Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

But this gap could be bridged. By relying on Talismans, Spiritual Artifacts, Arrays, or other external means, a Qi Cultivator could even kill a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. In the end, though, these were all just external aids.

However, the world would always produce geniuses who could fight across realms without relying on any such aids.

Defeating an opponent one or several Small Realms higher was the mark of a genius.

But even among geniuses, there was another group—true prodigies who could kill a Foundation Establishment Cultivator while still in the Qi Cultivation Stage, all without any external aid.

Song Qingxing, for example, had such potential. His self-created Sword One and Sword Two techniques were incredibly ingenious. Once his Cultivation advanced further, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to kill a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Song Changsheng, by contrast, was somewhat lacking. Although he had once killed a Tier Two Demon Beast, he had relied heavily on external aids, including a Tier Two Talisman and the Luwu Bell.

Prodigies like Song Qingxing were rare, but given the vast population of the Human Race, a fair number of them still existed.

But even among these prodigious figures, there had never been a recorded case of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator killing a Purple Mansion Cultivator without the aid of a Tier Three Level treasure.

The gap between Foundation Establishment and the Purple Mansion was simply too vast—an insurmountable chasm!

Their fundamental level of existence was on a completely different plane.

After breaking through to the Purple Mansion, Spiritual Power transforms into Mana. This allows a Purple Mansion Cultivator to freely use all sorts of powerful Magic and Little Divine Techniques, something a Foundation Establishment Cultivator couldn’t even dream of matching.

This was a truth everyone understood.

But understanding was one thing. Only when one grasped such power for themselves could they truly realize how immense it was!

The illusory great seal in Song Changsheng’s hand was the Little Divine Technique, the Mountain-Flipping Seal. Though he had only just begun to master it, it made all the Magic he had previously learned seem like nothing more than dust in the wind.

’What I’ve grasped can’t be considered a true Little Divine Technique,’ Song Changsheng thought. ’To be precise, it’s a pseudo-divine technique. I’m using Primordial Power as a medium to fuel it with Spiritual Power. Its might is a far cry from a true Little Divine Technique powered by Mana.

’Still, for my current realm, it’s more than enough. I can hold my own against anyone below the level of a Purple Mansion Cultivator.’ Song Changsheng was quite satisfied.

He had just stood up to go and supervise Song Qingxi’s cultivation.

Suddenly—BOOM!

The tail of the Flying Ship was struck by something. The impact caused a massive explosion, and the vessel shuddered violently, making Song Changsheng, who had just gotten to his feet, lose his footing.

’An attack?’ ”You two, stay put. Don’t move.”

Song Changsheng’s expression darkened. After sending a voice transmission to Song Qingxi and Song Qingxing, he was at the tail of the Flying Ship in a few quick flashes.

A single glance was enough to make his expression turn grim. The Flying Ship’s propulsion system was belching thick, black smoke, and lingering flames were still licking at the hull.

”Damn it! Who’s there?”

Song Changsheng extinguished the fire with a wave of his sleeve and roared at the space before him.

There was no reply, only two massive Fireballs hurtling toward him.

”How dare you!”

Song Changsheng’s gaze turned frigid. With a stomp of his foot, streams of black and white qi erupted and formed a Tai Chi Diagram before him, enveloping both him and the Flying Ship in its protective light.

The two Fireballs slammed into the Tai Chi Diagram, detonating in a massive explosion that made the Flying Ship shudder violently.

’Found you!’

Though his assailant had yet to reveal themself, Song Changsheng had already pinpointed their location from the direction of the attack.

He threw his arms wide, pulling all the ambient Water Spirit Qi toward him. It coalesced at his sides into a swarm of Water Arrows, which he then unleashed upon the attacker.

Over the years, his Water and Fire Control Technique had long since reached the Great Success Realm. The power of even these casually formed Water Arrows was not to be underestimated.

Under the wide-scale, indiscriminate barrage of Water Arrows, the attacker hidden amongst the clouds was finally forced to reveal himself. He was an old man in a red robe, his long, scarlet hair particularly striking.

”And who might you be?” Song Changsheng demanded.

Even though his opponent had appeared, he didn’t dare to act rashly. After all, he had two juniors with him on the Flying Ship. It wouldn’t do to fall for a ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain.

”I am the Red Flame Ancestor. I have destroyed your Flying Ship’s propulsion system, so you have no hope of escape. Leave behind your valuables as payment for your life, and this Ancestor will spare you.”

the red-haired old man declared, three Fireballs orbiting him as he spoke with utter contempt.

