Starting as a Talisman Master

Chapter 266 Fake Elixir, Great Teleportation Token (5.2k)

Lu Chi concealed his aura, flew low over the desolate mountains and forests, and followed the guidance of his master's voice transmission, heading straight for the Burial Abyss.

As he sped along the way, he briefly calculated the time and was slightly surprised. He had unknowingly spent more than half a year refining the strange fire and honing his cultivation in the Burning Bone Cave.

In terms of sheer magical power, the False Core cultivator did not represent a dramatic leap forward compared to the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage.

However, he could clearly perceive that his perception of the surrounding spiritual energy was now completely different.

In the past, when he was in the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages, his practice of manipulating the power of the five elements mostly remained at the level of merely controlling the superficial aspects.

Now, the half-real, half-illusory elixir within his Qi Sea is slowly circulating, allowing him to faintly touch the surface of the power of heaven and earth.

As the magical power flows and circulates, it unconsciously influences the surrounding energy, greatly increasing both the speed of casting spells and the power of supernatural abilities.

Sensing the completely different atmosphere within his body, Lu Chi secretly made plans.

With his current level of understanding, coupled with the second-tier puppet, the Four Phases Overturning Water Sword Formation, and the newly subdued Abyss Crimson Flame, his true combat strength has undergone a leapfrog improvement.

If he were to encounter a Golden Core cultivator like True Man Yan Xiao at this moment, even without using the trump card bestowed upon him by his master, he might actually be able to fight head-on and even find a chance to escape and turn the tables.

The thought only flashed through Lu Chi's mind for a moment before he shook his head and suppressed it.

"The current situation in the battle between the righteous and the demonic is unpredictable. There must be some hidden reason for the Xuandu Sect's great defeat. It is the right thing to do to get to the Burial Abyss as soon as possible and reunite with our master."

It flew away for half a month.

Lu Chi concealed his aura and landed his escape light on the outer edge of a gloomy, vast abyss. This place was shrouded in gray-white mist year-round, with gusts of eerie wind blowing, and the surrounding rocks all appeared lifeless and desolate.

He stood in the shadows at the edge of the cliff, took out a communication jade talisman, infused it with a trace of magic power, and whispered, "Grandmaster, your disciple has arrived."

The jade talisman flickered faintly, and after a moment, the ancestor's short, deep voice rang out: "Hide, do not move."

Lu Chi carefully put away the jade talisman, glanced around, and then, with a flash, used the gray mist as cover to quietly slip into the rocky forest on the side of the valley.

After several searches, he found a hidden, narrow cave.

Lu Chi stepped inside, and with a wave of his sleeve, several array flags silently disappeared around the cave entrance, completely sealing off the aura and his figure.

After doing all this, he sat cross-legged deep inside the cave and took out the Styx Soul Refining Banner. With a slight exertion of his magic power, black mist surged on the banner's surface, and Li Qianyou's soul quietly emerged.

Li Qianyou looked around at the gray and desolate scene, and sensed the cold aura. She raised her eyebrows slightly and felt a strange feeling.

He had found it strange from the beginning. This kid was extremely cautious in his actions, so why would he risk such danger to venture deep into the heart of the demonic path?

Seeing his elusive movements, he vaguely realized that he was about to stumble upon Lu Chi's true scheme in the Netherworld Kingdom.

"Senior, you were very knowledgeable in your lifetime. Did you know the details of this Burial Abyss?" Lu Chi asked.

After a moment's recollection, Li Qianyou replied, "Legend has it that this abyss was formed from the remains of an ancient demon after its fall. The terrain is sunken, and it constantly accumulates yin and death energy, making it a dangerous place."

Lu Chi was naturally already aware of these open rumors.

He thought that Li Qianyou was an elder from hundreds of years ago, with profound cultivation in his lifetime, and must know some unknown secrets, so he took the opportunity to ask: "This Burial Bone Abyss stretches for hundreds of miles. If it is really formed from the remains of a great demon, what rank would it have been in its lifetime? In Huanyun Continent, I have never heard of such a powerful demon clan lineage."

