Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

In the sky above Heavenly Blade Peak, a hundred-meter-long phantom of a heavenly blade hung in the air as the terrifying saber intent poured downward.

Lin Zheyu stepped into the vicinity, and after adapting to the feeling of being completely enveloped by the saber intent, he slowly began to climb. Within the shroud of saber intent, his mind seemed trapped in a mire of countless razor-sharp blades. No matter how he struggled, there was no escape. Every attempt only brought more pain, so all he could do was endure in silence as he adapted to and comprehended the meaning contained within the saber intent.

”How wondrous. So this is true intent?” Lin Zheyu murmured softly.

True intent was Li Mengxi’s term for ’intent’ and corresponded to the true intent diagram. Enveloped by the saber intent, even Lin Zheyu’s spirit was affected. His senses felt as though they were covered by a thin veil, becoming hazy and indistinct. This ability to cloud perception was very likely a form of true intent as well.

Lin Zheyu truly could not imagine what level of strength a martial artist must possess to unleash such a powerful saber intent. Comprehending even one type of true intent required a great amount of time. Understanding it and integrating it into true strength required even more.

A martial artist’s lifespan was limited. After the transformation of the Marrow Refining realm, the body gained renewed vitality and could generally live to about two hundred years. However, even martial artists in the Grandmaster realm were said to struggle to surpass three hundred. Only by breaking through to the Martial Innate realm could one possibly extend life further.

A martial artist’s time was limited. Most chose to specialize in one or perhaps two or three forms of intent. Comprehending more types did not necessarily mean stronger power. Refining a single true intent to its peak could also grant immense strength. For a saber intent to contain so many true intents, each cultivated to such a terrifying degree, was unimaginable.

”Could this saber intent have been created by a Martial Innate realm martial artist? Or could it be one of the legendary cultivators?” Lin Zheyu muttered.

He looked up towards the sky at the saber intent hanging above. To condense a saber intent phantom a hundred meters long above Heavenly Blade Peak and maintain it for half a month was far too shocking. It was difficult to believe that a martial artist could create such a spectacle.

Since this was his first time experiencing such a vast and awe-inspiring saber intent, Lin Zheyu was momentarily stunned and distracted. But he quickly recovered and began to immerse himself in comprehension.

Heavenly Blade Peak was extremely steep. From the base to the summit, it rose more than 3,600 meters into the clouds. From afar, the peak was capped with glistening snow. After entering the range of the saber intent, Li Mengxi sprinted upward at astonishing speed, climbing over a thousand meters before slowing down. The other martial artists did the same. Many of them had climbed Heavenly Blade Peak before. Only Lin Zheyu was experiencing it for the first time.

Lin Zheyu’s mind was calm and unhurried. He paid no attention to the martial artists who passed him as they climbed. Holding the Golden Scale Saber, he ascended slowly, step by step, sensing the gradual strengthening of the saber intent around him. From time to time, he swung his blade to test his understanding.

Lin Zheyu had studied saber techniques as well and had already cultivated the Sixfold Saber and Raging Wind Slash to perfection. Compared to his fist techniques, his saber techniques were not much weaker. The Barbaric Ox Fist was merely a third-rate fist technique, yet its tremendous latent potential, combined with momentum, allowed it to exhibit several times its usual power. That was why Lin Zheyu used it as his primary offensive method.

If one separated momentum from the technique, his mastery of fist techniques was actually comparable to his saber technique. His formidable offensive power did not come from the sheer strength of any single technique but from combining multiple techniques into one cohesive whole. In particular, he had cultivated the blood qi burst technique from the Mountain Shattering Palm to the point of using it freely as if it were ordinary blood qi. Only then could he unleash strength far exceeding his base abilities.

”The sharpness of the blade, the mental haze, and the essence of wind. There are too many,” Lin Zheyu murmured as he sensed the various forms of true intent contained within the saber intent. With so many true intents present, he could not possibly comprehend them all, so he needed to choose.

The essence of wind can be slowly understood from the true art I am about to obtain, so there is no need for that. Among the many forms of true intent, the only one I have touched is the Dominance momentum from the Barbaric Ox Fist. The saber intent also contains a similar true intent, so perhaps I can begin with this one, Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

Biting off more than he could chew would only hinder him, so he needed to pick carefully. He was confident that as long as he had the true intent diagram, he would have no problem comprehending the corresponding true intent later. There was no need to waste this opportunity on that. As for the other true intents, the one that clouded the mind fascinated him greatly. It was far too mysterious and dreamlike.

