Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Harvesting the Talents of Demonic Beasts

Chapter 145 Three Years in the Blink of an Eye, Comprehensive Progress (Two Chapters Combined)

When the half-human-sized puppet placed the teacup on the stone table, Lin Changheng noticed a line of small characters engraved on its wrist: "Mingyi Thirteen".

What does this mean?

As Lin Changheng seemed to be deep in thought, the teacup he brought touched the stone table. The yellow light in the puppet's eyes suddenly flickered, and then it stepped aside, remaining motionless like a sculpture.

"interesting."

Lin Changheng looked at it several times, revealing an interested expression.

At this moment, a pretty young girl brought over a plate of dried fruit and candied fruit made from spiritual fruits. "Master Lin, please try this. I made it myself."

"it is good."

Lin Changheng reached out and grabbed it without hesitation, then put it in his mouth.

The pretty young girl smiled faintly as she watched this scene, finding Lin Danshi's appearance even more pleasing to the eye.

Some time ago, a talisman master came to visit her grandfather, and she served him some homemade snacks. However, the talisman master refused with a dry laugh, saying nice things but not touching anything at all, as if she had poisoned it.

It made her so angry that she kept nagging about it to her grandfather for two or three days, which made her grandfather also start to dislike that person.

But this Master Lin was completely different. He was open, honest, and straightforward. He followed the host's lead and showed no doubt or hesitation in the face of hospitality, clearly trusting the grandfather and grandson immensely.

She felt that people like that were worth associating with and couldn't be too bad.

Lin Changheng, who was still observing the puppet beside him, had no idea that this pretty young girl had such a complicated past.

Otherwise, you'll just think it was a lucky accident.

He was more cautious and careful than anyone else, but he possessed the [Poison-Dissolving Demon Technique], so he no longer cared about ordinary toxins and poisons.

Moreover, the body can sense it.

Furthermore, second-tier poisons are not easy to obtain, and they had no grudge against each other...

All these factors combined resulted in the scene that the pretty young girl wanted to see and ultimately saw.

"Master Lin seems quite interested in the little gadgets I made?"

With her big, bright eyes blinking, the pretty young girl smiled as she saw Lin Changheng's expression.

"Ok?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Changheng turned his head in surprise, "Did you make this exquisite puppet, young lady?"

"Master Lin is too kind. It is not even that exquisite. It is far inferior to my grandfather's."

The pretty young girl shook her head.

Lin Changheng completely ignored the humble words and grasped the key point: "This item was truly made by this sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl."

That woman's talent in puppetry is quite astonishing, and her family's puppetry skills must be quite strong, even profound, otherwise how could she have been cultivated to this level?
"The future life is to be feared."

Lin Changheng remarked with emotion.

"Why does Master Lin look so old-fashioned? Judging from your age, you're not much older than me."

The pretty young girl wrinkled her cute nose and denied it.

"Young lady, you may not know this, but I am over fifty years old. However, I take good care of myself and have also taken the [Youth Enhancement Pill], which is why I look like this."

Lin Changheng smiled and revealed half the truth.

The remaining half was due to the increase in lifespan brought about by taking away the [Lantern Grass Spirit's] [Life Extension] talent and the [Glory Life Divine Power] true meaning that it generated.

These things must not be revealed in the slightest.

"what?"

The pretty young girl immediately exclaimed in surprise, covering her cherry-like mouth with an incredulous look on her face.

"Hehe, silly girl, you heard about 'Master Lin is a top-grade alchemist' last time, how could he be over twenty years old? Not to mention you can't find one in the entire [Floating Life Immortal City], you would probably find one very rare even in the [Southern Palace]."

A soft chuckle accompanied a deep, aged voice that came from inside the house. It seemed to be a correction, but there was actually a hint of doting in its tone.

"Grandpa, it was just a momentary lapse in judgment!"

The pretty girl bit her upper lip before she realized what was happening, but she still acted coquettishly.

Lin Changheng immediately turned to look into the house and saw an elderly man with white hair, dressed in black cloth and slightly hunched over, come out.

"Greetings, Master Yan Kui."

Lin Changheng immediately stood up and bowed to greet him.

"Master Lin, please don't stand on ceremony, please have a seat."

Yan Kui nodded with a chuckle, a smile appearing on his gaunt face, and invited Lin Changheng to sit down.

He also sat down at the stone table, carefully examined Lin Changheng for a few moments, and then sighed, "But Master Lin is indeed young. I am only about ten years older than Master Lin, yet I look like I am about to die. The difference is quite significant."

"Grandpa, don't say such discouraging things."

The pretty young woman was immediately dissatisfied upon hearing the words "approaching death".

"Okay, okay, I won't say, I won't say."

Yan Kuishi was completely under his granddaughter's thumb, so he simply admitted his mistake and corrected it.

