"Courting death!"

Standing at the doorway, Lin Chang'sheng activated the Wind God Leg, his body blurring forward like a streak of lightning—moving after but arriving before!

The sleazy man barely had time to react before a black-clad youth materialized right in front of him. At the same time, an overwhelming pressure crashed down—his Qi Refining Second Layer magical power frozen solid!

"Ah! Se—Senior, this is a misunderstanding! My pet ran about everywhere, I strayed in by accident! I didn't mean to disturb you!!"

"Please accept my apologies, Senior, I'll leave right away!"

The sleazy man's heart almost stopped, his courage vanished, as if falling into an abyss of ice. He dropped to his knees, bowing frantically. Someone with this kind of overwhelming aura had to be at least Qi Refining Third Layer or higher!

He'd just been following the Sniffer Rat Beast from a distance, carefully trailing after it to seek clues. Who could have imagined—a wild White Fox had found his Sniffer Rat Beast!

This Sniffer Rat Beast was a low tier spirit beast, its sense of smell razor sharp, ideal for finding spirit grass or searching for people. He'd spent six spirit stones on it; it was his best resource-gathering partner. How could he let some wild fox tear it apart? So naturally he rushed ahead to save it.

Only to realize—

This White Fox wasn't wild; it had an owner!

At this moment—

The Little White Fox opened its mouth and spat out a beam of light shrouding the rat beast. The rat beast lay trembling on the ground, paralyzed. Trotting over, the Little White Fox clamped its paw around the rat's tail and dragged it to Lin Chang'sheng, then cried out as if presenting a treasure: "Eee! Eee! Eee!"

"Is that so?"

Lin Chang'sheng looked at the sleazy man and snorted coldly.

Most cultivators hid away in closed-door cultivation to level up. This guy was only Qi Refining Second Layer and he was walking a rat? It made no sense.

"Senior, I really wandered in here by accident!"

The sleazy man sneaked a glance at Lin Chang'sheng and said nervously, "Please spare me, Senior. May I go now?"

"Go?"

With a wave of his hand, Lin Chang'sheng sealed his magical power, hoisted him up, grabbed Little White, whose paw still clutched the rat beast, and in a flash, they all returned to the courtyard.

"My patience is limited. You've got one chance to tell the truth. It's been a long time since I smashed any watermelons."

Lin Chang'sheng stared at the sleazy man, extending a palm with a Fire Bomb flickering at his fingertip, murderous intent closing in around him.

"Se—Senior! Mercy! Please spare me!"

"My name is Ma Wen, I'm just a loose cultivator. Alchemist Yang asked me to collect clues about his brother's murderer. I truly didn't mean to offend you here, Senior…!"

The sleazy man was brimming with terror, the Fireball already spinning up—clearly, this was the kind of guy who burned people to ash at the drop of a hat. Ruthless!

"Alchemist Yang?"

Lin Chang'sheng remembered what Zhu Zhishan had mentioned the other day. He looked at Ma Wen and asked, "So did you find any clues to the killer?"

"No…not yet…huh?"

Ma Wen looked back at Lin Chang'sheng, and suddenly his eyes filled with terror. He pressed his hands to the ground and kowtowed over and over, his voice trembling, "Please spare my life, Senior! Alchemist Yang sent me here, I had no idea I'd provoke you! I was in the wrong! I'll give you everything I own, serve as your pawn if you let me live!"

"I have no need for a pawn like you."

Cold light flashed in Lin Chang'sheng's eyes as he stepped forward and slammed down with his palm. Crack!

Ma Wen's skull shattered, unwillingness flashing in his eyes as his life snuffed out.

Lin Chang'sheng immediately rifled through Ma Wen's belongings, fishing out a pouch from his chest. Inside was a small cloth packet, two spirit stones, two Qi Condensing Pills, and seven Dragon Blood Pills. Nothing else worth mentioning.

"Qi Refining Second Layer and only two spirit stones? Low tier loose cultivators really are broke!"

Lin Chang'sheng muttered as he sorrowfully pocketed Ma Wen's things. He flicked out a Fire Bomb Technique, engulfing Ma Wen in flames.

Just two spirit stones—isn't much, but enough to simplify two more cultivation techniques. Two Qi Condensing Pills? That's over twelve hundred Cultivation Experience Points right there.

As for these seven Dragon Blood Pills—they're useless to me, but perfect for Little White Fox's health.

It didn't take long—

Before Ma Wen was reduced to ashes.

"On the path of cultivation immortality, the slightest misstep means instant annihilation. If I spared you, you'd become a death trap to me."

