Immortal Road.

Back in Yunzhou.

Lin Shan and Jin Chi parted ways temporarily, each going back to process what they had learned, and agreed to go fishing again when they had time.

He then rented a cave dwelling in Xiaorong City.

The Immortal City Cave is indeed expensive.

For a typical Void Realm cultivator, one Grade 7 spirit stone is only enough for half a Jiazi (60 years) to fit into a courtyard. If higher quality is required, there are three, five, or even ten stones available!

Lin Shan pursued ultimate efficiency and wanted to quickly improve his cultivation level, so he chose the place with the highest concentration of spiritual energy. Similarly, in order to learn alchemy, he also found a pill-making room with the most complete facilities.

Inside is a heaven-reaching spiritual treasure—a pill furnace!
The price isn't cheap either; it costs three seventh-grade spirit stones for half a Jiazi (60 years). It's said that the better ones come with Xuan Tian spirit treasures and a seventh-order Xuan Tian formation, which are basically only affordable for the super-rich.

After settling into his cave dwelling, following the recommendation of the old Taoist Jinchi, he found a renowned master craftsman in the immortal city and told him his request to create a fish-scale sword formation and fish-skin soft armor.

The resulting quotes were thirty and twenty grade seven spirit stones, respectively.

The total cost is fifty Grade 7 spirit stones, plus all expenses for the two Xuan Tian spirit treasures.

So expensive!
Lin Shan was stunned by this number. Fifty spirit stones were enough for him to live in a cave in the Immortal City for five hundred years!

The old Taoist priest Jinchi also wanted to forge fish-skin soft armor, so all he could do was advise him to relax.

"I still pulled some strings to get us the friend's price we asked for."

"This is a veteran grandmaster who has crafted no fewer than dozens of Xuan Tian spiritual treasures. How many weapon refiners in Yunzhou have such rich experience? You should be content!"

"Besides, listen carefully, it's fifty seventh-grade spirit stones all-inclusive, all-inclusive, understand?"

"don't know."

Lin Shan honestly shook his head.

"All-inclusive means you only need to provide the main materials and settle the payment. All other costs, including auxiliary materials, refining fees, spirit restriction fees, inscription fees, furnace depreciation fees, and spirit fire burning fees, will be covered in one lump sum. You can then simply wait to collect the finished product!"

Old Taoist Jinchi patted his chest and assured him that he had really struck gold this time.

Lin Shan looked suspicious.

It wasn't that he didn't trust others, but rather that the world of cultivation and weapon crafting was a very complex and murky field, something he had long heard about.

It's hard not to make a second purchase.

This was the first time he'd ever heard of something like "all-inclusive"!
Furthermore, is it right to settle all the money at once before even seeing the treasure?

"Can I pay a deposit first, and then pay the balance after it's finished?"

"no!"

The renowned weapon-forging master, known as the "Curtain-Rolling Master" by his contemporaries, had a shiny bald head covered with the dark scars of time. He sat cross-legged on a futon, his eyes not even open, and refused him outright.

"You can only enjoy the discount if you pay in full at once. If I only pay a deposit, I'm not sure if you will break your promise after I've finished training. Then all the materials and labor I paid for in advance will be wasted. Wouldn't that be a losing deal?"

Losing money?

Lin Shan found it hard to believe. "If I were to back out and not pay the balance, you could just take the Xuan Tian Ling Bao for yourself, wouldn't you be making a profit? How could you be losing money!"
"I'd like to ask what the price is if the deposit and final payment are split into two installments."

"Add ten spirit stones to each, for a total of seventy."

Lin Shan remained silent, saying the price was too high.

He originally thought that obtaining the two materials from the Golden Scale Dragon Fish was a good thing, but he didn't expect it to turn into debt, and he would have to put so much money into it!
Currently, aside from his items, his cash flow is only fifty seventh-grade spirit stones, which is far from enough to forge two Xuan Tian spirit treasures.

The old Taoist priest Jinchi offered words of advice from the sidelines.

"Alright, fellow Daoist, let's just pay in full at once. It'll save time and effort. Otherwise, when Grandmaster Rolling Curtain is refining it for us, he'll keep urging us to collect all sorts of auxiliary materials and pay all sorts of miscellaneous fees. It'll be troublesome to communicate with him repeatedly, and the progress will be delayed again and again. What do you think?"

"Yes, that's true."

"Also, I forgot to tell you, this Xuan Tian Treasure Pole of mine is..."

"Oh?"

Lin Shan's eyes lit up. This precious fishing rod was a real gem; it could even catch creatures at the Void Refinement stage. It was definitely a top-quality product!

"Could it be the masterpiece of the Curtain-Rolling Master?"

Jinchi the old Taoist gave an awkward smile.

"No, it was made by his senior brother, Master Zhuchen. I initially contacted Master Zhuchen, but he was too busy with orders lately, so he recommended him to his junior brother, Master Juanlian."

Seeing that Lin Shan was still hesitating, she earnestly persuaded him.

“Master Rolling Curtain and Master Casting Dust were taught by the same master, and they are quite famous. You don’t need to hesitate, lest you anger the masters and they won’t be able to find anyone else to take your job.”

