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

Chapter 272 Five Elements Spiritual Fat, Inquiry into Fake Elixir (Two-in-One, 8K)

【Essence of Gui Water】is a spiritual treasure of heaven and earth formed by the convergence of spiritual energy, and its effects are extraordinary!
Its most crucial uses lie in two points.

In a sense, they are different paths leading to the same destination.

One method is to directly swallow and refine it, using its extremely pure water-based source power to cleanse it into a nascent pill form, which can slightly increase the chance of pill formation.

Although the increase is not huge, any treasure that can increase the probability of forming a core is enough to cause a fight in the cultivation world.

Both of these, and more importantly, serve as auxiliary ingredients in the refining of the precious elixir needed for Core Formation—the [Return to Truth Pill]!
If it can be successfully refined, the chances of forming a core will be greatly increased, and the effect is far superior to simply swallowing it!

……

The [Essence of Gui Water] that Lin Changheng obtained was sealed in a small bottle of cold jade. It was crystal clear, pure, and azure in color, with what seemed to be a vast expanse of waves flowing inside.

It's really beautiful.

Lin Changheng knew that this item was crucial to his future path and carefully put it away.

At the same time, he was secretly pondering it to himself.

Because he remembered that he obtained this item from the storage bag of the silver-masked monk. Although he had seized many storage bags, he had not forgotten their origin.

Logically, last time, Xu Maoling, Cheng Suling, and the Luo-surnamed cultivator went to explore for opportunities together. After succeeding, the Luo-surnamed cultivator should have received a portion of the [Gui Water Essence]. However, the fact that this item appeared in the storage bag of the silver-masked cultivator inevitably leads one to imagine a scene of high-level snatching and exploitation.

But in any case, the item eventually ended up in his hands.

This is fate.

After all the twists and turns, it has finally arrived.

……

As for the second rare spiritual material...

Lin Changheng was found in a carefully sealed wooden box.

It was about the size of a pigeon egg, and it was not a single color, but rather a mixture of five colors: red, yellow, gold, blue, and cyan, forcibly twisted together.

From a sensory perspective alone, it seems to blend the purest essence of fire, earth, metal, stone, water, and vegetation into one.

Its form is also quite peculiar; it is neither solid nor liquid, but rather a paste-like substance somewhere in between, trembling slightly as if it possesses a life-like elasticity and vitality. Its surface is incredibly smooth, yet it is not cold to the touch; instead, it carries a warm, jade-like comfort.

This characteristic is particularly evident, and it is clearly the spiritual material called [Five Elements Spiritual Fat].

"It really came to me without any effort!"

Lin Changheng carefully held it in his palm and felt it closely.

It was easy to sense the extremely pure and balanced subtle energy contained within!
This energy is not of a single attribute, but rather encompasses all five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, achieving a perfect and delicate balance and cycle, endlessly generating new life.

They are also mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, forming a complete system.

He could even feel that the magical power within his body, especially the five elements corresponding to his five internal organs, resonated with him faintly, giving him a sense of longing and comfort.

"As expected of the [Five Elements Spiritual Fat]!" Lin Changheng exclaimed inwardly.

This item is a rare treasure born from the convergence and sedimentation of the five elements of heaven and earth under special conditions. Its greatest effect is to harmonize the five elements and balance yin and yang!

It is an essential material for refining magical artifact embryos, and it can balance the conflicts between spiritual materials of different attributes.

It was also found in the storage bag of the silver-masked cultivator.

Along with it, there were also some spiritual materials suitable for refining magical artifact embryos, which Lin Changheng readily accepted.

It seems this person also intended to refine the embryo of a magical artifact in advance, but it doesn't seem to have been going on for very long.

One major piece of evidence is that this person did not possess any main material that could serve as the embryo for a magical artifact.

In addition, there were some spiritual materials accumulated by another late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator in black robes.

Lin Changheng took stock of the materials needed to refine the magic weapon embryo, and found that he had gathered about 30% of the materials required, excluding the main ingredients.

This speed is already quite astonishing, considering that Lin Changheng only recently came up with this plan.

