Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 242 The Four Realms of Body Cultivation, Life-or-Death Tribulations

Jiang Xiuqi thought that after saying this, Zhao Tuan would realize the madness and danger of his actions.

However, Zhao Tuan in front of him remained calm, even somewhat puzzled.

"Senior, is this not feasible?"

"You..." Jiang Xiuqi was speechless for a moment, then changed the subject and said, "Do you know what it means to set up an array inside your body?"

"If the formation is even slightly off, you will be doomed!"

Zhao Tuan nodded and smiled, "To be honest, Senior, Grandpa Shen mentioned this."

"He said that this was risky, but if it succeeded, I would be able to achieve embryonic breathing without any spiritual roots."

After a slight pause, he continued, "This junior trusts Grandpa Shen and earnestly requests your assistance."

In Zhao Tuan's view, this opportunity was extremely rare.

If he succeeds, he will have pioneered the fetal breathing technique without spiritual roots.

This set an example for his Zhao family, and even for all cultivators without spiritual roots.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiuqi was stunned.

crazy!

They've all gone crazy!
Before we could even deal with that little madman who wanted to set up a spirit-gathering array in his dantian, another old madman came along who wanted to set up a five-element spirit array in his internal organs.

Jiang Xiuqi was at a loss for what to do.

After pondering for a long time, he hardened his heart and directly said with a flick of his sleeve, "I'm afraid I can't do anything about this. You may go back."

Seeing this, Zhao Tuan looked somewhat disappointed, but dared not say anything more.

"If that's the case, then I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"Senior Jiang, I'll take my leave now."

Zhao Tuan stood up and walked dejectedly out of the main hall.

Jiang Xiuqi's expression was very complicated as he watched his retreating figure.

"Young man of the Zhao family, even without this method, your body, lacking spiritual roots, can still break through to the embryonic breathing stage!"

He shouted in a deep voice.

Zhao Tuan paused slightly, a bitter smile appearing on his face. He turned and cupped his hands, saying, "This junior knows, but my Zhao family cannot afford five of the same quality of Five Elements Innate Spiritual Qi."

"Even if I could afford it, by the time I could acquire five strands of innate spiritual energy of the five elements, I fear I would have already perished."

Innate spiritual energy is a rare and precious element of heaven and earth.

If we add the two conditions of "same quality" and "five elements of innate spiritual energy", let alone the strength of the Zhao family, even a powerful Golden Core Immortal Sect would find it unlikely to gather all the necessary elements in a short period of time.

Zhao Tuan knew he wouldn't live to see that day.

"This……"

Jiang Xiuqi was somewhat taken aback by his words.

With his Golden Core Realm strength, he could easily tell that Zhao Tuan was calm and composed, and that his true essence and spiritual power were abundant.

It seems that he has put in a lot of effort over the years, from body tempering to Qi cultivation.

If such a mindset is trapped and unable to progress beyond the level of embryonic breathing, it will be unable to advance any further.

Ultimately, watching one's lifespan slowly run out and dying in despair is indeed cruel.

Even so, inscribing formations within the body has become almost a taboo for formation masters. Throughout history, countless brilliant predecessors have tried it, but none have succeeded.

He didn't dare take that risk.

Seeing that he remained silent, Zhao Tuan cupped his hands in greeting again, and left Yunzhong County with a bitter smile on his face.

Jiang Xiuqi pondered alone in the main hall for a long time, and finally could only sigh heavily before turning and walking towards the seven-story tower.

On the top floor of the tower, Shen Xiubai remained imprisoned.

Luo Yao, who was standing to the side, felt the faint spiritual energy within him surging in waves, as if it wanted to break through the power that was imprisoning his body.

"Little guy, don't waste your energy."

"If a mere Qi Refining Level 3 kid like you could break through the restrictions placed by your senior uncle, it would be a disservice to the Golden Core Dao realm."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai pleaded with a pained expression, "Senior Luo, please help this junior..."

"Help what?"

"Will it help you die faster?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Xiuqi's voice came from the stairs.

Seeing his stern face and strange expression, Luo Yao stood up and came forward, bowing: "Uncle-Master, what happened?"

Jiang Xiuqi sighed, then waved his hand to release Shen Xiubai from his restraints, and then said, "You're a little madman, and your great-grandfather is an old madman!"

These unexpected words left Shen Xiubai, who had just regained his freedom, somewhat stunned.

"Senior, what happened to my great-grandfather?"

Jiang Xiuqi didn't say anything, but simply tossed over the jade slip that Zhao Tuan had brought.

After taking the jade slip, Shen Xiubai examined it carefully, and a glint of light suddenly flashed in his eyes!
"Wonderful!"

"This method is truly ingenious!"

"Senior, this is... a method that my great-grandfather came up with?"

