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

Chapter 213 Seizing a New Species, Complementary Abilities

"Chirp..."

Lin Changheng felt that the Black-shelled Earth Tortoise's shell was extremely strong, just by looking at it.

It was entirely black with gold patterns, and its three peaks, in particular, gave him a sense of the weight and solidity of the earth.

"Mingyi, step aside and let me test you."

Lin Changheng gave his concubine an instruction, and Yan Mingyi immediately stepped aside obediently. At the same time, she communicated with the Black-Armored Earth Turtle telepathically.

Then the turtle landed on the ground, retracted its head and limbs, and began to wait for Lin Changheng to try.

A glint flashed in Lin Changheng's eyes. He pointed his fingers like a sword, and with a slight surge of his Foundation Establishment power, an extremely refined and sharp small flame sword burst forth from his fingertips. With a shrill whistle that tore through the air, it mercilessly slashed at the tortoise shell!
This time, Lin Changheng showed some restraint, but it was still enough to easily cleave through the spiritual light of an ordinary second-grade low-level defensive magic weapon!
"Qiang——!"

A piercing, sharp sound, like striking tempered steel, exploded out, sparks flying everywhere!
The flaming sword failed to penetrate the carapace even slightly; instead, it was forcefully deflected and dissipated into specks of fire in mid-air.

The spot where the flaming sword struck was left with only a hair-thin white mark.

Furthermore, the white mark was slowly dissipating at a visible speed amidst the earthy yellow spiritual light flowing across the surface of the tortoise shell, returning to its original state in the blink of an eye, as if it had never been attacked.

Lin Changheng raised an eyebrow but did not stop.

He flipped his palm and summoned a small, cyan-gold spirit weapon flying sword. This flying sword was quite sharp and extremely fast. Driven by his liquid magic power, it transformed into a streak of cyan light, carrying terrifying penetrating power, and fiercely stabbed towards the same spot!

"Ding!"

Another crisp sound!
The sharp edge of the lapis lazuli flying sword rubbed violently against the tortoise shell, producing a teeth-grinding sound, but it was still firmly blocked by that seemingly ancient shell and could not advance an inch!
Only a small, distinct ripple of spiritual energy erupted from the point of contact, indicating that the terrifying power contained in this attack was evenly distributed across the entire tortoise shell.

The black-armored earth tortoise showed no discomfort or pain, only instinctively shrinking its neck slightly upon hearing the loud thud, seemingly oblivious to the two attacks that were enough to severely injure a monster of the same level.

"Good! Even with the full power of a second-tier low-grade spiritual weapon, it can't break through the defense!"

Lin Changheng couldn't help but chuckle and praise, finally revealing a knowing smile as he flipped his hand and put away the magical artifact.

The Black-Armored Earth Tortoise's defensive capabilities far exceeded his expectations.

With the combined enhancement of spiritual energy and its own bloodline, the hardness of this tortoise shell is probably comparable to some mid-grade second-tier defensive spiritual artifacts!
In future battles, even without him taking action, this [Black Armored Earth Turtle] alone would be enough to withstand the fierce attacks of most early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even mid-stage cultivators.

Lin Changheng stopped there. He still had the second-tier high-grade [Crimson Sky Profound Flame] that he hadn't fully activated, but there was no need to.

After all, this is a test, not an attempt to kill the turtle.

"Little Black, your defense is too strong!"

"As expected of a spirit beast comparable to a human Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

Seeing Lin Changheng stop and smile, Yan Mingyi immediately walked over to examine Xiao Hei's tortoise shell and exclaimed in disbelief.

Lin Changheng's two casual strikes just now, seemingly effortless, actually possessed terrifying power. Even from a distance, they made her skin feel cold and her heart tremble with fear.

Even a half-sun could prevent her from seeing tomorrow's sun.

As a result... such a powerful attack had absolutely no effect on Xiao Hei.

This also shows that the Black-Armored Earth Turtle's talent has been revealed!

"Chirp..."

Noticing Yan Mingyi's approach, the Black-Armored Tortoise cautiously poked its head out, its cry seemingly asking, "Master, is it done?"

I don't feel anything...

The human and the beast had signed a spirit pet contract, and their hearts were already connected. How could Lin Changheng not understand its meaning?
His lips twitched slightly, but he still informed it of its powerful defenses.

"Chirp! Chirp!" Little Black was a little smug upon hearing this, and then said rather ingratiatingly that it was still the master who taught and raised it well.

After all, one can distinguish between being full at one meal and being full at every other meal.

"This intelligence..."

Lin Changheng couldn't help but glance at it sideways. This little black dog was indeed quite intelligent, to the point that it had even learned to "flatter" and "deliberately fawn"...

But he didn't dwell on that; instead, he began to inquire about its other abilities.

And then we began testing them one by one.

He needs to have a thorough and clear understanding of the Black-Armored Earth Turtle's abilities, just like his own, so that he can utilize and control them in the future.

