Chapter 433 - 246: Surprising Harvest, Fake Pill Puppet

The flower was entirely blood-red and had nine petals. Each one looked like a burning flame, giving it an exceptionally strange appearance.

It was the Blood Fire Soul Refining Flower!

’This isn’t the right time to consume it. I’ll go back to Changqing Mountain first.’

Li Chang’an’s Escape Technique was extremely fast, and it didn’t take long for him to return to Changqing Mountain.

He went into the depths of his dwelling, sealed the entrance, and activated the array, isolating the entire dwelling from the outside world.

After that, he tossed out the heavily injured Nie Ting.

Li Chang’an had originally planned to kill Nie Ting, but he changed his mind at the last minute because he was reminded of the Yin Soul Sect’s Second Saint Child, who was suspected to be Murong Kang.

According to the Fourth Saint Child, Sun Hai, the Second Saint Child was only a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, yet he had subdued a living Fake Pill Master!

For that very reason, Li Chang’an wanted to try it himself.

’If I succeed, I’ll have a Fake Pill Puppet. And this puppet is a top figure in the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. His clearance for the Sect Treasure Vault must be very high, which means he can obtain a lot of treasures for me.’

Li Chang’an had long since experienced the benefits of having a sect at his back.

Originally, many of the treasures he needed for Body Refinement were nowhere to be found.

But then he took control of Xie Jiang and the others, having them redeem treasures from the Cyan Cloud Sect Treasure Vault in batches. It wasn’t long before they had gathered all the treasures he required.

If not for that, he would probably still be worrying about the treasures needed for the final stage of Body Refinement.

As he was thinking, Nie Ting’s weak voice rang out.

"Daoist... Daoist Li, spare me... I... I can still be useful..."

"Of course you’re useful!"

Li Chang’an gave a faint smile and flicked out a streak of green light with his finger.

The green light instantly shot into Nie Ting’s body, transforming into a Wood Seed just below his heart. It took root, sprouted, and began to invade his flesh.

This time, however, was different. Li Chang’an felt a strong resistance.

Nie Ting was a Fake Pill Master, after all, and far superior to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in every respect.

And while Li Chang’an’s combat prowess was formidable, his own Magical Power was still only at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, and he quickly began to feel the strain.

Fortunately, however, the Wood Seed’s invasion didn’t stop.

Nie Ting soon realized something was wrong.

His face filled with terror as he cried out, "What... what are you doing to me...?"

Li Chang’an didn’t answer.

He activated the Wood Seed Technique, controlling the Wood Seed as it slowly invaded every inch of Nie Ting’s flesh and blood.

「About an hour later.」

Countless tiny branches had already occupied Nie Ting’s flesh, bones, and even his meridians, turning him into a Wood Seed Puppet.

"Success!"

A flash of joy appeared in Li Chang’an’s eyes.

With this, he once again possessed a source of Tier Three Power!

The only problem was that this source of Tier Three Power couldn’t be kept by his side at all times.

With a mere thought from Li Chang’an, Nie Ting moved according to his will, unleashing a magical art with his Fake Pill Magical Power.

’This Great Demon Technique is truly extraordinary, allowing one to control cultivators of a higher stage. No wonder Mo Qingkuan was so difficult to deal with back then. I bet his puppets were hidden within all the major Righteous Sects at the time.’

For those Righteous Cultivators, their relatives, friends, or even the partners sleeping beside them could have been turned into enemy puppets.

The very thought was terrifying.

After a moment, Li Chang’an stopped his tests and temporarily restored Nie Ting’s ability to speak.

"Daoist Nie, there are a few things I’d like to ask you."

Nie Ting was still in a state of terror.

He still couldn’t move, having lost control over his own body.

"Li Chang’an, what exactly did you do to me?"

"Just a small demonic trick."

"So you really are part of the Demonic Dao!"

A sliver of despair grew in Nie Ting’s heart.

Righteous Cultivators who fell into the hands of Demon Cultivators usually met a miserable fate.

Li Chang’an said calmly, "Don’t worry, Daoist Nie. As long as you cooperate with me, I’ll let you return to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect."

"Do you mean that?"

"I do! I, Li Chang’an, never lie."

As he spoke, a Spiritual Light flashed in his hand, and the Blood Fire Soul Refining Flower materialized.

"Daoist Nie, where did you get this Blood Fire Soul Refining Flower?"

