Druid Fairy

Chapter 97 Huge Gains
Su Meiniang's heart skipped a beat. Her intuition, honed over years of navigating relationships with men, told her that the situation was spiraling out of control!
But she was, after all, a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining. Although she was startled, her reaction was quick.

Instead of retreating, she advanced, her captivating fox-like eyes instantly misting over, her entire being seemingly transforming into a pink haze, her voice becoming alluring to the very core:

"My dear brother, why are you being so fierce? I'm so scared..."

Before she finished speaking, several pink threads, barely visible to the naked eye, silently floated out from her sleeve—her signature move, "Thousand Illusions of Love Threads"!
This seductive art does not directly attack the physical body, but rather penetrates the spirit.

Wherever the silk threads touched, the faint fragrance in the air suddenly intensified tenfold, transforming into an invisible net that threatened to drag everyone into a sensual and decadent dream.

The night breeze subsided, and even the insects in the grass stopped chirping, as if they had fallen into a dream.

"Little tricks!"

Li Pingfu smiled coldly. If he were a post-natal realm cultivator, he might be fooled, but a pre-natal realm expert would not be afraid of such a soul-disturbing technique.

In an instant, the innate true energy that had just transformed within his body erupted without reservation, transforming into a powerful and vigorous blood and qi that swept out like a raging torrent!

This is the external manifestation of innate internal energy!
"puff!"

The invisible silken net was torn to shreds like paper under the impact of this domineering internal force.

Su Meiniang's seductive arts are most vulnerable to martial arts experts with vigorous blood and strong will.

She felt as if her soul had been struck by a heavy hammer, a sweet taste rose in her throat, and she almost spat out a mouthful of blood. Her face instantly lost all color.

"What a fine Li Pingfu! What a fine innate martial artist!"

Su Meiniang paled, horrified. She never expected that her opponent not only saw through her disguise but was also so powerful.

As a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining, seventy percent of her skills lay in her seductive and illusionary arts; her methods of direct combat were mediocre at best. Now, with a Xiantian martial artist at her fingertips, she felt a chill run through her hands and feet, and a shadow of death instantly enveloped her heart.

"No! I can't die here!"

Her intense will to survive unleashed her final potential. She bit her tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and her hands rapidly formed hand seals.

"Blood Butterfly Dance!"

The blood essence transformed into crimson butterflies in the air, their wings fluttering and scattering specks of red light. Each ray of red light contained a demonic power capable of arousing the deepest desires. This was her trump card, a life-saving technique of immense power, but with extremely severe side effects.

However, she was facing Li Pingfu.

Li Pingfu's eyes were slightly closed. When he opened them again, his eyes were clear, and it seemed as if there was a crane phantom spreading its wings behind him.

"Five Spirits Play - Crane Dance!"

His movements became graceful and agile, as if he were strolling leisurely through the swarm of blood-red butterflies, without a single petal touching him. The red light that could have stirred his inner demons was automatically neutralized by his innate true energy when it landed on him, and it had no effect on him whatsoever.

Su Meiniang was utterly desperate.

All her tricks became a joke in front of this young man!
In the instant she lost her composure, Li Pingfu's figure approached like a ghost, and gently placed a palm on her shoulder blade.

The force was controlled to perfection, instantly rendering her unable to resist without harming her life.

With a "thud," Su Meiniang collapsed to the ground, her magical power dissipated, and she could no longer move.

She lay sprawled on the ground, utterly disheveled, her magnificent palace dress covered in mud. She raised her head, tears streaming down her face, and pleaded pitifully:

"Hero, spare my life! I... I was ordered around and had no choice in the matter! If you would spare me, I would serve you as your slave for life!"

As she spoke, she secretly gathered her last bit of magical power, her eyes unconsciously glancing towards the depths of the forest.

'Qin An! You old codger, why haven't you made your move yet! Now is the best opportunity!'

She placed all her hopes on that ally. If Qin An could launch a sneak attack from behind at this moment, Li Pingfu would surely die, and she would be able to turn the tide of the battle!

However, the forest was deathly silent, with only the rustling of the wind through the leaves.

no respond.

