「Half a month later.」
Lin Changheng "broke through" to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation as planned and moved into a new small courtyard at the Guanxia Daoist School.
It had been newly built and assigned to him by the Xu Family for their new Honored Guest Elder.
Nurous courtyards were built upon the main trunk of the Middle Grade Spiritual Vein, and locations were scarce. Lin Changheng simply chose a more remote spot that wasn’t among the cluster of buildings but had the advantage of being quiet.
Glancing around, he found that both the courtyard and the interior of the house were of a much higher standard than his previous one, and the furnishings were far more elegant.
They were antique and of extraordinary style, all made from Golden Silk Nanmu wood—a material precious in the mortal world and typically reserved for royalty.
Lin Changheng wasn’t one to covet luxury, but he didn’t mind his living environnt being a little better.
He closed the courtyard gate, stomped his foot, and instantly vanished without a trace.
All that remained was a faint ripple on the ground.
Then, with a flash of yellow light, a figure in a green robe appeared inside the house. He had just sat down when he poured himself a cup of Middle Grade Cloud Spirit Tea.
This tea was rationed only to the Xu Family’s Middle Grade Alchemists. It could alleviate the fatigue from Alchemy and clear one’s mind.
It was best consud before or during the middle stages of Alchemy.
However, Lin Changheng had no such need and only drank it casually.
’This Earth Escape Anomaly Technique: Spiritual from the Second Layer Treasure Seed is clearly much stronger. Whether entering the ground or tunneling, its speed and duration are incomparable to before.’
’I can go as deep as a zhang and a half, and it lasts for seven breaths, allowing to tunnel for nearly a hundred zhang. With such a significant improvent, my self-preservation abilities are even more prominent.’
As the unique, refreshing fragrance filled his mouth, Lin Changheng’s thoughts flashed, focusing on the Primordial Cauldron in his sea of consciousness.
[Utility: Skillfully perceive the rhythm of the earth, continuously rging with the soil to travel through it]
Lin Changheng was quite satisfied with this effect. When using the Earth Escape Anomaly Technique, he did indeed feel much more composed and at ease.
’I wonder,’ Lin Changheng mused, ’between my Earth Escape Anomaly Technique from Spirit Stealing Demon Blood and the Earth Escape Skill Magic used by Human Race Cultivators, which is superior? And what are the differences?’
’Once I obtain the Earth Escape Skill in the future, I’ll have to compare them carefully.’
With this in mind, Lin Changheng once again focused on the ochre-colored Treasure Seed—
[Pan Mountain Turtle Treasure Seed·Second Layer]
[Spirit Stealing: 52/100]
’I rember Feiyue ntioning last ti that after she received the Middle Grade Talisman Dao Inheritance, she displayed remarkable talent. She now has the authority within her clan to obtain more Pan Mountain Essence Blood. At this rate, the accumulation for this Treasure Seed will be even faster!’
This thought brought the person to mind; he couldn’t help but think of Princess Tantai.
Before revealing to the Xu Family that she could create Masterpiece Talismans, the princess had been worried. She had even made a special late-night visit to seek his guidance. It was only after listening to his advice that the subsequent events unfolded.
Fortunately, everything that happened went as they had predicted and was developing in a positive direction.
Now, with their secrets intertwined, they helped each other, their interests entangled. The closeness of their relationship was on a whole new level.
Moreover, as her Cultivation increased, she had beco increasingly beautiful and radiant. She was starting to resemble the heroines from classic tales, like a flower in full bloom, ready to be plucked.
...
Over the past two years, he hadn’t neglected the Spirit Stealing for his other Treasure Seeds, and Lin Changheng had even left the clan twice.
Among them, the Wood Puppet Fox Treasure Seed had quickly accumulated to the Second Layer. However, as the developnt of Juechen Valley progressed, the Spirit Fox Mountain Liu Family lent their aid, setting up a Grand Array to dispel the Poisonous Miasma.
The demand for the Decompression Pill vanished, so he stopped refining it, and Lin Changheng could no longer continue accumulating that particular Treasure Seed.
Thus, it remained stuck at the Second Layer, and the Self-healing Anomaly Technique was also stuck at the "Spiritual" realm, unable to advance further.
After careful testing, Lin Changheng discovered that by consuming Magical Power and Qi and Blood, he could achieve an "Enhanced Self-Healing" effect, allowing him to heal deep cuts, minor fractures, and similar injuries.
