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

Chapter 300 Slaying the Fake Core, Yuan Ding's New Use

If Bai Hengwan were present at this moment, she would have noticed that the general direction it was heading was exactly the same direction in which the two Core Formation cultivators had left one after the other, and she would have been greatly surprised.

At this moment, Lin Changheng continued to walk forward at a leisurely pace.

But despite his slow flight, his mind was racing, and he seemed to have other ideas on his mind.

Secretly, he was already "spreading his mind between two things":
He quietly cast the [Divine Blood Curse Seal Demon Technique] and began to sense the curse seal that had already been cast.

It is evident that there are two structural lines, thin yet strong, short yet long, extending from within the body and mysteriously connecting the two places.

One spot was clearly in the direction of the Purple Extreme Sect, and it was obvious that it was where Ye Qingwu was bound.

The location of the other location is uncertain.

It was still moving constantly, seemingly fleeing and desperately trying to escape. Just by sensing this, one could guess that it was in a very sorry state, as if it were being chased by some terrifying being.

"Excellent!"

A cold smile crept onto Lin Changheng's lips.

This second line, which did not exist before, is the one that was just used!

It landed on that fake core-wielding old demon.

That was when Bai Hengwan unleashed the [True Core Talisman Treasure]. Taking advantage of the moment when both sides were tense, focused on the situation, and fully engaged in their defenses, Lin Changheng activated the [Divine Blood Curse Seal Demon Technique] to weaken the curse seal and minimize his presence and state. As the [True Core Talisman Treasure] broke through the opponent's defenses, he flicked his finger at just the right moment.

As the old demon was injured, the pain surged like a tidal wave, and he didn't even notice that a silent curse mark had struck his body.

He hunted geese all day long, and one of them pecked his eye!

A person who frequently uses curse seals to subdue others may one day find themselves possessed by a curse seal!
However, Lin Changheng dared not make any rash moves. He had limited knowledge of the power of the fake pill and dared not easily take control.

Once discovered by the other party, forcibly breaking through and erasing it could easily lead to a backlash!
Therefore, for now, it can only be used as a potential tracking method, to be detonated at the right opportunity! To launch a surprise attack!
……

In fact, this was not the second time Lin Changheng had used the [Divine Blood Curse Demon Technique]. The real second time was when he used it on that envoy from the Immortal City, which is why he was able to track him all the way without fear of losing him.

However, after Lin Changheng told Bai Hengwan everything, the curse mark naturally disappeared within a few days.

There are only three possibilities for the [Divine Blood Curse Seal] to dissipate.

Firstly, Lin Changheng actively dispels the curse without causing harm, deconstructing it from the depths and making it disappear without a trace, so that the cursed person is unaware that they have been marked.

Secondly, it will also dissipate if it is forcibly isolated, broken through, or destroyed by someone with great magical power.

Thirdly, the cursed person dies. The [Divine Blood Curse Seal] must rely on life force to exist. Once life force disappears, the curse seal is like a rootless duckweed or water without a source, quickly drying up and disappearing on its own.

Clearly, since this envoy from the Immortal City chose to become a spy, and Bai Hengwan found out about it, death was a foreseeable outcome.

With this person's death, Lin Changheng's controllable number of curse seals has been restored to five!
This time, another one was used on this fake pill demon cultivator.

This person harbors hostility and murderous intent towards him. Regardless of whether he is instigated by someone, Lin Changheng will certainly not let him go as long as he has the opportunity and the strength.

Otherwise, I won't be able to eat or sleep properly!

Now, this fake Core cultivator has been injured by Bai Hengwan's True Core Talisman Treasure and is being hunted down by Wu Zhenchuan, a True Core cultivator. Moreover, according to the connection transmitted through the incantation seal, his aura is extremely unstable, and his injuries are obviously worsening.

In the end, there were only two possible outcomes.

They could either be beheaded or killed by Wu Zhenchuan, or they could use a more powerful but more energy-consuming secret technique to try to escape!

If it's the first scenario, then the worries can be eliminated. But if it's the second, even if the fake core-wielding old demon manages to escape by chance, his condition will certainly be poor, and his injuries will be more severe.

