Immortal

Old man Zhong’s eyes sparkled when he saw these words.

The Demonic Body Toning Manual contained over thirty thousand words. Old man Zhong used the same method when he had acquired the Hongluan Manual. He stayed in the cave for five days and memorized the whole manual.

The Demonic Body Toning Method wasn’t just a regular martial arts technique, rather it was a support technique similar to methods for developing one’s potentials.

Zhenqi, according to its strength, could used Demonic Body Toning Method and within two hours, it could burst and empower one with several times their original ability.

There were 12 layers. If one could reach the twelfth level, then they could multiply their power by thirteen times. What a unusual ability?

After using it for two hours, there would be a period of weakness, lasting one to five days. During this period, one’s ability would be less than half of one’s original, or even down to only ten percent of the original.

After this short period of weakness, everything would recover. But the Demonic Body Toning Method was different than others because every time it’s used, the energy that disappeared during the period of weakness was actually used to strengthen the body, just like Xiongshen’s unusual body. Old man Zhong was amazed.

It wouldn’t conflict with other techniques, therefore it could be practiced together with other techniques? In any case, he had memorized those thirty thousand words. What to do with this piece of black cloth? Passing it down to the next generation? Ridiculous, it certainly had to be destroyed.

How to destroy it? That Yinqi couldn’t even dissolve it. What to do?

No matter what old man Zhong had to give a try. He took out a fire starter and used fire to touch the black cloth.

“Ci ci ci…………………”

The black cloth caught fire?

Watching it, old man Zhong marveled at how something that was indestructible from Yinqi could so easily be burned by Yangqi, even by just a tiny flame?

Old man Zhong was relieved to see the black cloth had slowly turned into ash.

He looked around and took down the fist sized luminous pearl. There was no dust on the pearl, it must have been brought over by Xiongshen and his group.

Old man Zhong walked out of the cave and looked back at the opening of the cave. He wouldn’t stay here anymore; if other people came along, he might die.

He found some rocks to cover the opening and memorized the location. Old man Zhong walked over the hill and continued his journey northwards.

He found a relatively hidden valley and buried the luminous pearl in a secret place. Whether it’s valuable or not, old man Zhong didn’t plan to take it with him fearful that it would be recognized by other people. He would come back later when he’s more powerful.

Old man Zhong found a quiet location and practiced the Demonic Body Toning Method once.

Just like the Hongluan Manual, the first layer was the easiest to practice. After a month, he had a handle of it. But old man Zhong didn’t use it just out of curiousity to see how effective it was. It would be dangerous if a monstrous beast happened to find him while he was still recovering.

The most important thing right now was to reach the Kaiyang School.

Old man Zhong moved swiftly towards the Kaiyang School. He encountered some monstrous beasts along the way, but he had been lucky. At one point, he ran into a black panther monstrous beast, and escaped by using the Demonic Body Toning Method to double his strength combined with Hongluan Mist to confuse the black panther. He almost didn’t survive.

After he had used the Demonic Body Toning Method, his body was weaker for one day. But, luckily, he recovered soon and his body got firmer.

Finally after a month and half old man Zhong, wearing ragged clothes and carrying a small bag, arrived at the Kaiyang School.

It was located at a mountain range surrounded by cloud and fog.

Looking at the seemingly unrealistic mountain range, one could sense a strong magic formation within.

Outside the gate, there’s a stone tablet, or perhaps it was actually a stone hill that had been cut open down in the middle. On the flat side of the hill, there were three lively, commanding characters.

“Kai Yang Zong”

This was the gate to the Kaiyang School.

The great tablet sat in the center of an open field; even the most powerful monstrous beasts wouldn’t dare come close.

Besides the tablet, there’s only a thatched cottage not too far away. A vegetable garden was outside of the cottage.

When old man Zhong turned his gaze towards that direction, the door of the cottage suddenly opened. A white haired old man who looked even older than old man Zhong slowly walked out of the house.

When he saw old man Zhong, his muddy eyes flashed with an odd look and walked over quietly.

“What can I do for you?” The white haired old man asked with reluctance.

“I’m Zhong Shan, paying respect to senpai.” Old man Zhong responded immediately.

“Zhong Shan?” The old man paused and thought for a while. He couldn’t recall who Zhong Shan was, so he looked at Zhong Shan again.

“May I ask senpai whether you are a member of the Kaiyang School?” Zhong Shan asked respectfully.

“That’s right, I’m the guard and receptionist of the Kaiyan School. What can I do for you?” The white haired old man spoke with an disinterested tone as if old man Zhong’s sudden appearance was of little concern to him.

Sensing white haired old man’s attitude toward him, old man Zhong thought to himself. Old man Zhong might be much weaker than these high leveled practitioners, but there’s one thing he was much more skilled than them.

After 55 years in the business world, old man Zhong could read a person’s mind. He could read the mind, human nature. Right at this moment, old man Zhong was clear that if this old man was just the guard and receptionist as he said he was, he wouldn’t act this way.

“May I ask senpai’s honorable name?” Zhong Shan asked.

“Honorable name? What honorable name can I have? I couldn’t accomplish my practice and have reached the end of my life. I’m guarding here to pass the rest of my life. You can call me ‘Shoushan^[1]’.” The white haired old man smiled halfheartedly.

“Shoushan senpai, Zhong Shan was asked by a senpai from the Kaiyang School to deliver a piece of jade. I need to present it to the master of the School and pass the message of that senpai.” Zhong Shan said.

“A piece of jade?” Shoushan frowned and said.

Zhong Shan quickly and carefully took the jade piece from near his chest.

When Shoushan saw the jade piece, his muddy eyes quickly cleared for a second. He reached his hand out as if to hold it in his hand. But after another second, his eyes became hazy and nodded to Zhong Shan.

“Give me the jade piece. I’ll go announce your arrival.” Shoushan nodded.

“Yes, sir.” Zhong Shan agreed.

Old man Zhong didn’t miss the change in Shoushan’s eyes, but he didn’t show it. He kept his speculations to himself at the moment.

Shoushan took the jade piece and slowly walked towards the foothill. Then, in a flash, he disappeared in front of Zhong Shan’s eyes. Evidently, he had entered the magic formation.

Zhong Shan patiently waited outside the formation for a short while.

All of a sudden, three people flew out of the magic formation.

They were all flying on top of a cloud. The one in the middle was a man who appeared to be in his sixties, clad in a robe, held the jade piece in his hand. The one to the left was a lady in a white robe; she was older yet still beautiful. To the right was a middle aged man with dashing eyebrows and sparkling eyes.

All three of them came out the magic formation and stared at Zhong Shan with frowning eyebrows.

“I’m Zhong Shan, paying respect to the three senpais.” Zhong Shan bowed right away.

“You are the one who brought over the jade piece?” The older man in the middle asked with eyebrows crossed.

“Yes, sir.” Zhong Shan instantly nodded.

“En, come with me to the Kaiyang Hall.” The old man said.

The old man waved his hand and a white cloud appeared under Zhong Shan’s feet without any warning. The cloud carried Zhong Shan and entered the magic formation behind the other three.

The white cloud flew in a curious pattern and soon a totally different scene from outside appeared in front of them. Zhong Shan figured that what one saw in the outside was just an illusion.

There were valleys, waterfalls, lakes, bamboo forests, houses, and all kinds of structures inside.

They flew rather fast and soon they had reached the peak of a mountain. On the peak, there was a huge square and a tremendous palace.

The four of them directly flew into the palace. Before he went in, Zhong Shan saw the plaque on the palace.

“Kai Yang Dian^[2]”

There was no one inside the hall.