Druid Fairy

Chapter 75 Demonic Cultivator
The older brother found out.

The gambling den's relentless pressure, the younger brother's pleas, the mother's weeping, and the repeated clinging to wishful thinking... finally led to disaster.

Yan Yufei felt all his strength drained away, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Li Pingfu remained expressionless, his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white. The cicadas outside the window chirped shrilly, but inside the room was so quiet that one could hear Yan Yufei swallowing.

The physical evidence is there, and the witness testimonies are also available, leaving no room for argument.

He suddenly stood up, recalling how Yan Yufei had run around the whole town comparing prices under the scorching sun half a month ago. His chest heaved violently. "When the martial arts school first opened, you said you would save me every penny..."

Yan Yufei knelt down with a thud, the broken silver coins in his arms clattering and rolling all over the ground. He looked disheveled. "Big brother, I have so much to say, but I'm sorry for letting you down. I've failed your trust... I'll make up for the money..."

He was filled with remorse. His elder brother had treated him well, so how could he have been so blinded by greed!
Seeing that Li Pingfu's gaze remained cold, and knowing that there was no longer a chance to be brothers, he kowtowed three times fiercely, his forehead bleeding. Thinking of his younger brother still in the gambling den, he resolutely turned and left.

Li Pingfu did not try to stop him.

He has found out that Yan Yufei was dragged down by his gambler brother, which is why he embezzled the martial arts school's money.

The reason for the mistake is not important; what matters is Xiao Liu's choice. Falsifying accounts to embezzle money is a minor matter, but the nature of the act is extremely heinous.

His previous questioning was his last chance for Xiao Liu. The Li Family Martial Arts School was newly established; if it was handled carelessly, who knew how many unresolved issues remained? A bad start was unacceptable!
One wrong step leads to another, and it will be too late to regret it!
…………

That night.

Yan Yufei was furious. Blood splattered everywhere in the gambling den. If the gambling den hadn't set up a trap to lure him in, Yan Yuhao wouldn't have fallen so deep.

Under cover of night, Yan Yufei launched a sneak attack on the gambling den's leader, taking the gambling winnings to pay off the martial arts school's debts. He then fled, becoming a fugitive.

He believed he had done everything he could for his younger brother, but his parents kept forcing him to be tolerant, which he had grown tired of and decided to give up.

The only thing that grew stronger was the guilt he felt towards the martial arts school.

"Brother, if I manage to return alive, I will repay your kindness!"

As he embarked on his journey, Yan Yufei took a deep look in the direction of Peach Blossom Mountain. All his regrets and longings dissipated in the night breeze.

The bright moon hangs high, calmly overlooking the grudges and passions that have plagued this land.

…………

"Everyone knows about Xiao Liu's offense, right?"

Li Pingfu looked at his group of brothers.

Li Yuan and Li Chao, both skilled in Black Tiger Kung Fu, teach the martial arts school's disciples the basics of martial arts; Xie Xiaodao, quick-witted, connects with the families of the martial arts school's disciples; Zhang Hua, knowledgeable in pharmacology, makes "traumatic injury ointment"; Miao Kai, meanwhile, mingles in the streets, gathering information from all sides.

Each person performed their duties and received a monthly allowance.

Li Pingfu never mistreated his brothers.

Upon hearing about Yan Yufei, Miao Kai and Li Chao were incredulous, Zhang Hua's eyes widened slightly, Xie Xiaodao was filled with righteous indignation, and Li Yuan frowned slightly.

What shocked everyone about this incident was not just Yan Yufei's greed for money, but more so the elder brother's iron-fisted handling of the situation.

Everyone was on high alert, suppressing their carefree nature.

Li Pingfu said, "From now on, the martial arts school will need three people to go together when making purchases, the accounts will be checked every ten days or so, and a separate person will be assigned to handle the receipt and disbursement of money."

"Purchasing is not subject to accounting, and accounting is not handled by the money."

From then on, the Li Family Martial Arts School had one more rule.

No rules, no standards.

