Becoming an immortal and ancestor begins with the golden toad spitting out money.

Chapter 169 The Hidden Wonderland, the Profound Cultivator

From the moment the cultivators entered the body of the spirit vein monster, everyone was filled with fighting spirit, wishing they could get rid of the ram-headed spirit as soon as possible.

However, when the ram-headed elf spoke up and offered to surrender, many people's expressions changed.

The cultivators have been exploring the ruined fairyland of the Golden Cave Sect for more than a month. They have encountered either golden demon cloud spirits comparable to immortals or iron monkeys that are difficult to communicate with. Some places are even natural danger zones without a single living creature.

The cultivators had considered that there might still be creatures that survived from ancient times in the ruined fairyland, but the probability of being able to communicate with them was not high.

Unexpectedly, the ram-headed spirit, the master of the spirit vein monster, not only retained a certain level of intelligence but was also willing to surrender. This dampened the fighting spirit of many cultivators, who then considered the benefits of obtaining a celestial-level spirit vein monster.

Admittedly, a celestial-level spiritual vein monster is worth tens of millions of strands of divine power, but a helper who can unleash celestial-level combat power in a broken celestial realm is invaluable.

For example, the Iron Monkey and other [metal element] divine beasts that are difficult to overcome in Jinfeng County can be safely opened up as long as the spiritual vein monsters go to clear the way.
For example, the White Mist Canyon, which is difficult to cross in Jiuxiang County, can at least help the gods of Jiuxiang County reach the other side if the spirit vein monsters go to act as intermediaries...

The cultivators of Longshan Sect were overjoyed. According to the original agreement, the Golden Wind Canyon was within the scope of Longshan Sect's exploration, and the spirit vein monsters were first discovered by the Longshan Sect cultivators. If they could subdue the spirit veins, Longshan Sect would definitely be the first to benefit.

Suddenly, the cultivators who were originally united against a common enemy began to have all sorts of thoughts. Faced with the prospect of profit, everyone started to consider their own interests and those of their own faction.

Seeing this, the white-robed high-ranking cultivator from the Taibai Dragon Clan immediately poured cold water on the group of cultivators: "Although we have entered the belly of the spirit vein monster, we are still some distance away from the sacrificial platform. If we become complacent now, we may very well fall into the monster's trap!"

The surrender was merely the goat-headed elf's own words; no one knew whether it was sincere or feigned. If time was wasted, it could very well lead to unpredictable consequences.

Su Ji didn't think much of it either, and simply analyzed the situation truthfully: "The ram-headed elf said he wanted to be taken prisoner, which clearly means he treats our struggle as a war. We have no idea whether the other side has any allies or even superiors..."

"First, we should immediately subdue the ram-headed elf and then ask him for some important information in case some potential entity threatens our safety."

Currently, the cultivators have only encountered the spiritual vein monsters of the Frosty Hills. The vast snow-capped mountains in the distance hold unknown dangers, and the ram-headed elf must know some secrets.

With the reminders from the white-robed cultivator and the Golden Toad, the guardian spirit of the sun, many cultivators regained their composure and continued to work together as one.

The cultivators advanced, while the Shackled Spirit General of Jiuxiang County warned, "If you wish to be taken prisoner, immediately cease resistance and relocate your roots to either side..."

The ram-headed elf did try to resist, but all its efforts were thwarted by these foreign cultivators. Eventually, when it reached the core of the monster's belly, further resistance was futile, so it chose to surrender.

However, the word "surrender" doesn't sound very nice, and the goat-headed elf prefers to call himself a forced prisoner.

Seeing that the group of cultivators was about to reach the root trap, the goat-headed spirit still chose to obey their orders. It wasn't that it had lost its courage, but rather that there was more than one person among them.

The Azure Dragon Formation was within the trap's range, but the other two cultivators who could change the course of the battle remained vigilant and kept a certain distance. When all their plans failed, they had no choice but to obey.

Thus, the group of cultivators quickly arrived near the high platform in the center of the monster's abdomen.

Among the dozen or so ice and snow evil spirits, several possessed top-tier combat power, baring their teeth as if ready to attack at any moment. The ram-headed elf on the high platform changed his expression slightly, muttered a few words, and caused the group of ice and snow elves to kneel on the ground in terror.

Then, the ram-headed elf descended from the high platform step by step and walked alone towards the group of cultivators.

Even so, the cultivators remained wary, not only because their opponent possessed invincible combat power, but also because they lacked the means to restrain them.

Ultimately, the ram-headed spirit is not an ordinary creature, but a spirit born from the broken spiritual veins of the fairy realm. It does not possess the dual souls of heaven and earth, and its life soul is extremely powerful, making it impossible for ordinary spiritual artifacts to restrain it.

As for the so-called soul contract, besides needing a cultivator with powerful soul power, the selection of the right person has become the biggest problem.

Those present included deities from Jiuxiang County, Baiyan Mountain Range, Jinfeng County, Longshan Sect cultivators, and Taibai Dragon Clan cultivators from Qili Lake, which could be considered as five forces.

