Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 195 Times Change, Planning for Core Formation

The beast tide has ended.

A faint smell of blood lingered on the sea surface, along with some severed limbs and pieces of flesh, belonging to both sea beasts and human cultivators.

However, at this moment, the human cultivators on each island were excitedly cheering and celebrating, and no one cared about the dead cultivators.

Even some strong mortals were excitedly calling out with smiles on their faces.

Life and death are commonplace; those who survive still have tomorrow.

"Master Lin, rest assured, our three families would never dare to deceive you in the slightest. Most of the flesh and blood of these first-order sea beasts will flow into the hands of low-level Qi Refining cultivators and mortals."

The leather armor and other monster beast resources will be transported by our three merchant guilds to Five Dragon Island for sale. However, Master Lin also knows that during this beast tide, the prices of low-level monster beast resources will drop significantly..."

After the representatives from the three clans respectfully explained their purpose, Lin Chang'an didn't find anything amiss. Instead, he calmly nodded and said:
"Alright, you can handle these Tier 1 demon beast resources as you see fit."

With someone helping to handle it, you only need to wait for the other party to send the spirit stones afterward, which saves you a lot of time.

However, he had no intention of letting the other party handle the materials, or even the flesh and blood, of the second-tier demon beast.

As the other party said, the price of low-level monster materials will drop after the beast tide, but second-level monster materials are already considered high-level materials, so the price fluctuation will not be significant.

Moreover, the resources for second-tier demonic beasts are not much for him; he can get them all by going out once.

The flesh and blood of second-tier demonic beasts are also highly nourishing for Foundation Establishment cultivators if consumed long-term, so he naturally wouldn't waste it.

Meanwhile, on Jade Spirit Island, cultivators from the three major families were constantly acquiring demon beast resources, preparing to transport them to Five Dragons Island for sale.

However, the three major families bought the low-level demonic beasts from independent cultivators and ordinary people at a fixed price.

After all, they also need to make a profit from the price difference.

Behind the monks' revelry, countless families are weeping in secret.

"Old Lin, you don't know, this beast tide is completely different from the ones in our inland areas..."

Old Hu also came over with a big smile, clearly indicating that he had a good haul this time.

After all, the value of a mid-stage Tier 2 sea beast is equivalent to that of several early-stage Tier 2 sea beasts.

No one else has this kind of luck.

According to local monks, sea beasts with higher intelligence will not approach islands inhabited by human monks.

"Alright, Lao Hu."

Old Hu came over looking so smug, as if he couldn't wait to keep talking about encountering a mid-stage second-tier sea beast, leaving Lin Chang'an speechless.

The two then sat down in the pavilion of the cave. Although there was no one to serve them, the cultivator's ability to manipulate objects was extremely useful.

It not only helps you develop your self-control, but also allows you to enjoy life.

Under the influence of the Body Technique, the tea is automatically heated and then poured, all in one smooth motion.

"Old Hu, don't tell me you came here just to brag about encountering a mid-stage second-tier sea beast."

Inside the pavilion, Lin Chang'an took a sip of spiritual tea and spoke calmly.

Meanwhile, Lao Hu's smile gradually turned serious.

"Old Lin, I see that your cultivation has improved significantly. It won't be long before you break through."

"Well, after selling this batch of demon beast resources, I plan to go into seclusion for two or three years at the shortest, and seven or eight years at the longest."

Lin Chang'an's ambiguous tone indicated that he would likely not emerge from seclusion until he broke through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

Upon hearing that Lin Chang'an was confident of breaking through, Old Hu's brows also revealed a hint of joy.

"Old Lin, I won't beat around the bush with you. We've come all this way to fight for that one sliver of opportunity. Otherwise, who would risk coming here?"

Old Hu downed the tea in one gulp, his expression grave.

"Old Lin, I've already inquired beforehand. These spiritual items that aid in Core Formation, such as Profound Water Liquid, Yin-Yang Water, Crystal Condensation Pill, and Dust-Reducing Pill, are not necessarily available in Haiyuan City for long periods of time."

To obtain a Core Formation spiritual item, there are only two options: one is to join the Azure Sea Palace, where internal cultivators naturally have priority access to certain channels; the second is to accept commissions from the Azure Sea Palace, such as hunting down Tribulation Cultivators or demonic beasts…”

Listening to Lao Hu's words, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

The first one seemed more suitable for him. As long as he joined the Azure Sea Palace, the channels would naturally open up to them if they had Core Formation spirit items, although they would definitely need to purchase them.

However, the downside is that joining a faction means being subject to their control and losing some freedom.

If all you want in this life is to reach the Core Formation stage, then perhaps this choice isn't bad.

But he had too many secrets, so they had to give up.

"Old Hu, do you have any detailed information about the second commission you mentioned?"

Lin Chang'an frowned. He was about to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and it was indeed time to plan for Core Formation.

After all, forming the core is not something that can be done overnight, and he didn't want to delay it.

"This second one actually has a lot more twists and turns in it."

Old Hu shook his head and sighed; he had also inquired for a long time before he learned the news.

