Druid Fairy

Chapter 150 Hexagram
At the martial arts training ground in Yunshui County.

There were huge crowds of people and loud drums and gongs.

Li Yuanhu, dressed in a sharp black outfit, exuded a powerful and imposing aura as he strode forward.

He is no longer the little tyrant who only knew how to use brute force.

"It's the young master of the Li family!"

"Is he Li Yuanhu, the one with superhuman strength? Truly, heroes emerge from among the young!"

"I heard that his father, County Magistrate Li, was just as formidable back in the day, defeating all the martial arts schools in Yunshui County with a single punch!"

"The student surpasses the master; the old tiger has given birth to the little tiger, ensuring the continuation of the lineage."

Hearing the surrounding chatter, Li Yuanhu showed no smugness on his face. He bowed respectfully to the chief examiner sitting on the high platform.

He came here not to show off his military prowess, nor to seek fame or fortune.

He remembered his third uncle's words.

“Tiger Cub, your second uncle is in Songling Prefecture, advocating for the people. Your father is in Yunshui County, protecting our family and the people. The men of the Li family, born on this land, should have things to do and things not to do. This martial arts examination is not for you to show off your power, but to give you an opportunity, an opportunity to use your skills to protect your family and the people.”

To ordinary people, Third Uncle was unassuming and unassuming, but Li Yuanhu knew his Third Uncle's abilities and had admired and respected him since childhood.

Or rather, in the eyes of others, the entire family was led by the second brother, who was doing the best, while in Yunshui County, they were just watching their own father live his life.

But in reality, the family is implicitly headed by the third uncle, Li Pingcan.

Of course, the secrets behind this are not to be revealed to outsiders.

"Clang clang clang!"

With the sound of three gongs, Li Yuanhu regained his composure and focused on preparing for the county examination.

The first test was a strength test.

The stone lock, weighing a thousand pounds, was something that other candidates could only lift at best.

But when it came to Li Yuanhu, he simply took a deep breath, shook his arms, and effortlessly lifted the stone lock above his head, even bouncing it twice in the air, making the examinees below the stage twitch.

The second event was horseback archery.

On his galloping steed, he drew his bow and shot arrows with unerring accuracy, turning the bullseye of the target a hundred paces away into a pincushion.

The third round is a duel. In this round, you only need to withstand the veteran for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.

His opponent was a seasoned veteran from the state garrison, a ruthless and experienced swordsman.

But once they started fighting, the veteran was in dire straits.

Li Yuanhu's fighting style is simply unreasonable.

He doesn't use any fancy moves or variations; it's just one punch after another!
Each punch carried a powerful force, forcing the old soldier to parry and retreat in a sorry state. The sword in his hand vibrated and hummed, and his tiger's mouth was already a bloody mess.

Under Li Yuanhu's relentless onslaught, the veteran was blasted off the stage with a single punch.

A victory that was not in doubt; the county examination was passed with ease.

"Li Yuanhu, the top scorer in the county examination!"

With a loud announcement, the entire training ground erupted in cheers.

Li Yuanhu stood in the center of the arena, listening to the thunderous cheers, a joyful smile on his face, his gaze fixed on the distance.

That's the direction of Peach Blossom Village.

…………

The news of Li Yuanhu's victory in the martial arts examination quickly spread throughout Yunshui County.

For a time, the name "Li's Qilin'er" resounded throughout the streets and alleys, and storytellers even turned his deeds into catchy tales.

The stories of "being able to shake a thousand-pound cauldron and punch a master" are told in an exaggerated and fantastical way.

The threshold of the Li family mansion was once again overwhelmed by guests who came to offer congratulations and gifts. Many even wanted to act as matchmakers for Li Yuanhu, hoping to climb the social ladder by marrying into the Li family.

Yunshui County, Huaqing Mountain, Su Family Residence.

This place is the only cultivation family in Yunshui County. They usually keep their gates tightly closed and have no contact with mortals, forming their own world.

Deep within the mansion, in a quiet room, incense burner is filled with lily incense, a fragrance believed to calm the mind and focus the spirit.

An elderly man with white hair and beard and a thin face was sitting cross-legged on a futon.

Three ancient copper coins floated in front of him, their surfaces shimmering with spiritual light, faintly forming a mysterious hexagram.

