Chapter 205: Yun Yao’s Arrival
“Daoist friend, spare my life, I have a secret...”
With blood splattering everywhere, the Wind-chirp Bird easily pierced through the protective barrier of spiritual power and directly killed the cultivator. Lin Chang’an could not help but reveal a satisfied expression.
“Raising you for so many years wasn’t in vain.”
This Wind-chirp Bird’s innate talent was actually similar to flying needles, specifically countering protective spiritual light.
After being praised, the Wind-chirp Bird happily lifted its head and once again snatched over another cultivator’s spoils of war.
However, when Lin Chang’an saw this scene, his expression immediately turned solemn.
“Enough, hurry and hide. Don’t let others discover you. When we return, I’ll reward you with a demon core.”
Facing its master directly taking away the storage pouch, the Wind-chirp Bird had not yet reacted, but instead excitedly and happily nodded repeatedly.
It still seemed immersed in the joy of the delicious demon core.
Meanwhile, Lin Chang’an had already put it back into the Spirit Beast Pouch and quickly cleaned up the battlefield.
The two cultivator corpses, as well as the demon beast’s corpse, were all collected.
At this moment inside the formation—
...
“No, something’s wrong with this second-rank high-grade grand formation! My second-rank Restriction-Breaking Talisman is actually useless.”
“Daoist friend, this is just a misunderstanding...”
Inside the formation, three robber cultivators were besieged by swarms of Fire-devouring Demon Spirits and also Old Hu’s techniques. For a moment, the three were in grave danger.
Just then, a sudden violent bull’s bellow echoed within the formation.
“Not good!”
In desperation, one robber cultivator hastily grabbed a nearby companion, intending to use the other as a shield.
But just as he tried to flee, his ankle was grabbed.
“Haha, let’s die together!”
The one being used as a shield laughed maniacally, clutching onto his fellow robber, while the other, with a look of terror, could only watch helplessly as a terrifying Green-horned Ox charged toward them.
With a loud crash, their defensive magical artifact was knocked flying. Under the full-force collision of a mid second-rank demon beast, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators’ bodies were like rag dolls, smashed away.
As dull sounds of flesh echoed, along with an unwilling roar of one robber cultivator, their bodies slammed onto the hard ground. Before they could react, several sword beams suddenly struck.
With the sound of sword beams piercing flesh, the two robber cultivators did not even have time to scream before they perished.
The last robber cultivator, besieged by several Fire-devouring Demon Spirits and Old Hu, let out a miserable cry. His body was engulfed in flames and was burned to ashes.
In less than one incense stick’s time, the five Foundation Establishment robber cultivators had all been annihilated.
Although Lin Chang’an and Hu Jin were strong, neither of them had used their trump cards.
This time, the two relied on teamwork and the advantage of the formation.
Moreover, although the enemy had five people, each harbored selfish motives, so their full strength was not brought to bear. This was the true reason for their swift defeat.
Once the battle ended, Lin Chang’an and Old Hu did not waste a moment. They quickly cleaned up the battlefield, packed up the formation, and escaped into the distance.
...
The two did not return directly to Yuling Island, but first went to Five Dragon Island. They stayed there for half a month and, after confirming that no one was tracking them, finally returned to Yuling Island.
Although they had long used spells to cleanse their auras, the cultivation world had countless methods, and no one could be certain whether they had been marked.
“More than half a month has passed. Even if there was a tracking mark, it should have faded by now.”
Inside the cave abode, Lin Chang’an finally let out a sigh of relief.
The Green-horned Ox and the Wind-chirp Bird were released as well.
The Green-horned Ox, as usual, soaked leisurely in the pool, while the Wind-chirp Bird seemed to have realized something.
Its big eyes widened—its spoils of war storage pouch had clearly been worth far more than a demon core, yet its master had tricked it into giving it up for nothing.
