Chapter 331 - 227: Iron Obtained, Embryo Refining Technique
Chapter 331: Chapter 227: Iron Obtained, Embryo Refining Technique
The Immortal Dao is blind, and the struggle for breakthrough resources is just that cruel and merciless. It’s either you or me.
The person who vied with Xu Wufang for the resources failed and died. But Xu Wufang, though victorious, returned on his last breath, his own cultivation path destroyed. He passed the resources on to his younger sister—Xu Fugui’s eighth daughter, who also possessed a Middle Grade Spirit Root.
She has now reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation and is approaching the Perfection stage.
With these resources, his sister would face much less pressure in gathering what she needed to reach Foundation Establishment.
But it still wasn’t enough. Xu Fugui was now channeling his grief into strength, desperately plotting to secure his daughter’s path to Foundation Establishment.
Currently, neither of them was in the clan, which was another major reason why Lin Changheng had not received a letter from them.
...
That was the situation with the Xu Family, with whom Lin Changheng was quite close. As for the other family, the Huang Family of Spirit Dome Mountain, Lin Changheng had caught some rumors from other Foundation Establishment Cultivators at yesterday’s Treasure Exchange Meeting. The word was that the Huang Family Grand Elder, Huang Jiuyuan, might truly be on his deathbed.
The entire family had adopted a defensive and cautious stance.
While they hadn’t pulled back, they had also abandoned their previous posture of aggressive expansion.
Lin Changheng had long suspected this.
After all, in recent years, the people from the Huang Family who came to request pills were not the usual key figures or Direct Lineage Cultivators he used to deal with, like Chef Zeng, but unfamiliar faces.
’They were probably trying to keep a low profile, to avoid attracting attention,’ Lin Changheng guessed.
After all, a family that had risen to their current position couldn’t have done it peacefully. It was built on armed conquest and the spoils of war.
In the process, they had undoubtedly made enemies.
It was just that the Huang Family was previously at its peak, so their enemies didn’t dare to act, choosing to lie dormant instead. But the moment a problem appeared—especially something as major as the death of a Late Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator—those enemies would certainly seize the chance to strike. They would either attack directly or add fuel to the fire, eager to finish them off while they were vulnerable.
This also brought Lin Changheng a sense of pressure and danger.
After all, he was nominally the Huang Family’s Honored Guest Elder.
There was a distinct possibility he would be eliminated as well, as a way to clip the Huang Family’s wings.
Faced with this, Lin Changheng did not become panicked or bury his head in the sand. Instead, he became even calmer.
’If people want to kill you, they can find any number of reasons—even fabricated ones. You can’t stop that. It won’t change no matter what you do.’
’All you can do is deal with it.’
"Strength! In the end, it all comes down to strength!"
Lin Changheng had long understood this.
...
"Brother Lin, someone is here to visit."
At that moment, Yan Mingyi hurried in.
She had been instructed by Lin Changheng to come and report immediately if she heard a knock at the door.
"Alright."
Lin Changheng sealed the reply he had written, handed it to Yan Mingyi, and then walked to the main door to greet his guest personally.
As soon as he opened it, an old, booming laugh rang out:
"Hahaha, Mr. Lin! As promised, I’ve come to impose on you!"
Standing outside the door was a hale and hearty old man with white hair and a white beard. He wore a hearty and enthusiastic smile, and he was none other than the ink-robed elder from the Treasure Exchange Meeting the day before.
He was the cultivator with a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation, who possessed a piece of Iron the size of half an infant’s fist.
Today, however, he had traded his solemn, formal ink robes for a simple linen one, giving him the look of a friendly neighborhood elder.
A perfectly measured smile appeared on Lin Changheng’s face as he stepped aside to welcome him. "I felt greatly honored when you mentioned you might visit yesterday, Elder Zhang. I’ve already set aside my cultivation and prepared some tea in anticipation."
"Please, come in!"
"Very good, very good. In that case, don’t mind if I do."
Zhang Shouyi stroked his beard and chuckled, quite pleased by Lin Changheng’s attitude and words. It was only natural that he reciprocate the courtesy.
Smiling, he stepped through the courtyard and into the main hall. His gaze swept imperceptibly across the room. The room was spotless, with bright windows and clean tables. On one table sat an elegant tea set, a pot of Spirit Tea already steaming and releasing a delightful, soothing aroma. Clearly, his host had been expecting him.
As for the three Spirit Beasts, Yan Mingyi had already recalled them into a Spirit Beast Bag; it was best not to display them to outsiders.
The two sat down, taking their respective seats as host and guest.
Lin Changheng lifted the pot and poured him a cup of Spirit Tea. Steam swirled as the rich aroma of tea filled the air.
Zhang Shouyi picked up the teacup, sniffed it gently, and praised, "Good tea! The Spiritual Qi is crisp and pure. This should be the Tier Two Mist Rain Clear Heart, right? Mr. Lin is truly a man of refined taste."
"You have a keen eye, Elder," Lin Changheng said with a slight smile. "It’s merely a small hobby for my leisure time, nothing worthy of high praise."
After some pleasantries, Zhang Shouyi finished his tea and set the cup down. His expression grew a little more serious. "Mr. Lin," he said with a smile, "our meeting at the Treasure Exchange Meeting yesterday was rushed. It wasn’t the right place for a deep conversation, and I was concerned that speaking openly might cause you trouble. That’s why I decided to visit you privately."
"In fact, I have long heard of Alchemist Lin’s fame. They say you’ve never failed when refining Foundation Establishment Pills and frequently produce Masterpieces. That’s far beyond the reach of any ordinary Alchemist..."
"You flatter me, Elder Zhang."
Lin Changheng smiled humbly as he refilled their cups. "It’s simply a matter of practice makes perfect."
’Zhang Shouyi listened, but he didn’t believe a word of it. The medicinal materials for Foundation Establishment Pills were far too rare. Who could possibly get enough to ’practice’ with?’
He simply smiled at Lin Changheng and asked, "I wonder, Alchemist Lin, are you interested in a precious material like the Iron I possess?"
Though he hadn’t expected such directness, Lin Changheng wasn’t surprised. He paused in thought for a moment before smiling. "A precious material that can be refined into a Magical Treasure Embryo? I doubt any cultivator with aspirations on the Great Dao could refuse."
"Hahaha! You’re a straightforward man yourself, Mr. Lin."
Zhang Shouyi laughed along with him, but then his expression turned solemn. "You speak the truth. If I hadn’t lost all hope for my own cultivation path, I would never consider parting with such a treasure."