Chapter 236: Preparing to Go to Sea Abyss City for Core Formation
Two months later.
This time, Xuanyin Pavilion did not alert anyone. The disciples continued their routines as usual.
Only Fairy of Rainbow Skirt, now the Pavilion Master of Xuanyin Pavilion, brought Lin Chang’an into a certain Earthfire Chamber.
“This place connects to the Earthfire. Many of our Pavilion’s disciples rely on it to refine pills. And this Earthfire Chamber at the deepest point is surrounded by formation barriers…”
As Fairy of Rainbow Skirt gave her introduction, Lin Chang’an stepped into the scorching Earthfire Chamber.
At the center stood a third-rank alchemy furnace, secured by eight iron chains.
This third-rank alchemy furnace was integrated with the formation barrier.
“This is the jade token for entering the Earthfire Chamber.”
“Many thanks, fellow Daoist.”
After leaving behind a jade token, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt offered a word of blessing before turning and departing.
After surveying his surroundings, Lin Chang’an arranged his Blood Fiend Scarlet Sun Formation before feeling at ease.
“Although this place has restriction formations, one must always guard against others.”
At that moment, perhaps sensing the intense heat, the Wind-Chirp Bird in the Spirit Beast Pouch stirred restlessly.
Seeing this, Lin Chang’an released the Wind-Chirp Bird.
The moment it emerged, the Wind-Chirp Bird circled excitedly—this place, rich in fire-attribute energy, was its favorite kind of environment.
“Alright, you keep watch. I’m going to refine the Crystal Condensing Pill now.”
“Yes, Master,” chirped the Wind-Chirp Bird crisply, flapping its wings while greedily absorbing the Earthfire spiritual energy.
With the formation and a third-rank spirit pet like the Wind-Chirp Bird keeping watch, Lin Chang’an finally relaxed.
Then, he took out the materials needed to refine the Crystal Condensing Pill from his storage pouch, one by one.
【Third-rank Low-grade Alchemist (Proficient 3/500)】
Revisiting Alchemist Jiang’s pill refinement insights, Lin Chang’an nodded to himself.
“Time to begin refining!”
Holding his breath and concentrating, Lin Chang’an took a deep breath. First, he circulated his mana to familiarize himself with the alchemy furnace, then followed the pill formula and used his skill.
He tossed in one spirit herb, one spirit fruit at a time.
Refining a third-rank pill tested the alchemist’s willpower.
One had to remain fully focused for over a month—any slight lapse could result in irreparable failure.
But Lin Chang’an, possessing exceptional talent, used the force of the Earthfire to slowly melt the third-rank ingredients.
Time passed. A month later—
Inside the Earthfire Chamber, the Wind-Chirp Bird lounged contentedly, occasionally gulping down spurts of Earthfire that surged up from below, its eyes squinting in sheer enjoyment.
This was far better than being in the Sinister Spirit Lands.
Though sinister spirits were its prey, it naturally disliked staying in Yin Veins every day.
More importantly, even though Lin Chang’an’s mana enabled its continued cultivation, the best training ground remained one saturated with fire spiritual energy.
At this moment, Lin Chang’an stood calmly in front of the alchemy furnace.
“Pill complete!”
With a soft utterance, the furnace lid popped open, and two pill pellets shimmering with spiritual radiance slowly floated up amidst the flames.
“These are the Crystal Condensing Pills! And two premium ones at that!”
Watching the two red pills in the air gradually cool and crystallize, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but look thrilled.
He had planned for Core Formation for so long—with these two premium-grade Crystal Condensing Pills, his success rate had increased by over thirty percent.
Carefully storing them in a jade bottle, he placed the item into a storage pouch guarded against detection, worn close to his body.
“At last, it’s done.”
Lin Chang’an exhaled deeply in relief.
Everything had gone smoothly, without the ups and downs others often faced.
…
Outside the Earthfire Chamber, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt waited, and finally, Lin Chang’an emerged.
“Fellow Daoist He…”
She had intended to say more, but the He-surnamed False Core Cultivator disguised by Lin Chang’an appeared crestfallen, as if he had failed.
“Many thanks, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt. Here are the spirit stones for the rental and the jade token.”