It was soon discovered that his ability to escape was in no way inferior to his ability to defend.

It also possesses the art of earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic or technique).

It can burrow into the ground to travel or escape.

At the same time, it also possesses a variety of demonic arts, such as Giant Thorn Technique, Stone Spear Technique, Earth Sinking Technique, Earth Shaking Technique, and Earth Cage Technique.

There aren't many attack types; they're mainly used for defense and area control.

What appears to be a low-level sorcery actually possesses a significantly enhanced power, resulting in a qualitative change.

"good."

Lin Changheng nodded.

A battle strategy immediately formed in his mind.

He now possesses several powerful attack methods, but they are easily dodged, requiring him to improve his hit rate through various means.

The Black-Armored Earth Turtle happens to be skilled in crowd control but lacks offensive capabilities, making it a good support unit to restrict the enemy's movements and thus increase their hit rate.

It's complementary.

If he lands a hit, the battle will end immediately, and even a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator would likely perish on the spot.

……

"For the next six months, focus on consolidating your cultivation and refrain from donating blood for now. You can start donating blood after six months."

Seeing the eager look in Xiao Hei's eyes, Lin Changheng immediately gave an instruction.

"Chirp..."

The black-armored tortoise nodded, having also learned Lin Changheng's patience.

Then he started playing with Yan Mingyi, even taking off and carrying her up and down.

This tortoise has a sturdy, thick, and wide shell, making it a good material for a mount.

Legend has it that some giant tortoises can carry mountains and islands on their backs.

There are even turtle-like spirits that carry an entire realm on their backs.

……

Three days later.

Bai Zhen sent word that Lin Changheng went directly to the auction venue and retrieved another batch of the [Azure Mist Toad]'s demonic blood essence.

This kind of second-tier essence blood is quite valuable and should not be lent to others.

Otherwise, what if they see a "treasure" and run away with it?
There's a saying that goes, "Don't test human nature lightly."

Lin Changheng still felt it was better to make the trip himself; it wouldn't take much time, and he would feel more at ease.

Carrying his essence blood, Lin Changheng returned to the secret chamber.

This is the third batch of essence blood that we have obtained.

It happens roughly once a year.

The light shimmered with a vibrant blue hue, creating a mesmerizing and captivating effect that was truly beautiful.

To date, a total of 190 portions of this essence blood have been obtained.

……

It was about a year ago.

Lin Changheng seized this essence and blood.

[Azure Mist Toad Treasure Seed - Spiritual Transformation in Progress]

[Spirit Stealing: 100/100]

[Effects: Bloodline of a Xuanling demon beast, born with both water and wood elements, possessing innate talents: Swamp Kingdom, Tongue Binding, Hallucination, and can choose one to refine upon successful Spirit Stealing]

……

[With essence and blood fully absorbed, the soul-seizing technique is complete!]

【Azure Mist Toad Treasure Seed - Level One】

...Then a full and round precious seed, with blue and green hues, emerged from the azure mist at the mouth of the cauldron.

[Choose one to cultivate into the demon race's innate talent: Swamp Kingdom, Tongue Binding, Hallucination]

Lin Changheng did not make a choice immediately. Instead, he collected information from various sources and analyzed the pros and cons and uses after gaining a sufficient understanding.

The talent 【Zeguo】 is a bit special; there is no corresponding ability or talent description.

However, Lin Changheng glimpsed a clue in the characteristics of its living environment.

Because of this, the [Azure Mist Toad] often lives in the deep, wild rivers and marshes, and is shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see its own fingers.

This is somewhat similar to the literal meaning of "泽国" (Ze Guo), which led Lin Changheng to connect the two points.

Based on this, it can be inferred that [Zeguo] may have actively or passively changed its surrounding environment.

Indeed, this is the case. In the long-term habitat of the Azure Mist Toad, the moisture will involuntarily become denser, gradually forming small swamps or misty areas, and promoting the rampant growth of moisture-loving plants and poisonous mushrooms, transforming it into its most favorable home ground.

This is called the "Land of Swamps".

【Tongue Binding】 involves launching a long, barbed, and highly resilient tongue to wrap around and bind enemies from a distance.

The mucus on the tongue coating has strong adhesiveness and a numbing effect.

It is beneficial for hunting and killing demonic beasts and cultivators.

As for [Hallucination], it utilizes places rich in wood and water energy to trap enemies in an illusion, making them easier to capture and kill.

Those with weak willpower are easily addicted to illusions and never escape them until death.

Those with strong willpower may be able to escape from the illusion quickly, but even a brief delay can create an opportunity for an attack.

Together with [Ze Guo], it makes for an excellent combo attack.

Having summarized all of this, Lin Changheng has basically made his decision.

【Zeguo】is effective in establishing independent cave dwellings on individual peaks, as it can modify the ground environment and keep enemies away.