Seeing the Wind-chirp Bird fawning on his shoulder, Lin Chang’an ignored it, pretending not to know, and said with a nod:
“This time, both of you performed very well. There will be rewards.”
He took out two demon cores from the storage pouch. The Green-horned Ox eagerly opened its mouth to catch one, while the Wind-chirp Bird simply widened its bird eyes in disbelief.
“That’s right. From now on, as long as you perform well, all storage pouches taken from cultivators will earn you rewards.”
Before entering the cave abode, Lin Chang’an did not forget to smile appreciatively as he praised the bird and the ox.
The Green-horned Ox happily mooed and nodded. The Wind-chirp Bird, though a little resentful, saw its master’s smiling face and instantly chirped and nodded eagerly.
“That’s good.”
Lin Chang’an entered the cave abode satisfied. At the entrance, the Wind-chirp Bird nearly exploded with anger, swallowing the demon core in a fury.
Turning its head to see the Green-horned Ox lounging lazily, it became even more furious.
After all, it had been the one who contributed the most!
The Green-horned Ox, confused, simply looked at the foolish bird going crazy, even tearing apart its own nest.
...
Inside the cave abode.
“This time, the harvest was abundant.”
Lin Chang’an was full of joy. From the corpses of the previous cultivators, he had found the opportunity to read some fragmented memories on Five Dragon Island.
Unfortunately, the so-called secret one of them mentioned had been fake.
“Not only did I purchase the materials to craft a Talisman Treasure, but these five robber cultivators were also quite wealthy.”
Ordinary robber cultivators usually carried all their belongings with them. People like this were Lin Chang’an’s favorite targets.
But one pity was that such cultivators often used any resources they had for their own cultivation first.
Thus, in the end, the five storage pouches mainly contained healing pills, mana-replenishing pills, talismans, and other emergency supplies.
The truly valuable things were the magical artifacts they carried.
“This time fighting the robber cultivators, I contributed both power and the formation, while Old Hu even used himself as bait...”
Lin Chang’an’s gaze flickered. When they were on Five Dragon Island, they had divided the spoils.
Four-fifths had gone to him, since the formation had played a huge role and consumed resources.
Old Hu received one-fifth, which was already fair since he had acted as bait.
Such a distribution of benefits was normal, determined by contribution.
If Old Hu wanted a larger share, Lin Chang’an would not have minded. But if they wanted to cooperate long-term, this kind of balance was necessary.
“Next is the crafting of the Talisman Treasure.”
Taking out the exchanged beast hide and demon beast blood, Lin Chang’an revealed a satisfied smile.
The crafting of a Talisman Treasure was not a matter of a day or two. Even tanning the beast hide into talisman paper required a long process.
But he was in no rush.
In the days that followed, Lin Chang’an continued his daily life on the island—what others saw as bitter cultivation.
Every day he cultivated, refined pills, drew talismans, studied formations, and now added the tanning of talisman paper.
The tanning of beast hide was a complicated process. If he had not feared attracting suspicion, he would not have done it personally.
...
Time passed, and two years went by.
【Lifespan: 104/283】
【Realm: Late Foundation Establishment (8/100)】
Inside the cave abode, Lin Chang’an looked at the three completed talisman papers in his hand with a heavy expression, sighing.
“After two years of tanning, only three sheets turned out to be of acceptable quality.”
But Lin Chang’an had already expected this. After all, tanning demon beast hides into talisman paper required selecting only the softest and most flexible parts.
In fact, he had produced a total of seven sheets, but clearly, four of them were subpar, slightly lacking in refinement, and could only be categorized as quasi–third-rank talisman paper.
“There’s no helping it. This is a limitation of the material itself, not something human effort can change.”
Shaking his head, Lin Chang’an still felt satisfied. Though the four others were slightly inferior, they were still among the finest of quasi–third-rank materials.
Using them for talisman drawing would still allow the greatest possible power.
“But next, I still need to make some preparations.”
