Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

On the outskirts of the Yellow Sand Gobi, an effeminate-looking man stood tall aboard a massive Flying Ship. With his hands clasped behind his back, he looked down and asked, ”Are you certain he entered the Abyss?”

”Reporting to the Young Master, our men have sealed all exits from the Yellow Sand Gobi. Even if he could travel underground, he wouldn’t escape our brothers’ watch.

He went in three days ago, and the brothers haven’t seen any sign of him. Based on past experience, he’s either dead in there or he went into the Abyss,” a Rakshasa Hall disciple responded respectfully.

Hearing this, the effeminate man’s expression immediately darkened.

With Rakshasa Hall’s influence in the Lu Country Cultivation Realm, he had ways to deal with his target even if he fled to several neighboring kingdoms. The only exception was the Abyss.

Forget him—not even a Golden Core Master from Rakshasa Hall would dare set foot in that place.

’What a complete and utter madman!’ the effeminate man cursed inwardly, his heart filled with frustration.

Rakshasa Hall had paid such a high price for the item in that man’s possession, but in the end, it was all for nothing.

Sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder if he had pushed too hard—so hard that the man would rather enter the Abyss to die than hand over the item.

”Young Master, should we continue to blockade this area?” Seeing the foul look on his master’s face, the messenger Cultivator who had just reported asked apprehensively.

The effeminate man shot him a glance and said through clenched teeth, ”Wait two more days. If he still hasn’t come out by then, we’ll assume he’s dead inside.”

”As you command.” Seeing that he hadn’t become the target of his master’s anger, the messenger Cultivator was overjoyed. He turned to leave, but the effeminate man stopped him. ”By the way, how is the investigation I had you conduct?”

The messenger Cultivator’s heart tightened. Head bowed, he stammered fearfully, ”Reporting to the Young Master, it’s as if this person appeared out of thin air. We can only find information about him from the last few years. Beyond that, we’ve found nothing.”

For once, the effeminate man didn’t get angry. Instead, he said with great interest, ”Oh? Then tell me what you’ve found.”

”Ah, yes.

The man’s name is Song Xing. He seems to have appeared in the Lu Country Cultivation Realm two to three years ago and is often active around Panshi City.

He has always been a loner, and we’ve heard of no one close to him.

It also seems he’s registered as an assassin with the Shadow Pavilion.”

”Song Xing? Hmph. Keep investigating. I refuse to believe a living person can just materialize out of thin air,” the effeminate man said, his tone chilling.

---

Song Changsheng knew nothing of the events unfolding in the Lu Country Cultivation Realm. After six long months of the Star Infusion, he finally understood what the Great City Lord had meant by ”taking another step forward.”

Relying on the refined Star Power within their bodies, Song Changsheng and the others had prematurely broken open their Middle Dantians.

One had to understand that the Middle Dantian was one of the hallmarks of a Purple Mansion Cultivator. The first step for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to break through to the Purple Mansion realm was to break open the Middle Dantian with Spiritual Power, forge a Purple Mansion within it, and generate Mana, thereby achieving a metamorphosis on the level of one’s very life.

This was ordinarily a very long process, but now, by borrowing the great power of the Star Array, Song Changsheng had taken this step in just six months.

Song Changsheng was once again in awe of Luoxia City’s profound resources, just as he had been when he first laid eyes on its massive Treasure Vault all those years ago.

To compare oneself to another is to invite death; to compare one’s goods to another’s is to see them as trash.

He used to think it was just a funny saying, but now Song Changsheng understood its deeper meaning.

’If only I could cultivate in this Grand Array for a few years...’

He had achieved such ridiculous results in only half a year. If he could cultivate here for a few years, he could probably even attempt to break through to the Purple Mansion realm.

At this thought, Song Changsheng’s heart burned with fervent hope.

But that was just wishful thinking.

Operating a Star Array on the scale of Luoxia City’s consumed an astronomical amount of resources each time. Six months was already the city’s limit.

If it weren’t for the fight over the ownership of Tuo Province, Luoxia City would never have been willing to bear such an enormous cost.

”We depart for Tuo Province tomorrow. Everyone, go and prepare well today,” Zhan Tianxia said, having gathered them all together.

”Excellent! I can’t wait to see what those people from the Golden Crow Sect and Celestial Vein Sect are made of,” Niu Dazhuang exclaimed excitedly.

