Steady Mortal Path: Starting from Obtaining the Golden Core Inheritance

"Senior Lin..."

Inside the cave on Mingling Peak.

Hu Xiaoli had already changed into the attire of a Guigu Sect disciple and bowed respectfully to Lin Changsheng.

The young girl's eyes were filled with admiration as she faced this young-looking late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Although Hu Xiaoli initially came to Mingling Peak as Senior Lin's maid.

However, as the other mistress of the place, Shen Wenyao, after learning about the relationship between this woman and Lin Changsheng, immediately gave orders and successfully resolved Hu Xiaoli's identity issue, and publicly declared her to be one of the direct disciples of Mingling Peak.

This will also prevent the woman from frequently entering and leaving Lin Changsheng's dojo in the future, thus avoiding any unpleasant speculations among the disciples of the peak.

"Ah."

"I've been away for several days. How is the situation at the temple lately? Have there been any major changes?"

After Lin Changsheng responded, he casually asked a question.

Since his return, although he had no intention of interfering in the affairs of the peak, as a top-tier third-order talisman master with skills in alchemy, puppetry, and formations, he naturally wanted to expand some continuous and stable trading channels.

Moreover, as a powerful sect that commands respect in the region, the Ghost Valley Sect has gathered over 60% of the resources in the Mingling Peak mountain range and its surrounding area.

Even if Lin Changsheng keeps a low profile, he will still have a lot of business coming to him for free, by catering to his preferences.

All of this requires someone to step in and manage it.

She seemed to have anticipated Lin's question, and answered fluently and appropriately.

After completing the report, he received a light but not heavy compliment from Lin Changsheng.

Half an hour later.

Stepping out of the cave, Hu Xiaoli was delighted to see that Lin Changsheng had not corrected her way of addressing him.

When she first entered Mingling Peak, Fairy Shen paid special attention to Lin, the senior's attendant.

Faced with the stunningly beautiful Fairy Shen, a female cultivator whose temperament, appearance, and cultivation were almost flawless, Hu Xiaoli felt deeply inferior.

Shen Xianzi's purpose was simple: to subtly inquire about her relationship with Senior Lin.

They also inquired about Senior Lin's deeds before his return.

After learning about the situation, while Lin Changsheng was away, he took the initiative to resolve Hu Xiaoli's identity quota issue.

Not only did he formally join the sect, but he also transferred a portion of the assets from his disciple Xiang Minjun to her for joint management.

Although becoming a disciple of Mingling Peak means receiving an annual salary on time, one's status is no different from other disciples within the peak, and is no longer special.

According to the rules, Lin Changsheng should be addressed as 'Elder Lin'.

But she knew that back then, she was just a maid who happened to be in need of someone to help Senior Lin. She was just there by chance and was not irreplaceable.

Now that we've arrived at Mingling Peak, there are over a thousand disciples there, including some of Senior Lin's former nominal disciples.

Especially He Dawei, who is shrewd, resourceful and clever.

In comparison, she did not have much of an advantage, hence the sense of urgency.

Hu Xiaoli insisted on addressing him as "senior," a seemingly distant form of address that highlighted her difference from the other disciples.

After several years or even decades, she will be completely integrated into the Netherworld Peak. Even if everyone forgets her origins, a simple "Senior Lin" will still distinguish her as special.

……

Dongfuzhong.

Lin Changsheng closed his eyes to rest, recalling his conversation with Shen Wenyao.

Before leaving, he entrusted the other party to keep an eye out for spiritual items related to breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm.

However, in recent years, the price of cultivation materials has skyrocketed, and rare and sought-after spiritual items are even more difficult to find.

In particular, fourth-tier treasures that assist in breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage are almost entirely monopolized by major forces and rarely leak out, making the collection process slow.

This was in line with Lin Changsheng's expectations, and he didn't have high hopes for it.

Another piece of news.

While human Golden Core cultivators were infiltrating the alien waters, high-ranking sea creatures were also making frequent moves, invading the territory of Gunzhou.

Two months ago, during an outing, the only female True Monarch in the Gunzhou Nascent Soul level power 'Ninghua Sect' was ambushed by two fourth-tier sea race members. She was injured but managed to escape using a secret technique.

Now, this Jurchen queen has safely returned to her sect and entered the recovery phase.

However, this battle still severely damaged the high-level combat power of Gunzhou, and to some extent, it also dampened the morale of mid- and low-level cultivators.

In the eyes of most cultivators, the Nascent Soul Ancestor was an invincible and unparalleled being.

No matter how brutal the battle on the front lines may be, as long as the Nascent Soul True Monarch has not yet made a move, the outcome remains uncertain.

