Chapter 713
The fact that a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator like Xiao Qing could see through the situation left Shi Nandang feeling that Li Laoguai had been somewhat wronged.
It wasn’t that Li Laoguai was careless; who could have anticipated that Xiao Qing would discover the problem in such a way?
“How did you notice that Old Man Xie was acting strangely?” Shi Nandang asked, puzzled.
“Strangely?” Xiao Qing blinked, looking confused. “I didn’t think he was acting strangely at all.”
“Then why did you go to see him?”
“Isn’t that what the Zhenren taught me?”
“…”
Shi Nandang was increasingly baffled as he looked at Xiao Qing.
“The Zhenren said, I should carry out my duties as a temple steward just as I was instructed,” Xiao Qing said in a low voice, almost lacking confidence. “In Banshan City, I went to see patients every day…”
Shi Nandang was stunned. He stared at Xiao Qing, unable to hide his astonishment. “You went to every village?”
“Mm-hm.”
“With so many people and villages, how could you possibly see them all?”
Xiao Qing looked up at him, her confusion deepening. “Whether I can see them all or not, what does it matter?”
Shi Nandang listened as Xiao Qing continued, “If I visit one family, that’s one more family that likes the Lord and the Jiushan Sect.”
Seeing the look of certainty on Xiao Qing’s face, Shi Nandang fell silent for a long time before finally sighing, “Li Laoguai… is not wronged at all.”
……
“Li Laoguai, why do I feel so uneasy? Is the person you found reliable?”
In the valley where the traitors were hiding, the old woman suddenly spoke.
“I’ve checked it out; there haven’t been any merchant caravans setting out recently,” Li Laoguai frowned. “And it’s not just one person we’re looking for.”
The old woman frowned. “Then you need to be careful.”
“With the Shunlou Mirror, what’s there to be afraid of?” Li Laoguai sneered.
“Those people are all mortals; how could the Jiushan Sect notice?”
“The people I chose aren’t the kind that would throw their lives away.”
The old woman had no retort.
Li Laoguai was not someone who acted without a plan.
Yet she still felt a sense of unease. She frowned and said, “Now that there are no merchant caravans, how long do we have to wait?”
Li Laoguai was silent for a moment before transmitting to her, “If we can’t find a caravan in another month, we’ll go ourselves.”
The old woman was taken aback and looked at another middle-aged Yuanying.
This man was a former elder of the Baixian Alliance, and now he too had defected.
The smaller sects of the Baixian Alliance were subtly gathering around him.
“We’re looking for a merchant caravan simply because the target is too big, and we can’t let go of these disciples.”
He glanced at the few disciples behind him, his eyes filled with meaning.
“Are you saying… we should escape alone?”
Li Laoguai nodded.
“Then why did you come to me…”
The old woman’s gaze grew increasingly strange.
Li Laoguai grinned. “Without the Shunlou Mirror, those people are bound to die anyway, so why not…”
The old woman’s heart jolted; she realized he had already set his sights on killing the people in the cave.
There were only three Yuanying in the cave.
She was being sought out merely because he feared that middle-aged Yuanying and wanted to team up to seize their treasures.
“Think about it; the treasures they hold are the accumulated wealth of several sects over the years.”
A flicker of temptation crossed the old woman’s face.
Li Laoguai continued, “If they’re alive, they will surely expose our identities.”
Upon hearing this, the old woman finally made up her mind and spoke, “You don’t want your disciples anymore?”
Li Laoguai shook his head slightly and replied, “They’re too conspicuous. Once we leave the Baixian Alliance, we can rebuild.”
“With spirit stones in hand, who would fear not having disciples?”
The old woman understood; if it were just one or two people, disguising themselves would be simple.
But with many, it was different.
She looked at the few disciples beside her, feeling a pang of reluctance—these were all useful individuals she had nurtured over the years. To abandon them suddenly was indeed difficult.
After a long while, Li Laoguai finally saw her nod gently.
……
The next day.
A furious roar erupted from the cave.
“Li Laoguai, how dare you plot against me!”
The middle-aged cultivator’s face turned a shade of gold and purple as he clutched his abdomen, glaring at Li Laoguai with bloodshot eyes.
He glanced to the side and saw the old woman standing at the cave entrance, blocking his escape.
“You’re quite sharp.”
Li Laoguai’s expression darkened; he hadn’t expected this middle-aged Yuanying to evade his ambush.
“You two…”
Seeing the Yuanying turn against each other, the people in the cave were filled with terror.
They wanted to flee the cave but were blocked by the old woman at the entrance.
