Chapter 18 Control

After waiting for a few breaths, the middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator appeared at the narrow stretch of the dense forest.

Chen Li intentionally asked, "Senior, if I am to die, I wish to die with understanding. I want to ask, which Family does your Young Master belong to?"

Seeing Chen Li ask this, the middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator chuckled. "What harm is there in telling you? He is Luo Haoyun, one of the four contemporary Qilin sons of the Golden Core Luo Clan. He is a figure you could never afford to provoke in a lifetime. Just surrender obediently. After we have our fun, I'll give you a comfortable death."

Having received his answer, Chen Li smiled slightly and said, "Senior, do you look down on us Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators a bit too much?"

The middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator enjoyed this atmosphere and laughed. "A Mid-stage Qi Refining killing a Foundation Establishment? Maybe in your next life!"

Chen Li also smiled. "I wonder if Senior has ever heard of a Fourth-rank Formation Master!"

Then, without waiting for him to react, the Spirit Trapping Formation activated, and the middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator was instantly trapped! Chen Li immediately followed up by activating the Profound Bone Immortal Slaying Formation behind him.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi of the dense forest rapidly gathered into the Immortal Slaying Formation. A condensed surge of energy caused the surroundings to vibrate, its Aura majestic!

Trapped in the Spirit Trapping Formation at the narrow stretch of the forest, the middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator felt a chill rise from the back of his head; he broke into a cold sweat, and his heart raced!

He panicked!

Upon hearing the words 'Fourth-rank Formation Master,' his face turned as pale as wax—just as white as his Young Master's face!

He discovered he couldn't break free from this Spirit Trapping Formation immediately. He never expected a Mid-stage Qi Refining Cultivator to be a Fourth-rank Formation Master!

It's over; he had provoked a Genius!

"Fellow Daoist, spare my life! I was wrong. I'll give you my Storage Pouch and leave immediately."

This middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator could only beg bitterly, his expression filled with panic and fear. He was humble and submissive, completely stripped of his previous arrogance!

Chen Li suddenly let out a great shout and laughed. "Too late!"

A surge of energy comparable to Foundation Establishment Perfection erupted from the Immortal Slaying Formation, heading straight for the middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Spirit Trapping Formation!

Only a desolate scream was heard from the middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator—"Ah!"—as the energy pierced through his body, leaving a several-meter-wide crater behind him.

As the dust settled, only two legs and part of a waist remained where the Spirit Trapping Formation had been. His upper body had been annihilated, not leaving a single breath behind.

A Storage Pouch hung from the remains of the legs and waist. Chen Li took it casually and then burned the remaining flesh with a handful of fire.

This activation had cost an extra three hundred Spirit Stones. He truly wondered if the Storage Pouch would yield enough to make it worth it.

Chen Li's Divine Sense probed inside. Oh! Over four thousand Spirit Stones!

And more than thirty other Storage Pouches?

This man truly deserved to die; he had killed so many Qi Refining Cultivators. For the first time, Chen Li felt that killing someone was truly worth it!

There was also a pile of Qi Refinement Stage Medicinal Pills: grain dispelling pills, qi overflowing pills, vitality replenishing pills, a pile of first and second-grade Magical Artifacts, a large number of basic Talismans, basic Cultivation Techniques, and so on.

There were also quite a few third-grade spiritual items, and he even obtained a Foundation Establishment grade Cultivation Technique, the "True Fire Burning Heaven Art."

Chen Li cleared the scene and flew back to Black Magpie Mountain!

...

Inside a certain restaurant in the Beast Hunting Sect, Luo Haoyun had been waiting on the bed for a long time. The person he was waiting for hadn't arrived yet, and he was burning with impatient desire.

He waited until evening, and still, they hadn't arrived. He realized that in all likelihood, something had gone wrong.

"Useless trash!"

Luo Haoyun cursed and used a thousand-li sound transmission stone to ask his Family's Cultivators about that Foundation Establishment Cultivator's soul lamp.

A short while later, he received the definitive news: that Foundation Establishment Cultivator had perished.

Luo Haoyun's wax-pale face shifted through various expressions. He then immediately suppressed his impatient desire and hurriedly returned to the Lu Family ancestral land. Losing a Foundation Establishment Cultivator required him to give some explanation to the Family.

He had already thought of an excuse: the Protector went out to purchase items and was killed by a Robber Cultivator.

...

Three days later, Chen Li returned to Black Magpie Mountain.

Inside Concentric Heart Hall, Zhu Lingyue received a large pile of first and second-grade spiritual items from Chen Li and was asked to help take inventory.

"Husband, so many?"

