That day.
At noon.
After lunch, Li Chang'an practiced his puppet-making craft as usual.
"The puppets I use should, like Talismans, form a complete set."
He pondered in secret.
A single Puppet found it difficult to balance both offense and defense.
Perhaps higher-tier Puppets could, but low-tier Puppets were best focused on one particular aspect.
For instance, emphasizing the advantages of "killing power," "defense," or "speed."
"Low-tier Puppets can hardly possess all these advantages at once. Forcing them to do so will often only make the Puppets mediocre."
Li Chang'an contemplated this.
He did not want mediocre Puppets. Such Puppets would be of little help to him.
A moment later.
He began working on a Puppet skilled in defense.
"Earlier, I bought quite a few materials suitable for a First-tier Mid-grade Defense Puppet at the Black Market. Now that my craftsmanship has broken through, it is time to give it a try."
Before long, a simple idea took shape in Li Chang'an's mind.
Just then, outside the courtyard gate.
Xu Fugui's voice suddenly rang out.
"Brother Li, do you live here?"
Hearing this, Li Chang'an rose and walked out of the house.
He opened the courtyard gate.
Xu Fugui, standing outside, wore a face full of tension.
Only upon seeing Li Chang'an did he let out a breath of relief.
"Brother Li, you really do live here!"
Looking at the spacious courtyard beyond the gate, Xu Fugui was both shocked and envious.
A quarter of an hour earlier.
He had needed to find Li Chang'an, so he had gone to where Li Chang'an had once lived, only to discover that there was no one there at all!
Filled with confusion, he hurried to find Chu Daniu.
After asking around.
He learned the truth.
At first, he had still been somewhat worried, afraid that he had found the wrong place and might offend the senior living inside.
Now that he had seen Li Chang'an, he finally set his mind at ease.
"Fugui, come in if you have something to discuss."
Li Chang'an smiled and beckoned him over.
Xu Fugui froze for a moment. After hesitating for a while, he reluctantly stepped into the courtyard.
Perhaps because it was his first time entering such a fine residence.
He appeared somewhat restrained.
"Fugui, what did you need from me?"
Li Chang'an asked with an easy expression and a smile.
Xu Fugui replied, "Brother Li, I found a strange stone in the Secret Realm before."
As he spoke, he took an orange-yellow stone from his robes.
The stone was roughly the size of an egg.
From its surface alone, nothing unusual could be seen.
"This stone should be a treasure, but neither I nor the other guys could recognize it. Big Brother, do you know what it is?"
Xu Fugui handed the stone to Li Chang'an.
Li Chang'an gave it a cursory glance, and his eyes immediately lit up.
Of course he knew what this was.
It was a treasure called Dog Treasure, a crystal formed from condensed demonic power after an Earth-element Canine Beast died.
The Dog Treasure Fugui found should be the demonic power crystal of a First-tier Late-stage canine Demonic Beast. It will be very beneficial to Da Huang.
Li Chang'an pondered in secret.
There truly were many good things in the Secret Realm. With Xu Fugui's strength, he had actually managed to obtain a treasure of this grade.
Li Chang'an did not hide it from Xu Fugui and told him the truth.
"Fugui, you probably have no use for this Dog Treasure. How about selling it to me?"
"Big Brother, just take it."
Xu Fugui shook his head, unwilling to discuss a transaction.
"You have taken great care of me over the years. I have never had much to repay you with."
"No. Even blood brothers must settle accounts clearly."
Li Chang'an insisted.
In the end.
He exchanged several sets of mid-grade Talismans for the Dog Treasure.
"Fugui, the Secret Realm is full of danger. These sets are all mid-grade Talismans. Keep them safe; one day, they will come in handy."
"These... mid-grade Talismans?"
Xu Fugui's eyes widened.
He had thought Li Chang'an was still a Low-grade Talisman Master and had never imagined that he would receive mid-grade Talismans from him.
"Brother Li, you... have you already broken through?"
"Mm."
Li Chang'an nodded slightly without denying it.
Upon hearing that, Xu Fugui stood dumbfounded, as though frozen solid.
In the Cultivation World, strength reigned supreme.
