Chapter 996: Longevity: My Steady Farming-Style Cultivation Chapter 996 Return Flow Above

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Protagonist:

Xu Zhangqing

The night had deepened; though the Imperial City appeared peaceful beneath the Five-Colored Banner's spiritual light, the surrounding strangeness could not be concealed. Xu Zhangqing stood on the city wall, raised his eyes to look out, and his heart grew ever more heavy and condensed.

The spiritual light emitted by the Five-Colored Banner was like a barrier, firmly protecting the entire city, yet outside the city was an entirely different scene.

Demon mist surged, demon qi soared to the heavens, and finally merged with the night, transforming into ferocious illusory shadows.

Waves of sha qi carried bloody and decaying intent, continuously crashing against the spirit light barrier.

Even stranger, the earth qi beneath his feet was violent and uneasy, like a hibernating giant beast, frantically surging and colliding underground; even the ground transmitted faint tremors.

The Imperial City by day was still peaceful, but once night fell, this peace was replaced by endless peril, as if the entire city, or even the whole Central Region, had become a peerless ferocious land.

Crises lurked on all sides; undercurrents surged.

Xu Zhangqing stood on the city wall, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic qi phenomena outside the city, when suddenly a spirit light flashed in his mind — he had a comprehension.

He sank his mind, his divine sense spreading out completely, carefully sensing the flow and changes of the surrounding demon qi, sha qi, and earth qi.

The more he sensed, the deeper his comprehension.

Qi originally has no good or evil; so-called demon qi, sha qi, earth qi, spiritual qi — they are merely different streams from the same source, all origin qi of heaven and earth, only tainted by different wills, thus giving rise to differences.

The comprehension in his heart grew ever clearer; Xu Zhangqing simply sat cross-legged, using his own Six Qi as a guide to draw the surrounding qi, gradually creating a brand-new spell technique.

Speaking of it, this was his second time comprehending a spell technique.

The first time was still during Foundation Establishment; at that time it was raining, and observing the scenery of autumn water condensing dew and golden wind bringing coolness, he comprehended a technique fusing water and metal two qi, naming it Autumn Dew.

Though not considered fierce, it was still self-comprehended, making it precious and hard-won.

Now having stepped into the Huashen Jing, observing the phenomenon of heaven and earth qi colliding, he comprehended a spell technique once more, and moreover a move intimately related to "qi".

The spell technique just formed; Xu Zhangqing's fingertips stirred slightly, a wisp of condensed qi shot through the air — though not considered sharp, it could be nimbly guided.

This move, though it did not make his cultivation directly surge, still added a measure of means.

Afterward, Xu Zhangqing's figure moved, flying straight into mid-air, hovering above the five-colored spiritual light, his gaze still fixed on the chaotic qi phenomena outside the city, observing on one side and polishing the newly comprehended spell technique on the other, constantly adjusting the qi's operation, striving to achieve as-the-heart-wills.

Such observation and polishing lasted from deep night until the dim dawn, the horizon gradually glowing with faint light.

Suddenly, a wisp of purple qi emerged with the Sun, drifting from the distant east, carrying the purest spiritual qi of heaven and earth, fusing into Xu Zhangqing's body.

At this moment, the comprehension in his heart reached its peak; all doubts about the spell technique in his mind were completely resolved, thoroughly fusing into a unified understanding.

A trace of relief flashed in Xu Zhangqing's eyes; the qi coiling around his fingertips dissipated, then condensed again in an instant — this time, the qi's color and form had actually undergone an obvious change.

The spell technique he had just comprehended was not a single move, but divided into three layers.

Each layer corresponds to a different qi; the qi's colors differ, and their powers are worlds apart; each layer conceals a different marvelous use.

The first layer is controlling the most common spiritual qi; there are six colors in total, corresponding to the six attributes of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, and thunder.

Each color differs in appearance, texture, and control effect, yet all are nimble and practical.

