RPAGF Chapter 328 The True Lord Arrives
Chapter 328 The True Lord Arrives
"Oh?"
Zhang Meng looked at Wang Zhen with great interest, and said with a half-smile:
"If we want to know some of the secrets of the Spirit Control Sect, doing so would be considered betraying the sect. Are you still willing?"
“Master Zhang Meng is joking. I am just an ordinary disciple of the Yu Ling Sect. Perhaps my entire value is not even comparable to the secret technique that Master Zhang Meng gave me back then.”
Wang Zhen chuckled self-deprecatingly and said earnestly:
"Ordinary disciples of the Yuling Sect only cultivate some basic sect techniques and dedicate their entire lives to the sect, almost eliminating the possibility of advancing further."
"It would be better to follow in the footsteps of Master Zhang Meng; perhaps there is even greater potential for development there."
As he spoke, Wang Zhen's eyes were filled with hope as he stared longingly at the ferocious man in front of him.
At the time, the other party had only casually transmitted a secret technique of the Ghost Path.
This allowed him to accumulate considerable expertise in the art of ghost refining within the Spirit Control Sect, making him no less talented than some of the most gifted direct disciples.
However, since this secret technique, whose origins are unclear, cannot be shown to the public, he had no choice but to keep it hidden in a low-key manner.
Therefore, he has always deliberately concealed his abilities in front of those inner sect 'second-generation immortals'.
In fact, if they really started fighting, he was confident he could kill most of them.
"Hmm, such a temperament is much better than those muddle-headed outer disciples."
Lin Changsheng nodded slightly.
What Wang Zhen described is a realistic situation, but it objectively exists.
This applies not only to the Yuling Sect, but also to the Qingyun Sect, the Shangqing Palace, and even the Guigu Sect in Gunzhou.
The development of a sect is not about supporting every disciple.
In essence, it is still about high-level cultivators gathering more low-level cultivators to facilitate their own cultivation, plundering them layer by layer, and using them to serve their own purposes.
At the same time, these low-level cultivators are, to some extent, a special kind of 'resource'.
They sacrificed their own cultivation time to work hard for the sect and create value, and the ultimate beneficiaries were naturally the high-level cultivators in the core management team.
Therefore, in ordinary sects, apart from the core disciples who receive personal training, most of the other lower-level disciples are sacrifices for the sect's development.
However, compared to ordinary independent cultivators, they have some additional protection provided by the sect.
So Lin Changsheng asked Wang Zhen a few simple questions about the internal affairs of the Yuling Sect.
This question surprised Lin Changsheng.
He discovered that although Wang Zhen was an ordinary disciple, he knew some of the sect's secrets.
Seeing this, Wang Zhen looked somewhat embarrassed and explained in a low voice:
"I found out about these things by chance when I was discussing cultivation with Senior Sister Shi Ying."
Lin Changsheng understood.
Shi Ying was another girl he met when he returned that year.
As a direct disciple of the Yuling Sect, it's not surprising that she knows more secrets.
Soon, he learned from Wang Zhen about the deaths of the Three Corpse Masters of the Imperial Spirit Sect.
It even contains his own name.
In response, Lin Changsheng asked casually.
"That Master Lin is a Golden Core cultivator in the Yue Kingdom's cultivation world. It is said that this master is gentle and kind, possesses superb talisman-making skills, but rarely gets into arguments. Many years ago, this Master Lin secretly infiltrated the ancient sect's secret realm..."
Seeing that Master Zhang Meng seemed interested in this, Wang Zhen told him everything he knew.
Before long, Lin Changsheng learned some shocking news from the boy.
"You mean... a Nascent Soul True Monarch from outside came to the Spirit Control Sect to inquire about the whereabouts of Master Lin?"
Lin Changsheng frowned, his expression gradually becoming serious.
If Wang Zhen's statement is true, a Nascent Soul True Monarch had already been secretly investigating his whereabouts.
Lin Changsheng himself was completely unaware of this.
Thinking of this, Lin Changsheng felt a sudden pang of panic.
Anyone who suddenly learns that they have been targeted by a Nascent Soul True Monarch would probably not have a pleasant feeling.
Next, under Lin Changsheng's detailed questioning, Wang Zhen, though unaware of why Zhang Meng Zhenren would be interested in that Lin Fushi from Yue Kingdom, showed no curiosity whatsoever and instead truthfully told him what he knew.
However, Wang Zhen's knowledge of matters involving Nascent Soul True Monarchs was extremely limited.
Several months ago, he had inadvertently learned about this matter from his senior sister Shi Ying while chatting casually. However, since the talisman master Lin was not a cultivator from the Great Zhou Dynasty, he did not inquire about it in detail.
All that is known is that the Nascent Soul True Monarch does not seem to be a cultivator from 'Qianzhou', and that he had contact with the higher-ups of the Yuling Sect when he first arrived here.
As for why this True Lord was so determined to find the Forest Talisman Master of Yue, the higher-ups did not reveal the reason.
However, with constant friction between the Great Zhou and the Yue Kingdom, the presence of such an unstable factor infiltrating the Yue Kingdom is highly advantageous for the Great Zhou.
