I am dying of old age, and I have awakened to the character of longevity.

Within Hongze Lake, the碧碧water rippled.

A dilapidated awning boat drifted slowly with the wind in the inconspicuous waters near the shore of the great lake.

A dim yellow oil lamp shone inside the awning, and from outside the window, a shadowy figure could be vaguely seen sitting beside a low table.

But in reality, there was no one in the awning boat.

The shore was a deserted island, densely covered with trees, their shadows swaying, and occasionally the sounds of wild beasts could be heard.

Inside, there was a very hidden cave.

There was a faint light in the cave.

It was the glow of red-hot charcoal, without a visible flame, illuminating the small cave.

The Heavenly Father sat alone cross-legged beside the charcoal, a ancient book resting on his knees, diligently practicing according to its instructions.

As he circulated his energy to a certain stage, a heat-resistant layer surged around him, occasionally emitting sharp whistling sounds.

This was the manifestation of the Qi and blood of a martial arts cultivation reaching the ninth level of inner strength, indicating the Heavenly Father possessed an extremely powerful physique and Qi and blood.

Logically speaking, this was already a remarkable achievement, but the Heavenly Father was clearly not satisfied.

The Heavenly Father suddenly and quickly tapped several different acupoints on his body with both hands, then uttered a soft shout, "Open the secret chambers, connect the Yongquan!"

As soon as his words fell, the Heavenly Father's body emitted a special humming sound. The Heavenly Father felt extremely expectant, thinking he was about to open the secret chambers of the human body, and his face flushed with excitement.

Only he himself knew how difficult his journey had been.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the two ninth-rank grandmasters, Blackwater and Scarlet Silk, are always by his side, listening to his every word. In fact, the Heavenly Father knew that Blackwater and Scarlet Silk were sent by Guang Chanzi to monitor him.

If he showed any defiance of Guang Chanzi's will, he would immediately be beaten and even imprisoned in a dark room where no one would hear his cries.

He felt that his life was too unfortunate.

In the beginning, he complained about the injustice of fate, and even thought about suicide to end this life of suffering and despair.

But later, he realized that complaining about fate was meaningless. Only by fighting bravely and working diligently could he break free from the shackles of fate.

Therefore, in the past few years, the Heavenly Father had made many efforts.

First of all, the Heavenly Father discovered through exploration that not many people knew about his identity as a substitute, only a few martial arts grandmasters.

After that, the Heavenly Father deliberately expressed dissatisfaction and deliberately made mistakes many times, testing the balance point.

After countless trials and errors and beatings, the Heavenly Father roughly figured out this balance point: as long as he implemented Tian Anbang's overall policy, Blackwater and Scarlet Silk would be obedient and would give him a certain degree of superficial respect.

After all, he was Guang Chanzi's substitute. Respecting this substitute was also respecting Guang Chanzi to a certain extent.

In addition, the Heavenly Father realized that Guang Chanzi had great expectations for his substitute, and keeping him around should be of great use. Therefore, he would also give him certain martial arts resources, hoping that he would have a certain strength.

However, Guang Chanzi also had a backup plan: he refined part of his spirit, making it impossible for him to ever escape the other party's control. He also prevented him from breaking through to become a martial arts grandmaster.

Later, the Heavenly Father learned that as long as he opened the secret chambers of the human body, it would be possible to解除the soul-refining control method that Guang Chanzi had placed on him.

The Heavenly Father didn't want to be manipulated by others for the rest of his life.

He knew that Guang Chanzi was keeping his substitute around to do some things that would lead to death.

He wanted to struggle, to break free.

Therefore, the Heavenly Father secretly searched for inner strength methods that could potentially break through to become a grandmaster. And he avoided the eyes and ears of Scarlet Silk and Blackwater, hiding here to cultivate in seclusion.

As long as he opened the secret chambers of the human body, there would be hope of breaking free from control.

Thinking of this, the Heavenly Father was extremely excited.

Suddenly—

"Damn it, the inner strength can't break through the secret chamber, it's going to get out of control..."

The Heavenly Father felt his whole body's inner strength going wild and out of control. He couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood, and finally his whole body collapsed to the ground, shivering, with blood constantly flowing from the corners of his mouth, and his limbs twitching.

The Heavenly Father felt like a stray dog that had been whipped, curled up in a dark corner where no one was around, twitching in pain, licking its wounds.

"I've already worked so hard, but it's still not working?"

He thought despairingly.

"When will these desperate days come to an end?"

"It seems that I can only take the idea of that box."

Just then, a shout came from the shore not far away.

The Heavenly Father quickly endured his injuries and got up, then wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth and walked towards the shore.

From afar, he saw Scarlet Silk and Blackwater standing at the bow of the awning boat.

