books44 Chapter 255 Yu Huai's Invitation, Green Snake Master
Chapter 255 Yu Huai's Invitation, Green Snake Master
The letter contained very little information.
After years of seclusion, Master Yu Huai has successfully advanced to the late stage of the Golden Core realm!
During this period, within the Yu Huai River basin, two Golden Core cultivators, one went into seclusion and the other disappeared.
As a result, bandits were rampant in the nearby waters, and many small and medium-sized family businesses suffered greatly as a result.
The first thing Master Yu Huai did after emerging from seclusion was to host a banquet to invite various families and forces along the Yu Huai River to discuss the joint effort to fight against the river bandits.
The Li family of Dafang Township is one of only two Golden Core forces in the entire Yu Huai River basin.
Master Yu Huai hoped that Li would take on the responsibility and work with him to safeguard the peace of the waters and fight against roaming water bandits.
"Master Yu Huai's idea is quite good, and it can be considered a practical thing to do for the small and medium-sized forces in the nearby waters. Why is Madam Qu still frowning?"
Lin Changsheng chuckled softly as he flipped through the contents of the letter.
“The threat of river bandits has existed since ancient times. Master Yu Huai has just advanced to the late stage of the Golden Core realm, yet he is already eager to hold a banquet and has even specifically named my Li family to attend. I’m afraid this is not a good thing.”
"This person was ambitious to begin with. Now that he has advanced to the late stage of the Golden Core realm, he is probably determined to consolidate the power of Yu Huaiheze. He is very likely to target my Li family."
"With Master Lin's wisdom, he probably saw this long ago, didn't he?"
Qu Jiao's face was full of worry, but her eyes held a hint of expectation as she gazed at Lin Changsheng.
Although she was a fake alchemist, she was still a woman. After suddenly losing her husband, she had no choice but to support the vast Li family business.
Over the years, Qu Jiao has developed several wrinkles on her face, and her skin has shown signs of sagging. She no longer looks like the charming young woman she was when we first met.
"So what if you see it?"
Lin Changsheng responded calmly:
"If Master Yu Huai were still at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, and were wary of the two third-tier demons, perhaps things could still be peaceful."
"But if I were to face a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, even with two third-tier demon beasts, I would be utterly unable to contend with them."
Although Lin Changsheng's expression remained normal, his words were extremely resolute.
"Perhaps... Master Yu Huai has just advanced to the late stage. If Alchemist Lin takes a firm stance, there might be a way to negotiate..."
Qu Jiao was still somewhat unwilling to give up.
"That's impossible. Anyone who can advance to the late Golden Core stage is no ordinary person. Let alone me having two third-tier demon beasts. Even if Senior Li Chongyuan were alive today, along with the two demon beasts, he still wouldn't be able to stop a late Golden Core stage cultivator."
Lin Changsheng directly interrupted Qu Jiao's unrealistic fantasy.
For a moment, Qu Jiao looked at the elegant young man in white robes in front of her and recalled the first time she met Lin Changsheng.
Lin Changsheng's attitude was exactly what she expected.
Given his cautious and meticulous nature, it is indeed unlikely that he would make an enemy of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator for the sake of the Li family.
Perhaps the only thing that can attract Master Lin Dan in the entire Li clan territory now is the cultivation ground with the third-order spiritual spring eye.
Qu Jiao collected her thoughts, pondered for a moment, and then took the initiative to bring up another purpose for her visit today.
……
The Li clan's territory lies thousands of miles away in the wilderness.
That night, the moon was bright and the stars were few, and the huge, cold moon was reflected on the calm water.
Occasionally a gentle breeze blows, causing ripples to spread across the water, creating a shimmering effect.
Every now and then, a soft splashing sound can be heard, the noise made by small fish and shrimp thrashing about in the water as they hunt for food.
Suddenly, a huge spirit boat emerged from the water below.
Immediately afterwards, a beautiful woman with a captivating figure, dressed in a tight-fitting leather outfit with colorful scales, stepped out of the spirit boat.
This woman was no more than twenty years old, with strange makeup and a seductive figure that exuded a chilling aura with every move.
"Master Green Snake, how did things go? Those were two third-tier great demons. It would be a real pity if they escaped."
Beside the woman in the colorful scales and leather coat, a burly man suddenly appeared, exuding the aura of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. He was none other than Master Yu Huai, who had been in seclusion for many years.
Are you questioning my abilities?
"Unless the other party is also a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, they will absolutely not be able to escape my tracking method."
The woman, known as 'Green Snake Immortal,' spoke with an arrogant tone.
"Hehe, that's right, that's right."
"If it weren't for the Green Snake Immortal's ability to track him across thousands of miles, we wouldn't have been able to hunt down Li Chongyuan so easily back then."
"Who would have thought that a seemingly ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivator would possess so many secret techniques for escaping and saving his life?"
Master Yu Huai was not annoyed; instead, he cheerfully offered his compliments from the side.
When talking about the ambush he orchestrated against Li Chongyuan, Master Yu Huai felt a great sense of pride.
