txolops Chapter 71 Sun the 2-Dog! The Soul-Guiding Bell!
Chapter 71 Sun the 2-Dog! The Soul-Guiding Bell!
Lin Chuan slowly stood up.
Feeling the azure-gold true essence within his body, which was nearly twice as powerful and pure as when he was in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, flowing continuously and carrying a hint of sharp sword intent, a genuine smile involuntarily appeared on his face.
Mid-stage of foundation building.
Only in this world of cultivation, fraught with both danger and opportunity, can one truly have the means to make a living and travel the world.
As long as he doesn't actively provoke old monsters in the Core Formation stage, even against cultivators in the late Foundation Establishment stage or even at its peak, he is fully capable of fighting them with his current abilities.
It is not impossible to even win a battle.
The path to immortality emphasizes a balance between exertion and relaxation.
Having lived a secluded life for many years, I have made continuous breakthroughs and secluded myself for a long time, which has inevitably made me a little tense.
In addition, the daily divination, though it can bring good fortune and avoid misfortune and provide guidance on resources, often results in a "slightly auspicious" or "neutral" outcome when one stays in the small world of the cave for a long time.
The guidance they provide mostly refers to limited resources in the vicinity, making it difficult to encounter a truly transformative "great opportunity."
"Perhaps it's time to get out and about."
Lin Chuan's mind stirred slightly. "Firstly, it would help me relax, and secondly... perhaps in the wider world, the divination could guide me to find unexpected opportunities."
Once he made up his mind, he no longer hesitated.
After carefully inspecting and reinforcing the "Mysterious Armor Formation" outside the cave and confirming that the concealment restriction of the Spirit Eye Spring was functioning properly, he rode his magical artifact and left this spiritual place where he had cultivated in seclusion for many years.
The first place that came to his mind was Huangfeng Valley Market.
That place was an important starting point for him to acquire resources and prepare for the Blood Forbidden Land Trial in the early stages of his cultivation journey, bringing him many useful magical artifacts and talismans.
Stepping into the bustling market again, Lin Chuan's state of mind was quite different from back then.
I randomly found a clean inn to stay in and waited for the divination results to be updated the next day.
Today's divination result: Minor good fortune.
[The divination text reads: At noon today, you encountered a former fellow disciple from Xuankun Mountain in the market. He was still at the twelfth level of Qi Refining. Seeing that you have now successfully established your foundation, he offered you a hundred-year-old ginseng.]
"A hundred-year-old ginseng..."
Lin Chuan looked at the divination text and felt both amused and exasperated.
It is indeed a "minor blessing," a small benefit in terms of wealth and interpersonal relationships.
But now, he has little interest in a two-hundred-year-old spiritual herb that only has a good effect on those in the Qi Refining stage.
They had no intention of dealing with the conversations and mundane affairs that might follow.
"Forget it, let's just avoid it."
Lin Chuan decided to check out of the market early in the morning, intending to go further and try his luck in a wider world.
After a brief consideration, he decided on Lanzhou as his first stop.
Choosing this location was certainly not without reason.
He clearly remembered that in the original story, before leaving Huangfeng Valley, Han Li entrusted one of his puppets, named "Qu Hun," to Sun Ergou of the Siping Gang in Jiayuan City, Lanzhou, for care.
Later, this puppet was taken over by a Core Formation cultivator from the Spirit Control Sect whose physical body had been destroyed and who only had his primordial spirit left.
"Judging by the time... that Core Formation cultivator from the Yuling Sect should have successfully possessed 'Qu Hun's' soul, and the possession was still recent, which is the period when it is at its weakest and has not yet fully recovered!" Lin Chuan's eyes flashed with a sharp light.
The legacy of a Core Formation cultivator!
Even if he suffered heavy losses while being hunted down, the things left in his storage bag would be an unimaginable fortune for a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
This is much more practical than wandering aimlessly and hoping that divination will guide you to some vague and uncertain opportunity!
"However, while the goal is clear, the risks are also extremely high."
Lin Chuan calmly analyzed, "That Core Formation cultivator is cunning and treacherous. The real place he hid his storage bag wasn't near 'Qu Hun,' but in a secluded cave nearby, guarded by a level four demonic beast, the 'Golden-Backed Mantis'!"
A level four demonic beast, its strength is equivalent to a human cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage or even the peak Foundation Establishment stage.
The golden-backed mantis is renowned for its pair of incomparably sharp forelimbs, comparable to magical artifacts, and its terrifying close-combat attack capabilities.
