Chapter 76: Withered Leaf of the Immortal Vine of the Mysterious Heavens
Inside the cave dwelling.
"How could this be!"
After cultivating the 《Eternal Evergreen Technique》, Lin Chang'an could clearly sense the magic power within his body, exuding a vigorous aura of life.
His spiritual channels were long and steady, and with the feedback from his life-bound spirit plant, his body was filled with vibrant vitality.
However! At this moment, Lin Chang'an's brow showed signs of exhaustion, with faint dark circles under his eyes. Within his body, the life-bound spirit plant was lazily coiled in his dantian, looking as if it had eaten and drunk its fill.
【Technique: Eternal Evergreen Technique (Beginner: 1/100)】
【Lifespan: 54/205】
The technique section confirmed his successful cultivation, but seeing the lifespan column, Lin Chang'an didn't know how to feel.
"Self-healing, injury recovery, immune to all poisons, extremely powerful regenerative ability—this Regenerative Body seems even stronger than the records, but refining this life-bound spirit plant cost me so much!"
The previously withered leaf-like life-bound spirit plant now glowed with an ancient emerald green halo. A fine white root sprouted from its base and was now anchored in his dantian.
This was the result of it devouring thirty-one years of his lifespan.
"Immortal Vine of the Mysterious Heavens—Withered Leaf!?"
As this spirit plant was revitalized, this was the only information he received in his mind, which left Lin Chang'an somewhat astonished.
In the World of Cultivation, it was said that items born with the world itself and associated with true immortals were granted the title of 'Mysterious Heavens'.
The fact that this treasure was hidden in the Ancient Secret Realm of the ancient cultivators shocked Lin Chang'an. At the same time, he also realized that the Pavilion of Mystic Sound and the Palace of Blazing Fire must have obtained other rare treasures.
"After refining the life-bound spirit plant, it still needs to be nourished with spiritual liquid for a long time. The stronger the life-bound spirit plant, the more powerful its feedback to the host."
At this moment, Lin Chang'an felt complicated. He had bet correctly on this life-bound spirit plant, and perhaps in the future, he truly had the chance to become an immortal.
But at the same time, the difficulty of cultivating this life-bound spirit plant had also increased exponentially. After all, this was no ordinary spirit plant.
At this point, Lin Chang'an could only comfort himself.
Although it had cost him thirty-one years of lifespan, the benefits were also substantial.
Even with just the initial refinement, he, at the Foundation Establishment stage, had achieved a level of regeneration where severed limbs could regrow—his vitality was extremely resilient.
Ordinary injuries could heal in an instant. In combat with others, whether it was injuries or magical power, he could recover at a rapid rate.
"In other words, my physique is now even stronger than a Green-Horned Ox."
At the very least, if a Green-Horned Ox had one of its hooves chopped off, it wouldn’t be able to regrow it, but he could slowly recover.
"However, nourishing this Immortal Vine of the Mysterious Heavens—Withered Leaf, also requires extremely high conditions."
Now that this ‘Immortal Vine of the Mysterious Heavens—Withered Leaf’ had become his life-bound spirit plant, after completing the refinement, their lives were now interlinked. They would flourish or perish together—body and spirit cultivated as one.
Through this dual cultivation of life and spirit, he could clearly feel the faint trace of life aura emitted by the life-bound spirit plant, which required copious amounts of spiritual liquid to nurture.
Yet even the faint feedback from just this withered leaf was already this powerful. If an entire leaf were to be revived, the results would be unimaginable.
"Spiritual liquid—this can only be found at the Spirit Spring Eye of a high-grade spiritual vein. In the entire Yue Kingdom, only the three major sects and the current Tianxuan City have it. Each bottle is worth at least a hundred spirit stones, and high-quality ones could go for up to a thousand."
Lin Chang'an frowned silently. The spiritual liquid was monopolized by the three major sects and major powers. He would have to find a way to earn spirit stones.
Before reaching Foundation Establishment, he drew talismans daily to earn spirit stones and exchanged them for cultivation resources.
After Foundation Establishment, not only did he need to continue earning cultivation resources, but he also had to find a way to earn even more spirit stones to support this life-bound spirit plant.
"Still, it wasn’t a wasted Foundation Establishment. At the very least, my strength is now assured." Lin Chang'an comforted himself.
...
As Lin Chang'an reached Foundation Establishment, invitations came pouring in from various factions.
A cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage was already considered a core strength, especially now when the situation in Yue Kingdom was chaotic. All three major sects were in need of outstanding cannon fodder.
Some Foundation Establishment clans wanted to invite him to become a clan consecrator, enjoying the resources of an ancestor.
"This is the benefit that comes with strength!"
Looking at the pile of invitation cards, Lin Chang'an contemplated silently. The three major sects were out of the question for him.
It wasn’t that their treatment was bad—on the contrary, it was too good. But such treatment didn’t come for free. Getting in was easy, but getting out was hard.
He was especially afraid that the war would worsen and his name would end up on the Divine Sword Sect's bounty list.
"Setting aside the three major sects, the other Foundation Establishment clans vary in strength, but without exception, none can provide better cultivation resources. Some even claimed they had graceful young maidens in their clan willing to become concubines."
Looking at this messy pile of temptations, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but shake his head. Was he that kind of person?
With the current environment in Yue Kingdom, and his life-bound spirit plant inside him crying out in hunger, how could he possibly have the heart to enjoy such pleasures?
