Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Retreat every three years for a year?

This information made Li Ji’an feel something was off.

However, Chen Qingling clearly didn’t know the reason either.

Not probing further, Li Ji’an left a Communication Talisman, expressing his hope to maintain contact with old family friends.

Before leaving, he left behind a bottle of Qi Blood Pills, a Pill Medicine he had refined for himself over the years, beneficial for Body Refining but now useless after reaching Perfection of the First Tier, slightly aiding Chen Zhaohu whose body cultivation was declining rapidly.

After bidding farewell to Chen Zhaohu and his brother, Li Ji’an rode his Flying Sword back to his clan’s land.

The reason he made special efforts to connect with Red Stone Wanderer and Chen Qingling this time was that he had already planned to leave the Yan Family.

His weakest period in this life was now over, and staying any longer at the Yan Family, his Alchemy Skill and Talisman Art could no longer improve.

The lack of resources even affected his cultivation progress.

With his level of Alchemy Skill and Talisman Art, he could easily establish himself in any Market worldwide.

Moreover, after crossing the hurdle of the Late Period of Qi Cultivation, he must start planning resources for Foundation Establishment, which the Desert lacks.

”Hmm?” Just as he flew out of the gathering place, Li Ji’an suddenly squinted his eyes.

The Divine Sense at the Early Period of Foundation Establishment detected three people ahead in concealment, having all used Disguise Techniques.

”A Qi Cultivation 9th Layer with declining Magical Power, along with two Qi Cultivation 5th Layers... setting an ambush for me?” Li Ji’an was somewhat surprised.

Together, they’re not even enough for Gugu to swallow.

With years of battle-honing, Gugu’s combat power was not low.

Coupled with its mutated Soul Shield ability from consuming Soul-Holding Ants, it could kill without a trace.

”Whoosh~” In the next moment, Li Ji’an’s Divine Sense felt the ambusher on the far left, at the Qi Cultivation 5th Layer, suddenly disappear.

”Swish~” Shortly after, the one on the right also vanished.

Just as Gugu was about to shoot its tongue at the Qi Cultivation 9th Layer in the center, Li Ji’an was slightly stunned; within ten Zhang, he directly perceived the opponent’s Disguise Technique with his Divine Sense.

It turned out to be a familiar face!

Temporarily halting Gugu’s actions, Li Ji’an flew neither to the left nor right, landing directly in the ambush circle initially formed by three, now left with just one.

”Hehehe~” Indeed, as he entered the ambush circle, that familiar person chuckled sinisterly and gradually revealed his form, as if certain of Li Ji’an’s defeat.

”Kid, I heard you’re very close to Fairy Yan? If you get killed, wouldn’t Fairy Yan go mad?”

Li Ji’an looked at his ridiculous performance, finding it somewhat funny: ”Wei Huai Ren, your plan has been exposed!”

”Hmm?” Wei Huai Ren was obviously shocked.

Unexpectedly, the kid opposite revealed his name directly.

He instinctively looked back at his two subordinates, but they were nowhere to be found?

”You...” He instantly grew more alarmed.

”Swish!” Li Ji’an stopped wasting words. A Blast Flame Slash descended directly overhead.

Wei Huai Ren, experienced in Magical Combat, quickly steadied his mind. As he activated his Body-Protecting Dharma Shield, a Golden Radiance Cone simultaneously shot towards Li Ji’an.

In Li Ji’an’s hand, a pre-prepared Talisman snapped into light, transforming into a Bronze Heavy Shield in front of him.

”Bang!” However, at the moment the Golden Radiance Cone collided with the Bronze Heavy Shield, the shield shattered on impact.

Then crashed into Li Ji’an’s Body-Protecting Dharma Shield before being blocked, breaking into countless light spots scattered in the air.

”A Middle Tier Copper Shield Talisman from Middle Stage could only withstand a full-on attack from the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation, but could only reduce the power of such Late Period spells by three-tenths.”

After testing, Li Ji’an had an accurate judgment on his Talisman and immediately ordered Gugu to act without further delay.

Wei Huai Ren easily fended off one Blast Flame Slash from Li Ji’an, and after carefully sensing the surroundings again, indeed found no other presences, feeling somewhat suspicious.

The strike from the kid in front definitely only held the strength of the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation.

”Hmph, little thief, your death...”

”Swish!” Before Wei Huai Ren could finish his words, a flesh-colored shadow suddenly burst from the ground behind him, shooting toward his heart.

The Dharma Shield, which just blocked a Blast Flame Slash from Li Ji’an, shattered instantly upon contact, and the flesh-colored shadow pierced through his chest.

”... has come.” Mixed with the blood spurting out, Wei Huai Ren barely finished the sentence.

He looked down and saw the fleshy tongue piercing through his chest.

Turning his head, he saw the huge green frog as big as a calf.

In an instant, memories of an ambush at the medicinal garden nearly fifty years ago resurfaced; the green frog before him was none other than the Vermilion Toad with mixed bloodlines he bought from the Beast Taming Liu Family?

The figure of the kid before him gradually overlapped with the one who shattered the Beast Tamer with the last punch.

”Ribbit~” Gugu rolled its tongue and swallowed Wei Huai Ren whole.

Li Ji’an shook his head, crossed out a name in his little notebook, and rode his Flying Sword to set off once again.

Upon returning to the Hui Race, he informed them about the ambush on his journey, concealing the identity of the assailant and the result, only mentioning that he narrowly escaped.

However, he emphasized the words spoken by the assailant.

