Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing

"What is the background of this General Sun?" Lin Zheyu asked casually as they made their way along the road.

He needed to understand General Sun's identity and backing first so he could decide how best to handle the situation later.

"My lord, General Sun is a member of the Sun Family and an immortal cultivator," the soldier replied respectfully. Seeing Lin Zheyu's expressionless face, he had no idea what the man was thinking.

After a moment's hesitation, the soldier added, "The Sun Family is related to the imperial family of Great Wei. General Sun's cousin is the current Imperial Grand Dowager Consort."

Lin Zheyu frowned slightly. "The Imperial Grand Dowager Consort?"

Being connected to the imperial family made things troublesome. Back when he had still been an ordinary mortal, Lin Zheyu had already experienced firsthand just how extraordinary the Great Wei imperial family was and how terrifying the power of the state could be. Even in the remote Southern Barbarian Region, powerful martial cultivation factions dared not act recklessly.

After entering the immortal cultivation world and joining the Martial Alliance, Lin Zheyu gained a far deeper understanding of Great Wei's imperial family. The imperial family bore the surname Wei. Among all the families and sects in Great Wei, the Wei Family stood alone as the most powerful immortal cultivation force.

The divine worship system of Great Wei had been created by the Wei family. The Divine Power Crystals used throughout Great Wei's cultivation world were likewise supplied by them. According to what Lin Zheyu had learned, even the qualification required to advance into the Golden Core realm had to be granted by the Wei Family. It was no exaggeration to say that the Wei Family formed the very foundation upon which Great Wei's cultivation world was built.

Although martial artists of the Martial Alliance did not need the imperial family's approval to advance into the Shackles realm as immortal cultivators did when seeking the Golden Core realm, most martial artists were not like Lin Zheyu, who could ignore the corrupting will of the yao. They still relied on resources such as Divine Power Crystals supplied by Great Wei and therefore remained dependent on the imperial family's favor.

"Yes, Senior. General Sun has a rather difficult temperament. Once we arrive, it would be best to do as he says. That will save you a great deal of trouble," the soldier advised respectfully.

Every cultivator who emerged from this space-time node was forced to surrender most of their gains or pay a sufficient amount of spirit stones. However, this Senior Xiao Yu seemed unaware of the unwritten rule. The soldier worried that a conflict might arise between him and General Sun. While this was a military camp protected by a powerful military formation, making it impossible for the senior to cause much trouble, General Sun's temperament was such that the soldier himself might still be punished.

"Oh..." Lin Zheyu responded softly.

His expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he cursed his luck. This General Sun was no minor figure. He was nothing like Woo Yixuan, an ordinary scion of a noble family. In the eyes of immortal cultivators, martial cultivation was ultimately a minor path that failed to command true respect. Although the Woo Family was an ancient martial family, among the many immortal cultivation families, it could only be considered middle-tier at best. Otherwise, it would not have needed to join forces with the other three great ancient martial families and the Martial Alliance merely to secure a small grotto heaven like the Martial Realm.

Troublesome...

***

Within the Demon-Suppressing Army camp, inside a lavishly furnished tent, a man who appeared to be in his thirties leisurely sipped wine while admiring the dance of several beauties. A soldier hurried inside, delivered an important report, and promptly withdrew.

"Xiao Yu..." General Sun stroked his chin thoughtfully after hearing the report. "Interesting. He actually survived, eh. Spending nearly half a year in the demon realm and coming back alive... impressive, truly impressive."

"And who might this Xiao Yu be?" asked the man seated to General Sun's left with a smile. He was dressed in a light-blue embroidered robe.

His name was Wei Meng. A member of a collateral branch of the Wei Family, he belonged to Sun Zhenzhi's faction and had grown up alongside him as a close friend.

"An interesting martial artist. Both the Woo Family and the Ning Family have asked people to let me keep an eye on him," Sun Zhenzhi said with a smile.

Although martial artists were generally looked down upon by immortal cultivators, their robust physiques gave them far greater resistance to the yao will and demonic qi energy. As a result, they possessed distinct advantages when fighting yao, exploring secret realms, or venturing into the demon realm. They made exceptionally useful tools.

Even Sun Zhenzhi maintained ties with the three great ancient martial families and the Martial Alliance so that he could call upon martial cultivation experts when necessary. After making numerous inquiries, the Woo Family and Ning Family had eventually found their way to him. As he spoke, Sun Zhenzhi took out a Spirit Resonance Sphere and sent a message to both families. It was a trivial matter, yet it would earn him two valuable favors. Why would he refuse?

"Oh? This fellow managed to offend both the Woo Family and the Ning Family at the same time?" Wei Meng asked with a smile. "I'll likely need to borrow some manpower from them in the future anyway. Why not do them a favor while I'm at it? If it's inconvenient for you, Brother Sun, to act personally, I can simply have someone capture him."

Although Sun Zhenzhi possessed a powerful background, he was not reckless enough to openly use the Demon-Suppressing Army against Lin Zheyu. After all, he was only at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm. Once outside the protection of the military camp, he was not even certain he could deal with Lin Zheyu himself.