Upon hearing this question, Li Qianyou smiled lightly, a smug look of arrogance appearing on his face, and said boastfully, "Fellow Daoist is still young, so it's not surprising that you don't know about the ancient history of Huanyun Continent."

"Currently, Huanyun Continent is indeed dominated by human cultivators, with most demonic beasts reduced to food for hunters. But in ancient times, this world was not like this at all—"

Li Qianyou's illusory figure swayed slightly as he slowly said, "Legend has it that in ancient times, the world was vast, and the Nine Provinces were originally a single, unified land. Later, a great calamity struck, and the various powers fought fiercely, causing the land to sink and the Nine Provinces to crumble. Today, this Huanyun Continent is nothing more than a remnant of what was lost back then."

He pointed to the gray miasma outside the cave, his tone turning somber: "As for the fallen bones in this abyss, they are not something that Huanyun Continent can nurture. That demonic creature was an extremely ferocious beast from the ancient calamity."

"Legend has it that this demon's true form is comparable to a towering mountain. When it died in battle, its enormous corpse fell to the ground along with these fragments. Over hundreds of thousands of years, its flesh and blood returned to dust, leaving only an indestructible skeleton deeply embedded in the earth's veins. The land could not bear the weight and sank over the years, eventually forming this abyss that stretches for hundreds of miles."

"The lingering miasma of death here is the result of the resentment of the dead and the malevolent energy of their withered bones."

Lu Chi sat silently, listening to these ancient secrets. Although his heart stirred slightly, he did not feel much fear. The ancient ferocious creature had been extinct for hundreds of thousands of years. Even if it was extremely ferocious in life, it was now nothing more than a withered skeleton.

He closed his eyes slightly, letting his divine sense spread out to carefully examine the swirling gray-white mist outside the cave. The Yin energy here was dense and pure, which made him somewhat suspicious.

The "Drawing Evil and Transforming Essence Technique" allows one to absorb the evil energy of heaven and earth for one's own use. The lingering, deadly evil energy of the bones in the Burial Bone Abyss, which is a bone-corroding poison that others would avoid at all costs, is precisely the best resource for him to enhance his demonic supernatural powers.

Lu Chi immediately held his breath and focused his mind, forming hand seals and secretly activating the magic. At the same time, he lightly waved one hand, suspending the Styx Soul Refining Banner beside him.

The air here is thick with the aura of death, which is just right for the Soul Banner to recuperate. The black mist on the banner ripples slightly, and it also quietly absorbs the gray-white evil energy that overflows from outside the cave, thereby repairing the foundation damaged in the previous battle.

Seeing this, Li Qianyou drifted back to the dark corner of the cave entrance, sat cross-legged in mid-air, and silently protected and guarded the area with his divine sense.

The bottom of the Burial Abyss is perpetually shrouded in swirling miasma, with treacherous winds and hidden currents. Lu Chi and the Soul Banner's absorption of malevolent energy is like a tiny vortex spontaneously generated within the abyss, its movements easily swallowed up by the boundless sea of ​​mist outside.

Furthermore, the cave entrance is protected by a concealment array flag that blocks the flow of energy, so there is no risk of any leakage of magical power. Naturally, it will not attract the attention of any passing demonic cultivators or monsters in the abyss.

This went on for more than ten days.

On this day, Li Qianyou was huddled in the shadows at the cave entrance, quietly protecting the Dharma. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat, and he abruptly looked up.

About ten feet ahead, an old man in a gray robe suddenly appeared. He was thin and silent, and not a trace of magical power emanated from him, as if he were one with the surrounding gray miasma.

Li Qianyou was shocked, completely unaware that the old man had stepped into the formation.

The old man's gaze swept over Li Qianyou's soul, his expression calm. He paused slightly and uttered a soft exclamation: "So it's you, young man."

Li Qianyou's expression darkened. He was a famous figure from hundreds of years ago, and in the past, everyone would respectfully address him as a senior. Now, to be called a junior to his face, he was naturally displeased.

However, the other party's cultivation was unfathomable, and they saw through his background at a glance, leaving him suspicious and uncertain. He then cautiously spoke:

6

"Who are you, sir, that you recognize me?"

