Chapter 24: The Little Kept Man (Please Add to Your Favorites)

This wave of turmoil lasted for about two months before the law and order in Qing’an City returned to its former state. Fallen Moon Valley had truly become the master of Qing’an City, while Joyous Mountain was now a thing of the past.

Nowadays, disciples of Fallen Moon Valley could be seen everywhere throughout the city’s streets and alleys. Perhaps because their earlier methods were too ruthless, having oppressed the loose cultivators at the bottom so severely, these disciples often helped various households with small chores, ran errands, and showed their kinder side.

But Li Guanxuan knew well in his heart that for thousands of years, landlords had devised endless means to exploit the common folk, and these occasional gestures of goodwill were merely to pave the way for even harsher oppression in the future.

Of course, these were thoughts Li Guanxuan could only complain about in his heart; he would never dare utter them aloud.

With peace restored to Qing’an City, Li Guanxuan disguised himself and went to the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion, where he sold off most of his talismans for a total of over two thousand six hundred low-grade spirit stones.

“Where is that Daoist friend Qin Wujii? Why isn’t he with you?” Zheng Huangjin now personally received Li Guanxuan every time, and the two could chat freely about many topics.

“He’s gone to participate in the entrance test for Fallen Moon Valley,” Li Guanxuan replied, sipping his tea with a worried look.

Zheng Huangjin, seeing his expression, snorted, “Still putting on a show in front of me? You just want me to keep an eye on him for you, don’t you? Why beat around the bush? Just say it.”

Having cooperated for years, Zheng Huangjin was well acquainted with Li Guanxuan’s cautious nature. Moreover, Li Guanxuan was truly diligent; now he could draw many types of talismans, though his success rate was not very high.

But that wasn’t a problem. Once Li Guanxuan became a second-rank talisman master, Zheng Huangjin would be the one asking him for favors.

“My dear friend is just shy, that’s all. Come, let’s drink tea.” Li Guanxuan laughed, quickly pouring tea for Zheng Huangjin, then asked curiously, “Brother Zheng, I heard that Fallen Moon Valley paid a huge price to take Qing’an City, even sacrificing two medium-sized markets. Why was that?”

This was something that concerned Li Guanxuan greatly. He didn’t know how many people were aware of the Velvet Blossom Spirit Tree. Although Qin Jiyue claimed that only she knew, the fact that Fallen Moon Valley was desperate to control both Qing’an City and Joyous Mountain’s ley lines made Li Guanxuan uneasy.

The old patriarch of Joyous Mountain was dead, and the sect leader only knew a little—he didn’t even know that the Velvet Blossom Spirit Tree could grant longevity...

Could it be that the head of Fallen Moon Valley, like Qin Jiyue, had also read the ancient immortal’s texts?

But Qin Jiyue had told him that there was only one such book. Other than her and himself, there was no third person in the world who knew the secret of the Velvet Blossom Spirit Tree.

Still, the cultivation world was full of strange things. Li Guanxuan couldn’t be sure that the head of Fallen Moon Valley hadn’t learned something through other means and decided to take root here.

“What else? Survival of the fittest,” Zheng Huangjin replied. “The sect leader of Fallen Moon Valley is a woman and the weakest among the four great powers. To get two ley lines is already impressive. If the other three powers had been more ruthless, she wouldn’t have been left with even a scrap.”

“Huh?”

Li Guanxuan was stunned.

That was it?

All his conspiracy theories for nothing. So Fallen Moon Valley had only settled here because the other three powers had forced them to?

Li Guanxuan felt helpless. Was he being too cautious? But if he hadn’t stayed so careful, with only his Qi Refining level cultivation, he would have been swallowed up long ago.

...

Some time passed.

Qin Jiyue successfully joined Fallen Moon Valley. Although she started as an outer disciple, as long as she improved her cultivation and contributed more, entering the inner sect would be easy. After all, following the great war, Fallen Moon Valley urgently needed fresh blood to keep the sect running.

After joining, Qin Jiyue didn’t cut ties with Li Guanxuan and would occasionally return home. However, outside, she went by the name Qin Wujii. Only at home did she revert to Qin Jiyue.

In the eastern district market, dressed as a young man, Qin Jiyue couldn’t help but complain, “Is all this caution really necessary? I was very careful on the way back—no one followed me. You can relax… and why waste a Purification Talisman?”

“Who knows if someone might have left some subtle mark on you? These days, pretty women alone are in danger, and handsome men as well. There are all kinds of peculiar preferences among sect disciples,” Li Guanxuan said earnestly.

Watching the Purification Talisman dissolve into specks of light that merged into Qin Jiyue’s body, Li Guanxuan finally felt somewhat at ease. After all, with Qin Jiyue now active inside the sect, she could easily attract attention. So every time she returned, Li Guanxuan had her use a Purification Talisman in the market first, lest someone discover her true identity and bring trouble to Peaceful Garden.

Qin Jiyue transformed from a refined young man back into a radiant and graceful young woman—an oval face, fox-like eyes, a natural charm that could captivate anyone. Suddenly, her cheeks flushed crimson as she glared at Li Guanxuan in embarrassed anger, raising her hands defensively over her chest.

Li Guanxuan calmly looked away.

Qin Jiyue stood about one meter seventy-three, her long jade legs accentuating her tall frame, with curvaceous hips, a slender waist, and a proud figure—a perfect pear shape. In a few years, she would exude an even stronger aura of maturity. Li Guanxuan couldn’t help but imagine what she’d look like in a tight skirt... He quickly banished the thought.

“We’ve been like an old married couple for ages—what are you still shy about?” Li Guanxuan chuckled. “Hurry and change that femme fatale face of yours, then let’s go home for dinner.”

“Who’s an old married couple with you?” Qin Jiyue huffed coldly, though her heart was sweet. She rubbed her face, transforming it into a pleasant but unremarkable visage, then parted ways with Li Guanxuan to circle around the market.

Half an hour later, the two left the eastern market separately and met up in a crowded area, looking for all the world like a couple heading home from work.

At Peaceful Garden.

During dinner, Qin Jiyue said, “The one who persecuted Chen Yinshan and his wife is called You Shaoneng, at the eighth level of Qi Refining, a first-rank high-grade beast master… and the You family is one of the great clans of Qing’an City. During the siege on Joyous Mountain by the four great powers, the You family outright betrayed their side, not only helping the attackers but also offering two hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones and twenty spirit beasts. They rose to become the largest clan in the city, surpassing both the Lian and Ren families.”

Upon hearing this, Wen Rongxin glanced quietly at Li Guanxuan. Anyone living in Qing’an City knew that the You family had a patriarch at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment.

“Eat your dinner,” Li Guanxuan said with a smile, serving Qin Jiyue a piece of meat. “Eat well, cultivate well, and don’t worry about other things.”

You’re the one most concerned about this, telling me not to worry… Qin Jiyue muttered inwardly. But she knew Li Guanxuan wasn’t foolish enough to seek revenge against the You family; after all, he was the most fearful of dying.

Still, Qin Jiyue also knew this man was full of schemes. He couldn’t deal with the You family now, but if he ever gained the strength, he’d surely wipe out that wretched clan in a single stroke.

...

The days went by.

Half a year after Qin Jiyue joined Fallen Moon Valley, she finally became an inner disciple. When she returned home that evening, she was so excited she didn’t even eat, pouncing straight onto Li Guanxuan, pinning him beneath her, her face alight with excitement as she urged, “Come, come, my little pretty boy, let’s dual cultivate!”

“…”

...

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