Immortality Cultivation

Yes! Senior, please allow me to explain!

Lin Feng knelt in the air, feeling the heavy pressure contained in Fang Hao’s calm gaze, and did not dare to hesitate for even a moment, quickly recounting the cause and effect in full detail.

He knew that this was his only chance of survival, and also the hope of preserving the last spark of Red Leaf Valley.

The Red Leaf Valley where this Junior resides is located in the southeast of the Great Yan Kingdom, near the outer perimeter of the Xuanfeng Mountain Range...

As soon as Lin Feng mentioned the "Xuanfeng Mountain Range," Fang Hao felt a slight stir in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged as he continued to listen.

...Our Red Leaf Valley has a Legacy spanning over eight hundred years, and for generations, we have focused on cultivating spirit plants and studying wood-attribute Cultivation Techniques.

Although we are not a large Sect, we have a small reputation in the vicinity.

There is a Medium Grade wood-attribute Spiritual Vein in the valley, which is especially suitable for cultivating several special wood-attribute Spirit Medicines.

The most precious among them is a third-grade Spirit Medicine called the ’Earth Heart Spirit Flame Fruit’, which has miraculous effects for Cultivators of fire and wood-attribute Cultivation Techniques, especially for Golden Core Stage Cultivators breaking through Bottlenecks.

This fruit blooms every fifty years and bears fruit every fifty years, producing only a few each time, and it has always been one of the Foundations of Red Leaf Valley.

Lin Feng’s eyes flashed with grief and indignation as he spoke: "About half a year ago, people from the Black Fiend Sect suddenly came knocking, and the leader was that Li Feng from earlier."

They were extremely arrogant, demanding that Red Leaf Valley hand over three ’Earth Heart Spirit Flame Fruits’ and the core secret technique for cultivating this fruit.

Although Red Leaf Valley is a small Sect, we still have some backbone; how could we easily give away treasures and secret techniques that concern the Foundation of our Sect?

My Master, who is the Valley Master of Red Leaf Valley with Late Golden Core Stage cultivation, politely refused and was willing to offer other rare Spirit Medicines and Spirit Stones as compensation.

But the Black Fiend Sect was unreasonable and refused to listen to any explanations.

After being rejected the first time, it wasn’t long before they came again, this time becoming even more excessive.

They not only wanted the spirit fruits and the secret technique but also demanded that Red Leaf Valley merge into the Black Fiend Sect to become their subsidiary herb garden, requiring all Disciples in the valley to have Restrictions planted in them and be slaves for generations!

This was simply bullying people too much!

Lin Feng clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and his voice became agitated.

My Master naturally refused to agree and sternly rejected them.

That Li Feng then revealed his sinister face, threatening that if we did not comply, he would exterminate the entire Red Leaf Valley.

At that time, my Master only thought the Black Fiend Sect was arrogant and overbearing; although Red Leaf Valley was weak, our Sect-protecting array was left by our Ancestral Master, making it difficult for ordinary Golden Core Cultivators to break, and we had Fellow Daoists we could call for help, so we were not too afraid.

Who would have thought... who would have thought that the Black Fiend Sect had long since planned everything thoroughly!

Lin Feng’s eyes were filled with bloodshot veins and hatred: "Ten days ago, the Black Fiend Sect suddenly launched a massive invasion, led by a Nascent Soul Elder, with Li Feng and others as the vanguard, and several Golden Core Cultivators assisting."

What is even more hateful is that they didn’t know when they had buried poisonous’Spirit-Eroding Yin Fire Thunder’ near several formation eyes of our Red Leaf Valley’s Sect-protecting array!

As soon as the battle started, with attacks from both inside and outside, the Sect-protecting array only held for half an hour before being broken!

The Disciples in the valley were caught off guard and suffered heavy casualties.

To cover our breakout, my Master fought that Black Fiend Sect Nascent Soul Elder with all his might, and in the end... in the end, he detonated his Golden Core, perishing together with that Elder!

When Lin Feng said this, he was already in tears, his voice choked with sobs.

Listening to this, Fang Hao’s expression remained calm.

Such things as Sect infighting and killing for treasures were common in the cultivation world, and there was nothing strange about it.

The Black Fiend Sect acted ruthlessly and would stop at nothing to achieve their goals, which was consistent with the usual style of Demonic Path Sects.

However, it seemed a bit of an overreaction to go to such lengths, even mobilizing a Nascent Soul Elder, just for a few third-grade spirit fruits and a cultivation secret technique?

