Chapter 125: The Real Me

「A few days later.」

Li Chang’an attended Gu Shanxing’s funeral.

After all, they had known each other for a time.

He silently wished him a smooth journey on the Reincarnation Path.

The funeral ended quickly.

Li Chang’an returned to his residence and continued his cultivation.

Before he knew it, several months had passed.

During this time, Zhou Xuan had sought him out a few times, providing him with information about several treasures for advancing his cultivation.

However, none of those treasures could be used in conjunction with others, and the success rate they offered wasn’t very high.

So, Li Chang’an decided not to buy any of them.

His focus remained on the Profound Crystal.

’It’s been so long, yet I still have no news about the three treasures Senior Zhou Sheng needs.’

Then again, that was to be expected.

After all, even a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator would have trouble obtaining them, let alone a mere Qi Refining Loose Cultivator like him.

Li Chang’an wasn’t anxious; he just kept asking around for information.

That night.

He took his medicinal bath as usual.

Just after Midnight, a golden light appeared before his eyes.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today’s Divination: Auspicious]

[Your friend Qiaoshan will visit and invite you to his home. You will go using your Puppet Body. After entering the courtyard, Qiaoshan will suddenly activate the Quasi-Tier Two Array, the "Hundred Swords Spirit Slaying Array," and attempt to kill you with its Array Power.]

[You will use the Spirit-Breaking Alms Bowl to break the array, kill him in retaliation, and find the treasure "Nine-leafed Blue Flower" in his Storage Pouch.]

"The Nine-leafed Blue Flower!"

Li Chang’an’s spirits soared.

This was one of the three treasures Zhou Sheng needed!

Once he got his hands on this rare flower, he could trade it with Zhou Sheng for the Profound Crystal!

’The day I get the Profound Crystal is the day the Profound Water Turtle ascends!’

Li Chang’an took a deep breath, a tremor of excitement running through him.

After all, he was about to nurture a Tier Two Spirit Beast comparable to a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator!

However, one thing puzzled him.

’Why would Qiaoshan try to kill me?’

Li Chang’an was certain he had no grudge or feud with Qiaoshan.

Recently, the two of them had often discussed the Dao.

He had explained the characteristics of the Path of Talismans and Seals, and in return, Qiaoshan had shared a great deal of information related to Spirit Doctors.

They met far more frequently than he did with Wang Dong or Ye Luo.

’Perhaps he was intentionally getting close to me from the very beginning.’

Li Chang’an mused.

The fact that he could produce a Quasi-Tier Two Array meant Qiaoshan had come prepared.

His foundation was deep, and his true strength was likely far beyond the Qi Refining Seventh Layer he showed on the surface.

’This person must be an old monster who has been accumulating power at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer for many years!’

Li Chang’an concluded.

He had to be cautious when dealing with an old monster like this.

Who knew what kind of tricks the man had up his sleeve?

In the Cultivation Immortality Realm, the longer one lived, the more tricks they usually had!

’Good thing I snagged the Spirit-Breaking Alms Bowl at the last auction. Otherwise, dealing with that Quasi-Tier Two Array would have been a real pain.’

Li Chang’an immediately began his preparations.

...

「The next day, at noon.」

Just as the divination had foretold.

Qiaoshan arrived at Li Chang’an’s door with a broad smile, extending an invitation.

"Daoist Li, I recently acquired some ’Dream Tea’ of exceptional quality. Would you be willing to sample it with me?"

"Oh? The Dream Tea that allows one to enter a grand dream and temporarily forget all their worries?"

Li Chang’an put on a look of great interest.

Appearing completely unguarded, he urged, "Let’s go, Daoist Qiao! Let me try this tea at once!"

"Haha, don’t be in such a hurry, Daoist Li."

One walking behind the other, the two soon arrived at Qiaoshan’s courtyard.

Li Chang’an asked, "Daoist Qiao, where is this tea?"

Qiaoshan didn’t respond.

His expression was complicated as he let out a soft sigh.

"Alas, Daoist Li, our personalities are so similar, and we’ve had such pleasant conversations these past few days. If only we weren’t enemies... What a shame there are no ’if onlys’ in this world."

"Enemies?"

Li Chang’an feigned a look of confusion.

His brow furrowed slightly, and he appeared not to understand.

"Daoist Qiao, when did we become enemies? I’ve certainly never done you any harm."

"That’s right, Daoist Li. You’ve never harmed me... but I have harmed you!"

The moment his voice fell, Qiaoshan’s expression turned cold.

With a wave of his hand, an array instantly materialized, enveloping the entire courtyard.

In an instant, sword qi crisscrossed the courtyard. The surroundings became a blur, and the outside world was no longer visible.

Li Chang’an was now trapped within the array.

But he still seemed bewildered.

"Daoist Qiao, are you playing some kind of joke on me?"

"Daoist Li, at this point, there’s no need for me to hide it from you any longer."

Qiaoshan wasn’t in a hurry to attack.

He sighed softly, intending to let Li Chang’an die knowing the truth.

Then, he slapped himself lightly.

In the next instant, a blood-red crack appeared on his face.

He gave a slight shudder.

His entire face began to split open, the fissure running downward in a terrifying display.

In the space of just a few breaths,

it was as if his entire body had been split in two!

But soon, an unfamiliar face appeared from beneath the split skin.

"Daoist Li, this is my true self."

At that moment, his voice also changed, becoming a few shades hoarser.

Before long, his entire being stepped out from the split skin, and he donned a new magic robe.

"Daoist Li, this is the first time we’ve officially met, but we’d already heard of each other back in Qinghe."

Feeling the familiar aura coming from him,

Li Chang’an instantly understood.

"So it was you... the Big Master of Black Wind Mountain!"

"Correct. It is I, Lu!"

The Big Master of Black Wind Mountain, whose real name was Lu Yuanji.

His true form didn’t look as ferocious as the rumors suggested.

Instead, he looked somewhat similar to Li Chang’an, like a well-read scholar.

"Daoist Li, I have no choice but to kill you. Please do not blame me in the underworld."

"What do you mean, you have no choice?"

Li Chang’an asked.

Lu Yuanji was very patient and explained it to him.

"I am being controlled by a Foundation Establishment Tribulation Cultivator. My body is not my own. Only the Yellow Crane Mountain Lineage can help me break free, so I had no choice but to agree to Huang Feng’s request."

"Is that so? Back in Qinghe, didn’t you want to kill me then, too?"

"No!"

Lu Yuanji shook his head slightly.

According to him, he had only intended to capture Li Chang’an back then to ask if he was the one who had killed Zheng Jinbao.

Now, that question was meaningless.

But he still wanted to know.

"Daoist Li, were you truly the one who killed Zheng Jinbao?"

"Daoist Lu, you’ll find out."

Li Chang’an didn’t answer directly.

After this round of questioning, he had already gotten the information he wanted.

Lu Yuanji looked at him in surprise and asked, "Daoist Li, do you really think you can still escape?"

Li Chang’an said nothing. A golden light flashed in his hand.

The Spirit-Breaking Alms Bowl had appeared in his grasp.

Then, he tapped it lightly.

"CLANG..."

A resonant sound echoed.

In the next instant, a strange ripple spread out, merging with the empty space around them.

"Not good!"

Lu Yuanji’s expression changed instantly.

He could feel that the Spiritual Power throughout the entire grand array had been sealed, and he couldn’t mobilize even a sliver of it!

In other words, the grand array had become nothing more than a decoration!