The Demon Eye of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Chapter 13 Control

Outside the Hundred Machines Hall in Huangfeng Valley, Mu Chunfeng had just learned all the details about the boy surnamed Wang from the guarding disciple.

This young man is named Wang Yan. He is a direct descendant of the Wang family, a prominent immortal cultivation clan in the Yue Kingdom. He was exceptionally admitted to Huangfeng Valley because he was born with the Xuan Yin Eye.

The complete technique of the lost Thousand Lights technique, which had been lost for hundreds of years, had long since disappeared from Tiannan. However, Wang Yan was not only accepted as a disciple by Lei Wanhe, but now he was living alone in a villa on Xuankun Mountain.

Mu Chunfeng pondered to himself: Whether the Wang family possessed a fragment of the cultivation technique or Lei Wanhe held the inheritance, Wang Yan must have the cultivation method for this pupil technique. Otherwise, what difference would a pair of Xuan Yin eyes, unable to cultivate the dazzling divine light, be from the ordinary eyes of a cultivator, and they would not even be worthy of the attention of a Core Formation cultivator?

In terms of status and seniority, Wang Yan is now almost the same as him.

For some unknown reason, Lei Wanhe never took him with him to cultivate, leaving him to live alone in a corner of Xuankun Mountain.

It should be noted that even the Murong twins, who possessed lightning spiritual roots and were both newly emerging geniuses, were only Lei Wanhe's prospective disciples. They would only be accepted into Lei Wanhe's fold after they had established their foundations.

Although the Wang family lineage is considered to have a deep foundation in the Yue Kingdom, in reality, it only has a few Foundation Establishment cultivators in charge. At this time, the Wang family is not even as powerful as the Yan family fortress.

They couldn't possibly persuade a Core Formation Elder to accept Wang Yan as a disciple.

Therefore, it is more likely that, as he guessed, they possess the cultivation method of "Divine Light of Fiery Eyes".

Unfortunately, in the original story, Wang Yan disappeared without a trace after that, presumably due to an accident on his path of cultivation, and perished early.

After sorting out and analyzing all the information, Mu Chunfeng followed the guidance given by the disciple in charge and slowly climbed Xuankun Mountain, arriving directly at the door of Wang Yan's residence.

Thump, thump, thump.

He raised his hand and gently knocked on the wooden door. A slightly childish voice quickly came from inside: "Who is it?"

Mu Chunfeng replied in a gentle tone, "I am Mu Chunfeng, a disciple of Elder Li Huayuan. I have come here today specifically to discuss something with Junior Brother Wang."

A moment later, the wooden door slowly opened inward, and a child of about ten years old stood behind the door, his exceptionally clear eyes curiously observing the unfamiliar cultivator in front of him.

Mu Chunfeng's expression was gentle, with a warm smile on his face: "Junior Brother Wang, we are both disciples of a Core Formation Elder. I have long heard that Senior Uncle Lei has recently taken on a disciple with extraordinary talent, so I have come to pay him a special visit today."

"Looking for me?"

Wang Yan was full of doubt. He had never met Mu Chunfeng before and couldn't understand why the other party would come all the way here.

Mu Chunfeng remained amiable: "Junior brother, there's no need to worry. My visit will only bring you benefits, not harm."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yan hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to invite Mu Chunfeng into the house and closed the wooden door behind him.

The two sat down opposite each other at the table. Mu Chunfeng glanced lightly over the furnishings in the room and saw that the arrangement was simple and plain, without any superfluous decorations.

He secretly wondered: Was it because Wang Yan was naturally frugal, or because of a lack of cultivation resources, that he lived such a frugal life? Logically speaking, a direct descendant of the Wang family shouldn't be treated so poorly.

"Senior Brother Mu...may I address you as such?" Wang Yan's tone was somewhat reserved. He could clearly sense the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator emanating from Mu Chunfeng, and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

"Of course," Mu Chunfeng said gently. "We are both disciples of Core Formation Elders, of equal seniority, so there's no need to be so formal."

Wang Yan relaxed slightly upon hearing this, but still kept his head down and said in a low voice, "But I... am ultimately just a disciple in name only."

