Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Harvesting the Talents of Demonic Beasts

Chapter 156 Foundation Establishment Site, Foundation Establishment Elixir Success

Who else could it be but Mo Zhaoli?

Lin Changheng noticed the figure descending from the sky and immediately strode out to greet it.

"Brother Lin."

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Mo Zhaoli possessed a cool and aloof, confident and composed demeanor, but this was only how others perceived him.

Whenever she sees Lin Changheng, she always reverts to her gentle demeanor, smiles sweetly, and softly calls him "Brother Lin."

"Li'er, come in and rest quickly. You must be tired from the long journey."

Lin Changheng led Mo Zhaoli inside with a sincere smile, then served him a cup of second-grade spiritual tea, saying, "Have a cup of spiritual tea to relieve your fatigue."

Mo Zhaoli came here solely for him and ended her secluded cultivation ahead of schedule.

"It's not hard."

Mo Zhaoli gently shook her head, but said, "Brother Lin is going to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill and use it to break through. Even if I have a lot of difficulties, I will still make time to come and protect him."

"Besides, Brother Lin has entrusted me with such a secret matter, which shows great trust in me, and I will certainly not let him down."

The two sat facing each other in the courtyard. The man had an elegant demeanor and good looks, while the woman had a gentle temperament and outstanding appearance. Combined with the scenery of the courtyard, they were truly a pleasing sight.

Upon hearing this, Lin Changheng was somewhat moved, and said solemnly, "Brother Lin will never forget Li'er's kindness."

Lin Changheng is not an emotional person. He is polite and kind to others, but he also has his own set of standards.

Simply saying nice things is useless.

Mo Zhaoli's words are backed by his consistent behavior, making them seem even more authentic.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Changheng brought up the important matter.

Specifically, they would carry medicinal herbs, disguise themselves as alchemists, and act as protectors during the alchemy process.

Although the probability of someone making a move is not high, after all, it only affects the formation of the Foundation Establishment Pill in one's own furnace, so it's not that foolish!
But what if? Since Mo Zhaoli is here, she should consider the possibility that someone might go crazy.

……

Now that Zhao Li has arrived, he is ready and can arrange to meet with Gu Chang'an and the Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Qian who are jointly refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, and choose a day to refine the pill.

He has taken the time to use his status as a second-tier alchemist to rent a high-class cave dwelling in the outer lake area of ​​the Immortal City at a normal price.

The lease term is one year, and the annual rent is 250 low-grade spirit stones.

No deposit required.

It should be because Foundation Establishment cultivators and cultivators with second-tier skills are all respectable people, and charging a deposit would be disrespectful to them.
Beneath the cave dwelling lies a branch of a third-tier spiritual vein, with a spiritual energy concentration and quality roughly equivalent to mid-grade second-tier, providing a stable supply sufficient for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage!
The alchemy workshop was also set up there; once the alchemy was completed, one would immediately go into seclusion to break through to the next level.

Two communication jade talismans were sent out directly.

Shortly after, I received two confirmation replies.

That night, Mo Zhaoli stayed temporarily in a guest room at Qingyuan Xiaozhu.

……

The next morning.

Lin Changheng and Mo Zhaoli boarded the latter's magic boat together and headed to the outer lake, flying away at an extremely fast speed.

Because Foundation Establishment cultivators possess certain exemptions from air restrictions.

When they left, all the important items in Lin Changheng's Qingyuan Xiaozhu were swept away.

The two precious plants in the rear spiritual field were disposed of a day early:
One plant was harvested, placed in a specially made wooden box and sealed, with its roots cut off and preserved separately; another plant was transplanted with soil into the wooden box and temporarily stored.

……

Soon the two arrived at the advanced cave area, where the spiritual energy was so rich that it was comparable to the concentration of spiritual energy they had felt in the Purple Extreme Sect in the past.

Moreover, there is a lake view in the distance, but it is obscured by fog as you look further in.

Do not delve too deeply.

It must be some kind of large, fog-emitting shielding formation.

"This place is truly wonderful; the environment is pleasant, and the spiritual veins are also suitable for cultivation."

On the Dharma Boat, Mo Zhaoli sensed something and commented.

"The rent is a bit expensive, a full 250 coins a year, which is close to the price of a mid-grade first-tier magic weapon."

Lin Changheng smiled.

"arrive!"

The two jumped off the magic boat together. After Mo Zhaoli put the magic boat away, he looked at Lin Changheng, covered his mouth and teased softly, "Master Lin has many people seeking his pills, would he really care about such a small thing?"

"Save on expenses and increase revenue; spend only where necessary. Where can you not spend spirit stones in cultivation?"

Lin Changheng had something left unsaid, something he held back: he had another big spender—

Monster blood essence! Buying hundreds of these would really cost an astonishing amount.

"Li'er was just joking. Brother Lin is right, the further we go, the more expensive it will be."

Mo Zhaoli expressed his deep agreement.

