Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing-Chapter 249: True Strength (I)

Hearing Li Mengxi's question, Lin Zheyu fell into deep thought. The techniques he currently excelled at were mainly the Golden Goose Technique and the Barbaric Ox Fist. Raging Wind Slash was also acceptable, but that technique required building momentum and was cumbersome to use, making it less practical than the Barbaric Ox Fist, so he rarely used it.

His primary means of attack was the Barbaric Ox Fist, fused with momentum. However, while the Barbaric Ox Fist had great latent potential, it was still only potential, so as his strength increased, signs of decline began to appear. As for the Golden Goose Technique, after integrating many lightness technique movement techniques, it had already reached the tenth stage. Through his recent research, he had also begun gradually incorporating the Spirit Wondrous Movement Technique into it.

If one were to ask which technique he was most proficient in, it would undoubtedly be the Golden Goose Technique.

"Are there any true techniques of the lightness technique type?" Lin Zheyu asked after some consideration.

After cultivating his lightness technique movement techniques to a sublime level, he had tasted their benefits. He could attack when advancing and defend when retreating, and even when facing martial artists stronger than himself, he could rely on lightness techniques to escape from their grasp.

"As for lightness techniques, there truly are none," Li Mengxi said, momentarily taken aback as he shook his head.

"True techniques of the lightness technique type are extremely rare, as most true techniques focus on combat. Your lightness technique and movement techniques have already reached a sublime level. If you wish to develop further in this direction, the best way is to comprehend an intent related to movement techniques. Tang Zhentao of the Tang Family is the same. The intent he comprehended is related to wind.

"I've heard that he has already condensed a trace of true strength, and the characteristics of true strength are closely tied to the intent one comprehends. Tang Zhentao's true strength can reduce wind resistance and increase attack speed. Relying on this trace of true strength, even though he is not adept at lightness techniques, his speed is astonishing. You must have witnessed it that day as well, right?" Li Mengxi explained.

From their exchange, he realized that Lin Zheyu's understanding of martial cultivation realms beyond the Marrow Refining realm was far too shallow, completely unlike what a Marrow Refining realm expert should possess.

Could it be that this fellow truly came from the northern lands or the Southern Barbarian Region as some wild martial artist? Li Mengxi pondered inwardly, without revealing anything on his face.

"So that is how it is. To think he cultivated true strength... No wonder it felt so strange. Many thanks for the explanation, Young Master Mengxi. I was born in the northern lands and trained in martial arts under a Marrow Refining realm master since childhood, without ever joining a sect or esteemed family. I know very little about the martial cultivation of the Force Transformation realm, so I have made a fool of myself before you," Lin Zheyu, knowing what Li Mengxi was thinking, said frankly.

As they spent more time together, he found that Li Mengxi was easy to get along with and quite talkative, never hesitating to answer questions related to martial cultivation.

"Brother Zhao, you are too modest. To reach this level of martial cultivation without joining a sect or esteemed family, your natural talent is truly terrifying," Li Mengxi said with a smile.

"Young Master Mengxi, I have a question I would like to ask you. I have heard that to cultivate intent, one must first temper the corresponding martial cultivation conviction. What kind of martial cultivation conviction must one form to cultivate an intent that contains the meaning of wind?" Lin Zheyu asked curiously.

He had pondered this question for a long time. When he first encountered Yan Jun, he had already thought about it. The momentum cultivated by Yan Jun made people feel as though they were being scorched by raging flames. In his view, such momentum should have been something comprehended from cultivating a certain special technique, just like his own.

What puzzled Lin Zheyu was that the fist momentum he had comprehended from the Barbaric Ox Fist became very difficult to improve afterward. After thinking it over for a long time, he realized that it was because his martial cultivation conviction did not match the momentum he had comprehended. Yet, if one wished to enhance momentum, one had to temper the corresponding martial cultivation conviction. Then, how should one temper a martial cultivation conviction for momentum that contained the meaning of wind? Did it require a heart that drifted with the wind and yearned for freedom?

"What you've said is both right and not right. Under normal circumstances, it is extremely difficult for an ordinary martial artist to condense intent without relying on external aid. One must temper martial cultivation conviction, strengthen the martial cultivation heart, form one's own momentum, and condense that momentum to its peak, thereby transforming it into intent. This was the orthodox cultivation process of martial cultivation in ancient times.

"But the difficulty of first tempering martial cultivation conviction and then condensing intent is simply too high. Many martial artists spend their entire lives without ever figuring out what they truly pursue or what conviction they uphold, let alone condensing an intent that belongs to themselves. Anyone who can temper martial cultivation conviction and condense intent, as long as they grow, can become a Grandmaster realm existence or even stronger.