As Shen Xiubai spoke, he quickly sat down cross-legged in front of Jiang Xiuqi, found paper and pen beside him, and began to draw as he spoke.

"Using the five internal organs to correspond to the five elements, and using formations to replace innate spiritual energy, we construct an internal five-element cycle."

"As cultivators' cultivation levels increase in the future, the power of this inner five elements formation will be enhanced accordingly."

"This method can completely replace the harsh conditions that cultivators without spiritual roots need to rely on innate spiritual energy to break through the fetal breathing stage."

"Moreover, it seems that my great-grandfather has studied the five internal organs of us cultivators."

"The heart corresponds to fire, the liver to wood, and the kidneys to water..."

"And there's also the principle of mutual support between water and fire..."

As Shen Xiubai muttered to himself, he hurriedly drew a large number of lines on the paper in front of him.

A moment later, he excitedly handed the paper to Jiang Xiuqi.

"Senior, please see, my great-grandfather's idea is indeed feasible!"

Although Jiang Xiuqi opposed inscribing formations on the physical body, he was not an absolutely pedantic or stubborn person.

After taking the blueprints from Shen Xiubai and examining them carefully, he frowned instantly and then looked deep in thought.

"The Five Elements... rotate and generate... mutually generating and mutually restraining..."

"Maintain the stability of the five elements through the principle of water and fire working together..."

"The old man's thoughts..."

Having been provoked by Shen Xiubai's crazy ideas, Jiang Xiuqi was furious when he saw that the jade slip Zhao Tuan brought was about to inscribe an array in the body. He didn't even finish reading the contents of the jade slip before he was enraged.

Now, after Shen Xiubai's analysis and interpretation, he suddenly realized that Shen Yuan's theoretical design was quite ingenious.

Little did people know that this was compiled by Shen Yuan using the internal alchemy cultivation methods of the Taoist sect from his previous life, combined with the extensive experience he had accumulated in this life.

The Zhao family of Anyang and the Shen family are related by marriage; he and Zhao Tuan's grandfather, Zhao Shuan, were brothers.

To him, Zhao Tuan was no different from his own grandson.

He would never have risked Zhao Tuan's life if such a move were not feasible.

After reviewing Shen Xiubai's sketch, Jiang Xiuqi picked up the jade slip, carefully examined its contents, and frowned for a long time before speaking:

“Your great-grandfather’s move was indeed ingenious. At least from my current level of expertise in array formations, there is no major problem.”

"But he overlooked the most important thing."

"A person's five internal organs are too weak to serve as the foundation of an array."

"If this problem cannot be solved, even if the formation is successfully constructed in the internal organs, the pain caused by the operation of the formation will be enough to drive the cultivator insane."

"What's the point of talking about cultivating to fight enemies?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai was slightly taken aback.

He had indeed considered this.

If Jiang Xiuqi hadn't imprisoned him, he originally planned to try inscribing a simplified spirit-gathering array in his dantian on his own.

Experience the pain of operating the formation first, then consider how to improve it.

The old man and the young man fell into deep thought.

Although Jiang Xiuqi kept calling Shen Xiubai and Shen Yuan "little madman" and "old madman,"

But all array masters have similar temperaments.

A formation master who follows the old ways is destined to never become a master.

In a sense, all array masters are actually crazy, it's just that Jiang Xiuqi hasn't gone as crazy as Shen Xiubai.

Now that he has seen the mature theory provided by Shen Yuan, he is naturally very interested.

Jiang Xiuqi understood that if he could solve the problem of cultivators without spiritual roots needing to rely on the same quality of innate spiritual energy of the five elements to break through the embryonic breathing stage and continue cultivating by using Shen Yuan's theory of "water and fire in harmony," he would become a legendary figure in the hearts of many cultivators in later generations, and his name would be remembered in history.

The old man and the young girl began to discuss how to solve the problem of the Five Internal Organs Array Foundation, while Luo Yao watched them in astonishment.

She was a little confused.

Why has the senior uncle, who was vehemently opposed to inscribing formations within the body just a moment ago, suddenly changed his attitude?

However, not knowing much about formations, she didn't say much, could only shake her head, and quietly left the seven-story tower.

……

Yunshui City.

Shen Chongming had planned to have the Snow Wolf King escort the younger generation of the Shen family to the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm to try their luck, but the plan was disrupted when the Calamity Fire Sect suddenly broke into the Dragon Tamer's residence.

The matter of the Dragon Tamer's Mansion has now been resolved.

With nothing much to do, the Snow Wolf King once again put the matter of going to the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm on the agenda.

In front of the manor gate, twenty energetic teenagers stood in two rows.

The one leading the group was Shen Chongming's eldest son born out of wedlock, Shen Xiuchan.

