Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique

"Your Highness, the eighteen techniques mentioned earlier are all here."

Feng Dabao led Zhao Hongming to the innermost row of bookshelves.

Neither more nor less, exactly eighteen jade boxes sat upon the shelves.

Outside the window, the sun was setting.

Strands of golden light spilled across the jade boxes.

The words carved upon them glimmered with a gentle golden sheen, as though inlaid with gilded metal.

Zhao Hongming knew that these techniques represented the painstaking efforts of countless martial artists of Great Wei. Calling them part of Great Wei's foundations would not be an exaggeration.

If any single one of these techniques spread outside, it would be enough to drive people utterly mad.

Yet Zhao Hongming had merely been born into the Great Wei imperial family and drawn a "good lot" at birth, allowing him to choose freely among these techniques. It was truly enviable.

Feng Dabao walked slowly between the shelves and asked, "Does Fifth Prince know what Immortal Martial Arts are?"

"I heard that the Martial Dao evolved from the methods of becoming immortals in ancient times is called Immortal Martial Arts."

"That is only one aspect. The greatest difference between Immortal Martial Arts Techniques and Jianghu Martial Arts is that Immortal Martial Arts can cultivate True Intent, whereas Jianghu Martial Arts remain only at the level of the physical body. That is why they carry the word 'immortal.'"

"If an Immortal Martial Arts Technique is cultivated to the utmost limit, one can come infinitely close to the level of the ancient Red Dust Immortals and touch upon the Secret of Longevity."

So powerful!

Zhao Hongming asked curiously, "Then throughout the ages, has anyone ever reached that level again?"

"No. Ever since the Immortal Path declined, no one has ever brought an Immortal Martial Arts Technique to its supreme achievement." Feng Dabao stopped walking, his tone calm. "Besides, every one of these Immortal Martial Arts Techniques is exceedingly difficult to learn. Fully opening one's meridians and perfecting one's apertures both require sufficient talent and resources. Seeking immortality through martial arts is even more like the ravings of a fool in a dream."

Zhao Hongming said, "But Immortal Martial Arts Techniques must be far stronger than Jianghu techniques, right?"

"Of course. Leaving aside attaining the Creation Realm through an Immortal Martial Arts Technique and extending one's lifespan by several centuries, even forging Martial Courage greatly increases one's lifespan and allows one to run rampant in a region. Jianghu Martial Arts cannot accomplish such things."

Zhao Hongming nodded, swept his gaze over the shelves before him, and said to Feng Dabao, "Then I must trouble Eunuch Feng to recommend some Immortal Martial Arts Techniques suited to This Prince's temperament."

"Fifth Prince, please look here."

Feng Dabao believed he had said everything that needed saying. Even if Zhao Hongming regretted his choice later, he would not harbor resentment toward him and create needless trouble.

Pointing at a jade box on the shelf, he introduced it. "This is a Buddhist Immortal Martial Arts Technique called the Indestructible Divine Skill. It is the treasure that safeguards Vajra Temple. During the previous suppression of Buddhism, the temple was destroyed, and Great Wei obtained this technique."

"This technique focuses on cultivating the physical body. Upon reaching the Meridian Opening level, one can split gold and crack stone. Every minor realm advanced strengthens the flesh and blood further. In the later stages, one's Qi and Blood become one throughout the body, cultivating the Indestructible True Intent. The body becomes adamantine and indestructible, immune to water and fire. If cultivated to great completion, it is said one may become a Buddha in the flesh, ascend to the Western Paradise, attain Buddhahood, sever worldly ties, and escape the cycle of reincarnation."

"The only regret is that this is a Buddhist technique. Cultivating it requires observing precepts. One must not approach women, eat meat or pungent foods, drink alcohol, or gamble. Otherwise, it will affect the perfection of one's Qi and Blood, making the technique difficult to master."

Zhao Hongming was startled upon hearing this.

Cultivating this technique was tantamount to becoming a monk and withdrawing into the Buddhist gate.

He was a dignified prince of Great Wei, yet for the sake of martial arts, he would end up becoming a monk.

If word spread before the technique was mastered, he would inevitably face gossip and public pressure.

Even if he could hold fast to his heart and achieve something in the technique, such a path of cultivation was truly not what he wanted.

"This Prince has no interest in such a technique. Let us change to another."

Such a technique was indeed somewhat unsuitable for a prince to cultivate.

Feng Dabao pointed to another jade box and said, "This is a dual-cultivation technique of the Joyful Union Sect, the Essence Gathering Immortal Scripture. It can rapidly break through and increase one's own strength by gathering the vital essence of cultivation vessels. After cultivation, in the early stages, it transforms the cultivator's outward appearance to perfection, making the opposite sex fall in love at first sight and willingly offer themselves. In the later stages, one can gather the vital essence of ten thousand people into one body, break through one's limits in a single stroke, achieve supremacy, and reach the Formless Realm, making even heaven and earth fall for them and serve at their command."

