Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing-Chapter 105: Fanning The Flames (II)

After washing up, Lin Zheyu changed into a fresh azure robe and headed towards Feihong Tower.

Inside Feihong Tower.

"You're here, huh? Sit," said Leader Xu with a smile as he looked at Lin Zheyu.

After advancing to the first transformation of blood qi, Lin Zheyu could now see through Leader Xu's cultivation. He, too, was at the same stage. Taking a seat across from Xu Jingwu, Lin Zheyu picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup for Leader Xu, and then filled his own.

"How was your month stationed at Baishi Mountain?" asked Xu Jingwu with a smile.

"It was good. A perfect place to focus on martial training," replied Lin Zheyu.

"Haha! No surprise there. With talent like yours and such dedication, it's no wonder your strength grows so quickly. Since you're back, I'll have Qinyi learn from you," said Xu Jingwu with a laugh.

"You flatter me, Leader. It's just that things were so dull up on Baishi Mountain. With nothing else to do, training was all I had," said Lin Zheyu modestly.

"No need for modesty. Now that you're back, remember to invite Yuxiang out for a stroll. Don't spend all day cooped up at home training. While you were gone this past month, that girl kept mentioning you in front of Qinyi and the others, asking when you'd return," said Xu Jingwu with a grin, playing the role of matchmaker.

"Uh... Miss Yuxiang and I have only met a few times and barely exchanged a word. She is indeed beautiful and has a pleasant personality, but she's not my type," said Lin Zheyu clearly.

His ambitions did not lie here. Once he had accumulated strength enough, he would leave Songyi City and head for a larger stage.

"What a pity. Yuxiang is missing out on such a fine gentleman. Tell me, what kind of woman do you like? Perhaps the Xu Family happens to have one just right for you," said Leader Xu with a laugh.

"My heart isn't set on such matters, and I have no plans to marry so soon. I appreciate your concern, however, leader," replied Lin Zheyu.

"Then we'll leave it at that." Xu Jingwu nodded. Since Lin Zheyu had spoken so plainly, there was nothing more he could say.

"Since the Feihong Gang has lost some skilled members and Qiu Gaoxuan is too badly injured and needs time to recover, how would you feel about taking over Qiu Gaoxuan's position?" asked Xu Jingwu with a smile, looking at Lin Zheyu.

Me, take over Qiu Gaoxuan's position?

Lin Zheyu was taken aback. He had not expected Xu Jingwu to offer him a promotion.

"My strength may not be enough. Wouldn't that cause dissatisfaction among the others?" asked Lin Zheyu.

"Chen Mu may only be at the Bone Forging Realm, but even many Organ Forging Realm cultivators are not his match. The fact that you defeated him proves your strength is more than sufficient," replied Xu Jingwu.

"Then... Thank you, Leader. I am willing," said Lin Zheyu.

Qiu Gaoxuan's position was much easier than Jia Yanyong's and the others'; it had more pay, and was overall a good post.

"Good, that's settled then. The tasks within Songyi City are easy. When you have time, you can also accept escort missions for the gang's goods. Payment is based on the type of cargo and the distance traveled. But that's optional. You don't have to take them.

"I heard from Qinyi that you often go out hunting and battling beasts in Beast Roar Mountain. After taking over Qiu Gaoxuan's position, you can still continue doing that. Jia Yanyong and the others are enough to handle things in the city.

"However, if we're short-handed and a mission requires your presence, you must be there. That's not a problem, is it?" asked Xu Jingwu with a smile.

The conditions he offered were excellent, with almost no demands. The pay was generous, and it was nearly like receiving free money.

"Thank you for your generosity, leader!" said Lin Zheyu with a respectful bow. He understood that this was Leader Xu extending goodwill. Since a marriage alliance was no longer possible, this was his way of drawing Lin Zheyu closer through other means.

"Leader, there's something I wish to ask your advice on," said Lin Zheyu.

"What is it? Tell me," asked Xu Jingwu curiously.

"I'd like to ask if there's any way I could obtain a higher-level martial art technique," asked Lin Zheyu.

He had practically mastered the Golden Goose Technique, reaching a state of consummate understanding, yet the speed at which it tempered his blood qi had barely improved. This was not a matter of comprehension but a limitation inherent to the technique itself.

Techniques like the Barbaric Ox Fist and Sixfold Saber were originally designed to help the user reach the peak of the Organ Forging Realm. With sufficient natural talent and effort, one could push beyond that limit and break into the Blood Qi Realm.

However, once at the Blood Qi Realm, further progress became exceedingly difficult. The inherent limitations of such techniques meant that, even if the user could reach the Blood Qi Realm, the refinement speed of such techniques was so slow that one might never attain the blood qi gauze stage in an entire lifetime.

