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

Chapter 212 News from Zhaoli: Black Turtle Advances

Cave No. 98, in the courtyard.

"Tweet-"

Upon hearing its master's words, the Black-Armored Ground Turtle's eyes lit up, and it nodded repeatedly.

Don't be too curious or greedy about the special-smelling pills that it eats after "donating blood" to the Deep Lake Spirit Clam!

He pleaded with his master and Yan Mingyi many times, but to no avail.

Now that its owner has spoken, and it knows it will soon be able to eat, the turtle is overjoyed that its long-cherished wish will be fulfilled, and it is even eager to donate blood.

Lin Changheng patted the large, upright head of the spirit tortoise and found it amusing.

They'll behave themselves when it really starts.

On second thought, that might not be the case. Perhaps the turtle's cravings could outweigh its discomfort. Who knows?

After comforting Xiaobai, who was weak after donating blood, Lin Changheng went into the secret room to cultivate.

The communication jade talisman sent by Bai Zhenchuan was also casually put away.

……

The third day was the day Bai Zhenchuan had arranged to meet him.

The topic we'll discuss is naturally the process of creating the [Spirit Communication Pill].

However, the next day, cultivators from the Ziji Sect's resident post station came to visit.

A letter from Ziji Mountain was delivered.

"Li'er's letter?"

Lin Changheng took out the sect seal that Mo Zhaoli had given him in the past. After the other party verified that it was correct, he gave the letter to him.

This seal can utilize the unique communication and delivery channels of the Ziji Sect, and there is a strict requirement that the sender or receiver must be within the Ziji Mountain area.

Otherwise, it will not be delivered.

This is to prevent cultivators from randomly giving out multiple tokens, allowing cultivators who do not belong to the Purple Extreme Sect to use this internal channel, and even causing waste, abuse, or misappropriation.

"Thank you."

Lin Changheng smiled as he saw the monk off from the post station.

This made the cultivator somewhat flattered. After all, those who could live in this outer lake cave area were either Foundation Establishment cultivators or masters with second-tier skills. Yet the cultivator's attitude was so amiable, showing no signs of arrogance or haughtiness.

"Senior, please don't be so polite. This is my duty and what I should do."

The monk at the post station scratched his head and smiled before taking his leave.

Lin Changheng opened the letter, which mainly mentioned two things:

The first issue is that the matter of that sect senior, the [Crimson-Eyed Fire Demon], is still dragging on.

However, Mo Zhaoli deliberately showed a calm attitude, not as eager as before, which made the person take the initiative to come up to her and ask about the situation.

Mo Zhaoli directly lowered the price significantly, expecting the senior from the sect to jump up and refuse as if his tail had been stepped on, or even to walk away in a huff. But to his surprise, the other party's attitude was completely different. He simply said that the offer was too low and that he would raise it again.

They seemed to have a lot to talk about.

Mo Zhaoli speculated that if they patiently dragged things out for a while longer, perhaps the matter could be resolved.

"I never expected things to actually turn out this way."

Lin Changheng was also particularly moved, after all, it was a mountain and marsh spirit of the [Mysterious Spirit Bloodline] level, which he also lacked.

He didn't let a momentary resentment cause him to go against the monster's talent.

Ordinary cultivators are driven by emotions, while mature cultivators only consider interests.

Lin Changheng's attitude was clear: "I'm sorry to trouble you, Li'er, but I'm grateful for your full responsibility."

……

The second matter concerns Mo Zhaoli himself.

When she wrote the letter, her cultivation had already reached the peak of the third level of Foundation Establishment, a state of overflowing power.

All that's left is to refine the bottlenecks and break through them.

In response, Mo Zhaoli planned to try to figure it out on his own for a period of time. If he couldn't, he would go out to find spiritual herbs and ask Lin Changheng to start the alchemy process.

Clearly, she already knew that Lin Changheng's alchemy skills had progressed extremely quickly, reaching the middle grade of the second rank.

She was delighted but also quite moved by this:

Back then, a pill refiner in Zichuan Market who couldn't break through to the next level for eleven years suddenly had an epiphany, and his mind was enlightened. He rose through the ranks in fifty years and has now become a mid-grade second-level pill refiner.

Fifty years may seem like a long time, but the Dao of Alchemy is complex. It requires not only a thorough understanding of the theory, but also mastery of practical elements such as techniques and fire control. Furthermore, it requires resources to accumulate proficiency. For independent cultivators, progress is not easy.

Now Brother Lin has done it, making great strides all the way.

She couldn't help but sigh at how right Mo Zhaoli had made that decision back then!

If one forgets their roots and betrays their principles, abandoning their old ways after joining a sect, where will they find a close fellow practitioner to help and support them?

……

"Nearly ten years..."

Lin Changheng did a quick calculation and found that it had been ten years since Mo Zhaoli went from the third level of Foundation Establishment to the current overflowing realm. The speed was not bad. However, how long he could stay stuck at the bottleneck from the early to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment was an unknown.

