Steady Mortal Path: Starting from Obtaining the Golden Core Inheritance

Chapter 279 Revisiting the Crimson Waves

"It seems that advancing to the Golden Core realm has also caused some changes in the spirit tree."

Lin Changsheng sensed the slowly dissipating magical energy within his body, which was still within a controllable range and could be stopped at any time, so he allowed the spirit tree to absorb it.

Back when he was at Changchun Peak, he was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, and the Spirit Tree had fed him spiritual energy to help him cultivate.

However, over the years, Lin Changsheng's cultivation level has advanced to the Golden Core stage, but the spirit tree has remained in the Hundred Herbs Pouch and has not been transplanted, resulting in a lagging growth rate.

The necessary internal Changchun Gong (a type of internal energy cultivation technique) power is needed to aid growth.

Lin Changsheng's cultivation to the point of becoming a Golden Core True Person owes much to his main cultivation technique, the "Eternal Spring Skill."

The Spirit Tree originated from the Everlasting Spring Technique, so even the slightest change in it deserves serious attention.

Over the course of more than ten days, Lin Changsheng used the Everlasting Spring Technique to transfer a massive amount of magical power to the spirit tree, which consumed a considerable amount of his energy.

The spirit tree's grade has also been upgraded to the third rank, with a height of over ten zhang, its branches and leaves flourishing, exceeding the storage limit of the herb pouch.

If the dojo is changed next time, just transplanting the spirit tree will be enough to give people a headache.

Inside the trunk of the spirit tree, a rich aura of wood element is nurtured, gradually settling and taking shape over time.

Lin Changsheng predicts that, at the current pace, this process will take at least another ten years.

……

More than half a year later.

Lin Changsheng transformed the alchemy and talisman-making materials bestowed upon him by the Ghost Valley True Lord into talismans and pills, mainly of the first and second tiers.

They also used scraps and minerals from their own bodies to create low-level mechanical puppets.

Then he piloted the Water Cloud Boat away from Mingling Peak.

Four or five days later, Lin Changsheng, having traversed a small part of Gunzhou, arrived in Wuqiu Kingdom once again.

He traveled between several large and small immortal cities and markets, and gathering places for cultivators, constantly selling the talismans, pills, and puppets he had accumulated.

At the same time, acquire suitable Tier 3 materials.

Chitao tribe.

In the vast, desolate desert, a large tribe of several thousand people lives.

On this day, several senior members of the tribe gathered in the stone house.

On the table were a lot of roasted monster meat, which was rarely seen on ordinary days, as well as fragrant spiritual wine and exquisite spiritual fruits.

"Ah Yue, today is your birthday. You can make a wish to our tribe's ancestors. It's very effective."

A tall, burly man named Amuli spoke with a touch of warmth to his petite and charming younger sister.

"May our ancestors bless the Black Wind Tribe so that they will no longer cause trouble for Awei. May the two tribes live together in this desert without invading each other."

"May our ancestors bless Brother Lin so that he may successfully advance to the Golden Core stage."

"If my ancestors could bless me, I would be content to see Brother Lin again in my lifetime."

The girl, A-Yue, had her eyes closed and was murmuring to herself, looking devout.

"Ah Yue, why don't you make a wish for yourself?"

"Our ancestors would not protect outsiders!"

"Also, I told you not to mention that person again. He can't stay in our tribe, and the women of our tribe can't marry outside!"

Hearing his sister's three wishes—one for him, her older brother, and the other two for an outsider with impure motives—Amu Li felt a pang of jealousy and spoke with a hint of annoyance.

"Brother Lin is no outsider!"

"He helped us with alchemy; he's a friend of our tribe!"

"That's what the girl, A-Yue, is trying to correct me on purpose."

"Hmph, Yue, you've really lost your mind."

"Next month I will choose a brave young man from the tribe and marry you off. Once you are married and have children, you will stop saying such nonsense."

Amuli's face turned ashen, and he growled in a low voice.

"I won't marry him! Awei, you're being unreasonable! You're bullying me!"

A-Yue's face was full of stubbornness, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"As a woman of the Chitao tribe, your mission is to marry our brave men and bear excellent offspring."

Amuli's tone was firm and left no room for doubt.

As the brother and sister were arguing, a young man in flowing white robes suddenly appeared before them.

"Brother Lin!"

A tear still lingered on A Yue's cheek, but a look of surprise appeared on her exotic face.

"It's you?"

"How dare you trespass on my Chitao tribe's territory!"

Amuli was taken aback at first, but was the first to react. With a gloomy face, he coldly gave orders to those around him:

"This person has trespassed into our territory. Capture him!"

Amuli's words contained the power of blood and qi, and exploded like thunder. Dozens of people from the Chitao tribe immediately surged out and surrounded the place.

"Haha, Chief Amuli, don't be impulsive. I've come here simply to complete a deal with you."

Lin Changsheng smiled calmly, his tone light and carefree, seemingly not taking the Chitao tribe seriously at all.

As he spoke, a magical aura containing the oppressive power of Danli slowly emanated from his body.

