The County Guard gave Lu An a glance, his brow slightly furrowed, and remained silent.
In his heart, he muttered to himself that Gu Chuanfei's junior was quite impolite. Junior cultivators should not interrupt conversations between elders.
Gu Chuanfei waved his hand and explained.
"Friend, you misunderstand. Lu Xiaoyou is not my junior."
"I came today to visit you and to introduce Lu Xiaoyou to you."
The County Guard was somewhat surprised. Did this person have some special significance?
He had been the County Guard for many years and was a perceptive individual. His eyes shifted, and he spoke.
"Although this young friend's cultivation is not high, his demeanor is extraordinary. He seems like a dragon among men. I wonder if he has any skills that could open my eyes?"
Lu An stepped forward and said loudly.
"This junior does not have any great abilities, only a slight understanding of talismanic arts."
"Oh? Is this young friend a talisman master? What grade are you?"
Lu An shook his head calmly.
"I have not participated in the talisman hall assessments, so I am not considered a talisman master."
The County Guard frowned, his interest immediately waning.
He glanced at Gu Chuanfei, somewhat puzzled by his intentions.
What are you thinking by recommending a talisman master without any rank?
Upon this realization, the County Guard was somewhat displeased, and his expression grew cold.
Gu Chuanfei was anxious and quickly said to Lu An:
"Don't keep us guessing, young friend. Please show the County Guard the talismans."
Lu An, hearing this, calmly took a talisman from his storage bag and presented it to the County Guard.
"Please take a look, sir."
The County Guard glanced at it casually and then his expression froze.
"A second-grade Peace Talisman, did you draw this?"
He was skeptical. Although the talisman was of a lower quality, it was a second-grade talisman. With Lu An's Qi Refining level of only the fifth layer, how could he have drawn it? According to his knowledge, even those with strong divine senses could only draw such talismans in the later stages of Qi Refining.
Lu An did not explain. Instead, he released a strand of divine sense towards the County Guard.
The County Guard's heart moved. He did not resist but carefully observed the divine sense.
After a moment, he suddenly exclaimed in surprise and then realized.
"I see. Although your divine sense has not reached the Foundation Establishment stage, its refinement is almost on par with it."
"This must be the reason you can draw a second-grade talisman?"
Lu An nodded and withdrew his divine sense.
"Your observation is sharp. My divine sense is more refined than usual, which is why I can draw second-grade talismans."
"Although I have not participated in the Talisman Hall assessment, it is only because I missed it, not because I cannot pass. This Peace Talisman is proof of that."
The County Guard responded with an "mm," clearly agreeing with this statement, and then asked:
"May I know why you are seeking me?"
Lu An bowed respectfully and replied:
"To be honest, I have offended the Fang family of Yongning City. The reason I am safe now is that the Fang family has not yet discovered my presence here."
"If they come looking for me in the future, they will certainly not let me go. I hope that when that happens, the County Guard can offer assistance."
Upon hearing this, the County Guard pondered for a moment and then slowly shook his head.
"The Fang family is powerful. Although I am not afraid, I do not wish to provoke such a strong enemy. Young friend, you should seek other assistance."
While he was somewhat interested in the Peace Talisman, it was of lower quality and not very useful.
Lu An remained calm and instead turned to Elder Mu.
"May I ask, Elder Mu, how old are you this year?"
Elder Mu was taken aback by the question. He glanced at Lu An and replied calmly:
"I am just turned one hundred and forty this year."
Lu An nodded and continued:
"Foundation Establishment lifespan is around one hundred and fifty years, so you have not much time left, Elder Mu."
Elder Mu was quite accepting of this fact, merely nodding in acknowledgment.
Lu An looked at everyone, noticing that the County Guard also seemed aware that Elder Mu did not have much time left.
"Given Elder Mu's situation, if you want to extend your life, there are only two options."
"One is to break through to the Core Formation stage. If successful, you would gain an additional five hundred years of life and could continue to live comfortably."
"The other is to seek rare heavenly materials to extend your lifespan, but such materials are not easily found."
"So ultimately, the goal should be to focus on breaking through to Core Formation."
"However, Elder Mu's health is frail and his vital energy is severely insufficient. The probability of breakthrough is likely very low."
Everyone agreed with this statement, especially the County Guard, who had deep feelings for Elder Mu. However, his own cultivation had surpassed Elder Mu's, who was stuck in the later stages of Foundation Establishment and unable to advance further.
Even he had no solution.
Could Lu An have a method to solve this?
Realizing this, the County Guard looked at Lu An with urgency, waiting for further details.
Seeing his reaction, Lu An knew he had their attention and said:
"I have a method that might resolve Elder Mu's urgent situation, but the success rate is not very high. Whether to try it or not is entirely up to Elder Mu."
"Please speak freely, young friend."
Lu An nodded and continued:
"It is well known that the chances of breaking through decrease with age due to insufficient vital energy and unstable divine soul."
