Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 290 Completely Convinced
"Junior Brother Ping An?"

Not long after the two women entered the palace, Zou Qi came looking for them.

It remains as vibrant and serene as it was twenty years ago.

However, his expression froze for a moment when he looked at Li Ping'an.

Ten years ago, when he learned the exact news of his master's passing from his senior sister Qiao, he was lost for the first time.

He thought his grandfather's divination indicated that his chance to form his core lay with Li Ji'an, but... before he could even establish his foundation, his master had already passed away.

"Could it be this high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill?"

A few days later, he guessed that his grandfather's divination might be related to a high-quality Foundation Building Pill.

After all, he only had eleven strands of metal-type spiritual roots. Even if his grandfather managed to get him a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, it wouldn't guarantee that he would successfully establish his foundation.

Even if one manages to barely establish a foundation, the depth and purity of one's magical power will likely be poor, which will be closely related to the formation of the core.

With the high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill, the foundation establishment effect is superior, the magic power is rich and pure, and the success rate of core formation is increased.

At this moment, having seen his master's successor in person, Zou Qi saw a glimpse of his master.

"Junior Brother Ping An." After confirming Li Ping An's identity, Zou Qi came back to her senses and gave a very solemn bow.

"Ping An greets Senior Brother Zou." Li Ji'an returned the greeting, but he was secretly puzzled.

Twenty years have passed, and Zou Qi is now forty-four years old, but he still has not reached the Foundation Establishment stage, while his magical power has clearly reached the peak of the late Qi Refining stage.

Although there is no specific age limit for Foundation Establishment, as long as one's Qi and blood have not declined, sects generally try to advance as quickly as possible in order to compete for resources. After all, the earlier one can advance, the better one's talent is considered, and the greater one's future potential.

"Could something have happened?"

I have doubts, but I cannot ask them in my current capacity.

Afterwards, Chief Qiao hosted a banquet to entertain Li Ping'an and Hu Zaiyi.

It wasn't until the banquet ended and Hu Zaiyi was properly settled that Xiao Qiao took Li Ping'an back to the Garden Villa.

"Ping An, this medicinal herb field was left to you by your master. The piece of withered wood and the flaming stone among them are extraordinary. Try not to let outsiders know about them." Xiao Qiao followed the instructions given to her by Li Ji'an before he returned to his youth.

"Also, Ping An, are Xiao Huo and Gua Gua still training? Would it be convenient for Senior Sister to meet the two little ones?" Xiao Qiao then asked with some anticipation.

"Please forgive me, Senior Sister. Before Master passed away, he instructed that we should not go looking for him before we reach the Foundation Establishment stage. Please wait a few more years."

Xiao Qiao was slightly disappointed.

Xiao Qiao took Li Ji'an for a walk around the small building and chatted for a long time. However, although Xiao Qiao tried her best to appear close, the time they spent together was too short and she didn't know him well enough. Also, because of Li Ji'an's status as the chief disciple of the Biyun Sect, she was quite reserved in her conversation and her words were somewhat stiff.

Li Ji'an had anticipated this and did not insist, simply stating the purpose of his trip.

Xiao Qiao was tasked with thoroughly investigating the six late-stage Qi Refining cultivators within the territory of Qishilin.

Xiao Qiao was highly motivated by her junior brother's first request, and she was determined to get it done.

That evening, Xiao Qiao arranged for Li Ji'an to stay at their former ancestral home and summoned all the branches within her sphere of influence to personally explain in detail the task of investigating the thieves and cultivators that needed to be investigated.

At the same time, a combination of rewards and punishments was used, requiring that no suspicious person be overlooked, but a large reward would be given to anyone who discovered clues about the thief cultivator.

Over the next two weeks, all families, markets, and mortal settlements within the Qishilin's sphere of influence underwent a thorough investigation.

Even every late-stage Qi Refining cultivator was ambushed and tested, especially those Qi Refining cultivators who were hiding their cultivation levels within their families, who became the primary targets of attention for each hall master, causing chaos and confusion.

Unfortunately, despite such a large-scale search, no trace of the thief was found.

This exposed several family cultivators who had been hiding their cultivation levels and preparing to play dumb to deceive others.