Wei Meng, however, was different. He was merely here for a family trial and had personal guards accompanying him. There was no need to rely on the Demon-Suppressing Army. He could simply order his guards to act in secret. As long as the matter was handled cleanly, there would be no problem.

Sun Zhenzhi said calmly, "That won't be necessary. Sending them a message and delaying this Xiao Yu for a while is already more than enough respect for them."

His tone carried undisguised disdain toward the two ancient martial families.

Wei Meng nodded with a smile. "True enough."

Great Wei also cultivated its own martial artists. Most, however, were trained within the military, and their cultivation methods differed greatly from those of traditional martial artists. The martial artists raised by Great Wei were almost all like the soldiers of the Demon-Suppressing Army. They resembled yao martial artists in some respects, yet were fundamentally different. Great Wei referred to them as demon martial artists. By combining the powers of yao with martial cultivation, they had forged a more radical path, but also a more powerful one.

Demon martial artists were extremely powerful. When organized into military formations, they became downright terrifying. They were also relatively easy to cultivate. Physical aptitude mattered little; what truly mattered was the strength of one's will. Such candidates were plentiful within the army and easy to identify. However, when it came to serving as expendable tools, traditional martial artists still held a greater advantage. Beyond that, they possessed little else that could compete.

In every other respect, immortal cultivators regarded traditional martial artists as crude and unsophisticated. Not only did they lack prestige, but raising a truly powerful martial artist also demanded enormous resources, often for results that fell short of expectations. It simply was not cost-effective.

That was why Great Wei allowed martial cultivation to flourish among the populace while investing little in it directly. Even Martial Innate realm martial artists who joined major families and factions usually switched to the Immortal Dao. The reason was simple: advancing into the Divine Repository realm required an overwhelming amount of resources.

Had Lin Zheyu not possessed Origin Force, which allowed him to absorb energy regardless of its source, and had he not been able to draw upon the vast, violent, and chaotic rule energy within the space-time node, the amount of spirit stones required to open the three great divine repositories would have been unimaginable.

Sun Zhenzhi raised his cup with a smile. "A toast to you."

After draining his cup, he rose to his feet and said apologetically, "I have some business to attend to. Enjoy the performance while you wait. I'll be back shortly."

Wei Meng smiled and waved it off. "It's no big matter. Your affairs take priority."

After Sun Zhenzhi left, Wei Meng withdrew his gaze from the graceful dancers and turned toward the entrance. A trace of curiosity appeared on his face. He knew that Sun Zhenzhi had gone to meet the martial artist called Xiao Yu. Having heard the soldier's report earlier, he understood exactly what his friend intended to do.

"Tsk, tsk. To remain in the demon realm for more than five months and still come back alive... He's remarkable, truly remarkable. Brother Sun may end up reaping quite a worthwhile harvest this time," said Wei Meng with a soft chuckle.

There was little jealousy on Wei Meng's face. As a member of the Wei Family, he had seen countless treasures, including many dharma treasures capable of protecting cultivators from the corrupting influence of the yao. Though he came from a collateral branch of the Wei Family, he happened to have a remarkably capable elder sister. Dharma treasures and cultivation resources were never in short supply for him. What he lacked was aptitude. That was the obstacle blocking his path forward.

Sun Zhenzhi's situation was different. He also had a powerful elder-sister figure backing him, though she was merely a cousin, and not even a particularly close one. His aptitude was fairly good, or he would never have attracted the attention of his cousin, the Imperial Grand Dowager Consort. Even so, his talent had its limits, and so did the resources available to him. His cousin had already provided him with the platform and opportunities he needed. Everything else would have to be earned through his own efforts.

***

Within the demon cave, at a tent inside the Demon-Suppressing Army camp, Lin Zheyu followed the soldier to the entrance.

"Please enter, Senior," the soldier said with a respectful bow.

Standing outside the tent, Lin Zheyu sensed a familiar aura from within even without deliberately probing. It was the power of a divine being. Without hesitation, he stepped inside. The first thing that greeted his eyes was a towering statue with wide, glaring eyes and a majestic, imposing visage. A terrifying pressure radiated from it.

The Demon-Suppressing Divine General!

Lin Zheyu recognized the statue at a glance. The Demon-Suppressing Divine General was one of the mighty divine generals within Great Wei's pantheon, a commander who led millions of heavenly soldiers to subdue countless demons. He was the object of worship for the Demon-Suppressing Army. Lin Zheyu first cupped his hands toward the statue in a gesture of respect before turning to the man standing nearby. "Greetings, General Sun. May I ask why you summoned me here?"

"It's nothing more than a routine inspection. There's no need to be nervous," Sun Zhenzhi replied calmly, projecting the image of an impartial and upright official.

Watching Sun Zhenzhi's performance, Lin Zheyu sneered inwardly. The man's acting was quite convincing.

"Very well," Lin Zheyu replied evenly.

On the surface, he was a peak Divine Repository realm expert, someone who already possessed a certain status within the cultivation world. There was no reason for him to act servile before a mere cultivator of the Foundation Establishment realm.

Seeing Lin Zheyu's composed demeanor, Sun Zhenzhi let out a cold snort inwardly.

His gaze swept casually over Lin Zheyu. "Take out all the storage pouches on your person and open them. I need to inspect them to ensure you're not carrying any prohibited items."