Under One Person: I Have a Billion Taoist Gods Within Me

In this brief silence.

A clear voice rang out from the direction of the San Yi Gate seats.

"Brother Fengping's heroic spirit deeply impresses me."

Lu Jin, dressed in a moon-white long robe, stood up.

The moment he stood up straight, everyone sensed something different about him compared to before.

It wasn't nervousness or stage fright.

It is a calm after reflection, a certainty.

He first turned towards the main table and bowed deeply to his master, Zuo Ruotong:

"Master, I wish to..."

"Go ahead," Zuo Ruotong interrupted him gently before he could finish, her gaze kind and gentle.

"Reversing the cycle of rebirth involves three stages, with the most important being one's character and temperament."

"I am very pleased that you volunteered."

"Just remember one thing: this battle is for sparring, not for winning or losing."

"If you can use this battle to integrate what you have learned in your daily life, that will be the greatest gain."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jin's eyes welled up with tears.

He nodded heavily: "Yes, Master."

He then turned to Old Master Lu and bowed respectfully as well.

"Grandpa, Jin'er would like to exchange a few words with Brother Fengping to add some fun to the birthday banquet."

"If there has been any rudeness, I hope you will forgive me, sir."

Old Master Lu laughed heartily, "Good! Good! Young people should have this kind of spirit! Jin'er, go!"

Lu Jin then turned to Feng Ping in the center of the courtyard.

When he stood about three zhang away from Fengping, the unique aura of a direct disciple of the Sanyi Sect naturally emanated from him.

Sharp but not aggressive, upright but not rigid, humble yet possessing an innate pride.

He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Feng Ping, his expression serious and his tone sincere:

"Brother Fengping's 'Longevity in Fire' technique just now, which transformed the fierce flames into blessings, was truly awe-inspiring."

"The Fire Virtue Sect's unique skills are indeed well-deserved of their reputation."

"I, Lu, am unworthy, but as a disciple of the Sanyi Sect, I have only glimpsed the basics of the Reverse Life Triple Technique."

"Today I would like to ask Brother Fengping for some pointers."

He paused, then looked up and stared directly at Feng Ping, his eyes filled with a pure light that yearned to verify himself and confirm what he had learned:

I hope Brother Fengping will not hesitate to offer his guidance.

These words were humble and polite, frank yet sharp.

Fengping looked at the boy in front of him, who was about the same age as him but had a very different temperament.

Lu Jin stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his aura restrained and pure, like a pool of autumn water, clear to the bottom, yet its depth unseen.

Fengping couldn't help but laugh.

This time, his smile was less carefree and more serious and excited, as if he were facing an opponent.

"The Trinity Gate, Reversing Life Triple..."

He repeated it in a low voice, his eyes gleaming with fire.

"Excellent! I've long wanted to experience this ultimate technique, hailed as 'directly pointing to the innate realm'!"

He took a half step back, assumed a fighting stance, and slightly raised both palms, with a faint heat emanating from them.

"Young Master Lu, please!"

Lu Jin nodded slightly and said nothing more.

He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers naturally extended, palm facing down, hovering in front of his chest.

This starting stance is extremely simple.

However, at the very moment he raised his hand...

Everyone "sensed" a certain change.

It wasn't a surge in momentum, an explosion of Qi, or even any other phenomenon visible to the naked eye.

Rather, it is a subtle change in the "state of being".

Lu Jin was still the same Lu Jin, standing in the center of the courtyard, wearing a moon-white long robe, with handsome features.

But it seems... something has awakened within him.

Zuo Ruotong sat upright at the main table, looking at Lu Jin's back with eyes full of expectation and kindness.

Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing gently stroked his beard and whispered to Zhang Zhiwei beside him:

Look closely.

"The essence of the Triple Rebirth of the Sanyi Sect lies in the word 'reverse'."

"We'll know how much true skill this young master of the Lu family has acquired once he makes a move."

