Cultivating Immortality Begins with Rejuvenation.

Chapter 406 Little Nine Returns
Ignoring the gazes and attitudes of the crowd, Li Ji'an continued to close his eyes and rest.

Qu Tianyang also promptly reprimanded everyone, forbidding them from being disrespectful to the offerings.

He then recounted in detail how he accompanied Xiao Jiu on her journey to find a third-tier demonic beast.

At that time, he and his fourth senior brother accompanied Xiao Jiu to the western grasslands.

The grassland stretched as far as the eye could see, and the third-tier earth dragon was particularly alert. In order to obtain the essence blood as soon as possible, the three of them split up and set off separately.

He also gave Xiao Jiu a protective magic artifact specifically designed to counter the Earth Dragon Beast, ensuring her safety even if she encountered it alone.

However, on the third day after they separated, he suddenly received a distress signal from Xiao Jiu.

When they arrived, they only sensed the aura of an unfamiliar real person and an aura of magical power that they had never sensed before from afar.

It is also extremely fast at escaping, disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Jiu then disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again.

His statement was affirmed by his fourth senior brother.

"Xiao Jiu was traveling with you two, so why did the thieves only attack her?" After hearing what Qu Tianyang said, Granny Yao suddenly stared at Qu Tianyang with sharp eyes and asked.

"This..." Qu Tianyang frowned, speechless for a moment.

"Yes, if we're talking about the importance of our Funiu Mountain, Lord Qu is not only currently in charge of the entire Immortal City in place of the Venerable One, but he is also exceptionally talented and will be the pillar of Funiu Mountain in the future. If the hostile forces really want to plot against Funiu Mountain, once they kill Lord Qu, the future..." After Aunt Yao's question, many of the direct descendants of Funiu Mountain came back to their senses.

Although Xiao Jiu has not yet formed his core, he has quite a few protective trump cards.

The outside world also knows that Xiao Jiu is spoiled by Master Fu Niu and his fellow disciples. If they were to target Xiao Jiu, it would be no less than dealing with a True Person with many hidden cards.

Qu Tianyang was only at the early stage of Core Formation. Although he was at the upper level of True Core, he had not yet fully matured.

Dealing with Xiao Jiu is no more difficult than dealing with Qu Tianyang.

However, the effect was far less than that of dealing with Qu Tianyang.

"Bang!" After a three-breath delay, Qu Tianyang slammed his fist on the table by the first person on his left, his short body radiating immense power.

This man was the second disciple of Master Funiu, a butcher by trade, burly and thick-necked, honest and straightforward.

"Fifth Brother, tell me, what exactly happened? Why did that thief attack Little Nine instead of you?"

"I'm completely baffled. I'd rather that thief come looking for me!" Qu Tianyang felt a tightness in his chest, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"So it seems we were on the wrong track before!" Senior Brother Feng Yin Zhenren spoke up again, his face grave.

The other fellow disciples also looked at him.

"Wrong direction? Senior Brother means that Xiao Jiu's matter wasn't the work of those people?"

Master Fengyin nodded slowly, then closed his eyes and pondered, saying, "We were all prejudiced by what Fifth Junior Brother said before, and assumed that this was the work of those people. But now, after getting to the bottom of it, we can see that if those people really did make a move, their target should have been Fifth Junior Brother."

"With the protective treasures we gave to Xiao Jiu, if outsiders didn't know better, it would take at least a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator to obtain them so quickly."

If the other side has already deployed a mid-stage Core Formation expert, then assassinating the fifth junior brother would be more in their best interest.

Therefore, it can be almost certainly ruled out that there is any scheme targeting my Funiu Mountain.” The third senior brother then suddenly realized.

"If it's not a scheme targeting my Funiu Mountain, then who else could it be targeting? Could it be targeting Xiao Jiu herself?"

"Who would target Xiao Jiu? Who would benefit from something happening to Xiao Jiu? To be able to attack Xiao Jiu so quickly, they must be someone who knows her very well, at least knowing the protective trump cards we gave her!"

……

In an instant, everyone began brainstorming.

Soon, some people's eyes were already on Qu Tianyang.

Of Master Fu Niu's nine outstanding disciples, only Xiao Jiu's talent could rival that of Qu Tianyang.

Master Funiu doted on Xiao Jiu even more.

In particular, Xiao Jiu's popularity and prestige in Funiu Mountain surpassed that of Qu Tianyang.

Xiao Jiu has not yet formed his core, but once he does, his prestige will increase dramatically.

He is almost the only one, and the most likely person, to challenge Qu Tianyang's status as his successor.

"Hmm? You... don't suspect me? My love for Xiao Jiu is as clear as day!" Qu Tianyang felt the subtle gazes of the crowd and his heart pounded. He hurriedly tried to explain.

Most people would have only dared to think about this possibility in their hearts, but after he took the initiative to bring it up, they were all immediately tempted.

"Fifth Brother, although I certainly believe you, there is indeed a possibility, and the suspicion is not small." Senior Brother Feng Yin Zhenren glanced at everyone and stepped forward with a mature and prudent demeanor.

"Senior Brother, what do you mean?" Qu Tianyang's expression was very unpleasant.

Master Fengyin sighed, "Originally, I really didn't want to do this, but now that Master is in seclusion, and it's Xiao Jiu who got into trouble, and you are indeed highly suspicious, I have no choice but to step forward."

“That’s right, Fifth Brother. Regardless of whether you were responsible for this or not, you are not suitable to lead the investigation under the current circumstances. I think the eldest brother should take the lead!” An old man from Funiu Mountain stepped forward and pointed out the matter.

