Achieving Grand Spiritual Realm cultivation at the age of twenty, the Third Young Master of the York family was undoubtedly a peerless genius. Such a talent, even in the martial world, attracted the attention of the Tera Dynasty's Immortals. Rumors circulated in Caelius Capital that the Immortals from Solitary Moon Mountain hadn't left because they were eyeing several geniuses in Caelius Capital, and John was one of them.

Whether in terms of personal strength or influence, the Third Young Master of the York family stood out among the younger generation in Caelius Capital. Being targeted by such an individual meant grave danger.

Suddenly, a passage of text flashed through Shuro's mind. This passage seemed to come from some obscure corner of Nine-Dragon Sovereign's memory as if it had materialized out of thin air.

"The human body holds great medicine, capable of forging a great path. Nine deaths seek one life, nine transformations into the supreme law." The first twenty characters were plain. But the further Shuro read, the more he felt a chill down his spine.

This foundational technique had a peculiar name, "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique." Whether in terms of philosophy or foundational method, the "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique" was vastly different from other techniques.

Disregarding reluctance, eschewing elixirs, not nurturing spiritual veins... at first glance, its methods seemed simple and unworthy of mention. Yet, upon closer examination, each word, in each paragraph concealed profound truths, prompting deep contemplation.

The "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique" was an accidental discovery by Nine-Dragon Sovereign during an exploration. Initially, he found it fascinating and had ten thousand exceptionally talented youths practice it, but none succeeded. Nine-Dragon Sovereign believed it was an antique technique from before the Great Annihilation, so he cast it aside.

After half an hour, Shuro had memorized this foundational technique.

The essence of this technique lies in using the path of life and death to trigger the vast potential within the human body. At the beginning of foundation building, without relying on external aids, without practicing external paths, without cultivating primordial essence, one merely placed oneself in a life-threatening situation, using the brink of death as a catalyst for great achievements.

Life offers nine types of deadly situations: hunger, thirst, cold, fatigue, deficit, injury, illness, desolation, and emptiness. Judging from the first six situations alone, the "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique" remarkably suited Shuro's current predicament. It was almost tailor-made for him, leaving Shuro excited.

However, even a figure as extraordinary as Nine-Dragon Sovereign had failed to succeed. The question of whether the "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique" could be cultivated remained elusive.

Sunlight streamed in from the iron window, and Shuro could feel time slipping away, moment by moment. A steely resolve shone in Shuro's eyes. This was his only chance, his final chance. He had already won a gamble yesterday; why not try again today? Banishing distracting thoughts, Shuro sat cross-legged, focusing his mind.

For nearly three days, he had not eaten, and his stomach was empty, adhering to the "Hunger" principle. Next, he decided not to drink water, achieving the "Thirst" principle. Taking a deep breath, Shuro removed all his clothes, leaving only a pair of shorts. A biting cold swept over him; Shuro shivered, and before long, his face turned pale. The "Cold" principle began to take effect.

After three days without sleep, relying solely on mental strength, Shuro was already exhausted, embodying the "Fatigue" principle.

When it comes to the "Deficit" principle... Shuro suddenly opened his eyes, his expression revealing surprise. When his internal energy circulated to the lower diaphragm, he unexpectedly felt the presence of the vital energy pill.

It turned out that on that day, Faithe had not completely abolished his vital energy pill. She had quietly left behind a subtle and imperceptible vital energy pill for him... the only female young mistress of the Second Mansion, why would she do such a thing?

Shuro didn't continue to dwell on this thought. If not for Nine-Dragon Sovereign's memories, Shuro would have been overjoyed at this moment. Now, this vital energy pill was just a burden for Shuro.

With a sudden force, Shuro circulated his internal energy, forcibly dispersing the vital energy pill! Starting from the age of ten when Shuro obtained his first alchemical martial arts manual, five years of effort dissipated in this moment, turning into nothingness. A strong sense of weakness swept over Shuro, feeling utterly powerless. It was a sensation of having all the essence drained from his body, embodying the "Deficit" principle.

In addition to the injuries inflicted by Pang Guan, the lackey of the Third Young Master, three days ago, causing the "Injury" principle.

So far, Shuro has completed the first six principles of the "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique." Only the principles of "Illness," "Desolation," and "Emptiness" remained.

Following this, he underwent a process of cultivation according to martial arts, experiencing a journey from death to life, seeking the elixir within his body, and inducing unparalleled human potential.

Beneath the afternoon sunlight, Shuro gazed upon his nose, and observed his heart, silently reciting the incantations while following the route of cultivation, and before long, he entered a state of meditation.

On the first day, Shuro's limbs were sore, his head heavy, and his body stiffened due to the cold, bones seemingly on the verge of freezing. Waves of hunger attacked, and Shuro, as fragile as a thread of air, persevered only with a breath of internal energy. The first day proved to be extremely arduous.

