The Path to Nascent Soul (3)

The Sang Kingdom is located on the border of the Central Region of the Great Abyss. The country has a Nascent Soul sect, which is led by two Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivators.

Due to the auspicious divination indicating "good fortune," Lan Chang'an slowed down his travels in this area.

About half a month.

Lan Chang'an, a wandering merchant, received his first mission assignment.

The Qingteng Mountain Range is dotted with dozens of Spirit Vein, and numerous large and small cultivation Lineage are scattered throughout it.

Along the rugged and winding mountain road.

A middle-aged merchant with a sallow complexion carried a large trunk on his back, looking travel-worn.

To his left and right were a guard in blue armor and an inconspicuous Yellow-Haired Earth Dog.

Woof!

The stray dog at my feet suddenly let out a soft bark and looked towards the other side of the hill.

The sound of something cutting through the air rushed in.

A Artifact Spirit boat, fifteen feet long, swayed and drifted overhead.

"Father, we'll reach Heisha Marketplace in about twenty li."

On the Spirit Boat, Tao Wenjun knelt on one knee, her pretty face pale, her Law Power gradually weakening as she controlled the Flying Boat beneath her feet.

"Wenjun, don't push yourself. With your Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivation, controlling a high-grade Flying Boat is quite a strain. Once we reach the Marketplace, all you need to do is deliver the message..."

Father Tao struggled to open his eyes, his forehead dark and bluish, his breath faint, as he gave instructions for his final affairs.

Tao Wenjun's eyes were filled with tears. Her Law Power and Divine Sense were nearing their limits. The Flying Boat was getting slower and slower, and the shaking was more obvious. It looked like it was about to fall at any moment.

Tao Wenjun gritted her teeth, about to forcefully urge her Essence Blood again, when she glanced at the wandering merchants on the mountain road below.

As if grasping at a straw, she was overjoyed and steered the Flying Boat toward the middle-aged merchant.

"Senior, do you have any healing spirit medicine for sale?"

As the Flying Boat landed, Tao Wenjun's voluptuous body swayed unsteadily, her hair disheveled. She tried to rise and pay her respects, but instead fell weakly to her knees.

"Wenjun, don't believe it so easily..."

Father Tao felt uneasy upon seeing the unfamiliar trio of itinerant merchants. At this moment, the two of them were almost without any means of protection; if they were to encounter villains...

Tao Wenjun also realized this, and a chill ran through her heart.

Puff!

At this moment, Father Tao coughed up a mouthful of dark blue-green blood and fainted.

Lan Chang'an glanced at the beautiful, plump, pale, and helpless young woman, then stepped forward to check on Father Tao's injuries.

"Severely damaged internal organs, plagued by Evil Qi, and depleted of vital energy..."

Lan Chang'an hesitated for a moment, then took out a mutton fat porcelain bottle from the chest (large Storage Bag) on his back.

"This is Second-Order High-Grade Rejuvenation Pill."

He first fed the healing pills to Father Tao, then extended his palm, which shimmered with emerald green light, and gently patted his back.

Soon, a cold, dark mist rose from Father Tao's body.

After waiting a while longer, Father Tao, who had taken the Rejuvenation Pill, showed significant improvement in complexion and a stable heartbeat, escaping the danger to his life.

"Thank you for saving me, senior. I..."

Tao Wenjun's tense heart finally relaxed, and with gratitude on her face, she bowed deeply.

Through the treatment she had just received, she could tell that this traveling merchant was Foundation Establishment Realm expert who was also well-versed in medicine and pharmacology.

Otherwise, a single second-tier pill wouldn't have been enough to stabilize Father Tao's condition so quickly.

"It's alright. I'm just a traveling merchant who happened to be here. The young lady only needs to pay for the pills and healing; it's an equal exchange."

Lan Chang'an waved his hand modestly.

Tao Wenjun was taken aback. She looked at the middle-aged merchant with a sallow face and a shrewd smile, and the aura of superiority in her heart shattered.

She pursed her lower lip, swallowing the words of gratitude that came to her lips, such as "I have no way to repay you, I wish to be your ox or horse in the next life, to repay your kindness..."

