Recalling the scenes that had just unfolded, Lin Changheng's face revealed a strange expression.
He had essentially gone with the flow.
He had contributed his own strength to this "mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind" scenario.
At that time, when Lin Changheng, disguised as a one-eyed middle-aged cultivator, was forced into the black pool by the Ji surname cultivator from the [Purple Extreme Sect], he had the impulse to turn around and kill the other party with a single sword strike, but his mind raced, and he decided to play along, not to alert the enemy.
Even
if things went wrong, he could escape immediately after entering the deep pool and realizing something was amiss.
So he sank into the deep pool. Although it was pitch black, for Lin Changheng, being in the inky black water and under the subtle oppressive force of the black pool, his vision was surprisingly not much different.
This surprised him greatly.
It was because of the divine light!
The dark clouds obscuring his vision cleared, immediately easing most of his tension and calming his mind.
Using his divine sense to eliminate blind spots, Lin Chang began to rapidly explore the deep pool.
At the same time, a further plan slowly emerged in his mind. Then
, he directly used the [Water Shadow Stealth Demon Technique] and the [Concealing Breath Demon Technique], instantly obliterating his aura.
To outsiders, it was as if he had evaporated.
Not long after this information spread, the white-robed cultivator also entered the black pool with trepidation.
He hadn't dived more than ten feet when he saw a blurry, life-bearing shadow floating opposite him.
They faced each other.
The white-robed cultivator was shocked and, without saying a word, immediately summoned his spiritual weapon to attack, but the next instant, the shadow approached him, and a large, bony hand grabbed his neck.
"You, you, you—"
As the distance closed, the white-robed cultivator was even more shocked to see that the shadowy figure before him was actually a one-eyed middle-aged man. Recalling the man's previously weak and greedy appearance, and his current powerful and strange demeanor, his pupils dilated in shock, instantly sensing the hidden trickery within the contrast. "
You know too much—
" *Crack!* Lin Changheng's eyes were icy cold. With a slight exertion, he snapped the man's neck, took the storage bag from his waist, and in the next instant, moved him into the [Gourd Heaven Space], burying him at the edge of the space.
Let him rest in peace.
Then, he found the [Communication Flame Talisman] and crushed it without a word.
"Pfft!" A soft sound rang out, signaling the transmission.
Although he also had a [Communication Flame Talisman], he chose to use the other party's talisman to activate it, to avoid any possible "person-talisman correspondence" markings as a backup. He
was conducting a thorough and realistic simulation to avoid any possibility of exposure!
After doing this, Lin Changheng changed his appearance, abandoning the one-eyed middle-aged cultivator's form and transforming into a new one to avoid being seen and bringing annihilation upon the You family. He continued sinking deeper into the pool without stopping.
Soon, he discovered traces of a man-made array left on the rocks of the pool wall!
Although Lin Changheng's understanding and skill in arrays were not as advanced as Qian Mingzi's, who had reached the level of a second-tier high-grade array master (equivalent to a near-third-tier array master), he still possessed basic judgment.
He recognized at a glance that these were remnants of an array left not long ago.
Whether it was intentional or not, Lin Changheng didn't know, but it was undeniable that someone had been in or hidden in this deep pool.
This also proved that the [Penetrating Void Purification Talisman] was truly effective, capable of detecting such differences.
However, Lin Changheng also sensed a hint of conspiracy. If the remnants of the formation were intentionally left behind, then certain arrangements were specifically designed to target the [Penetrating Void Purification Talisman], ensuring its detection—wasn't that highly possible?
Anyone with a certain understanding of the [Penetrating Void Purification Talisman] could do just that.
And it was only natural that Qian Mingzi would obtain the talisman after killing a team of [Purple Extreme Sect] inspectors.
This logical deduction flowed smoothly, causing Lin Changheng to immediately show a cautious expression:
Had the [Purple Extreme Sect] patrol team finally discovered Qian Mingzi's whereabouts, or had Qian Mingzi deliberately allowed the Purple Extreme Sect to discover his location and set a trap in advance?
As he continued to descend, concealing himself, he saw the array barrier that enveloped the entrance to the deep cave, isolating it from the outside world yet leaving gaps. He became even more vigilant!
Strands of unusual spiritual energy and faint signs of life were subtly leaking out!
This made Lin Changheng feel extremely uneasy.
The more he looked at the cave, the more it resembled a ferocious maw, ready to devour someone!
Lin Changheng was extremely cautious, refusing to approach or enter to investigate, and even turning away to keep his distance.
But soon, his intuition was confirmed. He
thought to himself, "There is indeed danger!"
It wasn't the feedback from his "divine sense," nor the "divine light" piercing the winding cave walls, but rather the perception provided by the *Secret Technique of Identifying Spirits by Sensing the Wind*!
Still at the proficiency level, Lin Changheng vaguely sensed a fierce aura within the cave, possibly inhabited by some extremely powerful and formidable creature.
Besides this,
Lin Changheng also noticed something he had never noticed before.
Ten feet below the cave entrance, there were jagged rocks, nothing unusual, just an ordinary, perfectly normal Black Abyss cave wall.
No magic power, no spiritual light, no signs of life—
nothing at all!
But Lin Changheng sensed something there—"wind"!
Not actual wind, but a very mysterious and subtle feeling of wind.
Indescribable, ineffable, and therefore imperceptible.
But the most crucial point isn't the presence of "wind," but rather the absence of this "wind" in other similar locations on the mountainside. This
unusual
feature often signifies strangeness!
It signifies something abnormal!
There must be a cultivator or something else hiding inside, with extremely sophisticated methods, undetectable even to Lin Changheng's divine sense and divine light.
"Two suspicious points!"
Lin Changheng flashed away, hiding nearby. He activated his [Water Shadow Stealth Demon Technique] and [Breath Concealment Demon Technique] at full power, concealing himself in the pitch-black, sensory-suppressing pool of water.
Moreover, the cave's presence could draw away most of the intruder's attention. Once
someone entered the cave, causing a collision and escaping, it would become the primary focus of the person or demon hiding on the mountainside.
This further reduced his already low chance of exposure!
It was a case of "blind spots under the lamp!"
Next, Lin Changheng waited with utmost patience.
If someone was preparing to execute an incredibly precise and highly effective ambush plan,
Lin Changheng was essentially lighting the fuse, accelerating and compensating for the so-called disadvantage.
As it turned out, without any prior communication, the two of them worked together to create a near-perfect scene!
Initially, both of them intended to assassinate Zhen Zhenren through their respective traps!
However, after Lin Changheng sensed something amiss, he immediately changed and adjusted his strategy, not rigidly adhering to any plan, and finally—unfolded a second half that no one had anticipated.
Unexpectedly, he became the eagle in the proverb, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; after the oriole, there is still the eagle."
Lin Changheng easily eliminated Zhen Zhenren, sending him, his disciples, and his descendants to a neat and orderly reunion below, before continuing his descent.
He didn't rush to check his storage bag.
Instead, he concealed all his aura, like a shadow blending into the water, slowly approaching the center of the battle below, where intense roars and spiritual energy surges were still emanating. His movements were smooth yet seamless, perfectly avoiding the turbulent water currents and spiritual energy currents caused by the battle, eliminating any subtle fluctuations that might reveal his presence.
His main strategy was stability!
Because there were no other exits below the Black Pool, the human and the demon were locked in a fierce battle, each with a clear objective: to kill the other.
Neither the heavily injured Qian Mingzi nor the ferocious Zhuodan demon beast could escape easily, nor could they allow the other to flee.
They were now trapped like turtles in a jar!
