Chapter 76 The Ultimate Master of Survival: Li Guanxuan (Please Add to Favorites)

Suddenly, Zheng Huangjin spoke up, “Big Sis has replied. She does have more than ten mid-phase Tier Two demon cores, but their attributes are average—not at the superior level. However, the Lord of Shanggu City will be holding an auction in a month. There will surely be late-phase Tier Two demon cores there, with attributes above average. She asks if you want to attend, and she can help you get an entry token.”

Hearing this, Li Guanxuan felt tempted.

To ensure he could successfully form his foundation before the age of sixty, he had spared no effort, terrified that a single misstep might lead to failure. If that were to happen, it would be exceedingly difficult to attempt foundation establishment again in the future.

So, raising the success rate of his Foundation Establishment Pill to thirty-five percent was quite necessary.

Moreover, he still had twelve sets of Foundation Establishment Pill materials—the only issue was the quality and attributes of the demon cores. If he could replace two or three with higher-quality late-phase Tier Two demon cores, he might genuinely push the pill’s success rate to thirty-five percent.

And after selling ten Foundation Establishment Pills, he’d have a thousand mid-grade spirit stones in hand—equivalent to one hundred thousand low-grade stones.

Seeing Li Guanxuan sit silently sipping tea, Zheng Huangjin guessed at his thoughts and smiled, “No need to worry about safety; Big Sis is still in Shanggu City. No one can touch you, and the towering tree that is Myriad Phenomena Pavilion is more than enough for you to rely on.

Besides, caution is good, but when opportunity is right before you, failing to seize it may leave regrets in your heart, potentially affecting your state of mind.”

“I definitely need to attend this auction, but I’m worried that Myriad Phenomena Pavilion’s Foundation Establishment Pills boasting a thirty percent success rate have already attracted attention. Many powers are likely investigating the pill’s origin…”

Li Guanxuan’s expression grew grave. He said in a low voice, “My master’s previous Foundation Establishment Pill auction in Shanggu City may have encroached on the City Lord’s interests.

Thus, this upcoming auction likely serves as a trap to lure out the alchemist hiding behind Myriad Phenomena Pavilion.”

When he taught alchemy and talisman-making at the Pavilion, he never claimed he could refine Foundation Establishment Pills, focusing more on imparting talisman skills and only lightly mentioning alchemy.

He was well aware: an alchemist capable of refining a pill with a thirty percent success rate would be in high demand everywhere.

Yet his fortune was tied to Myriad Phenomena Pavilion.

Over the years, Zheng Huangjin had treated him well, and their friendship was deep—they even regarded each other as brothers.

And after Liu Xiaoxian took him as a disciple, perhaps not sincerely at first, but as time passed, she truly treated him as her only student.

Apart from Myriad Phenomena Pavilion, Li Guanxuan wanted nothing to do with other factions.

Who knew what future disputes he might get dragged into?

After hearing Li Guanxuan’s analysis, Zheng Huangjin was stunned. He stared, speechless. “You—you really are meticulous… No wonder you never accepted a guest elder position—you foresaw that factions would start targeting you?”

Li Guanxuan nodded slightly, “The guest elder role means little to me. I don’t care about the salary or benefits. With you and Master looking after me, how could the Pavilion branches in Shanggu City and Silver Maple City treat me poorly?”

“I concede…”

Zheng Huangjin sighed deeply—he genuinely admired this man.

Those talented alchemists and talisman masters wish for all of the cultivation world to know their names, hoping for fame and respect.

But Li Guanxuan did the opposite—he kept a low profile, never showing off.

If outsiders were present, he’d even address Liu Xiaoxian as Manager Liu or Senior Liu, making no attempt to appear close.

“Thankfully, those four Foundation Establishment Pills you gave me—I followed proper procedure, handed them over to Big Sis for the auction, and only earned merit. If I’d sold them in Silver Maple City, there would have been big trouble… Wait.”

Zheng Huangjin realized: even if he’d sold them in Silver Maple City, few could trace them back to Li Guanxuan.