“You’re too courteous, Fellow Daoist He.”
Fairy of Rainbow Skirt smiled faintly, retrieving both the jade token and spirit stones.
After all, Xuanyin Pavilion was no charity—renting a cave abode required payment in spirit stones.
However, Lin Chang’an took this opportunity to probe whether Fairy of Rainbow Skirt had any connections to a spirit vessel heading to Sea Abyss City.
“I heard your Pavilion conducts excellent business. Would Fellow Daoist happen to have any leads on such spirit vessels?”
Fairy of Rainbow Skirt sighed lightly and replied:
“Fellow Daoist He, the seas around Five Dragon Island have grown increasingly chaotic in recent years. Several incidents have already occurred. These days, the merchant ships of our factions…”
Her words, though vague, amounted to a refusal.
In fact, many major forces wouldn’t even let newly recruited guest elders or visiting cultivators get involved with their merchant ships.
These were truly troubled times.
“I see.”
Though Lin Chang’an had anticipated this, he still sighed helplessly.
It was now impossible to ride on a major faction’s merchant ship. He would have to seek out a specialized spirit vessel.
Afterward, Lin Chang’an bade farewell to Fairy of Rainbow Skirt—after all, his False Core Cultivator identity was not genuine.
At least this time, no one had taken notice of him.
This also made Lin Chang’an ponder. It seemed the Long Clan truly had no energy to spare.
…
Several days later, after gathering information, Lin Chang’an prepared to leave Five Dragon Island.
“Who would’ve thought spirit vessel fares would be this expensive now!”
Over the past few days, he had used his true identity to ask around all over Five Dragon Island.
With the seas around Five Dragon Island in turmoil, there were too many rogue cultivators like him looking for a safe place to cultivate—prices had already skyrocketed.
Tickets were nearly impossible to obtain, which made Lin Chang’an frown. It seemed he would need to explore some local clan channels—like the Lu Clan.
“But before leaving, I must deal with the third-rank Emerald Alligator Turtle materials!”
As long as that material remained in his storage pouch, he couldn’t feel at ease.
Unknowingly, Lin Chang’an had already reached the edge of the marketplace. He patted his storage pouch, and a gourd-shaped flying artifact descended.
He flew straight outward.
…
Several months later.
In the Fog Sea of Tongtian, traces of a suspected third-rank demon beast—Emerald Alligator Turtle—were discovered near several islands, including some bloodstains.
In no time, many cultivators’ eyes lit up—an injured third-rank demon beast was enough to tempt even True Core Cultivators.
Numerous cultivators formed demon-hunting squads, secretly investigating the whereabouts of this wounded third-rank Emerald Alligator Turtle.
Azure Wave Island.
“Have you heard? A third-rank Emerald Alligator Turtle was spotted recently. Many False Core Cultivators have teamed up to form demon-hunting squads.”
“Judging from the traces left behind, the Emerald Alligator Turtle was severely injured.”
Amidst the crowd, Lin Chang’an’s lips curled into a faint smile.
Naturally, this was all his doing. With a third-rank turtle shell in hand, it was all too easy to leave a few convincing traces.
To ensure the plan was flawless, he had even thrown the remaining blood and flesh of the Emerald Alligator Turtle into the sea, luring wild beasts into a feeding frenzy.
This created the illusion that the third-rank beast was gravely wounded.
“Next up is selling off this third-rank turtle shell.”
With narrowed eyes and wearing a bamboo hat, Lin Chang’an made his way straight to his destination.
This matter had passed for twenty years, and the Long Clan was now a public target—this was the perfect time to make his move.
Besides, the Sea Abyss of Beasts teemed with demon beasts. How many were killed each year?
It wasn’t like Emerald Alligator Turtle materials hadn’t surfaced before—he had just feared a trap, so he’d always kept them hidden.
Now that he had released the news himself, as long as he acted before anyone caught on, there would be no danger.
With the experience of these demon-hunting squads, it would only take a short while of tracking to realize it was fake.
Thus, what he relied on was an information gap!
As soon as he stepped into the shop, the cultivator disguised as Lin Chang’an emanated a terrifying Blood Fiend aura—especially with the presence of a False Core Cultivator’s pressure.
