Druid Fairy

Chapter 103 Undercurrent
They acted immediately, without hesitation.

First, the entire formation was carefully dismantled.

Li Pingcan did not rush to set up the formation. Instead, following the guidance of the formation spirit, he re-refined and purified each piece of spiritual material, removing impurities and making it more compatible with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Then came the actual formation.

His fingertips flowed with spiritual energy, his brushstrokes like dragons and snakes, his movements fluid and effortless as he inscribed the array patterns. Every turn and connection subtly aligned with the principles of the array, resonating with the spiritual energy within.

What used to take several hours to complete can now be done in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and the result is completely new.

As he inserted the last array flag into its designated position, countless pale golden patterns flashed across the ground of the entire Li family mansion, quickly disappearing into nothingness.

"start!"

With a low shout, a power far more profound than before instantly enveloped the entire mansion.

Li Pingcan released his divine sense and was surprised to find that, in his perception, the Li family mansion in front of him had actually "disappeared".

No, to be more precise, it has turned into an ordinary residential area, where not even the slightest fluctuation of spiritual energy can be sensed, as if it has completely merged with the surrounding environment.

"This is the true meaning of concealing one's secrets and hiding one's spirit! Deceiving everyone without leaving a trace!"

This sense of security is truly reassuring!

Moreover, this concealment array can be continuously improved and upgraded, incorporating precious and top-grade materials, and can even reach the level of "concealing the golden core".

"Once the concealment array is finished, rebuild the spirit gathering array."

Li Pingcan then immediately modified the Spirit Gathering Array.

Although the effect is still limited by the sparse spiritual energy in Peach Blossom Village, the efficiency of gathering spiritual energy has increased several times over.

Nourished by the transformed array, the mulberry sapling stretched its branches and leaves joyfully, shimmering with a luminous glow.

Li Pingcan was in a very good mood. He planned to rest for a while and then take the golden eagle to Mount Ling to modify the formation for gathering and concealing spiritual energy in the "cave".

"It's time to take Xiaofei to see the real sky."

The golden eagle Xiaofei stood quietly on the mulberry tree, preening its newly grown, shimmering golden feathers, casting a huge black shadow on the ground.

After months of recuperation, it had long since regained its majestic appearance, and there was no longer any trace of lifelessness in its eyes. Instead, it showed a deep dependence on and closeness to Li Pingcan.

"Xiao Fei, do you want to go out for a flight?" Li Pingcan asked.

Xiao Fei tilted his head and affectionately rubbed his head against Li Pingcan's hand.

…………

New house.

Xie Yuan, her hair styled in a married woman's updo, gently brewed tea for Li Pingcan. This new house was located next to the courtyard where Li Pingcan used to live. It occupied a large area and even had its own carp pond, with winding paths leading to a secluded spot.

The former courtyard was transformed into a study where Li Pingcan occasionally stayed.

"Yuanyuan, thank you for your hard work." Li Pingcan looked guilty. Because of the golden eagle incident, he had been neglecting Xie Yuan recently, since the golden eagle's psychological problems were too serious.

"I am not tired from sharing my husband's burdens."

Xie Yuan is very content with her life now. The Li family is thriving. As the new bride of the Li family, her elder sister-in-law Jiang Ling'er and her second sister-in-law Mu Wanqiu treat her very kindly. The Li couple treat her like their own daughter and never say anything harsh to her.

There was no messy infighting; every day was spent looking at the flowers and feeding the fish. Life was quite comfortable, a picture of tranquility.

Xie Yuan understood very well that as an orphan, she would never have the peaceful life she had today if it weren't for the Li family's care since childhood. Therefore, she was very grateful and had no desires or wants.

"I plan to go into seclusion for a few days."

Li Pingcan smiled and said, "If you have anything you need to do, you can tell me now."

"Retreat?"

Xie Yuan paused for a moment, then nodded.

She had long been used to her husband's busy schedule. He was always doing important things and was so ambitious, so how could she complain that he was holding her back?

"There is something I need to trouble you with, my husband."

Xie Yuan looked somewhat sad and said, "I want to move the ashes of my grandparents and mother here for worship."

The reclaimed land was desolate, filled with rolling dust and yellow sand.

Now that she has grown up, she also wants to do her part by reopening the ancestral hall for the Xie family to worship their relatives.

Li Pingcan readily agreed; this was Xie Yuan's filial piety, and she planned to entrust the Weiyuan Escort Agency to handle it.

…………

The golden eagle Xiaofei hesitated.

It weakly flapped its wings twice, looked at the vast world outside, a hint of retreat flashed in its eyes, and its body subconsciously moved back.

