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

Chapter 251 Rescuing the Savior, Misjudging Strength

"Come die!"

The two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators who were chasing after him were filled with cruel killing intent towards Chef Zeng.

Because it has been too long.

The chase had been going on for a day, and they still didn't know how the Huang family member who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage had managed to do it.

After all, the difference in magical power was obvious, and he kept widening the gap with her.

"Some kind of special escape technique?"

Although the opponent was struggling and in a sorry state, they were unable to inflict any effective damage.

This annoyed them to no end.

They need to eliminate any remaining members of the Huang family, especially those who are alone, as they cannot afford to miss this opportunity.

Now the other side is clearly at its last gasp, yet it has run to a sacred place to seek help.

These two Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivators sneered inwardly, did they really think they could rest easy once they arrived at the [Purple Extreme Sect] spiritual land?
"Huh! Huh!"

The dark red, mid-grade spiritual weapon longsword swept diagonally through the air, a dazzling and eerie blade light condensing directly on its blade before violently slashing down at the figure in front of it, causing the space to tremble violently.

The other spear, however, was locked in by a burst of energy; a massive, illusory spearhead materialized and shot straight toward the target.

If either of these two blows had landed, Chef Zeng would have been in dire straits, either immediately chopped into pieces and minced meat, or have a large hole pierced through his body, obliterating most of him.

Sensing the attack from behind, Chef Zeng seemed oblivious and made no attempt to dodge. He simply accelerated forward at full speed.

In reality, he was already exhausted and his magic power was depleted. Even if he tried to resist or dodge in a wide area, he could not perfectly avoid the attack and would still get injured. However, if he slowed down and his escape speed decreased, he would really be entangled by the two cultivators behind him, and there would be no way out but death.

Although Lin Changheng's cultivation level was higher than his and he had entered the Foundation Establishment stage earlier, it was unknown whether he had reached the early or middle stage. Even if he had entered the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, it would be difficult for him to fight two opponents at once.

Once they go into battle, the opponent will also be in danger. Given their cautious nature, they most likely won't do that, and Chef Zeng doesn't want to put them in a difficult position either.

After all, the other party's hesitation and consideration at this moment would only make his chances of survival even lower.

Therefore, disregarding everything and risking everything to enter the fray is the best option.

……

Inside the formation, Lin Changheng frowned, somewhat displeased that Chef Zeng had brought trouble upon him, but considering their past friendship, he still sighed.

Just as the eerie blade light and sharp spear shadow were about to touch Chef Zeng's back—

"Buzz!"

Suddenly, the space not far in front of Chef Zeng rippled like water. A thick, heavy wall of dark yellow earth, shimmering with an earthy yellow glow, appeared out of thin air and blocked his path as he fled in panic!

The earthen wall appeared at just the right moment, and with a loud "bang," the dazzling and eerie blade light struck the earthen wall directly.

It produced a deafening roar!

The emerald-green lake below was directly bombarded by the shockwave from the collision, splashing water everywhere and creating a water curtain.

The earthen wall trembled violently, flashing with light, clearly under immense pressure, yet it stubbornly resisted breaking immediately, successfully blocking that deadly attack for a moment!
at the same time.

A streak of black light appeared out of nowhere, sweeping across the sky and leaving a black trail as it spun around once, transforming into a huge black millstone. It arrived first, landing with unparalleled precision on the path of the spearhead phantom.

"clang!"

The black light was incredibly heavy, causing the air to roar. After a brief stalemate, it crushed the spearhead phantom inch by inch, and the latter was completely obliterated with a "bang".

It was Lin Changheng who made the move.

Simultaneously dealt with the killing moves of two mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators!
In that very instant!

Chef Zeng felt the chilling killing intent behind him pause slightly. He sensed it and his survival instinct kicked in, causing him to unleash his full potential. His speed increased even more, and he shot forward a great distance like an arrow released from a bow!

At that moment, the earthen wall, yellowish-brown in color, had completed its mission. It shattered under the aftershock of an attack, turning into specks of spiritual light that dissipated.

The other side, having achieved a decisive victory with its black mark, did not linger any longer and flew back directly, landing behind Chef Zeng as if to accompany and protect him.

The two cultivators chasing behind were clearly caught off guard by this sudden turn of events, and their movements faltered slightly.

It was just this brief delay!

"call out!"

A thin yet incredibly sharp crimson line of fire shot out from the formation without warning, its speed beyond imagination, and it aimed precisely at the throat of the gray-robed cultivator wielding a sword!

