Chapter 168: Spring and Autumn Endless Zen
When Zhang Yu first tried to comprehend the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen, he knew next to nothing about the cultivation technique, treating it as merely an enhanced version of the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi—a more efficient body tempering art, capable of training the physical body more effectively.
Yet after he had awkwardly stumbled through the entire set of movements, forcing himself to practice it in a crude and superficial manner, he had already gained his own understanding of this body tempering art.
Spring and Autumn Endless Zen Level 1 (0/10)
Scenes of him cultivating the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen flowed through his mind, and the various mistakes and memories born from the practice surfaced in his thoughts.
All of this made it seem as if, in a single instant, he had experienced the entire process of cultivating the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen from level 0 to level 1.
It was only after such a practice session that he understood this body tempering art was vastly different from the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.
But Zhang Yu did not immediately report to the examiners to prove he had mastered the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen.
Too abrupt, too high-profile.
High-profile without the strength to back it up… that’s just asking for trouble.
Zhang Yu believed that anyone who saw him fumbling awkwardly through his first attempt, looking like a complete novice, only to become incredibly proficient on the second try, as if he had achieved mastery, would surely become suspicious and wonder if he was cheating.
And as someone whose potential had been awakened by an evil god, Zhang Yu had no desire to attract the curiosity of the righteous gods.
So he began his second practice session.
He recalled the cultivation experience from level 0 to 1 that had just surfaced in his mind.
Zhang Yu then feigned a lack of proficiency and began this second round of cultivation.
However, compared to the first time, he already seemed to have a certain degree of form.
Meanwhile, in Zhang Yu’s mind, the subtleties of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen and the ways it differed from the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi continuously surfaced.
The first step was to condense a strand of Longevity Magic Power.
Then, Zhang Yu sat cross-legged on the ground. As he twisted his upper body backward and touched the floor with his hands, his internal organs squeezed and exerted force against one another in the movement.
The Spring and Autumn Endless Zen has forty-nine forms, each one training a different part of the body, tempering the flesh, bones, and internal organs throughout.
And under the infusion of Longevity Magic Power, it can expel the waste and impurities left in the body after training, purifying the flesh while accelerating the body’s recovery.
The next moment, as Longevity Magic Power surged toward his internal organs, Zhang Yu felt a wave of relief wash over the organs he had just exercised.
If the forty-nine body tempering forms are like the starkness of autumn, representing the wear and decay of the physical body…
…then the Longevity Magic Power is like the flourishing of spring, meant for the body’s repair and regrowth.
The two—one spring, one autumn; one life, one death—are meant to nourish the physical body, making it stronger and stronger within this cycle of life and death.
In particular, Zhang Yu could understand that with each rotation of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen’s forms, the medicinal and alchemical toxins accumulated in his internal organs would be gradually expelled.
By now, Zhang Yu had a profound understanding of Kunxu’s Immortal Dao.
As the saying goes, it’s three parts training, seven parts eating, and the remaining ninety parts all depend on how you use alchemical enhancers.
On the path of the Immortal Dao, using alchemical enhancers was as normal as eating and drinking.
But as long as one used them, it was inevitable that impurities and even toxins would be left behind.
The Spring and Autumn Endless Zen, however, expelled these impurities and toxins during training, slowly repairing the damage caused to the body by the enhancers.
Thus, even at the same level of physical strength, a powerhouse who had cultivated the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen would inevitably be healthier and have more abundant vitality than one who had not. Both their physical endurance and the upper limit of their explosive power would be higher.
A divine art, truly a divine art.
If it weren’t so expensive and difficult, the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen would truly be the sacred body tempering art of high school.
With this Spring and Autumn Endless Zen, pushing my physical strength to level 10 will surely be a natural progression.
At the same time, Zhang Yu began his third practice of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen.
This time, following the cultivation experience in his mind, he improved his performance once more, becoming more proficient and his movements more standardized.
Observing Zhang Yu, Huang Zichou raised an eyebrow and remarked, “This Zhang Yu is improving so quickly. This is only his third time practicing the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen, and he already looks quite adept.”
Meanwhile, the monitoring patches on Zhang Yu’s body continuously uploaded various data points regarding his physical strength and magic power circulation.
After comparing this data with the standard data for the first level of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen, Huang Zichou came to a conclusion.
“The data Zhang Yu is currently exhibiting, compared to the normal operational data of Spring and Autumn Endless Zen level 1, shows a physical compatibility of about 36% and a magic power compatibility of 15%.”
Another minor god also nodded in silent agreement. “Indeed, his aptitude is extraordinary.”
“But for now, it’s just a superficial resemblance.”
“The key to the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen lies in the coordination between the Longevity Magic Power and the forty-nine forms. It involves the connections between various body parts and the metabolism of the internal organs; it’s not that simple…”
Huang Zichou also knew that while the movements could be learned quickly, the internal power and magic power circulation were not so simple.
This was evident from Zhang Yu’s results of 36% physical compatibility and 15% magic power compatibility.
But as Zhang Yu practiced for the fourth and fifth time, Huang Zichou’s face grew increasingly surprised.