Shen Xiuchan is the child of Shen Chongming and Mu Lingxun. He is now seventeen years old and his cultivation has reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining.

The Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm is restricted, preventing cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage from entering. The twenty Shen family cultivators present were all at the Qi Refining stage.

“Cultivating Zen, these clansmen are the future of my Shen family. After entering the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm, we must not act rashly.”

"I've already told you everything that needs to be said. You must do your best to bring them all back safely."

Looking at his son in front of him, Shen Chongming solemnly gave him instructions.

The burly and shrewd Shen Xiuchan cupped his hands slightly and said, "Father, rest assured, I will definitely bring them all back."

After nodding, Shen Chongming looked at the remaining group of young cultivators and said, "You must be careful on this trip. There are many dangers in the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm. If you cause trouble for your companions because of your recklessness, you will become a sinner of the Shen family."

"Once you enter the secret realm, you must follow Young Master Xiu Chan's instructions and must not be greedy for quick success or act rashly."

The twenty young people in front of them, including Shen Xiuchan, shouted in unison.

"I will heed the Patriarch's instructions!"

Shen Chongming nodded, then turned to the Snow Wolf King and said, "I'm leaving them in your care."

The Snow Wolf King nodded, then spoke in human language, "Patriarch, we're leaving."

As he spoke, his figure suddenly stirred up a gust of demonic wind, carrying the twenty people in front of him rapidly toward the direction of Qixian Mountain in Sanshan County.

Yingchuan County City.

Inside the main hall, Wu Shi Ao from the Fushan Kingdom was sitting cross-legged, cultivating.

Suddenly, a guard came up to him.

"Your Highness, a group of people from the Shen family of Yunshui City have gone out and headed towards the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm."

Upon hearing this, Wu Shi Ao slowly opened his eyes.

"Your Highness, that sword cultivator from the Shen family has now broken through to the Golden Core stage and can no longer make a move. Perhaps we could..."

A murderous glint flashed in the eyes of the guard.

During the last major harvest, the Fushan Kingdom suffered a great loss at the hands of the Shen family.

Three of the five legions were destroyed, which enraged the king, Wu Shi Kui. The cultivators in Yangnao Land were also punished, with their salaries and cultivation resources deducted for ten years.

Now that the "fierce god" Shen Wen'an has broken through to the Golden Core Sword Immortal realm, he definitely can't make a move due to the agreement.

In his view, this was the best opportunity to deal with the Shen family!
Wu Shi'ao's eyes were deep, and after a moment of thought, he said, "No rush."

"The Shen family should not be underestimated."

After a slight pause, he sneered, "Have someone spread the word, let those guys from the Yin Corpse Sect and Canaan Temple make their move first."

Upon hearing this, the guard's eyes lit up.

"Your Highness's plan is brilliant."

"My subordinates will make arrangements now."

……

The skies above Sansan County.

The Snow Wolf King, commanding a vast expanse of demonic clouds, led twenty Shen family cultivators toward the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm.

Above the demonic clouds, these young cultivators were all extremely excited.

The Shen family today is different from the one at the beginning. Back then, when danger struck, all the cultivators in the clan, and even the strong men among the mortals, would go out and fight to the death.

Now, these talented younger generations can basically cultivate and grow in the city under the protection of the older generation.

For most of them, this trip to the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm was their first time leaving Yunshui City.

The young people were full of passion, and the outside world was full of unknowns and mysteries to them.

"Lord Snow Wolf King, may we land on the ground and travel on foot?"

A boy of about eleven or twelve years old looked intently at the Snow Wolf King and spoke.

The Snow Wolf King turned back to look at him and shook his head, saying, "No, this is already Sanshan County. There are cultivators from Fushan Kingdom, as well as people from Yinshi Sect and Canaan Temple below."

“If they catch you, you little guys will all be thrown into the alchemy furnace and refined into blood pills.”

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the younger members of the Shen family on the demon cloud changed drastically.

"Although they belong to a different faction than our Shen family, they are at least of the same clan. Would they really eat people?"

One of the teenagers spoke up in astonishment.

Before the Snow Wolf King could speak, a spirited young woman beside him, wielding a long spear, clad in brown armor, and with her hair tied in a high ponytail, coldly asked, "Our own kind?"

“High-level cultivators have never regarded ordinary mortals as their own kind.”

"In their eyes, ordinary people are no different from wild beasts in the mountains and forests."

Shen Xiuchan, who was at the front of the crowd, spoke up at the opportune moment: "Meng Yuntang is right."

“Those guys refer to ordinary people as ‘two-legged sheep,’ ‘talents,’ and ‘food’. In their eyes, ordinary people are nothing more than resources for cultivation, and we cultivators of Yangnao Land are also walking human medicines.”

