Lu An rushed out quickly and saw Ying Chang and his wife hurrying towards his secret chamber.
"Brother Ying, what's going on?"
Ying Chang's face was serious as he said, "Two Foundation Establishment cultivators have come outside and are about to attack us. They are temporarily being held off by the county guards' Jin Wei."
"But one of these cultivators is at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and his strength is formidable. The Jin Wei might not be able to hold them off for long."
Lu An's heart skipped a beat. Two Foundation Establishment cultivators, and one at the late stage—could they be from the Ding family?
He hadn't expected that old rascal would still be coveting his Withered Tree Blossoms Map.
After a moment of thought, he said to Ying Chang and his wife, "Brother Ying, you should go and assist immediately. Don't let them break through one by one."
Ying Chang nodded and said, "Let your sister-in-law stay to protect you. I will go alone."
Lu An shook his head, his expression grave. "It doesn't make sense to only guard against thieves all day. Both of you should go together and cooperate with the Jin Wei. It's best to leave one of the Ding family members behind. Once they're hurt, they will not dare to attack us easily."
"If you go alone, the situation might become a stalemate."
Ying Chang considered this and found some merit in it, though he was still hesitant. "Lu, what about you…"
"Don't worry about me. Hurry and go, Brother Ying. Seize the opportunity!"
Ying Chang finally relented and, along with Fang Ling, turned into two streaks of light, flying towards the battle.
Seeing this, Lu An prepared to seek help from the nearest Gathering Source Studio.
At that moment, however, a figure blocked his way.
Lu An stopped and said quickly, "Xiao Qian, why aren't you leaving? Bai Sheng and the others have already fled to safety. You should leave too."
Xiao Qian remained calm and said, "Young Master, aren't you coming with us?"
Lu An sensed something was off. Xiao Qian, an ordinary maid, should not be so calm in this situation. His thoughts raced, and his expression grew cold.
"You're an assassin from the Lingxiao Pavilion."
Xiao Qian gave a slight smile, pinched a spot under her chin, and tore off a human skin mask to reveal her true face.
Lu An's heart jolted. Xiao Qian's face was like a lotus, exuding a cold yet gentle beauty, like a celestial being. Her presence was captivating.
An astonishing aura erupted from Xiao Qian, interrupting his thoughts.
"Now that your two Foundation Establishment allies are tied up and the Jin Wei outside are preoccupied, how do you plan to handle this?"
Xiao Qian examined him with interest, seemingly in no hurry to make a move.
Lu An had not expected that beneath Xiao Qian's previous ugly appearance was such a stunning visage. He had just come to his senses.
He took out several talismans from his storage bag, his body tense.
Outside the Spirit Talisman Residence, in the dead of night, a massive invisible barrier enveloped the entire market.
Several Foundation Establishment cultivators fought fiercely from a distance, but no sound reached the outside.
Beyond the battle, no one noticed an old man in gray robes holding a square disk, scanning the Spirit Talisman Residence with it.
The old man saw the disk emitting a faint glow, and two differently colored light spots appeared on it.
"It's indeed a high-grade magic treasure. It can not only detect cultivation levels but even reveal the gender of the individuals."
He fondled the disk affectionately and continued, "One male, one female, one at Qi Refining, and one at Foundation Establishment—both the number and the cultivation levels match."
"It seems that Ying Chang has been lured away, leaving only that woman named Fang Ling to guard."
"Second Brother's plan is truly brilliant. Once I set up this Yin-Yang Phoenix Formation, the final step will be complete."
"I wonder how Ying Chang will react when he returns after seeing what has happened between Lu An and Fang Ling."
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but pat his thigh with anticipation.
"By then, we might not even need to act. Ying Chang won't tolerate Lu An. With this, the Withered Tree Blossoms Map will be within reach."
He admired the plan in his heart. Although it appeared to be an aggressive assault, it was merely a diversion. The key part still rested with him.
The so-called superior strategy lies in tactics; attacking the mind is paramount.
