Druid Fairy

Chapter 123 A Leisurely Pursuit

It was an ominous place tainted by resentment, shrouded in a dark, malevolent aura year-round. Let alone a Qi Refining cultivator, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator who ventured there would face a near-certain death, with no chance of return.

Laoyin Mountain is a completely forbidden area for humans!

"It was in a place like that..."

Li Pingcan's expression became extremely solemn.

He originally thought it was just a high-risk treasure hunt, but now it seems to be a huge gamble, possibly a one-way trip.

"No rush, let's take a look around first."

"As long as they don't get too close, there shouldn't be any problem. After all, I have a talisman to ward off evil and the grace of nature."

As he pondered, his gaze pierced through the stone walls of the cave, reaching the forbidden mountain range shrouded in thick fog.

…………

The outer perimeter of Laoyin Mountain.

Li Pingcan transformed into a golden eagle, soaring through the clouds and wind with Xiao Fei, overlooking the lush Yinshan Mountains.

Before even stepping into the mountains, a chilling, biting wind rushed towards us.

There was no fresh mountain breeze carrying the scent of grass and trees, only a stench like rotten, aged flesh, and a deathly stillness that seemed to penetrate the very soul.

"The feng shui of this place is exceptionally bad."

Li Pingcan thought to himself, "If this is where I'm buried, it would be a miracle if my descendants don't have bad luck."

Instead of rushing forward, he found a secluded mountain hollow, sat down cross-legged, and quietly spread out his [Fungus Master Domain].

Countless mushroom spores, invisible to the naked eye, like dandelion seeds, drifted silently into the interior of Old Yin Mountain under the influence of the [Dancing Wind].

This was his amazing scouting skill, enough to allow him to see every rustle of grass within a radius of twenty miles.

Unfortunately, this time, he miscalculated.

The moment those spores crossed an invisible boundary, they were like ice and snow thrown into boiling oil, melting away instantly with a "sizzle"!
"Good heavens! Did this old Yinshan Mountain install an anti-theft system? My Mushroom Network has been 'anti-virus'd?"

This is no longer a simple array restriction, but a kind of repulsion originating from the malevolent nature of this world itself.

At the same time, a cold wind howled in, and Li Pingcan's expression changed drastically. He instantly used the willow branch in his hand to perform the first move of the Wind Return Sword Technique!
The sharp sword intent naturally has a restraining effect on evil and yin, and the yin wind suddenly dispersed with a whistle.

Just as Li Pingcan relaxed, the golden talisman in his arms suddenly burst into flames without fire, turning into a clump of ashes in an instant.

His face turned completely black.

This talisman was a gift from the Dragon Palace; even wandering ghosts would avoid it. But now, it didn't even have time to sound an alarm before it "sacrificed itself heroically."

What does this mean?
This shows that the things in the mountains are terrifyingly evil!
"Forget it, a wise man doesn't stand under a dangerous wall."

Li Pingcan decisively followed his heart and abandoned the idea of ​​immediately going in to search for treasure.

He had no intention of becoming mere dessert for those "things" in the mountains, all for the sake of some vague, unattainable treasure. He carefully memorized the terrain and location, preparing to return and discuss the matter further.

The mantis catches the cicada, and the oriole is behind.

He refused to believe that he was the only one in the world interested in the "Martial God's Treasure".

…………

In Yunshui County, the situation suddenly changed.

Zhao Wuyou, who had been plotting for a long time, finally waited for what he considered to be the best opportunity.

An even larger blizzard swept through the entire county.

Liang Xianguan was in high spirits after suppressing the Li family, and his desire for power was at its peak. In order to show his "diligence in governing and love for the people", he actually went out of the county government office for the first time and, under the protection of Lao Wu, went to the soup kitchen in the city to "inspect" it.

opportunity!

As Liang Xianguan's celestial carriage reached the long street, a thin, withered figure appeared silently in the wind and snow, like a ghost, blocking his path.

"Liang-Zhi-Yuan!"

Zhao Wuyou's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of dry bone rubbing against each other, and every word was filled with hatred that went deep into his bones.

Inside the sedan chair, Liang Xianguan frowned, lifted the curtain, and when he saw who it was, he was first taken aback, then his face showed an undisguised contempt and disdain.

"Who do you think you are? It's you, you old dog who's not quite dead yet."

