Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 155 Return to Tianxuan City
A fierce battle erupted in the Cloud and Mist Mountains.

Amidst the chaotic and fierce battle, and despite their cautious approach, no cultivators discovered Su Miaoyin's true identity.

However, due to the small-scale beast tide, there were many demonic beasts, and it was true that he was targeted by them, as well as by some cultivators who had undergone tribulations.

As the battle ended, the three Foundation Establishment cultivators lay dead on the ground, their eyes wide open in disbelief.

They thought they were easy to bully, but they never expected to run into a brick wall.

"Brother Lin, are you alright?"

As the battle ended, Yun Yao ignored the weakened Su Miaoyin and instead looked at Lin Chang'an.

As far as she knew, although the Killing Yuan Sword Technique was powerful, the more frequently it was used, the greater the damage it would cause to oneself.

Especially in the battle just now, the sword light released by Lin Chang'an had already turned a faint bloody color.

It was clear that the body had reached its limit.

"It's alright, I can still manage."

Lin Chang'an nodded slightly in response to Yun Yao's concern.

The two of them were very careful along the way, after all, even they couldn't help but feel greedy for a Core Formation spiritual object.

If they didn't have their own reasons, they might both have fallen for each other.

The three continued their journey towards Tianxuan City.

Through Yun Yao, he also learned some information about Su Miaoyin.

"Fellow Daoist Su possesses two souls within one body. After his family was wiped out, he nearly lost his own life. Later, he forcibly cultivated a technique, which led to a qi deviation, and that's when his second soul awakened..."

Upon hearing Yun Yao's explanation, Lin Chang'an suddenly understood, and at the same time, he secretly sighed, realizing that the cultivation world was indeed vast and full of wonders.

The existence of two souls in one body is a legend in the cultivation world, and it is not uncommon.

There are even more bizarre constitutions, where the spiritual roots are ordinary.

But all of this is based on one premise: having great strength is essential to continuing one's legend.

The three continued towards Tianxuan City, and the biggest change along the way was the rampant presence of demonic beasts.

……

Under the bright moonlight, the battle between Core Formation cultivators outside Tianxuan City had long since ceased.

It seems that the Core Formation cultivators have reached some kind of agreement to refrain from taking action and instead wait to find Su Miaoyin's whereabouts.

After all, the four Core Formation cultivators from Li Huo Palace and Shen Jian Sect were somewhat alarmed. This True Man Lu's strength was astonishing, especially if he were to add a late-stage third-tier Xuan Shui Turtle to the mix.

If he were to go completely berserk without any restraints, not only would the three major sects of Yue Kingdom not dare to provoke such a mad old man, but no one in the Seven Kingdoms would dare to provoke him either.

On the top of the mountain.

"That old turtle has a lot of tricks up his sleeve; we can't fight him head-on."

“That’s right. If you ask me, we should just wait until Master Lu’s lifespan is exhausted, and let Su Miaoyin form her core. At that time, a newly formed core junior will be easier to deal with than this tortoise Lu.”

"That makes sense. Let's attack Xuan Yin Pavilion first. Even if Tian Xuan City has Core Formation cultivators after this old tortoise passes away, it won't be enough to hold the line alone!"

The four Core Formation cultivators from Li Huo Palace and Shen Jian Sect nodded solemnly after discussing the matter.

Although the Golden Core Elder Huang of Li Huo Palace was somewhat unwilling, they had already fought against True Person Lu several times in this period of time.

If it's truly impossible to win her over, then this is the only way.

Finally, this man, unwilling to give up, let out a cold snort, "I'd like to see how long Tianxuan City can hold out."

"Although we did not achieve complete success this time, as Fellow Daoist Huang said, the Grand Elder of Xuan Yin Pavilion has probably passed away. Now there are only two Core Formation cultivators in charge, one of whom has only recently formed his Core."

Just then, a figure from the Li Huo Palace appeared in a disheveled state.

"Ancestor! Something terrible has happened!"

This disheveled figure was none other than Huang Tianxiao, the prodigy of the Li Huo Palace.

“Ancestor, Su Miaoyin actually hid a third-tier early-stage demonic beast, the Gold-Eating Rat. Our warship and the Divine Sword Sect's warship have been severely damaged, and two Pseudo-Core Elders are seriously injured.”

"what!"

Seeing Huang Tianxiao escape death and reveal this information, the four Core Formation cultivators from Li Huo Palace and Shen Jian Sect changed their expressions drastically.

"Everything was fine before, but then you guys started chasing after Su Miaoyin..."

Before a quick-tongued Core Formation cultivator from the Divine Sword Sect could finish speaking, the other four Core Formation cultivators exchanged glances, their faces contorted with rage.

"Well done! The land tortoise is truly cunning!"

"Lu Wugui is an untrustworthy person; he actually has a third-tier spirit pet hidden away."

"They've kept it hidden really well; they haven't revealed a thing all these years."

