Immortality begins with the Swordsman.

"Master, you understand me."

"Over the years, I have always been the most loyal believer in 'taking qi as the primary means and the sword as the secondary means'."

"Hmph, Uncle Feng actually tried to lure me with the 'Nine Swords of Dugu' and try to make me switch to the Sword Sect. That's just wishful thinking and a pipe dream."

On the misty mountain path, Gu Changfeng followed closely beside Daoist Zixiao, earnestly expressing his loyalty.

Ning Zhongze walked lightly to the side and asked inappropriately, "But I remember very clearly that when Uncle Feng made this request, Second Senior Brother hesitated for eight breaths? I counted them all. At that time, I almost thought that Second Senior Brother was going to betray the sect."

"Junior sister, you're overthinking it!"

Gu Changfeng glared at her, then revealed a sincere expression and said, "My master has been incredibly kind to me, how could I possibly betray the sect? My hesitation at the time was merely a weighing of whether or not to feign agreement with Uncle Feng."

"As the saying goes, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated!' Once I have secretly learned the 'Nine Swords of Dugu' and some of the Sword Sect's secret techniques, I will abandon the darkness and return to the Qi Sect. At that time, the Sword Sect will be no threat to me."

"But then I remembered that my master said that a true man should act with integrity and uprightness, just as the sun, moon and stars shine on the earth, so I gave up that idea."

Ning Zhongze was stunned, her mouth slightly open, looking at him with disbelief.

"You actually thought of so much in just a moment?"

"Of course, would I lie to you?"

Gu Changfeng spoke with absolute certainty.

Daoist Zixiao suddenly stopped, turned around and stared at Gu Changfeng, his eyes as deep as the night sky: "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated! Changfeng, do you also believe that a war between our two sects is inevitable?"

Seeing that Daoist Zixiao was so serious, Gu Changfeng immediately put away his playful smile, remained silent for a long time, and said: "The two sects have opposing philosophies. Most people on the mountain have fought over this their whole lives. The resentment has accumulated too deep over the decades. What we are seeing now is just the calm before the storm."

The mountain wind howled, whipping up pine needles and causing the sleeves of the Purple Cloud Daoist to flutter loudly. He gazed at the sky, his voice hollow: "Actually, there are some people on the mountain who advocate 'emphasizing both sword and qi'... Tell me, which is right and which is wrong: emphasizing qi, emphasizing the sword, or emphasizing both?"

A flicker of hesitation crossed Gu Changfeng's eyes, puzzled as to why his master had asked such a question. But he answered resolutely, "Naturally, it is 'primary in terms of Qi,' a principle I have never wavered in."

After all, in the world of metal, internal strength reigns supreme.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Zixiao merely smiled, but his expression remained unreadable: "After I go into seclusion, I will entrust all matters of the sect to you. I will instruct your senior uncle, Lin Qingxuan, to teach you."

Think about that question again during this time. When I come out of my seclusion, I will ask you again, and I hope to hear a different answer then…”

Upon hearing this, Gu Changfeng frowned, a strange ripple stirring in his heart.

What does Master mean by that?

Does this mean that all ideological debates are just a charade, and only power matters?!

He lowered his gaze slightly and remained silent.

Return to "Purple Qi Comes from the East Pavilion".

After summoning Lin Qingxuan, Chu Qingkuang, and others, and entrusting Gu Changfeng to them, Daoist Zixiao bid farewell to everyone that evening. Carrying the "Mysterious Iron Heavy Sword," he went alone to the Cliff of Contemplation at the summit of Jade Maiden Peak to enter seclusion.

At this moment, Gu Changfeng became the "Regent Crown Prince" of the Qi Sect.

That very night, this "regent prince" sneaked into the young girl Ning Zhongze's boudoir...

The mountain was deserted and chilly.

Gu Changfeng looked at the girl curled up on the bed, shivering, and chuckled softly, "Junior sister, the night is long, and this is such a precious time, how can we waste it? Let's do something meaningful!"

The girl clutched the blankets tightly, shrinking into them with only half her face showing. Her eyes were timid as she asked, "Second Senior Brother, what...what meaningful thing should we do?"

Gu Changfeng sat down by the bed and said, "Junior Sister, do you know why most famous and righteous sects in the world like to build their headquarters on the summit of high mountains?"

The girl blinked: "Because it's high up, close to the heavens, it's more suitable for seeking immortality and inquiring about the Dao."

Gu Changfeng nodded and smiled, "That's one aspect. The most important thing is that the air at the summit of the mountain is extremely cold, and this coldness is helpful for internal energy cultivation. Therefore, I've come to teach you the internal energy cultivation method of our Huashan Sect."

"Thank you, Second Senior Brother."

Upon hearing this, the girl immediately became excited.

Gu Changfeng laughed and said, "Our Huashan Sect's internal energy cultivation method is profound and extensive. After mastering it, one can cultivate it automatically while breathing, sitting, walking, and sleeping."

"That amazing?"

"Of course, I will now pass on the mantra to you: When the mind is settled, emotions are forgotten; when the body is weak, qi circulates; when the heart is dead, the spirit lives; when yang is abundant, yin diminishes..."

Ning Zhongze read it several times and memorized it, but she didn't know what it meant.

Gu Changfeng explained, "It sounds mysterious, but it's actually just some basic methods of breathing, meditation, walking, and sleeping. Lie down, and I'll teach you how to practice... *crackling sounds*..."

Ning Zhongze followed the instructions and tried it. At first, she still felt extremely cold, but after a long time, a warm energy gradually rose from her dantian. Although the room was cold, she gradually felt a warm feeling growing inside.

He lay there for an hour.

As her limbs grew slightly numb, her whole body warmed, and she began to feel sleepy, she heard Gu Changfeng's voice in her ear.

That's enough for today, go to sleep!

Ning Zhong then went to sleep as instructed.

After she fell asleep, Gu Changfeng quietly went outside. The cold wind was like a knife, gently scraping his cheeks.

He took out an ancient book with a dark blue cover from his bosom. Under the lamplight, four large characters were clearly written on the cover: Zixia Divine Skill!

Gu Changfeng opened the manual and began:

"Of all martial arts, cultivating inner energy is the key. This righteous inner energy is a gift from heaven, but ordinary people do not know how to cultivate it and instead use their temper to suppress it..."

"Abandon your four natures, return to gentleness and goodness, restrain your violence and cruelty, cultivate your righteousness, sound the heavenly drum, drink the jade nectar, swirl the splendid pool, knock on the golden beam, and put these into practice; you will then achieve some success..."

He gently twirled the black and white bodhi seed bracelet in his left hand, his gaze focused intently as he carefully examined each word.

After just one reading, those originally profound and obscure words were deeply etched into my mind and became simple and easy to understand.

He gently closed the book, shut his eyes, sat cross-legged, placed his palms flat on his knees, calmed his mind, and began to concentrate on circulating his inner energy.

The moonlight, as clear as water, gently fell upon him, draping him in a layer of cool, silvery glow.

The black and white bodhi seed bracelet, illuminated by the moonlight, shimmered with a hazy white light, as if covered with a layer of jade-like luster, warm and serene.

Among them, the half-black and half-white Bodhi seed, its white half resembling remnants of snow, is being silently devoured by the blackness little by little...

His internal strength was also quietly increasing.