The First Sword of the Universe

Chapter 503 Growth Cycle, Power Surge

The Talisman of Life and Death.

He uses liquids such as wine and water to reverse internal force, transforming yang energy into yin energy, making the internal force emitted from his palm several times colder than ice, and the liquid in his hand naturally condenses into ice.

The internal force attached to it is three parts yang and seven parts yin; or six parts yin and four parts yang. Although it is yin and yang, the order of their occurrence is different, and the amount is also different. It can be changed at will.

Only the Child Granny's pain-relieving and antipruritic medicine can guarantee that the Life-and-Death Talisman will not flare up within a year.

Wu Xingyun has already contributed his Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies Supreme Technique, so he naturally won't be stingy with the method for making the Life and Death Talisman.

After only one explanation, Xu Xingchen had already learned it; the rest was just a matter of continuous practice and understanding.

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Throughout the subsequent research, discussions, and philosophical debates, there was always a ball of water in his palm, which would sometimes condense into a thin sheet of ice and sometimes melt back into water.

As the water constantly changed between ice flakes and liquid, his mastery of the Life and Death Talisman improved rapidly. He experimented with the application of Yin and Yang energies, the distribution of their quantities, and the order of their application.

In fact, to gain more insights, he didn't hesitate to inject the Life and Death Talisman he had condensed into his own body, personally experiencing every sensation it brought.

In order to study the Life and Death Talisman, he had to restore his body to the state of his youth; only in this way could his internal energy be released and manifest the power of ice and fire.

Therefore, research and understanding of the physical changes after rejuvenation must be temporarily suspended.

A few days later, he had a complete understanding of all the changes in the Life and Death Talisman, and only then did he revert his body back to that of a seven or eight-year-old child.

Xu Xingchen's guess was indeed correct.

The Life and Death Talisman can indeed serve as a bridge between the Nine Yin Manual and the Nine Yang Divine Skill's method for healing the heart.

Having found the right path, the three of them were able to make great strides in their research and discussion once again.

Time passed quietly.

Xu Xingchen's body grew year by year, and his internal energy increased year by year.

A month later.

His body returned to its original youthful appearance.

However, he felt that the power he had gained in the past thirty days, which was equivalent to more than thirty years of cultivation, seemed somewhat illusory and unstable.

So they remained calm and observed the situation.

as predicted.

The day after his body returned to its original state, his physique underwent another noticeable change.

He seems a year younger.

His skill level did not increase further; instead, it became more solidified.

By the third day, his body felt a year younger, and his internal energy had become more solid.

Over the next month, his body gradually reverted from a youthful state, growing a year older each day, back to the appearance of a seven or eight-year-old.

The power accumulated over those thirty years was thus completely solidified and integrated into Xu Xingchen's internal energy circulation system, becoming inseparable from it.

More than two months.

The body gradually grows up and then rejuvenates, completing a cycle, ultimately gaining thirty years of internal energy.

Although such changes exceeded the expectations of Xu Xingchen, Wu Yazi, and Wu Xingyun in some aspects, they also proved the feasibility of the cultivation technique they created.

The only drawback is that this cycle of bodily changes cannot be interrupted.

Once interrupted, this cycle of change and the increase in power will vanish into nothingness.

After enjoying the adult body for two months, Wu Xingyun couldn't resist transforming back into the appearance of a seven or eight-year-old, wanting to personally experience the process of bodily changes and cycles.

Let's see if I can double my power in the same way.

Yes, twice the power!

Xu Xingchen has cultivated for twenty or thirty years, and now he can complete a cycle of physical transformation in just two months.

After two months, his skills doubled.

Such developments are simply unbelievable and utterly terrifying.

If it were Wu Xingyun, at the age of ninety-six, it would probably take her more than six months to complete one cycle of bodily changes.

During this process, nothing else can happen that would interrupt the cycle.

Otherwise, all the previous efforts would be wasted in six months.

Of course, even if the body's growth cycle is interrupted, it will not cause harm to the body.

It can be said that this is an extremely perfect set of skills, even more miraculous than the Northern Darkness Divine Skill.

"But can this incredible increase in power continue indefinitely?"

The three of them remained somewhat skeptical about the speed at which their skills were increasing.

More than two months.

Xu Xingchen, Wu Yazi, and Wu Xingyun remained engrossed in theoretical discussions and research, paying no attention to matters concerning the martial arts world.

However, the Lingjiu Palace subordinates who went to Suzhou to purchase goods, or Su Xinghe, would still bring back news from the outside world to the manor and inform the three of them.

