Steady Mortal Path: Starting from Obtaining the Golden Core Inheritance

"Fellow Daoist Nangong is a guest, so naturally we should meet him."

A wisp of fire rose from Lin Changsheng's hand, burning the letter to ashes.

After tidying up a bit, they arrived at the reception hall of the Changchun Summit and met Nangong Qingtan, who was dressed in a white feather robe.

After a period of rest, the girl's complexion became rosy and her magical power was abundant, indicating that she had clearly recovered.

Beside Nangong Qingtan was an elderly man who appeared to be over sixty years old and in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

The old man, dressed in the attire of the Nangong family, stood silently behind Nangong Qingtan, his eyes slightly lowered, looking like an old servant.

Lin Changsheng could vaguely sense that beneath the old servant's seemingly frail appearance lay a fierce and sharp aura.

It seems this person is most likely a bodyguard from the Nangong family, assigned to Nangong Qingtan.

Lin Changsheng guessed what was going on and looked away, not lingering on the old man for long.

"Fellow Daoist Nangong, it's been a long time. You look to be in good health."

Lin Changsheng's cheerful voice came through.

A handsome young man in a white shirt approached, a faint smile on his face, exuding a gentle and refined air.

"Qingtan thanks Brother Lin for saving her. This time, Qingtan is here on behalf of the Nangong family, and even more so on her own behalf, to express her gratitude."

Upon seeing Lin Changsheng, Nangong Qingtan stood up, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a hint of liveliness, and she bowed respectfully and thanked him sincerely.

At this moment, Nangong Qingtan was completely devoid of her usual arrogance, appearing as if she were just a girl next door.

"Miss Qingtan, you are too kind. We have known each other for a long time and have been through thick and thin together. It is only right that I help when I see injustice."

Lin Changsheng also slightly changed his form of address and leisurely brewed a pot of spiritual tea to serve it.

Nangong Qingtan accepted the spiritual tea and took a small sip without hesitation, showing her complete trust in Lin Changsheng.

The two then started chatting.

"Brother Lin really knows how to enjoy life. He usually presents a low-key and unassuming image in public, but I never expected that there would be such a pair of beautiful twin maids hidden in the temple."

Nangong Qingtan turned the porcelain cup with her slender, jade-like fingers, glanced at the green branches and orchids serving beside her, and suddenly blurted out a sentence.

Upon hearing this, Nangong Qingtan was slightly taken aback, seemingly feeling a little embarrassed, her cheeks flushing slightly. She immediately took a sip of tea to cover it up.

Lin Changsheng also felt a bit strange; something about this sounded rather odd.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator without a Daoist partner, isn't it normal for me to leave a few attractive maids to take care of my daily life?

However, before Lin Changsheng could speak, Nangong Qingtan changed the subject.

"To express my gratitude to Brother Lin for saving me, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please do not refuse, Brother Lin."

As she spoke, Nangong Qingtan's expression returned to normal, and she took out a storage bag and handed it over.

Seeing this, Lin Changsheng was not surprised.

The Nangong family is a large and powerful family, and it's normal for them to show their appreciation after I saved Nangong Qingtan.

"It's too much trouble for Miss Qingtan. I, Lin, will gladly accept your offer. To be honest, I suffered quite a loss in dealing with that evil cultivator, and now I don't even have a decent magic weapon on me."

Lin Changsheng calmly accepted the storage bag, but did not examine it immediately. Instead, he put it away in front of Nangong Qingtan.

Actually, saving Nangong Qingtan that day was just a casual thing to do, but in the end, it did take a lot of effort to get rid of Liu Zifeng and the other person.

Three 'Minor Void-Breaking Talismans' were used up.

Moreover, the man in black robes had already noticed him and had taken the initiative to attack, making it seem as if he intended to keep him here.

In addition, given Nangong Qingtan's special status, any incident would surely alert Master Nangong to investigate. If it were discovered that he had contact with the man in black robes that day but failed to do his best to save him, it might implicate him.

After careful consideration, Lin Changsheng decided to save the woman if he could do what he could.

Looking at Lin Changsheng, who was pragmatic, frank, and did not make excuses, Nangong Qingtan felt even more favorably disposed towards him.

She couldn't help but recall how the two of them first met.

At that time, neither of them had yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Lin Changsheng was just a rogue cultivator and talisman master in the Qi Condensation stage, who was somewhat famous in the Immortal City.

She felt that Lin Changsheng, apart from his good looks, was timid, unwilling to cause trouble, and lacked masculinity, making him unsuitable for her, the eldest daughter of the Nangong family.

However, whether it was facing the Snow Demon Wolf Pack back then or rescuing her from the evil cultivator not long ago, it all shows that this calm and composed man is not as simple as he seems.

That calm and composed demeanor seems to give people a sense of security.

Having fought against the man in black robes, Nangong Qingtan knew that his methods were far beyond what an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator could handle.

