Sword Cleaves the Green Fish

Liu Yue and the others instinctively assumed Chu Daniu was joking.

This area

was rich in Spiritual Energy, and the rent was exorbitant. A Low-grade Talisman Master simply could not afford it.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, my Big Brother really lives here. He moved in a long time ago. Haven't you ever run into him?"

Chu Daniu was surprised.

Li Chang'an had already moved here more than half a month ago.

He and Luo Kun were neighbors, while Liu Yue and the others often came to visit Luo Kun.

Yet the two sides had never encountered each other even once?

"Fellow Daoist Chu, you really aren't joking?"

Liu Yue looked serious as she asked again.

Her beautiful eyes flickered as she looked at the spacious Residence behind Chu Daniu.

Could Li Chang'an truly live here?

One had to know,

this sort of place was her goal for a long time to come.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, when have I ever lied to you?"

Chu Daniu's tone was just as earnest.

"Today, my Big Brother may have business to attend to and isn't home."

"Is that so?"

Liu Yue and the others exchanged glances. There was more than a trace of shock in their eyes, and their hearts could not settle.

All along,

they had gravely underestimated Li Chang'an.

Afterward,

the two sides chatted briefly.

Chu Daniu took his leave and did not go with them to see Luo Kun.

After he left,

Liu Yue and the others visited Luo Kun and brought up the matter.

"Senior Luo, does Li Chang'an really live next door?"

Hearing this, Luo Kun frowned slightly.

He did not know about this either.

Regarding Chu Daniu's earlier words, he was half-convinced and half-doubtful.

After all,

he had only been able to live in a place like this after painstakingly advancing his Talisman Skill and earning the Zheng Family's recognition.

What right did Li Chang'an have?

He possessed neither the skill to craft mid-grade Talismans nor a powerful background.

Could it be that some woman among the Zheng Family's higher-ups had taken a liking to him?

Luo Kun pondered it back and forth.

This seemed the most likely explanation.

He then said calmly, "Still your heart! On the path of cultivation, one must keep one's feet on the ground and advance step by step. As long as you walk farther each day than the day before, why concern yourselves with how others fare?"

"Senior Luo is right. We should compare ourselves to our former selves and not think too much."

Liu Yue drew a deep breath and did her best to suppress the turmoil in her heart.

Yet no matter what she did,

Chu Daniu's earlier words remained impossible to drive from her mind.

At this moment,

beneath the waters of Bright Moon Lake.

A figure glimmering with azure light was fleeing at high speed.

It was the Green Scale Fish.

Its pair of fish eyes brimmed with fury, yet also carried a trace of terror, as it fled toward the depths of the lake.

"Hmph, still trying to run?"

Li Chang'an's expression was cold and stern as he pursued without letting up.

Earlier,

when he had taken the Turtle Spirit Fruit,

the resting Green Scale Fish had been startled awake. Enraged and savage-faced, it had cast a Spell at him.

But it was merely a First-tier Early-stage creature.

How could it possibly be Li Chang'an's match?

With a casual wave of his hand, Li Chang'an shattered its Spell.

The Green Scale Fish sensed that things were amiss.

It could only abandon its attempt to reclaim the Turtle Spirit Fruit and use an Evasion Technique to flee.

It had believed

that within these waters, relying on its powerful innate talent for water evasion, it would surely shake off Li Chang'an.

However,

after only a few breaths,

Li Chang'an had already caught up!

"Sever!"

His gaze was icy. With a flick of two fingers, a deep azure light abruptly sliced through the lake water.

It was the High-grade Artifact,

the Green Light Sword!

The blade was sharp, its edge fully revealed, ringing with a clear metallic hum!

Fierce Sword Qi, like lightning, cleaved across the fish demon's body in an instant.

"Sshhk—"

The fish demon's entire body shuddered, and it was split into two in the blink of an eye.

Dense demonic blood spread through the lake water.

At this moment,

Li Chang'an willed it, releasing the Little Profound Water Turtle from the Spirit Beast Bag.

