I forge immortality with a pagoda.

As soon as he passed through the cave entrance, a streak of light rushed straight at his face!

Shen Yu was prepared and deftly dodged to the side.

Immediately afterwards, several large, dark characters flew in and instantly enveloped him, and an invisible binding force suddenly rose up.

"镇、山、渊、迟"

Shen Yu only glanced at them briefly, but he already knew what the purpose of these ink characters was.

The air around him suddenly froze, and Shen Yu felt as if he were carrying a mountain or sinking into a deep pool, making it difficult for him to move.

His gaze swept quickly across the entire quiet room, landing on the Spirit Cry Sword, which was leaning against the cabinet.

With a sudden thought, Shen Yu's vital energy surged forth, and wisps of white smoke rose from his body, clearly indicating that he had fully mobilized his vital energy.

As if sensing something, the Spirit Cry Sword emitted a clear cry, its blade trembled slightly, and it began to slowly withdraw from the crack in the wall.

The sword tip is about to break free—

At this moment, the ink character was already close in front of him, pressing down heavily with fierce force, as if trying to lock him firmly in place.

Shen Yu neither dodged nor evaded, and just as the ink characters were about to touch his body, the Spirit Cry Sword finally flew back!

The sword reversed in mid-air, and a cold light slashed down, shattering the character "镇" (zhen, meaning "suppress") and dissipating into ink-like vapor.

The binding force suddenly loosened.

Shen Yu caught the talisman sword in his hand, stomped his foot, and leaped out of the ink-written cage, only then seeing who had attacked him.

It turned out to be a female cultivator.

This woman was about twenty years old, dressed in a dark green, fitted outfit with a neat cut. She had a pair of delicate, flying swallow eyebrows, and her eyes were as clear and sharp as black lacquer, with a cold and aloof air about them.

Her long, dark hair was tied into a braid that wrapped around her neck, making her appear even more upright and graceful, like a jade tree orchid, with an elegant and refined demeanor.

Holding an ornate cinnabar brush in her hand, she did not rush to attack again, but instead questioned in a deep voice, "Who are you? Why have you trespassed on my sacred place of cultivation without cause?"

Although his words were cold and aloof, there was already a hidden brilliance in his writing, and his energy was about to be unleashed, clearly indicating that he was extremely vigilant.

Seeing this, Shen Yu quickly raised his hand to stop him, saying, "Fellow Daoist, please wait!"

With a sincere expression, he bowed deeply and said, "I am Shen Yu, and what I did just now was not my intention. If I have disturbed you, I apologize."

"snort!"

The female cultivator's eyes were cold and indifferent; she showed no appreciation.

"Not your wish? You lecherous scoundrel, first you attacked me with a flying sword, then you destroyed the walls of the quiet room, and that wasn't your wish either?"

Her beautiful eyes were filled with rage.

"Take this!"

Shen Yu smiled bitterly to himself. He had indeed been reckless in breaking through the wall in his haste.

If they had entered through the main entrance, there certainly wouldn't have been such a deep misunderstanding.

Before Shen Yu could open his mouth, the female cultivator flicked her wrist and unleashed a large character – “Flame”, which transformed into a stream of fire that rushed towards him!

Seeing this, Shen Yu neither dodged nor avoided, but instead opened his mouth and inhaled.

He swallowed the scorching flames whole, and a flash of red light appeared in his throat. Thirty-three streams of flames within his body emerged like dragons from the sea, instantly devouring and refining the pure fire.

"This...how is this possible?" The female cultivator's eyes flashed with surprise and doubt.

Little did she know that Shen Yu had undergone the tempering of his body by the Flame Stream, so ordinary flames conjured by his spiritual energy would absolutely not harm him.

She gritted her teeth and continued to write with her vermilion brush, creating the character "澜" (Lán). Instantly, a cold spring gushed forth, like a rolled-up curtain descending upon Shen Yu.

"It's quite a nice talisman, with such a wonderful use."

Shen Yu shook his head, and with just a slight opening of his mouth, he exhaled a storm. This wind carried intense heat, instantly evaporating the cold spring.

The female cultivator was even more horrified.