Logically, the one who should have signed the soul contract with the sheep-headed spirit should have been the third elder of the Dragon Mountain Sect, but the third elder of the Dragon Mountain Sect was seriously injured not long ago, and the other cultivators were not in good condition.

Secondly, there are the three deities. According to their place of origin, the deities of Jiuxiang County come first, followed by the deities of Baiyan Mountain Range; according to their merits, Jinfeng County, due to Su Ji and the Taibai Dragon Clan, is actually ahead...

Just as the group of cultivators were once again preoccupied with their own thoughts, Su Ji stepped forward and asked them directly.

However, regardless of which faction the spirit vein monster belonged to, it wouldn't have much impact on Su Ji. With so many people watching, he certainly wouldn't be shortchanged on his reward.

At this time, the most important thing is to gather information in case danger strikes.

So Su Ji said, "You live in these snowy hills, so you must be the master of this place. I wonder if there are any other creatures here besides the ice and snow evil spirits?"

"What kinds of creatures live on the snow-capped mountains? How many are at the level of immortals and gods? And who is the most powerful?"

Su Ji needs time to comprehend the profound meaning of the transition between autumn and winter, and he fears encountering beings descending from the snow-capped mountains.

After a moment's thought, the ram-headed spirit gave its answer: "This hill originally only had me. It was only because the aura of the snow mountain overflowed that it was covered by frost and snow, which gave rise to these ice and snow evil spirits."

"The spirits of ice and snow may seem immortal, but in reality, they have a lifespan limit. Generation after generation, many spirits of ice and snow have become my subjects..."

"As for the situation on the snow mountain, I don't know much either. I only know that there is a vein of cold gold immortal material on it, which has been occupied by a group of bear demons. The most powerful bear demon is far stronger than I imagined..."

The spirit vein monster is already comparable to a god or immortal. The bear demon that is even more powerful than it must be at the level of a god or immortal, and may even be a god of strength who cultivates the power of bloodline!

In an instant, all the cultivators' expressions changed. Due to the restrictions imposed on foreign creatures by the Broken Immortal Realm, the beings living in the Broken Immortal Realm already possessed certain advantages.

Even if the cultivators control the monster in this spiritual vein, it's impossible for them to challenge a true God of Strength. Therefore, cooperating with the Snow Mountain Bear Demon Clan is currently the most rational approach.

At this moment, the Shackled Spirit General from Jiuxiang County hurriedly asked, "Your immortal material, Cold Gold, must have been traded from the Bear Demon Clan. I wonder what their style of conduct is like?"

The ram-headed elf feared the bear-clan gods and would certainly not dare to steal, so trading became the only solution.

As expected, the ram-headed elf was mentally prepared when he was taken prisoner, and nodded and said, "Although the bear demon clan occupies the Snow Mountain Immortal Gold Mine, they also need other resources. Every year they hold an Immortal Gold Festival to trade treasures from all over the world..." At this time, the group of cultivators realized that the area near the ancient ruins in the dilapidated immortal realm was called the Yin Sha Land, which was the worst remote area in the region, inhabited by creatures corrupted by Yin Sha.

Upon reaching the Frosty Hills, only some ice and snow evil spirits remained. The fact that the spiritual veins could give rise to intelligent beings like the sheep-headed spirits indicated that the Yin Sha (negative energy) had not a significant impact on this area.

Once they reached the snow mountain area, the power of Yin Sha was almost gone. Most of the creatures on the snow mountain and on the other side possessed a certain level of intelligence, which gave the Snow Mountain Bear Demon Clan the foundation to hold the annual Immortal Gold Festival.

For a moment, the expressions of many cultivators were shocked.

If the ruined fairyland is inhabited by beings of unclear intelligence, their exploration will only become more and more difficult. If they can communicate and exchange ideas, at least there is a possibility of avoiding war.

Even if this results in less profit, it also reduces many losses, which is already quite good for cultivators.

By this time, the cultivators had become much more open-minded. Although the ram-headed spirit was still of considerable importance, it was no longer something they had to fight over.

Therefore, after discussion, the Ninth Elder, the formation master of the Longshan Sect, reached a soul contract with the sheep-headed spirit, and other forces also received the promises from the Longshan Sect.

At this point, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Except for the cultivators from the Dragon Mountain Sect and a few deities who stayed behind, the other cultivators left the dilapidated immortal realm.

Before long, news of the ruined fairyland began to spread in all directions. It wasn't that the cultivators were bad at keeping it a secret, but rather that the gods took the initiative to do so.

Originally, the cultivators were deeply afraid of the ruined fairyland, suspecting that there were ancient demons inside. Even though the gods had set up an array on Chrysanthemum Mountain, it still made people very uneasy.

Now that the cultivators have learned some secrets of the Broken Immortal Realm from the sheep-headed elf, they are finally relieved. Many are even eager to try their luck and prepare to go to the Broken Immortal Realm to make their mark.

Of course, the intelligent beings in the ruined fairyland also pose a certain danger, but they are definitely much easier to deal with than the incommunicable evil spirits and ancient demons.