After establishing the new regulations, Li Pingfu privately instructed Li Yuan, saying, "The gambling den couldn't find Yan Yufei, so they broke Yan Yuhao's leg. Let's leave it at that. If the gambling den harasses Xiao Liu's family again, go and investigate."

"Okay," Li Yuan replied. In the end, the eldest brother was soft-hearted towards these brothers he had known for six or seven years.

His integrity and loyalty were the reasons he was willing to follow Li Pingfu.

He sighed inwardly, "Sixth brother, why did it have to come to this?"

If you apologize to your elder brother and make things clear as soon as possible, you'll have no trouble settling things with the gambling den.

Ultimately, Yan Yufei overestimated his own abilities and didn't trust his older brother enough!

…………

Peach Blossom Village, Li Family.

An uninvited guest arrived after a long absence.

"Brother, long time no see!"

"Brother Tiger!"

Li Rongzhou was surprised and suspicious. After not seeing him for several years, Tiger Brother had a new scar running across his face. The wound was black and hideous. Although it had scabbed over, it was still frightening.

How did Tiger survive such injuries?

Considering that Tiger Brother had been silent since he said he was going to "hunt a treasure beast" eight years ago, his reappearance at the Li family after so many years gives people an ominous feeling.

Li Pingcan helped pour tea, but secretly observed Tiger. He remembered that this man was involved with the Three-Eyed Cult and had previously tried to recruit his father as a "downline".

He was considering whether to poison the tea and hand Tiger over to the imperial court.

"I didn't expect you to have advanced to the Qi and Blood Realm as well."

Tiger pulled at his face, revealing the scars and making his whole face look particularly strange. "Even his son has advanced to the level of a Divine Demon. Truly, like father, like son."

"You flatter me, you flatter me," Li Rongzhou said politely throughout.

Let's chat for a bit.

Li Pingcan discovered that Tiger Brother had been secretly probing their family's situation, but remained silent about his eight-year disappearance, making him increasingly suspicious.

Tiger said, "You're quite capable to break through to the Qi and Blood Realm so easily. I've come here to invite you to join the Treasure Hunting Alliance and hunt treasure beasts together. It's a sure thing."

Li Pingcan found the words very familiar and tried to recall them carefully.

Good grief, the same trick from eight years ago!

This truly shows they haven't forgotten their original aspirations!

Li Rongzhou naturally refused Tiger Brother's offer.

With the combined efforts of several martial artists at the Qi and Blood Realm, hunting treasure beasts wasn't too dangerous, but what was more dangerous than the treasure beasts were the people.

The treasured beast is elusive and difficult to find, making it extremely valuable. If resources are not allocated properly, even a successful hunt might attract unwanted attention, preventing it from ever leaving the mountains.

To conspire with a wicked person like Brother Tiger is no different from asking a tiger for its skin!
"Okay." Just like eight years ago, Tiger left disappointed.

……

Looking at Tiger's back, Li Rongzhou felt increasingly uneasy; this person's appearance was too abrupt!
"Can'er, this is too strange. Have Xiao Hei go and take a look."

"Father, that's what I think too."

Although Dad said that cults normally don't harm ordinary people, that's because ordinary people can't profit from them!

The Li family rose to prominence rapidly, and in the process of its development and expansion, it was inevitable that it would attract the attention of those with ulterior motives!
……

"Gah!"

Little Black took flight and followed Tiger Brother all the way, only to discover that Tiger Brother had also gone to Zhou Enxian's place, where he was also rejected.

Tiger wandered through the dense forest, troubled.

As he went deeper, his steps became increasingly hesitant, like a husband who would rather stay in the train carriage after get off work than go home.

After a long while, he finally came to the mountain cabin and knelt down in front of one of the men.

"Your subordinate pays respects to the Left Protector."

The man known as the Left Protector was an old man with white eyebrows, hair, and beard, a peaceful face, and a spotless white robe, exuding a Taoist and otherworldly air.

However, as soon as he opened his mouth, he ruined the atmosphere.

"Hehehe, Little Tiger, you made a big mistake before. If I hadn't pleaded for you, you would still be mining in Demon Mountain. Don't let me down."