The hottest news is still the battle between Murong Fu and his son and Xiao Feng and his son.

Rumors are circulating that they are starting to show signs of injury.

Even Murong Bo and Xiao Yuanshan, two top experts who had already reached the Heavenly Realm, seemed to be experiencing some physical problems.
The intervals between the end of one battle and the beginning of the next are getting longer and longer.

From the initial few days to the later ten days, half a month, and then a month.

Besides the sensational news of these four people taking turns fighting,
I heard that the Four Evils, who had always been loyal to the Western Xia First-Class Hall, have disappeared for some unknown reason and haven't appeared in the martial arts world for a long time.

The leaderless Beggars' Sect and the leaderless Western Xia First-Class Hall clashed several times, with each side winning and losing.

That's all the news.

This day.

The gate of Dayu Manor was knocked on once again.

The person waiting at the gate was a woman from the Nine Heavens and Nine Departments of Lingjiu Palace. When she opened the gate and saw the person, she was startled, but quickly calmed down.

"Who comes here? What brings you here?"

"Duan Yanqing has come to pay a visit to Master Xu!" "Duan Yanqing? Is that the leader of the Four Evils: the infamous Duan Yanqing?"

"Not bad!"

"Wait a moment, I'll go back and tell Master Xu."

Duan Yanqing, his face ashen like a zombie and his hands gripping two thin iron canes, watched the figure turn back and close the courtyard gate, and was secretly shocked: "Even the gatekeeper of the Xiaoyao Dayu Manor has such high-level martial arts skills. Is the legendary Xiaoyao Sect really that powerful?"

Soon.

The courtyard gate opened again, and the woman from the Nine Heavens and Nine Departments led Duan Yanqing into the manor and into the hall where guests were received.

The hall was empty.

After the women from the Nine Heavens and Nine Departments invited Duan Yanqing to take a seat, tea was immediately served.

The woman from the Nine Heavens and Nine Departments said calmly, "Please wait a moment, Mr. Duan. Master Xu will be here to see you soon."

After saying this, he turned and left the hall without waiting for Duan Yanqing's response.

The nine subordinates of Lingjiu Palace, when they go out, are all respected as envoys by tens of thousands of martial arts practitioners from the thirty-six caves and seventy-two islands. As a result, they have developed a sense of arrogance.

Let alone Duan Yanqing, the leader of the Four Evils, who was "utterly wicked," even when they met Master Xu, who was on equal footing with their master and could sit and discuss matters with him, they only maintained the most basic respect and did not feel any awe or reverence.

In their hearts, their lord is the invincible figure in the world.

Duan Yanqing clearly sensed the slightly strange atmosphere in the villa. Although his mind was racing, he remained quietly seated in his chair and did not drink the tea on the table beside him.

Not long after, a child of about seven or eight years old stepped into the living room, clasped his hands in greeting to Duan Yanqing, who was looking over, and said, "Senior Duan, it's been a long time! How have you been?"

Hearing the familiar question, Duan Yanqing stared intently at the child before him with his eyelidless eyes and said in a hoarse ventriloquism, "Little one, who are you? What is your relationship with Master Xu here?"

Having just undergone a physical transformation, Xu Xingchen has returned to the appearance of a seven or eight-year-old child.

He had just been in Wu Yazi's room, discussing the Dao with Wu Yazi and Wu Xingyun, and hadn't had time to go back to his room to change into adult clothes; besides, he didn't want to easily interrupt this cycle of reincarnation, so he had no choice but to maintain his current form and come to see the guest.

When Duan Yanqing asked her questions, Xu Xingchen, with a childlike face, showed a mature smile.

"Senior Duan, I am Xu Xingchen."

How could Duan Yanqing fall for such a trick? A hoarse ventriloquist spoke: "Young man, it's best to avoid such lies; may I ask where Master Xu is now? When will he come out to see me?"

Xu Xingchen shook his head and sighed, knowing that the other party wouldn't easily believe him, because they had never heard of any divine skill in this world that could make people young again!
Since they've never seen it before, how could the other party believe the absurdity before their eyes?
"Senior Duan, please accept my challenge." Xu Xingchen whispered a reminder, and with a swift movement, she appeared in front of Duan Yanqing. Her small figure, suspended in mid-air, swung her tiny fist forward.

Bang!
That tiny fist suddenly unleashed astonishing power, breaking through the air and blasting out a ring of transparent energy.

Upon receiving the prompt, Duan Yanqing's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and a slender iron staff shot out like lightning, striking the small fist.

