Chapter 182 - 168: Wu Shouqing, the Bird Slave

The minimum rank is Rank Four!

What does this mean?

It means that when this bird grows up, it can at least rival a Nascent Soul Level cultivator.

If I can raise this bird as a Spirit Pet, then being carried by it in the future is within reach.

How could Li An not be tempted?

Moreover, it seems that the high-level members of the Jiang family have not realized the mutation of this Divine Bird? Instead, they all show regret because of the bird’s inherent illness!

"Couldn’t they all see it?"

"If others can’t see it, Tan Qingxue certainly can. Maybe the mutation of this Divine Bird is related to her... Her level is much higher than these Jiang family members."

Shangguan Xiaoxiao spoke casually, mocking the high-ranking members of the Jiang family, thinking little of them.

Li An pondered.

The Divine Bird has a sickness!

Now it has mutated, unbeknownst to the Jiang family’s high-level members.

According to Shangguan Xiaoxiao, Tan Qingxue can tell, and might even be guiding the bird’s mutation...

But Tan Qingxue should not know that the bird’s illness was deliberately left by Li An.

So, at this moment, Li An possesses the most information!

Both the Jiang family and Tan Qingxue need to cure the bird and remove the illness.

According to Tan Qingxue, Spiritual Blood is the only solution...

So, what Shangguan Xiaoxiao said is true; Li An does have a chance to get close to this bird, and once close, there is a chance...

Li An hesitated.

No matter how great the opportunity, one must consider the risks.

In just a moment, Li An’s mind turned swiftly, and a plan took shape in his heart...

Moreover, the success rate of this plan is very high, with no danger along the way; he will be quite safe instead...

After the plan was formed, he thought it over three more times!

Then, his gaze became firm.

His energy subtly circulated.

The Cyan Flame Divine Sparrow fledgling, being observed by a group of high-ranking members and Tan Qingxue, suddenly flapped its wings and flew towards Li An!

The fledgling, though seemingly immature, moved swiftly.

Everyone was taken aback.

They saw the Divine Bird fly over and directly pecked at Li An!

Li An felt the pain, stepping back repeatedly, looking down to see a deep wound on his skin, with scorched marks on both sides, as if burned.

"Huh? What’s going on?"

Jiang Rilan and the other high-ranking members suddenly had a thought, staring at Li An.

Even Tan Qingxue, with a surprised look in her beautiful eyes, thought for a moment and said, "He... he has Spiritual Blood on him, capable of feeding the Divine Bird!"

With these words.

Two Fake Pill strongmen immediately restrained Li An, making him unable to move.

"Patriarch, elders, Wu Qin is innocent——"

Li An cried out in fear.

A group of elders came over.

"What exactly is going on?"

Jiang Rilan’s eyes bore a hint of vigilance.

The fact that the Divine Bird happened to be ill, and Li An’s blood happened to be remedial... was too coincidental.

His thoughts were profound; he never believed in coincidences because true coincidences are rare, and man-made ones are abundant!

Tan Qingxue looked at Li An and suddenly said, "Honored Guest Elder Wu, if I’m not mistaken, the Spirit Herbs you’ve cultivated were actually nurtured with your own blood, right?"

Having said that, she seized Li An’s right hand, stroked a silver knife across it, dipped a bit of blood on its blade, and extended her little tongue to taste it.

"It’s Spiritual Blood!"

Jiang Rilan and a few elders extracted blood from Li An, examining it closely.

"Indeed it is!"

"Remarkable, remarkable!"

"Such a person is one in ten thousand, yet my Jiang family obtained him; could it be heaven’s blessing upon the Jiang Clan?"

Many elders beamed with joy.

"Lock him up first."

Jiang Rilan coldly instructed.

He was in no hurry; this matter... requires investigation.

Li An needed to be investigated thoroughly, comprehensively, and the Jiang family would never rashly use Li An’s blood to feed the Divine Bird without doing so.

Li An found neither means of escape nor refuge from heaven, pleading in terror, but was still confined to the Jiang Black Prison.

