Chapter 93: The Excuse

However, the ancient formation still required one more item: the Great Teleportation Token. This object was located alongside the ancient teleportation array and the legendary corpse.

The priority now was simply to locate the spiritual vein where the teleportation array resided, and then find a way—or a pretext—to secure ownership of that vein.

After finalizing his plans, Lin Yang rose and stepped out of his cave dwelling. Gazing at the radiant land outside and the garden filled with spiritual herbs, he felt a twinge of regret. Spiritual stones in the State of Yue were exceedingly scarce. As one’s cultivation level increased, most transactions were conducted through barter, which forced him to accumulate vast quantities of materials and medicinal herbs.

His attribute points were far from sufficient. To advance his Alchemy skill to the next level, he still needed 200,000 attribute points. Since the cost of adding points would only increase as he progressed, he didn't know what to do; he would simply have to take it one step at a time.

Lin Yang walked out of his residence, which was protected by a massive formation. This formation encompassed an entire mountain nearly a thousand zhang tall. At the base of the mountain stood twelve stone steles, corresponding to the twelve months of the year. At the summit, four cylindrical pillars, each a meter in diameter and twenty zhang tall, reached toward the sky like fingers, representing the four seasons. From the tops of these four pillars, beams of light converged toward the center, illuminating a massive pearl etched with formation patterns.

This array served to gather surrounding spiritual energy while providing defense and illusionary effects. From the outside looking in, one would see only a desolate, uninhabited mountain. From the inside looking out, however, everything was perfectly clear, and the formation even allowed for the monitoring of the surrounding area—a feature Lin Yang found highly convenient.

Leaving his peak, he flew directly toward the location of the Ancestor. He covered the distance of several dozen miles in just half a quarter of an hour. As Lin Yang entered the formation, it automatically opened an aperture for him. Patriarch Linghu had long ago given him a token that granted him entry at any time.

Upon entering, Lin Yang found Patriarch Linghu practicing Tai Chi. This was a technique Lin Yang had taught him, allowing the old man to experience the simple joy of a retiree in a public park. Seeing the Patriarch, Lin Yang landed and waited respectfully for him to finish.

Patriarch Linghu, unhurried and precise, completed the routine move by move. The surrounding spiritual energy rippled in response to his motions, creating a dangerous sensation for Lin Yang. At that moment, the space around them seemed to be a domain controlled entirely by the Patriarch. This was the legendary "Domain" stage of Tai Chi—a level Lin Yang himself had only achieved after decades of practice and the assistance of his system.

Could a single old man reach in a few years what had taken him decades? Was this the power of life experience? Lin Yang was astonished. Given that he had only taught the Patriarch for a few years, such results were nothing short of prodigious. It was clear that anyone capable of reaching such a realm in this environment was no mediocrity; they were individuals of exceptional talent and profound mental fortitude.

"Do you have business with me?" After finishing his routine, the Patriarch struck a closing pose before looking at Lin Yang.

"Ancestor, the nature of the cultivation technique I am currently practicing requires a spiritual vein to assist my progress."

"A spiritual vein? Why would you need that? I have never heard of anyone using a spiritual vein for cultivation." Patriarch Linghu was surprised; in the world of mortal cultivation, no one used veins in such a manner. At most, they sought out "Eyes of Spiritual Springs"—places where the energy was gentle and abundant. Spiritual energy in a vein was usually locked firmly within spiritual stones and rarely leaked out, so few people cultivated there, save for the miners forced to endure the conditions.

"It is difficult to explain, but I need to set up a formation to extract the spiritual energy from the vein. This would allow for a continuous flow of energy without depleting the spiritual stones themselves." Lin Yang spun a web of lies, much like a con artist deceiving the ignorant. Patriarch Linghu, an old fox himself, surely knew Lin Yang was bluffing, but neither side saw fit to break the tacit understanding.

"If that is the case, our Yellow Maple Valley only has four spiritual veins. I do not know which one you require." The Patriarch continued, "Furthermore, I cannot simply give it to you for free. Each vein produces nearly 100,000 spiritual stones annually. How could I just hand it over? Even if I wished to, the others in the sect would not agree. You must find a way to silence the masses."

Patriarch Linghu set his terms: if Lin Yang could cover the difference, he would be able to persuade the others.

"I will provide the sect with 100,000 spiritual stones' worth of medicinal pills annually. You may decide the types required." Lin Yang had considered paying in stones, but that felt like a loss. After all, he wanted the vein specifically to generate wealth; giving away his stones would be counterproductive.

"I can make that decision. Go and notify Zhong Lingdao. Coordinate with him; you can tell him yourself which vein you desire." The Patriarch made the final call and handed over his Supreme Elder token, which would allow Lin Yang to deal with Zhong Lingdao directly.

"Thank you, Ancestor. I shall take my leave." Lin Yang accepted the token, turned, and flew through the formation toward the main hall where the sect leader held meetings.

The scale of Yellow Maple Valley had expanded significantly in recent years, with many new buildings and living quarters for disciples. The primary reason for this was the presence of Lin Yang—a man of supreme talent and the sect's premier alchemist—which served as excellent promotion. The number of disciples recruited in recent years had doubled, necessitating more housing and increasing the burden of monthly stipends.

Zhong Lingdao had been worked to the bone, managing sect affairs, overseeing the Alchemy Hall, and handling diplomatic relations with other sects. He had almost no time for his own cultivation, causing his progress to stagnate. Fortunately, his efforts were recognized by Patriarch Linghu, who had Lin Yang brew several batches of medicinal pills for him at the sect's expense. This had accelerated Zhong Lingdao's progress over the last two years, faster than he could have achieved on his own. He would likely reach the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment in ten years and perhaps even become a Core Formation cultivator in a few decades. His hard work had finally paid off.

Lin Yang flew into the meeting hall but did not find Zhong Lingdao. He asked a nearby disciple, "Where is the Sect Leader?"

"The Sect Leader has gone to the Alchemy Hall, sir. I believe Elder Sun asked to see him."

"Go and bring him back. Tell him I have business with him." Lin Yang couldn't be bothered to go searching for him. As he spoke, he tossed a small jade bottle to the disciple.

"Understood, Master!" The disciple quickly tucked the bottle away and bolted out of the hall as fast as his legs could carry him.