Chapter 265: Zhang Yu's Spiritual Vein Pass

Zhang Yu felt the martial arts will, as if it were a tangible force, crashing into him, threatening to incinerate his flesh, internal organs, bones, soul, consciousness—everything within him—to ashes.

The instant they made contact, Zhang Yu felt a sense of impending death; the disparity between them was simply too vast.

At the same time, True Person Xinghuo's voice exploded in his ear.

"Activate your cultivation techniques and use your will to resist my martial arts intent."

Zhang Yu fully activated the "Crippled Ox Sacrifice Technique." With a roar from the white ox in his mind, surges of fighting spirit erupted from his heart.

Scenes of fierce battles, desperate resistance, and life-and-death struggles against Wang Yin repeatedly surfaced in Zhang Yu's mind.

Meanwhile, True Person Xinghuo observed the two, gritting their teeth and desperately holding on under the impact of his martial arts will. He nodded slightly and temporarily withdrew his intent.

"Rest for 30 seconds, then continue."

Thirty seconds later, the violent intent was unleashed from True Person Xinghuo once more.

This time, Zhang Yu no longer felt an overwhelming fire but an incredibly overbearing pressure, as if the air had instantly become thousands or tens of thousands of times heavier, threatening to crush his bones and force him to his knees.

True Person Xinghuo said coldly, "Hold on. Do not kneel."

Unlike his previous benevolent appearance as a kind elder, after he began guiding Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's training, True Person Xinghuo exuded an aura of majesty, like a general on the battlefield. Every command, every piece of advice, felt irresistible.

In the following period, True Person Xinghuo repeatedly assaulted them with his martial arts will, making Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen activate their cultivation techniques to resist with all their might.

Each time, the martial arts intent released by True Person Xinghuo was different.

Sometimes Zhang Yu felt like he was being burned by fire, sometimes squeezed by the atmosphere, sometimes pierced by ten thousand swords, and other times as if his thoughts were frozen.

Various martial arts intents assailed him, forcing Zhang Yu to exclaim internally, "How many cultivation techniques does this old guy know?"

"To be able to switch between techniques so naturally, is he not suffering from multiple personalities?"

Throughout this process of tempering his Dao Heart and cultivation techniques, Zhang Yu felt like a long sword, and True Person Xinghuo's martial arts will was like a whetstone. With each repeated sharpening, the sword became sharper and more refined through countless trials.

Zhang Yu could clearly feel that this kind of training was indeed several times more effective than cultivating his techniques alone.

Dao Heart Level 11 (0.3) -> (0.5)

Crippled Ox Sacrifice Technique Level 11 (3/110) -> (35/110)

True Person Xinghuo looked at the two pale and somewhat shaky individuals and ceased releasing his martial arts intent.

He said lightly, "Alright, you've pretty much reached your limit for today. Pushing further would harm your spirits."

"But you must continue to circulate your cultivation techniques, and especially remember that feeling of resisting pressure from just now."

"Maintaining this feeling, this tension, will make your daily progress in improving your Dao Heart more efficient."

As True Person Xinghuo departed, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen collapsed to the ground, feeling a sense of exhaustion despite having barely moved their bodies.

In the following days, True Person Xinghuo would periodically summon Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen for intense training.

His method of guiding Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen was, as he'd said, very rudimentary yet highly effective.

If Zhang Yu were to describe it, it was a highly cost-effective training method for the poor.

However, this cost-effectiveness was entirely dependent on True Person Xinghuo himself.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "If True Person Xinghuo charged for this, I can't imagine how much it would cost. Zhen and I definitely couldn't afford it."

Zhang Yu deeply appreciated the kindness of this Golden Core True Person, who was willing to take time to guide them for free.

He secretly mused, "Thanks, old timer. When I make it big, I'll make sure your name resounds throughout Kunxu as well."

Under True Person Xinghuo's guidance, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's Dao Heart and physical strength steadily improved each day, far exceeding the efficiency of solitary cultivation.

As for their cultivation of magic power, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had a different arrangement.

One day, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen arrived at the protected area. One after another, they simply scanned their faces to pass through the main gate.

They familiarly walked to the foot of a mountain, seemingly having been there many times before.

The mountain before them was one of the protected area's vital spiritual vein nodes, a place that had once been utterly beyond Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's reach, one they wouldn't even dare to dream of.

Now, however, not only could they breathe freely within the protected area, but they could even enter the mountain for cultivation.

However, before each entry into the mountain, Zhang Yu had certain tasks to complete and deliveries to make according to Director Long of Red Pagoda's requirements.

Watching Zhang Yu enter a nearby restroom, Bai Zhenzhen waited outside and began her breathing exercises.

After waiting for a long time, Bai Zhenzhen finally couldn't help but urge, "Are you done yet?"

She said with some dissatisfaction, "Why does it take you longer each time now? I've been waiting for almost half an hour."

Zhang Yu's slightly exasperated and embarrassed voice came from inside: "Almost done... Why are you rushing me?"

"Think about who made repeated sacrifices so you could enter the spiritual vein for cultivation?"

Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes and suggested, "Then next time, can't you just finish up at home and bring it with you?"

Zhang Yu replied, "Do you think I don't want to? Red Pagoda Company requires it to be fresh!"

After waiting for another ten minutes, Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, "Yu-zi, this guy... he's already established his foundation, yet he still hasn't severed the root."

"After Foundation Establishment, his physical strength will further improve across the board. Won't that evil root grow larger and larger, becoming further nourished and stronger?"

"In the future, if he continues body tempering and nurturing that thing, who knows how much nutrition, qi and blood, and spiritual energy it will consume."

"Not to mention how much time and effort he'll waste on it... it's practically a malignant tumor on the path to immortality."

