Immortality Cultivation

As for Lin Feng’s request... Protect him? Help him take revenge? Fang Hao glanced at Lin Feng, who was kneeling on the ground, his aura withered, possessing only Late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation.

In his current eyes, such cultivation was akin to an ant.

Keeping him around would be a burden, and leaving him alone meant certain death, given the Black Fiend Sect’s style of rooting out all opposition.

The clues to the hidden treasure and the Red Leaf Token, however, were of value to him.

As for revenge... he would see how he felt. If it was convenient, wiping out the Black Fiend Sect wouldn’t be a big deal.

Of course, that was on the condition that the hidden treasure was worth his effort.

"Do you know the specific location of the hidden treasure?" Fang Hao asked indifferently, putting away the map.

Upon hearing this, a burst of hopeful light erupted in Lin Feng’s eyes. He hurriedly said, "I know! Master once showed me a secret map passed down by the Ancestral Master, marking the general area of the hidden treasure’s entrance. It is located deep within a secret cave at ’Red Maple Cliff’ in the Forbidden Land behind our Red Leaf Valley.

However, the specific method to open it requires coordinating with the stone tablet inside the Forbidden Land and a Bloodline technique. Now that the Forbidden Land is occupied by the Black Fiend Sect, I fear..."

"No matter." Fang Hao waved his hand, interrupting his concern.

Having the general location was enough; as for the Restriction and the method to open it, he would see when the time came.

With his current strength, added to Lao Jin and the chaos pill cauldron, even if the Red Leaf Loose Cultivator was at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, how much power could the Restriction left behind eight hundred years ago still have?

If all else failed, he could slowly grind it down, or try to ’dissolve’ it using the power of Chaos.

"Senior... have you agreed?" Lin Feng’s voice trembled slightly, filled with anticipation.

Fang Hao did not answer directly, but said, "I accept your Red Leaf Token and the clues to the hidden treasure. In exchange, I can temporarily protect you until I confirm the location of the hidden treasure.

As for avenging Red Leaf Valley..." He paused, watching Lin Feng’s eyes suddenly light up, and said slowly, "If the hidden treasure is of sufficient value, and the Black Fiend Sect happens to provoke me, I wouldn’t mind wiping them out while I’m at it."

These words were spoken calmly, but the killing intent and confidence contained within them caused Lin Feng’s mind to shake violently.

Wiping out the Black Fiend Sect while at it? That was a Demonic Path Sect with a Middle Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator sitting in command!

In the mouth of this Senior, it sounded as if it were just casually swatting a few flies!

What exactly was this Senior’s background? And just how strong was the silver-white Puppet beside him?

Lin Feng dared not think too much and hurriedly kowtowed again: "Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior! Junior Lin Feng is willing to swear a Heart Demon oath that I will never betray Senior in this life and will follow Senior’s lead! There is no falsehood regarding the location of the hidden treasure!"

"There is no need for a Heart Demon oath," Fang Hao said indifferently.

He didn’t care at all whether Lin Feng would betray him; in the face of absolute strength, any petty schemes were laughable.

"Come up."

With a thought, a portal opened in the light shield of the azure spirit boat.

Lin Feng was overjoyed and hurriedly struggled to his feet, stepping onto the flying boat.

His injuries were not light, and his spiritual power was exhausted, so he almost stumbled and fell when boarding, but fortunately, he managed to steady himself by holding onto the gunwale.

Fang Hao casually flicked a Medicinal Pill for healing to him: "Take it and regulate your breathing. Direct the way to Red Leaf Valley."

"Yes! Senior!" Lin Feng took the Medicinal Pill and swallowed it without even looking at it.

Immediately, a warm current surged through his limbs and bones, and his injuries began to improve at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He knew this was a precious Medicinal Pill and felt even more grateful. He hurriedly forced himself to perk up and pointed in the southeast direction: "Senior, in this direction, about three thousand li away, is where Red Leaf Valley is located.

There is a concealment Formation outside the valley, but I fear it has likely been destroyed or controlled by the people of the Black Fiend Sect by now."

"Hmm." Fang Hao nodded and controlled the azure spirit boat, turning it into a streak of azure light that flew towards the direction Lin Feng pointed.

The speed was much faster than before.

Lao Jin still stood silently behind Fang Hao, its silver-white body reflecting cold light under the sunlight.

Lin Feng secretly glanced at Lao Jin, feeling both awe and curiosity in his heart, but he dared not ask more and hurriedly sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing and heal his injuries.

Fang Hao stood at the bow of the boat, his gaze cast towards the southeast, his eyes deep.

The Red Leaf Valley hidden treasure, the ancient Cultivator’s ruins in the Xuanfeng Mountain Range, the Black Fiend Sect... This trip to the Western Region, it seems, will not be boring.

He hoped that what the Red Leaf Loose Cultivator left behind would not disappoint him.

As for the Black Fiend Sect? They had better be sensible and not provoke him.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t mind making this Demonic Path Sect disappear from the map of the Western Region.

The azure spirit boat cut through the sky, carrying one person, one Puppet, and one wounded man, and sped towards Red Leaf Valley, which had just experienced blood and fire and was now being coveted by new visitors.

The azure spirit boat continued southeast, piercing through clouds and mist.

