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

Chapter 253 Cultivation Perfected, First Ascent to the Azure Sky

In the pavilion by the lake.

Although Lin Changheng was looking forward to it, he didn't rush to go and ask about the purchase or the situation, which was not a good thing.

Lin Changheng decided to wait for the other party to rest for a while and handle some matters before making a formal visit.

The success rate is higher at this time.

This was also Lin Changheng's plan, which was based on empathy and was considered relatively prudent.

After enjoying the scenery with Yan Mingyi for another two hours, and exchanging some intimate words when their feelings deepened, Lin Changheng and Yan Mingyi parted ways to go into seclusion.

at this time.

Lin Changheng was sitting cross-legged in the secret room.

The Spirit Gathering Array rumbled and operated, and spiritual energy rose up like clouds and mist, making the secret chamber look like a fairyland in the sky.

One cycle after another continues, refining the spiritual energy absorbed into the body into new liquid magic power, which flows into the "magic power lake" in the dantian.

If someone were to look inward at this moment, they would find that Lin Changheng's magical lake has obviously expanded considerably, and the "waters of the magical lake" are now deeper and more substantial, showing significant progress.

He had accumulated most of the magical power needed to reach the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, and a new realm was already in sight.

"call!"

The Jade Void Bright Scripture continues to resonate and operate efficiently.

In all aspects, including absorption efficiency, refining speed, and smoothness, there have been tremendous changes compared to before, giving a sense of satisfaction, and it has entered the realm of "perfection".

"Om~"

Suddenly, as he circulated his cultivation technique, a wisp of even stronger crimson true essence quietly emerged within his dantian. Almost instinctively, Lin Changheng guided it closer to the crimson flame that resided in the center of his dantian.

With a flick of its tongue, it was swallowed up like a frog swallowing a mosquito, and immediately engulfed in the flames.

"Zizzizi..."

After only a slight expansion, the [Crimson True Essence] was digested and became the foundation of the [Crimson Sky Profound Flame].

Lin Changheng estimated that at this time, the accumulation of the [Crimson Sky Profound Flame] was about 87%.

It is steadily increasing.

If you find the relevant treasures, such as the [Lava Fire Crystal] from last time, you can accelerate the process again.

……

Three months later.

Lin Changheng had not yet received any messages from his two neighbors, but he was not in a hurry.

In the cultivation of immortality, one also cultivates one's state of mind. A little time may seem like a long time to mortals, but for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, a few years is really nothing.

He did not send a formal invitation.

Because he was going out of town for at least a month, it wouldn't be good if the other party replied and he wasn't there.

The driving force behind this trip is a large market under the jurisdiction of the [Bixiao Sect], which has just opened and is preparing a grand auction to try to make a name for itself and attract more visitors.

They specially collected some good items for auction.

It is said that many of the auction items are also of great use to Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Lin Changheng learned this news from a cultivator seeking alchemy, and after confirming it was true, he planned to go out for a trip.

On the one hand, the intensity of the clan wars involving the Huang family has decreased significantly.

Because the enemy's three races suffered three Foundation Establishment stage cultivators who died inexplicably one after another, the losses were too great, and could be described as crippling and shaking their foundations.

It should be noted that the three clans and the Huang family have been at odds for many years, and most of those who died were low-level cultivators. The Huang family only lost one Foundation Establishment stage cultivator named Huang Qingshan.

In comparison, the losses for the three races were far greater.

It made them terrified and heartbroken.

Their clan's territory also has neighboring families. If they continue to lose Foundation Establishment cultivators and fall into decline, it's hard to guarantee that their neighbors won't have the same thoughts as them.

If their own base is impacted, the Huang family will definitely hold on tightly and even retaliate when they find out, with unimaginable consequences.

Moreover, the exact identity of the cultivator who killed the three cultivators remains unknown. Although it is speculated that it was that alchemist Lin, the truth is no longer important.

They dare not provoke them.

What makes these rogue cultivators so terrifying is that they have no ties to the family and are incredibly powerful. Once they get serious, they can guard the family's gates every day, which is a truly frightening thing.

Unless the cultivators in charge of the three families take action together, how could the Huang family sit idly by?

Moreover, this person is too famous and has a wide network of connections. He has many friends and people seeking his elixirs. If we really make a move against him, we might run into big trouble.

Especially since this person is said to have a close relationship with Elder Kong of the Immortal City, they dared not make a move.

Fortunately, this person didn't seem to hold grudges. After killing the cultivator who came to provoke them, they didn't attack again, otherwise the consequences would have been truly unpredictable...

Given the interplay of various circumstances and factors, all three races began to consider retreating.

