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

Chapter 244 Deeper into the Immortal Lake, Further Advances in the Path of Alchemy

Secondly, he inquired about the essence and blood of the Azure Mist Toad.

Now that some time has passed, if nothing unexpected happens, Bai Zhenchuan should have accumulated a batch of essence blood.

This could be an opportunity to further elevate the level of heterodox methods.

Within half an hour, a jade slip flew back.

It buzzed and hovered above the cave formation.

"So fast?"

Lin Changheng raised his eyelids slightly.

He reached out and took the jade slip, then scanned it with his divine sense, only to find that it was not a response to the jade slip he had sent.

It was an invitation.

It also came from Bai Hengwan, but it was sent on behalf of Elder Kong, a near-third-level alchemist from the Immortal City.

Invite him for a while.

"Is Master Kong looking for me?"

Lin Changheng's expression turned thoughtful as he subconsciously began to ponder why, but soon his eyes brightened slightly.

Last time, it seemed that Master Kong wanted to discuss alchemy with him, and talked about his alchemical ideas. The other party was quite interested and could learn from them.

If there is an opportunity, we can discuss alchemy together.

Could it be...

"Is Master Kong's progress in alchemy still hindered?"

Lin Changheng came to a tentative conclusion, which is quite possible.

Otherwise, with the passage of time, it will be difficult to find a reasonable explanation or justification.

"Then let's go and meet him."

Since Master Kong had already given us some benefits, it wouldn't hurt to reciprocate in kind this time.

If the other party benefits from this, the relationship will be more stable, which will also greatly benefit their future progress in alchemy.

It's not a big problem if we relocate a few days later.

……

After sending another reply via jade slip, Lin Changheng didn't waste any time and immediately took Yan Mingyi and flew away.

The other party needed to purchase some commonly used supplies and materials for crafting puppets, while Lin Changheng needed to purchase some medicinal herbs for alchemy and spiritual materials for body refinement.

To avoid having to make another trip when you arrive at Jade Belt Lake because the market there doesn't have all the resources.

It will only make things more complicated.

I might as well stock up on more.

During the journey, Lin Changheng also turned around and went to the residence of Master Chu Fu.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, what brings you here?"

Chu Fushi's appearance remained unchanged, but he was now radiant with health, full of energy, and walking with a brisk pace.

However, his cultivation level remained unchanged, still at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Lin Changheng also knew that Master Chu's path to enlightenment was basically hopeless, and he himself might have given up.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Chu, can't I, Lin, just drop by for a visit?"

Lin Changheng laughed and accepted the invitation to sit down.

"Of course, of course."

Master Chu laughed loudly, then deliberately whispered, "I just happened to have acquired some new spirit wine, which is an absolute treasure. I would not be willing to take it out for others. This time, Fellow Daoist Lin can taste it with me."

"Oh? Then I'll have to give it a good try."

Seeing the other party take out a jar of spirit wine in a jade container, Lin Changheng smiled, looking very eager.

Just then, a woman walked out from the inner hall.

She gently waved her folding fan, her figure graceful and curvaceous, revealing her to be a stunningly beautiful young woman.

"Hurry up and go inside."

Upon seeing this, Lin Changheng's expression immediately turned strange. His eyes were full of amusement as he looked at Chu Fushi. When his gaze fell on Chu Fushi's face, even though the other party had a thick skin and his face was already ruddy, he couldn't help but blush even more. He immediately waved his hand and told him to leave.

"Yes, sir."

Upon hearing this, the woman in green was startled like a quail, shrinking back as if she had never seen her master so angry before. She immediately retreated back into the hall.

"Master Lin..."

Chu Fushi smiled awkwardly, "You flatter me, let's drink."

He quickly poured some for Lin Changheng.

Lin Changheng then said, "Master Chu Fu is still vigorous despite his old age; he is a role model for us all."

Clearly, this shows that Chu Fushi is infatuated and keeping a mistress in a gilded cage.

Then, while drinking and chatting, Lin Changheng brought up the matter of his intention to move out.

"Where does Fellow Daoist Lin intend to move to?"

Master Chu looked slightly surprised and asked.

"Jade Belt Lake".

Lin Changheng gave him an address and said that the other party could come to him if they needed anything.

He also stated that his previous commitments remain unchanged.

Master Chu was slightly pleased. His beloved junior would be attempting to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage in a few years, and he was also making every effort to acquire one of the two main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill, and there were already signs of success.

If Lin Changheng were to break the contract or simply walk away, he really wouldn't be able to do anything about it, and it might even affect his own junior's important foundation-building process.

Instead of having that idea, Lin Changheng actually came to his door to inform him.

This left him quite emotional.

A person's name, the shadow of a tree.

Lin Dan's reputation for keeping his word is truly well-deserved.

