Immortality and cultivation begin with drawing talismans...

Chapter 133 The Seventies
Inside the pavilion.

“Brother Lin is generous. I, Lao Hu, am also aware of this rule. Let’s keep things separate. Lao Jia and I will exchange spirit stones or materials for the tokens that Lao Ning’s descendants need.”

Overwhelmed with sadness, Hu Jin selected the keepsake needed by another fellow Daoist's descendant from the storage bag and then returned the storage bag.

They also took away the two spiritual artifacts of the cultivator surnamed Ning; his defensive armor was severely damaged, and his offensive weapons were also somewhat broken.

"Brother Lin, Lao Ning risked his life this time to prepare for the foundation building of his descendants, and he also saved the lives of Lao Jia and me."

Therefore, Lao Jia and I plan to assist this junior in his Foundation Establishment. I will keep these two spiritual artifacts for now and return them after he completes his Foundation Establishment, so that he will have the means to protect himself then.

Old Hu took out the materials and spirit stones that he and Old Jia had prepared, all of which were exchanged at market prices.

Lin Chang'an hadn't suffered any loss; on the contrary, looking at Old Hu and the unfamiliar Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Jia, he couldn't help but admire their loyalty and camaraderie, saying:
"Old Hu, you and Fellow Daoist Jia are of noble character."

"Gao Yi my ass, who would want to do this? It's because we owe Lao Ning our lives, otherwise who would care about this?"

Although Lao Hu was cursing and swearing, the sadness in his eyes was undeniable.

They had come a long way from the Qi Refining Team, and only three of them remained as friends, but now not one of them is left.

This scene reminded Lin Chang'an of Er Niu and the others, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

They were lucky; Erniu and his companions weren't obsessed with hunting demons. Otherwise, if you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet.

Although among them, only he and Yun Yao had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, it was fortunate that everyone was still alive.

The bond between Lao Hu and his two friends is both enviable and poignant.

"Old Hu, I salute you!"

"Alright, I, Lao Hu, also thank Brother Lin for saving my life."

The two began to chat in the pavilion, especially about Lao Hu's demon-hunting experience, which Lin Chang'an found quite puzzling.

"Brother Lin, I'm not bragging, but the three of us have fought our way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. If you say we can't compare to the disciples of those sects and clans, we admit it."

However, when it comes to caution, we absolutely dare not be careless in the slightest. This cultivator's nose is sharper than a dog's; he actually managed to spot us.

Old Hu was also extremely frustrated. In the days since he returned, he and Old Jia have repeatedly pondered what had happened, but they still couldn't find out where the oversight had gone wrong.

Ultimately, it can only be attributed to bad luck; they fell into the ambush set by the Jiexiu.

But this reason is clearly far-fetched.

"Old Hu, the methods in the cultivation world are ever-changing and impossible to guard against. It's best to be careful lately."

Lin Chang'an also frowned; the most troublesome thing was that no problem had been found.

There are countless cultivators like Lao Hu who rely on hunting demonic beasts to obtain cultivation resources, but the elusive Tribulation Cultivator is a problem.

"However, I have already reported this incident to Tianxuan City. I heard that Master Lu's disciple, Fellow Daoist Song, is personally leading a team and has begun searching for this group of traitors outside Tianxuan City."

Hearing Lao Hu's words, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but frown.

As long as this calamity is not eliminated, they will never have a moment's peace.

"Where exactly did the flaw appear?!"

After repeatedly confirming with his powerful perception that there was no special aura on Lao Hu, Lin Chang'an shook his head helplessly.

These are truly turbulent times.

Old Hu didn't stay long afterward, as he still had to deal with the family affairs of the fallen Fellow Daoist Ning, so he left in a hurry, saying that he would have the opportunity to thank him properly in the future.

This made Lin Chang'an sigh with emotion. To have such a close friend in the cultivation world, this Fellow Daoist Ning could rest in peace.

At least future generations will have protection.

