Gu Hong and Cai Chao were secretly discussing transactions, a situation that had already become routine for Li An over the years.

He wouldn't touch the most core and valuable resources, but things like talisman brushes and papers, array materials, spirit medicine, etc., if he had his eyes on them, he would intercept them in this way.

The higher-ups in the pavilion were well aware of this, but nobody said anything.

These are the advantages brought by background and connections; those who get caught for wrongdoing just didn't have strong enough connections.

"Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Perfection, ready to break through to Late-Stage Foundation Establishment..."

Li An watched Gu Hong's figure from afar and took a sip of tea.

Gu Hong's progress in cultivation was still faster than Li An's, but it had clearly slowed down.

Her aptitude was only Yellow Rank Middle Grade Spirit Root, so getting this far was already commendable.

If she did not find other opportunities, reaching Late-Stage Foundation Establishment in this lifetime was the ceiling.

Core Formation?

Extremely unlikely!

"Have her refine me a Life-extending Pill, the higher the grade the better."

Li An waved his hand and instructed Wang Zi.

He was now a hundred and forty-one years old, actually quite young, after all, thanks to the advantages of the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, his lifespan reached nearly six hundred years, with more than four hundred years left to live.

But for an average Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, more than half their life was over.

He needed to stay in the Treasure Pavilion for a long time; if he never aged or weakened, it would definitely raise suspicion.

Therefore, preparing a Life-extending Pill in advance would serve as a cover when the time came.

"Alright!"

Wang Zi immediately departed.

...

At this moment.

"To report to the Pavilion Master, the Left Deputy had someone obtain two Purifying Spirit Pills and also wants Gu Hong to help refine a Life-extending Pill..."

In an array-filled and antique quiet room, Cai'Er was reporting to Pavilion Master Qin Xuan.

Qin Xuan lay on a beautiful bed, completely naked, her face and every inch of her skin covered with "skin garments" made from various beauty-enhancing treasures.

After a long while, she finally got up and dressed.

"Even these Second Grade skin garments don't have much effect on me anymore, it's loosening, sigh..."

She sighed, "The Prince has recently begun to summon me less frequently."

She lamented to the mirror, "Serving with beauty, beauty fades, and the honor ends...when I truly grow old, I will surely be cast aside."

"By then, where will my son go?"

—Qin Xuan was once married in her early years and had a son named Guo Ling, but her husband died unexpectedly early, leaving her a charming widow with a difficult life; fortunately, her exceptional beauty caught the Prince's eye, leading to her current status.

Now, Guo Ling was also nearly a hundred years old and served as an ordinary artifact evaluator in the Treasure Pavilion.

After senior artifact evaluators Zhou Ying or Mo Rong retire, she planned to push Guo Ling to become a senior artifact evaluator.

But that wasn't enough...

Her goal was the chief!

She knew that the riches brought by her own beauty were not a long-term solution; her son lacked her advantages and could not gain the Prince's full trust, so he couldn't inherit the Pavilion Master position.

The best future she could arrange for him was to become the Chief Artifact Evaluator!

So, she had already begun planning.

Eliminate obstacles!

She didn't care about others, but this Li An...

Had connections with the Prince's Mansion!

So she paid particular attention.

"If you break through to Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment and also extend your life, the threat to my son will only be greater..."

She was somewhat troubled.

But for the time being, she couldn't find a good way to deal with Li An.

...

In the evening.

Li An obtained two Purifying Spirit Pills.

After activating the Tier Two array of the Protector, he swallowed them and then charged towards Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment—

...

Three months later.

Li An walked out of the quiet room where he had been in seclusion.

His aura had changed, his whole being more reserved, and though he appeared elderly, he exuded an otherworldly sense.

Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, achieved!

With a sweep of his Divine Sense, everything within five miles of his residence came into his awareness.

"Divine Sense range reaches five miles!"

This made him very satisfied.

For an average Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, Divine Sense typically reached only about one mile, and exceptional ones did not exceed two miles.

He had directly doubled it!

In situations such as battles and escapes, it presents a huge advantage to detect the enemy first.

"The second branch of the Life Seed already has a bit of a prototype..."

Breaking through to the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment didn't make his Life Seed grow a second branch, but there was an additional small bulge, as if a bud was about to emerge from it.

Back then, his first branch appeared when breaking through from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.

The branches of the Life Seed are extremely significant to him, as they can individually strengthen different parts of the body!

"Moreover, the Dantian pool has expanded threefold, and the spiritual power is barely enough for me to cultivate this ultimate technique, 'Tri-Element Slash'..."

'Tri-Element Slash' is the most potent offensive art he possessed in his previous life, with only three forms but immense power, at a grade as high as Profound Rank High Grade!

