Chapter 275: Planning the Life-bound Magic Treasure
Inside the Earthfire Cavern.
Lin Chang’an sat cross-legged atop the Fusang Divine Tree, relying not only on the aura of the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine to purify the divine tree, but also absorbing the purified demonic qi to assist in his cultivation.
During this Core Reforging, he had depended on the powerful vitality of the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine and his Regenerative Body. Although he suffered some internal injuries,
they did not threaten his lifespan. If the cultivation world found out, it would surely cause an uproar.
"This pure demonic qi is truly an excellent aid for body refinement."
After a long while, Lin Chang’an slowly opened his eyes, revealing a satisfied expression.
Body refinement should have been an extremely slow process, yet over the years, with the aid of demonic qi, his progress had been the fastest of all his paths.
He understood that it was because of this aid. Once the benefit ran out, his progress would slow down like any other cultivator’s.
"However, the amount of demonic qi corroding the Fusang Divine Tree is so immense that it likely won’t be exhausted even in a hundred years."
Staring at the massive Fusang Divine Tree before him, Lin Chang’an sighed.
The more he purified it, the more he sensed the terrifying depth of the tree's corruption. The outer layers were manageable, but the inner core proved extremely difficult to purify.
It required far more of his effort.
Still, for him, it was a form of hidden benefit.
Next, Lin Chang’an slowly stepped down from the Fusang Divine Tree, and then did something strange.
He activated his cultivation method, and surprisingly, spat out a mouthful of essence blood onto the roots of the Fusang Divine Tree.
The next moment, he formed a hand seal. The blood transformed into eerie runes, as if they had come to life, spreading from the roots upward, slowly branding onto the tree trunk.
Only after half an hour, having completed this, did Lin Chang’an let out a long breath, his brows revealing a trace of exhaustion.
This time, he wasn’t faking it—maintaining this state long-term would make others believe he had suffered heavy losses after Core Reforging.
"This special blood-refining method is why only I, who possess the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine as my Life-bound Spirit Plant, am capable of such a feat."
Lin Chang’an took a deep breath. With another hand seal, the Life-bound Spirit Plant in his dantian slowly emerged and floated before him.
The two leaves, driven by his mana, projected this cultivation method and the subsequent artifact crafting process within the Earthfire Cavern.
"According to the refining method shown, once the refinement is complete and further assisted in crafting the artifact, this Life-bound Magic Treasure can maintain uninterrupted vitality."
It was a difficult process, requiring the cultivator to refine it long-term with essence blood. Only because he had the Regenerative Body and the vitality feedback from the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine
could he manage. Otherwise, even if a typical Core Formation cultivator exhausted their lifespan, they wouldn’t succeed.
He alone could perform daily essence blood refinement due to his strong recovery.
"The Fusang Divine Tree consists of two intertwined trees. Thus, this sword formation also has two sets—Yin and Yang, thirty-six swords each, for a total of seventy-two. Only when Yin and Yang are united can its full power be unleashed."
Yet he only possessed the Yang-attributed half, meaning the complete set was missing.
He could only craft the extreme Yang set of thirty-six swords.
Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but sigh.
"Still, I should be content. Even if incomplete, this divine wood far surpasses any other spirit wood used to craft magic treasures."
Moreover, he had vague speculations in his heart. From the fragmented memories of the Blood Fiend True Lord and the discovery of this divine tree's cave abode,
he suspected that the depths of the Cloudmist Mountain Range held tremendous secrets.
"Right now, I’m just a mere Core Formation cultivator. Even if a complete Yin-Yang Fusang Divine Tree lay before me, I wouldn’t be able to wield the full power of the artifact."
He was content. Under normal circumstances, even a piece of the Fusang Divine Wood was far beyond the reach of someone like him.
Even Nascent Soul cultivators would covet it.
It was only because this Fusang Divine Tree had lost much of its spiritual nature that it fell into his hands.
Also, he possessed the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine, allowing him to restore the tree's vitality. Once he completed the Life-bound Magic Treasure, he could slowly help the tree recover its spirit.
"Crafting the Life-bound Magic Treasure... step by step."
