Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans...

Chapter 421 Crimson Makeup Reflects the Dao Heart, Assisting in Nascent Soul Formation [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

The Great Qian Dynasty is at war with the Sima clan, while Corpse Valley has just lost a fourth-tier demonic corpse and is secretly vying with the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.

But everyone knows that the standoff between the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect and Corpse Valley is also partly due to their desire to avoid getting involved in the war between the Great Qian Dynasty and the Sima clan.

The world of cultivation is ever-changing; one moment the four major powers are mutually restraining each other, and the next moment war breaks out.

For low-level cultivators, this is undoubtedly the greatest upheaval and disaster.

All of this is no longer relevant to Lin Chang'an, who has now entered seclusion to cultivate after returning to his sect.

Time flies, and five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

During this period, he received personal guidance from two elders within the sect, who in particular shared their extensive experience in Nascent Soul formation with him.

The Ten Thousand Poisons Sect truly lives up to its reputation as a branch that split off from one of the six demonic sects. Its foundation is indeed unmatched by ordinary Nascent Soul sects, making Lin Chang'an realize that his choice back then was not wrong.

The reason why the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect was not coveted or feared was because the ancient spirit insects were almost extinct, making most of their inheritances useless.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to quietly develop in a corner for so many years. For the demonic path, it's a pity to abandon them, but also tasteless to keep them.

For other forces, the art of insect control is too unfamiliar, and many spirit insects have become extinct. Don't you see that even the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect itself has been unable to rebuild its glory for thousands of years?

In the third year, Mingyue, whom he had not contacted for many years, contacted him using a sound transmission talisman, saying that she had discovered the ruins of an ancient cultivator's cave.

However, he declined all offers, citing his preparation for Nascent Soul formation as the reason.

After all, he was now fully prepared for Nascent Soul formation and naturally did not want to go out and cause trouble.

Moreover, this fellow Daoist Mingyue is now a Nascent Soul cultivator, so as the saying goes, one should always be wary of others, and he naturally has to be careful.

After he declined, the Daoist Mingyue didn't say much, but disappeared for half a year before sending another message.

She said that she had found several treasures in the secret cave, two of which could be used by the Phoenix Bird when it broke through its cultivation stage. She would arrange to meet it after he reached the Nascent Soul stage.

Lin Chang'an was naturally aware of the other party's purpose; they weren't after him, but rather the Phoenix.

Ultimately, strength is what matters. If he becomes a Nascent Soul cultivator, he will naturally have more confidence.

However, in the fifth year, Lin Chang'an, who was in seclusion in his cave, stared at the Soul Lamp with a solemn expression.

A full two weeks!
The Soul Lamp was weakening and almost went out, but under his gloomy gaze, it suddenly shone brightly again, and a layer of void distortion appeared.

"Yun Yao broke through to the Nascent Soul stage? Or did something else happen?"

The bizarre transformations of the Soul Lamp were unheard of, and even with his current knowledge, he had no clue whatsoever.

The soul lamp was clearly lit, but there was still an unseen and intangible strange feeling about it.

This made Lin Chang'an frown, wondering what had happened to Yun Yao in the secret realm. The fact that the soul lamp remained stable for several months afterward meant he could only suppress his doubts for the time being.

He had no way of knowing what exactly happened; he could only ask when the two met again in the future.

【Lifespan: 324/1031】

[Realm Level: Late Golden Core (94/100)]

Looking at his progress in cultivation, Lin Chang'an sighed softly.

"The cultivation speed is getting slower and slower."

Actually, at his age, preparing for the Nascent Soul stage is already considered quite young.

Those who reach the Nascent Soul stage at over two hundred years old are extremely rare, even in the entire cultivation world, and belong to the ranks of top geniuses.

However, he was not discouraged; compared to these prodigies, he was no less capable.

……

"Owner!"

Upon emerging from the cave, the sword attendant, who had been in seclusion for several years, had also come out of seclusion, and his strength had greatly improved.

Upon seeing Lin Chang'an emerge from the cave, he respectfully stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

Upon seeing the sword attendant, Lin Chang'an knew that the other party had probably been waiting outside the cave all along.