The old man looked at him calmly, his tone unwavering: "I am Xu Ling."

Upon hearing this, Li Qianyou's soul trembled violently, and he blurted out, "Ancestor Xuling!"

Nascent Soul stage cultivators have long lifespans, sometimes reaching a thousand years. Although Li Qianyou was a Golden Core cultivator who became famous hundreds of years ago, in front of Chen Niwan, who had lived for countless years, he truly deserved to be called a "junior."

Thinking of this, Li Qianyou's previous shock, anger, and arrogance instantly dissipated.

He knew perfectly well that the person before him was the pillar of the righteous Taiqing Palace, while he himself had belonged to the demonic path in his previous life and had now become a ghostly entity residing in the Soul Banner.

If this ancestor were to harbor the intention of eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path, a single, casual strike would be enough to obliterate his soul.

Li Qianyou quickly lowered his soul body, his face displaying utmost respect, and cupped his hands in a fawning smile, saying, "This junior was blind and failed to recognize the Ancestor in person. I wonder if the Ancestor's health has been good lately. I glimpsed the Ancestor's dignified bearing from afar many years ago, and this junior has kept it in my heart ever since."

Chen Niwan ignored these flattering words. His gaze was indifferent as he swept his eyes over Li Qianyou's current abode in the soul banner.

Having somewhat repaired his original state, a glint of light flickered in his eyes as he thoughtfully said, "Judging from the fact that your soul hasn't dissipated, you've managed to survive. In the future, don't provoke the Xuandu Sect again; perhaps you'll still have a chance to rebuild your physical body."

Upon hearing the words "Xuandu Sect," Li Qianyou's smile faded slightly, and a strange light flashed in her eyes.

Lu Chi slowly emerged from the depths of the cave. He gestured with one hand, indicating for Li Qianyou to step back. Li Qianyou did not hesitate and immediately transformed into a wisp of black mist, rushing back into the Styx Soul Refining Banner.

Lu Chi took the opportunity to retrieve the soul banner, stepped forward, and bowed in respect: "Disciple Lu Chi greets Grandmaster."

Chen Niwan nodded slightly and gave a soft "hmm". He focused his light on Lu Chi and was about to speak when his expression suddenly froze. With his Nascent Soul stage divine sense, he instantly saw through Lu Chi's current aura.

"Pseudo-Core Formation." A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Niwan's eyes as he looked Lu Chi up and down and said slowly, "In just over half a year, you have already crossed this threshold."

Lu Chi lowered his head and replied respectfully, "This disciple also happened to encounter some fortuitous opportunities and was fortunate enough to enter this realm."

Chen Niwan nodded slightly, his expression unchanged, and did not probe further. Cultivators each have their own destiny and path, and as a Nascent Soul Ancestor, he had a far-sighted perspective and would not delve into the background and opportunities of his juniors.

After a brief pause, Chen Niwan spoke calmly: "The matter of the Flame Demon Valley that you mentioned earlier did indeed have some effect."

Lu Chi stood quietly to the side, listening attentively.

"After the Flame Demon Valley's affair was exposed, they turned to the Blood Luo Sect for support. When this news reached the battlefield, the two old demons of the Heavenly Demon Sect and the Blood Luo Sect had some disagreements, which caused some chaos in the demonic camp. You handled this matter cleanly and efficiently, and did a good job."

"It all depends on the planning of our master, and this disciple dares not take credit for it." Lu Chi paused briefly and asked softly, "Master, shall we now venture into the depths of the abyss?"

Chen Niwan, with his hands behind his back, said, "Follow me."

The two concealed their presence and silently disappeared into the thick miasma.

The abyss grew increasingly deep and chilling. The cliffs on either side were jagged and white, resembling interlocking broken bones. Sunlight never shone through, save for the chilling winds carried by the earth's ley lines. The malevolent energy here was exceptionally heavy; any ordinary cultivator who dared to venture in would likely have their mind clouded within moments.

The magic power stagnated.

