txolops Chapter 188 Successive Deaths
Chapter 188 Successive Deaths
Just as Li Ping was feeding Yan Liming's soul to the Tree of Inheritance.
On the road from Qi Kingdom to Fenglan Immortal City, a red streak of light streaked across the void at an extremely fast speed, heading towards Fenglan Immortal City.
Within this red light was actually a cold and beautiful female cultivator who appeared to be a young woman of sixteen or seventeen. Her body was covered by a layer of firelight, making her look like a goddess in fire.
The aloof female cultivator transformed into a fireball, moving with lightning speed.
At the same time, she was also recalling the task given to her by the sect leader: "The news of the alliance between the four sects of the Holy Path and the Turks was leaked in advance. The problem must lie with Yan Liming. This lecherous man may have betrayed the sect. However, the sect leader believes that he was captured and had no choice but to reveal the information to save his life."
As the aloof and beautiful young woman flew at high speed, she let out a cold snort: "Hmph, whether he has betrayed the sect or not, we will know the answer as soon as we find Yan Liming."
In fact, the investigation into Yan Liming should have been put on the agenda a year ago.
However, at that time, the Holy Path was engaged in a great battle with the Defender Alliance, and the Core Formation cultivators were unable to escape.
She was only recently dispatched when the main force of the Defenders Alliance retreated to Donghua Mountain and the battle entered a stalemate.
Because the news was leaked in advance, the alliance between the Holy Path and the Turks did not achieve the desired effect.
Although the Holy Path seemed to have driven the Defenders Alliance cultivators out of the Yuan Kingdom and successfully occupied a large area of territory, it was actually the Defenders Alliance that voluntarily retreated, and its main force was not damaged.
The Turks were in a similar situation; the cultivators of the Defenders Alliance held them off firmly in the Yan and Liang kingdoms.
What was originally a swift and decisive battle, launched by a surprise attack, ended in a stalemate, thanks in no small part to Yan Liming!
"Hmph! The location is in Fenglan Immortal City. If I remember correctly, he possessed someone there last time." The cold and beautiful girl snorted again, forcibly making the connection, and had already concluded in her heart that Yan Liming was up to no good.
Although Yan Liming, as a veteran Core Formation cultivator of the Blood Shadow Sect, should know that the Blood Shadow Sect can find him through the life tablet he left in the sect, if he really betrayed the sect, he wouldn't dare to stay in Fenglan Immortal City so openly.
"He was captured..."
The young woman still remembered that two hundred years ago, when she first entered the Blood Shadow Sect, Yan Liming tried to kidnap her and use her sexual energy. If she hadn't been quick-witted and brought up her powerful backer in time, she would have fallen into Yan Liming's trap long ago.
Thinking of this, she snorted coldly again: "That old lecher Yan Liming is a Core Formation cultivator who has possessed another's body. How could he be so easily captured? He must have betrayed his sect! I will extract his soul and refine it on this trip as a warning to others!"
While she was pondering how to fabricate a scheme against Yan Liming.
Suddenly, she let out a soft "Eh," slowed down her escape speed, and took out a palm-sized blood-red token from her storage bag.
next moment--
Under her watchful gaze, the blood-red token shattered into countless fragments.
Her eyes widened: "Yan Liming is dead?"
……
Although he didn't know why Yan Liming could still pose a threat to him in that previous state.
But now that Yan Liming is dead and the danger has passed,
While Li Ping remained vigilant, he had no intention of pursuing the matter further.
Moreover, since he doesn't sense any danger now, there's no need for him to rush off; he can continue cultivating in the Immortal City.
After all, he preferred the lively atmosphere of the Immortal City to hiding in a secret cave as a shut-in.
"It's time to go out and have my third brother collect the materials needed to craft the puppets. Once I've crafted three high-grade second-tier puppets, I'll be invincible below the Core Formation stage." Thinking of this, Li Ping couldn't help but feel a little excited.
Immediately, he flew away towards Immortal Peach Mountain and headed towards the Ten Thousand Laws Pavilion.
After announcing his arrival at Wanfalou, he met Gu Musheng.
"Brother, you could have just told me if you needed anything. Why did you come all the way to Wanfa Tower in person?" Gu Musheng walked in with a smile.
After regaining power, he appeared somewhat wealthy, dressed in splendid attire, looking more like a rich merchant than a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, Zhang Tie, Gu Musheng, and the others each had their own careers to attend to, and they also did not want to disturb Li Ping's cultivation.
Therefore, they rarely appear on Xiantao Mountain unless there is something going on.
But this did not diminish their respect for Li Ping. Even Bai Qing, who lived far away in Gaojishan, would often send people Gaojishan's specialty spiritual tea and other gifts to his elder brother.
Li Ping looked at Gu Musheng and said softly, "I've been feeling restless lately, so I thought I'd come out for a walk."
The two sat down, and Li Ping took out a list of materials needed to refine a second-tier high-grade puppet from his storage bag and handed it to Gu Musheng: "Musheng, does the Myriad Laws Pavilion have these materials in stock?"
Gu Musheng initially thought his elder brother needed materials for talisman making, but when he took the materials list and looked at it, he was instantly dumbfounded: "Brother, what do you need all these refining materials for, and there are so many of them? Brother, you're not planning to study weapon refining, are you?"
Li Ping shook his head without explaining, only smiling slightly, "I have my own purpose, don't ask any more questions."
