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

Chapter 286 Profound Flame Third Rank, The Song-Jin Transformation

During this period, I encountered two cultivators who were capable of doing this. One of them was the old man who set up the stall, whose cultivation level was suspected to be at the True Core stage, or even higher.

However, the two only glanced at each other from a distance, and did not have much contact, so the possibility is limited.

The second one is this Master Linghu.

Although the two didn't have much contact, they had interacted before, and were even closer in distance.

Regardless, Lin Changheng just wanted to stay away from them.

Naturally, I will not travel with them again, for fear of unforeseen circumstances.

So he made up an excuse and stayed.

What should he do next? Lin Changheng returned to the Immortal Inn and continued to ponder.

strength!

Suddenly, Lin Changheng realized where everything should end.

All problems and worries stem from insufficient strength. Once we have sufficient strength, everything will be resolved!

His eyes suddenly lit up.

He really does have a way to quickly improve his strength!
That is the [Crimson Sky Profound Flame]!
Lin Changheng has collected three [Lava Fire Crystals], which contain a powerful and abundant accumulation of flame essence, and can help the second-tier innate demonic fire undergo transformation.

Feeling insecure, I'll stay here for a while, complete the transformation of the [Crimson Sky Profound Flame], touch the third tier, and then consider other things.

At that time, our strength and deterrent capabilities will also increase!

However, how to deal with this mysterious mark on his body also troubled Lin Changheng.

He sat cross-legged in the quiet room, his brows slightly furrowed, his divine sense scanning over and over again, carefully examining the obscure mark on his body that was like a malignant tumor, branded onto his skin.

This mark has a complex structure, an ancient aura, and an extremely subtle connection with the caster.

"If we rashly attempt to remove this mark, the risks will be difficult to control."

First, he couldn't be sure if the removal process would cause any unforeseen complications.

For example, if someone tries to forcibly remove his [Divine Blood Curse Seal], as long as the connection is not forcibly severed immediately, Lin Changheng has a way to directly detonate the seal.

In such cases, the damage is usually very severe.

Secondly, and more importantly—

He couldn't be sure whether the act of removing the mark itself would immediately alert the person who cast it!
Such marks are often connected to the mind of their owner. If the person on the other side tries to remove them, the caster, far away and unknown, will immediately sense that the mark has been discovered and is trying to break free of control. This is tantamount to stirring up trouble.

How will the other party react then?

They would immediately and relentlessly pursue him, killing him before he could completely remove the mark.

Or should we change our strategy and resort to other, more covert and insidious means?
When the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light, it is not a wise move to alert them.

"It seems we can't touch it for now..." Lin Changheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, a hint of helplessness and coldness flashing in his eyes.

At present, the safest approach seems to be to pretend ignorance and remain silent. Let the other party mistakenly believe that they have not yet noticed the presence of the mark, thus lowering their guard.

He used this time to focus on improving his strength, especially completing the transformation of the [Crimson Sky Profound Flame]. Once he was strong enough to handle unexpected situations, he would find a suitable opportunity to erase the mark completely with swift and decisive action!
Then they fled!

The second-tier superior-grade [Crimson Sky Profound Flame] is probably not high enough in level and power, but the third-tier might be!
Having made up his mind, Lin Changheng went directly to a brokerage firm in the market and rented a "high-priced" cave dwelling.

The high price is not due to malicious price gouging, but rather because the cave dwelling is located on the main branch of a second-grade low-level spiritual vein in this area, where spiritual energy is relatively abundant and the quantity is limited, so the price is naturally high.

However, no matter how high the prices are in such a small market, they naturally cannot compare with places like Floating Immortal City and Jade Belt Lake.

For a period of time afterward, Lin Changheng focused on his cultivation in Jinsha Market.

……

Two years passed in the blink of an eye, and Lin Changheng basically never left the cave.

He never even stepped out of the seclusion room.

Dust had accumulated on the stone steps and copper handles at the entrance of the cave, making it look like an abandoned old house, unattended and unvisited.

Unlike the tranquility of this cave dwelling, the situation outside has changed once again.

Firstly, the Ziji Sect publicly announced that the group of thieves who attacked the Jade Belt Lake Dojo had been captured and their heads were displayed to the public.

