Find a Way to Get Ten or Eight Spirit Mountains

"Still, I can probably only be considered a pseudo-Cave Heaven Realm cultivator?"

Amid his excitement, Lin Fan also noticed a problem.

In terms of Combat Power, after merging Fan Jianqiang and Xiao Ling'er's Combat Power, he indeed possessed Cave Heaven Realm Combat Power. There was no question about it, and his endurance would not be lacking either. It was absolutely genuine.

But his physical body was somewhat lacking.

To put it in the terms Lin Fan knew best: his attack, defense, and MP had all reached the Cave Heaven Realm, but his HP was a little low. Compared to a true Cave Heaven Realm cultivator, he was squishier.

"That makes sense."

"The Fourth Realm is reached when Profound Origin Qi accumulates within the Mystic Gate to the extreme, after which quantitative change triggers qualitative change, opening up a physical Cave Heaven."

"But my current state is temporary. I haven't opened up a physical Cave Heaven; only my realm has risen, giving me equivalent Combat Power. That isn't hard to understand."

"Still, it's enough."

Squishy?

Then he just had to kill the opponent first!

Besides, he did not need to fight personally right now. At the very least, Cave Heaven Realm cultivators did not need him to deal with them—the elders were there!

In the future, wouldn't his own realm naturally rise as well?

"I should take the path of crushing others with my realm. Otherwise, wouldn't that waste my 'skills'?!"

This was how Lin Fan planned for the future.

"As for improving my strength now, that is merely an unavoidable step. At the same time, it is another layer of insurance, just in case."

"..."

Early in the morning.

Fan Jianqiang strolled down the mountain.

At the sect gate, he ran into Murong Pipa and Qiu Yongqin, the disciples on mountain-guard duty that day. He even cheerfully greeted them. "You've worked hard. I'm heading down the mountain to check the feng shui."

"This... please."

Naturally, the two could not stop him.

In terms of status, they were merely ordinary disciples, while Fan Jianqiang was the sect master's personal disciple. How could they compare? There was no way they could forbid him from leaving the mountain.

"Ah, I'm truly envious."

Once Fan Jianqiang had gone far away, the two exchanged a glance. Murong Pipa sighed wistfully. "A personal disciple of the sect master... With such status, wouldn't he receive at least three of those astonishing Core Condensation Pills every month?"

"In my opinion, probably four, perhaps even five!" Qiu Yongqin believed it had to be more.

"Sadly, it isn't our turn."

Murong Pipa smiled bitterly.

"Heaven and earth are heartless, treating all things as straw dogs." Qiu Yongqin sighed. "The countless living beings are born with different talents. His talent must far surpass ours; that is not something we can envy our way into obtaining."

"For ordinary disciples like us, only through tireless, diligent, day-and-night study and cultivation—rising early, sleeping late, neglecting food and rest, never allowing ourselves the slightest slack—can we find even a sliver of 'hope'!"

"I know that, of course, but I can't do it. I'm not jealous; I'm merely envious." Murong Pipa gave a bitter smile. "I don't have your determination, nor can I push myself as hard as you do."

"I truly envy him."

Qiu Yongqin had no response.

Who wasn't envious?

Anyone who claimed not to be envious was certainly lying. He himself was deeply envious too.

But he would not allow it to affect his state of mind.

He had to work hard and strive forward, and he would do exactly that!

"But just because someone is talented and favored by the sect master and elders, does that mean they can do whatever they please?" Murong Pipa suddenly muttered. "Xiao Ling'er is always cultivating or refining pills, while he is studying this vague, intangible feng shui?"

"..."

Qiu Yongqin said nothing.

He merely frowned slightly.

If it were me, I definitely wouldn't waste time like this.

The immortal path was unpredictable, with danger lurking on every side. Only by continuously improving oneself could one attain longevity and protect oneself and the sect!

"Sect Master."

That morning, Wu Xingyun came to see Lin Fan, her beautiful eyes carefully examining him.

She exclaimed in shock, "You... broke through again?!"

"Just luck."

Lin Fan chuckled. "After taking two Ninth Grade Profound Origin Pills, I barely broke through a minor realm. It should... only count as fairly ordinary, right?"

"They were Ninth Grade pills, after all."

Wu Xingyun: "...Well, I suppose so."

She certainly would not admit that she had never taken a Ninth Grade pill before and had no idea how effective Ninth Grade pills truly were.

Still, with the Ninth Grade Profound Origin Pills as a foundation, she was no longer quite so shocked.

Perhaps Ninth Grade pills really were just this powerful?

She clasped her hands and got to the point. "Fan Jianqiang has gone down the mountain."

"Should I follow him in secret?"

"Absolutely not!"

Lin Fan sternly refused.

He was currently considering how to make Fan Jianqiang truly devote himself to the sect. If she followed him, it would be easy for him to feel that the sect did not trust him, and that would not be a good thing.

"Trust those you employ; do not employ those you distrust!"

That was how Lin Fan explained it.

"I know what you are worried about, Sect Master. I can follow him quietly without letting him notice."

"There is no need."

Follow him secretly without him noticing?

That was Gou Sheng!

Would he really fail to notice?

"Let him go. I believe he won't act recklessly."

"Then... all right. I'll listen to you, Sect Master."

Wu Xingyun felt that her sect master was becoming increasingly mysterious.

However, ever since Lin Fan became sect master, he had never made a single mistake. On the contrary, the Moon Embracing Sect had begun to flourish... so she was willing to trust him.

"Come to think of it, I can only trade sincerity for sincerity."

After Wu Xingyun left, Lin Fan thought it over and still found it difficult.

Xiao Ling'er was easier to win over, but Gou Sheng was not so easy to bring into the fold.

He could only trade sincerity for sincerity.

After all, aside from those... with that particular surname, Protagonist Templates were generally loyal and righteous people.

Besides, Fan Jianqiang currently regarded the Moon Embracing Sect as his home for the time being. There was a ninety-nine percent chance that this trip down the mountain was simply him being "cautious," so there was no need to worry.

Lin Fan felt that if it could be quantified—

Xiao Ling'er's loyalty should now be above ninety percent. There was basically no chance of anything going wrong.

Fan Jianqiang's should be around sixty, barely above the passing line.

As long as he did not do anything foolish, Fan Jianqiang probably would not betray him.

As for the remaining favorability, he could slowly build it up.

"Continue cultivating and wait for the crisis to arrive!"

"..."

It was not that Lin Fan was too carefree to make preparations.

It was that there was truly not much he could prepare.

Hire people? Sorry, he could not hire any.

Set up formations? The Sect Protecting Grand Formation was already the current limit of the Moon Embracing Sect's formation arts.

The elders were already handling other preparations. Besides that... hadn't Fan Jianqiang already made his move?

Lin Fan only needed to cultivate and increase his strength.

After all, even if he wanted to be cautious and help set up formations, he had no way to do so.

There were no resources!

They were poor!

Leaving aside everything else, they did not even have many Spirit Fields. There were not enough to grow commonly used spirit herbs.

"Once we get through this crisis, I need to find a way to expand."

"Otherwise, how many resources can we possibly obtain by relying only on this one unremarkable Spirit Mountain and the elders going out to hunt? There isn't even enough for our own use."

"We can't keep relying on Xiao Ling'er to refine pills and sell them outside either..."

Although her loyalty was high, he could not treat her like a workhorse, could he?

Besides, she needed to cultivate too.

The elders needed to as well.

As Lin Fan cultivated, he began to make plans.

First, get ten or eight Spirit Mountains, then...