Lin Changheng only needs to follow the clues to have a chance to take advantage of his illness and kill him while he's down. Not only can he achieve his goal, but the old demon with the fake core must also have a considerable collection. He might be able to make a fortune.

But everything is still uncertain, and Lin Changheng simply flew away slowly.

……

Two days later.

Lin Changheng sat cross-legged in a newly opened, secluded cave deep in the desolate mountains.

He sat in meditation with a blank expression, but most of his mind was focused on something far away—simply sensing the other's location and condition through the special mark that had been quietly planted on the fake core demon.

The signals from the mark were intermittent and the location kept changing, indicating that the old demon was fleeing for his life and was using various methods of concealment and interference with tracking.

Suddenly, the violent fluctuations from the other end of the mark subsided, and the light spot representing the old demon's location stabilized in a certain area and stopped moving.

"almost."

Lin Changheng opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them, and immediately let out a soft laugh, "After traveling thousands of miles, he really managed to escape. This old demon really has some skill. Even a True Core cultivator like Wu Huayuan couldn't catch him on the spot when he personally pursued him."

At this moment, the fake core demon had stopped moving. Judging from the faint aura reflected by the mark, he seemed to be in a rather weak state. Obviously, his previous escape and battle with Bai Hengwan and Wu Huayuan had cost him a lot. He was probably healing and recovering in some secluded place at the moment.

"When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits." A dangerous smile curled at the corner of Lin Changheng's lips.

He naturally wouldn't let this golden opportunity slip by. A fully-fledged pseudo-Dan (a type of cultivation technique) old demon in perfect condition—he needed to treat him with caution.

But in his eyes, a fake core-wielding demon who was seriously injured, fleeing in panic, and whose exact location he had pinpointed, had become a moving treasure trove and an excellent prey to test his own strength!

Moreover, this demon already harbored a grudge against him, and there was no guarantee it wouldn't become a future threat. Now was the perfect opportunity, and Lin Changheng had already decided to make this trip.

Without further hesitation, he stood up.

With a flash of light, it shot out instantly.

The place is only about 200 miles away from where Lin Changheng is now, and it won't take long to get there.

The old demon took advantage of the "blind spot" mentality and sneaked back again. Wu Huayuan really didn't expect that this fiend would be able to escape.

……

Lin Changheng approached at a moderate speed, without excessively pursuing travel speed and wasting his magic power and status.

He also swallowed a pill to restore his mana, ensuring that his condition would remain perfect when he reached that point.

"About ten miles."

Lin Changheng stopped his escape light ten miles away, because the range of a typical pseudo-core cultivator's spiritual sense is exactly eight miles!
Even a True Core cultivator in the early stages of Core Formation can only have a spiritual sense range of about ten miles.

The distance is well controlled; it's certain the other party won't notice.

With a thought, Lin Changheng's figure and face twisted and changed again, transforming into a scholar-like cultivator with a refined and cultured appearance.

Moreover, his aura gradually subsided. Under the operation of the [Concealing Breath Demon Technique], his aura did not completely disappear, but was deliberately suppressed to the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

After confirming his status again, Lin Changheng slowly flew over the mountainous area.

After all, fully concealing one's aura carries the risk of exposure, because the opponent possesses a fake Core Divine Sense. And who would deliberately conceal their aura like this for no apparent reason? It would easily be suspected of being suspicious!

The old demon is inherently suspicious, so he will definitely be on guard, which will actually hinder the plan to get closer.

At this moment, Lin Changheng, disguised as an ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator passing by, appeared much more normal and less likely to arouse suspicion.

After weighing the pros and cons, Lin Changheng made the above decision.

……

And at this time.

Ten miles away, deep within a secluded cave hidden by dense vines.

The fake Core Formation Demon was in a truly wretched state.

His already thin body was now even more hunched, his hair and beard were charred black from being burned by lightning, and his face was as pale as paper, devoid of any color. His tattered black robe was torn in several places, revealing deep wounds beneath, still crackling with electricity—marks left from taking a direct hit from Wu Huayuan's lightning technique.

