Chapter 115: Yu Qin

When the "Yin-Yang Sutra" reached perfection, Li Guanxuan felt the Yin and Yang energies swirling and rising within the dark space of his dantian.

Subsequently, the "Green Profound Sword Sutra" began to circulate quietly. The Yin and Yang energies quickly merged into the Green Profound Sword Intent. This sight left Li Guanxuan stunned. Could the perfection of a dual-cultivation technique actually enhance his own sword intent?

"Could this be the effect of the Velvet Flower Spirit Tree?" Li Guanxuan pondered, but looking at Qin Jiyue, who had already fallen into a deep sleep, he had no way to discuss it with her for the time being.

Sitting cross-legged, Li Guanxuan had already condensed thirty-eight drops of liquid mana, corresponding to the thirty-eight levels of his Green Profound Sword Intent. As the Yin and Yang energies from the "Yin-Yang Sutra" slowly integrated into the sword intent, a profound and mysterious new intent quietly took shape.

When Li Guanxuan opened his eyes again, a month had passed. A faint wisp of sword intent permeated the air, within which he sensed both vitality and deathly aura. These two forces enveloped the Green Profound Sword Intent, or rather, they transformed it into his own unique sword intent.

Li Guanxuan opened his palm and narrowed his eyes. His sword intent was now several times more lethal than before, and it even possessed the ability to extend his own lifespan. "The Yang energy of vitality can extend life, while the Yin energy of death can drain it. In other words, if I strike someone with this sword, I can fundamentally sever their lifespan."

Li Guanxuan sighed inwardly, concluding that this fusion must be a capability of the Velvet Flower Spirit Tree. After obtaining the main body of the tree, many subtle changes had occurred. These changes were hard to explain, but ever since his visit to the Fallen Moon Sect, he clearly felt that the Velvet Flower Spirit Tree was now fully under his control.

"I shall call this the Life-Death Sword Intent from now on," he mused. This was for the best; at the very least, when he struck again, others would not recognize it as the Green Profound Sword Intent. While it retained the power of the original, his new Life-Death Sword Intent was several times stronger.

"Two more drops of liquid mana, and I will reach the sixth level of Foundation Establishment." Li Guanxuan felt gratified; his cultivation speed was much faster than before, and he expected to break through in about half a year.

After leaving the chamber, Li Guanxuan informed his wives of his progress. At night, he continued his diligent four-person cultivation. The thirty-ninth drop of liquid mana was condensed two months later, and the fortieth was achieved six months later, easily forming as he connected the acupoints near his occipital bone. Had his Earth Spiritual Root not been of inferior quality, he might have reached this point even faster.

"Sixth level of Foundation Establishment... Now that my three passes are connected, I only need to condense fifty-nine drops of liquid mana before I can attempt to connect the acupoints at my lower back, thereby linking the lower Yellow Court and stepping into the seventh level." Li Guanxuan clenched his fist, a smile appearing on his face as he felt the surging power within him. He was only seventy-three years old and already at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment. This meant he had progressed from the first to the sixth level in just fifteen years—a respectable speed.

However, Li Guanxuan did not intend to use breakthrough pills to reach the seventh level. His goal was not merely the late stage of Foundation Establishment, but, as Liu Xiaoxian had suggested, to form a Golden Core and eventually reach the Nascent Soul stage. Only by breaking through without the aid of pills could he ensure a high-quality core later on. Of course, breaking through without pills was difficult, though it was somewhat easier with his master...

"I need to stock up on more Tier 3 items. Tier 2 superior items are no longer of much use to me, as I am now capable of slaying late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and rivaling those at the peak," Li Guanxuan thought to himself before rising and leaving the cultivation room.

Qin Jiyue was currently at the perfection of the sixth level, having condensed fifty-nine drops of liquid mana; with a bit more exertion, she could connect her lower back acupoints and enter the seventh level. Sensing Li Guanxuan's breakthrough, she winked at him and said coquettishly, "Congratulations, my husband, on reaching the sixth level. Shouldn't you reward me with a few rounds of celebration?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Rongxin and Song Zhiqiao, both still sore from the previous night, felt a jolt of alarm and quickly made excuses to return to their cultivation, slipping away. Li Guanxuan did not press them. Wen Rongxin needed to focus on her bone-forging phase, and Song Zhiqiao, having reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, would need to attempt her Foundation Establishment in six months to a year. At this stage, frequent dual cultivation was less important than stabilizing their mental states.