The shadows of the past still haunt it like a nightmare.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here with you."

Li Pingcan sensed Xiao Jin's fear and gently patted the eagle's head. "The outside world is wonderful. You are the king of the sky and should not be imprisoned in this small courtyard."

With constant reassurance, the fear in Xiao Fei's eyes gradually dissipated. The moment its paws stepped out of the courtyard and touched the outside earth, its feathers trembled slightly.

Li Pingcan didn't urge it; he just quietly stayed by its side.

Then Xiaofei tentatively flapped its wings, and a gust of air lifted its body slightly off the ground.

"Wow!"

It let out a slightly hesitant cry and then suddenly flapped its wings!
"call!"

A gust of wind rose, and Xiao Fei's massive body soared into the sky!

The moment it flew over the courtyard wall, looking at the fields and villages rushing past below, its body stiffened noticeably, and panic flashed in its eyes.

"Xiaofei, don't be afraid."

Li Pingcan's thoughts, channeled through the contract, flowed like a warm stream, soothing the golden eagle's restless heart.

The long-lost feeling of weightlessness, the whistling wind in his ears, and the air currents belonging to the high altitude made Xiaofei feel as if he had been transported to another world.

Soaring higher and higher, passing through the clouds, bathed in golden sunlight, enjoying the touch of the wind flowing under the wings, and overlooking the magnificent earth.

"Wow!"

A high-pitched, clear cry of an eagle echoed through the sky.

From this moment on, I break free from my cage and undergo a complete transformation!
…………

One man and one eagle sped towards the sacred mountain.

Looking at Li Pingcan, who had transformed into the appearance of a nightingale, Xiao Fei's face showed a human-like look of confusion.

“I can transform into birds, water beasts, and land animals,” Li Pingcan explained. “I can also transform into a golden eagle.”

Having said that, it transformed in mid-air, and a golden eagle, far stronger and more majestic than Xiao Fei, soared through the sky with awe-inspiring power.

"Wow! That's incredible!"

A sense of worship flowed from the contract into Li Pingcan's consciousness, and he saw Xiao Fei's eyes sparkling, almost shining.

"Hey, it's just a little trick, but you have to keep it a secret," Li Pingcan instructed.

As an animal companion, Xiaofei would never betray him; the only possibility is that he was tricked into revealing information, so he needs to strengthen his training in this area.

Of course, at present, Xiao Fei is unwilling to contact Xie Yuan, let alone himself. To outsiders, he is a complete "autistic patient".

Mount Ling is right in front of us.

After passing through the misty array, the two birds finally arrived at Listening to the Wind Cliff.

On Listening to the Wind Cliff, clouds and mist swirl around, and a gentle mountain breeze carries the fragrance of grass and trees, along with a rich spiritual energy.

Xiao Fei shook his feathers comfortably; the spiritual energy here was far purer and more comfortable than in Peach Blossom Village.

"From now on, this will be our secret base."

Little Fei chirped happily.

Li Pingcan then embarked on a new round of "infrastructure maniac" activities.

He first completely dismantled the "beggar's version" spirit-gathering array that he had previously set up at Tingfeng Cliff.

"Tsk tsk, it's truly a pitiful sight."

He shook his head as he dismantled the work. Now that he had a legitimate lineage and a higher perspective, looking back at his previous works, he felt they were nothing short of an insult to the principles of formations.

Then, he took out all his best materials. He inscribed the array diagram, laid the array foundation, and installed the array eyes... setting up a true, perfect, and deluxe version of the spirit-gathering array!

"The Five Elements revolve, Heaven and Earth return to their origin, spiritual energy gathers to form a vein, rise!"

"Boom!"

A muffled sound, seemingly coming from the depths of the earth, emanated from the array. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of several miles seemed to be drawn in by an invisible force, transforming into streams of light visible to the naked eye, surging towards Listening Wind Cliff like rivers flowing into the sea.

The moss on the cliff face grew wildly at a visible rate, and a few ordinary wildflowers bloomed into bright flowers in just a few breaths.

Li Pingcan stood in the center of the formation, feeling the pure and powerful spiritual energy washing over his body, as if every pore was breathing joyfully.

"The density of this spiritual energy is in no way inferior to that of a true first-grade low-level spiritual vein!"

He could hardly believe his senses!

You must understand, a natural spiritual vein is a treasure created by heaven and earth, something that can only be encountered by chance and is the foundation upon which countless sects and families fight tooth and nail. And now, he has actually managed to "manufacture" a similar blessed land all by himself.

