Chapter 208 - 171: Marvelous Application of Divine Abilities, Another Inheritance
Chapter 208: Chapter 171: Marvelous Application of Divine Abilities, Another Inheritance
However, this intangible boost to her odds was impossible to quantify.
After breaking through the three mountains, she began the process of Foundation Establishment. Aided by the Substandard Foundation Establishment Pill, the resolute Tantai Feiyue decided to forgo using her Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object. She encountered some risks, but her mind remained calm and undisturbed, and she ultimately succeeded in reaching Foundation Establishment!
After briefly stabilizing her Cultivation, Tantai Feiyue came out of seclusion and threw herself into Lin Changheng’s arms, her eyes welling with tears.
She knew in her heart that if not for her Brother Lin, she likely would have failed to reach Foundation Establishment and died in her seclusion chamber.
The two spent another two days together, during which Lin Changheng savored the soft tenderness of a Foundation Establishment Female Cultivator. Only then did he reluctantly announce that he had business to attend to and had to leave. He urged Tantai Feiyue to remain in seclusion for at least a year to fully stabilize her Cultivation.
They had been together for less than three months and now had to part again. Though loath to see him go, Tantai Feiyue did not ask him to stay.
Instead, she asked Lin Changheng to stop by the Xu Family on his way to deliver the good news.
After all, the Xu Family had put forth considerable resources to support her.
...
Xu Family Hall.
When Lin Changheng briefly explained that Tantai Feiyue had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, the Xu Family leaders present were overjoyed.
"When will Chief Tantai be returning? We must hold a banquet to welcome her and have the entire family celebrate!"
Patriarch Xu Xuhe boomed, his face flushed with excitement and his voice full of energy.
At his words, the other leaders all beamed and voiced their agreement.
Lin Changheng smiled faintly. "She’ll return in six months at the earliest, or a year at the latest, once Feiyue has stabilized her new Realm."
Patriarch Xu and Xu Xuzhong exchanged a glance, both sighing inaudibly with relief. His words told them that Chief Tantai still cherished her old ties with them.
Had she decided to forcibly break her contract and prove ungrateful, the Xu Family would have likely had no choice but to swallow their pride and agree.
If Chief Tantai remained, the Xu Family would gain both a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator and two potential Tier Two Skill Masters. Their ascent would truly be imminent.
"We also thank you, Mr. Lin, for delivering the news."
After concluding their business, Lin Changheng took his leave, escorted by Patriarch Xu and Xu Xujun.
Xu Qianyan was nowhere to be seen; he was currently in the Alchemy Room, practicing his craft and contemplating the Alchemy Dao.
They escorted him all the way to the Black Water Riverfront.
"There’s no need for such ceremony. You two can head back now. I will take my leave."
Lin Changheng smiled, unconcerned by their formality. With a sweep of his sleeve, he released a Dharma Ship, which expanded in the wind.
"Hold on."
"Is there something else?"
Lin Changheng turned to Xu Xujun, who had stopped him, a faint smile on his face.
"I wonder if this might be useful to you, Mr. Lin?"
Xu Xujun flicked his wrist, sending an ancient-looking Jade Scroll into Lin Changheng’s hand. "Qianyan specifically instructed me to give you this as a small token of his gratitude."
"Oh?"
Lin Changheng immediately immersed his Divine Sense into the scroll. A moment later, his eyebrows twitched. He put the scroll away and said with a grin, "This is indeed useful to me. In that case, it would be rude to refuse."
"As long as it is useful to you, Mr. Lin."
Xu Xujun and Patriarch Xu smiled as well.
After a few more words, a Dharma Ship shot up into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.
...
High in the sky.
While piloting the Dharma Ship, Lin Changheng took out the Jade Scroll he had just received and examined it carefully.
A pensive look crossed his face.
The scroll contained the one and only Tier Two Lower Grade Alchemy Inheritance the Xu Family possessed, which happened to be precisely what Lin Changheng needed.
It was one of the very things he had planned to seek out at the grand Auction in the Immortal City, hoping to absorb the strengths of different traditions.
’Now that I have one Tier Two Inheritance, getting one or two more should be enough.’
Just from a preliminary look into this Alchemy Inheritance, Lin Changheng could already see its unique yet self-consistent alchemical philosophies, different techniques, and alternative solutions to various problems in alchemy.
The new perspectives were eye-opening, and after some careful contemplation, he felt he had benefited immensely.
’I can finally see a glimmer of hope for breaking through to Tier Two Middle Grade Alchemy.’
It was worth mentioning that on the several times Lin Changheng had passed over the Black Water River, he had discreetly swept the dense forest below with his Divine Sense, but never found any trace of a person.
’I don’t know if they’ve moved or just changed their plans.’
’But none of that has anything to do with me anymore.’
...
Lin Changheng took a moment to summarize the gains from his trip.
Main objective achieved: Tantai Feiyue had successfully reached the Foundation Establishment Stage.