Then, let's talk business.

Tao Wenjun took out the Spirit Stone, valuable Law Artifact, and pills from her Storage Bag, but her expression turned bitter and troubled.

The exorcism treatment by the Foundation Establishment Realm physician, coupled with Second-Order High-Grade elixirs, and the depletion of her and her father's Storage Bag, could not compensate for the loss.

In desperation, Tao Wenjun almost stripped off her magic robe to offset some of the Spirit Stone, but it still wasn't enough.

"Senior Lu, if we add this Ye Flying Boat, would it be enough to compensate?"

At the critical moment, Father Tao woke up and said in a bitter tone.

"Can."

Lan Chang'an nodded. Although it was only a first-grade high-quality Flying Boat, its value was much higher than that of Law Artifact of the same grade.

Tao Wenjun hesitated, as if she wanted to speak but then stopped herself. This Ye Flying Boat did not belong to the father and daughter, but was an asset of the Lineage.

Due to the Lineage's misfortune, her father took her and fled to seek help. During their escape, they were attacked by villains and faced numerous dangers.

After the transaction was completed, Lan Chang'an dusted himself off and prepared to leave.

"We earnestly request your assistance, senior, to aid my Tao Family. Upon successful completion, our clan's Foundation Establishment Ancestor will surely bestow a generous reward."

With his daughter's support, Father Tao bowed and pleaded.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you both. As a traveling merchant, I may accept some trading commissions, but I do not participate in the struggles between different factions."

Lan Chang'an politely declined.

"Senior Lu! This crisis facing our clan is not due to Lineage feud, but rather to demons lurking within the clan, erupting and wreaking havoc in the Lineage's forbidden area. Furthermore, hostile Evil Dao cultivators have taken advantage of the chaos..."

Father Tao explained urgently.

"Oh? Demons are lurking?"

Lan Chang'an initially thought it was a routine transaction, but things turned out to be more complicated than he expected.

Back then, when Lan Chang'an used the teleportation channel to reach the Central Region Forbidden Land of Great Abyss Central Region, he encountered some demonized monsters.

The Demonized Stone-Heart Dragon that we once hunted is one of them.

In the Cultivation World the Great Abyss, especially in the Central Region, demons and monsters are not unfamiliar things.

The root of all this lies in the High Antiquity forbidden land of the Central Region, the Endless Demon Abyss at its center, which once sealed away many Devil Creature demons.

Every few years, Demon Tide would leak out of the Endless Demon Abyss, from which some demons and monsters would escape and wreak havoc in the Great Abyss.

It is said that before Fairy Zixia and True Lord Yunlan became dao companion, her beloved senior brother died in the chaos caused by demons in the Central Region.

"What level of cultivation does the Devil Creature that appeared from the Tao Family possess?"

Lan Chang'an asked the specific reason in a serious tone.

"The Devil Creature aura was stronger than that of a typical Foundation Establishment Realm; it should be below the Golden Core Realm. However, there was more than one Devil Creature; otherwise, our clan would have had Clan Protection Array, and with two Foundation Establishment Ancestor, this calamity wouldn't have occurred."

Father Tao recalled and pondered.

He left out an uncertain detail: as he left, the aura of the rampaging Devil Creature within the tribe seemed to be rising.

"Alright, you two stay here. I'll go take a look."

Lan Chang'an made a rough calculation and concluded that the Devil Creature belonging to the Tao Family were likely remnants of history.

The demons and monsters of the past have been difficult to completely eradicate; some remnants remain, but they are still insignificant and insignificant.

Such incidents occur occasionally in various parts of the Central Region.

Furthermore, on the eve of the start of the Demon Tide, the remnants of demons lurking in various places will also begin to stir.

Lan Chang'an decided to board the newly acquired Flying Boat and head to the Tao Family Territory.

Amidst the clouds, Lan Chang'an attempted to predict the next Demon-Monster Turmoil, but the celestial secrets remained unclear, perhaps due to insufficient means of communication.

"It shouldn't be that bad."

Lan Chang'an thought to himself, "In the past, most of the Demon Calamity in the Central Region occurred about sixty years after the opening of the Ancient Nether Palace."

