Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

"Save time? Fellow Daoist, is this really your first time entering the River of Cosmos Secret Realm?"

"Of course."

Upon hearing this, First Hammer couldn't help but bulge his eyes.

He could clearly sense a very faint threat emanating from the other person, which meant that this individual must be a Dharma Phase Realm cultivator not inferior to himself.

Does that mean, this guy had never come to the River of Cosmos Secret Realm when he was in the Golden Core Realm?

"Truly a Loose Cultivator? Because no one led him, and he didn't even know of the existence of the Secret Realm, is that why?"

First Hammer suspiciously thought.

His thoughts returned to the present.

"Fellow Daoist Qingyun, I hope you haven't lied to me. Otherwise, no matter where you come from, if you dare to harm Ji-world sister and the others, hmph!"

He put away his Wolf-tooth hammer, his tone carrying a hint of a mild threat.

Then.

As if he had just reacted, First Hammer stared fixedly at Zhang Jing, appearing as though he had seen a ghost.

"Fellow Daoist, how did you know I am called Hammer?"

Before Zhang Jing could even reply, he heard the other mutter through gritted teeth, "I know now, it must be that girl Su Lingling!"

...

...

"Ling Ling, these past few days, I've noticed you seem to feel somewhat different towards that Fellow Daoist Qingyun?"

Ji Xiaoyun, holding Su Lingling's hand, walked towards the outside of the shipbuilding while carefully transmitting a message to her.

As soon as these words came out.

The ordinarily lively Su Lingling fell into a rare silence.

After a while.

"Yun sister, I don't know either." She nodded and then shook her head, a trace of puzzlement flickering through her beautiful eyes, "I just feel that Fellow Daoist Qingyun is very familiar, and also—"

Su Lingling hesitated to speak further.

Seeing her expression, Ji Xiaoyun understood her thoughts all too well.

"Alas~," she sighed, then said, "Have you ever thought about the gap in status between you two? He is just a Golden Core Realm Loose Cultivator. Even if we set aside other things, how do you plan to deal with your World Uncle? He shall not agree."

Su Lingling lightly bit her lip, her expression turning gloomy.

...

...

Meanwhile.

Inside Immortal City.

An aged figure clad in a silver-grey immortal robe walked into a quiet alley with practiced ease.

At the corner was a nondescript shop without a sign, utterly dim inside with only an old Compass placed starkly on the counter.

The air was filled with the scent of decay and mold.

Upon seeing the old man enter, the attendant perked up, immediately putting on a smile and warmly asked,

"May I ask what the honored guest wishes to purchase?"

"Call your Shopkeeper out."

The old man spoke in a hoarse voice, his face emotionless.

"Esteemed guest, you may tell me your needs directly, the Shopkeeper—"

The attendant hadn't finished speaking when the old man abruptly interrupted him.

"Clamor!"

With that, the grey-robed old man waved his sleeve, and the attendant's hands suddenly seized his own neck tightly, his face filled with intense fear.

A wisp of grey smoke slowly drifted out of the attendant's orifices, and then dissipated in mid-air.

And the attendant was left as nothing more than a thin layer of human skin.

The next instant.

"Ssshh—"

"Why pick on a mere servant? We spent quite a lot of resources to train a loyal Golden Core servant. Ah, what a pity." An old crone covered in mottled spots, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, staggered out of the darkness, lamenting softly.

As her voice faded,

She kicked aside the attendant's skin on the ground and looked directly at the grey-robed old man, asking respectfully,

"What is the esteemed one's wish to know someone's location? Do you possess any information regarding them?"

"Find this person, and make it quick. The reward is also included in there."

The grey-robed old man tossed a storage bag in front of the old crone.

"Esteemed one, you have such trust in us?"

Looking at the storage bag on the ground, the old crone couldn't help but smile, revealing her two remaining yellow teeth, and probed,

"You can try, after all, I have given the reward already. If there is no satisfactory result today, your Mysterious Pavilion will have no reason to exist."

The grey-robed old man spoke indifferently.

Simultaneously, a terrifying air of an Earth Immortal quietly spread, directly pressing the old crone flat on the ground in the shape of a spread-eagled victim.

The dragon-headed cane shattered to pieces.

"Good gracious, an Earth Immortal! How could someone from the lower stream of River of Cosmos attract such a being?"

The old crone's murky pupils contracted violently.

A fear indescribable surged within her heart.

She would die, truly die!

Soon.

The old crone suppressed the fear in her heart and picked up the storage bag from the ground with great effort, handing it to a shadowy figure that had suddenly appeared behind her.

"Rest assured, esteemed one. As long as the person is still in the lower stream of River of Cosmos, we will surely find their trail."

...

...

As time trickled by.

A timid black cat brought a golden fabric to the old crone's feet.

The old crone bent down to pick up the fabric, glanced at it, and immediately cried out in ecstasy to the grey-robed old man:

"Esteemed one, we have found that person's trail!"