Steady Mortal Path: Starting from Obtaining the Golden Core Inheritance

Chapter 360 Yunmiao's Instructions

Liuyan Sect has established a new fourth-tier spiritual vein training ground.

As the sun rises, terraced fields are carved out of a continuous mountain range, winding from the foot of the mountain to the mountainside. Interspersed among them are many water-retaining depressions, their surfaces shimmering with turquoise light, like a mirror reflecting the sky and clouds.

Among the terraced fields, one could see low-ranking disciples of the Willow Smoke Sect working diligently from time to time, while older disciples occasionally activated their magical artifacts, traversing between the mountains, attracting envious glances from below.

The mountain mists blend with the wisps of natural energy, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere where the beauty of hard work and the splendor of the mountains and rivers complement each other.

Among them, on a towering mountain range, the three magnificent characters "Qingdan Peak" are extremely eye-catching.

"Elder Nie, your sect's 'Black Tiger True Monarch' has not yet revealed when he will be able to bring the items I require?"

Opposite Elder Nie, who was short and stocky, was Chen Xingzhou, dressed in a magnificent blue Taoist robe. He asked casually, but his words and demeanor already showed the majesty of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

"Reporting to the True Lord, the contract and agreement signed at the time have not yet been fully implemented. At the current rate, it will probably take at least ten more years to reach the original expectations."

Elder Nie spoke respectfully and formally.

"Ten more years? I remember when we made the agreement, it shouldn't have taken that long."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xingzhou frowned slightly, seemingly somewhat displeased, and then gave the following instructions:

"Speed ​​up the process and complete the agreed-upon resource transfer within three years. As agreed, I, the True Lord, will need to obtain a portion of the alchemy inheritance at that time."

In order to obtain the fourth-order alchemy inheritance as soon as possible, Chen Xingzhou put pressure on Elder Nie.

In recent years, he has basically stabilized his cultivation level at the early stage of Nascent Soul. The most urgent task now is to prepare to gradually transition his proud alchemy skills and corresponding supporting methods to the fourth level.

Only in this way can one be considered a genuine Nascent Soul cultivator.

Only when he has the resources to contend with other Nascent Soul True Monarchs can he boldly implement a series of reforms to the sect and negotiate cooperation with other Nascent Soul level forces to realize his great ambition.

"Three years?"

"Under the circumstances of previous years, it would have been barely possible to do so."

Upon hearing this, Elder Nie was taken aback at first, then said with some difficulty:

"Last time, due to Elder Lin's intervention, my Ziyun Sect lost two Golden Core cultivators and one senior elder. In addition, since I am now serving the Liuyan Sect, the number of Golden Core cultivators that can be mobilized is currently limited."

"Furthermore, in order to avoid a repeat of what happened to Elder Lin, the Golden Core cultivators in the sect who were responsible for transferring resources have been much more discreet in their actions, so as not to attract too much attention."

Elder Nie's eyes flickered several times before he calmly explained.

"It's just a few Golden Core cultivators dying. Back then, in order to elevate you to the position of elder, my Willow Smoke Sect also paid the price of a senior elder."

"Driven by the general trend of sect development, some sacrifices are inevitable. As long as their sacrifices bring value to the sect, then they have died a worthwhile death."

"That's settled then. The transfer of resources of the agreed amount will be completed within three years. If anyone tries to interfere along the way, I, the True Lord, will take care of it."

Chen Xingzhou's attitude was firm, and his face was somewhat cold.

He exchanged the resources belonging to the Liuyan Sect within the Yan Kingdom for the fourth-order alchemy inheritance stored within the Ziyun Sect, along with the interests of some small and medium-sized families that were dependent on the sect.

This matter is detrimental to the sect's interests, and the longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for him.

Recently, many families that rely on sects have expressed strong opinions, and that suppression alone is ultimately unsustainable.

For Chen Xingzhou, it would all be worth it as long as he could eventually obtain the fourth-order alchemy inheritance.

With his talent in alchemy, the fourth-order alchemy technique he inherited will definitely play a huge role.

The value it will create for the sect in the future far exceeds the small, insignificant gains lost now.

"This junior obeys."

Elder Nie responded respectfully.

……

A few days later.

An uninvited guest arrived at Qingxia Peak.

The person who came was none other than Elder Nie, who was short and stout.

"I have been in seclusion for a long time and did not know that it was Elder Nie. I am sorry for not welcoming you properly. Please forgive me."

From afar, Lin Changsheng, dressed in white, flew over, his face showing some apology, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Hehe, Elder Lin has always been devoted to cultivation, and I know a thing or two about that. Now that you have emerged from seclusion, then accept this 'transfer order'."

