I can increase my power through breathing.

Chapter 30 The Path to Innate Power, The Recruitment of the Zoroastrian Cult

"Escape, escape!"

The two Red Wolf deputy commanders suddenly awoke and turned to flee into the distance.

They knew that Zhou Qing's strength was too terrifying; even Fang Yuan, who had comprehended the seed of sword intent, was no match for him. If they continued to stay here, they would immediately follow in Fang Yuan's footsteps.

The two used their lightness skills to escape in two different directions.

"It's too late to think about running away now!"

Zhou Qing's eyes were cold. With a swift movement, he appeared behind a deputy commander of the Crimson Wolves like a ghost. He slashed out with his Xuan Tie sword, and an icy power instantly enveloped the commander.

The deputy commander of the Red Wolf Clan felt a bone-chilling cold assail him, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and even his movements to escape became sluggish.

The freezing force, along with the slash, invaded the mental sea of ​​the Red Wolf deputy commander, freezing his thoughts in that instant.

The deputy commander of the Red Wolf Clan reacted a beat too late, as if he stood there motionless, letting Zhou Qing slash at his head with his blade.

Faced with Fang Yuan's sword intent seed, Zhou Qing's frozen power, which had reached the perfection level, was no match, but it was more than enough to deal with ordinary first-class martial artists.

Although the Red Wolf deputy commander was quite strong, he was only at the eighth level of the Acquired Realm, not even a top-tier martial artist. In front of Zhou Qing, he was like an ant, utterly vulnerable.

With a single stroke, the head was severed, flying high into the air. The terrifying chill instantly froze the wound, preventing even a drop of blood from splattering.

Upon seeing this, the other deputy commander of the Red Wolves was terrified and fled even faster.

However, Zhou Qing followed closely and caught up in an instant.

puff--

With a single slash, one of the legs of the running Red Wolf deputy commander was severed, and his body instantly lost its balance, falling heavily to the ground.

Do you know why I didn't kill you?

Zhou Qing walked up to the deputy commander of the Red Wolf Clan and looked down at him.

"You want to know how to reach the Innate Realm!" A glimmer of hope flashed in the eyes of the Crimson Wolf Deputy Commander, as if a drowning man had grasped at a straw. His voice trembled as he said, "I'm willing to tell you, as long as you don't kill me."

"You're smart enough to know what's good for you." Zhou Qing said calmly, "Tell me, how do you reach the Innate Realm?"

"You...you have to promise not to kill me first."

"This is what the Red Wolf deputy commander said, trembling."

"Hmph, you have no right to negotiate with me. Even if you don't tell me, it doesn't matter. I have already killed the Red Wolf Commander. Now, no one in the Eagle Wolf Guard of Taining Prefecture can stop me. I think there must be records on how to advance to the Innate Realm in the armory of the yamen. It's just a matter of spending some time to make the trip." Zhou Qing said coldly, "Now, will you tell me or not?"

Upon hearing this, the deputy commander of the Red Wolf Clan's expression changed drastically.

He knew that Zhou Qing was telling the truth.

With Commander Fang Yuan dead, there is indeed no one in the Eagle Wolf Guard of Taining Prefecture who can match Zhou Qing and allow him to come and go as he pleases.

"Since I'm going to die anyway, why should I say anything!"

Knowing he was doomed, the deputy commander of the Red Wolf Clan stopped begging for mercy, knowing it would be useless.

Rather than that, it's better to retain the last shred of dignity.

"Then go to hell!"

Zhou Qing raised his long sword and beheaded the other man.

Since the deputy commander of the Red Wolf Guard wouldn't say, he would personally make a trip to the Eagle Wolf Guard's office in Taining Prefecture.

However, Zhou Qing turned his head slightly, looked ahead, and said indifferently, "Have you seen enough, sir?"

"Zhou Qing, the Swift Blade Madman, truly lives up to his reputation. Even Fang Yuan, the Rift Sword ranked thirty-seventh on the Human Ranking, has become a victim of your blade."

As a voice of praise rang out, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe, wearing a half-mask that only revealed the lower half of his face.

"Are you the ghostwriter?"

Zhou Qing looked at the man warily. Since the man had seen him kill the Crimson Wolf Commander but hadn't chosen to leave immediately, he clearly possessed considerable skill.

At the very least, his strength should not be weaker than that of the Red Wolf Commander who died at his hands, so Zhou Qing was not in a hurry to make a move.

