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

Chapter 303 Controlling Fire and Flames, Hundred-Year-Old Medicinal Plants

"【Flame Manipulation Technique】!"

Lin Changheng's lips curled up slightly.

The feeling of achieving something in one fell swoop is just too awesome!

Guide the newly formed, crimson "true core" that has been generated within the Yuan Ding and is constantly rising and falling into your body.

An even stronger feeling of warmth washed over my soul and body.

He could feel that his soul was being nourished again, and his consciousness was undergoing a slight positive change.

Without saying a word, he immediately spread his divine sense outwards like mercury, extending it beyond the island, and soon reached its limit!

"Five hundred and twenty zhang!"

Lin Changheng muttered to himself.

His divine sense can now cover a range of 520 zhang!

Compared to the 300-zhang coverage range of an ordinary mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, the divine sense exceeded 220 zhang.

It's only eighty feet away from the threshold of the late Foundation Establishment stage of spiritual consciousness.

Moreover, his divine sense is more concentrated. If the divine sense of other cultivators of the same level is like a soft ball of cotton, his is like cotton mixed with iron filings, and they are not comparable!

Lin Changheng was quite satisfied.

"Although the progress is not fast, the steady, traceable, and tangible positive feedback makes me feel very grounded."

For other cultivators, apart from the fixed transformation of their divine consciousness brought about by breakthroughs in cultivation, the only other way to enhance their spiritual sense is through elusive and unpredictable opportunities.

The vast majority of cultivators do not have such an opportunity.

It can be encountered by chance but not sought after!

……

Then Lin Changheng began to carefully comprehend his newly acquired [Flame Manipulation Technique].

"Is this... all it takes?"

On a whim, I began to try it.

A ball of ghostly golden flame, the size of an infant's head, was spewed from Lin Changheng's mouth, hovering in the air and hissing.

At first, the flame flickered slightly, like a candle flame in the wind. But soon, it was as if an invisible yet undeniably real hand of rules began to intervene and take control of the flame.

It was no longer about forcefully controlling the flame, but rather about "guiding" and "shaping," as if touching the "texture" and "will" of the flame itself.

The ghostly golden flames began to twist and deform according to his will. They were being molded and shaped by that invisible force, undergoing a kind of "shaping".

The inherent "unruly" nature of flames and the inherent instability of their energy have caused many fire magic practitioners a lot of headaches, requiring them to be quite careful when cultivating and casting spells. However, in Lin Changheng's hands, they are completely different, becoming incredibly docile.

The root of the problem lies in the fact that "Flame Manipulation" is far more than a simple change in form; it is a subtle mastery of the essence of flame, requiring a thorough understanding of every bit of energy flow within the flame.

It's as if you've grasped the snake's vital point, naturally overcoming its irritability and instability.

"call!"

After becoming somewhat familiar with [Flame Play], the shape and outline of the dark golden flame began to appear above Lin Changheng's palm.

It was as if something was being born within the flames.

Suddenly, a clear, sharp cry rang out in the secluded meditation chamber.

The flames suddenly dissipated, and a lifelike firebird emerged from the flames, flying around the secret room just like a real bird.

“Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo…”

Then we saw the firebird constantly changing shape.

Sometimes it spreads its wings angrily, transforming into a sharp, fiery arrow that pierces the air with a piercing sound, only to nimbly turn back just before touching the restrictions of the secret chamber.

Sometimes it would fold its wings, elongate its body, and twist into a dark golden flame python, winding its way along the wall, leaving faint scorching marks wherever it went.

The next moment, the python's head and tail joined together, forming a circle. As the flames rose, it transformed into a slowly rotating lotus flower of fire, its petals layered upon each other, its light deep and eerie, conveying both a sense of destruction and a strange beauty.

Each successful transformation of the flame form was accompanied by Lin Changheng's slightly rapid breathing.

He was completely absorbed, his mind closely connected with the ever-changing flames, meticulously sensing each reorganization and stabilization of its energy structure.

Casting the [Flame Demon Technique] involves the consumption of magical power and is a profound test of the exquisite control of one's divine sense.

His mind started racing again.

The fiery lotus suddenly disintegrated, transforming into dozens of tiny, golden fire butterflies, each no bigger than a fingernail, which danced gracefully and were almost indistinguishable from real living things.

The swarm of fire butterflies gathered and dispersed intermittently, sometimes flowing like a river of stars, sometimes shrouded in mist, illuminating the entire secret chamber with a bizarre and fantastical light.