If he and Li Chang'an had not been friends, he would have had to address Li Chang'an as "Senior"!
Only after quite some time did he come back to his senses.
"Big Brother, don't worry. I won't mention this to anyone."
After Xu Fugui left.
Li Chang'an continued designing and crafting his Defensive Puppet.
Before long.
Da Huang returned from outside, bringing Li Chang'an the latest news.
"Zheng Jinbao found another Rogue Cultivator? That Rogue Cultivator's aura was very strong, so you did not dare approach to identify him for fear that he would notice you?"
Li Chang'an frowned slightly and considered it for a moment.
Da Huang's current strength was comparable to a human cultivator at the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
Anyone strong enough to make even him feel threatened.
Should be a cultivator at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining.
"A Rogue Cultivator this powerful... could he be from Black Wind Mountain?"
In this region.
Other than Black Wind Mountain, the other Rogue Cultivator factions seemingly had no experts in the late Qi Refining stage.
"Fortunately, I have the Array."
Li Chang'an was glad that his earlier line of thinking had been correct.
Even if he had not picked up a bargain through the Hexagram Image, he would still have bought an Array to protect his residence.
No matter what.
When soldiers came, generals blocked them; when water came, earth dammed it.
"If that Rogue Cultivator truly dares to come, I will use him to test this Array's power."
With that, Li Chang'an got to his feet.
He packed up all the necessary items, changed his aura, and left with Da Huang.
He left behind only a Puppet Body, openly drawing the other party's attention.
That night.
Disguised as a cultivator with a Fire Spirit Root, he rented an ordinary residence in the Marketplace.
"Da Huang, this Dog Treasure contains quite a lot of demonic power. Absorb it slowly."
Li Chang'an took out the Dog Treasure and gently patted Da Huang on the head.
"Woof!"
Da Huang's eyes were filled with delight as he swallowed the Dog Treasure in one gulp.
As night deepened, the Marketplace gradually fell silent.
Just after the midnight hour.
A golden light appeared before Li Chang'an's eyes.
[Divination Result Refreshed] [Today's Divination Result: Auspicious] [A late Qi Refining stage Rogue Cultivator has been hired and plans to secretly eliminate you. However, he is trapped by the Array while infiltrating the courtyard and is ultimately killed, with all the treasures on his person falling into your hands.]
"Auspicious Divination?"
Li Chang'an was somewhat surprised.
Previously.
When Rogue Cultivators came knocking.
The Hexagram Image had displayed an "Ominous" divination.
Now another Rogue Cultivator was coming to his door, yet the Hexagram Image displayed "Auspicious."
Could this change have been caused by the growth of his own strength?
"As long as it is an Auspicious Divination, it seems this time will not be much of a problem!"
Li Chang'an relaxed slightly.
It had to be said.
Zheng Jinbao's repeated hiring of Rogue Cultivators.
Had not caused Li Chang'an much trouble. Instead, it had brought Li Chang'an many gains.
Whether it was the high-grade Talisman Inheritance or the precious Spirit Eye, both had been gifts delivered by those Rogue Cultivators.
"I wonder what treasure will be delivered to my door this time?"
Li Chang'an felt somewhat expectant.
That night.
At the third quarter of the yin hour.
A hunched black shadow moved soundlessly through the darkness, making not the slightest noise, as though it had already melded with the entire night.
This man was Wei Sen, the Black Wind Mountain Third Boss, famed for his Evasion Technique!
"This should be the place."
He silently arrived before Li Chang'an's residence.
"This time, I must act quickly. I cannot let that Foundation Establishment Ancestor notice."
Wei Sen slowly drew a breath.
The next instant.
With a slight sway, the towering courtyard wall seemed not to exist at all, and he appeared directly inside the courtyard.
"Li Chang'an, may you be reborn into a better family in your next life!"
Wei Sen's eyes were gloomy as he silently made his way toward the house.
But suddenly.
A trace of strange unease rose in his heart.
He was clearly walking toward that house, yet the distance between them was growing ever farther, as though he were retreating. It was bizarre beyond measure.
"Not good, there's an Array!"
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