This blood-sacrificing method, along with the supporting formation plates he needed to prepare, all required time. Lin Chang’an wasn’t in a rush, proceeding methodically.
In the days that followed, Lin Chang’an resumed his routine of daily cultivation, letting his two avatars focus on refining techniques. He himself took on an extra task—
refining the Fusang Divine Tree with essence blood, monitoring the Azure-Horned Ox’s condition, and training the Sword Attendant.
……
Daily cultivation seemed monotonous, yet Lin Chang’an took great joy in it.
The ability to fly and burrow through the earth—how could that ever be dull?
What others considered bitter cultivation, he thoroughly enjoyed and relished.
His two avatars stayed at Chihuo Peak: refining pills when needed, and otherwise focusing on artifact crafting.
【Second-rank Mid-grade Artifact Refiner (Proficient 325/1000)】
Looking at his artifact refining skills, Lin Chang’an's true body smiled in satisfaction.
The rapid improvement in his skills stemmed from being a Core Formation cultivator—his alchemy fire and materials were on an entirely different level from Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Another reason was that his two avatars spent nearly all their time on artifact crafting, naturally speeding up his progress.
"Sigh, if I had a choice, I’d specialize in a single craft. Unfortunately, Third-rank pill refining, talisman crafting, and formations… I can’t treat them like I used to."
Third-rank pill materials were rare. Even Xuanyin Pavilion couldn’t provide high-tier ingredients for him to refine continuously. As a result, he often had to set it aside.
The same went for talismans. Third-rank talisman papers were precious, no longer something he could afford to waste—unless he went hunting in the Outer Seas himself, which wasn’t impossible.
The same logic applied to formations. So for these three Third-rank crafts, he, like other cultivators, mostly relied on insights and experience to advance.
Or rather, once cultivation arts reached a certain level in the world of cultivation, further progress required a cultivator’s own comprehension and perception.
Only someone like him, who could both research on his own and accelerate the process with the insights of predecessors, could move at this pace.
"Another issue is the difficulty of acquiring Third-rank craft inheritances."
Lin Chang’an shook his head. As a formation master, it was reasonable for him to buy Third-rank formation inheritances. But buying other Third-rank inheritances—
was bound to cause complications.
"Xuanyin Pavilion does have two Third-rank talisman inheritances, but it’s a pity."
Though he had previously been a High-grade Second-rank Talisman Master, making it reasonable to reach Third-rank, he already had his identity as a Third-rank Formation Master to cover for him.
When it came to talismans, it was best to stay low-key.
All these years, he had kept his eyes on Five Dragon Island and external information, never missing any opportunity for Third-rank talisman inheritances or pill formulas.
If it was a formation, he would show up personally; for alchemy, he used his avatar, Alchemist Wen.
For others, he appeared in disguise, to see if he could win them.
……
One day, as Lin Chang’an emerged from his cave abode during his routine cultivation, he sensed something unusual and frowned.
"What happened?"
The Sword Attendant stood respectfully nearby. Though she seemed fine on the surface, she couldn’t hide anything from a Core Formation cultivator.
Her slightly pale complexion clearly showed she was injured.
"Master, this subordinate encountered several brazen robber cultivators while buying cultivation materials at the marketplace..."
After hearing the Sword Attendant’s report, Lin Chang’an frowned deeply.
He had clearly underestimated the girl’s capabilities.
The Heavenly Spirit Sword Body was indeed powerful. This time, she had faced three Foundation Establishment robber cultivators—one of whom was mid-stage—and still managed to slay two and force one to flee.
But ultimately, the Sword Attendant was still an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
As Zheng Hu had once said, the world of cultivation had no shortage of prematurely fallen Heavenly Spirit Roots. Talents who had not matured were just latent potential.
Not real experts.
"Here are some healing pills. Don’t let your cultivation be delayed."
"Thank you, Master!"
Though Lin Chang’an spoke casually about not delaying cultivation, the Sword Attendant couldn’t help but show a flicker of emotion as she held the pills.
With his own mana, he could have quickly healed her injuries.
But one could never be too cautious. Even if the Sword Attendant posed no risk, if others with ill intentions found out, he didn’t want to take that gamble.
