Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

The importance of an intelligence network goes without saying.

For any faction, not having a mature intelligence network is like being blind and deaf.

This is a fatal weakness. The entire Song Clan recognized this, which led to the creation of the Wind Language Hall, but manpower has always been a persistent problem.

After Song Luyun took office, this issue had caused her no small amount of grief. After much thought, she finally set her sights on the two hundred thousand people they had absorbed from the Earth Fire Sect.

Out of two hundred thousand people, they could find at least five or six with Spirit Roots each year. Every little bit helps, right?

However, at the last major clan meeting, Song Changsheng had explicitly forbidden the people from those two cities from participating in the Immortal Ascension Conference for the next fifty years. That was why Song Luyun had made this special trip.

Song Changsheng frowned slightly. ’The loyalty of these people can’t be guaranteed yet. If they enter the Wind Language Hall and develop dissenting thoughts...’

Since she dared to propose it, Song Luyun was naturally prepared. She said bluntly, ”Clan Leader, perhaps you’re overthinking this?”

”Oh? How so?” Song Changsheng’s interest was piqued.

”I sent people to investigate specifically. In the years after Chang Wudao went into seclusion, a large number of mortals disappeared from the Liuyun Mountain Range. At first, it was just some small families, but later, even the Li Clan, the Qiu Clan, and the Earth Fire Sect itself experienced mass disappearances of mortals.

This incident caused a huge panic at the time, but Du Huating chose to handle it coldly, and it was eventually swept under the rug, leading to great dissatisfaction.

Chang Wudao has fallen into the Demon Dao and practices the Blood Demon Technique. I have every reason to suspect that Chang Wudao is the true culprit behind the harm that befell those mortals!

Tell me, if we spread this news, would these people, who already lack any unity, have any loyalty left for the Earth Fire Sect?” Song Luyun’s eyes glinted, as if she could already see the scene of the Earth Fire Sect completely losing the people’s support.

”Then go ahead and try. If you can win their hearts, it would be a good thing for the clan,” Song Changsheng nodded.

”As you command.” A smile immediately bloomed on Song Luyun’s face.

”The Luoxia City auction is coming up soon. When are you and Uncle Tong planning to leave?”

”We plan to leave in the next day or two. The clan has prepared a batch of supplies. After selling them in Luoxia City, we should be able to get around one hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Adding the two hundred thousand Spirit Stones the clan has already prepared, it should be enough to bid for five to seven Foundation Establishment Pills.”

”Mm. The competition is bound to be fierce this time. Bid boldly. As long as you can win five Foundation Establishment Pills, you will be great contributors to the clan.”

Preparing three hundred thousand Spirit Stones just to bid for five Foundation Establishment Pills meant an average of sixty thousand Spirit Stones per pill. That was double the market price!

But there was no other choice. Foundation Establishment Pills were too sought-after. It was now or never. They had to buy them, even at a premium!

”It’s a pity that several of the main ingredients within the clan haven’t produced seeds yet. Otherwise, refining two batches of Foundation Establishment Pills would have been enough,” Song Luyun sighed. The clan’s foundation was still a bit too shallow. They couldn’t be self-sufficient, or they wouldn’t have to be such suckers.

”The growth cycles of these Spirit Medicines are naturally slow. There’s nothing to be done about it. We will have to worry about Foundation Establishment Pills for a long time to come.”

”Master, slow-growing Spirit Medicines can be accelerated with a Magical Artifact that can alter the flow of time,” Little Ninth’s voice suddenly echoed in Song Changsheng’s mind.

Song Changsheng’s mouth twitched. ’Of course I know that altering the flow of time can accelerate the growth of Spirit Plants. But I’m powerless to do anything about it! A treasure of that level... even if we sold off the entire Song Clan, people, land, and all, it still wouldn’t be enough.’

Little Ninth quickly realized the problem as well. Its current master was poor and still very weak.

So it quickly added, ”Using corresponding Spiritual Liquids can also accelerate the growth of Spirit Plants, though the effect isn’t as pronounced as altering the flow of time.”

”Spiritual Liquid?” Song Changsheng suddenly thought of Song Qingxi.

She had once relied on a Spiritual Liquid she concocted herself to elevate a Mortal Grade Cyan Plum Tree on Little Cyan Mountain to Tier One. Now, she was over at the Wood Spirit Vein, researching all sorts of Spiritual Liquids to improve the quality of Spirit Plants. ’She seems to have a real talent for this. Maybe I should have her give it a try?’

