The next day.

Early in the morning, Li An went to the Treasure Pavilion as usual to receive guests coming for treasure appraisal.

Near noon, the servant, Xiao Wu, led a practitioner shrouded in a cloak inside.

"This is Master Zuo Wen—"

Xiao Wu introduced briefly and then left.

The cloaked person sat opposite Li An, only revealing a pair of eyes, and spoke in a hoarse male voice: "I heard you purchase Celestial Slayer Stones here?"

"Yes."

"Can you help me evaluate the quality of this pile of Celestial Slayer Stones..."

The cloaked person directly took out seven or eight stones of various shapes and colors.

The smallest was about the size of a thumb, while the largest was about the size of a fist.

Li An was slightly surprised. Although Celestial Slayer Stones are not particularly rare, they are somewhat obscure, and it's rare for someone to bring out so many at once.

He immediately became vigilant.

Could this person be an Evil Cultivator?

Or possibly, a Demon Cultivator?

Li An maintained a calm demeanor, first scanning with his Divine Sense; he didn't find any major issues and simultaneously sensed the aura of the cloaked person.

However, he discovered that this person seemed to be using some kind of Secret Technique to conceal themselves, and his Divine Sense couldn't detect anything.

"The Life Essence has significant issues, it seems it's about to split in half..."

Although cultivation and cultivated energy can be concealed, the fluctuation of the person's Life Essence couldn't be hidden from him. The state of the person in front of him was very poor, even potentially life-threatening.

The Life Nourishing Immortal Skill could sense the most fundamental force of life.

"For an Evil or Demon Cultivator, this kind of issue is quite normal."

Li An picked up each stone one by one, carefully examining, grading, and categorizing them.

No matter who the other person was, the rule of the Treasure Pavilion was to never reject any treasure.

"Hmm?!"

However, when he picked up a gray Celestial Slayer Stone, his Life Seed within slightly throbbed, and he instantly felt as if a mysterious aura had intruded into his body.

Li An activated the Life Seed, forcibly stopping it!

But even the Life Seed couldn't block it; this aura was very powerful.

At this moment, Li An nearly erupted with surprise and shock, but with unimaginable willpower, he controlled his expression and movements, showing no change.

His mind surged with countless thoughts.

This aura was very strange and could evade the detection of Divine Sense. Perhaps without cultivating the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, it would have been impossible to sense.

Was this person in front of him acting intentionally, or did they inadvertently bring this kind of thing within the Celestial Slayer Stone?

Li An thought it was likely intentional.

Why were they targeting him?

Currently, only two parties had the motive to act against him:

People of Xu Changkong.

And the Demon Sect, which hadn't been heard of for a long time.

Most likely... the latter?

Had the Demon Sect approached him...

This thought barely formed, and he already confirmed it!

Li An's heart couldn't help but feel a chill. After being so cautious for so many years without leaking any hint, he was still found?

He couldn't help but feel a bit crushed, it was just robbing the Demon Sect twice, was it really necessary...

The Demon Sect's meticulous attention to him... definitely had significant motives!

He contemplated for a moment and decided to stay put.

Firstly, this aura, after entering his body, merely lay dormant and hadn't acted, indicating that the other party wasn't ready to take action yet.

Secondly, if he acted now, he might not be a match for this person and would directly expose his identity.

Years of operation within the Treasure Pavilion would be utterly ruined.

First, he needed to figure out this aura and the intentions of the Demon Sect.

"So, how is it?"

The cloaked person inquired.

Li An nodded, "The quality is good. Altogether, I can offer you five thousand Spirit Stones!"

"This price is already considered high in the market!"

The cloaked person nodded, "Alright, deal."

At once, the two swiftly went through the procedures and completed the transaction.

Then, the cloaked person left nonchalantly.

After he left.

Li An closed the appraisal room door and immediately began internal observation.

Above his Dantian, there was a distinctly new ink-black aura.

This aura was formless and intangible, only visible through the function of his Life Seed.

When this aura manifested, the Demonic Qi within him stirred slightly.

"Indeed it is the Demon Sect!"

Additionally, he noticed this aura hovering above his Dantian pool, seemingly wanting to enter.

But the Life Seed was rooted atop the Dantian, and the Dantian pool was also the domain of the Life Seed. Although this aura could penetrate into his body surpassing the Life Seed's barrier, it couldn't intrude upon the Dantian pool.

"Is the target my Dantian pool?"

He pondered, guiding a little Spirit Liquid out of the Dantian pool.

The ink-black aura instantly merged with the Spirit Liquid, but then the Spirit Liquid, unable to withstand this aura, scattered back into the Dantian pool like rainwater.

"The target... Core Formation?!"

Li An suddenly realized!

This aura was so strong, the Spirit Liquid simply couldn't bear it, needing at least solidified Spirit Liquid and successful Core Formation to support it.

"Have I been made into some sort of cauldron?"

This was the greatest possibility.

When Li An arduously cultivated to the Core Formation Realm, this aura would occupy the Golden Core he formed, and all his hard work might just benefit others.

If it weren't for the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, he wouldn't have discovered it at all.

"This aura, at least from a Core Formation Level individual, maybe... even higher!"

"A Demon Sect big shot?"

Li An couldn't help but feel a headache, why had he caught the attention of such a person!

He couldn't comprehend why interactions with the Demon Sect, just amounting to a couple of instances, would pique their interest?

What qualifications did he have to become their cauldron? Generally, such things require selecting a genius.

But now this wasn't important anymore.

He exerted all his might operating the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, activating the Life Seed's power.

"It's effective! But extremely slow!"

Li An couldn't help but feel thrilled.

This aura was capable of being eradicated.

"The source of this aura is too strong, and I am too weak; the Life Seed isn't mature yet, like a young tiger swallowing a giant bull, hence it's extraordinarily difficult..."

"If my realm were higher, and if I had cultivated the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill longer, this aura wouldn't be able to enter my body at all!"

This made Li An feel immensely relieved, knowing that the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill had always been his biggest reliance, and if it couldn't deal with this aura... it would be very frustrating.

"If that's the case, by the time I reach Core Formation, this aura should also be completely refined..."

He felt reassured.

At worst, he would grit his teeth and endure, taking two to three hundred years to gradually refine it, more than sufficient time.

However, for safety's sake, the best course of action would be to flee...

If he fled, decades of layout would be wasted...

He had already found three poisonous Dao herbs!

"Safety comes first, it would be preferable to start afresh in the Central Plains or elsewhere, even if it takes decades again, than to live on the edge of a knife..."

After much hesitation, Li An still decided to flee!

That day, he left the Treasure Pavilion early and returned to his residence.

He began to pack up, intending to leave early the next morning.

He also wrote a letter to be delivered to Gu Hong.

After much thought, he believed Gu Hong was the only lead the Demon Sect found on him.

Gu Hong had been targeted.

He didn't plan to deliver the letter to Gu Hong himself but would instruct the servant to deliver it one or two months after he left—

This way, he could safely escape completely.

Otherwise, going to find Gu Hong now might alert the enemy, and for Gu Hong's sake, he might end up implicating himself.

He just finished writing the letter.

"Master, master—"

The voice of the servant had already arrived.

Li An opened the study door and asked, "What's the matter?"

The servant replied, "The Prince Mansion, the Third Princess is here to visit—"

Li An was suddenly stunned, the Third Princess??

What was such a dignitary doing at his residence??

...

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