Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

BOOM!

The spot where he had just been standing erupted, and a pitch-black figure became visible beneath the water.

Song Changsheng was both shocked and furious. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t detected a Demon Beast lurking here; he had nearly fallen into its trap.

"Go!"

He immediately sent his Treasure Gourd hurtling forward. The Treasure Gourd collided with the dark figure, instantly kicking up tremendous waves, but in a flash, the gourd was sent flying back.

Song Changsheng’s face paled. He cried out in alarm, "A Tier Two Low-Grade Demon Beast?"

SPLASH!

The dark figure, shrouded in a column of water, suddenly burst from the surface and charged straight at Song Changsheng.

Only then did Song Changsheng finally get a clear look at his opponent. It was ten feet long and shaped like an ape, with crimson eyes, a sharp mouth full of fangs, long grey fur, four ears, and long arms. Its tail was like a steel whip. It was a Water Monkey.

"RAWR—"

The Water Monkey opened its mouth and released a piercing sonic wave. Song Changsheng quickly blocked his hearing and summoned the Water Element Shield to defend himself.

SCREEECH!

The Water Monkey’s claws landed on the shield, kicking up a shower of sparks.

Song Changsheng shot back several dozen feet. He looked down and saw three deep claw marks etched into the surface of his Water Element Shield.

He couldn’t help but gasp. ’This is a Magical Artifact refined from Gui Water Elite! To think it’s so fragile before this vile beast.’

A human-like sneer appeared on the Water Monkey’s face. It took a deep dive into the water, and in an instant, it lunged from the side, its sharp claws glinting with a cold light.

It was too fast. Song Changsheng had no time to dodge and instinctively summoned the Luwu Bell to protect himself.

CLANG!

The claws struck the Copper Bell, producing a series of loud, resonant tolls that made the lake water churn violently. The Water Monkey was also affected by the sound waves, and its assault faltered for a moment.

"Defense!"

Song Changsheng seized this rare opportunity, pouring all his strength into casting the Water Manipulation Technique. Thick columns of water surged forth from all directions.

Demon Qi surged around the Water Monkey. With a single horizontal sweep of its steel-whip-like tail, all the water columns exploded in mid-air, unable to even get close.

Horrified, Song Changsheng shot backward once again.

But the Water Monkey reacted even faster. Its tail lashed out like lightning, striking the Luwu Bell. The Copper Bell and Song Changsheng were sent flying together, crashing heavily onto the water’s surface and sending up a splash several dozen feet high.

A Tier Two Low-Grade Demon Beast was comparable to an Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator. It was already formidable, and they were in the water, the Water Monkey’s home turf. From the very beginning, the fight had been a one-sided slaughter, leaving Song Changsheng with almost no way to fight back.

And this was only because his Divine Sense was sharp and he had a Spiritual Artifact protecting him. Any other cultivator at Qi Refining Great Perfection would have long since been killed without a proper burial.

Although Song Changsheng was knocked into the water, the Luwu Bell had blocked the brunt of the attack. He had only sustained minor injuries. The moment he hit the water, he took the opportunity to dive deep and flee into the distance.

The Water Monkey let out a horrifying shriek and gave chase.

Feeling the presence behind him drawing closer, Song Changsheng became preternaturally calm. The Water Monkey was powerful, but it wasn’t as if he didn’t have a chance for a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

He had a Tier Two Low-Grade Talisman, a Protective Jade Pendant from his mother, a Substitute Paperman, and the Array inside his body that he had yet to use. If he used them properly, turning the tables was not impossible.

’I have to create the right opportunity to use the Talisman.’ Song Changsheng’s mind raced as he began to formulate a strategy. In terms of sheer destructive power, the Talisman Song Luhuai had left him was undoubtedly his greatest weapon.

But he only had one. If he chose not to use it, fine. But if he did, it had to be a decisive, final blow.

"I’ll fight it to the death!" A vicious look appeared on Song Changsheng’s face. ’Escape is impossible. The Water Monkey’s speed in the water is far beyond mine. A single-minded attempt to flee will only lead to a gruesome death.’

