Chapter 42

Li Youyi sat cross-legged, formed the Zi-Wu Taiji seal with his hands, and practiced the Jade Void Breathing Method.

The blue-and-white urn jumped around in front of him, saying: "Magic is the power of heaven and earth, existing in every corner. A grain of dust, a wisp of air, a river, a mountain—it is in big places, and it is in small places."

"However, the distribution of magic between heaven and earth is not uniform."

"In ordinary mud, stone, and dust, magic is thin and barren. Where precious medicines grow, where magic-martial experts gather, where heavenly magic springs exist... magic is naturally vigorous and more suitable for cultivation."

Zhao Meng, who was on the side, asked: "Are places where magic-martial experts gather more suitable for cultivation?"

"That's right!"

The blue-and-white urn said: "Magic-martial holy lands can be created artificially. Imagine a place with many martial artists who have opened spring eyes and are all practicing the breathing method; the magic between heaven and earth will naturally gather there, making the magic in that area incomparably thick."

"Sometimes, a top-tier magic-martial expert, by practicing the breathing method or through the surging of his nine springs, can pull the magic from a thousand miles around to that region. The place where he exists is a magic-martial holy land."

"When one person achieves the Dao, their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

"Of course, top-tier experts, magic-martial crowds, and heavenly magic springs often appear together; who doesn't want to stack strengths and create the strongest cultivation place?"

"That's why those giant prefecture cities are the most suitable places for cultivation in a prefecture. Not only because magic-martial cultivators gather there, but also because when the ancients chose locations to build cities, they definitely chose places where heavenly magic springs existed."

"Let alone the Spring-Gushing Realm; in giant prefecture cities, it's definitely easier to open spring eyes. By the Five Seas Realm, the advantage will be even greater."

"Your biggest advantage is the breathing method you've practiced since childhood."

"Your breathing method pulls more and faster heaven-and-earth magic than other cultivators at the same realm, making it naturally easier to break through spring eyes. Li Youyi, do you feel the throbbing in the center of your left palm?"

Li Youyi shook his head.

Senior Jar said: "I'll teach you a fierce move today: Combined Spring Wall-Breaking."

"The Laogong acupoint in the center of your left palm is the gate of the spring eye. But there is a barrier now; you must shatter it so you can open the spring eye and obtain the magic power surging in from heaven and earth."

"Originally, every cultivator grinds it bit by bit, like water dripping through stone."

"But it's too slow."

"We have good conditions, with the blood energy of Golden Crow blood to nourish the body, so we can be more aggressive. Hmm... anyway, it's just the palm, not the fifth spring in the center of the back, or the sixth spring in the chest, so nothing will go wrong."

It would have been better if he hadn't said that; the more he said, the more panicked Li Youyi felt, always feeling that if he messed up, his hand would be ruined.

"Senior Jar, shouldn't we be more cautious?" Zhao Meng was a bit worried.

"It's very cautious, trust me. This move is a unique skill of my sect; I wouldn't teach it to others!"

Senior Jar was very confident and began to guide him: "First, drink a jar of Golden Crow blood so that the blood energy in your body reaches its peak. Then, mobilize all the magic power surging from the three already-opened springs, and the moment you inhale with the breathing method, surge it toward your left arm... right, just surge it toward your left arm, and the magic power will naturally rush toward the palm..."

"Adjust your breathing and do it again."

"Inhale! Surge the magic power!"

"Adjust your breathing and do it again."

"Boom!"

Li Youyi charged again and again, his entire left arm gradually becoming painful to the point of splitting, unable to form the Zi-Wu Taiji seal, and it hung down.

Zhao Meng saw that Li Youyi's state was wrong and immediately rushed over, furious: "Your unique skill has no technical content at all; what we respect and trust is the owner of the bronze ship, not you. If you harm my junior brother, I'll throw you into the Blood Sea."

Senior Jar said: "It's just the Spring-Gushing Realm; how much technical content can there be?"

"Stop arguing, I seem to feel the throbbing in my palm!"

After his left arm recovered, Li Youyi raised his palm.

"Whoosh!"

After the throbbing in his palm, a cold, bone-chilling magic power surged out. At the same time, silver vein traces extended from the spring eye to his whole body.

Li Youyi formed the Zi-Wu Taiji seal again and sat cross-legged.

More and more vein traces took root in the center of his left palm, finally giving birth to eleven in total, the same number as in the center of his right palm.

Thus, the total number of vein traces in his whole body reached forty-eight.

The three remnant soul entities—the urn, the spirit tablet, and the stone coffin—were all watching Li Youyi's situation. Not long after, a layer of shallow silver magic energy appeared in Li Youyi's palm, initially achieving magic power overflow.

In the body, it is power; outside the body, it transforms into energy.

The three remnant souls were knowledgeable and naturally wouldn't be particularly shocked or moved by this scene, but they secretly gained confidence, finally having a little bit of faith that they could complete the task assigned by the owner of the bronze ship within ten years.