"At that point, one can even stir the laws of heaven and earth, causing heaven and earth to throw wide open the gates of convenience for the cultivator, allowing them to ascend to immortality in one stroke. What it cultivates is Charm True Intent."

Feng Dabao said with a smiling face, "Fifth Prince, are you satisfied with such a technique?"

Zhao Hongming remained expressionless as he weighed the advantages and disadvantages inwardly.

As an imperial descendant, he possessed excellent physical attributes.

At thirteen, he was already five feet seven inches tall, with swordlike brows and starry eyes.

Compared to the popular male stars of his previous life, he was no less impressive.

Moreover, with his status as a prince, once he left the palace, all he needed was a single command to find any kind of woman besides a Martial Arts Talented Woman.

Thus, the benefits this technique offered in its early stages were quite useless.

What was more, the emperor of the final dynasty in his previous life had mentioned in his autobiography that indulging in women too early could lead to unforeseeable consequences.

At this thought, Zhao Hongming's gaze became much firmer. He said decisively, "I am still young. Let us see the next one."

Feng Dabao was somewhat surprised and could not help but regard Zhao Hongming more highly. He nodded and continued, "This is the Hundred Poisons True Scripture, using poison to Achieve the Dao..."

"I have no interest in the principles of medicine. Next."

"This is the Five Elements Secret Canon of the Daoist Gate. It uses Pills and external objects to continuously replenish the Five Elements Qi within the body. Externally it tempers the sinews, bones, and skin; internally it cultivates a breath of Qi. It is a rare technique of dual internal and external cultivation."

"In the early stages, Meridian Opening and Aperture Opening proceed with exceptional ease. The Five Elements True Intent it cultivates combines hardness and softness in perfect balance. When cultivated to great completion, one can use Five Elements Qi to move mountains and fill seas, command swords in flight, and kill enemies without a trace. So long as one successfully passes the heavenly tribulation, one can shed the mortal form and ascend to immortality. It is a rare orthodox technique."

"Unfortunately, once this technique reaches the middle and later stages, it requires an oceanic quantity of resources. Following its prescribed method, even exhausting Wei Country's accumulated foundations of a hundred years would not be enough."

"Even someone of outstanding talent would be unable to continue cultivating it after reaching the late Innate Realm."

After hearing Feng Dabao's description, Zhao Hongming immediately felt somewhat conflicted.

The prospect of commanding a sword in flight and ascending as an immortal alone filled him with longing.

Unfortunately, his golden finger, Heaven's Reward, could not solve the problem of resources or replenish the so-called Five Elements Qi in his body.

He would reserve judgment for now.

He would decide after looking through the other techniques.

"Keep this technique in mind for This Prince. Eunuch Feng, continue introducing the remaining techniques. Once they have all been introduced, This Prince will make a decision."

It seemed Fifth Prince had a steady temperament, exactly like the late Shu Consort.

Feng Dabao silently assessed him and could not help but feel even more approving.

"This is a demonic-path technique called the Killing Scripture. Its name matches its nature: it uses slaughter to Achieve the Dao. Every person killed increases one's cultivation by a measure. After Great Wei's current improvements, its baleful aura has been worn away. Its power has lessened somewhat, but it is also more reliable. Many techniques studied by Great Wei's army have been derived from it."

"Using slaughter to Achieve the Dao is too bloody. It is unsuitable for This Prince to cultivate in the palace. Next."

"Nine Revolutions Mysterious Skill..."

"Next."

He listened to more than a dozen Immortal Martial Arts Techniques in succession, yet none had moved Zhao Hongming.

"This is the final Immortal Path technique. It is called the Eight Desolations Eternal Youth Technique, a Daoist classic. This technique can cleanse the meridians and marrow, nurture Eternal Life True Intent, and has a similar wondrous effect to the Indestructible Divine Skill."

"The difference is that cultivating this technique requires neither precepts nor too many resources. Cultivating it in the early stages can even extend one's lifespan somewhat, and its strength lies in its steadiness. Its greatest flaw is that its progress is extraordinarily slow and it is extremely difficult to cultivate. To this day, no one has used this technique to reach the Innate Realm, much less the Martial Courage Realm or Creation Realm above it. Very few cultivate it."

Difficult to cultivate?

At those words, Zhao Hongming's eyes nearly lit up.

This technique was simply perfect for his golden finger.

What he wanted was precisely a technique that was difficult to cultivate yet did not consume resources.

Suppressing his thoughts, Zhao Hongming pondered for a while before saying, "This technique is not bad. This Prince will choose it. Father Emperor has entrusted me with expectations, and as his son, I should strive diligently. Cultivating this technique will not delay This Prince's study of the ancient sages, so it is very suitable."

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