Many high-level cultivators speculate that the demonic chaos may be related to the Ancient Nether Palace.

Because each time the Ancient Nether Palace opens, an entrance fee of Demonic Crystal is required.

Nascent Soul Great Cultivator once warned cultivators in the Central Region: using Demonic Crystal to exchange for entry into the Ancient Nether Palace might bring uncontrollable and unknown risks to the Demon Abyss, Central Region Forbidden Land.

Despite the fortuitous opportunity of the Ancient Nether Palace, the powerful figures from various factions in the Central Region paid it no heed.

Firstly, the demonic disturbances that the Central Region experiences each time are generally under control, and the disasters also bring some scarce materials. The strongest of those demons who escape are usually no more than the mid-stage of the fourth rank, and they are bloodthirsty and less intelligent than cultivators of the same rank.

Secondly, during each instance of demonic chaos, very few top-level Nascent Soul True Lord perish; the majority of those Golden Core Realm or mid-to-lower-level cultivators.

Even in certain eras, when demons and monsters wreaked havoc with extraordinary power, roaming everywhere and spreading to all regions of the Great Abyss, the entire Cultivation World of the Great Abyss had to bear the burden together.

In a short while, Lan Chang'an arrived at the Tao Family Territory and indeed sensed three demonic auras.

The Tao Family's second-tier grand formation was in ruins, with cultivators either killed or wounded, or fleeing.

Those demons had Green-Faced Man, their limbs resembling those of jackals, and were shrouded in demonic energy. The strongest of them was faintly approaching the level of False Core.

After the carnage, these demons lingered in their territory, searching for any signs of survivors among the ruins.

"It doesn't seem to be a pure Devil Creature aura."

Lan Chang'an glanced at it briefly and sensed that the demonic energy contained a strong, malevolent, and resentful Yin Qi that made one's soul tremble with unease.

Woof!

The large, yellow-haired dog at my feet, its fur shimmering with a Earth-Yellow Halo, disappeared into the earth through the nearby mountains.

Call!

Soon, Yellow Sand Dust Storm swept across the Tao Family Territory.

The three demons sensed something and fled in terror, but were quickly enveloped by the Yellow Sand and Petrification, unable to move.

After a burst of howling and wailing, it abruptly stopped.

Sand swirled into the sky.

Lan Chang'an took the three mottled demon cores and sensed the eerie ghostly aura surrounding them.

"Ghost Path aura? Could there be a true culprit behind this demon...?"

Lan Chang'an remained expressionless, ordering his armored guards to kill several Evil Cultivator were lurking and spying nearby.

Meanwhile, Di Yan Jun made a discovery; he sensed some clues through the hidden ghostly aura.

After a short while, like drinking a cup of tea.

Di Yan Jun disappeared underground for a hundred miles, deep into a dark underground mine.

This mine is bottomless and has been excavated for hundreds of years. It is a mineral vein left by the Tao Family and previous owners.

Deep within the mine, countless skeletons lay buried, thick with Yin Qi and resentful energy, and will-o'-the-wisps floated in the air.

"A third-tier demon dog, how dare you kill my subordinate!"

Amidst the abandoned ore, a silver-white skeleton burning with eerie purple flames emitted a Soul-Shocking Thorn.

The ghostly aura emanating from this creature was clearly at the peak of the mid-stage of the third rank, approaching that of the Golden Core Realm Formation cultivator, though it was somewhat unstable.

"Excellent! I've been needing a Tier 3 ghost pet!"

The silver-white skeleton stood upright, its body surging with eerie purple flames, transforming into a ten-zhang-tall Ghost Spirit, each arm holding a bronze Ghost Artifact.

Swish!

The early-stage third-tier dog demon in the distance transformed into a blurry image that was difficult to detect with Divine Sense, and in an instant, it magnified several times in the pupil.

"Wrong!"

A terrifying aura of Demon Power caused the silver-white skull's ghostly flames to flicker and howl in terror.

"Ah! A dignified Tier 4 Demon King, actually—"

The ten-zhang-tall, surging Ghost Spirit flames shrank and vanished in an instant; the silver-white skeleton was seized by a claw the size of a palm leaf fan, and a crisp "crack" sound was heard.

