Chapter 83: Unraveling the Knot

Razor-sharp sword energy lingered around You Shaoneng. He was now trapped within a formation, and likely within a formation inside a formation—even his clan’s ancestor might not be able to escape.

Once he understood this, You Shaoneng’s heart sank completely. He tried to intimidate his foe by invoking the name of the illustrious Huajing Immortal City, but the sword energy swirling around him only grew fiercer. Above his head, a vortex of sword energy began to gather, threatening to tear him apart at any moment.

He stared at the painting before him; it depicted a man and a woman. The man’s smile was bright and hearty, the woman’s expression tinged with helpless amusement. In their eyes, the sorrows and joys of life mingled, and in the end, what remained between them was love.

You Shaoneng studied the portrait closely, but he could no longer recall who these two had been. He could only say, “Sir, the You Clan is a renowned beast-taming immortal family. We can offer you—”

Before he could finish, a scream of unspeakable pain tore from his throat as two swords plunged into his body.

“It’s pointless. People like you would never remember them.”

A soft sigh drifted from the void as sword energy struck down.

There was no further conversation—Li Guanzhuan had come to kill, not to reminisce with You Shaoneng about the past.

A flying sword severed You Shaoneng’s head; sword energy rippled outward, and then ten flying swords plunged into the earth, subtly forming a formation.

“Almost forgot—all beast tamers of the You Clan possess a life-bound beast. Slaying the cultivator alone won’t suffice; the beast must die as well.”

“Who are you?!” You Shaoneng’s voice shook with terror. This man, though only at the ninth level of Qi Refining, not only had a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator as an ally, but even his ten flying swords were second-tier treasures—a wealthy foe, and one who clearly understood the You Clan well.

He racked his brain but could not recall when he had ever provoked such a person.

“The one who will kill you.”

Li Guanzhuan never showed himself from beginning to end, remaining hidden within the formation, wielding his sword by remote command.

Soon, a gold-toothed rat hiding underground was impaled by a flying sword and torn to pieces by the reverberating sword energy.

You Shaoneng’s dismembered corpse lay with eyes wide open, a trace of death seeping into his gaze, unable to find peace in death.

“Not dead yet. That gold-toothed rat wasn’t his true life-bound beast,” said a peak Foundation Establishment puppet adept at tracking.

Liu Xiaoxian had been watching the proceedings all along. Her treasured disciple was cautious, but only when it came to himself. In terms of knowledge of the cultivation world, he was still too inexperienced and easily deceived…

But when she saw Li Guanzhuan produce the corpse-dissolving powder, that thought instantly vanished.

This boy was even more cunning than she’d imagined.

You Shaoneng’s severed head stared in horror and rage. He knew his chances of survival were zero. He roared, “I am betrothed to the Hua family of Huajing Immortal City! If you kill me, the You Clan and the Hua family will not rest until your true identities are uncovered! No matter how formidable a Foundation Establishment cultivator you are, you are no match for a Golden Core master. Think carefully!”

“I’ve already thought it through.”

While You Shaoneng was on the verge of death, Li Guanzhuan had already found his true life-bound beast—a small black-and-white snake lurking beneath his body.

Had he used the corpse-dissolving powder earlier, the snake would have burrowed into the earth and hidden until they left.

As You Shaoneng’s eyes filled with terror and despair, the ten flying swords unleashed their lethal energy, slicing the snake into segments.

A soft hiss accompanied the fall of the corpse-dissolving powder as You Shaoneng’s head, body, and the life-bound snake were all gradually corroded away.

Li Guanzhuan’s ruthless efficiency came as a surprise even to Liu Xiaoxian.

She had thought Li Guanzhuan would hesitate to kill You Shaoneng, fearing the Hua family of Huajing Immortal City—a prominent cultivation family guarded by a Golden Core master, with strength that was anything but trivial.

Even if Li Guanzhuan had achieved Foundation Establishment, for the next several decades, perhaps even a century, he would stand no chance against a Golden Core master.

Was it worth it?

Was it truly worth it to do all this for the sake of a pair of once-impoverished mortals?

Liu Xiaoxian did not ask. She had already seen the answer with her own eyes.

“Are they all dead?” Liu Xiaoxian’s voice reached Li Guanzhuan’s ears.

Though she was his master, she now sought his opinion.

