Chapter 126: Beast Tide

"It's a pity that the Pavilion Master of Water and Ink didn't come here..."

Li Guanxuan felt a tinge of regret. If the Pavilion Master of Water and Ink had shown up, it would have saved him a lot of trouble.

"Hmm?"

Li Guanxuan noticed that many people around him were using concealment artifacts, along with various techniques and talismans related to suppressing their presence. Clearly, there were those who did not wish to reveal their identities in this place. This meant it was highly likely that the Pavilion Master of Water and Ink had actually arrived at the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range. After all, those two storage rings contained items belonging to a Nascent Soul expert. Once the Pavilion Master of Water and Ink learned of this, it was impossible for him not to be tempted.

Thinking of this, Li Guanxuan couldn't help but smile. The Pavilion Master of Water and Ink was a False Core cultivator. While he had no hope of reaching the Nascent Soul stage in this lifetime, who could say for sure what might happen in the world of cultivation? Besides, history had shown that it was not unheard of for a False Core cultivator to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Faced with the temptation of Nascent Soul treasures, the Pavilion Master of Water and Ink would certainly risk coming to the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range.

Li Guanxuan sighed inwardly. His eldest brother's methods were truly cunning. The troubles he hadn't resolved back in Silver Maple City had been quietly dealt with over the course of a month through careful calculation and arrangement, eliminating many potential threats. This was exactly why Li Guanxuan dared not return to his family easily. There were many "old foxes" out there, not just Li Guanyuan; those Nascent Soul True Lords and even the mighty Transformation Spirit experts were all shrewd schemers. A single chess piece placed casually could become the key to victory. In that vortex, one might not even know how they died. Without absolute power to protect himself, returning to the family was a dead end. But with the power to protect himself, who would want to go back to the family anyway?

Li Guanxuan grumbled silently to himself.

"Rumble..."

Just then, magma erupted from the volcano. The Flame Demon Bear's fur turned a brilliant gold, and a powerful demonic aura, along with an extremely vigorous life force, radiated from its body.

"The Flame Demon Bear is advancing in rank!" someone exclaimed.

In the next second, several figures shot toward the bear, their killing intent surging—they were clearly Demon Hunter sect cultivators.

Qin Jiyue frowned and whispered, "Husband..."

Li Guanxuan laughed. "Don't worry. We're just here to watch the show; there's no need for us to intervene."

As he spoke, Li Guanxuan swept his gaze in a certain direction, a faint smile playing on his lips. Over there, quite a few cultivators were keeping an eye on him. Obviously, everyone was worried he might assist the Flame Demon Bear.

"Thump!"

A dull sound echoed through the heavens and earth. The Flame Demon Bear slammed a paw into the crater's magma, let out a roar, and its body flickered with radiant, brilliant golden light. In an instant, magma erupted from the ground all around, transforming into countless terrifying, dense arrows. The Demon Hunter sect cultivators who had intruded into its territory were instantly pierced by the magma arrows or submerged entirely. Their bodies were quickly burned to ash, and even their storage artifacts did not escape the same fate.

"Everyone, this beast is only half a step away from the Third Order! We must kill it with all our might, or there will be no safe zone left for humanity in the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range!" a peak Foundation Establishment Demon Hunter shouted, intending to rally the strength of all the cultivators to slay the beast.

However, no one moved. Who would dare step into the Flame Demon Bear's territory at a time like this? Looking at the magma constantly spewing from the ground, this area was completely under the bear's control.

The peak Foundation Establishment Demon Hunter sneered. "I won't hide it from you all—this Flame Demon Bear possesses Golden Core items. Otherwise, how could it be on the verge of reaching the Third Order in just a few short years? Everyone, kill this beast, and you'll have a chance at forming a Core, or even a Golden Core! If we cultivators don't fight for it, we will be trapped in the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages forever, never seeing the sights of the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stages!"

A commotion broke out at these words. The Flame Demon Bear had Golden Core items? Was it true? It might be! After all, the bear had tried to reach the Third Order many times before and failed. It was only after Li Guanyuan had visited the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range that the bear showed promise of reaching the Third Order, and even emitted the spiritual energy of medicinal pills. It was obvious that Li Guanyuan had given it many good things.

"Fellow daoists, I have been trapped at the peak of Foundation Establishment for one hundred and sixty-seven years. I have seen too many Foundation Establishment sights. In these last seven years of my life, I want to see why the Golden Core is so difficult to form, and what the scenery is like at the Nascent Soul level above it."

An elderly man leaning on a cane, who had previously appeared withered and lifeless, now had eyes burning like torches. His mana surged out like a raging sea, as if determined to drown the sea of fire before him. As the old man charged, many late-stage and peak Foundation Establishment cultivators followed suit, rushing toward the Flame Demon Bear. Since there were Golden Core items, those who were nearing the end of their lives no longer feared death! Having lived so long, who wouldn't want to keep living? What they were fighting for was nothing more than a chance to snatch life from the heavens.

Watching this scene, Li Guanxuan narrowed his eyes. He remembered when he lived in the shanty town of Qing'an City, an old man had barely survived for decades before heading off alone into the Ten Thousand Mountains to search for Foundation Establishment materials. Later, the old man died in the Ten Thousand Mountains and never returned. That was so long ago that he could no longer even remember the man's name.

