I am cautiously cultivating immortals in a strange world

Chapter 2259 Fruit Tasting Competition
Chen Lin was in high spirits after his successful retreat.

The first thing is that the oxen are refined.

This thing truly lives up to its reputation as a level seven spiritual plant. Even though most of it was absorbed by the mortal world, the remaining portion enhanced his natal runes, completely stabilizing them in the true rune state.

Its power increased dramatically.

Then he used the crystal needle again, and it only took about three breaths to activate it, instead of a dozen breaths to accumulate.

And just as Chen Lin had predicted.

Ruzi Niu is connected to the Seven Star Realm. After refining it, his understanding of the Seven Laws deepened, and he was able to reproduce the power of the seven inner stars by arranging runes.

My control is even better than before.

The true fire of the sun also increased accordingly.

Besides.

The Soul-Destroying Finger technique also advanced by leaps and bounds.

This finger technique had been with him the longest, and he had already mastered it to a certain extent. However, he was struggling because he lacked the subsequent techniques, which was why he was unable to break through to the next level.

Now that the subsequent training methods have been deduced, it's only a natural progression.

It didn't take long for him to complete the first stage of cultivation, reaching a level where he could advance to the second stage.

But it has reached its limit.

The soul's strength is insufficient to support the breakthrough.

There are currently two ways to elevate one's soul.

One of them is soul release.

The other method involves relying on the black crystal given by the woman in the phoenix crown to slowly increase 'that characteristic' in one's soul.

Although he never figured out what 'that characteristic' was, Chen Lin had sensed changes in his soul over the years. They were very subtle, but they gave his soul a strange sense of power.

But the improvement is too slow.

It would be impossible to reach the level of a Punisher Lord in this way without more than a thousand years, or even several thousand or tens of thousands of years.

and so.

We still need to exorcise the soul.

After weighing the options for a while, Chen Lin decided to put the matter aside for the time being.

The matter of soul release is of great importance, so we need to understand it from multiple perspectives. After the natal rune solidified into a true rune, he had already eliminated Nana's Great Xuandu seal.

Without this threat, there was no rush to go to Tiger Hill.

The Wizard's Eye was also completely destroyed. These things that were once untouchable were no match for the true runes and were easily dealt with.

So it is.

Chen Lin became more determined to cultivate his natal rune.

The road may be rugged and bumpy, but the rewards after the harvest are amazing. It is also the only cultivation method he can access that can quickly improve his strength.

A thought came to my mind.

His body was covered in dense runes.

Chen Lin sensed the strength of the Ninefold Armor and showed a satisfied expression. He then tested other energies.

Everything else is fine.

Everything that could be refined was refined.

Even Death Gaze and Heavenly Eye have had their origins devoured by the natal runes. Although they can still be used, they require rune power to activate and can no longer be considered independent supernatural abilities. They can only be considered techniques derived from the natal runes.

Whatever backup plans existed, they all vanished into thin air.

Only two methods failed to successfully devour it.

One is the art of tranquility, and the other is the rune of merit.

Chen Lin tried repeatedly.

Ultimately, it had to be determined that the current natal runes could not fuse these two things. As for whether they could in the future, we would only know when the time came.

He rested his hand on his chin, lost in thought.

It's not surprising that the Tranquility Technique couldn't be integrated with him; this secret technique belongs to the Nightmare Technique and has no origin whatsoever. It's only used as a feeling.

Since it is invisible, it cannot be said to devour.

Once he understands the mechanism behind this technique, he will be able to find a way to devour it.

What puzzled Chen Lin was the merit mark.

Not only could this thing not be devoured, it also attached itself to the intricate runes of the fused Buddha Star, appearing even fuller than before.

"Buddhism..."

Chen Lin muttered to himself, deeply feeling how troublesome this cultivation system was, and that he would probably have to cross paths with Nian Kong again in the future.

However, since the merit mark is generated from merit, it should be beneficial to him and harmless. There's no need to worry too much about it; it might even save his life someday.

Comfort yourself.

Chen Lin gathered his thoughts and got up to leave the cultivation room.

……

"Brother Chen's cooking is so delicious, I can never get enough of it."

Inside the Prince's mansion, Daisy swallowed a heart-shaped bun in one gulp, her beautiful eyes narrowing into slits.

Commander Della shook her head speechlessly.

"If it tastes good, eat more."

Chen Lin smiled and handed over a glass of fruit syrup.

This princess is a very special case; she possesses an extremely strong talent for destiny, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her a fairy of destiny.

The price is that you never grow up.

No matter how much you eat or how much time passes, you always maintain the same appearance, not only in terms of physical form but also in terms of mind.

and so.

To protect her from being deceived, Daida Dong specially arranged a personal bodyguard for her, namely Commander Della.

