Chapter 65: Mystic Sound
【Lifespan: 52/124】
【Realm: Ninth Level of Qi Refinement (18/100)】
Inside the cultivation cave, as Lin Chang'an slowly opened his eyes, a vast surge of magical power rippled around him. The unparalleled Evergreen Art made his mana even more robust and pure.
“One and a half years... the cultivation speed is quite a bit faster than I expected.”
It had been a year and a half since he settled in Tianxuan City. Lin Chang'an was now fifty-two years old, and he had already broken through to the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement six months ago.
This filled him with emotion. Had he remained in Bamboo Mountain Marketplace, his breakthrough would have been delayed by at least another half year.
“Hard to imagine how rich the spiritual energy must be in the caves of the three Golden Core cultivators.”
This was precisely why spiritual veins across the world were fiercely contested by powerful cultivators.
Over the past year and a half, the situation in Yue Country had also stabilized significantly.
Pushing open the door of the attic, he stepped out of the cave residence, greeted by the sight of pavilions and pools, and the Azure-Horned Bull lying comfortably in the water.
To the side, the Silver River Waterfall thundered down.
“You lazy ox... You’re not even a water buffalo.”
Stepping out to breathe the fresh air, Lin Chang'an couldn’t help but laugh and scold as he saw the Azure-Horned Bull in the pool.
“Moo!”
The Azure-Horned Bull stepped out of the pool upon seeing Lin Chang'an, splashing water everywhere. It walked up to him, lowered its head, and affectionately rubbed against his pant leg while letting out a series of low moos.
With a smile, Lin Chang'an took out two bundles of spirit grass from his storage pouch and gently stroked a scar on the bull’s forehead.
The greatest difference between a spirit pet and a cultivator was trust.
“Thirty-two years of cultivation, reaching the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement at the age of fifty—this journey through the cultivation world has been worthwhile.”
Standing outside the cave residence and overlooking the scene below, the flourishing Immortal City came into full view.
In less than two years, Tianxuan City had transformed drastically.
Everywhere was bustling with the noise of cultivators; people came and went, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators flying through the skies on their magical implements were no longer rare.
Now, Tianxuan City had developed into the strongest city for rogue cultivators in Yue Country and the surrounding nations.
It had also come to be known as the Sanctuary for Rogue Cultivators.
Just on the various peaks behind him, there were already several hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators residing—let alone the countless visiting cultivators who had come to break through to Foundation Establishment, then return home in glory.
“Tianxuan City, built upon the mountains, filled with spiritual energy, and connected to the Cloudmist Mountain Range—its geographical advantage is truly unparalleled.”
As Lin Chang'an sighed with emotion, a commotion suddenly erupted in the distance.
“Look! Someone has reached Foundation Establishment!”
“That’s the second successful Foundation Establishment this month.”
“You only see the successes, not the many more who failed.”
Amid the discussions in the distance, Lin Chang'an revealed a look of envy.
“Foundation Establishment, huh? I should start preparing too.”
Thinking of Foundation Establishment, determination appeared in Lin Chang'an’s eyes.
Just as he had anticipated, Tianxuan City made acquiring many Foundation Establishment materials significantly easier.
After all, a pond had been replaced by a lake—different circles. What was once priceless and unavailable was still extremely rare in a lake, but could now occasionally appear.
“Now that most of the Foundation Establishment materials are ready, only a few key ingredients are missing—especially a demon core.”
Lin Chang'an pondered. The price of a demon core was even higher than that of a Foundation Establishment Pill. After all, alchemy was somewhat of a gamble.
Most alchemists could produce at least two Foundation Establishment Pills from one furnace, so naturally, demon cores were even more expensive.
Likewise, purchasing a demon core made one an easy target.
“To be cautious, I should first purchase a formation. Even if I manage to obtain a demon core, I must not expose it. Only after reaching the Great Circle of Qi Refinement should I bring it out and find an alchemist to refine it.”
As for formations, even those circulating in Tianxuan City were mostly lower-grade and mid-grade first-rank formations. For premium-grade formations, one still had to seek the two major sects.
“Looks like I’ll need to pay a visit to Yun Yao, that true disciple of the Palace of Blazing Fire.”
Since arriving in Tianxuan City, Yun Yao, the true disciple of a Golden Core elder from the Palace of Blazing Fire, had grown increasingly aloof. Rumor had it she had offended quite a few people, but no one dared to provoke her.
Lin Chang'an had also not interacted with them before.