...

Pitch black.

The cage was sturdy, unescapable.

In the dark, Li An shouted and yelled until he was exhausted and finally stopped.

After being thrown into the black prison, he endured humiliation, searched thoroughly up and down, with everything, including storage bags, confiscated.

Yet nothing of value was found; he had predicted Jiang Ribai’s downfall long ago and hid a Top Grade Primordial Spirit Pill, two flying swords, a Tribulation Jade, and numerous Talismans in a secret spot on Guest Peak, where no one could find them.

He only carried some regular items, intentionally planting two or three Third Grade Talismans to avoid raising suspicion in the Jiang family.

At this moment, he repeatedly contemplated and deduced.

Jiang Rilan is cautious and will not rashly allow Li An to approach the Divine Bird as it is too coincidental.

Therefore, he will scrutinize Li An’s history.

But Li An’s identity is sound, and he previously made arrangements, approached Tan Qingxue to secure Spirit Medicine, aiming to curry favor with Jiang Ruoxu... all normal actions, which, upon investigation, would likely lead the Jiang family to attribute the situation to coincidence.

Most importantly, the Jiang family had no choice.

The Divine Bird had issues; they couldn’t just let a Rank Four Spirit Beast be hindered by an illness.

They would undoubtedly utilize Li An’s blood.

Moreover, matters involving Spiritual Blood cannot be simply resolved by slaughtering Li An, as that would be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs; Li An’s blood volume wouldn’t suffice.

The Jiang family needed to nurture Li An carefully!

Only then could they draw a little at a time, over periods... for steady provision.

This is why Li An dared to show his hand.

The inevitable result was the Jiang family treating him like livestock, supplying him abundantly, and letting him support the Divine Bird.

But unbeknownst to them, the peculiarity in Li An wasn’t merely Spiritual Blood, but a Life Seed.

From the very beginning, the Divine Bird had been exposed to the aura of Li An’s Life Seed, allowing him to subtly control the bird through this process.

Even though Jiang Ruoxu held a primary beast fusion ceremony with the bird, Li An remained unfazed.

He was the first to share a connection with the bird.

Though it might marginally affect his grand plan of Core Formation, delaying it.

But to gain such a Divine Bird... that too is absolutely worth it.

Li An is only two hundred and fifty-five years old now, with a window of one hundred and forty years left for Core Formation.

Core Formation before four hundred years old is all possible!

So, what’s there to fear?

Persist, persist until the Jiang family loses vigilance against him...

...

Li An has been imprisoned for three months.

During these three months, the Jiang family deployed many people to thoroughly investigate "Wu Qin’s" background.

But it was destined not to yield much result.

On this day,

The grand prison was opened.

The Patriarch Jiang Rilan arrived personally, with a gentle smile on his face. He waved his hand, and the servant behind him brought exquisite delicacies to Li An.

Li An was somewhat frightened, "Patriarch, are you... are you giving me a last meal?"

"No... I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die!"

Jiang Rilan looked at Li An’s pathetic state, feeling more satisfied, and comforted him, "Don’t worry, you won’t die."

"I’ve checked, during your time with the Jiang family, your performance has been excellent, a loyal servant of our family."

Li An excitedly said, "Patriarch, are you, are you releasing me?"

Jiang Rilan said, "First, have something to eat, eat and freshen up... there’s good news waiting for you."

Jiang Rilan left.

...

Not long after.

Reunited with daylight, Li An stepped into the main hall of the Jiang family.

"Honored Guest Wu, you have suffered in prison these past days; this is some compensation from our Jiang family—"

A beautiful maid brought forward a pile of items.

A Third Grade Nourishing Pill!

A Rank Three Heart-Protection Mirror!

A brand-new Rank Three Talisman Pen!

All of them were top grade!

Each of these three items was a treasure beyond the reach of cultivators at Li An’s level.

Li An deliberately acted a bit stunned.

"Additionally, I have decided that the position of First Honored Guest of the Guest Peak will be taken by Mr. Wu, would Mr. Wu be willing to honor us?"