At this rate, the process of refining a magical artifact embryo might not be far off.

……

A month passed quickly.

Several things happened during this period.

Firstly, news of the attack and disruption of the "Jade Belt Lake Spiritual Land," which the Ziji Sect rented out, spread to the outside world.

This caused quite a stir.

Chu Lingyu, a disciple of the Ziji Sect who was stationed there, also died in this conflict, killed by the robber cultivator.

This caused a huge uproar.

Because this group of robber cultivators is blatantly challenging the prestige of the Purple Extreme Sect and slapping the sect in the face!
Moreover, it was drawn in public, making an extremely loud noise.

This matter could not be concealed at all and spread widely in the surrounding areas. The Purple Extreme Sect was not without its eyes and ears, so it naturally heard about it as well.

Combined with the confirmation that Chu Lingyu, the disciple who was away from home, had his soul tablet shattered, the report was passed up the chain of command and directly reached the ears of the higher-ups!

Moreover, because this incident occurred at the border with the [Azure Cloud Sect], and not far from [Mysterious Ice Valley], news of it even reached the two neighboring sects and the Floating Life Immortal City...

Airing one's dirty laundry in public severely damages the prestige and reputation of the Ziji Sect throughout the Song Dynasty!
This has escalated the incident to a whole new level!
The high-ranking members of the Ziji Sect could no longer sit still and were furious, demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.

Those forces that dare to disrupt the Ziji Sect's leased land will be rooted out, eradicated, and executed from top to bottom. Their heads will be displayed publicly, leaving no one alive.

Among them, Mo Zhaoli, who usually doesn't express excessive opinions at high-level conferences, appeared particularly radical.

With righteous indignation and stern words, he wanted to make an example of someone to warn others.

Only a handful of people, including Steward Shangguan who was previously in charge of spiritual land leasing in the Immortal City, knew the source of Mo Zhaoli's original motivation.

But as a cunning old fox, he simply watched and listened without revealing anything, and in the end, he even spoke out in support of Mo Zhaoli's radical attitude.

On the one hand, it was because this business was something he had previously undertaken, and he needed to shift all responsibility onto Jie Xiu to avoid potential accountability.

On the other hand, it was to curry favor with Mo Zhaoli. At the same time, if the sect were to pursue his collateral responsibility, Mo Zhaoli would certainly reciprocate by speaking up for him.

Manager Shangguan's mind raced quickly; he was extremely shrewd and made a decision in an instant.

Of course, this is just a starting point.

Located on the desolate border and constantly organizing land reclamation, the Purple Extreme Sect is inherently fierce and brave. Among its high-ranking members, there are many radicals who even feel that Mo Zhaoli is too conservative.

They believe that the sect should take this opportunity to establish law enforcement teams within its jurisdiction and carry out a crackdown!
It can not only eliminate the treacherous cultivators and eradicate their colluding families, but also restore a bright and clear world to all the cultivators under its jurisdiction.

This could also serve as a pretext to exert pressure and control over the region for a period of time, thereby strengthening control over the subordinate areas and approaching so-called absolute control!

They believe this will be of great benefit to the future development of the sect.

The sound it made was quite loud.

Upon hearing this, many moderate high-ranking officials felt their eyelids twitch and were forced to voice their opposition, the core of which was...

After all, they belong to the same Song territory. This would drive away many cultivators and families, forcing them to seek development in other sects' territories, which has the implication of weakening oneself to strengthen others.

After a heated exchange of words, a middle-aged male cultivator with a long beard sat on a high platform in the center of the hall. He exuded a powerful aura as heavy as a mountain. He spoke slowly, and his voice, though faint, resonated throughout the hall. You could hear a pin drop.

It was unmistakably the power of a Core Formation cultivator!
The arguing and snorting... ceased abruptly and disappeared completely.

A conclusion has been reached.

Overly radical statements were rejected, and a mission to completely eliminate the traitors was deployed.

"Respect the Sect Master's order."

The senior executives bowed and accepted the order without further argument, readily agreeing to the command.

