Daily Divination From Market Rogue Cultivator To Immortal Venerable - Chapter 177

Chapter 177: Revenge for the Son’s Murder, It’s Okay Not to Retrieve (Please Subscribe)

Second Stage Body Refining.

Also known as the Foundation Building of the Flesh!

A physical cultivator who reaches this level can withstand the attacks of a Foundation Building cultivator with their physique alone.

In close combat,

they could even tear a Foundation Building cultivator apart!

However, this path is incredibly painful and consumes unimaginable resources, so few can reach the second stage.

The sheer amount of resources Li Changan has invested in body refinement along the way is enough to leave many Foundation Building cultivators dumbfounded.

“Finally…”

He excitedly stretched his muscles, feeling an unparalleled surge of strength.

Now,

he no longer needed any external aids.

Relying solely on his own strength, he could battle a Foundation Building cultivator!

This was the crucial step in the leap.

Fortunately, he made it through successfully.

From then on, he had completely broken free from the shackles of a lower-level cultivator and reached a new level.

Recalling the hardships along the way,

Li Changan felt both joy and a sense of emotion.

“It’s been tough.”

He had stepped over the corpses of countless geniuses along the way.

Most of his hard-earned resources were invested in the Body Refining path.

This was because it had no spiritual root restrictions. As long as one had sufficient resources and could endure the pain, one could continue to grow.

His current achievements proved that

Li Changan’s original choice was a correct one. He

had indeed achieved a breakthrough in the Body Refining path earlier than in the Qi Refining path, giving him the confidence to face the Foundation Establishment stage head-on!

“Don’t be complacent. The road ahead is long.”

Li Changan took several deep breaths, slowly suppressing his surging emotions.

He constantly reminded himself to never let his guard down.

The second-level Body Refining path was just a new starting point.

While he was formidable now, facing a Jindan cultivator would be a dead end.

Even if he combined all his skills, he was no match for Xiahou Hong, let alone his master, Master Huang He.

…

Half a month later,

Li Changan’s Body Refining cultivation had been completely consolidated.

He went to the courtyard and battled two spirit beasts in turn to test the true strength of his second-level Body Refining path.

The results were largely as he expected.

Spirit beasts are different from human cultivators.

Their physical strength is often incredibly strong, requiring no deliberate physical training; as long as they grow naturally, they possess powerful physiques.

For this reason,

Li Changan didn’t gain any advantage when fighting against Xiao Hei and Da Huang.

Xiao Hei was the first of the three to break through to the second level, and he was also the strongest, overwhelming Li Changan.

Da Huang was slightly weaker,

but Li Changan still couldn’t gain the upper hand when fighting him.

Over time,

he was bound to lose!

“Forget it, let’s end it today, no more fighting!”

Li Changan waved his hand, knowing that there was no point in fighting any further; he would simply be serving as a punching bag for the two spirit beasts.

The turtle and the dog, however, were still a little reluctant to give up.

They all looked at Li Changan, eager to try.

Li Changan didn’t bother to pay attention to the two guys.

Just because he couldn’t defeat them now didn’t mean he couldn’t in the future.

“According to the Demonic Dragon Body Tempering Technique, my current stage of Body Tempering is Level 2, Level 1. I still have a long way to go, and I can continue to grow stronger.”

He had prepared for the worst, having already collected almost all the treasures required for Level 2, Level 2 Body Tempering.

Only a few remained.

As long as he visited the black market or trading areas regularly, he would eventually collect them all.

…

Time flew by, and months passed.

One day,

Li Changan went to the black market as usual and stumbled upon a Level 2 Earth Element treasure.

“Friend Li, is that you?”

Luo Baitong suddenly approached, whispering a message.

Li Changan nodded.

“It’s me.”

“Your disguise skills are truly becoming more and more sophisticated,”

Luo Baitong marveled.

If it weren’t for the mutually resonant treasures, he would never have recognized Li Changan.

This was the power of the Painted Skin Technique.

Li Changan now

could change into any appearance at will.

Back then,

if Lu Yuanji had been more cautious, he wouldn’t have ended up dead, and perhaps he would have already established his foundation.

Li Changan asked, “Fellow Daoist Luo, what do you want from me? Are the people from the Blood Beast Valley causing you trouble?”

“Not really,”

Luo Baitong shook his head.

A know-it-all like him knew so many people. No matter

how ruthless the Blood Beast Valley was, they wouldn’t attack him just because he knew Li Changan.

He sought out Li Changan to share something.

“Fellow Daoist Li, I’ve got some news on the Sky-Withered Wood you asked me to find.”

“Tell me more.”

Li Changan immediately perked up.