In fact, Fellow Daoist Ning didn't have much in his storage bag. After all, what cultivator who goes out to hunt monsters all year round would carry all his possessions?

Aside from some self-defense, these resources are usually used for cultivation to build strength or left to future generations.

Few people would take all their possessions to hunt monsters.

This made Lin Chang'an look strange, as if he were a fat sheep who always carried all his belongings with him whenever he went out.

However, with the outside situation turbulent, Lin Chang'an continued his cultivation, which others found tedious but he found enjoyable.

Because of the fruitful harvest this time, Lin Chang'an does not plan to go out in the near future, which can be regarded as avoiding the limelight of the Jiexiu.

……

Cultivation knows no days or months; in the blink of an eye, another year has passed.

This day.

【Lifespan: 70/219】

[Realm: Early Foundation Establishment Stage (97/100)]

"At the age of seventy, he is at the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage, just one step away from breaking through to the middle Foundation Establishment stage."

Lin Chang'an, who was sitting cross-legged in the cave, slowly opened his eyes, a satisfied smile on his face.

Given his age and aptitude, his current level of cultivation is already quite impressive.

In particular, his cultivation speed is not slow.

"A mid-grade second-tier talisman master, hunting second-tier demonic beasts for cultivation resources—if I still can't improve my cultivation speed, then I should really enjoy the rest of my life."

Lin Chang'an shook his head with a smile, and only then did he seem normal.

If there are so many resources available, it would be a problem if the cultivation speed still couldn't keep up.

“Those Foundation Establishment cultivators from major clans can achieve rapid cultivation in the early stages thanks to their family's resources. However, many cultivators rise and fall because of their families. Once they reach Foundation Establishment, they become the foundation of their families and are generally not dared to act rashly.”

Thinking of this, Lin Chang'an shook his head inwardly. The greatest advantage of a rogue cultivator like Lao Hu, who has no ties to his family, is that he dares to take a gamble.

However, Foundation Establishment cultivators from ordinary families often lack the will and the strength, and once they reach the Foundation Establishment stage, they dare not take risks easily, which leads to a slowdown in their cultivation speed in the later stages.

They begin to focus more on managing the family business, which may ensure the family's prosperity for centuries, but it also diminishes their ambition.

Take Chen Qing for example. He was trapped in Tianxuan City as soon as he reached the Foundation Establishment stage. He dared not venture out and had no skills to support his cultivation.

This caused his cultivation to stagnate.

Of course, there are also some families with extremely strong foundations that can provide the vast resources needed by Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"This is why some independent cultivators gradually catch up after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage."

Lin Chang'an smiled and shook his head, saying that of course, many more rogue cultivators chose to enjoy the rest of their lives.

People like him, Lao Hu, and that cultivator surnamed Jia, who maintained their will to cultivate diligently after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, are among the few.

Just as Lin Chang'an was stretching, the cheerful bellowing of the Green Horned Ox rang out outside the cave, and he knew that Bingyun had arrived.

Today is the agreed-upon day for delivering the necessary materials to the spirit pet.

Beside the pool outside the cave.

"Moo!"

The Green Horned Ox fawned over Zhou Bingyun, and after receiving the spiritual herb, it swished its tail with great satisfaction.

"These scars."

As Zhou Bingyun stroked the green horned ox with a smile on her face, she couldn't help but nod secretly after observing the wounds.

She had long noticed the numerous scars that had appeared on the Green Horned Ox over the years, but the intelligent woman did not mention it.

After all, no cultivator likes to be spied on.

After Lin Chang'an came out of the cave, Zhou Bingyun couldn't help but praise him.

"Brother Lin, you've really taken better and better at raising your Green Horned Cattle. Even in our Zhou family, we don't have many that we can raise so well."

As someone from a family of beast tamers, Zhou Bingyun could clearly sense how intense the demonic aura of this second-tier Green Horned Bull was; it was already at a critical point.

However, upon hearing Zhou Bingyun's praise, Lin Chang'an smiled and shook his head, saying:
“Your Zhou family’s clan’s guardian spirit beast is at the late stage of the second tier, which my ox can’t compare to.”

