Mortal: I have a Spirit Gathering Cauldron

In the days that followed, Lin Feng resumed his disciplined and fulfilling life of cultivating immortality.

The morning light penetrated the cave's protective barriers, falling on the bluestone floor and refracting into tiny, shimmering rays of light.

Lin Feng sat cross-legged beside the Spirit Eye Spring, his body enveloped in a faint golden halo. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was deep and even as he practiced the Golden Light Technique.

The Spirit Eye Spring gushed forth, the Spirit Gathering Array hummed and operated, and the purest spiritual energy flowed into his limbs and bones like a stream, flowing through his meridians and into his dantian.

Within his dantian, strands of liquid golden true essence slowly condensed, and with each additional strand, his cultivation became more solid.

As night fell, Lin Feng entered the newly opened weapon-refining room and began to concentrate on refining the Wind-Escape Shuttle.

In the center of the weapon-refining room, the weapon-refining furnace floated steadily, with pale blue flames rising from its mouth. The temperature was just right, yet it contained abundant spiritual energy.

The Wind-Spinning Shuttle is a top-tier, high-grade flying magic weapon. Its crafting difficulty far exceeds that of ordinary magic weapons. Not only are the material requirements stringent, but the array patterns must also be meticulously crafted without any errors.

Lin Feng's fingertips held the spiritual energy as steady as a rock as he carefully outlined array patterns on rare materials such as Cloud Wind Essence and Cold Iron Essence, each stroke embodying his full concentration.

In this way, besides cultivation and weapon forging, Lin Feng would also go to the inner area of ​​Huangfeng Valley every few days to try and get closer to that "Senior Brother Lin".

That morning, Lin Feng left his cave dwelling, raised the Qingfeng Banner, and flew towards the area inside the Yellow Maple Valley gate.

Lin Feng stopped above a lush, green mountain and landed in a cluster of empty bungalows.

These single-story houses were temporary residences prepared by Yellow Maple Valley for some inner disciples who didn't live there often. The houses weren't large, but they were much better than the small attics of the outer disciples. Lin Feng made several turns and finally stood in front of a slightly larger stone house.

The stone house's door was made of wood, its paint peeling and showing signs of age. Lin Feng took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Come in."

An old voice came from inside the door, indifferent and devoid of emotion.

Lin Feng pushed open the door and entered.

The stone house was dimly lit, with only a few rays of sunlight filtering through the windows, and the air was filled with a faint scent of wood chips and pine resin.

An elderly man in gray sat at a wooden table by the window, holding a small carving knife in his hand, intently carving a piece of yellow pear wood.

The old man's fingers were long and strong, each cut precise and accurate. Wood chips fell in a flurry, and the ordinary block of wood gradually revealed a wooden bird about to take flight.

The old man in gray didn't even look up, his hands continuing their carving, his voice calm: "Junior Brother, what brings you here?"

Lin Feng quickly cupped his hands in greeting, a gentle smile spreading across his face: "I have long heard that Senior Brother is skilled in crafting wooden magical artifacts. I also have some experience in artifact crafting, so I have come today to exchange ideas with you. I hope you will be kind enough to teach me."

This old man in gray was the senior brother Lin he was looking for.

He is in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. His real name is Lin Xingjian. He is the young leader of the Thousand Bamboo Sect. Because he was being hunted down by the current leader, he hid in the Yellow Maple Valley under an assumed name for decades.

According to the timeline, he is currently cultivating the "Great Evolution Technique" and is about to break through to the third level. Then, he developed an unwarranted ambition and wanted to contact his old subordinates to fight his way back to the Thousand Bamboo Sect. Afterwards, he was thoroughly defeated by the current leader of the Thousand Bamboo Sect and fled back to Yellow Maple Valley in a sorry state, delivering a package to Han Li.

Lin Feng spent half a month finding out where he lived, and then deliberately approached him under the pretext of exchanging weapon crafting techniques, all in order to slowly build a relationship and find an opportunity to obtain the "Great Evolution Technique".

Unfortunately, Young Master Lin was far more vigilant than ordinary people and didn't fall for it.

"The Hundred Machines Hall within the sect is full of experts in weapon crafting. Why waste your time with an old man like me, Junior Brother?" The gray-robed elder didn't even raise his head, continuing his carving. "Please return."

