Eternal Life by Daily Divination

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Soul-Stealing Banner

This Daoist Feng stated that he needed three fellow Daoists with strong Array-Breaking skills to explore an Ancient Cave Mansion with him.

When the time came,

they would split the Treasures within the cave mansion equally.

“Daoist Li, what do you think?”

Luo Baitong asked.

He knew Li Chang’an needed a Treasure like Star Dust Earth.

So he had come to inform him the moment he saw the mission posting.

“Daoist Luo, this Daoist Feng is requesting fellow Daoists with strong Array-Breaking skills. You don’t actually think I’m skilled at Array-Breaking, do you?”

“Daoist Li, I know you hide your true abilities. Perhaps you are?”

Luo Baitong chuckled slyly.

Li Chang’an was speechless. He actually was skilled.

Whether it was the Spirit-Breaking Alms Bowl, the Forbidden Spirit Chessboard, or the Pupil of Truth, all of them were helpful for Array-Breaking.

“Fine, I’ll go meet this Daoist Feng.”

Li Chang’an didn’t plan on taking any risks, but there was no harm in asking.

「A short while later.」

He met Daoist Feng, the one who had posted the mission, in a dark resting chamber.

The moment they met,

Li Chang’an was stunned for a moment.

Although this Daoist Feng had disguised his appearance and aura,

under the effects of the Pupil of Truth, his disguises were useless. Li Chang’an quickly saw his true face.

It was none other than Huang Feng!

’Weren’t his Meridians shattered? How can he still explore a Secret Realm?’

Li Chang’an was quite surprised.

With such a severe injury, it should have been impossible for him to ever practice Cultivation again in this lifetime.

Yet, here was Huang Feng, standing before him completely unscathed.

At that moment,

Luo Baitong smiled and made the introduction for him.

“Daoist Li, this is Daoist Feng. He’s an old-timer in our Three Tribulations Alliance. He’s been a member for over a decade.”

This revelation surprised Li Chang’an even more.

Huang Feng was a sanctimonious hypocrite. On the surface, he was a Righteous Cultivator who despised evil, but he had secretly been a Tribulation Cultivator for more than ten years!

Meanwhile, Huang Feng was also sizing up Li Chang’an.

Because of the incident with the Venerable Soul Banner, he had long since heard of the name Li Fan.

Thus, his gaze held a trace of apprehension.

“Daoist Li!”

Huang Feng cupped his hands in a fist and palm salute, his tone reasonably polite.

Li Chang’an returned the salute, then asked about the details of the Secret Realm Cave Mansion.

“Daoist Feng, is there really Star Dust Earth inside that cave mansion?”

“Rest assured, Daoist Li. I am willing to swear on my Dao Heart. If I am hiding even the slightest thing, may my Meridians be completely severed, rendering me unable to practice Cultivation for the rest of my life!”

Huang Feng spoke with conviction, his tone earnest.

He recounted everything he had seen and heard inside the cave mansion.

He also stated that,

besides the Arrays, there were no other dangers in the cave mansion.

All they had to do was break the Arrays!

“Daoist Li, I wonder, how strong are your Array-Breaking abilities?”

“Daoist Feng, how strong do you need them to be?”

Li Chang’an didn’t answer directly, but posed a question in return.

Hearing this,

Huang Feng paused for a moment, but a smile soon spread across his face.

“It seems Daoist Li is very confident in his Array-Breaking abilities. Why don’t we test them right now!”

With that, he took out a set of Array components on the spot.

And began to set it up in the room.

This was a Tier One Peak Array. Even a cultivator at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer would be trapped and killed if they were caught inside without an Array-Breaking Treasure or some other means of escape!

After finishing the setup,

Huang Feng smiled at Li Chang’an and made a gesture of invitation.

“Daoist Li, do you dare to enter the Array and give it a try?”

“Why wouldn’t I dare?”

Li Chang’an’s words were filled with confidence as he strode into the Array.

The next instant,

the Array activated, and the scenery around him shifted and changed.

Streams of hidden killing intent locked onto Li Chang’an all at once.

If he couldn’t break the Array quickly, he would be forced into a sorry state, even if he didn’t die.

Outside the Array, Huang Feng stared at him intently.

’I wonder if this Daoist Li has any real skill.’

His mental deadline was thirty breaths.

If Li Chang’an still hadn’t broken the Array by then,

he would not be qualified to explore the cave mansion with them.