Lin Changheng only needed to wait patiently, sitting back and watching. The best time for him to strike would be when one of them was defeated, or when both were exhausted and on the verge of death, when they were at their weakest, most tired, and least vigilant.
He was not in a hurry.
Below, the battle had reached a fever pitch, extremely brutal.
Although Qian Mingzi had been severely injured by Zhen Zhenren's desperate attack, his sternum collapsed, his internal organs shifted, and his magical power sluggish, the speed and ruthlessness of his wind-elemental spiritual root remained, coupled with his overwhelming hatred, which fueled his frenzied counterattack.
He no longer pursued elaborate, wide-range spells, but instead concentrated his power to the extreme, unleashing a series of wind drills and invisible wind needles specifically targeting the vulnerable spots on the Turbid Core Demon Beast—wounds, eyelids, and mouth—inflicted by Zhen Zhenren's lightning seal. His attacks were cunning and vicious.
"Roar—!"
The Turbid Core Demon Beast was also suffering.
Although it possessed thick skin and exceptional talent, its previous clashes with Zhen Zhenren, coupled with Qian Mingzi's relentless attacks on its wounds, had caused many of its scales to crack, black, muddy blood to seep out. One of its eyes had been nearly blinded by a condensed wind needle, bleeding profusely. The intense pain fueled its frenzy and savagery.
It continuously spewed torrents of mud containing potent poison and strong corrosive power, wielding its claws and massive tail, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, stirring the pool water into terrifying whirlpools, attempting to drag Qian Mingzi into a desperate close-quarters battle.
The cave trembled violently under their frenzied clash, with debris raining down. Had it not been for the reinforcement of the array, it would likely have collapsed completely long ago.
Both sides were blinded by rage, their magical power, physical strength, and demonic energy rapidly depleting, their injuries worsening.
The roars of the demonic beasts gradually carried a hint of agitation and exhaustion. Qian Mingzi coughed up more and more blood, his face ashen, and his movements noticeably slower.
Neither the human nor the demon dared to relax, for they both knew that retreat or distraction at this moment would mean annihilation.
Lin Changheng silently hovered in the shadows a hundred feet above the battlefield, like a withered leaf drifting in a turbulent pool, his figure steady, his gaze calmly fixed on the desperate battle below.
Like a patient hunter, he waited patiently for his prey to bleed to its last drop, revealing its most fatal weakness.
"Boom!"
A violent collision followed.
Despite enduring several piercing wind blades from Qian Mingzi, the turbid demon beast suddenly unleashed a ferocious tail whip, its massive tail covered in bone spurs slamming into Qian Mingzi's weakened left side, where he had been slow to dodge!
"Crack!"
A chilling sound of bones shattering rang out. Half of Qian Mingzi's body instantly twisted and deformed, a bloody mess, his left arm and part of his shoulder blade almost completely torn apart!
He let out a bloodcurdling scream, his body flying like a rag doll, crashing heavily against the rock wall.
However, in this dying moment, a final burst of madness and ruthlessness erupted in Qian Mingzi's eyes. His remaining right hand, fingers pointing like a sword, gathered its remaining cultivation and divine soul power, unleashing a perfectly condensed, almost transparent [Wind Element Thorn]. Ignoring spatial distance, just as the demon beast's dark eyes revealed a triumphant, sinister smile, the thorn pierced fiercely into its wounded eye!
"Pfft!"
The wind pierced through the beast's brain, exiting from the back of its head!
"Roar—!!!"
The beast let out a deafening howl, filled with endless pain and resentment. Its massive body convulsed violently, and a flicker of human-like fear flashed in its remaining single eye.
But its powerful vitality kept it from collapsing immediately. Instead, driven by its last instinct, it staggered and
frantically fled towards the depths of the cave where it had been hiding. Its heavy body churned the pool, leaving a trail of blood and trembling breath before finally disappearing into the darkness, its life fading into silence, its fate unknown.
Qian Mingzi, however, floated in the water, his back against the cold rock wall. His remaining half of his body was covered in blood, his breath as weak as a candle in the wind.
There was no joy of victory on his face, only a tragic ashen look, yet a wry smile played on his lips.
He struggled to lift his eyes, gazing at the unreachable light above the black pool, a deep regret and resentment surfacing in his murky eyes.
"If it weren't for that sudden turn of events—if it weren't for the damage to my foundation caused by the [Purple Extreme Sect], forcing me to hastily form a false core—I, Qian Mingzi, possess a wind-elemental unique spiritual root. If I had been able to settle down, I might have had a chance to form a true core, or even a golden core! Furthermore, with the high-quality second-tier array formations I painstakingly researched and mastered, given time, I would surely have broken through to the third-tier array master—at that time, with unparalleled array cultivation, my path would be incredibly smooth
. Even pursuing the Nascent Soul Dao might not have been impossible—" "Unfortunately, a sudden attack by wolves, a forced pursuit, and a desperate breakthrough destroyed all of this foundation and future—"
Endless regret and resentment finally transformed into a barely audible sigh, dissipating into the cold pool.
"Truly—it's fate!"
Just as his consciousness was about to completely sink into darkness, a figure in a green robe, like a ghost, silently appeared in the murky water not far in front of him.
Lin Changheng remained calm, his gaze fixed on the dying pseudo-Core Formation cultivator.
Qian Mingzi's unfocused eyes suddenly sharpened, bursting forth with an astonishing brilliance in his final moments!
He showed no fear at the sudden appearance of the beneficiary, nor did he question him. Instead, as if he had seen a long-awaited answerer, he used his last strength to hoarsely ask, "Zhen—Zhen the Old Dog—he—is dead?!"
His voice was broken, yet carried an almost obsessive urgency.
"That's right."
Lin Changheng looked at him and nodded slightly.
"Hahaha—good—good!" Upon receiving this definite answer, Qian Mingzi's face suddenly shone with an unusual radiance—a complex expression born from a mixture of resentment, bitterness, and the relief of finally avenging his great enemy. "Good riddance—worth it—worth it—"
"Thank you, fellow Daoist, for indirectly avenging me. I have no way to repay your great kindness, so I offer you this mutilated body and everything remaining in my storage bag, everything! I give it all to you as a small token of my gratitude—"
With a wistful and relieved laugh, the light in Qian Mingzi's eyes quickly dimmed, and the last glimmer of life, like a burnt-out wick, quietly extinguished.
His head drooped limply, and he fell silent.
His corpse lay there, adrift and helpless .
Lin Changheng remained silent. He stood
still for a moment.
Suddenly, he raised his hand and flicked it.
"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!—"
Five sword beams, each over three feet long, shot out from his hand, breaking through the water.
In an instant, he severed Qianmingzi's head and limbs.
Blood flowed freely.
Still no movement—
he was truly dead! Only
then did Lin Changheng approach with peace of mind.
His face was calm, his right hand raised, a dark metallic luster emanating from his fingertips, his flesh seemingly transforming into some kind of hardened keratin—the very characteristic of the [Limb Hardening Demonic Technique].
He pointed his fingers like a cone, without hesitation striking the center of the charred, sunken chest of the mutilated body.
"Draw it in!"
He silently chanted the incantation, his hardened fingertips transforming into the most precise conduits and pumps. A strange and powerful suction force emanated from his fingertips, not devouring flesh and blood, but precisely penetrating flesh, bones, and meridians, directly acting on the still-warm, solidified heart essence deep within the mutilated body and the remaining essence scattered in the main meridians!
The [Limb Hardening Demonic Technique] was now being used in reverse, using the sharp metal nature of his fingers as a medium to construct a brief but stable "channel."
"Thump thump thump!"
