← 百炼成仙

第五卷 天云十二州 第一千一百章 妙心丹

, Second Pass's petite girl had undergone a significant transformation in appearance. However, her cultivation did not decrease at all. Luo Zhaogui released his divine consciousness and swept the area with it, revealing an excited expression on his face as he said happily, "Very good. Very good. At the peak of the Condensation Core stage, just right for our needs. With your assistance this time, we are sure to succeed in obtaining the treasures. Rest assured, I will honor my promise and fulfill all my commitments after this."

"Indeed," Lin Xuan nodded. He then lightly brushed his sleeves, sending a spell flying out. The area around it was like ice melting away as the moon returned to its place within his sleeve.

Both parties took what they needed, despite having other intentions, but on the surface, they were both pleased and resumed their smiles as they sat down again.

"Brother Lin, do you still have any items for sale at this establishment? As a valued guest of mine, I will certainly try my best to meet your needs. The prices will be heavily discounted," Luo Tiancheng said with great generosity.

With his deep understanding, Lin Xuan knew the true purpose behind Luo's attempts to please him, but he was not going to turn down such an offer when it was presented.

"Haha, you are indeed generous. I shall accept your kind offer. I do need a few more materials," Lin Xuan said as he took out a jade cylinder.

This transaction coincided with the Heavenly Cloud Trade Fair, where rare treasures were gathered. Lin Xuan had planned to visit all the markets in the city and even participate in underground auctions, but now it seemed like an unexpected windfall.

He would take what he needed, no matter how much there was. This visit to the Blood Vampire Market proved to be highly rewarding.

After half an hour, Lin Xuan left the market area. His storage bag contained not only the formula for Yin Ming Liquid but also enough ingredients to brew five batches of High-Quality Heart-Birth Pills. With 500 pills and a further refinement in Blue Starlight Sea, these would sustain the petite girl's cultivation for several years.

Luo Tiancheng said that they did not need to rush with the treasure hunt; he needed more preparations and planned to contact Lin Xuan three months later.

Three months was neither too long nor too short. The Heavenly Cloud Trade Fair happened once every three hundred years, so it would take more than a few days to complete all transactions. At this point, only half of the fair had passed, making it the busiest time with the most people around.

"Master, don't you think there's something fishy about Luo Tiancheng?" The petite girl's voice echoed in his ears, indicating her growing intellect.

"Hmm, he is overeager and keeps assuring us that everything is safe. I believe he is using us as cannon fodder," Lin Xuan said with a hand to his forehead.

"Oh, what should we do then?" The petite girl sounded alarmed.

"Don't be silly, what are you afraid of? He wants to use me; why shouldn't we use him too? In two hundred years, I've never lost in any cooperation," Lin Xuan said with a sly smile.

"That's true. Those who humiliate others will eventually face humiliation themselves. This Luo must have bitten off more than he can chew trying to scheme against my master," the petite girl said, patting her chest. However, she soon looked worried again: "But Master, I still have one doubt. Did that guy really have the means to help me form a core? If he was planning to use us from the start, then"

"Maybe, but I can't guarantee it," Lin Xuan said thoughtfully. "However, with his possession of Yin Ming Liquid, he might not be lying. Of course, we shouldn't rely solely on him and should look for other clues. If all else fails, we'll have to take a chance and cooperate with him."

The master and servant continued their conversation as they walked away.

Meanwhile, several miles away, in the depths of an unremarkable mountain, a hidden cave.

Luo Family's patriarch sat cross-legged; his plot had already begun. Several disciples had infiltrated the city, but he was still hiding to avoid alerting the Seven Factions.

"Zicong, how are your plans progressing? Have they been successful?" Luo Family's patriarch asked with a clear voice.

"They have proceeded as instructed, without any errors, and the Seven Factions show no signs of unusual activity," said a man in white robes, about forty years old, an advanced Core Formation cultivator, slightly weaker than the patriarch.

"What do you mean by that?" Luo Tiande opened his eyes. He had prepared this plan for a century, risking all of Luo Family's elite forces; failure would be catastrophic.

"The execution of the plan has been flawless," the man said, "but as instructed, nine female ghosts are needed for the ritual, and they must have reached the peak of the Condensation Core stage."

"Why, after so much time, haven't you gathered them yet?" Luo Tiande's face showed a hint of cruelty. A terrifying spiritual pressure rose up. The white-robed man, also an advanced Core Formation cultivator, appeared very weak before the Separation and Union expert. He took several steps back in fear as he knelt down: "Grandfather, it is not due to my incompetence. The number of spirits in Yunzhou is limited, and the requirements are too stringent. Only those at the peak of the Condensation Core stage will do. It's impossible to find any lower or higher. I have instructed subordinates to search thoroughly, but we only found eight."

"Rubbish! I don't want your excuses. The success of this plan is crucial for our family's future. Fortunately, one more is missing. Regardless of the methods you use, three months from now, you must bring it together," Luo Tiande said without further explanation.

The white-robed man shivered in fear at his stern tone. Before he could agree, a fiery light shot into the cave.

It was a transmission talisman!

And it had been encrypted.

Encryption meant that there were special restrictions on the transmission talisman; if it fell into the wrong hands, it would automatically turn to ashes.

Such encryption required unique techniques and materials, making them far more expensive than ordinary transmission talismans.

Luo Family's patriarch's eyes glinted as he picked up the talisman. After a divine scan, Luo Tiande was delighted and laughed loudly: "After searching for so long, it turns out that we found what we needed without much effort. It seems fate is aiding us. Zicong, you don't need to find the last female ghost spirit; I have leads from Tiancheng."

"Grandfather, really?" The white-robed man was stunned and overjoyed.

"Yes, but you must speed up with your other plans. No more mistakes," Luo Tiande's eyes shone with determination.

"I understand, Grandfather. This matters to our family's fate; I will not slack off," the white-robed man said as he bowed deeply.

"Good. Work hard and do well. Once things are completed, we won't have to hide like a rat in the street anymore. At that time, those who contribute will be rewarded. My lifespan is limited, but Zicong, you will become the new patriarch of our family."

"What are you saying, Grandfather? With your Separation and Union stage cultivation, another four or five hundred years should not be an issue," the white-robed man said, his face changing dramatically.

"Haha, with a 2000-year lifespan at the Separation and Union stage, that wasn't wrong. Without this plot, I could have lived even longer, but for our family's future"

"What are you talking about, Grandfather?" The other elders also looked uneasy. Although Luo Family had recovered some strength after a period of rest, it still lagged behind the Seven Factions. Even if one faction acted alone, their power would surpass that of Luo Family. In such circumstances, the patriarch was their pillar; they were shocked to hear him speak like this.

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