Besides, the special healing pills already contained a wisp of his refined mana—more than enough to heal her wounds.
Unfortunately, this refined mana of his couldn’t be preserved for long. Otherwise, it would’ve been even better.
"With your abilities, defeating two of the same rank and forcing a mid-stage Foundation Establishment to flee is already quite impressive."
Chapter 275: Planning the Life-bound Magic Treasure【Seeking Monthly Tickets】
Inside the Earthfire Cavern.
Lin Chang’an sat cross-legged atop the Fusang Divine Tree. Not only did he rely on the aura of the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine to purify the tree, but he also absorbed the purified demonic qi to aid his cultivation.
During this Core Reforging, he had depended on the powerful vitality of the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine and his Regenerative Body. Although he suffered some internal injuries,
they did not threaten his lifespan. If the cultivation world found out, it would surely cause an uproar.
"This pure demonic qi truly is an excellent aid for body refinement."
After a while, Lin Chang’an slowly opened his eyes, revealing a satisfied expression.
Body refinement was supposed to be extremely slow, but with the aid of demonic qi over the years, his progress had become one of his fastest.
He knew well that it was due to this advantage. Once it ended, his progress would slow down just like any ordinary cultivator’s.
"However, the amount of demonic qi corroding the Fusang Divine Tree is so vast, I might not finish absorbing it in a hundred years."
Looking at the massive Fusang Divine Tree before him, Lin Chang’an sighed.
The deeper the purification, the more he sensed the terrifying extent of the tree’s corruption. The outer layers were manageable, but the deeper he went, the harder it became to purify.
It often required more of his effort.
But for him, it was a kind of hidden benefit.
Then, Lin Chang’an slowly stepped down from the Fusang Divine Tree, and did something strange.
He activated his cultivation method, and unexpectedly spat out a mouthful of essence blood onto the roots of the Fusang Divine Tree.
The next moment, he formed a hand seal. The blood transformed into eerie runes, as if they had come to life, spreading from the roots upward, slowly branding onto the trunk,
After half an hour, having completed the process, Lin Chang’an let out a long breath, a trace of exhaustion appearing between his brows.
This time, he wasn’t pretending. Maintaining this state long-term would lead others to think he had suffered severe vitality loss after Core Reforging.
"This special sacrificial refining method—only I, with the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine as my Life-bound Spirit Plant, can perform it."
Taking a deep breath, Lin Chang’an formed another seal, and the Life-bound Spirit Plant in his dantian slowly emerged, floating in the air.
With his mana, the two leaves projected this technique and the subsequent crafting method of the magic treasure within the Earthfire Cavern.
"According to the refining method above, once the sacrifice is complete, I can use supplementary techniques to craft the magic treasure. This Life-bound Magic Treasure will then retain continuous vitality."
It was extremely difficult. A cultivator needed to refine it over a long period with essence blood. Only he, with his Regenerative Body and the vitality feedback of the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine,
could endure it. Any ordinary Core Formation cultivator would fail even after exhausting their lifespan.
Only his strong recovery allowed daily essence blood refinement.
"The Fusang Divine Tree is made of two trees supporting each other. Thus, the sword formation splits into Yin and Yang—thirty-six swords each, making seventy-two in total. Only when Yin and Yang unite can full power be unleashed."
But the ones in his possession were only Yang-attributed, meaning the set of magic treasures was half incomplete.
He could only refine the extreme Yang set of thirty-six swords.
This made Lin Chang’an sigh.
"Still, I should be content. Even if incomplete, using such divine wood to craft magic treasures far surpasses others made from ordinary spirit wood."
Moreover, he had a vague suspicion—from the fragmented memories of the Blood Fiend True Lord and discovering this tree's cave abode—
he suspected that deep within the Cloudmist Mountain Range lay a great secret.
"I’m just a mere Core Formation cultivator now. Even if a complete Yin-Yang Fusang Divine Tree lay before me, I couldn’t fully control the magic treasure refined from it."
He was very satisfied. Under normal circumstances, even a piece of Fusang Divine Wood wasn’t something a Core Formation cultivator could obtain.
