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

Chapter 173 Trouble Comes Unexpectedly, Cultivation Finally Advances (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"It just so happens that Li'er has also collected some essence blood, and was just planning to send it to Brother Lin when she had some free time."

Mo Zhaoli's bright eyes were like water, and her tone was gentle.

Lin Changheng glanced at them and found that most of the blood essence was from the Mountain Moving Ape, numbering over a hundred, while the rest was from the deep red Blood Essence of the Crimson-Eyed Fire Demon, numbering around thirty.

"Thank you very much."

Lin Changheng accepted the blood essence and then thanked him.

With these, all that's missing is the Earth-elemental [Mystic Spirit Essence Blood].

He paused, then added with a smile, "We can stop collecting the essence blood of the Mountain Moving Ape now. We have enough. It's all thanks to Li'er for collecting so much essence blood for me that the process has gone smoothly."

"it is good."

Mo Zhaoli nodded slightly, not asking any further questions, but simply smiled sweetly, "Brother Lin, there's no need to be so polite?"

Around noon, Mo Zhaoli hosted a dinner for Lin Changheng at a restaurant in the Zongnei Market area.

Lin Changheng didn't care about the time, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.

The two arrived quickly.

This market town is situated directly atop a high mountain.

Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, numerous pavilions with flying eaves and brackets hang precariously on the cliffs, with cranes circling overhead and cultivators occasionally traversing among them on their magical artifacts or in streaks of light.

The restaurant is called "Drunken Immortal Abode" and is located at the highest point of the mountain. Standing on the clouds, it feels like drinking wine in the heavens, which is a unique experience.

Lin Changheng tasted it and found it to be delicious.

However, he did not linger too long. He suggested that he wanted to see the sect's market, since he was just a rogue cultivator and wanted to experience the local customs and the people of the sect.

Mo Zhaoli naturally wouldn't refuse and accompanied him with a smile.

After strolling around for a while, Lin Changheng lost interest, which made Mo Zhaoli beside him smile slightly.

It turns out that this sect market is quite good, with a wide variety of goods for sale, but most of them are first-tier, and second-tier items are nowhere to be seen.

Later, Mo Zhaoli told him that this was because the second-tier items directly provided by the sect were more cost-effective.

Far exceeding the market area.

If Foundation Establishment cultivators need anything, they can exchange for spiritual artifacts, talismans, pills, and formations directly in the various halls of the sect using contribution points or spirit stones.

Under the long-term market orientation, the market naturally sells very few Tier 2 items anymore.

However, the above is only relative. Compared to the model of providing materials and seeking pills from alchemists, the sect's exchange is still insufficient.

……

When Lin Changheng took his leave, Mo Zhaoli still saw him off.

"Junior Sister Mo!"

Halfway there, they encountered the white-robed male cultivator known as "Senior Brother Feng" from the Foundation Establishment celebration ceremony in Mo Zhaoli. This man followed them on his escape light.

His master was a fake alchemist who had come to toast Master Mo in an attempt to gain favor and build a relationship.

She clearly has feelings for Mo Zhaoli.

However, the last time I encountered this person, he was at the second level of Foundation Establishment, but now he has entered the third level of Foundation Establishment.

"Brother Feng."

Mo Zhaoli stopped his escape light to greet him, his expression neither warm nor cold.

"Senior brother just came out of seclusion and was planning to visit Junior Sister Mo, but unexpectedly, we ran into each other on the way. What a coincidence! I wonder if this counts as fate?"

"Senior Brother Feng" was dressed in white, with an outstanding appearance and an elegant demeanor that made him impossible to dislike.

"It's a coincidence, but it's not... it's not really a coincidence either. I'm seeing my senior brother off from the sect, so I'm afraid I can't chat with Senior Brother Feng for long."

Mo Zhaoli looked slightly apologetic.

"Who do you think it is? It's Fellow Daoist Lin. It's been a long time since we last met. Your Qi Refining cultivation is still as solid as ever."