"I have two talismans: one can enhance vital energy, and the other can stabilize the divine soul. If used during the breakthrough, they might be helpful."
Elder Mu quickly asked:
"Are they the Fang family's Blood Burning Talisman and Soul Locking Talisman?"
Lu An nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, that's right."
He had previously informed them about the Fang family, so there was no need to hide it now. These two talismans were well-known and reached the second-grade quality. Using them together, along with the Peace Talisman, might significantly improve the chances of breakthrough.
Although breaking into Core Formation was extremely difficult, it was still better than Elder Mu attempting it with his old and frail state.
If Elder Mu took this gamble and succeeded, he could enjoy a few more hundred years. However, if he failed, he would immediately die, losing even the last ten years of his lifespan.
That's why Lu An left the decision entirely to Elder Mu.
To gamble or not to gamble, Elder Mu hesitated.
On one side was a slim chance of reaching Core Formation, and on the other was a stable ten years of survival. He found it difficult to decide.
At this moment, everyone fell silent.
Even the County Guard did not interrupt Elder Mu's thoughts, allowing him to make his own decision.
After a long pause, a determined look appeared in Elder Mu's eyes as he clenched his fists.
"I have lived a full life and am not short of these last ten years. I will take this gamble."
"But young friend Lu, are you truly capable of drawing these two talismans?"
To be clear, he needed high-quality talismans, not inferior ones. If the talismans were of inferior quality, it would be better to directly purchase from the Fang family.
But high-quality, even top-grade second-grade talismans were not something the Fang family would sell even if the County Guard intervened.
So he had never considered such an option.
Lu An confidently nodded and said:
"I can, but I will need some time."
With his current divine soul strength, he could support the drawing of second-grade talismans. Additionally, with the insights from his spiritual light, it should not take too long to complete them.
The County Guard and Elder Mu were skeptical but looked at Gu Chuanfei, who nodded in confirmation. Only then did they begin to believe in this possibility.
Before either of them could say anything, Lu An spoke again:
"As for the Fang family..."
"Young friend Lu, rest assured. If you can help Elder Mu regain hope for the Core Formation path, I will do my best to ensure your safety, regardless of whether you can reach the Core Formation stage or not."
"Moreover, it's uncertain when the Fang family will discover you. By then, you might already have the means to protect yourself."
Lu An shook his head; self-protection was impossible unless he could advance to Core Formation. Achieving such a realm would still take him at least a hundred years.
However, he still bowed and said:
"Thank you, Senior. I will certainly do my best regarding Elder Mu's matter."
"There is one more thing I am unclear about. What did you mean by the beast tide you mentioned earlier?"
The County Guard was somewhat surprised and asked in confusion:
"You seem quite concerned about the beast tide?"
Lu An nodded and explained:
"To be honest, I am planning to go outside the city for some training in a while."
"Knowing about the beast tide now feels like a sharp thorn in my heart; it's quite distressing."
The County Guard laughed heartily.
"Young friend Lu need not worry. The beast tide is far in the Wei Kingdom, and everything is fine within our Qi Kingdom. No unusual movements have been detected among the various demon beasts, so you can proceed with your plans."
"Moreover, whether the beast tide occurs or not, the outcome would be the same whether you are training outside or staying in the city."
"As for how the beast tide forms, it is naturally orchestrated by demon beasts in the Shape-shifting stage."
A glint of curiosity appeared in Lu An's eyes. Since everyone present was knowledgeable, he seized the opportunity to ask:
"What is a Shape-shifting demon beast?"
The County Guard, pleased, patiently explained:
"Once a demon beast reaches the Nascent Soul stage, it can take on human form."
"Of course, there are exceptions. Some ancient extraordinary beasts, even when their cultivation reaches that level, cannot take on human form. The stronger the beast, the harder it is to shape-shift."
"Conversely, some minor demons might achieve shape-shifting at the Core Formation stage."
Lu An nodded, feeling enlightened. Since there was no unusual activity among the demon beasts within Qi Kingdom, he need not worry about his training, and his concerns were finally eased.
"County Guard, Elder Mu, since there is nothing else, I will return to my cultivation and strive to complete those two talismans as soon as possible."
"Please take care of the matter concerning the Fang family."
The County Guard waved his hand and smiled:
"Young friend Lu, rest assured. I will soon dispatch two Golden Guards to secretly ensure your safety."
Lu An was intrigued. Golden Guards were renowned.
It was said that the Golden Guards of Guxian County numbered nine, each possessing Foundation Establishment level strength. They were directly under the County Guard's command, and others had no authority to use them.
It was unexpected that two would be assigned to protect him, reflecting the County Guard's seriousness regarding Elder Mu's breakthrough.
With these two and the Ying family couple, Lu An would have four Foundation Establishment cultivators by his side.
With this combination of known and hidden protection, he would be safe from the Fang family or Lingxiao Sect as long as they did not send someone in the Core Formation stage.
In an unknown, dark place, a quaint tavern was situated.
The main hall was packed, with customers drinking and chatting, but the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive and unusually eerie.
