Steady Mortal Path: Starting from Obtaining the Golden Core Inheritance

"It is merely a puppet, unworthy of such praise. I only hope that Fellow Daoist Lin will not disappoint me."

Zhao Wanning smiled sweetly, her figure graceful and elegant, exuding a mature charm and captivating beauty.

But the puppet demon rat in front of them exuded a sharp aura and was imposing, clearly showing that it was going all out and showing no mercy.

"It's rare for Fairy Zhao to be in such a good mood. It just so happens that I, Lin, am also somewhat skilled in puppet control. This is a good opportunity to test Fairy Zhao's abilities."

Lin Changsheng remained calm, dressed in flowing white robes, exuding a gentle and serene demeanor.

He then reached out and touched the storage bag at his waist. With a faint flash of spiritual light, a lifelike puppet spirit child appeared in front of him.

"You actually... also have a third-tier puppet!"

Zhao Wan Ning was taken aback, her beautiful eyes falling on the puppet spirit child in front of her, unable to hide her shock.

A third-tier puppet is different from a regular third-tier magic weapon or even a magic treasure.

Whether it's a magical artifact or a magical treasure, the greater its power, the higher the requirements for the owner's own strength.

If one's strength or cultivation level is insufficient, it will be difficult to unleash its full power.

Puppets, however, are different.

Compared to magical artifacts and treasures, puppets are made by combining various intricate components, making the creation process extremely complicated and costly. Subsequent repairs, maintenance, and upkeep are also very troublesome.

However, its advantage is that it is easy to control and can reliably exert its due power.

A complete Tier 3 puppet, with just a little practice, can reliably unleash the power of its corresponding tier.

This is one of the main ways to increase the means of protection.

This is also the key reason why puppeteers are so popular among the various arts of cultivation.

"It's all due to luck; I've only had a few gains, nothing to brag about."

Lin Changsheng smiled modestly.

Immediately afterward, as Zhao Wan Ning stepped into the air, the puppet rat's dark eyes emitted a spiritual light.

He suddenly leaped up, almost turning into a brown blur, and darted forward!

Lin Changsheng twitched his fingertips slightly, and the puppet spirit child let out a mechanical 'hee-hee' laugh before turning into a blur.

'Whoosh! '

'Whoosh! '

'Whoosh! '

Two afterimages intersected, and the sound of metal clashing could be heard from time to time.

Within moments, the low hill beneath their feet had been partially eroded by the fierce battle between the two third-tier puppets, leaving the scene in ruins.

As a result, Lin Changsheng and Zhao Wanning had to step back one after another to make room.

'boom! ’

Amidst a series of explosions, the two afterimages separated, revealing their true forms.

Lin Changsheng's puppet spirit child was intact on the surface, faintly glowing with an eerie light.

In contrast, the puppet rat opposite was dimly lit, with many pits and dents on its surface, and one of its ears, along with half of its head, had been cut off.

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Wanning witnessed another scene that opened her eyes.

The puppet spirit child raised his hand and pointed in the air, and suddenly a large number of thick vines grew rapidly from under the puppet demon rat's feet, spreading out over a radius of dozens of feet, like a dancing snake, tightly imprisoning and entangled the puppet demon rat.

The force of the vines was so great that the puppet rat's parts made a 'squeaking' sound as they broke, clearly indicating that the puppet had reached its limit.

"Why is there such a huge difference between these two third-tier puppets?"

Seeing her precious third-tier puppet rat so ravaged in their first encounter, Zhao Wanning felt a pang of disappointment and heartache.

But more often than not, their inner confidence and pride were shaken.

Since achieving the pseudo-elixir, his position in the Fengling Chamber of Commerce has been secured.

She then began to focus on improving her strength, and thus spent a huge sum of money to purchase this third-tier puppet that even many Golden Core cultivators envied.

With this puppet, he completely crushed ordinary fake cultivators.