"Therefore, you must never be deceived by them in the future."

"Among these forces in the southern border, the bald monks of Canaan Temple are the most adept at bewitching people."

"They keep talking about 'paradise' and 'rebirth' to persuade people to do good, but aren't they all the same behind people's backs?"

After hearing his words, all the teenagers nodded in unison.

"Then they are not even as good as Lord Snow Wolf King."

The boy who was walking forward was the first to speak, wanting the Snow Wolf King to descend to the ground.

Upon hearing this, a hint of embarrassment flashed in the Snow Wolf King's eyes.

He had eaten many people when he was in the Great Wushan Mountains, and he often used ordinary people to make human pills.

Otherwise, where did he get his cultivation level of the Perfected Breathing Realm?
"Cough cough..."

“I was once confused, but after following my master, I repented.”

The Snow Wolf King chuckled dryly as he spoke.

The chubby boy, however, didn't seem to care at all.

The academy's teacher said, "To know one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue."

"Lord Snow Wolf King has turned over a new leaf; he's better than those guys."

Upon hearing this, the Snow Wolf King felt an indescribable sense of relief.

He grinned, his eyes slightly narrowed, and his face was full of smiles.

Over the years since he was forcibly subdued by Shen Wen'an, he has suddenly found himself slowly growing to like life in Yunshui City.

This harmonious atmosphere was a wonderful feeling he had never experienced in most of his life.

No need for scheming or living in fear, I can cultivate peacefully whenever I have free time. As a demon beast, the ferocity in my heart has almost completely dissipated.

This mindset is clearly more in tune with the Dao.

Over the years, the Snow Wolf King could clearly feel that his state of mind had greatly improved, and his cultivation had also made great strides towards the Perfected Fetal Breathing Realm.

In this way, in a few years, I might be able to try to break through to the Golden Core stage.

As the group chatted idly, Mount Qixian soon appeared below the demonic clouds.

The Snow Wolf King manipulated the demonic clouds and slowly descended towards the cliff where the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm was located.

The once bustling entrance to the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm is now somewhat desolate.

Many of the buildings left behind by the Yi Qi Sect in the surrounding area are now dilapidated and hidden among weeds.

"Young Master Xiu Chan, please take your men inside. I'll stay here and keep watch."

"Be sure to take precautions on your journey."

After landing, the Snow Wolf King looked at Shen Xiuchan in front of him and spoke.

Shen Xiuchan cupped his hands slightly and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Snow Wolf King."

The Snow Wolf King was Shen Wen'an's mount, and its cultivation was at the peak of the embryonic breathing stage. The younger generation of the Shen family respected it greatly.

"Once you go inside, you must protect the young master."

The Snow Wolf King looked at the rest of the group and spoke in a deep voice.

In his eyes, Shen Xiuchan was clearly more important.

"Don't worry, my lord."

All the younger generation bowed in unison.

"Let's go."

At Shen Xiuchan's command, everyone headed toward the cliff where the sea of ​​clouds surged.

Shen Chongming had been to the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm twice, so he had already compiled everything about the secret realm and told them about it.

After the group of twenty people stepped into the sea of ​​clouds, the scenery before them suddenly changed, and the next moment they appeared in the secret realm of the Seven Sages Mountain.

Once everyone recovered from their dizziness, they eagerly looked around at everything.

The Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm remains the same as before, with lush green grass and blooming exotic flowers.

In the distance, a silver waterfall hangs upside down, plunging straight down from the clouds, like a celestial sword cleaving through the verdant mountains.

The water recedes into the deep pool, and the mist rises into a rainbow. The surrounding spiritual energy, mixed with the exotic fragrance of flowers, is refreshing and invigorating.

"What a paradise on earth!"

When Meng Yuntang, the girl wielding a long spear and whose cultivation had also reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, saw the scenery in the secret realm, she couldn't help but praise it.

The other teenagers, however, were already completely captivated by the scenery of verdant mountains, cascading waterfalls, and hanging rocks.

Their mouths were slightly open, their eyes wide, as they surveyed everything in the distance.

After regaining his senses, Shen Xiuchan hurriedly took out a map from his storage bag.

This map was also drawn by his father, Shen Chongming. It records a small part of the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm, which he saw during his two visits to the secret realm.

Comparing the map in his hand, Shen Xiuchan studied it for a moment and then said, "We are currently not far from this place called 'Yixianting'."

“Father said that Yixianting is also a place of inheritance, but it seems that the people of the Suihuo Sect played a trick on it back then and set up some schemes.”

"Let's go take a look first."

Once everyone came to their senses, they immediately followed him downstream along the stream in front of them.

……

Yunshui City, the back mountain of the manor.

Inside the secluded cave, a figure sat listlessly.