In the end, all the fire butterflies, like rivers flowing into the sea, poured into Lin Changheng's outstretched palm, and re-condensed into a quiet, leaping, dark golden flame.

Lin Changheng slowly closed his eyes, savoring the exhilarating control he had just experienced, a satisfied expression on his face.

"The wonder of [Flame Manipulation] lies in 'life'." He realized in his heart, "It is no longer about rigidly driving the flames, but about giving them 'form' and 'dynamic will'. Although it is not a true creation, it has already taken a crucial step in the way of change."

"Only when the true meaning of the [Fire Control Divine Power] is added can it be considered a combination of strength and agility, a convergence of might and change!"

Follow your heart and give it a try!
The dark golden [Dark Flame] roared and rose again. This time, the flame no longer merely pursued changes in form; deep within its core, an even more domineering and controlling will was injected into it.

Suddenly, the ball of flame split into nine palm-sized, ghostly golden fire crows.

Unlike the firebirds that were merely transformations, these nine fire crows had a golden light burning in their eyes, and their flapping wings were no longer light and ethereal, but carried a terrifying aura as heavy as a mountain and capable of burning everything in all directions!
They formed an array in the air, their breaths intertwined. The intense heat distorted the air within the sealed chamber; were it not for the protective barrier, the walls would likely have melted long ago. Each fire crow was like a highly concentrated, poised-to-explode core, yet also a component of the array.

"go with!"

Lin Changheng pointed to one point.

The nine fire crows let out a silent shriek, transforming into nine destructive beams of dark golden light, three times faster than before, instantly striking the puppet made of second-grade high-quality spirit ore used for testing in the center of the secret chamber.

There was no deafening explosion, only a few soft hissing sounds.

The refined iron puppet, which was strong enough to withstand a full-force attack from a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, turned bright red the moment it was touched by the beam of dark gold. It was like ice and snow thrown into the blazing sun, then melted and vaporized silently, leaving only a small puddle of scalding hot spiritual ore liquid and a crater in the ground.

Power and control, form and essence, are in harmonious unity at this moment!

Seeing this scene, Lin Changheng finally smiled with delight.

"That's what it looks like!"

"If I had possessed these supernatural and demonic powers combined last time, I probably wouldn't have even needed to unleash my [Sword Embryo] to kill the wounded Pseudo-Core Demon King. I could have simply used flames to break through his defenses and kill him!"

……

After the experiment was completed, Lin Changheng reluctantly left the secret room.

With a flash, the figure in the green robe appeared in the back mountain.

During this period, Lin Changheng frequently went out, sometimes staying for several years at a time, which caused his medicinal herb garden to fall behind schedule.

Fortunately, in the last time he helped the two neighboring islands escape the siege of cultivators, Island Master Xu Maolin specially sent a kind of [spiritual soil] to express his gratitude to Lin Changheng for saving his life and protecting the island.

This spiritual soil was created by Xu Maolin by collecting five different types of second-tier spiritual soil, supplemented with powdered remains of dozens of precious spiritual plants, bone powder of demonic beasts, and moonlight pearl powder nurtured by second-tier spiritual clams, and then repeatedly nurturing and blending it using special techniques.

It is a self-created technique! Although it is only a second-tier superior grade, it is not far from a third-tier spirit soil, and its effects are extremely strong.

It is called [Water and Qi Encompassing the Primordial Soil].

It presents a warm, grayish-white color, with a faint blue sheen flowing within, and feels warm to the touch, exuding a vibrant energy.

Its main effects are twofold:
Firstly, it has a powerful nourishing effect.

This soil contains pure and gentle earth energy, and can mobilize and attract nearby water elemental energy on its own. It can promote the growth of spiritual plants and shorten their maturation cycle. The effect is especially significant for spiritual plants and herbs of the water and earth elements, as well as those that require balanced nourishment from the five elements.

It can slowly nourish the essence of spiritual plants, with a slight chance of improving their quality.

Secondly, solidify the foundation.

Spreading this soil around the roots of the spiritual plant not only provides continuous nutrients, but its unique "energy-gathering" properties also help stabilize the spiritual energy environment around the plant, buffering the impact of violent fluctuations in spiritual energy, making the plant grow more steadily and less prone to damage to its vital energy due to external interference.

It is precisely because of this that although Lin Changheng's spiritual plants have slowed down, they are not extremely slow. They are still much faster than when planted in ordinary spiritual fields.

……

Lin Changheng scanned the list of key medicinal herbs and finally settled on the [Earth Vein Polygonatum].

This Solomon's seal plant looked completely different from the ones he usually saw.

