Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

’I believe that after today, the Song Clan can finally make a clean break with the past and be reborn!’

When Song Luzhou’s Flying Ship reached the outskirts of Vast Mist Peak, they saw Song Xianyun leading the clan Elders and grand-elders, having come a great distance from the mountain to welcome them.

Seeing this, he let out a sudden sigh of relief.

After the Flying Ship landed securely, Song Yulong, clutching a box carved from sandalwood, knelt beside Song Yushi, facing Vast Mist Peak. He spoke through his tears, ”Father, your son has brought you home.”

A long time ago, Song Luke had told the two siblings that if he were to one day die in a foreign land, they must bring his ashes back to Vast Mist Peak for burial, so his falling leaves could return to their roots.

No one had expected that day to come so soon.

But in the end, the siblings had fulfilled his wish and brought him home.

Gazing at the box, which was no more than a foot square, Song Xianyun’s eyes filled with tears as he accepted it with a trembling hand.

Even though he had known this was coming, now that the moment was here, he still couldn’t believe that the high-spirited young man from all those years ago now lay inside this cold, wooden box.

”Good children, you have suffered. But you’re home now. It’s good you’re home.”

He reached out to help the siblings to their feet, his tears already soaking the front of his robes.

Song Xianyun glanced around, and when he noticed someone was missing, he asked, ”Where is young Muqing?”

Song Yulong’s voice was hoarse. ”My son failed in his attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment. He has... fallen.”

As his words fell, Song Yushi’s eyes reddened with tears once more, and Song Xianyun froze on the spot...

”According to our count, of those returning to the clan this time, there are a total of two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, one hundred and three Qi Cultivators, and nearly twenty thousand Mortal Clan Members.

This is already equivalent in size to a small Foundation Establishment Family. After discussion, the Elder Council has decided not to integrate them into the main clan for now. Instead, we will find a separate location to settle them.

The Elder Council has two reasons for this. First, although we share the same origin, they haven’t lived with the clan for all these years. Their generational naming conventions and the Heart Methods they cultivate are different. If we were to force them to merge with the clan, they might not be willing.

Second, the Ancestral Vein will certainly not let this matter rest. It is highly likely they will track them here, and the clan currently lacks the ability to confront the Ancestral Vein head-on. Therefore, we cannot bring them out into the open yet. They need to be hidden away for the time being,” Xia Yunxue said in a calm tone.

Hearing this, Song Xianyun nodded. He gestured for Xia Yunxue to sit down, then turned to Song Luzhou and asked, ”What are your thoughts?”

”I believe we should first ask for their opinion. For those among them who are willing to return to the clan, we can re-rank them according to our customs and enter them into the family registry.

If they are unwilling, we shouldn’t force them. We can establish them as a branch family and allocate a territory for them in Zhangye County.

If they have a change of heart in the future, it won’t be too late to integrate them then. Even if they are content with the status quo, their younger generations can still be sent to Vast Mist Peak to cultivate.”

This was the most appropriate solution Song Luzhou had come up with during the journey, having considered it from nearly every possible angle.

After hearing his proposed solution, everyone couldn’t help but nod in silent approval.

Song Xianyun also said with satisfaction, ”That’s a good plan. Our manpower in Zhangye County is still too thin, and many of our enterprises are understaffed. It would be good to have Yulong and his people go over to help share the burden.”

”But... if we do that, how are we any different from the Ancestral Vein?” Song Qingqing said with some hesitation.

Hearing this, Song Xianyun smiled faintly and explained patiently, ”There are some similarities, but the choice is in their own hands. No matter what they choose, the clan will provide them with the same cultivation resources and grant them equal rights and status. Everything will be fair, just, and transparent. There will be no differential treatment.

In return, they must also fulfill the same duties as you and I. This is a responsibility from which no one is exempt.

Do you understand now?”

Song Qingqing nodded thoughtfully. ”It really is different.”

”Then it’s settled. Luzhou, go and liaise with them.”

”As you command.”

...

After some discussion, only a few Qi Cultivators were willing to integrate into the main Song Clan. The vast majority preferred to follow Song Yulong to Zhangye County.

Song Luzhou didn’t press the issue. He requisitioned a batch of supplies from the clan, contacted Song Lutong in the region, and then led the group on a Flying Ship toward Zhangye County.

And so, the Song Clan had its first branch family.

——————

Song Changsheng was completely unaware of everything that had happened in the clan.

In the third year of his seclusion, he finally seized upon a sliver of opportunity and bit down on the Five Spirits Pill he had been holding in his mouth.

Sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, and salty—the five flavors exploded on the tip of his tongue, transforming into a medicinal liquid that flowed down his esophagus into his stomach, then spread throughout his entire body.

Song Changsheng immediately felt a strange power surge into his Middle Dantian, stirring the faint blue flames within the illusory Purple Mansion Melting Furnace.

The flames began to blaze intensely, and Song Changsheng was instantly struck by a wave of excruciating pain.

He hurriedly took out the Yin Yang Profound Gold, along with the other materials for constructing the Purple Mansion Melting Furnace, and drew them into his Middle Dantian.

As soon as these materials entered, the flames that had been rampaging in his Dantian immediately swarmed toward them as if they had found a new target. Song Changsheng’s pain abruptly lessened.

But he couldn’t afford to relax in the slightest.

Forging the Purple Mansion was the most critical step. The slightest misstep would result in him playing with fire and getting burned—quite literally.

Song Changsheng meticulously controlled his Mana, using the materials within his Dantian to transform the previously constructed illusory furnace into reality, step by step.

The Purple Mansion is, in essence, a massive furnace inside a Cultivator’s body. It forms its own independent space and automatically draws in the surrounding Spiritual Qi, refining it into Purple Qi. When a Magical Artifact is placed within it to be nurtured, this Purple Qi will infuse the artifact, enhancing its Spiritual Attribute.

Once its Spiritual Attribute reaches a certain level, it will give birth to Spiritual Wisdom—in other words, an Artifact Spirit.

But the wondrous uses of Purple Qi didn’t stop there. It could also help a Cultivator achieve complete Fasting.

It was what was known as ”dining on clouds and drinking dew,” no longer needing to eat the five grains of the mortal world.

This ”dining on clouds” was a reference to Qi Eating, and the ”qi” in question was the Purple Qi refined by the Purple Mansion. Not only could it satisfy a Cultivator’s daily energy needs, but it could also continuously transform their body, allowing them to achieve a state where their ”qi and blood never decay.”

As is well known, once a Qi Cultivator passes the age of sixty, their qi and blood will begin to decay. This leads to a lower success rate for Foundation Establishment, and their strength will begin to decline.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators fare better, but after the age of two hundred, their bodily functions also show a marked decline. Someone like Song Xianming, who was able to break through to the Purple Mansion realm at over two hundred years old, is a rare exception.

However, this problem does not exist for Purple Mansion Cultivators. Under normal circumstances, even as they approach the end of their lifespan, their physical functions will remain at their peak. They might even achieve another breakthrough if they encounter a fortuitous opportunity.

This was a manifestation of a leap in one’s very level of existence.

The only thing separating Song Changsheng from a Purple Mansion Cultivator now was this very Purple Mansion.

As long as he succeeded in constructing his Purple Mansion, he would become a true Purple Mansion Cultivator. And that day was not far off...

「On the summit of Celestial Sound Mountain, within a Medicinal Garden.」

A Luoxia City disciple dressed in the robes of a Medicine Boy straightened up, wiped the sweat from his brow, and looked to his fellow disciple beside him. ”Hey, Senior Brother Zhang, who exactly is in seclusion in the Earth-Character Chamber? Seems like they’ve been in there for a long time.”

Senior Brother Zhang immediately shot him a glare. ”That’s none of our business! Just focus on gathering the herbs. If we don’t finish our task, watch out for a scolding from the Master!”

The Medicine Boy gave a sheepish laugh and scratched his head. ”I’m just curious, that’s all. Someone using an Earth-Character Seclusion Chamber has to be at least a Purple Mansion Great Cultivator, right? I’ve never seen such an important figure before. Senior Brother Zhang, you’re so experienced and knowledgeable, tell me a bit about how magnificent Purple Mansion Cultivators are.”

Senior Brother Zhang listened and said smugly, ”A Purple Mansion Great Cultivator is glorious beyond measure. You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. Besides, you’re wrong about one thing. It’s not some Purple Mansion Great Cultivator using the Earth-Character Seclusion Chamber. I happened to see Senior Brother Song go up the mountain that one time, and he hasn’t come down since.

My guess is, it must be Senior Brother Song who’s...”

At this point, Senior Brother Zhang suddenly realized he had said too much and quickly changed the subject. ”Alright, alright, get back to gathering herbs.”

”Right.”

The Medicine Boy answered, then glanced toward the Seclusion Chamber, a sinister glint flashing in the depths of his eyes.

...