Ten years to forge Longevity!

Before this, they had no confidence at all.

Senior Jar muttered to himself: "I originally thought it would take two or three days and a dozen attempts to succeed."

Li Youyi stood up, his blood energy vigorous, and his spirit so full that it seemed he could go without sleep for days and nights. He bowed solemnly toward the blue-and-white urn and changed his form of address: "Thank you, Master Jar, for your guidance!"

Li Youyi naturally knew that there must be a reason why the three remnant souls were willing to be his guides. Perhaps it was the decree of the owner of the bronze ship, or perhaps they had been promised some benefits.

But no matter what, he had indeed learned something.

Combined Spring Wall-Breaking wasn't very profound, but without guidance, he would never have dared to do it himself. From now on, this move might be used again at a critical moment.

Including the words of the remnant corpse in the stone coffin, Li Youyi also gained something and had something to think about.

Zhao Meng said: "See, this is the character of our sect; we absolutely respect our teachers and value the Dao. Whoever helps us sincerely, we will definitely repay them tenfold."

Senior Jar said: "This is nothing; I have learned a lot in my life, hmm... anyway, I will definitely teach you everything I know. By the way, after returning to the Lingxiao Living Realm, we must settle down in a giant prefecture city as soon as possible; only giant cities have spring-opening needles for sale, so cultivation can be faster. The fifth, sixth, and seventh springs are much harder; strive to break through within half a year. By the way, do you have money for this world? The rent for a house in a giant city is not cheap."

Li Youyi naturally had some money, obtained from looting corpses, but he didn't know how expensive what Master Jar said was.

He said: "I heard that the Blood Sea alien coffins in this world are not cheap; should we fish for a few when we leave?"

The remnant corpse in the stone coffin said: "That's private coffin selling; the consequences of being caught by the Nine Li Tribe's law enforcement team are very serious."

Master Jar had previously exposed the identity of the remnant corpse in the stone coffin; this one probably had a great connection with the Nine Li Tribe.

Senior Spirit Tablet said: "The alien coffins are right in front of us, and we are short of money, so why not fish for them? Youyi, you can hide the fished alien coffins in the Evil Camel Bell and secretly sell them in the Nether Realm's passing spirit market."

The remnant corpse in the stone coffin chose to compromise in front of his wife: "It doesn't necessarily have to be the passing spirit market; every giant prefecture city must have a place for underground trading."

"We'll talk about fishing for coffins when we leave tomorrow." Master Jar asked: "Youyi, besides magic power being able to overflow, do you feel any other changes after breaking through the fourth spring?"

Li Youyi's four springs surged simultaneously, magic power erupted from his four limbs at the same time, and then he practiced the Twelve Scattered Hands of the Chan Gate on the floating coffin.

After finishing it once, he felt refreshed.

He said: "My whole body seems to have been opened up by the forty-eight vein traces! Whether it's throwing a punch or footwork, there's a feeling that I can erupt with ten percent of my power as I wish. Combat power has increased more than any of the previous three springs."

Then Li Youyi mobilized his magic power, ran it through the vein traces in his body, and surged it toward his eyes.

The distance he could see in the mist actually doubled.

He surged it toward his ears again, and his hearing spread rapidly.

In the distance, the sound of floating coffins shaking in the water, the sound of the wind, even the sound of the mist moving, and... light and familiar footsteps...

Li Youyi suddenly opened his eyes, jumped to the top of a six-meter-high giant coffin behind him with a swoosh, and looked in the direction the footsteps came from.

The people below, including the three remnant soul strange entities, all became nervous.

Zhao Meng stood up, stood on tiptoe, looked into the distance behind the giant coffin, and asked in a low voice: "What's wrong?"

"Someone is coming!" Li Youyi knew who it was.

Zhao Meng noticed the vigilance in Li Youyi's eyes and realized that the visitor was not kind, so his whole body tensed up.

Before long, a slender and graceful young girl's figure, stepping on blue mist light traces, appeared in Zhao Meng's field of vision. He was stunned for a moment; she didn't look like anything fierce or evil, she was soft and weak, and her face was very well-behaved and exquisite, like an elf under the night sky.

"Brother Jin, I finally found you; how could you leave me alone?"

Li Ling walked up quickly, her eyes both resentful and a bit aggrieved.

Li Youyi also reacted for a long time before realizing that "Brother Jin" was calling him.

"Thump!"

Jumping down from the giant coffin, Li Youyi blocked Li Ling, who wanted to approach the scientific expedition team members, worried that she was not kind.

Li Ling looked behind him and greeted them happily and enthusiastically: "You must be Brother Jin's companions, right? Hello, nice to meet you."

Her eyes were like crescent moons, her gaze sincere, and she smiled, revealing white teeth, matching her cute appearance at the age of sixteen or seventeen, looking extremely innocent.

