Chapter 453 - 253: A Great Increase in Strength, Settling a Grudge

Once the news broke, the various factions were skeptical and came to the Zhou Family one after another to offer their congratulations.

They claimed to be congratulating them, but in reality, they were there to probe the Zhou Family’s true strength.

Soon, the Profound Water Turtle appeared, its body exuding the aura of a Tier Three being, which startled all the Golden Core Masters present.

Its aura was incredibly potent, not at all like a creature that had just advanced. It seemed to have been at this realm for a long time.

"Another Tier Three Turtle King."

"Turtle Demons have extremely long lifespans. It seems the Zhou Family will be safe for another thousand years."

The various factions all came to their own conclusions.

And so, the Zhou Family weathered the crisis without any real danger.

The many Zhou Family disciples within the clan territory, unaware of the truth, thought the Profound Water Turtle had truly been raised by their family. They were all ecstatic, some even weeping with joy.

"The ancestors are watching over us! The Zhou Family’s fortunes have finally turned!"

"It’s a bit strange, though. Why have we never seen this Profound Water Turtle King before?"

"Don’t worry about it! Maybe the Patriarch and the others raised it in secret..."

"..."

The Zhou Clan Territory was a scene of celebration.

Zhou Sheng and the other two also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

They looked toward the great lake, a flicker of anticipation in their hearts.

Just as Li Chang’an had guessed, they hoped to use their bloodline connection to permanently bind the Profound Water Turtle to the Zhou Family.

However, over the next period of time, the Profound Water Turtle would frequently leave the Zhou Family to return to Changqing Mountain, clearly not treating the Zhou Family’s territory as its permanent home.

...

「Three months later.」

The Profound Water Turtle’s cultivation had completely stabilized, and it had adapted to its formidable Tier Three Magical Power.

’It’s time.’

Li Chang’an had the Profound Water Turtle follow him into the courtyard.

After circulating his Qi for a moment, he instructed the Profound Water Turtle,

"Xiaohai, Borrowing Technique."

"Yes!"

The Profound Water Turtle’s expression turned serious as it immediately activated its Borrowing Technique Talent.

A vast torrent of Water Element Magical Power surged out and, following the Law of Mutual Generation where water nourishes wood, flowed into Li Chang’an’s meridians, transforming into a continuous stream of Wood Element Magical Power.

Li Chang’an was currently only at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment.

But an instant later, he reached the Foundation Establishment Peak.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he broke through the Foundation Establishment Limit and stepped into an unknown domain. His aura surged wildly, continuously approaching an even higher realm.

Within his meridians, the Wood Spiritual Power seemed endless as it poured madly into his Dantian.

After just a few breaths,

this dense Spiritual Power formed a vortex within his Dantian.

At the very center of the vortex, Magical Power continuously gathered, coalescing into a tiny, pale cyan dot.

This tiny dot expanded rapidly, and in a flash, it became a thumb-sized Magic Power Condensation Pill that resembled an elixir pill.

And in that same instant, Li Chang’an’s whole body trembled. He broke through a barrier, and his aura suddenly skyrocketed.

’The Fake Pill Realm!’

A look of joy appeared on his face as he felt an unprecedented level of power.

Just then, the Profound Water Turtle spoke, "Master, the Borrowing Technique Talent has reached its limit."

"Alright!"

Li Chang’an nodded slightly, not demanding too much.

His current Magical Power was now nearly on par with Nie Ting’s, enough to be called a Golden Core Master!

Inside his Dantian,

the pale cyan Fake Pill bobbed up and down, containing dense Wood Element Magical Power.

Li Chang’an had a premonition that if he exited the Borrowed State, this Fake Pill would dissipate without affecting his future Core Formation.

’A temporary Fake Pill. Not bad at all!’

He was all smiles, in high spirits.

Now, a casual burst of Magical Power from him was far stronger than when he had previously used the Cyan Wood Divine Light.

Before him, an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator was no different from an ant.

’All those below Golden Core are but ants. That saying is true!’

Li Chang’an cast a few Earth Grade Magic spells and quickly adapted to the Fake Pill Realm.

With a thought, a series of Tier Three Sword Qi Talismans flew out of his Storage Pouch, bobbing up and down around him.

’Using my Fake Pill Divine Sense and Fake Pill Magical Power to execute this Tier Three Sword Array, I should be able to reach the Minor Success Realm.’

Filled with anticipation, Li Chang’an executed the Great Yi Wood Sword Array.

The Talismans around him began to burn, transforming into streams of Sword Qi. They started by stacking three streams, then the number continuously increased, finally stopping at twenty-seven.

His guess was correct.

His current Divine Sense and Magical Power were enough to execute a Sword Array of twenty-seven streams of Tier Three Sword Qi, and he even had strength to spare!

The remaining nine streams of Sword Qi joined in, forming a Thirty-six Swords Formation.

’This Sword Array should now pose a fatal threat to those in the Late Stage of Golden Core.’

Li Chang’an mused.

With a Sword Array like this, killing He Qianshan in a short amount of time shouldn’t be a problem.

He Qianshan was only at the Early Stage of Golden Core, after all.

He had been stuck at the Early Stage of Golden Core for a long time, so his foundation was deep, and he likely had many Protective Treasures. Perhaps one Sword Array wouldn’t be enough to kill him.

But if one wasn’t enough, he would just use a few more!

’Next, I need to pay close attention to He Qianshan’s movements. It would be best if I could control someone close to him.’

He Qianshan had many descendants and disciples.

Li Chang’an planned to find an opportunity to use his Wood Seed Technique to control a few of them.

Just as he was thinking about this, someone from the Chen Family at the foot of the mountain suddenly requested an audience, delivering a message.

"The Chen Family Patriarch, Chen Yuanshan, has reached the end of his lifespan and is on his deathbed."

Seeing this message, Li Chang’an couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion.

The seniors he had known back in his Qi Refining days were almost all gone.

’Time waits for no one.’

Li Chang’an left Changqing Mountain and, in an instant, arrived at the Chen Clan Territory at the foot of the mountain.

He met with Chen Yuanshan one last time.

Chen Yuanshan also had regrets. The Chen Family’s Celestial Pride with a Middle Grade Spirit Root, Chen Da’an, had yet to reach Foundation Establishment, and he would not live to see the Chen Family become a Foundation Establishment Family.

Furthermore, his daughter, Chen Qianya, remained single.

He had once asked her about finding a Daoist partner.

The reply he received was simple.

Chen Qianya had simply stated that she looked down on all other male cultivators and wished to live out her days alone.

Chen Yuanshan, withered and gaunt, sighed on his deathbed, "Chang’an, if Qianya had never met you, perhaps she might have taken a liking to another male cultivator, but... but..."