Chen Lin also learned about something else.

Almost everyone in the imperial city is of royal blood and possesses an innate destiny.

These people rarely leave the city, and they acquire resources by exploring the River of Destiny, since there aren't many treasures of destiny in the outside world.

"correct."

After finishing the syrup in one gulp, Daisy suddenly remembered something.

Looking expectantly at Chen Lin, she said, "I have news from Hundred Fruit Garden. They will be holding a fruit tasting event in three years. They sent my brother an invitation, but he's not going back. Why don't I go with Brother Chen?"

"No."

Chen Lin shook his head.

"Oh."

Daisy's face fell.

Commander Della, standing nearby, breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's not that I don't want to go with the princess."

Chen Lin offered an explanation.

"I'm not looking for the Hundred Fruit Garden to buy spiritual fruits, but to take two people away. There's a high chance of a massacre, so the princess doesn't need to get involved."

"what!"

Daisy gasped in surprise.

He said worriedly, "The Hundred Fruit Garden is very powerful. Even Supreme experts have to give them some respect. It is also connected with the Star Ruins. Brother Chen, please don't be reckless."

"Haha."

Chen Lin laughed heartily.

“Princess, don’t worry. Since I dare to go, I must be confident. And it’s not certain that a fight will break out. It might go very smoothly.”

"OK then."

Daisy pursed her lips.

He took a purse from his waist, then took out an invitation and placed them in front of Chen Lin.

Then, pointing to the pouch, he solemnly said, "This contains a talisman that can bring good fortune. Brother Chen, you must carry it with you at all times and never lose it."

Chen Lin held it up with both hands.

He carefully put it on his waist.

They then put the invitation away.

He clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your concern, Princess. However, I have a lot of karma on my hands, and too much contact with you would be harmful rather than beneficial. So I won't bother you any longer. After leaving the Hundred Fruit Garden, I plan to travel around the star field. If fate allows, we will meet again in the future."

He finished speaking without beating around the bush.

His figure gradually faded, finally disappearing before the two women's eyes. "Brother Chen..."

Daisy called out and got up to chase after him, but was stopped by Commander Della.

“Fellow Daoist Chen is right. He has a lot of karma on him and it is not advisable to have too much contact with him. Moreover, the princess cannot leave the capital for a long time, so she is destined to be out of luck with him.”

"No."

Daisy shook her head.

But he didn't offer much explanation, he just sat down sullenly and stared blankly at the fish swimming in the pond in the yard.

Three years later.

Hundred Fruit Garden.

Chen Lin appeared in the teleportation hall, surrounded by flashing lights. People kept appearing, each with an extraordinary aura, clearly not ordinary individuals.

"Please show me your invitation, fellow Daoist."

A beautiful woman stepped forward and led Chen Lin to the reception area, speaking in a manner that was neither humble nor arrogant.

Chen Lin nodded.

The invitation was handed over to the other party.

"So you are distinguished guests from Red Umbrella Star, this way please!"

Upon seeing the invitation, the receptionist's tone immediately became more respectful, and she ushered Chen Lin into the first passage.

People nearby heard her voice and looked over, but after realizing they couldn't see through Chen Lin's cultivation level, they quickly looked away.

Chen Lin ignored him.

He is now in his true form. When he killed the disciples of Hundred Fruit Garden on Great Yellow Star, he used the identity of Red Ape, so he was not recognized.

"My lord, this is your residence. The Fruit Tasting Festival will begin in three days. During this time, you may move around in the city or visit the beautiful orchards outside the city. However, you may not enter the areas blocked by the formation. We hope you understand."

They led Chen Lin into a charming little courtyard, where a smiling woman gave him a tour.

"I see."

Chen Lin gave an indifferent answer.

His eyes then glowed with a fluorescent light, and tiny runes flickered within them. He looked at the other person and asked, "Does your Hundred Fruit Garden have a female disciple named Yaochi?"

After saying that, he waved his hand.

The figure of the fairy of Yaochi appeared out of thin air.

The woman looked completely dazed.

He nodded slightly.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, there is indeed such a person. He was the last disciple of Master Tianya. However, he went on a mission with Uncle Feng Baiyu last time, which led to Uncle Feng Baiyu's death. After returning, he was punished and has been reflecting on his mistakes under the Refining Heart Fruit Tree."

Chen Lin secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

It's alright for Mian Shu to reflect on his mistakes, as long as he's still alive. He also anticipated that killing Feng Baiyu would bring disaster to the other party, which is why he rushed over. It seems the outcome wasn't too bad.

"Is this person still by Yaochi's side?"

Chen Lin then manifested the form of Jin Lin.

"exist."

The woman nodded again.