Sky-Withered Wood was the final precious ingredient needed for a second-tier puppet.

With this ingredient, he could confidently craft a second-tier puppet.

“Just a few days ago, a fellow Daoist posted a quest to explore the Ancient Wood Secret Realm. The reward was a piece of Sky-Withered Wood.”

“Where is that fellow Daoist?”

Li Changan wanted to meet him and exchange money directly,

rather than exploring the secret realm.

Luo Baitong replied, “That fellow Daoist isn’t on the black market, but within the secret realm. He’s given a location and asked the person who accepts the quest to find him there. Fellow Daoist Li, do you have any ideas?”

“Let me think about it.”

“This quest has been posted for a few days, but it’s still on the quest list. I don’t think it’s going to be easy. Fellow Daoist Li, there’s no need to rush into a decision.”

“Yes.” Li Changan had always kept a distance from secret realms. After   all these years of cultivating immortality

, Li Changan had always been wary of them.   He had only visited the secret realm once, not to search for treasure, but to kill Huang Feng.   Although that mission had yielded fruitful results, even helping him reach the foundation-building stage of spiritual consciousness early, he still didn’t want to go again.   ”Let’s see what the hexagram indicates.”   …   That evening,   Li Changan returned to his house.   He sat cross-legged, practicing his cultivation techniques, silently breathing in spiritual energy, and awaiting the hexagram’s appearance .   It was midnight.   A golden light appeared on time.   [Hexagram Refreshed]   [Today’s Hexagram: Auspicious]   [You accepted the quest and journeyed to the secret realm to find the quest’s issuer. However, this quest turned out to be a trap, issued by none other than the Lord of the Blood Beast Valley.]   [He commanded the second-level demon beast, the Blood Roar Beast, to attack you, but you counterattacked and killed him, taking all the treasures.]   ”A trap?”   Li Changan was surprised.   He had considered several possibilities, but this one hadn’t occurred to him.   How had the Blood Beast Valley known he needed the Heavenly Dead Wood?   Perhaps Luo Baitong had colluded with the Blood Beast Valley and betrayed his information.   It’s also possible that Luo Baitong’s long-standing inquiries about the Heavenly Dead Tree, coupled with his close relationship with Li Changan, led the Blood Beast Valley to make this assumption.   However,   either way,   it made little difference to Li Changan.   The hexagram indicated an auspicious sign, indicating a smooth journey.   ”A second-level demon beast. Kill it and you’ll definitely obtain a second-level demon core!”   Li Changan smiled.   He was just worrying about not having a second-level demon core, and the Blood Beast Valley offered one.   ”Xiao Hei, Da Huang, prepare yourselves! Follow me tomorrow to kill!”   Li Changan, unfazed, instructed his two spirit beasts.   The demon beast in the Blood Beast Valley had been renowned for years, so he had to approach it with caution.   …   The next day, just after dawn,   Li Changan arrived at the black market, entered the secret room where the Three Tribulations Alliance issued missions, and accepted the mission to explore the secret realm.   The person issuing the mission was named “Qian Dao Ren,” presumably the alias of Yan Yuan, the Blood Beast Valley master.   Afterward,   Li Changan entered the Black Dragon Mountains and sped towards the entrance to the Ancient Tree Secret Realm.   The hundreds-foot-high waterfall quickly appeared before him.   Without hesitation, he dodged and plunged into it, entering the passage behind the waterfall and speeding along.   A moment later,   the oppressive aura descended upon Li Changan once again.   ”Ancient Tree Secret Realm…”   He gazed solemnly ahead.   The sky and earth remained gloomy, filled with the scent of blood, and the ground was dotted with twisted ancient trees.   This time,   Li Changan heard no strange sounds.   He remained vigilant, slowing his pace, avoiding each dangerous area, and safely arrived at the assigned location.   It was a valley.   The rocks were jagged, and a cold wind howled.   The sound was sharp and piercing, like the mournful wails of countless people.   ”Is Fellow Daoist Qian here?”   ”I am Li Fan, here on a mission.”   ”Which area of the secret realm are you planning to explore?”   Li Changan feigned ignorance, approaching the valley and asking loudly.   As soon as he finished speaking,   a blood-red formation suddenly arose, enveloping the entire valley and trapping Li Changan.   His expression changed, and he feigned confusion as he asked, “Fellow Daoist Qian, what are you doing? I mean no harm.”   ”Fellow Daoist Li, you may not mean any harm, but I do!”   a hoarse voice echoed from within the valley.   Then,   a figure in a blood-stained robe emerged.

This man had a thin face and a cold expression, staring at Li Changan with his blood-red eyes.

