Chapter 42: Slaying the Green Fish with a Sword

Liu Yue and the others subconsciously thought Chu Daniu was joking.

This area.

The Spiritual Power was dense and the rent was expensive; a Low Grade Talisman Master couldn’t possibly afford it.

"Daoist Liu, my big brother really does live here. He moved in a long time ago. Have you all never run into him?"

Chu Daniu was surprised.

Li Chang’an had moved in over half a month ago.

He was Luo Kun’s neighbor, and Liu Yue’s group often came to visit Luo Kun.

’How have they not run into each other even once?’

"Daoist Chu, you’re really not joking?"

Liu Yue asked again, her expression serious.

Her beautiful eyes flickered as she looked at the spacious residence behind Chu Daniu.

’Does Li Chang’an really live here?’

After all,

a place like this was a long-term goal for her.

"Daoist Liu, when have I ever lied to you?"

Chu Daniu’s tone was equally serious.

"Today, my big brother must have been busy and wasn’t home."

"Is that so?"

Liu Yue and the others exchanged glances, a shared shock in their eyes. Their hearts found it difficult to calm down.

All this time,

it seemed they had all severely underestimated Li Chang’an.

Afterward,

the two parties chatted briefly.

Chu Daniu took his leave and didn’t go with them to see Luo Kun.

After he left,

Liu Yue and the others visited Luo Kun and brought the matter up.

"Elder Luo, does Li Chang’an really live next door?"

Hearing this, Luo Kun’s brow furrowed slightly.

He didn’t know about this either.

He was half-believing, half-doubting what Chu Daniu had said.

After all,

he had only managed to live in a place like this after painstakingly breaking through in his Talisman Art and gaining the Zheng Family’s approval.

’On what grounds could Li Chang’an?’

He had neither the skill to create Middle Grade Talismans nor a profound background.

’Don’t tell me some woman from the Zheng Family’s upper echelon has taken a liking to him?’

Luo Kun mulled it over.

He felt this was the most likely scenario.

He then said calmly, "Quiet your hearts! On the path of cultivation, you must keep your feet on the ground and advance one step at a time. It’s enough to travel farther each day than the day before. Why concern yourselves with how others are doing?"

"Elder Luo is right. We should compare ourselves to ourselves and not overthink things."

Liu Yue took a deep breath, trying her best to suppress the turmoil in her heart.

But no matter what she did,

Chu Daniu’s words still lingered in her mind, impossible to shake.

...

「At this moment, beneath the waters of Bright Moon Lake.」

A figure shimmering with cyan light was fleeing at high speed.

It was the Cyan Scale Fish.

Its fish eyes were filled with rage, yet also a hint of terror, as it used an Escape Technique to flee toward the depths of the lake.

’Hmph, still think you can run?’

Li Chang’an’s expression was grim as he gave chase relentlessly.

Earlier,

when he had snatched the Turtle Spirit Fruit,

this resting Cyan Scale Fish had been woken up. Furious and with a ferocious expression, it had cast Magic at him.

But it was merely at the Tier One Early Stage.

How could it possibly be Li Chang’an’s opponent?

With a casual wave of his hand, Li Chang’an had shattered its Magic.

The Cyan Scale Fish sensed that things were bad.

It had no choice but to give up on retrieving the Turtle Spirit Fruit and use an Escape Technique to flee.

It had thought

that in this lake, relying on its own powerful Water Escape talent, it could surely shake off Li Chang’an.

However,

after just a few breaths’ time,

Li Chang’an had already caught up!

"Sever!"

His eyes were ice-cold. He flicked his fingers, and a deep cyan light suddenly sliced through the lake water.

It was a Top Grade Magical Artifact.

The Cyan Light Sword!

Its blade was sharp, its edge fully revealed, and it hummed with power!

The fierce Sword Qi, like a clap of thunder, instantly slashed through the Fish Demon’s body.

SHLICK—

The Fish Demon shuddered and was instantly split in two.

Rich Demon Blood dispersed into the lake water.

At that moment,

with a thought, Li Chang’an released the Little Profound Water Turtle from his Spirit Beast Bag.