She devoted herself to cultivation, relying on her grandfather's alchemy skills in the early stages and later on her own efforts in completing tasks. Lacking any special skills and a strong source of spirit stones, she deeply understood the meaning of this statement.

……

"Number ninety-eight."

This was Lin Changheng's second visit. He checked the cave's number again before using a specially made restriction token to open the restriction and portal.

Although this cave dwelling is not as grand as Mo Zhaoli's "Azure Peak" cave dwelling, it is still fully equipped.

It includes cultivation rooms, secluded meditation chambers, skill rooms, spirit herb gardens, spirit beast rooms, and guest rooms.

"Li'er, please sit down for a moment."

Lin Changheng directly chose a spot in the hall to place his superior-grade magic weapon, the alchemy furnace. At the same time, he patted his storage bag, and a lot of second-grade spirit firewood flew out and piled up.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the hall, many chairs were placed.

The distance between them was extremely far, supposedly for observation and to avoid disturbing each other, but even if a Foundation Establishment cultivator suddenly attacked him while he was refining pills, he would still have enough time to react.

After finishing all this, Lin Changheng slapped his forehead and handed the main and auxiliary medicinal materials for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill to Mo Zhaoli, saying, "We'll proceed according to plan later."

"it is good."

Mo Zhaoli smiled gently and put away the pile of long wooden boxes.

……

Within half an hour, a series of people came to visit.

"Is everyone here?"

Lin Changheng scanned the entire room.

Besides him and Mo Zhaoli, two other groups of people arrived.

One group was led by a Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Qian, accompanied by two people, a man and a woman. The male cultivator was clearly at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining.

The other group consisted of the gaunt Gu Chang'an and... Cui Jianshui.

This woman was also there.

Lin Changheng's expression remained unchanged, but in his heart he regarded the two as a group.

Seeing Lin Changheng's gaze fall upon her, Cui Jianshui smiled slightly and bowed slightly, then transmitted her voice to Lin Changheng, saying, "Brother Lin, I am a woman who sees things through to the end, and I have come to witness this at your invitation."

Lin Changheng simply nodded slightly, neither confirming nor denying.

Then, looking at everyone, he solemnly said, "Since you all trust my alchemy skills and have entrusted me with the materials for the Foundation Establishment Pill, I am grateful for that. Today, I would like to make a statement that I will do my best to ensure that you all leave with a full harvest."

"Thank you very much, Master Lin."

Everyone present was quick-witted, and upon hearing this, they either clasped their hands in greeting or bowed to Lin Changheng. "But human effort has its limits, and the final outcome of the pill's formation depends on fate. I hope you all understand."

Lin Changheng reiterated the "disclaimer clause," otherwise, what alchemist would dare to take on a similar task?

"Of course, Master Lin will do his best."

"We are aware of that."

"clear."

Responses rang out from the audience.

Lin Changheng nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile, "Then please take out your alchemy materials. I need to conduct a final check and comparison before I start the furnace."

Upon hearing this, Mo Zhaoli immediately took a step forward, and a pile of long wooden boxes flew out of his storage bag.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Qian had noticed the Foundation Establishment female cultivator who did not conceal her face long ago. Although she was beautiful, he dared not look at her for too long because he felt a sense of oppression from her. It seemed that this woman was extremely powerful and that he was no match for her.

A flicker of apprehension crossed his eyes, and he patted his storage bag, taking out the four sealed wooden boxes from before without a word.

Gu Chang'an's usual faint smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of seriousness.

Of the three groups seeking pills, two were led by Foundation Establishment cultivators and were present, while he, being only at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, felt unprecedented pressure.

After the two Foundation Establishment cultivators took out their materials, he immediately took out his as well.

The three piles of materials were placed on the table, and Lin Changheng inspected and compared them one by one.

He nodded shortly afterward: "Good, the medicinal materials have been inspected and found to be correct. We can start the furnace."

"But before that, we still need to confirm the order of retrieving the pills."

"Based on the rarity and value of the medicinal herbs, the order of obtaining the pills is: Fellow Daoist Qian first, Fairy Mo second, and Fellow Daoist Gu third. What do you all think?"

Lin Changheng saw it clearly this time: the Seven Star Spirit Moon Grass taken out by the Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Qian was over fifty years old, and its value was higher than that of the Nine-Leaf Purple Elixir that Lin Changheng had accelerated to maturity for twenty years.

These are all verifiable pieces of information, and there's no way to lie about them, so Lin Changheng naturally told the truth.

"no problem."

All three groups nodded.

"As for the final compensation, it will be handled according to the common alchemy rules of the Immortal City after the alchemy is completed."

Lin Changheng said one last thing to conclude.

If three genuine pills are successfully formed, then no compensation is needed.

However, if only one or two pills are successfully formed, the person who obtains the pill must provide certain compensation to the cultivators who did not obtain a pill.

This also reduces the losses of those who are not ranked first in the selection of pills, provides psychological comfort, and narrows the gap in gains among those seeking pills.

In fact, it is also about maintaining this model of jointly refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, so that it can continue for a long time.

