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

Chapter 13 Tiger and Wolf Gate

Anyone else?
Why didn’t I notice it just now?
Xie An was startled and could not help but tighten the dagger in his sleeve, slowly turning around to look.

The man who came was a man in his forties, dressed in dark red tights, with a large broadsword slung across his waist, walking with the gait of a dragon or a tiger. Even from a distance of more than ten meters, Xie An could sense the powerful aura emanating from this man; it was clear at first glance that he would be difficult to deal with.

Xie An was familiar with this clothing... It was similar to the one worn by the knife-carrying men patrolling the Xueling black market, but it was more refined.

Xie An judged that this person should be a patrol guard captain of the black market.

"What advice do you have?"

The forty-year-old man walked over to the bodies of Zhang Wei and Lu Wei, gave them a quick inspection, and then kicked them twice in disgust. "I hate those bastards who rob merchants near the black market the most. They ruin my black market's reputation and make people afraid to come here to trade. Good job, brother."

After saying this, the forty-year-old man walked to three meters in front of Xie An and stopped, bowing slightly. "My name is Zhang Lin, and I'm the guard deacon of the Blood Ridge Black Market. Recently, the incense master issued a death order, demanding that the looting trend in the area be eradicated. I see that you are a master of martial arts, and I wonder if you are willing to join us in a big conspiracy."

Xie An understood.

This Zhang Lin is trying to win me over.

"Who's behind you, sir?"

"Tiger and Wolf Gate."

Hearing these three words, Xie An's heart skipped a beat.

Having lived in Wuqiao Town for thirty years, Xie An had naturally heard of the name of the Tiger and Wolf Sect.

The gang, which spanned dozens of towns, had surpassed the scope of a gang and was a true martial arts sect. It was also one of the two major martial arts sects in Qingwu County.

Although there is only one word difference between gangs and sects, there is a world of difference between them.

Gangs are often temporary groups of unscrupulous individuals who team up for a common cause, whether it's robbery, revenge, or other causes. They are often frowned upon by the government.

Sects, however, were different. They emphasized the transmission of skills from master to disciple, and emphasized etiquette and continuity, thus promoting martial arts. A legitimate and prestigious sect not only enjoyed official recognition, but some powerful sects even produced countless disciples who served as officials in the imperial court, creating a complex network of influence and playing a crucial role in local stability.

There are also some powerful martial arts schools, known as sects, which are giants. Even the ministers, princes and nobles of the dynasty have to pay homage to them.

There are also some extraordinary sects, and it is said that even the emperor would go to worship and offer incense...

Xie An never expected that the backer of the Xueling black market... was actually the famous Tiger and Wolf Sect in Qingwu County.

Although this sect was established only thirty years ago, it has quickly established itself in Qingwu County, competing head-on with the other major sect, the Tiandao Society.

It is said that every time a county magistrate takes office, he has to pay a visit to the two major sects.

It is truly remarkable that a martial arts sect can develop to this level.

If Xie An were thirty years younger, he might have had a chance to take the military examination or participate in the elections of other sects. These were the proper paths. But now that he was fifty, the usual avenues for advancement were essentially cut off.

Joining a martial arts sect might be a viable option. After all, some newly established martial arts sects are eager to recruit talented people and don't care about age.

However, Xie An thought that he was not familiar with Zhang Lin in front of him, and this place was in the wilderness, so he had to be cautious.

"Thank you for your invitation, Brother Zhang, but I'm already old and I'm afraid I can't do it."

Zhang Lin didn't force it. He took out a wooden sign the size of a baby's palm and threw it to Xie An. "Brother, next time you come here with the sign, you won't have to pay the entrance fee or booth fee. If you ever figure it out, the gates of my Tiger and Wolf Sect will always be open to you."

Xie An accepted the wooden sign, thanked him, and left in a hurry.

"Boss, this is just a white-haired old man. Is it really necessary to win him over like this?"

After Xie An left, a man with a knife walked up to Zhang Lin, looking quite puzzled.

Zhang Lin said, "Zhou Xing, where were you looking? The old man just pulled a crossbow, using a single finger to draw the bow and shoot two arrows in quick succession. A rough estimate shows that he can lift nearly 400 kilograms with one hand, which is comparable to the strength of a warrior who has entered the pass! Furthermore, the old man shot down two villains with a smooth and seamless technique. Can you do it?"