"Moo!"

Just then, the Green Horned Ox, which could now appear openly and honestly, was lazily lying in the newly built pool. Upon seeing its owner come out, it excitedly wiggled its huge horns and walked over.

The young horned ox had been cooped up in the spirit beast pouch for years, and it was finally able to come out and relax.

"Alright, focus on your cultivation. The Phoenix Bird is already on the verge of breaking through."

Looking at the Green Horned Ox, Lin Chang'an glared at it with annoyance. This ox had good bloodline, especially after the mutation.

However, it is still inferior to the phoenix.

If you don't work hard to cultivate, it will be quite difficult to break through to human form in the future.

"Moo!"

The Green Horned Ox let out a low moo, as if expressing its grievances, for it had been diligently cultivating all these years.

Among demonic beasts of the same level, even those of the mutated type, it is considered to have a fast cultivation speed.

However, compared to the Phoenix Bird, the Green Horned Ox felt aggrieved.

"okay."

Lin Chang'an casually took out two spirit fruits, comforted the Green Horned Ox, and then went into the pavilion.

Cultivation is tedious, and the matter of Yun Yao had disturbed his mind, so he came out to adjust his state of mind. He did not stop cultivating, but rather combined work and rest.

After all, he wasn't facing a bottleneck that required him to go into seclusion.

The sword attendant had respectfully prepared the spiritual tea, and the two sat on the ground, gazing at the beautiful mountain scenery from the octagonal pavilion.

My mood seemed to calm down gradually.

"Ling'er, the tea you brew is still the most comforting."

After drinking a cup of spiritual tea, Lin Chang'an felt much calmer and couldn't help but smile. The two then began to discuss the Dao and learn about the situation outside in the pavilion.

……

Meanwhile, inside the sect's main hall.

"I wonder what brings you in such a hurry, Uncle Cheng? Could it be that there has been a change in the war between the Great Qian and the Sima family?"

A flash of icy light appeared, and the Ice Butterfly Fairy showed a puzzled expression.

"No, that's not true. Although the Great Qian and the Sima family fought fiercely before, the struggle between Nascent Soul cultivators in the cultivation world is not so easy to determine a winner."

"We summoned you here because our scouts, whom we secretly sent out to gather intelligence from the Abyss Sea, have returned."

The Grand Elder Cheng had a big smile on his face, seemingly very satisfied with the intelligence he had gathered.

"It seems that Junior Brother Lin's foundation has satisfied Master Uncle."

Seeing Elder Cheng's radiant face, Fairy Ice Butterfly guessed what was going on. She smiled and nodded slightly before sitting down on a chair.

“Nephew, you would never guess what this Elder Xiao has been through… no! I should say Elder Lin.”

At this moment, Elder Cheng stroked his white beard with satisfaction and tossed the jade slip containing the information over.

"This Elder Lin is truly a person with a firm Dao heart. He has finally seen the light after a long and arduous journey of cultivation, which is why he has achieved what he has today..."

The dangers of rebirth through the Core Formation stage are second only to the Nascent Soul stage.

At this point, Elder Cheng was filled with emotion. He had once been a rogue cultivator himself and knew all too well how difficult it was for a rogue cultivator like Lin Chang'an to rise through the ranks.

As Fairy Ice Butterfly looked at the information on the jade slip, her beautiful eyes couldn't help but sparkle, even though her senior uncle hadn't mentioned anything about her character.

But the details on the jade slip made her nod in approval.

With unwavering resolve, his character is undoubtedly of the highest caliber in the cultivation world.

"Born of mortal origin, yet fallen to the dust in the world of cultivation... former companions..."

Lin Chang'an, being a high-level array master and a Core Formation cultivator, would not have much difficulty gathering intelligence, especially since Five Dragon Island has many cultivators from the seven kingdoms.

It can be said that they obtained almost every detail of his intelligence.

Especially after he reached the Core Formation stage, he had already become a legendary figure among rogue cultivators in the Seven Kingdoms.

