A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

"Children, today I will answer your questions. Don't rush, one at a time, one question per person, until I finish answering them all."

After Elder Ma sat down on the platform, he took out an exquisite teapot from his bosom while speaking. Without him having to give any instructions, a disciple came forward and filled it with tea.

"what?"

Zhou Ping's eyes suddenly widened. Because he was in the front and had a good view, he immediately remembered something after seeing the exquisite teapot.

"What's wrong, young master...?"

Duan Yu, who was standing next to him, immediately noticed his companion's unusual behavior. He gently nudged him with his elbow and asked in a low voice.

"I've seen this teapot before. It turns out that the figure I saw when I first went to the Weapon Pavilion was Elder Ma."

Recalling his first visit to the Weapon Pavilion, Zhou Ping saw the back of an old man before entering the Weapon Hall. The old man had his hands behind his back, and he was playing with the teapot in his hands.

Because of its exquisite craftsmanship, the teapot left a deep impression on Zhou Ping at the time.

"It is said that Deacon Yuan of the Weapon Pavilion was mentored by Elder Ma when he first joined the sect, and he was already very close to Elder Ma. It is normal that you could meet him."

Duan Yu rested his chin on his hand, recalling the various pieces of information he had gathered.

"Judging from this, Elder Ma, who always has tea in his hand, must be a tea lover. We should remember this information; if we have the opportunity in the future, we can use it to curry favor with him!"

Zhou Ping stared blankly at Duan Yu, who was looking very serious. He never expected that his unintentional action would make Duan Yu seem so pleased with himself.

Inside the Transmission Hall, Elder Ma answered the disciples' questions about cultivation in an orderly manner.

The questions raised by a group of children who had only been practicing martial arts for a few months were mostly superficial and simple, showing that they had only scratched the surface of martial arts.

Elder Ma doesn't even need to think; often, just a few words are enough to enlighten the questioner, leaving them amazed.

During this time, Duan Yu also raised the difficulties he encountered in his cultivation. Zhou Ping learned for the first time that his big-mouthed friend's mastery of "lightness skill" was far superior to that of the other disciples!

Even Elder Ma showed approval of the question he raised, which made Duan Yu, who always had a high opinion of himself, blush with excitement.

As time went by, fewer and fewer disciples asked questions, and the vast majority of them had already obtained the answers they wanted.

Duan Yu looked at Zhou Ping beside him with a puzzled expression and asked with slight anxiety,

"Hey, young master, why don't you ask? There aren't many people left. If you don't ask now, Elder Ma will be leaving!"

Zhou Ping pursed his lips helplessly, and raised his hand hesitantly, unsure if his problem could be solved.

The Transmission Pavilion clearly stated that the Azure Origin Technique was not within the scope of the Elder's duties, and it was unclear whether switching to another technique would be considered a violation of the rules.

Seeing Elder Ma move his hand towards him, Zhou Ping straightened his clothes and hurriedly stood up.

"I would like to inform the elder that the confusion I am facing involves the Qingyuan Technique. I am unsure whether I should speak of it..."

"Young man, I can't help you with the cultivation of the Qingyuan Technique. Not only me, but none of the other old fellows can help you either."

Elder Ma looked at Zhou Ping with a serious expression. He hadn't expected that even after four months, there would still be disciples practicing the Qingyuan Technique.

This is no longer a question of whether to persist or not. To waste four months on a cultivation technique that cannot be practiced is simply foolish.

Upon hearing this, the audience members displayed a variety of expressions, including Duan Yu.

They didn't see each other often, and since they chose different basic martial arts, they rarely talked about cultivation.

But he never expected that his seemingly mature friend was still cultivating that "Elder's Legacy" that no one had ever mastered!

"Is this person out of their mind...? Do they really have to be so fixated on this one thing?"

"Isn't this that 'Carefree' boy? He's been doing nothing all day, his brain's gone crazy from being so idle."