The man with the knife, Zhou Xing, immediately lowered his head, feeling ashamed of himself.

Zhang Lin waved his hand. "This old man is quite extraordinary. My Tiger and Wolf Sect is in dire need of personnel right now. If he comes to the black market in the future, you need to be more accommodating and courteous."

Zhou Xing said, "I'll remember this."

……

When Xie An returned to the cottage, it was already one quarter of an hour in the morning.

"This trip to the black market was quite rewarding. Not only did I memorize the second half of the Five Animal Exercises, but I also got the complete version of the Fetal Breathing Technique and a heavy bow. Most gratifying of all... the chamber pot." "I also got rid of Lu Wei, the thorn in my side. From now on, I can finally live a peaceful and comfortable life. In troubled times, you still need strength..."

After taking a quick bath, Xie An fell asleep.

The next day, Xie An got up early to inspect the pawnshop. Seeing that He Chunli was running the business smoothly, he slipped back to the hut in the backyard to practice archery first.

Archery is about accuracy.

It is not easy for ordinary people to get started.

But Xie An had already mastered the standing meditation, standing steadily and breathing evenly. With the help of the Five Animal Exercises, his hands and feet became even more steady, and his five senses were greatly enhanced. His archery practice was like divine intervention.

After several hours of repetitive training, I found the feeling. Although I couldn't hit the bull's eye with every arrow within a hundred meters, I could still hit the five or six rings with accuracy.

Xie An had no intention of becoming a master archer; he simply wanted to use the bow to protect himself. Just take your time.

Putting away his bow and arrow, Xie An locked the door, opened the book on fetal breathing, and read it word by word.

It is also an elementary health-preserving exercise, but its content is very different from the Five Animal Exercises.

"Those who have achieved fetal breathing can breathe in and out without using their nose or mouth, as if they were still in the womb..."

After reading it thoroughly, Xie An finally had a detailed understanding of the fetal breathing exercise:

Most people breathe through their lungs, but by practicing fetal breathing, you can gradually stop the function of the lungs and breathe through your skin, navel, and dantian.

When the fetal breathing skill reaches a certain level, you can transform external breathing into internal breathing, that is, enter the fetal breathing state, fall asleep spontaneously, and cultivate internal energy by yourself.

"Spontaneously falling asleep and cultivating internal energy... doesn't that mean you can practice fetal breathing even while you sleep?"

Xie An showed great interest.

Although the Five Animal Exercises are good, you cannot practice them while sleeping.

However, fetal breathing exercise can be practiced spontaneously while sleeping, which just makes up for the shortcomings of the Five Animal Exercises.

Five animals during the day, fetal breathing during sleep. Why worry about not becoming a warrior?
In addition, there is another sentence in the book that aroused Xie An's great interest: "If people can return to the breathing state of infancy, they can achieve immortality."

This coincides with what was said in previous life medicine - the fertilized egg has the ability to divide infinitely and is immortal.

But that was just a cell, and now it's a living person...

Can it really be the same...

"The Five Animal Exercises train the body externally, while the Fetal Breathing Exercise trains the Qi internally. Practicing both together will definitely have a much better effect on increasing longevity."

Xie An calmed down his excited emotions, sat cross-legged, and began to practice the fetal breathing technique.

"According to the book, Fetal Breathing Exercise is divided into the primary stage (three-style method), the intermediate stage (yin and yang interaction), and the advanced stage (divine light manifestation)."

"The first of the three postures is the Danlu posture. When you exhale, imagine your tailbone becoming hot. When you inhale, imagine your Dantian touching your Mingmen or tailbone..."

It sounds simple, but it is surprisingly difficult to do.

Dantian?

Xie An didn't even know where Dantian was. He also didn't know where Mingmen was...

How can we imagine "Dantian sticking to Mingmen"?

Fortunately, Xie An was not in a hurry. He tried again and again according to the book after failing.

From early morning till dusk -

Ding!
The data panel in front of me changed.

[Successfully included the fetal breathing exercise.]

[Fetal Breathing Exercise: Three Methods (1/100)]

(End of this chapter)