Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

”’Ten Thousand Troop Steps, when cultivated to a profound level, lets one take the enemy general’s head amid ten thousand troops.’ Such arrogant words.”

Lin Zheyu flipped through it, and those words were written on the very first page. He had experienced battle formations firsthand. Setting aside 10000 troops, even a formation of 100 elite soldiers left him with no choice but to flee.

Lin Zheyu did not continue reading. He put away the manual, the gloves, and the seven jade bottles, then left quickly. The people of the Nine Nether Sect were rather sinister, and he feared that lingering even for a moment longer would let them catch up again.

By the time Lin Zheyu returned to Songyi City, the sky had already grown dim. Upon reaching the courtyard, he could not wait to inspect the day’s haul. He first took out the black silver glove. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and it felt cool and supple to the touch, but it did not suit him. The man’s hands had been thicker and larger, so it was a bit loose when he put it on. Otherwise, wearing these gloves and using the Barbaric Ox Fist against an enemy would likely work well.

I do not know what these gloves are made of, but they can block slashes from blades. They are certainly a treasure, and selling them should fetch a good amount of silver.

Not only could the gloves be sold, but the techniques could be sold as well. The techniques taught by Master Liang Song could not be sold, but the ones taken from the man in the black and red robe would be fine. Lin Zheyu took out the manual, which was a hand-copied booklet. The technique recorded in it should be the movement technique the man had displayed earlier.

It is actually a technique that can help someone cultivate directly to the Blood Qi Realm.

Lin Zheyu was a little surprised. A technique like that was far more valuable than an ordinary one. He read through it carefully, and a hint of delight gradually surfaced on his face.

Ten Thousand Troop Steps was a powerful leg technique with a total of five stages, and when cultivated to its peak, it could help one reach the third transformation of blood qi. It was said that once mastered to a profound level, it allowed one to take the enemy general’s head amid ten thousand troops as easily as reaching into a bag. That was, of course, an exaggerated claim.

However, without the presence of a battle formation, such a feat was not entirely impossible. In terms of agility and footwork, Ten Thousand Troop Steps far surpassed the Golden Goose Technique. The Golden Goose Technique was a balanced art, combining offense, speed, and agility.

Ten Thousand Troop Steps, on the other hand, focused entirely on agility and movement, containing no offensive moves. Its main purpose was to enhance close-range dodging and maneuverability. When trained to an advanced level, one could move as nimbly as a loach, weaving freely back and forth through an army. In a clash between armies, if one’s strength was great enough, it was entirely possible to seize the enemy commander’s head amid the troops as easily as picking something from a bag.

This technique should fetch a few hundred taels of silver if sold, thought Lin Zheyu, feeling rather pleased.

Setting the manual aside, he began examining the jade bottles. He had taken a total of seven jade bottles from the man in the black and red robe.

This one seems to be poison... This one too... And this one is an antidote...

Lin Zheyu roughly identified the contents of the jade bottles by their scent. He had studied the Toxicology Codex for some time and had gained a basic understanding of various herbs, enough to roughly determine the uses of unknown substances.

Two bottles of poison, one bottle of Blood Pills, and these three should contain antidotes. As for this bottle... What is this? Are these medicinal pills?

Lin Zheyu held the last bottle, which contained four pills. The fragrance was extremely rich, and with just a light sniff, he felt refreshed in body and mind. It seemed to be some kind of potent restorative pill.

I’ll put them away for now. They might be useful later, and even if not, they’ll fetch a good price, thought Lin Zheyu.

Although the man had no silver on him, the items he carried were of considerable value. The bottle containing Blood Pills held three pills, and with the one he had seized earlier, he now had four in total. Each Blood Pill could easily sell for over 100 or even 200 taels of silver, and he also had the manual and the gloves. Lin Zheyu had struck it rich this time!

With this, even cultivating the Golden Goose Technique up to the seventh stage won’t leave me worried about money!

There were still six days before the black market opened. Lin Zheyu did not leave the city again. He did not know how the man in the black and red robe had tracked him before, but the Nine Nether Sect likely possessed tracking methods unknown to him. If he went out again, he might very well be hunted down.

Until his strength rose to the third transformation of blood qi, enough to face that priest without fear, Lin Zheyu did not intend to leave the city alone again. He spent most of his time at home, cultivating Ten Thousand Troop Steps and the Sixfold Saber techniques.

Ten Thousand Troop Steps, being a technique focused entirely on agility and movement, complemented the Golden Goose Technique extremely well.

Two days later, at the Xu Residence.

Whoosh!

