He Yunxuan had claimed that this was a brand-new path, and naturally, Song Changsheng held high expectations.
But as he calmed himself and read through the entire technique, he was completely shocked by He Yunxuan's madness. At one point, he even doubted the authenticity of the method because it was just too insane.
"Using the body as the formation's eye, the dantian as its core, the acupuncture points as formation flags, and the bones and meridians as the formation lines… turning oneself into a walking formation… is something like this possible?"
Song Changsheng stared at the golden text floating in his sea of consciousness in disbelief. The person who devised this technique had to be a complete lunatic.
According to the cultivation method described, even the slightest mistake could result in the rupture of one's dantian and qi sea leading to a complete loss of cultivation.
And for a cultivator, losing one's cultivation was a fate worse than death.
Yet, setting aside the sheer danger of it all, Song Changsheng had to admit that the method was extremely profound far surpassing the formation techniques passed down by his clan. It even hinted at the very essence of the Dao itself.
This level of insight was clearly beyond what a third-rank lower-tier formation master like He Yunxuan should have been capable of. There had to be elements of the Formation Path Academy's core teachings woven into this.
Based on Song Changsheng's understanding of formations, he was certain this method was indeed feasible. And if one succeeded… it would be nothing short of legendary earning eternal fame and the reverence of all formation masters under the heavens!
The reason was simple.
Formation masters could defeat opponents many times stronger than themselves using formations. However, arranging those formations often required significant preparation and time. In many situations, they simply didn't have the chance to set anything up making it impossible to fully utilize their skills.
But with He Yunxuan's method, that would all change. The practitioner could deploy a formation anytime, anywhere similar to activating a personal domain.
Its impact in real combat would be unimaginable. A walking formation just the thought of it sent shivers down one's spine.
Of course, this was an entirely uncharted path. No one knew what dangers lay ahead, or how to solve the problems that might arise.
There were no predecessors to follow just blind groping in the dark.
It was a high-stakes gamble, with one's very Dao and life as the wager!
But if he succeeded, then invincibility among his peers would no longer be a fantasy. If he failed…
"Then I die, that's all!" Song Changsheng's gaze suddenly sharpened. On the long road to immortality, cultivators were as countless as grains of sand in the Ganges; geniuses as numerous as stars in the sky.
He was just one of the least remarkable among them. In the tiny region of Lingzhou, his talent might be considered outstanding. But across the entire Great Qi realm or even the vast human cultivation world his aptitude was barely worth mentioning.
If he wanted to compete with the truly peerless geniuses of the age, he would have to work harder than anyone, seize every opportunity, and make himself stronger no matter the cost.
When he was born, Song Xianming named him Changsheng Longevity. It wasn't just a blessing for a bright future; it was the hope of the entire Song clan.
They hoped he would live up to that name and, one day, ascend to the highest peak and look down on all beneath him.
Song Changsheng had always treated "Changsheng" as his life's goal. This was his great opportunity one filled with both danger and promise. If he chose to back away now, then "Changsheng" would never again have anything to do with him.
Back in his previous life, there was a saying in his hometown: "When a man dies, he faces the sky like a bird; if he doesn't die, he lives ten thousand years."
He no longer feared death he had already died once. Doing it again didn't faze him.
Cultivation was like sailing against the current. If you didn't advance, you were doomed. And this opportunity he had to seize it!
"The higher the cultivation, the harder this method becomes. I need to prepare early. Before I break through to Foundation Establishment, I must inscribe the first formation."
Though his mind was made up, he wasn't about to charge forward recklessly.
This method required many preparatory conditions. Skipping any of them would guarantee a miserable death.
"Most of the materials Senior He mentioned, I already have. I can trade for the remaining few in the clan's treasure vault. The only real challenges are the Dragonblood Orchid and the Heart-Guarding Pill.
"The orchid is rare and highly sought after, but it does appear every year. The Heart-Guarding Pill, though… hasn't been seen on the market for over a decade. That'll be troublesome."
Furrowing his brow tightly, Song Changsheng tried to figure out a solution. But after a long while, he still came up empty-handed.
"…Forget it. I'll ask Fellow Daoist Zhu another day. He's well-connected maybe he'll have a lead."
Sighing, Song Changsheng decided to set the issue aside for now.
There was a difference between being unafraid of death and throwing one's life away. Proper preparation was essential. And in the end, if he still failed he'd have no one to blame but himself and his misfortune.
Exiting his sea of consciousness, Song Changsheng took out the jade slip containing the Spiritual Qi Conversion Technique. Aside from Inscribing Formations with the Body and the Lu Wu Bell, this was his most valuable gain.
Once he mastered this secret art, his combat power would surely soar to the next level!
.....
Song Changsheng returned to his usual disciplined routine. Each day, aside from crafting a few magical tools, he dedicated himself to cultivating the Spiritual Qi Conversion Technique and studying the legacy left behind by He Yunxuan.
Every moment of his day was tightly scheduled.
Time slipped by quietly, and before he knew it, a full month had passed.
During this period, Song Changsheng had made great progress in his cultivation and had successfully reached the introductory stage of the Spiritual Qi Conversion Technique.
Even the Earthfire Sect had uncharacteristically remained quiet for an entire month. It seemed the clan's counteroffensive had diverted their attention, leaving them with no resources to bother with Song Changsheng.
For Song Changsheng, this was undoubtedly great news. However, what puzzled him was that Zhu Yiqun had also been completely out of touch during this time.
If he didn't trust Zhu's character, he might have suspected that the chubby bastard had taken off with that batch of demonic artifacts…
As the sun rose and mist gathered on the horizon, Song Changsheng had just finished his morning cultivation and was about to study a Dao scripture when the communication jade token at his waist suddenly began to vibrate.
Injecting a trace of spiritual power, a long-lost voice came from within:
"Changsheng, meet me at the usual place."
A trace of delight appeared in Song Changsheng's eyes the chubby bastard had finally resurfaced.
After giving Song Luyuan a quick heads-up, he swiftly made his way to the pavilion where he usually met Zhu Yiqun.
Today, Zhu was dressed in a purple brocade robe, his round belly making him look exactly like one of those pampered, wealthy landlords from the mortal world.
The moment he saw Song Changsheng, he rushed forward and gave him a warm bear hug, which made Song shudder involuntarily goosebumps rose all over his skin.
"What's gotten into you? I'm not some maiden why the hell are you hugging me so tight? Don't tell me you've got those kinds of preferences?" Song Changsheng said with a look of disgust.
"Get lost! You're the one with those preferences! I'm as straight as they come," Zhu Yiqun said, quickly stepping back and patting his chest in protest.
"You know best what you are," Song said, raising an eyebrow. "Anyway, where the hell have you been this whole time? I was starting to think you'd taken the money and run."
At that, Zhu Yiqun's chubby face instantly fell, and he said with a sigh, "It's a long story… You nearly never saw old Zhu again."
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