The Heavenly Father forced a smile, "I ate something bad and went to the toilet."

After saying that, the Heavenly Father also showed a look of pain from diarrhea, looking very weak, constantly baring his teeth, and complaining about how the things here were not delicious, etc.

Blackwater and Scarlet Silk were not suspicious.

The Heavenly Father entered the awning, poured himself a cup of hot water, and drank it in large gulps, then showed a comfortable expression as if his stomach felt much better, "How is Liu Mu's brother's side?"

Scarlet Silk shook her head, "The courtyard is empty, Liu Fang said he went to raise a million taels of silver, it will take a while."

The Heavenly Father said, "Raising a million taels of silver does take a lot of time. He is a rare top-notch wealthy man in the entire Tian Anbang, it is reasonable to give him more time. But keep a close eye on him. Don't delay the big event."

Scarlet Silk said, "Yes. I rented a house near the courtyard. Blackwater and I take turns to stay there, watching every move of the courtyard."

...

But Xie An was not in a hurry to use the appearance of a young man to go to Heize County, but stayed in Qingwu County.

The real Guang Chanzi was arrested, and the overall situation has been finalized.

However, Tian Anbang did gather hundreds of thousands of believers, and a thunderstorm may occur at any time, causing major turmoil.

But Xie An still planned to wait and see before dealing with it.

On the one hand, he wanted to see what Tian Anbang would do next, and on the other hand, Xie An also wanted to improve his strength.

After all, Tian Anbang was the former state religion, and its foundation was still very deep. Among them, a fourth-rank grandmaster like Pudu appeared, and there may be other powerful grandmasters, so he had to treat it with caution.

Xie An's days were the same as usual. During the day, he went to the Demon Suppression Division to wander around, and after leaving the yamen, he went to Tangjiabao to take a look. Since Tang Zhengyang had been in seclusion, Xie An couldn't help much. At most, he would have two cups of tea with Tang Qingyun and Tang Qingfeng, and tease Xiaohongtang a few words, before going home to study corpse refining and soul refining.

After several days of study, Xie An finally had a general understanding of the mysteries of these two techniques:

Corpse refining is to extract a living person's natal vitality and refine it into a corpse Qi. From then on, use this corpse Qi to control others. At the same time, this corpse Qi will also spread in the body and nourish more corpse Qi.

Ordinary people have at most one corpse Qi in their body, while grandmasters have at most nine corpse Qi.

"Natal vitality... isn't that the acquired vitality that Su Yuqing said opens the secret chambers of the human body?"

"This corpse refining technique is somewhat related to the secret chambers of martial arts grandmasters... I'm afraid its origin is not simple."

Compared to corpse refining, Xie An was more interested in soul refining.

The so-called soul refining is to refine a person's spirit into the power of resentment. Directly control other people's thoughts.

When cultivated to an advanced state, it can also absorb other people's power of resentment to strengthen one's own soul. If one's soul is strengthened to the limit, one can also let the soul leave one's body, seize others, and live another life.

"The soul leaves the body, seizes others, and lives another life... isn't this similar to the soul leaving the body and being reborn by cultivators?

Such a magical skill, is it really created by Jin Xiaotang? She doesn't seem to be someone with such ability..."

Jin Xiaotang is only a fourth-rank grandmaster, and does not seem to have such ability.

Then where did these two great strange techniques come from?

Is it possible... from a relic?

Jin Xiaotang is just picking up what others have discarded.

Thinking like this... it makes sense.

It seems that I have to find Jin Xiaotang to ask about it later, but Jin Xiaotang now has a great resentment towards Xie An, so it will be difficult to ask anything.

Sweeping away these distracting thoughts, Xie An returned to the two great strange techniques themselves.

As Xie An's research became deeper and deeper, he felt that this might also be an upgraded version of health-preserving exercises, not martial arts techniques. But every time he practiced according to it, the Longevity Destiny did not record and manifest it.

This made Xie An feel very puzzled. In his logic, such exercises should be classified as health-preserving exercises.

Why doesn't it work?

If the Longevity Destiny cannot record and manifest it, then it will be too difficult to cultivate. After all, Xie An has no outstanding talent in martial arts.

"Could it be that these two exercises have to be combined?"

After this idea was born, the more Xie An thought about it, the more he felt it was true.

He opened the two books at the same time, comparing them page by page.

He found that there were amazing similarities between the two.

Corpse refining is divided into nine layers, and soul refining is also divided into nine layers. According to the detailed description above, Xie An speculated that the high priest Jin Haier's corpse refining was probably in the second layer. And Jin Xiaotang and Guang Chanzi's corpse refining is even stronger, but Xie An can't judge the specific level.

Xie An immediately fetched pen and ink, transcribed two copies of the secret formulas for the arcane arts, and then circled the identical words and logically common points.