Upon hearing this, Gu Musheng nodded without pressing further. He frowned and said, "Brother, the materials you requested are all second-tier spiritual materials. Apart from second-tier high-grade life souls, the other materials aren't too scarce. Normally, I could get them for you directly. However, now... a great war has broken out between the Yan and Liang kingdoms, and magical artifacts are suffering heavy losses. All resources must be prioritized there. With cultivators from Ziyun Valley keeping an eye on things, I can't go too far."
He thought for a moment and said, "Brother, if the war situation can remain stable as it is now, I can gather about one-third of the materials you need within a year. The remaining two-thirds will probably take three to four years to gather."
"Is that so?" Li Ping nodded slightly.
He wasn't surprised by Gu Musheng's answer.
Once the great war begins, in addition to the loss of manpower, the daily consumption of magical artifacts, talismans, pills, and other spiritual items is enormous.
During this great battle, the resources of the Immortal City were naturally brought under control.
This isn't a question of price, but rather a question of availability.
The fact that Gu Musheng could obtain one-third of these materials within a year is enough to demonstrate his ability.
If Li Ping is in a hurry to escape, he might seek help from Yu Menghan.
However, now that the danger has passed, he has no urgent need to run away, so waiting won't hurt.
Thinking of this, he smiled and said, "Musheng, I'm not in a hurry. Focus on your own work. As long as it doesn't affect your work, try your best to collect it for me."
Gu Musheng relaxed his brows: "Don't worry, brother, I know what I'm doing."
……
"War is no good thing!" Li Ping said with a slight sigh as he walked out of Wanfa Tower.
Due to the war, not only has it become more difficult to collect spiritual materials, but the price of these materials has also risen significantly.
No one likes war, yet it is unavoidable.
After all, the resources produced in the cultivation world are fixed, and which cultivator would complain about having too few resources?
Unequal distribution of resources ultimately led to war.
As the fighting progressed and the number of cultivators decreased, the conflict eased, and everyone's mindset finally calmed down.
When Li Ping talked with Gu Musheng, he also left behind the thirty second-tier low-grade spirit talismans he had drawn during this period as a deposit.
In this great battle, the price of spirit talismans also increased significantly, with a second-tier low-grade spirit talisman selling for seventy spirit stones.
Compared to before the war, it has increased by more than 40%.
After learning about the resource control of the Immortal City through Gu Musheng, Li Ping had no intention of going to shops such as Yuya Palace and Lingbao Pavilion to inquire. Instead, he returned directly to Immortal Peach Mountain to cultivate in seclusion.
In the middle of that year, Bai Qing made a special trip to visit him and inform him of the passing of the Bai family's ancestor.
Before the patriarch passed away, three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Bai family set out together and seized a second-tier spiritual land called "Five Cloud Pool" located three thousand miles from Gaoji Mountain.
Now the Bai family effectively possesses two second-tier spiritual lands: Gaojishan and Wuyuntan, which form a strategic alliance. Bai Qing and Bai Zhengheng each manage one of them, greatly increasing the Bai family's strength.
"Has the Bai family patriarch passed away?" Li Ping sighed softly.
The Bai family patriarch lived to be over 230 years old, which is not considered short-lived among Foundation Establishment cultivators. However, even with the longevity of Foundation Establishment cultivators, it is inevitable that they will eventually reach the end of their lifespan and pass away.
Li Ping shook his head inwardly: "Let alone Foundation Establishment cultivators, even Golden Core cultivators, whose lifespan is five hundred years, will eventually pass away. Without achieving immortality, everything is in vain!"
"Brother, this is spiritual tea produced in Gaojishan, and also spiritual fish raised in Wuyuntan." Bai Qing did not come empty-handed, but brought his own local specialties.
Li Ping nodded, not turning them away, but accepting the local specialties.
Although he was somewhat disappointed in Bai Qing after Bai Lin's foundation-building incident.
But what's done is done; just keep it in your heart and there's no need to dwell on it on your face.
Seeing his elder brother accept the local specialties he had brought, Bai Qing smiled, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then said goodbye.
As a member of the Bai family's foundation-building lineage, he enjoyed many benefits from the family, so naturally he had to stay and protect the family.
……
Two months after the death of the Bai family patriarch, Zhang Tie arrived at Immortal Peach Mountain with bloodshot eyes.
Upon seeing Li Ping, he could no longer hold back the tears welling up in his eyes: "Brother, my master has passed away."
Zhang Tie had two masters: one was the Qi Refining cultivator Old Man Lin, and the other was the Immortal City Lord, True Man Feng Lan.
Fenglan Zhenren passed away about two years ago. Zhang Tie was only in a state of panic for a while before recovering as usual.
But now that Old Man Lin has passed away, he is overwhelmed with grief and cannot suppress his emotions, bursting into tears.
"Old Man Lin has passed away?" Li Ping was also somewhat surprised when he heard the news.
However, considering Old Man Lin's age, it seemed quite normal for him to pass away at this time; he had reached the right age.
Thinking of this, he gently patted Zhang Tie's shoulder: "Cultivators will eventually pass away. Old Man Lin was able to cultivate a Foundation Establishment cultivator and see you marry, have children, and establish a family. He must have passed away with a smile on his face."
Zhang Tietong's eyes were red: "I am an orphan. If my master hadn't taken me in, I would have died long ago."
Finally, Zhang Tie mentioned...
He planned to change his youngest son's surname to Lin, so that he could observe mourning as the grandson of Old Man Lin.
Old Man Lin had planned to do this before he died, but Old Man Lin disagreed.
Now that Old Man Lin has passed away, he is determined to do this.