mtl008 Chapter 351 Receiving Spirit Fruits, Nascent Soul Crisis
Chapter 351 Receiving Spirit Fruits, Nascent Soul Crisis
The Spirit-Containing Talisman is a special type of talisman, and its paper-making process differs from that of ordinary talismans.
In general, it is mostly in the third tier, which can store a wisp of divine consciousness of a Golden Core cultivator. With just a little activation, it can unleash a third-tier divine consciousness attack.
Furthermore, unlike other spell talismans, the 'Spirit Nourishing Talisman' does not require corresponding mana and divine sense to activate. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators with slightly lower cultivation levels can activate and use it.
The only problem is that the 'Spirit Nourishing Talisman' consumes some of the divine sense of a Golden Core cultivator when storing divine sense, so it is not very helpful to Golden Core cultivators, but is more convenient for low-level cultivators to use.
Therefore, such 'spirit-nourishing talismans' are not widely available on the market, and are mostly used by high-level cultivators to care for their juniors.
Lin Changsheng was proficient in talisman-making techniques. After careful examination, he discovered that the 'Spirit-Nourishing Talisman' in Chen Xingzhou's hand was significantly more exquisite, with superior quality paper. The divine power contained within it might have exceeded the scope of ordinary Golden Core cultivators, reaching the fourth rank.
At this moment, even Huang Jia, the sect leader who did not understand the art of talisman making, felt a sense of unease from that 'Spirit Nourishing Talisman'.
"Your Excellency does have some knowledge, recognizing the extraordinary nature of this 'Spirit Nourishing Talisman.' In that case, there's no need for this alchemist to explain further."
Noticing the wary gaze of the burly, thuggish man opposite him, Chen Xingzhou was somewhat surprised, but at the same time felt reassured, and then said:
"This talisman was specially prepared by our sect's Supreme Elder, True Monarch Yunmiao, to prevent me from being ambushed by enemy cultivators before I break through to the Nascent Soul stage."
"It contains a strike of divine sense from a Nascent Soul True Monarch, which would be difficult for even a late-stage Golden Core cultivator to escape. Moreover, this place is within the territory of Yan Kingdom, and once this talisman is used, True Monarch Yunmiao himself will immediately notice it."
Chen Xingzhou gathered magical energy in his palm, ready to activate the 'Spirit Gathering Talisman' at any moment, looking completely fearless.
"It turns out Elder Chen had such a backup plan. In that case, I, the sect master, no longer need to worry."
Huang Jia glanced at Chen Xingzhou, a complex look in her eyes, and sighed inwardly at the pity.
Unexpectedly, Chen Xingzhou had always possessed the protective techniques given to him by True Monarch Yunmiao, but had never revealed them to the outside world.
"Could it be that the Supreme Elder foresaw this day and deliberately prepared a backup plan?"
Huang Jia pondered to himself, feeling a chill run down his spine.
"Fellow Daoist, I have already given up on the 'Earth Infant Fruit.' If you are seeking a Nascent Soul condensing treasure, you should not continue to waste your time here. Could it be that you appear to be here for a Nascent Soul condensing treasure, but in reality, you have come for me?"
Chen Xingzhou's words were laced with hidden meaning, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the sect leader and Huang Jia not far away, his eyes flickering uncertainly.
"Hehe, since you intend to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, you must have other Nascent Soul condensing spiritual items on you. However, since you have other reliance, we are unwilling to offend a Nascent Soul True Monarch. It's a real pity."
Lin Changsheng, who had transformed into a burly and wicked man, chuckled, his words revealing a hint of reluctance. He decisively put away his nine-foot rake and flew away in the direction where the others had left.
……
As Lin Changsheng left, Chen Xingzhou put away the 'Spirit Nourishing Talisman', and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his magical energy becoming uncontrollably chaotic.
"I never expected that a mere 'Earth Infant Fruit' would cause so much trouble. In the end, I not only failed to keep the spiritual fruit, but also damaged my own foundation. In the end, it was all for naught."
"That thug's talisman array is really powerful. It will take at least several years to completely eliminate the hidden danger of this injury."
Chen Xingzhou wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and sighed with a helpless bitter smile.