However,

in the blink of an eye,

Li Chang’an used his Pupil of Truth to find the Array’s weak point.

He didn’t even use a Tier Two Treasure. He simply took out a Tier One Array-Breaking Pestle, tapped it lightly against the weak spot, and shattered the entire Array.

“Done!”

Li Chang’an walked out of the Array with a smile.

From entering the Array to breaking it,

no more than three breaths had passed.

Luo Baitong, who was standing to the side, watched with wide eyes.

“Daoist Li, you really are skilled at Array-Breaking! You could be called a master in this field!”

“Daoist Luo, you flatter me. I’ve just been trapped in Arrays often, so I have a bit more experience dealing with them.”

“Trapped in Arrays often?”

Luo Baitong was even more astonished to hear this, subconsciously assuming that Li Chang’an frequently adventured in all sorts of dangerous territories.

Huang Feng was also shaken internally.

Even as a prestigious disciple of Yellow Crane Mountain, his Array-Breaking skills couldn’t compare to Li Chang’an’s.

’A famous Loose Cultivator like him must have some extraordinary abilities to have survived this long,’ Huang Feng thought to himself.

He clapped his hands, walked forward, and said in an appreciative tone, “Truly worthy of your reputation, Daoist Li! You’ve certainly lived up to your name!”

He then extended an invitation to Li Chang’an,

hoping Li Chang’an would explore the cave mansion with him.

Li Chang’an didn’t agree immediately, asking instead,

“Daoist Feng, when do you plan to set out?”

“There’s no time to waste. How about noon tomorrow, Daoist Li?”

“Alright, I have no problem with that.”

Li Chang’an agreed.

Since they were leaving tomorrow, he could check his Divination tonight.

He and Huang Feng had a long-standing grudge.

He had no intention of letting this perfect opportunity slip by.

If the Divination showed no issues, he would set out with the man tomorrow and then eliminate him in the Secret Realm!

…

「That night.」

In his room,

Li Chang’an sat cross-legged, cultivating quietly.

Just after Midnight,

a new Divination appeared before his eyes.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today’s Divination: Auspicious]

[You will enter the Secret Realm to explore the cave mansion. You will successfully obtain the Treasure and kill your enemy, Huang Feng, within the cave. There will be no major incidents.]

“An Auspicious Trigram!”

A smile spread across Li Chang’an’s face.

With his current strength, killing Huang Feng was indeed not a problem.

His biggest worry had been encountering danger within the cave mansion.

Now it seemed

his worries were for nothing.

…

「The next day.」

Li Chang’an came to the Black Market once again.

As agreed, he entered the secret chamber and met with Huang Feng.

This time, there were two more people beside Huang Feng.

He smiled and introduced them to Li Chang’an.

“Daoist Li, these two are Daoist Jin Mu and Daoist Jin Zhe.”

“Greetings, fellow Daoists.”

After the introductions,

Li Chang’an learned of the two’s identities.

They were both renegade disciples of the Jin Family. Their Cultivation was extremely high and their strength formidable; both were at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer!

Among the Tribulation Cultivators in this region, these two were quite famous.

Their reputation was in no way inferior to Li Chang’an’s!

According to Huang Feng,

their Array-Breaking abilities were slightly weaker than Li Chang’an’s, but they should be sufficient to handle the Arrays inside the cave mansion.

Jin Mu was all smiles, looking like an easygoing person.

“My brother and I have long heard of your great name, Daoist Li. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person!”

“It is merely an empty reputation.”

Li Chang’an smiled faintly, appearing very modest.

“My own Cultivation is not as high as yours, fellow Daoists. I may need your help after we enter the Secret Realm.”

“No need to worry, Daoist Li. If you run into trouble, just say the word!”

Jin Mu laughed heartily, acting very enthusiastic.

However,

he was secretly and quietly sending a Sound Transmission to Jin Zhe.

’This man only has a Qi Refining Sixth Layer Cultivation. The only reason he’s so famous is because he relies on that Venerable Soul Banner. After this is over, we’ll catch him off guard, kill him, and steal that Venerable Soul Banner!’

’Alright, I’ll follow your lead, Brother!’

Jin Zhe had no objections.

Tribulation Cultivators had no code of ethics to speak of. If they wanted something, they simply took it!

Just like that, the two of them finalized their plan.

Kill Li Fan, steal the Soul Banner!