This person is none other than Su Moyun, the pillar of the Su family, a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and the patriarch of the Su family.

Su Moyun is not only highly skilled in cultivation, but also proficient in divination, able to foresee good and bad fortune.

It is precisely because of this that the Su family has been able to live peacefully and steadily for hundreds of years in this small but important area of ​​Yunshui County.

But today, this divination revealed a serious and confused look on his usually calm and composed face for the first time.

"Strange, strange..."

His eyes gleamed. "How can the Li family's fortune be so strong? It's like oil being poured on a raging fire, soaring into the sky. This is illogical."

He had divined the future fortunes of Yunshui County and predicted the fates of several prominent families in the area.

In his view, although the Li family had produced two new officials, they were ultimately ordinary military men with shallow roots, and their fortunes were at best destined for "moderate wealth and contentment."

But the current divination result...

There must be something fishy about this!

"A family's fortune doesn't come from nowhere. Unless... they've obtained some extraordinary opportunity!"

Su Moyun has been stuck at the ninth level of Qi Refining for over thirty years, and with his lifespan nearing its end, he still cannot glimpse the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

If we could obtain the "opportunity" from the Li family, perhaps...

An uncontrollable greed rose from the depths of his heart.

Li Pingfu, a martial artist of innate talent, possesses fierce and powerful qi and blood, making him a formidable opponent.

Then he thought of Li Ping'an, a rising star in the officialdom, backed by the Mu family of the prefecture. Making a move against him would cause a lot of trouble.

After much thought, Su Moyun's gaze finally settled on the most inconspicuous and "softest" piece on the chessboard.

"The Li family has three sons. Li Pingcan is said to be just a leisurely man obsessed with flowers and gardening. He has two wives and a son and a daughter. He is unremarkable. His eldest son, Li Mengze, has entered the academy, making him difficult to deal with. As for the second son, Li Mengjin, he is just an ordinary boy. How much resistance can he possibly have? Once I capture him, I will use the soul-searching technique on him... Even if this kid doesn't know the family's secrets, I can use that to blackmail him. I'm not afraid I won't be able to uncover the Li family's secrets!"

When it comes to persimmons, you should definitely pick the soft ones.

Su Moyun was confident that her plan was foolproof.

Without further hesitation, he transformed into a barely perceptible breeze, silently leaving the Su family mansion and drifting towards Peach Blossom Village.

…………

On Peach Blossom Mountain, amidst the rolling mountain ranges.

Despite her father's guidance, the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children cannot be easily overlooked, and Li Mengjin now prefers to be alone.

He gripped the Shadow Fang and practiced the "Thirteen Swords of Wind Return" that his father had taught him with utmost concentration.

Despite his young age, he wielded his sword with remarkable skill. As the sword flashed, it produced subtle whooshing sounds as it sliced ​​through the air, cutting all the falling leaves in two.

A ghostly figure had already silently appeared behind him.

Su Moyun looked at the young boy, surprised, but a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

'Even with the best talent, how strong can a mortal with mortal blood really be?'

He stretched out his palm and, like an eagle grabbing a chick, reached for the back of Li Mengjin's neck.

Just as he was about to succeed, Li Mengjin's small body seemed to have eyes in the back of its head. It suddenly ducked down and narrowly avoided the grab at an incredible angle.

"Ok?"

Su Moyun was taken aback; this young boy actually possessed such keen combat intuition.

After all, he was a master at the ninth level of Qi Refining. When his first attempt failed, he immediately changed his move, creating an invisible suction force to forcibly pull Li Mengjin over.

Li Mengjin felt an immense force enveloping him, and his body drifted backward uncontrollably.

His face turned deathly pale, his heart pounded wildly, and fear surged through him.

In this extreme panic, his father's usual teachings resonated powerfully.

"Meng Jin, remember this: a true swordsman, no matter how strong the enemy, must keep his mind calmer than the sword in his hand!"

The greater the danger, the more we must search for that glimmer of hope!

"call!"

Li Mengjin didn't move. The moment the "Shadow Fang" was pulled into his hand, he used all his strength to stab it fiercely towards Su Moyun's wrist!

This sword strike embodies all his courage and strength!
"Pfft!"

With a soft sound, Su Moyun, momentarily careless, was actually cut by the black short sword, leaving a tiny cut on the back of her hand.