Xu Qinyi lunged forward sharply, his leg sweeping across in a wide arc and chopping hard toward Lin Zheyu’s waist. Lin Zheyu raised his left fist to block, stepped forward with his right foot, and threw a straight punch at Xu Qinyi’s chest.

Bang!

A dull thud rang out as Xu Qinyi lost his balance and staggered back several steps.

”Brother Lin, your strength is truly impressive. I am in awe!” Xu Qinyi clasped his hands and spoke with a faint, bitter smile on his face.

Among the younger generation of the Xu Family, he was considered the most talented—the genius of the family. At only sixteen, he had already cultivated to the mid-stage of the Organ Forging Realm, and his future prospects included breaking through to the third or even fourth transformation of blood qi.

The elders of the Xu Family placed great hopes upon him. Yet against Lin Zheyu, who had trained for less than half a year and was only at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, he had actually lost. And this was even without Lin Zheyu using momentum.

”I only happen to excel in leg techniques and relied on my movement to gain an edge,” Lin Zheyu said with a smile.

Only after fighting that Blood Qi First Transformation expert from the Nine Nether Sect last time did he truly grasp the importance of lightness techniques and movement in actual combat. In terms of strength and martial cultivation realm, he and that Nine Nether Sect expert were evenly matched.

But because Lin Zheyu had cultivated the Golden Goose Technique to a level of mastery, his movements were graceful, unpredictable, and his advance and retreat flowed entirely at his will. The Nine Nether Sect man, having not mastered Ten Thousand Troop Steps, could not even touch Lin Zheyu to counterattack and could only take blows passively.

”Leg techniques are also a part of one’s strength, and they are extremely difficult to master. Reaching Brother Lin’s level requires not only diligent practice but also exceptional talent,” said Ren Qingfeng, who was watching from the side.

Today, it was only the two of them; even Xu Yuxiang and Ren Qingying were not present. Chen Xihong, disheartened by Chen Mu’s blow, had also joined the City Guard and went out daily with the troops to eliminate bandits outside Songyi City.

The group moved to a nearby pavilion to sit, where the maids had already prepared refreshments and warmed wine.

”Speaking of leg techniques, during my last outing, I picked up a rather good leg technique manual from a bandit. I want to sell it, but I have no good channels to do so,” Lin Zheyu commented. ”Do either of you have any good suggestions?”

”A good leg technique manual is a rare treasure. I wonder to what level this one can be cultivated. If it’s truly a good one, I would buy a copy,” said Ren Qingfeng with growing interest.

”This technique is called Ten Thousand Troop Steps, a movement art focused on agility, and said to allow one to take the enemy general’s head amid ten thousand troops when mastered to a profound level. Though somewhat exaggerated, it indeed has its unique merits. The technique has five stages in total and can help one cultivate to the third transformation of blood qi. In Songyi City, it is considered a fine manual,” said Lin Zheyu.

Hearing Ren Qingfeng say he was willing to buy it, his eyes lit up. He was currently short on money, having accumulated ten units of Origin Force that he could not freely use without enough medicinal power as energy for advancement.

”A leg technique that can help one cultivate to the third transformation of blood qi is considered a rare treasure among second-rate arts. If it’s as powerful as Brother Lin says, I would like to buy a copy too!” said Xu Qinyi with a smile.

A leg technique with such prowess, and one focused on agility at that, was not often seen. Buying it to enrich the Xu Family’s collection and give their disciples more choices, or even just as a reference, would be quite worthwhile.

”Let me demonstrate it for you. I’ve only had it for two days and mastered just the basics. Please forgive any shortcomings,” said Lin Zheyu as he stood and cupped his hands.

He stepped into the open space, recalled the contents of Ten Thousand Troop Steps, and began to move. With a foundation in the Golden Goose Technique, he had managed to cultivate Ten Thousand Troop Steps close to Perfection of the second stage in just two days.

Within a one-square-meter area, Lin Zheyu weaved and dodged continuously. His movements were extremely agile. Even while charging forward, he could abruptly halt his momentum and veer left in defiance of inertia, before accelerating again in a strange motion.

As he moved, his body twisted and shifted like a roly-poly toy, darting left and right in wide motions yet maintaining perfect balance and unchanging speed. It gave off an ethereal, ghostlike impression.

Xu Qinyi and Ren Qingfeng exchanged glances, their eyes showing a hint of shock. It was not just because Lin Zheyu had cultivated a new technique to such a degree in just two days, but also because of his remarkable control. To achieve such movements required extraordinary control over one’s body.