Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

”You’re an Artifact Spirit without even a physical form. Aren’t you afraid of biting your tongue when you talk so big?” Song Changsheng sneered. At first, he hadn’t detected the creature’s aura, which was how it had managed to ambush him.

But now that his opponent had revealed itself, Song Changsheng had nothing to fear.

A Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact that awakens to Spiritual Wisdom becomes a Magical Treasure. Calling this intelligence an Artifact Spirit was a bit of a stretch, as it lacked a physical form. Separated from its master, the power it could wield was extremely limited.

Although it had offered to spare his life, its words only exposed the fact that it was all bark and no bite.

All Song Changsheng had to do was erase its Spiritual Wisdom. Not only would he gain a precious Magical Treasure, but the Grand Array would also collapse on its own.

Sure enough, seeing Song Changsheng’s resolve remain unshaken, the Artifact Spirit inside the iron pot began to panic. It blustered, ”If you don’t leave now, you will die without a burial place when my master returns!”

Its words served as a reminder to Song Changsheng. He had to end this quickly. Otherwise, once that Judgment Envoy was free, all would be lost.

At this thought, Song Changsheng wasted no more words. He protected himself with the Tai Chi Diagram and formed a hand seal, causing the image of a Brocade River and Mountain to materialize.

”Little Divine Technique—Mountain-Flipping Seal!”

BOOM—

A seemingly solid grand seal smashed forward, causing the entire cloud cluster to tremble.

A crackling sound immediately erupted from within the iron pot. Streaks of Thunderbolt surged out, clashing with the Mountain-Flipping Seal.

Without its master’s Mana for support, the iron pot was clearly outmatched. The Thunderbolt it released failed to block the grand seal, and its main body was sent staggering back from the impact.

”Demon-Binding Rope, go!”

With a loud cry, Song Changsheng sent an emerald vine shooting out of his Storage Bag. It whipped against the iron pot like a lash, producing a dull thud.

Although the Artifact Spirit in the iron pot desperately released bolts of Thunderbolt, they had no effect on the Demon-Binding Rope.

After all, the Demon-Binding Rope was the original body of a Law Spirit Fruit that had successfully overcome its Celestial Tribulation. If even the tribulation couldn’t harm it, what chance did this meager Thunderbolt stand?

Braving the Thunderbolt, Song Changsheng whipped the iron pot again and again, making it spin wildly in the air like a giant top.

The damage was minimal, but the humiliation was immense.

”How dare you!” The Artifact Spirit was utterly furious. It had never seen a ”Spirit” bullied so mercilessly.

”I am daring, so what are you going to do about it?” Song Changsheng’s gaze was like a knife. He formed another hand seal, and the Mountain-Flipping Seal descended again, smashing the iron pot out of the sky.

His previous actions were not intended to humiliate the Artifact Spirit, but rather to sever the iron pot’s connection to the Grand Array. This time, his strike succeeded.

Once the iron pot was knocked down, its lid snapped shut, and it was quickly entangled and secured by the Demon-Binding Rope.

”I’m going to erase your Spiritual Wisdom right now. Let’s see you act so arrogant then!” Song Changsheng had no intention of wasting any more words on it. ’An Artifact Spirit can never betray its master. Keeping it alive will only be a hidden danger. It’s better to just erase it!’

’At worst, I can cultivate a new Artifact Spirit in the future. It’ll be time-consuming and difficult, but that’s far better than keeping a ticking time bomb around.’

Song Changsheng’s vast Divine Sense surged forth, beginning the process of forcibly erasing the Artifact Spirit...

Meanwhile, Song Xianming and Yuann Tianshu were on the verge of defeat. The enraged Judgment Envoy had resorted to trading blow for blow—for every sword strike he took, he returned a punch. With this suicidal fighting style, he had the two of them completely suppressed. Without outside help, they would be defeated in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!

”Fellow Daoist Yuann, I will do my best to hold him off. Please take my juniors and leave!” Song Xianming sent to Yuann Tianshu via voice transmission, all while desperately using his Body Technique to evade.

”Fellow Daoist Song, if we leave, we leave together!” Yuann Tianshu’s brow furrowed. He was no deserter.

”Fellow Daoist Yuann, this matter has nothing to do with you. I am already immensely grateful that you stepped in to help. This is a feud between the Song Clan and the Thunder King Hall. You don’t need to die with me. Please, take Changsheng and go, so that one day, someone will be there to avenge this old man!”

”No one is going to die! We’ll all leave together!”

