Chapter 307: The Mystic Yin Old Demon Has Arrived
Five Dragon Island Marketplace.
After Lin Changan came out of seclusion this time, he happened to receive an invitation to attend a trading gathering of Core Formation Cultivators at the marketplace.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, you’ve had this Heavenfire Grand Formation listed for three years now. If anyone truly had the formation inheritance you want, they would’ve already traded with you.
My brother and I from the Wu family will offer a high price! An absolutely high price—how about it?”
At the Core Formation Cultivator trading gathering, two burly men wearing leather armor and possessing extremely similar appearances spoke to Lin Changan with smiles all over their faces.
Both of them were Mid Core Formation Cultivators, yet when facing Lin Changan, who was only in the Early Core Formation stage, they remained full of smiles.
Not only the two of them—many people at this trading gathering had set their sights on the Third-rank Grand Formation that Lin Changan had listed for three years.
Facing the eager gazes of the cultivators present, Lin Changan clasped his hands and feigned a helpless expression as he said:
“Fellow Daoists, if you ask around, you’ll know how much Lin paid for this grand formation. It took tremendous effort just to restore this ancient formation.
Although it is only a Mid-grade Third-rank formation, its power is by no means inferior. It can even attack targets outside the formation…”
Ever since the restrictions of the Secret Realm of the Sinister Soul Sect had grown increasingly weak in recent years, many Core Formation Cultivators had arrived and had already begun preparing to enter the secret realm.
And Lin Changan’s Third-rank Heavenfire Grand Formation was absolutely an item many cultivators coveted.
Easy to deploy, simple to control, and perfectly capable of suppressing sinister spirits—it was simply the ideal tool for exploring the secret realm.
If they truly encountered danger, they could hide inside the formation to recover their mana or even counterattack and kill their enemies.
Unlike ordinary grand formations, which were cumbersome to set up and thus performed poorly in real combat within environments like secret realms.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, three years! It’s already been three years! If you don’t sell it, all the resources you invested will just go to waste.”
“Exactly. Why not trade the formation first and exchange it for materials to refine another one?”
Many visiting Core Formation Cultivators both loved and hated Lin Changan, this Formation Master.
They loved him because he truly had ability. Moreover, he was based at Celestial Spring Peak and had many businesses and connections operating here.
Because of this, Lin Changan—this Core Formation Cultivator—would not easily abandon his foundation here.
A Formation Master with a solid base naturally reassured cultivators who purchased formations.
After all, even if two formations were the same, each Formation Master would handle details differently. If you asked someone else to repair it, not only would the price be higher, the restored formation might not even reach its original power.
But what they hated was that this man only had two hands—why couldn’t he just make a few more sets of formations?
Within the crowd, even Fairy of Rainbow Skirt hesitated briefly before secretly transmitting her voice:
“Fellow Daoist Lin, a Third-rank High-grade Formation inheritance is something few people can produce except major factions. Why not seize this opportunity to exchange it for cultivation resources first?
After all, it will still take some time before the secret realm opens to Core Formation Cultivators. With the full assistance of the Xuanyin Pavilion, it may not be impossible to produce another formation.”
Hearing Fairy of Rainbow Skirt’s words, Lin Changan nodded helplessly. In truth, however, he had already made plans in his heart.
“In that case, taking advantage of this opportunity, as long as there’s a suitable offer, I’ll simply trade the formation. After all, this formation consumed far too many of my resources.”
Shaking his head, Lin Changan ultimately decided to relax his trading conditions while also making it appear that he had invested greatly into the formation.
Seeing this, the cultivators present who had the ability to trade for the formation revealed smiles.
“May we know what Fellow Daoist Lin still requires?”
Previously, Lin Changan had insisted on trading only for a Third-rank High-grade Formation inheritance, which they could not provide. Now that the conditions were loosened, they still needed to know what he wanted.
Facing the expectant gazes of everyone, Lin Changan pretended to ponder for a moment before nodding and speaking solemnly:
“Now that the restrictions of the Secret Realm of the Sinister Soul Sect are weakening more and more, the situation grows increasingly chaotic. I’ve even heard that Nascent Soul Cultivators have already been alarmed.
Lin has only formed his core for several decades. My cultivation is shallow, and I’m not skilled in Killing and Combat, nor do I have the mind to fight for opportunities. I only wish to exchange for some cultivation-enhancing pills or spirit fruits for self-protection.”
His words were not false.
At present, he lacked neither magical artifacts, cultivation methods, nor spirit stones.
What he needed most was improvement in cultivation. If he could break through to the Mid Core Formation stage sooner, he would gain far greater security—far more valuable than obtaining some magical artifact.
When Lin Changan said that his cultivation was shallow and that he wished to exchange for spiritual items to increase cultivation, everyone fell silent.
At their level, if someone possessed such items, they would usually keep them until their cultivation stagnated or they encountered a bottleneck.