He sat cross-legged on the cold rock, his demonic energy dim and flickering like a candle in the wind. He was desperately circulating his cultivation technique, trying to suppress the raging alien lightning power within his body and repair his damaged meridians and internal organs.

He had set up several simple concealment and warning barriers around the cave entrance, and his whitish eyes gleamed warily in the darkness, like a frightened bird.

"Cough cough... Damn it!" He coughed up a mouthful of blood crackling with electricity, his face turning even more pale. "Lightning magic! Lightning magic! I never expected that a cultivator specializing in both wind and lightning magic would appear in this mere Floating Life Immortal City! When did it become so easy to find extraordinary spiritual roots?"

"Especially that bitch! Once I recover, I will definitely tear your soul apart and refine it to vent my hatred!"

His heart was filled with resentment and lingering fear.

Wu Huayuan's strength far exceeded his expectations, and his magnificent lightning magic completely restrained him. If it weren't for his strange escape technique and his decisive sacrifice of a precious magical artifact to self-destruct and block the enemy, he would probably have been defeated.

Although he has managed to escape by sheer luck, his injuries are extremely severe. Without years of hard work, healing treasures, or qi-boosting pills, it will be difficult for him to fully recover.

But why is his hatred for Bai Hengwan the strongest? Because she's relatively easy to bully. He can't very well go after Wu Huayuan, a True Core cultivator, for revenge, can he? He can't even beat him now, and the gap between them will only widen in the future…

He's a demonic cultivator, not a foolish one. He can't just be courting death, can he?

……

Just as he was focusing all his efforts on healing his injuries, with most of his divine sense contained and only a sliver of it paying attention to the outside world, a faint aura appeared at the edge of his divine sense's perception.

A minor cultivator in the early stages of Foundation Establishment was riding a beam of light through the sky above this mountain forest. It looked like he was just passing by, but his direction was unwavering, heading straight for the area where he was hiding.

The fake Core Formation Demon frowned slightly, his divine sense like an invisible tentacle, scanning the "early Foundation Establishment" cultivator even more carefully.

His aura was weak and his magical power was mottled; he looked like a typical rogue cultivator, and there was nothing wrong with him.

"An ant that has strayed into this place..." He felt slightly relieved, but his long-standing caution prevented him from completely letting his guard down.

"If they know their place, they'll stay away. But if they're foolish enough to come closer... well, that'll be a good opportunity to replenish their energy!"

A bloodthirsty glint flashed in his eyes, but he quickly closed them again, focusing all his energy on healing, while keeping a sliver of his mind on the approaching "prey." In his mind, a rogue cultivator in the early stages of Foundation Establishment could be killed with a flick of the wrist, posing no threat whatsoever.

At that time, refining blood pills or controlling it as a puppet to run errands and purchase supplies for him would both be good options. "Whoosh!"

Just as the "Foundation Establishment cultivator" was only a hundred feet away from the cave and seemed about to pass by, a powerful suction force suddenly emanated from inside the cave!

A black ghost hand formed from pure demonic energy appeared out of thin air. With lightning speed, it pierced through space and grabbed the seemingly unsuspecting "Foundation Establishment cultivator" in mid-air, dragging him into the dark cave!

"Hehehe... You ignorant brat, you're just the right kind to nourish this old man!" The sinister laughter of the fake core demon echoed in the cave.

His injuries were severe, and his body was parched and in dire need of replenishing his energy. Upon smelling the scent of a living person, his previous thoughts suddenly changed. This Foundation Establishment cultivator who had delivered himself to his doorstep was now nothing less than a tonic.

Make his eyes turn red!

Too lazy to waste words, he decided to crush the "ant" and devour its essence, blood, and soul.

However, just as that "Foundation Establishment cultivator" was pulled close by his demonic hand, and was about to be crushed—

A sudden change occurred!

The Foundation Establishment cultivator showed no fear whatsoever; instead, a cold smile appeared on his face.