A moment later.

A middle-aged traveling merchant arrived at the spot silently.

The paws of the large, earthen-yellow dog imprisoned a dim, lingering purple flame, like a flickering candlelight.

Beneath its feet lay a pile of broken bones, including two Ghost Path Law Treasure and a rusty Storage Bracelet.

"A third-tier Ghost Cultivator, possessing spatial storage items, seems to have an extraordinary background."

Lan Chang'an accepted the spoils presented by the tan-colored dog.

Besides the magical Law Treasure from the Ghost Path, there were also some items in the Storage Bracelet, but most of them had lost their spiritual power for unknown reasons.

In addition, there are several Jade Slip that record the lineage related to the Ghost Path.

One of the complete Ghost Path Cultivation Method is called the "Five-Curse Wraith Scripture," which requires collecting vengeful spirits to amplify the power of Ghost Path and incantations.

Such a harvest is hardly worthy of the auspicious omen of "good fortune shining upon one."

Lan Chang'an remained expressionless as he put away the spoils of war and spatial storage items.

I've encountered similar experiences during my previous years of travel, so they're not particularly unusual.

Given his level, any gain that could be considered a good fortuitous opportunity would at least be at the Nascent Soul level.

Subsequently, Lan Chang'an conducted a soul search on the remnant soul of this lurking Ghost Cultivator.

"It turns out he's a Ghost Cultivator recently switched to cultivation..."

Searching the souls of Ghost Cultivator is much more difficult. Lan Chang'an was unable to obtain their complete memories, but he did learn about their general origins.

This Ghost Cultivator was a late-stage True Core cultivator from a major Nascent Soul sect in the Sang Kingdom in his previous life, and had failed to Nascent Soul Formation once.

Due to limitations in his aptitude and foundation, he failed at the first step of Nascent Soul Formation, "Shattering Core to Form Nascent Soul," but he was fortunate enough to save his life and most of his cultivation.

After failing to Nascent Soul Formation stage, this boy betrayed the sect and turned to cultivating the Ghost Path Cultivation Method he had previously seized.

His main cultivation Cultivation Method of Ghost Path cultivation comes from the subordinate force of the "Yellow Heaven Ghost Palace" which is the ruler of the Northern Region, and he is expected to cultivate it to the level of a fourth-order ghost king.

Once one transforms into Ghost Cultivator, their lifespan is greatly extended, far exceeding that of humans and ordinary Demon Beast.

However, the cost was also enormous.

Switching to the Ghost Path will prevent one from entering the cycle of reincarnation, meaning there will be no next life.

Secondly, the difficulty for Ghost Cultivator immortals is far greater than that for normal cultivators, and they will suffer greater damage when facing the tribulation lightning.

Lan Chang'an possessed the [Nine Imprint Tablet], but had no interest in the path of Ghost Cultivator; he merely kept it as a normal reserve for understanding.

Therefore, the gains this time are significantly less than expected. The most valuable item is actually the bronze bracelet containing the spatial storage device.

"Huh!"

In the latter half of the soul search, Lan Chang'an obtained a fragment of memory.

Even though a Ghost Cultivator was in the Late Core Formation in his previous life, he probably didn't have any secrets that could have piqued Lan Chang'an's interest.

However, one clue in the Ghost Cultivator's memories before his death was extremely useful to Lan Chang'an.

Having attempted to reach the Nascent Soul in his previous life, this Ghost Cultivator had collected resources for Nascent Soul Formation, and he had a clue about a Higher Vehicle Nascent Soul Formation spiritual object in his memory.

Not only that.

Such a Higher Vehicle Nascent Soul Formation artifact is extremely compatible with Lan Chang'an's Wood Element.

It should be noted that although the [Zi-Wu Clear Wind] that Lan Chang'an extorted from the Old Ancestor Tianluo was Higher Vehicle Nascent Soul Formation spiritual object, it was not of the Wood Element.

"The Wood Element Nascent Soul Formation artifact is in the hands of the Black River Fortress, the First Life in the Sang Kingdom."

