Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans.

Chapter 282 The Long Road to Immortality [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Time is merciless; no matter how powerful you are or how mighty you may be, you cannot escape the passage of time.

Just as Lin Chang'an was preparing to refine his natal magic weapon, a major piece of news came from the waters off Five Dragon Island.

The pillar of the Long family, the Lord of Long Island, has passed away.

This man, who led the Long family to dominate the Five Dragons Island sea area for a century, although his plan to form a Nascent Soul failed, was definitely a powerful Core Formation expert.

But he passed away quietly and without a trace.

This made many Core Formation cultivators feel melancholy. Even such a person passed away unwillingly. So, do they have the chance to form a Nascent Soul in this lifetime?

The Long family was in a state of sorrow, witnessing the rise and fall of a once powerful family.

"Condolences!"

When Lin Chang'an arrived at the Long family, he presented a gift of money, bowed to the Core Formation cultivator of the Long family, said something in silence, and then shook his head and sighed.

He and the other Core Formation cultivators all looked melancholy.

The fox mourns the death of its kin; these Core Formation cultivators seemed to see their future selves reflected in their own fate.

"We still can't stand out too much; at the very least, we have to be like everyone else."

Lin Chang'an was deep in thought amidst the crowd.

He could understand this feeling. The group of Core Formation cultivators, though saying they were mourning the Dragon Island Master, were actually feeling lost about their own future.

However, he possesses an extraordinary opportunity, and even after reaching the late stage of Core Formation, he will need to cultivate the Profound Heaven Spirit Body. Unlike others, he is not clueless about forming a Nascent Soul.

"Once the Xuan Tian Spirit Body is successfully cultivated, even if I fail, my powerful self-healing body will not harm my lifespan even if I am severely injured and my vital energy is greatly depleted. I can then try to form a Nascent Soul again."

Lin Chang'an's eyes gleamed, and this was one of the reasons why he was different from other Core Formation cultivators.

While countless Core Formation cultivators were still clueless about the path to Nascent Soul formation, he already had a clear direction and knew how to proceed.

“Fellow Daoist Lin, you say that Fellow Daoist Long has just left like this? It really shows how unpredictable life is.”

After leaving the Long family, the cultivators of Xuan Yin Pavilion and the Lu family followed them back.

It was rare to see this fairy in her flowing robes let out a soft sigh, perhaps reflecting on her own future.

Lin Chang'an shook his head and said, "The Nascent Soul stage is too far away. I have only just managed to successfully transform into a Core Formation cultivator and am still a small cultivator in the early stage of Core Formation."

To reach the late stage of Core Formation in this lifetime is perhaps already a stroke of good fortune.

Upon hearing this, Xu Lingfeng, unusually rational, nodded and said, "That's right. How many Core Formation cultivators are there in the entire Demon Beast Sea Abyss? How many Nascent Soul cultivators are there?"

"How many cultivators are in the early stage of Core Formation? And which of the great cultivators at the peak of Core Formation is not a renowned and powerful figure?"

Xu Lingfeng spoke in a low voice, and Lin Chang'an did not refute this point.

There are many Core Formation cultivators in the Demon Beast Sea Abyss, but those who are truly renowned and known to most are almost all old monsters at the late or peak stage of Core Formation.

These people are the true seeds of the Nascent Soul stage. As for things like Heavenly Spiritual Roots and Spiritual Bodies, they are completely incomparable to these people.

One is a true possibility of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

The other one simply has the potential to be so.

……

Spring goes and autumn comes, and heavy snow falls like goose feathers.

【Lifespan: 165/603】

[Realm Level: Early Golden Core Stage (28/100)]

Lin Chang'an was 165 years old that year. He sat in the pavilion, gazing alone at the heavy snow.

His eyes held a hint of reminiscence, as if he had returned to the time when he broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, surrounded by familiar smiles.

"When I broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, it was snowing just like this. Now I am a Core Formation cultivator, but I can no longer hear those joyful and celebratory laughs."

This path of cultivation is filled with loneliness.

This caused Lin Chang'an to reveal a rare hint of bitterness.

"So this is the loneliness on the path of cultivation."

And this is just the beginning.

"Moo!"

The blue-horned ox beside him seemed to sense its master's loneliness and raised its head, revealing a pair of puzzled eyes.

Then a familiar cow moo came out, pulling Lin Chang'an back to reality.

As Lin Chang'an looked down at the green-horned ox at his feet, he couldn't help but smile.

"Fortunately, you are still here."

As his cultivation level increased, his memories of Yue Kingdom, Qingzhu Mountain, and Tianxuan City became clearer.

It seemed that only the blue-horned ox and the phoenix bird reminded him of the way he had come.

Just then, the sword attendant who had been flying on a sword landed and came over with a jade box in his hands.

"Master, this is a letter from a cultivator from the Xuan Yin Pavilion regarding you."