As the spell was activated, Lin Chang's eyes narrowed slightly, and the heart that had ceased functioning in his mangled body was forced to beat again.
He could feel that deep within his mangled body, strands of extremely pure, pale blue blood containing the essence of lightness and swiftness were being forcibly extracted and gathered!
They slowly flowed out from his fingertips.
This energy was liquid, a translucent pale blue in color, with subtle vortexes of wind spontaneously swirling within, emitting pure wind-attribute spiritual energy fluctuations.
It was the portion of [wind-attribute essence blood] that Qian Mingzi had integrated into the essence of his body after condensing a false core with his [wind-type alien spiritual root]!
Although due to his severe injuries and the disintegration of his false core, this essence blood was no longer complete, the quantity was not large, and it had lost some of its activity, its essence was extremely high. It contained the unique affinity and understanding of wind-attribute spiritual energy of an alien spiritual root cultivator, making it an invaluable material for the demonic path to refine special human-blood medicines, or even for cultivating certain secret techniques.
The pale blue essence blood clumped together, carefully wrapped and sealed by Lin Changheng's magic power, and poured into a small, pre-prepared cold jade bottle.
"Buzz~"
Only after the last trace of valuable essence blood within the remains was completely extracted, leaving the body noticeably gray and shriveled, did Lin Changheng stop his spell and carefully put away the cold jade bottle.
Without further delay, he raised his hand and grabbed the storage bag, the cracked bronze mirror, and other valuable items from Qian Mingzi's remains.
This time, it was much more forceful.
Simultaneously, with a slight thought, Lin Changheng's magic power transformed into an invisible hand, swiftly gathering and capturing the fragmented remains floating in the water—head, limbs, torso, etc.—piecing them together into a barely complete shape.
With a soft "whoosh," the remains vanished, absorbed into the [Pot Heaven Space].
In that independent little world, Qian Mingzi's mangled corpse was also buried at the edge of the space.
However, it was deliberately placed at a distance from the previous "grave," distinguishing it as a "separate burial,"
to fulfill the sentiment of the "gift." However, if this burial continued, it might not be long before the graves could circle the
[Gourd Heaven Space] —this inexplicable thought made Lin Changheng's expression turn strange.
In the center of the much wider space, where the spiritual energy had increased considerably due to the body's return to the world, the two jade-like spider demons, their bodies gleaming like crystal, busily spinning webs and reproducing, sensed the movement. One of the larger, second-tier male spider demons raised its compound eyes, coldly "glancing" at this newly appeared "neighbor."
A glint of emotion flashed in its eyes before it continued to lower its head, intently using its forelimbs to groom the batch of spider eggs that had finally been laid.
Clearly, it was already used to its master's "collecting obsession."
"Two dealt with, now you're left."
Having done all this, Lin Changheng remained utterly indifferent, turning to look at the grotesque, dark cave not far away.
Originally, this plan of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, now had a third party, allowing Lin Changheng to gain an additional benefit
.
The [Turbid Core Demon Beast], while not entirely a treasure trove, was certainly rich in valuables.
Demon core, essence blood, shell, horn, demon flesh—
all could be used.
Lin Changheng didn't rush in because of the potential gains. He stopped a few feet outside the cave entrance, flicked his sleeve, and a humanoid puppet, about his height and completely covered in a black robe, appeared.
It was a high-quality, second-tier, low-grade puppet crafted by Yan Mingyi, with a high degree of anthropomorphism.
"Go."
With a swift movement of the [Puppet Control Technique], the puppet moved silently into the deep, dark cave.
Although Lin Changheng couldn't perceive it in real time, he could only "observe" the scene through the puppet's observation. However, the black pool was so dark that it was practically invisible .
Nevertheless, he knew whether the puppet had been attacked.
That was enough.
"Whoosh—
"
The pool water parted, and the humanoid puppet continued forward.
The interior of the cave was even more winding and tortuous than the exterior, with passages that varied in width. The rock walls were covered with smooth marks left by the long-term friction of demonic beasts and lingering sticky black mud.
Here, light almost completely disappeared, with only the puppet's own faint glow illuminating the jagged rocks and the occasional drifting rotten remains, creating a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere.
The puppet cautiously advanced deeper along the main passage, narrowly avoiding several soft mud pits and hanging sharp stalagmites.
After descending about a hundred feet, the space suddenly opened up, revealing a relatively spacious underwater cavern.
Strangely, this place was completely isolated from the pool water.
In the center of the cavern, the turbid pill demon beast, its head and upper body almost completely submerged in filth and mud, lay prostrate, barely breathing.
The wound on its head was horrifying; the hole pierced by the [Wind Element Thorn] was still oozing black blood mixed with brain matter. Its single remaining eye was dim and lifeless, and many of its scales had cracked, revealing mangled wounds beneath. Its massive body rose and fell slowly with its weak breaths, clearly in dire condition, unable even to maintain basic vigilance.
However, just as the puppet had basically explored its surroundings and was about to approach, preparing to further observe the turbid core demon beast and even test its attack,
the demon beast's last remaining eye suddenly opened a crack. Although dim, it still retained a trace of ferocity and instinctive hostility towards the intruder. After a low, hoarse roar, it raised a forepaw, carrying its remaining demonic power, and swung it fiercely towards the puppet's location!
"Crack!"
A turbid claw shadow swept past, and the valuable, agile humanoid puppet was easily crushed like paper! Parts flew everywhere, instantly extinguishing the vision it provided.
Outside the cave entrance, Lin Changheng, who saw this scene through the last image transmitted back by the puppet, was not shocked or angry. Instead, he felt reassured, a calm smile appearing on his lips, as if he had expected it.
"As expected, it was already at its last gasp. A desperate counterattack is nothing more than this."
The destruction of the puppet precisely proved the demon beast's weakness and agitation. If it still had any strength left, it would not have exerted so much force, easily defeating it.
Without further hesitation, Lin Changheng's body glowed with a faint spiritual light, parting the murky water around him. His figure, like a streak of azure, drifted in and headed straight for the cave hall.
It was time to claim this final spoils.
"Boom!"
Not long after, a violent collision and explosion echoed from within the cave, accompanied by the feeble roar of the demonic beast, before everything fell silent.
Lin Changheng stood in the underwater cave hall, a [Azure Purple Sword Embryo], brimming with spiritual light and possessing astonishing spiritual
power, swirling left and right with terrifying force. The sword was stained with blood and some brain matter.
Before him, the turbid core demonic beast, resembling a giant lizard but with a single horn, lay on the ground.
There were no new sword wounds on its corpse, only new sword marks on its eyes, which had been repeatedly shattered by Zhen Zhenren and Qian Mingzi, and still contained traces of brain matter.
Clearly, the final blow that ended this demonic beast's life came from here.
Lin Changheng once again chose the simplest method, relentlessly attacking the wound and piercing the [Azure Purple Sword Embryo] into the brain through it, then unleashing a flurry of slashes to sever the life force.
Next, he continued extracting essence blood, digging out the demon core, stripping off the unicorn's carapace, and cutting up the demon beast's meat—not a single drop was wasted, collecting it all.
He would either seize its spirit, refine pills, forge weapons, or feed it to the three spirit beasts and strange insects at home,
replenishing their blood and demonic power to accelerate their advancement.
Of course, Lin Changheng and Yan Mingyi could also cook or roast it, but the demon beast was far too enormous for the two of them to finish; it would take forever. Most of it would require the help of spirit beasts and strange insects to digest.
It couldn't be wasted, after all, it was third-tier demon beast meat.
