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

Chapter 203 Generous Rewards, Seeking New Blood (Two chapters totaling 1 words, including a bonus chapter for 1200 monthly votes)
Floating Life Lake, Water Moon Pavilion.

"If you don't even have confidence in yourself, how can you pursue the alchemy of becoming an immortal? How can you make continuous progress in the path of alchemy?"

As the black-haired elder spoke, he tossed a crimson token into Lin Changheng's hand and chuckled, "I am quite interested in young friend Lin's approach to alchemy. It is worth learning from. If there is an opportunity, you are welcome to come and discuss alchemy with me! I believe you will gain a lot from it!"

Upon receiving the crimson token, Lin Changheng felt not coldness, but rather warmth.

With a sudden thought, he immediately cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Master Kong. I will definitely come to learn from you when I have the chance!"

"Very good!"

The black-haired old man smiled at Lin Changheng, then turned to Bai Hengwan and said, "Hengwan, now that things are settled here, I'll be leaving."

As the two watched him go, the black-haired old man took two steps forward, then suddenly turned back and smiled, saying, "You've reached your destination first!"

"Thank you very much, Master Kong!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Hengwan's beautiful eyes flickered slightly, and she bowed respectfully to see her off.

"Respectfully seeing off Elder Kong."

Lin Changheng also performed the junior's greeting.

But Lin Changheng sensed a strange meaning in the old man's last words.

This journey, we've arrived first...

Since it is "first", there must be a comparison, but who could be Bai Zhenchuan's comparison?

The phrase "this journey" suggests that this is only one link in the chain, implying that there are many "journeys" involved, and when viewed together, it seems that there is some kind of competition among them!

Bai Hengwan seems to have gained a slight advantage because of this.

"Hehe, goodbye."

The black-haired old man waved his hand and hurriedly left. With a "whoosh," a streak of light appeared and swept across the sky, disappearing from sight.

Only a long streak of light remained as it slowly dissipated.

"So strong!"

Lin Changheng was taken aback.

In terms of sheer speed of escape alone, Lin Changheng felt he couldn't even come close. As a cultivator at the third level of Foundation Establishment, he was still a whole mid-stage away from him, and every step he took was a transformation.

"My journey is long, and the world has many beautiful sights to offer. I will take each one with a firm footing and a steady, long-term perspective!"

The late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator that Lin Changheng had the last conversation with was Huang Jiuyuan, the patriarch of the Huang family branch and the Huang family's Great Elder.

However, since his lifespan was nearing its end, what he displayed was not power or prestige, but rather a sense of wisdom and experience accumulated over the years.

This led Lin Changheng to have some misunderstandings about the strength and power of late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Now that they meet, he realizes that he is indeed far inferior to the other party and cannot match him. He just doesn't know how much chance he has of escaping even if he uses all his skills.

However, Lin Changheng was confident that he could fight against a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, but whether he could kill him was still unknown.

Because you can't assume that someone else's skills are inferior, their cultivation is weak, their combat ability is not strong, or their escape ability is lacking... That would be self-deception. The true result can only be known in the clash of combat techniques.

All Lin Changheng could do was focus on improving himself and trying to avoid conflict. If he had a real grudge, he would kill if necessary; if he couldn't win, he would protect everyone in front of him or even run away.

These responses posed no psychological burden for him.

……

"Master Kong was indeed very strong. My master once said that he had a good chance of forming a core, or at the very least a false core. However, Master Kong was not satisfied. Later, he was attacked by his enemies and suffered serious injuries, which cut off his chance to form a core."

"He has been recuperating and accumulating strength all these years. Perhaps he will have another chance to form a core in the future. After all, his alchemy skills are very strong, close to the third level."

Bai Hengwan was in a good mood at the moment. It turned out that her seemingly risky choice of Lin Changheng was the right one, so she was naturally willing to share some information and transmitted her voice.

Moreover, these matters are not exactly secrets; even those in the core of the Immortal City, as well as many late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators from the outside world, know some of them.

Furthermore, Master Kong had a good impression of Lin Changheng and his attitude towards him was good. He didn't really care about these things anyway, so there was no harm in saying them.

This also serves as a reminder to Lin Changheng, making it easier for him to deal with Master Kong in the future.

"Thank you for informing me, Master Bai."

Lin Changheng solemnly replied, immediately stating that these words, once spoken by you, would only enter my ears, and no outsider would know about them.

Bai Hengwan nodded, offering no further explanation, and instead brought up the matter of payment.