Mu Chunfeng saw through his inferiority and unease at a glance, and her tone became even gentler: "So what if you're a disciple in name only? You possess the Xuan Yin Eye, have excellent aptitude, and were personally accepted into the sect by Senior Uncle Lei. Your status already surpasses that of countless ordinary disciples in the sect."

"Hmm..." Wang Yan nodded gently, his tense expression finally easing a bit.

Seeing that he seemed to be relaxing, Mu Chunfeng slowly got to the point: "Junior Brother Wang, I've come here today because I genuinely want to help you."

"Help me?" Wang Yan's eyes were full of surprise and curiosity.

"good."

Mu Chunfeng nodded and slowly said, "I was also a disciple in my early years. It wasn't until I successfully established my foundation that I was able to advance to the level of a true disciple. Therefore, I know the difficulties of being a disciple. Outsiders only know that we have the backing of a Core Formation elder and enjoy unlimited glory, but only we ourselves know that it's just an empty title. Whether we can successfully establish our foundation depends entirely on our own fate. There are quite a few people who are stuck in the Qi Refining stage for life and have only empty titles. As for those Foundation Establishment cultivators, those who are theoretically our peers, they seem to be friendly to us, but they have never truly regarded disciples as their peers. True disciples and disciples seem to be only one step apart, but in reality, they are worlds apart."

These words struck a chord with him, and Wang Yan nodded repeatedly in agreement.

He was just a ten-year-old child who had been pampered by his clan since childhood, enjoying a life of comfort and being highly regarded.

Before arriving at Huangfeng Valley, the Wang family patriarch told him that he must seize this opportunity to stay by the side of the Core Formation Elder, so as to deepen the relationship between the family and Huangfeng Valley.

Now that they have arrived at Huangfeng Valley, although they have been taken in by Lei Wanhe and live alone in a villa on Xuankun Mountain, it seems like they are receiving special treatment, but in reality, no one cares about them at all.

His master never inquired about his cultivation progress, and his fellow disciples only showed him superficial kindness. There was absolutely no guidance on cultivation or preferential treatment in sect missions.

He used to be the center of attention in the Wang family, but now he is all alone and has to rely on himself for everything. This huge difference has filled his heart with loneliness and grievances.

But thinking of the clan chief's entrustment to him, he couldn't let the clan chief down.

Seeing Wang Yan's dejected appearance, Mu Chunfeng's suspicions were all confirmed.

At this moment, Mu Chunfeng spoke up, breaking the silence in the room: "I can provide you with a stable supply of cultivation resources, but it won't be a free gift. I've heard that you come from the Wang family, a family of cultivators, and I hope to use your connections to establish a stable channel for trading talismans with the Wang family."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yan's eyes lit up instantly, and he asked with a hint of disbelief, "Senior Brother Mu, can you really provide me with cultivation resources?"

"Naturally true."

Mu Chunfeng raised his hand and patted his storage bag. A lustrous, warm-looking mid-grade spirit stone, along with twenty well-made, spiritually radiant low-grade talismans, were neatly arranged on the wooden table.

"From now on, I will provide you with a hundred low-grade spirit stones every year, plus all kinds of talisman materials you need. In addition, I can also guide your cultivation. All you have to do is act as a go-between and help me open up talisman trading channels with the Wang family."

Looking at the spirit stones and talismans on the table, their light shimmering, Wang Yan felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

The supplies provided by his family were already limited, so having an additional stable source of resources would be a great thing for him.

Moreover, if this deal can be facilitated, it will open up new resource channels for the family, and I will have made a contribution to the family. It is a win-win situation.

With the support of his family on one side and the continuous supply of resources and cultivation guidance from Senior Brother Mu on the other, his cultivation path will definitely be much smoother.

After several thoughts, Wang Yan had no more worries and his eyes were full of joy and determination: "Thank you, Senior Brother Mu! Leave the matter of contacting the family to me, I will definitely handle it properly for you."

Mu Chunfeng smiled faintly: "No need for thanks. We've simply benefited each other and each got what we needed. Consider these resources as my advance payment. I also sincerely hope that you can reach Foundation Establishment soon, shed your status as a nominal disciple, and become a true disciple in name and in fact."

The thought that his status would rise after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, allowing him to fulfill the clan leader's entrustment and gain a higher position and greater influence in both Huangfeng Valley and the Wang family filled Wang Yan with anticipation.

