Chapter 212 - 173: 300-Year Lifespan, All-Round Progress (Part 2)
Chapter 212: Chapter 173: 300-Year Lifespan, All-Round Progress (Part 2)
...
Initially, Lin Changheng was quite interested in the Metamorphosis of the Jade Wave Spirit Turtle Treasure Seed. After all, they shared a similar type of Talent. Since the Lantern Grass Treasure Seed had metamorphosed into the Rongsheng Divine Abilities True Intent, what would the Jade Wave Spirit Turtle Treasure Seed become?
If it also became the Rongsheng Divine Abilities True Intent, could the effects stack? Or would it simply be a duplicate?
Clearly, both of these guesses were incorrect.
The Jade Wave Spirit Turtle Treasure Seed metamorphosed into a True Core, not a Dao Fruit.
A possibility immediately surfaced in Lin Changheng’s mind:
’Perhaps it’s because one is a Mountain and Marsh Spirit and the other a Water-element Demon Beast, their bloodlines not originating from the same ancestor.’
’If I could one day find bloodlines passed down from the same type of Great Demon, or even the same True Spirit, could they stack, merge, or trigger some unexpected, astounding change?’ Lin Changheng felt a sense of anticipation.
But he was also quite curious about this Treasure Seed’s Metamorphosis.
After all, the Metamorphosis of the Lantern Grass Treasure Seed had directly granted him thirty years of increased lifespan.
By that logic, the Metamorphosis of a Profound Spirit Level bloodline could grant even more!
’A sudden jump of thirty-five years to my Lifespan? Or maybe forty?’
But the difficulty had also increased, because the level of Essence Blood above Profound Spirit Essence Blood was called Nether Void Essence Blood!
Lin Changheng had encountered this level of Essence Blood before, from a Wind-Split Demon Falcon—a Muddy Pill Level Demon Beast!
Equivalent to a Human Race Cultivator at the Fake Core Cultivation realm—truly terrifying!
But despite their strength, not all Nether Void Demon Beasts were Tier Three. There were certainly Tier Two groups as well, which meant there was a chance to acquire it!
...
Fortunately, Lin Changheng’s foundation of Liquid Magical Power was solid enough after his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. He could cast the Rongsheng Divine Abilities True Intent to cover seven or eight plants at once, accelerating their growth and maturation.
This shortened the time compared to maturing them one by one, but the Magical Power consumption was just as high—it was calculated per plant, with no reduction whatsoever.
Lin Changheng, who had been hoping for some kind of "discount," was greatly disappointed but could only accept it.
Therefore, aside from the two Treasure Plants, the Nine-leaf Purple Ginseng and the Vermilion Fruit Grass, which were accelerated daily, the rest were divided into two batches and accelerated on alternate days.
But progress was still swift.
The medicinal roots of the Earth Vein Yellow Ginseng he had first obtained had already reached twenty-five years of age!
The second batch of five Tier Two Spirit Plants had gradually reached eight or nine years of age.
The third batch of six Spirit Plants were around four or five years old.
’I suppose you could call this building up the Spirit Plants in tiers, huh?’
Lin Changheng grinned, in a good mood.
This was the joy of an approaching harvest, something innate from his previous life, as if carved into his very genes.
...
「Late at night.」
As usual, Lin Changheng sat cross-legged in the stone bath embedded in the floor of his cave residence.
His entire body was submerged in a dark-cyan medicinal liquid, with only his head showing.
As he circulated the *Evergreen Body of the Ancient Wood*, steam billowed and swirled. The energy-rich medicinal liquid slowly seeped into his body.
It was an exceedingly gentle process.
With these Tier Two Body Refining Materials, even with his powerful physique, Lin Changheng didn’t dare to absorb them with the same reckless abandon as before.
Because it was truly painful, an unbearable pain!
It was much more manageable only when he used his Cultivation Technique to guide the essence in slowly.
’Then again, if Body Refining were only comfortable, how could it possibly have the effect of tempering the physical body?’
Hadn’t he read in the stories of his past life how Martial Arts masters cultivating the Iron Sand Palm had to repeatedly stir-fry iron sand in a hot wok with their bare hands? It was an extremely painful process that only yielded results after years of practice.
The intensity of Body Refining in this Cultivation Realm far surpassed that of those martial arts masters, so naturally, the suffering involved was also far greater.
But unseen by any outsider, deep within Lin Changheng’s flesh and blood, a dark red stain was slowly being released as he was tempered by the external medicinal liquid.
It resembled mottled bloodstains.
It merged into his bloodstream, surging with his Qi and Blood, circulating throughout his entire body.
This was the accumulated Medicinal Power from the Tier Two Flood Dragon Blood Fruit Lin Changheng had obtained at the Auction and consumed two years ago.