His breakthrough to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage might be relatively easier at that time, because he will have the assistance of a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Item, which will provide some help for breaking through to the early stages of Foundation Establishment.

He gave this item to Princess Tantai when she was trying to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. However, the girl was determined and used the [Inferior Foundation Establishment Pill] without using the [Foundation Establishment Spiritual Item] to successfully establish her foundation.

It was returned to him again.

In response to Mo Zhaoli's words, Lin Changheng offered the blessing of "May you live a long and prosperous life in the immortal path," and said that if he needed to refine pills at that time, he could simply come to him.

……

The next day.

Lin Changheng did not go to Fusheng Lake again, but instead went to the auction venue where he first met Bai Zhenchuan.

It was still that same grand hall.

The interior furnishings are simple and grand, with landscape screens hanging on the four walls and dark blue jade bricks paving the floor.

One of the slender female clerks was waiting for him there.

With such stunning beauty, who else could it be but Bai Hengwan?

"Master Bai, I've kept you waiting."

Lin Changheng entered and bowed respectfully.

"Master Lin, there's no need for that."

Bai Hengwan waved her hand, smiled gently, and without saying anything more, she directly used her magic to sweep a white porcelain bottle away.

"Could this be the legendary [Spirit-Connecting Pill]?"

Lin Changheng took it and asked with a smile.

"Master Lin, you'll know once you open it and take a look."

Bai Hengwan smiled faintly.

Lin Changheng immediately opened the bottle, and a strange medicinal fragrance instantly wafted out. This fragrance was not the usual fresh scent of herbs and trees, but rather a mixture of herbal aroma and sweet, fishy smell.

Peering intently into the bottle, one could see a pill the size of a longan lying quietly at the bottom. The pill's surface was incredibly smooth, with a milky white base and delicate, pale red lines covering it, making it clearly quite extraordinary.

"really!"

Lin Changheng accepted it with satisfaction. "Bai Zhenchuan always keeps his word. I admire him. May I ask how many spirit stones this pill is worth?"

"I don't know either. The specific price hasn't been set in the Immortal City yet, but Master Lin doesn't need to pay. Considering Master Lin's special contributions in the subsequent adjustments to the pill formula, Elder Kong specially approved this pill as a gift to you."

Bai Hengwan pursed her red lips slightly and said, "Oh? Then I, Lin, will accept your offer without hesitation."

Lin Changheng smiled and accepted it directly.

Then suddenly something occurred to him, "That Bai Zhen passed on to me..."

"This gift from me is a personal token of my appreciation and has nothing to do with the Immortal City. Master Lin, you only need to accept it."

Bai Hengwan didn't care about these details.

The implication is that this is a personal bond between them, independent of the Immortal City.

"The true meaning of Bai Zhen's teachings."

Lin Changheng, having benefited from the deal, didn't mind going all out with the proper etiquette.

Public property belongs to the public, and private property belongs to the private; they really shouldn't be confused.

"By the way, next time we'll gather more of the essence blood from the Azure Mist Toad and bring it all to Master Lin."

Bai Hengwan suddenly thought of something and said.

"Of course, thank you for your trouble, Master Bai."

Lin Changheng nodded.

Having finished speaking, Lin Changheng felt that it was enough and was about to take his leave when he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Regarding the reason for the beast tide attack in the Qingxia Temple area, I wonder if True Disciple Bai knows any inside information... Would you be willing to tell me? I have been worried recently that the beast tide is approaching the Immortal City, so I have been restless at night."

Bai Hengwan paused for a moment, clearly finding the reason both absurd and in line with Lin Danshi's cautious nature. After glancing at him, she said, "Lin Danshi, there's no need to worry too much. There are traces of regular beast tides, and sudden beast tides are caused by human greed. Immortal City has always been stable and peaceful, so there's almost nothing to worry about."

Upon hearing this, Lin Changheng's eyes flickered slightly.

Bai Hengwan seemed to say nothing, but in reality, she said everything.

"The sudden beast tide was also caused by human greed... It seems that this beast tide is a man-made disaster."

Lin Changheng accurately grasped the key point.

The specific details could not be asked further, and Lin Changheng already knew them. Now that his purpose had been basically achieved, Lin Changheng took his leave, saying, "Since there's nothing else, I'll take my leave and won't disturb Master Bai any longer."

"Walk slowly."

Bai Hengwan nodded slightly, "I may bother Master Lin again in the future."

"No problem at all. Master Bai will send someone to deliver the teachings at the appropriate time."

Lin Changheng laughed heartily, cupped his hands in greeting, and his figure transformed into light and vanished.

……

Now it's time to reap the rewards.

Firstly, there is the refining of the Foundation Establishment Pill, which is just waiting for someone to bring the medicine to our door.