Just then, Lin Changheng brought up another matter.

"I wonder if that deacon of the Azure Cloud Sect still has any second-tier spiritual material like Eastern Willow Wood that he wishes to sell?"

Master Chu then directly replied, "I will write a letter later to ask Fellow Daoist Lin about it."

Lin Changheng nodded. This spiritual wood could still play a role in the late stage of the second-order body refinement, so he still needed to prepare some.

……

It wasn't until evening that Lin Changheng and Yan Mingyi reunited and returned to their cave together.

Lin Changheng then went to the spirit field behind the courtyard to handle the transplantation of the spirit plants.

One by one, the spiritual plants were taken out with their soil still attached, carefully placed into special containers, and then put into storage bags.

These are his treasures, and he cannot afford to lose them.

Day three.

An envoy arrived at Floating Life Lake to guide Lin Changheng into the lake.

"I'll be back as soon as I go."

Lin Changheng gave Yan Mingyi some instructions and glanced at the green-haired tiger cub "Xiao Qing" lying at Yan Mingyi's feet. At this time, the tiger cub had doubled in size. Although it was now lying obediently like a raccoon, it actually had a considerable imposing presence.

Its claws and teeth have clearly developed and grown, gleaming with a cold light.

Then the formation was closed, and the magic boat was released to take the envoy into the lake.

Soon, Lin Changheng raised an eyebrow and headed towards the "Water Moon Pavilion" in the lake, instead of the previous direction.

Instead, it shifted to a more in-depth direction.

"We're not... going to enter [Feather Fairy Island], are we?"

Information about the inner lake is rarely leaked to the outside world. The cultivators of the Immortal City only know that... the center of Floating Life Lake is Feather Immortal Island.

We know absolutely nothing else.

Lin Changheng was equally confused and didn't know either, because this place was too mysterious.

"Excuse me, where are we headed?"

Lin Changheng asked directly, without overthinking or engaging in internal strife.

At this moment, guided by the messenger, the magic boat had already sped deeper into the area, where the spiritual energy was denser and of a completely different quality, incredibly pure. This was... a third-order spiritual vein?
At the same time, the envoy held a special token in his hand, breaking through various formations and proceeding unimpeded.

"【Spirit Island】".

The envoy was only at the late Qi Refining stage, yet he showed no fear towards Lin Changheng, only a slight respect. Moreover, Lin Changheng sensed that this respect didn't stem from his Foundation Establishment or second-tier alchemist status, but rather from…

Invited by Professor Kong!
"Tsk tsk, are the Qi Refining Masters beneath the Immortal Lake really this arrogant?"

Lin Changheng couldn't help but think to himself, but his mind was filled with thoughts of his past life, when those who served as gatekeepers or horse handlers for worldly prime ministers could be arrogant and domineering, and how was this any different?

They are practically identical!
But he wouldn't do anything drastic; after all, even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner.

The two continued to venture deeper into Floating Life Lake.

The deeper you go, the purer and richer the surrounding spiritual energy becomes, even gradually turning into a faint spiritual mist. Taking a breath of it makes you feel light and refreshed.

Meanwhile, huge shadows occasionally swam across the lake below, emanating a chilling aura. They were clearly powerful aquatic spirit beasts, at least of the second tier, that had been tamed or raised.

Why was it determined to be a spirit beast? If it were a demon beast, it wouldn't be able to survive here.

Along the way, some small islands or platforms on the water began to appear, with exquisite pavilions and towers built on them, all of which were guarded or cultivated by monks.

When these cultivators saw the token in the messenger's hand and the magic boat, they only looked at them from a distance without stopping them. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and scrutiny as they glanced at Lin Changheng on the boat.

The envoy maintained his composed and even slightly arrogant demeanor, occasionally offering directions in a flat tone.

After flying for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

A medium-sized island appeared directly in front of him, but Lin Changheng didn't glance at it much. Instead, he stared intently at a giant island at the edge of his field of vision.

The island is enormous.

Like a colossal beast lying on the water's surface, bearing everything.

Moreover, the island is not entirely naturally formed; its edges show obvious signs of human construction, built with huge bluish-black rocks, making it appear sturdy and ancient.

Above the island, a huge, transparent light shield, visible to the naked eye, shimmered with spiritual light, and runes appeared and disappeared, emitting astonishing spiritual energy fluctuations that far surpassed all the formations seen along the way.

But inside was a fog, and nothing could be seen.

"Feather Fairy Island!"

Three words flashed through Lin Changheng's mind!

That's definitely Feather Fairy Island!
This is intuition.

The Daoist temple of that late-stage Core Formation cultivator, [Qinglan Sanren]!

"About to arrive."

The messenger's reminder was delivered at just the right time.

Lin Changheng then turned his gaze away and looked at the medium-sized island nearby.