All he wanted now was to earn spirit stones! He had no interest in courting any damned seductive concubines.
"At present, the only ones capable of providing Quasi-second-rank Talisman inheritances are the three major sects and Tianxuan City. The other Foundation Establishment clans are ultimately inferior in heritage."
Shaking his head, Lin Chang'an leaned further toward Tianxuan City in his mind.
There was no helping it. All high-level inheritance techniques and resources were monopolized by the three major sects and Tianxuan City.
While Lin Chang'an was pondering, the first to arrive was not someone from the Zhou Clan, but rather Yun Yao.
...
"Fellow Daoist Lin."
Lin Chang'an was a little surprised at Yun Yao’s visit, secretly speculating whether she was trying to recruit him into the Palace of Blazing Fire.
After all, even within a major sect, there were ranks and distinctions. Yun Yao leveraging her identity to win over Foundation Establishment cultivators and strengthen her position wasn't surprising.
However, once inside the cave dwelling, Yun Yao’s next words left Lin Chang'an at a complete loss, his face full of astonishment.
"Fellow Daoist Lin, our matter has been exposed."
"What!"
Seeing Yun Yao’s serious expression, Lin Chang'an was dumbfounded. What matter?
Don’t say such things so carelessly!
When did anything ever happen between them!?
Seeing Lin Chang'an's bewildered face, Yun Yao also seemed to realize something, but her decisive personality made her shake her head and state the exact matter directly.
"It’s about the Foundation Establishment Pill from before!"
As Yun Yao elaborated, Lin Chang'an finally understood. It turned out that when Yun Yao helped him refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, Huang Yuntian and his son happened to find out.
They wanted to probe her to discover who the beneficiary was, clearly eyeing that premium-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
"Fellow Daoist Yun, you're saying that back when you refined the Foundation Establishment Pill..."
Lin Chang'an was speechless. He had thought he was being overly cautious, but unexpectedly, someone had indeed set their sights on it.
"Yes."
Yun Yao nodded silently, and Lin Chang'an, after thinking it through, furrowed his brows and asked with suspicion:
"Fellow Daoist Yun, after I broke through to Foundation Establishment, I also heard that Huang Shaohai had also reached Foundation Establishment. Even if he had those thoughts before, it shouldn’t be an issue now, right?"
No matter how petty this person was, he shouldn't still be thinking of taking revenge now. Shouldn’t he be celebrating his own Foundation Establishment?
However, on Yun Yao’s typically cold face, a rare hint of helplessness appeared as she shook her head and said:
"If it were normal Foundation Establishment, that would be fine."
"There’s a secret technique within the sect called the Core-stealing Technique. Huang Shaohai failed to achieve Foundation Establishment through the pill and instead used this technique. But the two methods are fundamentally different.
A cultivator who reaches Foundation Establishment through the Core-stealing Technique has a lifespan of only a hundred and fifty years or so, and their potential drops drastically. Unless they encounter great fortune, it will be extremely difficult for them to ever form a Core in this life."
As Yun Yao explained, Lin Chang'an fell completely silent.
He had meticulously prepared all necessary materials and, to avoid drawing attention, even entrusted Yun Yao to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.
He had never expected that his caution would end up attracting trouble.
It confirmed that saying once again—weakness is the original sin.
"Surely Huang Shaohai wouldn’t dare make a move inside Tianxuan City, and could they really stay here forever?"
Lin Chang'an frowned deeply, sensing how troublesome the Huang father and son were—he couldn't afford to provoke them right now.
Moreover, from Yun Yao’s words, it seemed she didn’t want him to join the Palace of Blazing Fire.
"That’s unlikely. There’s actually another rogue cultivator even more unfortunate than you, Fellow Daoist."
Hearing this, Lin Chang'an was stunned. But Yun Yao’s next words left him speechless.
"Of Huang Shaohai's two Foundation Establishment Pills, one was used to forcibly trade with a rogue cultivator using an inferior one. As it turned out, that rogue cultivator also successfully reached Foundation Establishment."
When she said this, Yun Yao even let out a mocking cold laugh, as if Huang Shaohai had truly brought it upon himself.
That rogue cultivator was truly unfortunate—forced into a trade, yet still managed to establish a foundation. It should have been a cause for celebration.
But because Huang Shaohai failed to properly reach Foundation Establishment, he held even greater hatred toward the rogue cultivator.
He believed that it was the act of trading that pill which caused his good fortune to be stolen.
Though the concept of fate might seem vague, many cultivators still believed in it.
"Regardless, Fellow Daoist Lin, you should be cautious in the coming days. Don’t leave the city lightly. More importantly, since you’ve already reached Foundation Establishment, it’s time you made a decision."
As she spoke, Yun Yao’s eyes inadvertently glanced at the invitation cards from various clans on the nearby table.
There was no need to say more. The implication was clear.
"I understand. If I must choose, Tianxuan City might be a good option."
Lin Chang'an had already favored Tianxuan City in his heart. With this matter now coming to light, he didn’t hesitate any longer.
"Actually, Fellow Daoist Lin doesn’t need to worry too much. With the frontlines currently under pressure, and Huang Shaohai’s potential greatly reduced from using the Core-stealing Technique, he’ll soon be drafted for deployment."
Well then, that was cold reality for you.
Hearing this, Lin Chang'an twitched at the corner of his eye. He could only say, as expected of a major sect—survival of the fittest.