Although there was no swift ceasefire, the frequency of attacks by Foundation Establishment cultivators and their involvement in the war have noticeably decreased.

The Huang family breathed a sigh of relief upon learning this.

They cooperated tacitly to reduce the intensity of the war and awaited the arrival of peace talks.

At least for now, peace talks are beneficial to the families. After the peace talks, each side will undoubtedly strive to develop their strength until the balance of power is broken again...

Lin Changheng was also moved by this. He never expected that by killing a few ignorant cultivators, he would actually stop a war that would end in mutual destruction.

That's a good thing, too.

……

on the other hand.

Lin Changheng needs to go outside and purchase a Foundation Establishment spiritual item for Yan Mingyi to use.

There's no rush to complete the foundation building in a year or two. Lin Changheng instructed him to refine it carefully, striving for the highest success rate and making the most thorough preparations.

In addition, he also needs to collect some resources.

It is said that although this market is not officially owned by the [Bixiao Sect], it has many connections. Lin Changheng guessed that there is a high possibility that spiritual woods such as [Donglun Willow Wood] will appear here.

Although Lin Changheng's body refinement is currently supported by the [Dragon Blood Fruit], it is still somewhat slow due to the lack of [Eastern Wheel Willow Wood], which needs to be supplemented.

Furthermore, Xiaobai, the [Deep Lake Spirit Clam], is also on the verge of a breakthrough and will enter the mid-stage of the second tier. He needs to collect pill formulas or finished pills to give him a boost.

Furthermore, Lin Changheng had accumulated a lot of stolen goods that had come to him by chance, and he wanted to see if he could find a place to sell them this time he went out.

All matters can be handled at once.

……

Seven days later.

Lin Changheng left quietly late at night.

Like a black shadow flashing by, it was unnoticed.

This time, he didn't bring the Black-Armored Earth Turtle or the Deep Lake Spirit Clam.

Now, after several crushing battles, he has a more accurate understanding of his own strength and is more confident. Moreover, having two beasts with him is not very useful in an encounter battle, unlike the ambush battle when hunting the [Blue-haired Tiger].

It would be better to leave her on the island to keep Yan Mingyi company, which would also protect her and give me more peace of mind.

Although this woman spends most of her time preparing for Foundation Establishment, she has still made considerable progress in the art of puppetry and is already able to refine high-quality first-tier puppets.

This means that becoming a second-tier puppeteer is just around the corner.

Once one reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, their lifespan will be extended, and the puppetry path will also benefit.

……

Upon arrival, Lin Changheng discovered that the area under the jurisdiction of the Bixiao Sect was half the size of that of the Ziji Sect and Qingxia Temple.

Because the Bixiao Sect is located in the fertile and prosperous land of Song, it is naturally incomparable to the chaotic and barren border areas like the Ziji Sect and Qingxia Temple.

Therefore, when the territory was initially designated, the True Lord of the Southern Palace made special arrangements.

At this time, the Azure Cloud Sect was only three-tenths smaller than them.

Later, as the pioneering efforts in the wilderness continued to advance and deepen, after a period of arduous struggle, the area of ​​the [Ziji Sect] and [Qingxia Temple] expanded again, and now it has grown to about twice the size of the [Bixiao Sect].

Moreover, this gap will only widen over time.

However, there is also the possibility of a counterattack from a wild beast tide, which could wipe out a century's worth of achievements in a single day.

Because there are no fixed rules in the cultivation world, resting on one's laurels is unsettling; walking on thin ice is the only way forward.

This newly opened market is not only located in the heart of Bixiao Gate, but also in the heart of the entire Song territory.

That's right, the heartland of Song territory does not belong to the [Southern Palace], but to the [Azure Cloud Gate].

To the west of the Azure Cloud Gate lies the Floating Life Immortal City, with the Azure Cloud Temple and the Purple Extreme Sect located to the north and south of it, respectively.

To the north of the Azure Cloud Gate lies the Mysterious Ice Valley.

The south is the "Southern Palace," which is long and narrow like a leaf, stretching across the entire southern border of the Song Dynasty.

It stands like a shield, reminiscent of "the emperor guarding the country's gate".

To the east of [Bixiao Gate] lies [Huangfeng Cliff].

This is the basic layout of the entire Song territory.

……

This market town is quite large; although it's not as big as [Floating Life Immortal City], it's not much smaller either.

In particular, without the presence of the huge "Floating Life Lake" and "Feather Fairy Island" in the middle, it is actually only larger than the area of ​​the market town, or even slightly larger.

This place is situated on an artificial plain called the Golden Light Plain, which was built after a mountain range was destroyed.

