Mortal Cultivator: Lin Tianzun

Chapter 176: Thousand Machine Powder and Deeply Encircled
Lin Fan meditated in the cave for many days. When his mental state was fully restored to its peak, he decided to set up the "Great Zhoutian Liangyi Microdust Spirit Gathering Array".

He walked out of the cave, holding thirty-six formation plates in his palms. These formation plates were extremely delicately carved and engraved with mysterious runes. Each one was shining with spiritual light, and it was obvious at a glance that they were rare masterpieces.

A total of 365 formation flags were planted on these array plates. Strange runes were painted on the flags, and they swayed gently in the breeze, making rustling sounds and flashing with lively spiritual light.

In order to ensure that the magic circle has sufficient energy and stable operation, Lin Fan specially prepared hundreds of mid-level spirit stones, which are the key energy source for activating the magic circle.

Lin Fan then circled the cave, completely absorbed in setting up the formation. He meticulously measured the position based on the formation layout he knew by heart, each step precise and accurate.

The array plates in his hands were buried in the ground in a specific order, reaching just the right depth. When inserting the array flags, he was meticulous, striving to ensure that the flags fit perfectly with the array plates, thus forming a circuit for the conduction of spiritual energy.

Every time he buried a mid-level spirit stone, Lin Fan would gently inject a trace of spiritual power to activate its internal energy and establish a preliminary connection between it and the magic circle.

After all the formation plates, formation flags, and spirit stones were properly placed, Lin Fan breathed a sigh of relief, quickly made hand gestures with his hands, and muttered something.

In an instant, the "Great Zhoutian Liangyi Microdust Spirit Gathering Array" was successfully activated!
I saw light curtains appearing out of thin air all around. At first, they were sparse and thin, like a layer of gauze, but they became denser and denser in an instant.

These light screens intertwined and connected with each other, just like weaving a huge spiritual net. Then, a misty white fog rose from the ground and quickly spread out. In the blink of an eye, it completely covered the area within a radius of ten miles around Lin Fan's cave.

Looking from the outside, this place seems to be a void, empty and without any abnormalities, which perfectly conceals the existence of the cave.

Turning your gaze into the interior of the cave, you can see that the spirit gathering array has taken effect. With its tremendous power, the array continuously gathers spiritual energy from a hundred miles around here.

The spiritual energy seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, turning into strands of spiritual currents and rapidly pouring into the cave.

As time went by, the spiritual energy in the cave became more and more dense. The spiritual energy, which was originally a little thin, now rose up visibly with the naked eye.

According to calculations, the concentration of spiritual energy in the cave has increased by half a percent compared to before the formation was set up. This is just a matter of moments. With time, the spiritual energy in the cave will become even thicker.

This cave originally had only a tiny spiritual vein, but now Lin Fan has buried his superior spiritual eye spring underground, and it continuously emits spiritual energy.

Now, with the powerful addition of the spirit gathering array, the concentration of spiritual energy has increased several times compared to when I first arrived.

As the magic circle continues to operate, spiritual energy will continue to gather and accumulate. Meditating and practicing here will greatly increase the efficiency of absorbing spiritual energy, and the speed of cultivation is expected to increase significantly. In the future, this place will be a perfect place for cultivation.

Fairy Nishang, Li Ling'er and others who were meditating and practicing in the cave immediately noticed the abnormality of the spiritual energy in the cave.

In recent days, the spiritual energy in the cave has changed dramatically, becoming more and more concentrated every day.

As soon as Lin Fan stepped into the cave, Fairy Nishang couldn't wait to step forward. Her lotus steps moved lightly, and the corners of her clothes fluttered, as if a fairy had descended to earth.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with affection, and she asked in a gentle voice, "Husband, why has the spiritual energy in this cave become more and more dense recently?"

"Yeah, I felt that, too."

Li Ling'er quickly echoed, her eyes filled with curiosity and confusion, "Husband, could it be that you found a treasure like the Spirit Eye somewhere and placed it in the cave, which is why the spiritual energy is so rich?"

Chen Qiaoqian and Qin Xian'er stood aside, equally curious. Like two lively birds, they fluttered their bright eyes and looked at Lin Fan eagerly, their expressions full of anticipation, hoping that Lin Fan would speak up and explain their doubts.

Lin Fan smiled and nodded, saying gently, "I did find a spiritual eye object, and I placed it in the cave. Also, I just set up a new formation."

After saying this, he pulled out a few jade tokens from his Qiankun bag and handed them to everyone one by one. "These are the jade tokens for entering and exiting the magic circle. Keep them safe. You will rely on them to enter and exit the cave from now on."

