Chapter 170: Endless Zen of Spring and Autumn

Chapter 170: The Endless Zen of Spring and Autumn

When Zhang Yu first grasped the Endless Zen of Spring and Autumn, he knew nothing of the art, treating it merely as an amplified version of the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi—a more efficient body‑refining martial discipline, promising a swifter cultivation of flesh.

Yet after he clumsily forced the entire routine through his body as if gulping down a whole plum, he began to form his own understanding of this corporeal art.

Endless Zen of Spring and Autumn – Level 1 (0/10)

Vivid scenes of practicing the Endless Zen flickered through his mind, the missteps and nascent memories of his training resurfacing in his thoughts.

It was as if, in a single breath, he had lived through the whole journey from a novice at level 0 to a practitioner of level 1.

Only after that brief ordeal did he perceive the stark difference between this body‑refining art and the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.

Yet Zhang Yu did not rush to inform the examiners, to prove that he had already mastered the Endless Zen.

“Too abrupt, too flamboyant.”

“Showy without strength… that’s nothing but a suicide.”

Zhang Yu was convinced that anyone who saw his first, awkward attempt—his raw, beginner’s clumsiness—would doubt his sudden polish on the second try, suspecting some trickery.

As one whose potential had been awakened by a dark deity, Zhang Yu was loath to arouse the curiosity of the righteous gods.

So he embarked upon a second round of practice.

In his mind he recalled the freshly surfaced… the experience of moving from zero to one.

He deliberately feigned a lack of skill, beginning the second traversal of the art.

Yet compared with the first, his posture now bore a hint of form.

Meanwhile, his thoughts were awash with the subtleties of the Endless Zen and the divergences between this art and the Crimson Marrow Primordial Qi.

First, one must condense a strand of Longevity Mana.

Then we see Zhang Yu seated cross‑legged on the ground; as his torso twists backward, his hands touch the earth, and his internal organs compress and circulate energy in tandem with the twist.

“The Endless Zen of Spring and Autumn comprises forty‑nine forms, each honing a different part of the body, tempering flesh, bone, sinew, and the five viscera and six entrails.”

“When infused with Longevity Mana, it expels the waste and impurities that linger after training, purifying the blood and flesh while accelerating the body’s recovery.”

In the next instant, as Longevity Mana surged into his organs, Zhang Yu felt a soothing release in the organs he had just strained.

He thought to himself, “If the forty‑nine movements are like autumn’s harsh cutting, representing the wear and consumption of the flesh…”

“Then Longevity Mana is like spring’s budding, meant to mend the body and foster new growth.”

“One is spring, the other autumn; one is life, the other death. Between these cycles the flesh and spirit must be nurtured ever stronger.”

Particularly, Zhang Yu realized that with each rotation of the forms, the toxins and alchemical residues accumulated in his viscera would be gradually expelled.

Now Zhang Yu deeply understood the immortal path of Kunxu.

As the saying goes, three parts practice, seven parts nourishment, the remaining ninety parts depend on how one refines medicine.

On the path of immortality, refining medicine is as ordinary as eating and drinking.

Yet every dose inevitably leaves behind impurities, even toxins.

The Endless Zen, however, expels those impurities and toxins while training, gently repairing the damage the medicines inflict upon the body.

Thus, even at equal physical strength, a cultivator who has walked the Endless Zen will be healthier, his qi more abundant, and both his endurance and the ceiling of his unleashed power will be higher.

Zhang Yu mused, “What a divine technique, truly divine.”

“If it weren’t so costly and difficult, this Endless Zen should be the premier body‑refining art of any high school curriculum.”

“With this art, elevating my physical strength to level 10 will be a matter of course.”

At the same time, Zhang Yu commenced his third traversal of the Endless Zen.

This time, drawing upon the experience stored in his mind, he refined his performance further, becoming more adept and his movements more precise.

…...

Observing Zhang Yu, Huang Zichou raised an eyebrow and said, “Zhang Yu’s progress is astonishing; after just three rounds of the Endless Zen he already looks like a true master.”

Meanwhile, the monitoring patches affixed to Zhang Yu continuously transmitted data on his physical power and mana flow.

After comparing this data with the benchmark figures for Level 1 of the Endless Zen, Huang Zichou derived a result.

“Compared with the normal operation data for Endless Zen Level 1, Zhang Yu’s current figures show roughly a 36 % bodily compatibility and a 15 % mana compatibility.”

Another minor deity nodded silently, “Indeed, his talent is extraordinary.”

“But for now it’s only a semblance.”

“The crux of the Endless Zen lies in the coordination of Longevity Mana with the forty‑nine movements; it involves the interrelation of every limb and the metabolism of the five viscera and six entrails—far from simple…”

Huang Zichou also knew that mastering the motions could be swift, yet the internal force and mana circulation were far more intricate.

The 36 % bodily and 15 % mana compatibility figures attest to that.

Yet as Zhang Yu progressed to his fourth and fifth rounds, Huang Zichou’s astonishment grew.

While watching Zhang Yu’s movements, he continuously monitored the stream of data from the patches.

