Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

Roar!

Within Soaring Serpent Mountain, the disciples of the Wuji Sect were locked in fierce combat with savage beasts and demon puppets. Demon puppets made up the majority. Only a small number of savage beasts, chased by the demon puppets, accidentally strayed into Soaring Serpent Mountain.

”Why are there so many demon puppets?”

Lin Zheyu watched the demon puppets appear in an endless stream and felt a trace of surprise. Their faces were ferocious, and their bodies were covered in purplish-black mottled patterns. They were exactly the insect-beasts Gu Ye had mentioned earlier.

”Martial Uncle!”

”Martial Uncle!”

The surrounding disciples all greeted Lin Zheyu.

”How are things? Has any disciple been injured?” Lin Zheyu asked. His eyes narrowed slightly as he swept his gaze around. He did not see the corpse of any Wuji Sect disciple.

”No. The demon puppets appearing now are relatively weak. The strongest are only at the Blood Qi stage. They were likely transformed not long ago,” Ke Haolin said.

”That is good.” Lin Zheyu nodded lightly.

With a light tap of his toes, his figure drifted toward a nearby tree. No particularly powerful demon puppets had appeared yet, but what would happen next was uncertain. To prevent any mishaps, he needed to remain here on guard.

Whoosh, rustle, rustle.

A gentle breeze swept past, swaying the trees and producing a rustling sound. Beastly roars and the sounds of battle rose and fell one after another.

The Baleful Yin force seems to have grown denser...

Lin Zheyu’s brows furrowed slightly.

Even at this distance from the space-time node, the Baleful Yin force could be sensed growing denser. One could only imagine how concentrated it must be closer to the source. If left unaddressed and allowed to maintain this concentration for a period of time, more and more savage beasts would be transformed into demon puppets.

”Ke Haolin, do you sense anything unusual?” Lin Zheyu asked softly.

Ke Haolin had just returned after killing a demon puppet in the Marrow Refining realm. Hearing Lin Zheyu’s words, he asked in confusion, ”Unusual? I am not sure what aspect you’re referring to?”

”Have you felt that the Baleful Yin force in the air seems to be growing increasingly dense?” Lin Zheyu asked softly.

He was somewhat curious whether the Baleful Yin force in the air could only be perceived by him, or whether others could sense it as well. Was it something that could only be detected after one reached a certain level of strength? Or even if one became strong enough, without a specific aptitude, would it remain imperceptible?

”I do not think so. I have not sensed even the slightest trace of Baleful Yin force. I only smell the unique stench of rot and decay from the demon puppets.” Ke Haolin pondered for a moment, then shook his head. However, he did not doubt Lin Zheyu’s words. The other party was stronger than him. It was only natural that he could perceive certain special things.

”Have you heard any other disciples mention the appearance of Baleful Yin force in the air?” Lin Zheyu asked casually.

He wanted to verify whether his conjecture was correct. Just like in immortal cultivation, did one need a special aptitude to sense spiritual qi or even Baleful Yin force?

”I actually have. Martial Uncle, please wait. I will call him over,” said Ke Haolin after a moment’s thought, and he hurried away.

Before long, a man covered in purplish black viscous fluid, with a claw mark on his arm, arrived before Lin Zheyu.

”Yun Qing greets Martial Uncle,” said the man, bowing respectfully to Lin Zheyu.

Lin Zheyu glanced at the injury on Yun Qing’s arm and said softly, ”Treat your wound first. Recovery will not be easy if the Baleful Yin force has eroded it too deeply.”

Yun Qing nodded, took the medicinal treatment from another disciple, and simply dressed the wound.

”Did you summon me for something important?” Yun Qing asked.

”I heard from Ke Haolin that you can sense the Baleful Yin force in the air?” replied Lin Zheyu.

”Yes. I could not before, but not long after that space-time node was broken open, I began to sense a sinister and evil energy permeating the air,” Yun Qing said.

Lin Zheyu asked a few more related questions before letting Yun Qing return to rest.

Only a small portion of people can sense it. Whether one can sense it has nothing to do with strength, but the clarity of perception of the Baleful Yin force is related to strength. It is undoubtedly connected to aptitude.

Regardless of whether he would walk the path of immortal cultivation in the future, aptitude was necessary. What was certain was that Lin Zheyu likely possessed the aptitude for immortal cultivation. As for the grade of his natural talent, that remained unclear.