The angle was tricky, and the timing was ruthless!
Alarm bells rang in the gray-robed cultivator's mind. He couldn't continue the pursuit and hurriedly manipulated his magical longsword to turn and parry.

With a crisp clang, the longsword spirit weapon let out a mournful cry, but the gray-robed cultivator was also shaken by this force, half of his body went numb, his face was filled with horror, and his attack was completely interrupted.

Upon seeing this, the other short-armored cultivator wielding a spear felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively became wary of what lay ahead, slowing down his pace as well.

Just as the two were being hindered by this sudden interference—

Not far in front of Chef Zeng, on the previously empty lakeside, the two-layered array of light barriers quietly cracked open, creating a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through! A voice transmission also accurately reached Chef Zeng's ears: "Come in!"

Chef Zeng was overjoyed and plunged headfirst into the ray of light without hesitation!

The moment his figure disappeared, the gap in light instantly closed, and the array's light shield returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators who were chasing behind could only watch helplessly as their target disappeared behind the suddenly appearing formation and onto the island, their faces turning extremely ugly.

They stood outside the array's protective barrier, filled with surprise and uncertainty. Gazing at the flowing water and clouds, and recalling the techniques they had just witnessed, they dared not approach any further.

"Who is inside? How could they be so powerful? They didn't even show themselves, yet they managed to attack both of us simultaneously and stop us!"

Their eyes were filled with apprehension and... a growing unease, as they communicated telepathically.

The most important point is that none of them saw the appearance or figure of the person who made the move.

The unknown is what's truly frightening.

"Could there be a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator among them?"

"Or was the previous information wrong, and that Alchemist Lin's strength is really that terrifying?"

"Regardless of the reason, we have failed to achieve our objective this time. Staying any longer is pointless and may even create a crisis!"

"But if we leave now, it might be detrimental to the great affairs of our three clans if word gets out..."

The gray-robed cultivator glanced at the charred and half-melted marks on his longsword, then immediately summoned a defensive artifact to protect himself. At the same time, a magical shield appeared around his body before he frowned and said...

"That's true..."

The two cultivators, both at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, found themselves in a dilemma and secretly communicated with each other.

……

Inside the formation, Chef Zeng collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, his face filled with relief and lingering fear at surviving the ordeal. Lin Changheng's figure slowly appeared, looking at him calmly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "Fellow Daoist Zeng, you shouldn't have brought trouble directly to me."

The black inkstone shrank back to its original size and flew to Lin Changheng's palm, fluttering up and down with incredible agility, as if he were playing with it.

Upon hearing this, Chef Zeng's tired face showed an embarrassed expression. He pushed himself up from the ground and began to explain, his voice still panting and trembling: "Brother Lin... Brother Lin! Please forgive me! The situation was really critical. I was being chased by those two to the point of having nowhere to run. In my haste, I only... I only thought that you might be able to save me temporarily... I had absolutely no intention of diverting trouble!"

At this moment, he dared not refer to himself as "brother" again, for the cultivation and methods of this Brother Lin before him were clearly extremely astonishing.

Their strength has far surpassed his.

According to the unspoken rules of seniority and address in the cultivation world, Lin Changheng should be the "elder brother." However, Lin Changheng has never changed his address, clearly showing that he is a person who values ​​loyalty and cherishes old friendships.

Lin Changheng glanced at his disheveled appearance, then looked through the array's light screen at the two Foundation Establishment cultivators outside who had gloomy faces but dared not trespass. His mind raced.

Although this person's actions were inappropriate, they were understandable. After all, the desire to survive is a basic human instinct, and how could one not grasp at the last straw?
In addition, there was indeed some past relationship between them, although there were more interests involved. And judging from his appearance, he didn't seem to harbor any malicious intentions.

Furthermore, those two were only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, so he wasn't afraid even without the island's formations.

If we had refused to let him in and allowed him to be killed, it would not have been the best choice from the perspective of our Daoist heart.

"That's enough." Lin Changheng said calmly. "You should heal your injuries inside the formation first. I will handle the two outside."

Upon hearing this, Chef Zeng felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He bowed deeply and clasped his hands in greeting, knowing that Brother Lin was yielding to his consistent principle of prudentness: "Thank you, Brother Lin!"

Lin Changheng said no more, turned to face the outside of the formation, and said loudly, "What business do you two fellow Daoists outside the formation have with making a scene and fighting in front of my Jade Belt Lake?"

"Do you really think my 'Three Islands of Jade Belt Lake' are easy targets?"

His voice emanated through the array's protective barrier, clear and steady, carrying an inner spiritual pressure.