He originally planned to get close to the other party's airspace and then strike directly. Although the effect would be less, it was a last resort. Now, however, he was helped by this demonic cultivator. How could this not be like a pillow appearing when one is sleepy?
……

Within the originally thin scholar's body, the "Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivator" suddenly erupted with blood and qi, shining brightly like the sun. With a struggle, much of the demonic energy of the black ghost hand was dispersed, and his previously swaying figure was stabilized!
At the same time, the originally weak aura suddenly surged like a volcanic eruption, instantly climbing from the early stage of Foundation Establishment to the peak of the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, and the purity and weight of that spiritual pressure far exceeded that of others of the same level!

"What?!" The sneer on the fake core demon's face froze instantly, and a strange look appeared on his face! He suddenly realized that he was not a hunter at all, but had fallen into someone else's carefully set trap!

But in the next instant, he felt relieved.

Because this person is only at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment! No matter how strong someone is at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, they are still not at the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

He's one major rank and two minor rank below him!

Even though he was seriously injured, he was still not someone a mere mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator could mess with!

Moreover, this person's true physique is round and full, with amazing blood and qi, clearly indicating that he is also a body-refining cultivator. He can be used as a human pill, and if consumed, at least half of the injuries will be restored!

……

As the thought crossed his mind, the two were now very close. The old demon with the fake core was filled with desire and, without thinking, he was about to forcibly interrupt his healing and activate his demonic power.

But for Lin Changheng, who was prepared, it was too late!
Once Lin Changheng makes a move, it will be with overwhelming force, giving his opponent no chance to breathe!
[Hallucinogenic Spell]!
A stream of emerald-green energy re-emerged between his fingers, and with the help of the forest's wood energy, it shot out at lightning speed. An invisible yet incomparably domineering illusionary power, like a raging sea, instantly surged into the consciousness of the False Core Demon, whose defenses had been greatly weakened due to his injury.

"Ugh!" The old demon gasped, feeling the scene before him suddenly change. He was no longer in a dark cave, but in an endless purgatory, with countless vengeful ghosts and living souls he had slaughtered rushing towards him.

His mind was strong, and he instantly knew it was an illusion. After that momentary lapse in concentration, he had already taken action.

Almost at the same moment the illusion was activated, Lin Changheng coldly stared at the fake core demonic energy shield that the old demon had hastily erected, and snorted, "[Divine Blood Curse Seal], explode!"

The power of the cursed seal lurking within him erupted instantly, "Poof—!"

The fake Core Formation Demon's body trembled violently, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. The thick demonic energy shield that had just condensed on his body was like cloth torn from the inside, flickering and collapsing in an instant, revealing his unprotected flesh below.

Even more seriously, the eruption of the cursed seal severely disrupted his already sluggish mana flow due to his injury, abruptly interrupting his intention to unleash stronger offensive or defensive spells.

This combination of internal and external attacks became the final straw that broke the camel's back!
【Dark Blazing Flame】!
Empower the true meaning of the [Fire Control Divine Power]!
Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Lin Changheng opened his mouth and spat out a ball of ghostly gold, the size of a human head and as deep as the night sky. It carried a terrifyingly high temperature that could burn everything. Wherever it passed, the air distorted, and it passed through the dissipating demonic energy without any hindrance. The latter melted away as if it had encountered its nemesis!

It flew like a meteorite, about to strike his chest!

"How dare you, you junior!!" The fake core demon's eyes were bloodshot. At the critical moment of life and death, he unleashed all his potential. Ignoring his injuries, he forcibly activated his life demonic essence and spat a mouthful of blood onto a white bone shield that suddenly appeared in front of him!
Seeing this, Lin Changheng felt relieved, because the bone shield had been damaged and its spiritual energy lost when it was struck by the [True Core Talisman Treasure] that Bai Hengwan had previously unleashed.

The fact that he is using it again now means that he has run out of tricks and that Wu Huayuan has exhausted all his methods.
This is a really great thing!
……

"Buzz!"

The bone shield shone brightly with dark light, transforming into a massive shield wall of ghost heads in front of him!
"boom--!!!"

The dark fireball slammed into the bone shield!

A terrifying explosion rang out, shaking the entire cave violently and sending rubble raining down. The high-grade second-tier bone shield, scorched by the Dark Flame, only lasted two breaths before letting out a mournful cry, losing all its spiritual light, and developing countless cracks on its surface before shattering into pieces!