When the little turtle saw the fish demon's Corpse, his large eyes immediately lit up.

He swiftly swam over to absorb the demonic blood, unwilling to waste even a drop.

Had he hatched in the wild, he would still be weak at this moment. It would have been good enough if he had not been eaten by other Demonic Beasts—how could he have had the chance to devour a fish demon on the verge of advancing?

Afterward,

Li Chang'an tossed the Green Scale Fish's Corpse and the little turtle together into the Spirit Beast Bag.

"Eat. Take your time."

After finishing all this,

Li Chang'an returned to shore and pondered briefly.

"My Evasion Technique truly is impressive. I only just began learning it, yet it is already this astonishing."

He estimated

that even if the fish demon successfully advanced and became a First-tier Mid-stage Demonic Beast, its Evasion Technique would still fall short of his.

"Wei Sen has cultivated this Evasion Technique for many years. He has likely long since reached mastery. No wonder his reputation is so great."

Li Chang'an sighed.

That night, if Wei Sen had not been trapped within the Array, he would never have died.

This also made Li Chang'an secretly warn himself.

Unless it was absolutely necessary,

he must never enter an Array rashly.

"Time to head back!"

After packing up his things, Li Chang'an returned to the Marketplace.

The moment he returned to the Marketplace,

Li Chang'an heard rumors spreading everywhere.

"That Mid Foundation Establishment Old Ancestor of the Zheng Family used a forbidden technique that burns away lifespan?"

This news

was much the same as what those Rogue Cultivators from Black Wind Mountain had said before.

Could Old Ancestor Zheng truly be running out of time?

"If the news is true, it will depend on whether the Zheng Family can obtain a Lifespan-extending treasure."

Li Chang'an pondered.

If they could not obtain one, then the Zheng Family would be in danger.

Unless the Zheng Family could produce a new Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"The Zheng Family is, after all, a Pill Refining Family. They should have Foundation Establishment Pills within the clan. Has no new Foundation Establishment cultivator emerged because there are no suitable clansmen, or because they all failed in their breakthroughs?"

Li Chang'an mulled it over.

Foundation Establishment was difficult.

Even with the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill, the success rate was far from ideal.

Many Foundation Establishment families gradually declined because they could not nurture a new Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Those with good fortune could become dependents of another family or Sect after weakening.

Those with poor fortune would be exterminated outright.

The Three Great Families might look glorious and flourishing now, but after some years, they too might turn into a handful of yellow earth.

As for the rumors claiming that the Foundation Establishment Ancestors of the Cao and Wu families would join forces to attack the Marketplace,

Li Chang'an felt it was unlikely.

"This Old Ancestor of the Zheng Family is still Mid Foundation Establishment. If he lashes out in a final counterattack before death, he could very well take an Early Foundation Establishment cultivator down with him. Those two likely would not dare take such a risk."

Waiting quietly for his lifespan to run out was the best choice.

When that time came,

the Zheng Family would have only one Early Foundation Establishment cultivator left and would struggle to hold the situation together.

"Still, I must remain cautious and keep watch over the Hexagram Image at all times."

Li Chang'an thought as he walked.

Before long,

he arrived outside his own Residence.

At that moment, Liu Yue and the others happened to be coming out of Luo Kun's Residence.

Upon seeing Li Chang'an, all of them froze.

"Fellow cultivator Li."

"Hmm?"

Li Chang'an turned to look.

Seeing these people did not surprise him.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, Fellow cultivator He, Fellow cultivator Sun..."

His expression remained calm as he greeted them.

"Fellow cultivator Li, you live here?"

Liu Yue's rosy lips parted slightly. She stared at him blankly, and the emotions she had struggled to suppress surged up once more, raising wave after wave in her heart.

"Yes, I had a small fortuitous encounter."

Li Chang'an did not elaborate.

He cupped his hands, then opened the courtyard gate and turned to walk inside.

This scene

left Liu Yue and the others unable to calm down for a long while.

No wonder Li Chang'an had never joined their gatherings. The two sides had long since ceased to be cultivators on the same level.