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

Chapter 231 Core Formation Stage Gathering, Reunion with Old Friends (5K)

Green hills on the west bank.

Lin Changheng floated down from the Dharma boat and landed on a deserted boulder by the river, where he sat cross-legged.

A gentle breeze carrying moisture and dampness swept by, which was quite pleasant.

"It is said that the entrance to the secret realm is beneath the surface of the river."

He ignored what others were saying and spread his divine sense across the river, searching everywhere, but he couldn't find the entrance to the secret realm, or even the slightest trace of it!
It was hidden so well.

If everyone hadn't been waiting here, Lin Changheng would have doubted whether this was really the entrance.

After waiting for about three days...

Suddenly, the place became noisy. Lin Changheng, who was meditating, immediately sensed it and saw that everyone was craning their necks and looking towards the horizon. Lin Changheng followed their gaze.

In the distance, above the clear blue sky, a group of tiny purplish-red dots appeared, like sparks spreading across a prairie fire, rapidly flying towards the direction of the crowd.

Its speed was extremely fast. At first, it was just a blurry shadow, but in just a dozen breaths, its general outline could be seen.

"coming!"

"They're from the Purple Extreme Sect!"

"They've finally arrived! I thought they were going to miss the appointed time!"

A commotion immediately arose in the crowd, and everyone's attention was involuntarily drawn to it.

The swarm of purplish-red dots flew closer and closer, revealing themselves to be more than ten cultivators dressed in uniform purplish-red sect robes. Both men and women were present, each exuding a powerful aura and possessing considerable cultivation; the lowest level was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. The woman at the head of the group stood with her hands behind her back, her aura even more profound, clearly indicating she was at the Core Formation stage!
They were standing on a red silk ribbon with more than ten branches extending from it, which supported their bodies.

The main body was at the feet of the female cultivator in the Core Formation stage; it was likely her magic weapon.

The arrival of this group of Ziji Sect cultivators instantly broke the dullness and oppression that had lasted for several days. It was like a drop of water being poured into a boiling pot of oil, foreshadowing the complete opening of the secret realm.

However, the Ziji Sect members ignored the countless gazes cast upon them from below, flew directly above the crowd, and then flew off to find places to rest.

The leading female cultivator, whose face was cold and aloof, swept her gaze down with lightning speed. Her voice, though not loud, clearly reached everyone's ears: "The entrance to the secret realm will officially appear in three days. The rules remain the same. Everyone must rely on their own abilities. Life and death are not a matter of concern."

Her cold words, devoid of any warmth, sent a chill down the spines of everyone present, yet none dared to look her in the eye.

Such is the power of a Core Formation cultivator.

Then she reached out and beckoned, and a flash of red light appeared. The red silk that had been spread out just now disappeared instantly, turning into a red rope that wrapped around the other person's wrist, and then it fell down on its own.

Lin Changheng didn't dare to look directly at the Core Formation cultivator. He only glanced at him briefly before immediately looking away, afraid of being sensed or watched by the other party.

There was once a Core Formation cultivator with an eccentric personality who was looked at a late Foundation Establishment cultivator a few times, and the cultivator gouged out the cultivator's eyes.

That's bad enough, but an incomplete body will negatively impact the breakthrough to the Core Formation stage, greatly increasing the difficulty and making success almost impossible.

Therefore, before forming the core, if one has any physical defects, one must first seek out spiritual medicines and pills to ensure the body is intact before attempting the breakthrough.

But they are extremely difficult to find.

It could be said that the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator almost had his path to enlightenment blocked just because he glanced at it one more time.

……

Ignoring the Core Formation female cultivator, Lin Changheng's gaze continued to sweep rapidly over the group of disciples.

Mo Zhaoli was not found.

Due to the delay in the delivery of letters, Lin Changheng was unsure whether she was there or not, and only now has he been able to confirm it.

It's possible that she broke through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage too late and missed the chance to obtain a spot.

If Li'er were here, Lin Changheng planned to lend her his second-tier puppet to help her protect herself, and at the same time ask her to keep an eye out for the roots and stems of some spiritual plants and precious herbs.

Now, we have no choice but to look for someone else.

……

That afternoon.

Another powerful aura flew in from afar.

It was an old man in plain clothes, with eyebrows joined together, riding a giant bird-beast, leading two young people.

Lin Changheng did not recognize the three people, but he knew that the old man in plain clothes who was in the lead had a powerful aura. Although he was not as strong as the female Core Formation cultivator of the Purple Extreme Sect, he was still beyond the late Foundation Establishment stage and was clearly a pseudo-Core Formation cultivator.