Not a single person appeared.

The color drained from Su Meiniang's face, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head, turning her into an endless expanse of ashes.

She was abandoned.

…………

Meanwhile, on a hidden path leading to the outside world on the other side of the mountain forest, a figure was running desperately under the cover of night, at an extreme speed, as if a vengeful ghost was chasing after him.

It was Qin An.

He felt ice-cold all over, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him from head to toe.

'First... a master of innate level!'

When he sensed the perfect and innate true energy emanating from Li Pingfu, which could draw upon the primordial energy of heaven and earth, all his wishful thinking and calculations vanished in an instant.

He originally thought that Li Pingfu was just a gifted person at the peak of acquired talent, and that he could fight him with his experience and age, and even launch a sneak attack.

But the difference between innate and acquired is like the difference between heaven and earth!
'This world is fucking insane!'

He had assumed that the Li family were just lucky country bumpkins, and that Li Pingfu was a somewhat talented but simple-minded brute.

But reality gave him a resounding slap in the face! A master of innate cultivation in his early twenties?

This is no country bumpkin! This is clearly the work of a powerful and influential family with deep roots and profound heritage.

He couldn't understand it, and he didn't have time to think about it. All he knew was that he had kicked a piece of iron plate, and it was a piece of red-hot, ancient black iron!

He couldn't imagine what would happen if he showed himself. All he wanted now was to escape, to escape as far away as possible, to leave Yunshui County, this place of trouble, forever!
At this moment, Qin An no longer harbored any greed, only endless fear.

As for Su Meiniang's life or death, what does it have to do with him?
No matter how good an official's status is, they still need to be alive to enjoy it!

Without hesitation, he crouched down, concealed his aura to the extreme, and turned to run wildly along the planned escape route.

Su Meiniang's shrill screams drifted from afar, reaching his ears. Far from arousing any remorse, they only spurred him to flee even faster.

'Stupid woman, you expect me to die with you?'

Qin An cursed inwardly, then increased his speed by three points, disappearing into the night like a frightened mouse.

He mustered all his strength and rushed out of the mountains in one breath.

A familiar official road appeared before us, bathed in moonlight, making it appear exceptionally tranquil.

He stopped, supporting himself on his knees, panting heavily, overwhelmed with a sense of relief at surviving the ordeal.

However, this sense of relief lasted less than a breath before it froze instantly.

Qin An suddenly raised his head, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

In the middle of the road ahead, under the moonlight, a figure in green robes stood quietly, with a peaceful expression, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

It was neither the menacing Li Pingfu nor the celestial official Li Ping'an.

Instead, it was the third son of the Li family, Li Pingcan, whom he had completely ignored in his plans and who was even too lazy to remember his name.

Qin An's mind went blank with a "buzz".

A chill, countless times more terrifying than facing a master of innate cultivation, instantly swept over his entire body.

He escaped using his most secretive route, but the other party... the other party seemed to be strolling in their own backyard, waiting for them at the finish line ahead of time.

'How did he get here? How did he know I would escape from here?'

Countless questions exploded in an instant, eventually converging into an answer that made his very soul tremble.

Everything about him was under the other party's control!
"Elder Qin, are you in such a hurry to leave? Are you rushing to be reincarnated?" Li Pingcan asked with a smile. His voice was not loud, but it was like a heavy hammer that struck Qin An's heart.

Qin An was both shocked and furious, and shouted with a fierce but weak voice, "You little bastard, how dare you stop me?"

A strong sense of crisis made him not have time to think. He roared and brought all his strength to the limit. With the move "Mantis Stalking Cicada", his arms were like knives, and he pounced on Li Pingcan with a sharp wind!
He's going to fight to the death!
However, Li Pingcan neither dodged nor avoided, but simply took out a fist-sized black ball wrapped in oil paper from his pocket, flicked it with his finger, and the ball flew towards Qin An with a whistling sound.

Qin An was taken aback. What kind of hidden weapon was this?
He instinctively changed his stance, crossing his arms to protect his chest.

Just then, a playful smile appeared on Li Pingcan's lips, and a thought flickered in his mind.