This is the core advantage of a Core Formation cultivator becoming a sect leader.

In the beginning, almost all the major sects and sects were led by Foundation Establishment cultivators, who held high positions and great power, but their strength was not enough to suppress the entire field. They relied on the support of their Core Formation Grandmasters.

Many things cannot be carried out according to one's own will, after all, it is just a case of borrowing someone else's power.

Meanwhile, the Grandmaster of Core Formation enjoys the sect's offerings, cultivates in peace, or travels around to improve his strength, serving as the sect's foundation.

However, this created a loophole. Once, a sect had several Core Formation cultivators who happened to be out on business. As a result, a rival sect seized on this and came directly to their door.

As a result, the Foundation Establishment Sect Leader lacked control and was unable to unify the will in the face of crisis, leading to internal disintegration and the destruction of the sect.

Since then, the philosophy of leading the sect has begun to change.

For example, the Ziji Sect has four Core Formation True Persons on the surface, who take turns serving as the sect leader, with each cycle lasting twenty years. They are required to be stationed in the sect to oversee and lead the cultivators.

Of course, resources will be allocated slightly as compensation for the reduction in training time.

This round is led by [Canglang Zhenren], who is in the mid-stage of Core Formation.

The words of the Core Formation True Person were no less powerful than words becoming law, and the colossal Purple Extreme Sect immediately began to operate.

Led by a fake cultivator, an enforcement team was formed and immediately dispatched to Jade Belt Lake to investigate the situation.

……

Secondly, it is also related to Mo Zhaoli.

Mo Zhaoli sent a letter through the sect's special channels, subtly informing them of the Purple Extreme Sect's decision.

Don't worry, Brother Lin.

In addition, it was mentioned that she finally broke through to the fifth level of Foundation Establishment a few months ago.

She remarked that Brother Lin's progress was too rapid, and his cultivation had already surpassed hers, but there was no jealousy or regret in her words; instead, one could see the joy in them.

I am genuinely happy for Lin Changheng.

Lin Changheng naturally knew Mo Zhaoli's true feelings about this. He also pointed out in his letter that Zhaoli was ten years younger than him, so his cultivation level was slightly higher than his own.

However, we still need to keep working hard.

He also said that the two had not seen each other for a long time, and that they should get together once this matter was settled.

……

The third thing.

Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling, on the other hand, spent the past month recovering and restoring their injuries and the condition of the island.

They then visited Lin Changheng together.

They each presented a generous gift.

Lin Changheng accepted the gift and hosted a banquet for the two of them.

Before anyone could ask, Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling exchanged a glance, and the latter began to explain the inside story.

Soon, Lin Changheng heard a version that was not far from his own guess.

It turns out that the cultivator surnamed Luo was a mutual friend of Cheng Suling and Xu Maoling, and they had known each other for more than 20 years, so their friendship was quite deep.

This person would also occasionally introduce the two to business opportunities related to their skills.

After Lin Changheng refused Cheng Suling's invitation to explore opportunities last time, the two thought of the cultivator surnamed Luo, believing that he had enough trust in them and that exploring opportunities could be a good way to repay their previous kindness.

Although the first exploration did not go very smoothly, the final result was still good, and everyone gained something.

Furthermore, they jointly set up a restriction at that [Water Eye Spirit Cave] and shared its benefits.

But the second time, the same time the cultivator surnamed Luo rushed over in his escape light, inviting them to participate in the exploration of another opportunity.

However, Cheng Suling did not rush in. Instead, she stopped at a distance and observed for a while. She felt that she could not see through it and that there might be excessive risks involved, so she chose to give up.

Xu Maoling trusted Cheng Suling's geomancy skills quite a bit. Although he had gained something from her last experience and was itching to try it himself, he still did not choose to explore it further.

Looking back now, there might have been a trap inside.

When the fish didn't take the bait, the cultivator surnamed Luo seized the opportunity to persuade them again, and even brought along a fellow cultivator of the same level who claimed to be a friend, who could mitigate the risks.