At this moment, "Senior Brother Feng" turned his attention to Lin Changheng, who was standing beside Mo Zhaoli in a green robe. Although this person was not old, his cultivation level still did not have the pressure of Foundation Establishment. So he smiled warmly and said,

"Next time, if Fellow Daoist Lin comes to the sect and Junior Sister Mo is not there and cannot enter the mountain gate, you can directly find me, Feng. I will be happy to do my part as a host on behalf of Junior Sister Mo."

Hearing these seemingly gentle but actually barbed words, Lin Changheng was not angry at all. Instead, he was slightly moved. This experienced cultivator in the early stage of Foundation Establishment had not seen through his true cultivation level...

It seems that the [Concealing Breath] technique brought by the [Jade Horned Serpent Treasure Seed - First Level] is quite something.

Looking back now, I feel even less of a loss.

He immediately smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Hehe, then thank you for your kindness, fellow Daoist."

As a result, it was "Senior Brother Feng" who was taken aback. This person couldn't tell the difference between good and bad words.

The original intention was to subtly mock this person, causing them to fluster their emotions and reveal their ugly side, so as to create a contrast in front of Mo Zhaoli. But in the end... this is it?
I almost lost my mind, so I was about to speak again.

At this moment, Mo Zhaoli suddenly spoke up, his voice cold: "Senior Brother Feng, let's talk again when we have time. We'll take our leave now."

Without waiting for a reply, he unleashed his magical power, and a beam of light enveloped Lin Changheng as he shot directly into the distance.

"Humph!"

"If Master hadn't summoned me so urgently, I would have definitely tested this Lin fellow's mettle... Fine, if he dares to come again next time, don't blame me for giving him a hard time!"

"Senior Brother Feng" stood alone in place, watching the two leave. His face darkened slightly, and with a flick of his sleeve, he rushed into the depths of the sect.

……

The light traveled to the mountain gate.

"Brother Lin, I'm sorry, Li'er..."

Mo Zhaoli's displeasure was clearly visible, and then she spoke apologetically to Lin Changheng.

She knew her brother Lin disliked trouble, but in the end, trouble still came knocking on her door because of her.

"nothing."

Lin Changheng reached out and stroked Mo Zhaoli's full head of black hair. "It's not your fault. Outstanding people will always attract attention and scrutiny. It's understandable, and it wasn't your intention."

"Brother Lin dislikes trouble and doesn't want to cause trouble, but he's not necessarily afraid of trouble either."

"Ah."

After offering their comfort, the two parted ways.

Lin Changheng immediately summoned his magic boat and, with its power activated, flew away at a constant speed.

Logically, "Senior Brother Feng" shouldn't be chasing after him.

First, he did not show any excessive intimacy with Mo Zhaoli and behaved politely. Moreover, the cultivation level he displayed was only at the Qi Refining stage, which did not pose a threat.

After all, what kind of logic is there in the world for a female cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage to marry a male cultivator at the Qi Refining stage?
Secondly, at most, this person would only intend to embarrass Mo Zhaoli in front of him and affect Mo Zhaoli's impression of him, but would not directly kill him.

Otherwise, if doubts arise, Mo Zhaoli will definitely have no chance with him anymore.

That's the logic, but in his heart, Lin Changheng had already developed a deep disgust for "Senior Brother Feng," a cultivator who harbored malice towards him and might threaten his safety, as well as a trace of killing intent.

He deliberately controlled the speed of the magic boat, secretly hoping that it might catch up.

But in the next instant, he regained his composure:

"Since we're both at the early Foundation Establishment stage, the difference in magical power between the first and third levels isn't significant. I currently possess numerous demonic arts and supernatural powers, cultivating both my physical body and magical abilities, giving me a relatively high probability of quickly killing this person. However, I'm not confident I can kill them instantly with a single blow. This person might have a life-saving item bestowed upon them by their master..."

