Chapter 125: The Chain Strategy
At this moment, the Chilian Mountain Range was saturated with a fierce demonic aura, with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth converging there, nurturing the maturation of numerous rare and precious materials.
Many Foundation Establishment stage cultivators hurried toward the area, eager to claim a share of the bounty.
After all, when a demonic beast breaks through to the third-rank Demon King, it often gives rise to a cluster of long-aged rare materials nearby.
“That’s the Flame Demon Bear.”
“The second-rank demon beast that once received a favor from Li Guanyuan?”
“Yes. Back then, Li Guanyuan’s intention was simply to leave Li Guanxuan with a capable ally before departing.”
“This ally is no ordinary helper. Demon beasts value gratitude above all. Since Li Guanxuan aided it once, and now Li Guanyuan has helped it again, if Li Guanxuan ever faces danger, this third-rank Demon King will likely emerge from the Chilian Mountains.”
Many who had heard of this exchanged looks of envy.
Who wouldn’t want a brother like that?
Arriving at the critical moment, slaying a True Immortal with two sword strikes.
Before leaving, leaving behind a powerful ally—no one dared to trouble Li Guanxuan lightly.
Li Guanxuan and Qin Jiyue also stepped into the Chilian Mountain Range.
This time, Li Guanxuan chose not to disguise himself or conceal his aura.
Because he came to assist the Flame Demon Bear’s advancement, not to seize any rare materials.
Revealing his identity could actually deter some and reduce conflicts and trouble.
Extending his divine sense, Li Guanxuan sensed many Foundation Establishment cultivators nearby and his face grew serious.
“It seems many still don’t want the Flame Demon Bear to advance smoothly...” he murmured.
This was understandable. The appearance of a third-rank Demon King in the Chilian Mountains meant the cultivators’ activity zones would shrink.
Furthermore, the Demon Hunter faction would surely enter at this time to kill the Flame Demon Bear before its breakthrough, claiming most of the benefits.
“Then let’s just eliminate all of them,” Qin Jiyue said, her beautiful eyes flashing with killing intent.
Human hearts are treacherous. The news of the Flame Demon Bear’s advancement had spread among cultivators for thousands of miles.
This was the helper left by Li Guanyuan for Li Guanxuan.
Others forming groups to stop the Flame Demon Bear’s advancement was also weakening Li Guanxuan.
Qin Jiyue would not tolerate that.
She had heard about the Song family’s envoys. With her temperament, had she been present, she would have overturned the table on the spot.
The Foundation Establishment heart method was set by the Song family’s elders or stewards, not to be threatened by mere envoys.
If word got back, those two envoys would suffer serious consequences; there was no room for compromise.
But Qin Jiyue understood that her husband’s actions were to avoid unnecessary trouble and to show some face to those envoys.
Better to make friends than enemies.
“Let’s see how it goes. If anyone truly tries to kill the Flame Demon Bear, we will intervene,” Li Guanxuan said.
Two sword beams swiftly swept toward the Flame Demon Bear’s location.
“It’s Li Guanxuan and Qin Jiyue!”
“They actually came!”
“Of course, they have to come. The Demon Hunter faction’s cultivators will try to stop or kill the Flame Demon Bear’s advancement.”
“The Demon Hunter faction has been watching the Flame Demon Bear for years, well prepared. I wonder if Li Guanxuan can protect it this time.”
“Let’s go take a look...”
Many Foundation Establishment cultivators noticed Li Guanxuan.
His reputation and family background were already well-known.
...
The news of the Flame Demon Bear’s impending breakthrough had also reached the Song family’s two envoys.
Coincidentally, Song Jitang and Song Linbin had come to the Chilian Mountains seeking rare materials.
When they saw Li Guanxuan pass overhead, surprise flickered across their faces.
“Looks like he’s going to help the Flame Demon Bear advance...” Song Jitang narrowed his eyes.
Song Linbin asked, “Should we help?”
“Let’s see. We’re not familiar with the Immortal Ruins. If we provoke trouble, it might be hard even to return to the family,” Song Jitang smiled.
Song Linbin nodded slightly, understanding the implication.
“Let’s see” was basically a polite refusal.
Besides, they were only tasked with delivering the Foundation Establishment heart method and helping solve a minor issue for a True Immortal in the family.
Their relationship with Li Guanxuan was barely a nodding acquaintance.