”These days, any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to call themselves an ’Ancestor.’ Couldn’t you find a better line of work than highway robbery? Now, die!”

Song Changsheng couldn’t be bothered to waste any more words on him. He clenched his right hand in the air, and a Water Spear formed of pure Water Spiritual Power appeared. He immediately hurled it toward the old man.

The seven-foot-long Water Spear split into two in mid-air, then two into four, and in an instant, a flood of them filled the red-haired man’s entire field of vision.

The old man’s face twitched. ’These bastards,’ he cursed inwardly. ’I told them we’d kicked an iron plate.’

Though he was complaining internally, his movements were anything but slow. With a flick of his wrist, a large, crimson banner appeared in his hand. A gentle wave sent a torrent of raging flames sweeping out, clearing the sky of the countless Water Spears.

He then shot forward, unleashing a torrent of Fireballs from the banner that surged toward the Flying Ship.

’Late-stage Foundation Establishment, a Middle-Grade Spiritual Artifact... Can it be the Chi Huo Old Ghost?’

As the Wind Language Hall’s intelligence network expanded, any Cultivator in the Daqi Cultivation World with even a little renown was recorded in their files. Song Changsheng had long since committed these files to memory, and he immediately made the connection.

’Hmph. Just as I suspected!’ Song Changsheng sneered inwardly.

The Chi Huo Old Ghost belonged to a Loose Cultivator group called the Taotie Demon Hunting Team. Though they called themselves a Demon Hunting Team, they were in fact a gang of outright ”bandits” who were active in the northern part of the Daqi Cultivation World, stopping at no evil. He hadn’t expected them to run all the way to Yang Province.

’This fiend is a core member of the Taotie Adventurer Group. Since he’s here, the others must be lying in ambush nearby.’

Facing the overwhelming sea of flames, Song Changsheng paid it no mind. With a sweep of his sleeve, the entire torrent of fire reversed its course and rolled back toward its source.

The Water and Fire Control Technique wasn’t just for controlling water!

The Chi Huo Old Ghost’s face fell. He swung his large banner, wrapping himself within it as it absorbed all of the returning flames.

”Don’t just wait there! This one’s tough! Attack together!” he roared, poking his head out before waving the large banner again to release another blast of scorching flames.

Immediately, two figures appeared on either side of the Flying Ship, with a third appearing directly above. All three simultaneously launched their attacks at Song Changsheng, who stood firm on the vessel’s deck.

’One at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection and two at Early-stage Foundation Establishment. Looks like the entire Taotie Demon Hunting Team has turned out.’ Song Changsheng’s expression remained unchanged; this was exactly what he had anticipated.

”Then let’s see what you’ve got!” With a wave of his sleeve, Song Changsheng sent the Luwu Bell to protect Song Qingxi and Song Qingxing inside the cabin.

He then unleashed Fleeting Shadows. His figure vanished from the stern, reappearing the next instant in front of one of the Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

”Wha—You—”

The man’s face went white with shock; he hadn’t seen how Song Changsheng had even gotten there.

”Die!”

Holding the Celestial Measuring Ruler, Song Changsheng brought it crashing down on the man’s head.

CRACK!

The man tried to parry with his Long Sword, but with a sharp crack, the Tier Two Low-Grade flying sword, forged from cold iron, instantly snapped in two.

The iron ruler struck his head. In that instant, his skull shattered. He was left half-dead as he plummeted from the sky, his fate unknown.

Losing an Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator in a single exchange sent a chill down the spines of the Chi Huo Old Ghost and the others. No longer daring to fight alone, they converged around the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator and charged Song Changsheng together.

’I’ll use you all to test out my new move!’

Song Changsheng’s eyes were glacial. In a few quick flashes, he was hovering above their heads.

Other than the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator, none of them could even perceive how Song Changsheng had vanished and reappeared.

Song Changsheng looked down upon them from on high, his eyes utterly cold, as he calmly extended his right hand.

A sliver of the power stored in his Dantian was drawn out. A gray Qi Vortex gathered in his palm, coalescing into a great, illusory seal that radiated a heart-stopping aura.

’Little Divine Technique... Mountain-Flipping Seal.’

The Chi Huo Old Ghost and his men felt their vision blur. A great seal, inscribed with mountains and rivers, had materialized out of thin air and was now falling upon them.

In that moment, their hearts stopped beating...

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