As news of the battle in Frost Snow Canyon gradually spread, many cultivators began to reflect on the events.

"Long Teng truly lives up to his reputation as a Dao Seed of the Dragon Mountain Sect. Even after being captured by the ram-headed spirit, he managed to find an opportunity to reunite with the rescued cultivators and ultimately subdue the ram-headed spirit in one fell swoop..."

Upon hearing this news, Long Teng felt his face burning. He hadn't been captured and imprisoned at all; he had become a worker transporting ore. The so-called opportunity to break through the blockade was just a unified narrative from the sect to save face.

Some cultivators asked in surprise, "The Sun-Watching Spirit General isn't even a high-level cultivator of the Cave Profound Realm, so how did he become the object of praise among cultivators?"

Since Su Ji's [Tongyou Xuanmen] was considered a trump card, many cultivators did not reveal much about it, only saying that Jin Chan was one of the top three contributors to this trip, which shocked many people.

It should be noted that the other two people who deserve the top three credits are a white-robed high cultivator from the Taibai Dragon Clan and the third elder of the Longshan Sect, both of whom are invincible.
Suddenly, someone realized something and exclaimed incredulously, "Could it be that the Golden Toad is not a seed of the Xuanmen Daoist sect, but a reincarnation of a Xuan Immortal who mastered high-grade Xuan techniques at the Dongxuan Master level, which is why he possesses an invincible aura?"

Back then, Mo Linglong, the reincarnation of a Xuanxian, displayed an "invincible" aura in the Great Sun Spirit Realm of Jinfeng County. Later, in the battle of the large water vein spirit realm, she could also be called invincible.

Although Mo Linglong had not yet mastered the superior-grade profound arts because she had not yet merged with her physical body, she still obtained the three-foot invincible domain thanks to the golden core spiritual heart left behind by the Thousand Transformations Ancestor.

Many cultivators believe that Su Ji, who has only broken through to the Cave Profound Mage level for five months, must have refined a portion of the legacy left by the previous life of a Mystic Immortal, which is why he was able to rank among the top three in merit with the help of some external force and invincible means.

Even the cultivators who entered the ruined fairyland with Su Ji were completely baffled by this, and only the local earth god Zhang Gong knew the answer.

High-grade mystical arts are indeed extremely difficult to cultivate, but Su Ji has gained the favor of the Moon Lord of the Bright Moon Spirit Realm, the friendship of the White Jade Toad Lord, and the legacy left by the previous generation of Bright Moon Spirits in the underground palace. Therefore, it is not surprising that he has cultivated a high-grade mystical art in a few months.

For Su Ji, the rumors outside meant nothing. As long as he was strong enough, all doubts would dissipate, and all the praise would be transformed into a flow of goodwill.

Now, the most important thing is to comprehend the profound meaning of the Golden Wind Canyon and break through to the advanced cultivation level of the Cave Profound Realm as soon as possible.

Several days later, much of the ice and snow in Jinfeng Canyon melted, and the autumnal atmosphere gradually reappeared. Su Ji seized the opportunity and went to the canyon alone to cultivate.

During this time, Su Ji also heard a lot of new news.

The appearance of the celestial material, Cold Gold, inspired the gods to create magical artifacts. Although immortals could not enter the realm of immortals, they could still find some artifact refiners who had some understanding of the celestial path.

As a result, many weapon refiners from various sects came, and the Thousand Machine Elder and Mo Linglong were also invited.

At this time, Mo Linglong had already reconciled with the Jinshan Sect, and since the True God suppressed here was under the command of the Golden Flame Divine General, she was not afraid of being secretly harmed.

From the moment she began crafting the large-scale deflecting spiritual weapon, Mo Linglong displayed exceptional crafting skills, thanks not only to the Xuanxian Dao Fruit she inherited but also to some memories from her previous life.

Perhaps it would be difficult for Mo Linglong to forge a celestial treasure on her own, but if several weapon refiners cooperated, it would indeed be possible to forge a celestial treasure in the broken immortal realm.

Most importantly, the divine artifacts refined here are of great significance, and the support they receive far exceeds expectations.

So, Mo Linglong and her father, the Old Man of Thousand Machines, formed a weapon-refining team and came to a natural weapon-refining place—Golden Wind Canyon.

More than ten days passed in this way. Mo Linglong and the old man Qianji were working together to process the materials when they suddenly sensed a strange fluctuation deep in the Golden Wind Canyon.

Both father and daughter were moved and put down the materials in their hands to look over.

Sure enough, a portal suddenly appeared not long afterward, and a figure with the Yin-Yang Great Circulation circulating within his body walked out leisurely.

The old man with the thousand machines suddenly brightened up: "Fellow Daoist Jin Chan became a high-level cultivator of the Cave Profound Realm as easily as eating and drinking!"

In the old man's opinion, Su Ji is likely a reincarnation of an immortal, just as the rumors say.

Although Mo Linglong knew that Su Ji was a golden toad, she was still somewhat confused about his origins. She only knew that since Su Ji called himself the Golden Toad Messenger, there might be a powerful deity behind him.

(End of this chapter)