Many Foundation Establishment cultivators respectfully moved aside to both sides.
“Yo, this Fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar.”
Just as the False Core Cultivator entered the shop, Fatty Lei walked out to greet him.
Seeing it was a stranger, he still stepped forward with a smile and invited this fellow cultivator into the back room.
Once inside, Lin Chang’an wasted no words and rasped directly:
“I heard Fellow Daoist Lei takes in all kinds of treasures. I came uninvited.”
“Say no more—if you’ve brought something valuable, the price won’t be an issue.”
With a casual tap of his storage pouch, Lin Chang’an revealed a massive turtle shell in the spacious room.
Seeing this, Fatty Lei’s eyes widened even more. “This is a third-rank Emerald Alligator Turtle!?”
He didn’t question the death of the Long Clan genius from twenty years ago.
After all, it had been too long, and hunting demon beasts in the Sea Abyss was common.
Recalling the recent rumors about the Emerald Alligator Turtle, Fatty Lei couldn’t help exclaiming:
“Didn’t expect Fellow Daoist to be the one who killed it—truly impressive! Bring out the demon core and other materials too.”
Under Fatty Lei’s expectant gaze, Lin Chang’an only produced two sharp claws—one for the front and one for the rear. Nothing else.
“Fellow Daoist?”
Seeing Fatty Lei pretending not to understand, Lin Chang’an rasped:
“I hunted it together with two other Fellow Daoists—this was my share.”
Fatty Lei showed sudden comprehension, but a glint of cunning flickered through his beady eyes.
“Fellow Daoist, you know things have been turbulent lately. According to the rules, I can only offer…”
Just as Fatty Lei raised his fingers to indicate seventy percent of the value, Lin Chang’an, without hesitation, began putting the demon beast materials away.
“Wait a moment, Fellow Daoist! We can negotiate!”
“Fellow Daoist Lei, third-rank beast materials—especially this turtle shell—are ideal for refining magic treasures. I could fetch a good price at Five Dragon Island.”
“No need to rush!”
“Exchange only, no selling! If you have high-grade spirit liquid, then we can trade.”
After some tug-of-war, Fatty Lei reluctantly handed over more than ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones, along with a significant quantity of high-grade spirit liquid.
Lin Chang’an hadn’t expected such a fortunate gain.
This spirit liquid was a primary source for watering and cultivating his life-bound spirit plant.
He hadn’t forgotten his own great opportunity.
Moreover, carrying too many spirit stones could attract certain spirit beasts by scent.
That was the real reason for trading spirit items.
Once the transaction was complete, Lin Chang’an left the shop.
Fatty Lei, on the other hand, squinted at the materials he had just obtained, already thinking ahead.
“Many cultivators are currently searching for traces of the third-rank Emerald Alligator Turtle. This bit of information could fetch another haul of spirit stones.”
With that thought, the fat on Fatty Lei’s face jiggled with a broad grin.
Little did he know, those demon beast materials were a hot potato.
This was Lin Chang’an’s payback for Fatty Lei’s previous collusion with another cultivator.
And besides, it was a black market—misjudging was your own bad luck.
That third-rank turtle shell was worth that price anywhere.
…
Yuling Island.
“Haha! Fellow Daoist Lin, it’s been many years. Your visit today is a true honor!”
Naturally, Lin Chang’an had come to visit the local power—the Lu Clan. The connections he had built over the years weren’t meant to go unused.
“Fellow Daoist Lu is too kind.”
With a full smile, Lu Yujian invited him into the clan residence.
For rogue cultivators like Lin Chang’an, it was no surprise to see them emerge from hiding due to the recent unrest.
Only those with vast family responsibilities, like the Lu Clan, couldn’t easily withdraw.
“Greetings, Lu Clan Patriarch.”
Madam Lu also smiled and cupped her hands in greeting.
With decades of friendship, they also believed Lin Chang’an to be a hardworking solitary cultivator.
Of course, given Lin Chang’an’s sudden visit, they vaguely guessed the reason.
When a Foundation Establishment cultivator visited, the Lu Clan naturally wouldn’t be disrespectful.
