Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

The platform in front of the stone door was so narrow that even a child would have difficulty turning around, let alone standing. So, to enter the cave, he should have stepped onto the platform, where the door would open, and then he could leap up and enter. This way, the stone door's switch should be conveniently located at the bottom of the cliff. After a few days of trial and error, he finally figured it out. This time, he didn't climb the ladder, but instead searched the cliff floor. Finally, he found a protruding, inconspicuous round stone pillar in a pile of weeds. He kicked the pillar hard, only to find that it had sunk in.

"Boom!" The sound of a mechanism moving was heard, and the stone door on the cliff slowly opened.

Liu Xing was delighted. He knew that hard work paid off. But he didn't rush into the cave to explore. Instead, he suppressed his curiosity and waited outside for an hour. Firstly, he feared there might be a trap behind the door, and secondly, he wanted to let the air inside the cave out to avoid poisoning if he entered.

Liu Xing peered into the cave, deeming it safe. Holding the dagger tightly in one hand, he cautiously entered. The cave wasn't deep, and after a few steps, he stepped into a large hall. He saw a stone bed, upon which sat a skeleton, covered in spiderwebs. The bed and the ground were covered in dust, revealing that no one had entered the cave in years. Liu Xing suspected the skeleton on the bed might be the cave's owner, long deceased, his clothes and flesh reduced to dust.

The cave had no light source, only sunlight streaming in through the stone door, so it was rather dim. To get a better look, Liu Xing hurried outside and blazed a torch. He approached the stone bed and examined the skeleton. There were no signs of fighting or weapons, so he concluded the person had likely passed away in meditation, either from infatuation or natural causes. So, there was no need to worry about vendettas or being targeted. He began to walk around the stone hall again, noticing writing on a smooth wall and began to examine it carefully.

"My name is Hentian. I reached the Xiantian stage at the age of thirty, and defeated all opponents at the age of fifty. I stumbled upon a half-step technique called 'Ice and Water Technique'. It is a mysterious and extraordinary technique, and must be a peerless divine skill. I have cultivated here for over thirty years, but have been unable to enter the realm, and I die with hatred in my heart. So I carved the technique on the wall, leaving it for those who are destined to meet me."

Next came the first six levels of the "Ice and Water Sutra." Liu Xing read through them carefully, finding them truly profound. He was completely bewildered and lost, unable to grasp the essence. He left it alone for now, checking for anything else. He searched the entire cavern several times, but found nothing. Deep in disappointment, he stared blankly at the formula on the wall.

The cave proved a suitable place to stay, so he carefully collected the remains of Old Man Hatetian and buried them in a pit beneath the largest jujube tree, giving the old man a final rest. He then erected a stone tablet inscribed with "Old Man Hatetian's Tomb." From then on, he had a new neighbor in this deserted valley. He deeply admired the old man, his extraordinary talent and his endurance for loneliness, having painstakingly cultivated his martial arts for over thirty years. This diligence, eagerness to learn, and tireless spirit of exploration were the models he would need to emulate throughout his life.

He spent another half day cleaning the cave and washing the stone bed with water in a stone basin. It was much warmer here than in the stone house outside, which was drafty and would soon be winter.

Life returned to normal: sword practice, swimming, and meditation. Then, he added a new activity: staring blankly at the exercises on the wall, savoring the meaning of each word. In this way, half a month passed, and every word of the Ice Water Technique was deeply imprinted in his mind.

The first level involves meditating to sense the Qi, then allowing this Qi to circulate throughout the body according to the formula. The subsequent levels involve absorbing the water spirit energy from the air and transforming it into the body. Through continuous and ascetic practice, this internal Qi flow is strengthened and stored in the Dantian. As the flow becomes richer and deeper, one can break through bottlenecks and enter higher levels.

Liu Xing felt that he had figured out the logic of the technique. He just didn't understand the sense of qi, water spirit, and spiritual power. But that didn't matter; as he continued practicing, he would naturally comprehend them. So, he made up his mind to practice this technique, swimming and swordplay during the day and practicing the technique at night.

Meditation was a breeze for him, offering no challenge. He quickly entered a state of trance and selflessness. Following the instructions, he relaxed his five senses, allowing his entire body and mind to blend seamlessly with the air, experiencing nature. The first night yielded no results, and neither did the second or third. Liu Xing showed no signs of anxiety. He considered that Elder Hentian had cultivated for over thirty years without success, and he knew he wouldn't see results so quickly.

Half a month later, Liu Xing meditated as usual, entering a state of concentration. This time, something different occurred. Small, visible balls of blue light entered his body, forming streams of air the size of a hair that flowed along his meridians. Liu Xing suddenly woke with a start, thinking he was dreaming. The energy sensation vanished instantly after he awoke.

"I've found the Qi!" Liu Xing was pleasantly surprised, yet also found it incredible. Old Man Hentian hadn't found it in thirty years, and he had only found it in fifteen days. Could he be even more gifted than Old Man Hentian? It all seemed unreal to him. He shook his head, chalking it up to luck.

He immediately calmed his emotions, calmed his mind, and continued meditating. A moment later, the energy sensation returned. He felt as if he had found a treasure. Carefully guiding it along the path outlined in the technique, it circulated around the body and entered his dantian. He then realized it was already daybreak outside. Feeling instantly refreshed, he ran outside to practice his sword skills.

After dinner, he couldn't wait to return to his cave and begin meditating and practicing Qi, like a child with a new toy, never tiring of it. This time, the Qi flow was located in his Dantian. He simply needed to guide it along the meridians for a full cycle, returning it to his Dantian. However, this process was extremely slow, requiring extreme caution to avoid a side stitch, which would be troublesome. He continued this process every night for a full cycle, and after a month, he noticed that the flow had grown slightly stronger.

"It's really difficult. After a month of hard training, I only grew a little bit stronger. As the martial arts said, after breaking through the sixth level, the air flow in the body will be like a strong wind. How long will it take to achieve this?" Liu Xing thought to himself.

"At least we can judge that this technique is real. If you practice according to this technique, you can strengthen your internal strength."

"Could this be a top-level internal energy technique? It must be. I wonder if I can use this internal energy to control the Plum Blossom Sword Technique after I break through."

Liu Xing adjusted his training schedule. He spent one hour a day practicing swordsmanship, one hour relaxing (mainly swimming and attempting to dive to the bottom of the pool), and the rest of the time meditating and cultivating his Qi. When he was thirsty, he scooped up water from the pool, when he was hungry, he ate sweet potatoes, and when he felt lonely, he went out to play the flute. His days flowed so smoothly that Liu Xing completely lost track of time.