As it turned out, Cheng Suling was ultimately complacent and didn't dare to imagine that the other party would actually dare to attack the Ziji Sect's leased land, thus inviting a wolf into the house.

And that led to what happened next.

Lin Changheng happened to bump into them.

"What they're after is the [Kui Water Essence] in your possession?" Lin Changheng asked thoughtfully.

"It's possible, but neither Fellow Daoist Xu nor I are quite sure what the real reason is."

Cheng Suling was not sure, because the other party had not revealed their true purpose from beginning to end, whether it was the [Kui Water Essence], the complete control of the [Water Eye Spiritual Cave], or some unknown existence?

Lin Changheng turned to look at Xu Maoling, whose dark, wrinkled face, resembling that of a farmer, was nodding at him.

"Thank you both for informing me. I basically understand now. The principle of 'a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime' has always held true. I must be more careful about these things in the future."

Lin Changheng spoke slowly.

He paused for a moment, then added, deciding to reveal some secrets, "However, according to the information I have received, the Ziji Sect is already planning to take concrete action and may come to the Jade Belt Lake Dojo to investigate the truth. You two still need to think carefully about what to say."

"As for the deaths of the thieves, I hope you two can share some of the blame. Some escaped, some died, and we each killed some..."

"I am naturally indifferent and aloof, and I dislike too much attention. It has disturbed my peaceful life of cultivation. I wonder what you two think?"

It's obvious that Lin Changheng is making a request.

Otherwise, based on Lin Changheng's actual record of killing two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and three mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, he could be considered the best among those in the late-stage Foundation Establishment realm, and he should at least be on par with the renowned rogue cultivator Ye Wugui.

In reality, Lin Changheng's aura was only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

Both Xu and Cheng noticed this.

If it really is the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, it's rather terrifying. To kill someone across a minor rank like this will surely earn him a fearsome reputation in the future.

However, if it is due to the concealment of cultivation in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, then it is much better, at least within the scope of understanding.

After all, the difference between the minor Foundation Establishment stages is huge, with a difference in mana of about twice.

Moreover, as one's cultivation level increases, reaching the Core Formation and Nascent Soul stages, the likelihood of successfully reversing one's fate becomes increasingly slim.

……

"Good! Just as Brother Lin said."

After a moment's consideration, Cheng Suling nodded in agreement.

At this moment, Xu Maoling nodded and said, "Okay."

Lin Changheng received a satisfactory answer and slowly withdrew his gaze from the two faces: "Then let's compare the details of the statements and make sure there aren't too many discrepancies."

Now that they know the Purple Extreme Sect is coming to investigate, they will definitely question the three of them. So they need to discuss things carefully to make sure the situation is roughly consistent.

Otherwise, the loopholes would be too big, it would be obvious that something is fishy, ​​and it would only bring trouble upon oneself.

Everyone here is a smart person; naturally, they wouldn't do something so foolish.

……

About half a month later.

On this day, the sky was clear and the air was crisp, and the sky above Jade Belt Lake was as calm as ever. However, this tranquility was soon shattered.

At the edge of the sky, a purple streak of light approached rapidly. At first, it was still on the horizon, but in just a few breaths, its outline could be clearly seen—it was a magnificent spirit boat about ten feet long, its entire body flowing with a misty purple aura!
The spirit boat has an ancient and majestic design, with intricate cloud patterns engraved on its hull, faintly radiating a spiritual pressure that makes one's heart tremble.

Most notably, on the side of the spirit boat, there is a clearly imprinted spire pattern surrounded by lightning, which is the symbol of the Purple Extreme Sect!
The spirit boat made no attempt to conceal its presence; instead, it carried the unique composure and imposing aura of a sect cultivator, flying directly over Jade Belt Lake, gradually slowing down, and finally hovering in the center of the lake, in the middle of the three islands. A powerful spiritual pressure spread out like ripples, instantly alarming all the cultivators on the three islands.

Lin Changheng, Xu Maoling, and Cheng Suling flew out of their respective caves almost simultaneously, hovering in mid-air outside the formation, looking solemnly at the purple spirit boat.

