Cultivation: Being Immortal

Chapter 167

Wilderness, the old base of the Five Elements Sect

"If you want to ask for leave, just ask for leave. Why are you coming to me? Is there still anyone managing the base?"

Zhang Shuhua said to Lin Jiang that they didn't have many people in charge now. If it weren't for some income from the base, it would have become a farming base, just like those old bases behind them. But that was inevitable.

"We still have to follow the proper procedures. We can't let anyone have leverage over us."

Lin Jiang said that he actually looked down on Guo Yunfeng's internal fighting methods. If he were Guo Yunfeng, he would have dealt with the people from the Zhang Wanjing faction a long time ago.

So, in order to prevent Guo Yunfeng from bringing up this matter, Lin Jiang was extremely cautious and never gave the enemy a chance to catch him.

"Okay, the process is finished, you can go back now."

"Sure, senior brother, do you want me to bring you something?"

"No need, just go early and come back early."

Lin Jiang waved his hand and an hour later, the transport spacecraft arrived at the new base. Lin Jiang boarded the spacecraft and returned to the Five Elements Sect. He didn't want to travel alone, afraid of being robbed. Although he was confident, he still worried about unexpected situations.

Upon returning to the Five Elements Sect, Lin Jiang immediately went to Zhang Wanjing's cave to add spirit stones to the spiritual land of the Purple Origin Taoist Fruits. He had removed all other spiritual herbs from Zhang Wanjing's cave, dedicating all the spiritual energy to nurture these Purple Origin Taoist Fruits. However, it was still not enough and additional spirit stones were needed.

This investment was quite substantial. Lin Jiang estimated that he would have to invest twenty to thirty thousand spirit stones every year. Moreover, the Purple Origin Taoist Fruits took a very long time to mature. Even the oldest ones still needed another one to two hundred years. It was impossible for ordinary cultivators in the Building Foundation Period to afford such expenses.

Currently, all Lin Jiang could do was hope that Zhang Wanjing would break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Then, his cave could be upgraded to a higher level, and the level of spiritual veins would also increase. Alternatively, he could directly plant the Purple Origin Taoist Fruits in the sect's advanced Spiritual Herb Garden.

Instead of immediately going to find Yue Lin in Medicine City, Lin Jiang first gathered information about the Wang family.

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"Junior Brother Xiao, you have such great taste."

At an upscale tea house, Yue Lin met Lin Jiang. He thought Lin Jiang would invite him to the Palace Banquet, but he didn't expect to come here.

"Isn't it nice to drink tea?"

"Don't you want to go to the Palace Banquet for some drinks?"

"I'm not going. That place is dangerous. It can make people go deaf."

"Oh, why is that?"

"I have a friend who went there. After he came back, his wife kept telling him not to go again because he went deaf and couldn't hear anymore."

"Hahaha, Junior Brother Xiao, you're quite a clever person."

A joke, Yue Lin listened dumbfoundedly and only snapped back to reality after a while, then burst into laughter.

"This is what I promised Senior Brother Yue before, let me count, Brother."

Lin Jiang waited until he finished laughing and placed a bag in front of Yue Lin.

"Junior Brother Xiao, I won't hide it from you, this time I used some tricks to get the fourth-level Demon Core, no need to spend so much money."

"If you have the ability to trick others, that's your business. But when it comes to what I, Xiao, promise, it must be done."

Lin Jiang shook his head. He had already found out that the Wang family had collapsed, all thanks to Yue Lin.

Of course, outsiders generally don't know that it was caused by internal conflicts among the Wang family descendants. The brothers fought each other, infuriated their father, divided the family properties. No matter how many Wang family members there were, they could no longer unite.

"I feel guilty about taking this money. I, Yue Lin, am not a good person, but I'm not utterly wicked either. Junior Brother Xiao, I can entrust my future to you."

Yue Lin said that he was extremely ruthless this time, causing a whole family, Wang family, to collapse. It was a tragedy that played out in the human world.

And Yue Lin also made a lot of sacrifices, the biggest one being his reputation. Before, he had good connections with the higher-ups and often helped people with some tasks.

But this time, his methods were too ruthless. Those people will definitely be cautious and wary of him in the future. So, Lin Jiang still paid him, which made Yue Lin very worried. If Lin Jiang decides to distance himself from him, he will be at a great loss.

"Senior Brother Yue's choice won't be wrong."