If Lu An and Fang Ling were to have such an incident, how could Ying Chang possibly tolerate him?
He chuckled lewdly, waved his hand, and a series of formation flags flew out of his sleeve, standing on either side of the Spirit Talisman Residence.
Then, he formed a strange hand seal with one hand and slowly activated the formation.
Inside the Spirit Talisman Residence, Lu An looked at Xiao Qian's astonishing aura and said, "I didn't expect you to be a Foundation Establishment cultivator. This concealment technique is truly superb; even the county lord and Elder Gu didn't recognize your identity."
Xiao Qian did not explain, merely giving him a cold glance.
"There's no use in stalling. Today, you will surely die."
She tugged at her collar, feeling inexplicably hot.
Lu An wiped the sweat from his forehead. Facing a Foundation Establishment cultivator, if nothing unexpected happened, survival was unlikely.
Deciding not to be afraid, he said calmly, "Is there truly no room for negotiation? I've treated you well these days."
Xiao Qian reflected on her time in the Spirit Talisman Residence and sighed inwardly.
"If you have any wishes, you can leave them behind, and I will fulfill them for you in the future."
Suddenly, she swayed a little, her expression dazed.
Lu An shook his head, feeling an intense heat in his body. He looked at Xiao Qian and suddenly felt a surge of passion.
Xiao Qian's face was flushed, with beads of fragrant sweat dripping from her cheeks onto her shoulders.
Her disheveled collar exposed patches of white skin, with a few strands of hair sticking to her fair neck, captivating and alluring.
He swallowed hard and said, "Why is your face so red?"
Xiao Qian also realized something was wrong. She thought she couldn't delay any longer and immediately struck at Lu An with a palm.
However, as soon as she used her true qi, the already intense feeling of heat exploded. Her legs went weak, and she fell into Lu An's embrace.
Savoring the lingering fragrance and the softness in his arms, Lu An could no longer control himself. His hands moved forward instinctively.
Outside, the old man in gray robes, having finished setting up the formation, was about to check the situation when his communication jade slip suddenly lit up.
He focused his spiritual sense and was shocked.
Wasn't Fang Ling inside the Spirit Talisman Residence? How did she end up joining the battle?
Who was the Foundation Establishment cultivator inside the Spirit Talisman Residence?
Without much thought, he hurried towards the battlefield.
Having just received a message from the clan leader, he learned that under the siege of four Foundation Establishment cultivators, the situation was dire, and they couldn't hold out much longer.
He urged his immediate arrival; otherwise, it might be too late to even retreat.
Upon reaching the battlefield, he saw that his two cultivators were completely at a disadvantage. The second elder who devised this brilliant plan had even lost an arm and was nearly powerless.
Seeing this, his eyes filled with rage. He roared and charged into the fray.
His arrival temporarily alleviated the Ding family's disadvantage, but that was all.
The battle continued for a while longer. Seeing the unfavorable situation, the Ding family patriarch used a magic treasure to push back the two opponents and shouted, "Retreat!"
He then moved to the second elder, helped him up, and transformed into a streak of light, fleeing into the distance.
Ying Chang and his wife exchanged glances and said to the two Jin Wei, "Please assist us in preventing their escape."
The two Jin Wei did not hesitate and replied, "The county lord has instructed us to follow Mr. Lu's orders. We will do our best."
With that, they turned into streaks of light and pursued the Ding family members.
As dawn approached, Xiao Qian's eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.
She moved slightly and felt a wave of pain. Her body felt as if it were filled with lead, utterly exhausted.
Seeing the mess in front of her, she screamed and turned bright red.
"You're seeking death!"
She looked at Lu An beside her, drew a dagger, and stood up suddenly.
Feeling dizzy, she nearly lost her balance.
After a moment of adjustment, she walked over to Lu An, her eyes showing a hint of complexity.
She raised the dagger but for some reason, hesitated to strike.
At this moment, voices from Ying Chang and others came from afar.
"Brother Lu, are you alright?"