Tiger's cheeks twitched involuntarily.

Eight years ago, he failed to develop his downline and was about to fail to complete the mission, so he wanted to offer up a treasure beast. However, the information was wrong and he was injured instead, losing both money and life.

Not only did they give back all the resources they had previously acquired, but they were also assigned by the cult to mine demonic ore.

Mining!
They treat people like cattle and horses!
Demonic energy can also shorten a person's lifespan!

Tiger trembled involuntarily at the thought of Demon Mountain. If he hadn't painstakingly sought an opportunity to fabricate news of the Peach Blossom Mountain's treasure, the Left Protector might not have come to his rescue.

He had planned to take it one step at a time and trick the Qi and Blood Realm cultivator into handing over the Refining Pill, but he didn't expect the other party to not fall for it.

That's right, only a fool would fall for a cult's tricks!
"Hmm? So what about the rare treasure you mentioned for cultivating immortality?"

The Left Protector asked, explaining that he had come in secret and didn't have much free time. Seeing Tiger hesitate, he coiled his withered fingers around Tiger's throat.

Tiger Brother gasped, "Guardian, please be wise! I have discovered that the Li family possesses a spiritual medicine! Li Rongzhou and his son were able to break through their cultivation levels entirely thanks to this! They... they have also secretly kept a baby beast!"

Better to die than to die myself, because your Li family is the most prominent!
The grip on his throat suddenly loosened, and the Left Protector's black robe remained motionless. "Explain in detail!"

"Then Li Rongzhou must possess some cultivation secrets. Otherwise, how could a mere peasant family produce a Divine Fiend Realm martial artist?" Tiger Brother seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire.

Upon hearing "Divine Fiend Realm," the Left Protector's eyes showed a hint of apprehension, but what Xiao Hu said also made sense.

The fact that Li Pingfu, one of the two martial artists in the Li family, is so young and powerful can be attributed to coincidence or to mastering a secret technique.

It's worth exploring.

Just like fishing, you cast your line whether there's a bite or not.

Even if we take a step back and assume there are no secret techniques, martial artists at the Qi and Blood Realm are still raw materials for "human pills".

This matter can be resolved by simply avoiding that fierce martial artist named Li Pingfu.

"If you dare to deceive me..."

The Left Protector said calmly, "Although your cultivation was forcibly elevated and you have impurities, I will still turn you into a human pill to feed to the dogs." Tiger, enduring excruciating pain, forced a fawning smile: "This subordinate is willing to be the vanguard! The Li family is right there..."

Before he finished speaking, the Left Protector's pupils twitched slightly, and he raised his palm to unleash a "Swift Wind Technique," a sharp wind piercing towards Xiao Hei like an arrow.

"Caw caw caw!" Little Black suddenly flew high, but still had a few black feathers knocked off.

"Where did this crow come from? What bad luck!"

The Left Protector frowned. Everyone who cultivates immortality has some superstitions. The appearance of this crow is not a good omen.

But after thinking it over, he realized that apart from Li Pingfu at the martial arts school in Pantao Town, the Li family posed no threat to him whatsoever.

Thinking of this, he felt relieved. "Where do you think the Li family is?"

…………

The next day.

The sun rises in the east, its light shining brightly.

Occasionally, dazzling rays of light appear in the morning mist shrouding the distant mountains; these are spiritual energies that mortals cannot reach.

A sudden flash of inspiration presents a perfect opportunity to venture into the mountains in search of treasure.

Li Pingcan looked at Lao Yang, who was dressed in typical attire of a treasure hunter. A Luoyang shovel with a brass handle was slung diagonally into his black belt. The leather sheath was covered with soot and fresh mud stains, and a black iron Bagua mirror hung from the half-open front of his clothes.

His sharp eyebrows, which concealed his hawk-like eyes, made him look surprisingly young.

"The rules of the treasure hunters are that they don't pick the 'yin fruit' (a metaphor for something sinister or harmful). His voice was a little low and hoarse. "A deposit of ten taels is required, and twenty taels upon successful completion. Regardless of whether there is a large quantity of goods or not, the deposit is non-refundable."