"Thank you husband!"

The girls smiled, their rosy lips parted, and they spoke in unison, their voices as melodious and sweet as the chirping of a yellow oriole in a valley.

Then, they stretched out their slender hands, which were as soft as boneless, and gently took the jade cards, and carefully put them into the storage bags.

"Thank you, Master."

Qin Xian'er bowed slightly, her voice soft and her eyes full of respect. Qin Xian'er also stepped forward to take a jade token and put it away carefully.

……

Time passed like a flash, and in a blink of an eye, it was the day I had agreed to meet with Dong Bin.

Lin Fan left a sound transmission talisman in the cave. The sound transmission talisman emitted a faint spiritual light, and was accompanied by his clear spiritual power fluctuations and words, just to inform everyone that he was going out.

Then, Lin Fan strode out of the cave. In an instant, the spiritual power around him surged like a surging tide. In the blink of an eye, it condensed into a dazzling golden light, which shot up into the sky like an arrow and flew towards Tianxing City at lightning speed.

A few hours passed in a flash, and Lin Fan landed steadily in Tianxing City.

After a brief adjustment and finding his direction, he ran towards the headquarters of the Sixth Palace. In just a short moment, a towering palace came into his sight.

The palace was magnificent, more than ten feet high. Between the eaves and brackets, there were intricately carved dragons that looked lifelike, with their fangs and claws bared, as if they were about to break through the walls, showing its majestic atmosphere and unparalleled style.

Two huge stone Qilins stand at the door, each of which is carved extremely finely. The scales on the Qilin's body are clearly visible, the muscle lines are full and smooth, the eyes are bright and majestic, as if they will come alive in the next second and let out a deafening roar.

The vermilion gate is heavy and simple, and the copper door knocker on it gleams coldly in the sunlight. The crisscrossing texture on the door panel tells the vicissitudes of time.

Lin Fan stood in front of the door with a calm expression. He raised his hand and took out a sound transmission talisman from his storage bag. The talisman was light and thin, and the edge was slightly glowing.

He placed the sound transmission talisman to his lips and spoke clearly in a steady and powerful voice, "I am Lin Fan, here to keep an appointment. Fellow Daoist Dong, please come out and meet me!"

After he finished speaking, he flicked his wrist lightly, and the sound transmission note, wrapped in his spiritual power, was thrown straight into the palace like a nimble flying bird. It disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye, leaving only the faint fluctuations of spiritual power in the air.

Not long after, footsteps were heard from inside the palace, and Dong Bin strode out. He was dressed in a dark blue robe, the hems swaying in the wind. A warm smile graced his face. He walked a few steps to Lin Fan, clasped his hands together, leaned forward slightly, and said warmly:

"Ah, Fellow Daoist Lin, I'm so sorry for not welcoming you. I hope you don't mind."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, flicked his sleeves lightly, and leaned sideways, making a gesture of invitation. "I have gathered all the materials that Fellow Daoist Lin requires. How about we go inside and discuss it in detail?"

"please."

Lin Fan raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a polite smile. After nodding in response, he followed Dong Bin into the palace.

The two walked along a winding corridor. On the walls on both sides of the corridor were hung ancient paintings. In the dim light, they could faintly see the mountains, rivers, lakes and immortals flying on swords depicted in the paintings.

The stone pavement beneath your feet has been polished by the years, becoming smooth and flat. With every step you take, you can hear the steady sound of footsteps echoing through the corridors.

Soon, they arrived at a hall deep in the palace. The hall was spacious and bright, with carved beams and painted rafters, and the floor paved with golden bricks. It was extremely luxurious.

After Dong Bin and Lin Fan sat down as host and guest, Dong Bin raised his hand and lightly clapped his hands. Immediately, waiters came in one after another, holding exquisite tea sets in their hands, and skillfully brewed fragrant tea for the two of them.

Dong Bin took the lead in picking up the teacup and took a sip gracefully. The scalding hot tea flowed down his throat, warming his heart. He squinted his eyes in satisfaction, then put the teacup down, his smile growing wider. He bowed to Lin Fan and said,

"Fellow Daoist Lin is so straightforward! Thank you for trusting us, the Sixth Alliance Hall, and choosing us as the partner for this transaction. To be honest, I put a lot of thought into preparing these materials. I guarantee that this transaction will satisfy you."

After he finished speaking, he picked up the teacup again, tilted his head back and took a big sip, as if using the tea to suppress the excitement in his heart.

