Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans...

Chapter 148 News of a Quasi-Third-Tier Monster

With Li Yifan gone into seclusion, Lin Chang'an had done what he needed to do, and continued his monotonous yet enjoyable daily cultivation routine.

They drew talismans, refined pills, and cultivated their skills. Occasionally, when Yun Yao had time, the two would cultivate together.

With the trust and tacit understanding that the two have developed over this period, they have been able to begin to use the combined attack technique in the dual cultivation secret method.

Three months later.

Li Erniu, beaming with pride, brought his son Li Yifan to express his gratitude.

Li Yifan has successfully completed his foundation building.

Erniu never imagined in his life that his son would fulfill this wish that he never dared to dream of, even though he hadn't reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

This gave Li Erniu a second spring, making him look several years younger.

There's a saying that's true: once you've successfully established your foundation, everyone will think that everything you did before was right.

Even parents.

Li Erniu originally planned to hold a celebratory banquet at Juxianlou.

However, the Zhou family argued that Li Yifan, after all, came from the Zhou family, and this foundation-building banquet should be held in the Zhou family.

It can be said that the Zhou family gave Li Yifan a lot of face, allowing him to hold his head high.

Although many members of the Zhou family felt resentful in secret, the Zhou family head also used this silent method to inspire the younger generation of the Zhou family to cultivate.

Even the sons of sons-in-law with mid-grade spiritual roots have reached the Foundation Establishment stage, so why can't they compete?

You're not convinced? Then you'd better shut your mouth. You can talk again when you've reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

Even at the banquet, the Zhou family head toasted Li Erniu with a big smile, saying things like, "Three generations have returned to the ancestral home, you have raised a good son who has made something of himself."

At the same time, they publicly stated their willingness to lease 30 mu of spiritual land to Erniu.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, the implication was clear: Li Erniu would no longer be the Zhou family's live-in son-in-law, but their son-in-law.

Li Erniu truly achieved the saying "a father's status rises with his son's."

Li Yifan was extremely grateful, and only when he reached the Foundation Establishment stage did he realize how ridiculous everything had been.

Or perhaps it's a lifetime of pent-up emotions that seem like children playing house.

A leap in strength will bring a different level of perspective.

From then on, Li Erniu and the Zhou family were considered sons-in-law, and thus no longer had to be considered inferior.

This incident inspired the younger generation of the Zhou family, who were all filled with determination and at the same time grew closer to Lin Chang'an.

It even eliminated a potential hidden danger, since if Li Yifan stayed in the Zhou family after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, he would surely cause trouble.

Lin Chang'an secretly sighed, no wonder the Zhou family had grown so powerful in someone else's hands, their methods were extremely sophisticated.

"However, the foundation building stage has only just begun. Although Li Yifan has successfully established his foundation, his energy has dissipated, and the sharpness between his brows has also dissipated."

Lin Chang'an saw it more clearly: if Li Yifan had been holding back his anger and wanted to finally get his revenge, then he had succeeded now.

and then?
The cultivation techniques and resources required after Foundation Establishment represent a qualitative leap, far beyond what an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily obtain after leaving the Zhou family.

"If we were still in the Zhou family, the Zhou family's heritage and cultivation resources would undoubtedly allow us to go much further in the future."

However, all of this was no longer relevant to Lin Chang'an, and he shook his head inwardly.

Everyone has their own ambitions, and he himself is working hard for various resources.

However, judging from Erniu's previous thoughts, he wanted Li Yifan to have children and bring glory to the family, and Li Yifan did not refuse this time.

"In the end, this is the norm in the cultivation world. There aren't that many geniuses who won't give up until they achieve immortality."

Lin Chang'an shook his head inwardly. A person's vision and ability are closely related.

If he hadn't awakened his talent and hadn't obtained an ancient cultivation technique by chance, his first thought after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage would probably have been to strive for all these years.

It's time to enjoy the life of our ancestors.

……

However, half a month later...

