txolops Chapter 209 Lin Chuan Returns! The Pillar of Yellow Maple Valley!
Chapter 209 Lin Chuan Returns! The Pillar of Yellow Maple Valley!
Without hesitation, Lin Chuan immediately began collecting the spiritual herbs from the ruins of Lingmiao Garden.
This place is rich in spiritual energy and has been sealed off for countless millennia, so many spiritual herbs have already reached an astonishing age.
He carefully navigated the ruins of the medicinal field, identifying rare and precious herbs that had long since disappeared or were extremely rare in the outside world.
"The Jade Orchid is at least 30,000 years old... The Blood Jade Lingzhi, judging from its color and texture, is probably over 40,000 years old..."
"A purple-veined goblin, this is an excellent auxiliary ingredient for refining the Qian Yuan Pill. It's such a large piece, it's probably over fifty thousand years old..."
Even though Lin Chuan was well-traveled and wealthy, he could not hide his excitement at this moment.
He carefully used a jade shovel and a jade box to pick the spiritual herbs that had reached the level of ten thousand years or even tens of thousands of years, one by one, piece by piece.
It is preserved with a special spirit-sealing talisman to ensure that the medicinal power is not lost.
As for those spiritual herbs that were a few thousand years old, he didn't let them go either, but he didn't value them as much as he valued those that were ten thousand years old.
Bringing these spiritual herbs back to Yellow Maple Valley would be enough for the sect to cultivate several times more Core Formation cultivators than it currently has, and even lay a solid resource foundation for the birth of several Nascent Soul cultivators in the future.
It took Lin Chuan three whole days to collect all the valuable, high-aged medicinal herbs from the not-so-vast ruins of Lingmiao Garden.
His storage bag now contains a large quantity of medicinal herbs, each one priceless.
"The results far exceeded expectations."
Lin Chuan was satisfied, but he was not in a hurry to find a spatial node to leave this place.
Look around.
Feeling the rich spiritual energy that far exceeded that of the outside world, a thought arose in his mind.
"Although this place is dilapidated, its abundant spiritual energy makes it an excellent place for seclusion. Only a dozen years have passed in the outside world, but with the concentration of spiritual energy here, the cultivation effect could probably be equivalent to decades of hard work outside. Why not... go into seclusion here for a while, further improve my cultivation, and also thoroughly digest what I have gained from this Fallen Demon Valley?"
His cultivation at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm is now stable, but he is still quite a distance from the peak of the mid-stage or even the late stage. The spiritual energy here is an excellent aid.
Having made up his mind, Lin Chuan found a relatively flat and clean spot next to the dilapidated stone pavilion, waved his hand to set up several layers of protective and concealment restrictions, sat down cross-legged, and began his secluded cultivation.
Time passed silently in quiet meditation. Within the Lingmiao Garden, spiritual energy continuously flowed into Lin Chuan's body, being refined and absorbed by the Qingyuan Sword Technique, transforming into pure magical power that slowly propelled his cultivation to a higher level.
In his spare time, he also studied the follow-up techniques of the "Great Evolution Technique" obtained from the ancient cultivator's cave in the Fallen Demon Valley, as well as the refining method of the "Primordial Jade Wall". His divine sense was also steadily improving under the nourishment of spiritual energy and the tempering of the techniques.
This period of seclusion lasted for fifteen years.
When Lin Chuan opened his eyes again, the light in his eyes was restrained, and his aura was more serene and profound than before he went into seclusion.
He carefully sensed himself and realized that his cultivation at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm had taken a significant leap forward, and he was only a hair's breadth away from the peak of the mid-stage. The depth of his magical power and the strength of his divine sense far surpassed those of himself fifteen years ago.
"It's time to leave."
Lin Chuan stood up and came to the edge of this dilapidated space.
The hazy spatial barrier appears weak, but it actually contains the residual power of spatial turbulence, making it difficult for ordinary cultivators to break through.
However, Lin Chuan's cultivation had greatly improved, and his divine sense was close to the level of the Nascent Soul stage. He had already locked onto the weakest point on the spatial barrier.
He pointed his fingers like a sword, and the seventy-two Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords transformed into an incomparably condensed golden sword rainbow, slashing fiercely towards that node!
"Sizzle—!"
A slight tearing sound rang out, and the spatial barrier was forcibly ripped open, creating a crack just wide enough for one person to pass through.
Lin Chuan flashed and disappeared into it.
The light and shadow shifted before his eyes, and a familiar dizziness washed over him. When Lin Chuan regained his footing and his feet touched solid ground, he found himself no longer in the eerie and sinister Fallen Demon Valley, but in a lush and verdant mountain forest.
Sunlight filters through the branches and leaves, casting dappled patterns of light. The air is filled with the fragrance of grass and trees, and the faint sounds of animals and birds can be heard in the distance.
"This is... the outer perimeter of the Wanling Mountains in Dongyu Kingdom?"
Lin Chuan quickly identified the location. It seemed that the spatial rift had teleported him back to the Wanling Mountains, but it was quite far from the original entrance.