Knowing these unwritten rules, Li Pingcan happily paid the money, bid farewell to his parents, and followed the treasure hunter, Old Sheep, into the deep mountains.

…………

"Reporting to the Left Protector, the youngest son of the Li family is imitating the playboys of the town and has actually gone into the mountains to search for treasure."

Tiger said solicitously, "I heard that the Li family dotes on this child. By kidnapping him, they are holding Li Rongzhou by their side. I have inquired and found that the Li family martial arts school master has been staying in Pantao Town these past few days."

"Not bad, not bad, this is a great achievement for you." The Left Protector stroked his beard and smiled. He was just thinking about how to uncover the secrets of the Li family when this opportunity came to him. It was indeed a perfect moment.

The two followed him into the dense forest, keeping a close watch on his movements.

The Left Protector, who was cautious throughout his life, looked at the only variable, "Old Sheep," and found that the other party was only at the initial stage of Qi and Blood, so he was completely relieved.

Beneath the divine power, all are but ants; ordinary magic can crush them.

Wait until it's a place where no one goes.

"Do it!"

Tiger was about to rush out, and had already taken half a step when he was suddenly horrified to discover that the voice did not belong to the Left Protector, but to that "Old Sheep"!
"Brother, be careful!"

Li Pingcan took a half step back, ceding the main battlefield to Li Pingfu. He was not as physically strong as his elder brother, so he did not take the risk.

The so-called "Old Sheep" was actually the eldest brother in disguise, whose purpose was to lure the Left Protector out of the mountains.

"What a trick!"

The Left Protector laughed in exasperation, looking at Little Tiger and thinking, "What a useless piece of trash!"

He thought he was the hunter and the youngest son of the Li family was the prey, but he never expected to be the one set up. He didn't know what kind of martial arts technique the Li family used to be able to conceal internal energy and disguise their martial arts cultivation.

However, he wasn't too worried. He was at the second level of Qi Refining and had amassed a lot of resources from the cult over the years. A mere kid who had just entered the Divine Fiend Realm might not be his match.

Even if you can't win, you can still escape.

Tiger looked desperate. Why was the intelligence he obtained never accurate?

Once the Left Protector has dealt with the Li family brat, he will certainly not let me off easily.

"We might as well take this opportunity to escape and break free from the cult's control!"

Thinking of this, Tiger ran for his life in the direction he came from. The mountain wind rushed in his face, and he felt the warmth of freedom that he hadn't felt in a long time.

……

In the mountains and forests, no one paid any attention to Tiger, who was trying to escape.

Li Pingfu's expression was cold and solemn. His Divine Fiend Realm aura erupted, and his fist, adorned with knuckle dusters, unleashed its power, seemingly accompanied by a black tiger phantom roaring to the sky.

However, before he could get close to the Left Protector, the forest suddenly darkened, a strong wind arose, and the wind transformed into arrows of energy that attacked Li Pingfu.

It was the Left Protector's signature instant-cast spell, Gale Technique!

The fragile sapling was snapped in half, and withered leaves were blown everywhere.

"Unleash the 'Dance Wind'!"

Feature: Rotation!
Li Pingcan calculated his "mana" and unleashed five skills in one go. In an instant, the rotating and flowing wind pressure completely destroyed the air wave.

The Left Protector's face turned horrified, his composure instantly crumbling. "What kind of strange magic is this!"

He felt no ripples of spiritual energy, nor did he see the talisman spontaneously combust. It was as if a wind without source, generated by heaven and earth, had distorted his face.

Before they could process this shock, Li Pingfu closed in, his brass knuckles flashing with black, menacing energy.

Black Tiger takes out his heart!

"Soil stabilization technique".

The Left Protector shouted, which was one of the reasons why he was not afraid of martial artists at the Divine Fiend Realm—the Earth-Stabilizing Technique could restrict the target's movement.

His sensitivity to the earth and wind attributes is the highest, and earth magic is more applicable in the mountains than wind magic.