Staring at Ma Wen's ashes, Lin Chang'sheng murmured softly. He buried the remains, cleaned up the traces, and went back inside to organize.

He couldn't stay here any longer.

Only a few days left till New Year; after joining Liuyun Immortal Sect, he'd just stay at an inn instead of renting a house.

........

Changfeng Inn.

Next door to Qinxiang Tower in Jinyong City, three floors high. Lin Chang'sheng had a room on the east side of the third floor—booked for half a month.

[Perfect Golden Yuan Technique]

Lin Chang'sheng sat cross-legged in the inn room, a golden ingot in his left hand, rubbing his lower abdomen with his right. On the table sat a sheet of paper, scribbled with seven or eight little stars.

[Cultivation Immortality Technique detected: Perfect Golden Yuan Technique, Perfect Fire Element Technique, Perfect Martial Arts Technique Five Elements Nourishing Essence Skill. Do you wish to spend five spirit stones to fuse them into a new technique?]

Just then, a red notification popped up in Lin Chang'sheng's peripheral display.

"Fusing them into a new technique costs five spirit stones?"

Lin Chang'sheng stared at the alert, but still tapped confirm.

[Fusing: Perfect Golden Yuan Technique, Perfect Fire Element Technique, Perfect Martial Arts Technique Five Elements Nourishing Essence Skill… Fusion successful… Gained Cultivation Immortality Technique: Five Elements Essence Condensing Technique!]

This fusion lasted nearly a hundred heartbeats before a red notification finally appeared.

At the same time—

A flood of information poured into Lin Chang'sheng's mind, instantly merging with his consciousness. Clear as day—the cultivation method for Five Elements Essence Condensing Technique!

"Hmm?"

"Five Elements Essence Condensing Technique?"

Noticing the prompt, and the new knowledge in his mind, Lin Chang'sheng's eyes shone with excitement.

This Five Elements Essence Condensing Technique had a total of nine layers—enough to cultivate up to Qi Refining Ninth Layer Perfection!

After this point—

He just needed to get hold of more spirit stones and elixirs to further increase his Cultivation Experience Points!

........

Meanwhile—

Jinyong City, West City.

On a bustling street, a black-clad figure wearing a bamboo hat that hid his face watched the throng of passing people, his voice seething with hate. "You're close by—you can't escape. When I catch you, I'll make you suffer, rip out your soul, and forge a new Soul Seed to be refined in my Myriad Souls Banner!"

"Only then will my hatred be appeased!"

Qi Hui had been in Jinyong City for many days, but the place was enormous. What's more, he was completely out of control of his host body.

Now all he could do was rely on faint tugs from the Myriad Souls Banner to sense his host's general location.

........

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

West City.

Ningxiang Tower.

On the second floor, Lin Chang'sheng sat at a table with plates of braised beef, braised pig's trotters, kidney stir-fry, peanuts, and a fine jug of wine. His left hand rubbed his thigh, a hand-drawn star map on the table; his right hand deftly picked up food, alternating bites with sips of wine.

Couldn't be more content.

His Cloud-Piercing Bow and Magic Artifact Sword, all his gear, he kept tucked away in his Storage Bag—hidden inside his robe, not hanging from his belt.

He kept his cultivation hidden—appearing just like any ordinary young man of eighteen or nineteen.

"Tomorrow's the sixth—it's disciple recruitment day. Hope I have immortal fate by then!"

"Yeah, I came all the way from Yu City for this day!"

"If I could get into an Immortal Sect, it'd bring glory to the whole family!"

"..."

Chatter from diners drifted into Lin Chang'sheng's ears.

"Tomorrow—join an Immortal Sect!"

Lin Chang'sheng's heart was full of expectation too.

[Outer Heaven Meteor (Perfection)]

Just then, a red prompt flashed up on Lin Chang'sheng's info panel.

"Huh? Outer Heaven Meteor mastered?"

Seeing the alert, Lin Chang'sheng's eyes gleamed.

At that moment—

An immense flood of information surged into his mind, seamlessly merging with his awareness—precise techniques for launching Outer Heaven Meteor (Hidden Weapon & Archery), sudden insights!

Having comprehended the Outer Heaven Meteor (archery/hidden weapon) insight, Lin Chang'sheng felt as if he'd been training it for fifty or sixty years!

This Outer Heaven Meteor—

According to the description, it launched hidden weapons and arrows, channeling magical power for electrifying speed—a streak across the sky like a meteor, impossible to block!

"Too bad I can't try it here. When it's quiet, I'll test it out!"