They could only huddle in a corner, watching the three confront each other.
The middle-aged Yuanying’s gaze shifted from Li Laoguai to the old woman, as if realizing the two had reached an understanding.
“Just as I thought… you bunch of outsiders have no sense of loyalty!”
Li Laoguai suppressed his frustration, calculating that with two against one, victory was assured. As he listened to the middle-aged cultivator berate him, he even laughed, “Loyalty? You’re the traitors of the Baixian Alliance!”
“…”
“Perhaps Alliance Leader Zheng should thank me for cleaning up the ranks!”
The middle-aged cultivator’s face turned a mix of green and white, rendered speechless by the accusation. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Are you really intent on wiping us out?”
Li Laoguai said nothing, merely producing a black cord in his hand.
The old woman also took out a green, butterfly-shaped hairpin, holding it tightly.
Li Laoguai said coldly, “The Shunlou Mirror can’t hide the fluctuations of spiritual power. We need to end this quickly and withdraw in time.”
The old woman’s expression was equally grave.
Li Laoguai had wanted to ambush them because he feared attracting the Jiushan Sect, but he hadn’t expected this middle-aged Yuanying to be so vigilant, causing them to delay.
Though the middle-aged Yuanying had escaped a fatal blow, he was still severely injured. Faced with two Yuanying, he knew he had no chance of escape.
Hearing Li Laoguai’s words, a sinister smile appeared on his face.
“End it quickly?”
“Afraid of being discovered by the Jiushan Sect?”
“I wonder how far you think you can run!”
Li Laoguai’s heart sank, and he shouted, “No!”
Suddenly, the middle-aged cultivator’s Yuanying burst forth from his skull, unleashing a wave of spiritual power.
The newly carved cave echoed with a series of rumbling sounds, cracks appearing in the rock walls, and beams of light streaming in through the gaps.
“Fellow Daoist! Why go to such lengths!”
Li Laoguai never expected this man to be so decisive, self-destructing without hesitation.
As he flew outward, he shouted, filled with regret.
The power of a Yuanying self-detonation was immense; the Shunlou Mirror could not conceal it, and the Jiushan Sect was no fool—they would definitely notice something was amiss.
After the explosion, most of the treasures would likely be lost as well.
More importantly…
He was too close!
With the middle-aged cultivator’s self-detonation, even his best defensive measures wouldn’t hold up. Even if he survived, he would be severely injured.
In the future, escaping the Baixian Alliance would be nearly impossible.
As he faced death, a wave of regret washed over him, and he vowed that if someone could stop this middle-aged cultivator, he would repay them in kind, working like a beast to show his gratitude!
……
Someone indeed stepped in.
But Li Laoguai would have preferred they hadn’t, wishing he could take the hit himself.
A golden figure slowly descended from the sky, fingers spread wide. The spiritual power that had just been like a raging storm was calmed with a single palm.
Shi Nandang caught the middle-aged cultivator and turned to the four Yuanying from the Jiushan Sect behind him, saying, “Not bad, he’s a bit injured, but it can be treated.”
Treated?
Li Laoguai’s face showed a hint of surprise.
Shi Nandang seemed to notice his expression and chuckled lightly, saying, “The Sect Leader said, for people like you… it’s better to be alive than dead.”
Shi Nandang’s expression was strange, as if he wanted to laugh. “He said something like… it’s a pity to waste good cattle and horses.”
Li Laoguai inwardly regretted his earlier bravado; who knew this would come to fruition so quickly!
“By the way, why do you look at me like that…” Shi Nandang looked at Li Laoguai, furrowing his brow, and suddenly asked, “Do you know me?”
“…”
Seeing his expression, Shi Nandang naturally understood the answer. He glanced at Xiao Qing on the Shenxiao Warship behind him, silently thinking that this little one’s unintentional act had not only achieved great merit but perhaps even saved his life.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 492: Jiushan Manufacturing, Overtime Pay
Chapter 492: Jiushan Manufacturing, Overtime Pay
When Li Laoguai was escorted back to the Jiushan Realm, Zheng Fa was inspecting the industrial island.
He was accompanied by Senior Sister Zhang, Uncle Pang, and Madam Xuanhua.
What met his eyes was a mixed-style industrial park:
On the left were square factory buildings, the sounds of machinery roaring.
On the right stood an ancient cauldron, with silent spiritual flames flickering within.
In the distance, a row of towering chimneys rose, with misty dragons coiling around their mouths.
Madam Xuanhua introduced, “Thanks to the refining techniques provided by the Shishang people, we have automated the production processes for eighty-four common magical tools.”
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