At this moment, the qi condensed at Xu Zhangqing's fingertips was pale white, like morning thin mist, clear and gentle — this is Metal Spiritual Qi, corresponding to white, specializing in sharpness and defense.

He lightly raised his hand; the morning mist was drawn by an invisible force, gathering and condensing into a semi-transparent mist barrier before him.

It appeared light and thin, yet could steadily block the surging sha qi all around.

Another wave of his hand, and the mist barrier transformed into countless tiny mist blades, rapidly shooting through the air; though their power was not top-tier, they won in nimble variability.

The qi changed again, turning into a touch of pale green, like newborn tender shoots, carrying the fresh moisture of grass and trees — this is Wood Spiritual Qi, specializing in vitality and entanglement.

Near it can nourish his own body, relieving fatigue; far it can transform into vines, extending toward the distance.

Immediately after, it was replaced by pale blue; this qi was like stream water, clear, cold, and agile.

This is Water Spiritual Qi, specializing in gentleness and infiltration.

Xu Zhangqing raised his hand to guide; surrounding water vapor gathered, condensing into a pale blue water curtain, more resilient than the mist barrier — even if struck, it could rely on water's fluidity to resolve most of the power.

And it could produce subtle vibrations, thereby silently fusing into external objects.

As the qi flowed and turned, pale red suddenly emerged, like a jumping candle flame, blazing and flamboyant.

This is Fire Spiritual Qi, specializing in scorching heat and destruction.

Xu Zhangqing's fingertips lifted slightly; pale red qi spread out — touching it would scorch skin and erode meridians; falling on the ground it ignited raging flames, forming a fire sea.

Afterward, it transformed into pale yellow qi; this qi was like earth, steady and heavy.

This is Earth Spiritual Qi, specializing in firmness and restriction.

Xu Zhangqing pressed his right hand toward the void; earth mist surged from underground, rapidly condensing into an earth wall, hard as bedrock, not easily shattered.

Another wave of his hand, and the earth mist turned into mud slurry, spreading at extreme speed, then in an extremely short time forming a swamp domain.

Everything inside it would fall into a sluggish state.

Finally it changed to cyan-white; this qi carried fine crackling sounds, like jumping thunder light, fierce and overbearing.

This is Thunder Spiritual Qi, specializing in surprise attack and deterrence.

The power of thunder and lightning, at times roaming like void snakes, driving away the other qi; at times coiling like chains, any touched object instantly turning to dust.

At Xu Zhangqing's fingertips, six colors of spiritual qi appeared alternately; the control of each spiritual qi was entirely at his will.

This first layer of spiritual qi control, though overall power is medium, wins in complete attributes and nimble variability — the six spiritual qi can be used singly or fused with each other, yielding even more marvelous uses.

Whether defense, attack, restraint, or support, all can be handled with ease.

Therefore, Xu Zhangqing named this layer "Spirit Flow".

Immediately after, the qi at Xu Zhangqing's fingertips abruptly changed color, from white turning to gray-black and dark red; the aura around his body also became fierce.

This is the spell technique's second layer, controlling demon qi and sha qi, named "Demon Sha".

The gray-black is demon qi, carrying the ferocity of demons.

The dark red is baleful qi, condensed with the decaying will of heaven and earth.

The two breaths intertwine, their power surging several times over the First Layer.

Xu Zhangqing's mind moves, and the surging demon qi and baleful qi outside the city are forcibly drawn.

Demon qi does not cause direct harm, but corrupts the target's law power and Dao resonance.

For example, a fire-element spell suddenly turns into a water-element spell, a Flying Sword suddenly deviates from its original direction uncontrollably.

And baleful qi also does not cause direct harm, but adds negative effects to the target.

For example, when the target is injured, baleful qi attaches to the Wound, making it unable to heal.

Seeping into Spiritual Power and magic power, it becomes dead silent and stagnant, unable to be mobilized.

Once demon qi enters the body and baleful qi entangles the body, light damage means a cultivation drop, heavy damage means body dead and Dao extinguished!