"Besides, I just saw them in the sect, and there are many people coming and going. They may have heard or seen this. I must not make a move now, otherwise, I will be suspected, and I will not be able to deal with the behemoth that is the Fake Alchemist Sect and the Purple Extreme Sect for the time being..."

Lin Changheng's cautious nature made him subconsciously unwilling to take risks, because killing this person was risky and not safe enough.

"I'll spare your life for now."

With a cold gaze, Lin Changheng made his decision and immediately activated the magic boat with all his might, sending it hurtling away like an arrow released from a bow.

……

A month and a half later.

The majestic and imposing [Floating Life Immortal City] reappeared before Lin Changheng.

At this moment, it was easy to see the large number of people coming and going. All five city gates were open, and fifteen long queues stretched for miles. These were guests attracted by the Immortal City Grand Auction, who had set up stalls and traded in the city in advance.

Lin Changheng adjusted his expression, put away the magic boat, walked directly into the city through the foundation building passage, and then took off again to fly towards the outer lake.

……

Lin Changheng activated the [Concealing Breath Technique] and quietly returned to his cave, without alerting anyone, and immediately went into seclusion.

The incident with "Senior Brother Feng" made him feel that his strength was really insufficient, which greatly reduced his sense of security and made him unhappy.

Aside from killing an enemy in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, I can't even kill them instantly; I don't have absolute confidence...

It must be due to insufficient strength and inadequate training!

Must practice more!

Having made up his mind, he immediately went to check out the spirit herb garden and found that the seven second-tier precious plants were growing steadily, which put his mind at ease.

It's just that it's not as quick and delightful as something that's been artificially ripened or matured.

After that, he directly drained the more than one hundred portions of [Mountain Moving Ape] essence blood that he had obtained from Mo Zhaoli.

【Mountain-Moving Ape Treasure Seed - Fifth Level】

[Spirit Stealing: 100/100]

[Biochemical Life: 0/10]

[Effect: Possessing a turbid and evil bloodline, naturally endowed with earth element, able to fully seize spiritual energy and transform into the Dao, and can refine the true meaning of the bloodline's ancestral divine power "Carrying Mountains"]

……

"Not bad." Lin Changheng said with satisfaction.

I still have about twenty bottles of this blood left, so I'll keep them for now.

As for the other type of [Crimson-Eyed Fire Demon] essence blood, it was stored in a jade box magic artifact given by the Xu family, and then affixed with a high-grade [Spirit Sealing Talisman] to ensure that it was absolutely safe.

There are a total of more than eighty bottles.

More than half is still needed.

But it's understandable, since mountain and marsh spirits are rarely the same. They are all transformed by touching some kind of spiritual energy of heaven and earth, which is extremely rare and completely uncontrollable.

The essence blood of the Crimson-Eyed Fire Demon in his possession all came from the monster in the hands of that sect elder…

It's normal to go slowly.

He even secretly hoped that the monster would go easy on him and not kill him outright.

……

For the next three years, Lin Changheng basically stayed indoors, devoting himself entirely to alchemy and cultivation.

Except for two instances where I had to go out.

One time, he went to Huangliangju to retrieve the essence blood of Bibo Ling'ao and informed the manager with the mustache that he could continue to deliver essence blood to their door.

Another time was when I went to attend the grand auction in the Immortal City.

I managed to snag three items I really wanted!
The first item was the [Second-Tier Low-Grade Alchemy Inheritance] that Lin Changheng desperately needed, which cost him 2,300 low-grade spirit stones.

The price I got was about half of what I paid for the second-tier mid-grade alchemy inheritance, the "Five Elements Returning to Origin Alchemy Classic," last time.

He originally intended to acquire a second-tier mid-grade alchemy inheritance in one fell swoop, but he encountered a cultivator who was not giving an inch. The cultivator was suspected to be from an alchemy family under the Qingxia Temple and was determined to get it.

They kept raising the price to over five thousand low-grade spirit stones, and still wouldn't give up.