The leader among them, who was said to be a fake Core Formation cultivator, was also killed!
The other party was initially very arrogant, but who knew that the Ziji Sect would send out a Core Formation Grandmaster to personally take action and kill him!

Scatter their souls, severing their next life! Send their heads throughout the realm, abhorred by both gods and men!
Some speculate that the Ziji Sect's move was intended to intimidate cultivators and inform those who were restless that this was the consequence of provoking the superior sect.

Some insightful people have pointed out that the Ziji Sect has always been quite particular and rarely does such things, at least on the surface. But does this obviously excessive and almost venting behavior mean that the Ziji Sect's will has changed?

Or is there another motive? Is there some other plan?

But the result was obvious: those who offended the sect would be punished no matter how far away they were, and even those who used fake pills would be killed! This greatly enhanced the prestige of the Ziji Sect, and for a time, everyone praised the sect's wisdom and brilliance.

With everyone speaking with one voice, no one dared to utter the slightest dissent.

……

Secondly, the beast tide problem at Qingxia Temple was quickly brought under control.

The front lines are still locked in a stalemate, but under the effective organization of Qingxia Temple, the human cultivators are conducting orderly attacks and defenses, and the balance of power is steadily tilting in favor of the human race.

Moreover, as the demon-slaying campaign progressed, various demon beast materials flowed into the market, transforming into elixirs, talismans, spiritual foods, magical artifacts, and other items, further enhancing the strength of the human race.

In this situation, the beast tide becomes a gift from heaven!
……

Thirdly, there was the war between the two sects, Xuanbing Valley and Huangfeng Cliff, who were sworn enemies and fought several times, resulting in casualties on both sides.

Just as the situation was about to escalate and all the cultivators in the Song Kingdom were watching how things would develop, the unwavering [Southern Palace] finally stepped in to mediate.

They dispatched a Golden Core cultivator who managed to subdue the two major forces.

They all publicly pledged to cease their rivalry!
The shadow of war was immediately cleared away.

Later, an insider recalled that the Golden Core cultivator sent by the South Pole Palace, whose Daoist name was "Mysterious True Man," did not bring a large entourage. He went alone, first to Xuanbing Valley and then to Huangfeng Cliff.

It is said that when the Mysterious Immortal stepped into the gate of the Mysterious Ice Valley, the ice within the valley, which had remained frozen for ten thousand years, trembled and the cold air surged back.

He had a private conversation with the Valley Master of Xuanbing Valley inside the Ice Palace for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. No one knows exactly what they talked about. All that is known is that when Xuanmiao Zhenren left, the Valley Master personally escorted him to the mountain gate with a complicated expression and bowed deeply.

Afterwards, the Mysterious Immortal visited Huangfeng Cliff again.

The Huangfeng Cliff sect's protective formation, the "Ten Thousand Maple Flowing Fire Formation," was already fully activated at that time, with crimson maple shadows obscuring the sky and the sun, exuding a chilling killing intent.

Master Xuanmiao, however, regarded it as nothing and stepped into the formation. Wherever he passed, the flowing fire was dispersed and the maple shadows withered, as if he had entered an empty place.

The meeting with the master of Huangfeng Cliff lasted no longer than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea. The master personally removed the great formation and respectfully saw him off.

As a result of this incident, the two sects, who had been at loggerheads and determined to fight to the death, actually ceased hostilities, each reduced their power, and publicly pledged to end the war. Although some minor frictions still occurred in private, no large-scale battles took place again.

This story is widely circulated in the cultivation world of the Song Dynasty, with many versions.

Some say that the Mysterious Immortal crushed the two sects with his absolute strength, making them realize that they were still as vulnerable as infants in front of the Southern Palace.

Some say that the Mysterious Immortal held certain secrets about two sects that he did not want others to know, and forced them to submit.

There are even rumors that the Mysterious Immortal made some kind of great benefit or promise that neither sect could refuse, thus temporarily quelling the conflict.

If Lin Changheng were to emerge from seclusion and hear these rumors, he would inevitably chuckle. The so-called extraordinary phenomena of the arrival of the Mysterious Immortal had been overused in the biographies of the founding emperors of his previous life, with phrases like "treading on the footprints of giants," "a dragon lurking on his body," and "dreaming of the sun entering his bosom" being used to describe them.

Not only can it increase its reach, but it can also further elevate the power and prestige of Xuanmiao Zhenren and Ji Nangong!