Sure enough, the Curtain-Rolling Master was already impatient and asked him if he was going to practice or not. If not, he should leave and find somewhere else.

The Supreme Master speaks with authority, so there's no need to give him any attitude.

Seeing this, Lin Shan had no choice but to smile politely and settle the payment for the materials and fees with the person in one lump sum.

He put the matter aside for the time being, went to the Yi Bao Lou again, sold some items to get some spirit stones for future use, and then went to the Spirit Beast Workshop.

I found some materials and pills related to breakthroughs in spirit beasts. Fortunately, the cost was not high and was still acceptable.

He then lingered in various markets and bought a lot of sixth-tier spirit liquid to accelerate the growth of the Void Butterfly.

In the past, the lower realm lacked the necessary conditions, and after ascending, there was no financial resources, causing Xiaodie to remain in a state of hunger and slumber, and her evolution remained stagnant.

Now that I've reached the Void Realm first, I naturally need to find a way to help my spirit pet catch up.

I just don't know how Sailor Moon is doing right now. Fluttershy hasn't sensed anything either, probably because they're too far apart.

With his current strength, it's unrealistic for him to traverse the Immortal Realm. Using teleportation arrays is expensive, and traveling on his own would waste a lot of time. It would be better for him to improve himself first.

Besides these three spirit pets, there is also a cursed spirit that, over the years, has gradually reached the threshold of the Void Realm thanks to the seventh-tier cursed source crystal bestowed upon it by the Immortal Book Master.

Once all his helpers have broken through to the next level, Lin Shan will have grown stronger and will be able to gradually establish himself in the Immortal Realm.

After settling external affairs, he returned to his newly rented cave dwelling and began the tedious life of cultivating and learning alchemy at the same time.

Another distant celestial realm.

Here, towering mountains stretch out on both sides, covered with snow all year round, while below, spruce forests form valleys where melting snow water nourishes vast grasslands along the way.

Also due to the changeable climate, long periods of cloudy skies and frequent storms.

When strong winds blow, they make a whooshing sound that echoes repeatedly in the canyon, forming a unique sword cry.

This is the renowned sword sanctuary of this world, Qingping Sword Gorge!

On this day, a fierce wind swept through.

A large shadow was cast down, covering the area below the canyon, and all the trees and flowers along the way bowed their heads and bent over.

It turned out to be a six-headed yellow bird, its wings spread wide, stretching for thousands of miles, its immense aura sweeping across the surroundings.

However, after arriving at Qingping Sword Gorge, it took the initiative to restrain itself, standing on a strange rock on the mountaintop, tilting its head and looking around as if sensing and searching for something.

Upon closer inspection, one of the gray heads, with a tattered umbrella in its mouth, was being gnawed on by the other five cricket heads.

"Are you even capable? If not, let us do it!"

"Is this the right place to sense it? It doesn't look right to me."

"Would those old fogies from the Sword Dao Era really hide in a place like this?"

"It's hard to say. The great calamity hasn't arrived yet. Although the Heavenly Court has declined, it still holds the moral high ground. If they really want to get serious, they can easily rally the world to deal with them." "The great calamity is coming soon. We need to find a way out as soon as possible. Regardless of whether the Sword Dao Era will cooperate, let's ask them first."

Just as they were chatting away, a large gate suddenly opened from the sky at the foot of the mountain, and a boy with red lips and white teeth walked out.

Upon arriving, he first bowed to the mountaintop, demonstrating impeccable manners.

"Lord Zhenling, we are already aware of your arrival and have sent me to guide you inside. Please come in for a chat!"

After saying that, he gestured for the other person to proceed.

Standing atop the mountain peak was none other than the True Spirit Bird. Upon hearing this, it immediately flew down from the peak, shrunk its body to the size of a normal human, and then its six bird heads spoke politely.

"Thank you for your trouble, young Taoist priest."

"It's alright. May I take a look at the token?"

"A token?"

The robin immediately understood what it was and handed over the tattered umbrella it was carrying.

The boy took it, glanced at it, and casually calculated with his fingers. He immediately smiled and understood.

"So it was the belongings of the senior brother who guarded the tomb in the lower realm. He used the hands of the ascended beings to pass on the message to us. He was able to foresee this much. It's incredible."

The robin was completely bewildered, but it wasn't interested in that. Instead, it asked nervously.

"I am here by chance because I want to discuss a deal with your senior management. I wonder if there are any requirements?"

"Hehe, our Sword Dao Era is inclusive and makes friends widely. The elders often post notices to recruit talents. In fact, before you, several different True Spirits have come here."

"Oh? There are other guys besides me?"

The six bird heads chirped and chattered, asking who else was there.

The boy smiled without saying a word, then turned his back to them and stepped into the portal. The roc hesitated for a moment before following suit.

A fierce wind swept across the sky, dissipating the white mist, and the Sword Gorge was now deserted.

The far north.

There is a dynasty here, established on the icy plains.