Bodily compatibility 58 %, mana compatibility 33 %

Bodily compatibility 69 %, mana compatibility 56 %

“Such rapid improvement.”

“Each round feels like a rebirth, as if an ordinary high‑schooler had trained for months.”

“Zhang Yu’s talent is terrifying!” At the same time, Zhang Yu’s meteoric rise attracted the attention of other minor deities, even that of Deng Bingding.

A minor deity exclaimed, “Sixth round… bodily compatibility 87 %, mana compatibility 79 %?”

Huang Zichou replied, “And his movements grow ever faster; both flesh and mana are being consciously adjusted on the fly.”

“It shows that during practice he knows exactly where his flaws lie, what errors he makes, and how to steer himself onto the correct path.”

“Once corrected, he never repeats the mistake; such command over his body is astounding.”

“Does he truly lack a magical skeleton? No special bloodline?”

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu had already begun his seventh round.

This time, from the very first form his bodily and mana compatibility were already at 100 %.

As he unfolded the second, third, fourth forms and so on, neither compatibility ever slipped again.

When the forty‑nine forms were completed, the gods, seeing the flawless 100 % data, knew Zhang Yu had succeeded.

He had fully mastered Level 1 of the Endless Zen.

As the deities stared in amazement, Deng Bingding asked coolly, “How long did it take?”

Huang Zichou hurriedly replied, “Thirty‑two minutes and fifteen seconds.”

At the same moment, Zhang Yu raised his hand toward the examiners and said, “Examiner, I am ready.”

Then, under everyone’s gaze, he calmly declared, “I have completed it.”

Looking at the approaching Huang Zichou, Zhang Yu respectfully asked, “Examiner, would you like me to demonstrate it once more?”

Huang Zichou shook his head, “No need. We have received your data; there is no issue. Go rest in the lounge over there, and do not disturb the other candidates.”

Thus Zhang Yu slipped into a nearby lounge, a sigh of relief escaping his chest: “With this, today’s round of the exam should count as passed, right?”

Thinking of that, Zhang Yu, whose nerves had been taut for so long, felt as if a sudden breath had been released, collapsing into the chair, longing only for a proper rest.

Months of relentless cultivation, endless grueling practice, the fatigue accumulated day by day… seemed to find, at this very moment, a chance to loosen its grip.

In that instant, Zhang Yu wanted nothing more than to rest thoroughly today, perhaps to resume preparations for the second round of the exam tomorrow.

But as soon as he settled into the seat, before his rear even found firm footing, a chill rose within him.

Listening to the ceremony’s countdown, Zhang Yu let out a helpless sigh.

“This damned idiot.”

After five more seconds of sitting, Zhang Yu finally rose at a leisurely pace, resuming his practice of the Endless Spring‑Autumn Zen.

……

And Zhang Yu’s triumph and departure naturally rippled through the examinees present.

It was as if, during an exam, one saw someone hand in their paper early; many students there could not help but entertain divergent thoughts.

Dai Xingzhi, watching Zhang Yu’s receding silhouette, thought to himself, “It’s barely over half an hour, and he’s already mastered it? Could it be a three‑star or four‑star difficulty technique?”

Ye Lingxiao also glanced at the clock, thinking, “Thirty‑two minutes? Did he deliberately choose a low‑star difficulty art?”

He gave it no further thought, returning his focus to the cultivation of his Ten Thousand Swords Endless Formula.

Like Dai and Ye, the vast majority of students assumed Zhang Yu had selected a relatively low‑star technique, for that seemed the most plausible explanation to them.

Yet on the other side, as Yun Jing watched Zhang Yu’s vanishing back, the twin eyes of the Spirit Skeleton flickered over a figure of 1.55 million.

It was the judgment the Spirit Skeleton’s eyes made when Yun Jing had just glanced at Zhang Yu’s cultivation.

“A technique priced at 1.55 million?” Yun Jing’s mind stirred, and the basic data on the Endless Spring‑Autumn Zen surfaced.

“The Endless Spring‑Autumn Zen, according to my recollection, is rated by the True Deities as an eight‑star difficulty art.”

Yun Jing’s gaze hardened, surprise flashing within: “Thirty‑two minutes, and he already mastered an eight‑star difficulty technique?”

“Could I achieve that?”

Yun Jing made a quick estimate, and the answer materialized in his mind.

“I cannot.”

“Is this fellow’s martial aptitude stronger than mine?”

“Yet he chose an eight‑star body‑refining art? If he had taken a ten‑star, or even a nine‑star technique, he might have succeeded as well.”

“In this examination, the difficulty coefficient outweighs time; does he truly have no interest in vying for first place?”

Yun Jing could not comprehend it at all.

Especially as a top scholar of Immortal City, he had never ceased his pursuit of the top rank from childhood onward.

Number 55—Zhang Yu’s actions struck him as utterly bizarre.

“He clearly had a chance to contend for first, yet he gave it up himself? Why?”

Yun Jing shook his head, temporarily shelving his doubts, and refocused on the cultivation of the Myriad Cosmos Palm, though inevitably Zhang Yu’s conduct still tugged at his concentration.

(End of Chapter)