"She was a guard of Master Yaochi and also faced the tree to reflect on her mistakes. However, because Master Yaochi injured Elder Hua's disciple, she had been given the forbidden fruit, and her lifespan was almost over. It is unknown whether she is still alive."

A flash of coldness crossed Chen Lin's eyes.

He asked in a deep voice, "Where is the Heart-Refining Fruit Tree?"

"Without the sect leader's token, one cannot enter the isolated space within the orchard's restricted area."

The woman gave a mechanical answer.

Upon hearing this, Chen Lin suppressed his emotions.

He hasn't yet deciphered the rune sequence of spatial rules, and his grasp of spatial abilities isn't very strong, making it difficult for him to force his way into the restricted area.

We should find out more about the situation before deciding what to do.

Next.

Chen Lin began questioning the members of Baiguoyuan about their information.

His expression gradually became serious.

Although there are no rulers here, there are two super strong individuals who are close to rulers.

There were originally three.

However, Yaochi's master, Fu Tianya, has disappeared, leaving only the sect leader, Xiao Wujin, and the second elder, Hua Qingfeng.

Both are eternally perfect and have merged with parts of their own selves, possessing dominant characteristics. Neither of them is inferior to the Sword Maiden and the White Moonlight.

Moreover, both of them came from Xingxu.

Sect Leader Xiao Wujin also possesses a Sovereign-level treasure, the Life-Slaying Blade.

According to the woman who received them, the other party possesses a special talent that allows them to unleash the full power of this sword, and it's hard to say whether the Nine-Layer Armor can withstand it.

This didn't worry Chen Lin.

No matter how strong the opponent is, they are not a true ruler. Even if the nine layers of armor cannot stop them, it will definitely greatly weaken the power of their attack, so they are not invincible and unable to fight back.

His main concern was that Second Elder.

This person possesses a mysterious and extremely sinister method that can directly influence the personality of the target being.

It sounds so-so.

In a battle where the forces are evenly matched, even the slightest disturbance can affect life or death, and such methods are precisely the weak point of the Ninefold Armor's defense.

He squinted his eyes.

Chen Lin waved his hand, knocking the receptionist unconscious. Then he released a rune doll that burrowed into her forehead, erasing her memory of their recent conversation.

The other party is only at the True Realm, and it's a recent memory, so it's easy to erase. Unless a powerful person searches the soul, it's impossible to detect.

"This is your temporary residence, sir. The Fruit Tasting Competition will begin in three days. You are free to move around during this period, but you are not allowed to enter the restricted areas. We hope you understand."

The receptionist repeated what she had said before.

"Oh, I see."

Chen Lin hummed in agreement and waved for the other person to leave.

He then walked out of the courtyard and onto the street outside. The city was not large, consisting of a sparse cluster of buildings. After all, it was a secluded secret realm, inhabited only by the disciples of the Hundred Fruit Garden.

However, the presence of outsiders has made it a bit more lively.

The invitation here is for one person only, and even the creatures in the cave cannot break through the restriction, so Chen Lin did not bring Hua Yi and the others in, and wandered around the streets alone.

Presumably because tourists are coming in, a small market has been set up.

There are quite a few people setting up stalls.

After wandering around for a while, Chen Lin actually managed to buy several kinds of spiritual fruits. He immediately became interested and continued to stroll around, looking for a target, preparing to capture another high-level disciple and learn more about the Hundred Fruit Garden.

suddenly.

Chen Lin's expression shifted.

He spotted a familiar figure in the crowd—it was none other than Feng Wanding, the Pill King of Qiren Island!
How did they end up here?

I thought about it.

Chen Lin still went over.

As if sensing something, Feng Wanding, who was selecting spiritual fruits, turned around and met Chen Lin's gaze, also slightly taken aback.

"Fellow Daoist Chen?"

Feng Wanding looked him over and, confirming he wasn't mistaken, immediately smiled.

"Fellow Daoist Feng has left the Boundary River? When did you arrive in the Outer Star Domain? It seems your cultivation has improved quite a bit. Congratulations!"

Chen Lin smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

Meeting each other here is like meeting an old friend in a foreign land.

He originally did not want to acknowledge the other party, because if he could not take Yaochi and Jinlin away normally, a major battle would be inevitable, which would probably implicate the other party.

But the city isn't large, so you'll still see it once the fruit-tasting festival begins.

Why don't we say hello now?

"Hahaha."

Feng Wanding smiled.

"I am originally from an alien region, from the Feng family of the Holy Cauldron Star in the White Light Star Region. I went to the Island of Strange People just to explore."

Chen Lin understood.

No wonder the other party's alchemy skills were so strong; it turns out he was a scion of a powerful family from an outer planet. It's only natural that his position as the head of the Pill Pavilion was replaced.

(End of this chapter)