Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 174 Initial Trust [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"Damn it, it's unbearably hot! These fire-devouring demons are relentless. Old Lin, how much longer until we get out of here?"

Old Hu was drenched in sweat. Even as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his magical power couldn't withstand such a drain in this world filled with flames.

Yun Yao, standing to the side, was now displaying the effects of her technique. Under the extremely yin and cold water shield technique, she felt incredibly refreshed.

Seeing this, Old Hu couldn't help but say enviously, "Fellow Daoist Yun, could you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yun Yao raised her hand and released a water shield that protected the three of them.

"Take turns restoring mana."

Then Yun Yao looked at Lin Chang'an with a solemn expression.

"Brother Lin, how much longer until we get out of here?"

Faced with this question, a hint of embarrassment flashed in Lin Chang'an's eyes. He could say that for the past half month, he had been careful and had not made any major mistakes.

They'd rather go through the process again than take any risks; it's only been a little over half a month.

"It'll be soon. I've already figured out quite a few patterns."

Although it took more than half a month, Lin Chang'an did make some progress.

Just as Lin Chang'an was leading the two of them forward, he suddenly stopped.

"What's going on, Lao Lin!?"

"Brother Lin?"

Yun Yao and Lao Hu were on high alert, their expressions grave, while Lin Chang'an was using the Bagua compass in his hand to probe the array's spiritual artifacts, a fine layer of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Why has the fire-attribute spiritual energy suddenly become so dense and volatile?"

Within the Bagua compass, the 'Li' trigram in the due south direction shone with intense light, which startled Lin Chang'an.

"This is bad! Someone is trying to force their way into the formation, which has triggered a counterattack. The entire formation is now activated."

"Doesn't this mean we're facing a real Tier 3 formation?!"

Old Hu stared wide-eyed. Was this something they, a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, could face?

"Old Hu, don't talk nonsense if you don't understand."

However, Lin Chang'an glared at Lao Hu with annoyance, while Yun Yao snorted coldly. Lao Hu's words had startled her.

As the formation was activated, the abundant fire-attribute spiritual energy continuously gathered fire-devouring demon spirits, but most of them attacked in a distant direction.

"Hurry, our chance has come!"

Lin Chang'an, on the contrary, showed joy. He had to thank the outsiders for activating the formation, which finally allowed him to see the path ahead.

While this increased the difficulty for them, it also revealed the details of the formation.

And yet, someone else draws the fire; there couldn't be a better option.

……

Outside the formation, six Foundation Establishment cultivators watched with excitement as a gap was punched into the formation barrier before them.

Two of the cultivators who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage were very respectful to the elder in charge.

This is a pseudo-core cultivator from their clan.

The old man, a fake Core Formation cultivator, said with a solemn expression:
"You two wait outside. We must get our hands on this cave relic."

"Yes!"

After the four entered, the other two Foundation Establishment cultivators hurriedly began to retreat until they reached a safe area.

"Sigh, if only we waited for the second-tier array master we invited to arrive, then we would have a better chance of success."

"Don't worry, even Senior Fu He is here this time, there will definitely be no problem."

This group of people were cultivators from the Kingdom of Shayun. They accidentally discovered a ruin here, which is why they traveled thousands of miles to Tianxuan City under the cover of the merchant guild.

Unexpectedly, while they were preparing to wait for the array master invited from their own clan, they discovered that the soul lamp of the elder who had informed them of the ruins had gone out.

Therefore, they knew that something must have happened at the ruins, which is why they rushed over in a hurry.

Although the array master did not come, there was a first-grade high-level array master among them, and a pseudo-core cultivator leading the group.

This gave the group a lot of confidence.

They even planned to flee the Yue Kingdom as soon as they obtained the relics and treasures.

Even if it means losing the chamber of commerce that provided cover for them, it would be worth it.

……

Blood Fiend Crimson Sun Formation Gate.

"Old Lin, what's going on? Why are these demons acting like they've gone mad?"

