"Who would have thought that the change in the Golden Core method at White Tiger Mountain is actually just a trap!"

"White Tiger Master never intended to change the Golden Core method; all of this was merely to make the Demon Sect show themselves!"

"The Yin Yang Demon Sect lost two squad leaders, and even a Core Formation Stage expert was heavily injured. More than three hundred sect members were killed or wounded. This time, the Demon Sect really took a fall!"

On Beiyang Dao, people were coming and going, discussing endlessly. This became the most popular topic, so Li An easily learned the entire story.

From the beginning, the "change in Golden Core" at White Tiger Mountain was just a setup.

Meant to lure the Demon Sect into showing themselves!

At the critical moment of the Golden Core change method, White Tiger Master's second disciple, Jiang Huan, finally revealed his true colors and led people to break into White Tiger Mountain. Additionally, a Core Formation Demon Cultivator appeared.

But when those Demon Cultivators rushed into the closed cultivation place of White Tiger Master, they found that it was not White Tiger Master there at all.

It was a decoy she had arranged!

The Demon Sect, in turn, fell into the trap set by White Tiger Master, losing three top experts in the Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, two of whom were squad leader level, while the Core Formation Demon Cultivator was severely injured and reportedly escaped using a secret technique.

Now, the entire White Tiger City has been cleansed of any Demon Sect threat.

After organizing all this information, even Li An couldn't help but sigh.

There are many smart people in this world, and he, Li An, is definitely not the only one.

A woman like White Tiger Master, reaching the Core Formation realm and establishing White Tiger City, a holy land for loose cultivators, is not someone easy to deal with.

Thinking of such a deadly scheme, one must admit she is indeed ruthless!

Even Li An did not guess her real intentions.

But that is quite normal; every judgment first requires information acquisition. Li An was of a relatively low level in White Tiger City and could only access so much information, so his judgments were limited.

With the Demon Cultivators in White Tiger City all dead, it made Li An's heart move.

He had previously wanted to flee to Celestial Yang City only because White Tiger City was about to fall. Now that White Tiger City is as stable as Mount Tai, is there still a need to leave?

From the perspective of avoiding the Demon Sect, White Tiger City may currently be the safest!

However, after thinking it over carefully, Li An still firmly decided to go to Celestial Yang City.

White Tiger Master publicly tore up her relationship with the Yin Yang Demon Sect, having calculated against them this time, what about next time?

The Demon Sect holds grudges with a vengeance, and future dangers are possible.

Most importantly, White Tiger City has lost its strategic value to Li An.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, he needs to prepare for Core Formation.

But in White Tiger City, there are no resources or conditions for that!

After all, to acquire core resources there, one would have to join White Tiger Mountain and gain the favor of White Tiger Master, otherwise, others can only get leftovers and scraps.

Li An is unwilling to join White Tiger Mountain, and not joining makes it extremely difficult to obtain good resources.

Celestial Yang City is different. Celestial Yang City is near the Central Plains, controlling the throat leading to the Central Plains, a place where merchants come and go, and the city is filled with experts, being a royal city.

There will be more opportunities.

Spending more time cultivating and preparing in Celestial Yang City will be more effective than in White Tiger City.

...

He continued forward, and on the tenth day, finally saw Celestial Yang City.

The city was towering and solid, far more grand and magnificent than White Tiger City, fully displaying the demeanor of a royal city.

At the city gate, a large number of people heading to Celestial Yang City were queued up, with soldiers inspecting something.

"All storage magical artifacts must be opened, or you will not be allowed through the city gate!"

A leading general shouted loudly, "By the order of Prince Zhenbei, I am here to inspect for any remnants of the Demon Sect. Anyone who dares to disobey will be killed without mercy!"

"More than five thousand spirit stones? Take him away first!"

A cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining was found with a large number of spirit stones and was immediately taken away.

"How can you arrest me? Is it wrong to have many spirit stones... Let me go!"

The Qi Refining stage cultivator resisted angrily.