Even if Senior Brother Han Mo broke into the Blood Qi Realm using the Sixfold Saber, he would still have to switch to the Golden Goose Technique afterward. The Sixfold Saber refined blood qi at a snail's pace compared to the Golden Goose Technique.

"It's not easy to obtain high-level martial art techniques. Esteemed families and major powers may offer techniques for their subordinates to buy or exchange for, but those are all ordinary techniques. Higher-level techniques one would use at the Blood Qi Realm are rarely allowed to spread freely. Only a few powerful individuals will pass them down through discipleship.

"If you're willing to marry into the Xu Family, I can provide you with our family's inherited martial techniques. How about that?" said Xu Jingwu with a smile.

"Marrying into the family isn't an option." Lin Zheyu shook his head, then asked with some reluctance, "Is there really no other way? Like purchasing one with silver?"

"Of course, you can buy them with silver, but in a small place like ours, you'll only find ordinary techniques for sale. If you want to purchase techniques for the Blood Qi Realm or higher, you'll have to go to the great cities of the Central Plains. That's where the real stage for martial artists lies.

"The Xu Family's inherited techniques were also brought back by our ancestors from the Central Plains. But high-level techniques are extremely expensive; ordinary people cannot afford them," said Xu Jingwu.

"Thank you for clearing that up, leader," said Lin Zheyu with a respectful bow.

He felt fortunate to have met Master Liang Song back then. Without him, acquiring a Blood Qi Realm technique now would have been extremely difficult. Most likely, his only option would have been to marry into the Xu Family.

The great cities of the Central Plains?

Reaching the Central Plains was no simple task. Songyi City lay deep in the southern barbarian lands, far from the Central Plains. One would need to cross countless mountains and rivers and travel continuously for several months to get there.

And that did not even account for the time lost asking for directions, finding the right path, or getting lost along the way. There was also the risk of encountering powerful bandits or ferocious beasts, making the journey extremely dangerous.

I'll have to take it one step at a time. Even if I make it there, without money, I still won't be able to buy any techniques. In an unfamiliar place, earning money might be even harder than it is here, thought Lin Zheyu to himself. He could only suppress his plans of heading to the Central Plains for now.

Although the Golden Goose Technique refined blood qi rather slowly, with the aid of Origin Force, he could still raise his strength to the fourth stage of the Blood Qi Realm in just a few months. By then, he would at least have the confidence to venture into a major city.

"Stay and listen to some opera with me before you go. Qinyi will be here soon. Spend some time with him, and when you can, help push him to train harder," said Xu Jingwu with a smile.

"Alright."

Lin Zheyu nodded and turned his gaze toward the stage as a new opera performance began. After a short while, Xu Qinyi arrived, and Xu Yuxiang came along with him, sneaking glances at Lin Zheyu. Lin Zheyu offered her a polite smile but paid her no further attention.

***

After spending some time gathering with Xu Qinyi and the others, Lin Zheyu returned home late at night. He took out a large basin of braised meat he had prepared at noon and devoured it heartily.

Without sufficient herbs, he could not use Origin Force to enhance his strength and restore his body at the same time. His only option was to accelerate recovery through heavy meals. By eating multiple meals a day, each consisting of powerful beast meat, he could restore roughly 30% of his blood qi power in a single day.

After finishing his meal, he read the Toxicology Codex for a while before heading to bed.

He went into the kitchen and moved aside a pile of firewood, revealing a small hidden space beneath it. Bending down, he stepped inside and concealed the entrance again.

Running the Tortoise Breath Grand Method at full strength to enter deep sleep greatly lowered his vigilance, so hiding here increased his safety. Every night, he cultivated the Tortoise Breath Grand Method here while seated cross-legged. Since he did not need to lie down to sleep, it made no difference where he rested.

Whoosh... whoosh...

Late at night, the temperature had dropped a few degrees from the day. The night wind howled softly, carrying a trace of chill. A pitch-black figure darted swiftly through Songyi City, moving with great speed and agile movement techniques, effortlessly evading the city's patrols.

"This is the place."

The shadowy figure arrived at Lin Zheyu's residence. With a light tap of his toes, he vaulted over the high wall and slipped into the courtyard. He scanned the surroundings, then crept quietly toward the room that was likely the bedroom.

Buzz.

All of a sudden, he felt something underfoot, followed by the sound of a rope snapping. His movements halted abruptly. He bent down to check and found a rope beneath his feet. And not just one but several ropes were strung across the entire courtyard. He had taken only a few steps and already snapped several more.

What the hell is this? Is that kid insane? Why on earth is the courtyard filled with ropes?

"Something's wrong!"

Suddenly, his expression changed. A wave of weakness spread through his body, and his head began to spin.

"Damn it, poison!" The figure cursed under his breath before collapsing onto the ground with a heavy thud.