After the auction ended, Lin Chang’an returned with abundant gains.
This made him secretly sigh even more. Many scarce goods had appeared so easily in Sea Abyss City.
During the following days, he purchased some cultivation resources in Sea Abyss City and also learned many hidden details about various places from True Person Tan.
Finally, half a month later, Lin Chang’an looked at his bulging storage bag and the spirit stones that had nearly been emptied, falling silent for a moment before turning around and riding away on the Green-horned Ox.
“Although I revealed quite a bit of wealth this time, as a Third-rank High-grade Formation Master, and with so many business dealings on Bibo Island—
if I didn’t possess some foundation, how could I possibly cultivate this quickly? Therefore, revealing some wealth this time actually won’t be much of a problem.”
Half reclining atop the ox’s back, Lin Chang’an narrowed his eyes while sorting through this trip to Sea Abyss City in his mind, considering whether he had overlooked anything.
Fortunately, the biggest issue was only the exposure of wealth.
But to Nascent Soul cultivators, his wealth was hardly worth mentioning.
As for Core Formation cultivators, with his current strength, he already possessed the ability to protect it.
“Ling’er, after taking that spirit pearl, did you feel anything?”
Thinking of the spirit item he had bought for the Sword Attendant, Lin Chang’an revealed a curious expression. That item alone had cost him nearly four hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones.
Behind him, the Sword Attendant carefully sensed the condition inside her body.
“Master, the effect seems rather insignificant.”
However, after hearing this, Lin Chang’an chuckled softly.
“The nurturing of spirit items emphasizes gradual accumulation over time. There’s no need to rush.”
If the effects truly manifested that quickly, it would never have appeared at the auction in the first place. Even Nascent Soul cultivators would have joined the bidding.
Sitting on the ox’s back, Lin Chang’an slowly took out several important gains from this journey.
A Third-rank High-grade Wind-attribute Demon Core, Nascent Soul insights, a Quasi Fourth-rank medicinal pill, and a jade slip personally handed to him by True Person Tan under orders before his departure.
“With this Wind-attribute Demon Core, I can enhance the power of the Four Symbols Dragon Scale Armor once I return. As for this Quasi Fourth-rank medicinal pill, it’s best consumed when cultivation stagnates at a bottleneck.”
After pondering secretly, Lin Chang’an finally looked toward the jade slip.
This jade slip contained detailed records of the dangers inside the secret realm, along with a set of Five Elements Restriction-breaking methods.
“Five Elements Restriction-breaking Technique. No wonder this Sixth Elder required five Third-rank High-grade Formation Masters.”
Looking at this formation-breaking secret art, Lin Chang’an suddenly understood.
He had only obtained this secret technique because he met the requirements.
“If I hadn’t reached the level of a Third-rank High-grade Formation Master, I probably would’ve had to sell myself to Bihai Palace afterward.”
Lin Chang’an understood clearly that the favors of Nascent Soul cultivators were never obtained for free.
The Green-horned Ox galloped through the clouds. Rarely relaxed, it let out contented mooing sounds, which also stirred the Fengming Bird inside the spirit beast pouch.
“Fine, I can let you out, but don’t leak your aura.”
Rarely feeling this relaxed himself, Lin Chang’an chuckled softly. Under the control of his Divine Sense, the spirit beast pouch opened and released the Fengming Bird.
The Fengming Bird transformed into the size of a palm, circled around the Green-horned Ox once, then landed on Lin Chang’an’s shoulder.
“Master, I’ve been suffocating for so long. What kind of bird spends every day cooped up inside underground caves?”
The Fengming Bird spoke in a resentful tone, causing Lin Chang’an to laugh before teasing:
“Sure, go ahead and fly around while displaying your aura. But if someone discovers you, don’t say I raised you. I imagine that Profound Yin Old Devil is desperately searching for you right now.”
