...

Leaving White Tiger City, Li An did not hesitate to burn three Flying Talismans to distance himself swiftly.

On his way back to the Four Sceneries Mountains, specifically to the Qingfeng Stronghold.

After observing outside for a long time and confirming that Jiang Ruoshi and the others had not returned, Li An felt relieved.

He pondered for a long while, repeatedly inspecting and deducing his surroundings.

"The Jiang family is destined to fail!"

This was the conclusion he reached.

Even if they succeed temporarily, ultimately, the Jiang family is definitely not a match for Great Li.

No other reason than Li An's confidence in Shangguan Shengxian!

"A fierce battle is bound to happen at the Ten Thousand Miles Abyss..."

The Jiang family places great importance on the Ten Thousand Miles Abyss, and the most intense fighting is bound to be in the core area the Jiang family doesn't want to give up, which is the Ten Thousand Miles Abyss.

After repeated deduction, he set up multiple Tier Two Arrays at several secret locations leading to the Ten Thousand Miles Abyss.

Currently, he doesn't have any Rank Three Arrays available!

"Why are you doing all this?"

In his mind, Shangguan Xiaoxiao couldn't help but ask.

Li An's actions seemed somewhat irrational.

"What if the Jiang family sends me to the front line?"

Li An didn't conceal it, saying, "In the chaos of war, these Arrays might come in handy."

One must have a backup plan!

Although he's unlikely to be on the front lines, setting up idle moves is harmless.

"Truly... cunning!"

Shangguan Xiaoxiao sighed once more!

The fact that Li An has survived amidst great dangers until now is for a reason.

He's practically mastered the art of surviving!

Only then did Li An turn around, sneak back into the stronghold, and completely destroy the puppet that was used to replace him.

Two months later.

Only then did Jiang Ruoshi and the others return, taking Li An back to the Jiang family with them.

Li An noticed that Jiang Ruoshi looked immensely gratified, full of ambition and confidence.

It seemed Jiang Ruoshi must have gained something from this trip, and this battle is inevitable...

...

A dozen days later, they returned to the Jiang Clan.

Upon Jiang Ruoshi's return, Qing Province was immediately preparing for war, with the Jiang Clan at the forefront, and Ming Dao Sect, Xuining Temple, and others also getting ready, with the shroud of war looming!

A great battle is imminent.

And the workload pressed upon each hall is increasing more and more.

Li An completed his tasks calmly and collectedly, as the tasks he officially received were only Tier Two Runes, not difficult, just time-consuming.

In truth, Jiang family's resources didn't solely rely on Guest Peak; they were also procuring a large amount from other forces, with Guest Peak's supply being only a part.

But Li An wasn't worried; at this time, Feng Yuancheng and Zhang Meng, who had finally come out of seclusion, were feeling a bit restless!

Because, after a year's seclusion, they found that the Black Tortoise Hall hadn't collapsed!

Li An was still the Honored Guest Elder...

Their mindset was crumbling a bit!

Originally, they thought that without them, Li An surely couldn't complete the Talisman plans, but everything was operating normally?

Doesn't that mean, with or without them, the Black Tortoise Hall was the same?

Moreover, once their seclusion ended, their monthly task completion would be counted in their evaluations.

However, Li An now didn't assign them any tasks at all!

Leaving their tasks at zero!

If this continues for six months, Li An could propose their expulsion...

"Elder Wu, we've come out of seclusion, so why aren't you giving us tasks?"

Feng Yuancheng and the others found Li An and spoke with dissatisfaction.

"You both just came out of seclusion; your cultivation needs to be stabilized. Just wait a few days, or else Wu Qin would be troubled—"

Li An smiled as he sent them off.

The two of them were so angry they stomped their feet, and secretly went to the family to complain. But Li An had already communicated with Jiang Xinda and the Eighth Master. They couldn't care less about Li An dealing with two Honored Guests.

Currently, with the Patriarch in seclusion and the family power completely in Jiang Ribai's hands, the two had no way to plead, as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

To the point where, one night, Zhang Meng came to find Li An, tears streaming down, saying she had been misled by Feng Yuancheng before, begging Li An for forgiveness, and even prepared to apologize with her body.

Li An politely asked her to leave.

"The Jiang family is destined to fail, but as long as it doesn't immediately collapse, it doesn't matter. After this great war, the merits I've accumulated should be enough to exchange for a sub-quality Primordial Spirit Pill, then I can logically submit my Core Formation request..."

"Core Formation is in sight!"

Three to five years would be enough, and by then, Li An's cultivation would smoothly reach the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

Everything was going smoothly.

