Eternal Life Starts from Tai Chi

Chapter 332: A Pledge, a Domineering Mindset, and the Courage of No Return

"I’ve had people investigate. No Exotic Beasts have appeared yet."

"Although the fish and shrimp in the Qingyuan River have a faint Spiritual Energy, they don’t contain much Spiritual Qi—less than even common Spirit Medicines. It will likely take a very long time before they have any chance of evolving into Exotic Beasts."

"I have already arranged for some of the fish and shrimp from the Qingyuan River to be sent back. We are still inexperienced and our knowledge is limited, so I ask that you, Hall Master, study them carefully."

"For now, we have prohibited the locals from fishing in the Qingyuan River."

While answering Gu An’s questions, the disciple who delivered the message also reported on the arrangements he had made.

This was no ordinary disciple. He was a Direct Disciple whose Cultivation had reached External Iron Bone Refining, and he had been personally trained by Gu An.

Now that the Cyan Yuan Sect had abundant Cultivation Resources, these Direct Disciples had a high chance of breaking through to the Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens and becoming Elders of the Sect.

Their luck was far better than most.

Previously, there were few Superior Spirit Medicines for Refining elixirs that could aid in breaking through to Inner Master or assist with Inner Refining. Thus, even with enough Contribution Points, one wasn’t guaranteed a chance to exchange for them. But now, the Cyan Yuan Sect’s reserves were much more plentiful.

Many people could now exchange for the Elixirs they wanted as long as they had enough Sect Contribution Points. Moreover, those who had participated in the Silver State Thousand Feather Secret Realm affair had all earned a great number of Contribution Points, which they were now naturally converting into Cultivation Resources.

"Continue monitoring the situation around the Qingyuan River. Report any changes to me immediately."

Gu An looked at the disciple and said with a solemn expression.

This matter was crucial to the Cyan Yuan Sect. Regardless of whether a Secret Realm appeared, they had to continue sending people to investigate in order to plan for what came next.

"I understand. I will remain on high alert."

The disciple replied with a serious look.

"Mm."

Seeing this, Gu An nodded in satisfaction.

After the disciple left, Gu An didn’t linger. He went directly to where the Supreme Elders were to discuss the Qingyuan River matter with the three of them.

Since it concerned the future of the Cyan Yuan Sect, it naturally had to be handled with the utmost caution.

...

「Yuanqing Courtyard.」

"Can I ask you how you managed to cultivate the Emperor’s Extreme Force?"

Princess Lan Yue sought out Yang Chan, an ingratiating smile on her face as she posed the question.

Whenever she cultivated the Emperor’s Extreme Force, she was always just one step away. This final step had blocked her progress many times.

If her father, the king, were still alive, she could have naturally asked him for guidance and would have mastered the Emperor’s Extreme Force long ago. But now, the only person she could turn to was Yang Chan.

As for the other children of the Imperial Family, setting aside whether she could even find them, they would only use her as a stepping stone to improve their own status, not help her.

Within the Imperial Family, kinship was weak. Even fathers and sons might fight to the death over the throne. It was even worse for those who weren’t immediate family.

Her branch of the family had been almost entirely executed for their involvement in the Crown Prince’s rebellion.

As for her other kinsmen, although they shared the same blood, she didn’t trust a single one of them. Trusting them would be worse than trusting Yang Chan; at least he wasn’t trying to kill her right now.

Moreover, Yang Chan had mastered the Emperor’s Shocking Book before her, which naturally qualified him to guide her. This point alone was enough for her to humble herself and ask for his instruction.

The Long Moon Sword Song she had previously focused on could not help her achieve her goals. Only the Emperor’s Shocking Book offered a sliver of hope.

"I can."

"However, I require new Elixir and Pill Formulas, specifically ones that are helpful for the Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens."

Yang Chan didn’t refuse, but he stated his condition.

He knew Princess Lan Yue must still have something up her sleeve. He hadn’t pressed her too hard before to prevent her from doing something drastic, which would have been a net loss.

Princess Lan Yue was now under his control, so he could take his time. Just like now, since she needed something from him, she would have to pay a price for it.

’The vast and useful knowledge hidden in her mind will become mine.’

’Slowly but surely, it will all be mine.’

It was like prey caught in a spider’s web. All he had to do was add a few more strands from time to time to ensure it couldn’t escape. Eventually, the prey would become his meal.

"Deal. I just recently thought of a Pill Formula that should be useful."

"You should have enough Spirit Medicines on hand to refine it."

"It’s for the Spirit Purple Pill. It helps with the Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens, and its effects should be similar to the Cyan Spirit Pill, though the Refining process is a bit more complex."

Upon hearing this, Princess Lan Yue showed a look of pleasant surprise, feigning a coincidence.

Her acting skills were becoming more and more refined. Unfortunately, this also made them easier to see through. It wasn’t that her performance was bad, but that it was too deliberate.

When the acting doesn’t fit the scene, even the most exquisite performance is a wasted effort, utterly useless.

Just like now. Princess Lan Yue’s timing wasn’t quite right. It would have been better to wait a while before approaching Yang Chan, or to at least pretend she had to think long and hard before giving him an answer.

Of course, it was also possible she was being obvious on purpose.

"Then it’s a deal."

Yang Chan extended a hand.

SLAP!

Seeing his hand, Princess Lan Yue slapped it with her own.

"Deal."

