Chapter 202 - 175: Inspiration and Compatibility

Chapter 202: Chapter 175: Inspiration and Compatibility

"Understood."

Tan Hu agreed quietly and placed the jade box on the table. He then transformed into a pale green streak of light and departed from the courtyard.

’Jiang Han... a reserve True Inheritor...’

Lan Cai Shen lowered his gaze, his expression growing grim.

Meanwhile...

Back at the Ring Mountain Spiritual Land, Li Changsheng spent his days either polishing his Spiritual Power or studying the Blood Spirit Escape.

When he grew tired of being cooped up, he would hold Xiaobai—who had successfully advanced to the Demon Realm and grown an extra tail—and ride Xiaohua out to patrol the Spirit Fields.

He would exchange a few words with Xu Li and the other two, then walk to the edge of the mountain peak to gaze at the fields of autumn gold.

A cool wind blew, rustling crisply.

Li Changsheng simply gazed out, and as he did, his mind began to wander.

He didn’t snap out of his reverie until nightfall.

"Time to go home!"

Li Changsheng stretched, then smiled and patted Xiaohua.

GRUNT... Xiaohua grunted and turned, heading back toward the small courtyard.

Not long after...

Cooking smoke began to curl upwards, and the crisp sound of chopping echoed out.

Xu Li and the other two, who were busy in the Spirit Fields, heard the familiar sound. They all straightened up and glanced at the small courtyard not far away.

They nodded to each other and turned to head back to their own homes.

Days passed, one after another.

「Half a month later.」

A pearly-white Flying Ship flew in from the horizon, slowly entering the Ring Mountain Spiritual Land.

When the Flying Ship landed in the center of the Spiritual Land, Jin Fang, Ma Rong, Ke Jing, and the others were already waiting in front of the hall.

As the Flying Ship vanished, the figures of Lan Cai Shen and Tan Hu appeared.

The three of them stepped forward, cupped their fists, and said, "Greetings, Steward Lan."

"No need for formalities."

Lan Cai Shen waved his hand and strode into the Spirit Field Hall.

After everyone was seated...

Lan Cai Shen scanned the room and asked, puzzled, "Where is Steward Feng?"

"Well..."

Jin Fang and the other two exchanged a look, their faces hesitant.

Finally, Ma Rong stood up and said, "We haven’t seen Steward Feng for several days. We presume she..."

He then recounted how Tong Zuo had broken through to the Dao Foundation Realm, returned to the Spiritual Land, and injured Feng Bai Mei when she confronted him.

Lan Cai Shen’s eyes flickered. ’He actually managed to advance to the Dao Foundation Realm.’

In the Cyan Yang Sect, the Dao Foundation Realm was considered the backbone of its power. The status of such a cultivator was worlds apart from those in the Vein Condensation Realm.

’The matter concerning the Ring Mountain Spiritual Land will probably be dropped now.’

The thought flashed through Lan Cai Shen’s mind. He nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the men as he asked, "Has anything else happened in the Spiritual Land?"

His words carried the clear authority of someone in charge.

The men below exchanged glances and began to report one by one.

As they gave their detailed accounts, Lan Cai Shen gradually came to understand all the recent changes in the Spiritual Land.

「An hour later.」

Everyone left the main hall one after another.

Watching the departing Escape Lights of Lan Cai Shen, Tan Hu, and Ma Rong, Jin Fang snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and left.

Ke Jing glanced at him, then looked at the vanishing Escape Lights and sighed. With a single leap, he covered several dozen feet, heading straight for the Independent Practitioner Marketplace.

「Ten Thousand Serpent Lake Island.」

A large man in a profound robe, who was lying on the branch of a large tree, saw three streaks of Escape Light heading straight for the island. The corner of his mouth twitched. He stood up, cupped his fists, and bowed.

Watching the Escape Lights descend into that small courtyard, the man in the profound robe shook his head and lay back down on the tree branch.

「Meanwhile, in the small courtyard.」

The three Escape Lights landed one by one.

Inside, Li Changsheng was studying the Blood Spirit Escape when he sensed several Spiritual Power fluctuations from outside. He quickly got up and headed down the stairs.

Before he even reached the door, he heard Tan Hu’s hearty laugh from outside.

A smile appeared on Li Changsheng’s face, and he quickened his pace down the stairs.

When he reached the first floor, he saw a gentle and refined young man sitting in the seat of honor.

Li Changsheng’s eyes lit up with joy. He cupped his fists and said with a smile, "Greetings, Senior Brother Lan!" Then he turned to Tan Hu and Ma Rong and called out, "Greetings, Senior Brother Tan, Senior Brother Ma."

Tan Hu grinned. "What’s with all the pointless formalities?"

Lan Cai Shen looked him up and down. Sensing his aura of Qi Cultivation Perfection, he nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile, "Junior Brother Tan is right. You are a bit too formal, Junior Brother."

Li Changsheng chuckled, took out cups and hot water, and poured tea for the three of them.

After pouring the tea, Li Changsheng sat down, his gaze on Lan Cai Shen filled with both anticipation and nervousness.