Meanwhile, Li Ji'an, who sent Old Huangtou to wander around the Strange Stone Forest at his leisure, met with Ning Sujin every night, finally relieving Ning Sujin's longing.

On the first night, Ning Sujin was initially hesitant to take the initiative to kiss Li Ji'an, whose physical body, aura, and magical power had all changed. Even though she was certain that his thoughts and soul had not changed, her body still instinctively rejected him.

At eighteen, Li Ji'an was so young, full of vigor and vitality.

It wasn't until the following days that he fully accepted and adapted to Li Ji'an's new body.

During this time, Ning Sujin also mentioned something else. She originally thought that she could contract and control the invisible puppet with her powerful primordial spirit within a few decades, but now, despite several attempts, although she has managed to form a contract, she still cannot control it with the puppet control technique.

Li Ji'an personally observed his operation and could only shake his head in frustration.

He had previously underestimated the fifth-tier stealth puppet, assuming it was similar to his second-tier puppet, and that once a soul contract was formed, even a beginner-level puppet control technique could barely control it.

But after witnessing Ning Sujin's demonstration, he was certain that Ning Sujin's puppet control technique was still too low-level.

To control this fifth-tier puppet, even just the basic controls, it would probably require at least a third-tier puppet control technique.

Fortunately, the puppetry inheritance contained puppet control techniques from level one to level four. Li Ji'an immediately imprinted all the level four puppet control techniques onto Ning Sujin so that she could continue to study them.

After he retrieved the five second-tier puppets he had crafted in his previous life from Guagua, he gave her one to practice with so that she could control the invisible puppet as soon as possible.

Half a month later, Xiao Qiao informed Li Ji'an of the result with some disappointment.

This means that the time for parting has come, and Li Ji'an needs to go to the next sphere of influence.

As they parted, Li Ji'an casually asked Zou Qi why he had not yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

Xiao Qiao told him that the reason he hadn't yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage was because he felt he was always lacking something, so he hadn't tried to reach it.

Upon hearing this, Li Ji'an was somewhat surprised. With his current Foundation Establishment stage divine sense, he could clearly sense that Zou Qi's cultivation had reached the limit of the Qi Refining stage.

“Young Master, your senior brother is born with a sword spirit body and has a clear mind, but he has not yet nurtured the sword in his heart, so he always has a regret.” Old Huang’s voice suddenly came from his sea of ​​consciousness.

"Sword Spirit Body!" Upon hearing this, Li Ji'an was slightly taken aback.

In the cultivation world, besides those with spiritual roots that can sense spiritual energy, there are also many extraordinary and miraculous physiques.

However, due to the gap in knowledge about ancient times, there is very little understanding of physical constitution in later periods.

In particular, some physical constitutions can only be revealed under certain conditions, which may cause them to be hidden from view.

No wonder Li Ji'an has sensed Lao Huang sneaking off to Zou Qi's place multiple times in the past two weeks.

"Do you possess the true essence of swordsmanship? Could you perhaps offer some guidance?" Li Ji'an asked telepathically.

"As long as the young master nods." Old Huang chuckled.

"it is good!"

Li Ji'an immediately decided to stay another day.

That very day, he led Lao Huang to Zou Qi's cave.

Seeing that he remained calm and composed, neither happy nor sad, with clear eyes, Li Ji'an finally felt relieved.

It's not surprising that they were born with a spiritual body.

"Junior Brother Ping An, Uncle Huang," Zou Qi greeted him respectfully as always.

“Senior brother, Master had a dying wish and high expectations for you. My coming here might be of some help to you.” Facing someone like Zou Qi, Li Ji’an didn’t need to beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose.

“Master!” Zou Qi’s bright eyes finally showed a flicker of emotion, and she immediately knelt down and bowed to the residence where Li Ji’an had previously lived.

He then stood up and bowed to Li Ping'an again, saying, "Thank you, Junior Brother."

"Senior brother, do you know that you are very likely born with a sword spirit body? Cultivating the sword path is the most suitable path for you!" Li Ji'an explained, following what Old Huang had said.

"Sword Spirit Body?" Zou Qi fell into deep thought.

