from prying.

Lin Zheyu discovered traces of several remnants of the Heaven-Deceiving Formation within the formations and restrictions. In ancient times, the Heaven-Deceiving Formation had possessed inconceivable power and was said to be capable of deceiving even the Heavenly Dao.

As the ages passed, however, the complete Heaven-Deceiving Formation was lost to time, leaving only fragmented formations to circulate throughout the cultivation world. After studying these fragments, formation cultivators had incorporated them into numerous other formations. Clearly, remnants of the Heaven-Deceiving Formation had also been incorporated into the formations and restrictions around him. The Heavenly Eye within Lin Zheyu’s sea of consciousness opened once more as he continued studying the surrounding formations and restrictions.

***

Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, another ten days or so went by. Mo Qingyang and the others had yet to emerge. Lin Zheyu did not know whether they had quietly infiltrated the demon realm and gone into hiding or were concealed within the void spaces inside the node.

Amid the darkness, silver-white saber lights sliced through the void one after another.

Is this Fellow Xiao’s unique method of cultivation? Zong Linjing wondered as she looked toward Lin Zheyu.

Over the past dozen or so days, she had seen Fellow Xiao train frenziedly every few days, exhausting all the essence, qi, and spirit within his body and pushing himself to his limits. He would then use the energy stored within his divine repositories to restore himself to his peak condition.

This is already the fifth time. Isn’t the amount of energy stored in Fellow Xiao’s divine repositories far too astonishing? Zong Linjing watched in bewilderment as the breathless Lin Zheyu recovered from his weakened state and returned to his peak. The energy stored within her own divine repositories was barely enough to restore her from extreme weakness to her peak three times.

Lin Zheyu slowly exhaled a long breath of turbid air.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 1,220]

[Skills: Heaven-Deceiving Art 4.0 (Dormancy), Seven Absolute Sabers (Seventh Stage: 100%), Earth Shrinking Technique (Third Stage: 100%), Primordial Golden Body (Fourth Stage: 100%), Primordial Chaos True Art (First Stage: 1%), Eight Desolations World-Suppressing Art (First Stage: 0%)]

He examined the data within his mind.

Although Lin Zheyu had yet to cultivate the newly revised Heaven-Deceiving Art, the insights he had gained from the surrounding formations and restrictions had already allowed him to refine it into version 4.0. His Origin Force was also rising steadily. This place was even safer than he had imagined. As long as the demon realm did not launch an invasion, he could cultivate within the formation without concern. With the formations and restrictions protecting him and a Deity Transformation realm powerhouse watching from the shadows, his safety was assured.

After glancing at the data within his mind, Lin Zheyu casually took out several ordinary medicinal pills and swallowed them. This was merely a way to conceal his astonishing recovery and the immense amount of energy stored within his divine repositories.

Another day passed. Lin Zheyu suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of gravity flashing across his gaze.

Lin Zheyu warned solemnly as he looked toward the node. ”Be careful, Fellow Zong. There seems to be some unusual activity within the space-time node!”

He had just been using his Heavenly Eye to study the formations and restrictions around the node when he detected unusual energy fluctuations coming from the rift. Although Zong Linjing sensed nothing amiss, she trusted Lin Zheyu and immediately sprang to her feet. The moment she was ready, the demonic qi pouring from the rift suddenly surged, forming an astonishing tide of demonic qi.

Fellow Zong, Fellow Xiao, prepare to face the yao army! Mo Qingyang abruptly shot out of the rift and transmitted his voice to Lin Zheyu and Zong Linjing.

His aura was somewhat feeble, and he looked thoroughly disheveled. After Mo Qingyang emerged, Mu Jianying, Shi Tianyun, Yao Lang, and the others came rushing out of the rift close behind him.

An earth-shaking roar erupted from within the rift. Terrifying shock waves from the battle surged through it, spreading outward as ripples of destructive energy. A trace of gravity flashed through Lin Zheyu’s eyes.

What terrifying energy fluctuations. Are Deity Transformation realm powerhouses fighting within the void spaces inside the node? Lin Zheyu wondered in alarm.

The blood qi in his body began to circulate in an instant, releasing a vast torrent of energy. He pressed his right hand against the formation node and began controlling the formations and restrictions to withstand the terrifying energy fluctuations surging from the rift.

Zong Linjing reacted just as quickly, manipulating the formations and restrictions to resist the astonishing waves of energy. However, she appeared to be struggling, unlike Lin Zheyu, who remained perfectly composed.

This was not merely because Lin Zheyu was stronger. He had also spent more than twenty days studying the surrounding formations and restrictions with his golden Heavenly Eye, gaining a much deeper understanding of their profound intricacies. Naturally, this allowed him to control them with far greater ease and achieve twice the result with half the effort.