Of course, this cannot be denied, because the effects are undeniable.

In just one year, the turmoil in the Song territory was quickly quelled, but the Jin territory was still engulfed in flames and instability!

Only three months have passed.

An even more shocking message, filled with bloodshed and the smell of gunpowder, spread like a long-planned thunderclap from the border of the Jin Kingdom, and quickly spread to the surrounding countries!

Taking advantage of the internal strife and lax border defenses in the Jin Dynasty, the cultivation community of the Song Dynasty secretly organized an elite team of cultivators, who brazenly crossed the border and launched a surprise attack on the Jin Dynasty's border!
This team, comprised of elites from various sects in the Song Kingdom and even cultivators with backgrounds in the Ji Nangong Sect, had a clear objective and acted decisively.

With lightning speed, they successively captured a city and two important resource markets on the border of the Jin Kingdom – “Red Gold Valley” and “Flowing Fire Market”!
These two markets, in particular, were renowned for producing specific metallic ores and fire-elemental spiritual materials, serving as vital sources of revenue and supply points on the Jin Kingdom's borders. However, their protective formations proved utterly vulnerable to a meticulously planned surprise attack; the cultivators left behind were either killed or fled in panic. All stockpiled supplies and ores were looted.

But this is just the beginning!
After successfully eliminating these two forward outposts and clearing the way, the vanguard did not advance further but instead consolidated their occupied territory. Then, something even more chilling happened to the Jin Kingdom cultivators—

Large numbers of well-organized Song Dynasty cultivators began to cross the border in an orderly manner and enter the territory of the Jin Dynasty!
Banners fluttered, and a dazzling light blotted out the sky!
These cultivator armies were clearly well-trained and far from ordinary ragtag troops. They were divided into several echelons, constructing simple fortifications and defensive formations in the occupied areas, seemingly preparing to establish an advance base and advance step by step! Their advance was aimed directly at "Iron Wall City," a key border town of the Jin Kingdom!
Meanwhile, another detachment used brutal methods to annihilate the Helian family, a cultivation clan located in a strategically important area, completely erasing their territory from the map as a deterrent to any surrounding forces that dared to resist.

"Cross-border attack, market falls, families wiped out, army pressing in!"

This series of combined attacks was so sudden that it completely stunned the Jin Kingdom!

Only then did the major sects of the Jin Kingdom, caught in their internal strife, realize that their neighbors had been using so many smokescreens to lull them into a false sense of security, but in reality, they had already sharpened their blades, ready to take advantage of their weakness and kill them!

This move by the Song state is no longer a simple border skirmish or resource plunder; the strategic intention behind it is alarming—they want to take advantage of this opportunity to seize the territory and resources of the Jin state, avenge their previous humiliation, and expand their territory!

Urgent messages from the front lines flew like snowflakes to various sects and the royal family, causing even greater chaos within the already chaotic Jin Kingdom. With external enemies at hand, many forces were forced to sit down at the negotiating table and begin discussing cooperation to repel the enemy.

At this point, the question of whether to "resist external threats first" or "pacify internal strife first" was presented, and there was still no unified conclusion.

The Jin dynasty's royal family was merely a powerful force, lacking absolute rule and decision-making power. It was similar to the Zhou dynasty's emperor, but even better. The power it wielded was comparable to that of a major sect in the Song dynasty, but that was all.

……

The news traveled too slowly.

Furthermore, the Song state deliberately concealed information, so no word of it leaked out.

It wasn't until initial results were achieved, and the matter could no longer be contained, that the news finally broke.

For a time, many cultivators in the Song Kingdom were greatly excited.

It is not only because the humiliation of being oppressed by the Jin Dynasty in the past is unforgettable, but also because war brings wealth and resources!

Commonly known as war profiteering!
It is also an opportunity for the rise of families and individual cultivators, even greater than the opportunity to explore the wilderness!
In the wilderness, one needs to accumulate battle merits and reap rewards such as monster materials, medicinal herbs, and spiritual materials. However, the Jin Kingdom truly possesses finished products like Foundation Establishment Pills and other resources for breaking through ranks!
If a cultivator obtains it, they will have the opportunity to continue their cultivation journey.

If a family obtains it, they will have the opportunity to rise in rank!

Especially now that Song is on the offensive and has achieved considerable success, it is naturally even more encouraging.