Zhang Zhiwei, unusually, wasn't eating sunflower seeds. He rested his chin on one hand, his gaze unusually focused.

Li Yuan remained seated, his teacup empty, but he did not refill it.

His gaze calmly fell on Lu Jin, silently observing in his heart.

"The Three Stages of Reversal of Life... First Stage: Self-Refining."

"Using a reverse-flowing method, one can gradually refine and dissolve the acquired impurities, chronic illnesses, and stagnation within one's own essence, blood, internal organs, and meridians."

Like slowly simmering a pool of muddy water over a low flame, allowing impurities to settle and steam to rise, gradually clearing the water.

"Upon achieving this level, the Qi within the body can be initially purified, making the execution of techniques and the application of energy more fluid and transparent than those of ordinary cultivators."

'Lu Jin has clearly stabilized in this position at this moment.'

In the field.

Fengping waited for three breaths.

Within three breaths, Lu Jin stood still in place, without launching an attack.

Without any hesitation, Fengping stomped his foot and shot forward like an arrow!

His movements were not characterized by agility or unpredictability, but rather by the force of rolling thunder and raging fire, advancing relentlessly!

Three zhang (approximately 10 meters) away, it's over in the blink of an eye!

"Fire Virtue Sect - Blazing Palm!"

His right palm, enveloped in blazing, scorching fire, struck down towards his chest!

This palm strike was simple and unadorned, without any fancy variations; it was all about speed, ferocity, and intensity!

Flames flickered, and the palm strike arrived!

Lu Jin did not retreat.

He slightly turned his body, barely avoiding the palm strike, while his left hand, in the same simple manner, gently met Fengping's right wrist.

This response, seemingly gentle, was incredibly precise.

Feng Ping's palm strike was gently deflected, like molten lava meeting the most resilient water, its direction suddenly shifting several inches, whistling past Lu Jin's clothes.

Lu Jin's feet did not move an inch, and his breathing was not even disordered.

"good!"

Someone, I don't know who, cheered softly.

Fengping's eyes gleamed with even greater excitement.

He was not discouraged by his first missed strike. Instead, he used the force of the deflection to turn his body and sweep his left palm out from his waist!

This palm strike was faster and more powerful than the previous one, and the color of the flames changed from crimson to orange-gold, with a significantly higher temperature!

This time, Lu Jin did not dodge to the side.

He raised his right hand, palm facing forward, and met Fengping's Fiery Palm head-on with palm against palm!

"Bang--!"

The palms clasped together produced a dull, drum-like sound.

The force of the palm strike and the heatwave spread outwards with a roar, causing the clothes of the guests at several nearby tables to flutter loudly.

However, what everyone was focused on was not the scale of the event, but rather—

Lu Jin's right hand.

The palm, which should have been scorched or even charred by the flames, was now tinged with a very faint, soft milky-white halo.

That halo was neither a protective aura nor something that could be resisted by force.

It seemed to flow naturally from the depths of Lu Jin's palm, merging with his flesh, bones, and breath, becoming one with him.

When Feng Ping's fiery palm struck the halo, it was like a raging fire being thrown into an icy lake.

Fengping's pupils suddenly contracted!

He clearly felt that nearly 30% of the fire energy he had poured into this palm seemed to "lose its way" the moment it touched Lu Jin's palm.

Not only did it fail to penetrate the opponent's body, but it also vanished like a stone thrown into the sea, its attack silently "dissolved" by that gentle yet resilient milky-white halo!

Not only that!

The "dissolved" fire energy did not completely dissipate, but rather...

Instead, it was "borrowed"!

Lu Jin's palm glowed slightly, and he used the momentum to guide the remaining fire energy of Feng Ping to the empty space beside him!

"boom--!"

A thin sliver of fire shot out from between their palms, streaking diagonally towards the ground and leaving a faint scorch mark on the bluestone slab before extinguishing.

Lu Jin himself remained completely still, his breathing undisturbed.