It was none other than the Blood Beast Valley’s master, the renegade disciple of the Beast Taming Zhou family.

Yan Yuan!

Seeing this man,

Li Chang’an acted as if he were surprised.

“It’s you, Fellow Daoist Zhou.”

“My last name isn’t Zhou, it’s Yan!”

Yan Yuan shouted coldly, the murderous intent in his eyes instantly intensifying, as if provoked by Li Chang’an’s words.

Li Chang’an cupped his hands.

“Well, Fellow Daoist Yan, was today’s incident a trap you deliberately set?”

“Indeed!”

Yan Yuan appeared out of thin air, his blood-red robe rustling in the wind.

He said coldly, “Li Fan, you killed my descendants, slaughtered my Blood Beast Valley cultivators, and trampled on the reputation of my Blood Beast Valley to make a name for yourself. Do you really think all this came without a price?”

“Fellow Daoist Yan seems to have misunderstood.”

Li Chang’an’s expression was calm, no longer as frightened as before.

“I never intended to kill your offspring, but Fellow Daoist Yan Yu insisted, and I had no choice but to do it.”

“If my son wanted to kill you, you should have offered your head. Why resist? That’s your fault!”

“…”

Li Chang’an remained silent.

With such a character, it was no wonder he’d condemned the Zhou family.

It was no wonder Yan Yu behaved the way he did; it was simply due to a corrupt father.

“Fellow Daoist Yan, now that things have come to this, there’s no point in saying more. I just want to know why you knew I needed the Sky-Withered Wood?”

“Hmph, that Luo Baitong keeps asking about the Sky-Withered Wood

. Does he really think I don’t know?” Yan Yuan’s answer

was similar to what Li Chang’an had imagined.

Because Luo Baitong had been working for Li Chang’an for years, the Blood Beast Valley had taken a special interest in him. They infiltrated the robbery organization he founded and learned about several treasures he had recently been collecting.

Yan Yuan suspected that at least one was for Li Chang’an.

Therefore,

he used these treasures to deliberately issue several missions

to attract Li Chang’an.

After hearing this, Li Chang’an asked again, “Fellow Daoist Yan, do you truly possess the Heavenly Dead Wood?”

Yan Yuan snorted coldly, “Of course I do!”

“That’s good! It seems my trip wasn’t in vain. Thank you, Fellow Daoist Yan, for the gift.”

Li Chang’an smiled.

Upon hearing this, Yan Yuan flew into a rage, his blood-red eyes threatening to burst with rage.

“You dare to be stubborn even when death is imminent!”

He waved his hand, his whole body brimming with murderous intent.

The next moment,

a streak of blood flew from his spirit beast pouch, transforming into a scarlet, toad-like demonic beast.

It was the Blood Roaring Beast!

With a furious roar, it charged towards Li Chang’an with terrifying force.

Simultaneously, the blood-red formation enveloping the valley began to activate, unleashing a terrifying murderous aura, subtly locking onto Li Chang’an’s location.

A second-tier demonic beast and a second-tier formation—this was Yan Yuan’s death trap for Li Chang’an!

“Li Fan, prepare to die!”

He stood at the edge of the formation, brimming with confidence, as if he had already seen Li Chang’an being torn apart.

However,

the next moment…

Two beams of spiritual light, one black and one yellow, flew out of Li Chang’an’s spirit beast bag, transforming into two powerful spirit beasts. They were Little Black and Big Yellow.

“Roar!”

Big Yellow roared, instantly charging forward to engage the Blood Roar Beast.

Little Black followed suit, unleashing his full might without holding back.

In an instant,

three second-tier great demons engaged in a fierce battle.

A violent and terrifying explosion of power shook the earth and mountains, and demonic energy surged.

Seeing this scene,

Yan Yuan’s expression suddenly changed.

“Two second-tier great demons!”

he cried hoarsely in disbelief.

Before this battle, no one in the black market had ever seen these two second-tier great demons. All the Tribulation Cultivators’ impression of Li Chang’an came from the Exalted Soul Banner!

Who would have thought he was so well hidden?

Yan Yuan knew something was amiss.

He immediately activated his formation with all his might, attempting to kill Li Chang’an first.

“If Li Fan dies, even if his two spirit beasts survive, they’ll be severely damaged!”

The spirit contracts between spirit beasts and their masters are often very strict.

When a master dies, a spirit beast will most likely die as well, unless the master changes its spirit contract before dying.

Yan Yuan’s idea was correct.

However,

he was shocked to discover that his second-level, low-grade formation was out of control!

Not far away,

a black and white chessboard appeared in Li Changan’s hand.

