Chapter 188 - 162: Great Gains and Changheng’s Shock
Chapter 188: Chapter 162: Great Gains and Changheng’s Shock
Lin Changheng then pulled a large, purple Flying Blade from a Storage Bag, one as long as a baby’s forearm.
The man was dead before he could even use this blade.
Upon inspection, its quality was unmistakable: a Masterpiece among Tier One Upper Grade items!
It was identical in appearance to the five smaller blades, only proportionally much larger.
When placed together, the five smaller purple Flying Blades immediately began to buzz incessantly. They then flew automatically toward the larger purple Flying Blade and attached themselves to it.
As soon as this scene unfolded,
the conclusion was obvious.
This was a set of Mother and Child Spiritual Artifacts!
Their defining feature was controlling the smaller blades by piloting the larger one, using the smaller blades to support the larger one, and linking them all to strike in unison.
Lin Changheng had seen something similar at an auction: a set of Middle Grade offensive Magical Artifacts called the Flying Locust Mother and Child Stone, which had quite a reputation.
It was comparable to a Middle Grade Masterpiece Spiritual Artifact. In some ways, if controlled properly, its unpredictability made it even more powerful.
This set, however, was an Upper Grade Masterpiece Mother and Child Spiritual Artifact.
It was the very foundation of Gu Qiusheng’s success, the reason he could run amok and succeed time and again in his ambushes!
When wielded, its power was almost a third of a true Spiritual Artifact’s!
Yet it cost less than a fifth of the price! Its cost-effectiveness was extremely high, but it was also incredibly difficult to refine, making it a rare sight on the market. Lin Changheng had no idea where the man had acquired it.
The relevant memories were too old and blurry for Lin Changheng to learn the details, even through Soul Search.
However, Lin Changheng did learn the name of this set of mother-child Flying Blades: the Profound Charm Mother-Child Blade.
’Not bad. It can temporarily fill the void of not having a Spiritual Artifact and serve my Guardian Dao.’
Lin Changheng took the set of mother-child blades and, with a surge of immense Magical Power, immediately began the refining process.
Because their original owner was dead, there was no stubborn Magical Power Mark attached. Lin Changheng finished the process in less than an hour.
After reaching Foundation Establishment, his refining speed was much faster than the days it used to take him.
BZZZZZ...
As he poured his Foundation Establishment Magical Power into it, the mother blade immediately shot into the air. At first, controlling it felt no different from wielding a single Magical Artifact.
But then Lin Changheng sensed the connection between the mother blade and the five child blades. Following this link, he exerted a bit of control, and the five child blades began to dart about like a school of fish, weaving around the mother blade.
The power was astounding, the blades incomparably sharp!
They could attack in unison or split up. As long as he maintained control within the effective range, it was like wielding multiple Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts simultaneously!
"Return!"
At Lin Changheng’s thought, the five purple child blades instantly retracted into a hollow cavity within the mother blade. It now looked like a single Magical Artifact, its true nature indistinguishable during Magical Combat.
The next instant, the five purple child blades suddenly burst out, scattering across the sky, stabbing and slicing from all directions!
’Hss... If I use this move at close range, it would be devastating—a decisive blow!’
Even Lin Changheng was thrilled by the prospect; an attack like this at close range would be incredibly difficult to dodge.
Even for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator aided by Divine Sense!
It wasn’t that Divine Sense couldn’t perceive the attack, but that there was no room to react!
You’d be wounded, if not killed outright!
’No wonder Mother and Child Spiritual Artifacts are so expensive and sought-after. They’re well worth the price.’
Satisfied, Lin Changheng put it away.
...
The third item was the Magic Technique that allowed one to turn into a black shadow.
It was called the Flowing Shadow Secret Skill.
It granted the user Invisibility and concealment.
Although it was only a Tier One Upper Grade Magic, it might come in handy later.
With the enhanced comprehension granted by his Fifth Layer Origin Treasure Seed, it would only take Lin Changheng a few days to achieve Mastery in this Magic Technique.
Once he did, using it on its own or in combination with techniques like the Earth Escape Demon Technique would both be excellent options.
...
Finally, Lin Changheng took out a small, leaf-like boat from the man’s Storage Bag.
It was unmistakably a Dharma Ship, the very means of aerial travel that Lin Changheng had been longing for.
A Tier One Upper Grade Dharma Ship!
It was still useful even for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
After all, flying short distances using an Escape Light was fine. It was fast, and over short spans, the Magical Power consumption was manageable.
But for long distances, it was a different story. Relying on an Escape Light would quickly drain one’s Magical Power, forcing frequent stops to rest. This not only hampered travel efficiency but would be disastrous if one encountered danger with depleted reserves.
An untimely death was not out of the question.