Chen Niwan strolled leisurely, his body radiating no magical power whatsoever. Yet, the surging baleful aura dispersed itself three feet away from him, unable to advance an inch. He swept his gaze across the desolate landscape and suddenly spoke calmly, "Do you know how I came to find that intercontinental grand formation here back then?"

Lu Chi followed silently, listening intently.

Chen Niwan walked slowly forward, his tone calm: "Years ago, I was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. I went down the mountain with my fellow disciples for training. On the way, we encountered an accident and were captured alive by demonic cultivators. We were escorted all the way to this Netherworld Kingdom."

"Later, taking advantage of the enemy's carelessness, I fled desperately, and in my panic, I fled into this Burial Abyss. I thought I was in a hopeless situation, but I never expected that at the very bottom of the abyss, I would accidentally trigger an abandoned ancient formation."

"The array of lights rose and fell, and when I opened my eyes again, I found myself in Qingming Continent."

"In the years that followed, I used that great formation to travel between the Azure Nether and the Cloud Cloud Continents, gathering resources for cultivation in both places. Without this opportunity, I would never have had the chance to form my core and condense my nascent soul, and reach this state today."

Upon hearing these past events, Lu Chi was slightly moved, but he simply considered it as an opportunity to broaden his horizons.

Considering the external situation, he pondered for a moment and then asked, "Grandmaster, why did the righteous and demonic forces suffer such a sudden defeat in this battle?"

Chen Niwan continued walking, his expression calm and composed, and said indifferently, "Nothing more. Seeing that the battle was at a stalemate, the Netherworld Kingdom secretly promised some great benefit, which made a powerful cultivator from the Abyss Kingdom personally intervene."

"In the past, when the two sides were locked in battle, Yuanfu Kingdom was willing to help Youming Kingdom, but at most it would only send Nascent Soul stage and mid-stage cultivators to assist from the side. This time it is completely different. The opposing side's great cultivators took action and cut off the physical body of a Nascent Soul stage ancestor of Xuandu Sect on the spot."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chi's heart trembled slightly. A Nascent Soul cultivator had actually perished before the battle? His mind raced, and he sensed something was amiss.

What the grandmaster just said should mean that the old ancestor only had his physical body destroyed, but his nascent soul had already escaped, and he still had the opportunity to seize another body and start over.

However, with a powerful cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage personally involved, the battle was utterly overwhelming, leaving no room for maneuver.

Chen Niwan then added that the righteous great powers that Xuandu Sect had sought earlier were originally there for personal gain. Seeing that the great powers of Yuanfu Kingdom had all come out, they were naturally unwilling to wage a major war for a remote place like Huanyun Continent.

With external aid hesitant to advance, Xuandu Sect was left to fend for itself. Faced with this situation, the three righteous sects had no choice but to bow their heads and compromise, agreeing to negotiate a ceasefire with the demonic path.

Lu Chi pondered to himself. The so-called ceasefire negotiations were actually just discussions about compensation. The ownership of the Cangming Secret Realm and the spiritual veins of the border territory between the two countries would definitely cost the righteous path dearly. Considering this, he felt that leaving this place as soon as possible was the best course of action.

"I wonder how Senior Sister is doing?" Lu Chi hesitated for a moment, then asked indirectly, "The battle at the front is so dangerous, I wonder how many cultivators in the sect have been lost?"

Chen Niwan shifted his gaze slightly, clearly seeing through his concerns, and said calmly, "The sect's casualties are manageable, and the person you are thinking of is unharmed."

Lu Chi smiled sheepishly, feeling somewhat relieved. He suddenly recalled the exchange between Li Qianyou and his grandmaster earlier, and asked, "Grandmaster, do you know Li Qianyou? I happened to obtain a tattered soul banner by chance—"

He briefly recounted how he subdued the Soul Banner, then inquired, "That old ghost claimed he wasn't a bloodthirsty demon; is that true?"

Chen Niwan nodded slightly and said, "Now that you have subdued this person, he will be a great help to you when you go to Qingming Continent in the future."

This person was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator during his lifetime, and his background is indeed true.