After all, pills or spirit fruits useful for Core Formation Cultivators had extremely strict requirements. Ordinary seven- or eight-hundred-year spirit herbs were already of limited effect.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, I have a thousand-year spirit fruit here. I can supplement the rest with spirit stones or other materials—would you be willing to trade?”
Although thousand-year spirit herbs were rare, many cultivators revealed determined expressions for the sake of the secret realm.
How much cultivation could a single thousand-year spirit fruit increase?
It would be better to prepare for the secret realm. If they gained even a trace of opportunity inside, it would be far more valuable than that fruit.
Once someone spoke up, the others with sufficient means also gritted their teeth and took out their treasures.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, I have two Mid-grade Third-rank pills here. I originally intended to use them when encountering a cultivation bottleneck…”
“I don’t have a cultivation-enhancing spirit herb, but I possess a spirit jade that grew together with the legendary Spirit Eye Jade. If worn by a cultivator, it can accelerate cultivation speed…”
Some people quoted prices openly, while others secretly transmitted their offers—after all, some treasures were personal secrets that no one wished to reveal easily.
After hearing them, Lin Changan looked at the Core Formation Cultivators, each with a troubled expression, and couldn’t help twitching the corner of his mouth.
Good heavens—every one of them had lived for over a hundred years, and each was more cunning than the last.
On the surface they revealed nothing valuable, but privately their voice transmissions came one after another.
Ever since he and Yun Yao had picked up a great deal of materials from the Palace of Blazing Fire last time and exchanged them for spirit stones, Lin Changan was not lacking spirit stones for cultivation.
He even had plenty of common cultivation materials.
Therefore, what truly tempted him were these rare treasures useful for cultivation.
“Thousand-year spirit fruits and herbs may be rare, but they’re not impossible to buy. However, the bizarre treasures of the cultivation world are extremely rare…”
With a flicker in his eyes, Lin Changan weighed the gains and losses amid the temptations offered by everyone.
This was a rare opportunity. If the secret realm were not about to open and drive these old fellows to desperation, such treasures would never be easily revealed.
“Fellow Daoist, this item probably doesn’t increase the cultivation of Core Formation Cultivators very much, does it?”
In the end, Lin Changan took a liking to the object that could accelerate cultivation—the companion jade of Spirit Eye Jade.
He had never heard of this particular item, but he certainly knew the name Spirit Eye Jade. It was a treasure even Nascent Soul Cultivators would covet.
Looking at the person offering it, Lin Changan saw an elderly woman with gray-white hair. Her cultivation had reached the peak of Mid Core Formation, yet there was already an aura of twilight years about her.
Clearly, she was quite old.
However, when she heard Lin Changan’s voice transmission, she sneered:
“Fellow Daoist Lin, don’t joke. At my age, if I had even a single junior descendant, I would never take out such a treasure.
This item doesn’t increase cultivation much for Core Formation Cultivators. Its effect mainly depends on the age of the cultivator using it.”
Hearing this, Lin Changan secretly nodded.
What she said made sense.
Core Formation Cultivators possessed lifespans of several hundred years. For someone like him who had only recently formed his core, this item could still help.
Even if the effect was small, accumulated over time it could accelerate his cultivation by ten or twenty years.
Compared with cultivation-enhancing pills or spirit fruits, the difference was simply long-term versus short-term benefit.
And the long-term benefit could even be passed down to the next generation.
“To be honest, Fellow Daoist, I have lived my entire life alone. This time I simply want to enter the secret realm and fight for a chance to break through my bottleneck.
Nascent Soul is no longer my hope, but if fortune allows me to reach the Late Core Formation stage, living sixty or seventy more years would mean more than anything.”
Even ants feared death, let alone humans.
After saying this, the elderly woman revealed a trace of sorrow on her face, recalling how spirited and proud she had been after forming her core.
Who would have thought that when facing the end of her lifespan, she would be no different from mortal ants?
Seeing her reaction, Lin Changan also sighed softly.
Not just Core Formation Cultivators—even Nascent Soul Cultivators, when nearing the end of their lifespan, would still chase the legendary lifespan fruits.
No one wanted to die.
“Fellow Daoist, I’ll add three Quasi–third-rank puppets and a Second-rank puppet inheritance. These were obtained by several Foundation Establishment Cultivators inside the secret realm before…”
“Alright. Deal!”
As for whether it was worth it—that depended entirely on the judgment of both parties.
As for how the other party obtained the puppets and inheritance from Foundation Establishment Cultivators, Lin Changan had no interest in asking.
At least the added price was something.
Soon afterward, under the gaze of the gathered Core Formation Cultivators, Lin Changan completed the trade with the elderly woman.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, here are the three Quasi–third-rank puppets, and this Second-rank puppet inheritance.”
The elderly woman smiled as she directly took out three humanoid puppets, a jade slip, and a jade box in front of everyone.
