Chapter 36: Trapping the Enemy with an Array

On this particular day.

Around noon.

Li Chang’an had just finished lunch and was practicing the art of Puppetry as usual.

’My Puppets should be like my Talismans, forming a complete set.’

He mused to himself.

A single Puppet would have a hard time being proficient in both attack and defense.

Perhaps High Tier Puppets could manage it, but Low Tier ones were best off specializing in a single area.

For example, by emphasizing their strengths in "Attack and Kill," "Defense," or "Speed."

’It’s difficult for Low Tier Puppets to possess all these advantages at once. Forcing them to be well-rounded would likely just make them mediocre.’

Li Chang’an pondered.

He had no desire for mediocre Puppets; they wouldn’t be much help to him.

A moment later.

He set about creating a Puppet that specialized in defense.

’I bought quite a few materials suitable for a Tier One Middle Grade Defense Puppet at the Black Market before. Now that my skills have improved, it’s time to give it a try.’

Soon, a simple plan began to form in Li Chang’an’s mind.

Just then, Xu Fugui’s voice suddenly called out from outside the courtyard gate.

"Brother Li, do you live here?"

Hearing the voice, Li Chang’an stood up and walked out of his house.

He opened the courtyard gate.

Outside stood Xu Fugui, his face fraught with anxiety.

He only breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Li Chang’an.

"Brother Li, you really do live here!"

Looking at the spacious courtyard behind the gate, Xu Fugui was both shocked and envious.

「A quarter of an hour ago.」

He had needed to find Li Chang’an and had gone to his old residence, only to find no one there!

Confused, he had hurried off to find Chu Daniu.

After some inquiries, he finally learned the truth.

He had been worried that he might have gone to the wrong place and offended the senior Cultivator living here.

Now that he saw Li Chang’an, he could finally relax.

"Fugui, if you need something, come on in and we’ll talk," Li Chang’an said with a smile, beckoning him over.

Xu Fugui froze for a moment, then hesitated before cautiously stepping into the courtyard.

Perhaps because it was his first time in such a fine residence, he seemed a bit reserved.

"Fugui, what did you need to see me about?"

Li Chang’an asked with a friendly smile.

Xu Fugui replied, "Brother Li, I found a strange stone in the Secret Realm."

As he spoke, he took an orange-yellow stone from his robes.

The stone was about the size of an egg.

Just by looking at its surface, one couldn’t see anything special about it.

"This stone should be a Treasure, but neither I nor the other guys could identify it. Brother Li, do you know what it is?"

Xu Fugui handed the stone to Li Chang’an.

Li Chang’an took a quick glance, and his eyes immediately lit up.

Of course he knew what it was.

This was a type of Treasure known as a "Dog Stone," a crystal formed from the condensed Demonic Power of an Earth Element Dog-like Demon Beast after its death.

’This Dog Stone that Fugui found must be the Demonic Power crystal of a Tier One Late Stage canine Demon Beast. It would be very beneficial for Dahuang.’

Li Chang’an thought to himself.

There were indeed many good things in the Secret Realm. It was surprising that someone of Xu Fugui’s strength could obtain a Treasure of this Tier.

He didn’t hide the truth from Xu Fugui and told him what it was.

"Fugui, you probably have no use for this Dog Stone. How about you sell it to me?"

"Brother Li, just take it."

Xu Fugui shook his head, refusing to discuss a trade.

"You’ve taken care of me so much over the years, and I’ve never had anything to give you in return."

"No, even blood brothers must keep clear accounts."

Li Chang’an insisted.

In the end, he traded several sets of Middle Grade Talismans for the Dog Stone.

"Fugui, the Secret Realm is fraught with danger. These are all sets of Middle Grade Talismans. Keep them safe; you’ll find a use for them one day."

"This... Middle Grade Talismans?"

Xu Fugui’s eyes widened.

He had thought Li Chang’an was still a Low Grade Talisman Master and never imagined he would get Middle Grade Talismans from him.

"Brother Li, you... have you broken through?"

"Yes."

Li Chang’an nodded slightly, not denying it.

