"You’re really quite good—you may inherit my mantle."

The master, or rather the Profound Turtle Alchemist, spoke up.

He seemed extremely pleased with Lu Chang’sheng’s performance.

"Thank you for your trust, sir."

The Profound Turtle Alchemist nodded.

This didn’t surprise Lu Chang’sheng much; the Inheritance Spirit Array was a pretty advanced Spirit Array. It wasn’t hard for the phantom being inside it to possess a certain degree of consciousness.

The Immortal Dao is ever-enduring— the higher your cultivation, the more unfathomable powers you obtain.

"But inheriting my mantle comes with a condition."

Just as Lu Chang’sheng was feeling pleased, he suddenly caught a trace of resentment in the Profound Turtle Alchemist’s expression.

"I don’t need you to do much—just write a few words on the plaque above Heaven-Burning Pavilion when you achieve something in the Alchemy Dao."

Lu Chang’sheng’s gut already started churning with a sense of dread.

"Please speak plainly, sir."

"Blind as a bat!"

Lu Chang’sheng’s heart skipped a beat. He did know a bit about Heaven-Burning Pavilion; it was Heaven-Burning Valley’s public front, located in the Heaven-Burning Domain. Although not one of the great Domains, Heaven-Burning Valley’s sect was well-known throughout the regions because of it.

And Heaven-Burning Pavilion was essentially the face Heaven-Burning Valley showed to the world.

"Making me write those words on Heaven-Burning Valley’s front door...that’s just picking a fight with them."

Lu Chang’sheng had no idea why the Profound Turtle Alchemist bore such a grudge against Heaven-Burning Valley, but after a quick consideration, he accepted.

The master cracked a faint smile, then had Lu Chang’sheng follow him over.

Oath made, Immortal Contract signed.

Lu Chang’sheng inspected the document closely. Sure enough, just as he expected, the terms of the Immortal Contract were pretty sloppy—most likely, the Profound Turtle Alchemist had been in a rush when he drew it up.

"They say Profound Turtle Alchemist spent decades preparing countless Cultivation Cave Mansions, but now, I’m not so sure that’s true."

At least, those final days setting up the cave were probably not as calm and collected as rumored.

"Next, I’ll teach you my Path of Alchemy—a secret art not passed outside of Immortal Mountain."

The Profound Turtle Alchemist began transmitting the technique. Some arts were so powerful that, with his abilities, he couldn’t leave them behind using Jade Scrolls or other means, so he had to rely on the Inheritance Spirit Array instead.

Lu Chang’sheng was both excited and expectant.

After all, the Profound Turtle Alchemist was late Foundation Establishment. For someone of his level to be unable to record such a technique in a Jade Scrolls or other means, it meant the art was definitely not low tier.

At the very least, it reached the Golden Core level. In other words, it could guide cultivation all the way up to Golden Core.

That’s something wandering cultivators only dream of.

In small domains like Guangnan Domain, Golden Core seniors were hardly ever seen. Beyond the lack of talent in the region, a big reason was a scarcity of Golden Core-level inheritances.

Without the right technique, naturally it was hard to break through.

That’s why so many talents tried to make their way to the great Domains whenever they could.

Next, Lu Chang’sheng spent his time as if he were back in those previous two teaching halls, listening to the Profound Turtle Alchemist’s lessons.

But before long, he sensed something was off.

According to the Profound Turtle Alchemist, this technique was called "Celestial Essence Bright King Technique." But after a day, when Lu Chang’sheng checked his Light Curtain Panel—

It didn’t say "Celestial Essence Bright King Technique." Instead, it read—Peach Embalming Technique.

"Peach Embalming Child Skill (Magic) (Tier 2, High Grade):

Entry requires 15 days.

Minor Achievement requires 66 days.

Great Success requires 99 days.

Perfect Mastery requires 166 days.

······

Just the name alone—obviously not a stand-up technique.

Then looking at how many days each level requires, it just cemented the feeling.

This Tier 2 high-grade magic was supposed to match late Foundation Establishment—yet perfect mastery only took 166 days? No way in hell was this normal. No way Lu Chang’sheng would believe that.

"So there’s a Peach Embalming Child Skill...does that mean there’s a Peach Embalming Mother Skill too?"

If the child skill was already Tier 2 high grade, the mother skill was probably Tier 3 or higher.

Lu Chang’sheng’s scalp tingled just thinking about it. He glanced at the kindly, benevolent-looking Profound Turtle Alchemist, cloaked in Spirit Array light, and felt a chill deep in his heart.

Yup, all the old monsters in the Spirit Realm are snakes one way or another.

Lu Chang’sheng pretty much figured out the Profound Turtle Alchemist’s plan—this so-called Inheritance Spirit Array? Probably not your average inheritance after all.

More like an array for "swapping the real for the fake."