Lin Chang'an, however, had a strange expression on his face inside the cave.

"Brother Lin, you know, Zhou Yifan used to follow me around since she was little, but now that she's reached the Foundation Establishment stage, she still acts all high and mighty and looks down on her little sister."

"Brother Lin, you be the judge. Is my sister lacking in looks? Or is she unruly and willful? Or perhaps her spiritual talent is too poor to be worthy of him?"

Zhou Bingyun spoke with a face full of grievance, with a twenty-something girl behind her, who stood shyly to the side, somewhat at a loss.

Seeing this, Lin Chang'an was speechless. He knew that the Zhou family head was not going to suffer any losses. He had almost gotten himself into a trap.

Zhou Bingyun looked aggrieved and wronged, as if all of this was because of Brother Lin, and that's why her Zhou family suffered such a great loss.

“Brother Lin, my sister has a strong personality too…”

Good grief, after all that talk, it's obvious it was delivered to him.

The reason is also quite good: the young lady from the Zhou family was arranged to marry someone else, but was looked down upon by that person, who was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Other cultivators wouldn't dare to visit so easily; it wouldn't be worth offending this Foundation Establishment cultivator.

“Miss Zhou, it’s such a disservice to send your sister, a daughter of the prestigious Zhou family, to be a maid here.”

Lin Chang'an said helplessly, while Zhou Bingyun's eyes flashed with a sly glint, and she gave her younger sister a bright look.

As a result, the Zhou family woman, who was standing to the side with an embarrassed and flushed face, poured him tea with trembling hands.

"Senior Lin... I can do anything."

Lin Chang'an was speechless. Well, this Zhou family head had been plotting against him from the very beginning. He had underestimated the man's methods.

He's truly a cunning and shrewd old man.

Lin Chang'an's Dao heart is firm, and now Zhou Bingyun has also reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

In an effort to maintain their relationship with him, the Zhou family actually sent another person over.

Moreover, the reason given was so perfect, as if his intervention satisfied both the Zhou and Li families, while only the woman was wronged.

"Brother Lin, this is my younger sister Bingbing. She usually helps you manage the spiritual plants in your cave and raise the Green Horned Ox. She is very good at both."

The Zhou family wants to maintain their relationship with this person who will replace Zhou Bingyun.

After all, Zhou Bingyun is now a Foundation Establishment cultivator and is no longer suitable to run errands to deliver the materials for raising the Green Horned Ox.

"it is good."

Zhou Bingyun smiled after Lin Chang'an nodded slightly.

"Bingbing, don't feel wronged."

Upon hearing this, the young and inexperienced Zhou Bingbing waved her hands repeatedly and said:
"No, no... I'm not wronged. Senior Lin's cave is full of spiritual energy. It's already a great blessing that Bingbing can come here often."

Seeing the girl's blushing face and her straightforward words, Lin Chang'an nodded secretly.

This girl is honest, but she doesn't have Zhou Bingyun's cleverness.

Seeing her younger sister's shy expression, Zhou Bingyun nodded secretly in agreement.

My mother once said that men don't really like smart women, so this time it should be okay, right?

From then on, Lin Chang'an's usually quiet cave would have one more person coming to help take care of the spiritual plants and feed the Green Horned Ox.

However, seeing the vibrant spiritual plants outside the cave, and even the occasional donation of some from the Zhou family, made Lin Chang'an even more satisfied.

In high spirits, he occasionally offered pointers to the other party, which was a way of maintaining his relationship with the Zhou family.

……

As time passed, Li Yifan's foundation-building process came to an end.

The countless cultivators in Tianxuan City were too preoccupied with the commotion of the beast tide to pay attention to anything else.

"Have you heard? Yesterday, several Foundation Establishment cultivators from Dongyu Kingdom teamed up to hunt down a late-stage second-tier demonic beast. They really hit the jackpot."

"That's right. I wonder what happened deep in the Cloud Mist Mountains. Many monsters from the depths have come out to the outer areas."

