Chapter 54: The Evil Cultivator (Please Add to Favorites)
After acquainting Li Guanxuan with the myriad chambers of the Pavilion of Phenomena, Zheng Huangjin fulfilled his role as host, escorting Li Guanxuan and his companions to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion for a sumptuous meal.
A parade of exquisite dishes crafted from spiritual herbs and the flesh of second-tier demon beasts graced their table. For Li Guanxuan, Zheng Huangjin—usually reluctant to spend lavishly—was surprisingly generous.
Upon learning that Li Guanxuan had become a second-tier alchemist by refining Foundation Establishment Pills, Zheng Huangjin could not hide his astonishment. The Foundation Establishment Pill was a notoriously challenging advancement elixir; most first-tier high-grade alchemists, seeking a smooth promotion, would opt to refine the Harmony Qi Pill. Those less confident might attempt to elevate the Beauty Preservation Pill to the second-tier low-grade.
Yet Li Guanxuan’s first attempt was the Foundation Establishment Pill itself, a display of talent that left Zheng Huangjin somewhat shaken.
“May I examine the quality of your Foundation Establishment Pill?” Zheng Huangjin inquired.
“There’s no need for such formality. Jiyue, hand the pill to Brother Zheng,” Li Guanxuan replied with a smile and a nod.
“Brother Zheng, please take a look,” Qin Jiyue said as she produced the small bottle containing the pill.
Zheng Huangjin took it, first bringing it to his nose to catch the fragrance, then opening it for inspection. He spoke slowly: “The aroma is rich, but the color lacks clarity. Its quality is rather ordinary… With your wife’s talent in cultivation, there’s no need to use a pill of this quality. I suggest you improve the pill’s quality before having her take it.”
He added, “Your wife isn’t even thirty yet, so there’s no need to rush. Waiting another year or two won’t hurt.”
“I’m not in a hurry, but my husband…” Qin Jiyue said with a wry smile.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Huangjin understood and looked at Li Guanxuan with envy and admiration. “Brother, you truly have found two wonderful wives.”
Having lived just over a hundred years, Zheng Huangjin had experienced much, including betrayal by his own wife.
“It’s heaven’s blessing, nothing more,” Li Guanxuan replied, gently shifting the topic. “I could improve the pill’s quality, but the scarcity of main ingredients and auxiliary herbs remains, not to mention the need for second-tier beast cores…”
“The auxiliary herbs and beast cores are nothing to worry about—the main ingredients are truly rare. After all, the Golden Vine and Violet Ginseng must be at least two hundred years old, and for higher quality pills, three hundred years is required.”
Zheng Huangjin mused for a moment, then said, “I’ll keep an eye out for you. Violet Ginseng is more common in North Julu Continent, and there should be many demon cultivators selling it.”
“Thank you, Brother Zheng.”
“No need for thanks. If you can produce high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills, be sure to sell them to me as you did before. As for Shopkeeper Liu, just sell him a little less.”
“Hahaha… Of course. These years, without your help, my days would have been much harder.”
…
The two shared hearty laughter and soon reminisced about the past.
When Qin Jiyue and Wen Rongxin heard that Li Guanxuan had dealt with Bi Zhou and Shu Yao, they were surprised; he had never told them about such matters. Only now did Qin Jiyue understand why Li Guanxuan had known the slaughter in the shantytown west of Qing’an City was linked to disciples from Falling Moon Valley.
“By the way, after leaving Qing’an City, the You family relocated to Huajing Immortal City,” Zheng Huangjin revealed. “There, the Hua family governs the city, and the You family has become their vassals.”
Huajing Immortal City lay three thousand li south of Silver Maple City…
Li Guanxuan conjured the northern map of the Immortal Ruins in his mind and quickly tucked this information away.
He nodded slightly, raised his cup, and drank.
Zheng Huangjin said no more, knowing that until Li Guanxuan gained sufficient strength, he would not trouble the You family, but would only observe them quietly.
Back in the Pavilion of Phenomena,
Zheng Huangjin handed over two sets of Foundation Establishment Pill materials and herbs to Li Guanxuan.
Just as he was about to leave, Qin Jiyue spoke, “There’s a Silver Light Waterfall in Silver Maple City that’s perfect for body cultivators. I’d like to take sister there to train for two years—perhaps we can break through to the sixth layer of body refinement.”
Li Guanxuan paused in thought and then replied, “Why don’t we settle in Silver Maple City for now? The usual arrangement—rent a house in the outer city. No, in the inner city. The rent here should be cheaper than Shanggu City.”
For him, where he lived mattered little, as long as Wen Rongxin and Qin Jiyue were with him. Besides, the inner city rent in Shanggu was exorbitant.
With six thousand spirit stones, he could easily rent a house in Silver Maple’s inner city for two years.
“What do you think, sister?” Qin Jiyue asked Wen Rongxin.
“I… I’m fine with anything,” Wen Rongxin said softly. “As long as I can be with husband and sister, it doesn’t matter where we are.”
“Alright, let’s check the rent in Silver Maple City. If it’s reasonable, we’ll settle here,” Li Guanxuan decided with a smile.
“Good!” Qin Jiyue was the happiest of all. As a demon cultivator, she felt far more at ease in Silver Maple City than in Shanggu.
Li Guanxuan consulted the brokers and found rents comparable to Qing’an City—about one hundred spirit stones per year in the outer city, and six hundred in the inner city.
Ultimately, he chose a house built atop a second-tier mid-grade spiritual vein, with an annual rent of eight hundred spirit stones—a price he found acceptable.
In Shanggu, such a house would cost at least three thousand five to four thousand spirit stones.
Silver Maple City was much cheaper by comparison.
Moreover, the spiritual energy gathered by a second-tier mid-grade vein far surpassed that of a first-tier vein, which would greatly aid Li Guanxuan’s upcoming attempt at Foundation Establishment.
“You two go ahead to Silver Light Waterfall. I’ll go back and pack our things,” Li Guanxuan said.
Wen Rongxin, worried, suggested, “Why don’t we all go together? It’s not like time matters.”
The world outside was in chaos, and Wen Rongxin feared Li Guanxuan might encounter demon or bandit cultivators on the road.
“It’s fine, don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” Li Guanxuan reassured her, then boarded his flying vessel and departed Silver Maple City.
He was careful throughout the journey, with two Black Gold Puppets standing tall on the deck of his second-tier flying vessel, radiating dazzling golden light.
Many discerning demon and bandit cultivators, seeing this, wisely avoided him, unwilling to provoke such a dangerous figure.
However, when Li Guanxuan was still a hundred li from Shanggu City, he suddenly noticed a black eagle swiftly approaching from the right. The man on its back, face contorted in pain, cried out for help:
“Fellow Daoist, I am a disciple of the You family from Huajing Immortal City, a beast tamer—please save me!”
Li Guanxuan glanced at him coldly.
He then looked past the man to the pursuing first-tier flying vessel, whose deck bore a demon cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refinement.
The demon cultivator eyed Li Guanxuan warily, brandishing a magic weapon—a folding fan—in warning not to interfere.
Li Guanxuan chuckled, placing a hand on the shoulder of his explosive puppet, and channeled his energy to speed the vessel away, sending a message to the demon cultivator:
“Disciples of the You family always have a life-bound beast. Only by killing the beast will the master truly die. Be sure to check his person and the surroundings for any other beasts.”
The demon cultivator was startled—was this an ally?
A second-tier flying vessel…
Two puppets at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement…
This fellow was doing well for himself!
…
PS: Thanks to “Book Friend 20181231010817150” for rewarding “Wen Rongxin” with 200 points~