"Elder Chen has a talisman given to him by the Supreme Elder, so he shouldn't have handed over the 'Earth Infant Fruit' so easily. As long as we activate the talisman and kill one of the opponents with lightning speed, the two of us will be enough to hold out until the Supreme Elder arrives."
Sect Master Huang Jia also looked concerned about this matter, and his words were full of regret regarding Chen Xingzhou's decision to give up the 'Earth Infant Fruit'.
"How could Sect Master Huang not know the rules of the Supreme Elder? He almost never interferes in the affairs of the sect unless it is a matter of life and death. The fact that he was able to bestow this 'Spirit Nourishing Talisman' back then was already an exception."
“Unless another Nascent Soul True Monarch intervenes, even if I, the alchemist, activate this talisman, the Supreme Elder may not come in person. At that time, without the last threat, not only will the ‘Earth Infant Fruit’ be lost, but we may also perish here.”
At this point, Chen Xingzhou's face showed dejection, as if he had lost hope for the future, and he continued in a mournful voice:
"Now that everything has fallen apart, I, the alchemist, need to make new plans. As for the materials for the 'Nascent Soul Pill,' I will have to trouble the sect leader to take care of them."
"The 'Heavenly Infant Fruit' and 'Earthly Infant Fruit' are extremely rare and may be out of reach. It seems we can only lower our expectations and inquire about the inferior 'Human Infant Fruit'."
Chen Xingzhou was in low spirits, and his tone seemed to indicate resentment.
"Elder Chen, rest assured, whether or not the Nascent Soul Formation is successful is crucial to the future development of the sect. I, the sect master, will dispatch sect disciples to urgently inquire about the 'Human Infant Fruit'."
Huang Jia seemed equally regretful.
……
On the other side, Lin Changsheng, disguised as a burly and ruthless man, was chasing after the aura while secretly reviewing the process of the ambush.
His original intention was to kill Chen Xingzhou in one fell swoop and collect the Nascent Soul spiritual items at the same time.
Unexpectedly, Chen Xingzhou actually held a 'quasi-fourth-tier' spirit talisman in his hand.
If they continue to launch a forced attack, they will inevitably have to resort to some means to expose their identities to the sect leader, Huang Jia.
Besides that, what really made Lin Changsheng wary was Yunmiao Zhenjun's attitude.
Judging from the situation, True Monarch Yunmiao clearly intends to facilitate Chen Xingzhou's advancement to the Nascent Soul stage. If Chen Xingzhou is forced to activate the Spirit Nourishing Talisman, he may face the risk of being detected by True Monarch Yunmiao.
This is not the outcome Lin Changsheng wanted.
"Fortunately, I changed my appearance when I made the move and did not use any familiar methods, so there is no possibility of my identity being exposed for the time being."
One day later.
On the border of Yan Kingdom, a streak of light flashed across the sky, vaguely revealing the figure of a tall, thin man.
"Master Chen's prediction was correct. There were indeed many people coveting the 'Earth Infant Fruit' along the way."
"Those two did not have any special means of escape, so the crisis is temporarily over. If it is as agreed, the 'Earth Infant Fruit' should be returned to Alchemist Chen."
After looking around and confirming that he had shaken off his pursuers, the man carefully landed on a nearby hilltop. At the same time, he took out the translucent jade box containing the 'Earth Infant Fruit' and examined it closely.
But when his gaze fell on the lifelike humanoid spirit fruit, his breathing became rapid, and a conflicted look appeared in his eyes.
"The promised reward was generous, but the 'Earth Infant Fruit' is also extremely rare..."
As he pondered, the man's expression gradually twisted, and a look of greed spread across his face, as if he had made up his mind about something.
Next, he lavishly took out a lot of high-quality recovery and healing pills and began to meditate on the spot.
Several hours later, the man's aura stabilized, and he immediately decided to change direction, flying in a direction completely opposite to that of Liu Yanzong.
Just then, a surge of magical energy suddenly appeared in the sky above.
In the blink of an eye, a burly, ruthless man with seven-colored wings spread out from his back hovered silently not far in front of the man.
"It's you!"
