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

Chapter 287 The Mastermind, Goodbye Heng Wan

Then, the unknown cave slowly fell into silence, even deathly stillness.

The figure entered meditation once more, forming hand seals and channeling energy. The demonic energy gathered and purged once more, surging with continuous dark light, accompanied by mournful roars, making it appear exceptionally sinister and terrifying.

The soul lamp that had been floating in front of him, burning with green ghostly flames, also swayed and fell down, landing in front of the black-robed figure. The flame of the lamp was dim and flickering.

It appears even more eerie and sinister.

If someone with broad knowledge were here, they would realize that this is clearly some kind of magical power!
This person is actually a demonic cultivator!

It was the target that Song had been striving to eliminate!

After an unknown amount of time, a communication jade talisman shot out from outside, passing through the cave's restrictions without any obstruction, and hovered in front of the black-robed figure.

"Shh!"

The man suddenly opened his eyes, but did not move. His lifeless, pale eyes stared ahead, and his divine sense surged out and entered the jade talisman.

The next moment, a gray aura suddenly surged in his pale, lifeless eyes, incredibly cold!
"Crack! Bang!"

The jade talisman couldn't withstand such power and shattered instantly!

"How dare you! You're just a mere late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, relying on your status and backing to threaten me again and again. Do you really think I'm made of clay?!"

"If I weren't currently weak and forced to live under someone else's roof to avoid the limelight, I would have skinned that bitch alive and ripped out her soul!"

A violent aura quietly swelled, and the black-robed figure laughed in extreme anger.

Then, with a grim expression, he took out a jade talisman, inscribed a message, added a restriction, and with a flick of his wrist, shot it out.

"Om..."

The communication jade talisman flew out and soon landed on the shore of a vast lake where mist rose, and the cave dwellings were numerous and the spiritual energy was abundant.

After circling around once, it suddenly landed in one of the caves and disappeared.

……

Lin Changheng was completely unaware of all of this.

He never imagined that the strange mark on his body came from a demonic cultivator who had no place to stand in Song!
They wouldn't know where they got it from, let alone why!
But from the lingering chill and resentment of the mark being removed, he sensed a demonic aura!
Although he had never dealt with or met any demonic cultivators, he had refined the Vajra Bodhi Wood for Wu Jiu Laodao, which was essentially a process of removing demonic energy. Therefore, he had a fairly good understanding of the manifestations of demonic energy.

It recognized it instantly!
When he realized this, he was troubled, wondering how he had gotten involved with demonic cultivators.

But he was not anxious. Now that the mark had been removed, he had no more burden in his heart. As long as he was careful, when the divine light appeared, it was uncertain who would be in the light and who would be in the dark.

Then, Lin Changheng sorted out his thoughts, exited the seclusion, changed his appearance again, left the [Jinsha Market], and flew straight towards a certain place.

……

half a month later.

What appeared before Lin Changheng was not the scenic Jade Belt Lake, but a majestic immortal city!

Floating Immortal City!

He did not return directly to the Jade Belt Lake Dojo because he had calculated that a large-scale auction would soon be held in the Floating Life Immortal City.

Small auctions are basically useless to Lin Changheng now; only large auctions still offer some good items!

The fact that even some Core Formation cultivators participated shows that the auction items were attractive enough, and that this was a deliberate move by the Immortal City.

After entering the Immortal City, seeing that it was still early, Lin Changheng went directly to the Huang family's [Huangliang Residence], ordered some spiritual wine and food to enjoy slowly, and at the same time, opened all five senses to start collecting useful information.

The Immortal Inn is the easiest place to gather information, but it's a mixed bag, so you need to be careful to distinguish between good and bad.

This has become a standard procedure for Lin Changheng after he emerges from seclusion, in order to avoid misjudging the situation in the cultivation world due to prolonged seclusion and causing a disconnect!

While at Jade Belt Lake, one should either consult with cultivators seeking elixirs or gather information through letters and communication with friends, so as to have a general understanding of the situation.

This time, Lin Changheng collected them himself as well.

He paid close attention to the specifics of the savage beast tide and the conflict between the two sects.

It involves the future development and direction of the entire Song Dynasty.

"what?"

But soon his chopsticks stopped moving.

His eyes flashed!
He had heard news of the Song-Jin War, and many cultivators were discussing it with excitement.

Moreover, the Song Kingdom's cultivators launched a surprise attack, achieving remarkable results!

"A fight has broken out? Was it premeditated?"

I sat there for most of the afternoon.

Lin Changheng also collected some scattered pieces of information.

More details.

For example, among the vanguard of the Song Kingdom's cultivators were cultivators from the five major sects and Daoist schools.

The cultivators from Xuanbing Valley and Huangfeng Cliff are all here.