Even Nascent Soul cultivators would covet it.
It was only because this Fusang Divine Tree had lost much of its spirit that it came to him.
And because he possessed the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine, which could restore the tree’s vitality. After refining the Life-bound Magic Treasure, he could slowly restore its spirit.
"Crafting the Life-bound Magic Treasure... take it slow."
This blood sacrifice method and the auxiliary formation plates he still had to prepare required time. Lin Chang’an was in no rush, proceeding methodically.
In the days that followed, Lin Chang’an resumed his routine: daily cultivation, relying on his two avatars to refine techniques, while he added one more task—
refining the Fusang Divine Tree with essence blood, monitoring the Azure-Horned Ox, and training the Sword Attendant.
……
Daily cultivation appeared dull, but Lin Chang’an thoroughly enjoyed it.
With the power to fly and travel underground, how could it be boring?
What others considered bitter cultivation, he found deeply enjoyable and fulfilling.
His two avatars remained at Chihuo Peak: refining pills when needed, and focusing on artifact refinement otherwise.
【Second-rank Mid-grade Artifact Refiner (Proficient 325/1000)】
Looking at his artifact refinement proficiency, Lin Chang’an’s true body showed a satisfied smile.
His skills had progressed rapidly—partly because he was now a Core Formation cultivator. The pill flames and materials he used in crafting far surpassed those available to Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Another reason was that his two avatars devoted nearly all their time to refining, thus progressing rapidly.
"Sigh, if given a choice, of course I’d focus on a single skill. But unfortunately, Third-rank alchemy, talismans, and formations can no longer be treated like before."
Third-rank pill materials were rare. Even Xuanyin Pavilion couldn’t provide high-grade materials for continuous refining, so he had to set it aside frequently.
It was the same for talismans. Third-rank talisman paper was precious, no longer something he could afford to burn through—unless he hunted in the Outer Seas himself, which wasn’t impossible.
Formations followed the same logic. Therefore, for these three Third-rank arts, like other cultivators, he mostly relied on insights and experience to progress.
Or rather, once techniques reached a certain level in the cultivation world, they required a cultivator’s own comprehension.
Only someone like him could supplement self-research with the insights of predecessors to accelerate the process.
"Another headache is how rare Third-rank inheritances are."
Lin Chang’an shook his head. As a formation master, purchasing Third-rank formation inheritances and insights made sense. But buying others—
would always raise complications.
"Xuanyin Pavilion does have two Third-rank talisman inheritances, but it’s a pity."
Though he had once been a High-grade Second-rank Talisman Master, making it reasonable to reach Third-rank, he now used his identity as a Third-rank Formation Master for cover.
In the talisman path, it was best to keep a low profile.
These years, he had kept his eyes on Five Dragon Island and outside intel. If there was any news of Third-rank talismans or pill formulas, he never missed it.
If it involved formations, he’d appear in person. For pill refining, his avatar, Alchemist Wen, would step forward.
For other cases, he concealed his identity to see if he could acquire it.
……
(Translation continues in next message.)
(Continued translation of Chapter 275)
One day, as Lin Chang’an stepped out from his cave abode during his daily cultivation, he sensed something unusual and frowned.
"What happened?"
The Sword Attendant stood respectfully to the side. Though she appeared fine on the surface, before a Core Formation cultivator, nothing could be hidden.
Her slightly pale complexion clearly indicated she was injured.
"Master, while I was purchasing cultivation materials at the marketplace, I encountered several blind robber cultivators..."
After hearing the Sword Attendant's report, Lin Chang’an frowned tightly.
It seemed he had underestimated this girl's means.
The Heavenly Spirit Sword Body was indeed powerful. This time she had encountered three Foundation Establishment robber cultivators—one of them mid-stage—yet she killed two, with only one escaping.
But in the end, she was still just an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
As Zheng Hu once said, the cultivation world had no shortage of prematurely perished Heavenly Spirit Roots. A genius who had yet to grow would always remain just a latent talent—
not a true expert.
"These are healing pills. Don’t let it delay your cultivation."
"Thank you, Master!"