Of course, this was just his initial suspicion, but it was plenty to put him on high alert.

"So this Profound Turtle Alchemist is not just a troll—he’s downright crooked," Lu Chang’sheng mused, full of caution.

He cursed inside—he still fell into the trap these old bastards laid out, eating a bunch of sweet bait along the way. If it weren’t for his Golden Finger, this would be a real mess.

"Still, with the Immortal Contract signed, just walking away isn’t really an option."

The Immortal Contract did pose some actual restraints, especially for a guy chasing longevity like Lu Chang’sheng.

"Guess that just means I’ll have to half-ass it."

Lu Chang’sheng saw everything for what it was.

The only reason he even came to this cave mansion was because he knew the limit for cultivators under Golden Core. According to the Good Beast Sect’s records, these sorts of cave mansions would grow weaker with time unless some super-rare treasure kept them going.

If the Profound Turtle Alchemist had been at the Golden Core level, Lu Chang’sheng wouldn’t have dared get close. But under Golden Core, he still had a shot at protecting himself.

"Profound Turtle Alchemist set up this Spirit Array and dangled the ’inheritance’ to lure me into learning Peach Embalming Child Skill. It’s likely he himself was severely limited."

"As long as I don’t practice this art, he’s powerless against me."

Lu Chang’sheng felt a wave of relief.

He glanced at the Profound Turtle Alchemist, still busy transmitting the techniques, and his own expression returned to a friendly, trusting smile.

"Next up: Alchemy Dao. My Alchemy Dao only needs half a step more to reach Tier 3."

After teaching the magic, the Profound Turtle Alchemist launched straight into thorough alchemy lessons.

"So he’s worried I’ll get suspicious and pay too much attention to the technique."

Lu Chang’sheng quickly understood the dynamic—when faced with the Profound Turtle Alchemist’s sugar-coated bombs, he efficiently ate the sugar and tossed the bomb away.

The Profound Turtle Alchemist had no clue Lu Chang’sheng had already seen through him and just kept teaching with tireless enthusiasm.

But a few days later, he finally noticed something wrong.

Lu Chang’sheng’s Peach Embalming Child Skill still hadn’t even reached Entry!

The Profound Turtle Alchemist grew suspicious—there were defects with the Inheritance Spirit Array, sure, but it definitely did what it was supposed to. He’d just tampered with it a bit, that’s all.

Meaning the Array’s evaluation of Lu Chang’sheng was still accurate.

"He beat out so many others—there’s no way his cultivation would be this slow!"

You see, the core of the Peach Embalming Child Skill is the Peach Embalming Mother Skill, and practicing the mother skill let him help the chosen target cultivate the child skill much, much faster.

Given a few days, entry should’ve been a sure thing by now.

The Profound Turtle Alchemist didn’t think about it any further—not because he didn’t want to, but because his consciousness within the Spirit Array couldn’t handle that much thought.

This was nothing more than a puppet crafted using the Inheritance Spirit Array as a foundation, not much different from those Patrol Masters. His main job was teaching, period.

Like some halfway-intelligent A.I.

Lu Chang’sheng noticed the Profound Turtle Alchemist’s odd behavior, but he just kept eating the sugar—no guilt whatsoever.

With the Profound Turtle Alchemist pouring out all his skills, Lu Chang’sheng’s own Alchemy Dao progressed at warp speed.

Two days later, his Cyan Spirit Pill Formula reached Great Success.

That meant he now had a shot at using the Elixir Ascension Technique to refine the perfect Cyan Spirit Pill.

That would massively boost the cultivation speed of his Cyan Spirit Body.

Lu Chang’sheng was utterly satisfied—now only the Foundation Establishment Pill Formula remained.

"Well worth the risk!"

He was only a few days away from getting his Foundation Establishment Pill Formula to Entry.

But on the second day, the slow-witted Profound Turtle Alchemist finally sensed something was off.

"Celestial Essence Bright King Technique is the core art of my Profound Turtle lineage. Why haven’t you even reached Entry?"

"Sir, it’s not that I’ve been lazy—it’s just...my Spirit Root Talent is pretty ordinary."

The Profound Turtle Alchemist was startled. "Impossible! The Inheritance Spirit Array is an advanced array—it couldn’t make a rookie mistake like that!"

"I swear I’m not lying, sir. My Spirit Root Talent is only D-grade, medium rank."

As he said this, he activated his magical power, manifesting a sliver of Spirit Root phenomenon.

The Profound Turtle Alchemist fell silent for a long while, and for the first time, a trace of panic flickered across his face.

"Are you kidding me! D-grade, medium!" At the same time, Yue Ling—who had resigned himself to reality and was diligently learning Exotic Dance—felt a strange fluctuation in his mind.

He could vaguely hear the soul-projection of the Profound Turtle Alchemist screaming in shock.