The man was startled at first, but after a moment's observation, he was terrified when he saw the person's appearance.
"How...did you find this place?"
The man looked somewhat nervous and uneasy.
Among Golden Core cultivators of the same level, his strength is only considered average, but he has mastered a flight technique with minimal cost. In terms of speed, even a late-stage Golden Core cultivator might not be able to match him.
Therefore, even if he were to face multiple Golden Core cultivators, he was confident that he could escape and save his life, even if he was no match for them.
But this burly, thuggish man was able to keep up with his speed, which made him feel a sense of crisis.
His gaze subtly drifted to the seven-colored wings behind the other person.
"Could it be... a fourth-tier flying magic weapon?"
He was both shocked and frightened.
Previously, the opponent's exquisite talisman array and body-refining techniques were far beyond what ordinary cultivators could achieve.
His prized flying skills were lost, and he lost his reliance on them.
"This fellow Daoist seems to have become greedy and doesn't intend to return the 'Earth Infant Fruit' to Alchemist Chen as promised?"
The burly, thuggish man said with a laugh.
However, this smile, combined with his ferocious and menacing appearance, made him look somewhat creepy.
"I never expected you to possess such a flying treasure. I admit defeat and will now present the 'Earth Infant Fruit' with both hands."
The man sighed softly, but did not struggle much. He wisely took out the translucent jade box containing the 'Earth Infant Fruit'.
Even after handing over the 'Earth Infant Fruit,' the burly, wicked man still looked malevolent, his eyes gleaming with malice.
The man cursed inwardly, while simultaneously channeling his magical power in a desperate struggle.
……
Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea is up, Lin Changsheng sets off to return to Liuyan Sect.
To make the journey easier, Lin Changsheng activated the wings of the Seven-Colored King Butterfly and returned at top speed.
From afar, he transformed into a streak of seven-colored light, like a shooting star, with a speed far exceeding that of a typical late-stage Golden Core cultivator.
Furthermore, with Lin Changsheng's current magical power and the continuous, inexhaustible restorative properties of his Everlasting Spring Technique, he is already barely able to withstand the minimum consumption required to use the Seven-Colored King Butterfly Wings.
Concealing their presence, they stealthily returned to Qingxia Peak.
Everything at the temple is as usual.
The 'substitute talisman' left behind before leaving still transformed into Lin Changsheng's appearance and continued to release its power, simulating a state of seclusion.
On the other side of Qingxia Peak, the two demonic beasts, Snow Demon Wolf and Xunfeng Crow, still patrolled the mountain in their majestic manner every day.
High-level demonic beasts in the vicinity have almost disappeared.
Only a few small demonic beasts at the early and mid-stages of the second tier remained, not worthy of the attention of the two great demons, and thus managed to survive.
Now, apart from the two great demons, the Golden-haired Rat living near Qingxia Peak became the biggest beneficiary.
Although this golden-haired rat has relatively weak demonic power, it possesses extremely high intelligence and is no less shrewd than a human.
Without the constraints of high-level demonic beasts, they thrived almost like fish in water in the area surrounding the Willow Smoke Sect.
He often relied on his own talent to find rare and precious materials and offer them to the two great demons of Qingxia Peak.
In addition, this rat possessed Lin Changsheng's aura and was more intelligent than the two beasts, thus winning the favor of the Snow Demon Wolf and the Xunfeng Crow.
It has become the third most powerful monster among the monsters of Qingxia Peak.
Realizing that everything was normal, Lin Changsheng removed the substitute talisman and went into seclusion in peace, as if he had never left.
The following day, the sect leader, Huang Jia, came to visit.
Lin Changsheng greeted them upon exiting the border.
"If Sect Leader Huang has any instructions, he can simply give them to me; there's no need for me to come all this way in person..."
Inside the reception hall, Lin Changsheng, with a smile on his face, personally poured tea.
"If we don't visit in person, I'm afraid we might not be able to persuade Elder Lin to come."
Huang Jia was dressed in fine clothes and had an elegant demeanor, but her tone was low and gloomy.
As she spoke, she stared directly at Lin Changsheng, as if trying to discern something from the man's face.
To her disappointment, Lin Changsheng showed no unusual behavior, only a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"What do you mean by that, Sect Leader Huang?"
