Immortal Road.

Chapter 167: The Walking Seismograph in the Cultivation World

Shangdang County, Gongsun Family.

Lin Shan and more than twenty people behind him were waiting quietly outside. Soon, ripples appeared in the blank space in front of them, and a door appeared, and a group of dozens of people walked out.

The leader was a middle-aged cultivator who was roughly in the late stage of foundation building. When he came out and saw Lin Shan, he greeted him with a smile on his face and put his hands together to greet him.

"I guess you are the High Envoy of the Black Lotus Sect, Fellow Daoist Lin."

"Yes, I am Lin Shan. I am here to visit your place without permission. I have to do this on a mission from my superiors. Please forgive me if I am being rude."

Lin Shan shook hands and saluted, and his subordinates followed their master's example. The people from the Gongsun family opposite also bowed, showing their hospitality.

The middle-aged monk smiled heartily and waved his hand.

"No need to be so polite, you are a guest, please come in!"

"please!"

Lin Shan and his companions, surrounded by the Gongsun family, were talking and laughing as they crossed the outer formation.

After coming in, the surrounding environment changes, with birds singing, flowers blooming, brooks gurgling, patches of spiritual fields scattered around, bamboo forests towering and lush, and unique landscape gardens.

As they walked along, they could see spirit deer and spirit sheep roaming around, with a gleam of light in their eyes, showing that they were generally quite intelligent. The Gongsun family just let them grow freely within the clan, and it was obvious that they had made great achievements in taming beasts.

After passing the two sacred mountains, there are medicinal fields dotted ahead, many of which are cultivated in batches. Disciples of the Gongsun family roam among them, caring for them carefully.

Some people transported medicinal materials to the rows of alchemy rooms nearby. Chimneys spewed out earth-shaking smoke, and bursts of the sweet fragrance of elixirs wafted into the houses.

Next to the alchemy room is the weapon refining pavilion, from which the sounds of "ding-ding-dang-dang" are endless, and from time to time one can hear the clear sounds of magical instruments being sharpened out of the furnace. It is obvious that the Gongsun family already has several assembly lines for mass production.

Next, we passed by squares and courtyards, where we occasionally saw elder monks instructing their disciples. Not only did they explain the secrets of cultivation in various realms, they also taught them spells and trained them in practical skills.

Before I knew it, I had walked more than ten miles. What I saw and heard along the way showed that the Gongsun family had a profound foundation and a long history.

It's just that there is a feeling of looseness on the outside and tightness on the inside.
While chatting, Lin Shan also learned the identity of the middle-aged man in the late foundation-building period. He was the current second elder of the Gongsun family, Gongsun Lu.

The head of the Gongsun family and the eldest elder are both Jindan-stage immortals. They are both in seclusion practicing hard and ignoring worldly affairs, so all matters inside and outside the family are handled by the second elder.

Lin Shan repeatedly praised the Gongsun family for its strong strength. With two Jindan-stage ancestors, it was worthy of being a time-honored family in the world of cultivation.

The second eldest son, Sun Lu, kept waving his hands, and humbly took Lin Shan to an attic and arranged a place for him to stay.

"Friend Lin has come a long way, so why not take a rest for a night? We will discuss matters in the main hall tomorrow."

Lin Shan originally wanted to get straight to the point, but he didn't want to offend the other party. After all, the Gongsun family's hospitality was very thoughtful, so he had to agree.

"The guest should follow the host's wishes. That's how it should be."

The two smiled at each other, and after watching Gongsun Lu leave, Lin Shan turned around and went into the attic, the smile on his face disappearing.

All the men around gathered around him, and the number one confidant, Old Man Zhong, stepped forward.

"Sir, this trip seems to be going smoothly, but once we talk about recruiting reinforcements, I'm afraid tomorrow's talks will be full of twists and turns."

"Of course. No force would be happy to send their own people to the front lines to be cannon fodder in the war between good and evil."

Lin Shan found a place to sit down, with a thoughtful look on his face. He was analyzing the intention of Protector Yan's words before he left.

Did the frontline of the Demon Cult really need the support of these small and medium-sized sects and families, or were they sending him here just to warn them not to cause trouble in the hinterland? Or maybe they didn't expect any support at all, and just wanted him to take refuge?
Although Lin Shan had some guesses, he was still unsure of what his superiors meant. However, it did not affect his execution. Anyway, he would just speak directly to Gongsun Lu early tomorrow morning and see how he reacted.

When the time comes, you can respond flexibly and deal with each move accordingly.

