SWNOVELXO Ch. 26
Mu Qingwan’s sudden arrival caught Li An, Wang Dazhu, and Zhao Xianchuan off guard, especially Zhao Xianchuan, who lowered his head, visibly embarrassed.
“Qingwan, what’s up?” Wang Dazhu broke the awkward silence.
“I’m holding my pairing ceremony at the end of next month… I hope you’ll come,” Mu Qingwan said, her face glowing with a bride’s anticipation. She pulled three invitations from her storage bag, handing one to each.
“Li An, I heard you got hurt in the Spirit Beast Mountain Range. You okay?” she asked with concern.
Li An took the invitation. “I’m recovered. Thanks for asking, Sister Mu.”
Mu Qingwan’s eyes held a trace of complexity. When they entered the sect, she’d felt a spark for Li An, but six years later, they were worlds apart, and those budding feelings had faded.
“Mr. Xianchuan… will you come?” she asked Zhao Xianchuan.
He blushed, head still down, taking the invitation. “Sure.”
She seemed eager to chat more, but Chen Cheng interrupted, “Qingwan, we need to visit Elder Wang.”
The implication: don’t waste time on these people.
Mu Qingwan bid them farewell.
Watching her leave, Li An thought for a moment but shook his head, saying nothing.
“Brother An, don’t dwell on it. She’ll be someone’s wife soon…” Wang Dazhu said, worried. “Don’t end up like Zhao Xianchuan, getting into trouble…”
Realizing his blunder, he added, “Xianchuan, I didn’t mean it like that…”
Zhao Xianchuan: “…”
“Dazhu’s right. She’s not in our world anymore. Marrying Chen Cheng, she’ll have backing in the inner sect,” Zhao Xianchuan sighed.
Li An just smiled.
When Mu Qingwan handed him the invitation, he’d noticed a bracelet on her pale wrist.
It looked eerily like a “Chastity Bracelet” used by demonic cultivators to nurture cauldrons.
If the sect needed a cauldron from outer disciples, Mu Qingwan, with her top-tier spirit root, was the prime choice…
The cultivation world wasn’t black-and-white. Orthodox cultivators often used demonic methods, sometimes crueler. It wasn’t rare.
Pity Mu Qingwan was blissfully lost in wedding joy…
Li An kept silent. Her fate didn’t concern him.
…
After the gathering, Li An bought 100 pounds of silver sand from Wang Dazhu for 20 spirit stones.
From Zhao Xianchuan, he got medicinal liquids for five stones, offset partly by his stash of junk herbs.
…
Back at the Talisman Hall, Li An dove into intense training.
The Art of Nurturing Life and Forging Immortality couldn’t be rushed. His focus was the Iron Tree Technique’s next stage—flesh training!
With his “iron skin” complete, early Qi Refining spells and Low Grade First Rank attack talismans could barely harm him.
Once he achieved “silver flesh,” he’d withstand mid-Qi Refining attacks!
Three months passed.
“Too little silver sand…” Li An frowned.
The 100 pounds were gone, and only his right hand’s flesh barely met the “silver flesh” standard!
Flesh training consumed far more than skin training.
…
During this time, Mu Qingwan and Chen Cheng’s ceremony went as planned. Li An sent a gift through someone, not attending.
The Talisman Hall saw subtle shifts.
Li An noticed Cao Zhiruo and Jiang You growing closer to Sun Lin since Tan Qingxue’s Spirit Beast Mountain Range failure.
Tan Qingxue was already trailing in her rivalry with Sun Lin. Losing, with her allies drifting, was no surprise.
Li An weighed switching to Sun Lin.
Joining him would offend Xu Qiuhui in the inner sect, but staying put would make life in the Talisman Hall tough.
As he hesitated, his door was pounded rudely.
Opening it, he saw Feng Xi.
“Brother Feng, what brings you?” Li An asked.
Feng Xi sneered. “What, I can’t come?”
He strolled into Li An’s room. “Still in this dump after all these years? Planning to stick with Tan Qingxue?”
Li An caught the hint. “Please guide me, Brother Feng.”
Feng Xi grinned, pleased at his tact. “Got spirit stones? Give me 100, and I’ll put in a word with Brother Sun Lin. Also, if it works, I take half your monthly rations going forward.”
Li An’s mouth twitched. He’d been called “Bloodsucker Li,” but this was ruthless.
“Brother Feng, can I pay later? I got hurt recently, owe a ton of debt… Half a year’s deferral?” Li An asked nervously.
“Get lost!” Feng Xi’s face darkened, storming out. “You made your choice, kid!”
Li An’s frown deepened.
He wasn’t against joining Sun Lin.
But not through Feng Xi!
Paying 100 stones, Feng Xi might skim 50, and future exploitation would be endless.
To join, he’d negotiate with Sun Lin himself.
“First, aim for the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining. Even bargaining with Sun Lin, it’ll carry more weight!” Submitting next month’s talisman quota early, he began seclusion to break through!
…
A month later, Li An emerged, his face mixed with emotions. “Failed…”
His spirit root’s limits showed.
Early Qi Refining had been smooth, but crossing to mid-Qi Refining felt grueling.
His root’s sensitivity was too low.
Even at the Third Layer’s peak, reaching the Fourth would take years of tries.
“Li An, to the main hall, now!” a disciple called.
Li An hurried over. The hall was packed with disciples.
At the front stood Elder Guo Xiao, white-haired in a black robe, the hall master.
“In one year and nine months, Sun Lin completed the Talisman Hall’s task!” Guo announced. “From today, he inherits the Second Rank talisman techniques!”
Thunderous applause filled the hall.
Li An was stunned. How did Sun Lin do it?
His estimate that Sun Lin needing four or five years for 10,000 contribution points.
He must have another source.
Li An regretted his month-long seclusion. Joining Sun Lin now might be too late…
“Also, Qingyang Market’s Master Li is old. The sect’s letting him return to recuperate. The market needs a capable disciple to take charge,” Guo continued, eyeing Tan Qingxue. “Qingxue, go gain some experience.”
Tan Qingxue’s face fell, tears welling. Losing the Second Rank talisman inheritance meant she was out of the hall master race.
Failures were often sent to outer markets, handling external affairs, far from the hall’s core.
“Sun Lin, your sister Qingxue lacks experience. Pick a few Talisman Hall disciples to go with her,” Guo said, then left.
The crowd dispersed, swarming Sun Lin with flattery and congratulations.
“Sister Qingxue, Qingyang Market’s a sect stronghold. The Talisman Hall has a shop there, very profitable…” Sun Lin said, feigning comfort, his eyes mocking.
“No need for fake pity!” Tan Qingxue bit her lip. “I’ll take Cao Zhiruo and Jiang You.”
She’d sensed this outcome, and though it hurt, she had to accept it.
Sun Lin shook his head. “Sorry, they told me they want to stay in the sect…”
“How about Li An goes with you?”
Tan Qingxue’s face darkened further.
Cao Zhiruo and Jiang You skipped the hall meeting, too ashamed to face her…
She gave a bitter smile. Old bonds couldn’t outweigh cold profit…
Turning to Li An, she asked, “Will you come with me?”
Li An sighed, paused, and nodded.
…
(Chapter End)