DIV Chapter 59: I Know You Killed Him

Li Chang'an sensed this disgusted emotion.

He didn't make a fool of himself.

He just chatted casually for a few sentences.

"Alright, showing your face today is enough. I'll take you to meet other people."

Luo Kun understood the principle that too much was as bad as too little, and led Li Chang'an away.

With his introductions, Li Chang'an's network continuously expanded.

In less than half an hour, he had met dozens of cultivators with decent skills, such as the previously mentioned mid-grade spirit plant cultivator Chu Mu.

Before long, Li Chang'an saw an acquaintance.

"Senior Wang Hu."

"Chang'an!"

Wang Hu also saw Li Chang'an, and a warm smile immediately appeared on his face.

Originally, the two had formed a connection because of the Ground Fire Stone and Yellow Sand Hound.

Their contact had not been broken over these years.

After a round of conversation, Wang Hu introduced Li Chang'an to quite a few beast tamers.

Hearing that Li Chang'an wanted to purchase demon beast blood essence, most of these beast tamers expressed welcome.

After all, selling demon beast blood essence was one of their channels for earning spirit stones.

However, the Zheng family also needed demon beast blood essence for pill refining, so much blood essence had been pre-ordered.

One of the beast tamers said, "Fellow Daoist Li, my Red Fire Python's blood essence has been pre-ordered by the Zheng family for a whole year, but I'll try to save a portion for you."

Li Chang'an cupped his hands, "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist!"

Subsequently, other beast tamers also expressed that they would save some blood essence for Li Chang'an.

As repayment, Li Chang'an gave out some talismans, incidentally strengthening relationships.

Luo Kun at the side watched and nodded secretly.

"This young man understands social customs so quickly. It seems my guidance has been effective!"

After about another quarter hour, the banquet officially began.

The host of this banquet was not the young miss Zheng Qingqing, but the second young master Zheng Lingfeng.

"It seems the news is true. The person in charge of the market has indeed changed."

Luo Kun transmitted to Li Chang'an.

Li Chang'an nodded slightly without saying much.

At the banquet, Zheng Lingfeng disguised himself as very amiable, with nothing to criticize in his conduct.

After a round of conversation, many Zheng family guest elders acknowledged him.

For most guest elders, as long as the Zheng family's treatment toward them remained unchanged, they didn't care who was in charge.

Soon, he walked up to Li Chang'an with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Li, we meet again."

At the same time, an icy voice entered Li Chang'an's ears.

"Li Chang'an, I know you killed Zheng Jinbao. Give me all of his possessions! I can let bygones be bygones regarding previous matters!"

Li Chang'an glanced at him indifferently without responding.

Let bygones be bygones?

Even the stupidest person wouldn't believe such words!

...

At dusk, the banquet ended.

At the end of the banquet, Zheng Lingfeng announced something.

"Everyone, the family head suspects there are still robber cultivator insiders in the market. In the coming days, there may be significant actions, but you need not worry as it won't affect you."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other.

The Zheng family was going to start investigating robber cultivator insiders.

This kind of thing should be conducted secretly in the shadows. Why announce it publicly?

Could it be to make any insiders among them panic?

With doubts, everyone departed one after another.

Li Chang'an also returned to his residence along with Luo Kun.

"The coming days might not be peaceful." Li Chang'an pondered.

Fortunately, he had daily divination to know fortune and misfortune in advance.

"Next, I can begin body cultivation."

...

At the center of the market, in the Hall of All Affairs, Zheng Lingfeng looked at a contract in his hands, his eyes cold.

"Zheng Qingqing actually gave Li Chang'an such a lenient contract, even allowing him to unilaterally tear it up!"

The Zheng family was a Foundation Establishment family!

Any rogue cultivator in the market had to bow their head before the Zheng family.

Even those guest elders couldn't unilaterally tear up contracts, let alone a rogue cultivator like Li Chang'an?

At the side, Zheng Ming's face was somewhat pale.

He said nervously, "This... this is because the young miss felt Li Chang'an's talent was decent, so she gave him this more lenient contract."

"Absolutely absurd!"

Zheng Lingfeng immediately scolded.