Secondly, there is the breakthrough of the [Black Armored Earth Turtle].

The shell of this turtle is almost completely crystallized. It only needs to be polished for a while longer and adjusted to its peak condition before Lin Changheng will allow this turtle to break through.

No need to choose a location separately; you can break through in the secluded chamber of your cave.

At that time, Lin Changheng will set up a concealment formation to minimize the disturbance and then provide an excuse to the outside world.

Friends borrowed land to build the foundation.

Given his wide circle of friends and his kindness to others, this situation is considered normal.

……

Time flows relentlessly forward, and the cycle of years cannot be stopped.

Two years have passed in the blink of an eye.

This day.

Above Cave No. 98, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered, forming a strange phenomenon: thick clouds of spiritual energy.

Because Lin Changheng had leaked the news beforehand, saying that a friend was borrowing the land to build a foundation, the neighbors were not too surprised or concerned.

After glancing at the unusual phenomenon, I could only sigh that it was truly wonderful to have a friend like Master Lin.

It could even be described as a great blessing, because the Foundation Establishment Pill that his friend needed was very likely also refined and provided by Alchemist Lin.

I'm so envious just thinking about it...

……

Lin Changheng was sitting in the courtyard guarding the way at this moment.

However, his divine sense remained, constantly monitoring the condition of the [Black-Armored Earth Turtle].

Now, it has been forty-six or forty-seven years since this tortoise came into his life, nearly fifty years.

However, this tortoise's accumulation of knowledge was much shorter than that of other tortoises of the same bloodline, which typically took eighty or ninety years or even a hundred years to accumulate.

The extensive use of various elixirs and resources played a crucial role in this.

At this moment, the Black-Armored Earth Tortoise lay on the ground in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array, its thick shell undulating slightly, creating a strange resonance with the pulse of the earth.

It was surrounded by a dense, earthy-yellow spiritual light. This light was not static, but rather flowed slowly like viscous mud, constantly absorbing the pure earth-elemental spiritual energy around it.

The once dark and shiny carapace now faintly exudes a heavy, dark golden luster, and the naturally formed, ancient patterns on it have become clearer and more profound, as if it is about to undergo a transformation.

Its head was retracted into its shell, but the breath it exhaled from its nostrils was unusually heavy, carrying a strong earthy smell, and each breath caused the surrounding ground to tremble slightly.

Lin Changheng could clearly feel a vast and concentrated energy accumulating and compressing within his body, reaching a critical point. That was a sign that he was about to break through to the second tier!

After a while.

"Swallow the pill!"

Lin Changheng's "voice" resounded in the mind of the Black-Armored Earth Turtle.

The next instant, Xiao Hei suddenly opened its eyes and made a move. Its head stretched out and retracted like a blur. Its tortoise mouth had already grabbed the white jade bottle in front of it. Then, with a little force, the pill and the jade bottle were crushed together and swallowed into its body.

"boom!"

The [Spiritual Elixir] entering the body seemed to trigger some kind of energy surge.

Its originally dark and heavy carapace made a crisp "crackling" sound, and the ancient patterns on its surface seemed to come alive, twisting and reorganizing, becoming more complex and profound, with the edges turning completely dark gold, exuding a cold and hard metallic luster.

A far more powerful and concentrated aura than before is slowly awakening from within.

Suddenly, the Black-Armored Earth Tortoise let out a deep yet extremely penetrating roar. This roar was unlike that of a tortoise; instead, it carried a hint of the majesty of a ferocious beast!

At the same time, large swirling clouds gathered in the sky, carrying a heavy, mountain-like pressure, and slowly rotated. Pure spiritual energy from heaven and earth cascaded down like waterfalls, pouring onto the tortoise shell.

Its enormous body began to expand further under the infusion of spiritual light and energy, and tiny protrusions resembling mountain peaks even began to condense on its shell.

A unique pressure, belonging to second-tier demonic beasts, mixed with the weight and vastness of the earth, slowly spread out!
Although the whole process was quick to describe, it lasted for several days.

Once the vortex above dissipated and the spiritual energy clouds lost their ability to gather, they all drifted away.

Inside the secret room, the fluctuations in spiritual energy finally subsided.

A massive black-skinned tortoise, nearly ten feet tall and with three tiny, mountain-like protrusions on its carapace, rose majestically from the ground.

It was supported by a yellowish-brown cloud.

"It's done!"

Yan Mingyi was also waiting outside the courtyard. She spotted the Black-Armored Earth Tortoise at a glance, and her worries immediately dissipated, replaced by a delighted smile.

"good."

Lin Changheng nodded in satisfaction.

Upon seeing the two, the Black-Armored Earth Tortoise immediately lost its imposing aura and flew over quickly, just like the little tortoise before, circling around them and excitedly chirping incessantly.

It seems to indicate that they have succeeded, and describe their own changes...

(End of this chapter)