Chapter 317: True Disciple (I)
After changing into the Azure Tide Pavilion inner sect disciple attire, he shaved off his full beard and tied up his hair in a topknot. Lin Zheyu looked at himself in the bronze mirror and felt very satisfied with his current appearance. He smiled slightly, his features handsome and his bearing fully revealed. There was elegance mixed with a hint of carefree ease, calmness tinged with bold and commanding spirit. If this were his previous life, he would undoubtedly be a professional historical drama heartthrob, the kind who could captivate countless young women the moment he appeared.
Lin Zheyu's looks could not be considered exceptionally handsome, only slightly above average. Appearance was merely one factor affecting aesthetic appeal, and the weight of temperament on perception was no less than that of looks. Having cultivated the Tortoise Breath true intent and the Dominance true intent, and having experienced many events, Lin Zheyu's temperament had already undergone earthshaking changes compared to before.
"Alright, this will do."
Lin Zheyu stood up and stopped Yu Qing, who wanted to continue tidying his clothes. After leaving Plain Elegance Residence, with every step he took, the fluctuations of blood qi within his body diminished slightly. The Ninefold Origin Lock Art quietly circulated, and under the guidance of the technique, life energy and blood qi energy rapidly subsided, becoming firmly locked within the acupoints across his body.
Although he was very confident in the concealment effect of combining the Tortoise Breath True Technique with the Evernight Slumber Secret Art, this time, he was formally entering Huang Baizhong's tutelage to become a true disciple of the Azure Tide Pavilion. Without physical contact, he could still deceive Huang Baizhong. However, if the other party wished to assess his strength or test his aptitude, there was a possibility of exposure.
Lin Zheyu did not want to take this risk. One had to know that cultivating golden blood qi and refining it to the point where it accounted for roughly one tenth of the total blood qi in his body was utterly shocking. If this were exposed, it could invite countless troubles.
After entering the Wuji Sect and reading a large number of texts related to martial cultivation, Lin Zheyu finally understood how difficult it was to cultivate to the Dragon Transformation while still in the Blood Qi realm. It was not as he had imagined, something that could be achieved simply by piling up enough resources and relying on powerful medicinal pills. Once blood qi reached a certain limit, the effectiveness of ordinary condensing methods dropped to an extremely terrifying degree, and even with medicinal pill assistance, efficiency remained very low. If one persevered in cultivation, it might indeed be possible to break through to the Dragon Transformation.
However, the time required could be thirty years, forty years, or even fifty years, long past the optimal period for advancing to the Marrow Refining realm. During the cultivation process, even when using many herbs to assist training, martial artists would inevitably accumulate hidden injuries. Over time, these hidden injuries became exceedingly severe.
If one failed to advance to the Marrow Refining realm before the age of forty, to temper martial cultivation into the marrow and cleanse the sinews and bones, allowing the physique to shed its old shell and be reborn with new vitality, then the best opportunity would be lost. Forty years old was a boundary established through countless years of experience, the lower limit for advancing to the Marrow Refining realm. After forty, even if one advanced to the Marrow Refining realm, although strength would still increase, it would no longer be possible to greatly extend one's lifespan.
The vitality contained within the body would also be far lower, and recovery speed, latent potential, and other aspects would all be affected. Because of this limitation, martial artists could not recklessly waste too much time on other techniques, nor could they cultivate endlessly within the Blood Qi realm. If Lin Zheyu's golden blood qi were exposed, many people would likely want to capture him for dissection and study, to see how he had cultivated it.
***
The assembly was held at Azure Water Plaza. The once-monthly gathering was extremely lively, and Lin Zheyu saw many unfamiliar faces. Some of these faces belonged to those who had gone out on missions, while others were stationed in different regions and only returned to the sect for the monthly assembly.