Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Song Xianyun’s white brows bristled as he roared in fury, "You vile practitioner of the Evil Dao! How dare you!"

He waved his hand, tossing a glittering golden Treasure Bead into the air. It radiated a dazzling light, and for a moment, it seemed to illuminate the heavens and the earth.

"SZZZLE"

A few wisps of green smoke suddenly rose in the air, giving off a sickening stench.

Feng Wuming’s face turned pale with shock. He hastily recalled the Poisonous Insects he had released. He had sent out three in total, and all had suffered varying degrees of damage. The sight made his heart bleed.

"Audacious Gu Cultivator! How dare you come to my Ling Province and run wild! Did you think Ling Province was defenseless? Surrender at once!" Song Xianyun roared, his voice booming like a great bell while the Treasure Bead hovered above his head.

"What is that thing? How can it injure my Lifebound Gu?" Feng Wuming was both shocked and furious. He had never encountered such a Magical Artifact before.

"Something I prepared especially for you!" Song Xianyun’s voice boomed like spring thunder. He mobilized his vast Spiritual Power, and the Treasure Bead’s radiance instantly grew even more intense.

A strong sense of discomfort washed over Feng Wuming, originating from the Lifebound Gu in his heart. He could feel its intense pain; it seemed to have an impulse to burst out of his body.

’How can this be? What in the world is that thing? Why do my Poisonous Insects act as if they’ve met their nemesis?’ Feng Wuming was completely suppressed by the Treasure Bead, and on the other side, the rest of the cultivators were closing in for the kill.

Seeing that he was about to be surrounded, he gritted his teeth, a crazed look in his eyes. He unleashed the three damaged Lifebound Gu from before:

"Blood Gu Purifying Heaven!"

The three Lifebound Gu exploded in an instant, turning into a cloud of foul, bloody mist. The onlookers turned pale with fright, each circulating their Protective Gang Qi to shield themselves, terrified that a Poisonous Insect might take advantage of an opening to slip through.

A moment later, rays of golden light pierced through the bloody mist and completely dispersed it. When the crowd looked again, they only saw a puddle of blood. Feng Wuming was nowhere to be found.

"What a ruthless Gu Cultivator. To think he’d self-destruct his Lifebound Gu to escape," Wang Wanzhou said, his expression ugly.

"He’s already lost half his life. Even if he got away, without his Lifebound Gu, he can’t stir up any trouble," the guardian from the Li Clan said faintly.

"That may be true, but we still can’t let our guard down. I suggest we search the Marketplace inside and out, just in case any Poisonous Insects are lying in wait."

"Agreed."

The group immediately split up to take action. Tonight, the Marketplace was destined for a sleepless night...

"Hss..." Song Changsheng felt completely drained of strength. He groggily opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was an old, weathered face.

"Child, you’re finally awake." Song Xianyun looked at the waking Song Changsheng and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Grand Elder." Song Changsheng struggled to sit up, but he couldn’t summon any strength.

"Now, now, just lie still. You’re very weak right now."

"Forgive my rudeness."

"We’re all family here, there’s no need for such formalities. Did something go wrong with your cultivation?" Song Xianyun asked with concern, tucking him in.

"I was careless and got infected by a Poisonous Insect. I fought with it and was left exhausted."

Song Xianyun was shocked and quickly asked, "Where is the Poisonous Insect now?"

"I’ve already refined it to death. I wonder, was the Gu Cultivator brought to justice?" This was his greatest concern.

Song Xianyun sighed. "He managed to get away. But he won’t be able to cause any more trouble for a while. We gave him a harsh lesson this time, so he probably won’t dare to come back."

Song Changsheng frowned, a vague sense of unease in his heart. ’Gu Cultivators can’t be judged by common sense. After suffering such a huge loss, can he really just swallow his anger?’

Perhaps sensing Song Changsheng’s worry, Song Xianyun said with a chuckle, "Even if he returns, there’s no need to fear. The clan has a Treasure Bead that specifically counters all kinds of Insects. As long as he doesn’t break through to the Purple Mansion Realm, we have nothing to fear from him."

Hearing this, Song Changsheng was filled with emotion. A single Poisonous Insect had tormented that Foundation Establishment Independent Cultivator for decades, forcing him to risk exposure just to eat the poisoned bait.

And yet, the Song Clan possessed a Magical Artifact designed specifically to counter Poisonous Insects, capable of solving such problems with ease.

’This is the power of a clan’s foundation!’

This world was unequal from the very beginning. The lofty disciples of the Holy Lands looked down on everyone, while lonely and helpless Loose Cultivators struggled just to survive.

Song Changsheng was undoubtedly one of the lucky ones, with his clan as his staunchest supporter.

"Once you’ve recovered, you will return to Vast Mist Peak with me. You’ve really put us all on edge lately. Your mother has asked several times to have you transferred back.

Whether it’s Little Cyan Mountain, Vast Mist Peak, or any of the other Spirit Mountains, they are all much better than being here," Song Xianyun said in a heartfelt, serious tone.

"I accept." Song Changsheng didn’t refuse this time. The recent events had been far too intense, making him keenly aware of his own lack of strength.

After returning this time, he planned to prepare for his breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage, and then he would face the wider world...

Only after Song Xianyun left did Song Changsheng have a chance to inspect the condition of his body. He swept his Divine Sense through himself and found no major problems, just some minor damage to his Dantian. He would need to pause his cultivation for a while.

This was already the best possible outcome.

But what made him ache was that only a single wisp of his hard-earned Primordial Qi remained. It would take several years of cultivation to replenish it. His heart bled at the thought.

————

「Five days later.」

Song Changsheng’s injuries were mostly healed, and he prepared to set off for Vast Mist Peak.

The thought of leaving made Song Changsheng a little reluctant. After all, his life here for the past year had been more exciting than the previous twenty, and he had met many fellow cultivators.

He specifically asked Song Xianyun to let him stay one more day so he could properly say goodbye to Zhu Yiqun and the others. After all, there was no telling when they would meet again.

Before leaving, Song Changsheng’s only regret was not being able to see Xu Yunhe. According to Zhu Yiqun, not long after returning from the cave abode, Xu Yunhe had left alone. No one knew where he had gone.

But one thing was certain: the next time they met, Xu Yunhe would be completely transformed, a renowned figure in his own right!

"Changsheng, it’s time to go," Song Xianyun said kindly.

"Coming."

Song Changsheng stepped onto his flying sword, and together with Song Xianyun, they transformed into a streak of light and departed...

Inside the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, Song Luyuan looked at Song Changqian, who was standing motionless by the window, and said, "He’s long gone. You can’t see him anymore."

Song Changqian turned around, a bitter smile on her face. "Father, I want to go somewhere else to gain experience."

"Why the sudden idea?" Song Luyuan looked at his daughter with some surprise.

"Father, you’ve protected me too well. Compared to my younger clan-brother Changsheng, I’m far behind in every aspect. If this continues, sooner or later I’ll make an irreparable mistake.

I can’t live under your wing forever. I have to face the wind and rain on my own to truly grow," Song Changqian said, her expression firm and her tone resolute.

Song Luyuan let out a long sigh and finally gave a difficult nod. He couldn’t shelter her for a lifetime. To survive in this cruel world, her journey could not be confined to this small Treasure Hunting Pavilion...