That was especially true of something called the Flame Dao magical technique, which seemed especially exceptional.
After a while, he found a jade slip for the Violet Qi Cauldron Control Art. It had descriptions and pictures for the fourth to eighth levels. He quickly grabbed it and then continued to stroll about.
Time passed, and soon evening was approaching. Bai Xiaochun had browsed about seventy percent of the second floor, and by now, the crowds were thinning.
“These eight seem really incredible….” he thought, looking over his selections. One was a bamboo scroll, somewhat dilapidated, but something that had caused Bai Xiaochun’s eyes to widen with excitement the moment he saw it.
“Undying Live Forever Technique!!”
He took a deep breath as he examined the introduction to the technique. Apparently, cultivating this technique to the ultimate degree would make a person undying and also be able to live forever.
Panting, he once again examined the name of the technique, and then decided that this was his decision!
He had begun practicing cultivation for the purpose of living forever, so finding a technique like this one almost made it seem like they were mysteriously connected by destiny. Laughing heartily, he held the bamboo scroll in his hand as he climbed down the stairs.
Back in the main hall of the first floor, the old man was still sitting behind the table with his eyes closed, looking exactly like he had before. However, as soon as Bai Xiaochun put the Violet Qi Cauldron Control Art jade slip and the Undying Live Forever Technique bamboo scroll onto the table, the man’s eyes slowly opened.
He looked Bai Xiaochun up and down, which left Bai Xiaochun trembling. The man’s gaze felt like lightning. Shivering, Bai Xiaochun immediately put on his most respectful expression.
Thankfully, the old man quickly looked down at Bai Xiaochun’s identity medallion.
“Newly promoted disciples can take a copy of the first eight levels of the Violet Qi Cauldron Control Art,” the old man said slowly, his voice hoarse. “They may also select a technique of their choosing.” Then his eyes fell upon the Undying Live Forever Technique bamboo scroll, and he frowned slightly.
“Although the name of this technique sounds astonishing, it’s incomplete. Furthermore, the more you cultivate it, the more difficult it becomes. The pain is so excruciating that ordinary people can’t endure it. Even most Inner Sect disciples can’t cultivate it successfully. The majority give up. It’s been here in the Scripture Pavilion for quite some time. Are you sure you want this particular magic?” The old man looked at Bai Xiaochun.
After hearing the old man’s words, Bai Xiaochun got the feeling that this technique had been waiting here for years just for him. Then he thought again about the words ‘undying’ and ‘live forever’, and his blood felt like it was boiling. He immediately responded, “Senior, I definitely want it, very much!”
The old man said nothing further to dissuade him. He waved his right hand, sending two blank jade slips flying out. After the copies were made, he handed them to Bai Xiaochun, then paid him no more heed and went back to meditating.
Bai Xiaochun put the jade slips away. Eyes gleaming with anticipation, he left the Scripture Pavilion and headed back to his courtyard residence.
By the time he got back, it was already nighttime. Once again inside his log cabin, he sat down cross-legged, took a deep breath, and pulled out the jade slip for the Undying Live Forever Technique. Then he circulated his spiritual energy and sent it into the jade slip. After closing his eyes, the technique’s magical incantation appeared in his mind.
An hour later, he opened his eyes again, and a thoughtful expression could be seen.
Just as the old man had said, the Undying Live Forever Technique was incomplete. According to the description, the technique was cultivated in two ways, internally and externally. It was further broken down into the external aspects of skin, muscle, and tendon.
The internal aspects were bones and blood.
As for this incomplete version, it only contained the technique for cultivating skin. Also, the cultivation method truly did seem to be a torment. Furthermore, to cultivate it required a huge expenditure of resources. However, there were several secret magics listed inside that seemed almost beyond belief. For example, there was one called the Throat Crushing Grasp that was supposedly unbeatable.
Bai Xiaochun hesitated for a moment, then looked once more at the words ‘undying’ and ‘live forever’. Finally, his eyes filled with determination, and he followed the description in the information, using both of his hands to strike various positions on his body.
Bai Xiaochun was focused on not dying and living forever in a way that vastly outmatched other people. Therefore, he did exactly as the technique required, and beat himself the entire night.
The following day, his whole body hurt. It didn’t matter whether he stood up or sat down. Even lifting his arm hurt. And yet, he gritted his teeth and continued to do as the technique manual instructed, and forced himself to move.
“Owwwwwww…. Relax then flex…. aaaaoooowwwww…. flex then relax!” he said, repeating one of the lines from the technique as he hopped and skipped around the courtyard. He let out one miserable shriek after another, and tears were streaming down his face. Finally, he gritted his teeth, grabbed some spirit stones, and headed down the mountain.
He figured that if he had to move around, he might as well just go out and buy the medicinal plants he needed to get the Age-Prolonging Longevity-Enhancing Pill. That would be a lot better than doing nothing more than exercising in his courtyard.
Soon, numerous Outer Sect disciples on Fragrant Cloud Peak saw a very strange sight. There was a fair-faced young man hopping and skipping about in a very strange fashion. He was also crying out at the top of his lungs in a fashion which almost sounded euphoric.
“Ah ah, oh oh! Ah ah, oh oh! Ah… ah… ah… ah…”
Bai Xiaochun didn’t want to cry out, but the pain was just too much. In fact, it hurt so much that he was pretty sure that even not moving would also hurt. However, all he had to do was think about the words ‘undying’ and ‘live forever’, and he continued with vicious determination. And thus he continued all the way down to the market outside of the sect.
Trembling, he bought all of the medicinal plants he needed, as well as some one-colored firewood. The two-colored firewood was much more expensive, so he only bought one piece. After that, he ran out of spirit stones.
Gritting his teeth, he went back to the Missions Office and handed in the mission he had taken when he was still a servant. In return, he got the Age-Prolonging Longevity-Enhancing Pill.
The pill was yellow, about as big as his thumbnail, and emanated a strange medicinal aroma. He looked at the pill, his body still burning with so much pain that he could barely talk. Sweat poured down him, soaking him completely.
Clenching his teeth, he climbed back up the steps of Fragrant Cloud Peak, leaving a trail of sweat behind him as he went. He got quite a few surprised and even cynical glances from other Outer Sect disciples. After all, he was really sweating far beyond what was normal.
He really wasn’t sure what was going on. By the time he got back to his courtyard residence, it was the middle of the night. As soon as he walked inside, he collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
Despite having passed out, the pain woke him up several times through the night. By the time the light of dawn spread out across the sky, though, he woke up and realized that the pain was gone.