Fire control!
A small shower of sparks suddenly erupted from the black sphere hovering in mid-air. "BOOM!!!"

A deafening roar erupted, and flames shot skyward!
A violent blast of air, carrying dust and gravel, violently hurled Qin An into the air. He tumbled several times in the air before crashing heavily to the ground, completely disoriented.

When he finally got up in a disheveled state, his once neat robes were now tattered and torn, like a beggar's clothes. His face and hands were covered in soot and tiny wounds, with blood flowing freely. Most of his hair and eyebrows were singed, and he looked as miserable as could be.

"What...what kind of sorcery is this?!" Qin An was horrified. Could it be some kind of divine magic?!
Li Pingcan, watching from a distance, clicked his tongue inwardly, commenting: 'The explosives my second brother got through these channels are still a bit lacking; the power isn't concentrated enough. It seems the formula and packaging method need improvement. Next time, I'll have to try using an iron casing and adding some nails inside.'

Qin An was unaware that he had become a test subject; all he knew was that he had encountered a terrifying being unlike any he had ever seen before. He let out a beast-like roar and charged forward again, his fists becoming increasingly ruthless, each strike aimed at vital points.

"sucker Punch."

Li Pingcan shook his head. This time, he didn't even bother using explosives.

He met Qin An's punch head-on, advancing instead of retreating. His fist, though seemingly ordinary, carried a weighty, unshakeable force.

Five Spirits Play - Bear Play!
"boom!"

As their fists collided, Qin An felt an irresistible force emanating from his opponent's fist. His prized Mantis Fist technique, capable of splitting stone and shattering monuments, was instantly crushed like paper in front of his opponent!
"Crack!"

The cracking sound of bone breaking was clearly audible.

Qin An let out a scream as his right arm twisted at an eerie angle and hung limply at his sides.

He looked at Li Pingcan in horror; the other man's physical strength was even more terrifying than that of his elder brother, Li Pingfu!
This is no longer martial arts; this is simply a primordial beast in human skin!
Li Pingcan gave him no chance to catch his breath. With a swift movement and a change of footwork, he circled behind him as lightly as a crane and placed a finger on his vital acupoint in the back.

Qin Quan's bones snapped like brittle bones in an instant, and he let out a heart-wrenching scream!
…………

The moonlight, like water, quietly spilled onto the clearing in the woods.

Li Pingcan walked forward step by step, looking down at Qin An, who was lying on the ground like a dead dog, with the same calm expression on his face.

Qin An's bones were shattered, but his venomous eyes remained fixed on the smiling, seemingly harmless boy before him.

He couldn't understand it; each of Li's three sons was more eccentric than the last!
The eldest brother, Li Pingfu, entered the Xiantian realm in his early twenties, and his martial arts talent can be described as monstrous; the second brother, Li Ping'an, was a literary star descended to earth, passed the imperial examination with flying colors, and is now a rising star in the officialdom of Yunshui, with a promising future.

And this most inconspicuous third child...

Qin An couldn't even describe him in words. That bizarre sorcery and unfathomable physical strength completely overturned his decades-long understanding of martial arts.

"Who...who exactly are you?" Qin An's voice was hoarse and dry, filled with despair and resentment.

Li Pingcan looked at him calmly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger. "Speak, why did you attack my older brother?" Although he probably knew the reason, he still had to go through the necessary procedures.

A ruthless glint flashed in Qin An's eyes. Knowing he was doomed, this only fueled his ferocity. "You little bastards from the Li family, you won't be smug for long! The Zhou family won't let you get away with this. You've offended me, you've offended the entire Zhou clan..."

Before he could finish his harsh words, Li Pingcan smiled indifferently and pulled something else out of his pocket.

It was a mushroom.

A very beautiful mushroom, with a red cap, a white stem, and rings of colorful light that seem to change like a dream on its cap.

Before Qin An could even ponder why the other party had pulled out a mushroom, he felt his jaw being forcefully pried open, and the mushroom was roughly shoved into his mouth. It melted instantly upon entering his mouth, transforming into a strange, sweet-smelling liquid that slid down his throat.

"What...what did you give me to eat..."

