Chapter 8: The Robber Cultivator (Revised)

In the end, Li Guanxuan spent fifty low-grade spirit stones to purchase some medicinal ingredients and foodstuffs to replenish his body and blood.

After leaving the Pavilion of All Phenomena, Li Guanxuan blended into the crowd and exited the East Street market.

“Damn, I’m still being watched…”

Soon, a glint of cold determination flashed in Li Guanxuan’s eyes, his senses keenly alert.

He was being followed!

Though he was within Spirit City, it was not entirely safe. Qing’an City bordered the Hundred-Thousand Mountains, and the cultivators active in the surrounding area were all living on the edge, willing to do anything for cultivation resources, even daring to challenge the rules of Spirit City.

Pretending not to notice, Li Guanxuan walked as usual, but he didn’t immediately leave Qing’an City to return to the shantytown. Instead, he weaved through the city’s streets and alleys, striving to shake off the several marauding cultivators tailing him.

“Three at the second level of Qi Refining, two at the third level… Five marauders. Looks like there’ll be another fierce fight today,” Li Guanxuan sighed inwardly.

Sensing the five marauders drawing closer, Li Guanxuan decisively headed toward the patrolling guards.

This was still inside the city, after all. If a fight broke out, the guards would intervene immediately and punish those involved.

Of course, if he didn’t fight back, he could claim a hefty compensation; but if he retaliated, it would be deemed a brawl, and all parties would be held responsible.

Seeing Li Guanxuan move toward the guards, the five marauders realized they had been discovered.

“Damn it, he’s led us around the city for so long—if we don’t take him down today, I won’t sleep tonight!” growled a burly man with a knife scar across his head.

They had thought Li Guanxuan was a wealthy cultivator living in Qing’an City, but he’d only dragged them in circles!

“He must’ve noticed us early on. Be careful—someone with vigilance like his likely has some means to save his skin,” warned a pale, scholarly-looking youth.

The other three nodded, their eyes locked onto Li Guanxuan.

All of them hailed from the mundane world, stepping into the cultivation realm without the talent or qualifications required by the immortal sects, unable to join.

Moreover, the spiritual energy in the mundane world was far less concentrated than in the cultivation realm. Unwilling to return, they became marauders, seeking to force a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment through relentless plunder.

If they succeeded, at least they could enter an immortal sect as a minor steward, escaping the brutal life of constant strife.

…

The sun dipped toward dusk.

Every time Li Guanxuan approached the patrolling guards, the marauders scattered, refusing to follow.

But once he left the guards’ vicinity, the five stuck to him like glue.

“As soon as it’s dark, they’ll make their move…”

Li Guanxuan’s mind raced, searching for a countermeasure, a fierce glint in his eyes.

There was nowhere to hide, no way to avoid them. The only option was to strike first, take out the weakest, and thin their numbers.

When Li Guanxuan turned into an alley, the five marauders exchanged glances, eyes wary yet greedy.

“The opportunity is here—grab it!”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you: whoever kills him first gets the biggest share!”

“No problem!”

“Agreed!”

The five marauders followed.

“This guy’s cunning. Block his escape routes—don’t let him get away!”

“Right, he’s circled this area for ages; he must have memorized the terrain.”

To prevent their prey from slipping away, they spread out to block the exits.

The three at the second level of Qi Refining, worried they couldn’t handle him alone, stuck together.

However—

The first marauder to turn the corner was met by a flying ice talisman, which transformed into an ice spike that pierced his head, killing him instantly.

“He’s a talisman master!” the remaining two at the second level blanched in terror.

But the arrow had been loosed. If they didn’t hunt down this fat sheep, they’d be letting their fallen brother down.

“Kill him!”

The two snapped back to their senses, only to see Li Guanxuan’s fleeing silhouette.

“After him!” They roared, giving chase.

Li Guanxuan soon spotted the other two at the third level of Qi Refining—the scarred brute and the scholarly youth. He recalled the layout of the area, promptly darting into another alley.

A resident cultivator had just opened his door, saw someone being chased, and slammed it shut with a curse: “Damn, caught up in this mess!”

Such encounters with marauders were all too common among rogue cultivators at the bottom.

To reach Foundation Establishment, only burning, killing, and looting would do.

That was the way of the world.

Without a sect, family, or background… Those with poor talent and qualifications at the bottom could only prey on each other, fight and kill.

Otherwise, they’d never see the day of Foundation Establishment!

Fleeing, Li Guanxuan occasionally retaliated with Qingxuan Qi, saving his ice and flame talismans for crucial moments.

The scarred brute and the scholar dared not approach rashly.

Those two talismans could end them in an instant if they weren’t careful.

Soon, Li Guanxuan seized another chance, flinging a flame talisman that blasted the head off a second-level marauder.

The scarred brute cursed, “Idiots from the mundane world really have no brains! Can’t you tell he’s tough?”

“He’s not just a talisman master; his mana is fierce, able to pierce anything with ease,” the scholar reminded coldly.

The last remaining second-level marauder broke out in cold sweat.

Being a marauder in the cultivation world was no easy job!

The scarred brute sneered inwardly.

These deaths would at least drain Li Guanxuan’s mana.

Once his mana was spent, he’d be easy prey!

As Li Guanxuan rounded another alley, he was startled by a sharp longsword thrust toward him, forcing him to dodge desperately!

Behind him, the scarred brute unleashed his mana, hurling two flying knives.

Li Guanxuan quickly gathered all his Qingxuan Qi to his upper body, slapped a protection talisman onto himself, and prepared to throw his most lethal Exploding Spirit Talisman.

If he could blast one of the third-level marauders, the rest would be easier to handle.

Clang!

Metal clashed, sparks flew.

Li Guanxuan paused in surprise, halting his infusion of mana into the Exploding Spirit Talisman.

The sword that had sought his life was knocked aside.

The scarred brute’s body was now separated, his bald, scarred head rolling to the ground.

As for the scholar and the last second-level marauder—they met the same fate, beheaded by a single sword stroke.

Li Guanxuan sensed a surge of mana, immediately looked up at the night sky, protection talisman in his left hand, Exploding Spirit Talisman in his right, on guard.

A shadow hovered in midair atop a sword, revealing an exquisite oval face, arched brows and fox-like eyes, both heroic and alluring, long jade-white legs planted on the sword—she radiated the aura of a female swordswoman from a cultivation tale.

Li Guanxuan called out gratefully, “Thank you, swordswoman, for saving me!”

“Swordswoman?”

The shadow’s expression turned odd. “I’m a man,” he replied coolly.

Li Guanxuan: “???”

Seeing Li Guanxuan’s disbelief, the shadow touched his face, then hurriedly flew away on his sword.

Oh no!

The disguise technique had worn off!

Whoosh—

The breeze stirred a few fallen leaves, leaving Li Guanxuan dumbfounded.

Was there really such a thing…?

“Forget it, time to loot the bodies.”

Finding himself alone, Li Guanxuan quickly rifled through the corpses’ storage pouches.

Aside from the magical longsword and two flying knives, the pouches were completely empty.

“Madness… They’re broke!”

…

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