In the end, he was shocked to discover that ninety percent of them were similar.

It was as if someone had forcibly split a single spell into two parts.

It was like a complete ancient poem that someone had split into upper and lower parts, making two independent poems.

Xie An felt that if he could restore it to a single spell, it would be extraordinary, and it might even be included in the Longevity Destiny.

After weighing it again and again, Xie An decided to tell Su Yuqing about this discovery.

Su Yuqing looked at the contents of the two ancient books and then compared them with the content that Xie An had transcribed and circled, and she was also very surprised. "Indeed, ninety percent is similar. From my experience, the Corpse Refining Technique and the Soul Refining Technique came from the same cultivation method. Moreover, this cultivation method covers both the body and the soul, and is a top-notch divine skill that integrates everything."

Hearing that even a fourth-rank grandmaster said this, Xie An breathed a sigh of relief, "Jin Xiaotang shouldn't be able to create such a technique, right?"

Su Yuqing shook her head directly, "She doesn't have the ability. She must have obtained it from somewhere."

Xie An was overjoyed, "Can the First Princess, a grandmaster of her generation, restore this technique?"

Su Yuqing carefully compared the books, and finally frowned and shook her head, "This technique is broad and profound, and its intention is very high. Moreover, it is mostly a type of health cultivation technique, and I don't have much experience with it. I can't restore it."

Xie An felt a little disappointed, but he quickly thought of another way, "Can we interrogate Jin Xiaotang and make her restore it?"

Xie An wanted to ask Jin Xiaotang himself, but he estimated that the woman hated him to the core and wouldn't say a word. On the other hand, Su Yuqing, a martial arts grandmaster, might have some interrogation methods.

Jin Xiaotang had previously given Xie An a Confused Pill, which made people lose their minds and speak the truth.

Perhaps Su Yuqing could also counteract it.

Su Yuqing took the book, "I'll go try."

"Thank you, First Princess."

"You're welcome. Wait for my news."

After Xie An left the back courtyard, he returned to the main room to practice his skills.

But in his heart, he was full of expectations for restoring the technique.

The most powerful health cultivation technique that Xie An currently possesses is the Bright Jade Skill. The founder was the Grand Eunuch Xu Kangfu, who was also a member of the Longevity Sect. It seems that all the top health cultivation techniques are related to the Longevity Sect.

It can be seen that the Longevity Sect's influence on health cultivation techniques is very great.

And the Corpse Refining Technique and the Soul Refining Technique, as the foundation of the Longevity Sect, are themselves very extraordinary. If they can be restored and combined into one, what would it be like?

It would definitely surpass the Bright Jade Skill!

This is very exciting.

One day later.

Xie An was sitting cross-legged in the main room, practicing the Bright Jade Skill, when he suddenly heard a rush of footsteps.

Xie An hurried to open the door and saw that it was Su Yuqing. He welcomed her in for tea, and after some small talk, asked about the restoration of the technique.

Su Yuqing gave a shocking piece of information, "The Corpse Refining Technique and the Soul Refining Technique were indeed simplified and split from an ancient method. This ancient method is not a martial art, the cultivation difficulty is extremely high, and it is easy to become obsessed. Therefore, they peeked into some of the understandable superficial formulas and simplified them into the Corpse Refining Technique and the Soul Refining Technique."

Xie An was overjoyed, "What is the ancient method called?"

Su Yuqing said, "Burial Soul Sutra."

"Burial Soul Sutra?"

"I used the Demon Suppression Division's special pills for interrogating grandmasters, so she shouldn't be lying. The Burial Soul Sutra was unearthed from the Yun Province's Strange Ancient City. It came from the same place as the Seven Treasures Exquisite Box."

Xie An was shocked to hear this.

This Burial Soul Sutra was also unearthed from the Yun Province's Strange Ancient City?

Then the background is very scary.

Soon Xie An realized that something was wrong, "The time doesn't match. Jin Xiaotang said that Emperor Tianbao, Chen Haiming, was seriously injured during the conquest and was about to die. It was Jin Xiaotang who saved Chen Haiming with the Corpse Refining Technique. Only then did the Longevity Sect enter the capital and become the state religion. Exploring the Yun Province Ancient City was a later matter."

Su Yuqing said: "Jin Xiaotang, Jin Hai'er, Guang Chanzi… are all members of the Jin family. The Jin family's residence is in Yun Province. Moreover, the Jin family has been tomb raiding and adventuring for generations."

Xie An took a deep breath: "Are you saying that the Jin family knew about the Yun Province Ancient City a long time ago? And they got the Burial Soul Sutra a long time ago. And simplified it into the Soul Refining Technique and the Corpse Refining Technique?"