Li Guanxuan mused silently, sighing at the power of time. After his reflection, he looked at the scene before him with a calm expression. If not for the Velvet Flower Spirit Tree, he might have been like these cultivators, forced to risk his life to race against time. Any stroke of fortune in the cultivation world could be a trap laid by someone else. This was the lesson Li Guanyuan had taught him: do not be greedy.

Having walked this path step by step over the years, Li Guanxuan had grown. In the past, when his talisman-making skills improved, he would excitedly sell all his talismans for spirit stones, forgetting to keep a protective one for himself. Since then, he had always kept the best protective talismans on his person to avoid being helpless if he encountered bandits. This was growth.

"Rumble..."

The volcano continued to erupt, and the magma surged. Many high-level Foundation Establishment cultivators launched spells and attacks toward the Flame Demon Bear. No matter what, they had to kill it before it reached the Third Order! Only then could they search for the so-called Golden Core items in this area.

"Awoo, awoo..."

The Flame Demon Bear was struck by spells, its face showing pain as it howled.

Li Guanxuan thought, "Keep acting, keep acting."

His divine sense, comparable to a second or third-level Golden Core cultivator, could detect that the demonic aura within the bear was slowly climbing. When it reached a critical point, the bear deliberately suppressed it, clearly trying to lure more cultivators into its territory. Li Guanxuan glanced around. The other Flame Demon Bears were hiding, including the Scarlet Golden Mouse that was skilled at digging tunnels; he didn't know where those demonic beasts had gone. With their boss breaking through here, how could they abandon it? Every sign proved that Li Guanyuan had set a trap here. Anyone who stepped into the Flame Demon Bear's territory would not be leaving.

Li Guanxuan used his divine sense to check on the two envoys from the Song family. Seeing their eager expressions, wanting to come over and share in the spoils but held back by hesitation, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Afraid to come over, are you? Then I'll add some fuel to the fire..." Li Guanxuan laughed lightly to himself and then darted forward.

Qin Jiyue’s expression was strange. What was her husband doing? Just a moment ago, he had told her to run, so why was he running toward the Flame Demon Bear's territory now?

"He's going over!" Song Jitang noticed Li Guanxuan stepping into the territory and became anxious. Li Guanxuan going in there was clearly to find those two storage rings!

Song Linfen’s face was solemn. After staring at Li Guanxuan’s back for a few seconds, she said in a low voice, "Let's go, we'll follow and see!"

The two followed without hesitation, both wanting to find out if the two storage rings in Li Guanyuan's hands were truly inside the Flame Demon Bear's territory.

...

After Li Guanxuan stepped into the territory, he suddenly had a premonition and looked toward the crater.

"Li Guanyuan really left something for me?"

Li Guanxuan was stunned. This was a bloodline connection between brothers, making him clearly sense Li Guanyuan's aura over there. Had his eldest brother anticipated his anticipation and left those two storage rings in the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range?

"I don't dare take them! If I take them now and the two Song envoys aren't dead, won't I be finished?!"

Li Guanxuan cursed silently, wondering what on earth Li Guanyuan was trying to do.

"Roar!"

The Flame Demon Bear also saw Li Guanxuan and let out an excited roar, stomping its feet to indicate that the items were beneath it. Li Guanxuan looked helpless. He then noticed over ten late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators staring at him and quickly laughed.

"Everyone, don't misunderstand. I'm not here to help this beast. Whatever you want to do, go ahead. I'm just here to watch the show."

After saying this, Li Guanxuan released a Third-Order puppet surrounded by mana, and ten flying swords hovered in the air, warning everyone not to get close. Seeing this, many cultivators showed fear in their eyes. Back then in the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range, it was with his flying sword technique that Li Guanxuan had decimated the mid-stage Foundation Establishment experts of the Thunder Fire Sect and the Water and Ink Pavilion. Anyone who dared to approach now would be pierced by those flying swords.

"Leave two people to watch them, don't let them get too close!" the peak Foundation Establishment Demon Hunter shouted coldly.

As long as Li Guanxuan didn't make a move, they couldn't be bothered with him. Right now, dealing with the Flame Demon Bear was the top priority. Seeing two late-stage Foundation Establishment experts watching him, Li Guanxuan smiled indifferently and pretended to wander around looking for something, showing no interest in the battle nearby.

The Flame Demon Bear saw this, rolled its eyes, and generally understood. It continued to fight the high-level cultivators, occasionally wearing a pained expression.

"There is a False Core cultivator present. Find his position, lock onto him, and kill him directly," Li Guanxuan's voice reached the Flame Demon Bear's ears. He reminded it again, "There are two more people; make sure they stay in the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range... Alright, don't answer me. There are many cultivators here who understand beast taming, so don't give yourself away."

As Li Guanxuan spoke to the bear, the two Song family envoys' eyes lit up. Li Guanxuan was indeed looking for the storage rings! Those two storage rings were really in the Scarlet Refining Mountain Range!

Just as the two intended to continue tracking Li Guanxuan to find the true hiding place of the rings, they heard someone scream in terror.

"Run! A beast tide is coming! And there's a Third-Order Demon King! Run away!!"