The previously arrogant Fengming Bird immediately shrank its neck upon hearing that a Nascent Soul cultivator was targeting it. Though somewhat guilty, it still stubbornly replied:
“Just wait. Once I break through to Fourth-rank, let’s see who still dares target me.”
At this moment, the Green-horned Ox also mooed deeply, clearly mocking the Fengming Bird.
It seemed to be saying: You thieving bird, first break through to Late Third-rank before boasting.
“You gluttonous stupid ox!”
The Fengming Bird glared furiously. It ignored the Green-horned Ox afterward and instead fixed its gaze upon its master’s storage bag.
How could Lin Chang’an not know what the bird was scheming? He immediately snorted:
“Stop thinking about it. There’s only this one Quasi Fourth-rank medicinal pill. You don’t want your next breakthrough advancement to end with you burning yourself to death because your master lacks sufficient strength, do you?”
Lin Chang’an’s mocking tone caused the Fengming Bird to recall the scene from its last evolution breakthrough. Its feathers instantly stood upright.
The Fengming Bird hurriedly shook its head and spoke in a flattering tone:
“Master, look at what you’re saying. I was only worried that storing your medicinal pill in an ordinary storage bag might not be safe.”
This bird was extremely crafty.
The relaxed and harmonious scene also caused the Sword Attendant beside them to reveal a rare, relaxed smile.
Meanwhile, Lin Chang’an lowered his head and examined the jade slip containing information about the secret realm.
Since it had been personally bestowed by the Sixth Nascent Soul Elder of Bihai Palace, it was certainly no ordinary common item.
Sure enough, after carefully examining it, he discovered that the records concerning the secret realm were extraordinarily detailed. Methods of responding to and avoiding various dangers were all thoroughly explained.
“I’m afraid this secret realm jade slip alone would be considered a rare treasure within ordinary factions.”
However, when he reached the final section of the jade slip, Lin Chang’an’s expression became solemn.
The final section actually described the origin of the secret realm itself.
“This secret realm suppresses a Demon-sealing Altar. Every time the secret realm opens, some Demonic Energy leaks out, thereby causing chaos throughout the Demon Beast Sea Abyss…”
Demonic Energy!
This was the first time he had seen such direct records, causing Lin Chang’an to reveal a grave expression.
Whether cultivators or demon beasts, once contaminated by demonic baleful qi, they would gradually become demonized, turning into monsters that lost rationality and were controlled by desire.
Most demonized creatures would slaughter indiscriminately, attacking every prey they saw. Whether human cultivators or fellow demon beasts, all became targets on their menu.
“According to the jade slip, many Nascent Soul cultivators were initially worried, but after discovering the benefits, they gradually ignored the issue.”
Originally, these high-level demon beasts hid themselves extremely well. Yet now these demonized beasts attacked everywhere, which instead delivered prey straight to human cultivators.
A brutal slaughter between hunters and prey unfolded.
“Demonized beasts, cultivators, treasures flowing out from the secret realm, and secretly, the schemes of certain individuals with ulterior motives… the chaos of the Sea Abyss…”
Reading this far, Lin Chang’an finally understood why the Demon Beast Sea Abyss frequently fell into turmoil.
“Demon-sealing Altars. It is said there is more than one within the cultivation world. They suppress giant demons from the Demon Realm and involve the hidden secrets of the ancient great war between human cultivators and the demon race.”
Lin Chang’an frowned slightly. To Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators, whose lifespans were limited, such matters would probably only be treated as cultivation legends.
But for him, who was preparing to form a Nascent Soul and would possess a lifespan of at least a thousand years in the future, he instead desired even more to uncover the secrets of the cultivation world.
“The secrets of this cultivation world truly make one unable to stop exploring.”
He thought of his Natal Magical Artifact and the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine. As his cultivation rose and his horizons broadened—
he increasingly felt that ancient existences such as the Fusang Divine Tree and the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine might not even be treasures born from this world.
Furthermore, even such spirit objects had been eroded by Demonic Energy to such an extent, clearly indicating the passage of an unimaginably long age.