He then looked up and said, "What you said, junior brother, resonates with me. I have indeed loved swords since I was a child. My master gave me this sword, which has been with me for twenty-seven years. Sometimes when I practice sword moves, I feel like a fish in water."

"Then it's pretty much a done deal." Li Ji'an nodded.

"Was it what Master said before he passed away?" Zou Qi asked again. "That's right. In his later years, Master traveled all over the world and consulted many ancient books, which led to his doubts. This time, Junior Brother brought Old Huang, who also practiced swordsmanship." Li Ji'an turned to the side and introduced Old Huang.

"Hehe, this old man only knows a few basic tricks." Old Huang chuckled sheepishly.

"Thank you again, junior brother. Please give me your guidance, Uncle Huang."

Old Huang looked at Li Ji'an, and Li Ji'an nodded.

Until dawn the next day, Old Huang would teach Zou Qi how to cultivate his sword and enlighten his mind.

Zou Qi indeed grasped the essence of swordsmanship immediately, and with his peak Qi Refining cultivation, his swordsmanship practice came naturally.

To Li Ji'an's surprise, Old Huang imprinted all his insights and experiences from over two hundred years of swordsmanship onto a jade talisman and handed it over to him.

"So eager to attract talent?" Li Ji'an raised an eyebrow slightly as he looked at Lao Huang, who still had the same simple and honest appearance as an old farmer.

In the end, a replica was made and given to Zou Qi.

After receiving instruction from Professor Huang, Zou Qi seemed to enter his own world of swordsmanship, becoming completely unresponsive to external stimuli.

In the end, Li Ji'an and Lao Huang quietly withdrew from the temple.

"I wonder how far this senior brother will ultimately go?"

The three then formally took their leave.

Coincidentally, just as Xiao Qiao and her group had escorted them to the entrance of the Strange Stone Forest, Yao Rui and her two companions finally arrived, having managed to maintain their dwindling magical power.

Seeing Li Ji'an and Hu Zaiyi being fawned over by the leaders of Qishilin, the three of them were all astonished.

Upon getting closer, the three were shocked to hear Chief Qiao address Li Ping'an as "Junior Brother" in such a familiar tone.

"How is that possible? He's a direct disciple of the sect... since when did he start having senior sisters outside?"

"Chief Qiao is a near-third-tier array master. Elder Qian of my Upper Sect has consulted her on array techniques many times. Moreover, it is said that the Qishilin Dojo was once bestowed upon Chief Qiao by the Holy Palace. Therefore, the Law Enforcement Hall of my Upper Sect treats Chief Qiao with great courtesy."

"Could it be... his deceased master?"

……

It wasn't until they watched the oxcart and imperial carriage disappear into the distance that the three of them came back to their senses from the shock.

In particular, they later visited Chief Qiao and revealed their identities as his disciples. Although Chief Qiao was polite because of their identities, he didn't really appreciate it.

When Yao Rui mentioned the mission she was on, Chief Qiao truthfully told her about arranging for Li Ji to investigate the thief cultivator.

Such strong support left the three of them even more astonished.

"Hmph! He's just riding on the glory of his predecessors; it's not his own ability." Noticing the change in Zhou Zheng and Shen Xingchen's emotions, Yao Rui finally managed to utter a jealous remark.

"Let's go! Back to the wasteland. I refuse to believe that his master left him connections there too!"

Two months later, Li Ji'an and his two companions entered the wilderness.

Yan Qingwan received Xiao Qiao's message in advance and waited at the front.

She was slightly stunned when she saw Li Ping'an emerge from the imperial carriage.

Just as Xiao Qiao described, she did resemble Xiao Fan somewhat, but she was also more delicate and spirited, and was half a head taller than Xiao Fan at the same age.

As for his appearance compared to his previous life as Li Chang'an, the difference is quite significant. After all, when Yan Qingwan met him in her previous life, Li Ji'an was already a thirty-year-old man.

“Ping An, I am your aunt.” Yan Qingwan stepped forward and smiled kindly.

"Ping An greets Master Aunt." Li Ji'an greeted her in return.

"..." Hu Zaiyi was stunned again.