Anticipation flashed in Lin Chang'sheng's eyes.

........

Five thousand miles from Jinyong City.

Celestial Dragon Mountain.

This was the border between Great Yu Kingdom and Southern Barbarian Land.

Celestial Dragon City, City Lord's Mansion.

A stunning woman clad in golden battle armor with a golden sword at her hip, the ensemble accentuating her poised elegance, stood on the city wall watching the horizon. Beside her, a sharp-eyed middle-aged scholar remained at her side.

"How goes the battle ahead?"

The beautiful woman took a deep breath, glanced at the scholar, and asked.

"Your Highness, the Southern Barbarians have sent quite a few Martial Arts Grandmasters. It's rumored they've even invited a warrior on the level of a martial legend!"

"Our situation is far from optimistic."

The middle-aged scholar's face was etched with worry as he spoke.

"Martial legend?"

Yu Wenjing gazed at the Southern Barbarian Land in the distance, her delicate brows knitting in concern.

Martial legend—strength above Martial Arts Grandmaster.

The Great Yu Patriarch was one such legend.

But the Patriarch was far too old—confined to the Imperial Palace, his lifespan nearly exhausted. Expecting him to intervene was simply unrealistic.

"It's only a rumor—its truth is uncertain."

Jin Wuque's eyes shimmered with deep anxiety.

"Still, this is a battle Great Yu cannot lose—only victory is allowed!"

Determination flashed in Yu Wenjing's expression. Before setting out, she'd given her commander's oath: if the Southern Barbarians did not retreat, she would not return alive!

Only victory—

Could keep Great Yu safe!

........

As spring returned to the land, green shoots sprang from the branches.

South of Jinyong City.

Sixty miles out—

A grand square stretching for miles was packed tight with youths—boys, girls, and elders there to see off their children. Carriages, horses, Jianghu travelers armed with blades and swords—all eyes burning as they stared up at a five-zhang tall, ten-zhang wide platform floating above the crowd.

An elder with a wine gourd on his belt and a woman in red stood atop the high platform.

They were the team leaders—Elder Li Jiantang and Ji Ruyan.

Below the platform, twelve Liuyun Immortal Sect Disciples sat behind wooden tables, each table topped with a jade stone as big as a washbasin.

"I am Elder Li Jiantang of Liuyun Immortal Sect—responsible for recruiting Great Yu's neighboring disciples!"

"Everyone please line up and place your palm on the stone platform—then we'll see who has the fate of immortality!"

"Those who have the fate of immortality, stay. Those who do not, please return the way you came!"

The gourd-carrying elder floated into the air, his voice rumbling like thunder across the world.

As he finished—

Youth after youth lined up, placing their right palms on the stone platform.

But—

The vast majority had no reaction.

Of more than a thousand youths tested, only one had water, fire, and earth three spirit roots. One had four spirit roots.

"Senior Brother Li, we've checked over a thousand people and only got one Three Spirit Roots and one Four Spirit Roots…sigh!"

Ji Ruyan glanced at the crowd and sent a voice transmission to her senior brother.

"Don't fret, Junior Sister. There are plenty left!"

Li Jiantang drew a deep breath and replied in kind.

Just then, before the first platform on the eastern side, a youth in a black robe stepped forward, pressed his palm to the stone, and instantly—a two-colored pillar of light shot up from the stone!

Red as fire, yellow as earth!

"Oh? Fire and Earth dual spirit roots! A genius!"

High above, Elder Li Jiantang's eyes blazed. He flashed down to the platform, fixed his gaze on the black-robed youth, and asked, "What's your name? Where are you from?"

"Answering Senior, I am Zhuge Buping from Min Nan, Great Yu."

The black-robed youth responded, brimming with respect.

"Excellent! Would you be willing to become my direct disciple?!"

Li Jiantang's eyes gleamed as he looked upon Zhuge Buping.

With a dual spirit roots genius disciple, he could finally walk tall before the elders of the Four Great Immortal Sects!

"Disciple greets Master!"

Zhuge Buping didn't hesitate. He fell to his knees and knocked his head to the floor nine times!

"Good! Very good!"

"You go wait in the Great Hall behind!"

Relief flooded Li Jiantang's old face. With a dual spirit roots disciple, this trip was well worth it!

"Just a moment ago I was lamenting my luck, and now a dual spirit roots talent appears!"

Ji Ruyan looked at Zhuge Buping, envy glimmering in her beautiful eyes. Scanning the waiting youths below, she secretly vowed: If another prodigy appeared, she'd definitely take that one as her disciple!

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