What secrets truly lay within the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range?
Why had Nascent Soul cultivators fallen there?
“What exactly happened during the ancient era? What agreements existed between the human race and demon race? And this Demonic Energy, along with this Fusang Divine Tree—
could it really be as the legends say, that in ancient times, cultivators from the Upper Realm descended carrying immortal treasures and fought against the demon race?”
Having lived for so long, especially after obtaining the inheritance foundation of the Sinister Soul Sect, Lin Chang’an’s understanding of the cultivation world far surpassed that of ordinary Core Formation cultivators.
“Although I yearn greatly to uncover these secrets of the cultivation world, they are still too distant for me. I should first become a Nascent Soul cultivator before speaking of such matters.”
Looking at the jade slip in his hand, Lin Chang’an could not help but smile. The more secrets the cultivation world possessed, the more fascinating and irresistible it became.
……
“Master!”
The night was as black as ink, swallowing the endless sea surface.
Tonight, thick dark clouds blanketed the sky. The Sword Attendant’s soft cry caused Lin Chang’an to slowly raise his head.
Suddenly, an aurora tore apart the night sky, like a world-shaking sword aura slashed forth by a supreme mighty expert—yet without the slightest killing intent.
At first, it was only a faint green glow. Then it suddenly exploded outward, transforming into countless seven-colored ribbons of light that spread across the entire heavens.
“This is the aurora of the Demon Beast Sea Abyss!”
Reflected within Lin Chang’an’s eyes was a heavenly spectacle impossible for cultivators to achieve. Even the normally lively Fengming Bird revealed astonishment as it stared blankly at the scene.
The seven-colored light bands were not stationary. They flowed slowly, as though alive, resembling the flowing silk ribbons of celestial maidens from the Nine Heavens, radiating a dreamlike and mesmerizing brilliance.
Brilliant purple, ghostly green, deep azure, crimson gold…
Various colors intertwined and shifted continuously, illuminating even the dark, surging black sea below with bizarre and fantastical radiance.
Between sea and sky, Lin Chang’an sat upon the broad back of the Green-horned Ox, his entire body shrouded beneath the eerie glow.
“Such a heavenly spectacle… just what level of cultivation would be required to casually create something like this?”
Yet at this very moment, Lin Chang’an slightly narrowed his eyes. The leisurely mood of appreciating the scenery instantly vanished, replaced only by deep vigilance.
Beneath this beautiful aurora that stirred fear within one’s heart—
who knew how many man-eating demon beasts and killing intents lurked hidden within?
This light was both a gift from heaven and its silent warning.
“What a pity. They just had to interrupt at this moment.”
Lin Chang’an sighed softly, his voice carrying irritation and impatience at having his leisurely enjoyment disturbed.
The moment this sigh sounded, the Fengming Bird instantly transformed into a streak of golden light and fled back into the spirit beast pouch.
“Moo!”
The Green-horned Ox also revealed anger. Beautiful heavenly spectacles were appreciated not only by humans—even demon beasts admired them. Naturally, being disturbed angered it.
“Master!”
The Sword Attendant had already drawn a black sword into her hand, her expression full of vigilance.
“These uninvited guests truly chose the wrong moment to arrive.”
Lin Chang’an’s calm tone caused the familiar Sword Attendant to understand immediately—
her master was angry.
……
In the distance, four Core Formation cultivators hidden upon an island all revealed excited expressions.
“Boss Fan, you truly are incredible. You even calculated the arrival of this aurora.”
“No wonder Boss Fan told us to wait a little longer.”
“Hehe, that brat definitely never expected Boss Fan to be proficient in divination calculations. Back in Sea Abyss City, we already saw how extravagantly he spent…”
The leader, Boss Fan, had gray-white hair neatly bound behind his head with a simple wooden hairpin.
His face was thin and gaunt, covered with fine yet deeply etched wrinkles, like the rings of an ancient tree. Every wrinkle seemed engraved with endless years and wisdom.