Upon hearing this, Lin Changsheng fell into deep thought.
He suddenly remembered that when he entered the territory of Yue Kingdom before, Senior Aoki triggered the Nightmare Moth's talent of "seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune".
"Could it be that the source of my previous bad feeling was that mysterious Nascent Soul True Monarch?"
"This is a bit troublesome."
Lin Changsheng was completely bewildered.
They initially thought it was because of the previous killing of the 'Three Corpse True Man' that they were being targeted by the Nascent Soul True Man of the Spirit Control Sect.
To everyone's surprise, it turned out to be a completely unknown Nascent Soul True Monarch who appeared out of nowhere.
Lin Changsheng recalled carefully that in the cultivation world of Yue Kingdom, and even in the entire Qianzhou, he had almost never had any interaction with the local Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
"Could it be... related to the changes that happened to the Green Wood Spirit Cauldron before?"
Lin Changsheng suddenly had a flash of inspiration and recalled the unusual movements that had occurred in his body when he broke through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm not long ago.
Thinking of this, Lin Changsheng suddenly felt a sense of urgency.
If his guess is true, and the Nascent Soul True Monarch came because of the Azure Wood Spirit Cauldron, then there are too many uncertainties involved.
Now that he knew that a Nascent Soul True Monarch was secretly investigating, Lin Changsheng dared not delay any longer.
Fortunately, he made a high-profile appearance in the Shangqing Palace area not long ago, which may have attracted the attention of the Nascent Soul True Lord behind him.
If we can seize the opportunity to leave this place through the teleportation array within the ancient sect's secret realm, we can get rid of that mysterious True Lord.
Once they arrived at the territory of the Guigu Sect in Gunzhou, with the Guigu True Lord presiding over the sect, even ordinary Nascent Soul True Lords dared not easily come to their door.
Of course, before leaving, Lin Changsheng did not forget Wang Zhen, who had provided him with such important information.
If we hadn't known about that mysterious True Lord beforehand, and had been caught off guard by his sudden visit, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Therefore, Lin Changsheng was not stingy and waved his hand, sending three beams of light containing spiritual energy down in front of Wang Zhen.
As the burly, thuggish man's figure receded into the distance, Wang Zhen turned his gaze to the three items in front of him, and gradually, his breathing became rapid.
They were a gray jade slip that exuded an eerie aura, an exquisite wooden box the size of a palm, and a small, crystal-clear porcelain bottle.
Suppressing his excitement, he bowed deeply towards the distant horizon with a respectful expression, took a deep breath, and then examined the items in front of him.
Before long, Wang Zhen's low shout, tinged with suppressed excitement and ecstasy, echoed from the low hilltops:
"A complete Ghost Path cultivation method and its accompanying secret techniques!"
"A complete set of first and second-tier magical runes!"
"A medium-grade Foundation Establishment spiritual item!"
……
Half a day later.
A ferocious and burly villain quietly infiltrated the ancient sect's secret realm.
Riding this strange flying vessel, we passed through numerous restrictions and arrived at the 'Huadan Peak' area with ease.
Lin Changsheng didn't care much about the Nascent Soul True Monarch mentioned by Wang Zhen, nor about his specific identity and purpose.
With his current level of cultivation and abilities, he is almost unable to pose an effective threat to a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
Even if you find out the other party's identity in great detail, it will only add to your troubles.
Only when you possess the means to deal with the other party can all threats be easily resolved.
At the same time, Lin Changsheng arrived at the teleportation array connecting 'Qianzhou' and 'Jiuzezhou'.
Feeling that the restriction he casually left behind back then was still intact, Lin Changsheng breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Just as he was about to activate the hand seals to remove the outer restrictions of the formation, a strange disturbance suddenly arose nearby.
A faint light flashed, and it attacked Lin Changsheng's back at an eerie speed!
"Oh!"
In an instant, an even more robust figure emerged from the darkness and struck Lin Changsheng in the back with a loud bang in the pitch-black night.
"Fellow Daoist's method of concealing one's aura is truly superb, almost perfectly blending into the environment without revealing the slightest abnormality."
Lin Changsheng smiled easily, having withstood the attack without any harm despite being at the mid-stage of the third-order body refinement realm. Instead, he praised the attacker.
At the same time, his divine sense had already scanned the attacker.
To Lin Changsheng's great surprise, the person who launched the sneak attack was a strange puppet-like man who was neither human nor wood.
His magical power fluctuations were equivalent to those of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, which is comparable to that of a typical late-stage Golden Core cultivator. His body and limbs had all turned to wood, leaving only a human-like face, which looked extremely eerie.
"The aura emanating from this person has become one with ordinary plants and trees. No wonder I didn't sense his aura before."
Lin Changsheng was surprised.
At the same time, a large number of slender roots immediately sprouted from the part of the wooden puppet behind him that made contact with Lin Changsheng's body.
These seemingly light and delicate roots easily merged with and penetrated Lin Changsheng's body surface, and began to continuously release a large amount of frenzied wood-attribute energy.
"This is... a top-tier, third-order wood-attribute deadly poison?!"