If the Gongsun family kept making excuses and he really couldn't bring back reinforcements, he would at least let them cut off a piece of his meat to feed him.

The situation in the Song Dynasty is precarious now, and he must try his best to use his identity to gain benefits. After all, it is hard to say how long the three sects of the magic path can last, and there is no need to shrink at this juncture.

It's time to do whatever it takes to get a vote.
I think that's what Guardian Yan meant.
At this moment, the shadow of a surging spiritual vein suddenly appeared faintly on the surface of the virtual star disk in the storage bracelet.

Lin Shan's face changed, and he quickly shook off everyone and went upstairs into a room alone. He threw out a set of concealing formations from his storage bag, isolating the inside of the room from the outside world, and then took out the Void Star Plate.

At this time, the earth veins on this spiritual treasure shifted, the spiritual energy became disordered, and clouds gathered and dispersed from time to time.

Lin Shan compared these strange phenomena and thought for most of the day before he figured out what was going on. He then connected it to the strange atmosphere that the Gongsun family brought to him during the day.

The corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously. He didn't expect that this magic treasure would bring him such a big surprise just after he got it. His eyes gradually became dim, and his thoughts drifted far away.

……

One night without words, the next day.

In the main hall of the family, Lin Shan and Gongsun Lu sat on the left and right respectively. The people sitting below them were all the elders of the Gongsun family, and there were more than a dozen people in the foundation-building stage. This was only the ones who were on the surface. Outsiders didn't know how many were not there.

Lin Shan directly took out the "transfer order" given to him by Protector Yan and handed it to the second eldest man, Sun Lu, who was standing next to him.

Gongsun Lu took the "transfer order" and input his spiritual power into it. The token then emitted a bright white light and the upper body of an illusory human figure was projected in the air above the main hall.

The illusory figure looked like an old man, whom Lin Shan had seen before. He was the Black Lotus Sect's King of Discipline, a giant in the Nascent Soul stage.

"My fellow Daoists of the Gongsun family, a fierce battle is going on on the front line of the Demonic Path, and we need the help of nobles. Please send a Jindan Zhenren, who is in the 20th stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage, to report to the East Gate of the Central War Zone. I am eagerly waiting for you!"

The words fell.

Snapped!
The transfer order token made a crisp sound and broke into several pieces. It fell from the palm of the second eldest official Sun Lu, and the illusory figure also disappeared.

"hiss"

All the elders of the Gongsun family in the hall gasped, frightened by the loud words of the lion from the Demonic United Front Department.

Then, all of them looked gloomy and kept silent. Some people stared coldly at Lin Shan, who was sitting at the top, but the young demon cult envoy looked calm and just sipped his tea leisurely.

As for what he really feels inside, no one knows.

The scene was suddenly deserted and a depressing atmosphere gathered in the hall.

Who doesn't know that Dongmenguan is one of the two main battlefields in the Central War Zone? Thousands of immortal cultivators fight against each other every day, and one can die from various unknown spells if he is not careful.

The Gongsun family is located in Shangdang County, and is also a well-known local tycoon in the northern part of the Song Dynasty in the world of cultivation. They have people and land, and they sell spiritual medicines and produce spiritual grains. They are free and happy!

Why should I be cannon fodder for your magic path?
They want one Jindan and twenty foundation-building masters at once. Aren’t you afraid that your tongue will be fluttered by the wind? This is almost half of the Gongsun family’s open resources!
Of course, they only dared to roar these words in their hearts and would never dare to say them in front of Lin Shan.

A lean camel is bigger than a horse. Even if the three sects of the Demonic Path are now in decline, they are still not something they can contend with. The Black Lotus Sect alone still has dozens of Golden Core Stage guardians left. It would be a piece of cake for them to destroy the Gongsun family.

But even though we can't afford to offend you, if you want us to fight for you on the front lines, we will definitely not let you get your wish so easily.

Gongsun Lu took the lead in breaking the awkwardness, gave a slightly bitter smile, and looked at Lin Shan with a worried look on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, the request of your Dharma King Zhenjun really makes it difficult for us!"

"Oh?"

Lin Shan drank his tea slowly, wiped the brim of the cup with the tea lid, and smacked his lips.

"Elder Gongsun shouldn't have said this to me. I'm just an errand boy and can't make any decisions. If you want to say anything, you should talk to Master Fawang Zhenjun!"

"Besides." Lin Shan turned his head with a smile, leaning slightly against the chair.

"If the war is delayed, I don't need to tell you what the consequences will be."

"Elder Gongsun and all the fellow Taoists present here should know better than me."