Everyone in the surrounding Chitao tribe, including Amuli, directly felt a strong sense of oppression.

Amu Li, who had been boasting about taking down Lin Changsheng just moments before, now looked deflated and embarrassed. He was terrified by the aura of the Golden Core cultivator and dared not move for a long time.

"Master Lin Dan has actually... advanced to the Golden Core realm!"

"I wonder what kind of deal Master Lin wants to make with us?"

After a moment of silence, Amuli, with a look of apprehension, asked in a deep voice.

"Hehe, it would have been so much better if you had spoken so calmly earlier."

Lin Changsheng smiled warmly, suppressed his golden core aura, and then said:

"I've heard that your tribe possesses a method for refining a high-quality, third-tier Blood Essence Pill. I sincerely wish to exchange it. I wonder if Chief Amuli would be willing?"

"How do you know about the formula for our clan's sacred medicine?"

Upon hearing Lin Changsheng's words, Amuli was first startled, then as if he had thought of something, he suddenly turned his head to look at Ayue beside him.

Upon hearing this, A-Yue immediately blushed and lowered her head, like a child who had done something wrong.

The Premium Blood-Soaring Pill is a breakthrough pill for those who have broken through to the third stage of Body Refinement.

This was something she accidentally let slip while chatting with Brother Lin years ago.

At the time, it seemed that Brother Lin was a tribal alchemist, not an outsider, so even if he knew about the premium Tengxue Pill, it wouldn't matter much.

"Impossible! The formula for our clan's sacred medicine must never be easily revealed to outsiders!"

After withdrawing his gaze, Amuli refused on the spot.

But his tone was much gentler than before.

After all, given Lin Changsheng's status as a Golden Core True Person, the highest level of body refinement in their Chitao tribe was only near-third-level.

But as soon as he finished speaking, Lin Changsheng waved his hand behind him, and two mechanical puppets appeared in front of him. Even though they were not yet in control, they faintly exuded an oppressive aura.

"A near-third-tier puppet!"

Amul was filled with surprise, his gaze fixed on the two 'quasi-third-tier' puppets, unable to look away.

Two near-third-tier puppets—that's equivalent to the combat power of two pseudo-core cultivators!

……

soon.

Lin Changsheng reached an agreement with Amuli of the Chitao tribe and obtained the method for refining the premium Tengxue Pill.

The conditions are two 'quasi-third-tier' mechanical puppets, plus the refining of two batches of ordinary Tengxue Pills.

During this period, Lin Changsheng also bought a lot of high-grade ores and other materials in Iron Star City at rock-bottom prices.

The cultivation world of Gunzhou is resource-poor, except for its abundant minerals, which are more affordable than raw materials of the same grade.

Two months later.

After refining the agreed amount of Tengxue Pills, Lin Changsheng took the initiative to leave the Chitao tribe and quietly departed under the moonlight.

A moment later, light footsteps could be heard outside the stone house.

"Brother Lin, are you resting?"

A girl's melodious voice drifted over, and after looking around outside the stone house for a while, A-Yue quietly crept in.

But when they saw a storage bag on the table, they also saw a delicate porcelain bottle and a jade slip placed separately.

Ah Yue seemed to have thought of something, and her pretty face turned pale instantly. She walked forward dejectedly.

The storage bag was filled with recently refined Blood Essence Pills.

Then, the porcelain bottle was opened, and a strange, refreshing fragrance immediately wafted out.

"This is... a Foundation Establishment Pill left behind by Brother Lin..."

Under the moonlight, a girl's soft sigh drifted over.

……

Dawn.

Lin Changsheng had already piloted the Water Cloud Boat and fled thousands of miles away.

Lin Changsheng was well aware of the feelings that the young girl, A-Yue, had for him.

Undeniably, A Yue possesses an exotic beauty, unlike the female cultivators of Jiuze Continent or Qianzhou.

Given his current status as a Golden Core True Person, the Chitao tribe wouldn't object if he simply took A Yue away and made her his concubine.

They might even push for this to happen.

However, Ah Yue was naive and too simple-minded. What truly moved her was the perfect image that Lin Changsheng had created.

It is different from Qingzhi and Lanhua back then, and later Zhao Wanning.

Qingzhi and Lanhua were instilled with the idea of ​​becoming maids from a young age. When they arrived at Changchun Peak, they were considered Lin Changsheng's private 'properties' and had no choice.

As a steward of the Chamber of Commerce, Zhao Wanning was naturally not as naive as A Yue.

Her purpose in being with Lin Changsheng might have been partly due to admiration, but it was also because she valued his skills and potential.

After weighing the pros and cons, she used herself as a bargaining chip to invest in Lin Changsheng.

She knows exactly what she wants.

As for A-Yue, she was more immersed in a beautiful dream.

Keeping this woman by your side might not be appropriate.

There is an opportunity left for her to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage; whether she can seize it depends on her own destiny.

Only by advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage can one hope to escape the influence of male chauvinism within the tribe.