Suddenly, two moving streams of sand appeared beneath Li Pingfu's feet, coiling around him like snakes, before solidifying in an instant to form hard mudstone.

These cultivators are indeed difficult to deal with; casting spells from afar is truly troublesome.

Li Pingfu frowned, intending to use brute force to crush the mudstone beneath his feet, when he saw the mechanism on the left protector's right arm unfold, revealing an exquisitely crafted crossbow bolt!

With his body confined, he had nowhere to retreat.

In that critical moment, he heard his younger brother shout: "Big brother, jump up and rush up!"

Despite being tightly controlled, Li Pingfu chose to believe, giving up the opportunity to block and focusing all his energy on building up his strength.

In the instant of the leap, the mudstone beneath his feet turned into loose soil, falling down with a soft rustling sound, easily dodging the crossbow bolts.

"How can it be!?"

The Left Protector was dumbfounded, feeling that what happened today had overturned his decades of combat experience.

"It's time to finish."

Li Pingfu's eyes flashed with a sharp light, his body moved like lightning, and his tiger-shaped weapon charged forward. The black tiger phantom, carrying a torrent of rubble, smashed the Left Protector three feet into the ground.

"Cough cough!"

Three faint white lights emanated from the left protector's body, traces of the "talisman" being used. However, while the talisman was effective against magic, it had limited effect in reducing damage from real swords and spears.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face still showing resentment. He used his last bit of spiritual energy to cast a "Fireball" spell at close range!
If I can't survive, you won't have an easy time either!
Li Pingfu was startled and hastily parried and retreated. The burst of flames scorched his clothes and hair, and his skin turned red and blistered.

But such injuries are commonplace for martial artists.

Looking at the left protector, his cheeks were charred, his skin was grotesque, and his features were almost fused together, clearly indicating that the fireball spell was not weak.

Li Pingcan breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, he had cast the [Increase Resistance] spell on his elder brother beforehand.

He snapped his fingers, and countless thorns spread out like snakes, wrapping the Left Protector up like a dumpling, rendering him unable to move.

"Are you going to die?"

Through blurred vision, the brass knuckles flashed with black light and crashed down without mercy.

On his deathbed, the Left Protector had no regrets. Little Tiger's words flashed through his mind, and his eyes were filled with only greed for the secret technique.

If God gave him another chance, he would definitely capture the Li family, skin them alive, and find out their secret technique!
…………

"Li Rongzhou!"

Tiger, who was fleeing in panic, was ambushed and shot, his left arm bleeding profusely.

Thinking of the Left Protector's current predicament, a look of understanding appeared in his eyes.

It seems that the man surnamed Li has been waiting for him for quite some time!

Without wasting words, he fiercely clashed with Li Rongzhou. Anyone who blocked his path was his enemy; the two sides were now locked in a life-or-death struggle.

Once you get through this hurdle, you'll be on the road to freedom.

But the longer the fight went on, the more anxious Tiger became. Li Rongzhou, that coward, actually used a stalling tactic instead of engaging in direct combat.

Why is that?
Waiting for backup?
Tiger Brother, startled and suspicious, suddenly realized a possibility: "Could it be that you still think your eldest son can defeat the Left Protector? That's a Qi Refining Level 2 Immortal!"

Li Rongzhou's eyes were cold. "So why did this Qi Refining Level 2 Immortal suddenly attack my family?" He would never let Brother Hu go.

Tiger was speechless.

He grew increasingly impatient as the time it takes for an incense stick to burn was delayed. Li Rongzhou was as slippery as an eel.

You can't hit them, and you can't shake them off!
They were about to take drastic measures.

Three crows cawed in the sky.

Li Rongzhou's cold and stern expression melted away, and a moment after the crows cawed, two figures emerged from the deep forest.

Tiger looked horrified.

It wasn't the Left Protector he feared who emerged, but rather the two Li brothers!

This unbelievable outcome terrified him even more!

The two chapters were posted in the wrong order. Just refresh the page; the prices are the same.
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(End of this chapter)