The news of the Nascent Soul True Monarch's injury caused a shock to the cultivation world of Gunzhou, no less than a large-scale defeat for low- and mid-level cultivators.

Not long after this incident,

Guigu Zhenjun then left the sect without anyone noticing.

Meanwhile, Blood Shadow True Monarch, who was stationed in the Blood Extreme Demon Palace, also entered a state of seclusion...

Perhaps only the two Golden Core level elders knew that their sect's patriarch had quietly gone out, or was secretly searching for high-level sea creatures to avenge the female True Monarch of the Ninghua Sect.

However, Lin Changsheng guessed that the real purpose of these two True Monarchs going out was probably not entirely like that. It was very likely that they also took this opportunity to appear on the main battlefield and attract the attention of the sea clan's powerful figures, thereby reducing the pressure on the Golden Core True Men who had dived into the water.

However, none of this has much to do with Lin Changsheng.

What interested him most was the message left by Master Guigu before his departure.

After being nurtured, the quality of the ley lines on Mingling Peak will gradually rise to 'quasi-fourth rank' within a few years to a maximum of ten years.

At that time, we will invite a fourth-order formation master to help build a 'Spirit Gathering Array' in conjunction with the spiritual veins, which will be sufficient to assist in the breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage.

Lin Changsheng was naturally skilled at perception. He personally experienced that the quality of the spiritual veins beneath the dojo was steadily improving at a slow pace. This change greatly impressed Lin Changsheng.

……

one year later.

Mingling Peak, at the foot of the main peak.

In a wide, jade-green lake, the water ripples.

Little Jiao Li, her eyes brimming with excitement, barefoot, strides forward, riding on the back of a plump carp, sailing through the waves.

Beside him, a snow wolf with snow-white, soft fur was also running wildly across the lake.

Wherever the claw tip lightly touched, the water surface condensed into patches of white ice crystals, exuding a chilling aura.

"Little white wolf, we're going to cause trouble for that stinky centipede again today, so you'd better do your best!"

"Don't end up like last time, getting stung and rolling on the ground in agony!"

Jiao Li held the carp scales below with one hand, while pointing vaguely with the other.

Looking out, beneath the lush, verdant spirit trees by the lake, a massive, crimson centipede demon lay coiled up.

"Woo!"

The snow wolf howled excitedly.

Both being spirit insects under their master's command, the Crimson Centipede bullied the weak, relying on its strong demonic power and high cultivation level in the past.

As birds of prey, the Wind Crow was unaffected, but the Snow Demon Wolf suffered the most.

After years of hard work and growth, its demonic power is almost as strong as that of the Crimson Centipede.

Therefore, they are tireless in challenging the shadows of their childhood.

However, after several attempts, the Crimson Centipede always managed to mitigate most of the damage thanks to its thick carapace.

The Snow Demon Wolf, however, was tormented and in a terrible state by the poison in the other party's body.

At this moment, Jiao Li used a special water-attribute secret technique to cleverly neutralize the fire poison in the Snow Demon Wolf's body, relieving its pain, and the relationship between the two became much closer.

Watching the Snow Demon Wolf rush over excitedly, a sly glint flashed in Jiao Li's eyes. She then looked at the Crimson Centipede's figure, swallowed hard, and looked on with a greedy expression.

"This little white wolf is really energetic. With my help in treating it, its recovery speed will definitely far exceed that of the poisonous insect."

"If we keep arguing like this, the little white wolf might bite or maim that poisonous insect, which has no sense of proportion. That would have nothing to do with me."

Just as the insect and the beast were about to draw their swords, tensions rose.

Suddenly, the wind and clouds surged at the Mingling Peak Dojo, and the spiritual energy in the world stirred, as if drawn by some force, converging at the mountain peak.

'Meow~'

A soft, bleating sound, like that of a sheep, echoed out with remarkable penetrating power.

Suddenly, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky above Mingling Peak: colorful clouds covered the entire sky, stretching for hundreds of miles.

Immediately afterwards, a massive aura of spiritual energy emanated, causing even the third-tier great demons below, such as the Snow Demon Wolf and the Crimson Centipede, to tremble with fear.

Not to mention ordinary Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation stage disciples, who were even more intimidated by this powerful aura and subconsciously looked towards the main peak.

Shen Wenyao had already flown over, arriving outside Lin Changsheng's dojo with surprise and confusion.

The next moment, a seven-colored deer, its body shimmering with rosy light, nimbly emerged from the cave.

Its hooves were light and agile, treading in mid-air, with auspicious seven-colored clouds faintly surrounding its body, and it moved freely and gracefully above the Netherworld Peak.

"This is... a fourth-tier puppet!"

Shen Wenyao seemed to recognize the origin of the seven-colored spirit deer, her lips slightly parted, looking shocked.