Feng Ping abruptly withdrew his palm, took three steps back, and the excitement in his eyes turned into a deeper solemnity.

He looked down at his right palm, which was bright red and felt a faint burning sensation.

That wasn't caused by Lu Jin's counterattack, but rather by his own excessively intense fire energy backfiring on himself.

He raised his head and looked at Lu Jin.

Lu Jin maintained his calm expression, though a thin layer of sweat was visible on his forehead.

He slowly withdrew his right hand, letting it hang at his side, and the milky white halo in his palm disappeared.

However, the tips of his originally fair and slender fingers were slightly red.

Clearly, taking a direct hit from a blazing palm strike is not as easy as it seems.

But he stood very steadily, and although his breathing was a little rapid, it was still long and orderly.

"The third level of reverse birth..."

Fengping murmured repeatedly, the solemnity in his eyes gradually turning into a heartfelt admiration.

"That slap just now wasn't because I held back, it was because of you, Young Master Lu..."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before finally speaking frankly:

"It wasn't a direct block, nor a dodge, nor a forceful knockback..."

"When my fiery energy touched your hand, it was like... like I suddenly didn't know what to do, where to go, or whether I should keep burning..."

Fengping scratched his head, a gesture that made him look like a puzzled young man.

"Brother Lu, what's the secret behind this?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jin's lips curled up slightly, revealing a rare smile.

That smile contained the joy of being recognized, the satisfaction of confirming what one has learned, and the sincerity of a young person appreciating a peer who is equally strong.

"Brother Fengping, you flatter me."

His voice was still a little unsteady, clearly indicating that the impact of the palm strike had not been entirely without effect, but his tone remained sincere.

"The first of the three stages of reversing life is called 'self-refinement'."

"Its essence lies not in 'rejection' and 'destruction,' but in 'transformation' and 'harmony.'"

He raised his right hand, and the faint milky white halo of light shone through his palm once again.

This time, everyone saw it more clearly.

The aura was not an external protective technique, but rather a natural emanation from the depths of his skin, bones, and blood vessels.

It was as if his entire being was being "infiltrated" from the inside out by some higher level of existence.

"At the beginning of all things, they were born from the primordial Qi."

Lu Jin's voice was calm, yet carried a solemnity akin to preaching.

"All the things acquired later in life—the complexities, chronic illnesses, desires, and karmic obstacles—are like dust, covering the innate mirror."

"The Threefold Reversal of Life is to wipe away the dust of this acquired world layer by layer."

"When the dust is gone, the mirror will be clear; when the mirror is clear, light will shine forth."

He looked up at Feng Ping, his gaze clear:

"The fiery energy that Brother Fengping just now was not 'dissolved' by me."

"It's just that your ambition is too strong and your energy too intense. When it comes, it's like a galloping horse crashing into a deep valley."

"The valley does not refuse the horses, yet the horses themselves become weary."

"What dissipated was the reckless momentum, not the fire energy itself."

"It is still a ball of fire, but now that no one is driving it or aiming at it, it is no different from the myriad energies floating in the world."

These words, though seemingly profound, drew admiration from many of the highly skilled seniors present.

The core concept of the Threefold Reversal of Life can be expressed in such simple and clear language, and it is perfectly consistent with the practical demonstration just now.

Lu Jin's understanding of this unique skill far surpasses that of ordinary disciples.

After listening, Feng Ping remained silent for a long time.

He looked down at his hands, calloused and with burn marks on his palms, and suddenly smiled.

There was no frustration or resentment in that smile, only a sense of satisfaction that "I've finally broadened my horizons today."

"I see..."

He murmured, raising his head, his gaze towards Lu Jin filled with nothing but admiration.

"Brother Lu, I have lost this round."

He clasped his hands in a respectful bow, his waist bent very deeply:

"I accept defeat wholeheartedly."

Lu Jin quickly returned the greeting, his expression sincere and eager:

"Brother Fengping, what makes you say such a thing!"