Elder Nie's expression was displeased, and he responded with a forced smile. Immediately, a 'roll of paper' made of a special material appeared in his hand.

As one of the official elders, Liu Yanzong and all the guest elders treated him with great courtesy, even if they didn't show him the utmost respect.

However, he waited for three days at Qingxia Peak before finally meeting Lin Changsheng, which naturally made him feel uneasy.

However, upon thinking about the contents of the transfer order, a strange look flashed in Elder Nie's eyes.

A few days ago, he subtly tried to sow discord between Lin Changsheng and Qingdan Zhenjun, which ultimately had some effect.

"transfer order?"

Lin Changsheng was taken aback at first, but seeing Elder Nie's gloating expression, he seemed to have some guesses in his mind.

After taking the scroll and reading its contents, he learned the whole story.

The reason is that in recent years, the border areas of Yan Kingdom have often been harassed by unknown thieves. Some weak forces that rely on sects have suffered greatly from this, and for various reasons, they are even unable to pay tribute to Liu Yan Sect.

Starting a few years ago, the sect began to send guest elders on a rotating basis to support the patrol forces in the border area.

This transfer order assigned Lin Changsheng to a year-long support mission.

During the support patrol, all actions should be carried out according to Elder Nie's arrangements.

This transfer order was personally signed by the Supreme Elder, True Lord Qingdan, and it seemed reasonable and without any loopholes.

"Elder Lin, we have already wasted three days. If there are no problems, please come with me as soon as possible."

Elder Nie's eyes flashed with a strange light, and then he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"That's quite a coincidence. Due to some special reasons, I have other important matters to attend to and I'm afraid I won't be able to go out with Elder Nie for the time being."

Lin Changsheng remained calm and spoke indifferently.

"Oh? Elder Lin's words pique my curiosity. Is there something else that could be more important than True Monarch Qingdan's instructions?"

Elder Nie spoke slowly, a hint of mockery in his expression.

In his view, Lin Changsheng probably sensed something, which is why he made such an excuse.

However, with Qingdan Zhenjun backing him up, Lin Changsheng is just a guest elder, how could he disobey the Zhenjun's instructions?

"As instructed by True Lord Yunmiao, I, Lin, will be at your service for the foreseeable future. As for the patrol matters mentioned by Elder Nie, I am unable to attend to them all, and I hope you will understand."

As he spoke, Lin Changsheng produced an exquisite jade slip in his hand, engraved with the words "Yun Miao," his expression calm and composed.

"True Lord Yunmiao?"

Elder Nie's smug expression froze, and he was shocked.

Lin Changsheng wasn't lying.

Not long ago, after he had honed his puppetry skills, he took the initiative to report the matter to True Lord Yunmiao.

Upon learning that Lin Changsheng had been able to independently create a third-tier puppet and verify its authenticity, he immediately instructed Master Lu to send Lin Changsheng a generous amount of mineral resources and other materials.

He was instructed to give it his all and create the best possible puppet.

Even Lin Changsheng, who has always been wealthy, was greatly shocked by Yunmiao Zhenjun's extravagant gesture this time.

Even among these materials, there are some precious fourth-order minerals.

Clearly, a top-tier third-order puppet was not the limit that True Monarch Yunmiao needed; he simply couldn't find a suitable fourth-order puppeteer, so he had to settle for second best.

A top-tier third-order puppet can have its overall quality slightly improved if it is enhanced with fourth-order materials.

However, fourth-tier materials are extremely precious, and Lin Changsheng has no intention of wasting them.

After Lin Changsheng made a deal with Su Qin, he obtained a special puppet inheritance, which included a part related to the fourth tier, and can be used as a reference.

Given that I recently gained insights into fourth-tier puppets, it might be unrealistic to create a fourth-tier puppet in a short period of time, but it is not impossible to create a 'near-fourth-tier' puppet with power far exceeding that of a third-tier puppet.

Qingdan Peak Dojo.

Elder Nie reported the matter to Chen Xingzhou in detail.

"Master Yunmiao really thinks highly of this Lin Sangou."

"One can only say that this person was genuinely lucky and had a good life."

Chen Xingzhou, sitting in the main seat, took a deep breath, his face somber, perhaps recalling some unpleasant memories.

"True Lord Yunmiao has never interfered in sect affairs. Perhaps True Lord could try to take the initiative to go..."

Elder Nie hesitated for a moment before making a suggestion.

He was interrupted by Chen Xingzhou's wave of his hand before he could finish speaking:

"Although True Monarch Yunmiao has a detached nature, she has profound cultivation. Even though I am also a Nascent Soul cultivator, I do not want to face this unfathomable 'senior sister'."