Liang Xianguan leaned back on the cushion, too lazy to even get up. "What? Instead of groveling for mercy at the Seven Star Sect, you've run back to this backwater to wait for death? Or are you trying to seek justice for your worthless Zhao family?"

"You deserve to die." Zhao Wuyou didn't waste any words; his cloudy old eyes revealed a murderous intent.

"Just you?"

Official Liang scoffed, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world: "All paths are inferior, only officials are superior." Officials not only looked down on martial artists, but also on cultivators from sects. As for rogue cultivators, they were nothing more than roadside trash.

"A worthless piece of trash with no future dares to bark and howl before me? Aren't you afraid I'll wipe out your entire Zhao family?"

However, before he could finish speaking, something unexpected happened!

Zhao Wuyou slammed his wooden staff into the ground and pulled out three talismans from his pocket, then flung them forward with force!
Those three talismans—one crimson like blood, one dark blue like ice, and one as heavy as a mountain—all emanated terrifying spiritual energy fluctuations far exceeding those of ordinary talismans!
A first-grade superior talisman!
And there are three of them!
"burst!"

With a roar from Zhao Wuyou, the three talismans exploded!

In an instant, flames, frost, and earth spikes—three completely different and violent energies—formed a death zone that swallowed up Liang Xianguan's sedan chair along with the surrounding guards!
"Boom!"

The loud explosion echoed through the long street, and the shockwave lifted the snow several meters high!
"How dare you, Zhu Zi!"

A roar erupted from the center of the explosion, and a dazzling golden light shot into the sky, forcefully pushing aside the raging elemental turbulence.

Liang Xianguan stood in mid-air, his clothes torn and disheveled, his face ashen and a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. A pale golden dragon aura enveloped him, and a terrifying pressure comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator descended with a deafening roar!

"The power of a fake core!"

Upon seeing this, Zhao Wuyou's eyes flashed with a hint of horror, but he was not surprised. This was exactly what he had expected. As the lord of a county, Liang Xianguan could use the dynasty's fortune to unleash power comparable to the Foundation Establishment stage in a short period of time.

"Old dog! Have you gone mad? You actually forced me to use the nation's fortune!" Liang Xianguan was both shocked and furious. Using the power of this fake elixir once would deplete his accumulated fortune over several years. It was like cutting off his flesh!

"Today, I will grind you to dust!"

With a flick of his finger, the pale golden dragon energy transformed into a giant claw, carrying the power to suppress everything, and fiercely grabbed at Zhao Wuyou!
Zhao Wuyou knew he was no match for his opponent, yet he remained fearless, a grim smile spreading across his face. He pulled something from his robes again—an ancient bronze mirror covered in cracks.

Even if it means death, I will tear a piece of flesh from your body!

He poured the last of his magical power into the bronze mirror!
"Buzz!"

The mirror shone brightly, and a beam of light filled with an aura of death met the golden dragon claw head-on!

When the two collided, the heavens and earth fell silent.

Zhao Wuyou was struck as if by lightning, spitting out blood. His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, disappearing instantly into the end of the snowstorm.

Liang Xianguan was also struck by the strange gray light. The protective dragon aura around him shook violently and almost collapsed. His face turned pale instantly.

"Pfft!" He forcibly suppressed his surging blood and qi, staring at the direction Zhao Wuyou had fled, his eyes filled with resentment and venom.

If it weren't for the fake pill protecting him, that attack just now would have been enough to take half his life!

Now, he's also injured three-tenths of his body!
He dared not pursue further. The recovery of this fake core's power would take time, and if that old dog had other trump cards, he would suffer a great loss if he were caught off guard.

Liang Xianguan said to the crippled guards, "Search! Dig three feet into the ground, find that old dog for me!"

…………

Inside an abandoned earth temple.

Zhao Wuyou leaned against the statue, panting heavily, black blood oozing from a horrifying hole in his chest.

He lost, and lost miserably.

But he has no regrets. He has given his all and made Liang Xianguan pay a heavy price.

Feeling the life force rapidly draining from his body, a relieved smile appeared on his aged face.

"Very well... I've avenged half of my great grudge, which is enough to repay the ancestors of the Zhao family. The only regret is that I didn't get to see that child with my own eyes..."

Just as his consciousness was about to fade into darkness, a calm voice rang out around him without warning.

"Do you want revenge? Do you want Liang Xianguan to die a more gruesome death than you?"

