Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

But what gave Song Changsheng the most pleasant surprise were the few Cyan Plum Trees. They were originally just ordinary fruit trees, but after absorbing Spiritual Qi for years on end, they had finally birthed a sliver of Spiritual Attribute.

Although the fruit they bore contained some Spiritual Qi, it was of no use to Cultivators and could only serve to satisfy one’s palate.

But now, the tallest among them had successfully evolved into a Tier One Low-Grade Spirit Plant, and the fruit it produced could now be considered true Spirit Fruit.

Tier One Low-Grade Spirit Fruit wasn’t particularly valuable, but its high yield was undeniable. It would bring in at least a hundred Spirit Stones of income annually, and its value would only increase as it advanced in tier.

Landing on Lake Heart Island, Song Changsheng glanced around, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. The two youngsters weren’t here. That was unusual.

After a moment’s thought, he walked to the lakeshore and crouched. Before long, a massive Spirit Fish poked its head out of the water, its eyes shining with an almost human intelligence.

”Looks like you’ve been doing well for yourself these past few years. You’ve even gotten plump,” Song Changsheng said with a smile, stroking its smooth head. ”Do you know where the two people on this island went?”

He knew the Fish King could understand him. After all, it had already developed Spiritual Wisdom back when it was only at Tier One. Now that it had broken through to Tier Two, its intelligence would only be greater.

The Fish King excitedly blew a stream of bubbles, then, with a flick of its tail, pointed its head in a certain direction.

”The southwest, you say? Thanks.” A smile touched Song Changsheng’s lips. He took out a Pill, tossed it into the fish’s mouth, and then flew off in the direction it had indicated.

After flying southwest for over a hundred miles, a waterfall came into view. Beneath it lay a massive Qingshi, its surface worn smooth, likely from the constant rush of water over the years.

At that very moment, a young man in fitted black martial arts attire stood proudly in the center of the Qingshi. The waterfall cascaded from a peak thousands of feet high, and one could only imagine the force of its impact.

Yet the young man seemed completely unfazed. He let the thundering torrent wash over him, his feet rooted to the spot, as he calmly practiced his swordsmanship.

’To choose such a method for body tempering... he’s got guts.’ A hint of surprise showed in Song Changsheng’s eyes. Of the countless ways to temper one’s body, this was arguably the simplest and most brutal, and also one of the most dangerous.

Of course, its effectiveness was also undeniable.

Song Changsheng scanned the area again and spotted Song Qingxi not far off. She was sitting cross-legged beside the waterfall, cultivating.

’To be able to enter a meditative trance in such a cacophonous environment is quite impressive,’ Song Changsheng thought, nodding in satisfaction. ’These two youngsters are working much harder than I imagined.’

Honestly, while he had also been diligent in his own cultivation back in the day, he felt he fell short in comparison. This brought him a great sense of comfort and pride.

After a moment of thought, he took out the mask he had redeemed from the Treasure Vault and placed it over his face. It felt cool to the touch, and soon, the Human Skin Mask fused seamlessly with his own features.

He walked over to a pool of water. Reflected on its surface was a completely unremarkable face; there was no trace of the mask, and his expressions looked entirely natural.

He was very pleased with the result. He then took out a gray robe, put it on, and concealed his aura before slowly approaching Song Qingxi.

He suppressed his Cultivation to the peak of Qi Refining Great Perfection. When he was about sixty feet away from the young woman, Song Qingxi’s eyes snapped open. ”Who’s there?” she called out sharply.

’She discovered me this quickly?’ Song Changsheng was a little surprised. He didn’t answer, instead lunging straight for Song Qingxi with a long sword in hand.

”How dare you!”

Song Qingxi’s beautiful face turned frosty. Her delicate hands danced, swiftly forming several Dharma Seals. In an instant, vines erupted from the earth and shot toward Song Changsheng, attempting to ensnare him.

’Fast to act, but with no killing intent,’ he thought. ’The girl’s disposition is still a little too soft.’

The thought vanished as quickly as it came. With a twist of his sword, he unleashed a wave of Sword Qi that instantly shredded all the vines.

”Qi Refining Great Perfection!”

Song Qingxi’s expression shifted. She retreated swiftly, landing as gracefully as a butterfly upon a large boulder by the water’s edge. A verdant Jade Sword had appeared in her hand.

SWOOSH—

Song Changsheng pressed his attack, the sound of his long sword cutting through the air incredibly shrill.

”Water Dragon Roar!”

A high-pitched draconic roar echoed as a lifelike, illusory Flood Dragon materialized behind Song Qingxi.