“Enough. If you three hadn’t previously traded two spirit items with this person, this old man would never have divined that he would return to the Five Dragon Island sea region several days later.”
At this moment, the corners of Boss Fan’s mouth always seemed to carry a humble yet hypocritical smile. In his hand, he held an exquisite tortoise shell along with several copper coins.
The path of divination required certain clues and foundations. If one attempted to divine from nothingness, the difficulty would be immense, and there was an extremely high possibility of inaccuracy or even chaotic results.
Of course, this art was not as exaggerated as people imagined. The Dao of divination also relied upon one’s own cultivation and fortune as a basis. Seeking fortune and avoiding calamity was instead the most difficult aspect, and the price paid was also the greatest.
“Boss Fan, I heard this person belongs to the Sixth Elder of Bihai Palace. Once we do this job, I’m afraid we’ll truly have to flee to the Outer Sea.”
“Enough. As if we wouldn’t already be fleeing even if we didn’t do this.”
The other three wore smiles across their faces. Among them, a plump cultivator licked his lips and laughed flatteringly:
“Boss Fan, will there be any danger this time?”
Looking at the three, Boss Fan snorted coldly inwardly full of disdain.
Did these fools really think his Dao of divination was some common roadside cabbage? If he were truly that powerful, he would already have become a Nascent Soul cultivator.
“Relax. Although this person isn’t weak, how could he compare to us? Especially with this poison sac—below the Nascent Soul realm, anyone who touches it and can still retain even ten percent of their cultivation after three quarters of an hour would already be considered impressive.”
Under Boss Fan’s profound and unfathomable smile, the Dao of divination merely served to fool ignorant outsiders like these idiots.
Who would dare constantly perform divinations? Wasn’t that just courting death?
More often, he relied on reading expressions, secretly investigating, purchasing intelligence about his targets, then personally estimating their strength before vaguely producing some “divination result.”
As for whether the result proved correct, it didn’t matter.
The final interpretation always rested with him anyway. In short, the linguistic art of divination meant he could always explain things in the end.
As for this aurora, it was even simpler.
As a Core Formation cultivator who had lived over four hundred years, he no longer needed to calculate the climate changes of the Demon Beast Sea Abyss with his fingers.
He only needed to observe the celestial phenomena and smell the sea breeze to estimate things with near-perfect accuracy.
This aurora that stretched across the heavens appeared once every hundred years or so, and each appearance followed a pattern.
Only in the far northern lands did auroras appear frequently.
……
“Fellow Daoist, run quickly! There’s a Late Third-rank great demon in the distance!”
Three streaks of escape light fled in terror. Upon seeing Lin Chang’an from afar, they hurriedly shouted warnings.
Behind the three was also a gray-haired old man in a miserable state. Seeing the trio fleeing, he could not help but shout anxiously:
“Three fellow Daoists, don’t abandon this old man! I have treasures—quickly save—”
However, behind him, an enormous black shadow suddenly surfaced from the sea.
Terrifying tentacles dozens of zhang long burst forth wildly, covered in dense suction cups and hooked fangs.
The gray-haired old man appeared miserably trapped within them.
“Moo!”
The Green-horned Ox released the terrifying aura of a Mid Third-rank demon beast. Upon sensing the aura of the sea beast below, its copper bell-like eyes widened instinctively.
“Deep-sea giant beast!”
Even Lin Chang’an was rarely startled after seeing the black shadow emerge, revealing a body seventy to eighty zhang tall.
Only the deep sea contained demon beasts of such size. These were unique species of the Demon Beast Sea Abyss—gigantic sea beasts whose size far exceeded others of the same rank.
“Fellow Daoist, run!”
Even while fleeing in terror, the three did not forget to warn Lin Chang’an.
Yet the moment the three streaks of escape light flashed past him, smiles unconsciously rose upon both sides’ lips.
Under Lin Chang’an’s mocking smile—
if he had not already sensed these people beforehand, and even discovered that this sea beast had been released by them—
he might truly have believed their acting.
