Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Within the demonic lake, Lin Zheyu shifted his thoughts and looked at the status panel in his consciousness.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 1250]

[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%), Martial Divine Pattern Secret Manual 8.0 (Dormancy), Eight Desolations World-Suppressing Art (First Stage: 0%)]

A new entry had appeared in the panel: Martial Divine Pattern Secret Manual 8.0. This was the revised version Lin Zheyu had developed after incorporating the insights he had gained from the formations and restrictions outside the node into his divine patterns. His goal was to completely reorganize and refine the structure of those divine patterns until they became as intricate and masterfully crafted as shamanic patterns and demonic patterns.

”Let’s begin,” Lin Zheyu murmured softly.

With a thought, large quantities of pill residue and low-grade spirit herbs flew out of the Primordial Chaos Pool. These were all materials required to cultivate the Primordial Chaos True Art. Compared to refining the Martial Divine Pattern Secret Manual, increasing his strength was the more pressing priority.

Moreover, according to Lin Zheyu’s design, the first three stages of the Primordial Chaos True Art did not involve divine patterns at all. They focused primarily on laying the foundations of the Shamanic Dao. Only from the fourth stage onward would the Shamanic Dao and martial cultivation begin to merge.

For that reason, Lin Zheyu was in no hurry to optimize the divine patterns. At this stage, he was merely laying the groundwork. Waiting until the Primordial Chaos True Art had reached Perfection before refining them would not be too late.

After taking out the spirit herbs needed for cultivation, his aura rapidly diminished as his essence, qi, and spirit energy flowed into the void within the three great divine repositories. The reserves stored there had been nearly exhausted while he was guarding the formation node and now needed to be replenished. Once every last trace of his essence, qi, and spirit energy had been stored away within the divine repositories, he projected a thought: Use 1 unit of Origin Force to cultivate the Primordial Chaos True Art.

In an instant, the familiar sensation returned. A vast tide of mysterious energy surged forth, sweeping up the medicinal essence from the pill residue and low-grade spirit herbs, along with the energy permeating the demonic lake, before pouring it all into Lin Zheyu’s body.

Within the space of his consciousness, Lin Zheyu sat cross-legged inside a wooden tub as his blood qi roared through his body. Immense medicinal power poured into him, merging with his natal shamanic pattern and fueling the secret shamanic art.

As the technique circulated, his face contorted in agony, every feature twisted by pain. His spirit, spiritual soul, and physical body were all subjected to unbearable torment.

A few breaths later, Lin Zheyu slowly opened his eyes. They were bloodshot from the ordeal.

”Huff...” Lin Zheyu slowly exhaled a long breath of stale air.

After using Origin Force to cultivate, his understanding of the Primordial Chaos True Art deepened considerably, and he accumulated a wealth of cultivation experience. He pondered for a moment before sending out another thought. The status panel in his consciousness blurred for an instant before becoming clear once more. Primordial Chaos True Art 2.0 had appeared on it.

Again! Lin Zheyu said inwardly.

After once again storing all of his essence, qi, and spirit energy within the void of the divine repositories, he sent out another thought. He consumed another unit of Origin Force to cultivate the Primordial Chaos True Art. The optimized version only reduced the cultivation difficulty by a tiny margin, but the agony of the cultivation process had eased significantly.

Time passed slowly.

***

Each time he cultivated, Lin Zheyu used only a single unit of Origin Force. Before every attempt, he first stored the energy within his body in the void of the divine repositories. Once the cultivation was complete and he had gained new insights and experience, he would revise and refine the technique yet again. The cycle repeated over and over.

As time went on, a clear metallic chime rang out from within Lin Zheyu’s body. It was the resonance of the Heavenly Dao shackles being stretched to their absolute limit. Vast torrents of golden blood qi poured from him, coalescing outside his body into a massive golden blood qi dragon. The dragon roared through the air, radiating an overwhelming and terrifying aura.

”Huff~.”

Lin Zheyu let out a long breath and slowly opened his eyes. With a single thought, the golden blood qi dragon vanished instantly, and the six Life Shackles that had been drawn taut sank back into his flesh.

This isn’t the place to make a breakthrough. I’ll return first, Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

He had never felt this powerful before. Perhaps he could now attempt to break free of his next Life Shackle, but that would have to wait until he had left this place.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 1230]

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%), Eight Desolations World-Suppressing Art (First Stage: 0%), Martial Divine Pattern Secret Manual 8.0 (Dormancy), Primordial Chaos True Art 19.0 (First Stage: 27%)]

Steadying himself, Lin Zheyu looked at the status panel within his consciousness. The Primordial Chaos True Art had already been refined to Version 19.0, and its progress had reached 27%. After so many rounds of optimization, its cultivation efficiency had improved dramatically. A single unit of Origin Force could now increase its progress by 1.5%.