"Later on, as martial cultivation developed, true techniques appeared. The emergence of true techniques gave martial artists who could not temper martial cultivation conviction a chance to comprehend intent and advance to the Force Transformation realm. True techniques are strictly controlled and circulate only among powerful individuals and strong, esteemed families and sects. If one does not join those forces and has no one to recommend them, then no matter how wealthy they are, there is no way to purchase a true technique. It is normal for you to be unaware of this, since you have not joined any other force," Li Mengxi said with a smile.

After hearing his explanation, a look of sudden realization appeared on Lin Zheyu's face.

It was no wonder he had always felt that comprehending intent and advancing to the Force Transformation realm was far too difficult. It turned out that the method was wrong. Martial cultivation conviction was formed by integrating martial cultivation experience and life experience, after clearly seeing the deepest thoughts in one's heart. It was the conviction one upheld and the pursuit that took shape from it.

Human beings were born confused. Many people went through their entire lives without ever seeing themselves clearly, unable to figure out what they stood for or what they pursued. Even Lin Zheyu was no exception. When he tempered his martial cultivation heart through bloody battles, strengthened his martial cultivation conviction, and sought to enhance the dominant fist momentum, he discovered this problem.

"Can the true intent diagram within a true technique allow one to directly comprehend intent?" Lin Zheyu asked after some thought.

When he had attended the auction earlier, Li Lingyun had said that only techniques containing true intent diagrams that could be cultivated to the Grandmaster realm could be called true techniques. Previously, he had always thought that true intent diagrams were similar to the visualization diagrams of soul secret arts in the Seven Fiend Ghost Manual. Now that he thought about it, that did not seem to be the case. True intent diagrams were very likely used to perceive and condense intent.

"Mm, that is correct. The appearance of true intent diagrams allows martial artists to bypass the stage of condensing martial cultivation conviction and directly perceive intent." Li Mengxi nodded.

By now, he could almost be certain that the Zhao Hao before him truly knew very little about martial cultivation knowledge beyond the Force Transformation realm. It could even be said that he knew nothing at all. Thus, he did not mind explaining more to him. After all, the other party had saved his elder sister and safeguarded that item, which was no small favor even to the Li Family.

"The Blood Qi realm is the foundational realm for martial artists. The more times blood qi undergoes qualitative change, the greater the latent potential for future development. The Marrow Refining realm is the realm where martial artists choose their direction. The characteristics of true strength are related to the intent condensed during the Marrow Refining realm. True strength is the powerful force formed by transforming all strength within the body, including essence, qi, origin qi, and blood, and merging them into intent.

"This power is the foundation of a Force Transformation realm martial artist. If you wish to improve lightness techniques, you only need to condense a similar intent as Tang Zhentao did. The kind of intent that contains the meaning of wind is very common in true techniques of sword and saber arts. If you want it, I can have someone help you look for it," Li Mengxi said.

Because of the characteristics of true strength, purely leg-based techniques were extremely rare among true techniques. Improvements in leg technique skills and energy application techniques were merely icing on the cake and were far less effective than enhancing true strength itself. Tang Zhentao had only condensed a trace of true strength, yet by relying on its characteristics, he gained terrifying speed. His strength and technique were not much stronger than Lin Zheyu's. The gap lay precisely in that trace of true strength he had condensed.

"So that is how it is. Many thanks for clearing my doubts, Young Master Mengxi. I offer this cup of wine to you," Lin Zheyu said with sudden realization as he raised his cup and toasted Li Mengxi.

Simply by conversing with Li Mengxi, he gained much knowledge he had never encountered before. Such knowledge could not be obtained unless one joined an esteemed family or sect. Ordinary martial cultivation techniques and knowledge could still be purchased on the black market, but more profound ones were impossible to acquire.

"Well then, Brother Zhao, have you made a decision?" Li Mengxi asked with a smile.

"I wonder whether the characteristics of true strength can only contain one type, or whether by cultivating different true techniques one can condense true strength that contains multiple characteristics?" Lin Zheyu did not rush to make a decision and instead raised another question.

If true strength could only have a single characteristic, then he would have to deliberate carefully. If true strength could possess multiple characteristics, that would be ideal. With the special nature of Origin Force, he should be able to condense powerful true strength containing many effects.

"Of course it can be multiple. Even after advancing to Force Transformation and comprehending other intents, they can be merged into it to increase the characteristics and strength of true strength. Different intents must complement one another and cannot conflict; otherwise, problems may arise in cultivation. That said, comprehending completely different and conflicting intents is very difficult to achieve.

"With intents that are completely different and conflict with the original, the original intent would likely collapse before the new one is even comprehended. Although the process of condensing martial cultivation conviction is skipped, intent is, in fact, a manifestation of one's inner self.

"Comprehending completely different intents means a shock to one's convictions. Only martial artists with extremely firm will and monstrously high natural talent and comprehension can do so. However, intent is not better the more there are. Many top experts focus on a single intent and elevate it to the peak, making its power terrifying," Li Mengxi said.