"remuneration?"

Lin Changheng also became somewhat curious.

"We have prepared a second-tier high-grade [Alchemy Inheritance] and a second-tier mid-grade alchemy furnace as a gift for completing the mission. I wonder if Alchemist Lin is satisfied?"

Bai Hengwan smiled slightly and presented the gift list.

"Oh?"

Lin Changheng was taken aback, then became delighted.

No wonder Master Bai used the word "generous gift" to describe it back then, because it really was... truly generous!
The price of a second-tier high-grade [Dan Dao Inheritance] is generally around eight or nine thousand low-grade spirit stones.

The problem is, it has a price... but no one is selling it.

It's difficult to find a seller. Powerful alchemy families wouldn't sell their inheritance for such a small amount of spirit stones. And unless a major upheaval occurs, such families won't easily decline; the legacy of their ancestors can sustain them for a long time.

Fortunately, time has been long enough that many alchemy families have declined, and some second-tier high-grade [alchemy inheritances] have been lost. After being purchased by some cultivators and families, they have disappeared.

Some people even publish incorrect versions. Since alchemy is inherently obscure, it's normal not to understand it or not to notice the errors. In fact, studying it can overturn one's own understanding of alchemy.

This has led to a situation where sellers who are not confirmed to be genuine products at auctions or who are not from reputable sellers dare not even touch the items that have been passed down through generations.

This item from the Immortal City was originally obtained from a dilapidated alchemy family and has been kept safe and sound ever since.

It was only this time that it was brought out.

However, Lin Changheng and others need to swear an oath to ensure that the information is not leaked.

……

The other alchemy furnace, although only a mid-grade second-tier item, is equivalent to a mid-grade second-tier spiritual artifact and is worth around 20,000 low-grade spirit stones, which is quite valuable!
However, in terms of value, it is more expensive than the [Second-Order High-Grade Alchemy Inheritance], almost twice as expensive.

Moreover, Lin Changheng's flames were too intense, and he had to restrain them occasionally to avoid damaging the alchemy furnace. Now that he has switched to a mid-grade second-tier alchemy furnace, which has higher tolerance, this problem can be alleviated.

"Then I, Lin, will accept the offer without hesitation."

Lin Changheng immediately accepted the gift and expressed his gratitude.

These two items were precious and rare to him, but not to the Immortal City. The former was merely a copy, which could be made in a short time, while the latter only required the cost of materials, because the Immortal City also had a subordinate [Weapon Hall], which was much more developed than the [Pill Hall] and had built a talent pool.

The Dan Palace recruited Lin Changheng with this purpose in mind.

However, Lin Changheng rejected him.

The choice proved to be correct. Now he is regarded as an honored guest by the core disciples of the Immortal City. Isn't that better than being a beast of burden for them in the subordinate Pill Hall?

The fact that the core of the Immortal City is offering such a high price as a "reward" may well indicate a desire to strengthen ties and facilitate future cooperation.

Lin Changheng would naturally not refuse this.

Everyone knows his status as a "Huang Family Offering Master," and the Immortal City wouldn't dare to openly recruit him. At most, they would ask him to do some "odd jobs" and cooperate for a short period of time.

……

The two then chatted for a while longer, and the conversation was quite harmonious, with both host and guest enjoying themselves.

Seeing that the atmosphere was about right, Lin Changheng brought up another matter, which was to inquire about the demonic blood of the [Azure Mist Toad].

It was the elderly steward of the [Spiritual Material Hall] who gave the hint.

Therefore, the opportunity is just right, and Lin Changheng can ask him a question.

Being rejected is no big deal.

But there is another thing that you absolutely must not mention at this time.

Even if it concerns the roots of the elixir for forming the core, the time is not yet ripe, and Lin Changheng would not be so presumptuous.

It's important to know what kind of relationship you're in and what kind of things you should do.

"The demon blood of the Azure Mist Toad?"

Bai Hengwan asked in surprise, her gaze towards Lin Changheng questioning, clearly curious that Lin Changheng knew about this matter.

"When I replaced the ancient medicine, I needed the demon core and essence blood of the Azure Mist Toad, so I went to the Spirit Materials Hall to retrieve them. However, I only had the Azure Mist Toad demon core and no essence blood. But the old steward, seeing that I was trying to complete the task, revealed a little information to me..."

Lin Changheng's words were mostly true, but only partly false. "Although the replacement of the ancient medicine has now been completed, I have sensed a certain aura from the demon core of this demon beast. It seems that it can have a positive effect on another batch of pills I have refined."

