Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

The two did not know each other well and had not yet established sufficient trust, so both remained deeply vigilant and guarded. Cao Hongchang feared that if he offered no explanation, choosing his secluded cultivation chamber would make the other man suspect a trap.

"Oh? Your reasoning is sound, but I am likewise concerned that you may have laid a trap. Is that not equally reasonable?" Lin Zheyu smiled faintly and continued, "To be safe, would you permit me to inspect the place beforehand?"

"Naturally. This way, my friend." Cao Hongchang nodded and gestured for him to follow.

He rose to his feet and sped toward the center of Evilheart Island. Lin Zheyu activated the Ten-Thousand-Miles Divine Travel Art and followed leisurely behind him. His effortless manner secretly alarmed Cao Hongchang.

Is that... the Ethereal Shadow Concealment Art? No, there is more to it than that. It also carries a trace of the Demonic Flame Soul-Burning Crows. He actually managed to apply the profound principles contained within that powerful secret art to a movement art! He has reached such a level in less than a year. Just how monstrous is this man's natural talent?

Sensing the familiar aura of the techniques, Cao Hongchang was shaken beyond words.

Whether it was the Demonic Flame Soul-Burning Crows or the Ethereal Shadow Concealment Art, Cao Hongchang had spent more than fifty years cultivating each of them to their peak. Yet how long had Fellow Xiao Zhe possessed these techniques? Could it be that he had already mastered them long ago? Cao Hongchang's emotions were complicated, but he did not ask.

There was no need to ask. Given the man's dreadful personality, he most likely would not tell the truth anyway. The island occupied by the Evilheart Sect was not particularly large. With their strength at the Nascent Soul realm, the two soon arrived at its center.

A faint smile hung on Lin Zheyu's face, lending him an unfathomable air. He had long since noticed Cao Hongchang's shock. This was precisely what Lin Zheyu intended. His goal was to present himself as so powerful and inscrutable that Cao Hongchang would not dare attack him lightly.

Cultivators ought to value harmony. If a fight could be avoided, Lin Zheyu preferred not to fight. Of course, once he acquired an ability that could counter short-range teleportation, or mastered short-range teleportation himself, he would be able to threaten Cao Hongchang with ease. At that point, matters would be different.

The two landed outside the black mist, which churned apart to reveal a pitch-black passage. The passage was extremely deep and led far underground.

"This is the place. Please enter," Cao Hongchang said calmly, suppressing his tangled thoughts.

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Lin Zheyu nodded lightly but did not rush inside. His powerful perception spread outward as he carefully inspected the surroundings. Cao Hongchang cooperated fully. Not only did he refrain from urging Lin Zheyu onward, but he also took the initiative to withdraw the black mist, revealing the formation restrictions covering the area.

Cao Hongchang walked slowly alongside Lin Zheyu as they ventured deeper inside. "The outermost formation is meant to defend against intruders. It possesses illusory capabilities but no means of attack. This black mist is related to the method I used to advance to the Nascent Soul realm. Demonic cultivators like us follow the Yao Dao. To advance to the Nascent Soul realm, we must emulate yao and condense a Yao Demon Nest. Humans are incapable of condensing a true Yao Demon Nest, so I used special methods to imitate one and construct this area..."

As they proceeded, he explained the surroundings to Lin Zheyu in an effort to ease the other man's wariness. In Cao Hongchang's view, they were both demonic cultivators at the Nascent Soul realm and thoroughly understood how demonic cultivators advanced to that level.

Furthermore, during the upcoming treatment, he would need to open his sea of consciousness and Nascent Soul for the other man to examine. Some of his secrets would inevitably be exposed, so Cao Hongchang did not conceal much. This time, he sincerely intended to cooperate with Lin Zheyu.

"Your methods are truly impressive, fellow friend. You actually managed to imitate a Yao Demon Nest and establish this stronghold," Lin Zheyu praised with a smile as he listened to Cao Hongchang's explanation.

Cao Hongchang truly lived up to his reputation as a veteran Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivator. His research into the Yao Dao was indeed profound. This imitation Yao Demon Nest alone had greatly broadened Lin Zheyu's horizons.

"You flatter me. This was merely a measure born of necessity. A secret art such as the one you used to advance to the Nascent Soul realm is the true orthodox path that demonic cultivators should follow," Cao Hongchang replied with a smile, a trace of envy flashing through his eyes.

The black passage leading underground was not particularly long. With Cao Hongchang's explanations, Lin Zheyu soon gained a clear understanding of the place. There truly was little danger, at least within this stretch of the passage.

"This is the central secret chamber." Cao Hongchang opened the chamber door but did not hurry inside, lest he arouse Lin Zheyu's suspicions.

"As expected of the imitation Yao Demon Nest you constructed. The demonic qi here is so concentrated that it rivals even the depths of the demon cave," Lin Zheyu said with a smile as he sensed the dense demonic qi within the chamber.

He surveyed the chamber and asked curiously, "Yao Demon Nests can spawn mindless yao to serve as cannon fodder. Does the imitation nest you built possess the same ability?"

"How could that be possible?" Cao Hongchang shook his head.

With a wave of his right hand, countless puppets identical to the one that had welcomed Lin Zheyu earlier emerged from the soil inside the chamber.

"Although it lacks the formidable capabilities of a true Yao Demon Nest, it does possess weaker versions of them. These puppets are the means upon which I rely to protect myself," Cao Hongchang said confidently, pointing with a smile at the hundreds of puppets within the chamber.

Among these puppets, ten emanated auras above the Golden Core realm. Moreover, every puppet shared an extraordinarily close connection with the others, together forming a powerful coordinated attack formation.

"Impressive, truly impressive! A formation composed of so many Golden Core realm puppets could contend even with a late-stage Nascent Soul realm expert." Lin Zheyu grew even more vigilant, ready to summon the Primordial Chaos Pool within his body at any moment. At the slightest suspicious move from Cao Hongchang, he would immediately shield himself with the Primordial Chaos Pool and leave.

"There is no need to worry, fellow friend. Please look here..." Cao Hongchang had noticed Lin Zheyu's apprehension.