Then, Lin Changheng searched the somewhat empty underwater cavern, hoping to find some treasures. He
quickly discovered that the lair of the turbid pill demon beast was quite simple. Aside from piles of demon beast bones, some strange moss emitting a faint glow, and fragments of its own shed scales, there wasn't much else of note.
He had initially thought that this demon beast, having roamed for many years, might have accumulated some treasures, but after searching, he only unearthed three strange crystals, each the size of a human head and entirely azure and translucent, deep within its nest.
These crystals were warm and smooth, crystal clear, with an internal luster that seemed to flow like liquid, radiating extremely pure and concentrated water elemental power.
Lin Changheng's first thought was that it could be used for Xiaobai's cultivation and absorption.
However, strangely, Lin Changheng also discovered that the crystals themselves exhibited a peculiar resistance and repulsion towards the external water elemental power.
"Eh—"
Lin Changheng was immediately surprised. He considered himself to have spent over a hundred years in the cultivation world, having read countless books and records of strange objects, yet he had never seen such a crystal before, nor had he ever heard of it in any records.
It was truly bizarre that it could contain such pure water element yet naturally repel external water environments.
He then carefully examined the interior of the crystals with his divine sense, even attempting to infuse them with a trace of magic power, but found no other special reactions, nor any hidden runes or array patterns formed by the heavens and earth.
"Never mind, perhaps it's some kind of rare celestial treasure. I'll keep it for now and study it slowly when I have the chance."
After a fruitless examination, Lin Changheng could only suppress his curiosity for the time being, waving his hand to store the three azure crystals into his [Gourd Heaven Space], which hung high in the sky.
However, just as the three crystals disappeared, a sudden "Boom—!"
sound of violent water flow rang out. Lin Changheng turned around and saw the water that had been blocked outside the hall surging in violently, like a flood bursting its banks, incredibly vast, violently pouring in and instantly filling the area. The powerful water pressure and impact even caused Lin Changheng's magic shield to ripple slightly!
"So that's the effect."
Surrounded by the suddenly restored deep water environment, Lin Changheng was not surprised but delighted, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes. With a thought, he immediately took out a piece of azure crystal from his spatial storage and held it in his hand.
Sure enough!
The moment the crystal appeared, the water in the pool, within a radius of about ten feet around it, seemed to have met its nemesis. A gentle yet firm force slowly pushed it away, forming a stable, waterless, hollow spherical space!
Even Lin Changheng, who was inside, remained completely dry, walking as if on flat ground.
"Water-repelling!"
Lin Changheng looked at the crystal in his hand, which was quietly emitting blue light, and finally confirmed its core function, a look of realization appearing on his face.
He thought to himself: Although I don't know its specific name, its ability to "repel water" alone is already an excellent auxiliary treasure for exploring underwater secrets, rivers, lakes, and seas! It can also save me from one essence-blood-stealing attack.
But just as he was about to leave with the crystal, the pool water covered him again in the next instant.
"This thing can't be moved?"
Lin Changheng was surprised and tried several times.
The conclusion was that this object could only exert its [water-repelling] power in a stable, still state.
Lin Changheng frowned slightly; such a limitation was significant!
His earlier idea of creating a water-repelling zone around himself, following him wherever he went, was no longer feasible—
but he quickly accepted this reality. He
also realized another use for this object:
as long as the required environment was stable, this crystal could be used for rest, setting up formations, or dealing with certain special underwater crises.
It could save the long-term consumption of forming water-repelling spells and create a stable and reliable temporary "waterless" environment, both of which were highly beneficial.
"Whoosh!"
Lin Changheng carefully put the crystal away, took one last look at the now worthless monster's nest, and with a swift movement, disappeared out of the cave.
At this moment,
above the black pool, six cultivators dressed in gold-trimmed robes of the Purple Extreme Sect still stood in the air, but their expressions were different.
If they hadn't acted quickly and swiftly set up multiple concealment formations outside the [Minor Four Symbols Spirit Locking Array]
to prevent the huge commotion from the pool from attracting nearby demonic beasts—second-tier demonic beasts would be fine, but if third-tier demonic beasts were attracted, they might not only fail to blockade the pool's entrance, but their very lives would be in danger.
The external risks were gone, but the commotion within the pool was rapidly subsiding.
It seemed like a chaotic mess had broken out inside.
The situation was complex and unclear
—
it was obvious without even thinking that some unexpected change had occurred.
Their hearts sank, yet they dared not enter, nor dared they rashly flee. The former would be suicide, the latter would be severely punished as desertion by the sect! They
could only wait anxiously, their minds in turmoil.
Soon, the pool became completely still.
But no one appeared.
Not only was Zhen Zhen absent, but no other humans or demonic beasts appeared either.
Everyone grew even more anxious, urgently needing an answer.
The cultivator surnamed Ji now felt deep regret.
I was too impulsive! I shouldn't have killed that gray-robed cultivator.
Otherwise, if I had let him enter to check the situation in the Black Pool, he certainly wouldn't have dared to refuse, and I would have had a source of information.
It would be good if he were alive, meaning we were safe; if he were dead, we could have made a quick getaway instead of sitting here in jail, and we would have had a reason to explain to the sect—
"Sigh!" He sighed deeply.
But the next instant, the surface of the Black Pool, which had only been slightly rippled by the aftershocks, suddenly became unusually turbulent!
Near the center, the water surged violently, like boiling water, forming a rapidly spinning whirlpool. A faint spiritual light emanated from the center of the whirlpool, and it quickly expanded and surged upwards!
"Be on guard!"
The six members of the Purple Extreme Sect patrol team scattered from their original formation positions as if they had been electrocuted! High alert flashed in their eyes. The various spiritual weapons already clutched in their hands shone brightly, displayed before them. Their other hands gripped array flags tightly, their spiritual power surging wildly, ready to either activate the array to capture the thief or launch a thunderous attack, according to the pre-arranged plan!
Was the "thief" trying to escape? Or was Uncle Zhen returning victorious?
Just as everyone's tension reached its peak,
"Splash!"
A figure enveloped in a dim azure spiritual light suddenly burst forth from the center of the whirlpool, creating a large splash, hovering several feet above the surface of the pool.
It was none other than "True Master Zhen"!
However, he looked extremely unwell. His azure Daoist robe was tattered and filthy, his face was ashen, his breath was weak and fluctuating, and his spiritual light flickered dimly. Clearly, he had experienced a fierce battle and was severely injured.
The six men's tense nerves suddenly relaxed. As long as their Uncle Zhen emerged, everything was still under control.
A look of relief appeared on their faces simultaneously. "Disciples greet you—"
Before they could finish speaking, a sudden change occurred!
The "True Master Zhen," hovering in mid-air, abruptly raised his lowered eyelids, his calm expression instantly replaced by icy killing intent.
He didn't give the six people a chance to finish their greetings, nor did he offer any explanation or reassurance. In that split second when their guard was at its lowest, he struck without hesitation!
"Buzz—!"
A clear, resonant sword cry echoed across the pool!
A sword embryo, crackling with lightning and leaping with electric arcs, split from his sleeve—not just one, but instantly divided into three. Three extremely refined sword lights, as if possessing sentience, hurtled out in a triangular formation, not attacking the same person, but separately striking the three cultivators on the left. The sword lights were as fast as lightning, tearing through the air and emitting a piercing shriek!
At the same time, Zhen Zhenren raised his left palm upwards, and a dark, inky black flame, its edges crackling with destructive arcs of light and infused with the [Fire Poison Demonic Art], suddenly surged forth, which he then forcefully thrust forward.
The dark flame expanded rapidly, transforming into a terrifying fire cloud covering a large area on the right, carrying a terrifying power that could incinerate everything and was intensely poisonous, engulfing the three cultivators on the right and the space behind them, cutting off their retreat and any possibility of a coordinated attack! He
was attacking six people simultaneously!