"who!?"

Zhao Wuyou suddenly opened his eyes, scanning the area with his divine sense, only to find no one around. "Who's pretending to be a ghost?!"

"Who I am is not important," the voice continued. "What is important is that I can give him a chance to wish he were dead."

As soon as he finished speaking, hundreds of ants, carrying the scroll, crawled up to Zhao Wuyou with great effort.

On the scroll, a map was drawn in a symbol he couldn't understand!
It is the treasure map of Laoyin Mountain!
"This is……"

Zhao Wuyou's thoughts stirred slightly.

"The martial god's legacy of Laoyin Mountain".

His voice was calm, yet carried a hint of seduction, "What's inside is enough to drive any Foundation Establishment cultivator mad. Given Liang Zhiyuan's greedy nature, what do you think he would do if he obtained this map?"

Zhao Wuyou was taken aback at first, then he understood. He let out a hoarse, cold laugh, which was full of pleasure.

"Good! What a clever scheme to kill someone with a borrowed knife! What a clever scheme to use one tiger to devour another! Kid, you're ruthless!" He could naturally guess that the person behind this must also have a grudge against Liang Xianguan, and that this Old Yinshan was clearly a trap.

"Why should I trust you?"

"You have no choice."

The voice seemed confident and fearless, "Either you die here in this miserable state, or you take a gamble and use your broken life to drag a prestigious county magistrate down with you on your way to the underworld."

Zhao Wuyou fell silent.

After a long while, he picked up the map, his eyes becoming incredibly cold and resolute.

"Alright! I promise you! But after I die, you must grant me one request!"

"explain."

"Protect the remaining bloodline of my Zhao family!"

“Okay.” Li Pingcan readily agreed.

"Hahahaha!"

Zhao Wuyou laughed wildly, his laughter echoing madly, "Immortal Liang! I've prepared a grand gift for you on your journey to the Yellow Springs! I hope you'll like it!"

…………

The wind and snow buried the long street and covered the bloodstains, but they could not cover up the murderous intent.

The county constables and Liang Xianguan's personal guards, like a pack of hyenas that had smelled blood, frantically searched the city. In a dilapidated earth god temple, they cornered the exhausted Zhao Wuyou.

Liang Xianguan stepped into the temple gate.

His face was pale, and his breath was weak; he was clearly badly injured in the previous battle. Looking at Zhao Wuyou leaning against the statue, his eyes were filled with a mixture of resentment and greed.

"Old dog, you sure know how to pick a spot. Do you want this clay figure to collect your corpse?" Liang Xianguan sneered, his voice revealing a hint of suppressed weakness.

Zhao Wuyou coughed up a mouthful of black blood, gave a bitter smile, but his eyes were frighteningly bright: "Immortal Official Liang, you've come at the right time. On the road to the Yellow Springs, having such a respectable person as you as a companion will make this old man less lonely!"

Before he finished speaking, he frantically poured all the remaining magical power in his body into the ancient storage ring between his fingers.

The ring instantly shone brightly, and an extremely unstable and violent energy emanated from it, as if it would explode completely in the next moment, leveling the entire area to the ground.

"You dare!" Liang Xianguan's expression changed drastically.

He was afraid of dying, but even more afraid that the old dog would blow up the treasure in the ring to ashes!
Even the poorest cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining would have a considerable sum of money accumulated over a century. What if it contained the formula or method for Foundation Establishment Pills?

This is an incredible opportunity!

"Hahaha! You'll see if I dare!"

Zhao Wuyou appeared as if he had gone mad, his aged face filled with determination. "My entire Zhao family is waiting for me down there. How can I leave empty-handed? These worldly possessions, which we can't take with us when we die, will be burned for you as a sacrifice!"

He was gambling, gambling that Liang Xianguan's greed would overcome his reason.

As expected, Liang Xianguan's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and a struggle flashed in his eyes.

His mind raced: 'This old dog is at his last gasp; the power of his self-destruction might not seriously injure me, but... what if? What if he really has some secret method to take us both down with him? No, I can't gamble! The treasure is more important!'

"Wait a minute!"

Just as Zhao Wuyou's aura reached its peak, Liang Xianguan shouted sternly, "Zhao Wuyou, if you surrender and hand over your storage ring, I swear I will grant you a complete corpse and allow your Zhao family descendants to live out their remaining years in peace!"