Su Yuqing nodded: "That's right. Moreover, the Jin family has always been low-key. Jin Xiaotang made a mistake and was punished by the Jin family, so she escaped with Guang Chanzi. The real Jin family is hidden very deeply, and even the locals know very little about it. The original version of the Burial Soul Sutra is also in the hands of the Jin family."

Xie An was silent, his heart pounding wildly.

He deeply felt that this Jin family and the Yun Province Strange Ancient City… might really have information about longevity.

Su Yuqing naturally felt it too, "This news is too shocking. Jin Xiaotang has never told anyone about the Jin family. The Yun Province Ancient City might really have relics related to longevity. Xie An, you have made another great contribution."

Xie An adjusted his thoughts and said: "First Princess, I think… this matter should not be publicized. After the Nanzhou matter is over, why don't we go explore it first?"

Su Yuqing looked at Xie An deeply.

Before this, she had planned to tell Ye Nantian and Emperor Jingtai.

After all, Ye Nantian and Emperor Jingtai have been seeking the method of longevity for a hundred years.

But she also had selfish motives in her heart.

She was only ignited by Xie An.

Xie An continued: "From the Tianbao and Jingtai dynasties to the present, four hundred years have passed. Countless people have sought immortality and asked questions, especially the emperors. But no one has ever found the method of longevity. If the method of longevity is confirmed, the entire court will undergo drastic changes, and I am afraid that the entire world will set off a bloody storm. The First Princess has a heart of compassion for the common people, why not take this opportunity of longevity into your own hands first, so that you can advance or retreat at any time. Then you can always be one step ahead of others."

Su Yuqing fell into a long silence.

How could she not know that people's hearts are unpredictable, especially the imperial family, even more so. If Ye Nantian and the father emperor were to obtain the method of longevity first, then there would be nothing for her.

On the contrary, if she really held the method of longevity in her own hands, she could choose the opportunity to hand over the method of longevity to the father emperor and the master, or she could take it and save it herself, avoiding the bloody storm in the world.

Moreover, the method of longevity… who wouldn't want to have it first?

No matter how selfless the First Princess is, she is still a person after all, so she inevitably has seven emotions and six desires.

After weighing it for a long time, Su Yuqing said, "All of this was discovered and traced out because of your discovery. Since you have said so, there is no harm in doing so."

Xie An reminded again, "This time, Guang Chanzi and Jin Xiaotang were arrested, and the transfer of criminals to the court is about to be put on the agenda. To ensure everything is safe, they… cannot be transferred, either die or be secretly detained privately, this will not affect the overall situation. The core of the overall situation in Nanzhou is Li Hao and the Prince of Huainan."

Su Yuqing stared at Xie An deeply, and finally said: "Okay."

After speaking, Su Yuqing left.

After this incident, Xie An clearly found that the distance between himself and Su Yuqing had narrowed a lot. Much closer than the past seven or eight years of getting along.

Next, Su Yuqing once again interrogated Guang Chanzi in the same way.

It was learned that Guang Chanzi was only three or four years old when he followed Jin Xiaotang, ignorant and unable to remember things from his childhood.

But it corroborated Jin Xiaotang's statement.

Yun Province Jin Family, Burial Soul Sutra, Strange Ancient City… it is very likely that there is a real method of longevity.

This made Xie An feel very excited.

However, Xie An was not in a hurry, that place was too dangerous.

His current strength is still very weak.

What he needs to do now is to improve his strength, and only by stepping into the grandmaster realm as soon as possible can he have the ability to protect himself.

In addition, he needs to help the First Princess deal with the Nanzhou matter as soon as possible.

Two days later, Su Yuqing took away Guang Chanzi, the Great Master of Pudu, and left Jin Xiaotang for Xie An to take care of.

According to the agreement between the two parties, Guang Chanzi was too young when he left, and he couldn't remember the Jin family's affairs at all. In addition, Jin Xiaotang did not tell Guang Chanzi about the Jin family, so Guang Chanzi could be handed over to the court, and Su Yuqing had other arrangements for Guang Chanzi.

But Jin Xiaotang still needs to be kept to lead the way.

After Su Yuqing left, Xie An's life became peaceful again.

Three points and one line.

Wandering around the yamen, drinking tea at Tangjiabao, and practicing at home.

He thought that Su Yuqing would come back soon, but she did not return for a long time. Whenever Xie An encountered difficulties in practicing his skills, or when he went to the back courtyard to visit Jin Xiaotang late at night, looking at the empty back courtyard, he would always think of that person.

A month passed in a hurry.

This early morning, Xie An was in seclusion in the main room of the central courtyard.

Hot air was rolling around him.

But Xie An's mouth showed an incomparably brilliant smile.

The Bright Jade Skill has finally broken through.