Chapter 121: Backstab

"What, the great battle is already over?!"

This was the first sentence Liu Xiaoxian uttered after forming her Purple Gold Core. Her still-charming face was filled with disbelief, followed by a trace of annoyance.

She had originally planned to showcase her immense power once she formed the Purple Gold Core, trampling the Lei Huo Sect's ancestor, Lei Gongwang, beneath her feet to vent the pent-up frustration on behalf of her beloved disciple. Yet, hearing now that Lei Gongwang had already been slain and the crisis resolved, she grew flushed with indignation, her alluring eyes brimming with resentment.

"Who was it that made the move?"

Liu Xiaoxian was extremely dissatisfied. Who had stolen her spotlight?

"My eldest brother, Li Guanyuan," Li Guanxuan replied with a smile. "Before he left, he even made a trip to the Red Lotus Mountain Range to slay two third-rank mid-stage demon kings. He gave them to that second-rank late-stage Flame Demon Bear; I just wonder if that beast was smart enough to save the demon cores for me."

Li Guanxuan sighed softly after speaking. Such an expectation was likely unrealistic, as the Flame Demon Bear would inevitably need the energy within the demon cores to break through to the third rank itself. Li Guanxuan taking the third-rank mid-stage cores would only serve to refine puppets or magical artifacts. While his own path of artifact refinement had reached the first-rank high grade through sheer experience, he had never put it into practice.

However, Li Guanxuan was in no hurry. With the Lei Huo Sect crisis resolved, the Water Ink Pavilion, which only had a pseudo-core master presiding over it, no longer posed a significant threat. As long as he didn't go out looking for trouble, he could easily lie low in Silver Maple City until he reached the Golden Core stage.

"Should I make a trip to the Red Lotus Mountain Range and check for you? If it didn't keep the third-rank mid-stage demon cores, I'll just slaughter it and retrieve the cores for you," Liu Xiaoxian suggested. After successfully forming her core, she was no longer as lethargic as before and felt a stir of desire to take action.

"Forget it," Li Guanxuan shook his head helplessly. He wasn't even sure where Li Guanyuan had learned of his relationship with the Flame Demon Bear. Li Guanyuan had killed two third-rank demon kings to help the Flame Demon Bear advance, with a clear purpose: to have the bear scavenge spiritual herbs from the mountain range for his "useless" younger brother in the future. If his younger brother were ever in danger, the Flame Demon Bear residing in the Red Lotus Mountain Range would be obligated to come to his aid. This was a helper Li Guanyuan had specifically prepared for him.

"Your eldest brother must hold a significant position in the Li family, right? To kill a mid-stage Golden Core expert like Lei Gongwang immediately after forming his own, and then slaughter two third-rank mid-stage demon kings as well... Tsk, your family's core-forming cultivation technique is truly terrifying." Liu Xiaoxian looked at the intelligence report on the desk, understanding what had transpired, and clicked her tongue in admiration.

For Li Guanyuan to kill Lei Gongwang across cultivation levels, aside from his own innate talent, he must have been aided by the Sword Immortal Li family's core-forming technique. Otherwise, regardless of how gifted he was, he could not have bridged the gap to kill Lei Gongwang.

"His trip this time, aside from looking for the disciples sent out to train in the Immortal Ruins, was largely for his own tempering, seeking an opportunity to form his core," Li Guanxuan said with a smile. "My own brother possesses dual-element variant spiritual roots and extreme talent. He has been doted on by our elders since childhood; even my cold-hearted father treated him with utmost care. In the family, he likely had the resources and ability to form a Golden Core long ago. Coming out this time was one, to visit me, and two, to attempt to elevate the grade of his Golden Core..."

At this point, Li Guanxuan reflected, "The quality of the core he formed should be top-grade. While not quite a match for a Purple Gold Core, it is only a step behind. If he understands how to keep a low profile in the future, he should be able to become the family's fourth Deity Transformation stage expert."

Liu Xiaoxian rarely heard Li Guanxuan talk about the Li family of Daheng Sword Immortals. In the past, when she asked, Li Guanxuan would just smile and brush it off. Hearing him talk about his childhood family affairs now, his eyes held a sense of nostalgia.

"Do you want to go back?" Liu Xiaoxian asked.

Li Guanxuan shook his head. "No. In the family, I didn't have many friends. Aside from Li Guanyuan, who has always had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, there was only my eldest sister."

"Eldest sister? I haven't heard you mention her before," Liu Xiaoxian said, full of curiosity.

"There's nothing much to say." Li Guanxuan picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Liu Xiaoxian narrowed her eyes and huffed, "If you tease me now, I'll tease you later. Besides, I've already formed my core—a Purple Gold Core, no less! Forget the Nascent Soul stage; even the Deity Transformation stage is within my reach in this lifetime!"

"..." Li Guanxuan was speechless and had no choice but to explain.