"This Princess Yun is imprisoned and has no choice but to risk faking her death to escape. It is suspected that Lin Chang'an secretly helped her..."

Seeing this story of starting from humble beginnings and receiving support all the way up, Fairy Ice Butterfly couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

Although she was a prodigy of the sect, she lacked the experience of starting from humble beginnings and walking alongside two or three close friends.

Even when she hid her talent, she was one of the most gifted. Many of her fellow disciples who came into contact with her were either attracted by her beauty or wanted to improve their cultivation through dual cultivation.

True sincerity is an extremely luxurious and precious thing in the world of cultivation.

"After becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he did not forget his old friends, and even after reaching the Core Formation stage, he still cherished this friendship in his heart..."

Later, he joined the Xuan Yin Pavilion on Five Dragons Island as a guest elder. He was reliable and kind to others…

These events are all recorded with extreme clarity, and it can be said that anyone who reads this life experience would find no fault with it.

He was steadfast in his resolve, lived the life of an ascetic, remembered friendships, and most importantly, had a clean background.

"It seems that our young friend Lin is indeed a rogue cultivator. He must have obtained the inheritance of the Yin Soul Sect by chance, but he has always kept his strength hidden."

It is reasonable and logical to deduce this from Lin Chang'an's life trajectory.

After all, no one would believe that a rogue cultivator could have come this far without some extraordinary opportunity.

Elder Cheng, standing to the side, nodded in satisfaction. More importantly, there really was no cause and effect involved, not even a major enemy.

However, compared to Master Cheng, Fairy Ice Butterfly's gaze was fixed on two other people.

"Yun Yao and Ni Chang, these two are truly extraordinary women."

With a melancholy sigh, the Ice Butterfly Fairy lamented that one person was constantly trying to break free from the cage, only to fall into another after escaping one.

Another person with a Heavenly Spiritual Root gave up their greatest advantage for the sect and resolutely chose to cultivate the Six Desires Demonic Art of the Demonic Path, which greatly increased the difficulty of forming a Nascent Soul.

Comparing herself to these two at this moment, the Ice Butterfly Fairy couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She saw an indomitable will in these two people, which made her look at them with admiration.

She was bewildered when she realized she had been betrayed.

The two were in different circumstances, so the Supreme Elder and Ice Butterfly True Monarch naturally saw things very differently.

However, just as this Supreme Elder was about to say something, he keenly noticed that Bingdie's eyes were gradually radiating fighting spirit, as if she had regained her former competitive spirit.

After all, two female cultivators whose cultivation levels and starting conditions were far inferior to hers did not give up either, so how could she fall behind?

When the Ice Butterfly True Monarch first appeared out of nowhere, he was dazzling, aloof and arrogant, truly a genius.

At one point, even Jin Jianchuan of Baibi City was overshadowed. It can be said that the Ice Butterfly True Monarch was a proud and arrogant peacock.

Thinking back to his later sickly state, and now seeing that former imposing aura again, the Grand Elder couldn't help but smile.

"Haha, it seems my junior disciple is full of fighting spirit. I'm sure it won't be long before he amazes the world again."

This time, the Ice Butterfly Fairy didn't say much, and instead, she suppressed her previous imposing aura.

His temperament has undergone a complete change, gaining a touch more resilience.

"Alright, I can still live for several more decades. I'll just sit back and wait for this young friend Lin to reach the Nascent Soul stage. I hope he won't disappoint me."

At this moment, Elder Cheng muttered to himself about the current state of the sect.

Making friends with a rogue cultivator with the potential to reach the Nascent Soul stage is far better than missing out. Even if we fail, how bad can the sect be now?

Therefore, he did not hesitate at all, and the investigation was merely out of instinct and a desire to understand more.

"Although those few in Corpse Valley are well hidden, they've been keeping a close eye on things from the outside all these years."

At this moment, Fairy Ice Butterfly spoke sarcastically, clearly indicating that the Nascent Soul seedlings within the sect had been secretly watched by hostile forces over the years.

When this matter was mentioned, Elder Cheng couldn't help but grin.