At a corner table, a burly man with his chest exposed and a lotus flower tattoo was drinking in frustration.
"Damn, this task from the Divine Talisman Pavilion is really not meant for ordinary people."
Someone nearby jested:
"I recall that this task offered quite a reward. When I wanted to exchange with you, you refused. Why are you regretting now?"
The burly man spat and said:
"If you want it, you can take it now. I'm not doing it anymore."
"What happened? Explain in detail."
"Alas... you don't know, the target of this task is only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, but there are four Foundation Establishment cultivators protecting him. How can a late Qi Refining cultivator like me handle it?"
Others gasped in shock.
"Four Foundation Establishment cultivators? That seems exaggerated."
The person took out a document from his chest and threw it onto the table.
"This is the latest dossier for this task. Take a look for yourselves."
The others quickly picked up the dossier to read.
In a short while, their expressions changed drastically; it was indeed four Foundation Establishment cultivators.
This level of difficulty was akin to assassinating the young master of a minor sect. Even if the attempt were successful, it was highly likely that it would end in failure.
At this moment, the person who had previously wanted to exchange for the task fell silent.
Just then, a graceful figure appeared and walked straight toward them.
The woman had a frosty face and eyes like deep abysses, yet she was extremely beautiful, resembling an otherworldly fairy or a demon lurking in the shadows.
Seeing her, everyone at the table turned pale and dared not meet her gaze.
The woman picked up the dossier from the table, and her cold and beautiful face showed a hint of interest.
"I will take this task."
After speaking, she looked at the burly man with an inquiring expression.
The burly man was momentarily stunned, then quickly came to his senses, his lips trembling.
"You, you are free to do as you wish."
The woman nodded, tossed a small bag of spirit stones onto the table, and said:
"Consider this as payment for purchasing it."
She then picked up the dossier and turned to leave.
Only after the woman's figure completely disappeared did everyone breathe a sigh of relief, as if they had just faced the king of hell.
"Yea Xiaoqian, why is she here?"
"That's obvious. She must be competing for the position of Saint Son. I heard that to qualify, she has to complete an extremely difficult assassination task."
"No wonder she took this task. With four Foundation Establishment cultivators protecting the target, the difficulty is enough to serve as a ticket to the Saint Son competition."
"But even if she is Ye Xiaoqian, it's probably still very difficult to complete this task…"
Ye Xiaoqian was a top silver medal assassin in Lingxiao Sect, with cultivation reaching the mid Foundation Establishment stage. Despite her seemingly harmless name, she had killed many Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Especially her skill in Concealment Art, which was incredibly mysterious and difficult to detect even for those with high cultivation.
The others, each with their own thoughts, lost interest in drinking and dispersed like birds and beasts.
After visiting the County Guard, Lu An returned to Lingfu Residence and focused on his preparations.
Apart from the time spent teaching Bai Sheng and others, he mostly devoted himself to drawing talismans and cultivation.
Even the time spent fighting with Ying Chang had been significantly reduced.
However, it is worth mentioning that since obtaining the Soul Devouring Sword, Lu An now spends an hour each day nourishing it with his divine soul, which has slightly enhanced its power.
He still hadn't figured out how to use the sword for drawing talismans in the void.
With a weapon in hand, Lu An naturally no longer fought barehanded. In this situation, Ying Chang's pressure increased significantly, and he had to use his weapon.
Despite this, with his cultivation at the sixth layer of Qi Refining, he found it increasingly difficult to suppress Lu An.
The reason was simple: Lu An's spiritual sense was so refined that he could predict Ying Chang's moves even before they began, often anticipating and countering his actions in advance.
Reluctantly, Ying Chang had to expand his spiritual sense to match Lu An's, which made their combat evenly matched.
As days passed, the conflict between the Li and Ding families seemed to be nearing its end.
Li Ziyou came by several times, always with a cheerful expression, indicating that the Li family had likely achieved a great victory.
However, on this particular day, he arrived at Lingfu Residence with a worried look.
Having just finished his cultivation, Lu An noticed his expression and couldn't help but ask:
"What's wrong? Did something change in the battle situation?"
Li Ziyou was about to answer when his eyes suddenly widened as he looked at Lu An.
"Isn't your aura suggesting that you've broken through to the sixth layer of Qi Refining?"
Lu An shook his head, retracting his aura, and said calmly:
"Not so easily. My accumulation still lacks a bit."
Li Ziyou let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't that he wanted Lu An to fail in his breakthrough, but rather that Lu An's rapid progress was surprising even to him.
As the second young master of the Li family, Li Ziyou had access to ample resources. Yet, he had just reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining and barely entered the late stage.
If Lu An were to catch up to him, he would have to find a place to hide in embarrassment.
He steadied his emotions and recalled his purpose, then said:
"There hasn't been any major change in the battle. The Li family has achieved a great victory."
"However, the three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Ding family have all gone missing."
"From the current signs, they are very likely planning to target you!"
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