His consciousness rapidly sank, and the figure of the young man in blue before him began to twist and spin, eventually turning into endless darkness.

Li Pingcan withdrew his hand, looked at Qin An on the ground who was drooling and babbling, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

Since reaching the maximum level, the [Hallucinogenic Mushroom] has developed an extremely powerful new characteristic – [Illusion].

It is no longer just a truth serum, but can construct an incredibly realistic illusion for the target based on the caster's guidance.

In the illusion, the target's mental defenses will completely collapse, and their deepest secrets will be exposed.

"Brother, you should deal with this woman too."

Seeing Qin An's blank, "wise" expression, Li Pingfu immediately dragged the unconscious Su Meiniang over and did the same thing.

Instead of immediately beginning the "interrogation," the two men dragged the adulterous couple like two sacks to a secluded cave deep in the mountains that had been prepared beforehand.

He first looked at Qin An, his divine sense stirred, and he began to weave a dream for him.

…………

In fantasy.

Qin An suddenly awoke to find himself kneeling inside a gloomy and magnificent hall.

Above the main hall, on a throne shrouded in black mist, sat a blurry yet majestic figure.

"Qin An," the voice seemed to come from the depths of hell, "how is the matter progressing?"

"Reporting to the Holy Lord!"

Qin An felt a surge of awe and fervor welling up in his heart. He prostrated himself and reported in the most devout tone.

"Your subordinate failed in his duties and was unable to eliminate Li Pingfu. That kid must have had some incredible luck to have broken through to the Innate Realm. But Your Majesty, rest assured, although he is at the Innate Realm, his foundation is shallow. Your subordinate has already devised a new plan..."

In order to claim credit and cover up his failure, Qin An began to talk incessantly, recounting all his plans, contacts, and codes in Yunshui County in detail.

"Oh? Then tell me about your experiences over the years?" the Holy Lord asked coldly.

Qin An felt a vague sense of unease. How could the Holy Lord be unaware of his past?

But just as this thought arose in his mind, he smelled a strange mushroom aroma, and his eyes immediately became glazed over. He completely forgot the strangeness he had just experienced, and his expression became devout again.

He even revealed in detail how he was planted with the "Blood Yin Seed" by the Holy Sect twenty years ago, and how he gradually became a spy infiltrating the Zhou family from an ordinary martial artist.

Inside the cave, Li Pingfu listened with a mixture of fear and relief.

He never expected that a minor dispute over the position of county constable would involve a cult.

This Qin An is not a guest of the Zhou family at all, but a pawn of a cult.

"Isn't this the 'Wusheng Sect' that my second brother mentioned? Their reach is so far."

"It's like we've struck gold."

Li Pingcan memorized all the information.

Then, he turned his gaze to Su Meiniang, who was still unconscious beside him.

We need to find a different way to deal with this woman.

…………

In fantasy.

Su Meiniang discovered that she had successfully escaped from Li Pingfu's clutches, and by chance, she became a disciple of a Foundation Establishment female cultivator who happened to be traveling around.

“Meiniang, although you have a seductive nature, your foundation is mixed and your skills are all inferior.”

The Foundation Establishment female cultivator's voice was clear and cold, "Now tell me everything you know and have learned, and I will sift through the dross and impart to you the true supreme path."

"Yes! Master!"

Su Meiniang burst into tears of joy, as if she had grasped a lifeline.

She recounted in detail how she embarked on the path of cultivation from an ordinary woman, how she struggled to survive in the dog-eat-dog world of rogue cultivators, what she knew about their personalities and quirks, their most treasured spells, the location of her best friend's cave, and the shady black market trading channels among rogue cultivators.

To prove her worth, she even revealed the location of her most treasured possession, the secret manual of dual cultivation techniques, "Hehuan Tianyu Jing," which she had acquired by chance.

"This scripture is the true transmission of the Hehuan Sect from the previous dynasty. If it can be combined with your cultivation method, Master, it will surely..."

Li Pingcan listened with great interest and was amazed.

Su Meiniang's life is practically a bloody and tearful history of a rogue cultivator from the bottom of society.

"Today's intelligence gathering has been incredibly fruitful!"

(End of this chapter)