Chapter 447 - 5 Years of Advancement, Changes in the Song Territory

Chapter 447 -275: 5 Years of Advancement, Changes in the Song Territory

The chaos of a Beast Tide is a regional disturbance, easy enough to avoid by simply moving to a different place.

But conflicts between the Major Sects and Daoist Schools and the instability at the Song-Jin border were monumental shifts that would affect the entire landscape. This could easily lead to a situation where, if the nest falls, no egg can remain unbroken.

A faint sense of crisis began to stir within Lin Changheng.

He decided he had to do something.

The quickest ways to increase his strength lay in two things: artifacts and Abnormal Techniques.

For artifacts, this meant refining the Magical Treasure Embryo he possessed.

Over the years, Lin Changheng had used various channels—including attending auctions in Immortal Cities, trading with Pill Seekers, and posting missions for material collection—to gather a large amount of the conventional supplementary materials needed to refine the Magical Treasure Embryo.

Now, his Storage Bag was piled high with various Essences of Gold and Stone, Spirit Wood Marrow Cores, and Five Elements Spiritual Essences. Overall, he had gathered about ninety percent of the necessary materials.

All that was missing was one crucial component.

And this final component was the most critical main material: Centennial Warm Jade.

This jade wasn’t meant for offensive artifacts. Its nature was balanced and peaceful, containing Pure Yang Nourishing Qi, which made it the perfect choice for the final “shaping” and “foundation-setting” of the Magical Treasure Embryo.

After the Five Elements Spirit Ointment harmonized the frenzied properties of the various Spiritual Materials, the jade would allow the embryo to become a single, integrated whole. Better still, it would enable the cultivator’s Divine Sense and Magical Power to embed themselves seamlessly, allowing the Magical Treasure Embryo to connect with its master’s mind and be controlled as easily as a limb.

It would lay an irreplaceable, solid foundation for its future transformation into a true Magical Treasure.

However, this item was extremely rare. It was typically hidden deep within large Spirit Veins, where it had to be nourished by Earth Vein Yang Qi for a century before it could form.

In recent years, it had all but vanished from the market. On the rare occasion a piece appeared, it was immediately snapped up by major influences or Core Formation seniors. It would never make its way to a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him.

“Centennial Warm Jade…”

Lin Changheng muttered to himself.

He knew that he could try to refine the embryo without it, but its foundation would inevitably be flawed, and its future potential would be drastically reduced. This was to be his life-bound treasure, the vessel for his Dao. He would not tolerate the slightest imperfection.

…

As for Abnormal Techniques.

Right now, Lin Changheng urgently needed Nether Void Essence Blood, and just about any elemental attribute would do.

This was because his three Profound Spirit Level Treasure Seeds—the Cyan Rain Mist Toad Treasure Seed, the Deep Lake Spirit Clam Treasure Seed, and the Black Armored Earth Turtle Treasure Seed—had all reached Spirit Stealing Perfection and were awaiting Metamorphosis.

Xiaobai and Xiaohai had essentially completed their mission of providing blood, the only exception being if the final Muddy Evil Species Position required a water or earth dual-element type.

As for the Muddy Evil Level Profound Peak Vulture Treasure Seed, the Xu Family had sent another four hundred portions of Essence Blood before the new year to complete the requirement.

Through this, he had successfully reached the Fifth Layer of Spirit Stealing and obtained the Insight Technique – Transformation.

He just needed to induce its Metamorphosis. Then, by combining it with his Spirit Detecting Skill and Qi Observation Skill, both of which were already at the Perfection Level, the “Divine Light” from the Three Techniques Combined would reach its absolute limit.

…

If obtaining the Centennial Warm Jade was a matter of serendipity that Lin Changheng couldn’t force, then completing the Metamorphosis of his four Treasure Seeds was a much more traceable and achievable goal.

Once he achieved that, he would gain at least four new Demon Techniques, providing a massive boost to all of his capabilities.

Coincidentally, Mo Zhaoli had sent him a letter two months ago, inviting him to help with a sect mission.

Lin Changheng had been hesitant at first, but his interest was piqued when he read the background information Mo Zhaoli included further in the letter.

The mission was set in the Wilderness.

It wasn’t in the deepest parts, but it was home to many Tier Two Demon Beasts.

According to intelligence from the Purple Extreme Sect, there was a Quasi-Tier Three Spiritual Land in the area that was in the process of transformation. The Sect was sending a Fake Core Cultivator to lead a group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators to clear out the Demon Beasts within it.

Afterward, a Tier Two Upper Grade Array Master from the Sect would lay down an array to seal off the area, officially claiming the Spiritual Land for the Purple Extreme Sect.

The task assigned to Mo Zhaoli was to clear out the Demon Beasts in a section of the northwest corner and to set up one corner of the array.

Once the Array Master completed the array, the mission would be over.

Furthermore, the Sect didn’t restrict participants from bringing friends or clan members to help, so long as the objective was met.

And with a Fake Core Master present to hold down the fort and protect the Tier Two Upper Grade Array Master, there was little concern for any foul play.

As for why Mo Zhaoli invited Lin Changheng, one reason was for extra security.

The other was that there was profit to be made.

The profit lay in the fact that all native Spirit Grass and Spiritual Materials found within one’s assigned area would belong to the Foundation Establishment Cultivator to handle as they saw fit.

With such a good opportunity, Mo Zhaoli naturally thought of Lin Changheng.

…

‘Of course,’ Lin Changheng thought, ‘the Purple Extreme Sect must have its reasons for acting this way. Why else would they be so generous?’

‘Even allowing outsiders a piece of the pie!’

‘But with a Fake Core Master present, a Tier Two Upper Grade Array Master in tow, and a whole group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators going in together, this group represents a significant portion of the Sect’s power. No matter how wealthy, powerful, and ruthless the Purple Extreme Sect is, they wouldn’t conspire to harm their own.’

‘To do so would be no different from self-mutilation.’