"The time for the troops' deployment has been set for next month!"

Rumors about the war were increasing.

"Three core seed figures in the family will also lead troops to the battlefield, gaining experience in blood and fire through this war!"

This news indeed caught Li An's attention, and he confirmed its authenticity by indirectly inquiring from Jiang Xinda and others.

Moreover, this was personally arranged by Jiang Ribai.

All of a sudden, Li An combined this with the Jiang family's current situation and thought a lot.

Currently, the Jiang family's three major younger core figures vie for supremacy: the descendants of the Patriarch Jiang Rilan, namely Jiang Ruoxu, Jiang Ruoli, and Jiang Ruohong, the descendant of True Core Elder Jiang Richu.

Ruo Li has the strongest talent but currently has the weakest cultivation level.

The descendants of Jiang Ribai, like Jiang Ruoshi, failed in the competition, only entering the power feast relying on Jiang Ruoli, Lihua.

During this war led by Jiang Ribai, anything could happen...

If Jiang Ruoxu or Jiang Ruohong were to die in battle or become disabled...

That would be normal, right?

Then by that time, Ruo Li could become the only option.

After all, Jiang Ruoli is a woman, and arranged by Jiang Ribai, if she were to be engaged to someone like Jiang Ruoshi... then Jiang Ribai would entirely control the Jiang family in the future.

And to kill Jiang Ruoxu or Jiang Ruohong in the war, it definitely couldn't be on the surface, with some dark means... Li An suddenly thought of those Talismans he had secretly crafted.

All this came from his deduction based on human nature!

But Li An thought, this was most likely the case!

Jiang Ribai wasn't a saint; power was his lifeline!

"Other people in the Jiang family, someone should have noticed this..."

Li An pondered.

Especially the Patriarch Jiang Ruolan, who has been in seclusion for years, leaving the power entirely in Jiang Ribai's control... This is too abnormal, isn't it?

Those caught in the power vortex of the Jiang family might be blinded and unable to see clearly.

But as an observer, Li An could sharply detect slight inconsistencies.

Mainly because, after several lifetimes, Li An's intuition and sense were beyond the ordinary, and his experience told him, when things went so smoothly, unbelievably so, that was often when the biggest problems would arise...

It made him inexplicably worried.

These matters were not significantly related to Li An, the power transition in the Jiang family didn't concern him, and even Ruo Li's life and death didn't matter to him much.

But it was his habit, whenever he was part of a grand scheme, to consider it from the perspective of those in power, to make the choices most beneficial to himself, to avoid unwittingly becoming cannon fodder or a sacrificial lamb.

Most of the lower levels are sacrifices, no different from firewood—it's only by mastering the ability to think and analyze that one can gain the chance to escape before entering the fire pit.

"Hmm?"

While Li An was worrying, one day, he suddenly noticed that another core young figure in the family—Jiang Ruoxu had come to the Guest Peak.

He had gone to the Tan Mansion.

At this time, shouldn't Jiang Ruoxu be focusing on preparations for the expedition, so why would he come here looking for Tan Qingxue?

Although Li An kept his distance from Tan Qingxue, he was generally aware that for years she had been focusing solely on one thing!

Researching how to restore the life force of the Cyan Flame Divine Sparrow's egg.

After Jiang Ruoxu left, Li An hesitated for a long time, deciding that he should still go to the Tan Mansion, partly to probe into Jiang Ruoxu's intentions for visiting, and partly because his other plan needed a little groundwork...

To command the Jiang Clan with the Divine Egg!

This opportunity was primarily for enhancing his status in the Jiang family!

Even if Li An were to achieve Core Formation in the future, he would be greatly suspected, but if he was bound with the Jiang family's Divine Egg, and he alone could heal the Jiang family's Divine Egg, then the benefits he desired could naturally be obtained from the Jiang family.

The Jiang family is after all a Nascent Soul family, and even after Li An achieves Core Formation, they are of significant use to him!

This was a long-term plan!

For this plan, he had been preparing for years, collecting many Spirit Medicines for treating Spirit Beast injuries.

Among them, he had been cultivating one for quite some time, intentionally using the green breath in his Dantian to cultivate it.

In this way, this herb would possess a trace of divine effect, and even Tan Qingxue would be unable to discern its origin.

He would send this herb to Tan Qingxue, and it would have some effect on the Divine Egg, but not too significant; it was merely a prelude, the next step when Li An showcased his own capabilities, it would flow naturally...

Li An immediately took many Spirit Medicines and knocked on the door of the Tan Mansion.

...

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