When Zhou Bingyun mentioned the Zhou family's guardian spirit beast, she also showed a proud expression.

The foundation upon which the Zhou family stands, besides their beast-taming skills, lies in this clan-guarding spirit beast, thanks to the foresight of their ancestors.

It was thanks to this spirit beast that the Zhou family survived several periods of weakness.

"Brother Lin, these are this year's supplies." As Zhou Bingyun handed over the supplies, Lin Chang'an couldn't help but smile, and at the same time, he sensed her cultivation level.

"Miss Zhou, your cultivation has now reached the peak of Qi Refining. I suppose it won't be long before you prepare to establish your foundation?"

"No way, aren't people all saying I failed to establish my foundation?"

Zhou Bingyun couldn't help but smile when the matter was mentioned.

These rumors are mostly from information released by the family, since sometimes keeping a low profile is better for development.

"However, we can't rush the Foundation Establishment stage. Now that the family is stable, if possible, I would like to hone my skills for another two or three years. This way, I will be more confident in achieving the Foundation Establishment stage and will also be able to go further after achieving it."

Lin Chang'an strongly agreed with this point.

He had sensed this when he was building his foundation. He thought he had reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining, but he could actually improve further if he continued to refine his skills.

However, this doesn't apply to ordinary rogue cultivators, because they are already quite old when they plan to establish their foundation; continuing to refine their skills will only increase their age.

The ebb and flow of one thing may not necessarily be a good thing.

However, some powerful clans with deep-rooted traditions are different.

Take Zhou Bingyun, for example.

"Yes, many people understand this principle, but how many people actually have the time to put it into practice?"

For a cultivator, Zhou Bingyun, at the age of thirty-seven, is in the prime of her life. Spending another two or three years honing her skills will not have any impact.

The spiritual energy of Qingzhushan Market was incomparable to that of Tianxuan City back then.

Zhou Bingyun then asked some questions about Foundation Establishment, and Lin Chang'an could feel her sincerity, so he gave her some serious guidance.

Over the past few years, Zhou Bingyun has also been secretly doing some of the Zhou family's business, and has experienced quite a lot.

Lin Chang'an secretly estimated that with his superior spiritual root aptitude, coupled with his good temperament, knowing what he needed, and being able to patiently hone his skills, he was a good candidate for spiritual cultivation.

This foundation building project is highly likely to succeed.

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Lin."

As someone who experienced it firsthand, Zhou Bingyun naturally knew whether Lin Chang'an had put his heart into teaching her or not, and therefore showed her gratitude.

Lin Chang'an smiled and waved his hand, saying:
“Your aptitude is not bad, and the Zhou family is not lacking in Foundation Establishment experience. I am just adding icing on the cake.”

Zhou Bingyun then took her leave, and Lin Chang'an nodded slightly as he watched her leave the dojo.

However, as soon as he left the dojo, the scene outside made Lin Chang'an frown.

……

Outside the cave.

At this moment, a large group of people arrived from next door, all of them members of the Chen family, and they were all beaming with joy.

It was the Foundation Establishment Ceremony held by the Chen family.

However, Zhou Bingyun had just come out of Lin Chang'an's cave when she ran into Chen Wen, who was just establishing his foundation and had a rosy complexion.

"Fairy Zhou".

Faced with the enthusiastic Chen Wen, Zhou Bingyun was taken aback for a moment, then immediately displayed her proper upbringing, bowing respectfully and saying:

"So it's Senior Chen."

It is quite reasonable for Qi Refining cultivators to address Foundation Establishment cultivators as "senior".

However, Chen Wen walked over, his brows radiating confidence, and looking at Zhou Bingyun, he couldn't help but feel a little smug, and feigned comfort as he said:
"Fairy Zhou, I heard some time ago that you failed to establish your foundation. I was in seclusion and only just found out. I'm so sorry."