"Senior Brother, the Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst... did you..."

Lan Cai Shen didn’t hesitate. He flipped his hand over, produced a jade box, and placed it in front of him. He explained with a smile, "Not only are the properties of this Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst compatible with you, Junior Brother, but its quality is also of the highest grade." He paused, then chuckled. "And you have Junior Brother Tan to thank for this. He was the one who went and retrieved it."

Hearing this, Li Changsheng turned to look at Tan Hu. ’So that’s why I haven’t seen him for months, and why Ma Rong said he was busy,’ he thought. ’He was running around for my Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst.’

Li Changsheng stood up, his expression solemn. He bowed deeply to both of them and said, "Changsheng thanks you both, Senior Brothers. In the future, if there is anything you need of me, this junior brother will not dare to refuse."

Smiles bloomed on Lan Cai Shen’s and Tan Hu’s faces. They stood up, walked over, and helped him up.

Lan Cai Shen laughed heartily. "See? I told you he was too formal."

"Exactly, exactly," Tan Hu grinned.

Ma Rong, standing to the side, was also beaming.

After they all sat down again, Li Changsheng looked at the jade box but didn’t open it right away. He asked curiously, "Senior Brother, what sort of dangerous place did this spiritual catalyst gestate in?"

He was well aware of his own Spiritual Power’s characteristics. A place that could nurture an Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst compatible with him would definitely not be some idyllic immortal mountain.

Lan Cai Shen and Tan Hu exchanged a look.

Tan Hu scratched his head and grinned wryly. "Just an ancient battlefield, that’s all."

Then he changed the subject, saying angrily, "I had actually prepared two Anomalous Spiritual Catalysts for you, Junior Brother, but on the way back, one was..."

Lan Cai Shen’s expression turned ugly. He turned to Tan Hu and shook his head. "Junior Brother Tan, be careful what you say."

’Two Anomalous Spiritual Catalysts?’

’From what Tan Hu said, it was obvious one had been stolen.’

Li Changsheng’s eyes showed his astonishment.

’Setting Tan Hu aside, with Lan Cai Shen’s status and position alone, someone still dared to rob them?’

The atmosphere in the room immediately fell silent.

Just as Li Changsheng was about to speak and break the silence, the four of them felt a gentle breeze sweep past their faces.

An old man wearing a simple Daoist robe appeared in the room.

The expressions of Li Changsheng and the others changed. They scrambled to their feet and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Elder Qing."

They felt a powerful force wash over them, pulling them upright involuntarily.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Elder," they said respectfully.

Elder Qing nodded slightly. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the jade box, took out the dark jade vial from within, and drew out a wisp of twisting, shifting black-and-red aura.

"Not bad."

Elder Qing looked at it, nodding in satisfaction. He then took a step to Li Changsheng’s side and, to the latter’s astonishment, slapped the wisp of aura into his body.

Li Changsheng couldn’t help but shudder, and a flush quickly spread across his face.

The moment the aura entered him, he felt as if a block of ice had been shoved into his body. A bone-deep chill spread out, slowing his heartbeat.

But when that wisp of aura merged with his Spirit Veins, a bloodthirsty, violent emotion suddenly flooded his mind, and the circulation of his Spiritual Power sped up.

Yet before he could suppress this bloodthirsty urge, it abruptly vanished.

When Li Changsheng opened his eyes, he saw Lan Cai Shen and the other two looking at him.

Li Changsheng asked in surprise, "What just happened to me?" He then looked around, confused. "Where’s Elder Qing?"

"Elder Qing has already left," Lan Cai Shen said with a smile.

Tan Hu clapped him on the shoulder and laughed loudly. "Haha, Junior Brother, you truly are a man of profound fortune."

Lan Cai Shen and Ma Rong nodded seriously.

Li Changsheng stared at the three of them, completely bewildered.

Tan Hu chuckled and explained.

As it turned out, Elder Qing had come to see how compatible he was with the Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst.

According to Elder Qing, his compatibility with the Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst was nearly ninety percent, which was considered exceptionally high.

As for one hundred percent compatibility?

Even sacrificing one’s own blood relatives in a blood ritual for the Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst wouldn’t achieve that.

Only those with a natural Spirit Body, born with an Anomalous Spiritual Catalyst already inside them, could have one hundred percent compatibility. Once their Spiritual Power reached its peak, they could instantly transform it, turning it from gas to liquid and advancing to the Vein Condensation Realm.

After understanding this, Li Changsheng’s expression flickered for a moment. He suddenly asked, "Senior Brother Tan, did you happen to see my younger sister?"

Tan Hu nodded and grinned. "Don’t you worry, Junior Brother. By the time I left the sect, she had already guided spiritual energy into her body and become a Qi Cultivator."

Hearing this, Li Changsheng felt a wave of relief. He cupped his fists and said with a smile, "I’ve troubled you, Senior Brother."

Tan Hu glanced at Lan Cai Shen, who wore a gentle smile, and chuckled. "You’re too kind, Junior Brother."