Chapter 60: Predicament
Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Predicament
Lion’s Mane Cave! A Talisman Treasure!
Stone-Horned Deer’s expression was uncertain.
’If I just let him leave, what will happen to the honor of my Lujiao Mountain!?’
’But if I don’t...’
’With the power of a Talisman Treasure, I might not be able to keep him here.’
’And then there’s Lion’s Mane Cave...’
Xu Chang’an stared coldly at Stone-Horned Deer without saying a word.
SWOOSH!
The Attacking Magical Artifact that had been pointed at Xu Chang’an turned into a streak of light and returned to Stone-Horned Deer’s side.
Stone-Horned Deer didn’t speak, but Xu Chang’an understood his meaning.
"Our paths will cross again!"
Xu Chang’an activated his Magical Artifact and departed, transforming into a long, rainbow-like streak of light.
"That junior from Lion’s Mane Cave! I’m furious!"
Stone-Horned Deer was filled with a rage he could not vent.
...
After piloting his Magical Artifact away from Black Crow Mountain, Xu Chang’an didn’t land until he reached a secluded spot.
When he reappeared, he had transformed into the guise of a Wild Wolf Demon.
Then, he ran across the land, heading straight for Langlang Mountain.
Once he was near the borders of Langlang Mountain, he changed again, this time into a Mountain Boar Demon.
After several such transformations, Xu Chang’an concealed his aura and returned safely to Langlang Mountain.
Just as Xu Chang’an finished recuperating and was about to leave his seclusion for his shift at the Alchemy Hall...
Good news spread throughout Langlang Mountain.
Many of the demons captured by Lujiao Mountain had escaped and returned!
A Lion Spirit!
At the Qi Refining Ninth Layer!
He withstood an attack from a Foundation Establishment Great Demon!
With a Talisman Treasure!
It’s suspected he was acting on orders from Lion’s Mane Cave!
One by one, these rumors, a mix of truth and lies, circulated through Langlang Mountain.
Xiong Da had also escaped back to Langlang Mountain.
Before his injuries had even fully healed, he came to find Xu Chang’an.
"Grey Rat, I almost didn’t make it back,"
Xiong Da said with a grim face.
"It’s good that you’re back!
So, still want to be a Vanguard!?"
Xu Chang’an teased.
"Yeah, I do."
Xiong Da was as determined as ever.
"Not only do I want to be a Vanguard, I’m going to be an Elder, too!"
’This blockhead has some serious ambition.’
For some reason, Lujiao Mountain’s assault on Langlang Mountain never came.
Another month passed, and a demon from Lion’s Mane Cave arrived on Langlang Mountain.
Oh, no, he was an envoy from Lion’s Mane Cave.
A Cyan Lion Spirit at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.
The envoy from Lion’s Mane Cave stayed on Langlang Mountain for three months.
He claimed to be on an inspection tour, but in reality, he just threw his weight around.
He acted with great arrogance on Langlang Mountain, putting on more airs than even a Foundation Establishment Great Demon.
Langlang Mountain had to serve him the best food and drink.
It was said that a Little Demon accidentally offended him and was whipped so severely he was nearly beaten to death.
Seeing him flaunt his power, many of the demons on Langlang Mountain were holding in their anger.
"We’re both Lion Spirits, so why is there such a huge difference between us!?"
Xiong Da had blurted this out to Xu Chang’an in secret, unable to hold it in any longer.
Fortunately, the three months passed quickly.
It was unknown what price Langlang Mountain paid to convince Lion’s Mane Cave to mediate the dispute with Lujiao Mountain.
Lion’s Mane Cave had a Demon King presiding over it, with countless Great Demons under his command.
With Lion’s Mane Cave personally stepping in to make peace, Lujiao Mountain naturally had to agree, at least on the surface.
Order was once again restored on Langlang Mountain.
Xu Chang’an’s life also gradually returned to normal.
Following his promotion to Middle-grade Alchemist, he had more and more opportunities to practice Alchemy.
His Alchemy Skill was improving at an incredible pace.
Every time the Mountain Goat Spirit watched him perform Alchemy, he would sigh with emotion.
"Grey Rat, it won’t be long before you surpass me!"
"It’s because you’re a good teacher, Master,"
Xu Chang’an said humbly.
Although the conflict between Lujiao Mountain and Langlang Mountain had been mediated by Lion’s Mane Cave,
the covert struggles had not diminished in the slightest.
