Perfect: I am Shi An from Shicun, and I am Huang’s brother!

Chapter 430 Awaiting the Qilin
After all, in his view, his cousin had already lost. If he, as the elder brother, fell behind as well, how could he establish his authority in front of his younger brothers in the future? Would the future of the Stone Clan be left to his younger brothers?
Thinking about it, Shi An couldn't help but shake his head and laugh, "On the path of cultivation, there are no eternal pioneers. Only by pausing occasionally can you see clearly which pitfalls those ahead of you have fallen into."

"You know how to talk."

Hearing this, the witch couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes sparkling: "Then, along this journey, did you see clearly the pits that Little Stone stepped into?"

As soon as the witch finished speaking, Shi Hao's face immediately turned serious: "I've always had a smooth journey ahead, how could I possibly fall into a trap?!"

Seeing Shi Hao's impatience, the witch couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, her eyes curving into crescents as she glanced at him with a half-smile: "Is that so? But I seem to remember you saying before that you traveled countless miles and were besieged by a group of cultivators along the way?"

Watching the two bickering like they were from another world, Shi An couldn't help but smile, then shook his head and said, "Alright, you two, you're still the same as always."

As he spoke, his gaze swept around. This forbidden ancient city was even older than he had imagined. The streets were filled with an aura of vicissitude and desolation. The ground was mottled, and dark red bloodstains could be vaguely seen, the year and month of which were unknown.

On the city wall, a malevolent aura surged from time to time, as if ancient heroic spirits were whispering.

"boom!"

Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the heavens and the earth. Immediately afterwards, the three saw auspicious light rising from the distant mountains, within which a small white Qilin was faintly visible.

"It has appeared! A Qilin cub!"

In an instant, all the cultivators went crazy and rushed forward without regard for anything else. Even Shi Hao and the witch were no exception, rushing forward at top speed.

Only Shi An did not follow the crowd. Instead, he found a nearby inn to stay in and waited for Shi Hao to return.

Knowing the original story well, he knew clearly that this was just a formality; if the Jade Rabbit didn't appear, the Qilin would never truly show itself.

Since the Qilin doesn't show itself, there's nothing he can do. In that case, it's better to wait quietly in the city until the Taiyin Jade Rabbit arrives, and then we can talk about other things.

The window on the second floor of the inn was gently pushed open. Shi An ran his fingertips along the edge of a celadon teacup, gazing at the distant mountain range that was restless due to the phantom of the Qilin.

There, the rosy clouds soared into the sky, the roars of beasts shook the heavens, and the light of various magical treasures illuminated the sky in a dazzling display, demonstrating the intensity of the struggle.

Shi An watched calmly, and after an unknown amount of time, the door creaked open and Shi Hao, looking travel-worn, walked in. His face was tired and his eyes were somewhat dim.

He wasn't followed by a witch, so it's likely that the fairy from the Intercepting Heaven Sect had her own destination.

"Brother, you're quite composed."

Shi Hao, who had just entered the room, didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down on the wooden chair next to him. He poured himself a cup of spiritual tea and drank it all in one gulp. "The fighting over there was chaotic, but they didn't get a single thing. That Qilin shadow was very slippery. Several times it seemed like it was about to be caught, but then it disappeared into thin air, causing everyone to be suspicious of each other, and many people died."

Shi An turned his head slightly, his eyes deep and unsurprised: "It was all just a mirage, a futile effort. The real opportunity has not yet arrived."

Upon hearing this, Shi Hao raised an eyebrow and looked at Shi An suspiciously: "Brother, you seem to know something?"

Although he had long known that his elder brother was mysterious and knew many things that were unknown to others, today's words made him think more deeply than ever before, because what happened today was something he had personally experienced.

To his disappointment, Shi An did not answer directly. Instead, he turned to look out the window again, gazing in the direction of the ancient city, and said softly, "I'm not sure either. I can only say that I have a feeling that the time is not yet right."

"All right!"

After listening to Shi An's explanation, Shi Hao was somewhat disappointed that he hadn't gotten any more information from him, but he didn't press the matter further. Instead, he changed the subject and said, "Brother, I've already made an agreement with the witch. We're going to continue on our way. You have to come with us."

However, Shi An shook his head and refused Shi Hao's invitation, saying, "No, you guys go ahead."

"I'll rest here for a bit and take a look at the trails left by those who came before me."

As he spoke, he lightly tapped the teacup, causing ripples to spread across the tea, like an ancient talisman silently dissolving in the water. Upon seeing this, Shi Hao was initially taken aback, but then a look of understanding appeared on his face.

My elder brother always acts with his own rhythm and considerations, and is not the kind of person who blindly follows the crowd.

“Alright, brother, keep an eye out for the relics left by our ancestors in this city. You might find something of great value. The witch and I will go ahead and scout ahead. If we get any news, I will definitely come back to inform you as soon as possible.”

With that in mind, Shi Hao didn't try to persuade him any further. Instead, he replied softly and then got up and left the inn.

Watching Shi Hao's disappearing figure, Shi An couldn't help but smile faintly, and then released Yun Xi from the Purple Spirit Domain.

Why did you deliberately stop here?

As soon as she appeared, Yunxi couldn't help but ask Shi An a question.

Her figure was light and graceful, like a fairy descending to earth, and her beautiful eyes were full of curiosity.

Although she had been staying in the Purple Spirit Domain, Shi An had not blocked her senses, so she was not completely unaware of what was happening outside.

He was aware of the conversation between Shi An and Shi Hao, as well as the decision Shi An made.

Based on her understanding of him, if he really wanted to pass this trial quickly, it would actually be very simple, much faster than for anyone else.

However, the result was that he traveled slowly instead of quickly, and even planned to stop and rest when he arrived here, without worrying at all about failing the test.

"Because of the Qilin."

Unlike his cryptic explanation to Shi Hao, Shi An looked out the window and explained to Yun Xi, "I have already obtained several of the Ten Fiends' great techniques. I only need the Qilin, Nine Nether Hound, and Gu techniques to obtain the complete Ten Fiends' inheritance. I certainly don't want to miss out on this opportunity."

Shi An's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Outside the window, the ancient city stretched out in a desolate expanse, its menacing aura mingling with the distant glow of the sunset, highlighting the distinct features of his profile.

Upon hearing this, Yunxi's eyes flashed with a hint of realization, which quickly turned into deep shock.

To collect all ten of the most powerful and terrifying techniques? What an astonishing ambition! Throughout history, it is already a miracle if a person has even glimpsed one of them, yet Shi An has already obtained seven of them, and only three more techniques are needed to complete the set.

Looking at the increasingly unfathomable man before her, her heart was filled with turbulent emotions.

"So, you stopped to wait for the real opportunity with the Qilin?"

Yunxi asked softly, her purple hair shimmering in the dim light streaming in from the window.

"good."

Shi An withdrew his gaze from the window, his fingertips lightly tracing the rim of the teacup. The ripples had long since subsided, but the tea seemed to contain a certain Daoist charm: "The Qilin is no ordinary creature; it is the ancestor of auspiciousness. Its whereabouts are elusive and cannot be obtained by force."

"This phantom's appearance is merely the prelude; the real opportunity lies in this city, or... in a specific individual."

His words were cryptic, and he did not explicitly mention the Jade Rabbit of the Moon, but Yunxi could sense the certainty in his voice.

She asked no more questions, but stood quietly beside him, like a serene fairy flower, a stark contrast to the desolate ancient city.

(End of this chapter)