For Princess Lan Yue, achieving her goal was all that mattered. There were some things she could give Yang Chan, as they weren’t very useful to her anyway. Exchanging them for these resources was her best option.

She had intentionally held back these Pill Formulas for precisely this kind of moment.

Originally, the Emperor’s Shocking Book was also meant to be a bargaining chip. She just hadn’t expected Yang Chan’s Cultivation to progress so quickly that she would have to be the one asking him for help, instead of the other way around.

She didn’t want to waste too much time trying to comprehend the Emperor’s Extreme Force, so she was naturally willing to trade a Pill Formula for the Cultivation experience she needed.

"The Cultivation of the Emperor’s Extreme Sensing Chapter in the Emperor’s Shocking Book requires Tempering your skin and flesh right from the start. This degree of Tempering is far higher than with ordinary Cultivation Techniques, and it’s all in preparation for comprehending the Emperor’s Extreme Force."

"With your current Martial Arts Cultivation at the External Iron Bone Refining realm, your body should be sufficiently tempered under normal circumstances. However, because cultivating the Emperor’s Extreme Force can damage the Five Viscera and Six Bowels, you need to take special Elixirs to protect them during your Cultivation."

"I assume you’ve already prepared them."

As Yang Chan said this, he gave Princess Lan Yue a pointed look. She had never mentioned this detail to him. After he had successfully cultivated the Emperor’s Extreme Force, he had discovered this secret. Of course, for an Inner Master like him, it didn’t really matter, but a novice Cultivator would need the help of such an Elixir.

Seeing his look, Princess Lan Yue gave an awkward smile. There was no point in denying it now; if she didn’t even know the requirements for Cultivation, she would naturally find it hard to succeed.

"Even though you have Elixirs for protection, the Emperor’s Extreme Force is incredibly domineering. So, you need to make other preparations when you cultivate."

"For example, your mentality."

"The domineering nature of the Emperor’s Extreme Force isn’t just about the Power itself. You must have a domineering mentality to comprehend that domineering Power."

"If your mind is tranquil, you will never be able to cultivate the Emperor’s Extreme Force."

"I imagine this is a side effect of you cultivating the Long Moon Sword Song."

Yang Chan glanced at the sword hanging at Princess Lan Yue’s waist. It was obvious she was still cultivating the Long Moon Sword Song. Since it was the Cultivation Technique she had previously focused on, her Cultivation was still primarily based on it.

Right now, Princess Lan Yue was still using the Long Moon Sword Song for her External Refining of bones. Although she had abundant Cultivation Resources and wouldn’t need much time to succeed, she was inevitably being influenced by it.

When cultivating different Cultivation Techniques, the vast differences between the various types of Power can actually hinder your Cultivation.

Yang Chan cultivated the Cyan Yuan Sect’s complementary set of Cultivation Techniques, so he understood this secret much better.

Among the Cultivation Techniques he practiced, the ones for External Refining Copper Skin Steel, External Iron Bone Refining, and Inner Refining of the Five Viscera and Six Bowels were three different methods. However, their underlying Realms were related. Therefore, they could be cultivated simultaneously without needing to be separated. The interference between them was minimal, and if linked together, they could produce even greater effects.

In contrast, Princess Lan Yue’s Long Moon Sword Song was a single, unified technique, from comprehending its Power to its External and Inner Refining. This made it much more convenient to cultivate, but it also meant she lacked experience in merging different types of Power. This was one of the reasons she had been unable to break through.

"Furthermore, there is the matter of courage. The Emperor’s Extreme Force is supremely domineering. How can someone without courage be domineering?"

"When you are on the verge of a breakthrough, you need courage. You must push through in one go, not shrink back in fear."

"The moment you hesitate, you will fail to break through."

Yang Chan said slowly, looking at Princess Lan Yue’s expression.

He had a general idea of Princess Lan Yue’s cultivation situation, which allowed him to deduce her problems.

Giving her guidance was a simple matter of words for him. What he truly needed was the new Pill Formula she possessed.

His Daily Potential Point Collection had already reached 7.6, so he was naturally thinking about breaking through to 8. ’How great would it be to use eight Potential Points every day?’

If he could maintain this rate of increase, his Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method could quickly break through to Tier Four, and his Cultivation would reach the Inner Refining Five Viscera Realm.

In the human body, the Six Viscera provide less of a boost to the physical body than the Five Viscera. The heart, for example, is the body’s power source, often called its engine. If something goes wrong with the heart, a series of problems will appear throughout the body, and one’s physical condition will decline rapidly.

Therefore, this Realm represents a major transformation, even greater than the previous transformations from Tempering each organ to Perfection.

"I understand. Here is the Pill Formula for the Spirit Purple Pill. Next time you go to the Earth Fire Institute to refine Elixirs, I can personally demonstrate the Refining method for you."

Princess Lan Yue listened and nodded in sudden realization.

She had been cultivating strictly according to the Cultivation Technique’s instructions, but it made no mention of things like mentality and courage. This wasn’t an omission; it was something that had to be understood through personal insight.

If one could comprehend it on their own, they would naturally experience a form of growth, which was more suited to the Cultivation of the Emperor’s Shocking Book. If one couldn’t, they would have to rely on the guidance of elders or other accomplished cultivators to learn the reason. With sufficient preparation, they would still have a chance to break through.

This was precisely Princess Lan Yue’s situation. She was separated by a single thin line; once she saw through it, the reason became clear.