Within the fiery world of the formation, new demonic spirits constantly emerged and rushed in one direction, while numerous fire-devouring demonic spirits attacked them.

Despite the increased pressure, Lin Chang'an's face showed a hint of joy.

"Sure enough, this formation has been operating for a hundred years and is already at its limit, revealing many problems. Moreover, the opponent is consuming the formation. Let's leave quickly and not be stingy with our magic power."

With a wave of his hand, Lin Chang'an unleashed several Thunderstrike Talismans and Ice Talismans, instantly annihilating the attacking demonic spirits and transforming them into pure fire elemental energy.

Of the three, only Lao Hu was the most helpless, because he was completely unprepared.

Unlike Lin Chang'an and Yun Yao, whose methods were designed to counter this formation.

Whether it's a talisman or a water dragon flag, three parts of power can deal ten parts of damage.

Old Hu, despite putting in ten points of effort, could only deal seven points of damage.

However, with the Bagua array plate in hand and under the protection of the two, Lin Chang'an led the way at an even faster pace than before.

After passing through layers of lava-like mountains, a magical array barrier finally came into view in the distance.

"Old Lin, you're really something. Is it just a matter of getting through here?"

Upon seeing the array barrier, Lao Hu couldn't help but break into an excited smile.

However, Lin Chang'an's next words poured cold water on his enthusiasm.
"Be prepared. Although someone has drawn most of the attack from this formation, we still have to face the most ferocious Fire-Eating Demon Spirit in this formation."

As Lin Chang'an finished speaking, countless fire-attribute spiritual energies gathered in the distance, and demonic spirits burning with flames, resembling fire bats, quickly merged together.

Amidst the piercing scream, a terrifying fire-devouring demon spirit, several meters in size, materialized.

"Old Lin, the aura of this Fire Devouring Demon Spirit is actually at the near-third level."

"Not only that, this Fire-Devouring Demon Spirit can be perpetually regenerated within this formation."

At this moment, Lin Chang'an also put away the Bagua array plate, and a large light blue flag appeared in his palm as he raised his hand.

The fire-devouring demon let out a sharp roar and pounced on them instantly.

"Brother Lin!"

"coming!"

Lin Chang'an and Yun Yao each held a large, azure banner. As they urged and waved it, two terrifying water dragons, each ten feet long, suddenly emerged from the two banners.

The water dragons roared and merged together, attacking the Fire-Devouring Demon Spirit directly.

Old Hu, who was standing nearby, felt a pang of sadness upon seeing this scene.

"Combined attack technique!"

Old Hu knew how difficult it was to master this combined attack technique.

They clearly agreed to focus on the Dao, but you, Lao Lin, actually secretly started a relationship with someone else behind his back.

The collision of water and fire instantly produced a violent hissing sound. Under the terrifyingly high temperature of the water vapor, Old Hu shouted and directly summoned his cold-light broadsword.

"Old Lin, I'll hold them off, you guys quickly destroy this fire spirit!"

This terrifying Fire-Devouring Demon Spirit, possessing near-third-tier strength, emitted sharp cries beneath the water dragon, instinctively dodging while continuously spewing flames from its mouth.

Although water can overcome fire, within this grand formation, the dense fire-attribute spiritual energy caused water to be unable to suppress the fire for a time.

With the three of them working together, they managed to fight the near-third-tier Fire Devouring Demon Spirit to a standstill.

"Brother Lin, the fire-attribute spiritual energy is becoming increasingly concentrated. We must cross over as soon as possible, or we will eventually be exhausted and die here."

They had been inside the formation for almost a month, exploring along the way, and both Yun Yao and Lao Hu had consumed a lot of their magical power.

Even Yun Yao looked somewhat solemn at this moment. The third-tier formation, even after a hundred years of use, still possessed such terrifying power.

The Core Formation cultivators are truly something to aspire to.