This was one of the Song Clan’s most powerful Water Attribute Magic spells. The sound waves it produced could stun an opponent’s Divine Soul, often creating an unexpected opening in battle.

Unfortunately for her, she was facing Song Changsheng, who was all too familiar with this spell. His body trembled only slightly, almost completely unaffected, and in the next instant, he was right in front of her.

Just then, a sharp blade of Sword Qi slashed at him from the side. The timing was perfect. Fortunately, Song Changsheng’s reflexes were exceptional. With a twist of his torso, he rapidly retreated.

The moment he landed, a dark figure burst out from behind the waterfall, unleashing a brilliant flurry of Sword Light in the blink of an eye.

Watching the dazzling Sword Light, Song Changsheng raised an eyebrow. With a surge of Spiritual Power, he swung his own sword, unleashing a massive wave of Sword Qi that instantly shattered the incoming attack.

Song Qingxing’s expression was cold as he engaged Song Changsheng in a tangled clash. Countless streams of Sword Qi swirled around the pair, reducing anything they touched to dust.

The Sword Qi generated by the two of them was far too fierce; with her level of Cultivation, Song Qingxi was completely unable to interfere.

Her hands wove together, forming one Spell after another, before she quickly pressed her palms to the ground in front of her. A flash of green light flickered across the earth and vanished.

Alarm bells suddenly screamed in Song Changsheng’s mind. He tapped the ground with his toes and leaped high into the air. In the next moment, a thick vine shot out of the earth and coiled around his ankle.

At that same moment, a blade of Sword Qi, saturated with killing intent, shot straight toward him.

SLICE!

With a backhanded slash, Song Changsheng severed the vine. He followed it with an elegant flourish, and Song Qingxing’s Sword Qi instantly dissipated into nothingness.

”So strong...”

Seeing him dismantle their finishing move so easily, Song Qingxi’s expression turned grim. This was the strongest opponent she had ever faced.

Song Qingxing’s expression remained unchanged. He stepped in front of Song Qingxi, sword held defensively. ”Who are you?” he asked coldly.

”Heh. Does it matter?” Song Changsheng replied, perfectly composed.

”To a dead man, I suppose it doesn’t.” The moment the words left his mouth, the aura around Song Qingxing sharpened intensely, so much so that even Song Changsheng felt a hint of pressure.

WHOOSH.

In a blur, Song Qingxing vanished. The next instant, the tip of his sword grazed Song Changsheng’s skin. Had he been any slower to react, it would have drawn blood.

’Is he finally using his full power?’ Song Changsheng also grew a little more serious. Song Qingxing possessed a Wind Spirit Root and cultivated the Fast Sword Dao; it was clear he hadn’t been going all-out before.

SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!

A serious Cold Blockhead was a terrifying thing. His speed was unbelievable, and a seemingly ordinary sword strike would often contain hundreds of hidden streams of Sword Qi.

His Body Technique was as swift as the wind. Without using his Fleeting Shadows technique, Song Changsheng found he couldn’t keep up at all and was forced into a passive defense.

’Any other cultivator at Qi Refining Great Perfection would have been torn to shreds by this Sword Qi by now,’ Song Changsheng thought, his heart swelling with joy. ’He truly is a natural-born talent for the Sword Dao. In the future, the Song Clan might truly produce a real Sword Immortal!’

’Let’s see what your limits are!’ Song Changsheng no longer held back, unleashing the full extent of his power at the Qi Cultivation Stage.

A heavy pressure bore down on Song Qingxing, but his expression remained cold and impassive, like a pool of stagnant water without a single ripple.

”Sword One.”

In that instant, the world fell utterly silent. Only Song Qingxing’s cold voice echoed between heaven and earth.

Staring at the silent, traceless blade of Sword Qi, Song Changsheng felt the hair on his arms stand on end. ’This strike... it’s powerful. It has already surpassed the limits of the Qi Cultivation Stage, enough to threaten a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.’

CLANG!

Sword Qi flared. The Tier One Top-grade Flying Sword in Song Changsheng’s hand, forged from Meteorite Iron, instantly snapped in two. The robe covering his body disintegrated into fragments, and a shallow sword mark appeared on his shoulder.

Looking at the beads of blood seeping from the cut, a flicker of astonishment passed through Song Changsheng’s eyes. His physique was comparable to a Spiritual Artifact, yet Song Qingxing’s strike had actually drawn blood.

A ripple of emotion finally disturbed the depths of Song Qingxing’s eyes. ’My strike... only managed to graze his skin?’

...