On the second day, Shuro's body remained rigid, limbs aching, but his chest burned as if with a fiery heart. By the second evening, a foul odor emanated from his pores. Shuro felt as if he were on the brink of death, with the gates of the underworld seemingly before him.

By the third day, numbness had spread throughout Shuro's limbs, his face covered in sores, and the burning sensation in his chest moved downward, reaching the lower diaphragm. His skin appeared as if vigorously rubbed, covered in red spots. Every inch of his body ached unbearably, devoid of any strength. Most individuals would likely surrender, but Shuro, biting his tongue, endured the ordeal.

On the fourth day, Shuro succumbed to a severe illness. His entire body swelled, his complexion waxen, and his hair became dry and brittle. Following the route of the "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique," with the completion of each circulation, an organ experienced intense traction, akin to a fiery blade scraping his bones, causing excruciating pain. With matters reaching this point, Shuro, like a fragile thread of air, clung to life with every breath.

Fortunately, he finally sensed the "Illness" principle.

On the fifth day, snowfall resumed by noon. Snowflakes drifted in through the iron grating, settling on Shuro's head. The visible swelling on Shuro's body's surface gradually receded, and after half an hour, not only did the swelling vanish, but he appeared as though he had lost several pounds of flesh, his entire being resembling skin draped over bones. If a second person were present, they would undoubtedly assume Shuro had already perished.

On the sixth day, Shuro's hair had completely fallen out, presenting a peculiar appearance—pale, feeble, indistinct. Language could no longer aptly describe his state; he seemed like a faint shadow sketched on paper, ready to disperse at any moment.

On the seventh day, the snow ceased. The first rays of sunlight entered from the window, and Shuro's heartbeat accelerated with the rising temperature in the room, astonishingly feeling a hint of vitality. Only one month remained until Lady Dowager's banquet, and this month represented his final chance to turn the tide. However, until now, he had failed to comprehend the remaining two principles, let alone master the "Nine Deaths to Reborn Technique." Furthermore, even if he were to succeed, it would only mark the beginning of foundation building.

Restlessness, anxiety, and worry—all these negative emotions surged uncontrollably from the depths of his heart. By noon, Shuro, his entire being tense to the point of suffocation, experienced a sense of despair for the first time in his life. Just at that moment, Shuro suddenly awakened, realizing that his current state perfectly embodied the principle of "Desolation."

The seventh principle, the "Illness" principle, served as a summary of the first six principles. As for the eighth principle, the "Desolation" principle, it signified a transition from external to internal, from the physical body to the spirit.

Only the last principle, "Emptiness," remained. Where could it be?

Exerting his last ounce of strength, Shuro sat cross-legged, entering a state of meditation, transcending the material world.

"Creak!"

The iron window opened, and the bamboo basket slid down along the wall. Over the past seven days, the hunchbacked guard had quietly delivered food and water four times.

Although Shuro had his eyes closed, he could still hear.

After placing the bamboo basket down, Lewis retrieved the lock. As with the day before, there was no response from the other side of the wall, as if there was no one inside. Lewis hesitated for a moment, pressing his ear against the wall.

After a long time, there was still no sound coming from the secret room. Recalling Shuro's nearly lifeless state when he was brought here, Lewis's heart tightened, and a troubled frown appeared on his face.

Seventeen years old this year, he had served as an internal guard in the York Mansion for only three years.

Three years ago, an unusual snowstorm destroyed his home. Both of his parents perished in the disaster, leaving only him and his younger sister to depend on each other. Lewis's family was extremely poor, to the point where he didn't even have the money to bury his parents. 

Carrying the remaining bronze items from his home, he went to the night market to exchange them for money. Due to his young age, speech impediment, and quick-wittedness, he was quickly surrounded and taunted by a group of aristocratic youths. Lewis, with a thin-skinned nature, inadvertently offended the aristocrats. Those aristocrats, without mercy, destroyed all his belongings, laughing heartily as they departed.

Hugging the remnants of the bronze items, his eyes red, Lewis felt as if his heart had turned to ashes.

At that moment, a young man emerged from the crowd. Although the young man's attire was not as luxurious as those who had left, he was still dressed in a silk robe and cotton-padded clothes. The young man was even younger than Lewis, around ten years old, yet his demeanor and bearing were far more mature.

The young man didn't speak, only took out all the silver coins from his pocket and placed them in front of Lewis. Without looking back, he walked away.

By the time Lewis reacted, the young man had already disappeared.

Using that money to bury his parents and settle his younger sister, Lewis found employment in a large mansion. Due to his quick learning and nimble hands, he was soon recommended to enter the York family. In the Second Mansion, he began studying alchemy and martial arts, and because of his rapid progress, he was chosen as an internal guard.

Although the duty of an internal guard was to protect the inner residence, there was little interaction with the young masters of the mansion on regular days.

After three years, Lewis, who was responsible for guarding the backyard, saw Shuro, his benefactor from the past, now reduced to a prisoner.

"What are you doing?!"

A shout came from behind Lewis.