Lin Chang’an then stood up, carrying two sheets of third-rank talisman paper all the way to the depths of the cave abode.
At the center of a small Spirit-gathering Formation, the Blood Fiend Sword lay in place. After years of nourishment, it seemed to have regained some spirituality.
But that was all. He knew clearly that restoring the spirituality of this magical treasure was far beyond his current ability.
“The crafting of a Talisman Treasure first requires the talisman paper to come into contact with the magical treasure, to absorb this power. Only then can the Talisman Treasure be made.”
Lin Chang’an took a deep breath. If it had been a Golden Core cultivator crafting a Talisman Treasure, things would have been much simpler.
A Golden Core cultivator only needed to draw a portion of power from their own magical treasure and have a Talisman Master seal it.
That was undoubtedly the easiest way.
But he was only a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, so he could only use this clumsy method.
“Although time-consuming and laborious, at least it is safe, and most importantly, no outsiders will know.”
Lin Chang’an nodded silently, not in a hurry, and instead continued what appeared to outsiders as bitter cultivation.
Yet just as he patiently cultivated and prepared to craft the Talisman Treasure, after more than ten years of absence, He Yan unexpectedly arrived, bringing with him a letter from Yun Yao.
…
In the pavilion.
Looking at the blooming peach blossoms, He Yan, after more than ten years apart, gazed at the peach blossoms outside the cave abode and could not help but sigh:
“Time truly flies. I still remember, when I last parted with Uncle Lin, these spirit plants around the cave abode had just been planted.”
Seeing He Yan’s aged demeanor, Lin Chang’an also shook his head helplessly.
That Foundation Snatching Technique was far too domineering, and its side effect was greatly shortened lifespan.
Now, He Yan’s middle-aged appearance, with white hairs at his temples, already proved everything.
“Uncle Lin, this is what Senior Yun asked me to deliver.”
A storage pouch was handed over. Inside were two bottles of pills, a bundle of jade slips, and a letter.
When he opened the letter, Lin Chang’an’s face immediately showed envy.
Yun Yao had already begun closed-door cultivation in preparation for Core Formation.
“Uncle Lin, don’t worry. Senior Yun rendered great service to the Divine Sect and was rewarded with an upper-grade Core Formation Spirit Item. She is now even one of the candidates for the Saintess position of the Sect, with no shortage of resources...”
Listening to He Yan’s words, Lin Chang’an nodded lightly.
It seemed that Yun Yao held high status in the Divine Sect, and she would not lack resources in the future.
“Also, when I followed the Divine Sect back to Yue Kingdom, Uncle Erniu and Uncle Shen were both doing well.”
He Yan then took out two letters from his chest, clearly kept for a long time.
When Lin Chang’an opened them, his expression grew silent.
In the letters, Li Erniu and the others wrote that they were doing well. After the departure of major powers and countless Foundation Establishment cultivators, Yue Kingdom had calmed down. Li Erniu was now living comfortably in Qingzhu Mountain Marketplace.
As for Shen Lie, Lu Qingqing, and Wei Buyi, they had reopened Juxian Tower in Qingshui Bay.
The letters contained mostly trivial words of peace and safety, but all ended with blessings for his success in Core Formation.
“Who would have thought, so many years have already passed.”
In the blink of an eye, ten years had gone by, and he had already grown accustomed to life here.
At last, he and He Yan drank together and talked at length.
Until He Yan quietly left, no one on the island knew that a Foundation Establishment cultivator had come and gone in haste.
…
Inside the cave abode.
Yet after He Yan’s departure, under the moonlight, Yun Yao’s figure slowly appeared.
Lin Chang’an, as if long prepared, had already arranged spirit wine and spirit flesh in the pavilion.
“It seems Brother Lin already knew I would come.”
Decades of tacit understanding between the two, especially with the secret code hidden in the jade slip He Yan delivered today, made everything clear.