With a thought, Song Changsheng instantly activated the Yin Yang Two Elements Formation. An invisible domain expanded, and the Yin and Yang Qi immediately transformed into a pair of black-and-white shears that snipped toward the Water Monkey’s neck.

A flicker of human-like contempt flashed in the Water Monkey’s eyes. As its Demon Qi surged, a deep blue Light Shield materialized, blocking the shears formed from Yin and Yang Qi and halting their advance.

"AWOOO AWOOO AWOOO."

The Water Monkey let out a triumphant cry.

Song Changsheng’s eyes flew wide with fury. ’Now!’ he thought, roaring, "Suppress!"

The Luwu Bell in his hand instantly magnified hundreds of times, crashing down from mid-air with the force of a mountain. A Spiritual Artifact has its own Spiritual Attribute. Although Song Changsheng’s Cultivation was insufficient, he could rely on the artifact’s own spiritual nature to barely control it.

Seeing the radiant golden Copper Bell crashing down, the Water Monkey didn’t dare to be careless. It first struck out to shatter the Yin and Yang Qi, then raised its arms high to forcefully block the Luwu Bell.

"Demon Slaying!"

Song Changsheng activated the Yin Yang Two Elements Formation again. The immense drain of energy quickly turned his face pale. This time, the Yin and Yang Qi formed a great black-and-white saber that chopped vertically down at the Water Monkey under the Copper Bell.

The Water Monkey was using all its strength to resist the Luwu Bell. Seeing another of Song Changsheng’s killing moves arrive, it let out a sharp howl and stimulated its Demon Qi to protect its body.

The great saber stopped barely half an inch from the Water Monkey’s head, unable to fall any further. They were locked in a stalemate.

Song Changsheng’s face was completely drained of color. The massive expenditure of energy was becoming too much for him to bear, and the Array was also starting to falter.

The Water Monkey possessed high Spiritual Wisdom and could see at a glance that Song Changsheng was an arrow at the end of its flight. Knowing its chance to counterattack had come, it gathered all its strength and unleashed it in a single, explosive burst.

The immense power directly shattered the black-and-white saber and sent the Luwu Bell flying.

A triumphant smile appeared on Song Changsheng’s pale face as the talisman paper in his hand rapidly burned to ashes.

"Tier Two Low-Grade Celestial Sword Talisman!"

A towering Sword Light flashed into existence, streaking across the Water Monkey’s chest with the speed of a thunderclap too fast for the ears. It struck the stone wall behind the beast, carving a gash several dozen feet long.

The smile on the Water Monkey’s face froze. It stared at the row of blood beads seeping from its chest, its eyes filled with intense unwillingness. After a final, mournful shriek, its body split in two and fell into the Dark River.

Song Changsheng’s face was as pale as paper, but he couldn’t hide his excitement. His gamble had paid off. He had first shown weakness to the enemy, luring the Water Monkey into recklessly unleashing its full power.

And the moment it unleashed its full power was precisely when its own defenses were weakest. Activating the Celestial Sword Talisman at that instant had indeed resulted in a one-hit kill.

Reaching out, he recalled the Luwu Bell. Song Changsheng stroked the beastly patterns on its surface and murmured softly, "Luckily I had you. Otherwise, I would have met my end here today."

The Luwu Bell trembled slightly, as if in response.

Song Changsheng stored it in his Qiankun Bag. After briefly regulating his breathing, he dove underwater and retrieved the Water Monkey’s corpse. It was a Tier Two Demon Beast, after all; its body contained many precious Artifact Refining Materials that couldn’t be wasted.

He skillfully harvested its claws, teeth, sinews, and bones. He burned the remaining flesh and fur to ashes and scattered them into the Dark River.

Although the creature’s flesh was edible, it was humanoid. The thought of eating it was unsettling, so it was better to just burn it all.

After finishing, Song Changsheng swam back toward the underground lake. The guardian Demon Beast was dead. The Ink Jade Ghost Lotus was now his for the taking!

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