He released his divine sense, which instantly covered an area of hundreds of miles.
Soon, they detected the presence of two Core Formation stage cultivators, who were searching for something together in the mountains and forests.
Lin Chuan moved swiftly and appeared silently in front of the two.
"Who goes there?!"
The two Core Formation cultivators were startled. When they saw Lin Chuan's face clearly and sensed his unfathomable, mountain-like aura, their faces turned pale. They hurriedly bowed and said, "Junior greets Senior! What are your instructions, Senior?"
"No need for formalities."
Lin Chuan waved his hand, his tone indifferent, "I have been in seclusion for many years, and upon emerging, I am not very clear about the recent situation in Tiannan. You two, please tell me about the important major events that have occurred in the cultivation world of Tiannan in the last ten years or so."
The two exchanged a glance. The older Core Formation cultivator composed himself and respectfully replied, "Reporting to Senior, if we were to name the biggest event of the past ten years, it would undoubtedly be the upheaval in the Fallen Demon Valley, where ancient demons escaped and wreaked havoc in the southern region..."
He dared not conceal anything and recounted what he knew in detail. Legend has it that more than one ancient demon escaped from the Fallen Demon Valley, devouring dozens of cultivators within its walls. After escaping, they wreaked havoc across Tiannan. They were elusive and incredibly powerful, specifically targeting small and medium-sized sects, devouring cultivators' nascent souls. Within just a few years, several sects were destroyed, plunging the cultivation world of Tiannan into a state of panic and fear.
Later, the three great cultivators of Tiannan—Wei Wuyai, Zhiyang Shangren, and Hehuan Laomo—were forced to join forces again, gathering nearly twenty Nascent Soul cultivators from the four major forces. They set a trap and engaged the ancient demon in a great battle on a desolate plain on the border of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance. The battle was so fierce that the heavens and earth trembled. It is said that the three great cultivators were seriously injured, and several Nascent Soul cultivators who participated in the siege also perished. Only then were they finally able to surround the ancient demon that had revealed its whereabouts, and the chaos in Tiannan was finally quelled.
"I see."
Lin Chuan was not surprised after hearing this.
He already knew that the Blood Flame Soul had escaped and had not been completely destroyed.
Unexpectedly, this demon caused such havoc that it forced the three cultivators to join forces again, even at a considerable cost.
"Then... what's the current situation of Yellow Maple Valley of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance? Has it been affected by that ancient demon?" Lin Chuan asked casually.
Upon hearing this, the two Core Formation cultivators both showed a hint of relief on their faces: "Reporting to Senior, Yellow Maple Valley is safe and sound. It is said that although that ancient demon is ferocious, it is also quite intelligent, specifically targeting sects with weak defenses and remote locations. There are many cultivation sects in the Northern Liang Kingdom, and they help each other. Yellow Maple Valley is located in the heart of the region, adjacent to several major sects, so it seems that the ancient demon did not provoke it..."
Upon learning that Huangfeng Valley was safe and sound, Lin Chuan was relieved of his last worry.
Without asking any further questions, he vanished from their sight in a flash, transforming into a streak of azure light that was barely perceptible to the naked eye, and sped off toward the direction of Yellow Maple Valley in the Northern Liang Kingdom.
On the surface, Huangfeng Valley appears calm as always, but an indescribable anxiety permeates the upper echelons.
Elder Lin Chuan has been missing ever since the battle at Fallen Demon Valley, nearly twenty years have passed.
Rumors about his demise in the Demon Fall Valley were rampant in the cultivation world. Although there was no conclusive evidence, it still greatly affected the reputation of the Yellow Maple Valley.
More importantly, another Supreme Elder, Linghu Laozu, is nearing the end of his lifespan. According to his close disciples, he probably only has twenty or thirty years left.
Once Patriarch Linghu passes away and Lin Chuan truly perishes, Huangfeng Valley will instantly lose a Nascent Soul cultivator to oversee it, falling from a top-ranking sect in the Nine Kingdoms Alliance to a second- or even third-rate force. The resource squeeze and external pressure it will face at that time are unimaginable.
Fortunately, before Lin Chuan left, he left behind a wealth of cultivation resources for Huangfeng Valley, including pills, spirit stones, and cultivation manuals.
Over the past decade or so, Huangfeng Valley has worked diligently to cultivate its disciples, and a number of promising young talents have emerged.
The number of Core Formation cultivators in the sect has increased from less than ten in the past to as many as seventeen!
Some of them, such as Lei Wanhe and the Murong brothers, have even reached the late stage of Core Formation, and there is still hope that they will condense their Nascent Soul in the future.
However, the Nascent Soul stage is no easy feat, and with time so pressing, the entire sect is still under immense pressure.
On this day, inside the main hall of the main peak, Ancestor Linghu was discussing sect affairs with several core Core Formation elders.
Although his lifespan was nearing its end and his vital energy was waning, Linghu Laozu was still in good spirits, though a deep worry lingered between his brows.