Soon, through conversations with others, Lin Changheng also learned that this person was the fake Core Ancestor of the Beast Taming Sun family.

The remaining two should be the family members who came to explore the secret realm.

In fact, both the Song family, which makes talismans, and the Sun family, which controls beasts, are under the rule of the Ziji Sect and are subject to its command during daily land reclamation.

Therefore, from any perspective, the unique secret realm of the Ziji Sect cannot avoid the influence of these two major families.

A quota must be granted.

Otherwise, disunity and alienation will be imminent, which will be detrimental to the rule of the Ziji Sect.

……

Day two.

Another third-tier magic weapon flew through the air, carrying three people as well.

They were the ancestor of the Song family, who made talismans, and two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the same family, a man and a woman. However, the two from the Song family were clearly middle-aged cultivators in their prime.

The Song family patriarch wore a dark blue robe, his face was thin and his eyes were gentle yet revealed the vicissitudes of life. Although he deliberately concealed his aura, the spiritual pressure unique to the pseudo-core realm, far exceeding that of the foundation establishment realm, was still faintly visible, making him a force to be reckoned with.

As soon as he and the Sun family patriarch landed, they immediately turned their attention to the Core Formation female cultivator from the Purple Extreme Sect, and stepped forward with smiles to greet her.

From the perspective of cultivation level, the Core Formation female cultivator had a powerful aura, at least a True Core, and possibly a Golden Core. The difference between her and a False Core was enormous, like a chasm.

From the perspective of status, although aristocratic families are strong and have a good status, they are still inferior to sects like this. After all, they are appointed by "Heaven's Mandate" to govern cultivation and have to rely on the nose of the [Purple Extreme Sect], which governs a certain area. Unless you have the ability to overthrow the [Purple Extreme Sect] instantly and gain the recognition of the Nascent Soul sect [Southern Palace], it's another story. Once you get into a tug-of-war, the [Southern Palace] will have to eliminate this "rebel" for the sake of face.

Therefore, the main theme of the Song Dynasty aristocratic families was to lie low and seek self-preservation.

……

In addition, many Foundation Establishment cultivators arrived, weary from their journey.

There were nearly a hundred people in total.

Lin Changheng even saw some acquaintances.

It's a woman.

Even after all these years, Lin Changheng still recognized her at a glance.

She was the bright-eyed woman among the three who came to the Xu family when the Liu family of Linghu Mountain came to discuss matters.

Lin Changheng also obtained a sufficient amount of [Lantern Grass Spirit] essence blood from them, which transformed into his current important reliance, the true meaning of [Glory Life Divine Power]!
That's why I remember it so vividly!
This woman from the Liu family is now a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Her spiritual root talent should be quite good, but her aura is still in the early stage and is not as good as Lin Changheng's.

After all, the Liu and Xu families jointly opening the Qinglingfang would only bring greater gains, as they had cultivated an additional Foundation Establishment cultivator, which was within reasonable limits.

The two made eye contact briefly, but the other person clearly did not recognize Lin Changheng in disguise.

In addition, Lin Changheng also spotted an elderly man in the crowd.

He was completely shrouded in a black robe, and his gloomy face bore a long, centipede-like scar. His cultivation level was approximately at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage.

It was none other than the Qiu family's patriarch, the mastermind behind the attack on Xu Hanji that injured his dantian.

He was also the culprit who caused the death of Xianmiao's friend, Bai Feng!
Lin Changheng once promised to avenge Lao Bai at Bai Fengxian's grave, but when the time came, he was unable to do so and could only say, "A gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years."

Now that Lin Changheng has enough strength, this is another good opportunity!

However, with so many people around, it's not wise to act rashly. When he returns from the secret realm, Lin Changheng might as well give him a ride!
Of course, if he manages to come out of the secret realm alive...

……

After thinking for a moment, Lin Changheng decided to get up and head towards the area where the female cultivator from the Liu family was located.

Since the two have crossed paths, perhaps they can discuss business.

For Lin Changheng, even if he fails or is rejected, there is no loss, so he might as well give it a try.

The journey through the crowd was also a journey under the scrutiny of others' wary gazes.

Fortunately, Lin Changheng's hands hung naturally at his sides without any other movements. Otherwise, in the tense situation of the secret realm about to open, it would have been hard to say what might have happened if a misunderstanding had occurred.

