Vol 6 Chapter 3: Cell Phone

The yellow-skirted young woman swiftly retreated. After a long while, when she realized the Foundation Establishment old monster wasn't pursuing her, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"That was terrifying."

"How could there be a Foundation Establishment old monster here?"

Not daring to be careless, she continued rushing rapidly in one direction. Watching the retreating figure of the yellow-skirted woman, Lin Jing made no move to stop her.

A moment later, a small squirrel emerged from Lin Jing's clothing, chittering excitedly.

"Huang Zhixin..."

"Fourth layer Qi Training cultivation - for the current spiritual energy density, that's not low for her age. She could be considered a minor genius."

With the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse's current soul path attainment, simply by making eye contact with the yellow-skirted girl and using the eyes as windows to the soul, it had peered into her memory, no different from soul searching.

This fourth layer Qi Training girl was named Huang Zhixin, the successor of Thousand Clouds Temple. This Thousand Clouds Temple had only two cultivators in total...

Besides her, there was the temple master, also her biological grandfather, Thousand Clouds Daoist, with ninth layer Qi Training cultivation.

However, Thousand Clouds Temple wasn't the only cultivation force in these mountains.

After the spiritual energy recovery, these mountains had become places where spiritual energy was most concentrated, with density levels that heavily industrialized cities couldn't compare to. Therefore, after the spiritual energy recovery, many cultivators had moved away from urban areas to practice cultivation deep in the mountains.

Like this Mount Huangshan, it had gathered over a dozen cultivation forces similar to Thousand Clouds Temple. Looking across the entire Earth, it could be considered a relatively large gathering place for cultivators.

And this Thousand Clouds Temple happened to be the one closest to Lin Jing's current location, which was why Huang Zhixin, cultivating nearby, had detected something unusual.

"According to that girl's memories, in this vast Mount Huangshan with several dozen cultivators, there's actually not a single Foundation Establishment cultivator. The highest cultivation is just a group at ninth layer Qi Training..."

"Besides this, the girl doesn't know much about the broader cultivation world. She only knows that Foundation Establishment is suspected to be the peak of Earth's current cultivation realm..."

"Wait, I clearly sense there is one Foundation Establishment presence on Mount Huangshan, though it's a demonic beast... and not just early Foundation Establishment either... but Great Perfection level." Lin Jing was surprised.

But... it had nothing to do with him.

Thousand Clouds Temple.

After quickly returning to this temple built deep in the mountains, Huang Zhixin urgently woke an old man sleeping inside: "Grandfather, grandfather, grandfather, wake up."

"So noisy, are you a gourd doll?" Huang Qianyun impatiently opened his eyes, saying: "What time is it? Have you finished your cultivation?"

"I just encountered a Foundation Establishment senior."

Thump.

Huang Qianyun immediately sat up, eyes wide as he looked at his granddaughter, instantly fully awake: "What did you just say?"

"I said, I just encountered a Foundation Establishment senior."

"What did he look like?" Huang Qianyun pressed.

"About mid-twenties appearance, wearing blue robes, long black hair tied with a red cord..." Huang Zhixin immediately described Lin Jing's appearance as she had seen him, also explaining the circumstances.

"Strange, among the known Foundation Establishment experts, there's no such person." Thousand Clouds Daoist's expression turned grave: "Are you sure he's a Foundation Establishment expert?"

"Didn't you say that the 'Cloud Eyes' technique you taught me can see through the cultivation of any Qi Training practitioner? And you told me that if I encounter a cultivator whose cultivation Cloud Eyes can't see through, I must not offend them and should stay far away."

"Then it's likely really true." Thousand Clouds Daoist's expression shifted: "This senior you encountered probably isn't a modern person who started cultivating after the spiritual energy recovery. Nine times out of ten, he's an ancient cultivator..."

"Besides this, the girl doesn't know much about the broader cultivation world. She only knows that Foundation Establishment is suspected to be the peak of Earth's current cultivation realm..."

"We're going back?"

"This senior didn't blame you for your intrusion, which suggests he's reasonable. There's no harm in meeting him."

"Foundation Establishment stage - rarer than giant pandas."

At this time, Lin Jing sat cross-legged on the mountain peak, still not having begun his closed-door cultivation. He had already calculated that the girl from earlier would definitely bring someone back.

Before beginning cultivation, he wanted to ask a favor of them.

"Junior Huang Qianyun pays respects. My junior offended you earlier, senior. I beg for your forgiveness. A small apology gift - I hope senior will accept it."

After arriving, Huang Qianyun both apologized and presented a jade box. Lin Jing, as a dominant ruler of the Origin Realm, had seen all kinds of rare treasures and initially didn't pay much attention to the gift from this Qi Training minor cultivator. However, when Huang Qianyun opened the jade box to reveal the stone inside, Lin Jing was slightly startled.

It was actually an Immortal-grade rare treasure - Moonview Stone.

No, there were some differences. Although it closely resembled the Immortal-level gemstone Moonview Stone from Lin Jing's memory, the spiritual energy depletion was too severe. The power contained within was at best equivalent to a few low-grade spiritual stones.

In that instant, Lin Jing immediately understood. Although spiritual energy had depleted, Earth was after all the ancient Immortal Realm. The quantity of natural treasures and rare materials here absolutely couldn't be compared to lower realms. With the spiritual energy recovery, treasures here would quickly regenerate.

"Quite good material for artifact forging." Since it was Immortal-grade, Lin Jing didn't stand on ceremony. This type of ore could forge immortal artifacts. Although currently flawed, after the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse's synthesis, it could quickly turn waste into treasure.

Seeing Lin Jing accept the gift, Huang Qianyun immediately became happy like a child, asking: "Has senior been in secluded cultivation all this time, only recently emerging?"

"If senior doesn't mind, you could temporarily stay at our Thousand Clouds Temple."

"No need." Lin Jing spoke: "You must have something to ask of me. Speak directly - since I've accepted your gift, as long as it's not excessive, I can help you."

Huang Qianyun hadn't expected this senior to be so reasonable, making him even more excited: "How could I, how could I? Being able to help senior is this junior's honor. I have no requests, no requests. I wonder if senior has any other needs where this junior could be of service? This junior will definitely spare no effort."

Seeing that the other wanted to curry favor, Lin Jing didn't refuse. He had just returned to Earth and indeed needed some people to handle matters for him.

For example, based on his recent discovery, as the former Immortal Realm, Earth must still contain many treasures.

"Then help me collect more... similar items." Lin Jing pointed at the jade box floating beside him: "Anything related to cultivation will do."

Huang Qianyun repeatedly nodded. These things that held considerable value in Lin Jing's eyes were actually equivalent to spiritual stones in the view of ordinary cultivators like themselves. Although precious, they were far less valuable than the opportunity to be acquainted with a Foundation Establishment old monster.

"Hmm... most importantly... which of you can go down the mountain and buy me a mobile phone?"

"One that can access the internet."

"Not an elderly person's phone."

Both: ???

This senior... knows about mobile phones? And even knows about elderly phones?!