Generally speaking, a first-tier magical flying boat is called a magical boat; while a spirit boat is a second-tier spiritual flying boat.

However, spirit boats are generally much more expensive than spirit artifacts of the same level, so it is rare to see Foundation Establishment cultivators using spirit boats.

The Dharma boat is usually used.

If you really need to travel quickly, you can just ride the escape light; there's no need to waste money on the spirit boat.

Apart from the wealthy and powerful sects.

……

Under the watchful eyes of everyone,

The cabin door of the spirit boat opened, and several figures flew out.

The leader was an elderly man dressed in a purple robe, with a gaunt face and sharp, eagle-like eyes.

He did not deliberately exude pressure, but simply by standing there, his body naturally emanated a spiritual aura far surpassing that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to resonate slightly!
Far surpassing the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

It was none other than a high-level cultivator at the Pseudo-Core Formation stage!

Behind him followed four male and female cultivators, all dressed in the robes of inner disciples of the Purple Extreme Sect. Their cultivation levels were all above the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, their eyes arrogant, and their auras powerful.

The old man with the fake core cultivation had a gaze that seemed almost tangible, slowly sweeping over Lin Changheng, Xu Maoling, and Cheng Suling, finally settling on Xu Maoling, who had the highest cultivation level. His voice was calm yet carried an undeniable authority as he spoke:

"I am Zhen Xinghe of the Ziji Sect. A month ago, the Jade Belt Lake area was attacked, and our sect's resident disciple, Chu Lingyu, died. Are you all aware of this? Please tell me the details."

As he finished speaking, an invisible pressure enveloped the three of them.

Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling both felt a tightness in their hearts, but they forced themselves to remain calm, keeping their eyes straight ahead and not glancing at Lin Changheng.

He secretly revered him, but he couldn't reveal it on the surface, otherwise all the plans and preparations he had made would be disrupted and rendered useless.

At this moment, Lin Changheng's heart began to pound even harder.

It wasn't for any other reason, but because the name Zhen Xinghe sounded familiar to Lin Changheng; he had heard of it before.

It was none other than the fake alchemy master who had previously died at his hands, the "Senior Brother Feng".

Fortunately, time has passed, and Lin Changheng's mental fortitude, further enhanced by the Fivefold Purification, is exceptionally strong, and he did not show any unusual behavior.

It simply maintained the state of mind of an ordinary cultivator facing the power of a fake core.

"So it is Senior Shangzong who has arrived."

Xu Maoling stepped forward first, suppressing the slight discomfort caused by the other party's oppressive aura. He forced a respectful yet dignified smile and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Senior and fellow Daoists from the upper sects have traveled a long way and must be tired. This is not the place to talk. If you don't mind, why don't you move to my cave on Shengyang Island to rest for a while? Let us serve you some spiritual tea and then explain the whole story in detail."

Judging from Lin and Cheng's perspective, he had already adopted a very humble attitude and given the Purple Extreme Sect a lot of face in his words.

Upon hearing this, Zhen Xinghe, a pseudo-Core Formation cultivator, glanced indifferently at the now-normal Shengyang Island below, without immediately replying. Behind him, a stern-faced late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple frowned, speaking with a hint of impatience:

"Master Zhen's time is precious; he has no time to visit your humble cave for tea! You must quickly recount the events truthfully, without concealing anything!"

His tone was quite arrogant.

Xu Maoling's face stiffened slightly, his heart filled with anger, but he dared not show it.

In reality, only True Core cultivators and Golden Core cultivators possess Daoist names. For example, the Daoist name of Fairy Luo of the Purple Extreme Sect is "Xuanji," and the Daoist name of the Lord of Floating Life Immortal City is "Qinglan"...

Pseudo-core cultivators are fundamentally different from true-core and golden-core cultivators. Although they can also be called "true people," they do not have a Daoist title prefix.

Generally, they are given a surname, just like the fake elixir of the Purple Extreme Sect, which is "True Person Zhen".