So, with no objections from the group, Lin Changheng took a short breath and then started refining pills.

"call!"

The flames were lit, and the furnace began to scorch.

The cultivators watching from afar all had solemn expressions, controlled their breathing, and awaited the outcome, not daring to disturb them.

Mo Zhaoli sat alone to the side, her divine sense spreading out, her beautiful eyes fixed on the figure refining pills. A strange light flashed, but her divine sense was monitoring the actions of everyone present.

……

The flames leaped and danced in the furnace, casting flickering light on Lin Changheng's face as he stood with his eyes closed. His expression remained calm, as if he were in a completely different world from the surrounding heat.

Suddenly, those eyes snapped open, as if sparks were igniting within them.

He had already mentally rehearsed every detail of refining the Foundation Establishment Pill a hundred times, without the slightest error.

"The furnace temperature has been reached."

He murmured something, and with a slight movement of his fingertips, the prepared elixirs, like fish swimming into a deep abyss, disappeared one by one into the furnace.

He formed the "refining" incantation with his hands, using his magic power to continuously cleanse and refine the pill, while the flames at the bottom flickered and spat out tongues of fire.

The complex and intricate alchemy techniques seemed like phantoms in Lin Changheng's hands, and two hours had quickly passed.

Inside the furnace, each medicinal herb possessed unparalleled purity, emitting a delicate fragrance under the firelight.

His fingers didn't stop; next came the three crucial steps: liquefying, combining the ingredients, and refining...

The work is proceeding at a rapid pace and cannot be stopped.

Time passed slowly, and the medicinal herbs inside the furnace had long since lost their original form, leaving only clumps of solidified medicinal essence, which gleamed with a warm luster in the firelight and gradually merged together.

A faint, exotic fragrance wafted through the cracks in the stove, condensing into a light medicinal mist in the air, cool yet with a burning warmth.

The fragrance permeated the hall, and the cultivators didn't even need to breathe heavily. The calm figure in the hall, with his smooth and effortless movements, gave them the greatest comfort and hope.

Ten days passed quickly.

These ten days passed quickly for Lin Changheng as he spent refining pills, and he didn't feel that they were too long.

But it was different for the people who were waiting.

As the saying goes, waiting for someone to see you will take a long time, and the same is true for waiting for a result. The heart is anxious, and ten days can be described as torture.

Suddenly, the alchemy furnace trembled with a "hum," immediately attracting everyone's attention, and expectant eyes were cast towards it.

Lin Changheng calmly finished the last pill-forming incantation, his expression serene but his brows showing signs of fatigue.

The moment the furnace lid was lifted, a clear, cool spiritual mist, accompanied by a burst of brilliant light, shot out and soared straight to the top of the cave.

Suddenly, a clear "clang" was heard, and three streams of light broke through the mist—they were three pills the size of longan, their bodies shimmering with a jade-like luster, spinning in mid-air.

Lin Changheng glanced at them and then gestured with his hand.

Immediately, all three pills were acquired.

The crowd waiting in the distance could no longer contain themselves and began to approach.

"Master Lin, how is it going?"

"How is the pill formation?"

Both groups of people, Qian and Gu, asked questions, but just a moment ago, they seemed to have seen three round and plump pills flash by.

I'm pleasantly surprised, but still awaiting confirmation.

Lin Changheng glanced at them indifferently without saying a word, and finally his gaze lingered on Mo Zhaoli's slightly nervous pretty face, where he revealed a smile.

"Could it be..."

Mo Zhaoli knew Lin Changheng quite well, and upon seeing this smile, she immediately felt relieved and smiled gently in return. However, a sense of shock also welled up within her; Brother Lin's alchemy skills were simply too formidable…

But no one had time to pay attention to these details; they were just waiting for Lin Changheng's answer.

Lin Changheng then stretched out his hand and slowly opened it under everyone's gaze, and the entire alchemy room suddenly fell silent:
The three pills were round and full, with a bluish-green luster and a noticeable flow of spiritual light.

A slight sniff reveals a clear, refreshing medicinal aroma that is both pleasant and invigorating, and its fragrance lingers and does not dissipate.

However, upon closer inspection, there are differences; the aura of one of them is slightly thinner than the other two.

The medicinal aroma also slightly dissipated.

"These three pills don't contain any defective ones..."

Inferior pills have an unusual surface color and a mixed medicinal aroma, making them instantly recognizable.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Qian was shocked to make this judgment. Generally speaking, the difficulty of refining Foundation Establishment Pills is considerable. Without a large amount of experience in refining, even a senior alchemist would have a considerable chance of producing a defective pill.

What about newly promoted second-tier alchemists? This is also the reason why the cultivators of Immortal City have lowered their standards and requirements due to the blows of reality.

But Lin Danshi in front of me has only been at the second level for a few years, right? His alchemy skills are truly astonishing.

I really need to cultivate a good relationship with him in the future; there will be plenty of opportunities to ask him for pills later...

(End of this chapter)