The high-ranking officials of the Song Kingdom who planned this war in the cultivation world naturally would not let such an opportunity pass. They directly used this excitement to begin building a new army of cultivators and deploying a new round of offensive plans.

During this period, the atmosphere of war throughout the Song territory was as intense as boiling oil on a hot fire!
But no matter how fiercely this fire burns, it has nothing to do with Lin Changheng, who is in seclusion in Jinsha Square.

However, Mo Zhaoli was still thoughtful. After returning to the sect, he immediately wrote to Yudaihu to explain that Lin Changheng was busy and might return later, so that Yan Mingyi, who was staying behind, could rest assured.

Otherwise, as time goes on, it will be difficult for Yan Mingyi not to become impatient and start overthinking.

It was precisely because of this that Lin Changheng was able to stay for two years.

At this moment, compared to the elegant and tranquil "Qiyue Island" in Yudai Lake, this secret room in the cave in Jinshafang City appears quite simple, and at the same time, it has a different kind of terrifying scene.

The flames scattered like water, filling every inch of the secret chamber. These flames did not leap and burn violently, but rather presented a strange peace and refinement, like flowing dark golden liquid, slowly rippling, illuminating the entire secret chamber in every detail.

However, the temperature here is terrifyingly high! The air is distorted by the high temperature, and the stone walls are scorched and faintly red. If it weren't for the reinforcement of the array, they would probably have melted into magma long ago.

If someone who didn't know better entered this place, they would immediately break out in a cold sweat, thinking they had entered a fiery mountain, and would most likely flee in a hurry, unable to stay for long.

But in reality, in the center of this place, on that stone bed, a figure was sitting cross-legged silently.

They seemed oblivious to the intense heat emanating from the surrounding area, enough to incinerate iron and steel.

It was none other than Lin Changheng.

His eyes were closed, his face calm and expressionless. In his hand, he held a [Lava Fire Crystal] that had shrunk to the size of a fist. Flames flickered in his hand, constantly "licking" the crystal, and then the essence within was drawn into his body by the flames.

The terrifying fire spirit essence, powerful enough to instantly injure an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, surged into his body, but like a stream flowing into the ocean, it not only did not cause any harm, but was also controlled by his Jade Void Bright Scripture and transported to the [Crimson Sky Profound Flame] deep in his dantian, where it was greedily absorbed and refined.

From a distance, the flames were astonishing, and his body seemed to have become part of the flames.

Like a rising sun!

Within its body, the [Crimson Sky Profound Flame], which originally had a dark gold hue, is now undergoing a fundamental transformation.

The color of the flame core deepened, transforming into a blend of dark gold and crimson. The flame's form also became more solid, no longer fleeting, but like a flowing crystal, containing even more terrifying energy and a restrained will to destroy.

A wisp of pressure, belonging to a higher level of flame, was slowly spreading out from it.

He was making a full-force attack, trying to make this ball of [Crimson Sky Profound Flame] completely cross that threshold and touch the third-tier level!
"Om-!"

After an unknown amount of time, the true meaning of the [Fire Control Divine Power] within Lin Changheng's body emitted an unprecedented buzz. With full mobilization, the last remaining [Lava Fire Crystal] in his hand was absorbed and transformed into a stream of light that entered his body!
It is poured into it without reservation, like injecting the final accelerant into a flame about to transform.

"boom!!"

A seemingly real but actually silent explosion resounded deep within Lin Changheng's soul!

The dark red crystalline flame, which had already condensed to its extreme, suddenly shrank inward, its volume instantly becoming several times smaller, and its color completely settled into an incomparably deep, dark gold that seemed to be able to devour light!
Immediately afterwards, a brand new power, more than ten times purer, more domineering, and more intense than before, erupted like a sleeping ancient fire beast awakening!
It worked!
Tier 3 Spirit Flame - [Dark Blazing Profound Flame]!
At this moment, Lin Changheng's aura suddenly surged, and all the flowing flames in the secret room stopped as if subjects were seeing their king, and then bent slightly in his direction to show their submission.

The temperature inside the stone chamber dropped instead of rising, because all the heat was perfectly contained and controlled by the newly formed [Dark Flame], with no more leakage or waste.