This area is also called "Jinguangfang".

This market is different from the previous markets under the jurisdiction of the Purple Extreme Sect. It is not simply a gathering place for cultivators; there are actually quite a few mortals living there as well.

And they seem to get along quite well.

Upon discovering this, Lin Changheng raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised.

At this moment, he was dressed as a scholar, wearing a long robe and a square scarf, standing on the wide bluestone street in the middle of Fangshi Road, looking at a young servant in yellow standing in front of him.

The young servant boy, about fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a faded khaki short jacket, stood somewhat nervously in front of him, fidgeting with the hem of his clothes, but his eyes were bright and filled with cautious anticipation.

Lin Changheng didn't even need to use his divine sense to perceive that the boy in front of him had a turbid aura and an empty body, clearly just an ordinary mortal.

He wasn't displeased by being blocked by a mortal; on the contrary, he became somewhat interested and asked in a calm voice, "Oh? How did you determine that I'm a newcomer here? And why did you specifically seek me out?"

Seeing that the "immortal master" spoke calmly and showed no sign of blame, the young servant in yellow grew bolder and quickly bowed in reply, his words carrying the shrewdness of a commoner:
"In reply to the Immortal Master, it was my father who taught me. He spent most of his life as a 'hyacinth' in the 'Azure Dragon Bay Market' near us, and he often told me that whenever an Immortal Master arrives at the market for the first time, especially if he is traveling alone, he will usually stop at the entrance of the market to look at the signboard with a look of scrutiny or curiosity. As long as we are polite and respectful, even if we make a mistake, the Immortal Masters are broad-minded and will mostly not hold it against us mortals."

After saying that, he scratched his head a little embarrassedly and gave a simple yet clever smile.

Lin Changheng remained calm and noncommittal, but in his heart he felt that although the method was simple, it made a lot of sense.

The "hyacinth" in this market is quite adept at reading people, no wonder she can make a living this way.

Seeing that the immortal master before him had not expressed his opinion, the servant in yellow could only softly ask:

“Immortal Master, although this shop is newly opened, I have carefully memorized all the locations and shops, and I also know a lot of rumors circulating in the area. I can guide you, and all I need is thirty grains of spirit sand. I can serve you for a day.”

These words show that the yellow-robed servant had some confidence; otherwise, if he dared to deceive a cultivator and anger him, not only would the cultivator have killed him with a wave of his hand, but there would also have been countless ways to torture a mortal, making him wish he were dead.

Lin Changheng was not a bloodthirsty person, but he didn't want to be taken advantage of, so he asked probingly, "Do you know where I can buy second-tier spirit wood?"

The servant in yellow nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice: "I know, it's in that 'Divine Materials Building'."

He didn't keep us in suspense and just said it directly.

"'Divine Materials Pavilion'? Could it be related to the [Azure Sky Sect]?"

Lin Changheng asked.

The servant in yellow opened his mouth, then hesitated, glancing nervously around as if worried that someone might be listening.

After all, in the territory under the jurisdiction of the [Bixiao Sect], the consequences of speaking ill of the main sect are very serious. How could an ordinary person have such courage?
"Let me just say it: no one here can hear us."

Lin Changheng smiled warmly, appearing confident and composed.

"Yes, it is said that a high-ranking member of the sect ordered the family to open here. I overheard a few words of this conversation between several shopkeepers."

Although the servant in yellow believed the immortal master's words and spoke up, the tension on his face was genuine.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Changheng immediately became interested.

The more this situation occurs, the higher the probability that he needs something.

It is highly likely that, like the steward recommended by Master Chu, he engaged in acts of embezzlement and personal enrichment at the expense of the public.

However, this one is bolder and more large-scale, no longer the private transaction model of the previous person.

"I dare not lie about this. Immortal Master, you are all-powerful and may have a way to determine it."

The servant in yellow added a sentence.

"Then lead the way."

Lin Changheng reached out and patted the other person's thin shoulder, then suddenly laughed and said, "Let's go take a look."

"Thank you for your trust, Immortal Master. This way, please."

The servant in yellow immediately bowed in gratitude and quickly led the way.

Lin Changheng nodded and followed behind. The young servant in yellow was all smiles and would occasionally turn around to tell him about the market.

"Where in the neighborhood will the 'auction' be held in seven days?"

Lin Changheng suddenly asked.

"I wonder if the immortal master saw these few mountain peaks when he flew through the sky?"

"I saw it."

Lin Changheng nodded. The mountain range had been basically cleared and leveled, but a few peaks were still left.

(End of this chapter)