Eternal Life by Daily Divination

「Outside the Mechanical City.」

Li Chang’an stood before the gate, which was composed of countless intricate mechanisms.

His eyes were deep in thought as he scanned the entire gate.

’The first time I came here, I thought the Spirit Patterns and construction of this gate were impossibly complex. Looking at it now, it’s nothing special.’

Li Chang’an was no longer the person he once was.

His Magical Power and Skills were both far beyond what they once were.

His figure flickered, dissolving into a series of afterimages. Using skills from his Puppetry Technique and Mechanical Technique, he dismantled the entire gate in no time.

The core of the gate contained some Tier Three materials.

Li Chang’an didn’t linger. He entered the passage, dismantling as he went. Like a swarm of locusts, he left no materials behind.

In his wake, only emptiness remained.

’At this rate, I can dismantle the entire Mechanical City in half a month at most.’

Li Chang’an thought to himself.

Time flew by, and several days passed in the blink of an eye.

「Late one night.」

He suddenly received a warning from a Divination.

A Golden Core Master was about to attack Changqing Mountain, but would be repelled by his Array.

’A Golden Core Master?’

Li Chang’an looked at the contents of the Divination, thoroughly confused.

’Which Golden Core Master have I provoked now? There’s a finite number of Golden Core Masters in the entire Southern Domain Cultivation Immortality Realm, and I don’t recall making a new enemy among them.’

’Could it be someone hired by Liu Xuanfeng?’

Li Chang’an mused.

「A moment later.」

He took control of a Puppet he had left on Changqing Mountain, had it don a false skin bearing his likeness, and moved it into the courtyard. He then had it arrange a Jade Table with Spirit Tea, creating the appearance that he was resting and enjoying a drink.

Before long, a streak of Spiritual Light tore across the sky, rapidly approaching Changqing Mountain.

The streak of Spiritual Light eventually stopped outside Changqing Mountain and transformed into a man wearing golden Armor.

It was none other than the Zhang Family’s Core Formation Celestial Pride.

Zhang Qingrong!

Li Chang’an had seen a portrait of this man before, so he recognized him.

’So it’s him. The lucky fellow who stumbled upon an opportunity for Core Formation.’

He put down his teacup, stood, and bowed with his hands clasped.

“Elder Zhang, may I ask what business brings you here?”

“Li Chang’an, you know of me?”

“Elder Zhang, your great name is known throughout the Southern Domain.”

“Since you know who I am, that will save me some trouble.”

Zhang Qingrong’s tone was cold.

“Enter my Spirit Beast Bag at once and come with me to see Daoist Liu Xuanfeng. As long as you cooperate, I will not make things difficult for you.”

“Elder Zhang, why must this junior go see Daoist Liu?”

Li Chang’an feigned confusion, but inwardly, he understood everything.

’So it really is about Liu Xuanfeng.’

A trace of impatience flashed in Zhang Qingrong’s eyes. He said coldly, “You don’t need to know. You just need to cooperate with me.”

“Elder Zhang, this junior finds living on Changqing Mountain quite comfortable. I don’t wish to go anywhere else.”

“Hmph?”

A cold glint flashed in Zhang Qingrong’s eyes as Golden Core Magical Power surged from his body.

He released his Golden Core pressure, trying to suppress Li Chang’an, but it was blocked by Changqing Mountain’s Array, posing no threat to him whatsoever.

The Li Chang’an of today was not the same person he had been at the Foundation Establishment Ceremony.

Even without the Array, he could ignore the pressure of a Golden Core Master!

“Elder Zhang, if you want to take me down, you’ll need more than just a little pressure.”

Li Chang’an sat down, picked up his Spirit Tea, and spoke with a perfectly calm tone.

Hearing this, Zhang Qingrong’s face darkened.

Spiritual Light flashed in his hand as he gathered a Magic technique. He shouted coldly, “Li Chang’an, do you think you can disrespect a Golden Core Master just because you’re hiding behind an Array?”

“Elder Zhang, I have been nothing but respectful toward you, addressing you as ’Elder’ from the very beginning.”

Li Chang’an gave a faint smile and gently swirled the tea in his cup.

He had indeed addressed him as ’Elder’, but his tone held not a shred of respect.

Anger flared in Zhang Qingrong, and he launched the Magic technique in his hand.

“Li Chang’an, today I will smash this tortoise shell of yours and show you the difference between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core!”

Golden Core Magical Power surged around him, and he was filled with confidence.

This Magic was practically the strongest Attack Technique he had mastered. Even if it couldn’t break the Array in one hit, it should be able to shake Changqing Mountain to its core and reveal a flaw.

However, when this shockingly powerful technique landed on the Array, it was like a snowflake falling into water—it dissolved without a sound.

It didn’t even cause the slightest ripple!

Zhang Qingrong’s expression changed slightly as he stared at the Grand Array in disbelief.

“Impossible!”

He suspected that the Array had been shaken, but that Li Chang’an was concealing the damage with an Illusion Array.

Therefore, he launched more than ten additional Magic techniques, trying to completely shatter the Mountain Protection Array.

But it was all in vain!

No matter how much power he used, the entirety of Changqing Mountain remained perfectly still; not even a single weed so much as swayed.

“What kind of Array is this?”

Zhang Qingrong was in utter disbelief. He swallowed a few Elixir Pills to recover his Magical Power.

At that moment, he finally understood the true meaning of the two words “tortoise shell.”

A mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator actually possessed a domain that a Golden Core Master couldn’t break through!

Li Chang’an smiled. “Elder Zhang, if you have no other business, this junior will be heading back to rest.”

“You…”

Zhang Qingrong’s expression grew even more unsightly.

He could tell that Li Chang’an had no intention of giving him an easy way out and was deliberately provoking him, trying to force him to waste more Magical Power.

But after acting so arrogant and domineering, if he were to just leave now, he would inevitably become a laughingstock.

For a moment, Zhang Qingrong found himself caught between a rock and a hard place.

Just then, an aged voice rang out.

“Enough, Qingrong. Apologize to Li, and don’t be so impulsive in the future!”

As soon as the voice fell, two figures appeared on the horizon.

One of them was Zhang Qingfeng.

The other was the Zhang Family’s old ancestor, a Middle Stage of Golden Core expert, Zhang Shengling!

This man had been accumulating power in the Middle Stage of Golden Core for many years and was not far from the Late Stage. Moreover, he possessed Tier Three Middle Stage Talisman Art, and his combat strength was not to be underestimated.