Spirit wine and spirit meat were set out. Though Lin Chang’an was warmly welcomed, knowing he was here to ask for help, he raised his cup in return.
He had chosen the Lu Clan because, firstly, they were the local power—their network far surpassed his.
Secondly, Lu Yushu had become a disciple under a Core Formation Elder of Bihai Palace, and his words now carried weight.
Three rounds of wine passed.
Lin Chang’an put down his cup and openly stated his purpose:
“Lu Clan Patriarch, the seas have grown increasingly dangerous. I came today hoping Madam Lu could help me acquire a spirit vessel ticket to Sea Abyss City.”
As Lin Chang’an spoke, Madam Lu showed a knowing expression—she had guessed as much earlier.
“Fellow Daoist need not laugh at me. As a mere rogue cultivator, it hasn’t been easy reaching this stage. I’d regret not taking a shot at Core Formation.”
Presenting himself as someone seeking Core Formation opportunities in Sea Abyss City, the two didn’t doubt him.
After all, reaching late Foundation Establishment as a rogue cultivator was already difficult. Core Formation was even harder!
“Sea Abyss City, is it?”
Madam Lu paused, then explained, “The Five Dragon Island seas are remote and far from there. Only large factions operate merchant ships.
With recent unrest, even Core Formation Cultivator robbers have appeared. I heard the Duanmu Clan’s False Core Cultivator was recently ambushed and killed.”
Despite hearing about the dangers, Lin Chang’an simply nodded calmly.
“That’s exactly why I came to visit the Lu Clan Patriarch.”
Lu Yujian looked at Lin Chang’an enviously—he himself had just barely reached late Foundation Establishment, while Lin Chang’an was already preparing for Core Formation.
Seeing his mother hesitate, Lu Yujian blurted out:
“Mother, didn’t big brother in Sea Abyss City also start preparing for Core Formation? We can go together!”
Upon hearing that, Lin Chang’an’s eyes flashed with surprise. He recalled Lu Yushu, once full of spirit as a disciple under Master Tan.
Who would’ve thought that in such a short time, he was already preparing for Core Formation?
Having backing was simply different from being a rogue cultivator. Even Lin Chang’an couldn’t help feeling some envy.
“Lu Clan Patriarch, rest assured. I won’t trouble you for nothing.”
Lin Chang’an cupped his hands. Asking for help required sincerity—not just words.
Seeing her son speak too quickly, Madam Lu could only shake her head.
She had intended to emphasize the difficulty so that Lin Chang’an would remember the favor.
“But Fellow Daoist Lin, the Lu Clan recently traded for three spirit vessel tickets. These vessels only cross the sea once every three years.
The next one is scheduled for next year—are you in a rush?”
“No rush. Next year works perfectly.”
Lin Chang’an answered without hesitation, relieving Madam Lu inwardly.
It seemed he wasn’t fleeing from any crimes. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so calm and composed.
Lin Chang’an then handed over four thousand mid-grade spirit stones, trading for the ticket and receiving the Lu Clan’s guarantee.
He couldn’t help recalling that when Hu Jin bought his ticket, it only cost eight hundred mid-grade spirit stones—he had complained it was overpriced.
Now it was Lin Chang’an’s turn, and the price had risen to three thousand mid-grade spirit stones.
As for the extra one thousand, Lin Chang’an still smiled as he handed it over—but the pain in his eyes didn’t escape the two.
For late Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators, such a large amount of spirit stones would always sting.
Besides, people had to grease palms—connections weren’t free.
Seeing Lin Chang’an’s attitude, Madam Lu sighed inwardly. She had originally planned to charge less and show goodwill.
After all, a late Foundation Establishment cultivator and a second-rank high-grade Talisman Master were worthy of forming ties.
But in recent years, the Lu Clan had been secretly collecting Core Formation spirit items, gathering their entire clan’s resources to nurture one Core Formation cultivator.
The Lu Clan had weathered many storms. They were truly poor now!
Even just getting someone to buy the ticket required a lot of effort.
In fact, they had only acquired two tickets initially. It was only after receiving a letter from Lu Yushu in Sea Abyss City—saying he would attempt Core Formation in the next year or two—that she decided to go in person.
This was the Lu Clan’s hope, their future.