One against six!
This sword light and fire cloud appeared to be a wide-range attack, designed to suppress all six at once.
However, Zhen Zhenren's right hand had already quietly grasped something in his sleeve. With a slight forward lean, a jet-black whip, seemingly capable of devouring all light and divine sense, shot out silently from his sleeve like a poisonous dragon emerging from its lair!
The [Soul-Slaying Whip] magic weapon!
The whip, instead of whipping out a fierce wind, emitted a chilling, piercing pain that went straight to the depths of the soul.
It sliced through the air at an extremely tricky, predictable angle, striking with pinpoint accuracy towards the vital point between the brows of the cultivator surnamed Ji!
The real intention was not what it seemed!
The seemingly awe-inspiring scene of the sword splitting in three directions and flames engulfing the three was not only a real attack, forcing everyone to defend themselves and diverting their attention, but also creating the perfect opportunity and path for the hidden, insidious, soul-destroying [Soul-Striking Whip] to deliver its fatal blow!
The relief on the cultivator surnamed Ji's face hadn't even fully transformed into shock and anger before the powerful ripples from the soul-devouring black whip tip were already upon him!
"Careful!"
"Uncle-Master, you?!"
"No! Not Uncle-Master!"
The six were, after all, elites of the Purple Extreme Sect. In a flash, they sensed something was wrong and shouted in horror! The two closest to the cultivator surnamed Ji were filled with rage, simultaneously activating their protective spiritual artifacts to fend off the sword light and fiery clouds attacking them, while desperately trying to rescue him.
The cultivator surnamed Ji, after all, was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. In this life-or-death moment, he unleashed astonishing potential. A high-grade second-tier spiritual artifact
, the [Yellow Steel Ring], instantly appeared before his brow, surrounded by various protective shields that shimmered with spiritual light. At the same time, he retreated frantically, attempting to create distance. However, just when he and all the Purple Extreme Sect cultivators thought that the three streaks of lightning-spreading sword light and the dark fiery clouds were attacking different targets independently, another unexpected event occurred!
One of the three sword lights that originally attacked the three people on the left, at the moment of approaching its target, strangely drew a perfect arc, suddenly changing direction in mid-air, abandoning its original target.
Together with the dark fire cloud covering the right, it seemed to share a common will, converging into a destructive torrent, arriving at a faster speed and a more cunning angle, striking first despite being behind!
It had completely sealed off all the escape space for the retreating cultivator surnamed Ji!
"What?!"
The shock in the eyes of the cultivator surnamed Ji had just appeared when he froze for a moment.
This was because with a "whoosh," the [Soul-Striking Whip] hidden in the light and shadow had struck his soul.
Remember the original website domain: 𝕥𝕨𝕜𝕒𝕟.𝕔𝕠𝕞
The cultivator surnamed Ji was struck dumb, his eyes suddenly losing focus. Although his exterior was unharmed, he curled up like a shrimp, emitting a non-human scream that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul.
In this state, how effective could his hastily prepared methods be?
"Boom! Crack—!"
In the next instant, lightning bolts shot down, sword light tore through the shield first, followed closely by a dark cloud of fire that engulfed and burned him!
"Ugh!"
A short, extremely shrill scream abruptly stopped.
The spiritual light around the cultivator surnamed Ji instantly dissipated, the light in his eyes quickly vanished, and his body plummeted like a kite with a broken string. Before even hitting the ground of the black swamp, he was burned to charcoal by the remaining flames, and then another sword light swept past, turning him completely to ashes!
From the moment "Master Zhen" launched his attack to the moment the cultivator surnamed Ji was struck dead by lightning, his body and soul annihilated, the entire process took only a breath!
"A cultivator skilled in both lightning and fire magic!"
The remaining five cultivators of the Purple Extreme Sect had barely managed to block or avoid the aftershocks of the initial "feint attack" when they witnessed this horrifying scene. They were all shaken to their core, filled with shock and rage!
"Hahaha! The Purple Extreme Sect patrol team, nothing special! I'll gladly accept this man's head!"
Having landed a successful blow, "Master Zhen's" figure blurred amidst his maniacal laughter. With a flick of his sleeve, he unleashed another astonishing burst of lightning, blocking the pursuing spells and artifacts.
At the same time, his body surged with light, and amidst the roaring lightning, he transformed into an elusive streak, giving the remaining five no chance to form an encirclement, and in an instant, he had vanished over a hundred feet away.
With another flash, he disappeared into the vast fog and complex terrain deep within the Blackwater Swamp, leaving no trace!
"Where did this cultivator of both lightning and fire magic come from?!"
Above the Black Pool, the remaining five Purple Extreme Sect cultivators stared at the direction Lin Changheng had vanished, their faces a mixture of shock and anger.
They were shocked by the sheer power and ruthless decisiveness of his opponent!
Not only had this person escaped unscathed from the perilous Black Pool where even Uncle Zhen could perish, but he had also impersonated Uncle Zhen, launching a lightning attack when they were most vulnerable, swiftly killing the Ji surname cultivator among them, whose cultivation was at the peak of Foundation Establishment. The entire process was fluid and precise, and he had even managed to escape unscathed, not even letting them touch the hem of his clothes!
Such strength, cunning, and courage could not be cultivated by ordinary rogue cultivators or small forces; he was likely of extraordinary origin, perhaps even an old demon!
And they were furious at his arrogant attitude and rampant behavior!
Not only did they brazenly assassinate a member of the Ziji Sect's patrol team, but they also openly mocked him afterward, showing utter disregard for the Ziji Sect's authority!
This was a slap in the face to the Ziji Sect, exposing the utter incompetence of these patrolling cultivators!
"Damn it! Immediately send a message with the highest urgency level to the sect and all patrolling teams in the Northeast, detailing the situation here, especially the methods this fellow displayed and his suspected dual cultivation of lightning and fire!"
The gray-haired cultivator, also at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, was the first to suppress his inner turmoil and gave the order sharply, his face ashen. "Junior Brother Ji is dead, and Uncle Zhen is missing. This matter—I'm afraid it's going to cause a huge uproar!"
Another cultivator looked at the still turbid and churning black pool below, his voice hoarse: "That Uncle Zhen—" The
gray-haired cultivator took a deep breath, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes. "Judging from the fact that the person dared to impersonate our Martial Uncle, and the fact that our Martial Uncle hasn't shown up yet—our Martial Uncle is probably in grave danger. At least, that person came out of the pool without encountering any resistance."
Upon hearing this, the other four felt a chill run down their spines.
A fake Core Formation cultivator, along with a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator, had actually perished in the Blackwater Swamp? For the Purple Extreme Sect, the loss of even a fake Core Formation cultivator was a devastating blow.
What exactly happened beneath that black pool? And who exactly was that cultivator with both lightning and fire techniques?
"Send a message back to the sect and report immediately. Ask our Sect Leader and Core Formation Martial Uncle to make a decision!" the gray-haired cultivator gritted his teeth, knowing the hope was slim, but he had to put on a show. "We should also try—carefully explore the bottom of the pool, searching for Martial Uncle Zhen's whereabouts. We must find him alive, or—if he's dead—we must find his body!"
Upon hearing this, a flurry of urgent communication talismans shot into the sky like meteors.
The cultivators began discussing detailed plans for their descent.
This battle completely disrupted the Purple Extreme Sect's high-pressure patrol strategy during the war, and the cultivator skilled in both lightning and fire cultivation would undoubtedly enter the Purple Extreme Sect's inner circle in the most dramatic way, causing even greater turmoil and reactions.
