Xuantian Immortal Cultivation Record

“This thing is not bad. It can withstand the tempering of Senior's Myriad Beast True Fire without damage. It's likely a high-grade defensive magic treasure.” Zhang Yuanjing pointed at the tortoise-shell-shaped magic treasure and said with a smile, “I wonder if Junior Brother Yuan will like it?”

Fire Crow Daoist snorted lightly: “Even if he wants it, I don’t want to give it to him!”

He knew that Zhang Yuanjing was intentionally giving him this item, so that Yuan Zhilin could bestow it upon him for self-defense after he advanced to the Core Formation stage. Naturally, there was also the hope that Yuan Zhilin could successfully break through. He didn't stand on ceremony and readily accepted it.

Fire Crow Daoist pointed to the center of the room, where the two strong men had been burned to black ash, and said, “There are two black iron cores there, like objects for making puppets. Those two Core Formation Stage cultivators might just be two puppets!”

“Puppets? I've never heard of such realistic puppets!” Zhang Yuanjing said in surprise.

Fire Crow Daoist said, “I've heard of some cruel methods that can turn living cultivators into puppets, indistinguishable from living people, but their strength is weaker than the previous cultivators. The core part is this black iron core.”

Zhang Yuanjing thought of the Thick Earth Sect's Stone Puppet Technique, which could use stone cores transformed from true inheritance tokens to control stone puppets. These stone cores might be the same type of thing as black iron cores. However, he considered himself to have mediocre aptitude, and apart from alchemy, he dared not divert his attention to other unorthodox paths.

So he said, “I have no interest in this technique. If Senior likes it, then take it.”

Fire Crow Daoist cupped his hands and said, “These two cores look quite exquisite, and must have been refined by the most skilled weapon refining grandmaster. I will shamelessly take them first, to see if I can find out any wonderful uses.”

The two walked towards the side of the secret door. Fire Crow Daoist went to clean up the demon cultivator's corpse and storage bracelet, found the magic talisman used to enter and exit the trapped array, and then used a breeze to send water to disperse the bloody smell here.

Zhang Yuanjing smiled and looked at Huo Zhengkai.

“You, you are really Uncle Zhang?” Huo Zhengkai asked hesitantly.

Just now, he was shocked by the sudden changes in the palace, and afraid of the power of the Core Formation Stage cultivators' fighting, he stood behind the Bijing Suanni beast, a terrifying monster, and didn't dare to move.

Later, when he heard Fire Crow Daoist repeatedly call the middle-aged cultivator in front of him, who looked only thirty years old but had a somewhat familiar face, “Yuanjing”, a bit of expectation couldn't help but arise in his heart, but this senior was too different from the Zhang Yuanjing in his memory.

Zhang Yuanjing was stunned when he heard this, and looked at Huo Zhengkai's complex gaze mixed with hope, desire, suspicion, fear and other emotions. He said with emotion, “Little Kai, even you can't recognize me? It's been more than sixty years since we parted at Lingxiao Peak!”

The three words “Lingxiao Peak” immediately evoked memories surging like a tide. The sound and appearance of that year suddenly merged with the person in front of him.

Huo Zhengkai was so excited that his face turned red. He immediately knelt down on both knees and said with joy, “Disciple Huo Zhengkai, greetings, Uncle Zhang, congratulations, Uncle, on achieving Core Formation, the Great Dao is in sight. Welcome Uncle back to the sect!”

“Why are you still kneeling!” Zhang Yuanjing was also quite moved in his heart, and said with a gentle smile, “Stand up and speak. I still remember that you, back then, although only fourteen or fifteen years old, were unyielding and as straight as a sharp sword with soaring spirit.”

Huo Zhengkai stood up and said solemnly, “Uncle Zhang is Zhengkai's teacher, and Zhengkai owes him a great kindness. Without this great gift, it is not enough to express the disciple's admiration!”

When Zhang Yuanjing heard this, he couldn't help but recall the scene when he first met Huo Xiaokai by the Baiyue River. A feeling of time passing by surged in his heart, so he asked, “When did you enter the Foundation Establishment stage?”

Huo Zhengkai said, “This disciple is stupid and was fortunate enough to succeed in Foundation Establishment ten years ago.”

Ten years ago? Zhang Yuanjing frowned, and a doubt arose in his heart. Ten years ago, Huo Zhengkai was already over sixty years old, exceeding the age limit for the Xuantian Sect to select elite disciples. It stands to reason that with his aptitude, he would have achieved Foundation Establishment before the age of sixty. Unless something unexpected happened that seriously interfered with his cultivation.

However, now is not the time to investigate this matter.

Zhang Yuanjing said, “Since you are in the 'Zheng' generation, I wonder which elder you have apprenticed to?”

Huo Zhengkai looked at Zhang Yuanjing expectantly and said, “This disciple has only changed his name and has not yet apprenticed.”

According to the Xuantian Sect's system, Foundation Establishment Stage disciples can apprentice to Core Formation elders and determine their generation based on the master's generation, regardless of cultivation level, age, or worldly seniority. In other words, even if a father and son practice together, and the son apprentices to the Tian generation, and the father apprentices to the Yuan generation, the father must call the son Senior Uncle or Senior Master.

However, Core Formation elders often have their requirements for accepting disciples. If they don't like you, no matter how you beg, they will not allow it. Therefore, among the five or six hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Xuantian Sect, only more than a hundred can apprentice to Core Formation elders.

Foundation Establishment cultivators who have not apprenticed to a master must also determine their generation, which is generally determined according to the lowest generation among Foundation Establishment cultivators. Now, the lowest generation of Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Xuantian Sect is naturally the Zheng generation, so Huo Xiaokai changed his name to Huo Zhengkai.

Zhang Yuanjing smiled and said with a slightly cold expression, “With your aptitude, even if you failed to enter Foundation Establishment before the age of sixty, there should be many Core Formation elders willing to accept you as a disciple. Why haven't you apprenticed yet?”

Huo Zhengkai hesitated for a moment and said, “This disciple, this disciple has been inquiring about Uncle's whereabouts all these years. There are some rumors in the sect, but this disciple doesn't believe any of them. This disciple thinks that Uncle is blessed and will be able to overcome difficulties and achieve Core Formation. This disciple has been looking forward to Uncle's return to the mountain, hoping that one day, he can apprentice to Uncle's sect.”

Zhang Yuanjing was moved in his heart, but did not reply. Just as he saw Fire Crow Daoist looking at him, he smiled proudly and said, “Senior, this kid, I brought him up to Tianque Mountain from the mortal world. I can be considered to have led him into the Dao. He has been pure in thought since he was a child, and he is still like this after decades of absence.”

Fire Crow Daoist nodded and praised, “Indeed, he is a good material. If he is taught by Yuanjing, his future will be limitless!”

Zhang Yuanjing introduced Huo Zhengkai: “Little Kai, this is Senior Fire Crow, he is my good teacher and friend.”

Huo Zhengkai immediately bowed and said loudly, “Junior Huo Zhengkai greets Senior Fire Crow, thank you Senior for your help in saving Junior from danger. Junior is grateful and will never forget it!”

Fire Crow Daoist laughed and said, “No need to be polite, even if I don't take action, your Uncle Zhang can protect you.”

After a slight pause, he said, “Yuanjing, we have been fighting and greeting here, wasting a lot of time, and we don't know what the situation is outside. Why not put the reminiscing aside for now and go out to see what's going on.”