As for what spirit item lay inside the box, no one knew.
This was a common method used by cultivators unwilling to reveal their traded items.
“Fellow Daoist, this is the Heavenfire Grand Formation restored by Lin, along with a jade slip containing its control methods. Lin wishes you success in the secret realm.”
Lin Changan also smiled as he produced the Heavenfire Grand Formation he had long prepared.
He even attached the jade slip containing the formation’s control method in front of everyone.
In the hands of a Formation Master who personally refined it, the formation could unleash one hundred and twenty percent of its power.
In the hands of a Formation Master unfamiliar with it, it might unleash ninety-five to one hundred percent.
But in the hands of someone who didn’t understand formations, reaching eighty percent of its power would already be considered good.
With Lin Changan’s jade slip for operating the formation, although somewhat rigid in application, achieving about ninety percent of the formation’s power would not be difficult.
“This old woman also congratulates Fellow Daoist Lin in advance on attaining the Nascent Soul Realm.”
Both sides exchanged what they needed, and polite words cost nothing.
Watching the Heavenfire Grand Formation disappear, many people revealed disappointed expressions.
However, the trading gathering continued, and Lin Changan sat down with a satisfied smile.
When he had obtained the item earlier and examined it with his divine sense, he had indeed sensed its effect of aiding cultivation.
Inside the jade box was a palm-sized jade stone. The moment he touched it, his powerful perception detected within it a trace of the Clear Spirit Qi recorded in ancient texts.
Clear Spirit Qi—something only Heaven-and-Earth Treasures could produce.
“This item grew alongside the Heaven-and-Earth treasure Spirit Eye Jade. The trace of Clear Spirit Qi within it truly is good fortune.”
As his divine sense examined the treasure inside his storage pouch, Lin Changan felt extremely satisfied.
Although he had not obtained the Third-rank High-grade Formation inheritance he wanted, this item was still excellent.
If it continued nurturing within spiritual land for another ten thousand years, it might even become a genuine Heaven-and-Earth treasure.
“This trade wasn’t a loss.”
For the cultivation method he practiced, treasures containing Clear Spirit Qi were even more effective for him than for other cultivators.
Although he had no descendants, it would also greatly assist the cultivation of his Sword Attendant.
Nodding secretly, Lin Changan glanced toward the elderly woman again and sighed inwardly.
The item was useful to him, but for her—as she said—its effect was already small.
“I have a Low-grade Third-rank fire-attribute Demon Core here. Whether for refining magical artifacts or other uses, it is quite valuable. I wish to exchange it for…”
Normally tight-fisted Core Formation Cultivators were now bringing out their hidden treasures one after another as the secret realm restrictions weakened further.
Various spiritual items appeared endlessly, dazzling everyone.
Especially the Core Formation Cultivators from distant seas and other regions, which broadened Lin Changan’s horizons.
Among those present at the trading gathering, more than seventy percent were visiting Core Formation Cultivators.
One could imagine how many people in the cultivation world were willing to risk everything for a single chance of opportunity.
After the trading gathering ended, as Fairy of Rainbow Skirt walked alongside him, she secretly transmitted her voice to ask about the Heavenfire Grand Formation.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, how long would it take to refine another set of the Heavenfire Grand Formation?”
Although Fairy of Rainbow Skirt had no intention of letting the Xuanyin Pavilion take risks, if Lin Changan produced another Third-rank formation, the businesses beneath Xuanyin Pavilion’s mountain would still benefit greatly.
As the two chatted and Lin Changan walked out of the trading gathering smiling, the voice-transmission talisman in his robes suddenly flashed.
It was Yun Yao’s voice-transmission talisman!
Immediately afterward, Lin Changan formed a hand seal, and the sound from the voice-transmission jade talisman transformed into divine sense that echoed in his mind.
However, after hearing Yun Yao’s message, Lin Changan’s expression suddenly changed.
The Mystic Yin Old Demon of the Mystic Yin Divine Sect had arrived!
A Nascent Soul Cultivator!
Suppressing his reaction, Lin Changan looked at the bustling marketplace and said with concern:
“Fellow Daoist Rainbow Skirt, things are becoming more chaotic recently. Once the secret realm restrictions weaken again, that may be when true turmoil begins.”
If Lin Changan worried that the turmoil might affect his cultivation, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt worried whether the Xuanyin Pavilion would be impacted by the coming events.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, don’t worry. I recently heard through some channels that the Nascent Soul elder of Bihai Palace has already reached an agreement with several Nascent Soul Cultivators from the outer seas…”
After hesitating slightly, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt still revealed this piece of intelligence she had only recently learned.
Lin Changan nodded upon hearing it.
Pretending to lose interest in wandering further, he departed with his Sword Attendant, riding the Azure-Horned Ox back toward his cave abode.
With Nascent Soul Cultivators entering the stage, he would need to cultivate much more cautiously from now on.