He had also acquired two types of Muddy Evil Level Demon Beast Essence Blood and a Tier Two Lower Grade Alchemy inheritance.
He had also indirectly helped the Xu Family significantly strengthen their foundations, which served as repayment for the kindness they had shown him when he first began his journey on the Dao.
...
Halfway through his return journey, he found himself passing what could be considered "on the way" to the Purple Extreme Sect.
It was a detour of no more than a hundred li.
On a whim, Lin Changheng decided to visit the Purple Extreme Sect and call on Mo Zhaoli.
’I haven’t seen her in almost three years. I wonder if she managed to collect the Demon Beast Essence Blood.’
’Especially the Mountain-moving Ape’s.’
The Dharma Ship flew at high speed, and in the time it took to drink two cups of tea, he arrived at the sect’s Mountain Gate.
Lin Changheng descended, retracted his Dharma Ship, and stated the purpose of his visit.
He also presented the Purple Extreme Sect token that Mo Zhaoli had given him.
"Please wait a moment, Senior. We will go and announce you."
This time, the Mountain Guard Disciple in his purple uniform robe didn’t stop him with a stern expression. Instead, he offered a genuinely respectful smile.
Before long, a streak of Escape Light shot out from within the gate, piercing through the clouds and whistling as it arrived.
Mo Zhaoli landed right next to Lin Changheng, as graceful as ever with her delicate brows and almond eyes. "Brother Lin," she said with a delighted smile, "what brings you here?"
Behind her, a group of disciples bowed. "Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Mo."
Lin Changheng smiled as he looked at the Foundation Establishment Female Cultivator, whose beautiful eyes were locked on him. "I just came from a trip to the Xu Family. Since I was passing by, I thought I’d come see you. It has been two or three years, after all."
"Oh, I see. Shall we talk as we walk?"
"Alright."
Only then did Mo Zhaoli nod to the respectful Mountain Guard Disciples before leading Lin Changheng away in a streak of Escape Light.
Inside the streak of light, Mo Zhaoli asked curious questions, and Lin Changheng held nothing back, briefly recounting Tantai Feiyue’s breakthrough to Foundation Establishment and his own discussions on the Alchemy Dao with Xu Qianyan.
Mo Zhaoli was secretly astounded. ’Helping a Cultivator achieve Foundation Establishment and mentoring a Pill Master to the brink of Tier Two Alchemy... These are the kinds of foundational assets that countless families covet. Just one of them would be enough for the Xu Family to take a massive step forward.’
After a long moment, Mo Zhaoli sighed faintly. "The Xu Family is truly lucky to have met a prodigy like you, Brother Lin. It looks like they’ll secure a place among the powerful Foundation Establishment families of the future."
Lin Changheng simply smiled, deflecting the praise.
Immediately after, her gentle eyes, now tinged with an unreadable emotion, met his. "Sister Feiyue is lucky, too... finding a wonderful Daoist companion like you, Brother Lin."
Her grandfather was currently staying with the Xu Family. Thanks to his granddaughter’s standing, he was considered a senior member, even if he no longer managed any affairs. As such, this news would not have escaped his notice.
And naturally, he would have passed it on to Mo Zhaoli.
"Ahem..."
Lin Changheng’s expression twitched. Sensing the implication in her tone, he cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Zhao Li, do you have enough Elixirs?"
"I have enough."
Seeing his expression, Mo Zhaoli covered her mouth to stifle a laugh and dropped the subject.
"If you run out, just come find me."
Lin Changheng nodded.
Soon, they arrived back at Mo Zhaoli’s Dao Field, Bilan Peak.
Lin Changheng sighed again in admiration. "Your Dao Field is so much more pleasant, Li’er. Occupying an entire mountain with such beautiful scenery... it completely outshines my cave residence by the Outer Lake in the Immortal City."
"Every inch of land in the Immortal City is worth a fortune, so that’s to be expected. If you like it here, Brother Lin, you’re welcome to stay in my cave residence for an extended time."
"Perhaps some other time..."
Faced with Mo Zhaoli’s invitation, Lin Changheng smiled. ’Staying for an extended period in the Dao Field of a beautiful, single female cultivator... even if the Purple Extreme Sect’s rules allow an outsider like me to stay, it would surely cause gossip. Someone might even get jealous.’
’Best to avoid it.’
After thinking for a moment, Mo Zhaoli suddenly said, "However, if you truly desire a Dao Field like this, Brother Lin, my sect does have some Dao Fields on Spirit Veins in the Outer World that we lease out."
"You could keep an eye out for one for me, Li’er."
Lin Changheng didn’t get his hopes up. ’A Dao Field like that is bound to be expensive, and I’m short on Spirit Stones right now... I’d only consider it if my finances were more comfortable.’
’Still, there’s no harm in gathering some information first.’
"Okay."
The two sat down in the main hall of the cave residence. After Mo Zhaoli served the Spirit Tea and saw Lin Changheng take a sip, she waved her sleeve, placing a batch of Essence Blood on the table before him.