Back then, the Li clan's territory had an extra third-tier demon and Lin Danshi, who possessed many third-tier magic talismans, which made him feel very troubled.
After returning, he secretly contacted the notorious bandit, Master Green Snake, and deliberately spread the news of the third-tier "Breakthrough Pill" to lure Li Chongyuan into the trap.
The two were both Golden Elixir Immortals of Yu Huaiheze, and had fought for many years, so they knew each other very well.
He had calculated that Li Chongyuan would be pressured by the third-tier demon and would try to break through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm in order to maintain his absolute position in the clan.
In the end, he and the Green Snake Immortal launched a combined attack, instantly severely injuring Li Chongyuan.
Unexpectedly, although Li Chongyuan's combat strength was mediocre, his means of self-preservation surpassed those of the early Golden Core stage, and he almost escaped from the two of them.
Fortunately, Green Snake Master, being a water bandit, possessed a method for tracking across vast distances.
They searched for more than twenty days before finally killing the exhausted Li Chongyuan.
After that, Master Yu Huai also tried to find an opportunity to lure Lin Changsheng and his subordinate third-tier demon out, and planned to kill them using the same trick.
Unfortunately, Lin Changsheng was too cautious and didn't give him that opportunity at all.
After years of unsuccessful planning, Master Yu Huai abandoned his assassination plot.
After sorting out and selling Li Chongyuan's belongings, he used them as a stepping stone for his own advancement.
"You say that Foundation Establishment junior might have a great opportunity, but how confident are you in this? I don't want to come all this way only to be disappointed. It would be more worthwhile to plunder a few family forces instead."
Seeing Yu Huai Zhenren's comfortable expression, Qing She Zhenren's cold voice interrupted the former's thoughts.
This time, after Master Yu Huai contacted her, he claimed that he wanted to join forces to deal with the Li family and a late-stage Foundation Establishment alchemist, which she originally intended to refuse.
Because the Golden Elixir Immortal of the Li family in Dafang Township was secretly killed by the two of them years ago, and their belongings were divided up.
Today, the only truly valuable assets of the Li family are some clan-owned businesses.
These things cannot be taken away, cannot be converted into cash in a short time, and are useless to a wandering bandit like her.
However, Master Yu Huai revealed a shocking inside story: this person suddenly came to Yu Huai River Marsh decades ago. Not only did he possess superb alchemy skills, but he also had a large number of third-order magic talismans, many near-third-order puppets, and within a few years, he continuously trained two demon beasts to advance to the third-order great demon realm.
Given the limited resources of the Li family in Dafang Township, it was far from sufficient to cultivate two third-tier demons. Therefore, True Person Yu Huai speculated that Lin Changsheng was very likely to possess a great opportunity and had escaped here from other cultivation worlds.
"If this person didn't possess extraordinary talent, how could he, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, have raised two third-tier great demons?"
"If he is so generous to the demonic beasts under his command, I suspect that he must have enough Core Formation spiritual treasures on him to be so fearless."
"What I'm most worried about is that if this person realizes he's outmatched, he'll most likely run away at all costs."
Master Yu Huai spoke with great certainty.
Years ago, he fought with Lin Changsheng and witnessed the endless stream of third-tier escape talismans in the other's hands. Now, he has an additional third-tier flying bird with mutated wind attributes.
For Master Yu Huai, suppressing two early-stage third-tier demons head-on was not difficult, but if they fled at the first sign of trouble, he was not entirely confident that he could stop them.
After all, he wasn't good at tracking methods.
So they invited their former partner, the Green Snake Immortal.
"Don't worry, with me here, even if he has great abilities, he won't be able to escape our pursuit. However, once we intercept and kill him, regardless of whether he has any inheritance, the demon cores of those two great demons will be mine."
Green Snake Master smiled coldly, his words revealing his complete confidence in his abilities.
……
The Li clan's territory is located on Qingquan Island.
In front of Lin Changsheng, Li Shouye refined a batch of second-tier pills, and then habitually asked the latter for advice.
Lin Changsheng examined the round, plump, and fragrant pills in his hand, revealing a hint of satisfaction.
Li Shouye has reached a level of consummate skill in refining second-grade mid-level pills.
Continuing to delve deeper into the subject may lead to greater refinement, but the time and effort invested are disproportionate to the negligible progress, making it largely meaningless.
Lin Changsheng encouraged Li Shouye and gave him guidance on the next stage of practice.
Not long after, Li Shouye took his leave.
Lin Changsheng, who was about to continue refining pills, suddenly stopped, feeling a faint sense of crisis.
"Master Yu Huai!"
After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Changsheng's expression darkened.
He sensed a familiar and immense aura approaching this place!
"This person is clearly planning a banquet six months from now, but unexpectedly they've arrived early! They're probably up to no good!"
"A late-stage Golden Core cultivator is beyond my current capabilities."
Lin Changsheng immediately stopped refining the pills and waved his hand to put away some important items in the cultivation chamber.
Upon hearing that Master Yu Huai had advanced to the later stage, he carried most of his valuables with him, preparing to flee at any time.