Its main body is not buried deep in the soil, but most of it is exposed, presenting a deep and heavy "amber gold" color. The surface is covered with fine ring patterns like dragon scales, one ring after another, penetrating deep into the underground soil, making it difficult to count!
At this moment, its roots, like coiled dragons, burrowed deep into the Five Elements Essence Soil below, greedily and steadily absorbing nutrients. They shone brightly with the azure light emanating from the spiritual soil, bathing the entire Solomon's Seal plant in a hazy, precious glow.

Most remarkably, a small patch of thin, pale yellow earth-attribute spiritual energy mist spontaneously gathered about a foot above this century-old Solomon's seal, as if draping it with a canopy. Pure earth-elemental energy continuously dripped down from it, nourishing the medicinal plant.

Simply standing next to it, one can feel a deep, pure energy emanating from it, giving one a sense of solidity and groundedness throughout the body.

This marks the milestone of reaching 100 years!
"A century-old Solomon's Seal, absorbing the energy of the earth's veins and containing the essence of Wu Earth, is the main ingredient for strengthening the body, tempering the physical body, and refining various high-level earth-based pills... It is over a hundred years old and of excellent quality."

A hint of joy flashed in Lin Changheng's eyes.

This is also the first of Lin Changheng's spiritual plants to be acquired and the fastest to break through the century mark!
Having this precious medicine in hand is enough to satisfy anyone, whether for personal cultivation, as a reserve for important future elixirs, or for trading.

The remaining second-tier spiritual plants have all reached the age of sixty or seventy years, getting closer and closer to a hundred years.

However, Lin Changheng was not in a hurry to harvest this spiritual plant. If there was no urgent need for it, it could continue to grow here. The longer it grew, the stronger its medicinal properties would be, and the higher its value would be.

With that thought in mind, Lin Changheng directly activated the true meaning of the [Rongsheng Divine Power] to ripen all the spiritual plants.

Only then did he leave, exhausted.

...Time slowly passed, and several years went by in the blink of an eye.

That year, Lin Changheng was 116 years old.

As the war between the Song and Jin dynasties reached a stalemate, major sects and Taoist factions in the Song region began to draw on their local forces to join the fight.

Meanwhile, various resources plundered from the Jin Dynasty were also transported back from the front lines.

However, this still could not prevent the problem of a weak internal force in the Song region.

"Brother Lin, the outside world has been in too much chaos lately."

Cheng Suling, the owner of the neighboring [Floating Star Island], was a guest at Lin Changheng's [Moon Resting Island]. She elegantly picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said...

This woman's appearance has become increasingly outstanding, with a captivating charm and radiant, glowing skin that seems to possess an inner starlight.

The moon-white robe with star patterns she wore accentuated her mysterious and outstanding aura, perhaps due to her cultivation of the art of geomancy.

What caught Lin Changheng's attention even more was that the woman's aura was more refined and profound than before, indicating that her cultivation had improved.

According to Lin Changheng's divine light, he has already entered the late stage of Foundation Establishment!
Furthermore, given the woman's unclear origins, her mastery of geomancy and possession of the Hunjin Ge Talisman indicate that she is at least "mysterious," if not of great importance.

Given that such people have a sense of neighborly affection and have been saved by a life-saving debt, it is reasonable for them to befriend and visit each other.

……

"Did Fairy Cheng hear or see anything on her last trip?"

Lin Changheng asked with great interest.

Since his last return, he has not left Jade Belt Lake at all, but through his own reasoning and the information he obtained from the alchemists, he has basically made some inferences about the chaos in the outside world.

She put down her teacup, her tone tinged with a sigh: "The battle at the front is intense, and various sects and factions are issuing mobilization orders frequently. Many Foundation Establishment cultivators from those aristocratic families have been transferred away one after another. Now, the garrison strength in this Purple Extreme Sect area has been greatly reduced, and those demons and monsters can no longer hold back."

"In recent months, there have been several incidents of cultivators attacking weaker immortal clans, and even openly committing murder and robbery in rented spiritual lands. It is said that some of these perpetrators are powerful figures at the late Foundation Establishment stage or even the Pseudo-Core stage. I even witnessed such a scene with my own eyes when I was out on business last time..."

Lin Changheng was taken aback. "How long has it been since the Purple Extreme Sect made an example of someone? Does a Tribulation Cultivator really dare to do this?"

Are there really people so stubborn and fearless?
Upon hearing this, Cheng Suling smiled wryly and shook her head gently: "Brother Lin, you are unaware that times have changed. Last time, the Ziji Sect's swift and decisive actions did indeed intimidate the villains, but at that time, the sect's power was still intact, so naturally no one dared to provoke them."

