Eternal Life by Daily Divination

Chapter 187: Chapter 168: Fugui Is Shocked, Pei Yingyao Admits She Was Wrong

He would just get a new identity.

Li Chang’an’s Skin Painting Technique had reached a rudimentary, Entry-Level state, allowing him to create single-use human skins.

Changing his identity wasn’t difficult for him, just a bit of a hassle.

The two of them talked late into the night.

Xu Fugui took his leave.

Before leaving, he felt Li Chang’an’s residence wasn’t safe enough and suggested that Li Chang’an move into the Yuelai Restaurant.

“Big Brother, my second senior brother just died, so his rooms are vacant. Why don’t you move into the Yuelai Restaurant? The restaurant is protected by a Tier Two Array, making it much safer than out here.”

“It’s fine. I’m quite comfortable living here.”

Li Chang’an smiled and saw Xu Fugui out of the courtyard.

Yuelai Restaurant had Wang Fu’an, a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Cultivating under his watchful eye for a long time would inevitably be restrictive.

Besides, the Yuelai Restaurant’s Array wasn’t necessarily better than the nineteen interlocking Grand Arrays Li Chang’an had dismantled from the cave estate.

…

For a time after that, Li Chang’an’s life continued as usual.

His progress in both Qi Refining and Body Refinement increased steadily.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

One night, in the residence, steam rose and the foul, metallic stench of a medicinal liquid filled the air.

Li Chang’an had reached the final step of the Ninth Stage of Body Refinement.

At this moment, his entire body was crimson and steaming, like a cooked prawn.

The medicinal liquid in the bath barrel churned constantly, a deep scarlet color, like a vat of boiling blood.

Li Chang’an’s brow was tightly furrowed, and beads of sweat the size of peas dripped continuously from his forehead.

He was in excruciating pain. It felt as if every one of his bones was being shattered, every inch of his flesh torn apart and reformed. The agony was beyond words.

This agony continued late into the night.

Finally…

Li Chang’an suddenly felt his whole body lighten.

The excruciating pain vanished instantly.

The medicinal liquid in the barrel stopped boiling and gradually grew calm.

“The Ninth Stage of Body Refinement… I’ve done it!”

Li Chang’an slowly let out a breath of relief. Wiping the sweat from his brow, a smile appeared on his face.

Once again, his Body Refinement progress had outpaced his Qi Refining.

From now on, he could withstand the attacks of an ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator.

Next, he just needed to consume some more Qi Blood Treasure Medicine to completely solidify his Physique Realm.

Then he could attempt to break through to Tier Two Body Refinement!

’Unfortunately, I still haven’t found any Tier Two Dragon-type Demon Beast Essence Blood.’

…

「A few days later.」

Li Chang’an went to the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower.

He found Shopkeeper Jin Yue and asked about the situation regarding this type of Essence Blood.

This time, Jin Yue had some news for him.

“Daoist Li, Dragon-type Demon Beasts are simply too rare, and their Essence Blood is even more precious. The Ten Thousand Treasures Tower has none in stock at the moment, but I recently heard that Elder Pei has a sample.”

“Which Elder Pei?”

“The Female Sword Immortal, Pei Yingyao!”

Jin Yue spoke a name that was very familiar to Li Chang’an.

However, although Pei Yingyao had the Essence Blood, she had no intention of selling it.

Hearing this, Li Chang’an couldn’t understand.

’Pei Yingyao doesn’t practice Body Refinement, nor does she know Alchemy. What could she possibly want with Demon Beast Essence Blood?’

「The next day.」

He went to visit Pei Yingyao to ask about the Essence Blood.

Pei Yingyao patiently explained, “Demon Beast Essence Blood can be used to nurture a sword. My personal sword needs to drink blood often to maintain its killing intent, and Dragon-type Demon Beast Essence Blood is especially effective.”

“Nurturing a sword with blood?”

Li Chang’an felt a bit helpless. It seemed this Essence Blood was not destined to be his.

He had no choice but to take his leave.

…

Time flew by, and more than a month passed.

Li Chang’an still hadn’t found any Dragon-type Demon Beast Essence Blood, but his Physique Realm had been completely stabilized.

He had become a true Tier One Peak Body Cultivator!

「A few days later.」

Li Chang’an went out again, planning to first check with the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower.

If the tower still had nothing, he would go find Zheng Qingqing.

’Hopefully, Zheng Qingqing will have this kind of Essence Blood.’

Before long, he arrived at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower.

Before he even had a chance to ask, Jin Yue spoke first.

“Daoist Li, you’ve come at the perfect time. I was just about to look for you.”

“Look for me?”

Li Chang’an was taken aback.

“Manager Jin, has something happened?”

“It’s Elder Pei. She suddenly posted a reward today, urgently seeking a stick of Soul-Attracting Incense. She hasn’t found one yet.”

Jin Yue spoke quickly, his tone urgent as he explained the situation.

Early this morning, Pei Yingyao had visited every shop in Yellow Crane Immortal City, wanting to buy a stick of Soul-Attracting Incense.

But this kind of Treasure was too precious, and ordinarily, no one had any use for it.

None of the major shops kept it in stock.

“Another one of my Jin Family’s shops does have Soul-Attracting Incense, but it’s too far from Yellow Crane Immortal City. Elder Pei is in such a hurry that it would be too late even if we had it sent over.”

Now, Pei Yingyao has put out the word.

Whoever can find her a stick of Soul-Attracting Incense will earn a favor from her.

This favor can be exchanged for a Treasure from her collection.

Or, you can ask her to take action on your behalf once.

Jin Yue said to Li Chang’an, “For Elder Pei to be this anxious, it’s likely that a friend or relative has had a mishap in their cultivation, causing their Soul to leave their body. Daoist Li, if you have any Soul-Attracting Incense, you could give it a try.”

“Alright. Thank you for telling me, Manager Jin!”

Li Chang’an’s heart stirred.

As it happened, he had a stick of Soul-Attracting Incense.

As for why Pei Yingyao so urgently needed Soul-Attracting Incense, Li Chang’an had a good guess.

It was most likely because Ji Mengyun was about to be possessed by the Evil Soul and was showing strange symptoms.

Before this, Pei Yingyao had already lost one apprentice.

’She probably doesn’t want to lose a second.’

…

「A moment later.」

Li Chang’an arrived at the midway point of Yellow Crane Mountain, outside Pei Yingyao’s residence.

“Elder Pei, this junior, Li Chang’an, has come bearing Soul-Attracting Incense.”

The moment his voice fell.

The courtyard gate flew open instantly.

Pei Yingyao’s voice came from within at the same time.

“Come in!”

Hearing this, Li Chang’an was just about to step inside when a powerful suction force pulled him in, causing him to fly uncontrollably into the residence.

He didn’t resist the force, allowing himself to be pulled into the depths of the cave estate.

As expected, Ji Mengyun was here as well.

She was sitting cross-legged, her pretty face deathly pale and covered in beads of sweat. Her closed eyelids trembled slightly, as if she were fighting against something.

Pei Yingyao stood behind her, one hand resting on her shoulder.

Upon seeing Li Chang’an, her expression was complicated, and she let out a soft sigh.

“Li Chang’an, regarding the matter of my sword… you were right. I was wrong.”