”Fellow Daoist Yuann, if we don’t go now, none of us will make it out.” Song Xianming gave a bitter smile. ’Someone has to stay behind and cover the retreat, and that person can only be me.’

Yuann Tianshu’s expression was grim, and he remained silent.

”Die!” the Judgment Envoy roared, swinging the Bronze War Halberd straight for Song Xianming’s head.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky and landed in front of Song Xianming.

The Bronze War Halberd descended, only to be blocked by a hazy barrier around the figure’s body. It was like hitting a rubber band—the halberd was instantly flung back. The Judgment Envoy’s towering frame staggered back several steps, and he nearly dropped his War Halberd.

”Celestial Spirit Shield?” Song Xianming’s eyes widened. He was all too familiar with this Little Divine Technique, but there was a world of difference between his execution of it and that of the white-robed Cultivator before him.

And in this world, only one person had cultivated this Little Divine Technique to such a level.

At that moment, the identity of the person before him became clear—the Blood Robe Asura, Bai Zhengchun!

Staring at the white-robed Cultivator standing proudly before him, a grave expression entered the Judgment Envoy’s eyes. The pressure this man exuded was no less than that of the Thunder King.

It wasn’t that Bai Zhengchun’s Cultivation had reached the Thunder King’s level, but that he projected an immense psychological pressure. It was as if he could see a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood surrounding the man.

”Bai Zhengchun?” the Judgment Envoy asked, his voice low.

”Judgment Envoy?” A playful smirk touched Bai Zhengchun’s lips. ’I thought this so-called Judgment Envoy was supposed to be powerful. It seems he’s nothing special after all.’

”Does Luoxia City intend to make an enemy of the Thunder King?” the Judgment Envoy asked, his tone laced with a veiled threat.

At his words, Bai Zhengchun sneered. ”Hah, the Thunder King? He’s nothing but a cowardly rat who hides his face. I’ll make myself clear right here and now: if anyone from the Thunder King Hall dares to take a single step into Daqi, I will kill them!

If you don’t believe me, you can have your precious Thunder King come and test me himself.”

The face under the Judgment Envoy’s mask paled. Others might only be making threats, but this man was definitely serious.

”Hmph. I hope Luoxia City won’t regret today’s choice!” the Judgment Envoy snorted, then turned to leave.

Bai Zhengchun’s figure flickered, blocking his path. ”You think you can come and go as you please?” he said, his voice chilling. ”Do you take Daqi for a place with no one to defend it?”

”What do you want?” The Judgment Envoy finally chose to compromise. Compared to completing his mission, his own life was far more important.

”Seeing as there were no casualties, I’ll allow you to leave your head behind and let your Divine Soul go free,” Bai Zhengchun stated nonchalantly.

”Don’t push your luck!” The Judgment Envoy was both shocked and furious. As a Body Refiner, losing his Physical Body meant losing everything. No one could possibly agree to such a demand.

SWOOSH

Bai Zhengchun’s figure vanished. An instant later, a bloody hole erupted on the Judgment Envoy’s shoulder.

The Judgment Envoy grunted, but his heart was filled with horror. He hadn’t seen Bai Zhengchun’s movements at all. ’How could Bai Zhengchun be this powerful?’

”If you won’t give it to me, I’ll take it myself!” Bai Zhengchun’s pupils instantly turned scarlet as a terrifying Evil Qi surged from him, chilling all who witnessed it.

”Do you think you have me cornered?” the Judgment Envoy roared, flinging a dark, round ball with a wave of his hand.

Bai Zhengchun’s brow furrowed, and he rapidly retreated. The ball instantly exploded, shining as brightly as a small sun.

When the brilliant light faded, the Judgment Envoy was already thousands of miles away.

”Do you think you can escape?” Bai Zhengchun sneered, transforming into a streak of light and pursuing him.

Suddenly, the desperately fleeing Judgment Envoy coughed up a mouthful of blood. His aura instantly withered, and he nearly plummeted from the sky.

This sudden development stunned not only Song Xianming and Yuann Tianshu, but even left Bai Zhengchun slightly surprised.

The Judgment Envoy glanced back toward Song Changsheng’s position, his eyes filled with disbelief and venomous hatred. He had never imagined that insignificant ant could have erased his Magical Treasure’s Artifact Spirit, dealing him a devastating blow at such a critical moment!

By now, Bai Zhengchun, wreathed in overwhelming Evil Qi, had caught up. With nowhere left to run, the Judgment Envoy could only burn his Essence Blood for one last, desperate fight.

The time it would take an incense stick to burn later, a powerful body came crashing down from the sky...

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