"We've searched for so long without finding a trace, so this girl must have already returned to Tianxuan City!"

The four Core Formation cultivators gritted their teeth and angrily cursed Lu the Turtle for being cunning; no wonder he agreed so readily.

Among them, Elder Huang of the Li Huo Palace stared intently in the direction of Tianxuan City.

"Fellow Daoists, since this old fellow is shameless and cunning, it just so happens that there has been an upheaval in the Cloud Mist Mountains recently, and there are traces of several third-tier demonic beasts."

"Let's join forces and lure it out. Let's see how long this old tortoise can hold out."

The other three were also furious; they had worked for nothing and suffered such a huge loss.

……

Tianxuan City.

Just as the four Core Formation cultivators from Li Huo Palace and Shen Jian Sect had guessed, Su Miaoyin had safely returned to Tianxuan City.

Under the bright moonlight, walking on the bustling streets of Tianxuan City, Lin Chang'an secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Sure enough, there aren't that many unexpected events; he just didn't encounter any.

"Brother Lin, we've finally arrived."

Lin Chang'an and Yun Yao exchanged a glance and both smiled.

However, the moment she stepped into Tianxuan City, Su Miaoyin, sitting on the back of the Green Horned Ox, revealed a hint of regret.

"Senior Sister Su, we're here."

As soon as they entered the city, Song Tingfeng and the others greeted them with joyful faces.

"That guy surnamed Hao is no good either. When Senior Sister Su sent word that you were on your way back to Tianxuan City, this guy surnamed Hao actually colluded with outsiders to pass on messages..."

Seeing the family reunion, Lin Chang'an frowned upon hearing this, while Yun Yao, standing to the side, exuded a chill as she stared intently at Su Miaoyin.

"Fellow Daoist Su, shouldn't you explain this to us?"

Yun Yao's expression turned cold, which meant that the other party had already sent the message back to Tianxuan City along the way, which was extremely dangerous for them.

If any oversight occurs, they will be the first to suffer.

Lin Chang'an seemed to have thought of something, and couldn't help but glance at this Fellow Daoist Su's magnanimity, secretly on guard.

This person is not as simple as they seem on the surface; any cultivator who can survive in Haiyuan City is extraordinary.

It seems that this person and Master Lu staged a grand drama to lure out those with ulterior motives within Tianxuan City.

Of course, there might be deeper plans, but these are beyond the reach of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like him.

"Sister Yun, Fellow Daoist Lin, I really have to thank you for escorting me all this way." After entering the city, Su Miaoyin gracefully flicked her whisk and smiled as she nodded to the two of them, seemingly expressing her gratitude for their escort.

But Lin Chang'an sighed inwardly. This group of people was so scheming and backstabbing that he was not used to them. He would go back and focus on drawing talismans, refining pills, and cultivating his cultivation. He would definitely not get involved in these things.

"Brother Lin, I really have to thank you this time."

Song Tingfeng, who was standing to the side, also showed a friendly smile, even more approachable than before.

"I dare not accept such praise. Tianxuan City is also the root of us rogue cultivators. Without Tianxuan City, the rogue cultivators of the seven kingdoms would truly not know where to go."

Lin Chang'an humbly cupped his hands in greeting and put the spirit pet, the Green Horned Ox, into his spirit beast bag, looking as if he only wanted to focus on cultivation.

Yun Yao, standing to the side, nodded calmly, secretly relieved. Sure enough, Su Miaoyin had a trick up her sleeve.

Fortunately, she hadn't been greedy before.

……

Inside the cave.

Lin Chang'an, who had just returned, finally breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hand to release the Green Horned Ox and Phoenix Bird from his spirit beast bag.

The cave suddenly became lively.

Especially when the phoenix chirped and fluttered onto his shoulder, even though it had been cooped up for so long, it was still fanning him on the shoulder in a flattering way.

"Alright, you guys go and get some rest."

Phoenix chirped excitedly, while Green Horned Ox let out a tired moo; it had no interest in playing anymore.

Whether it was slaying demonic beasts or encountering cultivators on the journey, he was always the one putting in the work.

Lin Chang'an, who had returned to his cave, was unusually relaxed and let his guard down.

"Finally back. This hunt for near-third-tier demonic beasts was quite eventful, but thankfully we escaped unharmed."

After returning to his cave, Lin Chang'an took out all the items he had obtained.

"In addition to the low-level monster resources obtained in the Green Bamboo Mountain Market, there were also the cultivators we encountered along the way."

After organizing them, Lin Chang'an smiled with satisfaction. These materials were quite good even on the black market.

More importantly, there's the harvest from this near-third-tier demonic beast.

"A near-third-tier demonic beast essence, snake skin, venomous fangs, venom sacs, snake bones, it's just a pity there's not much flesh left."

It's no wonder cultivators are willing to hunt demonic beasts; the rewards are truly considerable.

Looking at his haul this time, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but smile.

