Obtaining a Fortuitous Opportunity

Before he knew it, it was already deep into the night.

Li Chang'an's door suddenly opened.

A figure clad in a black robe and wearing a conical hat emerged from the room, hurrying toward the outskirts of the Marketplace.

"Huh? Old Turtle actually came out?"

Hidden in the shadows, Wang Er, who had been keeping watch, shuddered, delight appearing in his eyes.

Seeing that figure leave the Marketplace,

he grew even more overjoyed.

"Good, good, good! My waiting has not been in vain. Tonight will be the night you meet your grave!"

Though Wang Da was not here, Wang Er remained full of confidence.

"Once I finish this job, I'll rest for a while. It's been so long since I last had a proper night's sleep."

Watching that retreating figure,

he sneered inwardly, turning into an afterimage as he followed.

But he did not notice

that other figures were following behind him as well.

Behind them,

Li Chang'an wore a grave expression as he followed closely with Da Huang.

As for the figure at the very front, it was naturally the First-tier Low-grade Puppet he had crafted.

"The plan has gone fairly smoothly. We successfully lured him out of the Marketplace."

Li Chang'an had not intended to make a move within the Marketplace either.

After all, there were too many people and too many eyes.

If the disturbance became too great, it might draw the attention of a Foundation Establishment Ancestor.

Before they knew it, they had already traveled some distance from the Marketplace.

"Da Huang, go!"

Li Chang'an's tone was decisive.

Upon receiving the order, Da Huang's speed surged as he charged straight toward Wang Er.

At this moment,

Wang Er was still puzzled.

"Why is Old Turtle moving so fast? Could he have used a Talisman? Sneaking out in the dead of night like this, what exactly is he trying to do?"

Before he could figure it out,

a fierce Demonic Qi suddenly struck, making every hair on his body stand on end.

"Not good!"

Wang Er's face filled with horror.

The Demonic Beast's aura was simply too terrifying.

"A First-tier Late-stage Demonic Beast!"

When he turned around, he saw a vicious-looking demonic hound pouncing toward him, and his face instantly went pale.

It would have been one thing if it were another Demonic Beast, but canine Demonic Beasts were the best at tracking.

Once it remembered someone's aura, there was simply no escaping!

"Whoosh—"

In the blink of an eye, howling Yellow Sand had already engulfed his entire body.

That terrifying aura hid within the Yellow Sand, seeming to be everywhere at once and chilling him to the bone.

"No, I can't die here. I still have to establish my foundation. I want to become an immortal and an ancestor!"

Wang Er was frantic, hastily using every method at his disposal.

But it was all futile.

After only a few breaths, the battle was over.

Just like Wu Feng before him, Da Huang trapped him firmly with Rock Armor. He could not move, and his life and death were no longer in his own hands.

"Why isn't this Yellow Sand Dog killing me? Why is it trapping me instead?"

Terror and confusion spread through his heart.

"Could it be... could it be..."

An unbelievable, even absurd thought flashed through his mind.

Just then,

Li Chang'an suddenly appeared in his field of vision.

He immediately understood that absurd thought had actually been correct!

"Li Chang'an, you... how do you have such a powerful Spiritual Beast?"

Wang Er's eyes widened.

Who could have imagined that a Rogue Cultivator in the early Qi Refining stage possessed a First-tier Late-stage Spiritual Beast?

Generally speaking,

such a situation would only appear among the descendants of great clans!

And they would have to be especially favored core descendants!

"I did not lose unfairly. You, a mere early Qi Refining stage cultivator, actually... No, that's not right. You're already at Mid Qi Refining?"

Wang Er stood dumbfounded as he sensed the aura of the Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation on Li Chang'an.

At that moment,

though he was still terrified, he felt a sudden urge to curse.

Since he had such powerful strength, why did he have to hide it?

Fishing for prey?

Li Chang'an had no time to waste on nonsense and immediately began interrogating him.