Although it is only a low-grade spiritual vein of the lowest rank, its value cannot be measured in spirit stones!

"This is the mystery of formations."

Choosing an array formation was well worth it. If it were a talisman or alchemy method, such miraculous fortune would be impossible, and it would also be less effective at concealing oneself.

Lee Pyeongchan once again expressed his gratitude for his choice at the Dragon Palace.

…………

The dramatic change in spiritual energy first alarmed the "native inhabitants" of Mount Ling.

"What's going on? Why is the spiritual energy rushing towards Listening Wind Cliff like crazy?"

The little bear, Xiong Er, was comfortably scratching its belly when it suddenly sat up with a start, its big, round eyes filled with confusion.

"What an overbearing method of gathering spirits!"

The striped tiger suddenly opened its beastly eyes, its golden pupils flashing with a sharp light. It gazed in the direction of Listening Wind Cliff, sensing the almost solidified vortex of spiritual energy, and was extremely surprised.

In an instant, Yuan San, He Si, Lu Wu, and others were also alerted, and the five figures converged on Tingfeng Cliff at the same time.

When they finally reached the top of the cliff, panting heavily, the sight before them made them all gasp in shock.

The once tranquil Listening Wind Cliff has now been transformed into a fairyland.

A rich spiritual energy flowed slowly between the cliffs. A passing butterfly inhaled the overflowing spiritual energy and, in a drunken stupor, fell into the flower bushes.

"This...this is the work of Immortal Venerable Ye?"

Bai Hehe stretched his elegant neck long, his tone filled with disbelief. Such earth-shattering methods were simply unheard of.

"Who else could it be but him?"

Tiger said in a deep voice, his tone filled with profound awe.

Most spirit beasts do not understand the formations of human cultivators, but this Night Immortal Venerable's mastery of formations is getting stronger and stronger, probably exceeding their imagination.

Just then, a clear eagle's cry pierced the sky, and Xiao Fei swooped down from the clouds, landing steadily on Tingfeng Cliff.

The five spirits' gazes were instantly drawn to the magnificent golden eagle.

"Such a powerful bloodline aura!"

Tiger's body trembled as he felt a powerful pressure emanating from the depths of his bloodline rushing towards him.

As the king of the mountains, ordinary beasts would bow down and obey it, but in front of this golden eagle, it felt its blood and energy stagnate.

"This is……"

Xiong Er stammered, pointing at the golden eagle, "This is a primordial spirit beast! Moreover, its bloodline is of extremely high quality; it's probably a descendant of a different species!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan San and He Si were even more shocked than before.

Innate spirit beasts are already one in ten thousand, and an innate spirit beast with such a powerful bloodline has unlimited potential for future achievements. It may even break through the shackles of its bloodline and glimpse the legendary higher realm.

Their gazes toward Li Pingcan had shifted from initial awe to utter submission.

Not only is his own strength unfathomable and his array formations profound, but he has also now subdued such a partner with boundless potential. The origin of this Night Immortal is probably even more mysterious than they can imagine.

"Night Immortal Venerable, who is this young friend?" Tiger asked tentatively, his respect growing.

"Its name is Xiaofei, and it's my little friend." The nightingale that Li Pingcan had transformed into landed on Xiaofei's head. He had noticed the presence of the Five Spirits long ago, since they hadn't tried to hide it, which was to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.

Upon hearing this, Wu Ling quickly concealed his aura and gave Xiao Fei a friendly look.

Xiao Fei, however, puffed up his body, his feathers stood on end, and his sharp eyes were full of vigilance, giving off an attitude of "keep away, strangers."

Even with Li Pingcan's reassurance, it remained vigilant.

"This child is shy around strangers."

Li Pingcan explained helplessly, but inwardly he sighed.

Xiao Fei's psychological trauma is far more serious than imagined. It will probably take a long time for him to fully open up and integrate into the circle of spirit beasts.

Seeing this, Wu Ling didn't dare to disturb them any further, but they were once again amazed by Li Pingcan's formation.

"Immortal Night, your formation is becoming increasingly wondrous. I wonder if you could... help me upgrade it as well?"

Tiger rubbed his paws together and spoke somewhat embarrassedly.

"It's just a little effort."

Li Pingcan readily agreed, since they were all neighbors, and a close neighbor was better than a distant relative; they would help each other out in the future.

…………

Meanwhile, in the back hall of the county government office in Yunshui County.

Li Pingfu frowned as he looked at the dossier in his hand.

Since he took office, and because the old county committee member didn't like to manage affairs, he slowly began to reorganize the county's long-standing police battalion.

