Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Returning to his courtyard, Lin Zheyu could no longer resist and immediately began to practice.

Under the bright moonlight, Lin Zheyu swung his saber again and again, each swing bringing about a satisfying sound in the wind. His new technique, Raging Wind Slash, consisted of nine forms. With his current martial cultivation and precise control over his blood qi, he grasped them with ease.

However, the true difficulty of Raging Wind Slash did not lie in its forms, but in comprehending and applying momentum. It was a martial art that combined the mastery of momentum, the redirection of force, and the accumulation of power. It was a complex technique that demanded deep understanding.

More than two hours after he began practicing, a powerful momentum started to surround Lin Zheyu. It was the same force he had once comprehended from the Barbaric Ox Fist, yet since that time, it had barely improved. It had even begun to show signs of decline. He had yet to forge a corresponding martial conviction, making it difficult to sustain that momentum.

He swung his saber, and his momentum qi condensed into a sharp flow that clung to the edge and cut through the air with the strike.

I was too optimistic before. To unleash a strike ten times stronger, I need momentum powerful enough to match it. With my current momentum, I can probably only reach about threefold power, Lin Zheyu muttered inwardly.

Martial arts that allowed one to exceed their limits were always difficult to cultivate, and each carried its own constraints. For example, the Mountain Shattering Palm demanded extreme control over one’s blood qi. After three consecutive strikes, it could no longer be sustained. Only by relying on the resilience granted by his Origin Force could Lin Zheyu execute the Mountain Shattering Palm sixteen times in succession.

The Raging Wind Slash shared similar limitations. Its entry requirement, understanding momentum, was enough to eliminate most martial artists. Once one grasped momentum, its strength directly determined the power the technique could unleash. If the momentum was weak, then even with accumulation and redirection, the technique could at most triple one’s power.

Threefold is fine. If I stack it with the blood qi burst technique, I can still reach nine times the power. However, I still need to find a way to improve my momentum soon. Otherwise, even if I reach the peak of the Marrow Refining Realm, I still might not comprehend intent.

Momentum was the seed of intent, and intent was the necessary foundation for advancing to the Force Transformation Realm. If he failed to comprehend intent, no amount of improvement would allow him to ascend to that level. At that point, he would have to look for another path and see if he could forge a different martial way of his own. Of course, that would be a last resort. If a stable, well-trodden path lay before him, it would naturally be the safest road to take.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 4]

[Skills: Raging Wind Slash (Initiation: 45%), Golden Goose Technique (Ninth Stage: 100%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 100%)]

Lin Zheyu glanced at the data within his consciousness. After just over two hours of training, his progress in Raging Wind Slash had already reached 45% of the Initiation stage.

Integrate the blood qi burst technique into Raging Wind Slash.

His thought rippled outward as he decided to directly merge the blood qi burst technique into Raging Wind Slash for enhancement. As his thought was transmitted, the data in his consciousness shifted.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 4]

[Skills: Raging Wind Slash (Initiation: 15%), Golden Goose Technique (Ninth Stage: 100%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 100%)]

Not much difference. When I trained the Mountain Shattering Palm, I had already tempered most of the muscles, tendons, and bones in my arms. They can endure multiple bursts of blood qi without issue.

Lin Zheyu looked again at the data in his consciousness, and everything was as expected. He then retrieved a pouch of Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder from the room. The last of several sets he had purchased remained unused, since his Golden Goose Technique had already reached Perfection.

He poured the powdered herbs of the Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder into a wooden basin and stirred them evenly with his right hand. A single set of Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder possessed the medicinal strength of ten sets of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction.

During his training of the Mountain Shattering Palm, Lin Zheyu had already tempered his arms once. To enhance them further, a set of Redfire Blood-Nourishing Powder would suffice. There might even be some left over.

If it were only about mastering Raging Wind Slash, 2 units of Origin Force would be enough to reach Perfection. But to fully integrate the blood qi burst technique, I’ll probably need 2 additional units of Origin Force.

Even with his experience in cultivating to the ninth stage of the Golden Goose Technique, certain subtle parts of his arms still required further tempering to withstand the violent surges of blood qi.

I’ll use 2 units of Origin Force first and see how far it takes me.Use 2 units of Origin Force to enhance Raging Wind Slash.

In an instant, mysterious energy surged forth, drawing the medicinal power from the basin to seep into his arms, chest, and abdomen. Raging Wind Slash differed from the Mountain Shattering Palm. The Mountain Shattering Palm primarily relied on the arms to trigger bursts of blood qi, but performing Raging Wind Slash required coordination of the chest and abdominal muscles.

Most of the tendons, muscles, and bones in those areas had already been strengthened during his advancement to the ninth stage of the Golden Goose Technique. Thus, there were not many areas left that needed further tempering while improving Raging Wind Slash.

Within his consciousness space, Lin Zheyu swung his long saber again and again, and with every strike, he unleashed the blood qi burst technique. Raging Wind Slash incorporated numerous techniques of redirection and power accumulation, and its mastery advanced fastest through actual combat. However, no opponents could manifest within his consciousness, so he could only rely on relentless self-practice, refinement, and contemplation.

In just a few breaths, time quietly slipped by. Lin Zheyu opened his eyes as his spirit returned from its meditative trance.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 2]

[Skills: Raging Wind Slash (Perfection), Golden Goose Technique (Ninth Stage: 100%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 100%)][1]

As expected, it really did require 4 units of Origin Force.

Lin Zheyu closed his eyes once more and continued his advancement.

Use 2 units of Origin Force to enhance Raging Wind Slash.

The thought was transmitted, and after several breaths, Lin Zheyu opened his eyes again.

Hu~.

He exhaled a long, turbid breath.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 0]

[Skills: Raging Wind Slash (Perfection), Golden Goose Technique (Ninth Stage: 100%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 100%)]

Within Lin Zheyu’s consciousness, Raging Wind Slash had reached the stage of Perfection. He gripped his long saber tightly, eager to test how powerful Raging Wind Slash would become when combined with the blood qi burst technique.

However, after glancing around the courtyard, he suppressed the urge. Even without the blood qi burst technique, a full-powered strike in his normal state would be more than the courtyard could withstand, let alone one empowered by it.

A normal saber can’t endure my full power anymore. I’ll need a black-iron saber. There are weapon vendors at the market down the mountain. I’ll take a look tomorrow to see if any fine black-iron sabers are for sale.

The city’s regulations on weapons were strict; no swords or sabers were allowed to be sold within its walls. The one in his courtyard was merely a dull practice saber.

The next morning, when dawn had barely broken.

Lin Zheyu awoke from meditation, feeling refreshed and clear-minded. The Tortoise Breath Grand Method was a remarkable technique that worked wonders in restoring essence, qi, and spirit. He hardly needed to sleep anymore, spending his nights meditating cross-legged to rest.

After leaving the city, Lin Zheyu found a secluded spot and disguised himself as a middle-aged man. When he reached the marketplace at the foot of the mountain, it was already bustling with activity despite the early hour. Having visited the market many times before, he was very familiar with its layout and went straight to the section where weapons were sold.

1. I’m not sure if the author made a mistake here or what, because the Raging Wind Slash is already at Perfection and Lin Zheyu still needs 2 more units to advance it. ☜