Shen Lie and his wife, together with Wei Buyi and his daughter, had co-rented a courtyard. Over the past year, it had not been difficult for Wei Buyi to support the family by refining pills.
As for Shen Lie and his wife, they had returned to their old trade, reopening the Gathering Immortals Tower, and business had been fairly good.
However, Li Erniu had been a surprise. After all these years, he still persisted in arduous cultivation and had not used the Barrier-Breaking Pill to break through. In his own words, if he still could not break through in another two years, only then would he consider using it.
“Erniu, that brat, really has some ambition.”
Thinking of Erniu, Lin Chang'an shook his head with a smile. Since Li Erniu was a live-in son-in-law in the Zhou Clan, naturally the stronger and more talented he was, the more respect he could earn.
It was clear that Erniu wanted to break through to the Late-stage Qi Refinement on his own strength, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the eighth or ninth level thereafter.
Unlike Shen Lie, who had remained stuck at the Seventh Level of Qi Refinement ever since taking the Barrier-Breaking Pill.
…
Among the mountains, in front of a spiritual energy-rich peak by the Silver River Waterfall.
“Lin Chang'an requests an audience.”
Leaving behind a sound-transmission jade talisman, Lin Chang'an turned to leave. After all, Foundation Establishment cultivators often cultivated for several days at a time, and some would go into seclusion for a year or more.
Thus, he left a message. Just as he was about to leave, the formation at the cave residence slowly opened.
“Didn’t expect my timing to be just right today.”
With a full smile on his face, Lin Chang'an watched as the formation opened and two figures emerged—one was the usually aloof Yun Yao, and the other an unfamiliar presence.
“Senior Sister Miaoyin, your cultivation is profound. This junior has gained much.”
“Junior Sister Yun, you’re too modest.”
Apart from Yun Yao, dressed in white martial attire, with brows like distant peaks and a valiant bearing, there was another Foundation Establishment cultivator in a grey daoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk—clearly dressed as a daoist nun.
When this daoist nun opened her sandalwood lips, her voice was like a heavenly sound.
Miaoyin!
Upon hearing this name, Lin Chang'an's mind instantly flashed with the name Su Miaoyin, and his expression became serious. He respectfully saluted the two approaching figures.
“Greetings, seniors.”
Rumor had it that Perfected Lu had three personal disciples, among whom the second disciple, Su Miaoyin, always wore daoist nun attire.
It was said that she had already reached Late-stage Foundation Establishment, well-versed in lightning arts. Although she usually appeared as a nun, rumor also had it she was naturally alluring and extremely averse to flirtatious male cultivators.
“Senior Sister Miaoyin, this is an old friend of mine who has come to visit.”
Yun Yao, in her white martial robe, spoke with a rare gentle smile. The daoist nun Su Miaoyin glanced at Lin Chang'an, her expression calm, and nodded lightly in greeting.
“So that’s how it is.”
Her voice was ethereal, seemingly able to purify the heart. Yet when one looked up, every frown and smile between her brows was naturally enchanting—yet she held a horsetail whisk and looked exceptionally dignified.
A daoist nun had actually managed to embody both dignity and allure at once.
Lin Chang'an quickly lowered his gaze. This woman was a Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and there were even rumors she was actually Perfected Lu’s daughter—though no one knew if it was true.
In front of the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, Lin Chang'an tactfully stood aside, focusing inward until Yun Yao personally saw the other woman off. Her previously warm smile returned to cold indifference.
No wonder they say a woman’s face can change as quickly as flipping a page.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, the sound-transmission talisman you left earlier—I’ve already seen it. This premium-grade first-rank formation has always been tightly controlled by the major sects and clans, and not allowed to circulate freely in marketplaces.
But since Fellow Daoist Lin’s identity is clean and you assisted in eliminating remnants of the demonic sect, I will personally take you to select a formation today.”
Yun Yao gently nodded and explained the situation. Lin Chang'an naturally understood and cupped his hands in gratitude.
“Thank you.”
This was not merely an excuse from Yun Yao. Without connections, these high-grade formations were truly hard to purchase.
Yun Yao had made it clear—he could leverage his merit in eliminating demonic sect remnants to obtain one. Lin Chang'an quietly nodded to himself.
It seemed Yun Yao wanted to keep her distance from all associations—but what had she encountered?
Under the keen perception granted by the Evergreen Art at the Unparalleled Realm, the yin-cold aura in Yun Yao’s body was even stronger than before. It gave him the illusion that the person before him was a block of millennia-old ice.