"Tell me, why have you been watching me all this time?"

Wang Er was no tough bone.

Before long, he confessed everything.

"It was Zheng Jinbao. That bastard deceived us, saying you only had the cultivation of the Third Layer of Qi Condensation!"

"What reward did he offer you?"

Li Chang'an asked again.

"A new identity!"

Wang Er answered honestly.

The two brothers were Rogue Cultivators, after all, and the major clans throughout this region had issued Wanted Notices for them. They truly could not show their faces in public.

Zheng Jinbao had promised them

that as long as they killed Li Chang'an, he would help them forge new identities.

As a steward of Clear River Market, Zheng Jinbao indeed had the ability to do that.

"As for Wu Yun and Wu Feng, the two of them were never coerced by us. They clearly came to us on their own initiative to cooperate! They got their share of the Spirit Stones earned over the years too!"

When speaking of those two, Wang Er was full of resentment.

In his view,

those brothers had been too impulsive, causing the matter to be exposed. Otherwise, they would never have faced this calamity today.

Li Chang'an asked again,

"Where is the other Rogue Cultivator?"

"My Big Brother found a Cave Mansion left behind by a predecessor. There's most likely a fortuitous opportunity inside, and he's been trying to break through the Protective Formation around that Cave Mansion these past few days..."

Wang Er did not dare conceal anything and recounted every detail.

Hearing this, Li Chang'an pondered for a moment.

That Cave Mansion

was probably the fortuitous opportunity indicated by the Hexagram Image.

Though he truly did not want to explore a Cave Mansion, it was an "Auspicious Divination," after all. There should not be too much danger.

"Let's take a look first."

Li Chang'an made up his mind.

He did not kill Wang Er. Instead, he threw him into the Spirit Beast Bag.

Only after confirming that the fortuitous opportunity was genuine would he kill him.

Not long after,

Li Chang'an arrived at the place Wang Er had mentioned.

That Cave Mansion was hidden behind a waterfall and was extremely well concealed.

"Da Huang, go!"

Da Huang was the one who made the move again.

Without much effort, he captured Wang Da within the Cave Mansion.

"Li Chang'an, it's actually you!"

Wang Da was shocked, his face full of disbelief.

The prey in his eyes had now become the hunter!

Li Chang'an did not waste any words.

He began interrogating him directly.

Wang Da was no tough bone either. To save his life, he revealed everything he knew.

What he confessed was nearly identical to what Wang Er had said.

"I discovered this Cave Mansion not long ago. The Array protecting it is already damaged, and several gaps have appeared. If we wear it down a little more, it should collapse completely."

Wang Da was unwilling to accept this. This Cave Mansion was a fortuitous opportunity he had found only after great difficulty.

He had been on the verge of breaking the Array.

But Li Chang'an had suddenly appeared.

Now, let alone obtaining any fortuitous opportunity, he was not even sure whether he could keep his life!

Thinking of this,

Wang Da gritted his teeth and said, "Li Chang'an, as long as you spare my life, I am willing to sign a Spirit Contract with you and become your servant, to be commanded as you please!"

He had already admitted defeat.

After signing a Spirit Contract, he would lose his freedom.

But as long as he lived, there would still be possibilities!

"A Spirit Contract?"

Li Chang'an's expression was cold as he shook his head slightly.

He had no desire to take a Rogue Cultivator as a servant.

This man was deeply unwilling in his heart and did not sincerely submit. He could bring Li Chang'an great trouble at any moment.

Bang!

Li Chang'an knocked him unconscious with a palm strike and casually tossed him into the Spirit Beast Bag.

Over the following days,

he remained in the Cave Mansion, attempting to break through the crumbling Array.

Finally,

a hum sounded.

The Array protecting the Cave Mansion completely collapsed, and the entire interior of the Cave Mansion appeared fully before Li Chang'an's eyes.

His eyes immediately lit up.

"It really is a fortuitous opportunity!"