Chapter 240: Introduction to the Method

Brother Zhu returned from his deep contemplation, slowly rising as three faint white cloud patterns drifted silently from his body.

He lowered his gaze to watch Shen Yi, his voice extremely soft as he began to chant a passage of obscure syllables.

"..."

The violent emotions in Shen Yi's heart were washed away by an inexplicable coolness, and his somewhat ferocious expression calmed slightly.

Brother Zhu drew the Qian Yuan from his waist, placed the hilt into Shen Yi's palm, and remained in his initial dazed state: "You... are too... hasty."

"Thank you, Skeleton Brother."

Shen Yi let out a long breath, and the red mist in his eyes rapidly faded.

"Y-You're welcome." Brother Zhu stammered, shaking his head.

Hearing this, Shen Yi pondered for a moment: "Golden Body Method."

As if these three words were some kind of switch, Brother Zhu's expression gained a bit more clarity, and his speech became fluent: "I know the Heart-Clearing Art. If you feel anything amiss, just call out to me, but this art is a minor path; using it too often will make you dependent on it."

"You must still strive to comprehend the 'Suppress' character technique of the Golden Body Method."

"I understand."

Shen Yi nodded, having never imagined the harm of those stray thoughts would be so terrifying.

For a cultivator, the thoughts of ordinary people are actually nothing significant.

But if that quantity swells to tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands... even he would find it hard to bear.

With this experience, Shen Yi continued to carefully pour longevity into the Golden Body Method.

Roughly every few hundred years poured in, he would pause for a short while.

【Year 6300: You feel your divine soul is already filled with stray thoughts. One more bit, and your sanity will completely collapse. You must suppress them all, but where to suppress them... You look at Lady Qinghua beside you.】

Looking at the prompt on the panel.

Shen Yi, whose face had turned deathly pale, suddenly realized: Right, I still have the demon soul!

【Year 6900: You have deposited all those thoughts into Lady Qinghua's soul. Watching her sit there, clutching her body in pain alongside you, your mood suddenly calmed greatly.】

Shen Yi's body, which had been leaning against the rack, suddenly went limp, gasping for air in great heaves.

Brother Zhu looked over curiously, only to find the young man's eyes were incredibly clear, carrying a hint of relief.

He fell into silence: "..."

Moments later, shock gradually surged onto his face: "Yan Shidi, you have already crossed over?"

"Halfway, I suppose."

Shen Yi struggled to sit upright.

Whether he can cross over depends on how much more Lady Qinghua can endure.

She is a demon, the very existence those thoughts hate most; now forcibly burdened with stray thoughts, she is as if roasted by fire and fried by oil, trapped in purgatory.

Enduring all the sufferings of the world to protect her master's supreme method.

At this moment, it was beginning to bear fruit.

You must know these stray thoughts are like heart demons; the more demon longevity poured in, the more fierce the torment.

Thousands of years passed in the deduction, then all those emotions were poured into Shen Yi's mind in just a few breaths... It would be strange if he didn't turn into a madman.

He withstood the first half of the torment; the rest depends on Lady Qinghua's ability.

"Halfway?"

Brother Zhu didn't quite understand, but a strange emotion he had rarely felt surged in his heart.

He touched the changes in his own facial features.

Such an expression, he seemed to have seen on many faces, though usually it was others showing it to him.

Shock... Awe?

Shen Yi took note of this senior brother's changing expression but said nothing to explain.

The obstacle the other faced was actually very simple.

It was simply that his talent was too high; subconsciously, he never considered himself human.

This problem is easier than ever to solve.

The last person who thought her talent was peerless, Jiang Qiulan, had nearly shattered her Dao heart beneath his overwhelming demon longevity.

Let this senior brother experience it once; guaranteed to cure the ailment instantly.

The small pavilion seemed ordinary, but in truth, it was the most strictly guarded place in the Great Qian Dynasty.

Naturally, no one disturbed them.

More than ten days passed in a flash.

Shen Yi sat in the corner; the only difference between him and the skeleton rack beside him was that he still had flesh and skin.