"You've been a disciple for months, and you haven't even bothered to inquire about the 'Elder's Legacy' that's been hanging in the sect for decades. Which new disciple hasn't practiced it? Yet, no one has ever succeeded! You're always daydreaming about instant success, and you don't even take a good look at yourself in the mirror."

......

Zhou Ping, sitting in the audience, blushed slightly and looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. Elder Ma raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

"Elder, this disciple is not inquiring about the cultivation method of the Qingyuan Technique, but rather wondering if there is a method for switching cultivation paths within this technique!"

After calming himself down, Zhou Ping finally voiced his concerns. Being laughed at by so many peers at such a young age was too much for him, no matter how good-natured he was.

"The method of switching cultivation? If this method fails, simply switch to another. What's the point of talking about switching cultivation?"

For the first time, Elder Ma showed a puzzled expression on stage. He had been in a relaxed and comfortable state throughout the day, answering questions with ease, but now he couldn't understand what the children in the audience were saying.

"After cultivating the Azure Origin True Qi, I found that the cultivation speed of this technique was abnormally slow. Therefore, I wanted to switch to other martial arts techniques. However, this Azure Origin True Qi is extremely troublesome. When it is stored in my body, it will repel other internal true qi. I have no choice but to ask you for help..."

"Azure Origin True Qi?"

Elder Ma suddenly stood up from the stage, and in a flash, he appeared beside Zhou Ping, grabbing his wrist.

"You say you've cultivated the Azure Origin True Qi?!"

Zhou Ping was startled by his unusual behavior and stood there dumbfounded.

Elder Ma then realized he had been somewhat rash and might have frightened the other party. He tried to calm himself down and released Zhou Ping's arm.

"Young one, I was being presumptuous just now. Have you really cultivated the Azure Origin True Qi?"

"Yes, Elder, this disciple has indeed cultivated the Azure Origin True Qi, but... only a tiny bit."

Zhou Ping scratched the back of his head somewhat awkwardly, feeling ashamed of his pitifully small amount of true energy.

"Show me your inner strength..."

Elder Ma suppressed his shock and gently placed a hand on the meridians of Zhou Ping's wrist.

Zhou Ping sat down cross-legged and silently began circulating the Great Circulation of the Qingyuan Gong in his mind. The faint green energy in his meridians traveled along the eight extraordinary meridians, connecting one familiar acupoint after another. Finally, it flowed from the dantian to the Niwan point, and then from the Niwan point to the four limbs of his body. After completing one Great Circulation, it returned to the dantian in his lower abdomen.

Elder Ma's expression grew increasingly serious, and a group of disciples quietly gathered around, curiously watching Zhou Ping in the center.

"Excellent! This true energy is unlike anything found in other cultivation techniques! It seems to be the Azure Origin True Energy!"

Elder Ma carefully sensed it, and an unusual gleam appeared in his usually calm and indifferent eyes.

"Excellent! Very good! I never imagined I would witness the day when the Azure Origin Technique would be successfully cultivated!"

With a wave of his hand, a black figure appeared in a hidden corner of the Transmission Pavilion and stood respectfully behind him.

"Inform the sect leader of this news..."

The dark figure remained silent, nodded to the masked man, and leaped over the crowd, disappearing from the entrance of the Transmission Hall.

"Are these the Shadow Guards of the Flying Shadow Hall?"

Duan Yu watched the dark figure disappear through the doorway with excitement, his face full of longing.

The other disciples were also startled by the figure that appeared out of nowhere, and they all marveled at the wonder of the Flying Shadow Hall's techniques.

After Zhou Ping finished circulating his energy, he slowly stood up. He felt that Elder Ma's gaze towards him was a bit strange, as if he were looking at something rare and unusual.

He suppressed his doubts and bowed again. His immediate priority was to resolve the problem with the cultivation method.

"Elder, is there any way to change my cultivation path given my condition?"

"Transfer to repair?"

Elder Ma's face showed a strange expression when he heard the question.

"No need to transfer to another department. I'll take you somewhere in a bit, and there will be someone there to answer your questions."