After all, Fugui called him Talisman Master Li, not Alchemist Li…

Some unfamiliar with him started by calling him Alchemist, but soon switched to Talisman Master following Fugui’s lead.

Plus, he wasn’t the only one Zheng Huangjin personally served—so it was hard for anyone to deduce that Li Guanxuan was the person behind the thirty percent Foundation Establishment Pill.

“I usually have Fugui handle talismans and pills—the talismans mostly, and precious items I deliver personally, under the pretext of tea-drinking—so no one can trace them to me.”

Li Guanxuan rubbed his brow, feeling quite troubled. “I’ll send a message to Master first and discuss it with her. If it’s not feasible, I’ll ask her to help me bid for the late-phase Tier Two demon core, and I won’t show my face. The outside world is too dangerous.”

Seeing this cautious fellow, Zheng Huangjin could only nod helplessly.

Ever since he’d known Li Guanxuan, the man had always been protective of his life.

But in this cruel and perilous cultivation world, that was normal. If you weren’t careful, you’d end up devoured, not even bones remaining.

Still—

Li Guanxuan was perhaps a bit too cautious.

A short while later, Zheng Huangjin said, “Big Sis replied. If she helps you bid for the late-phase Tier Two demon core, the price will likely soar to absurd heights. The City Lord could even manipulate the auction, bid high for the core, and refuse to sell it to her.”

Hearing this, Li Guanxuan sighed, “So I’ll have to go myself?”

Zheng Huangjin nodded, adding, “Big Sis can’t get you an entry token either—you’ll have to arrange it yourself.”

“…”

Li Guanxuan truly felt a sense of “let the world end—I’m tired.”

He couldn’t ask anyone else to help him bid for the late-phase Tier Two demon core, since he only knew a handful of people, and they were all from Myriad Phenomena Pavilion.

Ask Qin Jiyue to go?

No, too dangerous. If anything happened, I’d blame myself to the point of sabotaging my foundation establishment.

Maybe Cao Mang…

Forget it. That big oaf might expose me entirely.

Besides, as an artificer, Cao Mang might covet the late-phase Tier Two demon core himself—no reason to test human nature like this.

After much deliberation, Li Guanxuan realized he had no choice but to go himself.

Seeing Li Guanxuan sitting there, torn with indecision, Zheng Huangjin urged, “If it’s really impossible, then let it go. Thirty percent is already impressive—no need to risk further.”

Li Guanxuan replied helplessly, “According to my plan, I must reach the peak of Qi Refining Ninth Layer within two years, then spend a year in seclusion for foundation establishment—only then is the success rate higher.

But ultimately, I’ll be nearly sixty when I attempt it, barely scraping past the danger line. So now, even the slightest hope of raising my chances, I must pursue it, lest an accident ruin everything.”

At this, Li Guanxuan ceased hesitating and resolved, “I have to attend the Shanggu City auction. I can assess the situation first, and if things seem too complicated, I’ll forgo the late-phase Tier Two demon core.”

Tempting as the late-phase demon core was, it paled in comparison to the value of his life.

If the City Lord had truly set a trap, he’d just slip away.

With Master’s protection, at worst his identity would be exposed, leading only to more minor annoyances and social entanglements in the future.

“If spring winds could show mercy to flowers, may I once again be young.”

Li Guanxuan recalled how, at twelve, he had wandered the ruins of Immortal Domain.

Hands in pockets, brash and wild—though battered and bruised, he had at least possessed an indomitable spirit.

Yet as the years passed, that fighting spirit had gradually faded.

Now, approaching sixty and on the verge of foundation establishment, it was time to muster a bit of courage once more.

“So be it—at least I’ll have no regrets,” Zheng Huangjin smiled.

“Let Master help me; I’ll need to disguise myself and alter my physique,” Li Guanxuan said with utmost seriousness.

“Don’t worry—Big Sis will arrange everything perfectly.”

“Then I’ll head back and discuss this with Jiyue.”

“Safe travels… Well, you’ll surely be cautious enough.”

“…”

…

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