Unless...

Sure enough, Lin Feng wiped his tears and continued: "I took a few Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, and with several Elders fighting to the death to cover us, we luckily escaped the encirclement."

Li Feng and the others pursued relentlessly, hunting us down all the way.

We hid here and there, suffering heavy casualties, and in the end, I was the only one left who escaped to this Yunmeng Great Swamp.

I thought I could shake them off by using the complex terrain of the swamp, but I didn’t expect to be caught up to, and I was unlucky enough to run into that Golden Core Demon Beast...

"You said the Black Fiend Sect was after the ’Earth Heart Spirit Flame Fruit’ and the cultivation secret technique?" Fang Hao suddenly spoke, interrupting his crying, his tone carrying a hint of amusement, "Just for this, they exterminated an entire Sect and even mobilized a Nascent Soul Elder?"

That ’Earth Heart Spirit Flame Fruit’ is not bad, but for a Nascent Soul Cultivator, its effect is probably limited, right?

Hearing this, Lin Feng’s body trembled slightly, and a flash of struggle and hesitation crossed his face, but feeling the sharpness hidden beneath Fang Hao’s calm gaze, he knew that lying in front of this unfathomable Senior was courting death.

He gritted his teeth and whispered: "Senior, your judgment is wise."

The ’Earth Heart Spirit Flame Fruit’ and the cultivation secret technique might just be an excuse on the surface, or perhaps a secondary target.

What the Black Fiend Sect truly covets is likely the... secret treasure left behind by our Red Leaf Valley’s Ancestral Master.

Finally, we reached the point.

A flash of understanding appeared in Fang Hao’s eyes, and he signaled for him to continue.

Lin Feng took a deep breath, seemingly having made up his mind: "The founder of Red Leaf Valley, whose Dao name was ’Red Leaf Loose Practitioner’, according to Sect records, had profound cultivation and once reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage, founding the Sect here eight hundred years ago."

In his later years, the Ancestral Master seemed to sense that his Lifespan was coming to an end, or perhaps for other reasons, and before passing away, he left behind an Immortal Cave in a hidden place in the valley, which is the’secret treasure’ the Junior mentioned earlier.

The Ancestral Master had a dying instruction: unless the Sect encounters a great disaster, or a Disciple with extraordinary talent who has the potential to revitalize the Sect appears, this secret treasure must not be opened.

Moreover, opening the secret treasure requires the Valley Master’s token, the ’Red Leaf Token’, as well as a special Bloodline technique.

Therefore, for hundreds of years, the matter of the secret treasure has only been passed down by word of mouth among successive Valley Masters, and the outside world is unaware of it.

"Then how did you know about it?" Fang Hao asked.

The Junior... the Junior is the Master’s closing Disciple and also the candidate for the next Valley Master designated by the Master.

A few months ago, the Master felt that his Lifespan was running out and noticed that the Black Fiend Sect had been frequently active in the vicinity, appearing to have malicious intent, fearing a change, so he told the Junior about this and passed down the ’Red Leaf Token’ and part of the technique to open the secret treasure.

As Lin Feng spoke, he took out a token from close to his body, half the size of a palm, entirely crimson red, shaped like a maple leaf, and warm as jade, respectfully presenting it with both hands.

This is the ’Red Leaf Token’.

The complete opening technique can only be obtained by combining it with a stone tablet in the Forbidden Land of the valley, but unfortunately... the Forbidden Land has been occupied by the Black Fiend Sect.

Fang Hao swept his Divine Sense over it; the Red Leaf Token’s texture was neither gold nor wood, feeling cool to the touch, with an ancient "Leaf" character carved on the front, and some complex and obscure cloud patterns on the back, with Spiritual Qi faintly circulating; it was indeed not an ordinary object.

He did not reach out to take it, but just nodded: "You continue, how did the Black Fiend Sect know about the secret treasure?"

Lin Feng took back the Red Leaf Token, a look of hatred and confusion on his face: "This matter... the Junior has also been unable to figure it out."

The matter of the secret treasure is the highest secret of our Red Leaf Valley, and only the Valley Master knows about it in every generation.

The Master was a cautious person and would never have leaked it.

Unless... unless there was a traitor in the valley, or the Black Fiend Sect used some evil method to search souls and seize spirits, obtaining the news from some Elder who knew a few rumors.

But the Junior does not know exactly how it was leaked.