As Lin Chang'an looked at these letters, a rare smile of nostalgia appeared on his face.

As he sat in the pavilion, he eagerly opened the jade box, where letters from his familiar homeland unfolded one by one.

However, a hint of disappointment flickered in his expectant gaze.

"They are no longer the same people they once were."

Lin Chang'an let out a long, soft sigh, a rare hint of bitterness appearing on his face.

In the letters from Li Yifan, Shen Fan, Wei Yingying, and other younger generations over the years, they have become increasingly reserved and respectful towards their Uncle Jiedan.

Even Wei Yingying, that girl, has lost her former mischievousness; instead, she exudes a mature respect.

He still missed that feeling from back then, the stubbornness of the younger generation, and the mischievousness of Yingying.

Unfortunately, he can never go back, unless he is still the Foundation Establishment cultivator he once was.

With such a disparity in strength and social status, and the vast distance between them, the estrangement gradually gave way to the respect that lower-level cultivators showed to Core Formation cultivators.

"But it's good that everyone is doing well."

The next moment, Lin Chang'an revealed a relieved smile.

Yingying and Shen Fan are already well-known Foundation Establishment ancestors in Qingshui Bay.

With the combined attack technique, even ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn't dare to provoke someone at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

Now he has a house full of children and grandchildren.

"A talented junior has joined the Xuan Yin Pavilion. Does he want to come to the Monster Sea Abyss?"

Not only were there descendants of Shen Fan and Wei Yingying, but also one of Li Yifan's grandchildren.

"Is this considered a group trip?"

Upon seeing this, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. He naturally understood the thoughts of these younger generations.

This prolonged separation and gradual estrangement is a wrong choice, whether from a financial or other perspective.

Naturally, compensation must be made.

Moreover, his identity as a Core Formation cultivator was also revealed through the trade of the Xuan Yin Pavilion's merchant ships. He was a third-tier array master who had successfully transformed his core.

All of this has attracted more attention and led to a desire to find a reliable support for future generations.

Furthermore, the two companies have become increasingly stable in Vietnam.

"This is probably Wei Yingying's wicked scheme."

Lin Chang'an immediately realized that Wei Yingying was worried that their relationship would fade as they grew old.

In particular, the letter did not mention anything about asking him to take on disciples; it only mentioned that he should go and help out, and if he was not needed, he should be arranged to go to Xuan Yin Pavilion.

Given the current situation in Yue Kingdom, joining the Xuan Yin Pavilion is an inevitable trend.

Only Yingying is so intelligent, yet she doesn't evoke any dislike. Even the Zhou family has arranged for many of their members to join the Xuan Yin Pavilion.

This is also an inevitable trend. After the Zhou family acquired this near-third-tier clan-protecting spirit beast, they began to develop in other directions.

"They really came in a group, but Tianquan Peak is indeed a bit deserted, and we need some trustworthy people."

Amidst the howling wind and snow, Lin Chang'an sat in the pavilion, his eyes narrowed.

He didn't mind helping his friend's descendants on a whim.

As the Lu family's business grew and Xuan Yin Pavilion gained a firm foothold in recent years, he also participated in some industries in the Five Dragons Island market.

Having close friends or family can indeed save a lot of trouble when it comes to trivial matters.

"However, the methods of Xuan Yin Pavilion are truly shrewd."

Lin Chang'an immediately realized that the Xuan Yin Pavilion was involved in the story, and it was only natural to try to build rapport and win people over.

Moreover, by continuously absorbing fresh blood into the Yue Kingdom, Xuan Yin Pavilion can also stabilize the situation and the hearts of the people in its homeland.

The Yue Kingdom was the richest of the seven kingdoms. It was originally divided among the three major sects, but now it is dominated by the Xuan Yin Pavilion.

It is clear that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Xuan Yin Pavilion has the best-developed foundation among the Seven Kingdoms Alliance.

However, Lin Chang'an didn't care about these trivial matters. He just laughed them off, since he was still a guest elder of Xuan Yin Pavilion anyway.

The stronger the Xuan Yin Pavilion becomes, the more it serves his interests.

He then chuckled and replied to each of these younger colleagues, especially Wei Yingying, whom he jokingly scolded.

Only when he saw these letters could he feel that he was not alone in this world of cultivation.

……

The last two letters were from Hu Jin and Yun Yao.

"That old Hu."

Upon seeing Hu Jin's letter, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

It was another display of his reward, but Lin Chang'an saw the risk in it.

The Bihai Palace's Enforcement Hall would never give rewards for no reason; one must first perform meritorious service.

Lin Chang'an quickly replied, his message was very simple, just teasing Lao Hu about how he was doing in the waters off Wulong Island, although he didn't run a black market.

But now they're making tons of spirit stones and living a very comfortable life.

Of course, this is all in jest. His apparent gains are probably nothing to Lao Hu.

Lin Chang'an was visibly pleased when he saw Yun Yao's letter.