Wild Boar Mountain and Cyan Snake Mountain had, for some unknown reason, become Lujiao Mountain’s allies.
They targeted Langlang Mountain many times, both openly and secretly.
Often using the pretense of an "exchange" between the three mountains, they would send demons to thoroughly humiliate Langlang Mountain.
Having suffered heavy losses in the previous war, Langlang Mountain couldn’t send out any powerful demons to compete.
Fortunately, though they were humiliated, Langlang Mountain’s foundation remained intact.
Everyone on the mountain, from top to bottom, was simmering with suppressed fury.
Some mountains would have crumbled and fallen apart under such immense pressure.
But other mountains, when faced with a harsh environment, could stimulate boundless vitality.
And Langlang Mountain was one of the latter.
Xu Chang’an focused on studying Alchemy; he wasn’t needed for fights and killings.
His life on the mountain was quite comfortable and pleasant.
After the situation with Lujiao Mountain calmed down and things returned to normal,
a decree came from Elder Peak, appointing him as a Vanguard of Langlang Mountain and bestowing upon him a suit of Vanguard Armor.
His semi-annual stipend would be thirty Demon Stones and eight bottles of Qi Replenishing Pills!
In addition, for his merit in protecting the Young Miss, he was specially granted one Middle-grade Magical Artifact!
A Middle-grade Magical Artifact!
For Xu Chang’an, who on the surface only had a Qi Refining Fourth Layer Cultivation,
this was an extremely generous and significant reward!
Middle-grade Magical Artifacts were so precious that even an ordinary Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator might not possess one.
Back at the small trade meet on White Maple Mountain, Qi Refining Old Demons like the Hedgehog Spirit and the Wild Boar Spirit didn’t have any Middle-grade Magical Artifacts.
However...
...for Xu Chang’an, it was rather ordinary.
He had quite a few Middle-grade Magical Artifacts on hand.
’If I get the chance, I should go out and sell them off.’
After his promotion to Vanguard, Xu Chang’an invited many demons for a feast of meat and wine.
Xiong Da was extremely envious of Xu Chang’an’s rewards.
"Grey Rat, being an Alchemist is really the way to go.
You already have a Middle-grade Magical Artifact."
Xiong Da was a little drunk, his face flushed.
"Xiong Da, you’ll have one soon enough,"
Xu Chang’an comforted him.
’For some reason, this oaf of a bear has become obsessed with getting a Middle-grade Magical Artifact.’
After being promoted to Vanguard, Xu Chang’an’s influence in the Alchemy Hall grew daily.
Oh, and just a few days ago, the only High-grade Alchemist in the Alchemy Hall had passed away from old age.
So now, besides the Elders, he was ranked first.
Even the Mountain Goat Spirit couldn’t compare to him.
In terms of Alchemy Skill, the current Xu Chang’an had already surpassed him.
With this surge in influence, the obvious benefit was that he was always surrounded by a crowd of demons.
Other Alchemists often asked him questions about the Alchemy Dao.
And for things like the certification of Low-grade Alchemists, his approval was needed for anyone to pass.
A small Gray Rat Demon was now practically a co-manager of the Alchemy Hall.
Just like that, three years flew by in the blink of an eye.
On this day, a Foundation Establishment Great Demon descended upon Langlang Mountain.
A Sparrow Spirit!
The demons of Langlang Mountain were on high alert, their hearts filled with dread.
Over the years, with Lujiao Mountain’s overt suppression and covert targeting, plus Cyan Snake Mountain and Wild Boar Mountain kicking them while they were down,
life on Langlang Mountain had been difficult.
Now, the arrival of a Foundation Establishment Great Demon was surely a disaster, not a blessing!
But...
this time, it brought a huge surprise to Langlang Mountain.
The Grand Elder of Langlang Mountain, who had gone out in search of an opportunity for Foundation Establishment, had successfully broken through!
As soon as the news broke, the entire Demon Army of Langlang Mountain erupted in a frenzy, and the whole mountain celebrated.
Three days later, the Demon King Jin Yuanba announced that he would prepare a celebratory banquet for the Grand Elder.
The date was set for three months later, and all the demons were ordered to spare no effort in their preparations.
At the same time, envoys were chosen and dispatched to the surrounding mountains to deliver invitations to the banquet.
...
[PS: Thank you to all the Daoist friends who have tipped and voted. This little demon bows in thanks. I’m getting really excited thinking about the upcoming plot and can’t wait to share it~]