Later, by using his identity as a Pill Master and his friendship with Xu Xuzhong, the Steward of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, he managed to purchase the remaining Wood Puppet Fox Essence Blood within the clan.
The result left Lin Changheng stunned and not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
He was laughing because he had quickly pushed the Wood Puppet Fox Treasure Seed to the Third Layer and Refined it into the Self-healing Anomaly Technique: Tongming!
It allowed for "Finger Regeneration."
It was just like how so small beasts shed their tails to survive.
He had even fantasized that if he continued with Spirit Stealing, he might truly achieve "Arm Rebirth," "Severe Injuries Can Heal," or even the "Blood Rebirth" of the Immortal Families...
But this expectation was quickly shattered.
Because the Wood Puppet Fox Treasure Seed only went up to the Third Layer!
It couldn’t advance any further.
It was the first ti Lin Changheng had encountered such a thing, and he couldn’t help but scratch his head.
After several experints, the result remained the sa.
He had no choice but to accept this fact.
After calming down, he began to summarize his findings:
’Essence Blood from Demon Beasts of the sa level can have significant differences. Their ancestors are different, and so is their potential.’
’Among them, the superior one is the Fire Crow Essence Blood. Its lineage can be traced back to a suspected True Spirit. Its ancestors were powerful and glorious. It allows for Spirit Stealing up to the Fifth Layer, producing a "Dao Fruit" through tamorphosis, which is a "Divine Ability".’
’Next is the Cyan Wood Snake Essence Blood. It’s not as good as the Fire Crow’s; its ancestor was likely a Great Demon. It can also reach the Fifth Layer of Spirit Stealing, but its tamorphosis only produces a "True Core," which is a "Demon Technique".’
’And then there’s the Wood Puppet Fox Essence Blood, which has the lowest potential of those I’ve encountered. Its lineage is ordinary—it might not even have one, being just a common beast that transford after absorbing the world’s Spiritual chanism. Its Spirit Stealing stops abruptly at the Third Layer, with no tamorphosis, producing only an "Abnormal Technique".’
’Divine Abilities, Demon Techniques, Abnormal Techniques...’
The hierarchy was distinct, the different levels of potential clear at a glance.
Whether there were any other categories in between was still unknown.
Lin Changheng had stared at the empty slot left by the Wood Puppet Fox Treasure Seed for a long ti before finally coming to terms with it:
’Encountering a Demon Beast like the Fire Crow, with such a glorious lineage, was a stroke of luck, not the norm.’
Once he recognized this, he felt much more at ease.
...
As for the Earth Fire Lizard Treasure Seed.
It had already ford the First Layer, and he had accumulated sixty percent of the way to the Second Layer.
Lin Changheng had made purchases twice at the Spirit Fox Beast Pavilion in the Ruins District, and Shopkeeper Liu had greeted him enthusiastically both tis.
At first, Shopkeeper Liu hadn’t expected Lin Changheng to return, assuming his earlier words were just polite pleasantries.
But then he really did co back and bought out the shop’s entire stock of both Earth Fire Lizard Essence Blood and Fla-tailed Spirit Fox Essence Blood, forcing the shopkeeper to accept that this was indeed a major custor.
However, this major custor didn’t even glance at the several types of "Mortal Filth Demon Blood" he had in stock, looking completely uninterested.
This thwarted his little sche to clear out his old inventory, a fact he sighed over for quite so ti.
He couldn’t understand why the great patron who used to buy all kinds of essence blood had suddenly changed his habits.
...
Lin Changheng once again looked toward the rosy, illusory image representing the Fla-tailed Spirit Fox Treasure Seed—
He had purchased from the Spirit Fox Beast Pavilion twice, obtaining over sixty bottles of Essence Blood.
[Fla-tailed Spirit Fox Treasure Seed · Spirit Stealing tamorphosis in progress]
[Spirit Stealing: 37/100]
’Too slow... I’m only a third of the way there...’
Lin Changheng frowned and muttered to himself, "In five days, soone from the Liu Family will finally be coming to the Xu Family for discussions again. This might be an opportunity to make a connection!"
"But before that, I have to et a young lady from the Xu Family. It was a recomndation from Brother Xuzhong, so it’s not good for to refuse again..."
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