While watching the boy’s movements, Huang Zichou was also continuously monitoring the various data streams transmitted from the patches on Zhang Yu’s body.
Physical compatibility 58%, magic power compatibility 33%.
Physical compatibility 69%, magic power compatibility 56%.
“He’s progressing so fast.”
“It’s as if he undergoes a complete transformation with each practice, like a normal high school student practicing for several months.”
“Is this Zhang Yu’s aptitude really so terrifying?”
At the same time, Zhang Yu’s rapid progress soon attracted the attention of the other minor gods, and even Deng Bingding herself.
One minor god said in surprise, “The sixth time… physical compatibility 87%, magic power compatibility 79%?”
Huang Zichou said, “And his movements are getting faster. Both his body and magic power are consciously and actively making adjustments.”
“This shows that during his practice, he is very clear about where he has problems and where he makes mistakes, and more importantly, he knows how to adjust to the correct path.”
“Notably, he hasn’t repeated a single corrected mistake. This level of control over his body is too astonishing.”
“Does he really not have a bionic? Or some special bloodline?”
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu had already begun his seventh practice.
And this time, from the very first form of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen he cultivated, his physical compatibility and magic power compatibility were both at 100%.
As he then performed the second, third, and fourth forms… one after another, neither his physical nor magic power compatibility dropped even once.
When the forty-nine forms of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen were completed, the gods looked at the 100% compatibility data and knew that Zhang Yu had succeeded.
He had completely mastered the first level of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen.
Just as the gods were reeling in astonishment, Deng Bingding asked flatly, “How much time?”
Huang Zichou quickly replied, “32 minutes and 15 seconds.”
At the same time, Zhang Yu raised his hand toward the examiners and said, “Examiner, I’m done.”
Then, under everyone’s gaze, he stated calmly, “I’ve mastered it.”
Looking at the approaching Huang Zichou, Zhang Yu said respectfully, “Hello, Examiner. Do you need me to demonstrate it once?”
Huang Zichou shook his head. “No need. We’ve received your data, and there are no problems. Go to the rest area over there for now, and don’t disturb the other students in the examination hall.”
So Zhang Yu walked to the rest area at the side, breathing a sigh of relief in his heart. This should mean I’ve passed today’s round of examinations, right?
At this thought, Zhang Yu, who had been constantly on edge, felt as if a great weight had been lifted. He slumped into a chair, wanting nothing more than to rest properly.
The fatigue accumulated from months of continuous, arduous cultivation… all seemed to find an opportunity for release at this moment.
In that instant, Zhang Yu just wanted to rest well for the day and, ideally, start preparing for the second round of examinations tomorrow.
However, he had just sat down, his rear barely settled on the seat, when a chill rose in his heart.
Hearing the ritual’s countdown, Zhang Yu sighed helplessly.
This idiotic thing.
After sitting for another five seconds, Zhang Yu slowly stood up and resumed cultivating the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen.
Zhang Yu’s success and departure naturally affected the other examinees on site.
Just like seeing someone turn in their test paper early during an exam, a variety of thoughts inevitably surged through the minds of the many students present.
Dai Xingzhi gazed at Zhang Yu’s disappearing back and thought to himself, It’s only been a little over half an hour, right? He mastered it so quickly? Could it be a three-star or four-star difficulty technique?
Ye Lingxiao also glanced at the time and thought, 32 minutes? Did he deliberately choose a low-star difficulty cultivation technique?
He did not dwell on it and continued to focus on cultivating his Myriad Sword Everlasting Art.
Like Dai Xingzhi and Ye Lingxiao, the vast majority of students simply assumed that Zhang Yu had chosen a lower-star cultivation technique, as this seemed to be the most likely explanation.
But on the other side, as Yun Jing watched Zhang Yu’s disappearing back, the number 1.55 million floated past his bionic eyes.
This was the judgment his bionic eyes had made of the cultivation technique when Yun Jing had briefly glanced at the practicing Zhang Yu.
A cultivation technique priced at 1.55 million? A thought flickered in Yun Jing’s mind, and the basic information about the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen appeared before him.
Spring and Autumn Endless Zen, according to my memory just now, was rated as an eight-star difficulty cultivation technique by the righteous gods.
Yun Jing’s gaze sharpened, his heart filled with surprise. 32 minutes, and he mastered an eight-star difficulty cultivation technique?
Could I do that?
Yun Jing made a quick mental calculation, and the answer appeared in his mind.
I can’t.
Is this guy’s martial arts learning ability stronger than mine?
But he specifically chose an eight-star difficulty body tempering art? If he had chosen a ten-star or even a nine-star technique, he probably could have succeeded too.
In this exam, the difficulty factor is more important than time. Does he have no interest whatsoever in competing for first place?
Yun Jing simply could not understand.
Especially as a top scholar from the Immortal Capital, he had never stopped striving for first place since childhood.
The behavior of number 55, Zhang Yu, seemed utterly bizarre to him.
He clearly has a chance to compete for first place, yet he gives it up? Why?
Yun Jing shook his head, temporarily suppressing the doubts in his heart. He continued to focus on cultivating the Samsara Myriad Manifestations Palm, but in the end, his concentration had still been slightly affected by Zhang Yu’s actions.