Large-scale commercial mutual praise scene

He tightly pressed down his slightly trembling fingers, suppressing the turbulent waves in his heart, and continued to flip through the pages.

“The 998th year of Jingyuan, winter. After a hundred years of researching the immortal corpse, I finally gained something. I discovered that within this immortal corpse, there actually contained a fragment of the 'Dao'! This 'Dao' is not the Dao of this realm; it transcends the Laws of heaven and earth! I speculate that this might be the key to ascending to the Upper Realm! However, this 'Dao' is also incredibly overbearing. With my Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, I am unable to refine it. Even a slight contact risks my Divine Soul being assimilated!”

“I have a bold idea. Since it cannot be directly refined, why not… extract its essence and graft it onto a person? Find a cauldron with a special Physique and resilient Divine Soul, implant the 'Dao' fragment into their body using a secret technique, and once it perfectly fuses with the cauldron's Divine Soul, I will then… take Possession of it!”

Upon reading this, Lin Yuan’s pupils suddenly constricted!

To achieve Soul Transformation, this Grand Elder of the Misty Immortal Sect, who in the eyes of outsiders was an immortal-like, highly respected figure, had actually conceived such a sinister and vicious method of "dao seed grafting"!

“The so-called Righteous Path Immortal Sects, peel away that glamorous skin, and the methods within are even more disgusting than the Yin Corpse Sect,” Lin Yuan sneered inwardly.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Wanqing asked with concern when she saw Lin Yuan’s expression change.

Lin Yuan did not speak; he simply handed over the yellowed diary.

“To achieve longevity, for power… to actually go to such lengths…” Mu Wanqing gently shook her head, her tone complex.

She subconsciously flipped to the last page, and after just one glance, she was struck as if by lightning, her face instantly turning pale.

On that last page, there was only one line of text, written in a messy and wild hand, the ink almost piercing through the paper, revealing the writer's ecstatic and frenzied state of mind at the time.

“The 1000th year of Jingyuan, summer. Heaven blesses my Sect, the cauldron has been found. Her name is Situ Piaomiao. She possesses a natural Ice Spirit Physique and a resilient Divine Soul, making her a rare and excellent dao seed carrier. The Great Dao of Soul Transformation is within reach! Hahahaha!”

“Situ Piaomiao? The Grand Elder of the Misty Immortal Sect?” Lin Yuan’s voice held a trace of imperceptible astonishment.

In the dim secret chamber, Lin Yuan’s expression changed erratically, finally settling into deep contemplation.

He closed the diary, which recorded shocking secrets, and looked at Mu Wanqing, who was equally shaken: “You say… is the current Situ Piaomiao still Situ Piaomiao?”

This question made Mu Wanqing’s heart tighten.

She furrowed her delicate brows, pondered for a long time, and then analyzed with some uncertainty: “Most likely… it's still her. According to the diary, if Ji Qingying had successfully taken Possession, with the profoundness of that 'Dao' fragment, she would have probably already broken through to Soul Transformation and ascended to the Upper Realm. Why would she still remain in this world?”

She paused, then added: “Moreover, the Situ Piaomiao I know is only in the Middle Nascent Soul Stage, stuck at a Bottleneck for four or five hundred years, with her Lifespan nearing its end, much like Old Ancestor Xuan Yin’s situation. This is definitely not the state a successful Possessor should be in.”

“Does that mean that the 'dao seed' Ji Qingying planted back then was not only not harvested, but is still within Situ Piaomiao’s body?” A hint of burning light flashed in Lin Yuan’s eyes.

“You… what do you mean?” Mu Wanqing looked at Lin Yuan’s expression, which seemed to have discovered a world-shaking Treasure Trove, and a premonition of ill omen rose in her heart.

“Still don’t understand?” Lin Yuan’s voice was very low, yet it couldn't hide the excitement and greed within, “Ji Qingying painstakingly spent a hundred years to successfully implant that 'Dao' fragment from the Upper Realm into Situ Piaomiao’s body. But before he could harvest it, he died due to some reason.”