The ambush and targeted attack were clear enough to indicate a problem.

That day, Yan Zongsheng conducted a thorough investigation within the clan for any spies.

In the evening, Yan Qingwan personally visited, concerned if Li Ji’an was injured, and comforted him.

She also explained the current situation in the Desert.

The Zheng Family, with four Foundation Establishment cultivators, found that the Spirit Vein Dao Field within their clan could no longer satisfy the simultaneous cultivation of all four, necessitating a new Second Tier Spirit Vein Dao Field.

However, the Spirit Vein Land in the Desert had already been occupied, and only the other seven Foundation Establishment Clans possessed Second Tier Spirit Vein Land.

Their only target could be the other seven clans.

Ten years ago, when Yan Qingwan sent Li Ji’an to the Sect for trials, the Zheng Family had already been taking action. As Li Ji’an had predicted, they initially tried to ally with the Yan Family, hoping for a strong partnership to dominate the Desert, promising to split the Desert equally.

Yan Zongsheng, being clear-minded, did not negotiate with a tiger for its skin.

Subsequently, the Zheng Family repeated their tactics to rope in other families, but they were all old foxes, aware of the Zheng Family’s ambitious intentions.

Now, the Zheng Family was growing increasingly anxious.

After hearing all this, Li Ji’an immediately understood the purpose of Wei Huai Ren’s ambush today—to kill him and shift the blame onto other families, most likely the Wei Family, to reignite the conflict between the Yan Family and the Wei Family and muddy the waters.

Little did he expect himself to become the key figure in provoking Yan Qingwan.

The chaotic situation in the Desert was certain; he could no longer stay.

This further solidified his resolve to leave the Yan Family.

In the following months, he regularly spent the Spirit Stones he had saved over the years to purchase ten sheets of Upper Grade Talisman paper within the clan and successfully crafted six Upper Grade talismans, including one Cold Wind Talisman, one Small Shifting Talisman, two Golden Armor Talismans, and two Golden Sword Talismans.

Adding to the previous one Golden Sword Talisman, he had a total of seven Upper Grade talismans.

These were regarded as the outermost cards, a first-round measure in case of emergency, effective against cultivators in the Late Period of Qi Cultivation.

Gugu was the medium tier card, catching the enemy off guard and unprepared.

The most reliable card was still his peak Tier One Body Refining strength.

On this day, he organized the items in Gugu’s mouth and the Storage Pouch, one by one.

Besides the seven Upper Grade talismans he kept close,

there were fewer than 500 Spirit Stones remaining.

This included the balance gifted by Yan Zongsheng from his previous life, as well as gifts from Zheng Tianxiang and Zhao Shuyao ten years ago, plus less than a hundred taken from Wei Huai Ren and the two Qi Cultivation 5th Layer cultivators’ Storage Pouches.

Additionally, there were four Magical Artifacts, besides his own Lower Grade Flying Sword, from the three of Wei Huai Ren, one Upper Grade, and two Middle Grade.

Moreover, there were over a dozen Early Tier talismans crafted previously and several bottles of ordinary Pill Medicines.

Of course, there was also his livelihood tool, a Middle Grade Pill Furnace, and the Grand Elder’s Tier One Middle Stage Talisman Brush.

Besides that, there were two jade talismans, already worn and yellowed. One was none other than the ”Li’s Pill Records” he compiled in his previous life, replenished over the decade, including interpretations of the Second Tier Alchemy Inheritance that Yan Qingwan had delved into for years without making sense of.

The other contained his insights and comprehension of the Talisman Dao under the guidance of Yan Kongyi over the years.

After hiding the two jade talismans under the bed, Li Ji’an went only to see Zhang Tiezhu. Ever since Yan Qing started cultivation, his pressure lightened, and he truly retired these years, although he had also gained a hint of senescence.

After some casual conversation, before leaving, Li Ji’an also gave him a bottle of Qi Blood Pills.

”Xiaofan, you...you’re leaving too?” This scene suddenly made Zhang Tiezhu feel reminiscent, as it was the same when Brother Li left years ago.

Li Ji’an laughed unrestrainedly: ”Take care!”

That night, under the cover of the night, Li Ji’an entered the pocket space in Gugu’s mouth, burrowing underground, heading toward Golden Splendor Immortal City.

Besides the United Marketplace in the Desert area of Cangyun State, there were many other market places, but the largest and safest one was Golden Splendor Immortal City, right under the nose of the Biyun Sect.

He had already learned much about it ten years ago, and with Zhao Shuyao and Tong Yaoyao there, he could get some support.

Yan Qingwan received Li Ji’an’s communication three days later, being informed of the truth.

That’s why he didn’t say goodbye to her on the night, for fear she’d worry or try to persuade him to stay.

When Yan Qingwan, following Li Ji’an’s instructions, found the two jade talismans under the bed, she finally understood Li Ji’an had been intentionally hiding his talents all these years.

”This kid, he really resembles Brother Li!”

Yan Kongyi wasn’t informed by Yan Qingwan of the truth until three months later and, after carefully studying the Talisman Dao treats Li Ji’an left behind, his old face turned red, and upon realization, he wanted to go and bring Li Ji’an back, only to be persuaded by Yan Qingwan.

Actually, over the years, they rarely believed Li Ji’an would ever leave the clan again due to his demonstrated Alchemy and Talisman Art, thinking even if he did, he’d eventually return, humbled by the difficulties outside.

However, now, Yan Qingwan and Yan Kongyi knew Li Ji’an was not coming back.