This made everyone increasingly wonder if the war between the two factions was really just a show, put on for the Jin Kingdom.
The purpose was to lull the high-level cultivators of the Jin Kingdom into a false sense of security. Even if their own homes were in chaos, their neighbors' homes were also in disarray, so why should they be on guard?
In reality, Song was secretly preparing for war, waiting for the opportunity to launch a full-scale invasion!

Deceit and treachery are rampant, and they certainly won't deceive me!
……

Lin Changheng also understood why the Ziji Sect had quietly transferred a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators away.

The seemingly excessive crackdown by the Ziji Sect on the Jade Belt Lake robbery gang now has an explanation.

As the Song-Jin War progressed, the Ziji Sect's garrison and control capabilities would inevitably be greatly weakened, and they would have to be sent to the Jin battlefield.

At that time, the forces left behind will be insufficient, and various lurking forces will inevitably emerge upon hearing the news, leading to renewed chaos!
For the Purple Extreme Sect, it would be unacceptable for their rear to be in turmoil while they were fighting on the front lines. They needed to stabilize the situation, so it was just in time for a group of calamity cultivators to come to their doorstep. It was a perfect opportunity to make an example of them!
Fake pills will be killed without exception!

The message was relayed to all four directions, stunning the entire audience.

The purpose was to send a signal to all cultivators: dragons have scales that cannot be touched, or death will ensue.

Lin Changheng estimates that this tactic may be effective in the short term, but its effectiveness may not be so in the long run.

After all, humans are extremely forgetful, and once the fear subsides, they never learn from their mistakes.

……

After that, Lin Changheng didn't wait around; he went directly to visit Bai Hengwan.

After a long absence, Lin Changheng saw the woman again. She was still wearing a simple white dress, her temperament as aloof as a solitary orchid in a secluded valley, sitting alone in the hall. Hearing footsteps, she slowly raised her head.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, it's been a long time."

The woman chuckled, stood up to greet him, and it felt like a reunion with an old friend.

"I, Lin, have also met Master Bai."

Lin Changheng performed the ceremony.

His gaze inadvertently swept over the woman, and he found that she was indeed more powerful. Although her aura was somewhat concealed, it was still possible to glimpse it.

Late foundation building!

"Hiss!" Lin Changheng inwardly gasped.

This woman is not yet seventy years old. If resources are sufficient... by that calculation, there is indeed a possibility that she could reach the Core Formation stage at the age of one hundred!

Is the root of a terrestrial-grade alien spirit really that terrifying?
Lin Changheng had only recently acquired a superior-grade fire spirit root, and he had already felt a significant increase in his cultivation speed. At the very least, the time it would take to cultivate to the sixth level of Foundation Establishment would be shortened considerably!
Compared to his opponent's monstrous progress, his improvement was utterly insignificant. This made him realize even more deeply the enormous advantage of top-tier talent on the path of cultivation.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, just call me Fellow Daoist Bai. There's no need to use the title of True Disciple again; it would be too formal!"

Bai Hengwan spoke up directly, prompting Lin Changheng to change his mind.

"it is good!"

Lin Changheng carefully chose his words, his tone carrying a perfectly appropriate tone of inquiry: "May I ask Fellow Daoist Bai, to what extent and at what stage will this Song Kingdom's conquest of the Jin Kingdom end? Do you have any insightful opinions? We rogue cultivators are caught in this vortex and feel truly lost, fearing that we might make a wrong step."

He asked questions from the perspective of a rogue cultivator, seeking guidance in a way that neither appeared to be prying into so-called secrets, nor did it prevent him from getting into the conversation.

Upon hearing this, Bai Hengwan glanced at Lin Changheng with her watery eyes, seemingly seeing through his strategy of feigning retreat, but she did not point it out.

She stretched out her slender fingers and gently stroked the rim of the warm teacup. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly said:
"I wouldn't call it insightful. The situation is already clear. Since the Song Kingdom has already sent troops, it won't turn back easily. Annexing the border territories of the Jin Kingdom and plundering resources to strengthen itself is a predetermined strategy. The intention of Jinan Palace in deliberately planning this matter is self-evident."

Lin Changheng didn't speak, he just listened quietly.

"But we don't know the specifics. The initial decision was a joint plan by the Southern Palace and the five major sects, and it was top secret. In the subsequent war, our Immortal City and the major families and clans were gradually brought into the framework."

Her voice was calm, yet carried a detached understanding of the world: "Currently, Master has already met with the Core Formation True Person of the South Palace."

As she spoke, Bai Hengwan revealed another secret.

Lin Changheng's eyes narrowed slightly.

The contact with [Qinglan Sanren] was undoubtedly to discuss the matter of sending cultivators on an expedition.