After taking the Medicinal Pill, Lin Feng’s injuries stabilized quite a bit.

Although his face was still pale and his aura was still weak, he could at least barely stand and direct the way for Fang Hao.

He was filled with gratitude and awe towards this mysterious and powerful Senior, and along the way, he reported everything he knew about Red Leaf Valley, the hidden treasure, and the Black Fiend Sect in great detail.

"Senior, one hundred li ahead is the Qixia Mountain Range where Red Leaf Valley is located." Lin Feng pointed to the distant, undulating mountain range tinged with a faint golden-red under the setting sun, a flash of irrepressible sorrow in his eyes.

That place was once his home, but now it had fallen into the hands of his enemies, his fellow disciples stained with blood, and his Master fallen.

Fang Hao nodded and controlled the azure spirit boat to slowly lower its altitude and speed, while simultaneously restraining his own aura to the extreme, just like a Mortal without any cultivation.

Lao Jin also received the command, and the luster on its silver-white metallic body quickly dimmed, becoming like ordinary, stubborn iron, standing silently behind Fang Hao.

If not for seeing it with one’s own eyes, one could hardly feel its existence.

"The people from the Black Fiend Sect should still be in the valley." Lin Feng lowered his voice, his tone certain.

"They wiped out Red Leaf Valley, and their main goal is the Ancestral Master’s hidden treasure.

The entrance to the hidden treasure is at the Forbidden Land, Red Maple Cliff, where there is a final Restriction my Master activated before dying.

It is said to have been personally set up by the Ancestral Master and is extremely powerful. Without the Red Leaf Token and the correct opening technique, even a Nascent Soul Cultivator would be in danger of falling if they forcibly broke in.

After they broke the mountain-protecting Formation, they must be trying to crack the Restriction.

We have been fleeing for only ten days or so, so they shouldn’t have succeeded so quickly."

Fang Hao was noncommittal.

The Restriction left by a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, after eight hundred years, would certainly have diminished in power, but it was definitely not easy to handle.

Since the Black Fiend Sect had dispatched a Nascent Soul Elder, they must have some confidence or some special means.

However, this was all irrelevant. All he wanted was to confirm the location of the hidden treasure, and... see if there was an opportunity to wait for the right moment to strike.

"Do you have any safe hiding places in the valley? Or, is there any way to sneak in quietly without alerting the people of the Black Fiend Sect?" Fang Hao asked.

He intended to first probe the situation.

If the people from the Black Fiend Sect were still struggling with that Restriction, he wouldn’t mind waiting for them to open it and exhaust themselves before stepping in to ’receive’ it.

If they had already succeeded and left, he would just go in and take a look directly.

As for bringing along Lin Feng, this burden, and forcing his way in, that was the worst possible strategy.

Lin Feng thought carefully, a look of difficulty on his face: "Reporting to Senior, the mountain-protecting Formation of Red Leaf Valley has already been broken, and all important passages must be guarded by the Black Fiend Sect.

As for sneaking in quietly... although I am familiar with the terrain in the valley, since the Black Fiend Sect occupies this place, they must have tight defenses.

Moreover, the Forbidden Land, Red Maple Cliff, is located deep in the back mountain, with only one path leading to it, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

However..." He hesitated for a moment and said, "There is a secret cold pool in the valley called ’Jade Wave Pool’. At the bottom of the pool is an underground river that leads directly to an abandoned herb garden in the back mountain.

That underground river is extremely hidden, the current is swift, and it contains Yin-cold Qi, making it difficult for ordinary Cultivators to dive for long periods, and very few people know about it.

When I was young and mischievous, I once accidentally snuck into the back mountain from there to pick herbs. Perhaps... we could try from there."

An underground river? Fang Hao’s eyes brightened slightly.

This was a good way to sneak in.

With his current cultivation and Lao Jin’s characteristics, diving into an underground river wouldn’t be much of a problem.

"Lead the way to that Jade Wave Pool." Fang Hao decided decisively.

"Yes!" Lin Feng’s spirits lifted, and he hurriedly pointed the way.

Under the cover of twilight, the azure spirit boat landed silently in a dense forest on the outskirts of the Qixia Mountain Range.

Fang Hao put away the flying boat and said to Lin Feng: "Your injuries have not yet healed; wait here, set up a concealment Formation, and don’t run around. I will be back shortly."

"Senior..." Lin Feng opened his mouth, wanting to say that he was more familiar with the valley and could lead the way, but seeing Fang Hao’s unquestionable gaze, and remembering his own meager cultivation, he realized he would only be a burden if he followed, so he had to respectfully say: "Yes, Junior will obey. Senior, please be careful; the Black Fiend Sect is ruthless, and there must be ambushes in the valley."

Fang Hao waved his hand, signaling him not to say more.

He glanced at Lao Jin, his thoughts stirring.

A silver light flashed in Lao Jin’s eyes, and its massive body actually began to slowly shrink and deform.

Within a few breaths, it transformed from a metal giant over a zhang tall into a palm-sized, entirely silver-white metal spider.

Its eight slender metal legs danced flexibly, and it crawled silently onto Fang Hao’s shoulder, then lay there, motionless, like an exquisite metal ornament.