"I just remembered this matter again, and I decided to shamelessly ask about it."

"I see."

After listening, Bai Hengwan seemed thoughtful, neither saying whether it was true or false, nor whether she believed it or not.

“I do need this demon beast’s essence blood. I can buy it with spirit stones at a premium, as a way of repaying the favor of Master Bai. Alternatively, exchanging it for the previous reward is also acceptable.” Lin Changheng didn’t think that he could get the essence blood with just a few words. That would be too frivolous. Either the other party had ulterior motives, or he would continue to raise the stakes.

"Master Lin, your words are too much. I was just thinking about how to respond."

Bai Hengwan denied it with a slight smile.

Lin Changheng's heart stirred, but he didn't speak, waiting for Bai Hengwan to continue.

Bai Hengwan brushed aside a strand of hair that had been blown by the lake breeze, her red lips parted slightly, and continued, "There is indeed the essence blood of the [Azure Mist Toad] in the inner lake, but it is not domesticated. Instead, high-level cultivators are specially sent to the wild rivers and marshes to capture this kind of monster and take its organs for their own use. The remaining materials are dissected and divided and provided to us disciples."

"It just so happens that the body-refining technique that I am currently cultivating requires the assistance of this essence blood."

"Therefore, this is not exactly a secret, and it's not surprising that Master Lin knew about it."

Bai Hengwan gave a general explanation, but Lin Changheng understood that such a large-scale operation must be because the organs of this [Qinglin Wuchan] were of great use, all for the sake of this meal of dumplings wrapped in vinegar.

But that's irrelevant to him. The key point is that most of this essence blood ended up in the hands of this Bai Zhenchuan.

And it does seem to work.

This made it difficult for Lin Changheng to speak, since it involved taking what someone needed...

But after thinking for a moment, Lin Changheng decided to speak up and try his luck, thinking that maybe he could succeed.
"Ahem, I wonder if Master Bai would be so kind as to lend me some of his essence blood?"

"If Bai Zhenchuan needs anything now or in the future, and it is within my power and does not endanger his life or cause any crisis, I can do it on his behalf."

Lin Changheng presented his conditions.

"Within my capabilities? Without endangering lives or creating a crisis?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Hengwan couldn't help but smile: "It's widely rumored that Master Lin's alchemy is astonishing, but in reality, he's incredibly steady. He could even conceal his breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage for over a decade without revealing it. Now it seems that the rumors are indeed true..."

"Ahem, I am not good at fighting, so I need to do my best to avoid danger and preserve my body for the purpose of seeking immortality."

Lin Changheng was quite unfazed by this.

"Master Lin is indeed an honest person."

Bai Hengwan glanced at Lin Changheng but still didn't budge. Instead, she asked, "Alchemist Lin knows that I have been in seclusion for half a year and have actually broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Therefore, what I need cannot be provided by second-grade low-level alchemy. I wonder how Alchemist Lin can help me and do things for me?"

hiss……

Lin Changheng felt a surge of anger; this woman was truly difficult to deal with, never acting without a clear objective.

But he really needed that essence blood; he needed at least ten portions to completely transform the [Fivefold Jade Horn Serpent Treasure Seed].

With the [Concealing Demonic Breath Technique] in hand, many of the potential risks and threats posed by those possessing the [Jade Void Bright Scripture] can be dispelled.

As for the shortage of the Jade Horned Serpent's essence blood needed for the transformation, the Xu family will continue to provide it, so it's not a problem.

Therefore, he still has to try his best.

After a moment's thought, Lin Changheng made his decision. With a sincere expression, he spoke directly, "Master Bai, to be honest, I have already touched the edge of the second-tier mid-grade alchemy. The essence blood of the Azure Mist Toad that I am requesting this time is for the purpose of refining pills to break through the tier."

"Otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to replace ancient medicinal herbs so quickly with a second-tier low-grade alchemy skill."

Upon hearing this, Bai Hengwan stared intently at Lin Changheng with her beautiful eyes. Lin Changheng's expression remained unchanged as he met her gaze.

After a long while, Bai Hengwan suddenly let out a silvery laugh, "Alchemist Lin, Alchemist Lin, they say there are only wrong names, not wrong nicknames! You have preserved your cultivation and alchemy skills, truly worthy of your name 'Steady Alchemist'. This humble woman really thought that Alchemist Lin was just a second-tier low-grade alchemist who could refine fine alchemy!"