Seeing this, Lin Fan slowly picked up the teacup and took a sip politely. He could feel the fragrance of the tea spreading on his tongue, leaving a long aftertaste.

He gently put down the teacup, rubbed the rim of the cup with his fingertips twice, looked up at Dong Bin, his expression calm, but his tone revealed an unquestionable decisiveness:
"Friend Dong, you just said that all the materials are ready. If that's the case, why not take them out and count them now? This will put everyone at ease and save everyone's time."

"inventory?"

The smile on Dong Bin's face suddenly froze, and he immediately let out a sinister laugh. A hint of cruel sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. That smile was like a venomous snake spitting out its tongue, which made people's backs cold. "Are you counting Fellow Daoist Lin's wealth?"

"What do you mean?"

Lin Fan's heart suddenly tightened, but he pretended to be calm on the surface, only his brows were slightly furrowed, and a trace of vigilance flashed in his eyes. He stared straight at Dong Bin, as if he wanted to see through him, trying to find a trace of joking in the other's expression.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, don't you know how much spirit stones are involved in this transaction? This is an astronomical figure!"

Dong Bin stood up suddenly, hands on hips, his face full of greed, as if he had already pocketed all of Lin Fan's wealth. "I really can't resist. I can only choose to keep you here forever."

Haha~(￣▽￣～)~!

Dong Bin laughed so hard that he fell backwards. His shrill laughter echoed in the empty hall, making Lin Fan's eardrums hurt.

He smiled and walked triumphantly until he was close to Lin Fan. He then stopped, leaned forward slightly, and looked directly into Lin Fan's eyes, as if to see his panicked expression.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, do you feel any discomfort? For example, is your magic power...haha!"

"What Fellow Daoist Lin just drank was the famous 'Thousand Machine Powder',"

Dong Bin straightened up, crossed his arms across his chest, and looked proud, as if showing off his masterpiece. "This medicine is colorless and odorless. Although it can't be compared with the Ten Deadly Poisons, its medicinal properties are not too far behind. It is more than enough to deal with ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators!"

After saying this, he laughed wildly again, his laughter filled with the joy and pride of having his conspiracy succeed, as if Lin Fan was now a lamb waiting to be slaughtered...

Lin Fan thought to himself that something was wrong and tried to circulate his magic power. He immediately noticed something was wrong.

When the magic power flows through the meridians, it is like being stuck in a thick quagmire. Every time it moves, it encounters layers of obstacles and its speed becomes extremely slow.

Not only that, the situation was getting worse, as if an invisible hand was desperately trying to restrain his strength.

Lin Fan's heart trembled, and he didn't dare to delay even a little. He secretly practiced his skills, trying to suppress the toxins of "Qianji Powder" and prepare to expel the poison to save himself.

At the same time, he slapped his storage bag and took out a shield and a jade bottle. Lin Fan pinched his fingers and the shield immediately emitted a golden light, protecting him tightly inside.

Then Lin Fan poured out a green pill from the jade bottle and swallowed it. This pill was very magical. The layer of black poisonous mist on his face receded at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Dong Bin's originally nonchalant expression faded when he saw Lin Fan swallow a pill and the poison on his face quickly dissipated. He immediately shouted, "Two fellow Daoists, why don't you take action? How long are you waiting?"

In an instant, a strange ripple appeared out of thin air in a corner of the hall. The surrounding air seemed to be kneaded and twisted by an invisible and powerful force, making a slight "sizzling" sound.

Then, two figures slowly emerged from the ripples, surrounded by a faint halo of spiritual energy, which made people feel fearful.

The first thing that caught my eye was a middle-aged man in a green Confucian robe. He had a thin face, slightly protruding cheekbones, and stern facial lines, which gave him a sense of alienation that kept people at a distance.

He had a slender and straight figure, his posture as upright as a pine tree. He looked to be in his forties, but his every move exuded the majestic aura unique to an early Nascent Soul cultivator. With every breath, the spiritual energy in his body vibrated slightly.

Standing beside him was a tall man in a light yellow brocade robe. He had an ordinary appearance and would probably be hard to remember at first glance if he were in a crowd.

But his eyebrows were as black as ink, as if they could absorb all the light. The eyes under his eyebrows were like two unsheathed swords, sharp and cold. Just a glance at them could make people feel like they were falling into an ice cellar.

As a powerful cultivator in the middle stage of the Nascent Soul, the spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from his body were even more turbulent, like surging waves, one after another, wantonly impacting every inch of space in the hall, making the temperature of the entire hall seem to drop a few degrees.

(End of this chapter)