After a heartfelt and empathetic explanation, coupled with tangible benefits and inducements, ten-year-old Wang Yan completely lowered his guard and fell into Mu Chunfeng's trap.

As long as we maintain regular contact and gradually become familiar with each other, we will have no trouble finding out the secrets of Chimu Shenguang's cultivation.

Half an hour later, a streak of azure light pierced the sky above Yellow Maple Valley.

Bathed in the spring breeze, stepping on the green leaf magic artifact, he set off for the Yellow Maple Valley market.

He planned to first sell all the unused magical artifacts he had obtained in the Crimson Forbidden Land, and then set off for Yuanwu Kingdom to find Qi Yunxiao and purchase the Inverted Five Elements Formation.

He sped along the road and arrived at the market under the jurisdiction of the Tianxing Sect in less than half a day.

The reason this trip was faster than usual was that after selling his magical artifacts at Wanbaolou in Huangfeng Valley Market, he also gritted his teeth and bought a top-grade flying magical artifact—the Cloud-Piercing Shuttle.

This expensive magical artifact emptied almost half of his savings, but he still wanted to ask Manager Wan of Wanbaolou to help him collect pills that could enhance his Foundation Establishment cultivation. Helpless, Mu Chunfeng had no choice but to sell a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Manager Wan was quite straightforward, directly purchasing the pills for four thousand low-grade spirit stones. These spirit stones were then kept by Manager Wan as a deposit for the pills he was entrusted with collecting.

After making a few inquiries in the market, Mu Chunfeng quickly found the Cloud Pavilion.

He walked slowly into the shop and saw a young monk, around twenty years old, behind the counter, busy with his work.

The shop was simply furnished, with various array plates neatly arranged on the shelves on both sides, and a lot of materials for refining weapons and making arrays piled up on the wooden table in the center.

The young man sensed the Foundation Establishment stage spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from Mu Chunfeng, and seeing his gaze fall upon the array artifacts on the shelf, he quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "My name is Qi Yunxiao, and I am the owner of this shop. May I ask if you have come to purchase array artifacts, senior?"

"good."

Mu Chunfeng spoke calmly, "I've heard that you have remarkable skills in formations, and that the formations you create are exquisite and effective. I came here specifically to take a look."

"I dare not presume to call it exquisite; I only seek practicality and durability. Senior, please follow me."

Qi Yunxiao enthusiastically led the way, introducing him one by one the various array plates and simple arrays on the shelf.

After the introductions were finished, he turned and asked, "Which formation has caught your eye, senior?"

Mu Chunfeng shook his head slightly: "Although the formation here is more suitable than others, it is still lacking in refinement. I need a protective formation specifically for my cave dwelling, preferably one that can withstand the combined attack of multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yunxiao looked surprised. After a moment's hesitation, he still answered truthfully, "To be honest, senior, I happen to have a formation that meets your requirements. However, this formation was entrusted to me by a close friend and is not yet fully perfected, still containing many flaws. If this formation could be perfected, it could even withstand some of the full-force attacks of a Core Formation cultivator."

"Oh?"

Mu Chunfeng feigned interest, "Could you bring it over so I can take a look?"

"Please follow me, senior."

Qi Yunxiao led him to the wooden table, tidied up the table briefly, and took out a set of array flags and array plates.

He raised his hand, infused it with a wisp of spiritual energy, and gently activated it. Then, he earnestly explained, "This formation is called the Inverted Five Elements Formation. It is based on the power of the five elements and has the dual functions of trapping enemies and defense. Once the entire formation is set up, it is both defensive and trapping, enough to protect a cave dwelling and resist the invasion of powerful enemies."

After a slight pause, Qi Yunxiao's tone lowered: "However, my dear friend has suddenly contracted a strange illness and has no time to continue repairing and perfecting the array. She urgently needs a large amount of spirit stones to seek medical treatment, at least a thousand low-grade spirit stones. If you are interested in purchasing, I guarantee that once my friend recovers, I will definitely repair all the flaws in this array."

Mu Chunfeng understood immediately; the close friend the other party spoke of was none other than Xin Ruyin.

At this moment, the hidden dangers of the Dragon Roar Body within her body have just surfaced, and have not yet deteriorated to the point where she will need a thousand-year-old elixir to prolong her life.