Zhu Lingyue looked at the residual Killing Intent on Chen Li, her eyes seemingly asking: You killed someone?

Chen Li said, "I encountered a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who didn't know his place, so I killed him!"

"Oh, I see... What? You killed a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?" Zhu Lingyue was horrified!

"Husband killed a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!" Zhu Lingyue confirmed once more.

Chen Li nodded. "Your husband has long been a Fourth-rank Formation Master!"

Zhu Lingyue's eyes widened. She looked at Chen Li for a long time, unable to believe it. She thought Chen Li was already impressive enough, but she didn't expect another surprise!

"Husband is so steady and cautious, yet you told me frankly. Lingyue can only follow you until death!"

Chen Li took Zhu Lingyue's hand and said, "Husband and wife are one. If I don't even trust you, will I not trust our future children either?"

After the pleasantries, Chen Li immediately went to plant the Spiritual Plant seeds.

A day later, all ten acres of spiritual fields on Black Magpie Mountain were planted with spirit rice and medicinal herbs, waiting for them to bloom and bear fruit.

Another day later, inside the Immortal Cave, Zhu Lingyue looked at the third-grade Cauldron and then at the recipe for grain dispelling pills. She said to Chen Li, "Husband, then I shall begin."

"Just try boldly; your husband will watch over you!"

Twenty days later, Zhu Lingyue successfully refined a batch of grain dispelling pills. Amidst her joy, she sighed, "Husband, if it weren't for you, I don't know how much time it would have taken!"

...

On this day, ripples appeared outside the Second-Rank Formation of Black Magpie Mountain.

In front of the Guest Welcoming Pavilion, upon seeing Chen Li emerge, two Qi Refining Second Layer servants bowed and said, "We are here on the orders of the Old Ancestor of the Lu Family to notify you of the triennial tribute matters!"

"Since it is the Old Ancestor of the Lu Family's tribute matter, please speak!"

"Our Old Ancestor said that considering the Chen Family has just established itself in Liangxi County for just over three years, you only need to contribute eighty Spirit Stones and 500 catties of spirit rice!"

Chen Li was slightly surprised internally. Generally speaking, a Mid-stage Qi Refining Immortal Clan usually needs to pay a tribute of one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones every three years, along with 800 catties of spirit rice, spirit wood, and other spiritual items.

Chen Li bowed and replied, "Then I thank the Old Ancestor of the Lu Family for his consideration!"

At the same time, the other four families in Liangxi County were equally surprised. This time, the tribute items were fewer than they had been three years ago.

...

In the Lu Family ancestral land in Yuanwu Prefecture, inside the main hall.

Lu Xilou asked in confusion, "Old Ancestor, the price of a foundation establishment pill from the Beast Hunting Sect has now risen to over ten thousand Spirit Stones each, and there's demand but no supply. Why do we still need to reduce the tribute from the Qi Refining Immortal Clans below us?"

Lu Shuiqing said, "I suspect Zhang An was killed by those Qi Refining Immortal Clans working together. If they can kill Zhang An, they can also kill me!"

Lu Xilou's expression changed in disbelief. He stood up and said, "How would they dare? Qi Refining killing Foundation Establishment... Old Ancestor, you must be overthinking it?"

Lu Xilou added, "Could Zhang An have been killed by other Foundation Establishment Robber Cultivators?"

"That Eighth Level of Qi Refining Old Ancestor of the Luo Family said he was entering secluded cultivation before Zhang An went to the banquet, yet a year later, it's said his cultivation failed and he died of old age? Such a coincidence? Also, according to the information I gathered earlier, the Yun Family, Wang Family, An Family, and Chen Family all disappeared for a few days together. I can't help but suspect what they did."

Lu Shuiqing added with a chuckle, "Qi Refining killing Foundation Establishment? This wasn't unheard of fifty years ago."

Lu Xilou also fell silent and said, "Then they have the means to kill a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?"

Lu Shuiqing also fell silent. As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator herself, she thought that it was extremely difficult for a Qi Refining Cultivator to kill a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

Even if several people ganged up, one could still escape. So it could only mean one thing, and it had to be admitted: they have the means to kill a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

Lu Shuiqing nodded, seemingly thinking of other ways to get news of foundation establishment pills. She said, "Recent events are blurred and confusing, so we should first try our best to maintain the current situation before planning other things!"

Lu Xilou asked cautiously, "Then what about the matter of Foundation Establishment? Is there any other way for the Old Ancestor's lifespan?"

Lu Shuiqing sighed, "The limit of lifespan is irreversible! There are already other channels for the matter of foundation establishment pills. Just wait patiently; those foundation establishment pills will be available!"

...