The figure had its eyes closed, its body covered in dust, and its hair on its head was silver-gray, resembling withered grass.

His beard, already a foot long, hung haphazardly down to his chest. His face and hands, which were exposed by his wide robe, were now skin and bones, his skin dull and lifeless, making him look like a terrifying mummified corpse that had been dead for hundreds of years.

This figure was none other than Shen Wenxing, who was in seclusion preparing to break through to the fourth realm of body cultivation.

The four realms of physical cultivation are also known as the "realm of life and death" in the tradition of physical cultivation.

Just from the name, you can tell how dangerous this realm is for body cultivators.

Reaching the Life and Death Realm requires physical cultivation to consume one's own vital energy and blood, simultaneously opening the body's five secret treasures and unleashing even greater potential.

The greatest calamity in the Life and Death Realm is the depletion of one's blood and energy.

Once a body cultivator begins to break through the Life and Death Realm, the Five Great Secret Treasures will continuously absorb the blood and energy within their body.

The process will stop only when the secret chamber is filled with blood and qi, and the activation is successful.

During this period, cultivators cannot rely on external aids or elixirs to replenish their strength; they can only rely on their own inherent reserves to withstand the damage.

If one's blood and qi are insufficient, the five secret treasures will drain all the blood and qi from the body, causing immediate death.

Shen Wenxing is now at the most critical moment of the first major tribulation in the Life and Death Realm.

Back then, the Shen family and the Vajra Sect of the Danzhou Immortal Clan were on good terms. Jin Sheng, the chief disciple of the Vajra Sect, once gave Shen Wenxing some inheritances on body cultivation.

However, those traditions did not mention the cultivation methods for the "Life and Death Realm" of the four realms of physical cultivation.

Shen Wenxing was unaware that the Life and Death Realm would have such a requirement.

Fortunately, he had stayed at the peak of the three realms for more than ten years, and with the power of his own bloodline, he was not drained of his life force by the first major death tribulation of the life and death realm.

However, he still has a problem to solve.

That is to use the power of the soon-to-be-opened secret treasure to temper the five internal organs.

This step requires the internal organs to withstand the first wave of impact from the power of the secret realm. After that, it takes a lot of time and effort to refine it little by little.

According to his understanding of the Life and Death Realm, this step requires some Qi and blood to envelop the internal organs and mitigate the impact of the hidden power on the weak internal organs.

However, his body's vital energy has been almost completely drained, making it impossible for him to use any other vital energy to protect his internal organs.

Seeing the five hidden treasures within his body radiating a crystalline glow, like five volcanoes about to erupt, Shen Wenxing, helpless, could only grit his teeth and prepare to withstand this first wave of impact.

Now that things have come to this, it's clearly impossible to stop the breakthrough.

Boo!
Just as he made up his mind to fight to the death, a deep sound suddenly came from his withered body!

The next moment, the five secret treasures that had absorbed a large amount of qi and blood were suddenly activated simultaneously.

The terrifying energy instantly surged into his internal organs!
"what!"

A hoarse scream echoed in the cave. Shen Wenxing suddenly opened his eyes, his expression pained.

The moment the power of the five secret treasures simultaneously impacted his five internal organs, he felt as if countless sharp blades were piercing his heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and kidneys!

Even though he was prepared, he still found the pain unbearable.

"I...I can't hold on any longer..."

The intense pain, coupled with the weakness caused by the severe depletion of his vital energy, gradually blurred his consciousness.

The vitality within the body is being gradually eroded.

Shen Wenxing's eyes were bloodshot, his body stiffened, and he immediately fainted.

……

The second floor of Blackwater Pavilion.

Shen Yuan's body was permeated with a large amount of Great Evolution Power.

Prior to this, he had already received a warning from the white jade tortoise shell, which foretold that Shen Wenxing's breakthrough would be fraught with life-or-death calamity.

At this moment, he was consuming the spiritual energy stored in the white jade tortoise shell to find a way out for Shen Wenxing.

After a long while, the Great Evolution Power on its body surface slowly dissipated, and was replaced by another mysterious power.

Under the influence of this mysterious force, a phantom river resembling a long river of blood suddenly appeared behind it!

One end of this long river of blood disappeared into the void, while the other end was connected to his body.

Behind the cave in the back mountain, a similar phantom of a long river of blood suddenly appeared behind the unconscious Shen Wenxing.

As the river of blood flowed into his body, Shen Wenxing, whose consciousness sank into endless darkness, vaguely seemed to see a figure appear.

The figure, dressed in a long, loose gray robe, with gray hair, strode forward with his hands behind his back.

"father?"

Shen Wenxing struggled to his senses and cried out.

The figure's face remained blurry, and it did not answer.

"Father, I'm afraid this time I'm powerless to reverse the situation."