It had to be said that any cultivator who suddenly encountered such a terrifying deep-sea giant beast would instinctively choose to flee first.
“What a perfect opportunity!”
The instant the other three flashed past him, excitement appeared within their eyes.
Sure enough, the target had fallen for the trick again.
The plump middle-aged cultivator laughed excitedly as he directly took out a poison sac from his storage bag. Under the activation of his magical power—
a dense purple-black poisonous fog instantly spread outward.
The other two immediately cast spells, controlling the poisonous fog.
“Haha, success!”
This poison sac had been obtained by chance in the Outer Sea, originating from a Fourth-rank deep-sea giant beast. Unfortunately, only a small residue remained.
It could only be used against same-rank Core Formation cultivators, but even Third-rank demon beasts had never been able to resist it.
“Boss Fan, stop acting already. Don’t let this person escape.”
As the three laughed excitedly, they were already preparing to separately block any route of escape.
In the distance, the gray-haired old man who had still been miserably acting also revealed a smile of conspiracy fulfilled.
“Once we finish this job, we’ll leave the Demon Beast Sea Abyss. Who cares about Nascent Soul factions? Let them try searching the ends of the earth for us.”
Yet just as the four were smiling excitedly—
several sword gleams suddenly shot toward them from behind.
“Careful!”
Especially the three cultivators who had surrounded Lin Chang’an first. Their expressions changed drastically as they hurriedly activated magical power shields, but the sword gleams were simply too fast.
Amid explosive collisions, the three barely managed to block the attack together in a miserable state.
At the same time, however, the purple-black poisonous fog visibly dissipated.
Only then did they finally see—
Lin Chang’an inhaling deeply through his mouth and nose, directly sucking all the poisonous fog into his body.
“Run!”
Seeing this scene, the four instantly shrank their pupils. Without the slightest hesitation, they immediately chose to flee.
All their methods relied entirely upon that terrifying poisonous fog.
“I’ll return it to you!”
At this moment, Lin Chang’an suddenly opened his mouth and nose, violently expelling all the poisonous fog he had swallowed earlier.
The purple-black poisonous fog transformed into an arrow-like stream and instantly swept forward.
Caught completely off guard, the three hurriedly opened magical power barriers in terror.
“No! Fellow Daoist, spare us!”
“This poison has no antidote—”
The poisonous fog was far too terrifying. The defensive barriers of Core Formation cultivators were instantly corroded full of holes the moment they touched even a trace of it.
Purple-black discoloration rapidly spread across the skin of the three Core Formation cultivators, while their magical power became sluggish.
“What terrifying poison!”
Even Lin Chang’an was shocked.
This poison was horrifying. If he himself had not been immune to poison, ordinary Core Formation cultivators truly would not have been able to withstand such a violent toxin.
“Puchi!”
The sword gleams he had secretly prepared had not even been used. The poisonous fog’s power had exceeded expectations.
However, the Sword Attendant had already flashed forward.
The three cultivators were all Mid Core Formation cultivators. First poisoned and reduced to less than ten percent of their strength—
they had absolutely no power to resist the terrifying sword gleams of the Sword Attendant.
“Not good!”
The instant the gray-haired old man sensed something wrong, the speed of both his reaction and escape technique caused even Lin Chang’an to inwardly marvel.
The man had already transformed into a streak of light and fled.
Within the night sky, illuminated by the beautiful aurora, the gray-haired old man Boss Fan was drenched in cold sweat and filled with terror.
He had never expected to kick an iron plate this time.
“Fortunately, this old man always stays the farthest away. That way I can flee first every time. Moreover, among same-rank cultivators, few can match my escape technique unless they specialize in speed like avian demon beasts…”
As the gray-haired old man Boss Fan watched the enormous figure behind him rapidly shrink into the distance, he secretly sighed in relief, though his heart ached.
His spirit pet was probably doomed.
