Chapter 152: News of an Inheritance

A white piece could immobilize a Cultivator.

It would leave them unable to move, use any Magic, or activate any Treasure, completely at the enemy’s mercy.

It couldn’t help but remind Li Chang’an of the legendary Immobilization Technique from myths of old.

’This chessboard is quite a Treasure.’

Li Chang’an tested it out for a bit and was especially pleased.

With his current strength,

wielding this chessboard,

he could immobilize almost any Cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage.

If he entered the Borrowed State, he might even be able to affect a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

But Li Chang’an had no intention of provoking a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Being able to restrain Qi Refining Cultivators was enough.

...

Time flew by.

Another month passed.

One day, as Li Chang’an was practicing Talisman Painting, a sudden stir came from his sleeve.

’Hm? Has it finished absorbing the Illusory Poison Jade?’

With a thought, he took out the Ten Thousand Poison Gu.

The Gu Insect’s aura was slowly growing stronger, its body shimmering with rainbow colors.

Before long, the colors gradually dimmed, and its aura settled at Tier One Peak.

’A Tier One Peak Ten Thousand Poison Gu should be able to protect me from almost any Tier One poison now.’

Li Chang’an casually took out a few Tier One Top Grade Poison Pills, crushed them, and turned them into a cloud of toxic mist.

Almost instantly, the Ten Thousand Poison Gu reared up.

It absorbed all the poisonous mist in a flash.

But it wasn’t finished.

Its antennae slowly extended, piercing Li Chang’an’s skin to check if he had inhaled any of the mist.

After its inspection, it retracted its antennae and sent a reassuring feeling to Li Chang’an.

"Not bad!"

Li Chang’an was very satisfied.

After communicating with it,

he learned

that the little insect could now release a wide variety of poisons: some were instantly lethal, others drove people mad, and some could even corrode the body...

Although it hadn’t yet reached the realm of "Ten Thousand Poisons," it was already quite terrifying.

After absorbing the Illusory Poison Jade,

it had gained a new hallucinogenic ability.

’Carrying this Ten Thousand Poison Gu is like carrying around a whole arsenal of poisons...’

Li Chang’an pondered for a moment and suddenly felt a bit like a Cultivator from the Five Poison Wanderer Lineage.

However, he was an upright and kind person and would never proactively use poison to harm others.

With a thought, he returned the little insect to his sleeve and resumed his cultivation.

...

Several months flew by.

One day, Xu Fugui paid him a visit, inviting Li Chang’an to a birthday banquet.

"A birthday banquet?"

Li Chang’an’s immediate instinct was to refuse.

He hadn’t forgotten the incident where the Zhou Family Elder went berserk at a longevity banquet.

Too many people had died that day; even some of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators in attendance were injured. In the end, it was Pei Yingyao who had to step in to end it all.

"Brother Li, don’t worry. This isn’t a banquet for a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator. It’s for my eldest martial sister, Tang Suran."

Xu Fugui saw his concern and quickly explained.

No Foundation Establishment Cultivators would be attending this time. Even their master, Wang Fu’an, wouldn’t be there, as he had left the Immortal City to visit a friend.

In total, only a dozen or so Cultivators had been invited.

Almost all of them were close friends of their Yuelai Restaurant lineage.

As Xu Fugui’s "Brother Li," Li Chang’an naturally received an invitation.

As for whether he would go or not,

it was entirely up to him.

’Since there won’t be any Foundation Establishment Cultivators and I can sample a lot of Spiritual Cuisine, I might as well go.’

Li Chang’an didn’t overthink it and immediately agreed.

After all, it was a kind gesture from Fugui.

The quality of Spiritual Cuisine at such banquets was exceptionally high; a single meal was no less beneficial than consuming a large quantity of Spiritual Elixirs.

Of course,

Li Chang’an wouldn’t go empty-handed.

After Xu Fugui left, he opened his Storage Pouch and picked out a decent Wood Element Treasure to give as a gift.

’This Clear Heart Lotus is pretty good. It’s very suitable for Tang Suran.’

Li Chang’an placed it in a Jade Box and then resumed his cultivation.

Time slipped by, and soon it was Midnight.