She paused, lowering her voice slightly, and revealed a secret: "But now, the [Purple Extreme Sect] itself is under immense pressure on the front lines. It's said that all the True Core cultivators within the sect have personally gone to the battlefield to lead the fight. The forces left behind are stretched thin; they can manage to maintain the core area, but for those of us in the more remote leased spiritual lands, they are simply too far away to help. The only option is to form a monitoring and enforcement team, give them the necessary power, and apprehend thieves outside!"

"Even True Core cultivators have been mobilized?"

Lin Changheng's previously calm and composed expression was instantly moved.

As a second-tier geomancer and a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, Cheng Suling naturally had a certain network of connections. Moreover, this place was within the jurisdiction of the [Purple Extreme Sect], so it seemed not impossible for her to make friends with people in the sect and collect relevant information.

After all, he often learned some inside information about the Purple Extreme Sect from Mo Zhaoli.

anyway--

Two years ago, Mo Zhaoli visited Qiyue Island.

Lin Changheng naturally gave him a warm welcome. However, since their last trip to the near-third-tier spiritual land in the wilderness, their "friendship" had begun to slowly change, and they were no longer as polite to each other.

Mo Zhaoli took out three jars of [Hundred Flower Spirit Honey], which were produced by [Crimson Wing Bees], indicating that she had successfully tamed and cultivated the [Crimson Wing Bee Queen] that she had obtained from the quasi-third-tier spiritual land last time.

After thanking her, Lin Changheng inquired about her upcoming campaign and offered her some protective items.

One genuine treasure talisman, two mid-grade second-tier talisman plates, two second-tier puppet beasts, and many second-tier auxiliary pills for healing, recovery, and replenishing blood.

"Brother Lin, this is absolutely not allowed."

Mo Zhaoli saw that these items were too valuable to accept, so he quickly refused.

Without a word, Lin Changheng pushed all the items in front of her, his tone leaving no room for refusal: "Take them. On the battlefield, things can change in an instant. The more prepared you are, the more chances you have to survive. These things can be rebuilt for me, but your safety is paramount."

He paused, then looked at her with a deep gaze: "If Li'er insists on not accepting it, then she has never regarded me as a trustworthy person."

Upon hearing this, Mo Zhaoli's delicate body trembled slightly. Meeting Lin Changheng's firm yet concerned gaze, the last shred of her resolve melted away. She bit her lower lip, no longer refusing, and carefully gathered all the items, placing them preciously into her storage bag.

“Brother Lin…” She raised her head, her eyes sparkling as if she had a thousand words to say, but in the end, they turned into a solemn promise, “Li’er will definitely return safely, and will not fail… will not fail what you have given me.”

A rare blush crept onto her cheeks, adding to her beauty.

Lin Changheng was no blockhead; seeing his daughter's obvious affection, his heart warmed as well. He stood up and, under Mo Zhaoli's bright gaze, gently pulled her into his arms.

With the warm fragrance of her body in his arms, inhaling the unique, elegant scent of Mo Zhaoli, like a secluded orchid in a valley, and feeling her slightly quickened heartbeat and her body that stiffened for a moment before softening again, Lin Changheng felt an indescribable pity and reluctance.

He tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer, and his deep voice whispered in her ear:

"Remember your promise, return safely. I... am waiting for you on Qiyue Island."

There were no sweet words, but these few simple words carried more weight than any other words.

Mo Zhaoli gently buried her burning cheeks in his firm chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, feeling an unprecedented sense of security and satisfaction. She nodded vigorously, letting out a soft "Mmm" through her nose, and quietly wrapped her arms around his waist.

The two have known each other for nearly a century, a period longer than a lifetime for an ordinary person.

The sun shone brightly outside the window, while inside, a warm and tender atmosphere prevailed. Yan Mingyi's tactful avoidance allowed the tranquility and embrace to be maintained, temporarily dispelling the gloom of war and the sorrow of parting.

After a long silence, Mo Zhaoli looked up and asked, "I wonder if Brother Lin needs anything? Please tell me, and perhaps while fighting in the Jin Kingdom, we can find local specialties or rare items in the Song Kingdom!"

Lin Changheng understood this principle. After considering it carefully, he named some resources and instructed, "Just take what you can, don't risk your life to get them!"

"Li'er understands."

Mo Zhaoli nodded vigorously.

At this point, it's estimated that Mo Zhaoli has been at the front lines for about half a year now, and there's still no news coming back. Lin Changheng doesn't know the specific situation either.