Both pairs of eyes were equally hollow.

The incense and wish-power of the Zhen Mo Si had long been exhausted.

He was simply resting.

Eighteen thousand years of demon longevity had earned him entry into the Arhat Golden Body Method.

At this moment, he could finally begin forging his true Golden Body.

"..."

Brother Zhu squatted nearby, chanting the Heart-Clearing Art for Shen Yi, watching helplessly as this young man sat in the corner and then crossed the abyss that even his own three thousand nine hundred years had failed to touch.

His heart inexplicably felt sour.

Yet he couldn't quite put into words what it felt like.

"Envy?" Shen Yi glanced sideways, raising an eyebrow.

"More than that." Master Zhu shook his head, envious of that sensation—it had been seven days since he last felt it, and now the feeling ran deeper.

"That's jealousy." Shen Yi paused, then gave his answer.

The two seriously discussed matters of emotion; the scene was slightly eerie.

"Yes, I envy you." Master Zhu nodded seriously.

"That's enough." Shen Yi patted the skull's shoulder, then rose unsteadily and walked to another shelf.

"Are you also interested in these?" Zhu Jue stood up; even without speaking of the Golden Body Art, his words flowed effortlessly.

"After exhausting myself with profound studies, I need something simple to clear my mind."

Shen Yi's spiritual sense swiftly scanned over a dozen jade slips.

"There's truth in that." Zhu Jue deeply agreed—he had done the same in the past, though he'd only read miscellaneous texts, never anything from the Slain Hunyuan martial cultivators, always finding them crude.

"What will you do next, younger brother?"

He sensed this young brother seemed ready to leave.

"I'm going to the Wu Temple to ask Brother Wu for an opening."

Shen Yi briefly glanced at the new line of text on his panel, then bowed to his skull brother and turned to leave the pavilion.

"Look quick!"

The moment the ink-robed youth stepped out of the pavilion, a dozen yin spirits turned their gazes toward him at once.

Some with thicker skins had already stepped forward.

"Younger Brother Shen, have you chosen your favored Golden Body Art?"

"Thank you, I've already chosen." Shen Yi nodded.

At these words, all the Wu Xian present changed expression slightly, forcing smiles, their glances at one another hiding deep shock.

The youth had effectively acknowledged his cultivation as an Upper Realm Wu Xian.

Terrifying!

The earlier rumors were true—this prodigy truly possessed an absorption ability so formidable it defied belief.

Now that he's chosen a Golden Body Art… he must intend to draw upon the incense and vow-power of the Wu Temple disciples.

Thinking of this, most still sighed in admiration and offered congratulations, but a few faces flickered with subtle unease.

Zhu Jue had already proven by his own experience that talent alone doesn't guarantee success in forging a Golden Body.

But he didn't consume much—even if wasted, the loss was limited.

If this Pixiu were to take his place, the situation would be entirely different.

In a short time, he devoured the Zhen Mo Si's vow-power and became an Upper Realm Wu Xian—how long would it take him to consume the incense of the Great Qian Dynasty? A year?

If he fails to forge the Golden Body, the consequences are unimaginable.

…

Inside the main hall of the Wu Temple, four figures in blue robes had just finished a purification.

Wu Dao'an brushed his sleeves, unconsciously sighing: "Ah."

"What's wrong? Did our younger brother go patrol the Nine Provinces again?" chuckled the rotund Temple Master Qin.

"Not that."

Wu Dao'an shook his head, smiling warmly: "He's been training nonstop in the Martial Library… I just feel he's distant from us."

From the first time he entered the imperial city,

until now, they'd only met three times.

"Could it be because we're old and ugly?" Wu Dao'an frowned, stroking his beard.

At this, the other three glared at him at once, too lazy to argue with the old ghost.

At that moment, the ink-robed youth stepped into the hall.

He bowed deeply and said earnestly: "Shen Yi greets you, elder brothers."

Seeing this, they all smiled.

Look at what Old Wu said—clearly, he's quite polite.

(End of Chapter)