As soon as he finished speaking, waves of spiritual pressure slowly surged in from all parts of the main hall, and the invisible atmosphere became terribly depressing.

All the elders of the Gongsun family on the field had gloomy faces, their eyes fixed on the young man in white at the top, but this man turned a blind eye and remained unperturbed by fame or disgrace. Even though people hated him, they had to admire the demeanor of the envoy of a great sect.

Gongsun Lu frowned and kept rubbing the teacup with his fingers. He glanced at Lin Shan and saw that he was as steady as a rock, so he had to smile again.

“Fellow Daoist Lin is so young, but he has already reached the middle stage of foundation building. Such a talent must be a favorite of some high-ranking person in the sect. It should not be difficult for him to say a few good words for my Gongsun family. Please take the trouble to do so.

If we can reduce the number of supporters by half, the Gongsun family will definitely reward us handsomely."

Lin Shan's expression changed, and he glanced at everyone on the field without leaving a trace. Seeing that none of the elders spoke out to object, and seemed to have acquiesced, his heart began to get active.

Given his current status and position, it is only barely enough for him to abuse his power for personal gain.

Considering the unusual movement of the virtual star disk last night and the ambiguous attitude of the United Front Work Department, the King of Discipline probably just said it casually.

Anyway, it seems that the Gongsun family would never send so many people, and Yan Hufa's tone seemed to show room for maneuver before leaving, so if the benefits are really great enough, it is not impossible.

Lin Shan coughed twice and said with embarrassment: "Alas, this is a transfer order issued in the name of the top leaders of the United Front Work Department, or by the Lord of Disciplines himself..."

"Fifty thousand spiritual stones!"

Gongsun Lu didn't even blink and directly offered a sky-high price.

"Uh"

Lin Shan paused. This wealthy man from the Gongsun family is so rich? When he inherited Master Gui's property, it was only close to 200,000 spirit stones. This is equivalent to a quarter of it?
However, considering the many spiritual fields and medicinal fields I saw when I passed by, and compared to one Jindan and twenty foundation-building cultivators, this amount of money is really nothing.

At this moment, he still had a look of struggle on his face: "The United Front Department really didn't take the Gongsun family's situation into consideration. I didn't expect that the nobles would lose talent and there would be a lack of successors. We really can't damage their vitality again."

All the elders in the field leaned forward, each with an expectant look on their face.

But Lin Shan changed the subject and said, "The battle between good and evil is in full swing. This is a battle of orthodox ideals. We are in the same camp and should be selfless and help each other! Since ancient times, it has been difficult to be both loyal and filial. This is about justice over family."

"The Envoy Daoist is right. One hundred thousand Spiritual Stones!"

Gongsun Lu was very domineering at this time. He didn't talk to you in any roundabout way. Whatever you said was the truth. I would just increase the money anyway!

readily!

Lin Shan secretly admired him, but the spirit of drama had already taken over him and he couldn't get rid of it for the time being.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to quit while he’s ahead, but his thoughts and soul are no longer under his control.

"It seems that your family is loyal to the Demonic Path. The number of reinforcements this time is indeed still under discussion. However, I will never accept this spirit stone. I am not that kind of person."

This shamelessness was really infuriating. The elders on the scene watched him blatantly extorting money, their eyes blatantly burning with anger, and the good impression they had of him because of his handsome appearance was completely destroyed.

Even the Black Skull Demon Lord couldn't bear to listen any longer and couldn't help but send a message to him: "That's enough, kid. If you really push them into a corner, even rabbits will bite!"

Lin Shan is as steady as an old dog: "The emperor is not anxious, but the eunuch is, what are you afraid of?
Supporting the frontline is their duty as a dependent force. These people are just conserving their strength and watching the fire from the other side. They are fence-sitters. What's wrong with me cheating them of some spirit stones?"

At this time, Gongsun Lu was no longer as arrogant as he was the last two times. He hesitated and asked, "What about the 150,000 spirit stones?"

His trembling voice already revealed his inner unrest, because it was true that the Gongsun family was rich, but the money did not come from the wind.

How much can the spiritual field and spiritual grain sell for? How many cultivators have you seen eating this stuff? The disciples of the big sects all take pills and sleep in the spiritual veins, and the poor and scattered cultivators all stay in the deep mountains and old forests to grind hard. Those who eat this stuff are people like them who are neither good nor bad.

As for the magical flowers and herbs in the medicinal fields, these spiritual creatures need decades or even hundreds of years to grow, and the cost of maintaining them is ridiculously high in terms of manpower and material resources. There are also various restrictions, as well as natural and man-made disasters. Only those who raise them know what to expect.

