Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Song Changsheng and Xu Yunhe stared at Zhu Yiqun in surprise, their expressions as if they were meeting him for the very first time.

"Brother Zhu, I haven’t seen you in over a decade, and you seem to have gotten braver. A mere Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator daring to tweak the whiskers of a Tier Three Great Demon?" Song Changsheng asked, a faint smile on his face.

"Who’s to say it’s a tiger? It might just be a little lamb. Faced with the four of us, it’s just cowering on that mountain, refusing to come down. It can’t be that powerful," Zhu Yiqun said with a grin.

"Hahaha, then let’s go pay it a visit! Everyone, I’ll go on ahead." Xu Yunhe let out a great laugh, then used Sword Control to race along the mountain ridge straight for the summit.

Song Changsheng couldn’t help but facepalm, a wry smile on his face. "I never thought Yunhe would turn out to be the craziest one of us all. Well, since it’s come to this, let’s go see if we’re dealing with a tiger or a lamb."

He turned to Zhuang Yuechan and said, "Yuechan, wait for me here. We’ll be right back."

"Do you take me for some fragile decoration? I’m not afraid of a Tier Three Great Demon either." Zhuang Yuechan shot him a glare before using Sword Control to follow right after Xu Yunhe.

"Hahaha, Changsheng, you can just bring up the rear!" Zhu Yiqun cackled, rising into the sky on a black wok and soaring toward the clouds.

’Doesn’t a Tier Three Great Demon deserve some respect?’ Song Changsheng shrugged helplessly, transforming into a streak of Escape Light to pursue them, and soon took the lead.

"ROAR—! Human Race Cultivators, why do you seek to provoke me?!"

An enraged roar echoed as a behemoth rose up on the mountaintop. It had the shape of a tortoise, complete with a shell, but its head was like that of a dragon, its claws like an eagle’s, and its tail like a snake’s, covered in scales. It was over a hundred zhang long and, at first glance, somewhat resembled the legendary Divine Beast Xuanwu.

But upon closer inspection, one could see a pair of nearly transparent wings covering its shell.

"Could this great beast be the legendary Five Elements Spirit Beast? I’ve only ever read about them in ancient texts. To think I’d finally see a real one." Instead of feeling fear, Zhu Yiqun simply stared at the behemoth, stroking his chubby chin thoughtfully.

"That must be it. According to the records, Five Elements Spirit Beasts are known to appear in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

This territory originally belonged to a Tier Three High Grade beast, the Flying Giant Python.

Later, when the Allied Army pushed through, the Flying Giant Python was slain by a Purple Mansion Great Cultivator from the Golden Crow Sect, leaving this place ownerless. This Five Elements Spirit Beast must have seized the opportunity to occupy it during that period."

Song Changsheng concluded, glancing at the information on the map Muu Guibai had given him.

"I’ve heard that the Inner Alchemy of a Five Elements Spirit Beast is extraordinary. The Five Spirits Pill refined from it can increase a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator’s chance of a successful breakthrough by twenty percent. That’s a truly priceless treasure, and it’s perfect for you," Zhu Yiqun said, clapping Song Changsheng on the shoulder.

At these words, a sharp glint ignited in Song Changsheng’s eyes.

He was now only a single step away from the Purple Mansion Stage. He had been hesitating whether to wait for the Yin Yang Purple Tree Heart promised by the Luoxia Auction before attempting his breakthrough, or to simply do it whenever the time felt right.

The problem was, he’d have to wait another twenty years for the Yin Yang Purple Tree Heart. That was too long; Song Changsheng couldn’t afford to wait.

However, without the Yin Yang Purple Tree Heart, his chances of a successful breakthrough were less than fifty percent—far from a sure thing, though it would be much faster.

One path was safer, but far too slow.

The other was faster, but far too risky.

This was the source of Song Changsheng’s hesitation.

But now, he no longer had to agonize over the choice. A better option had presented itself right before his eyes.

With that thought, Song Changsheng had already sentenced the Five Elements Spirit Beast to death in his mind.

Seeing these ant-sized Human Race Cultivators not only ignore its warning but also continue to chat and laugh casually, the Five Elements Spirit Beast felt a profound sense of fury at their blatant disrespect.

"Humans, get out of my territory, or I will devour you!" the Five Elements Spirit Beast bellowed, its roar causing the entire mountain peak to tremble.

"Five Elements Peak, and the surrounding three thousand li, are all under the control of my Moon Viewing Song Clan. This is the territory of the Song Clan. Since when did it become yours?" Song Changsheng retorted coldly.

"This is the territory of my Demon Race, you band of robbers!" the Five Elements Spirit Beast shrieked, its eyes practically shooting flames.

Song Changsheng sneered. "The weak are prey for the strong. That is the immutable Law of nature. If Daqi wasn’t so powerful, you Demon Beasts would have trampled us into dust long ago.

You lost, and this is the price. If you don’t accept it, you’re welcome to try and make a comeback. But you won’t live to see that day, because this Five Elements Peak will be your grave!"

"Changsheng, why are you wasting your breath on a mere animal? Just kill it," Xu Yunhe said as he slowly drew his sword, his eyes filled with killing intent.

Among the four of them, only he and Zhuang Yuechan had ever directly faced a Beast Tide. In the past, nearly a hundred people had fallen on the very section of the city wall he was assigned to defend.

Batch after batch of Cultivators would charge to the front lines, only to be cut down in droves like wheat before a scythe. From white-haired elders to green-faced youths, he had watched them fall, one after another, right before his eyes.

From that moment on, Xu Yunhe’s hatred for Demon Beasts was etched into his very bones.

In his eyes, a beast was a beast, and there was no point in trying to communicate with one.

"You’re courting death!" Hearing Xu Yunhe’s "arrogant words," the Five Elements Spirit Beast felt its authority had been violated. With a furious roar, it was the first to attack.

It opened its abyssal maw and violently spat a massive Fireball at the four Cultivators.

"Tier Three Low Grade! Spread out! Attack from all sides!"

The four of them immediately scattered, launching attacks at the Five Elements Spirit Beast from different directions.

The four were all elites of the younger generation, and this was not their first time facing a Tier Three Demon Beast. Thus, the moment they engaged, they all tacitly agreed on a strategy: a battle of attrition.