In a head-on confrontation, even a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator might not gain the upper hand.
"We must outsmart them, not fight them head-on."
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After pondering for a moment, Lin Chuan immediately changed direction and returned to his cave.
He carefully removed the "Star Shadow Illusion Array" array plate and array flags that guarded the inner layer of the cave and put them into his storage bag.
"This formation is mainly based on illusion and trapping, which is perfect for confusing and slowing down the Goldenback Mantis, which is good at close combat, and creating opportunities for yourself."
This can be considered a key "tool" he prepared for this operation.
Once everything is ready.
Lin Chuan didn't delay any longer and set off again, speeding towards Lanzhou.
……
Four days later, Lin Chuan arrived at Jiayuan City, the most prosperous city in Lanzhou.
The city was indeed as prosperous as rumored, with wide streets, numerous shops, and a constant flow of people, presenting a scene of worldly prosperity.
Lin Chuan concealed all his cultivator aura and strolled along the bustling streets like an ordinary traveler, enjoying the long-lost hustle and bustle of the mortal world.
The Siping Gang now wields considerable power in Jiayuan City. Although it is not as powerful as the top gangs, it is a leader among the middle-level gangs. The gang leader is none other than "Sun Ergou," who rose to power in the past by making a name for himself. Now everyone respectfully calls him "Gang Leader Sun." The gang's headquarters has also been moved to a rather impressive and wealthy neighborhood in the city.
Lin Chuan rushed over there.
Thanks to the magic of the daily divination, the divination result refreshed at dawn already provided a hint:
[By coming to the Siping Gang headquarters tonight, I'll be able to glean information about Qu Hun's whereabouts from a casual conversation between Sun Ergou and one of his concubines.]
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high.
Lin Chuan stealthily infiltrated the sizable mansion of the Siping Gang's headquarters like a ghost.
With his powerful spiritual sense, he easily located the main courtyard where Sun Ergou lived by listening to the whispered conversations of the servants and guards in the mansion.
The largest main room in the courtyard was brightly lit, from which one could faintly hear a man's triumphant laughter and the coquettish voices of several women, clearly indicating that they were drinking and making merry.
Lin Chuan approached silently, his divine sense seeping in like mercury seeping into the ground.
From inside the house, a slightly hoarse middle-aged male voice (presumably Sun Ergou) was speaking with a slurred speech:
"...Don't worry, my beauty, there aren't many people in Jiayuan City who dare to disrespect me, Sun!"
A sweet, coquettish female voice then asked, "Your Excellency is truly mighty! However… I seem to have heard from your servants a few days ago that the 'Qu Hun' you valued most seems to have left on his own? Is that true? Wasn't Qu Hun always obedient to you?"
Sun Ergou seemed to have hit a nerve, and snorted:
"Don't even mention it! Who knows what went wrong with that guy? He ran off without a word! That was my biggest trump card! Without Lord Qu Hun in charge, those old rivals have been getting a bit restless lately... But don't worry, I've already sent people to keep an eye on the mountainous area west of the city. They'll report back immediately if there's any news!"
"City West..." Lin Chuan, hidden in the shadows, smiled slightly, having obtained the information.
He didn't linger; with a flash, he drifted into the room like a wisp of smoke.
Inside the room, the obese Sun Ergou was embracing four scantily clad young women, flirting with them, while the table was littered with cups and plates.
Lin Chuan only released a slight fluctuation of his divine sense, and the five mortals were as if an invisible hand had pressed the pause button. Their eyes glazed over instantly, and then they collapsed softly to the ground.
One by one, they fell into a deep sleep.
Lin Chuan's gaze fell on Sun Er Gou's bulging chest, where a small, inconspicuous, earthen-yellow bell, tied with a red string, hung.
He reached out and beckoned, and the little bell flew into his palm automatically.
"The Soul-Guiding Bell..."
Lin Chuan weighed the seemingly ordinary little bell in his hand.
This item was the key to Han Li's control over the puppet "Qu Hun" in the first place, and a trace of Qu Hun's essence blood was mixed in during its creation.
Even though Qu Hun has now been possessed by the primordial spirit of a Core Formation cultivator, the Soul-Guiding Bell still has a special sensitivity to the body it is attached to and a certain suppressive effect. This is an important tool for finding and dealing with Qu Hun.
After taking the Soul-Guiding Bell, Lin Chuan did not linger and his figure quietly disappeared into the night.
He left the headquarters of the Siping Gang.
Based on the information revealed by Sun Ergou, he flew straight towards the west of Jiayuan City.