"Yes, Old Lin, Fellow Daoist Yun and I will hold them off while you find a way to break the formation."

The two of them didn't know much about formations, but Lin Chang'an knew very well that he was only a second-level formation master and that if he wanted to break the formation, he had to find its weak points.

"It's not that easy. Let's join forces to destroy this Fire-Eating Demon Spirit first." Lin Chang'an's calm expression revealed his lack of skill. If he had the ability of a third-tier array master, he probably would have found the weakness of this array long ago.

"Let's wipe them out first!?"

Old Hu's eyes widened in disbelief, and finally he let out a frustrated shout, activating the cold blade in his hand.

Lin Chang'an and Yun Yao joined forces, using a combined attack technique and their Water Dragon Flag.

Each time the two launched an attack, they were able to inflict tremendous damage on the Fire-Eating Demon Spirit.

Yun Yao glanced at Lin Chang'an subtly, as if to say that Old Hu's magic power seemed to be almost exhausted.

Harmfulness is not allowed, and defensiveness is indispensable.

They didn't intend to harm Lao Hu, after all, they wanted Lao Hu's secret method after the deed was done.

However, precautions should still be taken.

Finally, the three joined forces, and after a fierce battle, the Fire-Eating Demon Spirit in the sky could no longer withstand the pressure and suddenly exploded with a piercing scream.

With a deafening roar, the power unleashed left the three of them in a sorry state, even with their magical shields up.

At the moment the Fire-Devouring Demon Spirit self-destructed, subtle fluctuations were clearly visible on the distant array barrier, which Lin Chang'an keenly noticed.

"Finally found."

However, just as Lin Chang'an was overjoyed, the fire-attribute spiritual energy in the sky rapidly condensed again, and before the naked eye, it transformed into the same size as before, the Fire Devouring Demon Spirit.

"Old Lin, if we don't break the formation soon, I, Old Hu, won't be able to hold on any longer."

Old Hu's face was flushed and he was drenched in sweat, but this time he was facing two near-third-tier Fire Devouring Demon Spirits.

“I have found the weak point in the formation. You two hold off these two Fire Devouring Spirits.”

"Brother Lin, I'll cover you."

Yun Yao, of course, needed no further explanation. With their years of tacit understanding, Yun Yao took the water dragon flag from Lin Chang'an and waved the two large flags in her hands.

The water dragons converged, unleashing terrifying power.

Old Hu, on the other hand, was in a rather sorry state. Although he was at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment and his strength was not weak, he had been repeatedly exhausted before.

Furthermore, they were facing a Fire Devouring Spirit with near-third-tier strength.

"Damn it, Old Lin, I'm about to make my move, don't you dare trick me!"

Meanwhile, under the cover of the two, Lin Chang'an was already heading quickly toward the array barrier when a terrifying aura suddenly came from behind him.

"talisman!"

Lin Chang'an turned around, and in his haste, Lao Hu used the talisman again.

As expected, under the powerful force of the talisman, the two near-third-tier Fire Devouring Demon Spirits were instantly cleaved in two by a beam of golden light.

However, just as the Fire-Devouring Demon Spirits gathered again, Lin Chang'an became even more certain of the formation's weak point.

"right here!"

Lin Chang'an's expression hardened, and he immediately unleashed the near-third-tier barrier-breaking technique he had prepared long ago.

The near-third-tier barrier-breaking talisman transformed into a beam of light, and the weakest point in the array barrier suddenly began to tremble, finally revealing a crack.

However, the barrier-breaking talisman had already lost its power, and just as the formation was about to heal, Lin Chang'an summoned another barrier-breaking talisman.

Click!

With a crisp sound, the spatial barrier seemed to shatter, breaking open a gap a meter wide.

One is a world of flames, while the other side of the gap is a beautiful landscape of mountains and clear waters, seemingly two separate worlds.

"The formation has been broken, let's go!"

The moment the formation was broken, Yun Yao and Lao Hu both showed joy.