Jiang Rilan spoke leisurely.

Li An bowed deeply in greeting!

"Thank you, Patriarch, thank you, Patriarch... Wu Qin, of lowly status, is so honored by the Patriarch’s grace, Wu Qin will not hesitate to die a thousand deaths!"

He was incomparably excited.

Jiang Rilan stroked his beard, smiled slightly, nodded, and then sighed, "First Honored Guest Wu, the rise and fall of our Jiang family rest on you... there is a matter requiring your assistance."

Li An said, "Please, Patriarch instruct me, Wu Qin is willing to do his utmost, to plunge into boiling water or fire, without hesitation!"

Jiang Rilan chuckled, "It’s not that severe, "

"Our clan’s Divine Bird, although already hatched, carries a chronic ailment, this bird is crucial to our clan’s future, it must be healed... only you, First Honored Guest Wu, can save it."

Li An was slightly stunned.

"Rest assured, First Honored Guest Wu, I have already investigated, you only need to offer some essence blood monthly to feed the Divine Bird, of course, our Jiang family will continuously supply you with Spirit Medicine and the like so you will not harm your foundation."

"Additionally, I can give you a promise that once the Divine Bird’s ailment is cured, I will personally protect you during your advancement to True Core!"

"I have already had people collecting materials for you, to craft a Primordial Spirit Pill. Low-grade Primordial Spirit Pills are unworthy of you!"

Jiang Rilan’s every word hit the mark in Li An’s heart.

As expected of a generation’s Patriarch, at this moment, no one could utter a word of dissent.

Importantly, Li An also understood that this kind of figure always entices with benefits before applying pressure.

If Li An didn’t know what’s good for him, the Jiang family naturally had thunderous means.

Could he refuse?

Li An pondered a bit, then immediately bowed deeply, expressing gratitude, "Thank you, Patriarch, Wu is willing to give everything for the family—"

He gritted his teeth and agreed!

He understood very clearly in his heart, from now on, though he may appear to be First Honored Guest, with utmost honor, the Jiang family would give him everything...

But in reality, he was just a bird slave!

Living for the bird...

However, it didn’t matter!

...

That day, he was sent back to the Guest Peak in grand style!

Moreover, the family arranged two Fake Pill Level experts to "protect" him!

As soon as the news spread, Guest Peak was immediately in uproar, and elders of the three main halls met him together.

"This..."

"How could it..."

The people of Black Tortoise Hall, seeing Li An "return home in glory," were all immensely shaken.

Especially Chen Lin, his face turned white, and beads of sweat dripped continuously!

Previously, when Li An was still "farming," he had suggested expelling Li An to the family many times, yet never succeeded, leaving him puzzled...

Now, Li An had directly become First Honored Guest?

What on earth was going on...

——Everything about the Divine Egg was confidential, except for Tan Qingxue, no one else at Guest Peak had the slightest hint.

"Does he have a greater background within the family?"

Chen Lin was inexplicably panicked. Previously, the way he humiliated Li An... what to do in the future?

Zhang Meng was even trembling all over.

Who would have thought that the already dethroned Li An would still have the chance to rise again, in such a brilliant opportunity...

Now, even if she offered herself willingly, it wouldn’t matter, right?

It’s over...

Only Sun Jinxue’s beautiful eyes showed a hint of complexity.

She recalled how, for more than a year, Li An stayed secluded in a humble abode, with a calm heart dedicated to farming, neither arrogant nor submissive...

To face gain and loss so indifferently, to withstand ups and downs without being shaken by favor or disgrace!

She stared at Li An, seeing even at this moment, with Fake Pill cultivators guarding him, and such honors, Li An remained visibly calm, without a trace of arrogance or pride!...

"This is the true dignity of a cultivator!"

She felt inexplicably a genuine admiration, Li An’s demeanor... was too admirable!

...

But as Li An walked through the crowd, outwardly maintaining his composure, inwardly he was cursing vigorously...

Damn Jiang family, sending two Fake Pill cultivators to monitor him!

Shameless!!!

...