Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Ling Province, Vast Mist Peak.

Inside a seclusion cave-dwelling at the mountain’s peak, Song Qingxing sat cross-legged on a bright yellow, lotus-patterned prayer mat, as still as a statue.

The jet-black Traceless Sword lay across his knees, its chilling glint captivating the soul in the faint candlelight.

As night fell, the Array above the cave-dwelling slowly activated, drawing down the cold, bright moonlight and bathing Song Qingxing’s entire body in a hazy glow.

Song Qingxing was cultivating the Song Clan’s Clan Secret Technique, the Moonlight Technique, which was derived from the main branch’s Tier Four Heart Method, the Refining Moonlight Fruit Scripture.

Although it also used the essence of moonlight for cultivation, this technique was different from the Yin Yang Profound Flower Scripture that Song Changsheng had comprehended from the Daoist Scripture.

When cultivating it, one merely needed to bathe in moonlight to achieve twice the result with half the effort. It also had the effect of Bright Spirit Body Tempering, which was why Song Clan Members often cultivated a step faster than the disciples of other powers in Ling Province.

However, for Song Qingxing to have reached Qi Refining Great Perfection before the age of twenty made him one of a select few in the Song Clan’s five-hundred-year history.

This was not only due to his diligent cultivation and natural talent but, more importantly, his determination and courage to pursue the Dao.

That was why, even knowing the clan currently had no Foundation Establishment Pills, he had resolutely chosen to enter seclusion for his breakthrough.

It was unexpected, yet entirely predictable. That was simply the kind of person he was—someone who would never compromise due to external factors...

As the Heart Method circulated, wisps of moonlight essence entered his body with each unusually long breath, completing a Grand Circulation before gathering in his Dantian.

Repeating this cycle over and over, Song Qingxing’s Dantian slowly began to change.

The originally formless, gaseous Spiritual Power gradually condensed, transforming into a hazy mist. Driven by the Heart Method, this "mist" slowly swirled and converged around a bright point of light in the very center of his Dantian.

As time passed, this misty "gas" grew ever denser.

DRIP.

A drop of Spiritual Liquid, formed from pure Spiritual Power, fell into his Dantian. Soon after, more and more Spiritual Liquid condensed, gradually filling his entire Dantian.

Spiritual Power Liquidification was a key sign of the transition from Qi Cultivation to Foundation Establishment. Its appearance meant Song Qingxing was about to face the Spiritual Power Barrier, the first of the Foundation Establishment Three Passes.

The Spiritual Power Barrier refers to the process where a Cultivator uses their internal Spiritual Power to assault the Foundation Establishment bottleneck. During this period, the Spiritual Power within the Cultivator’s body will enter an extremely frenzied state.

If that were all, it would be manageable. The crucial part was the Spiritual Power Liquidification; the Spiritual Power now stored in his Dantian was ten, or even a hundred times greater than before!

A Cultivator had no time to gain control over such a vast force. Once it rampaged, it was exceptionally violent, relentlessly ravaging the Cultivator’s Dantian and Meridians. The slightest mistake could result in one’s heart meridians being shattered.

Throughout history, countless people had fallen at this step.

The primary function of the Foundation Establishment Pill was precisely to neutralize this frenzied Spiritual Power. But without one, Song Qingxing had no choice but to endure it head-on.

Once this process began, it was irreversible. Yet, Song Qingxing still mobilized the Spiritual Power in his body at the fastest possible speed to assault the bottleneck, without a shred of thought or hesitation.

BOOM—

That impact was like a spark falling into a pile of dry tinder, instantly igniting a raging inferno.

Song Qingxing felt the Spiritual Power in his body surge, one moment like a rampaging flood crashing through his Meridians and Dantian, the next like a blazing fire threatening to burn him to ashes.

The frenzied Spiritual Power battered him in relentless waves. Intense pain brought an unnatural flush to his resolute, cold face, and the metallic tang of blood filled his throat.

Song Qingxing kept his back straight, gritting his teeth without making a sound.

But his body began to tremble uncontrollably, and beads of sweat the size of peas started to form on his forehead. They trickled down his cheeks and dripped onto the floor, soon soaking the ground in front of him.

An unknown amount of time passed before the frenzied Spiritual Power was finally pacified. It had broken through all the sealed acupoints along its path, ultimately gathering all the Spiritual Power back into his Dantian. By now, his Dantian had expanded by several times its original size.

The Spiritual Power re-condensed into a liquid state and was stored in his Dantian. The point of bright light within—the Sword Embryo that No-Injury Sword Venerable had helped him form—underwent a monumental change. It transformed into a "Spirit Platform," upon which a mysterious symbol slowly took shape.

The Spiritual Power in his Dantian revolved around it, faintly forming a vortex.

Having arduously passed the Spiritual Power Barrier, even Song Qingxing was somewhat exhausted. But after only a brief rest, he immediately began circulating Spiritual Qi through the acupoints all over his body to temper his physique, entering the Physical Body Barrier.

Sword Cultivators had always relied solely on the sword in their hand. Thus, they mostly just dabbled in Techniques and the Hundred Skills of Cultivation without mastering them. This left them with more free time and energy.

And they often invested this energy into Body Refining.

Song Qingxing was no exception.

For this, he had Song Changsheng and Song Luhuai to thank.

Song Luhuai could be called the guide on Song Qingxing’s path of cultivation. From the very beginning, he had recognized Song Qingxing’s talent for the Sword Dao and had intentionally guided him to temper his physical body while practicing his Swordsmanship.

Later, when Song Changsheng took over his instruction, he too frequently instilled in him the importance of Body Refining.