“I must congratulate Daoist Yun Yao for becoming a Saintess of the Divine Sect.”
When they met again, Lin Chang’an smiled and clasped his fists.
But Yun Yao only shook her head lightly, walking straight to the stone table and downing a cup of wine.
“It’s not that I am overly cautious, but within the Divine Sect there are too few trustworthy people, and the struggle for the Saintess position has always been fierce.”
Clearly, having He Yan deliver the letter was also a test from Yun Yao.
If He Yan proved trustworthy, then he could naturally become someone she could rely on in the future.
Lin Chang’an nodded. He did not find Yun Yao’s methods inappropriate.
After all, in the cultivation world, negligence often cost one’s life.
Under the moonlight, the two drank in the pavilion. Lin Chang’an seemed to notice Yun Yao had worries, but with their tacit understanding, neither spoke of it.
“Brother Lin, this time I must return to the Divine Sect for closed-door cultivation. I cannot stay long.”
“Then I wish Daoist Yun Yao success in achieving True Core!”
Lin Chang’an clasped his fists in blessing, but under the moonlight, a strange light flashed in Yun Yao’s eyes before she restored her usual heroic composure.
“As I promised before, once I form my Core, I will surely return to aid Brother Lin in his own Core Formation.”
Lin Chang’an nodded gravely. If before he had thought Yun Yao had only a thirty to forty percent chance, now he believed it was seventy to eighty percent. The difference lay only in the quality of her Core Formation.
After all, today He Yan had revealed that she was one of the candidates for Saintess of the Mystic Yin Sect. With such resources, there was no doubt.
Moreover, Yun Yao had been preparing for Core Formation for years.
But he would not foolishly sit idle, waiting for her help. In the cultivation world, the future was unpredictable.
One still had to rely on oneself.
Even if Yun Yao helped, she would not gift him a Core Formation Spirit Item for free.
But simply having a Golden Core cultivator friend who could open higher-level connections was already the greatest help he could hope for.
The two then began discussing matters of Core Formation.
“High-grade Core Formation Spirit Items are rare. But if Brother Lin uses the Three-turn Core Condensation Secret Method as assistance, he should have a fifty percent chance of forming a True Core. Even if he fails, he should at least achieve a False Core without much trouble.”
Yun Yao then solemnly took out a bundle of jade slips from her storage pouch and said seriously:
“This cultivation art was obtained when I was ordered to investigate the Palace of Blazing Fire. Although it may not greatly help you in Core Formation, it will be invaluable once you succeed and transition into this art...”
Hearing her words, Lin Chang’an was slightly stunned, already having a vague guess in his heart.
As he slowly opened the jade slip, he was shocked. Good heavens!
What one searched for tirelessly, only to stumble upon it effortlessly!
Seeing this complete secret method, Lin Chang’an’s eyelids twitched, leaving him speechless.
If he had known Yun Yao would bring this, why would he have risked himself before?
It was, in fact, the ancient cultivation art he had yearned for—containing the Art of Spell Refinement, the Art of Body Refinement, and, as he had suspected, the Art of Spirit Refinement.
But Yun Yao was clearly unaware, instead saying solemnly: “This cultivation art is highly valued by the Huang Clan of the Palace of Blazing Fire. If not for a chance encounter, I would not have obtained it...”
Yet Lin Chang’an realized from her words that the Mystic Yin Sect did not know of this art.
Or perhaps, the sect’s foundation was such that they did not even care.
“Thank you, Daoist Yun Yao!”
Lin Chang’an took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
He understood Yun Yao’s goodwill.
“Brother Lin, the struggle for Saintess in the Divine Sect may require external help in the future.”
Yun Yao laughed freely. Although the cultivation path was lonely, she did not want to lose a confidant. But at the same time, there were benefits involved.
Having one more external ally was also her way of securing her own advantage.
Their gazes met, and both broke into smiles, raising their cups.
“May the Immortal Dao last forever!”