A new Divination appeared.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today’s Divination: Auspicious]

[You are invited to a banquet, but a Poison Cultivator unexpectedly appears. They secretly release a colorless, odorless poison mist in an attempt to harm the Cultivators present. Fortunately, you receive a warning from the Ten Thousand Poison Gu, kill the assailant, and obtain the Treasure on their person.]

’A Poison Cultivator?’

Li Chang’an frowned to himself.

This banquet was to be held inside the Yuelai Restaurant.

Most of the time, the Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator Wang Fu’an presided over the restaurant.

Almost no one dared to cause trouble there.

For a Poison Cultivator to dare make a move meant they knew Wang Fu’an had gone to visit a friend and was not in the restaurant.

’A Poison Cultivator showing up just as Elder Wang leaves to visit a friend... that’s a bit too coincidental.’

According to Xu Fugui,

only his three disciples knew about Wang Fu’an’s trip.

Could someone have leaked the information?

Or perhaps,

the Poison Cultivator might have been invited by one of them?

The image of Xu Fugui’s second martial brother, Mo Chen, immediately appeared in Li Chang’an’s mind.

’Fugui’s master doesn’t have much time left. After his death, his Treasures will naturally be divided among his disciples. For Mo Chen, one less disciple means one less person to share the inheritance with.’

Li Chang’an couldn’t help but think of Lu Yuanji from Black Wind Mountain.

Back then, simply to compete for the Foundation Establishment Resources in their master’s possession, Lu Yuanji had been framed by his junior martial sister and forced to flee his Sect.

Although Xu Fugui said his second martial brother was fine,

when it came to a conflict of interest,

one had to assume the worst of others.

...

「The next morning.」

Li Chang’an arrived at the Yuelai Restaurant.

Having not seen her for some time, he noted that Tang Suran’s complexion was much better than before. She no longer had the appearance of someone who had been poisoned.

"Daoist Li, please have a seat."

"Alright."

Since everyone present was a friend, there was no need for strict formalities.

After presenting his gift, Li Chang’an took a seat in the room.

Xu Fugui sat down next to him, enthusiastically introducing him to the others in the room.

"Brother Li, this is Daoist Mo Xi of the Puppetry Mo Family. She’s a good friend of my eldest martial sister. She came to Yellow Crane Immortal City this time to investigate the Tribulation Cultivator faction, the ’Black Puppet Pavilion’."

"A pleasure to meet you, Daoist Mo."

Li Chang’an clasped his hands in a salute to a Female Cultivator in black robes.

Mo Xi’s expression was cold and somewhat indifferent. She didn’t say much, merely giving a slight nod.

She was a Celestial Pride of the Mo Family, already at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. Her strength and status were the highest in the private room.

Afterward, Li Chang’an was introduced to the dozen or so other Cultivators in the room.

Before long, the banquet began.

All sorts of Spiritual Cuisine were served one after another.

During the meal, many people deliberately tried to strike up a conversation with Mo Xi, attempting to befriend her.

But Mo Xi’s attitude remained lukewarm. She gave only cursory replies, clearly feeling that these people were not worth befriending.

Soon, someone asked about the Black Puppet Pavilion.

"Miss Mo, I heard that the Tribulation Cultivator who founded the Black Puppet Pavilion was a traitor from the Mo Family?"

"That’s right!"

This matter wasn’t much of a secret; many people knew about it.

Mo Xi didn’t deny it.

She said in a low voice, "That person is my cousin. He not only took a Tier Two Puppet comparable to a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, but also copied the family’s Puppet Inheritance."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked.

The Mo Family’s Puppet Inheritance reached up to Tier Three, enough to tempt even a Golden Core Master.

Mo Xi knew they were getting ahead of themselves and clarified, "Not the entire inheritance, just a portion of it. But it still reaches Tier Two and absolutely cannot be allowed to spread."

"I see."

Li Chang’an’s interest was piqued.

The Black Puppet Pavilion was one of the three major Tribulation Cultivator factions in the Three Tribulations Alliance.

He had thought the Black Puppet Pavilion only had Tier Two Puppets; he never expected they also had a Tier Two Puppet Inheritance.

’In the future, I can use my identity as the Tribulation Cultivator Li Fan to make more contact with the Black Puppet Pavilion.’