Chapter 446: Zhong Qian

After Ning Heyuan finished speaking, both men understood the situation. Li Qinghong then inquired about the treasures within the cave. Ning Heyuan listened to the description and softly replied, "I will send someone to investigate this immediately."

Li Qinghong nodded. Ning Heyuan hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Brother-in-law, there's news from the sect."

Li Qinghong understood the implication, cupped his hands, and withdrew. Li Xuanfeng looked at Ning Heyuan, who continued, "The sect's market on the side of Hetian Sea... has been attacked by that water ape again. Brother-in-law, would you like to choose a good time to go there yourself, or should I send someone to resolve it?"

This water ape was something Yuansu had mentioned before, so Li Xuanfeng naturally wouldn't let Ning Heyuan handle it. He replied, "I will leave immediately after half a month of secluded cultivation."

Ning Heyuan remained polite; even if given more courage, he wouldn't dare interfere with a True Person's arrangements. He nodded in agreement. Li Xuanfeng handed him the Longevity Mu Spirit Pill and said softly, "Please exchange this for some other elixirs for me. They should also aid in Foundation Establishment cultivation."

He stared at him and said in a deep voice, "Make sure they are clean."

Ning Heyuan paused, lowered his gaze, and nodded, replying, "Heyuan understands."

Ning Heyuan organized his thoughts, then took a small mirror from his sleeve and handed it to Li Xuanfeng. He said, "That water ape is cunning and good at concealing its form, making it difficult to deal with. This is the 'Questing Flowlight' artifact, left here by a True Person many years ago, specifically for detecting hidden forms."

Li Xuanfeng took it and examined it. The mirror was aquamarine, palm-sized when unfolded, crystal clear, with spiritual light flowing within it. It was a Foundation Establishment artifact, exceptionally nimble and unusual in appearance.

Ning Heyuan explained, "This artifact nurtures a wisp of divine ability, allowing it to perceive illusions. Most concealment techniques below the Purple Palace realm will be exposed when illuminated by this artifact."

Li Xuanfeng examined it carefully and nodded, saying, "A good artifact."

Ning Heyuan quietly retreated, leaving Li Xuanfeng alone in the cave, holding a jade cup in silence.

Li Xuanfeng waited for the stone door to close, then mused, "A late-stage Foundation Establishment water ape... wants me to travel thousands of miles for it... Yuansu's intention must not be that simple. Is it a test... or an opportunity?"

"The opening of the Green Pine Temple ruins is imminent... If Yuansu wants to send someone, besides Ning Wan, I am the only one with the highest combat power among his subordinates. He would never risk Ning Wan, so it's very likely he wants me to go..."

Li Xuanfeng had just heard Ning Heyuan explain about the Green Pine Temple, and only then did he gain a realization. Perhaps one of the reasons True Person Yuansu took him under his wing years ago was for this Green Pine Temple.

Calculating the timing, it seemed not far off. Li Xuanfeng was silent for a moment, then took out several types of healing elixirs from his storage bag. He chose two suitable ones, swallowed them, and quietly resumed his secluded cultivation.

Li Qinghong only stayed in the market for a few days. The Ning family soon sought him out. Ning Heyuan, dressed in brocade robes, arrived to visit, accompanied by two guest elders.

Li Qinghong had been practicing spear techniques these past few days, with his hair tied up and wearing light armor, looking very capable. Ning Heyuan chatted briefly, then without much ado, took out several red jade stones from his sleeve, arranged them in a line from left to right, and said softly, "Qinghong, take a look and see which one matches best."

The Ning family was wealthy and powerful, having obtained samples of several possible spirit items. Li Qinghong had visited the cave before leaving, so he immediately pointed to the leftmost item. "My uncle took me to see it; this is exactly it."

Ning Heyuan said regretfully, "Indeed. From your description, it must be the Earth-Gazing Bloodstone. This item barely qualifies as a Foundation Establishment spirit material, but a thousand years ago, it was extremely valuable, coveted even by those in the Purple Palace realm..."

"As for now... although rare, its value isn't high. Just hearing your description of its table-like size, it can barely be considered a treasure."

Li Qinghong pondered for a moment, "I'd like to hear more details."

Ning Heyuan cleared his throat and explained, "The Earth-Gazing Bloodstone is very effective in mending deficiencies and replenishing blood vitality. It can heal broken limbs and cultivate certain special spells... In the past, many spells could not be practiced without it."

"But now, blood vitality can be bought in ordinary markets, and with cheap alternatives, this spirit item is no longer needed. At best, it's just some high-quality blood vitality."

"I see."

A smile appeared on Li Qinghong's face, and he thought to himself, 'This item might be useless to you, but it's very precious to my family.'

Ning Heyuan continued, "As for that palm-sized golden stone, it should be the co-existing Altar Goldstone. It's very sturdy, and this is a higher-grade Foundation Establishment material! It can be used to make artifacts like magic shields, but it's just a bit small."