"Besides, although she doesn't concern herself with the affairs of this sect, she seems to have some prejudice against me, and she's always been cold and distant. It's best to skip visiting her."

"Alright, just focus on doing your job and don't delay my important business."

Mentioning True Lord Yunmiao made Chen Xingzhou feel a pang of guilt.

Before advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, although he admired the power of True Monarch Yunmiao, he only looked up to True Monarch Yunmiao from the perspective of a Golden Core True Person.

Only after achieving the True Monarch realm can one truly appreciate the terrifying power of this mid-Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Chen Xingzhou always had a feeling that his ideas differed from those of this True Lord Yunmiao, and that the other party seemed to have a vague understanding of some of the things he did in secret, which made him quite prejudiced against him.

Fortunately, the other party seemed to have been focusing on other things all these years, which allowed Chen Xingzhou to develop his business secretly.

……

After this incident, with the support of True Monarch Yunmiao, Lin Changsheng and Elder Nie or Chen Xingzhou have maintained a peaceful relationship.

He then spent several more years refining and perfecting the top-tier Tier 3 puppet he had previously created.

Apart from that, no further work was done on creating puppets.

In such a short time, with the cultivation level of the mid-stage Golden Core realm, one can create a top-tier third-order puppet and even use extraordinary talent as a cover.

Creating a second one would be too unconventional.

Perhaps now, True Monarch Yunmiao is too eager for high-level puppets to investigate further.

But when they realize it later, they will inevitably become curious and try to uncover his secrets, which will lead to trouble.

The mysterious black scroll in the sea of ​​consciousness, the heaven-defying opportunity of "Heaven rewards diligence," becomes increasingly effective as cultivation level increases.

A high-level cultivator with ulterior motives could easily spot the clues if they observed carefully.

During the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment stages, the overall cultivation cycle is relatively short, and the fluctuations in the cultivation level are obvious.

There are many methods and treasures that can promote cultivation and allow one's realm to advance by leaps and bounds.

In addition, the initial boost from the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] talent is not particularly noticeable.

Some of his early friends were fortunate enough to encounter certain opportunities, and their cultivation speed temporarily surpassed that of Lin Changsheng.

Therefore, saving one or two years in a ten- or eight-year practice is not a big deal.

Even if he encounters someone who has designs on him, the legacy of the 'Heavenly Poison Master' is enough to resolve any potential threats.

However, once one enters the Golden Core or even Nascent Soul realm, treasures that can significantly stimulate one's cultivation level become scarce, and the overall cultivation cycle for cultivators becomes gradual and lengthy.

Lin Changsheng, a "hidden cultivator" who spends his days in seclusion, has no extraordinary encounters, yet he can save decades or even centuries of time at a time, which is quite intriguing.

In addition, Lin Changsheng currently lacks effective means to restrain Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

Therefore, it is sufficient to demonstrate some advantages to gain attention; otherwise, going too far is as bad as not going far enough.

In the days that followed, Lin Changsheng began to resume his cultivation.

In terms of cultivation and body refinement, there has been some progress.

In his spare time, Lin Changsheng also used the materials given to him by True Monarch Yunmiao to remake the three-headed corpse-refining puppet.

The Corpse Refining Puppet, refined over many years by the Three Corpse Immortals, is equivalent to a natal magic weapon refined for over a hundred years.

Later, Lin Changsheng modified it multiple times using puppetry techniques, making it more powerful than his natal magic weapon and overwhelming puppets of the same level.

In addition, he also made time to review his skills in talisman making and alchemy.

Using the resources accumulated over the years, they refined a considerable number of Tier 3 Beast Pills, enough for the Snow Demon Wolf and the Wind Crow to consume for a long time.

In addition, he refined another batch of 'Minor Teleportation Talismans'.

This short-range teleportation technique was the source of Lin Changsheng's confidence in escaping from the Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Before advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, one must always ensure a sufficient reserve of 'Minor Teleportation Talismans'.

Lin Changsheng was 195 years old that year.

He perceived that his own functions remained vibrant and endless.

What is certain is that the average lifespan of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator is around five hundred years, while his lifespan should be far longer.

……

Finally, one day, a streak of light broke the tranquility of Qingxia Peak.

Lin Changsheng, who was immersed in cultivation, received another message from Yunmiao Peak via jade slip.

The content is very simple.

Soon, True Monarch Yunmiao will once again travel to a forbidden area. Some of these places are so special that even Nascent Soul True Monarchs cannot easily enter them and can only explore them with the help of puppets.

In addition, True Monarch Yunmiao also invited Lin Changsheng to go along, perhaps to make use of his three special corpse-refining puppets.