It lay dormant in his flesh and blood, slowly transforming his body.
It was not a violent, instantaneous process.
Lin Changheng felt as if he had entered a world of ice and fire. Ice within, fire without; comfort within, pain without; calm within, turmoil without. What an exhilaratingly agonizing feeling!
"In less than a year, I’ll be able to completely absorb the Medicinal Power of the Flood Dragon Blood Fruit. At that time, combined with the tempering from the external medicinal bath, I should be able to break through to the Fifth Layer of the *Evergreen Body of the Ancient Wood* and advance to Tier Two Middle Stage Body Refining!"
’Fortunately, these Tier Two Body Refining Spiritual Materials are quite common and not too expensive. Otherwise, with long-term use, even a Tier Two Lower Grade Pill Master like me wouldn’t be able to afford it.’
’In fact, the Cultivator who perfected the auxiliary cultivation method for the *Evergreen Body of the Ancient Wood* must have considered this. They specifically designed a highly cost-effective combination of Spiritual Materials.’
SPLASH!
One hour later, the Medicinal Power was completely absorbed. Lin Changheng stood up abruptly, carefully containing his physical might so as not to let it leak out and shatter the bath.
Now, Lin Changheng’s body—from the definition of his muscles to the tone of his skin—was as flawless as an Artifact that had been tempered a thousand times over.
He looked down at his palm. His skin was as lustrous as Cyan Jade, faintly glowing with a pale cyan light. Spiritual Light seemed to flow within the flesh and blood beneath, and every inch of his muscle fiber contained astonishing explosive power.
But as he slowly retracted his Cultivation Technique, the cyan glow faded, revealing his normal, healthy skin color once more.
Dressed in his robes, if anyone were to stand beside him now, they would only see a man with a posture as straight as a pine tree and a restrained aura. They would never detect the terrifying power hidden beneath that frame—a power more frightening than a Tier Two Early Stage Demon Beast!
...
A few days later, Chef Zeng paid a visit, and Lin Changheng greeted him with warm hospitality.
The Huang Family of Spirit Dome Mountain really kept their promise. Apart from coming to ask him to refine two or three batches of Pills a year, they didn’t bother him at all.
If one or two years weren’t enough to be sure, now, five or six years had passed, and the Huang Family had shown no signs of breaking their word.
This greatly increased Lin Changheng’s favorable impression of the family and this particular branch.
Moreover, after years of laying the groundwork and fanning the flames, the Huang Family finally ignited a storm of public opinion.
Now, the news had spread throughout almost the entire vast Immortal City: Alchemist Lin had joined the Huang Family and become a Tributor.
Lin Changheng did not appear to refute the rumors, nor did he publicly demand that people not believe or spread them.
This caused quite an uproar at the time.
Many factions had invited Alchemist Lin, including the ruling powers of the Immortal City, but he had rejected them all.
This led to all sorts of speculation from the outside world.
Some said the Huang Family had offered a Longevity Treasure that moved the heart of Alchemist Lin, who was over sixty years old.
Others claimed to have passed by Alchemist Lin’s door and seen a beautiful Huang Family Female Cultivator emerging, feigning composure. They suspected Alchemist Lin had been swayed by the beauty offered by the Huangs, lost in a world of pleasure, a young fool at heart until the end.
All sorts of bizarre speculations abounded, creating a huge stir.
But still, neither the Huang Family nor Lin Changheng came forward to refute the rumors. Even when curious neighbors or Pill Seekers asked, Lin Changheng would just give an enigmatic smile and say nothing more.
This made the real situation and the inside story even more confusing and mysterious.
But as time passed, with the many strange events in the Immortal City, the collective gaze of the cultivators slowly drifted away, and basically no one discussed it anymore.
...
"Brother Zeng, you never visit without a reason. What important matter brings you here this time?"
Lin Changheng and Chef Zeng sat down as host and guest, and a Silver-White Puppet served two cups of tea.
Chef Zeng nodded. "Younger Brother Lin knows me best."
"Haha, then let’s hear it."
Lin Changheng and Chef Zeng looked at each other and smiled.
Chef Zeng paused in thought for a moment before speaking: "It’s like this. The family needs Foundation Establishment Pills and hopes Alchemist Lin can help by firing up the furnace to refine them..."
A flash of surprise appeared in Lin Changheng’s eyes, but he didn’t hesitate. "As long as the family brings the Medicinal Materials, I can prioritize firing up the furnace."
This was a promise he had made, and he would honor it completely.
In fact, in the six-plus years since he last refined the Foundation Establishment Pill, no one had come to him with the Medicinal Materials to request it.
’With my success rate, it’s not that no one would seek me out. There can only be one explanation... the Medicinal Materials for the Foundation Establishment Pill are truly hard to find!’