The remaining power of the fireball slammed into the old demon!

"Pfft—!" The old demon coughed up blood again, his chest was charred black, and he was slammed hard against the rock wall. His aura instantly weakened to the extreme, and his eyes were filled with disbelief, horror and despair!

He couldn't understand why a Foundation Establishment cultivator would possess such terrifying true fire, such bizarre illusions and curses!
"This is a third-tier true fire?"

The old demon's incredulous cry rang out. You must know that the difference between a fake core cultivator and a true core or golden core cultivator, besides strength, lifespan, and cultivation progress, lies in the core fire!
The reason why a fake cultivator forms an "inferior core" is because he has not ignited the crucial [natal core fire].

The two can be described as complementary and mutually reinforcing.

This was also a source of deep pain for him. He had always longed for the Dan Fire but had never obtained it, and had even coveted it for a long time. In the end, he saw it in this mere Foundation Establishment stage cultivator!

How astonishing!
And how much envy, jealousy, and hatred must they feel?!

Lin Changheng didn't care at all and didn't give the other party any chance!

He opened his mouth and spat out the dark blue jade sword embryo that had been nurtured in his dantian. Although it was not fully refined, it still transformed into a stream of light that tore through the darkness under the infusion of his vast magical power. It burst out of his mouth with a newly born yet incomparably sharp sword intent, piercing straight at the ancestral aperture between the eyebrows of the fake core demon!
"No—!" The fake core demon let out a final, unwilling roar, desperately twisting his head while simultaneously summoning a second-tier high-grade demonic artifact—a small black banner—in an attempt to block.

"Hey!"

Although the sword embryo was slightly slowed down by the small banner, the small banner was directly cleaved in two by the sword light in the next instant, and still accurately pierced the center of the old demon's brow!
The sharp sword energy erupted instantly inside his skull, shredding all life force!
"what!"

The fake core demon's body stiffened abruptly, the light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and finally solidified completely. Filled with endless resentment and confusion, he slumped softly to the ground, and fell silent.

A pseudo-core demon who had roamed the Immortal City for many years and had been lying in wait there for a long time has fallen!
Lin Changheng's eyes were wary, his breathing was slightly labored, and his face was a little pale.

The combo attack he just executed, though seemingly smooth and effortless, actually consumed a significant amount of his mana and mental energy.

Killing someone of a higher level is no easy feat!
Instead of rushing forward, he manipulated the [Sword Embryo] to shred and sever the man's heart, dantian, neck, and limbs. Only after confirming that the man was beyond dead did he step forward and ruthlessly collect his storage bag, the damaged bone shield, and the black banner, among other spoils of war.

Within his dantian, there was also a severely damaged [Nine Ghost Soul-Destroying Nail].

It was captured by Lin Changheng.

At this moment, this embryo, which was originally fierce and imposing and was about to become a complete magic weapon, has lost much of its spiritual light and looks miserable.

The once jet-black and glossy nail now appears mottled and covered with fine cracks, especially at the tip, where a small gap has broken open. The eerie ghostly aura and resentment that once surrounded it have almost completely dissipated, leaving only a faint spirituality clinging to life, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Clearly, this magical artifact embryo first clashed with Bai Hengwan's [Measuring Jade Ruler], and then most likely clashed with Wu Zhenchuan's magical artifact embryo, or even the magical artifact itself, before suffering a near-devastating blow.

Even if suitable materials can be found in the future to repair and nurture it, its potential and power will inevitably be greatly reduced, making it even more difficult to upgrade it into a true magic weapon.

"What a pity..." Lin Changheng shook his head slightly, feeling a pang of regret that something close to the level of a magic weapon was now half-useless.

He sealed it separately in a jade box and affixed a restrictive talisman. Although the item was damaged, the materials itself and the crafting techniques contained within might still have some research value, or... it could be used as a reference for his own [Sword Embryo]?
Then Lin Changheng directly sucked up the corpse, put his finger on the old demon's forehead where blood was flowing from his seven orifices, and drew out the fresh soul, and then tried to start searching for the soul!
Since this creature is dead, and had suffered severe injuries in life, its emotions fluctuated wildly, and its spirit was unstable, possibly dissipating. Lin Changheng's attempt is not to decipher everything, but only to capture the scattered fragments and obtain some useful information...