Leaving behind a 'talisman' imbued with his own aura, Lin Changsheng unleashed his secret technique. The Crimson Centipede and the Wind Crow were still leisurely cultivating on Qingquan Island, unaware of the danger.
……
After a short while, like the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Outside the Li clan's territory, a powerful and profound aura of the Golden Core descended.
"You have one incense stick's time to surrender and submit to me, or today the Li clan's territory will be a river of blood, and not a single chicken or dog will be spared!"
A rough voice, mixed with the aura of Dan power, echoed throughout the entire Li clan territory.
Several miles away.
Countless azure water droplets gathered beneath the surface, transforming into the figure of a young man in white.
"As expected, Master Yu Huai is not willing to let the Li family go. It seems that his proposal to hold a banquet six months later is mostly just to lull the Li family into a false sense of security."
Hearing faint sounds coming from behind him, Lin Changsheng, who was holding a water escape talisman, sighed.
It's a real pity that I couldn't refine the Golden Core and tried to break through to the Golden Core realm in the third-tier Spirit Spring Eye Dojo, which I've occupied for many years.
However, neither Lin Changsheng nor Qu Jiao had anticipated this day, so they were not surprised.
Previously, Lin Changsheng had tried to persuade Qu Jiao.
Without the support of a Golden Elixir True Person, it would be difficult for the Li family to protect their clan's assets.
Now there are only two paths ahead.
Firstly, surrendering to Master Yu Huai, handing over the clan's property, and evacuating the Li clan members might save their lives.
Secondly, they sought refuge with other large forces in the vicinity, becoming their subordinate forces in order to resist being annexed by Master Yu Huai.
Unfortunately, the Li clan's territory is located in a remote area, and the only sect that is closest to them and has no fear of late-stage Golden Core cultivators is the Shuiyue Sect.
Not long ago, the Li family sent people to communicate and discuss this matter with Shuiyuezong.
However, the Shuiyue Sect seemed unwilling to offend Yu Huai Zhenren, a newly promoted late-stage Golden Core cultivator, in order to protect the Li family, and rejected the Li family's sincerity.
Helpless, Lin Changsheng could only advise Qu Jiao to evacuate her clansmen, gradually transfer the clan's resources, and find another second-tier spiritual spring to recuperate.
But just a few days later, Master Yu Huai came knocking on their door, catching them completely off guard.
"The Li family can only pray for good fortune."
Lin Changsheng silently recited in his heart.
The internal energy of Master Yu Huai is far inferior to that of Master Tian Du at his peak, who was also a Golden Core cultivator. However, among the Golden Core cultivators in the area, he is still one of the best.
If they get entangled with them, the two third-tier demons, the Crimson Centipede and the Wind Crow, will probably perish here.
Then, Lin Changsheng boarded the Water Cloud Boat and quietly submerged into the water, which was dozens of feet deep, and disappeared into the distance.
……
Eight or nine days later.
A calm lake surface suddenly began to churn.
Lin Changsheng piloted the Water Cloud Boat to the surface of the water.
In recent years, he has memorized the water map of Jiuzezhou perfectly.
They traversed vast waters for several days in a row, but surprisingly smoothly. They did not encounter any third-tier demons to obstruct them, and even rarely encountered second-tier demons.
He should have already left the area of Ōnozawa. If he continues westward, he will soon enter the waters of Juluzawa.
Lin Changsheng planned to stay in Julu Marsh for a while to rest and recuperate, and then cross this body of water to head to the adjacent Yunmeng Marsh.
Located in the western part of Jiuze Continent, it is relatively resource-scarce and has a small number of high-level cultivators, but it borders the cultivation world of the western Gunzhou.
The cultivation world of Gunzhou is a place once visited by the 'Heavenly Poison True Man'.
Compared to the current 'Jiuzezhou', that place is actually more familiar.
Considering the fierce customs of the cultivators of Gunzhou, their overall strength is higher than that of Jiuzezhou.
Lin Changsheng planned to settle down in Yunmengze first and look for an opportunity to break through to the Golden Core stage.
Once one achieves the Golden Core True Person status and gains a certain level of self-protection, perhaps one can follow the transit route of the 'Heavenly Poison True Person' from back then and experience the different customs of the cultivation world in various places.
After all, once a Golden Core cultivator reaches the True Person realm, they have already acquired the basic ability to establish themselves in this world. Unless they court death or have extremely bad luck, their risk of death is far lower than that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"You junior are as slippery as an eel, using all sorts of third-tier escape talismans, making even this True Man a little envious."
Suddenly, a clear and cold female voice rang out.
Beneath the water's surface, a huge shadow appeared, and soon a ferocious black snake's head emerged from it with a 'whoosh,' its dark and sinister eyes coldly staring at Lin Changsheng.
Before long, the giant black snake opened its mouth, and a beam of emerald green light flew out from it. When the light faded, a bewitching woman dressed in a colorful scale leather coat lightly touched the water's surface with her bare feet, and her cold gaze fell on Lin Changsheng.
"Jindan Zhenren!"
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