As soon as I got a little closer to the female cultivator from the Liu family, her gaze immediately fell upon me.

Beside the woman was an elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator, whose cultivation level was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. He was likely a member of the Liu family who was traveling with her.

"Two people went in?"

Lin Changheng disagreed with this, but understood it. After all, the families in the cultivation world are diverse, and their ideas vary. Some are cautious and withdrawn, some are full of martial virtue, some are daring and willing to fight, and some face opportunities head-on. There is no fixed pattern.

The Liu family might be the kind that would seize any opportunity, or perhaps... something unexpected happened within the clan that prompted this decision; it's hard to say.

……

"Fellow Daoist, what brings you here?"

The elderly monk, though wary inwardly, still smiled and spoke first.

"Fairy Liu, do you not remember me?"

Lin Changheng had no prior acquaintance with the elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator, nor had he ever met him before. He turned directly to the female cultivator surnamed Liu and smiled.

Upon hearing this, the female cultivator from the Liu family carefully examined Lin Changheng for a few moments, her eyes flashing with confusion and suspicion. Therefore, she truly had no recollection of this person and did not remember when she had ever come into contact with such a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Moreover, his aura seemed quite powerful, indicating he was already in the middle stage.

"Fellow Daoist, please forgive my poor eyesight; I do not recognize you and cannot recall when we met before."

Upon hearing this, Lin Changheng smiled slightly, ignoring the wary look on the elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator's face. He flipped his hand and took out a bottle of mottled emerald green essence blood, handing it to the Liu family female cultivator.

It was none other than the essence blood of the [Lantern Grass Spirit] that had been traded in the past, the remaining part after the spirit was stolen and the spirit was transformed.

Seeing that the two recognized him at a glance, Lin Changheng didn't keep them in suspense and said directly, "Fellow Daoists, decades ago, I purchased a thousand portions of this blood from nobles over five years to refine pills. I wonder if you still remember? It did indeed help me a lot back then."

"Liu Xianzi was present at the time."

Upon touching upon keywords such as "Lin Mou," "thousand portions," and "alchemy," the Liu family female cultivator's bright eyes widened slightly as she instantly made connections and her memories were precisely recalled.

"Incredulously, he said, 'Master Lin...it's you?'"

"Your cultivation..."

She tried hard to reconcile the image before her with the image of Lin Danshi in her memory, but she couldn't do it.

After all, his cultivation progress was already fast enough, and his spiritual root was also decent, but how could Alchemist Lin be faster than him? He had a family as a backing and providing resources.

I heard that he later left the Xu family and became a wandering cultivator...

hiss!
I was utterly shocked.

Seeing Liu Yuhan's expression, the elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator beside him seemed lost in thought and did not interrupt.

"Lin's alchemy has encountered a rare opportunity, resulting in a breakthrough and entering the mid-grade of the second rank, which has also benefited his cultivation. As for this appearance, it is a slight disguise."

Lin Changheng smiled slightly and offered an explanation, while also subtly hinting at his own alchemy skills, sparking speculation that this might attract clients.

"I see."

Liu Yuhan nodded. In reality, the two members of the Liu family were once again astonished by the "second-tier mid-grade alchemist"...

After exchanging a few more words, the two...

Lin Changheng then directly stated his purpose.

"Does Master Lin mean that he wants to purchase the items brought out from the secret realm?"

The old man from the Liu family, who had just reached the Foundation Establishment stage, had his eyes flashing as he grasped the key point.

"good."

Lin Changheng nodded and gave a list of materials to prepare in advance. If they could find them, picking and transplanting would be best; if not, digging up the remaining roots would also be acceptable.

At the same time, it also offered sufficiently tempting conditions.

Spirit stones are fine, as are alchemy.

Pills for improving cultivation in the early and middle stages of Foundation Establishment can be refined, and their quality is guaranteed. Lin Changheng even gave the other party a bottle of pills for inspection as proof.

Furthermore, as long as you have the materials, you can also refine Foundation Establishment Pills, and high-quality pills are no problem either.

Whether they care about their own cultivation, the development of their family, or want spirit stones, they cannot escape Lin Changheng's grasp.

"it is good!"

Before Liu Yuhan could speak, the elder of the Liu family, who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, nodded in agreement and handed back the pill with its subtle fragrance. "We will certainly keep this in mind and work hard to collect it, but whether we succeed or not will not depend on our words, but on our actions."

"It's natural."

Lin Chang-heng agreed with this statement, and the objective was basically achieved.

