Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Du Huating watched the disciples of the Martial Spirit Sect locked in a bloody battle and sighed wistfully. He took a metallic, lustrous Waist Token from his robes and said, "When the time is right, take them and leave. The passage is in a cave within the poplar forest on the back mountain. This is the Token to open it."

Staring at the Token held out before her, Liuu Ruowei froze. She never imagined that with the war having just begun, her own master, the Grand Elder of the Sect, would say something so utterly demoralizing.

From his tone and expression, Liuu Ruowei could sense no conviction. It was as if he had despaired for the Sect’s future from the very start.

She couldn’t understand it. Du Huating had been one of the main proponents of going to war, so why was he saying something like this now?

"Master, the Song Clan may be coming on strong, but if we join forces with the Lieyang Sect, we still have a fighting chance."

Liuu Ruowei was still trying to rekindle Du Huating’s fighting spirit, but his next words chilled her to the bone.

"It’s impossible. From the very beginning, the Lieyang Sect has never given any substantive response to my communications. Everything I said at the meeting was just a lie to keep people calm." Du Huating slumped in his armchair, his eyes vacant and his expression grim.

Liuu Ruowei staggered, nearly collapsing to the floor. She had never imagined this could be the truth. Despondently, she asked, "Then... is the news about the Sect Leader’s breakthrough also fake?"

"It is... and it isn’t. It’s just not possible before this war is over."

"Then what’s the point of us holding our ground here?" Liuu Ruowei stared blankly at her comrades fighting their bloody battle on the front lines, her heart filled with utter confusion.

In that instant, she felt something inside her shatter.

"That is why I am telling you to take them away when the time is right. They are the disciples with the most potential to reach Foundation Establishment. There is no need for them to shed their blood here."

"You must take them far away. Don’t think about revenge. Live in obscurity, find a new place to settle, and carry on our Sect’s legacy."

Du Huating’s tone was level, as if he were giving his last instructions.

"Master, let’s leave together! Where there’s life, there’s hope." Liuu Ruowei knelt before Du Huating, her beautiful eyes filled with tears as she pleaded.

"I can’t leave. I still have something very important to do. You must carry on for me. This contains some of the resources I set aside, as well as copies of the manuals from the Scripture Pavilion. Take them with you."

"Remember, once you are through the passage on the back mountain, do not linger for any reason, and leave no trace behind. Whether you head for the Hundred Thousand Mountains or flee to another kingdom, you absolutely must not remain in Daqi."

"That’s enough. Go now. The future of the Earth Fire Sect rests in your hands alone. Do not be swayed by emotion."

Du Huating gave a slight wave of his hand, leaned back against his chair, and fell silent.

Seeing his lowered eyelids, Liuu Ruowei knew there was no changing his mind. No matter what else she said, Du Huating would simply act as if he hadn’t heard.

"Master... forgive this disciple for failing you."

Liuu Ruowei performed three full kowtows, striking her pale forehead against the floor until a bloody mark appeared. Finally, she took the Token and the Storage Bag and departed without a backward glance.

Only then did she understand. Du Huating had known all along what would happen today. That was why he’d had her select a group of promising disciples under the guise of training them.

They were the future of the Earth Fire Sect...

The Song Clan’s sudden attack caught the Martial Spirit Sect completely off guard, stunning the entire Ling Province. No one had expected the Song Clan to move so quickly.

After a brief period of shock, the various powers in Ling Province realized it was time to pledge their allegiance.

The quickest to react was Liu Hongye. The moment he got the news, he gathered the elites of the Liuyun Sect and eagerly hurried to the battlefield at Baiyun Peak.

They were followed by the Wang Clan and a host of other minor clans, all dispatching their elite forces to demonstrate their "loyalty" to the Song Clan!

By the seventh day of the Song Clan’s siege on Baiyun Peak, contingents of all sizes had converged on the battlefield. The attacking force had swelled to nearly one thousand five hundred Qi Cultivators and more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Even Yu Xueqian arrived, leading a portion of the Yu Clan’s disciples to join the fray.

The pressure on the Baiyun Peak defense line surged instantly. Gaps were constantly being torn open in the Mountain Protection Array. If Du Huating, Qiu Tianyang, and the other Elders hadn’t thrown themselves into the fray, the teetering line of defense would have collapsed long ago.

After repelling yet another assault and sealing a breach in the Mountain Protection Array, a blood-soaked Qiu Tianyang could no longer contain his fury. He roared at Du Huating, "Du! Where are the Lieyang Sect reinforcements? Didn’t you say they were already here? Why haven’t they made a move? Are they going to wait until the Song Clan slaughters every last one of us before they finally act?"

"Perhaps that old fox Hex Tai wants to see us both suffer heavy losses," Du Huating said, unhurriedly wiping the blood from his Spiritual Artifact. His tone was as calm as ever. "But he won’t sit on the sidelines forever. It does them no good if we fall."

"That’s fucking bullshit! What else are you hiding from us?" Qiu Tianyang strode forward and grabbed Du Huating by the collar, his eyes blood-red. He looked like an enraged lion, ready to tear someone limb from limb.

Du Huating raised his head and gave him a cool glance. A flash of lightning seemed to surge in his eyes, sending a bone-deep chill through Qiu Tianyang, who instinctively let go.

"Elder Qiu, I understand how you feel. But you must realize, I have no reason to lie to you. I am right here with all of you. If something goes wrong, I will die alongside everyone else."