The black piece had already fallen, freezing the entire formation.

“Fellow Daoist Yan, it seems your trap is not as powerful as you imagined.”

Li Changan’s mind moved, and a sinister soul flag immediately appeared in his hand.

Seeing this soul flag,

Yan Yuan’s face changed again, and he turned and ran.

Despite his fame, he was ultimately only a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining, his fame largely due to the Blood Roaring Beast.

Without his spirit beast,

how could he be a match for Li Changan?

But as soon as he escaped the formation,

Li Changan was already before him.

Yan Yuan immediately pleaded for mercy: “Friend Li, you and I are both members of the Three Tribulations Alliance. Why fight to the death? Please spare my life!”

Li Changan was slightly surprised.

“How can I? Friend Yan, I killed your own son. Don’t you want revenge?”

“A mere revenge for the murder of my son, I won’t!”

Yan Yuan knelt decisively.

He patted his chest and swore an oath with his Dao heart.

“From this day forward, I sever all ties of father and son with that rebellious son!”

“…”

Li Changan was speechless.

Yan Yuan was flexible and adaptable, a true talent.

However,

those who should be killed must be killed.

Li Changan’s mind moved, and a second-level main soul floated out from the Exalted Soul Banner.

Seeing this second-level main soul.

Yan Yuan’s face paled, his eyes filled with horror.

He had never imagined that, besides two spirit beasts, Li Chang’an also

possessed a second-level main soul. Three second-level combatants!

Had he known this, he would never have dared to provoke Li Chang’an.

“Friend Li, spare my life!

Spare my life!” Yan Yuan begged with horror and remorse.

He wished he could go back in time and strangle Yan Yu to death when he was just born!

If it weren’t for that rebellious son, he wouldn’t have provoke such a powerful foe as Li Chang’an.

But there’s no medicine for regret in this world.

In the blink of an eye,

the second-level main soul removed his head.

Li Chang’an called softly.

“Soul!”

The next moment,

Yan Yuan’s terrified spirit appeared above his corpse.

Before he could continue to plead,

Li Chang’an casually waved his hand and tossed it into the Exalted Soul Banner.

At the same time,

the Blood Roaring Beast’s aura in the valley suddenly dropped, and a roar of unwillingness was heard.

“Roar—”

Yan Yuan had signed a most demanding spiritual contract with him.

Now that Yan Yuan was dead,

he naturally couldn’t live any longer.

It was as if an invisible blade of time had instantly slashed through his body, severing all his lifespan.

The Blood Roar Beast collapsed heavily, breathless.

Xiao Hei and Da Huang stepped forward, gazing at it warily.

The Blood Roar Beast’s strength was approaching the mid-second stage, and its vast experience in combat put considerable pressure on them.

A moment later,

Li Changan collected Yan Yuan’s storage bag and treasures and expertly cremated its remains.

He entered the valley and approached the Blood Roar Beast’s corpse, a flicker of regret crossing his face.

“Unfortunately, the Honored Soul Banner can only absorb the souls of human cultivators, not demon souls.”

Legend has it that

there are specialized Demon Soul Banners to deal with demon souls.

Li Changan possessed no Demon Soul Banner, nor any other treasures to imprison demon souls, so he could only allow the Blood Roar Beast’s spirit to escape.

“Don’t be too greedy. This demon corpse is more than enough!”

Li Chang’an smiled as he circled the corpse several times, observing it.

Not long after,

he wielded a sharp blade, splitting open the Blood Roar Beast’s skull and extracting a fist-sized treasure resembling a date pit, reeking of blood.

It was the very second-level demon core Li Chang’an had longed for!

Nearby,

Xiao Hei and Da Huang’s eyes lit up.

The power contained within the demon core was immense, and would benefit them both.

“Don’t worry, let me see it first.”

Li Chang’an held the demon core in his hand, carefully sensing it.

For refining Foundation Establishment Pills, second-level demon cores with no attributes are best; these are the easiest to produce high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills.

If no attribute-free cores are available, milder demon cores can be used.

But…

the second-level demon core in Li Chang’an’s hand was filled with a bloody and violent aura.

With his current attainments in alchemy, he could easily tell that this demon core was not the best choice for alchemy.

“I can refine it, but I probably won’t be able to refine a high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill.”

Li Changan frowned slightly.

To ensure his foundation was foolproof,

he wanted to obtain a high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill to increase his chances of success.

Even if it was only halfway successful, it would give him peace of mind.

“Never mind. My alchemy skills haven’t reached the second level after all. I’ll have to ask Zheng Qingqing. Then I’ll say I found this demon core.”

(End of this chapter)