……

Just then, Lin Changheng and Cheng Suling couldn't let Xu Maoling face this situation alone, so they flew forward together and stood side by side with Xu Maoling.

Lin Changheng remained calm, bowed respectfully to Zhen Xinghe, and spoke in a neither humble nor arrogant manner:

"Master Zhen, you are wise. A month ago, some villains did indeed covet our territory and joined forces to attack. In order to protect ourselves, we had no choice but to deal with them, which did cause quite a commotion. Young friend Chu was only trying to protect the peace of 'Jade Belt Lake' and asked a question, but he was killed by them. This was not what we wanted."

"As for the details, there are many involved, and it would be inconvenient to discuss them here. Island Master Xu meant well, and we ask Master Zhen and fellow Daoists for their understanding."

His words acknowledged the facts, clarified that it was "self-defense," and struck a perfect balance, while also implying that the matter was complex, especially since it involved a deceased disciple of the sect, making it unsuitable for public disclosure...

This both answered the cold-faced disciple's question and returned the decision-making power to Zhen Xinghe.

For the first time, Zhen Xinghe's sharp gaze fell formally on Lin Changheng, lingering for a moment on his calm and expressionless face, a subtle, almost imperceptible glint in his eyes.

It is rare to see a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator remain so calm and composed, speaking so eloquently, under the pressure of his fake Core Formation and the reprimands of the late-Foundation Establishment disciples in the sect.

But considering that this person was a mid-grade second-tier alchemist, renowned in the Floating Life Immortal City for his steadiness and kindness, and also had intricate connections with the city's higher-ups, he understood.

It is obvious that this person had gathered comprehensive information about the three island owners before arriving.

Come prepared.

Zhen Xinghe hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, his voice still calm: "Lead the way."

This can be seen as tacit approval of Xu Maoling and Lin Changheng's proposal.

After all, if it truly involved some secrets or a major conflict, questioning the island owner in public would indeed be unbecoming of the Purple Extreme Sect. Going to his cave would allow them to better control the situation.

Xu Maoling secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stepped aside to lead the way: "Senior, fellow Daoists, please follow me."

The spirit boat was put away, and the people from the Purple Extreme Sect followed them onto Shengyang Island.

Lin Changheng and Cheng Suling exchanged a glance and silently followed behind.

……

Xu Maoling's cave dwelling is decorated in a simple and elegant style, with a few spiritual plants as decorations, giving it the charm of a quiet place for cultivation.

As everyone took their seats, servants served fragrant tea.

Zhen Xinghe sat upright in the main seat, not touching the cup of spiritual tea. His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over Lin Changheng, Xu Maoling, and Cheng Suling, who were sitting below him, and he got straight to the point:
"Speak! What forces attacked? What caused it? And how did you repel them, and even... capture them all?"

He paused slightly on the phrase "leaving them all behind," as if scrutinizing someone and trying to get the truth out of them.

Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling both felt a tightness in their chests, knowing that the most crucial question had arrived.

Xu Maoling took a deep breath and, following the words he had discussed with Lin and Cheng beforehand, cupped his hands and replied, "Reporting to Senior Zhen, the attackers are mysterious. They all wear uniform black robes and masks, and their techniques are ruthless and strange, unlike those commonly seen around our Ziji Sect. Their purpose seems to be to ambush and kill us, but we still do not fully understand the specific reasons."

He omitted the more plausible speculations and characterized the conflict as a simple robbery and murder.

But regardless, it was indeed a robbery and murder.

"As for how to repel them..."

Xu Maoling's face showed a hint of lingering fear and apprehension at the right moment. "It was all thanks to Fellow Daoist Lin's return and intervention at the crucial moment, Fairy Cheng's exquisite geomancy skills, and the three of us fighting to the death that we were able to kill two of the invading enemies and drive the rest away."

"Oh?" Zhen Xinghe's gaze refocused on Lin Changheng, with a hint of inquiry. "Young friend Lin, with your mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, can play a key role in such a battle. You must have extraordinary abilities."

The disciples of the Purple Extreme Sect behind him also looked at Lin Changheng with suspicion and scrutiny in their eyes.