"Then, please take care of me, Junior Brother Xiao, from now on."

"Take it easy, we have a long time ahead. Yue Qing from your Yue family has been with me for many years and knows my character."

Lin Jiang said, Yue Lin has no bottom line in his actions, but what does that have to do with him? In this world, if you want to survive, you have to be ruthless. Good people don't have a long life.

Since Yue Lin wants to rely on him, he will let it be. If Zhang Wanjing breaks through the Nascent Soul stage and has Zhang Wanjing suppressing him, he won't be able to do anything. If Zhang Wanjing fails, according to Yue Lin's mindset, he will naturally dissociate from them.

"Yue Qing has told me that Junior Brother Xiao is a reliable person. This is a fourth-rank Demon Core. The Wang family has kept it in good condition, and less than ten percent of the demonic energy inside has leaked out."

Yue Lin nodded. Seeing that Lin Jiang didn't insist on keeping his distance, he felt relieved.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Yue, let's have some tea."

"Okay."

Lin Jiang and Yue Lin drank two pots of tea, then went their separate ways. They were both experienced individuals and didn't need to say many words.

Lin Jiang carefully inspected the Demon Core and found it was well-preserved. After waiting for more than half a month, when the logistics airship of the Five Elements Sect set off again, Lin Jiang followed the airship back to the base.

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"Big Shadiao, you must make a breakthrough."

After a few more days, Lin Jiang quietly left the base and brought a lot of food for Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao.

"Brother, brother····"

"Sigh, there's no use trying to explain to you."

"Eat, eat..."

"Good, eat, eat more."

Lin Jiang's heart felt heavy, and he remembered what Lin Die had told him. The Lin family would face a great disaster in the future.

Lin Jiang's cultivation level was too low. Even Lin Batian, who was almost invincible in the Nascent Soul stage, considered it a great disaster. He didn't know how he could help the Lin family. Sending Big Shadiao to the Lin family was the only thing he could do.

As for himself, it was impossible for him to go back. Even if he could explain his identity clearly, what would be the use? Did the Lin family lack people in the Building Foundation Period? They didn't.

After Big Shadiao finished eating, Lin Jiang fed it a fourth-grade Demon Core, and Big Shadiao quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Lin Jiang didn't know if the fourth-grade Demon Core could help Big Shadiao break through. He had done his best, sacrificing almost half of his possessions for this fourth-grade Demon Core. And it would be very difficult to obtain another one.

"Your sister is sleeping, no one will bully you anymore. Come with me, and you'll enjoy all the good things."

Lin Jiang said to Small Shadiao, but Small Shadiao gave him a skeptical look. It didn't believe him, who would believe that he wasn't a Shadiao?

Put away his belongings, Lin Jiang returned to the base once again. In the following days, Lin Jiang remained low-key. During the day, he dealt with work and drew symbols casually. At night, he focused on cultivation, working extremely hard. Finally, he became the person he disliked the most.

Fortunately, his income was not low and could sustain his daily expenses. Now, Lin Jiang's income came from various sources. The first one was the sect's salary, which all the disciples of the Five Elements Sect received.

In the Building Foundation Period, he received three hundred spirit stones per year, as well as True Spirit Pills, spiritual paddy, and more. Staying at the base also came with an additional salary, although it had been reduced. With the improvement of the new base, it was no longer as important. It amounted to five hundred spirit stones per year, along with three thousand Merit Points.

Other than that, he also earned money from his business ventures, such as the brewing workshop. He could still earn over a thousand spirit stones per year, not as much as before, but still much better than an ordinary disciple.

Another source of income came from Lin Jiang's own talisman drawing skills. This income was not low. While Lin Jiang's talisman technique was not at the top level during the Building Foundation Period, it was considered above average. Drawing a few symbols each day could earn him dozens of spirit stones.

The main source came from Small Shadiao. Every month, Lin Jiang would release it to hunt. Although he specifically instructed Small Shadiao not to enter the range of the Zhonghang Sect's base, the Wilderness was vast. There would always be rewards each time, mainly capturing second-tier demon beasts. Occasionally, he even managed to hunt third-tier demon beasts. Lin Jiang would take the fur, scales, claws, and such, while the meat was given to Small Shadiao to eat.

With five more years gone by, there was still no news from Zhang Wanjing, but Big Shadiao surprised him by breaking through.