The tone wasn't harsh, but the refusal was clear.

Lin Feng was not discouraged and smiled, "Senior brother, you're too kind. I've consulted most of the masters at the Hundred Machines Hall, but I'm indeed not as proficient as you in wooden magical artifacts. If you have time, senior brother, you might as well give me some pointers."

After saying that, he flipped his wrist and took out a piece of high-grade ironwood from his storage bag.

"This is a piece of ironwood that I obtained by chance. It is of decent quality. I would like to ask my senior brother to help me see what kind of magic weapon it is suitable to be forged into."

The old man in gray then raised his head, his gaze lingering on the piece of ironwood for a moment.

Excellent quality ironwood, in good condition.

But he quickly withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "I've been feeling unwell lately and am unable to take action. Junior brother, please return."

Lin Feng knew there was no chance today; continuing would only provoke stronger resentment. So he said no more, put away the ironwood, and respectfully clasped his hands in greeting: "Since Senior Brother is unwell, Junior Brother will not disturb you any longer. I will visit again another day."

Turning around and walking out of the stone house, Lin Feng's smile faded slightly.

"This old man is really vigilant."

But he didn't lose heart. Cultivating immortality is a slow and steady process, and seeking opportunities can't be rushed. If it doesn't work the first time, try again; if it doesn't work the second time, try ten times. Slowly but surely, he'll eventually break through.

From then on, for the next six months, Lin Feng visited Lin Xingjian every ten days to two weeks.

Sometimes they bring a good piece of wood, sometimes a bottle of good spirit wine, and sometimes nothing at all. They just visit the other party, sit quietly for a while, and chat about sect matters and weapon crafting common sense.

Every time I visit, I am always polite and respectful, and when I leave, I do so decisively and without any hesitation.

Lin Xingjian's attitude remained lukewarm. He didn't refuse Lin Feng entry, but he never initiated a conversation.

When Lin Feng asked about weapon crafting, he would occasionally answer with a word or two, but never go into detail. When Lin Feng asked about cultivation, he would say, "This old man is dull-witted and has no experience."

No oil and salt.

Over the course of six months, Lin Feng visited Lin Xingjian more than a dozen times, but he couldn't extract any valuable information from him, let alone mention the words "Dayan Jue".

After six months of patience wearing thin, Lin Feng decided to stop beating around the bush.

That evening, he stood once again in front of Lin Xingjian's stone house.

As the sun sets, the evening glow paints the mountains of Huangfeng Valley in a magnificent golden-red hue.

Lin Feng stood in front of Lin Xingjian's stone house once again, and pushed the door open to enter.

Lin Xingjian was still the same as always, sitting by the window carving wood. This time he was carving a wooden comb, with fine teeth and clear patterns.

"Senior Brother Lin." Lin Feng did not sit down, but stood at the door, looking directly at Lin Xingjian.

Lin Xingjian paused slightly in his movements, but did not look up.

"Junior brother, you have not come here to refine weapons," Lin Feng said in a low voice, but he enunciated each word clearly. "You have come solely to obtain the Great Evolution Manual."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air inside the stone house seemed to freeze.

Lin Xingjian's carving knife paused in mid-air for a full three breaths before resuming its movement.

"What is this Great Evolution Technique that you're talking about, Junior Brother?" His voice remained calm, but Lin Feng noticed that his fingers, which were gripping the carving knife, were slightly white. "To obtain a cultivation technique, one should go to the Scripture Pavilion. I don't have any here."

Lin Feng did not give up. He stepped forward and said sincerely, "Junior brother knows that the Great Evolution Technique is in senior brother's hands. Junior brother is willing to exchange it for spirit stones, magic weapons, and pills. Senior brother, please name your price. As long as junior brother can afford it, I will not haggle."

A long silence fell over the stone house.

Lin Xingjian put down the carving knife and slowly raised his head.

His cloudy eyes were fixed on Lin Feng, his gaze filled with vigilance, scrutiny, and suspicion, and even a fleeting hint of killing intent.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said slowly and deliberately, his tone icy. "Please leave. And don't bother coming back again."

Lin Feng knew that today, this door was completely closed, and the possibility of peacefully obtaining the "Great Evolution Technique" was also cut off.