He smiled, "This is quite common; after all, the 'Three Gold Attainments' are all within the sea, and many spirit items will have goldstone as a byproduct. I presume over fifty percent of your noble family's mineral veins are goldstone!"

'Over fifty percent? Not at all! All three mineral veins in my family are goldstone! Even the Xiao family's Jade Essence Copper, which is somewhat related, is goldstone...!'

Li Qinghong muttered to himself, but only smiled and nodded on the surface.

He then asked Ning Heyuan for the mining method for this ore, planning to wait for Li Xuanfeng to finish his current affairs before heading to Zongquan Island together.

Li Xuanfeng's injuries on his hand healed quickly. Although they looked dreadful, most were self-inflicted cracks due to excessive strain on his body. With the blessing of talismans and Qi, these injuries were minor.

"The 'Power of a Thousand Jun' has progressed so much over the years."

As Li Xuanfeng's cultivation advanced, the amplification brought by the 'Power of a Thousand Jun' increased significantly over the years. Having also consumed many treasures from the Southern Border, his current strength rivaled that of Foundation Establishment demonic beasts, allowing him to unleash such terrifying power with the Golden Geng Longbow.

He then instructed Ning Heyuan, rose into the wind, stepping on a golden shuttle, and flew northeast. After traversing several waterways, the sea beneath him quickly turned a deep blue.

"Hetian Sea."

Hetian Sea and Zhulu Sea were at opposite ends. Hetian Sea was even larger and was the lair of the Dragon Clan. Its color was closer to a deep blue, with vast waves, few islands, and very deep waters.

Originally, under the sunlight, the Hetian Sea, with its unified sky and sea, was a magnificent sight. However, his timing was unfortunate; it was the time of the East Sea Anomaly, and the world was pitch black, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of their face.

Li Xuanfeng broke through the sea and flew up, his golden shuttle slowly circling beneath him. He finally saw a small island, not very large, about the size of a town. A large, earthy-yellow array stood tall on it, appearing ready for battle.

"According to the guidance, this should be the market."

He slowly paused in the wind and indeed saw the coastline in disarray, with many signs of destruction. He wondered aloud, "What's wrong with this water ape? The Azure Pond Sect is renowned both domestically and abroad; it must be tired of living..."

As soon as Li Xuanfeng stopped, an old man flew out from the market, glanced at him, and hesitated, "Are you General Li...?"

This was the first time Li Xuanfeng had been addressed as 'General' outside of the Southern Border. He nodded, "That's right."

He touched the dark golden tiger head on his waist, revealing a white token. The old man quickly verified it and repeatedly said, "We have finally awaited your arrival, esteemed sir!"

The two descended with the wind. Li Xuanfeng paused slightly before the array, and the old man immediately understood. He took out an array token from his waist, which emitted an earthy-yellow light, indicating that the large array was fully activated.

Li Xuanfeng took control of the array's ownership and casually deactivated it. He said softly, "I am on the island; there's no need for such stringent defense."

"Yes, sir!"

The old man welcomed him down and respectfully said, "I am Yuan Huer, greetings, General."

Li Xuanfeng glanced at him and asked, "The Yuan family of Xunlin?"

"Precisely!"

Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly. As the two families had a connection, he didn't waste time and went straight to the point, "What about that water ape?"

Yuan Huer shook his head and sighed, "This demonic beast is a subordinate of the Dragon Clan. It has some background, isn't afraid of us, and its power is great. It has driven us to the point where we dare not leave the island. This has been going on for half a year, disrupting many businesses. All irrelevant personnel on the island have now been dispersed."

"A subordinate of the Dragon Clan?"

Li Xuanfeng was a bit surprised, but remembering Yuansu's earlier words, he immediately thought, "Could Yuansu be trying to use me as a pawn to offend the Dragon Clan, and then throw me out to take the blame?"

He quickly reviewed the situation in his mind, and doubts arose. His previous judgment wavered. He thought, "No... this market isn't the Ning family's; it's sect property. At most, it belongs to the Chi family. Why would Yuansu go to such lengths for others?"

Feeling slightly calmer, he asked, "Why is this water ape harassing you all without cause?"

Yuan Huer, seeing Li Xuanfeng in thought, hadn't dared to speak, but now he lowered his voice, "We asked earlier as well. It claims someone stole its precious medicine and is hiding in the market... It demands that we open the grand array so it can investigate... But how can we open it? Once the array is open, it will just say whatever it wants..."

Li Xuanfeng paused, then said in a low voice, "Go down first, and compile a report on that water ape's immortal foundation, artifacts, and spells."

Yuan Huer led him down, cleared out the most luxurious hall, and handed him a small report. Seeing Li Xuanfeng wave his hand, he wisely retreated.