The main hall is crystal clear, with lifelike ice-carved phoenixes, shimmering patterns on the winding eaves, and luxurious brackets and beams.

On the phoenix throne, an empress reigns with grace and power.

Below the stage stood a hundred officials, who were currently attending court to present their reports and discuss the state of the nation.

"Your Majesty, recently the Heavenly Court has sent envoys again. The Empress has issued twelve imperial edicts, requesting that you come to the Lingxiao Palace for a meeting. The envoys have arrived at the Ice Soul Immortal Dynasty's post station and are waiting for your audience."

"not see!"

The person sitting on the phoenix throne was none other than Empress Ice Soul Fairy of the Ice Soul Immortal Dynasty. At this moment, she sneered with a cold smile, and an extremely cold mist, like an iceberg, rose around her.

"I know the Empress's little scheme perfectly well. Inviting me to the Lingxiao Palace is a pretense; her real intention is to sow discord! How can I fall for her trick?"

The officials all nodded in agreement.

At that time, the immortal realm was engulfed in flames of war, and the regional officials of various immortal domains were forming alliances and engaging in fierce battles of wits and intrigue. It was a sensitive moment.

Some forces chose to remain neutral, while others openly sided with the Heavenly Court, and most simply rebelled!
The Ice Soul Immortal Dynasty was in a state of obeying orders but not proclamations.

At the same time, it has formed alliances with several forces, creating a regional alliance that is closely linked together by the Immortal Realm.

If it takes shape, it will have the potential to dominate the world, and even the Heavenly Court will be deeply wary of it.

That's why the emperor and empress entrusted letters and issued decrees repeatedly, intending to divide and weaken the regime.

An old minister in the audience presented a letter.

"Your Majesty, this is a letter from the Empress and the Emperor themselves, delivered to me by an envoy. Would you like to see it?"

"Bring it up."

The Empress leaned lazily on her phoenix chair. A female official went down beside her, took the letter, held it high above her head, and ran up to kneel before presenting it.

Tear open the envelope and take out the letter.

He only glanced at it before slamming his hand heavily on the table!

"You bastard!!!"

This thunderous roar contained unparalleled power, causing the entire hall to tremble. The officials below were all so frightened that their legs trembled and they knelt down, wondering who had angered the Empress.

The Ice Queen stood up angrily, turned around twice on the stage with her hands behind her back, and then pointed at the letter, laughing and cursing.

"You Empress, how dare you resort to such despicable tactics, altering and covering things up, making outsiders think I'm trying to hide something! If I'm not mistaken, the people from the neighboring Shenglong Immortal Dynasty should be arriving soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone came to report from outside.

"Report—"

"The Imperial Preceptor of the Ascending Dragon Immortal Dynasty, accompanied by the Second Prince Guilong, has come to pay a visit and has already arrived at the post station via the inter-domain teleportation array to await them!"

The officials were in an uproar and began whispering among themselves.

At this time, the emperor and empress's envoys were still in the capital, and people from the neighboring Shenglong Immortal Dynasty suddenly came to visit, giving them the feeling of being caught in the act of adultery.

After all, during the honeymoon period of this important alliance, the Ascending Dragon Immortal Realm, located to the south of the Ice Soul Immortal Realm, is situated at a crucial choke point for the expansion of its influence, and must maintain a stable relationship.

Once the relationship sours and breaks down, it will be trapped in a barren and desolate place, making it difficult to develop in the current environment.

"Summon them in."

The Ice Soul Empress sat back on her phoenix throne, and several female officials stepped forward to straighten the edges of her phoenix robes and maintain her appearance.

A short while later, an old man and a young man walked into the hall.

"The Grand Preceptor of the Ascending Dragon Kingdom, accompanied by the Second Prince, has returned to the Dragon Kingdom on the orders of His Majesty the Ice Soul!"

"No gift."

As everyone looked at him, the old man had eagle eyes and a hooked nose, sharp gaze, and walked with a steady and composed demeanor, exuding the air of a master.

The young man was surrounded by laws, exuding an imposing aura. His youthful spirit and the noble bearing of a crown prince were evident in his eyes and brows.

"His Majesty has heard that the Heavenly Emperor and Empress have been on very close terms with your esteemed Immortal Dynasty these days, even exchanging letters. He specially dispatched this old man to inquire about the progress of their relationship."

This imperial advisor was incredibly audacious. He came in with a show of force, speaking in a questioning tone on someone else's turf, making it seem like he was in his own home.

"presumptuous!"

Officials rushed to his defense, each pledging their loyalty and rebuking him for his rudeness.

The Grand Preceptor of the Rising Dragon Kingdom appeared calm, and the young man beside him even had a smile on his face, seemingly fearless.

The Ice Queen remained expressionless, neither angered nor responding, but instead turned to look at the young man.

"Second Prince, your Imperial Advisor has come to discuss serious matters. Why have you, a mere child, accompanied him?"

The second prince stepped forward and bowed respectfully, then uttered something astonishing!

"Your Majesty, my journey here is also of great importance; it is for the purpose of a marriage alliance between our two dynasties, to forge a harmonious union." (End of Chapter)