In his previous life, he also started cultivating it only after entering Core Formation because the spiritual power and bodily strength during the Foundation Establishment Stage couldn't support the demands of the Tri-Element Slash.

However, he decided to begin cultivation today because it's a trump card against future dangers.

Constant practice, striving to unleash some of the power of the Tri-Element Slash during the Foundation Establishment Stage...

"The poison of Cold Yin Finger is unbearable even at Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, but unfortunately, it still poses no threat to Core Formation cultivators..."

He glanced at his own hand, a flash of azure passed by.

If he could find a Third Grade poison to refine into his hand, it might be effective against Core Formation cultivators.

But this cannot be forced, as Third Grade pills are already extremely rare, and poisons among them are even fewer.

"Besides Tri-Element Slash and Cold Yin Finger, body refining should also proceed continuously, and after mastering 'Iron Tree Skill', it's time to cultivate 'Golden Treasure Skill'."

The Golden Treasure Skill is a step beyond Iron Tree Skill, tempering the practitioner's internal organs!

The Golden Treasure Skill was an incomplete scroll Li An unexpectedly obtained in his late years in his past life; its grade is unknown, but Li An speculated that even in its incomplete form, it is at least around Profound Rank High Grade treasure.

If it were complete, it would be unimaginable, at least Earth Level!

Moreover, he had carefully checked that Iron Tree Skill and Golden Treasure Skill seem to be body refining methods from a glorious great sect. After Golden Treasure Skill, it might lead to... Golden Body Skill!

The Golden Body Skill is incredibly famous anywhere where the flames of cultivation flourish, known to all, and is said to be as high as Celestial Level!

The incomplete scroll of the 'Golden Treasure Skill' in Li An's hands can only refine three parts: heart, kidneys, stomach.

Despite this, the resources needed to cultivate these three parts are vast. Even in his previous life, with the support of a cultivation clan, Li An managed to barely refine one kidney.

"Tri-Element Slash and Golden Treasure Skill are long term plans..."

"Currently, some powerful techniques need to be cultivated for self-defense."

"'Earth Demon Seventy-Two Steps,' Profound Rank Middle Grade, a body technique spell!"

"'Five-Colored Flower Burst Skill,' Profound Rank Lower Grade, a wood element offensive spell that can conjure flowers of five colors using wood element spiritual power, scattering everywhere to explode, and I can even infuse poison into it to increase the power!"

Li An decided to first cultivate these two.

...

In the blink of an eye, five more years had passed.

Li An was already one hundred and forty-six years old.

"Next month, the pavilion will need to auction a treasure in White Tiger City——"

On this day, Pavilion Master Qin Lan, along with the Prince Mansion steward Jiang City, came in person and summoned Xu Changkong, Li An, Mo Rong, and Zhou Ying.

"This auction is extremely important, and must be hosted by an Artifact Evaluator of at least second-tier level in person."

Qin Lan said, "I wonder, which one of you four can take the trip?"

The few exchanged glances.

A second-tier Artifact Evaluator is the core of the Treasure Pavilion.

Generally, they do not go outside!

What kind of treasure could be so important?

"There's no harm in telling you all, it's a Fourth Grade residual herb."

The Prince Mansion steward Jiang City casually remarked.

Hearing this, the few were immensely shocked!

Fourth Grade Spirit Medicine!

An item of such grade is exceedingly rare, typically never appearing on the market.

Because Fourth Grade Spirit Medicine is useful even to Nascent Soul powerhouses, and Core Formation cultivators covet it eagerly!

Why would the Treasure Pavilion auction such a thing?

Li An furrowed his brows even more, instantly thinking that the Prince Mansion is the main base of the Yin Yang Demon Sect!

And the White Tiger Master in White Tiger City is now a Golden Core powerhouse.

Might this herb be another scheme by the Demon Sect?

Could the Demon Sect be planning something again against White Tiger City, White Tiger Master?

After contemplating for a while, Xu Changkong was the first to speak: "I'm already old... such a matter might be hard to handle."

He declined graciously.

Because the risk was too high!

If news about the Fourth Grade Spirit Medicine leaked, there's no telling what powerhouses might jump out to seize it, even resulting in killings for treasures, and since he was already the chief with no further advancement opportunities, there was no need to take the risk.

Zhou Ying and Mo Rong even shook their heads, unwilling to participate.

The reason being, even if they completed this task and achieved great merit, they might not get promoted to chief—Li An, with his connections, was there!

"Left Second-tier?"

Qin Xuan slowly looked at him, "It seems we can only ask you to make the trip to White Tiger City—"

...

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