This young boy actually dared to fight back even when his aura locked onto him!

Although it was only a superficial wound, the sharp sword intent attached to the blade felt like steel needles piercing his meridians through the wound, causing him a sharp pain. "You little beast! You're asking for death!"

Su Moyun was both shocked and furious. He, a cultivator at the late stage of Qi Refining, had been injured by a mortal. This was an utter disgrace!
Without holding back in the slightest, his eyes revealed murderous intent, and his magical power surged, transforming into a ferocious ghost claw that slashed down at Li Mengjin's head!
Li Mengjin missed his first attack and showed no intention of continuing the fight.

Using the force of the recoil, he swung backward like a nimble ape and fled towards the outside of the mountain!

There was only one thought in his mind.

Father said, if you can't beat someone, run away. As long as you're alive, you can always make a comeback!

"Want to run?!"

Su Moyun roared, how could she let him have his way?
He swayed and was about to chase after them.

But the moment he took that step, a terrifying pressure suddenly descended!

Su Moyun felt as if her body was being crushed by an invisible mountain, making even the flow of her magic power extremely sluggish.

He struggled to lift his head, only to see that a figure had appeared in front of him.

The newcomer was dressed in a plain blue robe, but his eyes were like a bottomless, icy pool, silently watching him.

It was Li Pingcan.

"Bullying my son? Did you even ask me, his father,?"

"You... the third son of the Li family!?"

Su Moyun was struck dumb, frozen in place.

He had lived for nearly a century and boasted that he had seen countless people and could see through a person's character and destiny at a glance.

But this young man in the blue robe in front of him... he couldn't see through him at all!
"Foundation building...foundation building!?"

A thought that sent shivers down his spine arose from the depths of his heart.

impossible! Absolutely impossible!
How could an ordinary family possibly cultivate such a young Foundation Establishment cultivator?!
This isn't just good fortune; it's like a pie falling from the sky and landing right in his mouth!

"Who are you? You could never be that good-for-nothing third son of the Li family!"

Su Moyun shouted, his voice sharp but his tone weak.

The compass in his hand was spinning wildly, its needle bobbing like a headless fly, unable to pinpoint the opponent's aura.

This means that the other party's fate and strength have completely exceeded the scope of his divination skills!
"It doesn't matter who I am."

Li Pingcan's voice remained calm, "The important thing is that you will die here today."

"Insanity!"

Su Moyun forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart. After all, he was a cultivator at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, with one foot already in the threshold of Foundation Establishment. How could he be frightened?
He bit his tongue hard, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the compass, while muttering incantations.

"Heavenly Secrets in Harmony, Soul Locking and Spirit Stealing!"

The compass shone brightly, and strange gray-black runes flew out from it, clinging to Li Pingcan like maggots!

This was his trump card spell, capable of directly attacking a cultivator's soul. Those afflicted by the spell would suffer mental confusion at best, and complete annihilation at worst.

Faced with this vicious curse, Li Pingcan didn't even lift an eyelid.

"Even a grain of rice can shine?"

In terms of spiritual energy, with the spiritual nourishment of a Druid's dojo, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator might not be able to compare to him!
He snorted lightly, not even bothering to use [Nature's Grace].

How powerful and domineering is the physical body and blood energy of a Grandmaster in the Divine Martial Realm?
His blood and qi surged, and an invisible golden aura burst forth from his body. The moment the gray-black runes came into contact with the aura, they were as if they had encountered their nemesis. With a "sizzle," they emitted puffs of black smoke and instantly dissolved without a trace.

"puff!"

With the spell broken, Su Moyun was struck as if by a heavy blow and spat out another mouthful of blood.

"Body cultivator! You...you are actually a legendary ancient body cultivator!"

Body Refiners are a tradition that only existed in ancient times. They specialize in cultivating the physical body, do not rely on external objects, and prove the Dao through strength.

Legend has it that those who reach the pinnacle of cultivation possess a physical body comparable to a magical treasure, impervious to all spells, and even capable of shattering the void with their fists.

How could such an unreasonable monster appear in such a remote and impoverished place?!
Su Moyun was utterly terrified and had lost all will to fight. Without a second thought, he turned into a streak of light and fled desperately down the mountain.