Looking around to ensure no one was paying attention, Song Linbin transmitted through divine sense:
“Before leaving the family, Lord Changdong told me that Yu Jingfen said the ancestor of the Thunderfire Sect, Lei Gongwang, must have obtained some breakthrough item for Nascent Soul cultivation inside the Jiuxiao Academy Secret Realm, explaining his audacious expansion and resource plundering.”
Song Jitang’s heart stirred. “Really?”
Jiuxiao Academy...
It was a superpower located at the center of the Immortal Ruins, open to all human disciples for cultivation.
Song Linbin nodded slightly.
“It should be related to strengthening the primordial spirit, maybe even some Fourth-Rank Illusion arts or Formation Dao inheritance...
Most of the Thunderfire Sect’s resources are hidden inside the storage rings of Lei Gongwang and Yan Shikui.
Both storage rings were obtained by Li Guanyuan.
But Lord Changdong secretly investigated and found that Li Guanyuan didn’t bring these rings back to Daheng nor hand them over to Li Guanxuan.
Therefore...
The storage rings are likely hidden somewhere in the Chilian Mountains, waiting for Li Guanxuan to complete his Core Formation breakthrough before Li Guanyuan hands them over.”
Hearing this, Song Jitang held his breath, his eyes burning with desire.
Li Guanyuan’s last stop before returning to Daheng was the Flame Demon Bear’s territory in the Chilian Mountains...
Those two storage rings were very likely there!
As for why Li Guanyuan didn’t directly give them to Li Guanxuan...
Probably because there were too many people around at the time.
If the rings fell into Li Guanxuan’s hands prematurely, it would bring mortal danger.
So they had to be hidden first.
Song Linbin poured cold water on his hopes:
“Don’t think those two storage rings are already yours.
Since Li Guanyuan dared to hide them in the Chilian Mountains, he must have sealed them so outsiders can’t detect them.
I suspect opening the seal requires the Li family bloodline.
Moreover, if the seal loosens and it’s not Li Guanxuan opening it personally, Li Guanyuan, far away in Yongning Prefecture of Daheng, would notice.
If he came personally, with his status in the Li family now, he’d have at least two Nascent Soul True Immortals protecting him...
Think about it, with your current abilities, can you really contend with Li Guanyuan?”
Song Jitang fell silent.
He was only a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Even relying on strength alone, he couldn’t defeat Li Guanyuan.
Li Guanyuan had just completed Core Formation and could slay mid-Golden Core cultivators directly.
Before Core Formation, he had personally killed a fake Core Formation True Immortal!
Such a Nascent Soul seed had a chance to become the Li family’s fourth Transcendent.
They wouldn’t stand a chance against him in this lifetime.
“What did Lord Changdong say?” Song Jitang asked.
He was beginning to understand.
Lord Changdong was already scheming for those two storage rings.
If he could get Golden Core items, that would be lucky enough; he wouldn’t dare dream of Nascent Soul items.
Lord Changdong sharing this with Song Linbin was likely to get their help in secretly retrieving the rings.
“Investigate carefully to confirm if the rings are in the Flame Demon Bear’s territory...
This matter cannot be rushed.
If Li Guanyuan finds out, you and I might become casualties,” Song Linbin said gravely.
Lord Changdong might be safe, but Li Guanyuan would kill them without hesitation.
Song Jitang nodded solemnly.
He understood.
They were only responsible for investigating the rings’ presence in the Immortal Ruins.
If confirmed, Lord Changdong would send others to seize them.
They might be True Immortals from the Song family or other factions, as long as Li Guanyuan didn’t catch them.
As for the Li family bloodline...
That was the easiest to manage.
Not only Li Guanxuan bore the Li family bloodline; others did as well.
“Looks like to find those two storage rings, we have to watch Li Guanxuan closely...” Song Jitang looked meaningfully toward the direction where Li Guanxuan and Qin Jiyue had just left.
Being Li Guanxuan’s elder brother, Li Guanyuan would definitely hint about the rings in some way.
By watching Li Guanxuan, they could track down the rings.
...
Ahead, the demonic aura surged, blindingly bright and scorching, with heat radiating from the Flame Demon Bear’s territory, forcing many Foundation Establishment cultivators to stop, unwilling to venture further.
This was the Flame Demon Bear’s peak energy period.
Approaching now meant suffering its merciless assaults, possibly perishing on the spot.
Watching from the outskirts and waiting for the right moment was the wisest choice.
“Boom!”
A volcano erupted, lava surged.
A blazing light shot straight into the sky.