Lin Changheng had long been mindful of this, always making sure to keep his Magical Power reserves full to deal with any sudden emergencies.
’This came at just the right time.’
Lin Changheng reached out, caressing the shrunken hull with the joy of a wish fulfilled.
It wasn’t that a Tier Two Alchemist like him couldn’t afford one, but receiving it as a "gift" was far more cost-effective.
...
As for what was inside Cui Jianshui’s Storage Bag, apart from over a thousand Lower Grade Spirit Stones, there was nothing particularly outstanding that caught Lin Changheng’s eye.
Although it contained a Tier One Upper Grade Sound Law Inheritance, things like playing flutes and zithers really didn’t suit him.
’I’ll just hang onto it for now.’
Lin Changheng used his Red Sky Profound Flame to destroy any suspicious or marked items among the remaining loot from the two Storage Bags. He planned to find a place to sell off the rest, including two ordinary Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts, all in one go.
He figured he could get a thousand or so Spirit Stones for them.
’But now isn’t the right time. I should wait three to five years.’
Lin Changheng remained as cautious as ever.
...
After finishing his inventory, Lin Changheng couldn’t help but reflect on the old saying: a man never gets rich without a windfall, just as a horse never gets fat without extra fodder at night.
In one fell swoop, the entire life’s accumulation of a veteran Tribulation Cultivator and a Tier One Upper Grade Sound Master had fallen into his hands.
The haul was immense, but Lin Changheng, with his steady temperament and the boon of his Second Layer Celestial Gift of Clear Heart, quickly regained his composure.
Those who often walk by the river are bound to get their shoes wet. All it takes is running into someone you can’t beat or suffering one unexpected setback, and you lose everything. A lifetime of accumulation becomes a gift for someone else!
’I can’t get addicted to this. I can’t let it go to my head. My Lifespan is long. I must remain cautious!’
...
「A few days later.」
None of the neighbors noticed anything unusual. After all, it was perfectly normal for Cultivators to disappear for a while, whether for secluded cultivation or travel.
Moreover, Cultivators valued their privacy immensely. They wouldn’t easily reveal their own whereabouts, nor would they pry into others’.
The only visitors were a few Music Fairies from the Immortal Sound Pavilion, all of whom possessed exceptional grace and beauty. They came looking for Cui Jianshui, but with the main gate shut tight and the Restrictions active, no one dared to trespass.
After all, the iron laws of the Immortal City were not to be trifled with. Anyone with a death wish was welcome to test their mettle against the Law Enforcement Team’s Magical Artifacts.
In a way, as long as the rent Fairy Cui had paid was sufficient, her courtyard would remain sealed until the lease expired and it was rented out to another.
...
During this time, Lin Changheng found himself with some free time and accepted an invitation to dinner at Puppet Master Yan’s home.
More than half a year had passed, and Puppet Master Yan’s condition had deteriorated further.
He had even started to cough frequently in the middle of conversation.
Seeing this, Yan Mingyi’s brow furrowed, her expression a mixture of worry and heartache.
Good neighbors were hard to come by.
Lin Changheng immediately showed his concern, offering to refine a batch of a Tier Two Elixir called the Spiritual Essence Rejuvenation Pill for Puppet Master Yan.
He had received the Pill Formula last year from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had come seeking pills. It was said to nourish the body and slowly heal internal injuries.
Its healing effects were said to be quite remarkable.
"Thank you, Brother Lin..."
Hearing Lin Changheng’s offer and his description of the Elixir, Yan Mingyi’s beautiful eyes welled with tears. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she gave him a deep bow, her lips parting to offer heartfelt thanks.
The deep affection between the grandfather and granddaughter of the Yan Family was plain to see.
If Lin Changheng hadn’t offered—and possessed the Pill Formula himself—they would have had a very difficult time finding such a formula or Elixir, even though they weren’t lacking in Spirit Stones. This was a barrier created by both a lack of connections and a lack of knowledge.
"Ahem, I must also thank you, Alchemist Lin."
A flicker of astonishment crossed Puppet Master Yan’s eyes; he clearly hadn’t expected such an offer. But he saw that Lin Changheng’s expression was sincere, without a hint of falsehood. He had also heard from his granddaughter how Alchemist Lin’s reputation in the Immortal City had soared, how sought-after he had become. An endless stream of Foundation Establishment Cultivators visited him, and the number of Pill Seekers was even greater.
For such a man to proactively offer to take time out of his schedule to refine a pill for him was no small thing. What was there to be suspicious of?
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Puppet Master Yan pushed himself up from the stone table and slowly rose to give a cupped-fist salute.
"It’s nothing. Puppet Master Yan, you refine puppets for me at cost, so how could I not gift you a batch of Tier Two Pills in return?"
Lin Changheng sidestepped the gesture, not accepting the formal salute, and smiled graciously.