Meanwhile, Lin Changheng had already vanished from the Black Swamp Kingdom like a fish returning to the sea.
Half a month later,
Lin Changheng had left the northeastern region of the Purple Extreme Sect,
even leaving its territory.
Heading east, crossing great rivers, he arrived at a land with even richer water resources
—
the territory of the Profound Ice Valley .
Having just completed a murder and robbery, and having killed a fake Core Formation cultivator from the Purple Extreme Sect, Lin Changheng naturally needed to avoid trouble.
Moreover, choosing to be under the rule of another power could greatly delay the arrival of the [Purple Extreme Sect]'s retaliation, if at all—
Several days later, a vast expanse of misty, boundless water appeared before him.
The water was deep blue, with a chilling aura emanating from it, and snow-capped mountains looming in the distance.
In the center of this water, several islands of varying sizes were scattered like stars. On the largest island, houses stood neatly arranged, shimmering with spiritual light, and boats plying the waters—a bustling place built on the water.
This was [Dragon Bay Market].
A medium-sized market.
This market was built according to the island's natural terrain, without excessively altering its original appearance.
The outer perimeter was a simple wooden and stone pier, where various flatboats and large multi-story ships were moored.
Looking inside, the buildings were mostly constructed using a local grayish-white submerged wood and hard black stone, with a rugged yet practical style.
A pale blue, transparent array of light enveloped the market, its function distinctly local. It not only provided protection and regulated the internal temperature but also subtly connected to the water veins, making the spiritual energy within the market more concentrated than outside.
Lin Chang paid spirit stones to enter and found the air filled with a faint mist, the fragrance of medicinal herbs, and the distinctive fishy smell emanating from some shops—the smell of materials processed from aquatic beasts.
Cultivators came and went, their attire varied, but most wore thick robes or robes with warming properties.
After a brief and intriguing look around, he went straight to rent a room in a celestial inn, swallowed some pills, circulated his cultivation technique, and began to recover.
After killing two pseudo-Core Formation cultivators and one turbid Core Formation demon beast in the Black Pool last time, Lin Changheng could have escaped using Earth Escape Technique. Although the loose soil and water in the swamp would somewhat limit the use of this technique, and the sealing and stabilizing array set up by Qian Mingzi would also hinder him, Lin Changheng was determined to escape. It would only require more mana and methods, but it wouldn't be a big problem.
However, Lin Changheng chose to disguise himself and leave the pool.
This was for two reasons.
First, the cultivator surnamed Ji had been too arrogant before, and Lin Changheng felt it was wrong not to kill him. Moreover, he currently had the strength, so there was no need to delay and wait for him to grow old and bully him, or even dance on his grave.
He would kill him directly!
Even among the peak and late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Purple Extreme Sect, he could kill him.
This was Lin Changheng's confidence in his strength.
Second, he wanted to muddy the waters.
The Purple Extreme Sect boasts a long and rich heritage, accumulating countless wondrous secret techniques. They recently witnessed its ability to track and locate targets, and there's no guarantee they don't possess other unknown methods for retrospective investigation!
Therefore, Lin Changheng directly covered the magical sword embryo with the [Thunderous Aura] he had previously acquired. Fortunately, the main material, the [Primordial Wood], possessed astonishing inclusiveness, allowing for a brief, shallow layer of adhesion, resulting in the lightning-streaked sword embryo's form.
Simultaneously, the [Dark Radiance Profound Flame] wasn't a dark gold color, but rather a large amount of [Fire Poison Demonic Technique] was mixed in, forcibly altering its color.
The burst of lightning that blocked the enemy's Thunderous Aura was a key technique for creating a false impression.
Afterwards, to further mislead, Lin Changheng forcibly dispersed the Thunderous Aura to his body surface, then used the fully mastered "Shadow Escape Technique," truly giving it a semblance of some kind of lightning-attribute escape technique.
In this way, the unanimous statements of these self-proclaimed cultivators could very well cause the Purple Extreme Sect's investigation to shift its focus once again.
In this way, Lin Changheng's goal could be considered achieved.
"Hiss—the Thunder Fiend possession really hurts!"
Recalling that scene, Lin Changheng felt he was a ruthless person.
But despite the pain, the damage was limited. After all, he had the foundation of a third-tier body refinement, his own defense and
recovery abilities were quite good, and he also had the acceleration of three layers of [Self-Healing Technique] and one layer of [Fire Rebirth Technique].
By the time he was halfway away from the [Purple Extreme Sect]'s jurisdiction, he was almost fully recovered.
Three days later.
Lin Changheng exhaled a breath of turbid air, in full condition, his eyes sparkling, and then began to check his gains.
However, to avoid the existence of any tracking devices, both storage bags were suspended high in the [Gourd Heaven Space]
—isolated
from the outside world.
Even if the Purple Extreme Sect used all its methods, it would not be able to detect them.
Now that he was far away, he could finally quickly take stock and process a few things, and then return them to the [Gourd Heaven Space], disappearing into the distance and returning directly to Jade Belt Lake.
He would completely extricate himself from the matter.
The first storage bag opened was Qian Mingzi's.
His immediate goal was to find the main ingredient of the [Dust-Reducing Pill], but—it wasn't there!
Not only was it missing, but the other medicinal herbs were also scarce, suggesting they might have been exhausted during the escape.
Lin Changheng's expression darkened slightly; this wasn't the result he wanted. He continued searching.
But it wasn't entirely fruitless.
Lin Changheng found a third-level array formation inheritance book in the storage bag,
titled "Spiritual Origin Transformation Array Profound Manual."
This should be Qian Mingzi's fundamental reliance for learning array formations.
It was filled with dense annotations, Qian Mingzi's insights and solutions to difficult points.
This discovery filled Lin Changheng with elation.
It's important to understand that the path of array formations relies heavily on lineage; progressing without a guide is incredibly difficult, even doubly so.
It's like climbing a mountain on foot: one person's first ascent in the wilderness, the other following the steps laid out by predecessors.
The difficulty is incomparable to that of previous years.
These annotations are no less valuable than guidance from a master of array formations.
They are extremely useful to Lin Changheng, reducing the difficulty and saving time in his advancement of second-tier low-grade array formations.
"Excellent!"
Lin Chang clapped his hands, knowing this item was one of the most important gains of the trip.
In addition, Qian Mingzi's storage bag contained three complete sets of array-setting tools.
All were second-tier high-grade arrays!
One set was genuine, and two were exquisite!
Moreover, Lin Changheng vaguely discerned that one of the second-tier high-grade exquisite array-setting tools seemed to involve concealment.
"Could it be—this is the fundamental reason why my divine light and divine sense couldn't detect him hiding under the cave wall? It's actually a second-tier high-grade exquisite array?"
Lin Changheng instantly thought of many things.
Unfortunately, this person, after continuous battles, was exhausted, and due to intense emotional fluctuations and long-term suppression, although his soul remained, its core was already weakened and would dissipate at the slightest touch. Lin Changheng still let him go, not forcibly searching his soul, preserving the so-called opportunity for reincarnation.
This could be considered a small act of kindness on his part.
After all, this person harbored no extreme malice towards him; in fact, they were kindred spirits with similar goals, so he didn't go too far.
"However, with the 'Spiritual Origin Transformation Array Manual' in hand, I can eventually figure out the functions of these three arrays and then set them up and use them."
With that, Lin Changheng looked again at the small bronze mirror covered in cracks that he had obtained from Qian Mingzi.
It was a potential magic weapon.
This person had only recently broken through to the Pseudo-Core stage and hadn't yet fully refined it into a true magic weapon. It had been damaged and almost shattered during a collision with Zhen Zhenren's magic weapon.