"That's wonderful. These old devils probably think I took in this ingrate. Too bad, they're wrong."

Before reaching the Nascent Soul stage, some cultivators will undergo worldly tribulations to temper their minds and prepare for inner demons.

Some cultivators, due to their childlike innocence, find it not a good thing to experience worldly tribulations, while others choose not to go.

Of course, the tribulations of inner demons are unpredictable and anyone can say for sure.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators who have overcome the tribulation of inner demons are all different and offer no useful reference. Therefore, this tribulation of inner demons can only be overcome by the cultivator themselves.

When the topic of inner demon tribulations came up, True Monarch Ice Butterfly looked at the intelligence in his hand and smiled calmly.

“I didn’t go to experience the so-called mortal world, because Junior Brother Lin himself came from the mortal world and is still in the mortal world now.”

Aren't they themselves living in this bustling world right now?

At this moment, the Ice Butterfly Fairy seemed to have a sudden realization, and couldn't help but recall her inner demon tribulation from back then.

That childhood she had once forgotten almost led her to get caught up in it.

When she thought of this inner demon, Ice Butterfly True Monarch couldn't help but reveal a stubborn look in her eyes; she was flying high in the nine heavens.

……

However, while everyone's attention was focused on Teng Changfeng, who had been in seclusion for a long time and had not shown his face, Lin Chang'an and his sword attendant appeared in a market town at the foot of the sect's valley.

The market was bustling with people, and many cultivators without spiritual roots lived there.

The air here is thick with the scent of cooking, making one feel as if they have returned to their days as a low-level cultivator.

"The families and descendants of the sect's disciples throughout the ages will live and thrive at the foot of the sect's mountain. Also, because their ancestors possessed spiritual roots, these people have a greater chance of having descendants with spiritual roots..."

Dressed in white, Lin Chang'an regained his original demeanor, handsome and refined, and slowly described the situation at the foot of the mountain.

The sword attendant following beside him nodded frequently, but his face, which had a slightly fierce look, now showed signs of nervousness and trepidation.

"There are towns at the foot of the sect's mountain, as well as some markets for low-level cultivators. Under the sect's protection, this place can be considered a rare place to settle down."

As Lin Chang'an walked down the street of the market, a hint of reminiscence appeared on his face.

When I first entered the world of cultivation, I envied the cultivators who lived in the market town at the foot of the sect's mountain the most.

Lin Chang'an then led his sword attendant into a shop.

"Senior Lin, your custom-made robes are ready."

Although Lin Chang'an's identity had been revealed to the two Supreme Elders, it was not reported to the entire sect. They thought it was better to avoid trouble and wait until everything was settled after the Nascent Soul stage.

At present, Teng Changfeng is mainly attracting attention on the surface, as he has been ordered by the Supreme Elder to remain in seclusion in his cave and is not allowed to meet with anyone.

Therefore, no one in the market recognized Lin Chang'an, whose attire and demeanor were different from before.

However, due to their profound cultivation, the sect has many guest elders and powerful cultivators belonging to the sect.

Therefore, when the Foundation Establishment female cultivator in the shop saw Lin Chang'an, dressed in white, enter, she greeted him with a smile and cupped her hands in welcome.

This is at the foot of the sect's mountain; no one would dare to be so foolish as to cause trouble here.

"Tsk tsk, senior, we have never seen the materials you provided before. However, our Spirit Control lineage is skilled in insect control, and our craftsmanship on silk threads is absolutely top-notch."

The middle-aged female cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage had a fawning smile on her face, but her eyes couldn't help but look at someone behind her, and a surge of emotions welled up in her heart.

Even this female cultivator couldn't see through it! Could it be that both of them are Core Formation cultivators?
No way, then this female cultivator probably has a fake core, while this male cultivator has a real core.

Thinking of this, her smile widened. True Core cultivators, huh? Although there are many sects, how many of them, cultivators without connections, would be treated like this?

"This must be the concubine that you two are planning to take. You are both very fortunate."

The middle-aged female cultivator looked at the sword servant with an ingratiating smile, and with a wave of her hand, a clothes rack that had been prepared at the back of the house flew out.