"What a weird attack method!"
Lin Changsheng felt a slight numbness throughout his body and was immediately alarmed.
His body refinement at the mid-stage of the third rank gives him defensive capabilities almost equivalent to a third-rank magic weapon, making him difficult to harm with ordinary means.
It was easily pierced by that wooden puppet.
Lin Changsheng didn't have time to study the principles carefully. He immediately threw a punch containing the power of blood and qi, revealing the thick and powerful arm of a giant ape, and blasted the wooden puppet away.
Just as he was about to expel the toxins from his body, the Evergreen Technique within him began to circulate on its own. A large amount of verdant magical power instantly refined the toxins that had invaded his body, turning them into strands of pure magical energy that nourished him.
After examining himself to confirm that there were no remaining hidden dangers, Lin Changsheng then scrutinized the strange wooden puppet opposite him.
Its entire body is full of the vitality of wood, like a giant tree with strong vitality.
However, this wood-attribute aura was strangely mixed with a trace of human energy.
"Who are you, and why are you setting up an ambush here?"
Lin Changsheng tried to communicate with him, but after waiting for a while, there was no response.
He simply gave up trying, and a simple, ancient-looking nine-toothed rake appeared in his hand, unleashing the power of an ancient ape in an instant.
To his surprise, the wooden puppet was quite strong, managing to withstand the Nine-Toothed Rake, only suffering some inconspicuous holes.
In a moment of panic, Lin Changsheng, fearing further complications, immediately released his powerful demons, including the Xunfeng Crow, Snow Demon Wolf, and Succubus, to engage the wooden puppet in battle.
He took the opportunity to activate and release several third-tier fire attribute spell runes.
Under the influence of elemental advantage, third-tier fire-attribute spells are highly effective against wooden golems.
However, Lin Changsheng no longer wanted to fight. Instead, he withdrew and went to the teleportation array to activate it.
The appearance of this strange wooden puppet is very likely the work of that Nascent Soul True Monarch.
The latter could come at any time, and fighting to the death with a puppet at this juncture is clearly not a wise move.
A moment later, Lin Changsheng used hand seals to release the restriction.
But seeing that his magical power was poured into the restriction without any reaction, Lin Changsheng's heart sank.
"Damn it, the restrictions here... someone has tampered with them!"
Upon seeing this, Lin Changsheng's expression changed drastically!
Without hesitation, he activated several high-quality third-tier spell runes and bombarded the barriers of the isolation array.
They even used their own magical artifacts and treasures, but the isolation barrier remained as solid as a rock, without the slightest sign of breaking.
Lin Changsheng's face was extremely ugly.
He originally only knew that he was being targeted by a Nascent Soul True Monarch, and that he could escape the crisis by leaving this place through the teleportation array.
Unexpectedly, this Nascent Soul True Monarch had anticipated this step and set up an ambush here!
At the same time, a terrifying aura suddenly emanated from the wooden puppet on the other side.
The wooden puppet, which had been expressionless, suddenly had a strange blue light flashing in its eyes.
The Snow Demon Wolf, the Wind Crow, the Succubus, and other powerful demons standing to the side trembled in fear under this imposing aura.
Immediately afterwards, a majestic voice rang out from within.
"You're quite cunning, young man. You sensed the danger beforehand and attracted my attention by making a high-profile appearance. But secretly you sneaked back here, intending to escape through the teleportation array."
"If I hadn't left a wooden puppet here to guard the area, you probably would have really slipped away right under my nose this time."
The wooden puppet's eyes gleamed with a serene light, its gaze as deep as an ancient well, yet its words carried an air of unwavering confidence.
"Senior has actually mastered this extraordinary technique of attaching one's divine sense to a puppet. It seems that I will have no chance of escaping this time."
Lin Changsheng looked dejected. He dispersed his magical power, put away the demonic beast, and then calmly asked:
"I have never had any enmity with you, senior. I wonder why you have taken action this time?"
"Please enlighten me, senior."
Seeing Lin Changsheng's cooperation, the voice within the wooden puppet seemed unsurprised. After a moment's thought, the authoritative voice returned:
“I am True Monarch Kuimu. You possess the aura of the ‘Supreme Wood Spirit Cauldron.’ This cauldron is a sacred relic of our sect that was lost in the past. I have come here specifically to retrieve it.”
As he spoke, True Monarch Kui Mu manipulated the wooden puppet, and a powerful and terrifying aura erupted instantly, as if to engulf Lin Changsheng's frail body.
"Thank you for informing me, senior. However, even when facing a Nascent Soul True Monarch, I still intend to put up a fight."
Lin Changsheng smiled warmly, humble and polite.
Just as that terrifying aura, like a sudden storm, was about to engulf him, Lin Changsheng activated a delicate magic talisman in time.
A faint spatial force emanated from the spell symbol, instantly enveloping the white-clad figure. Then, with a flash of light, the figure vanished.
"This is... a minor teleportation talisman?"
"How could this child possess such a rare and precious talisman?!"
He tried to grab at something but missed. The wooden puppet that True Monarch Puppet was attached to froze on the spot, and a low voice with a hint of anger came from within its body.