Then, looking at Lin Changheng who was smiling, he couldn't help but shake his head, indicating that he couldn't do anything about his granddaughter.

"This kind of family bliss may not be a bad thing, but it is a different kind of life and way of living. Unlike me, who am all alone, I can't experience it."

Lin Changheng, however, offered a different perspective.

"Master Lin is right, haha."

Master Yan thought it made sense and burst into laughter. Then he asked, "Has Master Lin had lunch? Why don't you make do with a meal here?"

Lin Changheng thought for a moment and nodded, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

He could tell that Master Yan's invitation was genuine, not just a polite formality. So he accepted; the purpose of his trip was to build connections, and he had no reason to refuse to strengthen relationships.

"good!"

Master Yan stroked his beard and smiled, then instructed his granddaughter, "Mingyi, go prepare a few side dishes and some spirit wine. Grandpa and Master Lin will have a few drinks."

"Alright, I'll go right away. Master Lin, please have a seat."

Yan Mingyi also had a good impression of Lin Changheng and left with a smile.

……

An hour later.

Lin Changheng left the "Qingxi Villa" where the Yan family grandparents and grandchildren lived, and it was considered that both the host and guests had a pleasant time.

But since it was his first visit, Lin Changheng was merely paying a visit.

Nothing else was mentioned.

Although he was extremely interested in the puppets made by Master Yan and wanted to buy two first-tier high-grade puppets for his own use, or even the puppet inheritance, he ultimately did not speak up.

According to Cui Jianshui, Yan Kuishi's puppetry skills are unknown, but it is speculated that they are at least of the highest level.

"However, there will always be other opportunities in the future, so there's no need to rush."

……

Lin Changheng continued with his unfinished business and turned to head to the "Quenching Residence" where the mid-grade weapon refiners were located.

As a result, they encountered a young cultivator in his thirties who faintly smelled of furnace fire.

"Master Lin Dan?"

The young cultivator was about to pass by when, as if remembering something, he suddenly asked a question.

"Not bad." Lin Changheng paused, his nose twitching slightly, and said, "Master Zhao?"

The two of them smiled at each other.

After some conversation, Lin Changheng learned that Zhao Qishi was also planning to visit his "Qingyuan Xiaozhu".

He shared the same idea. Originally, Zhao Qishi had intended to visit Lin Changheng after he finished his housewarming, but they bumped into each other on the way.

They found a pavilion nearby and chatted for a long time, exchanging gifts as a token of their visit.

They agreed to visit each other again for tea before parting ways.

……

Time flies like an arrow; it passes in the blink of an eye.

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Late at night, in Lin Changheng's "Qingyuan Xiaozhu".

"It wasn't easy. The mana in my dantian has finally been refined by more than 60%..."

Lin Changheng, in the quiet room, exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly opened his eyes, a flame seemingly flashing across his pupils.

At this moment, the dark golden flames in his dantian were flickering erratically, and the gaseous magical power accumulated beside him had undergone a major transformation.

Extremely pure and extremely dense.

It seems that with simple compression, the strands will be kneaded together and turn into liquid droplets.

"This is the excellent state of mana that Zhao Li repeatedly mentioned in [Foundation Building Comprehension], which is suitable for Foundation Building."

When Mo Zhaoli obtained the Foundation Establishment Pill, he spent two years in seclusion to hone his magical power and try to achieve this state.

However, without external help or opportunities, it ultimately falls short.

This made it difficult for her to break through the [Mountain of Qi]. Fortunately, with the help of the Foundation Building Pill and her sufficient accumulation, she was finally able to break through after a series of back-and-forth struggles.

"By the time I reach the Foundation Establishment stage, I will have refined all my magical power, and it will be much easier for me to explore this mountain than for Zhao Li."

Lin Changheng knew clearly that this was a crucial task that had to be accomplished.

"Now, I'm not far from the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining. I need to calm down, not be impatient, and proceed slowly."

This is the advantage of a mid-grade spiritual root. If it were replaced with a low-grade spiritual root or a mixed spiritual root, the time would be greatly extended.

However, he wasted his time in the early stages and is now fifty-six years old, nearing the age of sixty. Fortunately, he has enough lifespan to make up for it and slow down the aging process, so it is not a big problem.

……

Having completed the two core tasks of cultivation and refinement,
Before long, Lin Changheng had already prepared the medicinal bath, took off his clothes, and sat down inside.

Everyone says the Immortal City is wonderful, mainly because it's rich in resources.

He had already used up the spiritual wood and spiritual liquid he had obtained from Xu Hanji for cultivating the "Evergreen Body of Azure Wood," but he didn't waste much effort collecting them all from several spiritual material shops.

This ensured his unique training frequency.

