Longevity Martial Arts: I have a Mysterious Water Snake Avatar

One month later, Master Lin Daoyan's birthday feast arrived as promised.

Yue'er rose early, asking Lin Yiru to dress her up cutely, like a little sprite from the mortal world.

In the end, she even pleaded with Hong Yuan to take her to the Sect entrance to wait for her daddy and mommy's return.

At that moment, Hong Yuan squatted down and said to Yue'er, "Your daddy and mommy are in the midst of war up ahead; they won't be back so soon. Don't be anxious."

"Ah?" Yue'er was stunned, her mouth agape.

"Have you forgotten? Your daddy and mommy asked you to help them cheer Granddad up," Hong Yuan gently patted Yue'er on the head and spoke softly.

Deceiving a child was not a difficult task for Hong Yuan, especially since it was a lie told out of kindness.

As long as beautiful dreams are woven for a lifetime, couldn't that be a different kind of reality for Yue'er?

"HUFF. HUFF." Nearby, Zhu Wushang bit his lip, his gaze drifting away, trying not to let others notice him.

Age is a large part of one's experience, but it is certainly not equivalent to experience.

Having spent most of his life within the Sect, Zhu Wushang, compared to Hong Yuan, still lacked a certain worldliness.

After all, Hong Yuan lived in an era of information explosion, receiving far more information daily than people of this world could imagine.

"Mm, I will definitely complete the task and help Daddy and Mommy!" Yue'er raised her head, her little fighting hat swaying, and spoke in a childlike voice.

"Haha, Little Uncle believes in you."

Hong Yuan picked up Yue'er and playfully spun her around. Yue'er laughed heartily, her childlike laughter filling the White Frost Stone House.

A smile also appeared on Zhu Wushang's face. He was very satisfied with Hong Yuan.

Thereafter, under Zhu Wushang's leadership, Hong Yuan helped with the preparations.

Because of the Mo Jiuyou incident, Master's birthday feast was not held on a large scale. Instead, it was a gathering of his own disciples and a few close friends.

Yue'er felt a bit strange. When Hong Yuan was free, she secretly ran over to ask him.

"Little Uncle, why are there so few people this year?"

Hong Yuan glanced around. The twenty or so people present indeed seemed few for a powerful Elder; the gathering even felt rather meager.

Hong Yuan mused to himself, Sigh, if it weren't for fulfilling your little wish, I fear Master wouldn't even hold his birthday celebration.

Of course, that was what Hong Yuan thought, but the words he spoke were different, "Everyone is busy, and our Sect is still fighting with the Qinglu Taoist Temple..."

"Oh, so that's why," Yue'er said, blinking her bright eyes in sudden understanding.

The birthday feast began. Amidst the clinking of cups, Zhu Wushang gently tapped Hong Yuan. Hong Yuan, understanding the unspoken cue, followed behind Zhu Wushang.

Not just Hong Yuan, but Bai Ge and Zhao Gonghe also followed. The several martial brothers went together to wish Master Lin Daoyan a happy birthday.

Sitting on a tall wooden stool, Yue'er was eager and also waiting for her turn to go up and offer congratulations.

In previous years, she had gone with her daddy and mommy to congratulate Grandpa. This year, she was on her own and felt a bit of pressure.

"Don't be anxious," Lin Yiru gently held Yue'er's little hand, soothing her.

"Mm, I know, Yiru," Yue'er whispered.

After Hong Yuan and the others stepped down, Lin Yiru immediately led Yue'er forward to wish Lin Daoyan a happy birthday.

Lin Daoyan seemed momentarily lost in thought as he looked at Yue'er.

This was because Yue'er's features bore an over ninety-nine percent resemblance to her father, Mo Jiuyou!

Yue'er performed the three customary bows, reciting the birthday wishes she had practiced countless times.

First bow: "On behalf of Daddy and Mommy, Yue'er wishes Grandpa good fortune and prosperity, wealth and health."

Second bow: "On behalf of Daddy and Mommy, Yue'er wishes Grandpa success in all endeavors and everlasting happiness."

Third bow: "On behalf of Daddy and Mommy, Yue'er wishes Grandpa constant joy and good health."

The three-year-old girl performed the ritual respectfully and reverently, making Lin Daoyan's eyes moisten. He repeatedly exclaimed, "Good, good, good!"

Elated at receiving her grandfather's praise, Yue'er believed she had completed the task her daddy and mommy had given her.

Watching this scene, Hong Yuan felt a slight stirring in his heart and sighed softly, but his resolve soon firmed once more.

Li and Zhang, all you treacherous scoundrels, I will never rest until you are defeated!

「Three days later」

Hong Yuan had completely cultivated the incomplete version of the Nine Blood Differentiation Skill to its highest level, reaching the transformation realm.