"Let me introduce myself," the masked man said with a smile. "I am Wang Yan, the Black Lotus Envoy of the Fire Worship Cult."

"Zoroastrianism!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing was slightly startled.

He naturally knew about the Zoroastrianism, the leader of a rebellion within the Great Xuan Dynasty. The Zoroastrian leader was ranked first on the wanted list issued by the imperial court, and anyone who could kill the Zoroastrian leader could be directly appointed as a king of a different surname.

However, the main area of ​​activity of the Zoroastrianism has always been the southern states of the Great Xuan Dynasty, while Wanzhou is located in the eastern region.

Zhou Qing hadn't expected to encounter someone from the Zoroastrian Church. He said, "So you are the King's envoy. May I ask what brings you here?"

Wang Yan laughed and said, "Brother Zhou, there's no need to be nervous. I have no ill intentions. On the contrary, we have a common enemy, which is the Great Xuan Dynasty."

"Brother Zhou, you single-handedly killed Fang Yuan, the Red Wolf Commander ranked thirty-seventh on the Human Ranking. Even I admire your strength. The Great Xuan Sect can no longer tolerate you. Why not join my Fire Worship Sect?"

"Thank you for your kind offer, Envoy Wang, but I am used to a life of leisure and do not like to be constrained, much less get involved in disputes."

Zhou Qing spoke up, politely declining.

“Brother Zhou, there’s no need to refuse so quickly,” Wang Yan said. “Resources in this world are limited. If you want to step into the Innate Realm, you need sufficient resources. You can’t just be a carefree hermit. My Fire Worshiping Sect happens to have everything you need.”

How does one enter the Innate Realm?

Zhou Qing asked.

"Entering the Innate Realm isn't anything particularly secret; it's fine to tell Brother Zhou," Wang Yan said with a smile. "In this world, there are only two ways to enter the Innate Realm."

One method is to refine spiritual objects that contain the primordial energy of heaven and earth.

Another method is to cultivate the rudimentary form of the power of intent, and use the power of the rudimentary form of intent to open the gate of heaven and earth, thereby absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to advance to the innate level.

Fang Yuan, the Red Wolf commander who died at the hands of the Zhou brothers, transformed his perfected sword aura into a seed of sword intent. The next step would be the nascent form of sword intent, capable of breaking through the gates of heaven and earth.

"Refining spiritual objects that absorb the primordial energy of heaven and earth, and cultivating the rudiments of artistic conception!" Zhou Qing murmured softly, then said, "Are these the only two methods?"

“That’s right. Whether in the Great Xuan Dynasty or in the surrounding countries, people enter the Innate Realm through these two methods.” Wang Yan continued, “However, neither of these methods is easy. Spiritual objects containing the primordial energy of heaven and earth are extremely rare, and many people spend their entire lives trying to obtain them.”

My Zoroastrianism, accumulated over hundreds of years, possesses some spiritual treasures and divine intentions left behind by innate masters.

For a martial artist in the Acquired Realm to grasp the rudiments of intent, arduous cultivation alone is insufficient. Even spending decades may not be enough to condense a seed of intent, let alone grasp its rudiments.

"If Brother Zhou joins my sect, as long as he performs meritorious deeds, he will have no problem exchanging for spiritual treasures or comprehending the will of the gods."

"Let me think about this!"

Although Zhou Qing said he would consider it, he had already refused in his heart.

Although Zoroastrianism is powerful, it is a mixed bag of people. Once you join it, you will inevitably be drawn into various conflicts, so there is no need to take the risk.

“No problem, Brother Zhou, please think it over carefully. This is my Zoroastrian token. If you have made up your mind, you can take the token to the black market in Qingyan Prefecture to find me. I will be there for the next few days.”

Wang Yan took out a token from his pocket and threw it to Zhou Qing.

“Alright!” Zhou Qing wrapped his palm with his inner force, caught the token, and then said, “Then I’ll take my leave!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Qing used his lightness skill to quickly leave.

After traveling more than ten miles and confirming that the Zoroastrians were not following him, Zhou Qing threw away the token they had given him, lest the Zoroastrians use some secret method to track him through the token. Moreover, he kept the token wrapped in his internal energy throughout the entire process and did not touch it with his hands.

A quarter of an hour later.

Wang Yan arrived at the place where Zhou Qing had thrown away the token.

(End of this chapter)