On the island, what can be vaguely seen are not lush trees, but dozens of huge, uniquely shaped furnace-like buildings of varying heights!
"This is [Furnace Spirit Island], the core of my Fusheng Lake alchemy. Elder Kong is waiting for Alchemist Lin in the 'Purple Sun Pill Hall' on the island."

The envoy finally spoke again, his tone involuntarily carrying a hint of solemnity and longing.

The magic boat stopped in front of the light barrier surrounding the island. The messenger took out the special token and waved it at the light barrier.

The light shield silently cracked open, creating an entrance just wide enough for the Dharma Boat to pass through.

A surge of purer, hotter spiritual energy, mixed with a rich and abundant medicinal herb aroma, rushed towards us!

Lin Changheng took a deep breath, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and slowly steered the magic boat into it.

This might be his chance.

……

Step into the hall.

A dark-skinned, vigorous old man with black hair stood with his back to the door, hands clasped behind his back, in front of a desk, as if he were deducing something.

Hearing footsteps, the old man remained motionless.

Lin Changheng stopped abruptly in his tracks.

After a long while, Confucius shook his head and turned around.

Her eyes, however, were as bright as if they contained stars, and when they fell on Lin Changheng, they carried a gentle scrutiny and a strong smile.

"I have met Master Kong."

Lin Changheng bowed and greeted him.

"Young friend Lin, come here quickly."

A greeting immediately rang out, and Master Kong said with a smile, "Why bother with such formalities? I can't control how others are treated, but it's unnecessary for me."

"it is good."

Lin Changheng had just responded when he heard the other party urging, "Come quickly and give me some advice," so he quickened his pace and arrived in no time.

Then, Master Kong pointed to the densely written deduction process on the table, indicating that Lin Changheng should take a closer look.

Lin Changheng glanced at it a few times, then shook his head and smiled wryly: "Elder Kong, my alchemy skills are only at the mid-second rank, this is at the third rank, it's far too advanced, I'm afraid..."

Master Kong smiled and pointed to a certain spot again, "Then take a look here."

Clearly, the content here is more detailed and less confusing than before; some parts are now understandable.

"There are still some points that I don't understand, and they are slightly beyond the scope of the curriculum, which makes it difficult to connect them."

Lin Changheng studied it carefully for a long time, his comprehension working rapidly. He began to deduce, and he could initially solve some minor problems, but when he encountered major difficulties, he came to an abrupt halt.

"What is it that you don't understand?" Master Kong asked.

Lin Changheng laid everything out, including the deductions and solutions to the previous minor difficulties.

At first, Master Kong nodded slightly, but slowly his brows furrowed, and an incredulous look appeared in his eyes as he looked at Lin Changheng. Clearly, even he had not thought of these solutions.

Of course, he had his own solutions, but they were completely different from Lin Changheng's.

But deep within his eyes, there was also a hidden joy.

After Lin Changheng finished speaking, Elder Kong pondered for a moment, and then began to help Lin Changheng resolve his doubts, using the same alchemical reasoning that was consistent with his own.

At this moment, Master Kong was no longer hot-tempered. He spoke very carefully and seriously, and occasionally paid attention to Lin Changheng's expression to decide whether to explain again.

Even after half an hour had passed, Lin Changheng did not interrupt once.

Just as Master Kong was wondering if Lin Changheng had been misled, or was pretending to understand what he didn't—

Lin Changheng picked up his pen and began to deduce.

It was clearly a bizarre and incongruous solution.

It contains Confucius's methods as well as its own solutions, which are cleverly integrated together.

Moreover, it primarily uses one's own solution.

It gives you the feeling that once you understand something, you understand everything.

Confucius was increasingly surprised as he read on, and began to ponder, understand, and even learn and absorb the information.

"Wonderful, there's also this..."

Master Kong continued pointing to the next deduced location.

……

I don’t know how long it took.

Another Dharma boat flew in from beyond the sky.

This time, he traveled alone, without any messengers.

"Om."

Without any visible movement from the boatman, the formation opened directly, allowing them to enter.

A figure dressed in a white fairy dress floated down from the magic boat.

Where is Master Kong?

"If you're asking about the true lineage, it's in the 'Purple Sun Pill Hall'."

Where is Master Lin Dan?

"It is also in the 'Ziyang Dan Hall'."

"How many days has it been?"

"It's been half a month already."

"understood."

A beautiful face showed surprise, clearly not expecting this outcome, and headed straight for the "Purple Sun Pill Hall".

They then discovered that the door was still tightly closed.

The two auras within were unmistakably real.

This woman was none other than Bai Hengwan.

Just as she was wondering, a deafening burst of laughter suddenly erupted from inside, coming from Master Kong, which made her even more astonished!

(End of this chapter)