"It's too late to say all this now!" Zhao Wuyou roared, the light on the ring growing even more dazzling.

"Old Wu!" Liang Xianguan made a quick decision; his previous words were merely a delaying tactic!

Old Wu had already stealthily appeared behind Zhao Wuyou in an instant. His withered hands, like iron clamps, precisely gripped Zhao Wuyou's hands as he was forming hand seals.

At the same time, a chilling innate energy instantly invaded, interrupting the flow of his magical power.

"puff!"

Zhao Wuyou felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow, his last breath escaping, and the light on the ring instantly dimmed. He turned back in disbelief, looking at the expressionless Old Wu, a trace of resentment flashing in his eyes.

Seeing this, Liang Xianguan felt much more at ease. A sinister smile appeared on his face as he stepped forward, snatched the ring, and roughly erased the mark on it with his divine sense to examine it.

Pills, magical artifacts, several incomplete jade slips containing cultivation techniques... pretty much what he expected.

"Hmm? This is..." His divine sense finally settled on a map made of some kind of animal hide.

It was that Martial God Map from Old Yin Mountain!
Liang Xianguan's breathing instantly became rapid.

"Hahaha!"

He couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Zhao Wuyou, you old dog, you're truly my lucky star! Not only did you bring me your century-old savings, but you also brought me such an opportunity! Don't worry, after you die, I will take good care of your Zhao family descendants, ensuring that your Zhao family line ends in extinction!"

"You...shameless!"

Zhao Wuyou was so angry that his eyes widened, but he could no longer utter a word. His head lolled to the side, and he breathed his last.

The ecstatic Liang Zhiyuan failed to notice the strange smile in Zhao Wuyou's eyes.

Lingshan Cave.

Li Pingcan took in everything. He slowly regained his composure, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

"A moment of leisure, a game of chess, waiting for the flowers to bloom."

"Liang Zhiyuan, I hope you like this wonderful gift I prepared for you."

…………

County government.

Wounded by Zhao Wuyou's dying counterattack and having forcibly used the power of the fake elixir, Liang Xianguan's fortune and body suffered a significant backlash.

He hid in the county government office, healing his wounds while constantly thinking about the treasure map, his heart and soul aching with longing.

But Lao Yinshan has a notorious reputation, and in his current state, going there would be suicide. What troubles him even more is the persistent, bone-deep ache he still hasn't found the source of.

Once his injuries had healed somewhat, and it was time for spring planting, Liang Xianguan issued a proclamation that shocked the entire county.

To express gratitude to Heaven for protecting Yunshui during the snow disaster and to pray for the blessings of the Dayu Dynasty, a nine-foot-high "Prayer Altar" will be built in the center of the county town. An auspicious day will be chosen to offer sacrifices to Heaven, gathering the thoughts of all people and reaching the ears of Heaven.

The heavy corvée labor was like a mountain, pressing down on every household.

The county yamen's yamen runners, like wolves and tigers, stormed into various villages and towns, forcibly conscripting able-bodied men. Cries and curses filled the air.

"Please, sir! My husband broke his leg last year and can't do heavy work!"

"Damn it! This isn't a prayer altar, it's a death trap! Not planting rice in spring is taking our lives!"

"I heard the food is worse than pig feed. Yesterday, Er Gouzi from the neighboring village was worked to death on the construction site without even a straw mat..."

The people were full of complaints, but this did not shake Liang Xianguan's determination in the slightest.

"Outrageous! Absolutely inhuman!"

Zhou Junzhi's eyes widened in anger, "That Liang fellow is so perverse, he's not a benevolent official, he's a plague official!"

Li Pingfu's face was ashen; he was furious. In the past few days, he had inspected the construction site and personally witnessed the people, barely clothed, struggling under the whip.

Li Ping'an sat on the other side, his fingers holding the teacup turning slightly white from the force. He saw deeper and farther than his elder brother, and therefore felt even more repressed.

"Official Liang is forcing us. He not only wants money and people, but also wants to destroy the reputation our Li family has painstakingly built up in Yunshui County."

He sneered inwardly, 'If we go to collect taxes and supervise construction, the people's resentment will be transferred to us. He, on the other hand, will remain high above, reaping the benefits. And once the altar is built, he can use it as an auspicious omen to curry favor with the emperor. What a cunning scheme to kill three birds with one stone!'

(End of this chapter)