"Senior, this young master has really put in a lot of effort. To be honest, he wouldn't even be so generous with these materials when getting married."

The sword attendant stared blankly at a brand-new pink wedding dress on the clothes rack.

Lin Chang'an remained calm. In the cultivation world, weddings and funerals were common occurrences, and the rules were mostly the same.

Although the sword attendant was nominally a concubine, she had never formally married into the family.

Now that he has the means, he naturally doesn't mind formally taking a concubine.

However, given the special status of the sword attendant, especially at the crucial moment of his Nascent Soul formation, the ceremony had to be kept low-key and simple.

The sword attendant, stunned, looked like a puppet on a string, bewildered and at a loss.

This scene made the middle-aged female cultivator standing to the side secretly observe, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of envy.

The admiration and dependence in the female cultivator's eyes show that it is not a union based on mutual benefit. Although the reason is unknown, she still knows the principle of being honest, dutiful, and doing her job well.

The sword attendant then stiffly put on the pink wedding dress, while a blue sedan chair was already prepared outside.

It was a flying magic weapon that Lin Chang'an had personally crafted before.

A streak of light flashed, and when the sedan chair stopped again, it had already appeared inside the cave.

Although no grand ceremony was held to take a concubine, the cave dwelling was decorated.

The peach trees were adorned with festive red ribbons, and the Green Horned Ox, the Yin Spirit Two-Headed Tiger, and even the Phoenix Bird were unusually released.

"Moo!"

"Master, young mistress."

The Phoenix Bird, being the most astute, flew forward and circled around the two of them, constantly spreading its wings and creating beautiful patches of fiery red spiritual light, yet without any destructive power.

"Alright, I've prepared some good food for you."

Lin Chang'an held the sword attendant's hand, and the two slowly walked into the cave.

However, the moment the phoenix entered the cave, it transformed into a golden light and appeared on the octagonal pavilion, where a sumptuous feast had already been prepared.

"Moo!"

The Green Horned Ox stared with its bull eyes and hurriedly shrunk its body to come closer. However, this time the Phoenix Bird did not eat alone, but used its magic to pour spiritual wine for both the Green Horned Ox and the Two-Headed Tiger.

In an instant, the three spirit pets shrank in size and began to feast in the pavilion.

……

Inside the cave.

A gilded "concubine-taking document" was laid out in front of the stone table, specifying the sword attendant's identity, the amount of the dowry, and her willingness to become a concubine.

With the sword attendant writing down his name, the task was officially completed.

However, since Lin Chang'an was all alone and did not have a family ancestral hall, there was no need for too many complicated rituals, especially in terms of ancestor worship.

If we really want to expand the family line, he is the ancestor, and we should worship him.

"Owner!"

The sword attendant, dressed in a long pink dress, had a blush on her usually cold face, along with a hint of anticipation.

From the moment they met, she had been preparing for this day.

At this moment, the sword attendant's face was flushed, and he held up a cup of spiritual tea with both hands to offer it to the attendant. The teacup was trembling slightly, seemingly due to his nervousness.

"Peace of mind."

Lin Chang'an also smiled; the two had walked together without needing many words.

The tea is served and drunk, the ceremony is complete.

"Ling'er, since we are currently in the process of forming our nascent soul, we can only take a concubine discreetly for now."

After drinking the spiritual tea, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but softly offer words of comfort, while the sword attendant shook his head with a flushed face.

"Master, it doesn't matter."

She wasn't the type to care about these things; she didn't even need the concubine-taking ceremony.

However, the master of the house still personally arranged everything, from the pink wedding dress to the flying magic weapon in the blue sedan chair, as well as the concubine-taking document and the tea-serving ceremony.

It can be said that it has everything it should have.

"The Heavenly Spirit Sword Body will be damaged after dual cultivation, but I will help you when you form your Nascent Soul later, Ling'er."

The Heavenly Spirit Qi nurtured within the Heavenly Spirit Sword Body has an effect on helping one overcome inner demons during the Nascent Soul stage.