Her mid-grade talisman, the Mysterious Vermilion Brush, possesses extraordinary power. It can write all kinds of Daoist scripts and transform them into water, fire, wind, and thunder. Even ordinary Kaiyuan cultivators would have to put up a good fight against it.

Unexpectedly, the cultivator opposite him neutralized the power of his magic weapon in the blink of an eye.

"What a cunning thief!"

The female cultivator was annoyed and no longer held back, pointing her finger at him.

A blinding beam of light flew from his fingertips.

It seems to have the same origin as the radiance that Shen Yu dodged at the beginning.

But that aura was extremely sharp, far surpassing what it had been before.

Shen Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, flipped his hand, and a jade pendant was in his grasp.

A crimson light shield emerged from his front, instantly transforming into a protective barrier that firmly stood in front of him.

With a muffled "bang," the light shield trembled violently.

Although he managed to block the attack, the immense recoil force ultimately forced Shen Yu to take a few steps back.

He had seen it clearly just now; the flowing light was not some kind of magic weapon, but rather a Taoist technique cast by the heroic woman in front of him.

But right in the center of that stream of light was a talisman radiating brilliant spiritual light.

"What is your background? Could you possibly be a disciple of one of the three major sects?"

The female cultivator's expression darkened slightly, and she began to doubt herself.

If it was one thing for Xuanwen Zhubi to be blocked, it was another for the "Zhumiao Dongzhen Xuanlu" to be easily neutralized, which was her most prized Taoist technique.

Shen Yu no longer backed down and solemnly said, "Fellow Daoist, may I have a word to say?"

Although the female cultivator was indignant, she knew that the other party's strength far surpassed her own, so she could only suppress her anger and coldly said, "Speak!"

Shen Yu let out a long breath and began to recount the whole story.

Upon hearing this, the female cultivator's expression softened slightly, and she introduced herself as Lin Qing.

"Fellow Daoist Shen has quite the skill; he even managed to break through the protective array of Tingyu Pavilion."

"Even cultivators who practice Qi Refining would find it troublesome to encounter you."

Shen Yu quickly waved his hand, saying he dared not, and said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist Lin, I have disturbed you this time. It was indeed my recklessness. I am willing to make amends. Please do not refuse."

Lin Qing's eyes flashed: "How will you compensate me?"

"As you wish, fellow Daoist, talismans, elixirs, and cultivation techniques are all open to discussion."

Lin Qing pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Since Fellow Daoist Shen possesses such extraordinary abilities, why not teach one of them a lesson for me?"

"Who is it?" Shen Yu was slightly taken aback. "If Fellow Daoist Lin attacks someone without reason, I'm afraid I cannot comply."

Lin Qing raised an eyebrow. "You're quite the gentleman."

However, this person harassed me repeatedly, like a persistent leech, and I really had no way to get rid of him.

Shen Yuqi asked, "Are Fellow Daoist Lin's elders just going to sit idly by and do nothing?"

"Elders from my sect?" Lin Qing chuckled. "I am but a rogue cultivator; what elders would I have?"

Shen Yu was surprised to hear this. Lin Qing's talismans and Taoist techniques were quite good, and she was even able to stay in such a superior room. Was she actually a rogue cultivator? It seemed that this woman had also had some good fortune.

"So that's how it is." Shen Yu continued, "With your supernatural powers, fellow Daoist, you still couldn't teach him a lesson?"

"That person relies on the power of his sect. I am alone, how dare I act rashly?" Lin Qing shook his head. "Judging from your actions just now, you are definitely not an ordinary person. I suppose you are not afraid of the power behind him?"

"I wonder which school that person comes from?"

"Canglan Sect".

"It's the Canglan Sect again." Shen Yu found it somewhat amusing, thinking that the Canglan Sect was always producing these cowardly scoundrels who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

So he said, "In that case, I will accompany you on this journey."

Seeing this, Lin Qing's expression softened somewhat. "Fellow Daoist Shen, please don't be impatient. Let me lure that fellow out first, and then we can discuss the details."

After saying that, she turned and left.

Shen Yu was left alone to face the mess on the ground.

Not long after, Shen Yu heard the innkeeper let out a miserable scream, "Oh dear! My sir! What... what happened?!"

Shen Yu shook his head and sighed. This time, he was paying the price for his recklessness; he had suffered a considerable loss...

...

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