Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

“You should be proud to have pushed me this far.” The Purple Demon stared coldly at the two of them, his voice booming like a great bell, making Song Changsheng’s ears ring.

“Ancient records say the Ancient Witch Race is born with Divine Power and formidable physiques. By fully activating their bloodline, they can multiply their strength several times over.

But your strength before was no different from an ordinary Purple Mansion Cultivator’s. And now, after fully activating your Bloodline Power, your War Body is only ten feet tall. It’s obvious your bloodline isn’t pure. You’re just a half-breed. How dare you bark like a mad dog here!”

Song Changsheng propped himself up on a Golden Pillar and rose to his feet, sneering at the Purple Demon as he spoke.

He finally understood why the Purple Demon, despite being an Ancient Witch, could use a Human Race Cultivation Technique. ‘He’s a mix,’ he thought. ‘No wonder I didn’t sense anything strange at first.’

“Insolent!”

Song Changsheng’s words had struck a nerve. The Purple Demon was immensely proud of his Ancient Witch Race heritage, but his impure bloodline was a deep-seated shame.

“ROAR—”

A thunderous boom, like the beat of a war drum, erupted from the Purple Demon’s abdomen. The black markings on his torso glowed with an eerie light as a terrifying power burst forth. The Restriction under his feet shattered, and he threw a right uppercut so powerful it made the air shriek.

BAM

The two fists met, unleashing a terrifying shockwave.

Niu Dazhuang staggered back over a hundred feet, leaving two messy trails of footprints gouged into the hall floor.

Having landed the blow, the Purple Demon didn’t press his attack on Niu Dazhuang. Instead, with lightning speed, he shot straight toward Song Changsheng.

Having witnessed the power of that punch, Song Changsheng dared not be careless and immediately unleashed his Five Beasts War Body.

Flaming wings, six arms, tiger claws, and Dragon Scales.

This was the first time Song Changsheng had shown his War Body to anyone else. The bizarre, ferocious sight stunned Niu Dazhuang and even made the Purple Demon freeze for an instant.

Wielding the Silver Flood Dragon Mace in his left hand and the Mountain-Shaking Halberd in his right, Song Changsheng roared and charged the Purple Demon.

His strength had surged, and the Mountain-Shaking Halberd, which was once difficult for him to wield, now felt as light and agile as a wooden staff in his grasp.

The two collided violently, engaging in a bloody brawl that relied on pure physical strength. Wounds appeared on both of them in a flash, only to be healed moments later by their formidable regenerative powers.

Just then, Niu Dazhuang rejoined the fray. With the two of them working together, the pressure on the Purple Demon increased immensely. Yet, even facing two opponents, he held his ground. For a moment, the battle was a stalemate.

Song Changsheng and Niu Dazhuang exchanged a look and immediately changed their tactics.

Niu Dazhuang’s Nine-Transformation Golden Body was renowned for its incredible defense. As long as the Golden Body held, his Physical Body was nearly impossible to harm. So he moved in front of Song Changsheng, taking on the role of his shield against the Purple Demon’s attacks.

He was like a human punching bag, sent flying by the Purple Demon’s attacks again and again, only to pick himself up as if unhurt and charge back in with a blood-curdling roar and crimson eyes.

Compared to Niu Dazhuang’s specialization, Song Changsheng’s Five Beasts War Body was more balanced; while it didn’t excel in any one area, it had no weaknesses.

However, with a powerful Magical Treasure in hand, brute force could overcome all else. His weapons allowed Song Changsheng to maximize his strength, and every swing of his Mountain-Shaking Halberd put immense pressure on the Purple Demon.

With Niu Dazhuang acting as his shield, Song Changsheng abandoned all defense. Only a single word remained in his mind: “Attack!”

With one on offense and one on defense, the pair coordinated seamlessly. The Purple Demon was put on the back foot, gradually losing ground. His arms were soon covered in massive, grisly wounds, some deep enough to reveal the bone beneath.

On his abdomen and waist, there were also several smaller, shallower claw marks, inflicted by the tiger claws Song Changsheng had manifested during their brawl.