Even if they encountered a true early-stage Golden Core cultivator, they were confident they could hold their own.

But today, we are also using third-tier puppets.

Her third-tier puppet demon rat was like a toddler learning to walk compared to the third-tier puppet controlled by Lin Changsheng; they were not even in the same league.

Her opponent easily defeated her most prized and strongest weapon.

"Let's stop here. If we continue, I'm afraid Fairy Zhao's puppet will be severely damaged and difficult to repair."

Lin Changsheng waved his hand casually, and the fierce aura around the puppet spirit child instantly dissipated, transforming back into a ray of spiritual light and disappearing into the storage bag.

'Clap. '

Without the support of magic, the puppet rat fell to the ground, almost completely destroyed.

There are many signs of deformation caused by entanglement throughout the body.

Even so, it was still the result of Lin Changsheng showing mercy.

Otherwise, destroying a puppet that barely reaches the third-tier low-grade level in a few breaths would be effortless for Lin Changsheng.

This is the difference between a skilled 'puppet master' and an ordinary cultivator.

……

On that day, Lin Changsheng and Zhao Wanning returned to the Fengling Chamber of Commerce together.

The puppet demon rat that was damaged in the battle was also taken by Lin Changsheng.

They also promised to help with the repairs.

That evening, Zhao Wanning secretly hosted a banquet to welcome Lin Changsheng back.

The ingredients used were all precious and fully met the standards of a Golden Core cultivator, clearly indicating that a considerable investment was made.

After spending a day together, much of the awkwardness and distance between the two, stemming from years of separation, dissipated.

Lin Changsheng also took the opportunity to inquire about the current situation of the cultivation world in Yue Kingdom.

Especially the impact of his departure, and the attitudes of forces such as the Yuling Sect and the Nangong Family towards him.

This is also the issue that Lin Changsheng is most concerned about now.

He believed that Zhao Wanning would definitely pay attention to this news, and with the channels of the Fengling Chamber of Commerce, it wouldn't be difficult for her to find out.

That's why, after publicly shedding his identity as Zhang Meng, he came here first.

"Fellow Daoist Lin left in such a grand and dramatic manner; I thought you were fearless..."

Zhao Wan Ning's face was flushed with spring, and she had drunk quite a bit of third-grade spiritual wine, her tone slightly reproachful.

However, just as Lin Changsheng had expected, the other party did indeed inquire about his deeds.

The three Nascent Soul cultivators who broke through the ruins were 'True Lord Hua' from the Shangqing Palace of the Yue Kingdom, 'True Lord Gu You', the Supreme Elder of the Yuling Sect of the Great Zhou Kingdom, and 'True Master Qi', a fourth-order array master who was born in the Great Zhou Kingdom in his early years.

The three Nascent Soul cultivators must have benefited from the ruins, but the specifics are probably unknown to any fourth person.

The three True Lords did not pay any attention to Lin Changsheng's infiltration and treasure-stealing back then.

On the contrary, the few Golden Core cultivators who had met in the ruins seemed to have some interest in the treasures.

Fortunately, the Nangong family intervened, preventing the Golden Core cultivators of the Great Zhou from openly causing trouble.

However, they also sent Foundation Establishment cultivators to Changchun Peak to gather information on several occasions.

Zhao Wanning also specifically mentioned the 'Three Corpse Master' who was ambushed by Lin Changsheng.

It is said that this person was narrow-minded to begin with. He was injured by Lin Changsheng, who was in the Foundation Establishment stage, due to a moment of carelessness. He was ridiculed by many cultivators of the same level.

If they were to learn of Lin Changsheng's whereabouts, they would probably come knocking on his door immediately to avenge the humiliation of that year.

“Fairy Zhao need not worry. Back then, my cultivation was still shallow, and they did not seize the best opportunity. Now, they are no longer a great threat to me.”