When the little turtle saw the Fish Demon’s corpse, its two large eyes immediately lit up.

He swam over at high speed to absorb the Demon Blood, not letting a single drop go to waste.

’If he had hatched in the wild, he would still be weak at this stage. He’d be lucky not to be eaten by other Demon Beasts, let alone have the chance to devour a Fish Demon that was on the verge of advancing?’

Afterward,

Li Chang’an tossed the Cyan Scale Fish’s corpse into the Spirit Beast Bag along with the little turtle.

"Go on, take your time eating."

After doing all this,

Li Chang’an returned to the shore and thought for a moment.

’This Escape Technique of mine is truly impressive. It’s this amazing, and I’m only at the Entry-Level.’

He estimated,

even if that Fish Demon had successfully advanced to become a Tier One Middle Stage Demon Beast, its Escape Technique would still be inferior to his.

’Wei Sen cultivated this Escape Technique for many years; I’m afraid he had already reached Great Success. No wonder he was so famous.’

Li Chang’an mused.

That night, if Wei Sen hadn’t been trapped in the Array, he wouldn’t have died at all.

This also served as a silent warning to Li Chang’an.

Unless absolutely necessary,

he must never enter an Array lightly.

’Time to go back!’

After packing everything up, Li Chang’an returned to the Marketplace.

...

「Just as he returned to the Marketplace.」

Li Chang’an heard a rumor spreading everywhere.

’The Zheng Family’s Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment Ancestor used a Forbidden Technique that burns his lifespan?’

This news,

was more or less the same as what the Tribulation Cultivators from Black Wind Mountain had said earlier.

’Could it be that the Zheng Family Ancestor’s days are truly numbered?’

’If the news is true, then it all depends on whether the Zheng Family can get their hands on a Life-Extending Treasure.’

Li Chang’an pondered.

If they couldn’t, then the Zheng Family would be in danger.

Unless the Zheng Family could produce a new Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

’The Zheng Family is an Alchemy Family, after all. They should have Foundation Establishment Pills. Is the delay in producing a new Foundation Establishment Cultivator because they lack a suitable clansman? Or is it that all attempts at a breakthrough have failed?’

Li Chang’an considered.

Reaching Foundation Establishment was difficult.

Even with the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill, the success rate was not ideal.

Many Foundation Establishment Clans had gradually declined simply because they couldn’t cultivate a new Foundation Establishment member.

The lucky ones might become vassals of other families or Sects after their decline.

The unlucky ones were wiped out entirely.

Despite the three major families’ current splendor and prosperity, in a number of years, they could all turn to dust.

As for the part of the rumor about the Foundation Establishment Ancestors of the Cao and Wu Families joining forces to attack the Marketplace,

Li Chang’an felt it was unlikely.

’The Zheng Family Ancestor is, at the end of the day, at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment. If he launched a desperate counterattack before death, he could very well take an Early Stage of Foundation Establishment Cultivator with him. Those two probably wouldn’t dare take the risk.’

Waiting for his lifespan to run out was the best choice.

When that time came,

the Zheng Family would only have one Early Stage of Foundation Establishment Cultivator left, which would be insufficient to maintain their position.

’Still, I need to be careful and keep an eye on the Divinations.’

Li Chang’an thought as he walked.

「Before long.」

He arrived outside his own residence.

Just then, Liu Yue and her group happened to be coming out of Luo Kun’s residence.

They were all stunned to see Li Chang’an.

"Daoist Li."

"Hm?"

Li Chang’an turned his head to look.

He wasn’t surprised to see them.

"Daoist Liu, Daoist He, Daoist Sun..."

His expression was calm as he greeted them.

"Daoist Li, you live here?"

Liu Yue’s lips parted slightly. She stared at him blankly as the emotions she had just managed to suppress surged up again, stirring waves in her heart.

"Yes. I had a spot of good fortune."

Li Chang’an didn’t say much more.

He cupped his hands in a brief salute, then opened the courtyard gate and walked inside.

This scene

left Liu Yue and the others unable to calm themselves for a long time.

’No wonder Li Chang’an never came to meet up with us. It turns out we were no longer Cultivators on the same level.’