"You only want to leave now? Don't you think it's too late?" Li Pingcan's voice rang out behind him.

A chilling sense of crisis washed over him, and Su Moyun's pupils constricted sharply.

Countless emerald green vines in front of us, like giant pythons awakening, are breaking through the soil at an incredible speed!

【The Whip of Thorns】!
The first-level [Thorn Whip] is no longer the simple trick used to trip people up.

These vines were incredibly tough, and their surfaces were covered with barbs that gleamed with a cold light. They intertwined in the air to form a net that instantly blocked all of Su Moyun's escape routes!
"Break it for me!"

Su Moyun's eyes were bloodshot as he frantically channeled the last of his magical power, unleashing a barrage of wind blades and fireballs at the giant net as if they were free.

However, the vines, like weeds, are resilient and can never be eradicated!

"What...what the hell is this?!" Su Moyun's heart sank to the bottom.

He watched helplessly as the giant green net tightened little by little, trapping him firmly within it, rendering even his amulet ineffective.

"Please……"

Seeing Su Moyun beg for mercy, Li Pingcan was too lazy to waste words and used the illusion mushroom to extract some information.

Upon learning that Su Moyun was a fortune teller who was only envious of the Li family's rise and not a powerful force targeting their own family, they were relieved.

After all, the only cultivator openly recognized in the Li family right now is Li Mengze, an alchemist, which wouldn't attract the covetousness of powerful cultivation families.

If the Su family hadn't been close to the Li family, they probably wouldn't have paid attention to the Li family.

No wonder the ancients said, "How can one allow another to snore beside one's bed?" The words of the ancients are truly not deceiving us!
After inquiring about the other party's true intentions, Li Pingcan drew his Jingzhe Sword, unleashing a burst of sword energy.

"If you have someone to blame, blame yourself for not having your fortune told today."

"The Thirteen Swords of Wind Return, Startling Swan!"

"No!"

Su Moyun had just woken up from the hallucinogenic mushroom's illusion and only had time to let out a terrified and desperate scream before the sword light pierced through her forehead.

His eyes still held a deep sense of disbelief.

He couldn't understand how such a terrifying existence could be hidden in this remote, ordinary village.

He couldn't understand how a great cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining could die so quickly and so miserably.

The body slumped down.

"father!"

Li Mengjin, having survived the ordeal, had a pounding heart and a tense expression.

"Don't be afraid, Father is here."

Li Pingcan gently patted his back, and the lingering fear and murderous intent in his heart slowly subsided.

“Meng Jin, you did very well today.” He said earnestly, “Remember, a true swordsman never gives up hope of resistance.”

“Yes!” Li Mengjin nodded emphatically.

He hadn't thought much of it just now, but now, thinking back, he realized it was almost a life-or-death situation, and he was still shaken.

After calming his son down, Li Pingcan turned his gaze to the still-warm body.

"Let me see what's on this old guy."

Su Moyun's wealth was even greater than he had imagined.

Besides the dozens of mid-grade spirit stones and several bottles of healing pills he carried with him, there were two other things that Li Pingcan cared about most.

A yellowed ancient book, with three large, flamboyant characters written in vermilion on the cover: "The Art of Divination by Heaven".

"It's actually a method of divination?"

Li Pingcan's heart stirred; this was truly a rare item. Of the myriad arts of cultivation, divination, medicine, astrology, and physiognomy were the most mysterious.

The other item was a jade pendant made entirely of an unknown type of white jade, warm to the touch, and carved with intricate patterns.

The moment Li Pingcan probed into it with his divine sense, a gentle force instantly enveloped him.

He could clearly feel that his connection with this world had been severed by this force.

"Good baby!"

Li Pingcan's eyes lit up. "This is actually a magical artifact that can block detection!"

With this item, whether it's stealth, treasure hunting, or "robbery," it will be like adding wings to a tiger. There will be no need to worry about those so-called great beings deducing heavenly secrets and following the clues. It is very suitable for Li Mengze, who is far away in Songling Prefecture and whose Druid dojo is not within reach.

"Not bad, not bad, this was a good deal."

Li Pingcan happily pocketed all the spoils of war.

With a flick of his finger, a small flame landed on the corpse.

The raging fire completely engulfed the last trace of this world.

(End of this chapter)