“Damn it. The poison is used up too. I can’t stay in the Demon Beast Sea Abyss any longer—”
Yet before he could finish speaking, a streak of golden light suddenly shot toward him from behind.
Crack!
His magical power barrier shattered instantly.
Boss Fan’s face turned deathly pale as his magical power and blood nearly froze.
“My master told me to return this to you.”
The golden light that pierced through his magical power barrier was finally blocked by his defensive magical artifact.
Unexpectedly, the golden light suddenly produced a crisp voice, then immediately spat out a mouthful of purple-black poisonous fog.
“No—”
The poisonous fog was far too familiar.
Only then did the terrified gray-haired old man finally see clearly that the golden light was actually a bird.
At this moment, crafty light flickered within the Fengming Bird’s eyes. Mimicking its master’s methods perfectly, it spat out the poisonous fog it had swallowed earlier.
The moment the defensive magical artifact touched the poisonous fog, sizzling corrosive sounds erupted as its spiritual light dimmed rapidly.
The poisonous fog gave him no opportunity whatsoever. It pierced directly through his protective spiritual light and invaded his body.
“AHHH—”
The gray-haired old man widened his eyes. His unwilling roar had only just sounded—
when the Fengming Bird seized the opportunity. Its sharp beak instantly pierced through his abdomen.
As blood splattered everywhere, a perfectly round Golden Core shining with spiritual light was clamped within the Fengming Bird’s beak.
“Sp-spare…”
Amid despair and agony, he retained only the final trace of consciousness, helplessly watching as the beast gulped his Golden Core down into its stomach.
……
Beneath the aurora spectacle, countless humans throughout the Demon Beast Sea Abyss emerged to look upward, while demon beasts surfaced from the sea, all marveling at the power of heaven and earth.
Meanwhile, within the sea region between the Five Dragon Islands, the seawater had already been dyed black.
The gigantic octopus sea beast floated lifelessly upon the sea surface.
Several sword gleams flashed out from inside the corpse.
At this moment, Lin Chang’an stood in the sky, catching the Sun-piercing Divine Sword with one hand while his gaze rested upon the sea beast.
“What a pity. Such a powerful sea beast instead lacked defensive strength.”
Powerful strength naturally possessed weaknesses as well.
His Sun-piercing Divine Sword had sliced through the powerful sea beast’s soft body like a hot knife through butter.
“Moo!”
As water surged and waves exploded upward, the furious Green-horned Ox emerged from the sea.
The Green-horned Ox’s thirty-zhang body appeared more than half a head shorter compared to the sea beast.
With an enraged roar, the Green-horned Ox flipped over the sea beast, revealing the petrified portion of its abdomen.
“Master, everything has been cleaned up.”
At this moment, the Sword Attendant also returned while carrying three corpses.
Right then, a streak of golden light flew over from the distance—it was the Fengming Bird soaring proudly through the sky.
“Master, that human cultivator was too cunning. He almost self-detonated his Golden Core. Fortunately, I was fast enough to peck it out in time. But the situation was too urgent then, and I feared the man might still have hidden tricks…”
The returning Fengming Bird continuously chirped with a solemn expression, completely acting as though it had swallowed the Golden Core purely for safety reasons.
However, when Lin Chang’an’s gaze swept toward the missing storage bag at the other party’s waist, he immediately understood roughly what had happened, causing the corner of his eye to twitch.
If one failed to keep an eye on the Fengming Bird for even a moment, it would start scheming behind one’s back.
“Is that so? This robbery cultivator really did flee quite quickly.”
Immediately afterward, Lin Chang’an looked at the corpse and could not help but say mockingly with feigned surprise:
“I suppose this robbery cultivator also wanted to self-destruct his storage bag.”
At this moment, the Fengming Bird widened its eyes. Panic flashed through them as its eyeballs darted about wildly. Yet after looking at the empty waist of the corpse, it immediately puffed itself up righteously and declared:
“Master, I was afraid the storage bag might get lost, so I kept it with me.”