Although Lin Chang’an had spoken plainly, telling her not to delay cultivation, as she looked at the pills in her hands, the Sword Attendant couldn’t help but show a hint of emotion.
He could have quickly healed her wounds using his own mana.
But one must remain cautious. Perhaps the Sword Attendant posed no threat, but if noticed by malicious parties, he did not wish to take the risk.
Besides, these special healing pills already contained a wisp of his refined mana—enough to restore her injuries.
Unfortunately, this refined mana couldn’t be preserved long. If it could, it would be even better.
"With your skills, killing two out of three in the same realm and forcing a mid-stage Foundation Establishment to flee is already remarkable."
It was more than remarkable. Lin Chang’an felt a bit uneasy just hearing the story.
Damn it! He had spent tens of thousands of Mid-grade Spirit Stones to buy this Sword Attendant, and invested so much in raising her over the years.
If anything happened to her, he’d suffer a massive loss.
Moreover, he had grown accustomed to using her over these years.
And the Sword Attendant was tied to his path to immortality—those who obstructed the path were irreconcilable enemies!
"Forgive me, Master. This subordinate has brought shame upon you!"
Seeing the Sword Attendant show such a remorseful expression, Lin Chang’an was speechless.
Back when he was early Foundation Establishment, even in head-on battles, he didn’t seem stronger than she was.
Still, the Sword Attendant currently only had two spirit artifacts, and they were merely ordinary ones. This made Lin Chang’an ponder—it seemed he needed to give the girl more life-saving tools.
"Soon, there will be a transaction and auction in the marketplace. You’ll accompany me there."
"Yes, Master!"
Shaking his head, Lin Chang’an realized he should get the girl one or two top-grade spirit artifacts suited to her.
"And take this Talisman Treasure. It was my personal protection back during Foundation Establishment. I’ll lend it to you now for self-defense."
After a moment’s thought, Lin Chang’an gave her the Blood Fiend Sword Talisman Treasure he had crafted during his Foundation Establishment stage. After all, she was his carefully cultivated subordinate.
If the Heavenly Spirit Sword Body reached Core Formation in the future, she would be of even greater help to him.
Compared to his Nascent Soul aspirations, a single Talisman Treasure was nothing.
Now that he had reached Core Formation, this Talisman Treasure was no longer very effective for him.
However, for the Sword Attendant, it was a heavy strike-level item. At this moment, she showed rare shock as she stared blankly at the Talisman Treasure that had landed in her hands.
"Sword... Qiu Ling’er thanks Master for your grace!"
Taking a deep breath, the Sword Attendant used her true name to express her gratitude to Lin Chang’an.
A Talisman Treasure—within sects and great clans, only Core Formation prospects had the right to be granted such items.
At this moment, it almost didn’t seem so impossible to become the Master's furnace.
Yet Lin Chang’an remained calm, walking over to the pavilion. There, the Azure-Horned Ox was still sleeping soundly in the pool, making him shake his head.
If he didn’t know this dumb ox was in the middle of a bloodline mutation, he’d have kicked it a few times.
In what world did the master work tirelessly while the spirit beast and mount slept all day?
While Lin Chang’an sat in the pavilion, the Sword Attendant respectfully stepped forward and, with practiced ease, began brewing Spirit Tea.
"Has anything else happened recently?"
Upon hearing this, the Sword Attendant's brows showed a rare trace of anger. She replied in a low voice:
"Master, there’s a recent rumor. The Core Formation cultivator Zheng Hu, whom you once slew, supposedly joined the robber cultivators of the Palace of Blazing Fire in the Fog Sea of Tongtian.
He’s now declaring vengeance on Xuanyin Pavilion and you, for killing a Palace of Blazing Fire elder. From now on, any merchant ship related to you or Xuanyin Pavilion will not be spared..."
Upon hearing this, Lin Chang’an looked dumbfounded.
What the hell!
The man had been dead for two years, and now this?
Any discerning eye could see it was a pretense.
"This Palace of Blazing Fire is really like a lingering ghost."
Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but grow angry. He was no longer the same as when he was merely Foundation Establishment, meekly bowing to the might of the Palace of Blazing Fire.