Inside the cultivation room, Hong Yuan sat cross-legged on the Taoist Mat. An anomaly appeared on the Sea of True Essence within his body's Aperture.

Above the azure and pure white surface of the sea, layer upon layer of blood-colored waterfalls suddenly emerged, converging at one point and gradually stacking up.

Afterward, a blood-colored Worm resembling a fox with three tails slowly surfaced. Upon closer inspection, it indeed had three tails.

This was a Three-tail Worm!

The Three-tail Worm, when used normally, can create an Avatar that hasn't opened its Aperture. When used in reverse, it retracts the Avatars. It can create a total of three Avatars, he mused.

Gazing at the Cultivation Worm, which had consumed nearly five million Energy Stones, information about its effects flowed into Hong Yuan's mind.

With this Cultivation Worm, he would no longer need to personally handle matters when venturing out.

He could simply send an Avatar to do the work, while his Original Body rested easy within the Sect. Even if something happened to an Avatar, Hong Yuan could create another, giving him the equivalent of three extra lives.

How delightful!

"Oh?" Hong Yuan suddenly let out a surprised and doubtful sound. My Blood Tao has reached the Ordinary level.

[Name: Hong Yuan]

[Cultivation Technique: Nine Blood Differentiation Skill (1/16,000)]

[School: Power Tao (Ordinary), Luck Tao (Ordinary), Ice Tao (Master), Blood Tao (Ordinary)]

There's a saying about Blood Tao: Blood Tao is never alone; its poisonous legacy taints generations.

This is mainly because the methods of Blood Tao—its Cultivation Techniques, secret arts, Divine Powers, and so on—are too contrary to natural ethics. They often require the slaughter of countless mortals for cultivation, truly reeking of evil, condemned by all who recognized them.

However, there is no denying that Blood Tao has always been the best choice for those not from a Holy Land.

Should I create a Blood Tao Avatar? No, I shouldn't, Hong Yuan thought, quickly dismissing the idea.

At this moment, he pondered which path his first Avatar should cultivate.

A Sword Tao Avatar, with its unmatched offensive power, could avenge Senior Brother Mo Jiuyou the quickest.

A Power Tao Avatar would be easier to cultivate, better to serve as cover for my Original Body, and suitable as a Skill of Protecting the Dao.

Hong Yuan weighed his options.

Why not create two Avatars at the same time? It was because his soul strength and mental fortitude were insufficient.

In other words, neither his Wisdom Tao nor his Soul Tao met the requirements for creating multiple Avatars.

His ability to create an Avatar at a low Martial Artist stage was thanks to the proficiency panel.

A Power Tao Avatar it is. I mustn't be swayed by emotions. Strengthen myself first, then consider other things, Hong Yuan decided, exhaling a breath of turbid air.

The Three-tail Worm activated!

The Three-tail Worm on the surface of the Sea of True Essence gave a fox-like cry. Its three blood-colored tails stood tall. A blood-colored waterfall cascaded upwards, continually enveloping Hong Yuan's True Essence.

After absorbing three-tenths of the True Essence in Hong Yuan's body, one of the Three-tail Worm's tails dissipated.

It turned into a Two-tail Worm.

This is my Avatar. Since it will act for me in external affairs, I shall use my own heart's blood. We can discuss the Sword Tao Avatar and others later, he decided.

Hong Yuan watched the blood-colored Essence Qi embryo before him, a deep understanding dawning on him.

At this moment, Hong Yuan gained another perspective, virtually identical to that of the Ice Armor Python Avatar.

Hong Yuan gently slapped his chest, expelling a mouthful of his heart's blood, which shot directly towards the blood-colored Essence Qi embryo.

Once the blood-colored Essence Qi embryo received the nourishment of Hong Yuan's heart's blood, it immediately began to emit strong, powerful heartbeats.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Two hours later, an Avatar of Hong Yuan appeared, naked and with its Aperture still unopened. It looked exactly like Hong Yuan's Original Body, only lacking its accumulated depth and experience.

The Power Tao Avatar is complete. First, I'll have it cultivate the Power Tao Cultivation Technique to solidify its foundation, striving for a perfect ten-out-of-ten Aperture opening and the condensation of the Great Power True Martial Body.

It will start with the Beast Strength Illusion Flow, then move on to the Human Strength Equilibrium Flow and the Heaven and Earth Grand Power Flow.

Also, I need to accelerate my search for Cultivation Techniques related to Wisdom Tao and Soul Tao.

Hong Yuan had a clear and precise plan for his subsequent cultivation.

With the Avatar's help, his Original Body could delegate practicing the Skill of Protecting the Dao to it, while he focused wholeheartedly on breaking through his own cultivation stages.

Time to upgrade from a horse carriage to a flying boat!