He was fair in rewarding and punishing, purged gangs in the county, and focused on cracking down on those who abused their power to bully and oppress the people. He also promoted his brothers, such as Xie Xiaodao, without favoritism, and the atmosphere of the entire police battalion was renewed.

Of course, he would offer "gifts" to Liang Xianguan for positions such as county magistrate, but he would refuse them.

The people applauded, but this move thoroughly angered the old forces that had been entrenched in the county for many years.

"First, Wang and Zhao fell from power, then the Zhou family was wiped out, but small families continued to follow one after another, colluding with gang forces, attempting to profit from both the legal and illegal worlds, with connections reaching the highest levels."

Dynasties come and go, but aristocratic families remain steadfast—a phenomenon vividly demonstrated even in this small county.

…………

In a secluded courtyard in Yunshui County, the lights were dim.

Several men with gloomy faces were sitting around a table. The one in the lead was Zhou Tong, a distant steward from the former Zhou family.

After the Zhou family fell from power, he still maintained a considerable gang influence in the county, thanks to his wealth and connections accumulated in his early years, and became the leader of the gang.

"This Li Pingfu is nothing but a country bumpkin who dares to bully us just because he has some brute strength!"

A burly man with a fierce face slammed his wine glass on the table and cursed viciously.

“Boss Wang is right!” another man chimed in. “With him doing this, eight out of ten of our establishments are going out of business, and the brothers are starving!”

Zhou Tong coldly glanced at everyone and said in a sinister tone, "What's the use of just cursing? That Li Pingfu is now a master of the Innate Realm, and with his immortal official brother and the Jiang family backing him up, who among us can be his match if we come at him openly?"

Everyone fell silent, their faces filled with resentment and unwillingness.

"Then... are we just going to let it go like this?"

"Of course we can't just let it go like this!" A venomous glint flashed in Zhou Tong's eyes. "If we can't do it openly, we'll do it covertly!"

He lowered his voice, a strange smile appearing on his face: "Doesn't Li Pingfu have parents, a wife, or friends? If we kidnap them all, I'm sure Li Pingfu will surrender without a fight!"

As soon as Zhou Tong said this, the clamor in the hall instantly turned into deathly silence, leaving only heavy breathing.

All eyes were focused on Zhou Tong's face.

"Kidnapping?"

Old Wang was stunned for a long time, a hint of hesitation appearing on his rugged face. "Master Zhou, this is a business that could cost you your head. Li Ping'an is a high-ranking official, and Li Pingfu is a county lieutenant. If we mess with their families, what if we offend the authorities and they come after us..."

"Ha! What's there to be afraid of? It's just a fight to the death! If they won't let us live, we'll kill them!"

Zhou Tong let out a disdainful sneer, "Those Li Ping'an and Li Pingfu aren't officials, they're just clerks. We've cleaned our hands, and with no one to testify, who would know it was us? Besides, even if Li Pingfu is made of iron, how many nails can he crush? No matter how powerful he is, he's still a human being, and humans have weaknesses!"

He whirled around, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, and scanned the crowd: "His parents are both in Peach Blossom Village, a pair of old bastards with one foot in the grave. His brothers are all at the Divine Fiend Realm. Capturing them is no harder than crushing two ants!"

These words instantly ignited the evil thoughts in everyone's hearts.

"That's right! Why didn't I think of that!"

A man with a pointed face and monkey-like cheeks shouted excitedly, "Isn't Li Pingfu protecting those lowly people? Let's arrest his parents! If he doesn't listen to us, we'll mutilate them piece by piece! I want to see if this great hero will save his parents or those lowly people!"

"Hehehe, and that Miss Jiang..." a man let out a lewd laugh.

"Ha ha!"

The oppressive atmosphere was broken, and the whole room erupted in laughter.

They could almost see Li Pingfu kneeling on the ground, begging desperately, and witness the newly appointed county magistrate's authority crumble, leaving him like a dog to be manipulated by them.

The thrill of trampling the strong underfoot made their blood boil.

Zhou Tong watched the crowd's reaction with satisfaction; this was exactly the effect he wanted. He raised his wine glass high, his voice hoarse and excited:
Brothers! Fortune favors the bold!

"Done!"

"Master Zhou is right! Let's do it!"

Everyone raised their glasses, their hesitation replaced by distorted excitement.

Zhou Tong said grimly, "It's settled then! We'll split into two groups. One group will go to Peach Blossom Village to scout it out. Remember, just scout, don't alert anyone! The other group will keep a close eye on his brothers!"

"it is good!"

The clinking of glasses and the splashing of liquor reflected distorted and ferocious smiling faces.

(End of this chapter)