The Flame Demon Bear stood at the crater, bathed in lava, as if undergoing a phoenix-like rebirth.
Li Guanyuan observed from afar, his divine sense monitoring all surrounding movements.
He was well aware of the storage rings.
Li Guanyuan hadn’t told him directly, nor informed him through others.
But seeing Li Guanyuan take the rings and not hand them over, he knew the rings must contain secrets that couldn’t be revealed.
If he held those rings, he might soon face True Immortals coming to snatch them.
By then, Li Guanyuan would be back in Daheng, unable to protect him.
So Li Guanyuan had to bring the rings away and personally assist the Flame Demon Bear in its breakthrough.
Others assumed Li Guanyuan had sold the Flame Demon Bear a favor to help his own younger brother in need...
Only Li Guanxuan knew better.
This was a guardian demon beast specifically chosen by his elder brother.
“He’s already consumed two mid-third-rank demon cores...” Li Guanxuan stared at the demonic aura surrounding the Flame Demon Bear and immediately deduced its bloodline had mutated.
His elder brother had surely provided it with many valuable things.
So, Li Guanxuan was not too worried about the Flame Demon Bear’s advancement.
He had come here for the two storage rings.
This matter was secret; Li Guanxuan hadn’t even told his wives or master.
“There’s also medicinal spiritual energy; looks like my brother gave it breakthrough pills... This Flame Demon Bear is really lucky,” Li Guanxuan sighed inwardly.
Suddenly, his divine sense caught the figures of Song Jitang and Song Linbin.
Why had they come here?
Li Guanxuan was puzzled.
Judging by their direction, they were obviously watching him!
“Lord Shui Mo’s Pavilion Master, the Song family True Immortals...” he thought.
After analyzing, he rubbed his brow.
This was bad; these two also knew about the storage rings.
And Lord Yu Jingfen of Shui Mo Pavilion.
Yu Jingfen probably knew what was inside the rings and informed the Song family True Immortals to save her own skin.
That was why those two Song envoys dared to threaten him with the Foundation Establishment heart method, forcing him to reconcile with Yu Jingfen.
“Husband, the two Song envoys are watching us,” Qin Jiyue frowned, transmitting a warning through divine sense.
Her divine sense strength was also at Golden Core level, so she directly detected their movements.
“Ignore them, just watch the Flame Demon Bear. If it breaks through, we leave immediately,” Li Guanxuan replied.
With the Song envoys watching, he couldn’t just go take the rings from the Flame Demon Bear.
He couldn’t kill the two Song envoys either, or it would be difficult to explain to the Song family back in Daheng.
However...
His elder brother had stayed in the Chilian Mountains for a month; surely not without purpose.
He might have set traps around, waiting for Li Guanxuan to discover and then quietly activated them to eliminate those in the know...
Li Guanxuan thought silently.
They were brothers born of the same womb.
Li Guanxuan knew his elder brother was no fool or simple sword cultivator.
On the contrary, having grown up in Daheng’s capital, Li Guanyuan was well-versed in intrigue and scheming.
If he thought the storage rings’ contents must not be revealed, he certainly devised ways to hide them.
Li Guanxuan closed his eyes slowly, recalling his brother’s favorite childhood tactics.
Framing others, feigning weakness, feints to the east while attacking the west, closing the door to strike the dog, using others to kill...
Thinking this over, his expression gradually turned strange.
This...
was very likely a chained plot!
“Husband, what’s wrong?” Qin Jiyue noticed his change in expression.
He seemed...
eager to leave.
Li Guanxuan took a deep breath, lowering his voice.
“After the Flame Demon Bear breaks through, ignore it.
Use escape techniques and leave the Chilian Mountains immediately. Understand? Stay close to me, don’t get lost!”
From his understanding of his elder brother, the storage rings would never be left in the dangerous Chilian Mountains.
Nor would the stupid Flame Demon Bear be entrusted to guard them!
Those two storage rings were in Li Guanyuan’s hands!
Only with Li Guanyuan could they be truly safe.
After all, the useless younger brother had decades before Core Formation breakthrough and Nascent Soul was even further away.
Li Guanyuan must be crazy to put such precious items in the perilous Chilian Mountains.
His plan was to lure out anyone who knew the secrets of Lei Gongwang and Yan Shikui, then kill them quietly, while clearing threats to his worthless younger brother.
And Li Guanxuan...
had already guessed his brother’s scheme.
(End of chapter)