The Strange Stone Forest is not far from the Azure Cloud Sect, so it is very likely that it has formed a deep bond with Li Ping'an's deceased master. But it is surprising that a place like the Wilderness is also related to his master!
The Yan family, who now control the wasteland, have absolute dominance over it.

His master had such a wide network of connections?
Most importantly, even though his master had passed away, the other party still recognized this friendship.

This clearly demonstrates the extraordinary nature of his master during his lifetime.

For a moment, Hu Zaiyi looked at Li Ping'an with deep envy.

Unsurprisingly, under the instruction of their ancestor Yan Qingwan, the vast wilderness also began to do its best to investigate and eliminate thieves.

What shocked Hu the most was that when he accompanied Li Ping'an to the square in the mortal gathering area, he actually saw a portrait of Li Ping'an's master being enshrined high.

After Li Ping'an's identity was exposed, cultivators volunteered to help him search for and capture the thief cultivator every day.

After inquiring, he learned that they were all fellow Daoists who had received the grace of being reborn by Master Li Ping'an.

This made him completely convinced of Li Ping'an's master's abilities.

Unfortunately, after half a month of investigation, no trace of them could be found.

That night, Li Ji'an decided to leave the next day.

"Not yet. You need to train some more. I'll come back for you in ten years at most." Meeting the expectant eyes of Guagua and Little Fire Spirit, Li Ji'an smiled and shook his head.

Currently, he is still a newly initiated disciple in the sect and lives in the newly initiated disciple area. Although it is a private courtyard, there are many fellow disciples next to him.

Only after establishing a foundation can one have their own independent cave dwelling, making it easier to bring the two little ones back then.

Ten years have passed, and Guagua and Xiaohuoling have hardly changed.

Because Li Ji'an's possessions from his previous life were all contained within Guagua's mouth, he did not allow the two little ones to venture too far into the area to avoid risks, keeping them confined to the area inhabited by second-tier demonic beasts in Fallen Dragon Ridge.

Moreover, he has often observed them through spiritual contracts over the past ten years.

Since they arrived in that area, they quickly became the leading demons, and with the Holy Spirit's pressure, no foolish demon dared to challenge their authority.

Although they were living a comfortable life, the two little ones had been inspired by Li Ji'an to have a fighting spirit and were no longer like ordinary monsters who only pursued a comfortable life. That's why they wanted to return to Li Ji'an's side and wanted to take another step forward.

The following day, Li Ji'an and Yan Qingwan took their leave.

Because they were from different generations and not blood-related but merely disciples of the same lineage, Yan Qingwan and Li Ji'an were not particularly close in this life.

As time goes by, one is destined to have fewer and fewer social interactions in this life.

Next, Li Ji'an decided to go to the Qin family in Zizhu Mountain to the west. Based on the clues of the six thief cultivators, these three areas were the most likely destinations.

After ruling out the other two, the area where the Qin family's influence is strongest is most likely the hideout of the thief cultivator.

Several days after Li Ji'an left, Yao Rui and the other two finally arrived at the Yan family's home in the wilderness.

After learning what had happened to Li Ji'an, the three of them froze again.

Like Hu Zaiyi, they never expected that he would have such deep connections in such a desolate place.

Unbeknownst to them, their initial jealousy gradually evolved into envy.

Jealousy stems from the belief that the other person is simply lucky and that one could also achieve that level, while envy indicates that one no longer believes they have a chance of reaching that height.

Until they followed closely behind, leaving the wilderness and arriving at the Qin family's residence on Purple Bamboo Mountain.

After seeing the attitude of the Qin family patriarch and the Qin family's newly promoted pseudo-core cultivator towards Li Ping'an, they were completely convinced of Li Ping'an's connections!

They also completely abandoned the idea of ​​searching for the thief's hiding place by themselves, and quietly followed behind Li Ji'an.

Finally, after nearly a month of extensive investigation, the thief's whereabouts were exposed.

"In terms of connections, we are indeed inferior to him, but in the cultivation world, strength is the ultimate factor!" After a month of recuperation, Yao Rui and the other two had their magical power restored to its peak. The moment they learned of the thief cultivator's whereabouts, their fighting spirit soared.

(End of this chapter)