However, a powerful force like [Floating Life Immortal City] might not be able to refuse to participate. Otherwise, even [Azure Mist Hermit] would find it difficult to withstand being labeled as "disrupting unity and disregarding the nation."

He is very strong, but not the strongest!
Within the Song territory, there also exist the Southern Palace and the Nascent Soul True Monarch! They dominate the entire land!
"Then it really won't be quiet anytime soon..."

Lin Changheng sighed and shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist Lin indeed favors stability, not only in his own actions but also in the stability of his surrounding environment."

Bai Hengwan covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

“Cultivators are too fragile and cannot withstand any storms, especially rogue cultivators, who have to walk on thin ice…”

Lin Changheng nodded frankly.

Bai Hengwan nodded, paused, and a hint of seriousness flashed in her eyes. "Everything has two sides. Although the battlefield is in Jin, Song will probably not be at peace from now on."

She raised her eyes and looked at Lin Changheng, saying meaningfully, "Since Fellow Daoist Lin feels lost, why not find a safer place to avoid the storm for now? Some troubles are indeed not something that Foundation Establishment cultivators like us can easily get involved in."

These words, seemingly a word of advice, carried a different meaning to Lin Changheng. Bai Hengwan seemed to be implying that she herself might be drawn into some kind of trouble and did not approve of Lin Changheng's involvement.

Lin Changheng's mind raced, but on the surface he showed an expression of being taught, cupping his hands and saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Fellow Daoist Bai. I will be more careful."

He didn't press further, leaving some things unsaid. But from Bai Hengwan's words and demeanor, he had already gleaned a lot of useful information: the situation was complex and dangerous, there might be a larger conspiracy behind it, and Bai Hengwan herself seemed to be in some kind of predicament.

The reason I didn't tell him was because I didn't need him for the time being.

However, Lin Changheng had no intention of choosing another place or changing his dojo.

After all, the Purple Extreme Sect had only recently made an example of someone to warn others, and even a Core Formation Realm cultivator had taken action. For a period of time, no one would dare to provoke them again!

Jade Belt Lake should be safe.

If we upgrade the formation one or two more times to a high-grade second-tier formation, we can basically rest easy.

If all else fails, upgrading to a second-tier superior formation is also an option.

……

Having obtained the information they wanted, Lin Changheng and Bai Hengwan chatted for a long time.

After a long time apart, this conversation brought the two of them closer together again, with less formality and more casual conversation like old friends.

After several rounds of tea, as the sun began to set, Lin Changheng was about to get up and take his leave when Bai Hengwan suddenly brought up an old story again.

She gently stroked the rim of the cup with her slender fingers, her eyelids slightly lowered, and her voice was even softer than before: "Fellow Daoist Lin, when you celebrated your 100th birthday, although I traveled to Qiyue Island by spirit boat to offer my congratulations, I did not disembark to ask for a cup of wine... I have never had the opportunity to explain this to you."

Lin Changheng was slightly taken aback, then smiled nonchalantly: "Fellow Daoist Bai, you flatter me. It's just a small matter, and I've already..."

Before he could finish speaking, Bai Hengwan gently interrupted him.

“It’s no small matter.” She raised her eyes, her gaze clear, yet carrying a complex mix of apology and helplessness. “That day, it wasn’t that I was unwilling, but rather… I couldn’t.”

She paused, as if carefully choosing her words, before finally speaking slowly: "At the time, I was under a secret order from my sect to immediately go to a secret place, and there could be no delays along the way. The spirit boat had already taken a detour by passing your island, so it was impossible to stop."

"As for the congratulatory gift from Master Kong, I accepted it voluntarily, rather than it being arranged by Master Kong."

This explanation is reasonable. The mission of the sect is paramount, especially the secret order, which cannot be influenced by personal feelings.

The latter, in particular, was something Lin Changheng had never expected.

The mission, which should have been carried out by an envoy, was actually taken over by Bai Hengwan, who was a true disciple. The fact that a third-level alchemist valued him and that a true disciple personally congratulated him on his birthday made his reputation explode!

Such affection must be incredibly profound.

The slight unease that had been lingering in Lin Changheng's heart vanished at this moment, and he was instead moved by the other party's earnest explanation.

"I see." Lin Changheng nodded solemnly. "The mission is of utmost importance, Fellow Daoist Bai need not worry. How could I, Lin, be an unreasonable person?"

Seeing that his expression was genuine and that he truly understood, Bai Hengwan noticed that the faint frown between his brows seemed to have eased a little, and a very shallow but real smile appeared on her lips: "It's good that you understand, fellow Daoist."

In both her personal conduct and her work, Bai Hengwan strives for perfection.

This was also taught by her master!
(End of this chapter)