……

Come back to the present moment.

Faced with Lin Changheng's surprise, Cheng Suling pointed out the key:
"Those cultivators who dare to show their faces are either confident in their high cultivation level, have powerful backers, or are simply disguised forces taking advantage of the chaos to seize resources. It's not that they are not afraid of death, but rather that they have calculated that no one can control them now, and that the surveillance team's patrols are not omnipresent and all-pervasive, which gives them a chance to escape!"

"There are even rumors circulating that some rogue cultivators at the Pseudo-Core Formation level have secretly made their moves... After all, resources are a powerful motivator."

Lin Changheng quickly gleaned information from it.

In particular, the "old rogue cultivator at the pseudo-core realm" gave him a wake-up call.

To become a prestigious family, one must first have a deep family foundation and strong strength. Then, with the emergence of a pseudo-core cultivator to oversee the family, its power and strength can be further enhanced, allowing it to be promoted to a higher level.

Instead, a fake cultivator would emerge, establish a family, and that family would then become a "noble family".

"I see. I just hope that no foolish cultivators will come to our Jade Belt Lake."

Lin Changheng dislikes trouble and only hopes to get through this special period peacefully without getting involved in any disputes.

Once the Song-Jin War ends, everything will naturally return to normal. At that time, whether the Song Dynasty is prosperous or weak will not only have no impact on him, an outstanding alchemist, but will instead present him with opportunities.

"I hope it is as Brother Lin said."

Cheng Suling smiled in agreement.

The island lords of the three islands are all skilled craftsmen, who can develop, become wealthy, accumulate resources, and improve their cultivation in a stable environment. They have a natural aversion to chaos and war.

Another half hour passed, and Lin Changheng saw Cheng Suling off, but then looked at the jade box she had left on the table.

This was given to Lin Changheng in return for his previous help.

Lin Changheng naturally declined, saying that it was only right for neighbors to help each other, and that Cheng Xianzi's concern was too much of a formality.

But unable to refuse the other party's request, he had no choice but to accept it.

"Snapped!"

With a casual flick of his sleeve, he opened the box, revealing the essence blood of the [Frosty Jade Crystal Scorpion] that he had obtained earlier.

When this woman went out last time, she must have also visited that secret place by the river.

"Oh? That's thoughtful of you."

Lin Changheng had not expected that Cheng Suling was so thoughtful and accurately grasped his needs.

Just then, Yan Mingyi walked over with a swaying waist. Her girlish face and mature figure made Lin Changheng glance at her and admire her from time to time.

"Husband, has Fairy Cheng already left?"

The words that came out of Yan Mingyi's red lips were normal, but Lin Changheng could smell a hint of jealousy.

Lin Changheng chuckled and shook his head, gently ruffling her long, black hair, which felt as smooth as satin. He smiled and said, "Once the important matters are settled, I'll naturally leave. It was just a discussion about joint defense in the current chaotic situation. Your jealousy is completely unreasonable."

Yan Mingyi was not annoyed that he had seen through her thoughts. Instead, she leaned against him, raised her pretty face, and wrinkled her nose: "Who is jealous? I am just concerned about whether my husband is treating his guests well."

She denied it verbally, but a smile appeared in her eyes, clearly enjoying Lin Changheng's affectionate explanation.

"Yes, yes, Mingyi is the most virtuous and generous." Lin Changheng readily agreed and coaxed her in the same way.

Yan Mingyi was finally satisfied. Remembering the important matter, she said softly, "My husband asked me to prepare a medicinal bath. All the spiritual ingredients have been prepared according to the prescription and are being warmed with spiritual spring water. Shall we go now?"

“Yes,” Lin Changheng nodded, “After discussing with Fairy Cheng today, I feel even more strongly that improving my strength is urgent. This medicinal bath can accelerate the tempering of my body and help me reach the peak of the second stage of body refinement more quickly, taking that final small step. There is no time to lose.”

During this period, Lin Changheng increased the frequency and intensity of his body training.

This is to make up for the previous slackness.

In this situation, relying solely on the triple-level [Self-Healing Technique] and the single-level [Fire Rebirth Technique] is simply not enough. Lin Changheng also specially refined physical recovery pills to support the high-intensity body training.

As a result, the body-refining materials such as [Dragon Blood Fruit] and [Eastern Wheel Willow Wood] that had been collected in the storage bag were being consumed rapidly.

The good news is that the accumulation and progress of body tempering cultivation has been rapidly advancing!
(End of this chapter)