Moreover, according to his elders, besides the black-robed evil cultivator, there was another Foundation Establishment cultivator who was skilled at manipulating Yin ghosts.

She could hardly imagine how this refined and gentle man had managed to save her from those two men and escape unscathed.

"Brother Lin, do you have any way to control the 'Bright Silver Insect'?"

Nangong Qingtan's eyes were gentle and bright, and her words were soft.

"Silver worms? Miss Qingtan, are you referring to those silver beetles? I, Lin, have suffered quite a bit at the hands of those insects."

Upon hearing about the silver beetles kept by the man in black robes, Lin Changsheng's eyes lit up, and he immediately became interested.

Whether it was just his imagination or not, Lin Changsheng felt uneasy because the man in black robes had previously appeared near Changchun Peak to spy on him.

If Nangong Qingtan could provide some methods to control this insect, we could deal with the black-robed man more easily next time we encounter him.

“That’s right. Qingtan recently searched through a large number of books in the clan and found a similar spirit insect in a book called ‘Miscellaneous Talks on Cultivation’. The spirit insect raised by the man in black robes is a strange insect called ‘Bright Silver Insect’. This insect has been extinct in the cultivation world of ‘Qianzhou’ for many years. The last time it appeared was more than two thousand years ago.”

"This insect has a hard exoskeleton, sharp claws and teeth, and is fearless of water, fire, and various attack methods, making it extremely defensive. It has a strong reproductive capacity and is highly adaptable to its environment; it can also devour various spiritual objects to grow. Its weakness is its low intelligence and weak concept of its master, making it very risky to devour its master. In addition to being mutually restrained by some ant-like demonic insects, this insect can also be effectively restrained by using net-like magical artifacts made of special materials, such as third-tier or higher demonic spider silk or snow silkworm silk."

Noticing Lin Changsheng's interest in the Bright Silver Insects, Nangong Qingtan blinked her bright eyes and explained.

"So this insect was extraordinary after all; no wonder it could unleash such power."

Upon hearing this, Lin Changsheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Unfortunately, there are very few things that can counteract this 'Bright Silver Insect'.

Raising ant-like monsters is too costly, and it's not worth it to raise them specifically to target the Silver Insects.

Various materials such as spider silk and silkworm silk of the third rank and above have already entered the realm of Core Formation True Persons, which are difficult for ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators to obtain.

Then, the two started chatting.

However, most of the conversations revolved around topics such as hunting and clearing out enemies in the Wanfeng Mountains.

From Nangong Qingtan's words, Lin Changsheng learned about the Nangong family's next plan.

While still searching for the two heretical cultivators, they also prepared to arrange for Foundation Establishment cultivators from Thousand Crane Immortal City to go into the mountains to wipe out the second-tier demonic beasts.

The reason is simply that the number of demonic beasts in the Wanfeng Mountains is too large, and the probability of giving birth to a second-tier demonic beast exceeds the growth rate of Foundation Establishment cultivators in Qianhe Immortal City.

If left unchecked, this could lead to extremely dire consequences in the long run.

Lin Changsheng also took the opportunity to ask the question that had been bothering him.

Why can't Master Nangong personally lead his family's pseudo-Core Formation cultivators and late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to completely wipe out the second-tier demonic beasts in the Wanfeng Mountains?

And we received an unexpected and astonishing answer.

The Wanfeng Mountains have a long history, and deep within them live third-tier demonic beasts that restrain human Core Formation cultivators. Even Master Nangong dares not easily venture into the Wanfeng Mountains.

At most, one can only reach the level of a False Core Immortal, and can stay briefly in or around the Wanfeng Mountains.

After spending half a day at Changchun Peak, Nangong Qingtan took his leave.

Lin Changsheng took the initiative to get up and see him off.

Before parting, Nangong Qingtan turned back and glanced at the man behind her before leaving.

Lin Changsheng was unaware that Nangong Qingtan's visit was not only to express his gratitude, but also because the clan had instructed him to recruit him as a family talisman master.

However, Nangong Qingtan understood Lin Changsheng's personality; if she directly tried to recruit him, she would most likely be rejected.

Upon seeing the twin maids in Lin Changsheng's dojo, she knew that Lin Changsheng was not averse to women.

“Brother Lin, one day, Qingtan will make you willingly join the Nangong family.”

The girl thought to herself.

In fact, during the time Nangong Qingtan was unconscious and poisoned that day, she still retained a sliver of vague consciousness.

I could vaguely feel myself entering a warm, solid embrace.

At the same time, a surge of vital energy flowed into her body, dispelling the torment of the poison and saving her from the brink of death.

This stirred a special feeling in the girl's heart that she had never experienced before.

But as the eldest daughter of the Nangong family, she has her own pride.

Although she did not hide her affection and admiration for Lin Changsheng, she would never take the initiative to reveal her feelings to a man.

……

In Changchun Peak.

