"The Path of Longevity?"
Zhang Jian looked at the enormous serpent with a somewhat sideways glance, simultaneously reprimanding it.
"You, a mere worm, have such audacity! How dare you recklessly talk about longevity?"
At this moment, the giant serpent lowered its head slightly, yet its eyes glimmered with determined light.
"Great one, I have heard from the village elders that mighty generals often emerge from the ranks of soldiers, great ministers from the state counties, and even Immortals cultivate from beings like us. Though I, a little demon, know my humble beginnings, I remain steadfast, seeking only the true law of longevity in this life!"
"I beseech you, great one, to impart the Path of Longevity!"
It hissed softly.
Hearing this, Zhang Jian was also moved.
Without his own opportunities, how was he any different from this spiritual snake, still desperately seeking the method of longevity!
But the Path of Longevity does not exist.
As for the Longevity Technique, he himself had found it with great difficulty.
The "Tongshan Pure Treasure Record" is not something to be transmitted.
Thinking about it, he said, "The Longevity Technique cannot be easily passed on!"
After a slight pause, he added, "However, considering your sincerity, little demon, I can give you an opportunity!"
Upon hearing this, the large snake was overjoyed.
"Please, great one, enlighten me!"
"I have a roll of talismanic magic. If you can transform ten thousand people, it isn't impossible to bestow upon you the opportunity for longevity!"
In Zhang Jian's hand, a talisman condensed, and the Soul Purifying Talisman instantly turned into a stream of light, entering deep into the brow of the giant black snake.
Along with a part of the cultivation technique for the Soul Purifying Talisman, as well as the refining technique.
The giant serpent slightly comprehended, instantly understanding the cultivation method of the Soul Purifying Talisman, its eyes shining brightly.
"Disciple thanks the teacher for imparting the method. The teacher's boundless compassion encourages the disciple to emulate, transforming ten thousand souls, then seeking the Longevity Technique!"
"Go now. If you can transform ten thousand people, head to Phoenix Nest Mountain in Fengyang County, and there will be a response!"
Zhang Jian's expression was indifferent.
"Thank you, teacher!"
The giant black serpent nodded again and quickly swam its body into the depths of the gorge.
Zhang Jian watched its departing figure, his gaze calm.
If the giant black serpent could truly transform ten thousand people using the Soul Purification Spell, accumulating boundless merit, it wouldn't be impossible for him to enter Tongshan and seek a technique on its behalf.
Beside him, Zhang Lu, seeing the giant black snake leave, hurriedly ran to Zhang Jian's front and knelt down.
"Young Master, I also seek the Longevity Technique!"
He stared at Zhang Jian with wide eyes.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian was speechless and could only scold, "You fool, possessing a treasure mountain yet aiming too high!
You are born with exceptional muscles and bones. Simply cultivate your 'White Tiger Hundred Victories Force' well, and you may achieve the Celestial Human Body with martial arts—why seek other Daoist techniques?"
The Fifth Body Refining Realm includes Bone Forging, Yijin, Bone Marrow Cleansing, Refining the Organs, and after Grandmaster comes Grandmaster Supreme and Celestial Being.
A Grandmaster Supreme corresponds to the peak of the Nourishing Spirit Stage.
Once breaking through to a Celestial Being, it is akin to divination in Foundation Establishment!
At that time, one's essence, qi, and spirit would be refined into Celestial Human Essence Qi, similar to forming magical power.
It is rumored that beyond the Celestial Being, there are more realms in the Martial Dao. Once cultivated successfully, one's divine power would be astonishing, able to sweep across heaven and earth.
But such Body Refining Martial Artists generally only appear in the military.
A martial artist of this caliber, if empowered by the Imperial Cauldron, would truly be invincible.
"Oh!"
Zhang Lu's eyes lit up, and he was greatly encouraged.
The two masters and servants continued on their journey, and conflicts became more frequent ahead, with battlefields everywhere. Many villages and towns had been completely reduced to ashes by war, bones left uncollected, trampled by wild beasts, with piles of remains.
Such signs worried Zhang Jian, for great plagues often follow great battles!
But with his own power alone, he could not change the situation, only trying to transform the souls left on each battlefield, using this to cultivate the Soul Purification Spell.
With more souls transformed, Zhang Jian sensed the Divine Image of the Ten Directions' Suffering Relief Celestial Venerable within the Soul Purification Talisman starting to turn from virtual to real, its inner spiritual essence self-generating, with a unique divinity.
Every time Zhang Jian activated the Soul Cleansing Talisman, his inner heart felt increasingly serene, and his soul quietly nourished.
This allowed him to manifest the Divine Image of the Ten Directions' Suffering Relief Celestial Venerable, possessing various powers to suppress souls!
Along the way, the two moved intermittently!
Thus passed in hard cultivation.
One day, on a mountain slope in Shanyang County, Zhang Jian suddenly emanated a dense bronzed glow all over.
The bronzed glow materialized, and a peculiar three-legged small cauldron emerged in the world, with nine dragon patterns intricately interwoven on the cauldron's wall, as if the Great Dao traverses within, its depths revealing misty mountains and rivers, seemingly able to suppress heaven and earth.
The Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod had formed.
The Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod corresponds to Golden Core Level Soul Technique.
This was also the first Golden Core Level technique Zhang Jian had successfully cultivated.
To develop a Golden Core Level technique with the power of the Middle Stage of Divination is indeed rare.
"I'm almost at my limit!"
Zhang Jian slightly activated the Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod, immediately unleashing an invisible force that swept through, with its power fluctuating, halting the flow of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism around.
It was conceivable that if the power of the Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod suddenly erupted during magical combat, suppressing an opponent's divine thought and soul from afar, it would likely cause catastrophic consequences.
Zhang Jian's eyes opened, and where the bronze glow passed, snowflakes falling within dozens of feet around were completely suspended in the air, as if time had paused.
In reality, it was not a pause, but the snowflakes were suppressed by the power of the Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod.
A truly terrifying soul technique.
Zhang Jian's eyes revealed a hint of a smile, then he gently drew the Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod back into the depths of his soul.
The Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod relies on the power of the "Asking for the Mountains and Rivers" Life Plate to be displayed.
For further progress, potential solutions must be found within.
However, any short-term advances seem impossible.
Even though his soul is strong and enhanced by the comprehension brought by the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart.
Condensing the Four-Formed Sheji King Tripod was already the limit!
After the breakthrough, Zhang Lu, on the other side, started packing his belongings, shouting loudly.
"Young Master, we should hurry down the mountain; a heavy rain is coming soon. If we don't leave, we'll have to stay on the mountain top overnight!"
Hearing this, Zhang Jian stood up, glanced at the scene of clouds gathering and snow covering far away, looked a few more times, and then nodded and led the way down the mountain.
Zhang Lu, carrying a chest, trotted ahead, occasionally looking back, seeing Zhang Jian walking steadily behind him. He let out a chuckle and picked up his pace.
But still couldn't outrun the unexpected mountain rain.
Helpless, the two had to take shelter from the rain under a cliff known as Immortal Rock. Several hunters were chatting loudly under the rock, bows on their backs and prey at their feet.
Inside the rock area, there were two bonfires burning.
There was also a pile of firewood, indicating this was a spot the hunters used to shield from wind and rain.
Seeing Zhang Jian and Zhang Lu arrive, the hunters were initially surprised, then warmly welcomed them.
"Is this young master a scholar heading to the capital for the imperial examination? Come down and take shelter from the rain. If you don't mind, we have hot soup to dispel the cold!"