Chapter 229 - 181: Profound Flame Transformation, Planning and Strategizing
Chapter 229: Chapter 181: Profound Flame Transformation, Planning and Strategizing
Hearing Mo Zhaoli’s reminder, Lin Changheng naturally nodded. "I understand."
’I was the one who killed him,’ he thought. ’It’s for the best that Master Qi isn’t pursuing the matter. He isn’t acting like those masters in the stories who go mad and start a killing spree after their disciple dies. Instead, he’s actively letting the issue cool down and fade into obscurity. Of course, that’s ideal.’
’And I’m certainly not stupid enough to bring it up again myself.’
They sat for a little while longer before Mo Zhaoli announced her departure. She was going into a long period of seclusion.
According to her, by the time they met again, she would have broken through to the Third Layer Foundation Establishment.
To this, Lin Changheng naturally offered his blessings for her "everlasting Immortal Dao."
He walked her to the door and watched until she disappeared over the horizon before heading back inside.
After closing the main gate and activating the Restriction, he mentally reviewed their recent conversation, searching for any flaws in his performance.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Mo Zhaoli. Rather, the deceased’s master was a Fake Core Cultivator, a man of vast Divine Abilities and undoubtedly formidable methods.
If Mo Zhaoli were to notice anything, it would be bad for both him and her.
’Success is born of secrecy.’ That was the principle at play here.
’It should be fine.’
After a thorough review, Lin Changheng breathed a sigh of relief. He then pushed the matter to the back of his mind, deciding to act as if nothing had happened.
As for the spoils from the Storage Bags, Lin Changheng planned to save the Elixirs for his Black Armored Earth Turtle.
Items like Talismans, which were single-use, as well as the Spiritual Materials and Spirit Wood, bore no identifying marks and were safe for him to use.
The Long Saber Spiritual Artifact would have to be sold, of course, but not yet.
Lin Changheng planned to wait at least ten years. By then, anyone who might have known about it would have likely forgotten or stopped caring. Finding a place to sell it then would be much safer.
This year, Lin Changheng was sixty-seven years old.
A few days later, Lin Changheng received a message via Jade Scroll.
It was from Artifact Master Guo.
It said that the Spiritual Artifact he had requested was finished and ready for pickup at any time.
Curious about his new Flying Sword Spiritual Artifact and eager to see it, Lin Changheng went to visit him immediately.
Not long after, a smiling Artifact Master Guo saw Lin Changheng out. The two stood at the door, talking and laughing for a good while before Lin Changheng finally departed, though they both seemed reluctant to end the conversation.
Now, a new azure-gold Flying Sword rested inside Lin Changheng’s Storage Bag.
He hadn’t tested the sword in front of Artifact Master Guo. The man still believed Alchemist Lin was acquiring the Flying Sword for someone else. After all, how could a mere Qi Cultivation Cultivator possibly wield a Spiritual Artifact?
Realizing this, Lin Changheng decided to go along with it, dropping a hint or two to support Artifact Master Guo’s assumption.
Artifact Master Guo’s face lit up with self-satisfaction. Stroking his beard, he felt he was truly wise for having guessed correctly right away.
And so, Lin Changheng decided to continue hiding the fact that he had reached Foundation Establishment...
’As for how long... I’ll just keep it a secret for as long as I can...’
Back in his residence, he took out the sword and admired it for a long while before testing it.
It was a narrow blade, a little over three feet long. When he channeled his full power into it, the Sword Light transformed into a bolt of lightning. It was incredibly fast, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek, just as he had requested.
The only downside was that it was no longer suitable for sneak attacks—a side effect of its sheer speed.
Next, Lin Changheng took a Pill Formula for the Realm-Breaking Pill and a complete set of the required Medicinal Materials from his Storage Bag.
This pill was merely Tier One Upper Grade, but its refining process was among the most difficult of its kind.
For Lin Changheng, however, not only was it easy to refine, but he could also drastically shorten the process. He could use a high flame to accelerate the refining without damaging the Medicinal Properties in the slightest, getting it just right. A process that normally took seven or eight days could be completed in less than three.
This meant that Lin Changheng’s skill in the Alchemy Dao had improved immensely—a qualitative leap.
However, he didn’t begin the refining process right away.
Instead, he went out and purchased a larger batch of the Medicinal Materials listed in the Pill Formula before returning to light his furnace.
After all, the effort to refine a single pill was much the same as refining a full cauldron’s worth.
Having a supply of highly functional Realm-Breaking Pills on hand would be quite useful. They could be given as gifts or used to win people over.
Time flowed on.
「Two years passed.」
For Yan Mingyi, Lin Changheng’s Spirit Medicine Garden remained as mysterious and inaccessible as ever.
By now, the eighth leaf of the Nine-leaf Purple Ginseng had fully formed, and its ninth leaf had just begun to sprout.
In a little over a year, this Treasure Plant could be harvested for alchemy once more.
Meanwhile, the Vermilion Fruit Grass, which he had been cultivating for five years, finally had its main stalk grow to a foot long. Many tender new leaves had sprouted from its once-barren stem.
The reason Lin Changheng was so interested in the Youthful Appearance Pill was his discovery that the Solid Face Pill shared a common source with Longevity-extending properties—a principle he called the "Longevity Origin." The effect from the Solid Face Pill, however, was far too weak.
Now that he had the main ingredient for the more potent Youthful Appearance Pill, he might have a chance to refine a batch in the future. If he did, he could finally uncover its secrets.
He now had fifteen other Tier Two Treasure Plants as well.
That made a total of seventeen, an increase of four from the thirteen he had three years ago.
The medicinal Roots of the Earth Vein Yellow Ginseng, the first one he had acquired, were now equivalent to thirty years of growth!
The second batch of five Tier Two Spirit Plants had reached fourteen to fifteen years of age.
The third batch of six Spirit Plants were around ten years old.
And the fourth batch of four were now five years old.
Looking at the thriving Spirit Plants in his Spirit Medicine Field, Lin Changheng felt a deep sense of satisfaction. ’Perhaps one day, all these Spirit Plants will reach a hundred years of age...’
’Maybe I should also start searching for seeds or withered roots of Tier Three Spirit Plants. They would be even more useful!’
Now that he had established a firm foothold in the Immortal City and was free from the immediate pressures of survival, Lin Changheng’s mind was brimming with new ideas.
’If I could find the primary Medicinal Roots or seeds for the Returning to Truth Core, which increases the chances of Core Formation, or the Dust-Reduction Pill, which improves its quality... could I accelerate their growth and directly cultivate a usable Treasure Medicine?’