Qingfeng Stronghold, inside the secluded retreat.

After a struggle, the stronghold leader Zhao Yi knelt before Li An, completely subdued by him.

"If it weren't for my strong Divine Sense, I might have been counterattacked by him!"

Li An couldn't help but feel fortunate.

Zhao Yi clearly had some opportunities, and his progress was swift, about to enter the Mid Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Something that seemed insignificant at the start had grown beyond his expectations.

In fact, if Zhao Yi's cultivation progress had truly surpassed Li An, and his Divine Sense was inferior to Zhao Yi's, he would no longer be able to control Zhao Yi and might even be influenced by Zhao Yi in return!

The Demon Skill was indeed domineering, but it also required a strong enough foundation in oneself.

Li An easily read through Zhao Yi's memories over the years.

"He's been in contact with those from Yan Country—"

Li An was quite surprised.

Zhao Yi had led the stronghold's development well over the years.

Ten years ago, he discovered a secret land in the Four Sceneries Mountain and obtained a precious jade from it.

For safety, Zhao Yi sold that piece of jade to Yan Country. If he sold it in the Great Li Dynasty, he might attract attention from major factions like Hundred Beasts Sect and Divine Sword Sect.

At that time, the secret land Zhao Yi discovered would undoubtedly be lost, and they themselves might be wiped out by factions like Divine Sword Sect!

Zhao Yi acted very cautiously.

And the jade Zhao Yi held seemed to have caught the eye of a big buyer from Yan Country.

They directly gave Zhao Yi a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Which led to Zhao Yi's opportunity in Foundation Establishment.

"But Zhao Yi was actually controlled as well..."

Upon careful inspection, Li An discovered a trace of poison in Zhao Yi's Dantian!

Evidently, it was carried within the Foundation Establishment Pill.

The buyer from Yan Country used this method to control Zhao Yi, allowing him to continue exploring that secret land, seemingly very interested in the secrets hidden in Four Sceneries Mountain.

To this end, they spared no expense in investing in Zhao Yi, which is why Zhao Yi could advance so quickly.

"Ten Thousand Miles Abyss..."

Li An learned about the situation of that secret land.

Deep within the Four Sceneries Mountains lies an ethereal abyss known as Ten Thousand Miles Abyss.

It's extremely dangerous there, and by chance, a light from a treasure emerged, which Zhao Yi obtained, and it was the piece of jade he got.

"Tribulation Jade!"

Recalling the appearance of the jade from Zhao Yi's memory, Li An couldn't help but be moved.

The Tribulation Jade is very special; it's said to be formed when the Celestial Tribulation descends and can block all calamities in the world...

Such an item is rare, far more valuable than a Foundation Establishment Pill. If its grade is high enough, it could even be exchanged for a Primordial Spirit Pill!

However, Zhao Yi evidently did not recognize its worth, which is why he sold it.

Yet it also attracted the attention from Yan Country.

"What kind of secret land could have a Tribulation Jade fly out?"

Even Li An felt a bit tempted.

It seems I must go and see it!

...

Months later.

Li An disguised as "Zhao Yi" emerged from the secluded area, having successfully advanced to "Mid Stage Foundation Establishment."

Meanwhile, the real Zhao Yi, under Li An's arrangement, left Qingfeng Stronghold, disguised himself elsewhere to inquire about the upper echelon of the Great Li Dynasty and the aftermath of the battle at Celestial Yang City, among other things.

After that battle, why Celestial Yang City became ruins, what the Great Li Dynasty's response was, etc... Li An knew nothing.

With the stronghold leader reaching new heights, Qingfeng Stronghold was filled with joy.

"Stronghold Leader, there's a message from Yan Country—"

The second-in-command, Chen Gui, a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining, respectfully presented a letter.

Li An opened the letter to find:

The buyer from Yan Country would personally come to Four Sceneries Mountain in ten days.

They instructed "Zhao Yi" to be prepared to guide them to the Ten Thousand Miles Abyss.

Li An pondered for a moment.

The buyer from Yan Country, capable of giving Zhao Yi a Foundation Establishment Pill, could not be an ordinary person.

It must be a major faction!

This should be a good opportunity to make contact.

However, preparations need to be made in advance; after all, they won't be ordinary...

"Right, Stronghold Leader, during your seclusion, that secret land had another abnormal activity. However, our men guarding it were wiped out by Rakshasa Stronghold and Vajra Stronghold, and we don't know if anything flew out..."

Chen Gui continued, "You were in seclusion, and I wasn't confident of victory, so I didn't act."

Li An raised his eyebrows.

Rakshasa Stronghold and Vajra Stronghold are two other rogue factions within Four Sceneries Mountain.

That secret land is definitely not simple, and now those rogue factions know about it...

They must be eliminated!

"Take action, eliminate them first!"

Li An said directly.

Chen Gui was overjoyed, having awaited this from Li An for a long time.

...

Soon after.

Li An personally led Qingfeng Stronghold's elite troops to Rakshasa Stronghold.

The leader of Rakshasa Stronghold, Li Luocha, was in the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment!

But to Li An's surprise, Rakshasa Stronghold was breached with ease, and the main camp was filled with misery.

"Zhao, isn't it this jade you want... hahaha, a jade of calamity, I'll give it to you, I'll give it to you!"

Li Luocha, an Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, weakly emerged from the stronghold and hurled a dusty piece of ancient jade toward Li An.

That ancient jade exuded a strong Evil Qi, which the people around Li An avoided like the plague.

Li An was surprised; it was indeed a Tribulation Jade.

However, it contained powerful Evil Qi, and if ordinary cultivators touched it, their cultivation would become chaotic, their energy and blood would reverse, leading to great disaster.

Rakshasa Stronghold was ruined because of this jade.

With the Life Seed's Qi in him, Li An feared nothing; even without using the Life Seed, the Demon Skill could effectively suppress and refine the Evil Qi.

But he casually handed out a jade box to a subordinate, "Go pick it up and put it in the jade box."

This was the way of bandits.

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