Clearly, this was a pretext for them to secretly target the merchant ships of Xuanyin Pavilion and the Lu Clan over the past few years.
"This Beast Sea Region... truly doesn’t have a moment of peace."
Lin Chang’an frowned, visibly irritated.
Behind this, there was certainly someone pulling strings—possibly even the Four Seas Merchant Guild or the Long Clan.
"It seems the merchant fleet I’ve built over the years, leveraging the lingering prestige of the Sixth Elder of Bihai Palace, has sparked someone’s greed."
Thinking of this, Lin Chang’an sighed inwardly. As one’s cultivation grew, so did their demand for resources—meaning others would have less.
Naturally, conflicts of interest would arise. This was the core reason why the cultivation world was rife with strife.
"Tell the Lu Clan to be cautious. Some people may be secretly fanning the flames."
"Yes, Master!"
Just as the Sword Attendant finished reporting, a cultivator from Xuanyin Pavilion appeared outside Celestial Spring Peak.
With his Core Formation divine sense, Lin Chang’an had long sensed them. Remaining calm, he waved his hand.
The Sword Attendant understood instantly, respectfully cupped her fists, and flew off on her sword to receive the cultivator from Xuanyin Pavilion.
As a Core Formation cultivator, it was beneath him to personally greet ordinary cultivators—he had subordinates for that.
Moments later, the Sword Attendant returned by flying sword and landed at the pavilion, presenting a letter with both hands.
"Master, it’s a letter from Xuanyin Pavilion."
Now that he was a guest elder of Xuanyin Pavilion, it was natural for acquaintances to send letters via the Pavilion.
With a light flick of his finger, the jade letter floated before Lin Chang’an. A voice and written message from Old Hu slowly emerged from it.
This was a divine sense transmission. With the Sword Attendant’s cultivation, she couldn’t eavesdrop.
But since Lin Chang’an didn’t bother concealing the visible message, the Sword Attendant instinctively lowered her gaze, withdrew her divine sense, and didn’t peek at a single word.
Over the years of their companionship, the Sword Attendant’s conduct had gradually earned Lin Chang’an’s trust.
Trust couldn’t be built in a day—it required time and accumulated interaction.
Provided the Sword Attendant never grew disloyal.
"Old Lin, you’re living it up, huh? Hiding out in a remote sea region, living the good life. Has Xuanyin Pavilion sent you a few pretty concubines yet?"
"This Old Hu!"
The familiar voice of Old Hu made Lin Chang’an smile and shake his head.
Hu Jin was a cultivator who had grown up in the Yue Kingdom and naturally knew Xuanyin Pavilion was full of female cultivators.
Previously, Xuanyin Pavilion had indeed thought about sending him a few Foundation Establishment beauties—but he rejected them all.
Since Core Reforging, Xuanyin Pavilion had given up on that. But the Fairy of Rainbow Skirt had visited him several times, intentionally or not, mentioning her junior sister Liu Ruyu.
Lin Chang’an found it laughable. It was clear this Fairy of Rainbow Skirt wanted to act as matchmaker—so he’d become a true Core Formation cultivator of Xuanyin Pavilion through marriage.
"But Old Lin, you really dared to reforge your core! Guess your luck held out. Things have been turbulent lately—be careful..."
What followed was Old Hu’s usual grumbling, as well as updates on the Beast Sea Region.
Mostly the same old problems.
"The two Palace Masters of Bihai Palace have been in seclusion for a hundred years. Rumor has it they’ve gone astray practicing a secret technique, especially since they didn’t even appear on their own birthdays.
This has emboldened many outer sea sects. Things have been unstable in the outer seas these years."
Hearing this, Lin Chang’an frowned in thought.
The turmoil around Five Dragon Island was partly due to the Long Clan, but more so due to secret interference from external sea forces.
According to Old Hu, even other seas were restless, with outer sea factions continuously infiltrating.
Though the Beast Sea Region had never been peaceful, such maneuverings by major factions signaled dangerous times.
"In the cultivation world, strength speaks loudest. The Five Dragon Island region is remote—better to stabilize cultivation."
He could only hope these disturbances wouldn’t affect his own cultivation.