Chen Yang's heart surged with wild elation.
He dared not let his focus waver for even a moment.
He immediately concentrated every ounce of his mental energy, guiding that strand of Yimu Essence Qi brimming with vitality along the profoundly mysterious circulation route that had naturally emerged from within that tiny point of green light, and began attempting to run it through his body.
The contents of the cultivation technique unfolded in his mind's eye like a slowly spreading scroll.
The deeper his comprehension grew, the more the shock and excitement in his heart became impossible to suppress.
Lifespan extension!
Extraordinary self-healing ability!
The core effects of the Yimu Immortality Art were simply astounding!
At the Qi Refinement Realm it could extend one's lifespan by fifty years; Foundation Establishment added a hundred more; forming her golden core granted another two hundred; and at the Nascent Soul stage, the changes seemed even more remarkable!
This meant that as long as one kept breaking through, one's lifespan would far surpass that of cultivators at the same stage!
And even more practically, there was that almost monstrous regenerative ability — as long as one was not killed outright or struck by an incurable poison, any grievous wound could be rapidly stabilized and healed!
This formed a perfect complement to his primary cultivation technique, the Nine Revolutions Body Tempering Art!
One was fierce and outward-focused, tempering the physical body, pursuing the ultimate in strength and defense.
The other was gentle and inward-nourishing, moistening the very source of one's being, emphasizing the endurance of vitality and the power of recovery.
Yin and Yang.
Each complementing the other.
Yet Chen Yang could clearly sense that the Yimu Immortality Art operated on a far higher level and possessed a far greater depth of mystery than the Nine Revolutions Body Tempering Art — its underlying profundity was vaster and more far-reaching.
Suppressing his excitement, Chen Yang began to put it into practice.
He carefully sank his divine sense into the jade slip, attempting to draw out the three strands of Yimu Essence Qi sealed within.
The process went more smoothly than he had imagined.
Guided by his spiritual energy, three strands of Yimu Essence Qi — a lush, dripping green, brimming with boundless vitality — drifted slowly out of the jade slip and hovered in the air before him.
Like three miniature green stars, they bathed the entire room in a vibrant, living glow.
"I'll refine one strand first!"
Chen Yang steadied himself.
He selected one of the strands, opened his mouth, and inhaled, intending to draw it into his body and circulate it through a Circulation Cycle according to the technique's route.
However.
The very instant that strand of Yimu Essence Qi left the protection of the jade slip and was drawn into his mouth —
Something went wrong!
That supremely pure Yimu Essence Qi seemed utterly incompatible with the outside world, and began to dissipate at a visible rate.
It dissolved into tiny glimmers of emerald light, scattering into the air!
"Not good!"
Chen Yang's expression shifted slightly.
Only now did he understand why the cultivation technique had stressed the need for a jade slip to contain it.
He immediately ran the technique at full force, frantically absorbing and guiding the qi in a race against its rapid dissipation.
In the end.
Of that first strand of Yimu Essence Qi, he had absorbed less than half.
He had barely managed to run it along the technique's route for less than one-tenth of a Circulation Cycle before it dissipated entirely.
Staring at the mere two strands remaining before him, Chen Yang's heart sank.
At this rate, even if he used up all three strands, he would absolutely never complete a single full Circulation Cycle — he could never truly gain entry to the technique!
"This… what am I supposed to do?"
A faint light flickered in Chen Yang's eyes as, for the first time, he gained a direct appreciation of just how difficult this cultivation technique truly was.
He also finally understood the true meaning behind the White-Robed Youth's words: "Easy to sense, hard to cultivate."
The difficulty lay precisely in obtaining and sustaining the Yimu Essence Qi!
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This Yimu Essence Qi was not only the key to gaining entry — it was likely the indispensable resource for cultivating this technique in the future!
The technique mentioned that future cultivation would require drawing Yimu Qi from spirit flowers and rare herbs of a hundred years or older, or from special wood-attribute heaven-and-earth treasures — the difficulty of which was easy to imagine.
A sudden wave of regret surged through him.
Had he known it would be like this…
He might as well have chosen the Blazing Annihilation Sword Art, which could have immediately boosted his combat power…
But in the very next moment.
A stubborn, unyielding refusal to give up rose up within him.
"No! I refuse to believe it!"
He fixed his gaze on those two remaining strands, his eyes hardening with renewed resolve.
"If only… if only I had more Yimu Essence Qi — five strands… no, ten! I could definitely complete the Circulation Cycle!"
More Yimu Essence Qi…
More…
The thought flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning!
He suddenly remembered something, and his heart began to pound wildly!
A bold, almost absurd idea surged up, impossible to suppress!
He drew a deep breath, his hands nearly trembling, and reached into the deepest corner of his Storage Bag to retrieve that seemingly plain and unassuming mysterious clay bowl.
"Magical Artifacts, Pills — both can be duplicated. So this Yimu Essence Qi… can it work? …It has to work!"
He prayed fervently in his heart, carefully guiding the one remaining strand of Yimu Essence Qi and placing it at the bottom of the bowl.
He then poured in a small amount of clear water, just enough to submerge the essence qi, and dropped in a single low-grade spirit stone.
He held his breath, eyes locked onto the bowl, his entire mind and spirit focused on that single intent — to duplicate.
The ancient patterns on the bowl's surface seemed to flicker with the faintest, most imperceptible light.
The clear water inside the bowl rippled with the tiniest of waves.
In the next moment, a miracle occurred!