”Junior Brother, do not underestimate our enemies,” Yinn Shang cautioned, his brow furrowed slightly.

Song Changsheng also felt they shouldn’t be too optimistic. Although their strength had increased significantly over the past six months, they weren’t the only ones improving.

In terms of resources and heritage, the Golden Crow Sect and Celestial Vein Sect were only stronger, not weaker.

”This battle is of the utmost importance. No one is to underestimate the enemy or be careless, or else...” Zhan Tianxia shot Niu Dazhuang a glare, his tone laced with threat.

Niu Dazhuang gave a sheepish smile and immediately fell silent.

The next morning, led personally by the Great City Lord, Song Changsheng and the others boarded a colossal Flying Ship.

Song Changsheng’s eyes went wide. This was a true Celestial Ship, capable of confronting a Purple Mansion Cultivator head-on—unlike his [Black Star Ship], which could only sneak in shots from the edge of the battlefield.

”How about that? Impressive, right? This Celestial Ship is older than my grand martial uncle’s grand martial uncle. The number of Great Demons it’s blasted to bits is already in the double digits,” Niu Dazhuang said, walking up to Song Changsheng and gloating when he noticed his expression.

”It truly is mighty and impressive,” Song Changsheng praised sincerely.

Owning a Celestial Ship was equivalent to having a Purple Mansion Cultivator with a long lifespan. It might not mean much to a Golden Core Sect, but for a small family like the Song Clan, the allure was immense.

’Sooner or later, the [Black Star Ship] will become a true Celestial Ship!’ Song Changsheng secretly vowed. ’Whatever others have, the Song Clan will have too.’

After they boarded, Zhan Tianxia brought another group of people onto the ship. They all appeared to be young Cultivators, and to his surprise, Zhuang Yuechan’s figure was among them.

”What are you doing here?”

”Martial Uncle said he was taking some of the junior disciples to broaden their horizons.” Zhuang Yuechan’s gaze was lowered. She wasn’t originally on the list for the trip, but she had been worried about Song Changsheng and the others, so she had taken the initiative to request a team leader position from Zhan Tianxia.

”That’s good. It’s my first time going to Tuo Province, too. I wonder how developed it is now,” Song Changsheng said with a slight smile, his mood instantly lifting...

The destination for Song Changsheng and his group was Thundering Mountain, located in Western Tuo Province. This had originally been the territory of the Thunderous Demon King and his kin.

After the Thunderous Demon King was slain by the Great City Lord, the Demon Race on Thundering Mountain was left without a leader. Facing the Allied Army, they were conquered without putting up any decent resistance.

Because Thundering Mountain possessed a Tier Four Spirit Vein, the Allied Army established Dingyuan City there after conquering it. It served, on one hand, as a main base for the Allied Army to rest and regroup, and on the other, as a bridgehead for expansion in all directions.

Dingyuan City had been under construction for several years but was still only in its nascent stages. This was because the Allied Army had designated it to play a role similar to the former Luoxia City: an outer barrier for the Daqi Cultivation World against the Demon Race.

This was not a project that could be completed overnight, and the required investment of manpower and resources was no small sum.

Although it was only in its early stages, the city was extremely prosperous. This was because one could acquire Demon Beast Materials and various Spirit Medicines at the lowest prices here, then resell them for a very handsome profit.

The arrival of Song Changsheng’s group caused quite a stir.

The news that the Two Sects and One City were going to compete for ownership of Tuo Province was already common knowledge.

It’s human nature to love a spectacle. The prodigies of the Two Sects and One City competing on the same stage was a first for the Daqi Cultivation World in several hundred years. It was a grand event of the highest order and had long since attracted numerous Cultivators to come and watch.

They all wanted to know who would be the final winner of the treasured land of Tuo Province.

It had even spawned various betting pools.

But from the odds alone, it was clear that the public did not favor Luoxia City.

This was only natural. After all, compared to the two Major Sects, Luoxia City was indeed weaker by more than a single measure.

However, this only stoked the competitive spirit of Niu Dazhuang and the others. They were all rubbing their hands in anticipation, determined to fight it out with the prodigies of the two Major Sects to see who was superior.

On the third day after Song Changsheng’s group arrived, the Golden Crow Sect and the Celestial Vein Sect arrived together.

For a moment, three Celestial Ships dominated the sky. The air in Dingyuan City crackled with tension, thick with a murderous aura!

...