Furthermore, he was not in the right regarding this matter.
"What exactly is this Lin Fan’s background? Is he truly just a Loose Cultivator?" Huang Sha True Monarch wondered. "The Sword Array he used resembles the Ancient Yin Yang Sect’s Five Elements Sword Array."
Recalling the terrifying power of that Sword Array, Huang Sha True Monarch suspected that Lin Fan was highly likely not a person of this era. Instead, he might be some old monster of the Ancient Yin Yang Sect who had awakened from a Hermit Coffin!
No matter how hard he thought, he could never have imagined that Lin Fan was the very same Li Chang’an he had attacked multiple times.
That night, deep within a cave dwelling on Changqing Mountain.
Li Chang’an tossed out Huang Tianyuan’s Soul for interrogation. Having already been thoroughly intimidated by the Evil Soul, Huang Tianyuan didn’t dare hide the slightest detail. He honestly recounted how he had obtained the Sealing Demon Stones and the Top-grade Spirit Stones.
"Ten years ago, while Treasure Hunting in the Ancient Ruins Secret Realm, I accidentally discovered an Ancient Battlefield," Huang Tianyuan explained. "Many Cultivators died in that battlefield. Their bones were piled up like mountains, and there were massive amounts of leftover Treasures and Storage Pouches..."
All the Sealing Demon Stones and the twelve Top-grade Spirit Stones he possessed were found in the same Storage Pouch. Inside that pouch, there were also quite a few Treasures required for Nascent Soul Formation.
"Nascent Soul Treasures?" Li Chang’an’s eyes lit up. "Where are those Treasures? Do you perhaps have a private Treasure Vault?"
"No, I wouldn’t dare hoard them. I have already handed over all the Nascent Soul Treasures to the Yellow Sand Sect."
"You didn’t hide even a single one? Don’t you want to reach the Nascent Soul realm?"
"I wouldn’t dare. Even if I hid them, it would be useless," Huang Tianyuan said, his face full of bitterness.
He told Li Chang’an that he had once sworn a Dao Heart oath to the Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Yellow Sand Sect. The oath dictated that should he obtain any Nascent Soul Treasures, he must hand them over to the sect. If he kept them for himself, he would violate his Dao Heart oath, which would guarantee his failure in overcoming the Heart Demon Tribulation. He wasn’t the only one; every Golden Core Cultivator in the Yellow Sand Sect had sworn the exact same oath.
In other words, even if they kept the Nascent Soul Treasures, they wouldn’t be able to achieve Nascent Soul Formation. Worse, if they were discovered, it would bring about a catastrophic disaster.
Huang Tianyuan sighed deeply. "Senior, this is one of the methods the Yellow Sand Sect uses to control its Affiliated Sects and families."
"I see." Li Chang’an had heard of similar methods before. Sects in the Western Domain, such as Mandarin Duck Valley and the Hundred Beasts Sect, similarly required their subordinates to hand over any opportunities for Nascent Soul Formation.
After further questioning, Li Chang’an failed to extract much more valuable information. He put away Huang Tianyuan’s Soul, quietly left Changqing Mountain, and headed toward the Ancient Battlefield the man had mentioned.
It wasn’t long before Li Chang’an arrived at the Ancient Battlefield.
"Huang Tianyuan is merely at the Golden Core realm. He might not have found all the Treasures in this battlefield," Li Chang’an thought. Calming his mind, he spent the next several days thoroughly searching the area.
However, he didn’t find any more Top-grade Spirit Stones, nor did he find many ordinary Spirit Stones. Still, on the final day, Li Chang’an made an unexpected discovery. In a remote corner of the battlefield, he picked up a seemingly unremarkable Turtle Shell.
"A Divination Treasure!"
It would be difficult for an ordinary Cultivator to discern the peculiarity of this Turtle Shell. However, as a Tier Four Divination Grandmaster, Li Chang’an recognized it almost at a single glance. The Turtle Shell was of extremely high quality, reaching Tier Four Middle Grade, which would be an immense help to his path of Divination.
"This is quite a pleasant surprise." Li Chang’an smiled and tucked the Turtle Shell away.
Afterward, he combed through the entire Ancient Battlefield one more time. Finding no other Treasures, he returned to Changqing Mountain.
For a period of time following his return, Li Chang’an remained in secluded cultivation deep within Changqing Mountain. His accumulation in the Dao of Divination was already sufficient, and this seclusion was purely for the sake of breaking through.
One month later.
Li Chang’an emerged from seclusion, officially a Tier Four Middle Grade Divination Grandmaster. His temperament was ethereal, his entire body shrouded in an indescribable aura of mystery. The starry cosmos seemed to reflect in his eyes as he looked up at the firmament.
"The Dao of Divination is endlessly profound. It can manipulate the fate of Celestial Secrets and kill without a trace," he murmured. "How strange. The Celestial Secrets have shifted, and a hidden murderous intent has emerged, yet it isn’t directed at me..."
Li Chang’an frowned slightly, noticing something amiss. Another Tier Four Divination Grandmaster was manipulating the Celestial Secrets to target someone on Changqing Mountain. His eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze back, landing on Song Yu’Er’s cave dwelling. That faintly discernible murderous intent was hovering right over her home!
"When did Yu’Er offend a Tier Four Divination Grandmaster?" Li Chang’an wondered, his heart filled with doubt.
At that moment, a familiar aura suddenly entered his perception. Not long after, a Female Cultivator in white robes arrived. Standing outside the Changqing Mountain Grand Array, she cupped her hands and bowed toward Li Chang’an.
"Elder Li, I am Song Xianglan. I have come today to catch up with Yu’Er."
"Come in."
"Yes."
Song Xianglan entered the Grand Array, approached Li Chang’an, and bowed once more. Flashing a sweet smile, she said, "Senior, before I left the sect, my master asked me to send you her regards."
"Alright, I understand," Li Chang’an nodded slightly.
Song Xianglan’s master was, of course, Zi Xi. After respectfully bowing as a junior, she headed to Song Yu’Er’s cave dwelling to catch up. Soon, the sound of the two women laughing echoed from within.
Li Chang’an gazed at the cave dwelling thoughtfully. "There is also a trace of murderous intent lingering on Song Xianglan. It seems her arrival today is no coincidence."
With this thought in mind, Li Chang’an’s figure blurred as he also entered the cave dwelling. The two women’s laughter immediately ceased, and they both bowed to him.
"Senior."
"Mm." Li Chang’an looked at Song Xianglan and asked in a deep voice, "Xianglan, your visit today shouldn’t be just to catch up. Do you have something else to tell Yu’Er?"
"You are truly brilliant, Senior. No wonder my master is always praising you," Song Xianglan said with a beautiful smile, explaining her intentions. She had come today to invite Song Yu’Er to go Treasure Hunting in a Secret Realm with her.