"But then again, there are merits to it. At least it allows us to cut in line and cultivate within the spiritual vein."

"Once we reach higher levels, if we become poor again, maybe it can serve as our emergency fund at a critical moment."

Bai Zhenzhen pondered for a moment and came up with a compromise: "How about we help Yu-zi make it detachable, just like his eyes?"

"Attach it when needed, and keep it locked away otherwise? That way, we won't have to worry about this 'tumor' consuming too much nutrition, qi and blood, and hindering Yu-zi's body tempering progress."

"We're family. If he can't make up his mind, should I just help him out?"

Bai Zhenzhen believed Zhang Yu would also understand her intentions.

"After all, every time Yu-zi finishes, I see a faint look of helplessness and regret on his face. He must want to solve this problem himself, but just hasn't been able to bring himself to make the decision."

Just as Bai Zhenzhen was secretly planning how to "help" her brother, Zhang Yu slowly emerged from the restroom.

"All done, let's go." Zhang Yu waved his hand, a hint of pride in his demeanor, and led Bai Zhenzhen through the spiritual vein entrance.

The abundant spiritual energy surged towards them, causing the spiritual roots within both their bodies to tremble. They felt an incredibly comfortable sensation spread throughout their entire beings.

Zhang Yu felt that only when he entered the spiritual vein for breathing exercises could his Sea of Qi Spiritual Root and Jade Vortex Qi Gong truly demonstrate their full potential, no longer feeling stifled as they did normally.

Yes, stifled.

Ever since reaching Foundation Establishment, Zhang Yu had felt a sense of oppression every day, sensing how thin the spiritual energy in the world was and how unrefreshing the air felt.

"The spiritual vein is still the best."

However, thinking about the time he had just spent to gain entry, Zhang Yu felt a pang of self-reproach: "It really was a bit of a waste of time."

"But you can't blame me; I did my best."

Glancing at Bai Zhenzhen beside him, Zhang Yu's face suddenly flushed, and he quickly turned his head away.

Bai Zhenzhen, who was deep in breathing exercises, raised an eyebrow. Sensing Zhang Yu's gaze, she asked suspiciously, "Say it if something's wrong."

Zhang Yu stammered, "Actually... about that... I thought of a way to make it faster."

Bai Zhenzhen asked curiously, "What way?"

"Uh..." Zhang Yu turned his head away, his face red, and finally took a deep breath, saying, "N-nothing."

As Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen walked deeper into the spiritual vein, Fuhime felt an inexpressible bitterness in her heart: "You two, why don't you ask about my feelings? Do you think it's fine for me to just accompany Zhang Yu like this?"

"Damn it, they should be paying me a viewing fee."

"Confound it. If I asked to follow Bai Zhenzhen, that kid Zhang Yu would surely get suspicious, thinking I had some ulterior motive."

"Sigh, I'll just pretend I'm watching Animal Planet."

Upon reaching the depths of the spiritual vein, Zhang Yu began to circulate the recently cultivated Jade Vortex Qi Gong.

This Foundation Establishment breathing technique allowed him to form spiritual energy vortices with his magic power. With continuous breathing, the range of his spiritual energy absorption would expand until it reached his personal limit.

Now, combined with his Sea of Qi Spiritual Root, Zhang Yu's spiritual energy absorption range directly increased to 100 meters around him.

At this moment, Zhang Yu was like a massive vortex, frantically drawing in the spiritual energy from the spiritual vein.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "Although this Jade Vortex Qi Gong cannot operate continuously like the Great Sun Sea of Qi, a few hours of cultivation with this method in the spiritual vein is equivalent to several days of hard work with the Great Sun Sea of Qi. It's still more efficient."

"Especially since I haven't yet pushed this Jade Vortex Qi Gong to its highest level, its efficiency in refining magic power will surely become even greater in the future."

Magic Power: 200.5

Jade Vortex Qi Gong: Level 10 (1/100)

"Finally, Level 10."

Sensing the Jade Vortex Qi Gong reaching Level 10, Zhang Yu could feel currents of spiritual vortices swirling around his body, frantically devouring the surrounding spiritual energy.

"After Level 10, the magic power vortex manifests externally, further increasing the range of spiritual energy absorption."

"Combined with my Sea of Qi Spiritual Root, my current spiritual root absorption range has now expanded to 150 meters."

Shortly after Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu entered the spiritual vein entrance, accompanied by the whistling of flying swords and surging combat spiritual roots, a fully armed security team, riding a flying boat, surrounded the restroom Zhang Yu had just used.

Several staff members in protective suits entered the restroom. Moments later, they emerged carrying a large armored box and, under the solemn gaze of the surrounding security personnel, loaded it onto the flying boat.

While Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were immersed in their Foundation Establishment cultivation, fully dedicated to solidifying their foundations and improving their Dao Heart, magic power, and physical strength, on the other side, some disturbances arose regarding the handling of the Oasis Group.

That day, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had just finished their guidance session with True Person Xinghuo when they received a call from Captain Yun Ni of the Investigation Team.

Yun Ni's voice said, "When you were fighting against Chihe and his group previously, wasn't Bai Zhenzhen suddenly ambushed by a mysterious expert?"

"Our current investigation has 100% confirmed that the expert you killed during the enforcement operation was Zhou Yang from the Zhou family..."

Upon hearing this news, both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen's expressions subtly changed. They both knew that the Zhou family was suspected of having an evil god backing them.

Yun Ni continued, "The Investigation Team plans to conduct a thorough investigation into the Zhou family. Since you two are directly involved, I'm calling to ask for your opinions..."

Zhang Yu immediately said, "A thorough investigation of the Zhou family? Can Zhen and I go along?"