"Mere low-grade spiritual roots, no matter how high his talent, could he possibly achieve Foundation Establishment? No wonder the market is in such chaos. That Zheng Qingqing doesn't care about our Zheng family's interests at all, actually taking such care of an outsider!"

His expression was cold as he gripped the contract tightly, his tone particularly severe.

"Fortunately, the market is now managed by me. Otherwise, who knows what more excessive things she might do! I must report this matter to the ancestor and see how she explains it!"

Obviously, he intended to use this contract as an excuse to suppress Zheng Qingqing once again.

"However... the relationship between Li Chang'an and Zheng Qingqing seems deeper than I thought."

Zheng Lingfeng was thoughtful.

In his heart, a somewhat absurd idea suddenly arose.

"If it really is as I think, then Li Chang'an can temporarily be spared. As long as I use him well, I can make Zheng Qingqing permanently lose the ancestor's trust!"

...

At this moment, Li Chang'an was preparing for his first body cultivation session.

"The spiritual medicines and demon beast blood essence needed for early-stage body cultivation aren't too precious. I've gathered them all."

In front of him sat a large vat emitting hot vapor.

Following the description in the "Demon Blood Body Tempering Art," he crushed the spiritual medicines and dripped the resulting medicinal liquid into the large vat.

Subsequently, he also put in the required demon beast blood essence.

After completing this step, the medicinal liquid in the large vat had turned dark brown and emitted an unpleasant fishy stench.

"Huff..."

Li Chang'an took several deep breaths.

He slowly entered the large vat, letting the medicinal liquid submerge his entire body.

Instantly, intense stinging pain appeared.

It felt as if tens of thousands of long needles were constantly piercing the flesh all over his body.

"The path of body cultivation is indeed painful." Li Chang'an frowned slightly.

This level of pain was still bearable for him. He wouldn't give up halfway like Zheng Jinbao had.

Time slowly passed.

Before he knew it, it was already midnight.

A new divination appeared.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today's Divination: Neutral]

[Black Wind Mountain's robber cultivators attempt to kidnap you, but discover your courtyard is full of dangers, so they temporarily retreat]

"Black Wind Mountain?"

Li Chang'an was stunned.

How had these robber cultivators targeted him?

Could it be because of the incident when he saved Zheng Songhe and Zheng Ling'er?

"My identity should not have been exposed during that incident." Li Chang'an pondered.

He had specifically instructed Zheng Qingqing about this.

If it wasn't because of that incident, what else could it be?

"Could it be because of Zheng Jinbao? Did he hire Black Wind Mountain again before his death?"

Li Chang'an contemplated.

Zheng Jinbao had once hired the Third Chief of Black Wind Mountain to deal with him.

Although that attempt had failed, he might have tried again.

"During that period, Big Yellow was always watching Zheng Jinbao and didn't discover him meeting with Black Wind Mountain robber cultivators. However... Big Yellow couldn't get too close after all, only watching from a distance."

If the robber cultivators disguised themselves too well, it wasn't impossible for them to deceive Big Yellow.

...

At this moment, outside the residence, the Fifth Chief of Black Wind Mountain, Liang Ying, was hiding in the shadows, staring intently at Li Chang'an's residence.

"Damn it, Li Chang'an's residence actually has formation protection. The substitute death puppet I worked so hard to obtain was just used up like that!"

Liang Ying's face was full of lingering fear.

Without the substitute death puppet, he would be the one dead now!

"This formation is most likely a first-tier superior-grade formation. Using a Prohibition Breaking Talisman isn't reliable. I can only go buy a set of Minor Void Breaking Formation."

The Minor Void Breaking Formation was a special formation that "breaks formations with formations," claiming to be able to break all formations below second-tier.

Its price was extremely expensive.

Liang Ying secretly felt heartache but the chief had demanded that he must bring Li Chang'an back, so he really didn't dare disobey.

"Li Chang'an is only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. As long as I break this formation, I can easily capture him."

Now, Liang Ying could only hope that Li Chang'an's storage pouch contained enough treasures to compensate for his loss in purchasing the Minor Void Breaking Formation.

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