As someone at the perfection of the sixth level, Qin Jiyue was naturally bold enough to issue a challenge, as her cultivation and physical constitution surpassed the others, and she was usually the one who demanded the most. By the afternoon, Li Guanxuan finally made his way to the Wanxiang Pavilion in the Third Market to sell off his excess pills and talismans.

"You've already reached the sixth level of Foundation Establishment..." Zheng Huangjin and Li Kuangzheng felt a complex mix of emotions upon sensing the formidable aura around Li Guanxuan. Zheng Huangjin had used a breakthrough pill to reach the fourth level, while Li Kuangzheng had only just reached the third. Facing Li Guanxuan, they were now looking up from below. They remembered when they were at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and Li Guanxuan had only been at the third... In the blink of an eye, he had already surpassed them and could even slay multiple mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Li Guanxuan smiled and changed the subject, asking, "Are there still no Tier 3 items?"

Zheng Huangjin nodded and sighed, "I've asked around for you, but Tier 3 items are too hard to find, especially materials for refining puppets. I suspect only the Thunder Fire Sect might have some."

Li Guanxuan nodded slightly. Zheng Huangjin continued, "There is something you should know. The Thunder Fire Sect once hired people in the Yongning Prefecture of Da Heng to inquire about the list of Li family peripheral disciples training in the Immortal Ruins. In the end, the person they hired was killed."

Li Guanxuan was stunned. "The Thunder Fire Sect is that bold? They really dared to do that?" Regardless, he was a member of the Li family and a Foundation Establishment cultivator at that. In the Red Refinement Mountains, he had made a name for himself, bringing honor to his family. If someone went to the Yongning Prefecture to investigate him, the Li family's law enforcers would simply execute the intruder without leaking a single secret. He trusted his family completely on this. Even peripheral disciples were still part of the Li family; they wouldn't assist outsiders in oppressing their own.

Li Kuangzheng added, "However, the Thunder Fire Sect has discovered that a Li family envoy once visited Silver Maple City."

Li Guanxuan's heart sank, and his expression turned grave. He was registered as a rogue talisman master at the Wanxiang Pavilion, not as a member of the Da Heng Li family. But the news of the envoy's visit would drastically narrow the search for the Thunder Fire Sect.

"I may not be able to hide anymore," Li Guanxuan sighed. At the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, the manager had seen him with Li Guanyuan.

"Let's go discuss this with the Boss," Zheng Huangjin suggested. "The Thunder Fire Sect's ancestor, Lei Gongwang, has been asking City Lord Cao to help find you, but the City Lord has only been paying lip service... Given Lei Gongwang's temperament, he will likely come to Silver Maple City himself before long."

Li Guanxuan nodded, his brows furrowed. If worse came to worst, he would have to take his family and leave.

Li Kuangzheng reminded him, "If you can't stay in Silver Maple City, go to the Glazed Immortal City. The Boss has some connections there."

"Understood," Li Guanxuan said with a grateful nod.

After leaving the Third Market, Zheng Huangjin and Li Guanxuan headed toward the First Market. On the way, Zheng Huangjin transmitted his voice, "Actually, when the Boss went to the Ten Thousand Mountains this time, she encountered a Golden Core enemy. It was only thanks to the timely arrival of a Golden Core expert from the Wanxiang Pavilion that she escaped. She didn't want me to tell you, fearing it would put too much pressure on you... I'm telling you this of my own accord, so don't let her know."

Li Guanxuan nodded slightly without a word. This meant he owed Cao Feng a massive favor. He sighed, "I used to think things would be easier after reaching Foundation Establishment, but I never imagined I'd still have to face the pressure of Golden Core experts."

"If it comes to it, you can seek help from the Li family," Zheng Huangjin reminded him.

Li Guanxuan wasn't at a dead end; if he sought help, the Li family would not sit idly by.

