I Live Forever In The World of Cultivation World - Chapter 12: Lin Cong Is Dead?

After placing the talismans properly, He Song turned away from the market stalls and returned home.

However, just as he reached home and was cautiously practicing his spells, he suddenly heard faint footsteps.

The sound came from outside the house, immediately putting He Song on high alert.

Holding his breath, He Song focused all his senses, utilizing the heightened perception of a cultivator to pinpoint where the footsteps were coming from. At the same time, two Thick Earth Talismans quietly appeared in his hands.

If anything unexpected happened, He Song could instantly activate the talismans to protect himself.

After making these preparations, he finally calmed his mind.

Soon, he noticed the faint footsteps circling around the exterior of the neighboring house. The steps paused for a long time in several places before gradually fading away.

When there was no more noise outside, He Song finally relaxed. The two talismans in his hands were slipped back into his sleeves.

“That sounded like someone scouting the area,” He Song muttered to himself.

As the tension dissipated, He Song replayed the route of the footsteps in his mind and turned his gaze toward the house next door, where Lin Cong resided.

Lin Cong, He Song’s neighbor, had returned home gravely injured the previous night. Now, someone was scouting around his house.

This naturally aroused suspicion in He Song’s mind.

Last night, He Song had heard the sounds of painful groaning and violent coughing coming from Lin Cong’s room. Those sounds gradually faded in the middle of the night, and by now, there was no sound at all.

If He Song could hear this, Lin Cong’s other neighbor must have heard it too.

In this row of connected houses, every home shared walls with two neighbors, making it easy to hear sounds from one another.

With this in mind, He Song’s gaze toward Lin Cong’s house grew deeper and more contemplative.

It seemed that the person scouting earlier was likely Lin Cong’s other neighbor.

Could Lin Cong already be dead in his room from his injuries?

Otherwise, how could it be explained that no sound had come from his room for such a long time?

A flash of eagerness appeared in He Song’s eyes but was quickly suppressed.

Regardless of whether Lin Cong was dead, his possessions were not something He Song should claim.

If Lin Cong were alive, barging into his house recklessly would be courting death. With Lin Cong’s robust physique and third level Qi Refinement cultivation, killing He Song would be as easy as crushing a chicken.

Breaking into someone’s home and being killed by the owner was considered self-inflicted misfortune, and the Enforcement Squad wouldn’t care.

Even if Lin Cong were dead and He Song managed to take his belongings, the other neighbor who had already shown interest in Lin Cong’s possessions might target He Song afterward.

The possessions of a third level Qi Refinement cultivator were not worth provoking a potentially unfathomable cultivator.

These thoughts flashed through He Song’s mind. After deliberating for a moment, he ultimately closed his eyes again and resumed practicing the three foundational spells he had just learned:

Aura Concealment Technique, Spirit Eye Technique, and Transmission Technique.

The difficulty of practicing these basic spells wasn’t high.

While they required more time to master than Spirit Rain Technique and Spirit Arrow Technique, the difference wasn’t significant.

He Song had spent ten days mastering the Spirit Rain Technique to the point where he could cast it effectively without diminishing its power. The same applied to the Spirit Arrow Technique.

As for the Aura Concealment Technique, Spirit Eye Technique, and Transmission Technique, after a few attempts, He Song estimated that each of these spells would take about half a month to master for effective use without a loss of power.

Half a month’s time—just five days more than the ten days required for the Spirit Rain Technique and Spirit Arrow Technique—was not a significant increase.

It seemed that these three foundational spells were not particularly difficult to learn.

The first foundational spell He Song practiced was the Aura Concealment Technique, not for any particular reason other than its ability to mask his presence and prevent others from detecting him.

After a thoughtful glance at the neighboring house, He Song quickly immersed himself in practicing the Aura Concealment Technique.

Days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon, half a month had gone by. During this time, apart from practicing the Aura Concealment Technique, He Song occasionally visited two senior acquaintances he had recently met at the Immortal Market.

One was Meng Guan from the Spirit Herb Pavilion, and the other was Wei Fan from the Spirit Builder Pavilion.

These two were from the same sect and had long been acquainted. Although He Song’s cultivation level was relatively low, as a Spirit Planter, he held some value for networking. Additionally, his character had earned Wei Fan’s approval.

With both parties willing to build a relationship, He Song’s interactions with them went smoothly. After a few visits, he gradually grew closer to the two.

At the very least, without any conflicts of interest, it became easy for He Song to glean information from them.

One day, He Song sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion in his house. His aura flickered faintly, but the next moment, it vanished entirely, leaving no trace. He seemed as lifeless as a rock, exuding no detectable presence.

“The Aura Concealment Technique… it’s complete!” He Song’s eyes flashed with joy as he opened them.

With the technique mastered, a single thought was enough for He Song to completely suppress his aura. Unless seen with the naked eye, he would be as imperceptible as a stone, devoid of any trace of life.

Satisfied with his progress, He Song stood up, brewed himself a pot of tea, and savored it leisurely.

His visits to Wei Fan and Meng Guan over the past days had even improved his tea-brewing skills. Wei Fan had gifted him a tea set and some fine tea leaves, allowing He Song to enjoy a quiet cup at home.

As He Song took sip after sip of tea, his ears caught that familiar faint sound of footsteps again.

In an instant, He Song froze, his figure blending seamlessly with the surroundings like a lifeless stone. Only the faint fragrance of tea lingered in the air, as his ears carefully tracked the movement of the footsteps.

Half a month had passed, and Lin Cong’s other neighbor had shown remarkable patience. Even now, He Song hadn’t heard the individual step into Lin Cong’s room.

Each time the footsteps appeared, they circled around Lin Cong’s house, lingering for long moments at specific spots before quietly departing.

It had been like this every time—an extreme display of caution.

Even He Song, observing such meticulous behavior, found his own cautious nature subtly influenced.

“Now this is true caution,” He Song mused. “For a potential gain, this person has scouted the area for half a month without making a move.”

This time, however, things seemed different.

Perhaps due to not sensing He Song’s presence, the individual appeared much bolder. Their footsteps, circling the house, were no longer as light as before.

Listening to the distinctly heavier steps, He Song furrowed his brows thoughtfully.

“Could it be that this person refrained from acting earlier because they sensed I was at home? Now that I’ve mastered the Aura Concealment Technique and suppressed my aura, they assume I’m not here, so they’re preparing to make their move?”