Zhao Meng walked over, appeared behind Li Youyi, and laughed: "You call him Brother Jin? Who is this girl?"

Li Ling pretended to be frightened by his huge body, her face turned pale, and she hid toward Li Youyi's chest, whispering: "Of course it's Brother Xie Jin; doesn't he go by that name?"

Zhao Meng looked at Li Youyi with strange eyes.

Li Youyi hurriedly dodged, not daring to let Li Ling get too close, very vigilant: "How did you find this place?"

It was too weird; logically speaking, they were far apart, so there was no way Li Ling could find him accurately.

He was very vigilant and could be sure that Li Ling hadn't followed him from the beginning.

He might have been tampered with by her.

Looking at Li Youyi's cold eyes, Li Ling was stunned, as if she couldn't believe it.

Gradually, tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't cry, looking at the ground as if she had suffered a great grievance, whispering: "I brought you out of the Passing Spirit Mist Domain, but you left me alone at the coffin dock; I thought you didn't want me anymore!"

Zhao Meng felt that his junior brother and this woman had a story, but it wasn't entirely a gossip mentality; he saw the suspicious points and said: "Girl, I am... Brother Jin's senior brother, just a bit taller, but I'm not a bad person. You are so young, and this place is so gloomy and dangerous; why are you alone? Aren't you afraid?"

Li Ling looked at Li Youyi and whispered: "Brother Jin wanted to come back to find you, so he had to pass through the Passing Spirit Mist Domain, but he couldn't do it himself; only I could help him. But after leaving the Passing Spirit Mist Domain, he left me alone!"

Zhao Meng frowned deeply, looked at Li Youyi, and felt his junior brother was a bit unkind.

But there were still suspicious points, and he asked again: "You just met not long ago, right? Why would you help him like this?"

Li Ling's face was filled with the happy atmosphere of a girl in love: "Although we just met, we have already experienced life and death together..."

"You'd better stop talking and stop acting." Li Youyi added: "What exactly do you want to do?"

He felt that Li Ling would make up a very outrageous story.

Li Ling immediately closed her mouth, and big tears, drop by drop, uncontrollably surged out, hitting the ground with a splash.

Everyone present saw it and felt grievance and heartache.

In the end, Zhao Meng said: "Junior brother, this kind of thing is not something the senior brother should manage, nor can I manage it, but letting her finish speaking, what's the harm?"

Li Ling immediately choked with sobs: "We encountered enemies in Burial Immortal Town and shared life and death together; he saved me, and I once said I would offer myself to him, and he once said he liked my cold appearance."

"I took the initiative to hold his hand and wrap my arms around his neck, and he didn't refuse at the time. He also carried me on his back when I was seriously injured; he was so gentle."

"I promised to take him out of the Passing Spirit Mist Domain to find his companions... not asking for any return. I said I would marry him a wife with outstanding looks; I have a cousin who will be sixteen in eight days—eight days, actually, it's my birthday in eight days. But after leaving the Passing Spirit Mist Domain... he... woo woo..."

"I swear by the God of Nine Li; if I have said one lie, let me die a horrible death. Senior brother, I know you only believe your junior brother, but I really haven't said one lie!"

Zhao Meng had absolutely no idea what to do!

Originally, the three remnant souls had been in a state of watching a play, but seeing that she actually dared to swear in the name of the God of Nine Li, they became cautious.

Deceiving the gods with lies would really kill people.

Behind them, the remnant corpse in the stone coffin couldn't help but speak: "Child, never swear in the name of the God of Nine Li casually; this is not a joke, it will definitely be fulfilled."

"I know, of course I know," Li Ling nodded desperately, tears in her eyes.

"His name is not Xie Jin; his name is Li Youyi." Senior Spirit Tablet was clearly a bit angry, feeling that Li Youyi's character was problematic—a little girl of fifteen or sixteen from the Nine Li Tribe was being fooled around by him, and after being used, she was thrown away.

And he was cheating on her feelings.

No wonder he asked them to take a detour.

Li Ling looked at Li Youyi, and at the same time, with a questioning and somewhat resentful look, she read: "Li... You... Yi... actually, is this your real name? Why... why did you lie to me?"

Li Youyi's head hurt.

"Junior brother, senior brother knows you best; your character is absolutely fine." Zhao Meng said this to everyone, then asked in a low voice: "The name Xie Jin doesn't look like something she made up. Did you say those things or do those things? Lying about the name is actually just a small matter."

Li Youyi was amazed; Li Ling's level was higher than her age. If her acting had been even a little worse, and she hadn't been so young, she definitely wouldn't have been able to fool these old hands who had seen so many people.

If it were him, encountering a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl swearing by her own life, telling a story of deception and abandonment with tears, and every word being true, he would probably be angry and sympathetic too.

Seeing Li Youyi slow to react, not denying or arguing the first time, Zhao Meng also started to get a headache.

(End of chapter)