”Clan Leader? Clan Leader?”

Song Changsheng snapped back to reality and found Song Luyun staring at him with a look of dissatisfaction. He realized he had zoned out; he hadn’t heard a single word she’d said after that.

”Ahem. You must be careful when you go to Luoxia City. After all, that Judgment Envoy from the Thunder King Hall has yet to show themself. You can go to the Treasure Vault and get a Talisman for protection before you leave.”

”Thank you for your concern, Clan Leader, but what I was just talking about was the issue of increasing the Wind Language Hall’s budget,” Song Luyun said, disgruntled.

”Oh, the budget. No problem, no problem at all.” Song Changsheng readily agreed. ’Running an intelligence network is a money-burning enterprise. You can’t be stingy with money spent on crucial matters.’

Seeing Song Changsheng agree so readily, a wide smile blossomed on Song Luyun’s face. Ever since Song Luzhou had stopped managing the clan’s finances, she felt like she had fewer wrinkles around her eyes.

The two of them talked for a while longer. By the time Song Changsheng left, it was already afternoon.

Just as he walked out of the Wind Language Hall, he faintly sensed a powerful aura.

’That direction is... the Martial Arts Arena?’ Song Changsheng mused, and headed in that direction.

Upon arriving at the Martial Arts Arena, he saw Song Changrong, Song Changxuan, and Song Chang’an standing in a triangular formation, each of them pushing their Heart Method to the absolute limit.

They seemed to be linked together by an invisible force. Though there were three of them, they gave off the impression of being a single person.

Furthermore, the aura they erupted with far surpassed their individual cultivation realms.

’The Three Talents Heavenly Star Array?’ Song Changsheng had a sudden realization. ’So they’re practicing a Combined Attack Skill. No wonder the aura feels both familiar and strange.’

This technique had been obtained from the Martial Spirit Sect’s Scripture Pavilion. After bringing it back, Song Changsheng had arranged for all eligible Foundation Establishment Cultivators to practice it.

According to his original plan, Song Lutong, Song Changxuan, and Song Changrong, who guarded the Marketplace, were to form one group, while Song Chang’an, Song Luyun, and Song Luzhou, who remained in the clan, would form another.

However, due to various reasons such as their cultivation realms and personalities, the results were not ideal. In the end, it was changed to Song Changxuan, Song Chang’an, and Song Changrong as one group.

And Song Luzhou, Song Xianyun, and Song Lutong as the other.

The best candidate for this group should have been Song Changsheng himself, but the Heart Method he cultivated was different from theirs, so they had to substitute him with the less-optimal Song Lutong.

Otherwise, if three Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivators used this Combined Attack Skill, they could even hold their own against a Purple Mansion Cultivator.

Since Song Changrong and Song Changxuan had to guard the Marketplace, they only returned to the clan once a week to practice. This was the first time Song Changsheng had chanced upon it, and he couldn’t help but be curious about the level of power they could currently unleash.

Thinking this, Song Changsheng leaped into the air, his palm forming a claw as he shot straight for Song Chang’an’s face.

Although it was sudden, the three showed no signs of panic. Song Chang’an retreated rapidly while Song Changxuan and Song Changrong flanked Song Changsheng from the left and right.

If Song Changsheng insisted on attacking Song Chang’an, he would be struck from two directions.

Song Changsheng didn’t dare to be arrogant. His figure flickered, and he gave up on Song Chang’an, turning to attack Song Changrong, who had the least combat experience.

Unexpectedly, Song Changrong didn’t dodge or evade. He stood his ground and formed a strange hand seal.

Song Changsheng was instantly enveloped by a strong sense of crisis. The next moment, illusory chains materialized out of thin air, sealing off all his escape routes and leaving him trapped.

At that moment, the trio’s attack arrived. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, and they advanced and retreated as a single entity. In contrast, Song Changsheng was caught in a bind, like a sitting duck.

”Excellent!”

Song Changsheng laughed heartily. He stopped deliberately suppressing his power. A majestic surge of Spiritual Power erupted from him, instantly shattering all the chains and sending the three of them flying.

”Heaven, Earth, and Man! Sun, Moon, and Stars! By the power of the Universe, we are everlasting!”

The three of them shouted in unison, and the aura around them instantly surged, causing even Song Changsheng to feel a slight pressure!

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