Lin Changheng smiled slightly, not minding at all, and instead said with a smile, "I do indeed keep a turtle-like spirit beast. So, fellow Daoists, you haven't made a mistake in calling it that."

"Since that's the case, I'm not an unreasonable person. Master Lin helped me complete the task of 'replacing medicinal herbs,' so I'll give Master Lin some essence blood of the Azure Mist Toad as a token of my gratitude."

Bai Hengwan gave Lin Changheng a deep look, then clapped her hands and laughed.

Have they finally relented?

Lin Changheng nodded with a smile: "Then we will do as Bai Zhenchuan says."

"I wonder how many portions of essence blood Master Lin would like?"

Bai Zhenchuan posed another question.

Lin Changheng pondered for a moment, then said loudly, "Ten portions! How about ten portions?"

This answer may seem like a greedy verification or a question of self-worth assessment, but it is not difficult for Lin Changheng to give.

Less than ten portions cannot be generated and are therefore useless.

Even if you submit a dozen or so copies, you'll only have a few extra copies in hand. With no hope of collecting them all, it's impossible to succeed in seizing the spirit, so it's all useless.

So we got this answer directly.

"Oh?"

Bai Hengwan was surprised by Lin Changheng's quick response; she had thought he would struggle with it for a long time and suffer internally...

After a slightly surprised smile, he said, "Then ten portions, as Master Lin said."

As he spoke, he decisively took out ten bottles of essence blood.

Its surface shimmered with a vibrant green light, and was imbued with a hazy, mesmerizing blue hue.

The essence blood floated over, but Lin Changheng flicked his sleeve and it all disappeared, already swept into his storage bag.

With the items in his bag, Lin Changheng cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for the true teachings, Bai."

Having achieved their goal, the two did not chat for long. Lin Changheng bid farewell and flew away.

This time, the white-robed envoy was not present, so Lin Changheng returned on his own, retracing his steps from where he had come.

When leaving the lake, no "array flag token" is needed, and no alarm will be triggered. However, if you go deeper, you will be protected by a more powerful and sophisticated array, which will expose you instantly, leaving no loopholes.

Lin Changheng didn't plan to go; he flew straight out without stopping and nothing happened the whole way.

……

For the next month, Lin Changheng had nothing to worry about.

He systematically cultivated and refined his alchemy, and verified the optimal blood donation frequency of the [Deep Lake Spirit Clam].

In addition, I received three letters.

The fact that they all arrived in such a concentrated manner amazed Lin Changheng.

The first letter was from Mo Zhaoli.

He gave a brief introduction of his recent situation as usual.

My recent practice and missions have been well-integrated, and I'm making great progress.

He also stated that the sect elder who possessed the [Crimson-Eyed Fire Demon] had not yet made a move against the [Mountain and Swamp Spirit], which clearly meant that everyone was not stupid. However, his treating everyone as fools had displeased many people, but they still had to maintain their past relationship and could not directly refute him.

In response, Mo Zhaoli continued to ask, "If the other party hits a wall and decides to lower the price, will Brother Lin still buy it?"

"If the other party takes the initiative to come to us and ask, we can communicate with them."

Lin Changheng gave his reply.

Furthermore, through the Purple Extreme Sect's exclusive channels, two bottles of pills to enhance cultivation were sent over.

This internal delivery channel is quite secure, and no one dares to mess with the Ziji Sect on this small piece of land.

At least not yet.

……

The second letter came from Xu Fugui.

When Lin Changheng returned to the Xu family of Blackwater River last time, he was not in the clan, but stationed outside.

Lin Changheng didn't stay long, and the two didn't meet.

Xu Fugui expressed his regret over this in his letter.

I said I must have a good drink with Brother Lin next time!
Lin Changheng smiled at this and replied that he agreed, saying he would definitely wait until Lin returned to have a drink before leaving.

Fu Gui is one of the few remaining among his classmates and friends from the same year, so he is worth cherishing.

At the end of the letter, Xu Fugui mentioned one more thing.

He said that the pills Brother Lin gave him last time were so effective that he felt much lighter and fuller. Now that he was free from the pressure and expectations of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, his mental state had also improved a lot.

He even took another concubine from the Xu family, and they had a baby...

She is currently pregnant.

And I hope that next time Brother Lin comes, he can refine such a batch of medicine for him.

"hiss……"

Lin Changheng looked at the words in the letter; they seemed somewhat unfamiliar, yet also strangely familiar…

Decades later, that damned feeling of giving gifts resurfaced!
(End of this chapter)