When he attempted to truly focus, clearing away distractions and ignoring the other true intents, the thin veil over his mind thickened. He seemed to sink into a hazy realm where he could perceive nothing. Everything felt dreamlike and illusory. This true intent was too profound. Even if he wanted to comprehend it, he had no way to begin.

Lin Zheyu understood his limits. With his current martial cultivation realm, attempting to comprehend such an unfathomable true intent would likely end in failure. It would be like grasping for the moon in water or drawing water with a bamboo basket. If he was not planning to comprehend the wind-related true intent, then the Dominance true intent in the saber intent was the most suitable for him.

If this Dominance momentum could transform into intent, what properties would it have? Would true strength become unreasonably powerful? Or could it suppress other forms of intent? Lin Zheyu pondered.

According to Li Mengxi, different forms of true intent granted different effects to true strength. A true intent containing the essence of wind could greatly reduce wind resistance and increase the speed of blades, as well as the martial artist. A true intent with the essence of fire could make true strength incomparably hot, like blazing flames with powerful burning effects. A true intent containing sharpness could make blades sharper, unstoppable, and unbreakable.

Lin Zheyu speculated that if his fist momentum transformed into true intent, it might grant brutally overwhelming power. It might also enhance physical strength. Under the momentum of the Barbaric Ox Fist, every punch felt heavy and unstoppable. It carried the Dominance of breaking all techniques with one force, an overwhelming power that allowed nothing to stand before it. The Dominance within the fist momentum of the Barbaric Ox Fist was a form of sheer force that crushed all else.

***

As Lin Zheyu continued climbing, the higher he went, the stronger the mountain winds became. On the steep mountainside, he advanced steadily, leaving clear footprints behind him. A surge of powerful Dominance rose from his body, yet under the crushing saber intent, it was forced back into him.

How overwhelmingly dominant. When I tried to comprehend the Dominance true intent within the saber intent, it actually grew stronger and directly forced my gathered momentum back into my body, Lin Zheyu thought in awe.

He continued climbing. The closer he came to the summit, the more terrifying the saber intent became. Even with his mental toughness, he felt intense discomfort, and his breathing grew strained. After climbing more than a thousand meters, Lin Zheyu stopped at a small platform. He planted the Golden Scale Saber beside him, took his stance, and began practicing the Barbaric Ox Fist. Using the fist technique to stir his momentum, he sought to perceive the Dominance true intent within the saber intent. By reflecting one against the other, he aimed to comprehend a Dominance true intent of his own.

***

”Such a steady temperament. Not anxious, not impatient, undisturbed by outside influences, grounded and advancing one step at a time.”

Li Mengxi climbed to the midpoint of the mountain and stopped to rest. He swept his gaze across the martial artists below, then looked toward Lin Zheyu, who was still climbing at an unhurried pace. He truly admired this martial artist who had emerged from a remote region. Even in the Central Plains, martial artists who could cultivate lightness techniques and movement techniques to such a level were exceedingly rare. It required remarkable natural talent and relentless day and night cultivation.

”Huh? Is he practicing the Barbaric Ox Fist? Is Brother Zhao not supposed to be comprehending the wind-related true intent? Is he trying to comprehend the Dominance within the saber intent instead?” Li Mengxi felt puzzled. He did not understand what Zhao Hao was thinking.

Li Mengxi pondered for a moment, and soon a strange expression formed on his face.

Could this fellow be thinking that as long as he obtains the true technique, he can rely on the true intent diagram to comprehend the true intent contained within? So he does not plan to waste this opportunity on the wind-related true intent but instead intends to comprehend the Dominance within the saber intent?

In his view, even with a true intent diagram, comprehending true intent from it was extremely difficult. Otherwise, martial artists who advanced to the Force Transformation realm would not be so rare. The true intent diagram was merely a catalyst, or a chance for martial artists to bypass the stage of forging their martial conviction and directly attempt to comprehend true intent. Once the opportunity was given, whether one could truly comprehend it depended entirely on natural talent, perseverance, and a touch of fortune.