Six months ago, with the full support of his wealth, his body refinement progress finally reached the peak of the third level.

Based on the "Method for Assisting Body Refinement" confirmed by Xu Xujun, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Xu family, a second-tier spiritual wood called "Ta Long Wood" was used instead.

The spirit liquid remains unchanged, still being a first-tier [Dew Pine Spirit Liquid].

When used together for body tempering, the effect is said to be even stronger, allowing for a more thorough refinement of the first-tier physique, gradually transforming it into the second-tier.

Lin Changheng did experience some pain during his attempt and even questioned his health at one point, but through continuous introspection, he confirmed that his body was improving.

And it underwent a certain transformation.

Only then did I feel relieved.

Now, with the addition of the [Limb Hardening Technique] and [Great Strength Technique], his body has broken through the barrier that kept him outside the second tier.

In particular, his power burst and physical defense have surpassed those of a second-stage early-stage body refinement expert.

Its physical strength alone is comparable to that of a second-tier demonic beast!

"With guidance, I continued to work diligently and advanced to the fourth level of 'Evergreen Body,' all that was missing was an opportunity."

Lin Changheng felt something in his heart.

……

Besides these three major tasks, Lin Changheng also has daily tasks to complete.

It lasted for three years.

He used the true meaning of the [Rongsheng Divine Power] to accelerate the ripening of the two second-tier precious plants, the [Nine-Leaf Purple Elixir] and the [Earth Vein Solomon's Seal].

He arrived at the spirit field in the backyard and looked at the two precious plants that were deeply rooted in the spirit soil and shone brightly under the moon. A sense of accomplishment arose in his heart.

The Nine-Leaf Purple Ganoderma has sprouted its sixth new leaf from two and a half leaves three and a half years ago!
The time was shortened considerably compared to previous estimates. Lin Changheng guessed that this might be due to the positive changes brought about by the refinement and transformation of his own magical power.

The [Earth Vein Polygonatum] is no longer the root and bud it used to be; its branches and leaves are now spread out, making it extremely beautiful, and it has even grown medicinal rhizomes underneath.

Based on his pharmacological knowledge, Lin Changheng estimated that it had been at least five or six years.

This also means that the ripening rate of this plant is almost twice that of natural growth!
Extremely pleasing.

The only drawback is that it is extremely time-consuming and requires a lot of mana and patience.

……

Early the next morning.

"Chirp!—"

As soon as Lin Changheng stepped out of the room, the black-armored ground tortoise crawled out of the mud and gently called out to him.

It seems to be saying: It's time to feed them.

Lin Changheng took out a pill, walked over, and flicked it out: "Come on, Xiao Hei, it's time to take your medicine."

The pill was precisely placed into the tortoise's mouth, and a satisfied "gurgle" was heard. The black-armored tortoise, which was three-tenths the size of a millstone and covered in mud, was about to rub against Lin Changheng's thigh.

"Ugh!"

Lin Changheng quickly cast a Cleaning spell to wash away the mud and water from the turtle's body, thus preventing it from being harmed.

At the same time, the patterns on the tortoise shell are also revealed.

The fine lines on the surface have become much thicker, and they are all connected to form a whole.

This is the performance in the middle stage of the first order.

When the whitish patterns on the tortoise shell are gradually covered with a dark yellow color, and the shell begins to crystallize in certain areas, it means that it has entered the late stage of the first level.

As for its abilities
The hardness of the tortoise shell is second to none! It is already quite remarkable; without using a mid-grade or high-quality magic weapon, no trace can be left.

In addition, this turtle has mastered three basic earth-based spells: Turtle Breath, Earth Drill, and Earth Spike.

It can help Lin Changheng cultivate the spirit fields, so it can be considered to have some use.

It's not like they're eating and drinking for free without doing any work.

……

After finishing his chores, Lin Changheng went to his room to reply to the letter.

Letters sent three years ago only began to receive replies after eight or nine months.

Lin Changheng was speechless at the speed. If there were any urgent matters, it would be too late to send them via this celestial post station.

I once suspected that the Immortal Post Station quotas of the [Southern Palace] were all allocated to supervising major forces such as sects and Taoist factions!
The first letter he received was from Princess Tantai.

Aside from greetings, the letter mainly introduced her recent situation and the Xu family's circumstances, all in a descriptive manner with no emotional sentences.

But Lin Changheng saw something different in the words and sighed.

Fortunately, Fei Yue is doing well.

Two months before receiving Lin Changheng's letter, she had drawn a fine, high-grade talisman, taking a significant and solid step forward in the path of first-tier high-grade talismans.

The Xu family was overjoyed, their ambitions exposed, and they devoted themselves to searching for a second-tier talismanic inheritance for her, hoping that a second-tier talisman master would emerge in their clan.

(End of this chapter)