"Snake skin can be tanned into talisman paper of third-tier material. This is a good opportunity to reveal my identity as a second-tier high-grade talisman master."

Actually, the biggest gain this time was thanks to Yun Yao, who brought Su Miaoyin back.

"The excess snakeskin can be used to make two defensive inner armors. In particular, the essence of this near-third-tier demon beast is enough to be used to forge a top-grade spiritual weapon in Tianxuan City."

Looking at the abundant harvest, Lin Chang'an sighed with emotion. No wonder people say that ascetic training will neither kill you with overeating nor starve you.

Ordinary cultivators with talent in their craft may not lack spirit stones, but they only have enough for their own cultivation and not much to spare.

【Fierce Yuan Sword Technique (Grandmaster 4972/5000)】

"And this sword technique, the crisis in Tianxuan City is not over yet, we must break through it as soon as possible."

Lin Chang'an pondered to himself, "Even though Su Miaoyin has returned, it's an undeniable fact that Master Lu's lifespan is nearing its end."

And there were also unusual movements in the Cloud Mist Mountains; even small fluctuations in the initial beast tide had such a significant impact.

It's easy to imagine how terrifying it will be when the beast tide truly erupts.

"However, all of this has little to do with me anymore. I am just a minor Foundation Establishment cultivator in Tianxuan City, and I can't concern myself with such a huge matter."

Lin Chang'an shook his head, deciding that he would just stay in the city and practice drawing talismans and refining pills for the time being.

Anyway, due to the beast tide, Tianxuan City is not short of demon cores.

If it weren't for the immense temptation of the near-third-tier demonic beast, he would never have gone out with Yun Yao.

In the days that followed, Lin Chang'an resumed his daily routine of drawing talismans, refining pills, and cultivating.

To outsiders, no one knew that he had gone out to hunt a near-third-tier demonic beast, let alone that he was Su Miaoyin.

……

Three days later, instead of receiving a generous reward from Tianxuan City, Shen Lie and Li Erniu came to visit.

Outside, the wind was biting cold, but inside the temple, it was as warm as spring all year round.

Inside the pavilion, Shen Lie and Li Erniu, two elderly men nearing eighty, with graying temples, looked at Tianxuan City, clad in snow-white armor, through the array barrier, their faces filled with melancholy.

It's unclear whether he was lamenting that he missed the opportunity to cultivate when he was young, or feeling melancholy that Foundation Establishment cultivators were no longer on the same level as them.

"Brother Lin, I've come to visit you today because I have a favor to ask."

Despite the vast difference in their cultivation levels, even after decades of friendship, Lin Chang'an could still sense a subtle respect that naturally emanated from their relationship.

"There's no need for such formalities between us."

Inside the pavilion, two elderly people in their seventies, though well-preserved due to their cultivation, were completely different from Lin Chang'an, whose appearance remained unchanged.

Even though Erniu and Shen Lie were adults, they blushed and felt somewhat embarrassed in front of Lin Chang'an.

In the end, Shen Liexian awkwardly said, "Brother Lin, you've seen the current situation in Tianxuan City. It's dangerous no matter where you are."

Now that the beast tide is approaching, who knows how much danger awaits us? I heard that Brother Lin and the other seniors have joined forces to set up a black market. We know our cultivation is shallow..."

Erniu stammered out his purpose.

Upon seeing the two of them, Lin Chang'an immediately smiled, having thought something was amiss.

They just want to do some business on the black market. They come to me for protection, not for any resources.

For him, it was just a simple matter of lending a helping hand.

Looking at the two of them, Lin Chang'an nodded slightly and waved his hand, saying:

"In the early stages of the black market, I didn't want you to get involved, fearing it would bring trouble. Now, just as you said, the situation in Yue is turbulent; where is there any safe haven..."

Lin Chang'an nodded. The fact that Erniu came in person instead of Li Yifan indicated that he was not greedy and wanted to interfere in this matter.

Under reasonable rules, as a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could easily protect a few friends and let them do some business in his black market.

"Thank you very much, Brother Lin."

Shen Lie and Li Erniu raised their glasses in a toast with smiles on their faces, while Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile as well.

Shen Lie has been in business for many years, and he has connections and channels.

Lin Chang'an was aware of this approach; one reason was the unstable situation in Yue Kingdom, and he wanted to accumulate more resources for Shen Fan.

Another point is that, after seeing Li Yifan achieve Foundation Establishment, Shen Lie was also holding back his energy and preparing for his son Shen Fan to achieve Foundation Establishment as well.

Regardless of whether it will work out or not, he has to try at least once, so that his son won't regret it, and he himself won't regret it even once.

As for Li Erniu, after being promoted from a live-in son-in-law to a son-in-law of the Zhou family, and Li Yifan becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator and establishing his own sect, he was also full of enthusiasm.

Seeing that his two old friends were doing well, Lin Chang'an was overjoyed.

It remains to be seen how long the peace of Tianxuan City can be maintained amidst this snowstorm.

(End of this chapter)