Immediately, a look of horror flashed in his eyes.

An irresistible force emanated from that small fist, enough to destroy the thin iron staff in his hand, and seemingly intending to destroy his physical body as well.

Just as Duan Yanqing, his heart pounding with fear, was preparing to mobilize all his strength to put up a last-ditch resistance...
That terrifying power miraculously stopped abruptly, easily withdrawn by the small figure in mid-air.

Even more remarkably, the small figure, aided by the recoil from his thin iron staff, gracefully flipped backward and landed on the seat at the head of the table.

For a long time.

Duan Yanqing slowly retracted the thin iron staff that had been frozen in mid-air, turned his head and looked at the little child in the head seat with a look of disbelief, and said in a hoarse voice, "...Such amazing power, are you really Master Xu?"

Xiao Xu Xingchen smiled and nodded, then said again, "That's right, it is I!"

While Duan Yanqing was still in shock, a woman from the Nine Heavens and Nine Departments walked in carrying a tea tray.

He walked to the head of the table, placed a cup of tea from the tea tray on the table, and said softly, "Master Xu, please have some tea."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Upon seeing that even the servants and maids in the manor acknowledged the identity of the child at the head of the table, Duan Yanqing, however incredulous he may be, had no choice but to reluctantly admit the other party's identity.

"Master Xu, how did you become like this?"

Xu Xingchen smiled leisurely: "Ah, recently I had a long discussion with two seniors and created a technique for reversing aging; it's currently in the experimental stage, so it turned out like this."

Even though Duan Yanqing couldn't speak, and even though his facial muscles were stiff and necrotic from numerous scars, it didn't stop him from making an exaggerated gesture of gasping for breath using ventriloquism.

"Rejuvenation?" Duan Yanqing expressed his shock and horror in a hoarse ventriloquism: "How...how is this possible?"

He remained somewhat skeptical about the little boy's claim that he was Xu Xingchen, the owner of Dayu Manor.

Hearing the phrase "rejuvenation," a term reserved for deities, Duan Yanqing felt as if he were dreaming, hallucinating, or experiencing auditory hallucinations.
Looking at the serious-looking child at the head of the table.

Duan Yanqing fell into a deep silence, filled with intense doubt.

What do you mean?
What do you mean?
We martial arts practitioners are still pursuing higher levels of skill and deeper inner strength, chasing fame and fortune in the martial arts world.

You, Xu Xingchen, the Master of the Manor, have actually begun to pursue the path of immortality? You've even started to seek the art of rejuvenation?
Are you sure what you're saying is true?

Is the world we live in still a normal world? Or is it the same world?
Or is it that there really are gods in this world?
Even after Xu Xingchen finished drinking the tea in her cup, Duan Yanqing was still in shock and disbelief.

Xu Xingchen pondered for a moment, then asked in his childish voice, "May I ask what brings Senior Duan here?"

Duan Yanqing, momentarily dazed, finally snapped out of his daze. He scrutinized Xu Xingchen with the gaze one might give a deity, or perhaps a demon, and said in broken ventriloquism, "I've come here to inquire about the whereabouts of that brat Duan Yu from Master Xu."

"Ever since he was abducted by the Tibetan national teacher Kumārajīva, I have not heard any news of his whereabouts."

"After searching all this way, we learned that they seemed to have appeared in Suzhou."

"I have been searching for him for a long time without success. I remembered that Master Xu once said that your manor is located outside Xiaoyao City, so I have come to ask for your advice."

Xu Xingchen said with a smile, "Ah, you mean Brother Duan? He was indeed brought to Suzhou by Kumārajīva; later, with the help of others, he escaped from Kumārajīva's clutches; and now he is living in my manor."

"Senior Duan, I will have someone summon him immediately."

Unexpectedly, Duan Yanqing interrupted, saying, "Wait a minute. Now that I know he's here, I feel relieved."

"Master Xu, there's no need to summon him. Just let me catch a glimpse of him!"

Xu Xingchen seemed thoughtful, thinking to herself, "Judging from his words, it seems he's reluctant to meet Duan Yu? Is it shame? Inferiority complex? Or perhaps a kind of care for Duan Yu?"

"Or perhaps you're afraid of causing Duan Yu some trouble?"

Looking at Duan Yanqing's crippled legs, zombie-like face, eyes without eyelids, and mouth that couldn't speak or eat, a thought suddenly flashed through Xu Xingchen's mind.

So he tried to persuade him to stay, saying, "Senior Duan, if you have nothing to do lately, why don't you stay at my villa for a while?"

(End of this chapter)