It turns out that although Li Qianyou was a rogue cultivator without any clan to rely on, he was able to cultivate all the way to the late stage of the Golden Core realm, and his magical power was condensed and he did have some hope of forming his Nascent Soul.

Unfortunately, the rogue cultivator was outnumbered and outmatched. His desire to seize the opportunity to form a Nascent Soul inevitably led him to engage in bloodshed and snatch food from the jaws of tigers. As time passed, he incurred the wrath of many from both the righteous and demonic paths.

A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. Back then, he went to great lengths to find an item that could help him break through to the next realm. He intended to find a secluded place to cultivate in seclusion and attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, but he was ambushed at the most crucial moment when he should not have made a mistake.

The one who broke through his protective formation and lured the enemy in was none other than his Daoist partner, with whom he had a sworn brotherhood and had been companions for a hundred years. His partner had secretly colluded with several late-stage Golden Core cultivators from both the righteous and demonic paths who had grudges against him. Like wolves attacking a tiger, they had laid a trap designed to kill him.

That battle was extremely fierce. Although Li Qianyou was betrayed, he fought back desperately with his profound magical power, taking several powerful enemies down with him on the spot.

However, he was ultimately outnumbered. Although he fought his way out of the encirclement, he disappeared without a trace. It was widely rumored that he had already died. Combining this with Lu Chi's experience, it is not difficult to deduce that Li Qianyou fled all the way to Jingzhao Kingdom, but due to the damage to his body, he could not escape the fate of physical disintegration.

On the verge of death, this person harbored great hatred and was unwilling to die and perish. He actually used a secret technique to refine his remnant soul into the Soul Refining Banner of the River Styx, waiting for the opportunity to be reborn in the future.

Chen Niwan concluded this old matter with a detached tone: "He has not lost his mind and is not an ignorant demon who only knows how to kill. Now that you have refined the Soul Banner, this person cannot cause any trouble. Just use him with peace of mind."

Lu Chi's doubts gradually dissipated.

In a moment of sudden realization, he also gained some clarity.

No wonder Li Qianyou had given Qin Su Niang some advice and was even more wary of her when they met before. It turns out that this old ghost was betrayed by his Daoist partner in his early years, leaving him with this kind of knot in his heart.

"This old devil—" Lu Chi's heart stirred slightly, and he silently followed.

As they were walking, Chen Niwan suddenly stopped. He raised his hand, made a hand seal, and pointed into the air.

A deep thud resounded, and the surging gray-white mist in front receded to both sides, revealing a barely perceptible barrier of spiritual light. As the hand seal was entered, the barrier silently dissolved and dissipated into nothingness.

"This is the concealment restriction I set up years ago." Chen Niwan stepped forward with his hands behind his back. "The intercontinental formation is just ahead."

Lu Chi's spirits lifted, and he followed his master into the room.

Passing through the barrier, the terrain suddenly sinks, revealing an extremely vast underground cavern. The malevolent energy within is kept out, yet a heavy, desolate, and deathly still atmosphere pervades the space.

The rocks inside the cave are a withered grayish-brown, showing signs of weathering and erosion. In the center of the cave, a huge ancient stone platform lies quietly.

The foundation of the array, forged from an unknown material, is now covered with the marks of time. Countless intricate and profound ancient array patterns are deeply engraved into the stone, yet only a fraction of their spiritual light remains, with most now incomplete. The spirit-guiding stone pillars at the edge of the array plate are completely collapsed, riddled with fine cracks.

"The ancient formation is withered and dilapidated, its spiritual energy almost completely gone. No wonder our master asserted that this formation only has the power to be activated once."

Chen Niwan stared at the dilapidated ancient formation for a moment, then flicked his sleeve.

A beam of light shot out from his sleeve and landed directly on Lu Chi.

Lu Chi raised his hand and steadily caught it. The spiritual light faded, and in his palm appeared an ancient token that was neither gold nor wood.

The token was dark yellow, with some damage at the edges, yet it faintly emitted a strange spatial fluctuation. Lu Chi looked down and saw several large characters deeply engraved in ancient seal script on the front of the token.

The Great Relocation Order.