"I obtained this flower in the Blood Stone Secret Realm. It was growing in an ancient battlefield littered with remains, with no other treasures nearby..."

Clinging to that sliver of hope, Nie Ting was extremely cooperative and answered in detail.

The reason he hadn’t consumed the rare flower was that the quality of his Core Formation was only a Fake Pill, meaning there was no possibility for his Magical Power to advance any further.

Even if his Divine Sense grew stronger, it would be of little use.

It would have been a complete waste for him to consume it.

He had planned to leave it for his descendants, but now it had fallen into Li Chang’an’s hands.

’So that’s how it is.’

Li Chang’an understood.

’Nie Ting had been reluctant to consume it, and in the end, it was I who benefited.’

He then asked, "Daoist Nie, I’ve heard of a Shattered Pill method that allows one to shatter their Golden Core, return to the Foundation Establishment Stage, and attempt Core Formation again. Does the Ten Thousand Swords Sect possess such a technique?"

"We don’t."

Nie Ting shook his head.

"I’ve heard of it and searched everywhere for it, but to no avail. That technique was lost long ago."

He had asked the Golden Core Masters from other Sects and Noble Families, and the answer was always the same.

None of them had it!

If it did exist, the Fake Pill Masters from the various factions would have long since been fighting to the death over it.

’Another lost technique,’

Li Chang’an sighed helplessly.

The state of the current Cultivation Realm was truly terrible; any technique that was even slightly decent had already been lost to time.

Endless time had eroded away too much.

Next, he asked a few more questions, such as the number of Golden Core Masters in the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

Nie Ting answered truthfully, "Including myself, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect originally had fourteen Masters. However, five have fallen during the years of sect warfare, leaving only nine of us now."

Only one is a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator, with two at the Middle Stage of Golden Core.

The rest are either at the Early Stage of Golden Core or are Fake Pill Masters.

Breaking through in cultivation during the Golden Core Stage is even more difficult than during the Foundation Establishment Stage.

According to the Sect’s records, since the founding of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, the vast majority of True Pill Cultivators it produced have been trapped at the Early Stage Realm, unable to advance further.

"What about the other two major Sects?"

"The Red Flame Sect only has seven Golden Core Cultivators left. The Cyan Cloud Sect is stronger, with thirteen remaining."

Even before the war started, the Cyan Cloud Sect was the head of the three sects and had the most Golden Core Cultivators.

If that weren’t the case, the Red Flame Sect and the Ten Thousand Swords Sect would not have had to join forces to fight them.

As for the Seven Great Noble Families,

the Dan Valley Xiao Family was indeed the head of the seven. Their family alone had an astonishing six Golden Core Cultivators, and the Xiao Family Ancestor even possessed the potential to ascend to the Nascent Soul Realm!

After them, the strongest was the Merchant Jin Family.

The Jin Family has four Golden Core Cultivators.

The Artifact Refining Ou Family and the Talisman Zhang Family each have only two Core Formation Cultivators.

Li Chang’an was already aware of the situation with the remaining Mu, Mo, and Zhou Families.

After this lengthy interrogation, Li Chang’an gained his first true understanding of the overall power structure in the Southern Domain Cultivation Realm.

’It seems the Mu Family is truly falling behind.’

The Mo Family and the Zhou Family at least still had a source of Tier Three Power to support them.

The Mu Family’s Fake Pill Ancestor was nearing the end of his lifespan.

And although the Mu Family had remained neutral, its Golden Core Seeds had still suffered heavy casualties in the years of chaotic warfare. They were either dead or crippled, leaving only Mu Xiaoxiao.

’The Mu Family’s decline might be my opportunity.’

Li Chang’an analyzed silently.

He had long coveted the Mu Family’s legacy of Tier Three Spirit Plants.

That legacy contained the method for refining the Cyan Profound Spirit Liquid.

’No rush. The Mu Family Ancestor is still alive, after all, and can still operate the Tier Three Array in the Mu Clan Territory. I’ll wait a while longer.’

Li Chang’an temporarily pushed the thought aside.

With a thought, he tossed Nie Ting back into his Spirit Beast Bag.

Then, he looked down at the Blood Fire Soul Refining Flower in his hand.

’After I absorb this rare flower’s medicinal power, will my Divine Sense be able to reach Tier Three?’