Eternal Life by Daily Divination

Chapter 271: Chapter 194: A Golden Core Has Fallen, a Downpour of Blood

Soon, more news came in.

Four of Huang He Master’s disciples had been killed in battle one after another!

“Which four?”

Li Chang’an was curious. He wanted to know if Murong Kang and the others were dead or alive.

Soon, he found out.

Not a single person on his hit list had died!

The four who died were Huang He Master’s third, fourth, fifth, and seventh disciples.

The four had been traveling together when they were lured into a deathtrap by Demon Beasts and were all killed.

「Two days later.」

A shocking piece of news spread.

While hunting a Tier Three Demon King, Huang He Master was ambushed by a mysterious Golden Core expert and was severely injured!

However, he managed to injure the mysterious Golden Core expert in return, and their status—dead or alive—was unknown.

Upon hearing the news, Li Chang’an and Xu Fugui’s first thought was of Chu Daniu’s master.

The two of them immediately went to Chu Daniu’s residence, only to find that Chu Daniu wasn’t home.

’That mysterious Golden Core must be Elder Black Crow. He chose a good time to strike, managing to severely injure Huang He Master. I wonder if he’ll be left with any lasting injuries,’ Li Chang’an mused.

He had never expected Black Crow Master to be able to kill Huang He Master; he only hoped Black Crow Master would weaken him as much as possible.

Just as he was thinking this, a wave of mournful wails suddenly erupted in the distance.

Countless people were crying, heartbroken. The sounds merged into one, audible even from a great distance.

’What happened?’

Puzzled, Li Chang’an flew up to a high vantage point on the walls of Yellow Crane Immortal City.

He narrowed his eyes and looked closely.

On the distant horizon, a procession of Cultivators in plain mourning clothes was escorting a Spirit Coffin back to the city.

Every one of them had bloodshot eyes and grief-stricken expressions, their tears flowing endlessly. The boundless sorrow seemed to infect the very heavens.

Cold raindrops began to fall, appearing like a rain of blood against the crimson sky, drenching the entire land.

At that moment, Mo Wenyuan, a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator of the Mo Family, came to Li Chang’an’s side.

His expression was solemn as he said in a low voice, “It’s the Red Leaf Valley Mu Family. The Mu Family’s Golden Core Ancestor has fallen.”

“What?”

Li Chang’an was shocked.

’The fall of a Golden Core Ancestor is a major event!’

Mo Wenyuan’s tone was heavy. “The Mu Family Ancestor was ambushed deep within the Black Dragon Mountain Range by several Tier Three Demon Kings. The other Golden Cores tried to rescue him but were blocked. He was forced into a desperate situation and ultimately self-detonated his Golden Core, taking a Demon King with him.”

What was returning now was not the Mu Family Ancestor’s body, but his blood-stained and shattered Armor.

The self-detonation of his Golden Core had long since obliterated his flesh and blood.

After hearing this, Li Chang’an was lost in thought.

A moment later, he cupped his fist and asked, “Daoist Mo, does the Mu Family have any other Golden Core Ancestors?”

“Yes, one at the Fake Pill realm. However, he suffered a severe injury in his early years and has never fully recovered. His strength is far below that of a normal Fake Pill cultivator, and he has been in seclusion within the clan, almost never making a move.”

In other words, the Mu Family could now be considered the weakest among the Seven Great Noble Families.

While the Mo Family and Zhou Family had no Core Formation Masters, their Tier Three Puppets and Tier Three Beast Kings possessed combat power comparable to that of a regular cultivator with a True Pill.

If the Mu Family failed to produce a new Golden Core Master, their future would become increasingly difficult, and they might eventually be dropped from the ranks of the Seven Great Noble Families.

This kind of thing had happened countless times before.

At its peak, the Southern Domain Cultivation Realm of the Zhao Country once had more than ten Golden Core Clans, but now only seven remain.

Even a Golden Core Clan could not guarantee it could withstand the ravages of time.

For this very reason, Li Chang’an rejected the cultivation philosophy that prioritized family and descendants, focusing only on his own strength.

…

「A few days later.」

The Golden Core Ancestors from the major powers returned one after another.

The Beast Tide struck again, this time even more ferociously.

An endless horde of Demon Beasts surged from the Black Dragon Mountain Range like a continuous tide, relentlessly attempting to tear through the Human Race Cultivators’ defensive lines.

Meanwhile, the major human powers had suffered heavy casualties in the Black Dragon Mountain Range, and their defensive lines were nowhere near as solid as before.

’I wonder how much longer we can hold on.’

Li Chang’an watched the frenzied Beast Tide, feeling no will to fight.

A sense of unease grew within him.

The dark Black Dragon Mountain Range seemed to conceal many powerful auras.

’This is no place to linger.’

He transformed into a streak of light, about to leave Yellow Crane Immortal City.

Unexpectedly, he ran into Mo Qingxue once again.

Mo Qingxue’s expression was indifferent as she asked icily, “Li Chang’an, are you running away again?”

“Again?”

Li Chang’an was taken aback for a moment.

He cupped his fist but offered no explanation.

“Daoist Mo, I have matters to attend to at home and cannot stay long.”

With that, his figure flickered and he was gone in an instant.

Mo Qingxue’s eyes were icy as she watched him disappear over the horizon.

’Fleeing before battle, timid as a mouse, clinging to life and fearing death!’

She suddenly felt a pang of regret for giving Li Chang’an that Favor Token.

But it wasn’t right to ask for something back once it had been given.

…

「Half a day later.」

Li Chang’an returned to Changqing Mountain.

He began to prepare the medicinal solution required for the Third Layer of Body Refining.

The Path of Body Refining was especially important; it didn’t require talent and provided immense combat strength.

In the days that followed, his life continued as usual.

「Half a month later.」

The Cyan Cloud Sect confirmed the deaths of Cao Shaolong and the others, attributing the cause to Demon Beasts.

No one suspected Li Chang’an at all.

Far too many Cultivators had died at the hands of Demon Beasts this time. Even several Celestial Prides had fallen, to say nothing of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator like Cao Shaolong.

’That’s right. The Demon Beasts killed them all. It has nothing to do with me.’

Li Chang’an was in a great mood after learning this news.

The timing of his attack had been too perfect.

The Demon Beasts were the perfect scapegoats.

Thinking of this, Li Chang’an suddenly found himself missing Black Wind Mountain.

Back in the Qinghe Region, no matter what he did, he could just blame Black Wind Mountain. After all, Black Wind Mountain was already notorious.

’It’s a pity there are no suitable scapegoats near Yellow Crane Immortal City,’ Li Chang’an mused. ’My Ten Thousand Poison Gu can release a Tier Two Poisonous Fog… Perhaps I could use that to pose as a cultivator from the Five Poison Wanderer Lineage?’

’It seems I can’t neglect the cultivation of my Ten Thousand Poison Gu either.’

He decided to make a trip to the Black Market tomorrow to buy some Poison Dao Treasures.

「That night.」

Li Chang’an was soaking in his medicinal bath as usual.

Just after Midnight, a golden light materialized before his eyes.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today’s Divination: Auspicious]

[You go to the Black Market and buy a seemingly ordinary coffin. You lie in it for a night’s sleep, learn Array Skills in your dreams, and wake up having mastered the craft of Tier Two Top Grade Arrays.]

“A coffin? Arrays?”

Li Chang’an was dumbfounded for a moment.

The content of the divination was so bizarre that he didn’t understand it at first.