After learning about the current situation in the cultivation world, Lin Changsheng smiled calmly, his composed demeanor revealing strong confidence and self-assurance.

Let's not even talk about the memory bonus from 'Tian Du Zhenren'.

The overall level of cultivators in the cultivation world of 'Jiuzezhou' and 'Gunzhou' over the years is higher than here.

Now that his magical powers have been initially established, and with the support of various methods, his return to his homeland is like a devastating blow to the local Golden Core cultivators.

As long as he doesn't recklessly provoke a Nascent Soul True Monarch to his face, or get trapped by a late-stage Golden Core cultivator's combined formation, there are really very few people in the Yue Kingdom's cultivation world who can pose a threat to Lin Changsheng.

Even so, Lin Changsheng has no intention of making a big fuss about his return.

Plans should be kept secret; once exposed, they will always cause some trouble.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, what are your plans upon your return this time?"

After exchanging pleasantries for a long time, Zhao Wanning slightly raised her eyes, her gaze shimmering with tears, and stared at the white-clad man in front of her.

Lin Changsheng was only at the Foundation Establishment stage back then, but because he possessed many skills, Zhao Wanning, who was at the Pseudo-Core stage, was willing to submit to him.

Not to mention that he has now become a true Golden Core cultivator and possesses a third-tier puppet.

Even though he hasn't been a Golden Core cultivator for long, he's probably still considered quite strong among early-stage Golden Core cultivators.

"I left in a hurry back then, and now that I'm back, I'll naturally deal with some things from back then first. I haven't thought about anything else yet."

"I wonder if Fairy Zhao has a suitable place here to shelter Lin for some time?"

Lin Changsheng said with a smile.

"That depends on whether Master Lin can win my favor."

Zhao Wanning wanted to persuade him to stay, and the two hit it off immediately.

……

A single encounter with spring breeze and dew surpasses countless joys in the human world.

……

Seven days later.

Zhao Wanning stood up and casually tied her long hair up with a hairpin. Her beautiful face was still flushed.

Her slender waist, partially obscured by the shadows, is even more alluring.

Back then, perhaps out of pride or to save face, Zhao Wanning wanted to win over Lin Changsheng, but she still felt superior.

Now that Lin Changsheng is a Golden Core cultivator, the change in their status has caused Zhao Wanning's sense of superiority to disappear.

Some shameful 'knowledge' that is difficult to talk about has been completely unleashed.

Lin Changsheng's mid-stage third-order body refinement doubled the joy.

"Lin Lang, so many years have passed, yet you still look like the same young man you did back then, while I have grown old."

Zhao Wanning looked at the young and energetic body of the man in front of her and said softly.

"Zhao Xianzi has shed her youthful naiveté and is now in her prime, her charm even surpassing that of her younger days."

Lin Changsheng said gently.

As time went by, Zhao Wanning reached the False Core Realm, which limited her lifespan, and she no longer resembled a young girl.

Lin Changsheng has advanced to the Golden Core stage, showing great potential. His cultivation is steadily improving, and his unique cultivation technique keeps him looking young.

This is something that cannot be changed.

Unless Zhao Wanning can make the painful decision to undergo a complete transformation and break through to the Golden Core realm.

Lin Changsheng had foreseen this scene back then, which is why he left behind the method of refining pills long ago.

But now it seems that Zhao Wanning has neither the determination nor the intention to rebuild her cultivation.

……

One month later.

Hundreds of miles away from the Fengling Chamber of Commerce, in a secluded mountain forest.

A puppet rat, about the size of a mongrel dog, had a glint of light in its dark eyes.

The next moment, the puppet rat emitted a yellowish-brown aura and instantly transformed into a blur before disappearing underground.

About ten breaths later, it emerged from the ground several dozen feet away, dragging a second-tier lizard monster several times its size in its mouth.

Lin Changsheng and Zhao Wanning stood side by side, watching from afar.

