Chapter 133: The Great Sowing of Psychic Seeds

Lin Zhifa was still struggling in his death throes, but Zhang Pu’s mental seed grew ever more robust. Fearing that Lin might have some hidden trump card left that could lead to his own failure, Zhang Pu supplemented his efforts with minor techniques from the world of immortality that he was currently capable of wielding. Thanks to his peak status in that former life, his combat experience was peerless. Lin Zhifa was not defeated by a mere student, but by a grandmaster of the cultivation world; in truth, he had no reason to feel aggrieved.

The mental seed Zhang Pu had planted in Lin’s soul had finally blossomed into a towering tree. Lin’s remaining mental energy was being relentlessly squeezed out, extinguished bit by bit.

"You... you are a monster..." Lin Zhifa finally sensed a terrifying reality. He seemed to grasp something—a realization more agonizing than death itself. Yet, he was now incapable of even taking his own life. Zhang Pu would not permit it. To Zhang Pu, this was like discovering a rare treasure. It was fortunate that Lin was of a non-human species; had he been human, this grand cultivation of the mental seed would have been useless.

Without wasting further breath, Zhang Pu poured the entirety of his remaining strength into a final surge. He watched as his consciousness completely permeated Lin Zhifa’s mental world. It was done.

Zhang Pu collapsed to the ground, weak and spent. Glancing at Elder Ge, he saw that the old man appeared similarly translucent. Fortunately, Lin Zhifa was now fully under the command of Zhang Pu’s will. Lin also slumped to the floor, partly due to his defeat, but primarily because his body was now under the direct control of Zhang Pu’s intent.

Struggling against his exhaustion, Zhang Pu retrieved the last two medicinal pills he had kept from his previous work for Zeng Guoxing. They were inferior to the high-grade elixirs he once possessed in the cultivation world, but they were sufficient for the task. After swallowing one, he felt his strength return, and he promptly used the same method to restore some spiritual energy to Elder Ge.

"This is..." Elder Ge stared at Lin Zhifa, his expression one of utter disbelief. He seemed puzzled, unable to find the words. Zhang Pu understood: although Elder Ge was a figure of some standing in his own region of the cultivation world, he was unfamiliar with the esoteric art of "Grand Mental Seed Cultivation." Even those of far greater stature than the Elder were unaware of its existence.

The technique originated from the Necrotic Star Realm, a place far removed from ordinary celestial spheres, and even within that realm, it was considered unique. To Zhang Pu’s knowledge, only the Necrotic Star Lord possessed it, and the Lord had never once left that realm. Zhang Pu had never seen it used anywhere else. By its very nature, the technique was limited—it was, at the very least, ineffective against humans. While it resembled puppet-control arts, the underlying principles were fundamentally different, and Zhang Pu preferred this method.

Zhang Pu told Elder Ge only that it was a technique from the Necrotic Star Realm, similar to puppet control, and offered nothing more. Elder Ge, a man of great age, knew well how to read the room and when to stop questioning. They spoke no more of it. Privately, Elder Ge sensed that this method was similar to what had been used on him, yet Lin Zhifa now appeared entirely like a puppet, stripped of his original self—a state vastly different from his own.

As the Elder pondered this, he suddenly heard Zhang Pu chanting a spell. To his astonishment, Lin Zhifa moved, appearing as vigorous as he had been before the battle. Elder Ge tensed, fearing a renewed struggle, but Lin Zhifa remained calm, showing no hostility.

This was the marvel of the Grand Mental Seed Cultivation. Lin Zhifa retained all his memories and remained the master of these mountains, yet his soul was now linked to Zhang Pu’s. With a single thought from Zhang Pu, Lin would exert every effort to carry out his master's desires.

Zhang Pu instructed Lin to lead the way, following closely behind to handle the aftermath. Elder Ge trailed them, his mouth agape in silent amazement. Under Zhang Pu’s influence, Lin guided them out of the abyss and toward his bottomless pit of a dwelling. Even the well-traveled Zhang Pu and Elder Ge were struck by the scale of the lair.

Zhang Pu, now in complete mental synchronization with Lin, decided that Lin would continue to guard the Golden Wood Forest—but now, he would guard it for Zhang Pu. Any raw materials Zhang Pu required in the future would be handed over willingly, without a shred of resistance. Zhang Pu had no desire to linger and admire the dwelling; his thoughts were on the people left behind in the forest above. He wondered how Liu Yingde and the others had fared during the chaos.

Under Lin’s direction, they soon returned to the surface. Fortunately, no great harm had been done; Lin had never intended to kill, and his focus had been entirely on capturing Zhang Pu. The clouds and mist had dissipated, and only a few people had sustained minor injuries. Some were shocked to see Zhang Pu and Lin Zhifa appearing as if they were old friends, but Zhang Pu calmly explained that they had reconciled, a narrative the others readily accepted.

However, a significant event had occurred in their absence: Zheng Lan had gone missing.

This was no small matter. Witnesses claimed that shortly after the dense fog appeared, they had lost sight of her. When Lin Zhifa had launched his assault, the camp had descended into pandemonium, and in the confusion, no one could look after anyone else. Her subordinates had tried to find her, but she had seemed to dissolve into the mist, vanishing without a trace.