Lan Chang'an's heart skipped a beat.

If he could obtain such a suitable Nascent Soul Formation Spiritual Object, his preparations for Nascent Soul Formation would be significantly enhanced!

The probability of Nascent Soul Formation will approach its limit!

This Ghost Cultivator, unable to acquire such a Nascent Soul Formation artifact in his previous life, and whose attributes were not a perfect match, thus gave up.

However, this matter was much easier for Lan Chang'an.

The First Life in the Sang Kingdom does not have Nascent Soul True Lord in charge; its strongest member is at the Late Core Formation.

However, this Aristocratic Clan is related by marriage to the Supreme Elder of the "Heavenly Silkworm Sect," the only Nascent Soul sect in the Sang Kingdom.

That evening, Lan Chang'an disappeared from the area around the Tao Family's residence.

As for the reward for slaying the demons, Lan Chang'an didn't ask the Tao Family for it, considering it a good deed.

The Tao Family suffered heavy casualties, their ancestral lands were destroyed, and it was uncertain whether they could even preserve their family business.

Lan Chang'an casually eliminated the Evil Cultivator who were hostile to the clan as a reward for obtaining clues about the fortuitous opportunity.

He left after accomplishing his task, concealing his identity and name.

Lan Chang'an then traveled under an unusual identity, secretly investigating intelligence about "Black River Fortress" in the Sang Kingdom, including clues about the Nascent Soul Formation spirits.

The intelligence was in Lan Chang'an's favor.

The Supreme Elder of Black River Fortress, who is related to the "Heavenly Silkworm Sect" by marriage, has entered his twilight years and his lifespan may even exceed one thousand years.

Now, this Nascent Soul True Lord has retired to a secondary position within the sect.

Based on current intelligence, it is estimated that such Wood Element Nascent Soul Formation spirits are cultivated in the forbidden Medicine Garden of Black River Fortress to enhance their medicinal properties.

"Black River Fortress has a near-fourth-tier formation, as well as various hidden Restriction. Taking it by force or infiltrating it would be quite difficult, and if successful, it would alert the Nascent Soul sects of the Sang Kingdom."

Lan Chang'an pondered for a long time, and had a plan in mind.

His gentle and kind gaze fell upon the Di Yan Jun beside him, who was gnawing on the remains of his prey, and he lightly stroked the fur on the latter's head.

If we want to take the initiative in this transaction, Diyanjun, who is good at earth escape and is a fourth-level demon king, is a key.

Lan Chang'an was in no hurry to make a move.

This journey will take several years, so I will stay in the Sang Kingdom for a while and plan it out gradually.

Moon Empress.

The border of the Cultivation World in the Sang Kingdom.

A Escape Light, at the Nascent Soul level, streaked across the sky like a snow-white silkworm, leaving a dazzling white trail.

At a certain moment, the white Escape Light slowed down and hovered over the surrounding mountains.

"Fellow Daoist Xuancan, has that person's trace been lost?"

Two people stood atop the cloud-white Escape Light. The dark-skinned old man who spoke was none other than the Black River Fortress's patriarch, the True Person Black River, Late Core Formation.

The other person was White-Browed Elder, who was at Nascent Soul stage, dressed in a dark green robe and looked gloomy.

On the withered white palm of the True Lord Xuancan, a jade bottle floated, containing a wisp of dark green, teardrop-shaped aura.

"That person did not exceed the tracking range of [Spring-Meeting Withered Vine]. However, their speed was extremely fast, no less than that of an old man, and even if they were not Nascent Soul True Lord, they possessed a powerful spirit bird mount."

The dark eyes of the True Lord Xuancan gleamed with a mysterious light, quietly maintaining the calculation and perception of the <Xuancan Nine Lives Scripture>.

This mysterious art not only contains divination techniques for seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, but also possesses tracking abilities that transcend common sense.

Upon hearing this, True Person Black River quickly calmed down and sighed:

"That's enough! I didn't expect to be able to retrieve [Spring-Meeting Withered Vine] after troubling Fellow Daoist Xuanchan this time. It's just that I was coerced into making a deal by that person, and I don't even know who that person is, which is very infuriating."