"Our sparring session ended in a draw; I merely managed to receive one blow by sheer luck..."

"Hey, a loss is a loss." Fengping straightened up, waved his hand casually, and his cheerful smile returned to his face.

"Although I didn't use my full strength in that palm strike, I still used about 70-80% of my power."

"Brother Lu met the attack head-on with composure; while my palm strike was broken, my fire energy backfired, and my aura became chaotic."

He paused, his eyes showing no trace of gloom, only sincerity:

"If this were a life-or-death battle, I'm afraid I wouldn't have the chance to stand here and speak with Brother Lu right now."

"This isn't luck; this is real skill."

"The Trinity Sect's reputation for defying the odds and achieving triple rebirth is well-deserved."

He clasped his hands in a fist salute again, this time facing the main table, his voice loud and clear:

"Master Zuo, you've taken on a fine disciple!"

"This triple rebirth technique is truly eye-opening for me today!"

Zuo Ruotong sat upright at the main table. Upon hearing this, he smiled slightly. His smile contained both his satisfaction with his disciple and his appreciation for Feng Ping's character.

"Young friend Fengping is too modest," Zuo Ruotong said in a clear and gentle voice.

"The ultimate technique of the Fire Virtue Sect is extremely yang and intense. Jin'er only has a slight advantage in attributes by relying on the method of reversing life, not because his cultivation is truly superior to that of young friend Fengping."

"Moreover, young friend, you just performed for the birthday celebration and suffered considerable losses. With the gains and losses of the performers, the outcome of the match is not worth considering."

He paused, his gaze gently falling on Fengping:

"Young friend, you are so young yet you have such cultivation, and you are also open-minded and kind to others, which is even more rare."

"It is fortunate that the Huode Sect has successors."

These words not only upheld the disciple's humility but also gave Fengping extremely high praise and affirmation, and further highlighted the essence of this battle as "exchange and learning".

Heroes are not judged by victory or defeat.

Upon hearing this, Feng Ping's eyes welled up with tears.

He bowed deeply to Zuo Ruotong again, his voice slightly hoarse:

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Zuo!"

The sect leader of Huode Sect sat not far away, watching his disciple being so favored by his senior. Although he tried to remain calm on the surface, he could not hide the pride in his eyes.

Cheers erupted again in the courtyard.

This time, it is for both Lu Jin and Feng Ping.

It is for the extraordinary nature of the triple rebirth, and also for the open-mindedness of the Fire Virtue Sect.

What's even more remarkable is the magnanimity and demeanor these two young men displayed in this friendly but limited exchange, far exceeding what is typical in a contest.

Lu Jin stood in the center of the arena, listening to the praises around her, and her breathing finally calmed down.

He looked down at his right hand.

The milky white halo on the palm had completely disappeared, and everything had returned to normal.

But he knew that the light had never truly disappeared.

It was there, seeping out little by little from the depths of his being with every breath, every thought, and every devout inquiry into the Tao, wiping away the dust bit by bit.

He suddenly remembered the day he first met Daoist Liyuan on the back mountain of Daluo Palace.

With just a glance, the other party discerned that he had "begun to grasp the basics of the Reverse Rebirth Triple Technique."

At that time, he only felt shocked and in awe.

At this moment, he vaguely understood.

What Master Li Yuan saw was not his "cultivation" which was still in its infancy.

Rather, it was the "heart" he had when he chose this path that he may not have been fully aware of.

Lu Jin raised her head, her gaze passing through the noisy crowd and unconsciously landing on the main table.

The figure in the moon-white Taoist robe remained seated, as still as an abyss.

As if sensing his gaze, Li Yuan slightly turned his head, his clear and gentle eyes meeting his.

There were no words, no change in expression, only a slight nod.

The movement was extremely light, like a spring breeze brushing against willow branches, leaving no trace.

However, Lu Jin felt something in her chest settle quietly at that moment.