Beside the lone strand of emerald essence qi swaying gently in the bowl, as the water shimmered and stirred, another strand — completely identical, equally brimming with vitality — slowly coalesced and emerged, like a reflection in a mirror!
It worked!
The clay bowl could duplicate even this kind of heaven-and-earth essence qi!
Chen Yang's heart hammered without cease.
Suppressing his wild joy, he did not hesitate for a single instant — he dropped in another low-grade spirit stone!
The water flashed again, and a third strand of Yimu Essence Qi quietly materialized…
In the blink of an eye, three strands of pure Yimu Essence Qi floated within the bowl!
The cost!
One low-grade spirit stone to duplicate one strand.
An unprecedented brilliance erupted in Chen Yang's eyes.
He hesitated no longer.
He opened his mouth and inhaled, swallowing both duplicated strands from the bowl in one breath.
At the same time, the foundation he had built from the previous two strands — having already completed roughly two-tenths of a Circulation Cycle — still remained within him. Now, with the surging vitality of the new qi, the technique erupted into motion at an unprecedented speed!
This time, there was no resistance whatsoever!
The power of the Yimu Essence Qi surged and flowed in a mighty torrent along that mysterious route!
Three-tenths… four-tenths…
By the time the power of the Yimu Essence Qi was nearly spent, the technique had completed nearly half a Circulation Cycle!
Hope was rekindled!
Chen Yang did not pause for even a heartbeat — he immediately duplicated again!
Like a miser who had discovered an inexhaustible treasure, he began to duplicate, absorb, and circulate in a frenzy!
Low-grade spirit stones were consumed at a staggering rate, but he paid it no mind!
Compared to the value of the Yimu Immortality Art, these spirit stones were nothing at all!
Just then, a gentle knock came from downstairs, along with Liu Yiyi's soft voice:
"Big Brother Chen, I made some new pastries — shall I bring them up for you?"
Chen Yang was at a critical juncture in his cultivation at that moment, his entire being consumed by the Yimu Essence Qi and the running of the technique. He could not afford to be distracted, and could only manage to keep his voice as steady as possible as he replied:
"Just… just leave them downstairs! Thank you, Yiyi — I'm not… not available right now!"
Downstairs, Liu Yiyi paused at his words, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face.
She set the food box down gently on the stone steps by the door.
Beside her, Xiaochunhua blinked her wide eyes and muttered:
"What's going on with Senior Brother Chen? Before, even when he was cultivating, he'd always come down pretty quickly when we brought things over… He's acting really strange today."
She suddenly seemed to think of something, and lowered her voice with a conspiratorial air:
"Sister Yiyi, do you think… Senior Brother Chen might be keeping a hidden lover in a gilded chamber up there? He's an inner disciple now, after all — so impressive — surely lots of senior sisters and junior sisters have their eye on him…"
Liu Yiyi gave a slight shudder at those words. The color drained from her face, and she gently bit her lower lip.
She thought of how she had only just managed to break through to the second level of the Qi Refinement Realm — and even that was largely thanks to the abundant Spiritual Energy since she had moved here to Chen Yang's place…
Yet even this modest progress was worlds apart from Chen Yang, who was now a radiant inner disciple.
Her eyes dimmed for a moment. She forced a faint smile and tugged at Xiaochunhua:
"Don't… don't talk nonsense. Big Brother Chen is so outstanding — it's perfectly natural if… if others admire him. Let's… let's go back, and not disturb Big Brother Chen anymore."
There was a barely perceptible note of bitterness and self-doubt in her voice.
She took Xiaochunhua's hand — who was still muttering under her breath — and left the small courtyard, glancing back with every other step.
Upstairs, Chen Yang was completely unaware of the feelings stirring in the young woman below. He was at this moment immersed in a cultivation euphoria unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Duplicate!
Absorb!
Circulate!
Low-grade spirit stones crumbled to dust one after another.
In their place, strand after strand of pure Yimu Essence Qi was consumed in a frenzy.
Driving the Grand Circulation Cycles of the Yimu Immortality Art to run ever more smoothly.
Ever more swiftly!
From the initial near-ten strands needed to barely complete a single Circulation Cycle, it gradually fell to seven, then five… His understanding of the technique deepened with every passing moment, and his conversion efficiency soared!
When the last low-grade spirit stone was spent and his Storage Bag was completely empty, he had duplicated and refined nearly a hundred strands of Yimu Essence Qi in total!
The price paid: exactly one hundred low-grade spirit stones!
This had been the remaining half-month's stipend he had received as an inner disciple.
But the harvest was immeasurable!
A full day and night without sleep, cultivating in a relentless frenzy!
The Yimu Immortality Art had successfully completed a full sixteen Grand Circulation Cycles within his body!
He had gained entry to the technique, and laid its initial foundation!
Chen Yang slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long, slow breath.
That breath carried with it the faint, clean fragrance of grass and wood.
He instinctively raised his hand and carefully sensed the changes within his body.
His cultivation had not surged dramatically — it still rested at the peak sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm.
But beneath his skin, it was as though a warm, resilient current of vital force now flowed through him. His five organs and six viscera felt a comfort and clarity he had never known before.
Most remarkably, his perception seemed to have changed.
Even with his eyes closed, he could faintly "sense" the weak life-breath of the ordinary flowers and plants growing in the courtyard outside his window — could "hear" the sound of their slow, quiet growth.
It was as though he and the world of grass and trees around him had forged an extraordinarily subtle connection.
The Yimu Immortality Art — first steps through the gate!