“Yun Yao actually went back to Yue Kingdom in secret before.”

Upon seeing this, Lin Chang'an looked somewhat taken aback, but then understood and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Yun Yao also went back to visit these old friends.

The letter said that she went back to visit Lu Qingqing, Shen Lie, Erniu, and Wei Buyi, and they drank a pot of spirit wine from Qingzhushan Market together.

And where this spirit wine was drunk is self-evident.

Upon seeing this, Lin Chang'an's eyes dimmed. Of all the friends who had been with him all along, only they remained.

"But He Yan is quite a good kid."

Yun Yao's letter was as concise and efficient as ever. When mentioning He Yan, she said that he had made a great contribution by using the secret method of the Xuan Yin Divine Sect to condense a Demon Pill.

In other words, He Yan has also become a pseudo-core cultivator, but because he is a demonic core, he has lost the chance to transform into a core in this lifetime.

Even their lifespan is only three or four hundred years.

"He Yan!"

Looking at these letters, especially Yun Yao's, Lin Chang'an remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a soft sigh.

He could reply to everyone else's letters to know their current situation, but only Yun Yao.

Despite being a member of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect, he could only receive letters from Yun Yao, which he was unable to reply to.

The two supported each other throughout their journey, especially during the Foundation Establishment stage.

For a considerable period of time, their relationship was considered "couple" by the standards of cultivators.

Over the course of time, it's inevitable that feelings of affection will develop between them.

However, Yun Yao was in the Demonic Sect and had no choice in her own destiny. Both of them were also determined to achieve the Great Dao and placed cultivation as their top priority.

With mutual understanding, the feelings between the man and woman remained unbroken.

But both of them were also clear about one thing: strength!
In the world of cultivation, any problem can be solved with strength. If you can't, it just means you're not strong enough!
Even if it means death! As long as I become a legendary immortal.

"Our strength is still too weak."

Lin Chang'an remained silent for a moment, then carefully put Yun Yao's letter into a jade box, which contained all the letters between the two of them.

"Moo! Moo!"

The green-horned ox beside it clearly sensed the familiar scent of the letter and couldn't help but let out a heartbreaking moo.

You silly ox!

Lin Chang'an chuckled and scolded, then told Qingjiao Niu that Yingying and the others were doing well.

These are near-third-tier spirit beasts, some even close to breaking through to the next level. There's also the Green Horned Ox, whose intelligence is almost on par with that of humans.

It also misses the familiar people who used to feed it the spiritual fruit, and it also misses those happy days.

Inside the pavilion, the sword attendant stood respectfully to the side, listening to her master and the Green Horned Ox's conversation, her eyes filled with deep envy.

She seemed to envy herself for not having experienced this unforgettable time with her master, wishing she could have met him sooner.

As Lin Chang'an looked back at the snowstorm, the loneliness he had felt earlier seemed to dissipate, and a rare hint of relief appeared between his brows.

Inside the pavilion, on the stone table, lay a variety of exquisite spiritual dishes and a pot of spiritual wine.

Lin Chang'an paused for a moment, a rare occurrence, and then, with a wave of his hand, three wine cups appeared on the stone table.

As the spirit wine floated to the surface and was slowly poured into the wine glass, Lin Chang'an gently raised his hand.

To the sword attendant's astonishment, a cup of spirit wine appeared before him.

"Master... Master..."

At this moment, the sword servant looked flustered and at a loss, while the Green Horned Ox bellowed excitedly.

He swallowed the wine glass in front of him in one gulp, even the glass itself went down into his stomach.

Seeing this, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but glare at him and said, "You stupid ox, have you forgotten about last time?"

Last time, this stupid ox was greedy and swallowed the bottle that stored demonic energy, almost dying in the process.

But the thick-skinned Green Horned Ox mooed and looked at its owner ingratiatingly, as if it wanted more.

"Save your breath. This is a precious spirit wine sent by the Xuan Yin Pavilion Master at the New Year's Eve. It's extremely rare, and this is just a small pot."

Otherwise, why would the Green Horned Ox be so greedy? It must have sensed the spiritual energy of this spirit wine.

The other cup of spiritual wine transformed into a stream of light, entered the cave, passed through layers of restrictions, and arrived directly in front of the Fusang tree in the Earth Fire Cave.

The phoenix chirped excitedly, then squinted its eyes and, mimicking humans, clicked its tongue in delight.

Meanwhile, the swordsman in the pavilion looked completely bewildered and didn't notice the situation with the other two cups.

"Thank you very much, Master. I wish you a long and successful journey on the path of immortality and that you will soon become a Nascent Soul cultivator."

Good heavens! Lin Chang'an rarely laughed after hearing this blessing.

"How dare you say that."

This Nascent Soul cultivator is a legendary being.

However, the sword attendant was completely stunned. Her jade-like hands, which were respectfully holding the wine cup, were trembling slightly as she gently sipped the wine.

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(End of this chapter)