……

On the way back to Guigu Sect.

Lin Changsheng released the Crimson Centipede and the Wind Crow.

They searched extensively for monsters of the third rank or higher in the desert.

Premium Blood-Soaring Pill is a breakthrough pill for those who have reached the third stage of Body Refinement.

While its value is not as precious as that of the 'Golden Core', it is not far off.

In addition to requiring a large amount of high-aged spiritual herbs, the refining materials also require the essence blood of many high-level demonic beasts.

The essence and blood of powerful demons of the third rank and above are especially effective when refined into pills.

Besides hunting monsters, Lin Changsheng also collected the locations of many wild spiritual veins and marked them on the map.

Because Guigu Zhenjun possessed the technique of severing meridians, he usually attached great importance to the spiritual veins in the wild.

Finding suitable spiritual veins is also one of the responsibilities of the elders of the Guigu Sect.

Furthermore, depending on the size of the spiritual vein, one can exchange it for corresponding resources, cultivation techniques, secret arts, magic treasures, etc. within the sect.

Judging that the time for the Core Formation Ceremony was not far off, Lin Changsheng recalled the Crimson Centipede and the Wind Crow and headed back home.

……

As the influence of Master Guigu grew, the Guigu Sect also gradually became famous.

In recent years, many merchant guilds and families in the cultivation world of Gunzhou and Jiuzezhou have begun to contact the Guigu Sect in search of cooperation.

There was no other way; the Guigu Sect occupied a very special geographical location.

Located precisely at the border between Jiuzezhou and Gunzhou, it controls the lifeline of trade between the two continents.

It can no longer be ignored.

Guigu Zhenjun used the method of severing the meridians to forcibly change the barren landscape at the border of the spirit boats, cultivate the spiritual veins, and establish a Nascent Soul level sect, which was heard of by the major forces of the two continents.

On the day of the Core Formation Ceremony, the Ghost Valley Sect was more lively than ever before.

Because of the small number of disciples at Mingling Peak, the celebration was held at Master Tan's Tiangui Peak.

Furthermore, with Master Tan handling everything, Lin Changsheng didn't need to worry about it.

Nearby families and even sects from a slightly more distant location sent people to offer their congratulations.

People come and go in an endless stream.

Lin Changsheng, the person directly involved, didn't have much to do.

The celebration lasts for three days as usual.

Lin Changsheng only appeared on the first day to offer a cup of spiritual wine, allowing everyone to get to know the Sixth Elder of the Ghost Valley Sect, and then he had nothing more to do.

On the contrary, they received a lot of congratulatory gifts.

However, most of them are first- or second-tier treasures, with only a handful involving third-tier items.

Afterwards, many people took the initiative to visit Mingling Peak, hoping to build a good relationship with him, the newly promoted elder of the Guigu Sect.

Lin Changsheng didn't mind the trouble and met with them one by one.

Because most of these people are there to 'give gifts'.

More than 70% of them belong to Yunmengze or Gunzhou forces.

Seeing the potential of the Ghost Valley Sect and Green Wilderness City, they plan to develop here.

Therefore, it is natural to need to find someone to protect and cooperate with.

As a newly promoted Golden Core cultivator and the sixth elder of the Ghost Valley Sect, Lin Changsheng clearly has the qualifications and strength to do so.

This has led to situations where people can sit at home while resources are delivered to their doorstep.

The value of the gifts delivered to their door even exceeded that of the congratulatory gifts for the Core Formation celebration.

The reason is simple.

The Golden Core Ceremony is a social event, mostly involving exchanges of favors and considerations, often done out of politeness.

Since delivering gifts is related to the future development of their respective families' influence in the area, it cannot be taken lightly.

"No wonder everyone is scrambling to become a high-level cultivator; they're practically receiving so many gifts their hands are sore."

Lin Changsheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"My old friend, the Lin family of Green Wilderness Immortal City, comes to pay his respects to Elder Zhang Meng on his advancement to the Golden Core stage, and brings with him the younger generation of his clan."

Among the visitors were members of the Lin family who claimed to be old acquaintances, which aroused Lin Changsheng's suspicion.

An elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, accompanied by a composed young man, took the initiative to pay their respects.

The young man appeared to have an extraordinary demeanor and a calm face, but there was a hint of unease in his eyes.

"I am Lin Baiyu. I had a brief encounter with Elder Zhang Meng outside Green Wilderness City many years ago. I wonder if Elder Zhang Meng still remembers me?"

The elderly man, with his white hair and youthful face, spoke respectfully, introduced himself, and mentioned their past connection.

Upon hearing this, the young man beside him seemed somewhat ashamed of his elder's forceful attempt to establish a connection, and worried that the Sixth Elder of the Ghost Valley Sect might have already forgotten what happened back then, or even angered the other party, so he was somewhat uneasy.

"I remember now. The jade slip you gave me back then was quite detailed, saving me a lot of trouble."

Lin Changsheng seemed to recall for a moment, then spoke amiably.

Upon hearing this, the Lin family, young and old, felt a sense of relief.