Looking at the figure that had stopped not far in front of him, Shen Wenxing murmured a bitter sentence in his heart.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the figure in front of him suddenly burst forth with a strong crimson light!
The next moment, Shen Wenxing felt as if his consciousness was being grabbed by an invisible hand. When he came to his senses again, his consciousness returned to his body.

The intense pain of the hidden power washing over his internal organs caused his consciousness, which had finally returned, to become blurred again.

But the pain then greatly diminished.

When Shen Wenxing looked closely, he was shocked to find that the figure that resembled his father, Shen Yuan, was now radiating endless blood light, blocking his internal organs.

The light shield formed by the blood-red light resembled a coiled azure dragon, tightly protecting the internal organs and making the hidden power that had seeped in much gentler.

Azure Dragon...

In that instant, Shen Wenxing suddenly had a sudden realization.

Enduring the excruciating pain of his internal organs being torn apart, he began to use the power of blood and qi erupted from his hidden power to imitate that figure, forming a phantom azure dragon around his internal organs.

Seeing this, the figure that resembled Shen Yuan nodded in satisfaction and then slowly disappeared.

As the most violent phase of the hidden power gradually passes, the hidden power then flows gently into the five internal organs like a babbling brook.

He finally made it through the second stage of the life-or-death realm.

His internal organs were constantly being refined, and the vital energy he carried quickly nourished his body.

Inside the cave, Shen Wenxing, who had been like a dried-up corpse, was now like an inflated balloon, his shriveled flesh bulging up, and his hair, which had been like withered grass, gradually regained some luster.

A powerful heartbeat echoed within the cave, and the aura emanating from the figure gradually intensified.

Inside the Blackwater Pavilion.

Blood trickled from the corner of Shen Yuan's mouth, and his breathing became somewhat disordered.

Fortunately, the injury wasn't too serious.

He slowly opened his eyes, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, got up and went to the edge of the window, quietly gazing in the direction of the cave in the back mountain.

Sensing the strong aura of blood emanating from there, Shen Yuan smiled slightly.

"You brat, you're over a hundred years old, and you still can't give your old man a break."

The cave behind the mountain was filled with the smell of blood.

Having fully recovered his appearance, Shen Wenxing's aura gradually formed a terrifying pillar of blood energy, which broke through the stone wall at the top of the secret chamber and appeared in the void.

The pillar of blood-red energy shone brightly for over a hundred feet, radiating immense pressure.

Many cultivators in the city were completely baffled by this.

"It's the old patriarch!"

"It must be the old patriarch who has broken through!"

The immortal cultivators didn't know what this pillar of blood and energy represented, but the body cultivators in the city understood that such a dense phenomenon of blood and energy was likely caused by Shen Wenxing, who was currently in seclusion breaking through to the fourth realm of body cultivation!
The south gate of Yunshui City, by the Laishui River.

Xu Zhan, shirtless, was sitting cross-legged on a boulder, cultivating. Beside him, Shen You was resting her chin on her hands, staring blankly at the shimmering river.

When the strange phenomenon of qi and blood appeared in the city, Xu Zhan immediately sensed the terrifying power of qi and blood.

He suddenly stood up and looked in the direction of Yunshui City.

Shen You also stood up curiously, glanced at him, and asked, "What's wrong?"

A smile appeared on Xu Zhan's lips as he turned to Shen You and said, "It must be that Master has broken through!"

"Senior sister, let's go take a look."

"Father has broken through!?" Upon hearing this, Shen You was overjoyed and immediately rode the wind towards Yunshui City.

When the two arrived at the back mountain, the area in front of the cave was already filled with cultivators from the Shen family.

Most of them were body cultivators from Yunshui City.

Shen Wenxing is still the number one body cultivator in the Shen family, and all the body cultivators in the city are his disciples and grand-disciples.

"Miss."

"Master Xu."

Upon seeing Shen You and Xu Zhan arrive, the cultivators respectfully cupped their hands and made way for them.

When the two arrived at the entrance of the cave, the hundred-foot-tall pillar of blood-red energy in the void had gradually dissipated.

Before long, the stone door of the cave, which had been sealed for several years, was slowly opened.

Wearing a wide brown robe, with his hair tied up in a bun and a swan-shaped crown, Shen Wenxing walked out with a smile.

"father!"

Upon seeing this, Shen You immediately ran over excitedly!

Xu Zhan also stepped forward with a happy expression, respectfully cupping his hands and saying, "Congratulations, Master, on successfully breaking through to the fourth realm."

As soon as he finished speaking, the cultivators from the Shen family behind him respectfully cupped their hands and said, "Congratulations, Elder Patriarch!"

Shen Wenxing nodded with a smile and said, "You all go back first. I will compile my insights on breaking through to the fourth realm and the things to pay attention to before breaking through."

