Casting immortality in the furnace

Chapter 49 Questioning the Heart

Fan Zhou sat on the bed, quietly gazing up at the bright moon outside the window.

Until a line of small red text appeared before his eyes:

[The first stage of the Longevity Technique has been completed!]

Fan Zhou closed his eyes, and a large amount of his cultivation experience from the first level of the Longevity Technique flooded into his mind, as if he had practiced it countless times with great proficiency.

With just a thought, the internal energy immediately began to circulate, flowing along the meridians through dozens of acupoints throughout the body. With each cycle, the internal energy would coalesce by one point. After three cycles, a wisp of yang energy would appear in the dantian. After nine cycles, the energy would be completely transformed, leaving only a wisp of sword energy standing alone outside.

At the same time, two streams of vital energy rise from the kidneys, forming a warm cloud that nourishes the five internal organs, limbs, and bones, before finally turning into rain and returning to the kidneys.

However, some of the vital energy sank into the Guanyuan acupoint below the navel and was sealed there.

This is also a characteristic of the Longevity Technique: it can store essence and yang energy, thus maintaining a continuous flow of energy, and even in old age, one can still perform seven night battles.

Fan Zhou felt as if he were soaking in a warm bath, his muscles and bones felt tingly and numb, his mouth was filled with the fragrance of saliva, and he felt extremely comfortable.

He quickly became engrossed in it, tirelessly practicing the technique.

When he felt a slight pain in his meridians and acupoints, Fan Zhou knew that his body had reached its limit, so he stopped practicing and regulated his breathing.

He opened his eyes and sensed the changes in nature.

"The health benefits of this Longevity Technique have indeed increased a lot. The fatigue that has accumulated in my body for a month has been reduced by some. And this is only the first level."

Fan Zhou got out of bed and moved around a bit, feeling much lighter, especially in his arms, where the swelling was gone.

"More importantly, the energy throughout my body has been affected by the technique, causing a slight change."

According to the original records of Changchun Gong, when one cultivates Changchun Gong to the later stages, one's own Qi will undergo a transformation, turning into a kind of "wood Qi", and the body will also have the characteristics of wood.

The most obvious benefit is resilience; injuries heal quickly, aging slows down, and the body becomes very robust, unaffected by changes in temperature, just like an old pine tree.

The Longevity Technique is an upgraded version, and Fan Zhou is unsure how it will ultimately change.

"However, judging from the current situation, it is indeed stronger than Changchun Kung Fu."

Fan Zhou looked at the lamp on the table, beckoned it over, and held it in his palm.

He tried to channel his inner energy into the lamplight.

With a bang, the small lamp instantly swelled into a fireball, burning fiercely in his hand.

The intense heat emanated from my palm, but thanks to the protection of my internal energy, I did not suffer any burns or scalds.

Fan Zhou was both curious and puzzled.

"The Longevity Technique integrates various types of Qi within my body. Now, my internal Qi not only encompasses the effects of heat, but its power has also increased significantly."

"And because of the fusion of the two forces of strength and gentleness, the flames will also spontaneously transform into a spherical shape."

"What if I add sword energy?"

Fan Zhou tried to gradually infuse the fireball with sword energy, and the fireball in his hand immediately began to elongate, eventually turning into the shape of a wooden stick.

"How could this be?"

Fan Zhou frowned, increased the output of his sword energy, and simultaneously constructed the shape of a sword in his mind.

The fire stick in his hand gradually became flat and sharp, eventually transforming into a fire sword.

Fan Zhou took the fire sword and went outside, found a big tree, and thrust the sword at it.

With a loud bang, the fire sword in his hand shattered and exploded into bright sparks.

Looking at the tree again, there was a charred dent.

"The power of the sword energy has increased, but the characteristics of the sword have also been diminished."

Fan Zhou frowned slightly. Since the sword energy was carried by fire, it lacked the sharpness and penetrating power of a real sword.

"But the sword's edge is exactly the same as that of a real sword."

Fan Zhou recalled the sword light that Huang Yi had once displayed, which could cut through rocks with a casual wave of the hand, leaving a smooth, mirror-like cut.

Its power was even greater than that of a real sword.

"How exactly did they do that?"

Fan Zhou suddenly remembered that when he condensed the fire sword, the flames immediately transformed into the shape of a fire stick.

"My attitude towards a sword is the same as my attitude towards a stick. If I don't have a sword, I will use other weapons. I will never be single-minded about sticking to a sword."

So, in the end, it all comes down to a lack of sincerity.

Fan Zhou frowned, realizing that this wasn't a problem that improving his swordsmanship could change; it was a problem within himself.

The Heavenly Craft Furnace brought him great convenience, but it also made him look down on all martial arts techniques, thinking that no matter what, he would eventually be able to learn them anyway.

He then recalled Huang Yi's question from before.

"What exactly is a sword to me?"

Fan Zhou looked up at the bright moon in the sky, racking his brains for a long time but still couldn't come up with an answer.

As the moon rose high in the sky and it grew late, he returned to his room, reconnected with the Heavenly Craft Furnace, and began forging the second level of the Longevity Technique.