The wounds didn’t look like much, but a closer look revealed they were the most lethal of all.

The tiger claws were imbued with Sharp Gold Qi, which seeped through the cuts and invaded his internal organs. With his strength being sapped away, how could the Purple Demon not be losing?

At this rate, the two could win simply by wearing the Purple Demon down to death.

But Song Changsheng felt a growing urgency. Not only was he worried about Zhuang Yuechan, but at his current level of Cultivation, his Five Beasts War Body would only last for one ancient hour. He had to end this fight quickly.

“Gourd Spirit Slayer!”

A Black and White Gourd shot into the sky, unleashing a Flaming Flying Blade that aimed straight for the Purple Demon’s head. Simultaneously, Song Changsheng brought his Great Halberd crashing down.

After centuries of living on a knife’s edge, the more dangerous the situation, the calmer the Purple Demon became.

He ignored the descending Song Changsheng, instead crossing his arms to protect his throat.

The Spirit-Slaying Blade carved a gash into his arms deep enough to reveal bone while simultaneously unleashing a Divine Soul Shock that shot toward his Sea of Consciousness.

The Purple Demon practiced a Secret Technique for defending his Sea of Consciousness, so the blow didn’t cause him major harm. However, it still dazed him for a split second. Even so, his body reacted instinctively, moving to protect his vital organs.

The Mountain-Shaking Halberd crashed down on his right shoulder with immense force. Blood flew, and the Purple Demon’s right shoulder was almost completely severed.

Yet he didn’t even furrow his brow. Exploiting the opening Song Changsheng created with his attack, he struck out with his left fist and sent him flying.

The vengeful blow shattered the Dragon Scales on Song Changsheng’s chest, caving it in. He slammed heavily onto the ground, blood mixed with froth and bits of his internal organs gushing from his mouth.

The entire exchange happened in a flash, so quickly that Niu Dazhuang didn’t even have time to react before both fighters were grievously wounded.

“Changsheng!”

“Son of a bitch, die!”

Burning with fury, Niu Dazhuang channeled every last ounce of his strength into his right arm. The limb swelled to several times its normal size, blood vessels bursting under the immense strain.

Yet, he uttered no cry. Once all his power was gathered, he unleashed it in a single, devastating punch.

This punch… was earth-shattering!

The Purple Demon, already heavily injured and unable to dodge, had no choice but to meet the attack head-on.

BOOM—

The two fists collided, and the air crackled.

The Purple Demon’s left arm exploded into a crimson mist. He let out a choked grunt and staggered backward before collapsing.

Niu Dazhuang’s Golden Body shattered. His right arm hung limp as he dropped to one knee, gasping for breath, no longer able to fight.

“Sen…ior Brother…”

Song Changsheng struggled to stand, wanting to check on Niu Dazhuang, but he collapsed back to the ground after taking only a few stumbling steps.

The Purple Demon’s last punch had contained his full power, grievously wounding Song Changsheng’s internal organs. Even with his incredible healing ability, an injury this severe couldn’t be overcome quickly.

“I… I’m fine.” Niu Dazhuang gave a weak wave and slumped to the floor. Blood streamed from his right arm, quickly forming a small pool beneath him.

He had no energy left to tend to it. ‘It’s not like I’ll bleed to death,’ he thought. ‘So be it.’

The world seemed to fall silent. All three combatants scrambled to use the time to recover.

In a situation like this, whoever recovered first would gain control.

Song Changsheng had once consumed a Law Spirit Fruit containing the power of Life, giving him the fastest recovery rate. After only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he was able to get to his feet.

He dragged the Mountain-Shaking Halberd behind him, leaving a bloody footprint with every step as he walked toward the prone form of the Purple Demon.

Just as Song Changsheng prepared to deliver the final blow, the entire palace began to tremble violently. An immense pressure descended, and layer after layer of Restrictions fell upon the three of them, transforming into chains that bound them where they stood.

The sudden change caught Song Changsheng completely by surprise. By the time he could react, all the Mana in his body had been sealed away…