Fiercely glaring at this crafty Fengming Bird, Lin Chang’an laughed helplessly before beginning to search through the memories of the four cultivators one by one.
Seeing this scene, the Fengming Bird secretly sighed in relief.
It had finally escaped this disaster.
“You, honestly…”
At this moment, the Fengming Bird guiltily shrank its body and landed upon the Sword Attendant’s shoulder, while the Sword Attendant rarely revealed a smile as she pointed at the bird.
“Little Mistress, it’s just that I haven’t eaten anything good for far too long.”
The Fengming Bird wore a pitiful expression.
However, the moment that form of address came out, panic flashed across the Sword Attendant’s eyes as she hurriedly lowered her voice:
“Don’t speak nonsense!”
The Fengming Bird lowered its head with a wronged look, but its crafty eyes continued darting around secretly.
Fortunately, it had kept an extra trick hidden beforehand.
After killing the robbery cultivator earlier, the Fengming Bird had hesitated while staring at the storage bag.
In the end, greed had won.
It secretly took out many valuable items from the storage bag and stuffed them into its own storage pouch.
It had already calculated that its master would definitely demand the storage bag afterward.
“Hmph hmph, you humans may be cunning, but our bird race didn’t grow brains for nothing either.”
Thinking about how it had intercepted a portion of the spoils, the Fengming Bird felt immensely pleased inside.
……
“So it really was just ordinary robbery cultivators.”
After a while, Lin Chang’an opened his eyes and muttered inwardly.
He had worried there might be some hidden conspiracy, but it had merely been a simple robbery attempt.
They had targeted him in Sea Abyss City after noticing his extravagant spending.
It was also because the Demon Beast Sea Abyss had become unstable that these four intended to complete one final job before fleeing this place entirely. Naturally, they no longer feared investigation from Bihai Palace.
This also indirectly showed that the unrest within the Demon Beast Sea Abyss was becoming increasingly severe. Many people already harbored thoughts of leaving this land of trouble.
And precisely because more and more cultivators thought this way, the Demon Beast Sea Abyss had become incomparably chaotic.
“Still, that gray-haired old man truly was cunning.”
At this moment, Lin Chang’an revealed a strange expression.
That man genuinely possessed some ability. He actually understood the rather obscure Dao of divination.
Though admittedly, his skill in that aspect amounted to only a little.
“This person actually resembled me somewhat. He also entered the cultivation world from the mortal world, except that in his mortal years, he had been a fortune teller.”
Regarding the man’s life, even Lin Chang’an could not help but admire him.
He truly dedicated himself fully to every profession he pursued.
Back in the mortal world, he had survived through observing expressions and reading people.
After entering the cultivation world, those same methods still proved useful.
Incredibly, he had deceived people for so many years without ever being exposed.
“What a pity. The cultivation world has now lost such a talent.”
Lin Chang’an was also deeply envious of this person’s immortal cultivation opportunity.
The man had already been over thirty years old when he accidentally encountered the cave abode of a deceased cultivator.
Moreover, that cultivator had been a Core Formation cultivator, and more importantly, possessed abundant resources.
In less than twenty years, the man relied upon only a small portion of the resources within the storage bag to establish his Foundation.
Afterward, he carefully cultivated within the cultivation world and later relied upon two Core Formation spirit items from the same storage bag to form his Golden Core.
Watching the man’s cultivation journey even made Lin Chang’an jealous.
He himself had undergone countless calamities just to establish his Foundation and form his Core.
Yet this man had obtained everything through a single opportunity while still a mortal.
People truly could not be compared.
However, after reaching the Core Formation realm, the original opportunity had mostly been exhausted.
Only the tortoise shell and copper coin treasures used for divination remained.
“Divination inheritance!”
Looking at the tortoise shell and copper coins in his hand, Lin Chang’an frowned secretly.
The Dao of divination was difficult both to learn and to master. Furthermore, it was nowhere near as powerful as imagined and possessed numerous drawbacks.