"This mirror is beyond repair now that it's cracked like this. I can only decompose it by 'borrowing its spirit,' taking its essence and discarding the dross. I just don't know if I can continue 'borrowing' my magic weapon sword embryo, which is already 99% complete, and whether that will waste the mirror's spirituality?"
This touched upon a blind spot in Lin Changheng's knowledge, and he muttered to himself with some difficulty.
In reality, Lin Changheng's situation was extremely rare. Ordinary cultivators couldn't possibly advance the development of a magic weapon embryo to this level during the Foundation Establishment stage! Even cultivators possessing the demonic weapon-refining secret technique [Spirit Marriage], where would they obtain so many magic weapon embryos? Did they
really think cultivators of the same level possessing magic weapon embryos were like cabbages, to be slaughtered at will?
After quickly processing the remaining items in his storage bag, Lin Changheng didn't take out Zhen Zhenren's storage bag for further examination. Instead, he flipped his hand and took out a cold jade bottle.
Inside this bottle, a ball of translucent, pale blue blood rolled.
It was none other than Qian Mingzi's [Wind Attribute Essence Blood].
"I wonder if this blood can advance the transformation of my [Mysterious Root], which has stagnated for decades?"
These were the two remaining methods Lin Changheng needed to verify after a process of elimination!
One was to try absorbing and transforming the essence blood of a third-tier or higher, non-Five Elements demonic beast.
Secondly, he attempted to use the essence blood of a human cultivator with a unique spiritual root to undergo a transformation.
Now, the second method could be verified!
"Whether it works or not, it's up to you now!"
Lin Changheng took a deep breath, suppressing the surging anticipation and a hint of barely perceptible tension in his heart. He sat cross-legged on the bed in his temporary rented immortal inn, and waved his hand to set up several layers of isolation arrays to ensure absolute safety.
Immediately, he uncorked the bottle, and a wisp of pure and light aura immediately dissipated, as if a gentle breeze was spontaneously circulating in the room.
He poured out all the essence blood, but it did not drip. Instead, it was held up by an invisible force, hovering an inch above his palm, slowly rotating on its own, emitting an extremely subtle hum, as if a whirlwind was brewing.
Lin Changheng's gaze became serious. He collected all distracting thoughts, connecting with the mysterious and unpredictable, quietly floating Yuan Cauldron deep within his sea of consciousness. At the same time, he firmly grasped the ball of wind-attribute essence blood in his palm.
"Absorb! Transform for me!"
he murmured to himself, his voice carrying an almost Daoist solemnity and anticipation.
In that instant!
Within his sea of consciousness, the Yuan Cauldron emitted a very slight "hum," then trembled!
This suction force, following his guidance, seemed to transcend the boundary between reality and illusion, precisely acting upon the ball of wind-attribute essence blood in his palm!
"It works!"
Sensing the reaction of the Yuan Cauldron and that peculiar suction force, Lin Chang felt a surge of excitement for no apparent reason!
But he remained calm, worried about a blunder that would cause him to be disappointed!
[Original Treasure Seed - Tenth Level]
[Spirit Stealing: 100/100]
[Transformation: 1/10]
[Transformation: 2/10]
[Transformation: 10/10]
Looking inward at the Yuan Cauldron, he saw that the previously faintly outlined golden [Mysterious Root] phantom in the central area had finally undergone a clearly visible change with the infusion of the last wisp of wind-attribute essence blood!
The illusory image, as if infused with life and color, rapidly transformed from pale gold to a solid, bright gold, its outline becoming clear and textured.
At its core, flowing, ethereal blue patterns emerged, like the traces of wind, intertwining and weaving across the golden roots, giving it a strange aura of lightness, swiftness, yet unwavering stability.
Just as this new [Mysterious Root] was fully formed and stabilized,
"Boom!"
A thunderous roar seemed to explode within Lin Changheng's sea of consciousness, as if the gates of heaven had opened!
It wasn't a real sound, but a violent tremor and resonance originating from the depths of his soul!
An indescribable hundred-foot-long beam of light shot into the sky from within the Yuan Cauldron, instantly illuminating his entire sea of consciousness! At the same time, a clear and profound message, like a brand, entered his consciousness:
[Essence Blood Fully Absorbed, Transformation Successful!]
[Original Mysterious Root - Xun Wind]
[Can be integrated into the human race's innate talent: Wind-type Extraordinary Spiritual Root]
The information flashed, and Lin Changheng's eyes widened.
What had he seen?
[Original Profound Root - Xun Wind]? Transformed into a [Wind-type Different Spiritual Root]?
Among the human race, besides extremely high-quality spiritual roots like Heavenly Spiritual Roots and Earthly Spiritual Roots, the most sought-after are—[Different Spiritual Roots].
Families yearn for them, sects crave them, and the Extreme South Palace is no exception, its doors wide open for them!
These mainly include four types: Wind, Thunder, Ice, and Darkness.
They are formed by the innate entanglement of various spiritual roots within a cultivator's body; among countless combinations, only these four can be cultivated.
They are highly valued and extremely rare!
In over a hundred years in the cultivation world, Lin Changheng has only encountered or heard of five people with this.
Bai Hengwan of [Floating Life Immortal City] possesses a Wind-type Different Spiritual Root, and her senior brother, Wu Zhenchuan, possesses a Thunder-type Different Spiritual Root.
Zi Lei Zhenren of [Azure Cloud Sect] possesses a Thunder-type Different Spiritual Root, excelling in both Thunder and Fire.
And then there's Qian Mingzi, whom he'd only recently met, possessing a wind-type unique spiritual root, and that unknown Jin Kingdom infiltrator, possessing a lightning-type unique spiritual root.
They're few and far between!
And now, these rare finds are right before Lin Changheng's eyes, within his grasp!
How could he not be overjoyed!
A unique spiritual root represents far more than just the attribute affinity and cultivation speed it brings.
It's a key, a door!
Firstly, it represents the complete opening and deep control of the learning and use of a complete system of spells!
Ordinary cultivators using wind-type spells are like scratching an itch through a boot—forcibly simulating and driving them with mana, retaining less than three-tenths of their power while consuming enormous amounts.
But cultivators with unique spiritual roots can use wind-type spells as easily as using their own limbs, like fish in water. Not only can they unleash greater power with less consumption, but they can also comprehend the true meaning, innovate, and perhaps even create their own unique wind-type spells!
Secondly, it represents a huge advantage in specific environments! In places rich in wind spiritual energy, cultivators with unique spiritual roots achieve twice the results with half the effort, with significant benefits.
Thirdly, it represents the broadening of one's path and limitless possibilities for the future! Having an additional spiritual root, especially a unique one, means having more and better choices and combinations when selecting a main cultivation method and secondary secret techniques.
Wind fuels fire, making fire-based divine abilities more violent and swift; wind carries metal energy, greatly increasing the speed and penetrating power of flying swords; wind nourishes wood, subtly aiding in alchemy and the cultivation of spiritual plants—this is not merely a simple addition, but a possibility of qualitative transformation and fusion! It
also broadens one's path in a certain sense.
"With this [Wind Profound Root], my combat power, survivability, and cultivation foundation will all experience a leap forward!" Lin Changheng's heart was filled with excitement, his eyes burning brightly.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Changheng spoke, his voice resounding: "Integrate into me!"
The brand-new golden [Xunfeng Profound Root], wreathed in cyan wind patterns, trembled violently, then transformed into a stream of cyan and gold light, shooting out from the center of the Yuan Cauldron. It didn't detach itself, but rather, as if it had found its home, instantly merging completely with Lin Changheng's divine soul origin and the spiritual root foundation deep within his physical body!