After Nangong Qingtan left, Lin Changsheng took out his storage bag and began to examine its contents.

Upon seeing this, his expression changed repeatedly, gradually evolving from initial surprise to delight.

"The Nangong family is really generous this time. It seems that Nangong Qingtan holds a very high position in the clan..."

Lin Changsheng sighed inwardly.

He never imagined that the thank-you gift that Nangong Qingtan presented so casually would be so substantial.

The most numerous items were various talisman-making materials, second-tier spirit wood, and second-tier demon beast essence blood.

If it weren't for the profound foundation of the Nangong family, it would have taken Lin Changsheng at least several years to gather so many materials on his own.

At the same time, there is also a second-tier high-grade talisman brush, which is extremely precious to talisman masters and has a price but no market.

Besides items related to talisman making, there are also materials for making second-tier mechanical puppets, various medicinal herbs, many second-tier pills that enhance magic power, and feed resources for raising spirit beasts.

These items and materials were very targeted, as they were things that Lin Changsheng could use on a daily basis. It can be seen that the Nangong family's donation this time was not only generous, but also very thoughtful.

Finally, Lin Changsheng's gaze fell on an item that was entirely golden and looked seven or eight parts like the Vajra Bracelet.

"A replica of the magic weapon 'Vajra Cone'!"

Lin Changsheng instantly recognized the treasure as a fake magic weapon made by Tie Antong!

At the auction a few days ago, Lin Changsheng personally witnessed another fake magic weapon that was exactly the same as this one. Amidst the scramble among Foundation Establishment cultivators, it was sold at a high price to Wang Song, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from Qingshan Market.

Upon seeing this item, Lin Changsheng couldn't help but be moved, even wondering if Nangong Qingtan had put it in the wrong storage bag.

Although the eldest daughter of the Nangong family has a high status, this reward is too generous.

"Alright, if Nangong Qingtan makes any other requests next time, as long as it doesn't excessively affect me, I'll do my best to help."

Lin Changsheng thought to himself, and at the same time remembered this favor.

……

With so much material in hand, Lin Changsheng wouldn't have to worry about gathering resources for a long time to come.

A few days later, he instructed Qingzhi and Lanhua to close the door to visitors.

Using the materials sent by Nangong Qingtan, some second-tier mid-grade spell runes were redrawn to replenish the energy consumed in dealing with the black-robed man and Liu Zifeng.

In addition, more than ten second-tier poison talismans were drawn.

This was one of the effective methods he had come up with for dealing with the man in black robes.

Although the Silver Insects are powerful, their resistance to poison is only average. They only need to temporarily poison the other spirit insects before unleashing swift and decisive measures to kill the man in black robes.

Lin Changsheng personally tested this method and found it effective. If Liu Zifeng hadn't suddenly appeared at the last moment, the man in black robes might have already been killed by him.

The following month, Lin Changsheng drew a batch of second-tier magic talismans for the Fengling Chamber of Commerce and delivered them to Zhao Wanning, who received a large sum of spirit stones in return.

With resources secured, Lin Changsheng felt even more at ease to go into seclusion and cultivate in seclusion.

Since cooperating with the Fengling Chamber of Commerce, there has been no shortage of buyers for second-tier magic talismans, so Lin Changsheng has reduced the number of first-tier magic talismans he produces, freeing up a lot of time.

Besides his own cultivation, he spends his days studying the inheritance of mechanical puppets, nurturing talismanic treasures, and nourishing the 'Diamond Bracelet' with his own magical energy.

Various crafts are progressing in tandem and steadily improving.

At the same time, he also took care of his three spirit beasts.

After years of feeding, the Crimson Centipede's demonic power has grown increasingly strong.

The Wind Crow is usually free-range and occasionally flies into the Wanfeng Mountains to hunt, thus developing a more mature understanding of the wind attribute.

Only the Snow Demon Wolf seems to be making little progress, with its demonic power increasing rather slowly.

But Lin Changsheng wasn't in a hurry to raise it, treating it as a pet that was free-range and guarding the house on Changchun Peak.

……

On this day, the maid Qingzhi snatched an unsigned letter from the mouth of the snow demon wolf.

Lin Changsheng, who had just finished his seclusion, opened the cave's protective barrier and took the letter.

After reading the letter, his brows furrowed slightly.

The letter was brief, consisting of only one sentence.

"Thousand Crane Immortal City is not a place to stay for long; we should leave as soon as possible and find another way out..."

Lin Changsheng dismissed the maid Qingzhi and repeatedly examined the letter in the cave, his mind filled with doubts.

He carefully studied the handwriting in the letter; the owner seemed to be deliberately concealing his identity, as the handwriting looked somewhat unfamiliar.

"However, these random, out-of-the-box letters only add to the trouble and serve no purpose whatsoever..."

Lin Changsheng remained silent.

He couldn't possibly abandon his savings accumulated over decades and leave this place just because of a random letter...