Mu Chunfeng feigned a thoughtful expression: "I do have spirit stones, but words alone are meaningless. How can you guarantee that you will fulfill your promise and perfect this formation for me in the future?"

Qi Yunxiao was taken aback, and for a moment he didn't know how to prove his promise.

Mu Chunfeng then said, "How about this, I can hand over the spirit stones on the spot, but you need to provide something as collateral, so that I can feel at ease."

Without the slightest hesitation, Qi Yunxiao patted his storage bag, took out an ancient-looking handwritten book, and handed it over: "My ancestors inherited the weapon-refining methods of the Tianxing Sect. This book records my ancestors' and my own insights into weapon-refining over the years, and also contains some of the Tianxing Sect's hidden inheritances. I offer this as collateral, and I hope you will keep your promise and not reveal its contents."

A glint flashed in Mu Chunfeng's eyes as he took the note, but feigned indifference on his face: "It's difficult to determine its value based solely on a note."

"You'll know at a glance, senior."

Mu Chunfeng slowly turned the pages of the book, glanced through it briefly, and then closed the book in just a few breaths.

Even though he was not skilled in weapon crafting, he could clearly perceive that the methods recorded therein were exquisite and of extremely high quality.

"Can."

Mu Chunfeng nodded slightly, "Then let's use this as collateral."

After saying that, he took out two thousand low-grade spirit stones and arranged them neatly on the table. Then he put away the incomplete set of the Inverted Five Elements Array.

Seeing this, Qi Yunxiao asked with a puzzled expression, "Senior, what is this...?"

Mu Chunfeng spoke calmly: "The collateral you offered is extremely valuable, and your loyalty and dedication to your friend are truly admirable. Consider these extra spirit stones as my support for your friend. I hope she recovers quickly and can perfect this formation."

Mu Chunfeng knew perfectly well that by showing small favors now, he was actually planning to gain greater benefits in the future.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yunxiao's face instantly filled with gratitude, and he quickly cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you so much for your generous gift, Senior Mu! Once my dear friend recovers, I will do my utmost to repair and perfect this formation for you!"

Mu Chunfeng nodded and said slowly, "Alright, I will come back here to retrieve the formation in the future."

"This junior will remember Senior Mu's words," Qi Yunxiao solemnly cupped his hands and replied, word by word.

Qi Yunxiao then respectfully saw Mu Chunfeng off.

Now that the matter of the Reversed Five Elements Formation has been completely settled, Mu Chunfeng finally has some free time.

He returned to his cave without stopping and carefully set up the Inverted Five Elements Formation.

Gazing at the spiritual light flowing above the array, its subtle power far surpassed that of the simple, small illusion array issued by the sect. Within the array's coverage, Mu Chunfeng couldn't help but feel a sense of security and stability.

He then turned around and returned to his cultivation room, devoting himself wholeheartedly to studying the intermediate talisman drawing method and his own cultivation.

On ordinary days, Mu Chunfeng would also take time to visit Wang Yan at Xuankun Mountain, and offer some pointers on the bottlenecks he encountered in his cultivation, thus gradually enhancing their friendship.

Wang Yan lived up to expectations and successfully contacted the Wang family, facilitating the talisman transaction.

All the materials needed to draw the talismans were provided by the Wang family, but the Wang family would take 40% of the profits from the transactions.

Mu Chunfeng's true intentions were not what they seemed, so he readily agreed.

After that, the Wang family would regularly send people to deliver various materials to Wang Yan's residence, and he would be responsible for the relay and delivery. Mu Chunfeng was happy to do so, as it would make it easier for him to have more contact and interaction with Wang Yan.

Later, Mu Chunfeng visited Han Li at the herb garden where he lived.

Han Li was genuinely surprised to see that Mu Chunfeng had successfully established her foundation in such a short time.

Mu Chunfeng showed no sign of pride, but gently patted Han Li's shoulder and comforted him in a warm voice, "Don't worry, once you reach the peak of Qi Refining, you will definitely be able to successfully establish your foundation."

Upon hearing this, Han Li secretly encouraged himself, thinking to himself: with the little green bottle in his hand, even if he ate as many Foundation Establishment Pills as he could, he would definitely be able to successfully establish his foundation.