Lin Changheng remained calm and replied, “Master Zhen, you flatter me. I was only fortunate enough to obtain some talismans and spiritual artifacts of decent power. In addition, the enemy was exhausted from the long battle and was greatly depleted by Island Master Xu and Fairy Cheng. Only then was I able to take advantage of the situation and enter. It was really by chance, and I dare not take credit for it.”

He attributed the credit to external factors and his teammates, trying to absolve himself of any responsibility, which made him seem more authentic.

Zhen Xinghe remained noncommittal, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest of his chair, and remained silent for a moment. The atmosphere in the cave became somewhat stagnant.

Suddenly, he changed the subject and asked, "According to intelligence reports, a force no less powerful than a fake Core Formation strike was unleashed here that day. What exactly happened? And where is it now?"

This is an extremely crucial issue, often involving Core Formation cultivators.

Lin, Cheng, and Xu were all taken aback. How could such news have been leaked? Was the Purple Extreme Sect so well-informed?

Knowing she couldn't avoid it, Cheng Suling rose, gave a graceful bow, and replied in a soft and helpless voice, "Reporting to the True Immortal, that was a talisman treasure... a life-saving item bestowed upon me by my master before his passing, named the [Mixed Gold Spear Talisman Treasure]. On that day, the situation was critical, and in order to protect myself, I had no choice but to use it, and it has already... exhausted its power and turned to ashes."

Her tone was earnest, tinged with regret for having used something precious.

Zhen Xinghe stared at Cheng Suling for a moment, seemingly trying to find a flaw in her expression, but Cheng Suling's expression was sorrowful and did not seem to be feigning. He withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "I see. It seems that Fairy Cheng's lineage is also extraordinary."

He stopped asking about the talisman and instead said, "You were able to join forces to fight the enemy and protect the peace of this region. Although the process was intense and alarmed the sect, your initial intentions were understandable. However, Jade Belt Lake is under the jurisdiction of the Purple Extreme Sect. The sect cannot ignore such a major event."

He paused, then announced the decision: "From this day forward, you three islands must compile a detailed account of this incident, as well as any items or techniques the attackers may have left behind, into a booklet and submit it to the sect for record-keeping. You must cooperate with us to wipe out the raiders in one fell swoop, so that the dark clouds over Jade Belt Lake may dissipate and the sky may be clear!"

Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling exchanged a glance. The Purple Extreme Sect was not only the "owner" of the spiritual land, but also the "controller" of life and death in the region. Now that they had passed the test so easily, they breathed a sigh of relief and replied together with Lin Changheng: "We will obey the True Man's decree."

Zhen Xinghe nodded slightly, picked up the untouched cup of spiritual tea, and took a small sip, showing some conciliatory attitude. He glanced at the three of them again, lingering on Lin Changheng for a moment, and said ambiguously, "I hope you will all take care of yourselves and cultivate diligently. The sect will be watching this place."

After saying that, he stood up, said no more, and led his four disciples straight out of the cave, boarded the spirit boat, and transformed into a streak of purple light and disappeared into the distance.

Only after the spirit boat disappeared into the horizon did Xu Maoling and Cheng Suling finally breathe a long sigh of relief, their backs soaked with cold sweat. The Purple Extreme Sect was known for its upright conduct; otherwise, it wouldn't be impossible for them to suspect a charade with the traitorous cultivators, a scheme designed to disgust them and extract benefits.

Lin Changheng basically knew that this person had come only to uphold the sect's prestige and to imply that they should not cause any more trouble for the upper sect.

However, there's no need for "punishment," since the Three Cultivators are independent cultivators, not directly affiliated with the Purple Extreme Sect; they've merely rented spiritual land.

Moreover, many Foundation Establishment cultivators and outside sects are observing the situation. If not handled carefully, it could cause a backlash, leading to an outflow of cultivators or the cancellation of spiritual land leases, which would be quite unfortunate.

Most importantly, we must find out and kill a number of the bandits who dare to attack our base, and ideally eradicate them all.

(End of this chapter)