"Hehe, since we have this connection and a foundation of trust, we should visit each other more often."

As the aging Liu family member began building his foundation, he started cultivating relationships.

At the same time, he also purchased several healing and recovery pills, which Lin Changheng sold at an 80% discount, with the discount considered as a deposit.

……

Day and night alternate.

The day the secret realm would open was fast approaching.

As the first golden rays of dawn pierced the clouds and fell precisely on a section of the river that was unusually turbulent, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth suddenly became violent, like boiling water, emitting an invisible hum.

It seems to have been triggered by something.

In that area of ​​the river, the originally turbulent water began to swirl wildly, forming a huge whirlpool. Instead of sinking downwards, the center of the whirlpool bulged upwards. The turbid river water was pushed aside by an invisible force, revealing a strange riverbed with a diameter of about ten zhang.

Above the riverbed, the air twisted violently, refracting a colorful halo. A blurry, enormous portal, seemingly composed of light, shadow, and water vapor, was struggling to take shape, emitting a peculiar spatial fluctuation.

"The time has come!"

A clear, cold female voice, like ice water striking jade, suddenly rang out, distinctly drowning out the roar of the river and the commotion of the crowd.

The female cultivator from the Purple Extreme Sect who had been meditating quietly finally moved. She took a step and stood in mid-air directly above the vortex, her robes fluttering, like a fairy descending to earth.

Facing the raging and chaotic spatial energy below, her expression remained calm and composed. Her slender hands emerged from her wide sleeves, her ten fingers moving swiftly like butterflies flitting among flowers, forming a series of intricate and profound hand seals.

With each movement, she exuded a terrifyingly powerful spiritual pressure, far surpassing that of all the pseudo-core cultivators present, causing the heavens and earth to change color.

"Auspicious purple clouds rise from the east, bringing peace!"

Her lips parted slightly, yet the words she uttered carried an air of absolute authority. In an instant, a beam of pure, noble, and mysterious purple magical energy erupted from her palm, not attacking the portal of light and shadow, but rather, like a stabilizing force, forcefully plunging into the center of the raging vortex!
boom!
The previously chaotic and turbulent spatial energy seemed to be forcibly restrained by an invisible giant hand, and the distorted portal of light and shadow became stable and clearer at a visible speed. Faint purple patterns began to appear on the portal, as if a natural seal was being slowly peeled away.

The female cultivator changed her technique again, forcing three drops of blood from her fingertips and merging them into the purple pillar of light. The pillar of light instantly intensified, transforming into a huge purple rune that was firmly imprinted on the already formed portal to the secret realm.

"open!"

With a clear shout from her, the enormous portal of light and shadow trembled violently and then burst open!

Inside the gate, the churning river was no longer a sight to behold, but a distorted, swirling, bizarre scene. Faint shadows of mountains and ancient trees could be seen, and a purer, more ancient, and wild aura surged forth like a flood bursting its banks, instantly engulfing the entire riverbank!

The entrance to the Jiangxia Secret Realm is now open!

After the female cultivator from the Purple Extreme Sect who had reached the Core Formation stage finished doing all this, her face paled slightly, clearly indicating that she had expended a great deal of energy.

She withdrew her hand and slowly said, "Those who possess an order issued by the sect may enter; those who enter without an order and force their way in... are forbidden from killing, and will bear the consequences themselves."

……

After a brief silence, the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the families under the Purple Extreme Sect were about to make a move and enter the portal when they suddenly froze, as if they had been immobilized.

"Hoohoo!"

The next instant, a terrifyingly powerful wind suddenly arose without warning where the river met the sky in the distance! It shattered the river's surface, swept across the river, and with tremendous force, it almost formed a tornado.

With an overwhelming force, it carved a deep groove into the wide river surface, crushed countless waves, and swept across the river with the force of a tidal wave!

Such momentum and suddenness could not have been achieved by natural forces. Not to mention the family cultivators present, even the disciples of the Purple Extreme Sect had a slight change in expression.

Lin Changheng, along with everyone else, looked up and felt a chill run down his spine—

This oppressive force is far stronger than the previous arrivals of the Purple Extreme Sect and the two great families!
The two pseudo-Dan ancestors from the Song and Sun families, who had been dozing, suddenly opened their eyes. Their cloudy eyes flashed with a sharp light, revealing an extremely solemn expression.

The female cultivator from the Purple Extreme Sect who had just opened the portal to the secret realm seemed to have expected this, and simply cast a calm glance at her.

……

(End of this chapter)