The "eldest sister" he spoke of was not of the Li bloodline. As a child, he had been incredibly arrogant and overbearing, looking down on everyone and constantly spouting, "Do not bully the young for being poor," refusing to submit to anyone. He even boasted that he would one day punch the Clan Head, kick the ancestor, and lead the Sword Immortal Li family to the peak of the cultivation world, looking down upon all living beings...

Afterward, he was grounded. It was his eldest sister who let him out and told him to follow her lead. When the young Li Guanxuan asked her name, she just smiled and didn't introduce herself. Yet, every time he was punished, she was the one who helped him. Over time, Li Guanxuan came to call her his eldest sister.

After hearing the story of his childhood, Liu Xiaoxian sighed, "The fact that you weren't beaten to death as a child shows that the Sword Immortals of the Li family are actually quite kind-hearted."

Li Guanxuan rolled his eyes. He had been ignorant as a child, and with his special status, he naturally walked around with his hands in his pockets.

"What are your plans for the future?" Li Guanxuan asked. With Liu Xiaoxian having formed the Purple Gold Core and her cultivation rising sharply, Silver Maple City—a mere second-rank spirit city—would naturally be unable to hold this Golden Core master. Li Guanxuan had long been prepared for this parting. He knew well that his own cultivation was too weak to keep her. Even if he were powerful, he might not be able to keep her either. After all, judging by her talents in mind-reading and puppetry, he could guess that she was no ordinary person. How could a genuine human be proficient in such terrifying supernatural abilities as mind-reading?

"No plans yet. I'll stay in Silver Maple City for now and see if there are any instructions from headquarters." Liu Xiaoxian stretched, looked at Li Guanxuan, and smiled. "Don't worry, at least for the next ten years, I'll still be in Silver Maple City."

Li Guanxuan nodded slightly and said, "In about ten years, if we practice dual cultivation day and night, I can naturally advance to the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment."

"..." Liu Xiaoxian gave him an alluring, sidelong glance and scolded, "Rebellious disciple." After three years of frantic dual cultivation, she was well aware that this rebellious disciple was full of mischief.

Liu Xiaoxian continued, "But don't worry, no matter what, I will likely only be near the Glazed Immortal City. If you have time in the future, you can come find me anytime."

Li Guanxuan nodded without saying anything. Mentioning the Glazed Immortal City reminded him of Master Meishuang and Yu Qin, both at the peak of Foundation Establishment. It was they who had leaked his identity to Lei Gongwang. They were also the ones who had urged Liu Xiaoxian to stop shielding him. Li Guanxuan naturally had some grievances with them, and resolving these wasn't something that could be done with a few words from Liu Xiaoxian.

During their three years of dual cultivation, Liu Xiaoxian could understand every move of her rebellious disciple and adjust her posture accordingly. Thus, when she saw him fall silent, she roughly understood what he was thinking.

"Regarding Master Meishuang and Yu Qin, I won't try to persuade you otherwise, but you know they have been kind to me, and I cannot take action against them," Liu Xiaoxian said with a serious expression.

Li Guanxuan smiled. "Don't worry, Master. These are my grievances with them; I will resolve them myself later. I won't put you in a difficult position."

"The master of the Water Ink Pavilion, however, doesn't need to be spared," a flash of killing intent crossed Liu Xiaoxian's eyes.

"Master has just successfully formed your core, so there's no need to rush for revenge. Moreover, I have already relinquished my status as a guest elder of the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion. If you help me vent this anger, the Pavilion might not support you." Li Guanxuan chuckled. Ever since Master Meishuang had betrayed him, he had resigned from his position. With grievances to settle, why should he stay in the Pavilion and let others manipulate him? It would be better to return to being a rogue cultivator; it would be much more straightforward if he wanted to cause trouble for them later.

Furthermore, in this incident, the Water Ink Pavilion had suffered the greatest losses, even losing a peak Foundation Establishment expert. Besides, the Pavilion was a faction packed with talisman masters, and its network of relationships was quite complex. It would not be easy for Liu Xiaoxian to kill the Pavilion master. Just as the pseudo-core master of the Water Ink Pavilion had to be wary of Cao Feng's connections, Liu Xiaoxian would have to consider the same.

Liu Xiaoxian sighed, "It's so stifling. I feel like forming the Purple Gold Core was for nothing—can't attack this, can't attack that."

The next second, Li Guanxuan appeared behind the beautiful woman, his hands wrapping around her soft, slender waist, skillfully loosening her sash as he said with a grin, "Don't worry, Master. I can exhaust all your energy for you."

Soon, ink splashed across the desk, the old wolf-hair brush pressed deep into the paper, and a vivid "Peach Blossom Portrait" was slowly outlined. This scene could also be called—the rebellious disciple backstabbing his master.

...

The day after the seven-day period of core formation had passed, it was the next morning. Just as Li Guanxuan was about to return to Ping'an Court, he ran into Zheng Huangjin.