"Ancestor, the Northern Yuan Sect has sent another message, mentioning the merger of the two factions again, and their words... sound quite coercive."
An elder in the late stage of Core Formation reported in a deep voice, his face filled with resentment.
Linghu Patriarch sneered, "The Northern Yuan Sect? It's nothing more than a sect with only one early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in charge. They dare to plot against my Yellow Maple Valley? They're just taking advantage of Junior Brother Lin's long absence and my impending death. Tell them, this is absolutely impossible!"
"But Ancestor, it seems that the Haoran Pavilion is behind the Northern Yuan Sect..."
Another elder expressed his concern.
Linghu Laozu frowned, about to say something, when suddenly, a terrifying light burst forth in his cloudy eyes. He turned his head sharply to look outside the hall, his face instantly replaced by unbelievable ecstasy!
"That aura... it's Junior Brother Lin! Junior Brother Lin is back!!"
Before the words had even finished, a calm yet crystal-clear voice resounded throughout the entire main peak of Yellow Maple Valley:
"I, Lin, have returned from my seclusion. Thank you all for your concern."
The sound wasn't loud, but it carried a strange power to soothe people's hearts, instantly dispelling the gloom that had lingered in the valley for years.
Immediately afterwards, a figure in cyan appeared at the entrance of the main hall like a ghost; it was none other than Lin Chuan, who had been away from the valley for nearly twenty years!
His expression was calm and his aura was restrained, but standing there, he was like an insurmountable mountain, which put everyone in the hall at ease, and then they burst into earth-shattering cheers!
"It's Elder Lin!"
"The Ancestor has returned! The Ancestor did not perish!"
"Greetings, Elder Lin!"
Inside and outside the hall, all the disciples of Huangfeng Valley who heard the commotion, whether elders, deacons, or disciples, bowed excitedly towards the main peak, and the shouts of "Ancestor Lin" echoed through the sky like a tsunami!
The unease and anxiety that had been building up for more than a decade vanished completely at this moment!
Elder Linghu rushed forward, his old eyes slightly reddening, and grasped Lin Chuan's arm, his voice choked with emotion:
"Junior brother! I knew it! I knew with your abilities, nothing would happen! It's good you're back, it's good you're back!"
"I'm sorry to have worried my senior brother."
Lin Chuan smiled slightly, then reached out to support Linghu Laozu, clearly sensing the waning blood and qi and the dwindling life force within him.
He sighed inwardly, thinking that his senior brother was indeed on the verge of exhaustion.
After everyone's excitement subsided, Lin Chuan and Linghu Patriarch returned to the inner hall to talk.
After dismissing everyone around him, Lin Chuan took out a warm, smooth jade bottle from his storage bag and handed it over.
"Senior brother, this pill is called the 'Mysterious Origin Longevity Pill.' I refined it by chance a few years ago. Its medicinal power is quite good, and it should be able to add about fifty years to your lifespan. Please accept it and consume and refine it as soon as possible."
"An extra fifty years of lifespan?!" Old Ancestor Linghu's hand trembled, almost unable to believe his ears. For a cultivator like him whose lifespan was nearing its end, let alone fifty years, even five or ten years would be priceless! This bottle of pills was simply a lifeline, and it had bought Huangfeng Valley crucial time!
"Junior brother...this,this is too precious!" Ancestor Linghu was so excited that he was incoherent.
"Senior brother, there's no need for such formality. We are fellow disciples, and Yellow Maple Valley is the foundation of our sect. With your long lifespan and your presence overseeing the sect, I can travel freely and seek further opportunities," Lin Chuan said solemnly.
Linghu Patriarch no longer declined, solemnly put away the jade bottle, and felt a great weight lifted from his heart.
With this fifty-year lifespan, he can not only arrange sect affairs more securely, but also, if he adjusts his own condition well, he may have a chance to try to break through the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul stage before his lifespan runs out.
Linghu Patriarch, who was in a great mood, suddenly remembered something, and his expression turned serious again: "By the way, Junior Brother, you've come back just in time. In recent years, a strange thing has happened in Tiannan, which is quite significant and may even be related to the ancient demon you encountered in the Fallen Demon Valley back then."
"Oh? Please speak, senior brother." Lin Chuan's expression shifted.
"About seven or eight years ago, near the coast of Xi Kingdom in the Boundless Sea, a huge whirlpool suddenly appeared on the surface of the sea without any warning! This whirlpool was extremely large and bottomless. Even more strangely, it began to continuously spew out extremely pure spiritual energy from the world! This spiritual energy seemed to be purifying the previously stagnant and highly poisonous waters of the Boundless Sea!"
Linghu Patriarch spoke slowly, his eyes filled with astonishment and doubt: "Not only that, but surrounding this enormous whirlpool, seven islands of varying sizes have spontaneously risen from the seabed. Each island is brimming with spiritual energy, and upon investigation, they have all been found to possess a top-tier spiritual vein! Such spiritual veins are extremely rare even within the Tiannan Continent, yet they have appeared in clusters on the boundless sea!"