"We body cultivators face life and death at every stage of cultivation. All I can do is give you more preparation and fewer casualties."

Upon hearing this, all the body cultivators in front of them showed joy on their faces.

Body cultivation is perilous, but the valuable experience left by predecessors can truly save their lives in critical moments.

After everyone dispersed, Shen Wenxing looked at his apprentice Xu Zhan.

"Good lad, it's been a few years since I last saw you, and you're almost at the peak of the third realm."

"If I had broken through a little slower, you would have caught up with me."

Xu Zhan smiled faintly and cupped his hands: "Master Lu compiled the supplementary cultivation method 'Self-Reflection Manual' for the 'Nine Fiends Body Gathering Technique' back then, and I have already thoroughly understood it."

"Now, with the help of the Self-Examination Manual to cultivate the Nine Killings Body-Gathering Technique, my progress has indeed been much faster."

Shen Wenxing nodded.

The Nine Fiends Body-Gathering Technique was originally Xu Zhan's legacy. With the addition of Lu Zhiyuan's Self-Reflection Manual to resolve the side effects of fiendish energy, it should be able to further enhance the Shen family's physical cultivation strength.

Where is your older brother?

Has anything major happened at home recently?

Shen Wenxing then looked at Shen You beside him and asked.

"event……"

"There are quite a few. Father has just come out of seclusion, so let's talk about them in detail later."

As Shen You spoke, she pulled him down the mountain.

"I need to go see your grandfather first. You two should go back first."

Shen Wenxing smiled faintly and spoke.

Just as he was breaking through the critical point, he suddenly saw a figure that resembled his father, Shen Yuan, which made him somewhat puzzled.

Having spent several years in seclusion, now that I've emerged, I should go see my father soon.

Shen You nodded and returned to the manor with Xu Zhan to tell her mother about it.

……

Blackwater Pavilion.

When Shen Wenxing arrived on the second floor, Shen Yuan was leisurely drinking tea.

"father."

After bowing respectfully, he sat down in front of his father.

Seeing that his father showed no surprise at his emergence from seclusion, Shen Wenxing was even more convinced that his father must have saved his life at the critical moment.

"How does it feel?"

Shen Yuan poured him a cup of tea and asked softly.

Taking the tea, Shen Wenxing shook his head with a bitter smile: "I was so close to being separated from my father by life and death."

He took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, glanced at Shen Yuan in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Father, just before my breakthrough, I seemed to see your figure..."

Shen Yuan nodded and said, "Your father did indeed sense that your breakthrough was fraught with life-or-death difficulties."

“You and I are father and son, connected by blood. I helped you by leveraging the power of our bloodline.”

Changing the subject, Shen Yuan continued, "You... have been cultivating the Azure Dragon Force for over a hundred years, yet you have never grasped the essence of this technique."

"Hasn't he grasped the true meaning of the Blood Dragon?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Shen Wenxing's face.

He truly never imagined that there could be true meaning within the body cultivation techniques.

"Ugh!"

Upon seeing this, Shen Yuan couldn't help but sigh and said, "Although I am not a body cultivator, I have read some records related to body cultivation in many ancient books over the years."

"Body cultivation is said to only cultivate one's own body, qi and blood, and keep them hidden."

"But ultimately, he is still a cultivator, and must be in harmony with heaven and earth."

"The so-called Tao follows nature, and physical cultivation is also cultivation; it cannot escape the Tao and the law."

"This breakthrough to the fourth realm has served as a lesson for you. In the future, do not blindly pursue your own interests while neglecting external things."

After a slight pause, he continued, "The four realms of body cultivation are the realms of life and death, transcending life and death to achieve sublimation."

“I knew you didn’t have the path of physical cultivation to follow, so I prepared this for you in advance.”

With a flash of light in his hand, Shen Yuan took out a jade slip.

"When Qi and blood combine with spiritual power, the physical body can carry supernatural abilities."

"As your father deduces, the next realm for body cultivators should be the Spirit Transformation Realm."

"After the Spirit Transformation, one should reach the Divine Power Realm."

"As for the specific methods of cultivation, you will have to figure them out yourself."

In terms of cultivation level, although Shen Yuan is still in the late stage of the embryonic breathing stage, he has read a large number of ancient cultivation books over the past hundred years and absorbed the insights of many members of the Shen family who have broken through.

The breadth of his knowledge far surpasses that of ordinary cultivators.

Possessing the Great Evolution Dao and aided by the White Jade Tortoise Shell, he was able to continuously deduce and refine certain cultivation methods.

The contents of the jade slip were the insights Shen Wenxing gained from deduce the "Azure Dragon Force" after expending a large amount of spiritual energy when the white jade tortoise shell warned him that this breakthrough would be fraught with life-or-death difficulties.

