Chapter 396

Chapter 396: Fortunes’ Treasure, Mountains and Rivers Cauldron

Fu Bo was the one who thought the offensive-defensive balance had reversed. His conclusion didn’t come from baseless speculation but solid reasoning.

He believed that since True Lords and Celestial Masters maintained heavenly principles without appearing in the mortal world, Earth Immortals had become the strongest cultivators.

Power meant authority. Possessing immense strength made Earth Immortals the most respected and influential figures in this realm.

These cultivators existed as chess masters beyond the board, not expendable pieces like minor soldiers sent to die.

If unwilling, even the East Sea King couldn’t force their compliance.

Ji Zheng’s attitude toward the East Sea King showed that mere titles couldn’t command Earth Immortals’ loyalty—some even contemplated rebellion.

Earlier, Earth Immortals joined battles partly due to favors and benefits, but mainly because neither Ji Zheng, Jin Haoran, nor Yu Ling considered Mu Lin threatening.

Believing their lives weren’t endangered, they had no problem helping out to keep up their reputation for integrity.

But the recent battle shattered their confidence.

When facing potential death, favors and gains became meaningless—survival trumped everything.

Thus Fu Bo concluded the East Sea King could no longer order Earth Immortals against Mu Lin under normal circumstances.

Now that Mu Lin could effortlessly slaughter Transformation-stage cultivators and Earth Immortals stayed inactive, the entire East Sea Kingdom lay vulnerable. Mu Lin could sever all East Sea King’s manor’s influence, limiting it solely to Tianhai City.

"Now the East Sea King must worry. His priority shifts from killing Mu Lin to appeasing his wrath. One wrong move, and his manor’s fate will surpass Prince Liang’s residence’s misery."

"Heh…"

Fu Bo chuckled with schadenfreude.

Having witnessed the East Sea King pressuring Prince Liang’s residence firsthand, he’d long resented the ruler. Seeing the king’s predicament delighted him.

He also felt relieved about arranging Mu Lin’s connection with Ji Ling Sha.

"Sending Ling Sha to approach Mu Lin was right—it caught his last vulnerable phase. Now, getting close to him would cost others a thousandfold effort."

This wasn’t exaggeration. Previously, Mu Lin showed talent but remained an unproven prospect.

Powerful clans hesitated investing in prodigies who might die or fail, wasting resources.

But after this battle, Mu Lin became a renowned powerful being few dared challenge.

Anyone considering opposing him would recall the East Sea Kingdom’s collapse and question if they could withstand his retaliation.

Mu Lin had forged his fearsome reputation and strategic value through combat.

His influence now extended beyond himself, impacting affiliated factions.

Prince Liang’s residence once appeared decrepit and unstable.

With Mu Lin’s marriage to Ji Ling Sha publicized, adversaries must consider his stance and show deference.

This improved Prince Liang’s residence’s standing, enabling them to reclaim advantages.

The Yan and Chu families similarly benefited, as did other allies leveraging Mu Lin’s growing prestige.

Slaying two Earth Immortals cemented Mu Lin’s formidable reputation.

However, Mu Lin wasn’t naive nor a pushover—he’d never let unrelated parties exploit his hard-earned fame.

At the same time, as Mu Lin’s power and status grew, ordinary things no longer interested him. This made it much harder for others to gain his favor.

"Whew, good thing we made it before the window closed…"

Just as Fu Bo sighed in relief, Mu Lin appeared nearby.

"Made what?"

"Nothing… Are you hurt?"

"Not a scratch. Those two couldn’t touch me."

Mu Lin then bowed deeply to Fu Bo. "Thank you for your help. I’ll never forget Prince Liang’s residence’s kindness."

The bow held genuine gratitude. Without Fu Bo stopping Jin Haoran, Mu Lin’s plan would’ve failed. Since Jin Haoran wasn’t near death’s door, Mu Lin couldn’t use Hell King’s authority to judge him. Worse, Jin Haoran’s closeness to Ji Zheng meant two Earth Immortals could’ve teamed up against Mu Lin.

Killing no Earth Immortals meant no shock to East Sea King, no fear to create advantage. Fu Bo’s help decided this battle.

Yet Fu Bo waved off the thanks. "No need for formalities. I watched Ling Sha grow up. You married her – we’re family now. Just treat her well."

"…I will."

Mu Lin felt complicated. Not that he disliked Ji Ling Sha – her aid during his darkest hour deserved lifelong gratitude, and he’d ensure her good future.

What struck him was realizing why powerful clans married heirs to noble young ladies. Only such matches could mobilize family resources.