When Li Feng was hunting us down, he repeatedly demanded the location of the secret treasure and the method to open it, and we would rather die than comply, which is why we suffered his ruthless hands.

Fang Hao nodded slightly.

Internal strife in the Sect, the appearance of a traitor, or the higher-ups being controlled by Demonic Path secret techniques were all possible.

This was not important.

What was important was the secret treasure itself.

"What is inside your Red Leaf Valley Ancestral Master’s secret treasure?" Fang Hao asked directly.

This was the point he was interested in.

Lin Feng shook his head and said bitterly: "The Junior does not know."

The Master only told me the general direction of the secret treasure, as well as the fact that the Red Leaf Token and a specific technique are needed to open it, and stated that there are powerful Restrictions set by the Ancestral Master outside the secret treasure, which cannot be safely opened without the Red Leaf Valley’s direct Bloodline and the Red Leaf Token; forcibly breaking in would only trigger the Restrictions and bring about a disaster.

As for what exactly is in the secret treasure, the Master did not specify, only saying it was the Ancestral Master’s lifetime collection, and if it could be obtained, it might help our Red Leaf Valley make a comeback.

He paused, looked up at Fang Hao, and pleaded in his eyes: "Senior, every word the Junior has said is true."

The Black Fiend Sect has wild ambitions, exterminated our Sect, and killed my Master and fellow Disciples; this hatred is irreconcilable!

The Junior’s cultivation is low, and I am afraid I have no hope of revenge in this life.

Senior has great Divine Ability and does not even take the Black Fiend Sect seriously.

The Junior is willing to offer this ’Red Leaf Token’ and the clues to the secret treasure as a reward, only asking Senior to protect me, and if there is a chance in the future to avenge this deep blood feud for the Junior, the Junior is willing to be a beast of burden for Senior, and will never regret it in this life!

If Senior can find the secret treasure, the treasures inside are yours to take, and the Junior will have no complaints!

After speaking, Lin Feng kowtowed deeply again, pressing his forehead against the cold air, his body trembling slightly, both from fear and anticipation.

Fang Hao rubbed his chin and did not answer immediately.

He carefully sorted through Lin Feng’s words.

Red Leaf Valley, secret treasure, Red Leaf Token, Bloodline technique, Black Fiend Sect coveting it, extermination... it sounded like a very standard tragedy of a small Sect caused by harboring a jade ring.

The secret treasure, since it was left by a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, must certainly contain good things.

Cultivation Techniques, Medicinal Pills, Magic Treasures, Materials, and perhaps even the opportunity for a Soul Transformation Breakthrough.

And the location is in the southeast of the Great Yan Kingdom, near the outer perimeter of the Xuanfeng Mountain Range...

Wait, Xuanfeng Mountain Range?

Fang Hao’s heart stirred, and he took out the animal skin map obtained from Mo Yunhe again.

On the map, the location of the "Ancient Cultivator’s Immortal Cave" in the "Xuanfeng Mountain Range" was marked with a special triangle symbol.

And Red Leaf Valley, according to Lin Feng’s description and the records in the Western Region Geography that Fang Hao had read before, seemed to be in the southeast outer perimeter of the Xuanfeng Mountain Range, near the entrance to the mountain range.

Could it be... that the secret treasure left by the Red Leaf Valley Ancestral Master and the Ancient Cultivator’s Immortal Cave marked on Mo Yunhe’s map are the same place?

Or, are they related?

This possibility is very high!

The Red Leaf Valley Ancestral Master was in the Late Nascent Soul Stage and passed away eight hundred years ago.

And the "Ancient Cultivator’s Immortal Cave" marked on Mo Yunhe’s map probably dates back much further, but could the "unstable space" point be related to the Restrictions set by the Red Leaf Valley Ancestral Master?

Or perhaps, what the Red Leaf Valley Ancestral Master discovered was only the periphery of that Ancient Cultivator’s Immortal Cave, while the true core Immortal Cave has another mystery?

The more Fang Hao thought about it, the more he felt it was possible.

If this is really the case, then this "on the way" trip is too worth it.

Not only could he obtain the Legacy of a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, but he might also involve a more ancient and mysterious Immortal Cave.

As for the threat from the Black Fiend Sect?

Solving a Golden Core Cultivator or two along the way, or "visiting" the Black Fiend Sect after he comes out of the Immortal Cave with greatly increased strength, is not impossible.

Anyway, they have already formed a grudge.