Lin Changheng retreated immediately, not acting rashly, and instead opted for a second-tier low-grade alchemy inheritance.

This infuriated the competing cultivators, making them grit their teeth in anger.

The second item is a second-tier rare and precious material called the [Dragon Blood Fruit].

The size of an adult's fist, with red and white stripes on a white background and red dots all over it, resembling splattered bloodstains.

It is said that it was formed from the blood of a dragon that shed its blood upon it. The exact origin of its formation is no longer confirmed, but its enhancement to body refinement is undeniable, strengthening the physique and improving blood circulation.

The Immortal City Auction House has repeatedly confirmed that it would never sell fakes or tarnish its prestigious reputation!
Lin Changheng decisively placed the order, spending over three thousand spirit stones.

They are incredibly wealthy and extravagant, spending money like water without batting an eye.

The third item was an unexpected find.

That was a second-tier, low-grade [Array Formation Inheritance].

Lin Changheng had not originally planned to make a move, but considering that his array formation skills had already broken through to the middle level of the first rank and that he had no further inheritance, he tried to make a bid.

In the end, it was acquired at a price that was several times more expensive than the [Second-Order Low-Grade Alchemy Inheritance].

Three thousand four hundred spirit stones!
After inspecting and delivering the goods, Lin Changheng left immediately.

No stopping whatsoever.

He had flaunted his wealth too much today, spending nearly ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, and was likely already being watched. He couldn't stay any longer, so he made his way out.

Even though it was confirmed that there would be a Foundation Establishment Pill and a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Item as the grand finale, he had no intention of staying to take a look.

On the contrary, the allure of these two items can help him keep those who have designs on him at bay.

They were eventually able to return safely to Cave 98.

After that, Lin Changheng never stepped out of the door again.

……

The three years that passed in the blink of an eye were not a long time for Lin Changheng.

Because his heart was filled with the sense of fulfillment that came from his improved abilities.

Completely absorbed, safe and comfortable.

That year, Lin Changheng was sixty-six years old.

Inside the secluded chamber of the cave.

Lin Changheng sat cross-legged on the stone bed, in the eye of the [Spirit Gathering Array], his eyes slightly closed and his breathing long and even.

He has been at the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage for more than six years, and his dantian magic power will finally be fully accumulated today.

The external spiritual energy was dense and surrounded the body. As the Jade Void Bright Scripture was circulated, it was absorbed into the body, flowing mightily and continuously, like a river washing over the meridians and energy channels.

As the cultivation technique was activated, the liquid mana accumulated more and more, gradually forming a small vortex.

Lin Changheng only slightly guided the impact, and then heard a slight "crack" sound from inside his body, as if something had been broken.

Then he felt the magical power within his body roaring incessantly, flowing and swirling like a river overflowing its banks, eventually accumulating in his dantian.

"My magical power has increased slightly, by about 30%!"

Lin Changheng sensed something and gave his conclusion.

"As expected, the difference in magical power between the early stages of Foundation Establishment is not significant and can be smoothed out by various means. But at least we have taken another step forward."

After a long while, the fluctuations in magical power generated by Lin Changheng's breakthrough in realm gradually subsided.

Only then did he open his eyes and exhale a long breath. "Six years have passed, and I have successfully broken through to the second level of Foundation Establishment, just as I had guessed."

Mo Zhaoli stayed on the first level of Foundation Establishment for almost the same amount of time.

The sufficient use of elixirs made up for the difference in their spiritual roots.

Lin Changheng stood up and stretched his limbs, his bones cracking and popping. He smiled with satisfaction, opened the Dragon-Slaying Stone, and walked out.

"Chirp!"

The black-armored earth tortoise, noticeably larger, was "begging for elixirs" from a puppet that was half a person's height but silvery-white in color.

　Thank you to fellow Daoist "Palace Master Mingyue" for the Qidian Coins!
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(End of this chapter)