"Ugh!"
After a refreshing breeze, Lin Changheng's body trembled violently, and he couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.
That instant felt incredibly strange, yet incredibly real.
At the level of his divine soul, it was as if a brand-new, incredibly sensitive "tentacle" or "channel" had appeared, allowing him to clearly perceive the "wind spiritual power" wandering throughout the world!
It was no longer something he had to sense as an observer or borrower, but as natural as breathing, as controllable as an arm! Gentle breezes, gales, strong winds, and even the rhythm of spatial flow—all became more intimate and clear than ever before.
At the physical level, a complete transformation had taken place.
Every meridian and acupoint seemed to possess a newfound lightness and clarity, as if a special channel had been opened for the absorption, circulation, and transformation of wind-attribute spiritual energy—completely different! Previously,
when primarily cultivating fire, wood, metal, or other attribute techniques, he always felt a sluggishness and barrier towards wind spiritual energy; now, that barrier had vanished.
He had suddenly gained a complete—wind-type unique spiritual root!
[Already refined: Primal Profound Root · Xun Wind]
"That's right!"
Overjoyed, Lin Changheng suppressed the urge to roar to the sky, suddenly realizing something, and immediately cast a [Spirit Observation Technique] on the newly appeared [Wind-type Unique Spiritual Root]. His
pupils suddenly contracted; he discovered—
[Wind Spiritual Root, Twenty-one strands of spiritual essence]!
"Twenty-one strands!"
Lin Changheng was clearly not expecting this result and was somewhat surprised.
Because his wind-type spiritual root was newly formed, Lin Changheng sensed that its spiritual essence would accumulate from zero to one, and then start accumulating again from the beginning.
The result—twenty-one strands right off the bat!
Lin Changheng's eyes flickered as he tried to ponder the logic and reasons behind it, which was most likely related to Qian Mingzi, the source of his essence blood.
However, this was an isolated case, and while he had some speculation, he couldn't be sure of its veracity, so he didn't delve into it further.
But for Lin Changheng, this was naturally excellent.
It was equivalent to a low-grade wind spiritual root, not far from a mid-grade one.
Then, Lin Changheng, seeing an opportunity ,
quickly retrieved a book from his storage bag, again from Qian Mingzi.
It contained several basic wind-type techniques, such as "Wind Control Technique," "Wind Blade Technique," and "Lightness Technique."
He casually put it away, and now it was just right for use.
With a flash, he arrived outside the market, on a deserted and desolate river island.
His figure hovered, his green robes fluttering. Following the incantation, he subtly moved his mind, attempting to mobilize his magical power and unleash it externally through his wind-elemental spiritual root.
Almost without any hindrance, without any additional losses from the simulation!
A wisp of green spiritual light flowed from his fingertips; wherever his thought went, a gentle breeze arose, swirling and circling around him, utterly docile.
He flicked his finger, and a condensed pale green wind blade shot out silently, easily slicing through a large, hard, green boulder several feet away. With a "crack," the boulder split open, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror.
[Wind Blade Technique]!
With another use of the technique, his body seemed to lose its weight; with a light touch of his toes, he floated like a willow catkin, his agility and speed far surpassing his previous use of the escape technique!
[Lightness Technique], [Wind Control Technique]!
"Hahaha! It's done! It really is done!"
After a simple test of the two major wind-elemental characteristics—attack and escape—Lin Chang stopped, his eyes bursting with uncontrollable brilliance.
"Mysterious Root!"
The power of the [Mysterious Root] generated by the Yuan Ding was truly amazing! And this was only the beginning.
Lin Changheng gazed at the Yuan Cauldron in his sea of consciousness, which had returned to calm but appeared even more profound and mysterious, his heart filled with endless anticipation.
"Treasure Seed, True Core, Dao Fruit, Mysterious Root!"
The [Treasure Seed] was the foundation of everything, the key to seizing spiritual power.
The [True Core] and [Dao Fruit] both originated from the essence blood of demonic beasts, emerging at different levels.
The [Mysterious Root], however, came from Lin Changheng's own original essence blood, combined with human essence blood, forming this entity!
Had the power of the Yuan Cauldron been fully explored?
Lin Changheng's gaze pierced through the illusion, landing directly on the top of the Yuan Cauldron, which remained vacantly in the center of his sea of consciousness, scanning it up and down with eager anticipation.
His gaze also carefully examined the patterns on the cauldron's body.
Apart from examining them closely when the Yuan Cauldron first appeared, he had ignored them afterward, focusing only on the [Treasure Seed], [True Core], and [Dao Fruit] within the clouds surrounding the cauldron.
This time, various strange and ancient animal-shaped patterns are engraved on the body of the cauldron.
The simple lines densely cover this side of the cauldron.
On the other side of the cauldron was a huge humanoid pattern, occupying the central position, its head resting on the top of the cauldron and its feet on the belly, giving it a sense of towering presence!
"So that's it—the ancient beast-shaped pattern mostly refers to the path of demon blood."
"The huge humanoid pattern on the reverse side represents the path of human essence blood, which is related to the [Mysterious Root].
" "3
"Then—"
Lin Changheng's gaze shifted again, landing on the various humanoid, beast-like, or half-human, half-beast hybrid images beside the huge humanoid pattern, including human-faced snake-bodied, human-bodied bird-headed, and fleshy-winged creatures—all kinds of images were present.
However, their area was extremely small, similar in size to the ancient beast-shaped pattern on the back.
"—Why is that?"
Lin Changheng's eyes showed a thoughtful expression again.
"Is it an incomplete transformation, only becoming a half-formed high-level demon? Or some strange race that I don't currently know about? And when will I be able to encounter them?"
After thinking for a long time, he couldn't find an answer.
Lin Changheng simply stopped thinking about it and put it out of his mind.
Premature speculation and anxiety are unwise. When the time comes, one can simply borrow the essence and blood, and the answer will become clear.
Why waste time and energy?
With a whoosh, Lin Changheng soared into the sky, his speed increasing, and vanished completely.
Only the desolate and deserted Jiangzhou remained silent once more.
It is worth mentioning that upon returning to the Immortal Inn, Lin Changheng tried again to extract the remaining small portion of Qian Mingzi's essence and
blood.
The Yuan Ding showed no reaction.
Lin Changheng then realized that the use of this blood was limited to the transformation stage of the Origin Treasure Seed.
However, he did not discard it but directly put it away.
Afterward, he began to examine Zhen Zhenren's storage bag,
his eyes filled with intense anticipation.
The reason was simple.
This person was different; he was a Core Formation cultivator who had been famous for many years in the [Purple Extreme Sect], consistently holding a high position at the top of the sect. His wealth was undoubtedly substantial, and his collection was certainly considerable! He
was far superior to Qian Mingzi, a rogue cultivator who had just entered the False Core stage and was on the run, at the end of his rope.
This storage bag possessed the fluctuations of a third-level restriction, clearly indicating its tight protection. However, with Zhen Zhenren's body and soul annihilated, these restrictions became baseless, easily dissolved by Lin Changheng's powerful divine sense.
He opened the bag and probed inside with his divine sense.
Lin Changheng immediately saw some of the treasures within.
"Eh!"
An opened treasure box appeared in Lin Changheng's hand, inside which lay a long-necked bottle with golden patterns.
The moment it was opened, an indescribable, ethereal aura instantly spread out, as if condensing the purity of morning dew in the mountains, the clear moonlight, and the freshness after rain.
It contained three drops of nearly transparent liquid, yet subtly refracting a seven-colored glow—