However, Lin Changheng currently has no plans to leave.

Because the Immortal City can currently meet his cultivation needs, although the cave dwelling area is limited, it is not so crowded that he needs to relocate.

Tongue binding is also not very effective.

Perhaps we could improve the length and flexibility of his tongue, but something still feels off.

Then the only option left is hallucination.

However, this method has requirements regarding the environment in which it is used, which is a major limitation.

The Song Dynasty had few rivers, but its forests were lush and green mountains were everywhere.

There is a place where one can put one's skills to use, but it would be better to lure the enemy into the forest for a duel.

Furthermore, the combination of [Hallucination] and [Black Armored Earth Turtle]'s crowd control abilities can further enhance the efficiency of assassinations.

Not bad either.

This was the only option we could make in the end.

[Hallucination]!
Immediately, the Daoist essence and energy of the three precious seeds converged into one, and Lin Changheng "reached out" and plucked them.

Instantly, his soul was cleansed, and the precious seed entered his body.

[Already mastered: Hallucinogenic Technique - Path of Discovery]

Lin Changheng seemed to have mastered this strange technique instinctively.

It was also confirmed that water vapor and wood vapor are indeed required to perform this function.

But water vapor isn't just the turbulent vapor from rivers, lakes, and seas; it can also be used in fog and rain.

This means that the scenarios in which it can be used have been expanded again.

……

In addition, the intensity of the beast tide on the wild front line of Qingxia Temple has decreased significantly.

The beast tide no longer charged forward relentlessly, but began to consolidate its new territory.

This made many cultivators sense that something was amiss.

This beast tide seems to be under some kind of control...

Under normal circumstances, the impact of a beast tide is merely destruction and cannibalism. Once it has been exhausted to a certain extent, it will retreat, leaving behind a scene of devastation, ruins, and the remains of cultivators and demonic beasts.

This time, it's clear that things seem different.

Many cultivators speculated that a powerful, savage demon was controlling the beast tide in an attempt to seize territory.

Moreover, there are rumors that the Core Formation cultivators of Qingxia Temple have already met with a powerful demon from the savage wilderness and reached some kind of secret deal.

Such rumors circulate daily, but only those that are surprising, outrageous, eye-catching, and conspiracy-themed can survive among the rumors and become the "winners," spreading widely.

……

At the same time, Lin Changheng also kept a close eye on the situation of the demonic cultivators in the [Bixiao Sect].

After all, geographically it borders [Floating Life Immortal City].

According to reports, a group of demonic cultivators were later identified and killed. After that, the [Bixiao Sect] publicly announced that the extermination of demonic cultivators was a complete success!

But it's hard to say how many people actually believe in it.

Lin Changheng was one of those who did not believe it.

After all, the demonic cultivators aren't stupid. Once the chance to wipe them all out is lost, they will surely scatter and hide in different places. How could they possibly be wiped out in just a few raids?

Such a clumsy attempt to save face was hard for Lin Changheng to believe.

……

As for Deng Changsheng, whom Lin Changheng sent.

Letters also arrived.

He originally intended to purchase a large amount of demon beast essence blood at the front line, but he discovered that the Qingxia Temple had contacted a family under its command called the Liang family, as well as several large Foundation Establishment families, and jointly opened a temporary market.

Through a unique contribution point system and a dual system of spirit stone payments, monster materials are recycled, divided, and refined.

They were then transformed into various talismans, elixirs, and magical artifacts to replenish the front lines.

Deng Changsheng discovered that only a small number of people sold the precious monster materials outside, while eight or nine out of ten cultivators sold them to the market.

Spirit stones are only 90% of the market price, but you can get 10% of the contribution points.

Contribution points can be exchanged for resources that are hard to find in the market.

This immediately put Deng Changsheng at a disadvantage compared to his bid, leaving him without any advantage.

Unless you're willing to spend a fortune.

But that's just too much of a rip-off.

Deng Changsheng was somewhat worried, fearing that he would not be able to complete the tasks and instructions given by his master.

As a result, a new path opened up before them.

He ran into an acquaintance and friend in the temporary market of Qingxia Temple!
That's the friend who was so bewitched by the Fairy of Music that he stole the essence of the [Eclipse Crow] to sell, only to be caught red-handed.

What a joy it is to reunite with old friends!

The two immediately huddled together and exchanged pleasantries.

They were also surprised to find that both of them were at the Foundation Establishment stage.

I couldn't help but feel extremely moved.

In particular, the other party had so many things they wanted to share with Deng Changsheng.

After a hearty meal and drinks, Deng Changsheng understood everything.

The other party was protected by his fake elixir elder and was locked in the back mountain to reflect on his mistakes. With nothing to do, he could only cultivate.

Seeing that he seemed to have truly reformed, the elder was greatly pleased and, after a series of tests, continued to provide him with resources to help him build his foundation.

They even found him a new job.

……

(End of this chapter)