Immortal Travel of Longevity

Chen Changsheng did not elaborate further, and Zhong Zhengyuan knew better than to pry. Instead, he led Chen Changsheng to Tianji Mountain's Library Pavilion.

Methods for cultivating Yin-Yang Qi were exceedingly rare in this world, simply because a yin-yang spiritual root scarcely appeared once in a thousand years—but predecessors had still managed to pave a path forward.

Tianji Mountain's Library Pavilion contained exactly three cultivation methods utilizing Yin-Yang Qi.

Zhong Zhengyuan tracked them down one by one.

"According to the records," Zhong Zhengyuan said, "these two cultivation methods came from an Immortal Sect called the Yin-Yang Dharma Sect. Its sect master and a direct disciple cultivated this first one. The second was derived by that disciple in his later years—a naturally perfected method born of enlightenment."

Chen Changsheng accepted them and flipped through the pages.

"Five Elements Yin-Yang Method" and "Five Cycles Yin-Yang Method".

The records within were vastly more complex and cumbersome than the basic cultivation methods he had seen before.

This was likely due to the unique nature of the yin-yang spiritual root.

The paths outlined in both methods were roughly the same. They essentially relied on refining five elements qi, then converting it into Yin-Yang Qi to progress in Cultivation.

The latter method altered the heavenly cycle route found in the first. This modification was like a stroke of divine genius—relying on a single thought to simplify the entire refinement process, sparing the practitioner the extra effort of shaping yin and yang.

The creators of these two cultivation methods were true prodigies!

"There is one more." Zhong Zhengyuan brought out the final one.

"This is the method practiced by the ancestors of my Tianji Mountain: the Creation Yin-Yang Method. Unlike the former two, this method cultivates using the natural Yin-Yang Qi present between heaven and earth rather than reversing the five elements. However, this also comes with a flaw."

Zhong Zhengyuan said, "But the flaw does not lie in the method itself."

"The flaw doesn't lie in the method?"

Zhong Zhengyuan explained, "As the ages turn and the world shifts, chaotic qi transforms into yin and yang, and the two energies of yin and yang further turn into the five elements. One births two, two births three, and three births all creation. However, chaos is finite, which dictates that yin and yang are finite, and the five elements are finite."

"Everything born and raised in this world consumes five elements qi. When all things die, that five elements qi dissipates back into heaven and earth in a cycle of Reincarnation. But there will always be times when the five elements qi falls short. When that happens, Yin-Yang Qi transforms into the five elements to replenish it."

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng understood and said, "So, there is not much pure Yin-Yang Qi left between heaven and earth today."

Zhong Zhengyuan nodded and said, "Five elements qi cycles with the Reincarnation of all things, but there is no process of Reincarnation between Yin-Yang Qi and the five elements. Its division is natural, yet its reunion is not. That is why later generations refined the methods of yin and yang, merging the five elements to seek Yin-Yang Qi for Cultivation."

"So that is how it is..."

It was not that Yin-Yang Qi did not exist at all. The world naturally contained it; it was simply hard to find.

The five elements blanketed heaven and earth, but yin and yang were different.

Chen Changsheng opened the method and looked through it, asking, "In the early years, was Yin-Yang Qi considered common in the world?"

Zhong Zhengyuan explained, "According to the written records of our predecessors, while Yin-Yang Qi was not as abundant as the five elements in the early years, there was always a little of it mixed in. But nowadays, Yin-Yang Qi can only be seen during the circulation of yin and yang, when the sun and moon alternate. It is a far cry from what it once was."

Chen Changsheng studied this method of yin and yang bit by bit.

Compared to the previous two books, the Creation Yin-Yang Method did not appear particularly ingenious; rather, it was far more pure. Ultimately, the attainments of this method would undoubtedly surpass those of the "Five Elements Yin-Yang Method" and the "Five Cycles Yin-Yang Method".

"Yin and yang are difficult to cultivate. Mister should still consider this carefully."

Zhong Zhengyuan's voice rang out again in a reminder. "Compared to ordinary five elements methods, the methods of yin and yang cost vast amounts of time and effort. Furthermore, the yin and yang Arts and Techniques passed down from antiquity are also exceedingly rare. In this day and age, cultivating a method of yin and yang makes it difficult to exert its true power."

Chen Changsheng pondered for a long time before asking, "Could This Chen temporarily borrow these three methods?"

"The former two are naturally fine, but the Creation Yin-Yang Method was left by our ancestors, after all, so..."

Chen Changsheng understood upon hearing this and did not force the issue, only saying, "Then This Chen shall stay here for a few days."

He still needed to mull them over.

...

Over these days staying on Tianji Mountain, Chen Changsheng frequently sought out Zhong Zhengyuan to ask questions.

There was no other reason for it—his understanding of the foundations of Cultivation was simply too shallow. As a grave robber, he figured it was best to consult the experts more often.

Perhaps from now on, he would transition from a tomb-raiding grave robber to a professional archaeologist. It sounded a bit like a villain turning over a new leaf, but that was essentially the gist of it.

Of course, Chen Changsheng did not ask Zhong Zhengyuan too much. The vast majority of his time was spent staying in Tianji Mountain's Library Pavilion.

No one knew exactly how many years Tianji Mountain had stood, and its collection of books was simply staggering. It even housed many sealed methods of the demonic path, all of which were things of extreme evil. Naturally, these were forbidden methods, but their mere presence proved just how much this Library Pavilion truly encompassed.

After spending a few days inside, Chen Changsheng felt he had benefited immensely. Many things he hadn't known before were finally clarified.

It went from "why is it like this?" to "so that is why," and finally to "so it can also be done like this..."

This process was indeed fascinating.

Over these two days, the disciples of Tianji Mountain also noticed this man who spent all day in the Library Pavilion. Seeing his attire, they knew this person definitely wasn't a member of their sect. He would enter and stay for a whole day at a time, or sometimes he simply wouldn't come out, remaining inside for two or three days.

"Who is this person? How can he stay in the Library Pavilion for so long?"

"I've never seen him before. He's probably an outsider from beyond the mountain."

"Ah? I doubt it. Why would an outsider be permitted inside our Tianji Mountain's Library Pavilion? There's no precedent for that."

"Hey, stop asking about this. It's none of our business."

"That's true..."

The disciples of Tianji Mountain had always followed the rules strictly. They absolutely never meddled in matters they shouldn't, avoiding them whenever possible. They possessed a different understanding of heavenly fate and karma, always avoiding them like the plague. However, this didn't mean they lacked capability. If any karma were to cling to them, these people never advocated for half-measures—they always pulled the weeds out by their roots, every single one of them ruthless.

"Honest folk on the mountain, heralds of disaster below it"—that was exactly what they said about Tianji Mountain.

"Is Mister Chen trying to look something up?"

Seeing a familiar face pleasantly surprised Chen Changsheng. He offered an enthusiastic greeting, "fellow Daoist Lu, it has been a long time."

Lu Shan respectfully cupped his hands in return. "Mister flatters me too much. I am merely a junior, how could I bear Mister Chen calling me a fellow Daoist? Mister can just call me Little Lu."

Over these years, Lu Shan had grown notably more weathered. According to his Master, Lu Shan had taken on this appearance after descending the mountain to travel and experiencing the Red Dust. His youthful sharpness had been ground away, leaving weariness in his eyes and patchy, tangled karma all over his body.

The Red Dust of the Mortal World was indeed not a good place to go.

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