Based on the True Person Black River's understanding of this True Lord Xuancan, these words were simply an attempt to avoid further investigation and unnecessary complications.

After all, True Lord Xuancan, as the oldest Nascent Soul Cultivator in the area, is nearly 1,100 years old and always acts prudently, not easily taking risks.

The reason he had been tracking them before was because he suspected the target was a cultivator below the Nascent Soul, seeking to obtain resources for Nascent Soul Formation. However, the target's Divine Ability abilities and the assistance of a special Spirit Pet caused him to suffer a hidden loss.

"Although that person succeeded in forcing the transaction, Fellow Daoist Heihe did not suffer a loss."

"The item offered by that person was enough to buy the [Spring-Meeting Withered Vine], so he shouldn't be Evil Dao cultivator and doesn't want to be an enemy of the Sang Kingdom."

True Lord Xuancan stroked his beard and smiled faintly, showing some interest in the mysterious cultivator who was threatening Black River Fortress and forcing a trade.

In addition, there was a hint of apprehension.

During the previous pursuit, his cultivation of the <Xuancan Nine Lives Scripture> revealed an intuition of destiny: if the pursuit continued, the danger would be unpredictable.

Three years later.

A middle-aged man with a sallow complexion, looking travel-worn and with a reserved expression, stepped into the territory of the Pill Dao Alliance.

After traveling for more than six years, we finally arrived at our final destination.

Lan Chang'an slowly exhaled, his entire body exuding profound and subtle Law Power. His Evergreen Golden Core appeared lifeless, but in reality, it had been refined to its extreme.

Three months ago, Lan Chang'an turned 379 years old, and his cultivation level had basically reached the peak of the Golden Core Late Stage.

For the past six years, Lan Chang'an has traveled as a merchant, visiting most of the cultivation areas in the Central Region.

During this period, it is not limited to buying and selling transactions; occasionally, it involves accepting commissions to do good deeds and eliminate evil.

Exorcising ghosts, banishing demons, suppressing bandits, fortune telling... these are all things you can do casually and earn rewards and resources from.

Compared to the arduous cultivation in a sect, the life of traveling is much more colorful, with encounters with all sorts of cultivators and other beings.

This process has been filled with insights, reflections, and unexpected gains.

Among them, the Wood Element- Nascent Soul Formation item "Spring-Meeting Withered Vine" was the biggest surprise and gain from this trip.

"Now that you've arrived at the Pill Dao Alliance, you should take a good rest."

Lan Chang'an remained calm and composed. An invisible breeze swept past his body, as well as past the blue-armored guards and Yellow-Haired Earth Dog on his left and right.

The dust and grime on the three of them dissipated.

Lan Chang'an put away the trunk on his back, as if he had washed away all his worldly cares, feeling light and agile, with a peaceful mind, unmoved by honor or disgrace.

Di Yan Jun and the Green-Armored Puppet bowed to their master, a flash of light passing by before being collected by Lan Chang'an.

For the final leg of the journey, Lan Chang'an flew alone, heading towards the heart of the Pill Dao Alliance territory.

The Pill Dao Alliance is composed of nine fragmented cultivation kingdoms.

Among them are four cultivation kingdoms with Nascent Soul cultivation, whose strength is either similar to or even greater than that of the Liang Kingdom.

The strength of the other five kingdoms was roughly equivalent to that of the Jing Kingdom in the Great Qing Eastern Region.

These large and small cultivation kingdoms, individually, are insignificant in the Central Region, but together they form the "Pill Dao Alliance," a neutral and powerful force that cannot be ignored in the Central Region the Great Abyss.

This region is home to numerous alchemy sects with a long and brilliant history of Dao of Alchemy, attracting many cultivators from Central Region who come to commission alchemy.

Lan Chang'an was one of them.

Nine years ago, at the Nascent Soul Exchange Meeting in Yuntian Immortal City, he made a promise with Master Le —to refine a genuine Infant Transformation Pill.

This is the final link in Lan Chang'an's journey through the Central Region over many years, on his path to Nascent Soul.

(End of this chapter)