In the afternoon.
A huge bronze tripod appeared in front of the small hut on Sunset Peak, with four corners each serving as an array node filled with spirit stones connecting to four arrays spewing alchemy flames.
“Qingran, are you sure you want to use that secret technique?”
Su Qinian stood before the bronze tripod, his face dark and gloomy.
From his position as the leader of the Sword Pavilion and his own personality, he did not wish for any of the disciples to go through such an ordeal.
But now, it was indeed a special situation.
“I have made up my mind.”
Li Qingran smiled, her brows relaxed without any trace of fear, even carrying a hint of ease.
No matter what, at least there was a plan. If she had to rely on that Danzong sect leader’s tripod, she would truly be worried.
“Alright, Old Su, stop dawdling. Qingran is showing filial piety; this process is indeed extremely painful but won’t be fatal. From another perspective, if Qingran can endure it, it will be a great opportunity for her.”
Liu Yuanqing was very open-minded. Unlike Su Qinian who always wanted to protect his disciples, he was more willing to support them in pursuing their desires.
He turned to Li Qingran and said, “If you have any other requests, I and Lord Pavilion Master will do our best to fulfill them.”
Li Qingran thought about the contents of the secret scroll in her mind for a while, then blinked her eyes and said, “Lord Pavilion Master, Elder Liu, I only have one request.
I hope you can help me set up an array to isolate spiritual perception and sound. I am afraid that I might make noise or be discovered by my master, which would worry him.
He is already poisoned by a demonic toxin and could engage in battle with a major demon at any moment. I don’t want him to be distracted anymore.”
Liu Yuanqing and Su Qinian exchanged glances.
Su Qinian sighed, waved his sleeve, and looked away.
Liu Yuanqing stroked his beard and nodded, “No problem. Your master certainly has a good disciple…
We’ll handle setting up the array. For now, you should go and sort and clean the medicinal herbs.”
Li Qingran bowed and retreated back into the small hut.
Su Qinian walked over to the bronze tripod, touching the dragon patterns carved on it, and laughed bitterly, “Old Liu, that senior is in the Void Realm. Although he can only manifest an avatar, it’s still no small feat. Will the array we set up be able to stop him from probing us?”
“There shouldn’t be a problem. You know my array-setting skills.” Liu Yuanqing looked at the small stone hut and at the worried Su Qinian, sneering, “Look at your indecisive self! To save that Void Realm elder, you currently have no other options. Qingran, a junior, has shown such decisiveness. Don’t hold us back!”
“Only this way then.” Su Qinian clenched his teeth, his face dark as he gripped the hilt of his sword, “Damn Zhou Xuanzi, just wait for me. Don’t let me catch you alone…”
Clang!
With murderous intent rising, the ground around Su Qinian was sliced by intersecting sword qi, leaving fine cracks.
The astonishing sword intent and killing aura made even Liu Yuanqing shiver, “Wow, old Su… how many people have you killed?”
“I’ve lost count.”
…
“Chen Huaian!”
Lin Lingling opened the door and saw Chen Huaian sitting calmly on the sofa, instantly feeling relieved.
She had rushed upstairs without waiting for the elevator.
Though she wasn’t an ordinary person anymore, she was still exhausted.
Chen Huaian turned and glanced at the little kid, amused, “What’s wrong? Is it raining outside?”
“Chen Huaian, why did you accept such a troublesome mission!” Lin Lingling brushed the sweat-soaked hair off her forehead and stomped over to Chen Huaian, hands on her hips, “Do you know how complicated this mission is? It’s a bottomless pit with no clear information!”
“But the reward is high.”
“You know three white-level agents have gone missing? The mission lacks reliable intelligence!”
“It has a high reward.”
“Ahh! Now that we’ve accepted the mission, what do we do?”
“The reward is high!”
“The reward is high! Can’t you live without money?” Lin Lingling looked at the calm and clear-eyed Chen Huaian helplessly, sinking into the sofa cushions, weakly saying, “Even if the reward is high, you need to stay alive to enjoy it…”
“You’re right. Without money, how can I live? Earning money is for treatment.”
Chen Huaian got up, put on his coat, and looked out at the buildings from the balcony, giving Lin Lingling an enigmatic back, “If you’re scared, you don’t have to go.”
Now he was already at the first level of Qi Refinement.
With the Black Scaled Sword and unused Thunderfire Talismans, he finally understood how to use them and the importance of not letting the vermilion cinnabar get contaminated by blood. He felt incredibly powerful now.
“Who’s scared?!” Being young and easily provoked, Lin Lingling exploded when Chen Huaian said that, “Fine, let’s go! Let’s start. Whoever backs down first is a dog!”
…
The two went downstairs and hailed a car.
When they mentioned their destination, the driver’s face became strange.
“Why are you going there? That construction site has been shut down recently. They say ghosts haunt it.”
“Oh… We’re just going there for a walk, not to the construction site.” Lin Lingling paled hearing about ghosts.
Encountering wolf demons or rat demons didn’t bother her, but she detested ghosts and evil spirits. Even weak souls sent her fleeing in terror.
Could the disturbances related to that site involve evil spirits?
“Alright, fasten your seatbelt.”
Lin Lingling glanced at Chen Huaian, noticing he was playing with his phone again. She wondered what was so interesting about it.
She didn’t know it was a Companion Spirit Item.
The whiskered man hadn’t told her.
Chen Huaian saw Li Qingran arranging medicinal herbs in the house. Outside, a large tripod had been added, but he didn’t know its purpose.
It seemed too big to be used for refining herbs.
He didn’t disturb Li Qingran.
Instead, he opened the War Mandate System.
As Li Qingran advanced to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, the high-tier rewards in the War Mandate System refreshed.
It was a gift box emitting purple light with a question mark. Upon selecting it, the box opened, revealing a crystal shaped like a network of veins.
[Elemental Spirit Root Mystery Box]
[Open the mystery box to obtain a random single-element spirit root. There’s a chance to obtain a rare spirit root (if the next obtained spirit root is rare, it automatically upgrades on top of a regular spirit root)]
“It’s a spirit root!”
Chen Huaian squinted his eyes, his heart racing.
Entering Qi Refinement, he realized a fact.
He lacked a spirit root.
In the cultivation world, he belonged to the worst category in terms of talent.
Not even entering the Sword Pavilion or Bluecloud Sect was possible. He could only refine qi due to the effectiveness of the Chaosheng Formula and Li Qingran feeding him knowledge.
So what?
He lacked a spirit root.
But his Companion Spirit Item understood the situation.
“Let me see what’s going on!”
Chen Huaian tapped the mystery box.
…
…
Encountering a stubborn opponent, the age was adjusted to a middle school student for narrative purposes.