"The commissions on the surface are all kinds of things. Killing a certain cultivator or a demon beast is the most normal. There are also many furnaces that are looking for special physiques, and even men and women are not limited."

Or they might possess all sorts of rare treasures and spiritual herbs, and there are many more hidden treasures, such as assassinating geniuses of a certain family or sect, or assisting a certain family in killing…

Hearing Lao Hu's words, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Although it sounds chaotic, these are all things that a normal cultivator needs.

Simply put, it's an exchange of equal value, where each party gets what they need.

However, the risk is not small.

"Old Hu, I'm afraid that the monsters that seem to be the simplest to hunt are actually monsters with special uses."

Lin Chang'an's eyes flickered, while Lao Hu nodded helplessly.

"That's right. Most of the monsters that are commissioned to be hunted have special uses, such as helping one's own cultivation or refining some kind of powerful magic weapon or pill."

These special demonic beasts are often difficult to find, and even if found, hunting them is extremely difficult. Cultivators usually have to use formations to lure the beasts in before they have a chance to kill them.

Old Hu sighed helplessly, saying that if Core Formation artifacts were so easy to obtain, there wouldn't be so many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the cultivation world.

"Many cultivators wasted their lives because of this, and in their final moments, unwilling to accept their fate, they became tribulation cultivators."

Of course, the cultivation world has never lacked people with exceptional luck who, by chance, enter a secret realm and obtain rare flowers and fruits, which they can directly exchange for Core Formation spiritual items.

"Old Hu, what do you mean?"

Lin Chang'an couldn't help but reveal a strange smile as he looked at Lao Hu, seemingly having discerned the other party's purpose.

Old Hu scratched his head awkwardly and waved his hand, saying, "Old Lin, don't overthink it. I, Old Hu, am definitely not that kind of person."

“This isn’t like back in the secret realm, when you obtained that third-tier array. With your skills, plus my second-tier mid-grade craftsmanship, forging other secondary array plates and flags for you shouldn’t be a problem.”

"You old Hu, didn't you say you only had second-tier low-grade skills back then?"

"Old Lin, I, Old Hu, only improved my skills later on, and refining weapons is quite time-consuming and labor-intensive."

Despite his words, Lin Chang'an was genuinely tempted by Lao Hu's suggestion.

After all, they came here together not only to look after each other, but more importantly, to obtain a Core Formation Spiritual Object. From the beginning, they knew that it would be difficult to do it alone.

"Old Lin, putting everything else aside, leave the refining of the secondary array plate and array flags to me, Old Hu. When the time comes, you and I can join forces and give it a try for a bounty mission."

Rather than joining forces with unfamiliar cultivators, being wary of each other, and potentially benefiting others, it's better to join forces with familiar cultivators.

At the very least, they have a basic level of trust.

"Of course, Lao Lin, you've put in a lot of effort, so you'll get priority in the distribution. If things really don't work out in the future, I, Lao Hu, don't want to waste my life. I can always join the Bihai Palace."

Old Hu was gambled on Lin Chang'an's character, otherwise it would be too difficult to rely on himself alone.

"Old Hu, it's not that easy to say what you're talking about."

Lin Chang'an shook his head. Most of these commissioned tasks were the most time-consuming and labor-intensive. Anything quick was bound to be fraught with danger. "That's right. Many commissions involve cultivators discovering the location of demonic beasts or spiritual herbs, or they invite other cultivators to join them in a siege of a treacherous cultivator. The possibilities are too great."

"So, Lao Lin, your formation is our last resort, since I don't have many chances to use this talisman."

After some discussion, the two reached a preliminary agreement on cooperation.

Old Hu's suggestion is good. If a suitable opportunity arises, it's not impossible to go together. However, he also has his own plans and can't miss the chance.

We must be prepared for both possibilities and grasp both aspects firmly.

Of course, Lin Chang'an's current focus is mainly on preparing to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment through seclusion.

……

Meanwhile, on the sea, watching the departing merchant ships of the three major families, the Wang family cultivators were filled with greed, yet helplessly let them pass.

"Madam Lu, these merchant ships are quite valuable."

"Fellow Daoist Wang is joking. These are just a few ordinary merchant ships. Even if they have some resources, how can they compare to the accumulated wealth of the three families? Besides, do you fellow Daoists really think that some precious resources are on these ordinary ships?"

After watching the fleet from Jade Spirit Island depart, the Wang and Lu families' fleets headed towards Jade Spirit Island themselves.

They were even deliberately waiting for the merchant ships of the three races to set sail, so that a group of elite cultivators from the three races on the island would naturally leave.

This reduces the difficulty for them to attack the island.

"Target: Jade Spirit Island!"

Two merchant ships, flying ordinary flags, headed towards Yuling Island.

On the Lu family's merchant ship, a cultivator named Lu Yujian, around thirty years old and exuding an air of cold arrogance, carrying a precious sword, spoke in a deep voice:
"Mother, are you afraid that if we attack the merchant ships, news will get back to us?"

The still elegant Madam Lu nodded slightly with a solemn expression.

"That's right. More importantly, we cannot easily trust the Wang family. Every bit of loss we can minimize is a bit more foundation for our Lu family."