“That is to say, in Situ Piaomiao, this 'flowerpot,' there is a seed from the Immortal Realm. The gardener died, but the seed remains! After more than a thousand years of Spiritual Qi and Divine Soul nourishment, this seed… has long grown into a towering tree!”

“If there’s an opportunity… to extract this ripe 'dao seed' from her body… what kind of fortune would that be?”

These words made Mu Wanqing’s scalp tingle. This man’s ideas were always so bold, so unconventional!

She composed herself and shook her head with a wry smile: “Your idea is too fantastical. Situ Piaomiao is a renowned Nascent Soul expert from the Eastern Domain, a top-tier figure. With our cultivation, to try and take something from her body? How is that any different from a madman’s delusion?”

“Dreams must always be dreamt; what if they come true?” Lin Yuan chuckled, putting away both the diary and the Storage Pouch, his face returning to its usual carefree demeanor.

“Alright, stop your daydreaming, let’s go!” Mu Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him return to normal, reaching out and pulling him, “The battle outside should have subsided. If we don’t go out soon, Lan Caier will be anxious.”

Lin Yuan nodded, said no more, and holding Mu Wanqing’s soft hand, the two returned along the original path.

When they reappeared outside the Moon Gathering Pagoda, just as Mu Wanqing had expected, the earth-shattering shouts of battle had ceased.

The night sky was filled with a faint scent of blood and the scorching aroma remaining after the collision of spiritual energy, and the clear moonlight was tinged with an eerie dark red.

In the square, the Disciples of the Five Poisons Sect were systematically cleaning up the battlefield, collecting bodies, and escorting the subdued Disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect.

Lin Yuan swept his Divine Sense across the scene and secretly praised the Five Poisons Sect’s efficiency. This battle had yielded rich rewards; there were as many as six or seven Core Formation Stage Cultivators who had been captured alive.

“You two finally came out!” A voice, tinged with a hint of resentment and teasing, came from not far away.

Lin Yuan and Mu Wanqing looked in the direction of the voice, only to see Lan Caier leaning against a jade pillar with her arms crossed, her lively eyes sweeping over them both before accurately landing on their tightly clasped hands.

“Being in the pagoda for so long… did you two do something scandalous behind my back?” Lan Caier’s lips curled into a mischievous smile, her eyes suggestive.

Mu Wanqing’s cheeks flushed, like a startled deer, and she quickly pulled her hand out of Lin Yuan’s large one, yet she forced herself to remain calm: “What nonsense are you talking about! Of course, we were doing serious business!”

Lin Yuan coughed dryly, changing the subject: “How are things outside?”

“Almost done.” When it came to serious matters, Lan Caier also became serious, “Lanyue City is under our control, and we’ve captured many hostages. Unfortunately, we searched the entire city but couldn’t find their Sect’s Treasure Trove; it’s really strange.”

Lin Yuan and Mu Wanqing exchanged glances, seeing a knowing smile in each other’s eyes.

Just then, a voluptuous and captivating figure appeared silently before the three, stepping through the moonlight.

The newcomer was none other than the Grand Elder of the Five Poisons Sect, Ye Youmeng.

At this moment, she had a lazy yet satisfied smile on her face, and her enchanting phoenix eyes, fixed on Lin Yuan, were filled with undisguised admiration and approval.

“Kid, well done.”

Ye Youmeng’s voice carried a magnetic huskiness that made one’s bones tingle.

“What a brilliant 'burning the bridge behind you' and 'striking directly at the heart'. You deserve the primary credit for how smoothly this battle went.”

Lin Yuan cupped his fists in a salute to Ye Youmeng, a humble smile on his face, and said neither subserviently nor arrogantly: “This Junior dares not claim credit. If Senior hadn’t made a decisive move and led the army in a thunderous strike, even if this Junior had destroyed the Formation Eye, it wouldn’t have had such a great effect.”

Everyone likes to be praised.

At such a time, mutual compliments were essential.

Upon hearing this, Ye Youmeng’s smile deepened.

This young man, not only was he cunning and exceptionally talented, but he also knew how to speak so well. He truly was a rare and interesting talent.

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