Hearing this, Xu Fugui was dumbfounded, as if frozen in place.

In the Cultivation Immortality Realm, strength reigns supreme.

If he and Li Chang’an weren’t friends, he would have to address him as "Senior" now!

It took him a good while to come back to his senses.

"Brother Li, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about this."

...

After Xu Fugui left, Li Chang’an resumed designing and creating his Defense Puppet.

Before long, Dahuang returned from outside, bringing Li Chang’an the latest news.

"Zheng Jinbao found another Tribulation Cultivator? And this Cultivator’s aura is so strong that you didn’t dare get close enough to identify him, for fear of being detected?"

Li Chang’an’s brow furrowed slightly as he thought for a moment.

Dahuang’s current strength was comparable to a human Cultivator at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

For even Dahuang to consider someone strong, they must be a Cultivator at the Qi Refining Eighth or Ninth Layer.

’A Tribulation Cultivator this powerful... could they be from Black Wind Mountain?’

In this region, besides Black Wind Mountain, it seemed no other Tribulation Cultivator factions had experts in the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

’Good thing I have the Array.’

Li Chang’an felt fortunate; his earlier line of thinking had been correct.

Even if he hadn’t managed to snag a bargain thanks to the Divination, he would have bought an Array to protect his home anyway.

In any case, he would deal with whatever came his way.

’If that Tribulation Cultivator really dares to come, I’ll use him to test the power of this Array.’

With that, Li Chang’an stood up.

He packed his essential belongings, altered his aura, and left the house with Dahuang.

He left only a Puppet Body behind as a decoy to attract the enemy’s attention.

That evening.

He disguised himself as a Cultivator with a Fire Spirit Root and rented an ordinary residence in the Marketplace.

"Dahuang, this Dog Stone contains a great deal of Demonic Power. Absorb it slowly."

Li Chang’an took out the Dog Stone and gently patted the dog’s head.

"WOOF!"

Dahuang’s eyes filled with delight as it swallowed the Dog Stone in one gulp.

...

The night deepened, and the Marketplace gradually grew quiet.

Just past Midnight, a golden light appeared before Li Chang’an’s eyes.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today’s Divination: Auspicious]

[A Tribulation Cultivator in the Late Stage of Qi Refining has been hired to eliminate you in secret. However, upon sneaking into your courtyard, he will be trapped by the Array and ultimately killed. All the Treasure on his person will become yours.]

"An Auspicious Trigram?"

Li Chang’an was a little surprised.

Before, when a Tribulation Cultivator came knocking, the Divination would show an "Ominous" trigram.

Now, with another one at his door, the Divination showed "Auspicious."

’Could this change be due to the growth of my own strength?’

’As long as it’s an Auspicious Trigram, it seems this won’t be a major problem!’

Li Chang’an breathed a small sigh of relief.

He had to admit, Zheng Jinbao’s constant hiring of Tribulation Cultivators hadn’t caused him much trouble. On the contrary, it had brought him many rewards.

Whether it was the Top Grade Talismanic Inheritance or the precious Spiritual Eye, they were all gifts delivered by those Tribulation Cultivators.

’I wonder what kind of Treasure will be delivered this time?’

Li Chang’an was slightly expectant.

...

Later that night.

At the third quarter of the Yin hour.

A stooped, dark figure moved silently through the darkness, making no sound, as if it had become one with the night itself.

This was none other than Wei Sen, the third-in-command of Black Wind Mountain, famous for his Escape Technique!

’This should be the place.’

He arrived quietly before Li Chang’an’s residence.

’I have to be quick this time. I can’t let that Foundation Establishment Ancestor notice me.’

Wei Sen took a slow breath.

The next instant, with a slight flicker, he passed through the tall courtyard wall as if it weren’t there at all, appearing directly inside.

"Li Chang’an, be born into a better life next time!"

Wei Sen’s eyes were dark as he stealthily approached the house.

But suddenly, a strange feeling washed over him.

He was clearly walking toward the house, yet the distance between them was growing, as if he were moving backward. It was utterly bizarre.

"Damn it, there’s an Array!"