Despite being only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, Madam Lu's dignified demeanor commanded the utmost respect from the five Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Lu family.

When the Lu family suffered misfortune, if it weren't for Madam Lu's efforts to turn the tide, the Lu family might have fallen apart.

Even though two of them were already in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, they still respected Madam Lu.

Although strength is paramount in the cultivation world, when strength is roughly equal, some people are magnanimous and intelligent, and when interests are aligned, no one is a fool who won't listen.

……

Under the bright sunshine, the traces of blood and flesh from the previous battles between beast tides around the island have long been washed away by time and disappeared without a trace.

The sea was calm all day until the moonlight reflected on the surface and a light mist rose.

Lin Chang'an and Lao Hu had already set off together towards Five Dragons Island, their purpose being to sell high-level monster resources.

They even encountered the Wen couple during their journey. Originally, the cultivator surnamed Fang was also planning to go, but he said he had some insights into cultivation and decided to go into seclusion first.

Without giving it much thought, the group left the island.

Little did they expect that just a few days after they left...

That night, Jade Spirit Island was attacked.

Even though they are not present, the island's protective formation will automatically activate its array.

However, the array barrier that the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Fang was in charge of was directly opened.

The fact that the other party had some kind of enlightenment clearly indicates that they were colluding with the Lu family. After learning that they had left the island, they contacted the Wang and Lu families and launched a surprise attack.

"It's terrible! The Lu family is back!"

"The three treacherous clans of Ping, Feng, and Li, our Lu family has returned!"

"You surnamed Fang, you actually colluded with the Lu family, you despicable scoundrel!"

"Fellow Daoist Ping, please don't be offended. It was Madam Lu who gave me what I wanted. Besides, back then, your three families forced the Lu family to leave. Today, it's just the natural order of things."

That night, battle cries erupted across Jade Spirit Island as the Ping, Feng, and Li clans fought desperately in their fury.

However, this time the Lu family was driven by vengeful anger and had even enlisted the help of the Wang family.

In addition, there were many spies secretly planted by the Lu family within the three clans, and for a time, cries of devastation were heard everywhere.

"Come on!"

"Grandpa! No..."

"Ping'er, be good and remember the blood debt of tonight. You must avenge your family in the future!"

"Hurry up, go outside and find your Uncle Feng. The Feng family line hasn't ended yet!"

Lin Chang'an, Lao Hu, and the Wen couple were unaware that their departure had brought about a complete change on the island.

……

Five Dragon Island.

"Due to the beast tide, the resources from second-tier demonic beasts are still relatively good; otherwise, we would have suffered a huge loss."

Lin Chang'an looked at the spirit stones in the storage bag with great satisfaction.

This time he didn't pretend. After all, it was perfectly normal for a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator like him to gain something during a beast tide.

It would be abnormal if there were no results.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, something has happened!"

Just as Lin Chang'an was purchasing cultivation materials in the market, he suddenly received a telepathic message from the Wen couple, whose voices conveyed a sense of urgency.

In the end, the Wen couple arranged to meet them at a restaurant.

When Lin Chang'an and Lao Hu arrived, they found a beautiful woman with a tired look on her face sitting in front of the Wen couple at their table.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, something has happened on Jade Spirit Island. The Lu family has conquered three clans."

"Damn it, this guy surnamed Fang claims to have gained some insights into cultivation, but it's all bullshit. He's clearly colluding with the Lu family."

As soon as he entered, Lin Chang'an heard the whispers of the Wen couple. It was clear that Madam Wen was also furious.

"Fellow Daoists, please forgive my rudeness. These three clans were originally taken in by my Lu family. I never expected that the vicious dog would try to devour its master."

Previously, I learned that these three clans had taken the resources of four fellow Daoists, but now their whereabouts are unknown. This matter is also the fault of my Lu family, and I deeply apologize.”

After Lin Chang'an and Lao Hu sat down, the head of the Lu family, seeing that everyone had arrived, took out his spirit stone bag with a big smile.

"This is compensation from my Lu family. I hope you four fellow Daoists will forgive me."

Upon opening the spirit stone bag, Lin Chang'an's heart tightened.

"Old Lin, this amount of spirit stones is no less than our goods."

Old Hu secretly transmitted his voice, and Lin Chang'an's eyes flickered as he guessed the other party's purpose.

As expected, the Lu family head didn't seem to mind the four people's wary expressions at all. Instead, he chuckled and nodded, indicating that his Lu family had no other intentions and only wanted to cultivate in peace.

In this attempt to regain their foundation, the Lu family also suffered significant losses, with only five Foundation Establishment cultivators remaining, two of whom were seriously injured.

"Patriarch Lu, you flatter us. We simply wish to cultivate in peace."

Lin Chang'an said with a smile, but he dared not underestimate this Lu family head in the slightest.

The other party was also wary of them, after all, among the four of them, Old Hu was in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, while the Wen couple and he were in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

If the Lu family really goes too far, the four of them working together could easily take them on.

This Lu family head, having just reclaimed Jade Spirit Island, couldn't wait to come to Five Dragons Island, for the same reason.

Turn swords into plowshares.

(End of this chapter)