"Could it be that I have neglected the sect leader because I have been in seclusion these past few days?"
As he spoke, Lin Changsheng looked puzzled.
But he knew in his heart that Huang Jia had come here to interrogate him, but he couldn't say it outright.
Perhaps, it also had a testing element to it.
Lin Changsheng pretended to be completely ignorant, as if he knew nothing about the jade slip that had been used to send the message.
Huang Jia stared at Lin Changsheng, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Elder Lin, you are overthinking it. I am just returning from an outing and passing by Qingxia Peak. I remembered Elder Chen's suggestion to send Elder Lin's demon beasts to guard several remote mines in the sect, so I came to ask for Elder Lin's opinion."
"It is admirable that Elder Chen can still care about the sect even when he is breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. As for guarding the sect's property, if the sect needs it, I will certainly follow the arrangements."
Lin Changsheng exclaimed in admiration, then replied with a normal expression.
"It seems that Elder Lin is loyal even though he has not been a disciple for long. However, some things happened a few days ago, and Elder Chen will probably not be able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage in a short time. After he comes out of seclusion, the sect will arrange for the elders to take turns inspecting the sect's remote mines."
Huang Jia said it casually.
However, neither of them mentioned the previous communication talisman throughout the entire process.
Before long, Sect Leader Huang Jia took his leave, and Lin Changsheng got up to see him off.
On the way back, Huang Jiadai frowned slightly, as if she had something on her mind.
“That thug’s magical aura was completely different from Lin Sangou’s, their fighting styles were very different, and their methods of expertise were not similar at all.”
"It seems I was just overthinking it."
……
Inside the cave, Lin Changsheng activated the isolation barrier and then took stock of his gains from the trip.
It took dozens of third-tier spell talismans of various attributes. Although they were valuable, they were renewable resources for Lin Changsheng and were nothing special.
Although they failed to assassinate Chen Xingzhou this time and completely eliminate the threat, they did interrupt the opponent's plan to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
Obtaining a 'Earth Infant Fruit' without revealing one's identity would be of great help in the future attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul realm.
In addition, he also killed a Golden Core cultivator and obtained a secret technique that allowed him to gain burst speed in a short period of time by sacrificing his own life force and blood.
There are many such secret techniques in 'Heavenly Poison Master's' memory, but compared to others, this technique is more effective, faster, and more suitable for Lin Changsheng, who has a vigorous life force in his body and is practicing the Everlasting Spring Technique.
After completing the inventory, Lin Changsheng began to study the puppet that Master Lu had given him.
With his current skill in creating puppets, it would be somewhat difficult for him to recreate a top-tier third-order puppet, but with some repairs and improvements to the existing one, it wouldn't be a big problem.
They can also improve their skills by studying existing top-tier third-order puppets.
First, Lin Changsheng spent several months conducting a comprehensive analysis and study of the puppet.
He deduced some crafting techniques that he had not yet mastered, which gave him a new understanding of puppet crafting and benefited him greatly.
After another six months of analysis, Lin Changsheng formulated several repair plans, but they remained at the theoretical level and he still needed to personally carry them out.
But Lin Changsheng was confident that after completing the repair of this top-tier third-order puppet, his puppetry skills would improve further in a few years. As long as he had enough materials, he could create a top-tier third-order puppet.
……
Three years passed by in a flash.
After repeated deductions, Lin Changsheng was almost in the final stages of repairing the top-tier third-order puppet.
On this day, a chilling spiritual pressure suddenly emanated from a certain training ground within the Willow Smoke Sect.
It was midday, but the sky darkened at a visible speed.
Sitting upright in the cave of the Daoist temple, Lin Changsheng could still clearly feel the magical energy in the world becoming turbulent, and a vast and boundless aura rising from within the Liuyan Sect.
A majestic magical power permeated the world, instilling fear in people's hearts.
Most importantly, Lin Changsheng was extremely familiar with this majestic aura of magic.
"This aura... it's actually a sign that Chen Xingzhou is undergoing the Nascent Soul Tribulation!"
Lin Changsheng's expression first showed surprise, then gradually became serious.