I’ve reached the limit. Before I leave, though, I’ll replenish the golden energy in my sea of consciousness as well, Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

He closed his eyes once more and projected a thought. A few breaths later, the golden energy within his sea of consciousness had returned to its peak.

It’s time to go, Lin Zheyu thought.

He pushed the Heaven-Deceiving Art to its utmost limit, concealing every trace of his true strength. Then, with a light leap, he passed through the spatial rift and returned to the demon cave.

Seeing Lin Zheyu emerge safely from the spatial rift, Ji Haozhong and Zong Linjing called out at the same time. ”Fellow Xiao! Are you all right?”

”I’m fine. I only went in to scout the situation. There are quite a few powerful yao lurking within the node’s void, though. If either of you plans to enter, be sure to exercise caution,” Lin Zheyu said with a faint smile.

”Haha, it’s nothing unusual for yao to lie in wait within the node’s void. We wouldn’t dare venture in alone,” Ji Haozhong replied with a hearty laugh.

”Yeah, I guess they were kind of skilled. Two of the yao I found were certainly skilled at hiding, but their actual strength was only average. They’re perfect opponents for sharpening my skills. Once I’ve rested for a few days, I’ll go back and see if I can kill them and bring their bodies back for some research,” Lin Zheyu said with a smile.

He casually made up an excuse, giving himself a plausible reason to enter the node’s void again a few days later.

”Uh...” Ji Haozhong was momentarily stunned before offering his praise, ”Impressive, fellow friend!”

He quickly remembered that Xiao Yu was an unparalleled genius who had opened three great divine repositories and awakened a divine ability of the spirit. Someone like him certainly had the right to make such a claim.

”You’ve both worked hard, fellows. I’ll be heading back to rest now.” Lin Zheyu smiled, cupped his fists in salute, and left the first line of the formation’s defenses.

After returning to his courtyard, he activated its protective formation. He then took out a formation disk he had purchased earlier and set up another layer of formations around the courtyard before finally bringing out the Primordial Chaos Pool. His figure blurred and vanished, entering the Primordial Chaos Pool. Breaking through there would be the safest option.

”Let’s begin.” Lin Zheyu slowly exhaled, calmed his mind, and brought himself into peak condition. His momentum continued to rise as his blood qi surged through his body with a deafening roar. The beating of his heart grew louder and louder, like muffled thunder rolling through the heavens.

”Grr!”

Vast streams of golden blood qi poured out of his body, taking the form of a golden dragon that circled him with a mighty roar. Lin Zheyu’s body rapidly expanded, his frame growing taller and larger. At the same time, golden scales emerged to cover his entire body, encasing him in what looked like a suit of golden armor.

A crisp metallic clang rang out as six solid golden shackles materialized around him, chiming under the relentless surging of his blood qi. The golden Heavenly Eye within his sea of consciousness snapped open, voraciously absorbing golden energy until it transformed into a tiny golden sun that radiated dazzling brilliance. Before long, under the Heavenly Eye’s scrutiny, Lin Zheyu found the weakest point in the second shackle.

”Break!” Lin Zheyu’s eyes narrowed as he let out a low shout. His body suddenly stretched to its fullest, every ounce of energy within him twisting into a single unstoppable force before erupting toward the weak point of the second shackle.

All six shackles rang out in unison, their metallic resonance amplifying one another as they unleashed an even more overwhelming force of restraint. Gleaming brilliantly, each golden shackle resembled a chain forged from the finest divine metal in existence, binding his body with absolute firmness.

”Pfft!”

Lin Zheyu’s face flushed crimson as he spat out a mouthful of blood. His aura instantly withered.

”No... The second shackle is far stronger than the first,” Lin Zheyu muttered quietly. He immediately steadied his breathing as immense energy poured out of his divine repositories, rapidly healing the injuries caused by his failed attempt to force the shackle open.

”My strength had already reached the peak of the Golden Core realm before, just a hair’s breadth away from the Nascent Soul realm. Now, even though the first stage of the Primordial Chaos True Art is less than one-third complete, my strength has unquestionably reached the Nascent Soul realm. Yet even with Nascent Soul realm power, I still can’t break the second shackle. These shackles are absurdly powerful.”

It was difficult to imagine just how powerful he would become once all seven shackles were completely broken. By then, his strength might well rival that of the Deity Transformation Realm. The thought alone was enough to fill him with anticipation. Still, if breaking only the second shackle was already this difficult, the remaining five would be unimaginably harder to overcome.

Fortunately, Lin Zheyu had already found the path forward. As long as he steadily cultivated the Primordial Chaos True Art to Perfection, continued studying formations, demonic patterns, and shamanic patterns, constantly refined his divine patterns, gradually integrated shamanic arts into martial cultivation, and further perfected the Primordial Golden Body technique, it should eventually be enough for him to break free from every Heavenly Dao shackle.