Zhou Xianzi was somewhat taken aback by Chen Wen's true colors at that moment.

This person actually took the rumors seriously. However, her inward sighed at his behavior, thinking that he was not the kind of person who could accomplish great things.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Chen."

Zhou Bingyun didn't want to get involved with this kind of person, so she went along with it and showed a hint of gloom, which could be considered as fulfilling the other party's arrogant and smug mentality.

“Fairy Zhou, there’s no need for such formalities between us.”

At this time, Chen Wen had just established his foundation and was inevitably full of high spirits, especially when he saw the person who used to ignore him.

Even if the other party is a daughter of the Zhou family, the gap between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment is insurmountable.

Looking at Zhou Bingyun, who was once unapproachable, Chen Wen raised an eyebrow; the inferiority complex he once felt had long since vanished.

He now believes that as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, marrying a Qi Refining girl from the Zhou family is no longer a hurdle.

Chen Wen, all smiles, pulled at Zhou Bingyun, constantly sharing his experience in Foundation Establishment and encouraging her.

Tell the other person that you can definitely do it next time.

But the real intention was not what it seemed; everyone could see that.

As the master of the Chen family's Foundation Establishment Ceremony, he is currently entangled with a Qi Refining female cultivator outside the cave, naturally attracting the attention of many members of the Chen family.

"So it's Miss Zhou."

Even Chen Qing, who was severely injured, had a rosy glow on his face and nodded with a smile when he saw the person who came.

If his grandson were to establish his foundation and then marry into the Zhou family, it would be a double blessing.

Even Chen Qing believed that his grandson was fully worthy of the title after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Greetings, Senior Chen."

Surrounded by a group of Chen family members, Zhou Bingyun showed no panic, but instead offered her congratulations with a smile.

"Miss Zhou, you're here to celebrate my grandson's Foundation Establishment, right? My grandson has some talent. He managed to get a Foundation Establishment Pill from Master Song, which is how he managed to establish his foundation..."

Since his grandson Chen Wen achieved foundation building, Chen Qing's face has been beaming with smiles.

The Chen family has produced two Foundation Establishers, bringing glory to their ancestors.

Even ordinary Foundation Establishment families would be envious at this moment.

“There are other matters within the clan, so on behalf of the Zhou family, I am presenting a congratulatory gift to Senior Chen for his foundation-building.”

Although Zhou Bingyun was somewhat speechless, her face remained impassive, displaying a polite smile.

No one would guess she was there; they would all think she was there to deliver a congratulatory gift.

Especially noteworthy is his extraordinary skill.

"Grandpa, Miss Zhou came to see me especially."

Upon seeing the congratulatory gift from Zhou Bingyun, Chen Wen's face lit up with pride, feeling that he had gained face in front of his clansmen.

"It turns out she's the eldest daughter of the Zhou family."

"My goodness, our Chen family has really made something of itself. Even the Zhou family's daughter has come after us."

"I've known Chen Wen was a promising young man since he was a child."

"Chen Wen, quickly invite Miss Zhou in."

A group of clansmen with little knowledge, or rather, a family with two members at the Foundation Establishment stage, had already blinded them, making them believe that the Chen family was now comparable to the Zhou family.

This feeling of being squeezed made Zhou Bingyun feel a surge of anger, but she tried her best to suppress it.

"Gentlemen, I must return to my family to report on my mission, so I will not disturb you any longer."

It must be said that Zhou Bingyun's words and actions were meticulous in every aspect.

The other members of the Chen family had shallow cultivation and were unaware of the difference between the Chen family and the Zhou family, but how could Chen Qing and Chen Wen not know?

But at this moment, Chen Qing was happy to play dumb. No matter what, it was not an insult to the Zhou family that his grandson, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had condescended to do so.

The key to independent cultivation is to seize every opportunity that comes your way.

Chen Wen, standing to the side, understood immediately and couldn't help but smile.

He wasn't planning to do anything excessive; he just wanted to express his feelings.

(End of this chapter)