Chapter 14: An Ambush at Home

Watching Qin Wuji's departing figure, Chen Yinshan couldn’t help but mutter under his breath,
“This fellow has such handsome features and soft skin—if not for his high cultivation, he’d surely be dragged off to a brothel…”
“‘Fellow’? He’s probably twenty or thirty years younger than you,” Li Guanxuan replied with a smile.
Soon after, under the personal guidance of Zheng Huangjin, the two of them went to inspect the residential compound in the outer city.
The surroundings were pleasant, with convenient access and patrolling guards, ensuring good security. They wouldn’t have to worry about someone sneaking in late at night to slit their throats.
Li Guanxuan and Zheng Huangjin signed the leasing spirit contract, paying five years’ rent upfront.
Then, Li Guanxuan personally took up the brush and named the compound: Peaceful Garden.
By the time all these matters were settled, dusk had fallen.
Chen Yinshan originally intended to hurry back to the shantytown to tell his wife the news, but at Li Guanxuan’s insistence, he circled Qing’an City several times, changing his appearance each time before finally heading home.
By the time he arrived, night had already descended.
“Do we really have to be so cautious?” Chen Yinshan complained helplessly.
“Just think of those few hundred spirit stones in your pocket, then decide if caution is necessary,” Li Guanxuan retorted in a low voice.
“Tsk, you’re just timid. I, on the other hand, thrive on challenge—only constant risk makes my blood surge, my spirit burn. That’s exactly how I reached the third layer of Qi Refining!”
Chen Yinshan grinned. “But with these resources, in a few months I’ll break through to the fourth layer.”
“Idiot. Cautious men live long—don’t you know?”
Li Guanxuan shook his head. “Go pack up. Tonight we move in.”
“Alright. The spirit rice and spirit vegetables in the fields are ripe, so I’ll pack everything up and bring it along!” Chen Yinshan replied cheerfully.
When Li Guanxuan returned home, he found Zhao Guili instructing Wen Rongxin in cultivation.
Seeing her husband come in, Wen Rongxin immediately gathered her spiritual energy and ran to greet him.
“Two years have passed, and you two still act like newlyweds,” Zhao Guili remarked with a sigh.
“Enough chatter. Old Chen’s back too—go pack up,” Li Guanxuan said.
Zhao Guili understood at once that all the goods had been sold, and after expressing her thanks, hurried home.
Li Guanxuan then told his wife about the new residence.
Wen Rongxin could not hide her delight; her gentle, bright almond eyes brimmed with happiness.
Two years ago, she had been a homeless martial artist.
Fortunately, Li Guanxuan had not despised her, and had taken her as his wife.
Ever since, Wen Rongxin had been particularly careful in everything, afraid her husband might find fault or scold her.

She never expected Li Guanxuan would treat her better by the day, sharing every detail with her, even helping her enter the first layer of Qi Refining, buying her cultivation techniques and rejuvenation pills…
And now, he was bringing her to live in the outer city of Qing’an.
“H-husband, thank you…”
Nestled in Li Guanxuan’s arms, Wen Rongxin closed her eyes softly; not skilled in conversation, she could only express her love through action.
“No need to thank me now—the night is long, plenty of time to show your gratitude,” Li Guanxuan said with a playful smile.
Wen Rongxin’s cheeks flushed. Embarrassed and angry, she bit Li Guanxuan’s shoulder lightly.
Li Guanxuan patted her pert little bottom and laughed, “Quick, pack up. We need to move in and share a housewarming meal with Old Chen’s family.”
“Alright.”
Wen Rongxin trotted off to pack.
Li Guanxuan was about to harvest the spirit rice and vegetables—after all, these were bought with money.
However…
Just as Li Guanxuan bent to harvest the spirit rice, he sensed a sealing array rising from Old Chen’s house next door.
Had he not strengthened his spiritual sense through excessive talisman drawing, he might not have noticed it.
“Robbers!”
Li Guanxuan’s face changed drastically—someone had set a talisman array in advance at Old Chen’s house!
“Wife, close the door, don’t come out!”
Li Guanxuan shouted, slicing his storage pouch with his finger, instantly producing an explosive talisman, which he hurled toward Old Chen’s house.
Boom!
A thunderous blast shattered the night’s peace.
Wen Rongxin, hearing his instructions, quickly closed the doors and windows, heart racing with anxiety.
The array was blown apart, and several bursts of energy shot skyward.
Li Guanxuan saw clearly: in Chen Yinshan’s courtyard, three robbers were attacking the couple.
“Damn it, Old Li, thank heavens for your vigilance, or I’d be a corpse tonight!”
Chen Yinshan, face twisted with murderous intent, laughed loudly. “Three little thieves—taste my blade!”
The three robbers were of varying stature: one tall, one short, one fat. The fat one was at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, the other two at the third.
Even so, Zhao Guili, at the second layer, struggled to fend them off, already wounded.
Neighbors, sensing the commotion, hurried indoors and bolted their doors, keeping well out of it.
Li Guanxuan, expressionless, summoned his mid-grade first-tier longsword, which caught the wind and surged forward, imbued with the Qing Xuan energy of the Li family of Great Heng, slicing through as sword-light to rescue Zhao Guili.

At the same time, Li Guanxuan rushed into the courtyard, slapped a protective talisman onto Zhao Guili, and commanded, “Get to the side.”
Zhao Guili wisely retreated, just in time to see Li Guanxuan throw a small knife that pierced the night, instantly skewering the short robber’s heart, blood spraying everywhere.
“Fourth layer of Qi Refining?!”
Zhao Guili was stunned.
She had never imagined that Li Guanxuan, who’d always stayed at home quietly, had advanced to the fourth layer—higher than her own husband!
“Well, you…”
Chen Yinshan sensed it too, but before he could finish, a streak of green sword-light pierced the tall robber’s chest, then turned on the fat robber!
In a flash, Li Guanxuan had slain two robbers!
Not only that, his green sword and two small knives hovered in midair, each adorned with a top-grade first-tier explosive talisman.
The fat robber dared not move, quickly dropping his dagger and falling to his knees, begging for mercy,
“Spare me, mighty one!”
Whoosh!
The green sword pressed against the fat robber’s throat, preventing any further moves.
Eyes wide in terror, sweat pouring, he raised his hands to show his surrender.
“You bastard…”
Chen Yinshan, burning with rage, was about to kick the fat robber in retaliation, but Li Guanxuan knocked him flat with a swift kick.
Li Guanxuan barked, “Don’t make trouble! If you get taken hostage, I’ll have wasted that thirty-spirit-stone top-grade explosive talisman for nothing!”
Sitting on the ground, Chen Yinshan’s expression froze, then he forced a smile, “Alright, alright…”
He was at the third layer and wounded, while the fat robber was a mid-stage fourth-layer cultivator—he’d be trounced in seconds.
Had Li Guanxuan not detected and destroyed the array in time, he’d already be dead.
Li Guanxuan fixed his gaze on the fat robber, asking, “How did you target them?”
He had repeatedly warned: when gathering herbs or hunting monsters in the Ten-Thousand Mountains, always disguise yourself, never reveal any identity.
Even returning home, one had to take detours.
Chen Yinshan might not care, but Zhao Guili would surely remember; Old Chen, being henpecked, would follow suit.
Moreover, during the recent outings for trading and renting, Li Guanxuan had been extremely cautious, making it impossible to be tracked.
So Li Guanxuan was puzzled—how had these robbers managed to set up a sealing array ahead of time in Old Chen’s house?