***

Time slowly passed.

By the early hours of the next morning, the entire mountain forest had still not quieted down. The number of demon puppets had gradually decreased, but those that appeared were growing stronger.

”Bring me a set of tungsten chains,” Lin Zheyu instructed a Wuji Sect disciple beside him.

As the demon puppets grew increasingly powerful, he conceived the idea of capturing one alive for study. Soon, the tungsten chains were brought over. Tungsten was an extremely hard metal, capable of restraining even weaker martial artists in the Force Transformation realm. Lin Zheyu held the chains and waited for a long time. It was not until the hour of Chou[1], around three in the morning, that an enraged roar of a demon puppet rang out. Lin Zheyu’s eyes lit up instantly.

”It’s here! Around the peak of the Marrow Refining realm. That makes for excellent research material.”

The corners of Lin Zheyu’s mouth curved slightly upward. His figure moved and vanished from the spot.

Bang!

A muffled impact echoed out. It was followed by several earth-shaking roars. The sheer volume and force of the momentum qi made even Ke Haolin and Yun Qing feel a trace of alarm.

Ke Haolin retreated within the defensive line and asked with a frown, ”A big one has arrived. Where is Martial Uncle?”

”Martial Uncle went that way. He took the tungsten chains. It seems he intends to capture that demon puppet alive,” another inner sect disciple said, swallowing nervously.

From the sound alone, one could sense the demon puppet’s power. It had nearly reached the peak of the Marrow Refining realm. Due to the inherent traits of demon puppets, killing one at this stage required several Marrow Refining realm martial artists working together, or the intervention of a Force Transformation realm martial artist.

”Martial Uncle went alone?” Ke Haolin was slightly startled. He had intended to call Lin Zheyu, along with several fellow disciples at the Marrow Refining realm, to join forces. He had not expected Lin Zheyu to go by himself.

”Do not worry. It should be fine. During the day, Martial Uncle killed a powerful living corpse demon puppet and even survived an assassination attempt by a yao martial artist at the Force Transformation realm. A mere peak Marrow Refining realm demon puppet should not be his match.”

Someone spoke up. He had followed Lin Zheyu during the day and was responsible for the first defensive line on the western side.

”Oh?” Ke Haolin was slightly taken aback. He had just been about to say something when he realized the demon puppet’s roar was drawing closer and closer. He suddenly turned toward the direction of the demon puppet and could not help widening his eyes.

”I told you so.” The person who had spoken earlier chuckled.

Lin Zheyu had only been gone for a short while, yet he had already captured that peak Marrow Refining realm demon puppet alive and brought it back.

”This... Ranked fifty-third on the Hidden Dragon List, and already this powerful?” exclaimed Ke Haolin with shock.

He was a veteran inner sect disciple. His strength had already reached the peak of the Marrow Refining realm, and he was capable of breaking through to the Force Transformation realm. However, Ke Haolin was unwilling to advance just yet. He intended to comprehend several more types of true intent before making the breakthrough. Otherwise, once a true intent was condensed, it would become far more difficult to integrate new true intents into his true strength.

Ke Haolin reckoned that if he had gone himself, he would only have been able to stall that demon puppet at best. He would not have posed any real threat. Yet Lin Zheyu had captured it alive in such a short time. It was simply unbelievable. Capturing it alive was far more difficult than killing it outright.

”Yun Qing, Ke Haolin, the two of you escort this demon puppet to the mid-mountainside and lock it up. Leave this place to me. Be careful and do not let it escape.” Lin Zheyu tossed the tightly bound demon puppet at Yun Qing’s feet and instructed softly.

”Yes, Martial Uncle!” Ke Haolin snapped back to his senses and hurriedly responded. He exchanged a glance with Yun Qing, and both of them still carried traces of shock in their eyes.

”Then go quickly. Before you leave, lend me your saber. I will return it when you come back. Also, when you head down the mountain later, bring me a suitable saber, preferably a heavier one,” said Lin Zheyu as he looked at Ke Haolin.

Ke Haolin nodded and handed over his treasured saber. Then he and Yun Qing lifted the massive demon puppet and headed toward the mid mountainside. With their strength, one of them would have been sufficient, but to guard against any accidents along the way, Lin Zheyu had deliberately sent them together.

1. The hour of Chou is approximately 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. in the traditional Chinese double-hour system. ☜