"I'll see how things go," Li Guanxuan said, though he didn't voice his deeper concerns. If he sought help from the family, he would be indebted to them and would have to return to the Yongning Prefecture, where the political waters were too deep for him to survive the infighting. He had to try and solve this problem on his own first.

...

At the Wanxiang Pavilion in the First Market, when they reached the top floor, they found a seductive, mature woman sitting in Liu Xiaoxian's room.

She appeared to be in her mid-forties, still possessing an alluring charm with eyes like water. She wore a bright red dress that left little to the imagination, revealing her fair skin and a waist as supple as a water snake's. If Liu Xiaoxian was languid and charming, this woman radiated a silent, intoxicating allure that was both visible and unreachable, stirring a man's nerves.

When Zheng Huangjin saw her, he was startled and quickly bowed, "Greetings, Senior Yu Qin."

"Oh, it's little Zheng. It's been years; I didn't expect you to have broken through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment," Yu Qin said, looking over before her gaze fell on Li Guanxuan. She exclaimed in surprise, "A handsome face and at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment... Liu Xiaoxian, is this your kept man?"

"Don't talk nonsense! He is a talisman master and a guest of my Wanxiang Pavilion!" Liu Xiaoxian replied sharply before introducing him: "This is Yu Qin, the manager of the Wanxiang Pavilion in the Ninth Market of the Glazed Immortal City. She is at the peak of Foundation Establishment and a disciple of Senior Meishuang."

Li Guanxuan realized that the Golden Core expert who had saved Liu Xiaoxian must have been this Senior Meishuang.

"Greetings, Senior Yu Qin," Li Guanxuan bowed.

"Not Liu Xiaoxian's kept man? That's even better. Come be a guest master at my branch in the Glazed Immortal City. Not only will the treatment be better, but when we have time, we might even engage in dual-cultivation discourse," Yu Qin said with a smile.

So direct? Li Guanxuan was stunned, then realized that she must also be a practitioner of the dual-cultivation path. In the world of immortals, it was not an unspeakable topic.

"Are you trying to poach my talent?" Liu Xiaoxian glanced at her.

Yu Qin turned to Liu Xiaoxian and narrowed her eyes. "Why? Is this guest master on such good terms with you that you can't bear to let him go?"

"Little Zheng's performance relies entirely on his help. If you take him away, little Zheng won't be happy," Liu Xiaoxian said calmly.

"What does that matter? Whether he's happy or not is up to you, Boss Liu." Yu Qin floated toward Li Guanxuan and reached out to stroke his cheek, smiling, "This appearance and temperament are the most exquisite I've seen in a man, and he's at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment... It's settled, Liu Xiaoxian. Consider the favor you owe me repaid with him."

Is she a serious cultivator or a temptress? Li Guanxuan thought to himself.

Liu Xiaoxian replied coldly, "Stop talking nonsense. Tell me what you're here for; I'm busy."

Seeing Liu Xiaoxian's reluctance, Yu Qin took a few more looks at Li Guanxuan and smiled, "There's definitely something going on between you two..."

This was a favor from a Golden Core expert. Normally, Liu Xiaoxian would have gladly recommended a guest master to her. The fact that she refused meant there was definitely a secret!

Liu Xiaoxian couldn't do much about Yu Qin, so she turned to the two men and said, "You two go out for now. We'll talk later."

"Yes," Zheng Huangjin nodded.

Just as they were about to leave, Yu Qin looked at Li Guanxuan with a smile and asked, "This talisman master, is your surname Li?"

"Yu Qin!" Liu Xiaoxian barked.

However, Li Guanxuan stopped, turned back to Yu Qin, and bowed with a smile: "My surname is Li, given name Guanxuan. I am from the Li family of swordsmen in the Yongning Prefecture of Da Heng."

"You..." Liu Xiaoxian was anxious.

Li Guanxuan interrupted, "Master, I already know about the Ten Thousand Mountains incident. This matter started because of me; I have no reason to shrink away."

Zheng Huangjin: "???"

I treat you like a brother, and you throw me into the ditch? I just told you this! You sold me out immediately!