"Where is the boss?" Zheng Huangjin was now nearly 120 years old. Seeing Li Guanxuan emerge once again from Liu Xiaoxian's office, his eyes held a strange expression. Although the two didn't say anything, his intuition told him there were some unspeakable secrets between the master and her disciple.

"She's asleep," Li Guanxuan said, changing the subject. "You look like you're in a rush. Did something big happen?"

Zheng Huangjin nodded slightly, his expression heavy. "Last night, the sect leader of the Joyous Mountain, Sang Shaoxian, ambushed Cao Feng, almost killing him."

Li Guanxuan was stunned. "Why would Sang Shaoxian do that?" Logically speaking, such a thing was unlikely. After all, Cao Feng had been a benefactor to Sang Shaoxian; why would he betray him at such a time?

"The motive is unclear, and it's under investigation," Zheng Huangjin said in a deep voice. "Cao Feng was already severely wounded by a mid-stage Golden Core master and would have needed at least five or six years of recovery. Now that he's been ambushed by Sang Shaoxian, it's estimated that..."

The path to the Golden Core was hopeless. Li Guanxuan guessed the rest of what Zheng Huangjin hadn't said.

"I'll go take a look." After saying this, Li Guanxuan left the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion and headed toward the City Lord's Mansion. Nowadays, he no longer needed to hide or disguise himself. As a seventh-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had few rivals in Silver Maple City. Moreover, his name had spread for thousands of miles; everyone knew who he was.

The City Lord's Mansion was built on a mountain, a place where spiritual energy converged—luxurious and majestic, with many courtyards set up nearby for guests. Cao Feng was a very hospitable person. At his mansion, one could often see cultivators from all over the world. Cao Feng's betrayal had shocked many great Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even Master Sui Lan, who was in the Starfall Valley, had personally come to the mansion to visit.

When Li Guanxuan arrived at the mansion, Chen Bo hurriedly came forward to receive him.

"How is Brother Cao?" Li Guanxuan asked.

Chen Bo hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping. Li Guanxuan looked at him, and he roughly understood. The situation was dire. At this moment, Chen Bo knelt before Li Guanxuan, his forehead pressed to the ground, trembling as he begged, "Master Li, could you please ask the Li family to help?"

In his eyes, the only people who could save Cao Feng now were the Li family.

"The Li family is full of sword cultivators; where would they find a doctor?" Li Guanxuan raised his hand, and a gust of wind lifted Chen Bo up. He sighed, "I know you are anxious, but rest assured, I will do everything in my power to save Brother Cao."

"Many thanks, Master Li." Chen Bo bowed deeply, tears streaming down his face.

Following Chen Bo to the place where Cao Feng was recuperating, Li Guanxuan saw Cao Feng, as well as the early-stage Golden Core master, Sui Lan, beside him. Li Guanxuan bowed to Sui Lan, politely addressed her as "Senior Sui," and then looked at Cao Feng, asking, "How is the situation?"

Cao Feng's face was devoid of color. He forced a smile, his eyes dim. "The Golden Core is hopeless." He had prepared so many resources, all for the sake of forming a Golden Core. Now that it was hopeless, he would have to settle for the next best thing and form a True Core... However, with his spirit broken, Cao Feng feared he would end up with only a pseudo-core.

"Let me see," Li Guanxuan said, stepping forward.

Sui Lan frowned. "What could you possibly see?"

Cao Feng smiled. "Senior Sui, Brother Li is an alchemist. His alchemy skills far exceed those of a second-rank high-grade alchemist. The Foundation Establishment Pill with a thirty percent success rate that caused such a stir in Shanggu City was his work. Let him take a look."

Sui Lan was surprised upon hearing this. Li Guanxuan, however, said nothing. He spread his divine sense, and while Cao Feng was caught off guard, he checked every part of his body.

"His heart meridian is almost severed..." Li Guanxuan's face sank instantly. Sang Shaoxian truly did not intend to let Cao Feng live!

Li Guanxuan flicked his finger, and a pill emitting a rich medicinal fragrance landed before Cao Feng. He said, "Brother Cao, this is my life-saving pill. Eat it first and see if your condition improves."

This was a life-saving spiritual pill Li Guanxuan had refined, infused with wood-element immortal energy, which could allow him to recover forty percent while in a near-death state. Over the years, he had only refined two of them. One had been given to Qin Jiyue, and he had held onto the other.

"A life-saving spiritual pill... I have already taken one, the effect might be weakened, it won't be of much use," Cao Feng said with a bitter smile. After being severely wounded by Lei Gongwang, he had taken a life-saving pill immediately; taking another now would likely yield diminishing returns.

"Trust me," Li Guanxuan said firmly. Seeing Li Guanxuan's earnest expression, Cao Feng had no choice but to consume it.

"Huh?"