"When Qi and blood combine with spiritual power, the physical body can carry supernatural abilities."

Shen Wenxing repeated the sentence carefully, then shook his head with a wry smile.

"I always thought I had a good talent for physical cultivation, but now it seems that I am not as good as you, Father."

He suddenly realized that his father had become increasingly mysterious over the years.

It's like a hermit who has lived for countless years and knows everything.

Stop flattering your father.

Shen Yuan chuckled and took a sip of tea, saying, "Now that you've broken through, you should help Chongming so he can quickly go into seclusion and break through to the perfected state of embryonic breathing."

"Otherwise, you might not be able to stop those cultivators from the Southern Frontier during the next big harvest."

Shen Wenxing's expression faltered slightly, then he asked in astonishment, "Wen'an... he's achieved the Golden Core stage?"

Shen Yuan nodded: "So, the rest is up to you two, father and son."

The Shen family is very powerful now, but they don't yet have the right to overturn the table.

The previous agreement must be kept; we must at least spend another few decades fighting with the six major powers in southern Xinjiang.

During this time, he could also take the opportunity to further analyze how the players behind this grand game of chess were planning their moves.

Daoyuan...

If possible, the Shen family should start planning ahead.

After chatting for a while, Shen Wenxing was kicked out of the Blackwater Pavilion by his father, who told him to hurry back and see his wife and daughter.

He had been in seclusion for several years, and now that he had emerged, he couldn't linger at his elderly father's place.

……

In the courtyard, Huang Lingxiu sat with her daughter Shen You, while opposite them were Shen Chonghong and his wife, along with their apprentice Xu Zhan.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Shen You, who was standing next to Huang Lingxiu, kept giving Xu Zhan meaningful glances.

Xu Zhan, however, was somewhat hesitant and dared not speak.

Seeing this, Shen You glared at him fiercely.

Xu Zhan then steeled himself, stood up, and bowed to Shen Wenxing, saying, "Master, your disciple... your disciple..."

But seeing that his "disciple" hadn't said anything more for a long time, Shen You couldn't stand it anymore.

"Father, Mother, Xu Zhan wants to be your son-in-law."

"Hmm?" Shen Wenxing was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.

Huang Lingxiu, standing to the side, smiled without saying a word, showing no surprise whatsoever.

Over the years, she had long since discerned the affection between the two.

Shen Chonghong and Xiao Hongxiu, who were standing to the side, smiled without saying a word.

As people who have been through it all, they could all see that Xu Zhan liked his younger sister, Shen You.

Xu Zhan kept his head down, looking nervous and uneasy, occasionally stealing glances at his master.

"What do you think, Mom?"

Shen Wenxing looked at Huang Lingxiu with a smile.

Huang Lingxiu kicked the ball back.

"One is your apprentice, and the other is your daughter. Why are you asking me?"

The couple exchanged a glance and both saw the satisfaction in each other's eyes.

"in this way……"

"I agree."

After speaking, Shen Wenxing looked at Xu Zhan with a solemn expression: "Xu Zhan, your senior sister has a strange temperament. If she suffers any grievances in the future, you should tell Master. Don't..."

"father!"

"Is there anyone like you?"

You should tell him to take good care of me from now on!

Shen You interrupted him anxiously.

Upon seeing this, the people around him immediately burst into laughter.

……

The Secret Realm of Qixian Mountain.

In the lush mountains and forests, Shen Xiuchan and Meng Yuntang led many of the younger members of the Shen family in a hasty escape!

Every now and then, a bolt of dark lightning would strike down from the void behind them.

The black lightning was terrifying; any of the thick, ancient trees that were struck were instantly reduced to dust.

"Young master, there's no road ahead!"

As everyone was fleeing in a disheveled state, Meng Yuntang, who was standing next to Shen Xiuchan, suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

Ahead, several dozen feet away, lay a terrifying, bottomless abyss!
"Jump down!"

Shen Xiuchan paused only slightly before decisively issuing the order!
Everyone here is a cultivator. Jumping down might not necessarily be a problem, but staying up there would definitely mean being struck dead by the black lightning!
Upon receiving his order, the younger members of the Shen family beside him did not hesitate at all. They immediately channeled their spiritual power and jumped into the abyss.

After their figures disappeared, a monster with wings on its back and its body crackling with electricity suddenly appeared slowly in the void above the jungle.

"Hehe... You have that kid's aura on you. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll bestow a good fortune upon you."

"As for whether you can get it, that depends on your luck."

The Thunder Monster gazed towards the abyss, tilted its head and chuckled, then suddenly murmured, "I wonder what realm that kid is at now."

"When will I be able to leave this awful place...?"

(End of this chapter)