After the Yin-Yang dual cultivation was introduced into his body, there would naturally be some losses. If it had no effect at all, it would be too heaven-defying.

“Master, the sister in red said before that your Xuan Tian Spiritual Body is just as good as yours and will be of even greater help to Ling’er.”

The sword servant felt no dissatisfaction about losing the Heavenly Spiritual Energy within his body; on the contrary, he had long been looking forward to this day.

"it is good."

Lin Chang'an smiled calmly. He had given the sword servant a choice back then, but since the other party chose this path, they had become inseparable, sharing both glory and loss.

"Owner……"

As the candlelight flickered, two figures embraced, and a long pink dress slowly slipped off.

What came into view was a figure that was agile, with a hint of wildness, yet now incredibly docile.

The sword attendant's face was flushed, and his heart was racing as he looked at the strong and muscular figure on his body.

At this moment, she boldly reached out to touch it, and her eyes rippled with emotion.

Although the sword attendant always referred to herself as a servant to him, her talent and aptitude were definitely not much worse than those of the geniuses of the top sects in the cultivation world.

A prodigy in the late stage of Core Formation was now being held in his arms.
……

The candlelight still flickered inside the cave, illuminating the jade table, the dressing table that Lin Chang'an had personally crafted for her, and the area around the pool.

Wow!

A sound came from the pool, and the sword servant, her face flushed, lay sprawled on a broad chest.
His voice was somewhat weak, and Lin Chang'an sighed, "The sword servant is indeed worthy of having dragon blood; his physique is truly extraordinary."

At this moment, a pure celestial spiritual energy has appeared in his body, which is now lingering in his dantian and slowly nourishing his golden core.

A pair of small, delicate toes, as white as jade, suddenly curled up, causing the sword servant's pupils to widen and his body to tremble.

After a long while, she finally exhaled a long breath of orchid fragrance and lay weakly in his arms.

However, the next moment, a surge of scalding Xuan Tian power flowed through her body, cleansing and purifying it.

The sword attendant could clearly feel that this aura was repairing all her fatigue, and even her golden core was being nourished by this power.

“Master, the woman in red mentioned before that your Xuan Tian Spiritual Body can increase the chances of Nascent Soul formation, and Xuan Tian Essence naturally has the same effect…”

It can be said that both sides are helping each other, rather than it being a one-sided demand.

Amidst the rushing water, Lin Chang'an carried a weary, beautiful body to the bed.

The two then began to circulate their magical power, refining the newly absorbed power within their bodies.

[Realm Level: Late Golden Core (96/100)]

After a period of dual cultivation, the sword servant's primordial yin energy significantly improved his cultivation level.

This is why in the cultivation world, many cultivators seek out high-level cultivation furnaces after encountering bottlenecks; sometimes they are indeed useful.

Some Nascent Soul stage monsters even personally cultivate furnaces with special physiques.

The sword servant also benefited greatly; under the overwhelming magical power, because he was cultivating with his mind completely open, he reached the highest level.

Dual cultivation techniques are also a righteous path.

Beneath the pink curtains, her exquisite body was faintly visible, causing the sword servant, who had experienced the benefits of dual cultivation, to open his eyes and reveal a hint of bewilderment and satisfaction.

……

The atmosphere inside the cave finally calmed down. In front of the exquisite dressing table, the sword attendant, who had never liked red dresses, appeared in the bronze mirror and slowly began to do her makeup.

This time, however, her once black hair was slowly styled into an updo, leaving only two strands hanging on either side, giving her a unique charm.

"Now I truly belong to my master."

After finishing his grooming, the sword attendant resumed his usual aloof demeanor.

The pink dress beside her slowly returned to its original state under the influence of special magic, and she carefully put it away.

He once again donned his usual dark blue, sharp-looking outfit.

　Tomorrow is the baby's birth anniversary; please support me!

　　[It's been reviewed, and nearly a thousand words were cut before it was approved...]

　　I will finish writing about the Nascent Soul stage tomorrow in one go. If that's not possible, I will add more and still finish it in one go, so fellow Daoists, please rest assured.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)