"Water ape... violent nature, fond of cannibalism, Dao foundation's secret White Mercury... quite rare... capable of concealing its form, lurking in the sea, body like silver, and proficient in spells... no wonder it caught the attention of the Dragon Clan."

'Yuansu's exact words were that besides this water ape, no matter what, this water ape is certainly dead; there's no path to reconciliation.'

Li Xuanfeng held the small report, silent. He was still pondering Yuansu's arrangements, deducing, 'This water ape likely misjudged the situation, but its claim that someone stole its precious medicine and is hiding on the island is probably true... This makes it clear.'

He flew out of the great hall, ascending above the island. From his pocket, he took out a palm-sized aquamarine mirror—the Questing Flowlight.

'Investigate the water ape? I doubt it.'

Li Xuanfeng activated the mirror, closing his eyes. Bright blue light flowed from the small mirror, sweeping across the island. This mirror naturally couldn't compare to the family's Dharma Mirror. He channeled his spiritual power into it, and it took several breaths before he could slowly discern the scenery below.

Only Azure Pond Sect cultivators remained on the island. Among the sea of green robes, a young figure was indeed seated cross-legged at the most spiritually abundant spot on the island, cultivating silently.

'Peak Qi Condensation cultivation...'

If no surprises, this person must be the one the water ape had been pursuing. Li Xuanfeng, just by looking at his cultivation, immediately whispered, "Peak Qi Condensation? Stole precious medicine? He undoubtedly has a destiny!"

Li Xuanfeng pondered for a while, then realized, "It seems this water ape is ignorant of the situation, clueless, and causing endless trouble, trapping this person on the island! It's delaying the matters of the Purple Palace cultivators. Yuansu sent me to kill it to clear a path for this youth!"

He nodded slightly. As for the water ape... perhaps its entangled fate led the Dragon Prince behind it not to intervene, or it had unknowingly offended someone, or it had become a casualty in the factional struggles following the demise of a demon king.

His gaze returned to the mirror in his hand, and doubt arose in his heart, "He didn't have to give me this mirror... just letting me eliminate this demonic beast would suffice... Yuansu's intention... is probably still to give me an opportunity."

Thinking of this, Li Xuanfeng's dark golden armor slowly appeared on his body, his golden bow fierce. He then descended with the wind, landing beside the youth.

"He certainly knows how to pick a spot; this is one of the best cultivation locations on the island."

He made no sound, simply stood with his hands behind his back, standing beside the youth.

The youth had clear features and was dressed neatly. Although not particularly handsome, his demeanor was remarkably outstanding. Li Xuanfeng looked at him twice and mused, "His fate is truly extraordinary... what kind of extraordinariness is it... that allows him to repeatedly turn danger into safety?"

The youth soon stirred his eyelids, slowly opening his eyes. His gaze was deep. He was slightly stunned, his expression changing in an instant, his face turning pale with shock and loss of composure.

"This!"

He had only been cultivating briefly, yet suddenly, a middle-aged man in dark golden armor, with a cloak draped over his shoulders and eagle-like eyes, appeared before him out of nowhere. His aura was clearly that of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, scaring him into jumping up on the spot. Even with his composure, he was momentarily flustered.

Almost in the next moment, his mind raced. He knelt on one knee and respectfully said, "Junior Zhong Qian pays respects, Senior! I've mistakenly intruded upon this treasured land... I ask for your forgiveness, Senior!"

Having secretly occupied someone else's cultivation ground and then being caught red-handed, the scene before him was truly awkward. Zhong Qian couldn't think of any polite words at the moment and could only speak plainly. He slowly clasped a talisman hidden in his sleeve with two fingers, constantly sweeping his spiritual sense back and forth in caution.

'This is trouble now... This grand array can provide shelter... but it can also trap me within.'

Li Xuanfeng quietly glanced at him and said softly, "No need to be nervous... As for that talisman... you don't need to hold onto it so tightly. I am not like those useless Foundation Establishment cultivators; even an ancient talisman wouldn't withstand two exchanges in front of my arrows."

Zhong Qian was slightly startled when exposed. He respectfully said, "This junior was truly at a dead end, which is why I had no choice but to use this treasured place as a temporary refuge... This junior is willing to compensate with spirit items..."

'Quite vigilant.'

Seeing the youth still tense and ready to burst out and flee at any moment, Li Xuanfeng spoke, "You've done well... This water ape, encountering you, deserves this tribulation."

'It seems he's an enemy of that demonic beast! No wonder!'

Zhong Qian finally felt a slight relief in his heart, and he found Li Xuanfeng's words somewhat meaningful. He respectfully said, "This junior is not a disciple of any renowned sect... merely a rogue cultivator from the East Sea. This water ape devours humans daily. This junior mistakenly entered its cave, took its precious medicine, and sought refuge in your esteemed market, not expecting to be pursued all the way here... thus I have been unable to leave..."