The next instant, black energy swirled around Lin Changheng's fingertips, and the old demon's soul let out a mournful howl. Just as the Soul Searching Technique was pushed to its limit, that wisp of soul suddenly twisted and deformed, transforming into a jet-black ray of light, breaking free from his control and shooting towards him!

"Not good!" Because the distance was too close, the dark light instantly passed through the distance and went straight to Lin Changheng's forehead and sea of ​​consciousness.

There is no way to avoid it.

Lin Changheng had never encountered this situation before, and even his usually calm heart was thrown into a panic!
"Could this be... possession?"

"Sizzle!" The jet-black light was faster than he could react. Lin Changheng felt a sharp pain between his brows as an extremely cold force forcibly entered his sea of ​​consciousness!
The False Core Demon was extremely cunning. Knowing that he was too badly injured to fight, he had other evil thoughts. Knowing that this mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator had a solid foundation and a series of amazing methods, he simply took over and made everything his own!
Moreover, his own fake core soul could easily seize possession, if not overwhelmingly so.

In particular, he also possessed a secret demonic possession technique, which was perfect for him!

"Hahaha! What a vast sea of ​​consciousness! What a solid foundation! Heaven has not forsaken me; it is only right that this old man has obtained this..."

Upon arriving in Lin Changheng's sea of ​​consciousness, the scheme succeeded. The black light formed from the old demon's soul manifested a distorted face in Lin Changheng's sea of ​​consciousness. The feeling of ecstasy was abruptly cut short before it could be fully transmitted.

Because it "saw" the center of the sea of ​​consciousness.

It wasn't empty; instead, a simple and heavy bronze cauldron with three legs and two handles floated there.

The cauldron was engraved with various strange and ancient animal-shaped patterns, and mysterious runes were slowly flowing around it, exuding a chaotic, ancient, and all-suppressing aura. Before this cauldron, the old demon felt like an ant looking up at the sky, even his own existence seemed small and unreal.

"What...what is this?! No—!" The old demon's ecstasy instantly turned into a scream of extreme terror. Without thinking, it desperately tried to escape this sea of ​​consciousness.

However, it's too late.

The Yuan Cauldron didn't even launch an attack; it merely trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, as if disturbed by mosquitoes.

An invisible and intangible force, yet seemingly containing some kind of power, instantly spread out and swept across the entire sea of ​​consciousness.

The black light formed from the remnant soul of the old demon couldn't even put up a struggle. Before this power, it was like ice and snow exposed to sunlight, instantly melting and collapsing. All soul power, consciousness, memories, and traces of existence were erased in an instant.

Ashes!

Outside, Lin Changheng's body trembled violently, but the expected shock of possession and soul-tearing did not occur.

Still shaken, he looked into his mind and saw that the Yuan Cauldron was still floating quietly, as if nothing had ever happened.

"Phew..." Lin Changheng let out a long sigh of relief, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. Then, a look of realization and lingering fear flashed in his eyes, "My Yuan Cauldron... actually has such power!"

After all, no matter how strong his soul was, it couldn't compare to the old demon's fake core soul... He was aware of this.

But his soul is condensed and stable, and he also has the ability to resist!
However, if the opponent also possesses some kind of body-snatching technique, even if it fails, the impact on such a crucial area as the soul could cause irreversible damage, which would be unimaginable.

Calming down with lightning speed, Lin Changheng collected all the spoils of war and the head of the fake Core Demon. He then unleashed the Dark Blaze Flame once more, and with a hint of resentment, completely reduced the charred corpse on the ground, which had been ravaged beyond recognition, to ashes, erasing all traces of the battle along with it.

Even the cave here collapsed, completely covering everything.

Having done all this, he didn't linger any longer and immediately used his escape technique to leave the area silently.

In this battle, he used all his skills and revealed all his trump cards, finally managing to defeat a fake Core Formation cultivator despite only being at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment!

Although it was a fake core that had suffered two consecutive battles and was in extremely poor condition, it was still a fake core!
(End of this chapter)