"I heard that Master Lu's disciple, Fairy Su, has emerged from seclusion. I wonder if it's true or not."

"Alas, these are turbulent times. I hope Fairy Su can successfully form her core, so that Tianxuan City will still have a place for us rogue cultivators to stay."

In the black market tavern, listening to the idle chatter of passing cultivators, Lin Chang'an frowned slightly, although most of it was just some unimportant information.

But when you put them all together, you'll find that the beast tide is getting bigger and bigger.

"Brother Lin." Yun Yao, her face veiled in black, arrived late, still carrying some lingering traces of poisonous miasma, clearly having just returned from the Cloud Mist Mountains.

Lin Chang'an was taken aback by what he saw, as Yun Yao was usually very punctual.

"But what's going on in the secret realm?"

It's not that Lin Chang'an was making wild guesses; there are just more and more cultivators in Tianxuan City lately.

The beast tide was a crisis for Tianxuan City, but a celebration for the cultivators of the seven kingdoms.

Foundation Establishment cultivators from the seven kingdoms rushed to the scene, greedily indulging in the feast of the beast tide. If things went wrong, they would simply flee.

Only Tianxuan City was unlucky.

However, Tianxuan City still needs these cultivators to consume the power of the beast tide.

It's a mutually beneficial arrangement, but there are also hidden risks.

Once Tianxuan City falls into turmoil, these cultivators from the seven kingdoms will transform into a calamity cultivator even more terrifying than the beast tide.

Upon hearing Lin Chang'an's question, Yun Yao shook her head slightly and then recounted the matter.

"Many demonic beasts have emerged from the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountains. This time, I discovered a wounded near-third-tier demonic beast..."

"Moreover, this is a venomous snake-like beast. Its hide can be made into rare, high-grade talisman paper. Brother Lin, with your skills in talisman making, if you were to use this talisman paper to create a barrier-breaking talisman..."

Hearing Yun Yao's words, Lin Chang'an fell into deep thought.

Yun Yao is right. Third-tier talisman paper is extremely rare, and it is mostly traded among high-level cultivators through barter.

Even in Tianxuan City, no Tier 3 talisman paper is sold to the public.

If you plan to create some near-Tier 3 talismans, you will be able to make even more powerful barrier-breaking talismans, which will greatly enhance your safety when exploring secret realms in the future.

Moreover, every part of a near-third-tier demon beast is a treasure; its essence can be refined into a spiritual weapon, upgrading it to a top-grade spiritual weapon.

Even near-third-tier demonic beasts may have their cores transformed into pills, multiplying their value.

Not to mention treasures like flesh and blood, snake-type demon beasts are the most valuable among those of the same level, unlike some poisonous insect-type demon beasts where only their demon core is valuable and the rest is useless.

"Fellow Daoist Yun, how many people know about this?"

Lin Chang'an was tempted, but if there were other people besides Yun Yao, he would still hesitate.

Monsters are dangerous, but the human heart is even more dangerous.

Seeing Lin Chang'an's cautious demeanor left Yun Yao speechless for a moment, and she finally shook her head and said:

"Only I know that I don't trust the cultivators within the Xuan Yin Divine Sect."

The word "distrust" caused the two to exchange a glance, their expressions subtly changing.

The trust between the two stemmed not only from their long-standing friendship but also from their deeper understanding of each other, which began with this secret realm.

Everything they are doing now is in preparation for the future secret realm.

"A barrier-breaking talisman!"

Lin Chang'an was also secretly pondering. Based on the progress of his talisman skills, he might actually be able to create a near-third-tier barrier-breaking talisman when he explores secret realms in the future.

Safety will be greatly enhanced at that time.

Yun Yao also had her own plans. With Brother Lin's skill and talent, if this succeeded, it wouldn't be a problem for him to create a large number of powerful barrier-breaking talismans in the future.

When we explore the secret realm, we'll have a better chance of success.