He slowly opened his eyes, and two clusters of ghostly golden flames flashed and disappeared in his pupils, illuminating the entire secret chamber for a moment. He opened his palm, and a wisp of ghostly golden flame quietly danced at his fingertips, quiet and docile, but the power contained within it made Lin Changheng himself feel a slight tremor in his heart.

He had a clear premonition that if he used this flame against an enemy, those within the Foundation Establishment realm who could withstand it head-on would be extremely rare! Even when facing a Pseudo-Core cultivator, he now truly had a trump card to maneuver and even threaten their life!

Crimson Sky undergoes a transformation, Dark Radiance is born! Strength finally leaps forward!
"call!"

Lin Changheng stood up, and all the firelight and temperature in the secret room vanished instantly, disappearing entirely into his body.

He smiled smugly; after two years, it was finally done!

From then on, he possessed a flame comparable to the core fire of a Core Formation cultivator!

Full of confidence!

But the next moment, he suddenly remembered something and looked at the mark that was still on his shoulder.

This mark occasionally emits a certain fluctuation, very subtly, as if it is spying on something.

However, every time Lin Changheng released the [Water Mist Technique], he would activate the [Hallucination Demonic Technique] to transmit incorrect information.

After transforming from [Hallucination Technique] to [Hallucination Demonic Technique], Lin Changheng gained a certain degree of control over illusions, and the illusions changed from being effective on a single person to having an effect on a wide area.

Even more powerful!
And so, Lin Changheng kept it a secret from the other party, or more accurately, he kept them in the dark.

Now that I have a third-tier spirit fire in hand, I can finally try to remove it!

"Buzz!~"

With a thought, the newly formed Dark Flame deep within Lin Changheng's dantian trembled slightly, separating a thin, hair-like, yet extremely refined, dark flame.

The fire line didn't emit any heat; instead, it possessed a profound depth that devoured light, like a living serpent silently swimming upwards along the meridians, heading straight for the obscure mark on the shoulder!

He did not rush to burn it. Instead, he first used his powerful divine sense, combined with the analytical power of [Insight into Demonic Arts], to carefully probe into the mark like the most precise scalpel, and reconfirm its structure and energy circuit.

In the vision of [Insight into Demonic Arts], this mark is like a strange, pulsating creature composed of countless tiny runes. At its core, an extremely subtle connection of the soul, like a spider's web, stretches far into the unknown distance.

“This is it!” A fierce glint flashed in Lin Changheng’s eyes.

Success or failure hinges on this one battle!
He manipulated the wisp of dark fire, precisely winding it around, not burning it roughly, but rather as if deconstructing it, simultaneously scorching the core rune of the mark and the thread connecting the soul!
"laugh--!"

The moment the Dark Flame touched the core of the mark, the once dormant mark seemed to have been stepped on by a venomous snake!

Suddenly, a strong force of resistance erupted, and a dark light shone brightly. A cold and venomous spiritual shock surged along the connection line, crashing fiercely into Lin Changheng's spiritual soul.

At the same time, the mark itself began to fluctuate violently, clearly sending a final warning to its owner in the distance!

"Hmph! Still trying to resist? Too late!"

Lin Changheng was prepared. He snorted coldly, and the power of that wisp of dark fire instantly surged!

The Dark Flame is a third-tier spiritual fire, and its essence is far beyond what this mark can withstand!
The chilling divine soul slammed into the Dark Flame, like ice and snow thrown into a furnace, instantly burned and purified, vanishing without a trace. The core runes of the mark, under the extreme heat and destructive power of the Dark Flame, rapidly became blurred and distorted, finally bursting and annihilating with a soft "poof," like a bubble!
Meanwhile, more than ten thousand miles away, in a secluded cave, a figure sitting cross-legged, shrouded in a black robe, suddenly shuddered, let out a muffled groan, and the demonic energy on his body surged and dissipated, with a trickle of black blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Before him floated a soul lamp burning with green ghost flames, and the faint light belonging to Lin Changheng suddenly went out!
"How is this possible?! He actually managed to discover and forcibly erase my 'Soul-Eating Seal'?!"

The man in black robes was both shocked and furious, his eyes filled with disbelief. "And that power... it's an extremely high-level spiritual fire?! How did he do that, and how did he obtain it?!"

Then he rubbed his brows hard a couple of times, seemingly to relieve the pain, and a greedy look flashed in his eyes, as if he had thought of something.

(End of this chapter)