“If we kill them all, the Hua family won’t let it go. After all, it’s not as if we’re wiping out the entire You Clan in one stroke,” Li Guanzhuan reflected. “If the Hua family traces it back to you, Master, you’ll be in great trouble… Let them go. This time, we only kill one at the peak of Qi Refining. If the You Clan and the Hua family pursue it to the end, I’ll simply hide in Silver Maple City and not show myself. As long as we leave no trace, it will be fine.”

Li Guanzhuan had no intention of dragging Liu Xiaoxian into this mess. He was already deeply grateful that his master had helped set up the ambush.

“Since when have I ever feared trouble?” Liu Xiaoxian smiled faintly. With a wave of her hand, she sent Li Guanzhuan and Qin Jiyue flying from the scene, her voice ringing in their ears: “I’ve been keeping an eye on the surroundings—no one has passed by. Leave this place at once, and make sure there’s not a trace left behind. I’ll handle the rest.”

Li Guanzhuan and Qin Jiyue glanced at Liu Xiaoxian’s three peak Foundation Establishment puppets and understood that to cover their tracks, their master would have to sacrifice these three puppets, never bringing them back to Shanggu Valley lest the Hua family discover the truth.

“Let’s go.” Li Guanzhuan sighed softly. He still had plenty of spirit stones, which could at least compensate his master for her loss.

Qin Jiyue nodded, and seeing the relief in Li Guanzhuan’s eyes, her worries eased somewhat.

To break through to Foundation Establishment, one must not leave any inner demons unresolved.

While Li Guanzhuan had already passed the spiritual sense barrier, he was still a step short in both the blood and qi barrier and the cultivation technique barrier.

He slapped two Purification Talismans onto himself, ripples spreading out.

Only when they confirmed no trace remained did Li Guanzhuan and Qin Jiyue speed toward Silver Maple City.

…

After Li Guanzhuan and Qin Jiyue left, the You Clan’s ancestor knew their fate was sealed.

There was no escaping it. If blame was to be laid, it was for failing to properly guide the clan’s younger generation, which had drawn the wrath of such a terrifying cultivator.

At that moment, the ancestor recalled his betrayal of Joy Mountain, as well as the siege of Falling Moon Valley by major powers. As a subordinate of Falling Moon Valley, he had led his clan to flee…

He hadn’t been a worthy example, and naturally, his descendants followed in his footsteps.

Bang!

As the ancestor reminisced, a massive fist struck, reducing him to a mist of blood and erasing even his bones.

The two remaining elders and disciples met the same fate.

When the business was done, Liu Xiaoxian erased all traces, and the three top-tier second-rank puppets sped off into the depths of the Immortal Ruins.

…

Safely back in Silver Maple City, Li Guanzhuan drew two more Purification Talismans, slapping them onto himself just in case some trace remained from their journey.

When venturing outside, until one has absolute strength, caution is never wrong.

To Li Guanzhuan’s surprise, however, Cao Mang had also just returned to Silver Maple City.

“Brother Cao… you look exhausted, and you’ve lost weight,” Li Guanzhuan remarked in astonishment, then teased him.

“Brother Li…” Cao Mang’s cheeks and eye sockets were slightly sunken, his lips pale and bloodless—gone was the robust vigor he’d had a month ago.

Yet a genuine smile now lit up his face as he grinned foolishly, “Brother Li, you truly are my teacher… That month in the Beautiful Immortal Pavilion, I gained so much. I finally understood what you meant by ‘the shyness of maidens and young married women.’ That’s what it means to be an old hand—marvelous, truly marvelous~”

Li Guanzhuan: “…”

Qin Jiyue: “…”

Why did it feel as though Cao Mang had fallen into some sort of abyss?

“As long as you understand!” Li Guanzhuan clapped his shoulder. “Have you learned to control your strength?”

“All thanks to the lessons of the fairies! Now I’m a veteran—proficient in every weapon!” Cao Mang’s old swagger returned as he laughed, “Once I marry and have a few children, the clan will allocate resources to me, and I won’t have to earn spirit stones with my own hands anymore.”

…

Li Guanzhuan and Qin Jiyue were momentarily speechless.

That goal sounded strangely familiar.

As they walked and chatted, Qin Jiyue said nothing, but quietly slipped her arm through Li Guanzhuan’s, strolling through the city streets.

She had come to truly cherish this peaceful, tranquil life.

After bidding farewell, Li Guanzhuan and Qin Jiyue returned home, only to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowing into the cultivation room.

“Zhiqiao is breaking through,” Qin Jiyue said,