"Brother Lin, a near-third-tier demon beast is extremely valuable. Apart from using the snake skin to make talismans, we'll split the rest equally."

As for Brother Lin's Green Bamboo Sword, although the material is good, it's not a top-tier spiritual weapon. If we add some top-tier materials and reforge it, along with this essence..."

Yun Yao rarely showed such a seductive look, and her sincerity was also extremely great.

She was in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, while Lin Chang'an was in the middle stage, yet they joined forces to share the spoils equally.

"Furthermore, I also have a formation. Brother Lin, if we join forces, we can try out a combined attack spell first. If things change, we can retreat in time."

Lin Chang'an then inquired about the monster's information in detail and secretly analyzed the pros and cons.

Yun Yao is right; near-third-tier demonic beasts are extremely rare and hard to come by.

Deep within the Cloud and Mist Mountains, the journey to encounter this demonic beast is incredibly arduous, requiring venturing far into unknown territory and facing immense risks.

Now that we've finally caught up with the beast tide, this is a rare opportunity.

Moreover, when he and Yun Yao join forces, they use a dual cultivation technique to attack, making them a match even for cultivators at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

If all else fails, running away is still an option if you can't win.

Moreover, he also has a trump card, the talisman treasure.

"Then let's leave now."

"Okay, delay might cause problems."

"I'll inform Lao Hu now."

"I'll inform Old Ghost."

Yun Yao was a decisive person. After Lin Chang'an nodded, the two decided to go and check the situation first.

……

A moment later, Lao Hu and Lao Gui stared at the two men in astonishment.

"Brother Lin, what are you going to do?"

Old Hu looked puzzled. "Brother Lin, you're in charge this month, how come you couldn't hold back on the first day?"

However, after glancing at Yun Yao, who looked travel-worn, it was clear that she had just returned.

Old Hu was filled with envy, thinking, "It has to be Brother Lin."

Lin Chang'an did not explain the strange looks he received; on the contrary, this speculation served as an excellent cover-up.

"Old Hu, I have gained some insights from my discussion with Fellow Daoist Yun, and I need to go into seclusion for several months, so I had no choice but to ask you to come."

Faced with Lin Chang'an's explanation, Lao Hu looked at the two people in front of him with a strange expression.

However, the easygoing Lao Hu still laughed and waved his hand, saying:

"Brother Lin, I thought it was something serious. You and Fellow Daoist Yun should go into seclusion. Old Ghost and I are here, so nothing will happen."

However, Lin Chang'an was speechless at the look in his eyes.

However, he and Yun Yao didn't explain much and simply bowed and left.

Old Hu and Old Gui, who were left alone, exchanged a glance, and Old Hu grinned and said:
"Old Ghost, have you noticed that Brother Lin and Fellow Daoist Yun seem particularly anxious?"

"Really?" Gui Sandao asked calmly, without even raising his head, leaving Lao Hu speechless.

This old ghost seems to be only interested in improving his strength; nothing else can pique his interest.

However, Lao Hu secretly envied that someone had already gained some insight on the first day?

That's a lie.

Perhaps it's like a long-awaited rain after a drought; the two have been separated for so long, and they can't wait any longer for their passion to ignite.

"Ah, I really envy Brother Lin's good fortune with women. Although we cultivators cannot be troubled by love, if we have a soulmate on the long road of cultivation, it is not a wasted life."

Old Hu shook his head, but even so, he decided to let it go.

He was already struggling to make ends meet by cultivating alone; he couldn't afford to support another person.

If he doesn't experience the power of his ancestor's Core Formation in this life, wouldn't he have lived in vain?

Thinking of this, Lao Hu revealed a determined look.

Core Formation!

……

Lin Chang'an and Yun Yao hadn't made many preparations, since they were both alone and had all their possessions on them.

Unlike some cultivators, he was burdened by his clan and family.

However, this type of cultivator is generally the most favored by those who have undergone tribulation.

After disguising themselves, the two left Tianxuan City and headed straight for the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountains.

(End of this chapter)