"The second level of the Longevity Skill is full of vitality. This is the Yi Jin stage of the Longevity Skill. When it is perfected, the tendons and ligaments throughout the body become supple and flexible, the muscles become strong and powerful, and the spirit becomes clear and full."

[Forging Material: Thirty Days' Worth of Stored Blood Essence.]

Forging time: 30 days (starting after forging materials are stockpiled)

"Begin forging?"

"The forging time is still one month?"

Fan Zhou stroked his chin and chose yes without hesitation.

"Is it because I've already broken through to the third level of the Fetal Breathing stage that forging is so easy?"

He vaguely thought of something, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Forget about that for now, let's shorten the time it takes to replenish our essence and blood."

Fan Zhou took out the blood centipede wine he had prepared earlier from under the bed and drank five pots in one go.

He is now strong and healthy with abundant internal energy, and he can drink four or five jugs of wine without worrying about harming his health.

The time required for the Longevity Technique to store essence and blood has also been shortened by eight days.

"This Blood Centipede Wine is indeed not as good as the Spirit-Nourishing Fungus. I'll have to go to Hundred Flowers Pavilion to buy some more tomorrow."

Slightly tipsy, Fan Zhou lay down comfortably on the bed and went to sleep.

…………

By evening the next day, it was already dark.

Fortunately, the shops in the East Market area are still open for business.

Fan Zhou brought the spirit sand and came to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion again.

As soon as I entered, I saw a group of girls chatting and gossiping, having nothing better to do.

When Zhiruo saw him arrive, she immediately smiled and took his arm, asking softly:

"Brother Fan, what kind of pills are you buying this time? Would you like me to introduce you to our new products?"

Because of the 10% discount, Fan Zhou was quite polite to this Miss Zhiruo.

"No need to introduce new products, I'm here to buy some Yunling fungus."

Zhiruo blinked her beautiful eyes, her expression surprised, and said:

"Brother Fan, you've only just finished the Spirit-Nourishing Mushrooms you bought last time. Is it because work at the weapon-forging workshop is too tiring, leaving you no time for such things? Would you like me to recommend some that are even more effective?"

The three girls behind them were covering their mouths and giggling.

Fan Zhou completely ignored him and said calmly:

"I want to buy two ounces of Yunling fungus. As for a more effective medicine, I'd appreciate it if you could recommend one to me, Sister Zhiruo. I'll buy some and see how it works."

"OK."

Zhiruo responded softly, then immediately put on a stern face and instructed Qingju:

"Quickly weigh out two ounces of Yunling Fungus, and also get one Sanyang Pill."

"Yes."

Qingju responded and went to work.

While waiting, Fan Zhou chatted with Zhi Ruo and the others, asking:

"What were you talking about just now?"

Zhi Ruo asked in surprise, "Brother Fan doesn't know about the Blood Dragon Cave?"

Fan Zhou frowned. "What happened to Blood Dragon Cave?"

"The blood dragon from the Blood Dragon Cave has escaped and devoured people from several villages!"

"What! The Blood Centipede has escaped?" Fan Zhou exclaimed in surprise.

The girl in the blue robe standing to the side nodded emphatically:

"It's said that over a thousand people have eaten it! They were all drained of their blood."

Zhiruo's face also showed a hint of fear:

"I heard that some Qi Refining cultivators went to the Blood Dragon Cave to subdue the demon, but they still haven't found the Blood Dragon. I don't know where it's hiding."

Fan Zhou frowned, recalling Qin Zhiyuan's previous advice to avoid places where powerful demons might exist.

"Did Master Qin already know that the Blood Dragon would rampage and devour people?"

His heart darkened, and he frowned as he asked:

"And how did the villagers outside respond?"

"Now many villagers from outside have come to the market, afraid of encountering the Blood Centipede," Zhiruo added.

Fan Zhou sighed, then thought of the people of Sangma Village.

"Sanlaba will probably lead them to hide in the market area. He'll go back and ask Sangmiya about her situation and see if there's anything he can help with."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Qingju prepared the medicinal pills.

Two ounces of Spirit-Nourishing Fungus, one Three-Yang Pill, and a total of twenty Spirit Sands.

Fan Zhou returned to the hut with the pills and took the Three Yang Pills first.

"This stuff contains ten spirit sands per pill; I wonder how effective it will be."

He waited quietly for a while, and soon felt his blood and energy boiling, and his eyes became somewhat glazed.

But with a tingling sensation, the heat instantly subsided by more than half, leaving only a warm feeling all over the body.

Fan Zhou glanced at the Heavenly Craft Furnace and noticed that the time for storing essence blood had been shortened by twenty days, leaving only one day before the forging process began.

"The price has doubled, but the efficacy is only one-third better than that of Yunling fungus."

He wasn't too surprised by the result.

After all, the better the effect of a elixir, the higher its price will be; it's not a matter of getting what you pay for.

"Currently, the most cost-effective option is still the Yunling fungus."

Fan Zhou sighed, took out a pot of Blood Centipede Wine and drank it down. The second level of the Longevity Technique immediately began to be forged.