"Old Lin, don't abandon me, Old Hu!"

At this crucial moment, Lao Hu shouted nervously and stayed behind to be the last one.

It's not that he's stupid, but that he's most afraid of something going wrong at this time.

When Yun Yao passed through the barrier and Lin Chang'an saw Old Hu at the end, he couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

It seems that Lao Hu did not have the idea of ​​the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

"Old Hu, let's go!"

After the two of them passed through the barrier at the same time, Old Hu was full of excitement. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of the masked Fellow Daoist Yun, who seemed to be holding a talisman.

This looks so familiar! Isn't this the talisman that Old Lin used before?

"Haha, I didn't expect we actually made it through."

The next moment, Lao Hu pretended not to have seen anything and laughed heartily, but inwardly he was secretly sweating bullets.

Fortunately, I had no ulterior motives; otherwise, I would probably have been met with a talisman attack as soon as I passed through the barrier.

"Yes, Lao Hu, we really have to thank the person who braved the formation this time."

Lin Chang'an was also covered in sweat, looking quite relieved.

"Brother Lin."

Yun Yao returned the talisman without changing her expression. This scene caught Old Hu's eye, causing his lips to twitch.

This fellow Daoist Yun clearly made sure that Lao Hu saw it on purpose.

It seems he's not the only one.

The three of them were actually restraining each other.

If Yun Yao doesn't return the talisman, then you can imagine what will happen next.

Even if you're familiar with someone, you still need to be wary.

The three exchanged a glance and then smiled.

Regardless, at least at this moment, the three of them established initial trust.

"Brother Lin, is there still danger here?"

Only then did the three of them turn around and take in the scene before them.

The valley was beautiful with clear waters and lush mountains, showing no signs of the previous crisis.

"Yes, Lao Lin, the spiritual energy here is much denser. I wonder if there are any more traps."

Only then did Lin Chang'an have the mind to appreciate the scenery.

"There should be no danger here, but don't do anything reckless."

Lin Chang'an looked at the ancient inner city with a solemn expression. The scenery was pleasant, but there was no trace of any cave dwelling.

Even the area was free of poisonous miasma due to the array formation; their divine senses detected that it was a valley rich in spiritual energy.

Nothing at all.

"Where is this Golden Core cultivator's cave dwelling? Could it be just an empty shell?"

Old Hu's eyes widened. They had gone to great lengths and even used up another talisman. If it was worthless, they would have suffered a huge loss.

Lin Chang'an and Yun Yao, on the other hand, have a guaranteed minimum return. If he dares to breach the contract, needless to say, this feud will be formed.

The profits from the black market, coupled with the fact that Lao Lin and this fellow Daoist Yun were eyeing him, left Lao Hu feeling utterly helpless and unwilling to breach the contract.

But if all that work was for nothing, Lao Hu would feel very wronged.

Lin Chang'an frowned and said in a deep voice:
"The cultivation world has never lacked cultivators with such wicked hearts, leaving behind empty ruins or even dangerous places to lure people in."

At this moment, Lin Chang'an was also somewhat unwilling, but even he did not notice anything unusual.

At this moment, Yun Yao, who had also kept a backup plan, glanced calmly at the two of them and said in a deep voice:
"Leave it to me next."

Yun Yao took out a magic disc that exuded resentment from her storage bag.

This magic disc is about the size of a palm, and its entire body is blood red; it is clearly a demonic artifact.

Especially under Yun Yao's urging, a black phantom skeleton with resentment and wailing slowly condensed.

"A demonic artifact!"

As a weapon refiner, Lao Hu secretly swallowed, knowing all too well how cruel this thing was.

　Some fellow Daoists were worried that the writing wouldn't be good enough, so the author has revised it several times today. I wonder if it will satisfy you all.

　　However, the author has arranged for Lao Hu's character to be a rather important storyline, but I won't spoil the details.

　　I hope to write a story that will satisfy all my fellow Daoists.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)