Some high-level cultivators possessed overwhelming fortune, treasures, or divine abilities that concealed heavenly secrets. All these could obstruct the success rate of divination or even trigger backlash.
“I’ll keep this inheritance for now. With my current energy and time, I can’t spare the effort to study these things. Right now, planning for the secret realm and searching for Nascent Soul-forming spirit items is the true priority.”
Immediately afterward, Lin Chang’an took out the Blood Fiend Demonic Blade and transformed all four cultivators into nourishment for the magical artifact.
Including the corpse of the gigantic sea demon beast as well.
At this moment, the Green-horned Ox was devouring the corpse voraciously and had already eaten nearly half its body.
Seeing this, Lin Chang’an removed the demon core from the sea beast.
The reason the four Mid Core Formation cultivators had dared rob him was because of that poison sac.
Unfortunately for them, they had encountered him.
Against ordinary cultivators, such violent poison would have been extremely effective. Very few could have resisted it.
“Master, these are the storage bags of the other three.”
The Sword Attendant respectfully prepared to return the storage bags, yet Lin Chang’an waved his hand, allowing her to keep them instead.
“The magical artifacts and other items inside these three storage bags should be handled carefully when disposing of them. Everything else can be used openly.”
“Yes, Master.”
Faced with her master’s reward, the Sword Attendant could not help but smile as she respectfully cupped her hands.
She never refused her master’s rewards.
Because in her heart, she herself already belonged entirely to her master.
“Three storage bags!”
At this moment, the Fengming Bird widened its eyes.
Seeing the Sword Attendant receive three storage bags so casually, although it did not know what treasures were inside—
it had contributed as well!
However, immediately afterward, Lin Chang’an deliberately rummaged through the gray-haired old man’s storage bag while pretending to search for certain treasures.
“I remember from searching his memories that this person’s storage bag contained many treasures. So why has this storage bag become empty now?”
“How is that possible!? I clearly left half behi—”
The Fengming Bird cried out instinctively.
Yet halfway through speaking, when it saw the meaningful smile upon its master’s face, it instantly wilted.
Its cunning master had actually tricked it into confessing.
“Master…”
Just as it thought it was about to be scolded, Lin Chang’an instead smiled and gently stroked its feathers while speaking earnestly:
“In the future, remember this—before taking treasures from a cultivator’s storage bag, first investigate whether there are tracking marks inside. Be careful not to capsize in the gutter.
And your little clever tricks are unworthy of refinement. In the future, properly learn the civilization of humans.”
Shaking his head, Lin Chang’an knew that the Fengming Bird actually possessed extremely high intelligence.
Perhaps because it had never undergone systematic learning, however, it only displayed petty cleverness.
Its intelligence was roughly equivalent to that of a young teenager.
This time, he understood clearly—if one day he became careless during some emergency, and the Fengming Bird secretly concealed spirit items again—
what if there were tracking restrictions upon them?
He did not wish for any accidents.
Meanwhile, as the Fengming Bird listened to its master solemnly explaining various methods for destroying corpses, eliminating traces, and disposing of suspicious items, it repeatedly nodded its little head while learning humbly.
So there was actually this much knowledge involved in destroying evidence and taking spoils of war.
It absolutely had to remember everything.
The Fengming Bird’s education could not be accomplished overnight.
Lin Chang’an arranged for the Sword Attendant to carefully guide and teach it more in the future.
Afterward, they finished cleaning the battlefield, and the Green-horned Ox, belching contentedly, headed toward the Five Dragon Islands.
After this interruption, even the aurora no longer felt as enjoyable.
Still, the harvest from this encounter had been quite good.
What Lin Chang’an valued most now was not the gray-haired old man Fan’s divination inheritance, but rather his experience regarding the various celestial phenomena and geographical conditions within the Demon Beast Sea Abyss.
Combined with Lin Chang’an’s powerful perception, such experience would elevate his capabilities tremendously.