Not everyone has a "Heavenly Bottle". The legendary Han Tianzun is a fictional character, used as a topic of conversation for cultivators in the world of cultivation after tea. No one takes it seriously.

But at this time Lin Shan already understood everything. He clearly felt the bottom line and veins of the Gongsun family, and finally showed his ferocious fangs.

"That's not enough. I also need to borrow your family's spiritual vein and go deep into it to practice in seclusion."

"Ok?"

Everyone present immediately felt something was wrong, their breathing suddenly became heavy, they were gasping for breath, with suspicious looks on their faces, but they all remained strangely silent.

Lin Shan said with a playful look on his face: "Why? You can take out 150,000 spirit stones, but you can't do a retreat deep in the spirit vein?"

Gongsun Lu forced a smile and said, "Fellow Daoist Lin comes from a great sect of the devil. What kind of paradise has he not seen? The spiritual energy of our Gongsun family's spiritual veins is weak, I'm afraid it is difficult for you to appreciate it."

“That’s too modest.” Lin Shan chuckled leisurely, “Your family’s spiritual vein just happened to have a chance to have a thousand-year-old good fortune!”

Gongsun Lu's apologetic smile gradually stiffened: "What does the envoy mean?"

"Spiritual Vein Tide!"

Lin Shan put down the teacup and sat up straight.

"This messenger also wants to experience the feeling of the spiritual vein tide, please help me!"

"what?!"

All the elders of the Gongsun family stood up instantly, and none of them could control the spiritual power in their bodies. There was a loud "boom" and a wave of air rushed out of the main hall, and all the family monks guarding the door were knocked to the ground at once.

The elders were all shocked and blurted out: "How do you know that the tide of our family's spiritual vein is coming?"

They had no choice but to panic, because the geographical phenomenon of "Spirit Vein Tide" was simply beyond human prediction.

Theoretically, every spiritual vein in this world has the potential to cause a "spiritual vein tide".

As the name suggests, it is because of the confluence and evolution of various indescribable earth veins, the attraction of the moon above the nine heavens, and the connection between the earth's magnetism and the stars in all directions, that countless spiritual energies seep out from the depths of the earth to nourish the spiritual veins.

However, the capacity of the spiritual vein is limited, so part of the spiritual energy liquefies and gushes out, rolling in like a wave, and even mixed with strange nectar of heaven and earth.

Finally, due to myriad coincidences, it converges into a spiritual vein tide.

If a cultivator can practice in the tide of spiritual veins, it would be like riding a rocket, and the progress of practice would advance by leaps and bounds. This is a great opportunity that only comes once in a thousand years!
According to incomplete statistics, the probability that the spiritual veins in the world of cultivation can catch up with the "spiritual vein tide" is pitifully small.

The elders of the Gongsun family felt that something was wrong with their own spiritual vein half a year ago. They tried every possible means to consult ancient books and finally confirmed that their spiritual vein had won the grand prize with a probability of one in a million and had actually caught up with the spiritual vein tide!
Everyone was excited and cheered, but at the same time they kept it strictly secret, for fear that others would find out and come to kill them. Although their Gongsun family had two Jindan ancestors, they were now in the territory of the demons.

The masters of the magic path were notoriously overbearing, and no one thought they would be reasonable. When they ate the meat, they would not even leave a mouthful of soup.

Moreover, the spiritual vein tide has a time limit. Once it appears, it will only last for a few months to half a year, and the number of people can only be limited to less than ten. The Gongsun family's spiritual vein can only be regarded as a medium-grade spiritual vein in the cultivation world, and it can only provide five people with this opportunity at the same time.

High-quality spiritual veins are usually plundered and occupied by top sects, so how could it be their turn?
Therefore, the reason why they did not want to send people to the front line was because five foundation-building clan members had to practice in the spiritual vein tide. If they gathered 20 more people to support the magic camp, wouldn’t the clan be empty instantly? What if the hostile clan discovered the spiritual vein tide anomaly and took advantage of the situation to rob?
But the problem is that Lin Shan, the envoy of the Demon Cult, has only been here for a day, and the clan specially isolated him and his men in the attic yesterday. How did he know the secret of the spiritual vein tide?
Lin Shan smiled but said nothing. Is the Xiantian Lingbao Xuxing Plate a joke to you? What kind of Feng Shui veins can be hidden from me?

It was also fortunate that your Gongsun family got in time and met me just when you were about to eat alone.

I am the walking seismograph of the world of cultivation.

(End of this chapter)