"Don't court death. As long as you cooperate, Celestial Yang City will not covet your spirit stones. If you wish to resist, don't blame me for killing you without mercy!"

The Foundation Establishment stage general spoke coldly, exerting pressure.

The Qi Refining stage cultivator's face turned ugly, and he dared not say anything.

"Hmm? So many talismans... Are you a Talisman Master? Take him away!"

"Array Master... Take him away!"

"So many assorted resources, are you a bandit? Take him away!"

Many people were taken away for further inspection!

Li An hunchbacked and followed from behind, slightly worried in his heart.

A large number of spirit stones, the great variety of resources, Talisman Masters, Array Masters...

So many attributes, why do they all seem somewhat related to me...

He killed Demon Cultivators, and therefore naturally has many spirit stones and resources, and he himself possesses talisman skills, which likely means he understands arrays...

But after thinking about it carefully, maybe not.

After all, in this battle, the demon cultivators killed too many cultivators and must have a large number of spirit stones and assorted resources. Moreover, the breaking of White Tiger City's Eight Trigrams Locking Array shows that there are many talented Talisman and Array Masters within the Demon Sect, so it's reasonable for the royal city to inspect along these lines.

Yet he still remained vigilant. Before leaving, out of a cautious habit, he temporarily buried a large stash of spoils from killing Demon Cultivators and three Tier Two magical artifacts crafted by Wang Dazhu in Crocodile Pool and mountain streams, not carrying them on him, but he still possessed many talismans!

Including two Tier Two Bursting Talismans, one Tier Two Swift Movement Talisman, and a large number of Tier One talismans.

"Old man, open your storage bag!"

It was his turn.

Li An showed an unwilling look and said, "Officer, I'm not a Demon Cultivator..."

But the soldiers already rudely seized his storage bag.

"So many talismans? Are you a Talisman Master?"

The Foundation Establishment stage general immediately looked coldly at Li An.

"Yes, I am a Talisman Master..."

"Take him away!"

Two soldiers immediately took Li An away.

"I'm really not a Demon Cultivator..."

Li An pleaded.

"Form a line here. Once you pass the check ahead without issues, you can collect your belongings." The soldier who brought him said.

On the other side of the city wall, there was a makeshift platform. Those brought here lined up, stepped forward one after another, and held a strange black stone talisman.

Almost everyone had no issues.

The closer Li An got to that platform, the heavier his heart felt.

Because he sensed...

The black stone talisman seemed capable of stirring the demonic qi within him!

Just by getting close, the demonic qi in his dantian began to stir.

Li An pressed lightly with his Life Seed, and the demonic qi calmed down.

With the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, there should be no major problems.

Li An calmly stepped forward.

His old hands, like bark, trembled as he reached out and grasped the black stone talisman.

At this moment, he operated the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill to its fullest. The green aura from the Life Seed flowed out, filling his dantian pool, firmly suppressing the black demonic qi.

The black stone talisman had no reaction when held.

"Next—"

The middle-aged civil official in charge of inspection glanced casually and spoke.

Li An breathed a sigh of relief, quickly put down the talisman, and went to the other side to collect his storage bag.

"Hmm? Where are... my Tier Two talismans in the storage bag?"

Li An's face became extremely ugly as he received the storage bag.

His two Bursting Talismans and one Swift Movement Talisman were missing.

"What talismans? Get lost quickly!"

The soldier beside him spoke coldly, pushing Li An away.

Li An glared at the soldier, gritting his teeth but ultimately daring not to say anything, swallowing his anger as he left.

"Aren't you afraid that guy might report you to the City Lord's Mansion?" someone asked.

"Heh, that old man looks so impoverished, almost on the verge of dying, what's there to fear..."

A few soldiers laughed.

...

And Li An was unaware; just as he smoothly passed through the city gate inspection.

Somewhere atop the city wall.

Six or seven Demon Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage stood there.

Qi An stared down at the people undergoing inspection with an extremely gloomy expression.

...

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