Clearly, the two neighbors next door had already gone out to search for treasure and were not in the cave at the moment, but that did not stop Lin Changheng from using their names to intimidate the enemy.

After all, the "alliance of offense and defense" was a promise made by all three parties, and it was not a sham.

The gray-robed cultivator deliberately darkened his expression and said coldly, "Who are you? Why are you interfering in our clan war? Aren't you afraid of getting yourself into trouble?"

Another short-armored cultivator wielding a spear shouted, "Hand over that fellow immediately! Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite and breaking your tortoise shell formation!"

Lin Changheng raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone remaining calm: "Hehe, now that this person has entered my formation, he is my guest. If you two have personal grudges against him, you may settle them after he leaves. As for breaking the formation..."

Lin Changheng paused, his voice slightly cold: "If you have the ability, feel free to try!"

Having said that, he activated the main array flag of the formation with a thought.

hum!
The clouds surrounding the island, known as the "Flowing Clouds Obscuring the Moon Formation," suddenly surged and intensified. The "Azure Waves Sea Curtain Formation" also subtly stirred the surrounding lake water, and a thick, illusory water curtain appeared and disappeared before the clouds, radiating an even stronger defensive spiritual pressure.

At the same time, the [Thick Earth Bearing Array] beneath the ground connects to the earth's veins, making the entire island's aura more stable, substantial, and unshakeable.

The combined power of the three formations subtly emanated, causing the two people outside the formation to change their expressions, a hint of apprehension flashing in their eyes. They could sense that this formation was no ordinary one, and a forceful attack would likely be counterproductive.

Even if we summon more cultivators, we cannot easily break through it.

The gray-robed cultivator and the short-armored cultivator exchanged a glance, both seeing the hesitation in each other's eyes. Finally, the gray-robed cultivator snorted coldly: "Fine! I'll give you face today! But my clan will never let this go! I hope you'll think twice before making a mistake!"

After uttering a few harsh words, the two ultimately didn't dare to make a move. Reluctantly, they mounted their escape lights and turned to leave.

Seeing the two retreat, Lin Changheng narrowed his eyes slightly before slowly withdrawing the power of the formation.

Chef Zeng watched in stunned silence. Seeing his formidable foe defeated with a single word, and noticing Lin Changheng's transformation, he quickly thanked him again.

"You should recover well. I was in seclusion, but I had to interrupt my seclusion because of you. I will resume my seclusion in a few days. Please wait patiently. I will give you the pills at that time."

Lin Changheng gave an order, glanced at the two second-tier spirit beasts in the distance, and then entered the cave.

But in reality, they went directly through the back door of the cave dwelling and quietly entered the valley behind the mountain. They then exited the island again through the secret passage of the second cave dwelling.

Adjusting their demeanor and breathing, changing their clothes, identifying their direction, they roared off into the distance.

Most of the day later.

Lin Changheng returned to Qiyue Island once again.

There wasn't much difference since he left, and his breathing remained stable.

You'd think they just went for a stroll.

But in fact……

He now had two storage bags around his waist, and they were real.

If anyone were present and had sharp eyes, they would have seen that the two storage bags were clearly hanging on the two mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators just now.

But now it has quietly changed hands.

No one knows.

In fact, Lin Changheng did not intend to kill anyone before the other party made those threats.

After all, deterrence and expulsion are enough.

But how could Lin Changheng bear it when the other party insisted on saying harsh words about revenge?

He cannot tolerate the existence of known risks and has decided to eliminate them.

However, it was not appropriate to make a move openly in front of the cave, since the island lords on the two neighboring islands had left, but there were still a group of spirit plant masters, maids, and Chu Lingyu present.

With so many eyes and ears, it's difficult to act without risking exposure.

They then quietly followed and ambushed him on the way.

In fact, the killing was too easy, which made Lin Changheng realize that his long-term composure and refusal to engage in combat had led him to misjudge his strength.

This misjudgment is an underestimation, and it seems to be quite serious.

Even a typical late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn't be able to kill two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators working together so easily.

……

Seven days later.

Lin Changheng met with Chef Zeng again.

He calmly looked at the latter, who had recovered quite well: "Fellow Daoist Zeng, the trouble is temporarily resolved, but it is not a long-term solution. Tell me, what exactly did you do to attract such a pursuit?"

"Well, I dare not hide it from Brother Lin, I've just been making connections everywhere, hoping to find allies to help me."

Chef Zeng shook his head, looking dejected.

"Is the clan truly on the verge of collapse? Is it really that urgent?"

Lin Changheng frowned.

(End of this chapter)