"The crafting technique of this puppet demon rat is somewhat crude, with many redundant and useless parts. I have repaired and improved it, and enhanced the central control core by integrating a third-order earth-attribute demon core."

"Although Zhao Xianzi's puppet rat is smaller now, it is easier to control, and its defense and flexibility are better than before. It can also cast some earth-attribute spells."

Lin Changsheng gave a detailed introduction to the improved puppet demon rat.

Because of the limitations of the pseudo-core level cultivation, Lin Changsheng was completely tailored to Zhao Wanning's magical power, almost reaching the limit of what she could control.

"Lin Lang's skills are superb; the improved puppet is indeed much more useful than before."

Zhao Wanning tried to control it, her eyes filled with surprise, her tone as gentle as water.

……

This night.

Outside the Xi Danhe family's territory, at a certain point in the second-tier defensive formation, subtle ripples emanated, only to instantly return to normal.

In the clan's territory, there is a slightly dilapidated, independent courtyard.

Inside the house, the elderly Tian Fu had already fallen asleep, emitting a soft snore.

"Uncle Lin!"

As if sensing something, Tian Fu, who had already gone to bed, slowly got up and looked into the room with his cloudy eyes.

A young man dressed in white sat quietly at the table, observing him.

"Uncle Lin, you're back."

"Are you thirsty? Let me make you some tea."

"These are all tea seeds from Changchun Peak back then."

"Changchun Peak can't be saved. Xiao Fu kept some of the tea varieties that Uncle Lin often drinks in advance, just in case Uncle Lin doesn't like the tea from outside."

Tian Fu stood up unsteadily, muttering incoherently.

Lin Changsheng did not stop him and smiled as he accepted the tea offered by Tian Fujing.

The tea was fragrant, but contained very little spiritual energy, barely qualifying as a 'quasi-first-tier' spiritual tea, yet it had a familiar taste.

"Thank you for your hard work over the years."

Lin Changsheng put down his teacup and said softly.

"Uncle Lin... Xiao Fu has finally... been waiting for you to come back..."

Tian Fu was overcome with tears.

The noise alerted the boy in another room in the courtyard.

He Shouren stared in astonishment at the gentle barrier surrounding his grandfather's house.

It clearly has no power, yet it remains unable to break through.

After a moment's thought, he quickly flew towards the center of the clan's territory.

……

Dawn.

The uncle and nephew reunited and talked for a long time. Tian Fu was old and too emotional, so he fell into a deep sleep.

Lin Changsheng infused Tian Fudu with a trace of Changchun Gong power, restoring some of his vitality, and at the same time checked his internal condition.

It seems there are hidden injuries from his early years that have not been completely cured despite treatment.

Coupled with psychological trauma and anxiety, he was almost completely exhausted and beyond medical help.

On the other side of the table, there were two porcelain jars.

Those are the ashes of Qingzhi and Lanhua.

From Tian Fu's fragmented words, Lin Changsheng learned the whole story.

Several years after he left, several Foundation Establishment cultivators came to Changchun Peak, intending to inquire about his whereabouts.

To prevent Qingzhi and Lanhua from being humiliated or from revealing Lin Changsheng's past deeds due to unbearable humiliation.

Tian Fu secretly poisoned the two women, killing them.

She had intended to take poison and end her life, but in order to wait for Lin Changsheng's return, she insisted on living on her own.

Ultimately, someone used soul-searching techniques, leaving irreparable damage.

Fortunately, Nangong Qingtan and Nangong Yue arrived in time and repelled the group of treacherous cultivators.

After that, Tian Fu became muddle-headed and confused.

Sometimes, when he regains his senses, he falls into deep guilt and self-blame.

……

At the same time, He Shouren, accompanied by a middle-aged couple, quietly landed in the courtyard.

"I am He Jincheng, the second elder of the He family. May I ask which fellow Daoist has graced us with their presence? Would you be so kind as to come out and greet me?"