When East Sea King sent Earth Immortals after him, Mu Lin had asked Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo to seek help from Yan and Chu families too. Yet only Prince Liang’s residence came.

Not because Prince Liang acted boldly, but because Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo weren’t legitimate daughters prized by their clans. The families wouldn’t risk angering multiple Earth Immortals for them.

Ji Ling Sha differed – Prince Liang’s only daughter, Fu Bo’s beloved granddaughter. Though both men thought Mu Lin reckless, her tears moved them to help.

This showed the gap between noble young ladies and legitimate daughters in resource access. Mu Lin finally understood why some men trade old wives for noble ladies’ support.

Fortunately, Mu Lin now stood strong, needing no favors. He’d never abandon Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo who helped him when weak – their status would remain unchanged.

Still, Ji Ling Sha’s standing in his heart undeniably rose after this.

…

Mu Lin and Fu Bo’s talk ended quickly.

After agreeing on the contact method, Fu Bo flew to Tianhai City to monitor the East Sea King’s activities and report updates to Mu Lin.

As for Mu Lin himself, he didn’t stir up trouble immediately but returned to the Yin Soil beneath Ronghuo City to assess his spoils.

During the clash with the Earth Immortals, Ji Zheng had desperately consumed and destroyed most of his magic tools and pills while resisting. The Ji clan elder who appeared later died swiftly, but since he’d been near his lifespan’s end and temporarily unsealed, his treasures and resources had already been distributed before his sealing. Thus, Mu Lin gained little surplus wealth from the battle.

However, though ordinary riches were sparse, Mu Lin had seized the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron given to the Ji clan elder by the East Sea King. This premium magic item thrilled him upon closer inspection:

"This single item alone makes the whole battle worth it."

"Once I fully Refine this Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, I won’t need endless frustration or Fire Crystal spiritual veins to face Earth Immortals head-on."

No wonder Mu Lin felt this way—the cauldron aligned perfectly with his path. As a practitioner of the Yin Court and King of Hell’s path, Mu Lin’s early stages inherently intertwined with human fortune. Similarly, the Ji family of the Great Spirit Dynasty derived power from Dragon veins and human fortune. This overlap explained why many worlds appointed City Gods through joint underworld-dynasty decrees.

The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, crafted for the Great Spirit Dynasty’s royalty and nobles, served as a pivotal treasure for gathering and anchoring human fortune. While potent in royal hands, it proved equally valuable to Mu Lin.

"By placing this cauldron at the core of my True Spirit Domain Chart, its suppression power will fortify the chart immensely—enough to trap Earth Immortals within."

Earth Immortals relied heavily on their environment. Within their spiritual ground, they could unleash 120% to 500% of their normal strength, even temporarily boosting it tenfold by draining their land’s potential—though this crippled both the land and their foundation. Few risked this, yet it remained their trump card, deterring attackers from challenging them on home terrain.

Outside their spiritual ground, Earth Immortals retained only 70-80% power. In the Yin Soil or Cycle of Life and Death, this dropped to 50%. Though still sustained by the unbroken link to the world of the living, their advantage waned.

But if captured within Mu Lin’s True Spirit Domain Chart, Earth Immortals would face crushing suppression. The forces of nature would constrain them, while Mu Lin controlled all spiritual energy within, leaving them unable to replenish their power. Trapped thus, they’d struggle to exert even a third of their strength, rapidly depleting their reserves.

"Sadly, this isn’t unique to me. Any Earth Immortal with a secret realm can do this—hence why realm-holders lead their kind."

While using one’s secret realm to trap foes offered advantages, clashing Earth Immortals risked destroying the realm, resulting in pyrrhic victories. The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron solved this by stabilizing Mu Lin’s True Spirit Domain Chart against such devastation.

"Beyond suppression, I can project the chart onto the cauldron and hurl this secret world-bearing artifact at enemies."

Previously, Mu Lin avoided using his True Spirit Domain Chart offensively—like a true dragon’s pearl or a demon’s core, it was both his greatest weapon and vulnerability. But now, the cauldron absorbed all attack impacts, letting him strike freely.

As a fortune treasure, the cauldron could channel magic, fortune, earth veins, and divine power. "With its hundredfold energy capacity compared to mine, filling it would let me barrage enemies endlessly—like wielding a Holy Grail. Accumulated human fortune would also amplify its crushing force, sealing foes’ magic and souls…"

The more Mu Lin studied it, the more perfectly suited the cauldron felt. Then unease struck him.

"Lucky that Ji clan elder was my natural counter. Had I not claimed his lifespan immediately, his mastery of this cauldron might’ve overturned the battle."

Mu Lin shuddered in retrospect, grateful for his narrow escape.