……

The developments off the field caused Li Ji'an, who had initially remained uninvolved, to slightly furrow his brow.

He had initially thought it was just a scheme by the old thief Chun Yuan against him, but now he sensed the atmosphere of a power struggle among the nine princes within Mount Funiu.

"Did I overestimate that old thief?" Li Ji'an couldn't help but ponder. Perhaps when the old thief Chun Yuan threw out the third-tier longevity pill, he didn't anticipate Xiao Jiu's unexpected entry into the game.

No further plans were made.

Or perhaps, it was the schemes of the old villain Chun Yuan that accidentally ignited the flames of the succession struggle in Funiu Mountain.

But none of this matters.

Given his status and position in Funiu Mountain, unless the Venerable Master Funiu personally breaks with him, no one can make him leave Funiu Mountain.

As long as he doesn't leave Funiu Mountain, the old thief Chun Yuan will have little chance of threatening him.

He has at most twenty years to advance to the mid-stage of Core Formation, at which time he may be able to activate a top-grade magic weapon, and he will not be afraid of fighting it head-on.

With his mind at peace, he paid no more attention to anything else.

The conference finally ended amidst a commotion half a day later.

Ultimately, the original inner city lord, Master Fengyin, temporarily took the lead in investigating Xiao Jiu's matter. In order to ensure that Xiao Jiu's matter was resolved as soon as possible, and to ensure that Xiao Jiu could return safely, the entire Funiu Mountain would be under the leadership of Master Fengyin.

Qu Tianyang, the original city lord of Funiu Immortal City, temporarily avoided involvement in the investigation and relinquished his authority over the city. He also had to cooperate with the investigations conducted by his fellow disciples.

After a moment's thought, Master Fengyin issued a series of orders on the spot.

However, Li Ji'an and the other five retainers remained uninvolved and were treated with courtesy by Master Fengyin.

"Since this incident involving Little Ninth Girl was caused by the longevity pill I was trying to refine, I feel uneasy and am willing to do my best to help."

But as the meeting was about to end, the old scoundrel Chun Yuan volunteered to stand up. This immediately drew everyone's attention to the high-ranking retainers.

“Venerable Shanyuan is so virtuous. On behalf of Funiu Mountain and Xiao Jiu, I thank you for your great kindness.” Master Fengyin was instantly filled with gratitude and bowed to Venerable Shanyuan.

"Young friend, you flatter me. This is the first time I've seen such deep affection between your sects, and it has moved me deeply. In any case, I would like to do my part this time," said the old thief Chun Yuan with a kind expression.

The more noble and compassionate they appeared, even though they never mentioned Li Ji'an once or even glanced at him, the more attention they drew to Li Ji'an from the crowd.

As more and more eyes fell on him, Li Ji'an remained indifferent, keeping his eyes down and unmoved.

A few rumors could not shake his resolve.

Fortunately, because of his status as a worshipper, no one took him seriously and dared to be disrespectful to him.

Furthermore, apart from Venerable Funiu, the only person who knew his cultivation level was True Person Fengyin, who deliberately protected him, so no embarrassing incident occurred.

After the meeting, Li Ji'an returned to his own temple as if no one else was there.

For a period of time afterward, almost the entire Funiu Mountain area was mobilized, with the primary focus on searching for Xiao Jiu's whereabouts and the secondary focus on tracking down any clues about the attacker, launching a major operation.

A month later, a shocking piece of news once again shook Funiu Immortal City.

While investigating the location where Xiao Jiu disappeared, someone unexpectedly discovered a trace of Qu Tianyang's remaining magical power.

Furthermore, ten feet underground, the protective seal that the third senior brother had given to Xiao Jiu was broken, and all the aura on this seal was the ultimate technique of Master Fu Niu, "Qian Kun Cuo".

This technique was only practiced by Master Funiu and his nine disciples.

In an instant, Qu Tianyang was thrust into the eye of the storm.

At almost the same time, various versions of the story circulated within the Immortal City.

One of the most convincing versions is that after years of observation, Master Funiu became somewhat dissatisfied with Qu Tianyang and decided to focus all his efforts on nurturing Xiao Jiu to condense the upper-level True Core. Once the True Core is formed, he will make Xiao Jiu his successor.

Qu Tianyang unexpectedly discovered his master's thoughts and, having planned for a long time, seized this opportunity to strike.

Secondly, there was Master Fu Niu's old partner, the green ox, who had his eye on Xiao Jiu and made a bet with Master Fu Niu that if Xiao Jiu could form a true elixir in the upper reaches of the Tao, then the successor would be changed. That's why Qu Tianyang took such drastic measures this time.

Regardless of the version, it is extremely disadvantageous to Qu Tianyang.

However, Master Fengyin did not take any action against Qu Tianyang because of this.

Even though people kept offering their opinions, Master Fengyin still refused to take action against Qu Tianyang, saying that he would wait for his master to come out of seclusion before making a decision.

They also launched a city-wide crackdown on those spreading rumors, citing that the facts were not yet fully clear.

With Qu Tianyang's suspicions being exposed, the discussions among the Funiu Mountain faction about Li Ji'an finally ceased.

"Old man, could it really not be that old thief's doing?" Ning Sujin sensed Xiao Jiu again and, after confirming that there was still no danger and that there was an opportunity, asked with considerable confusion.

Li Ji'an shook his head with a smile: "Now it seems that's really not the case."

"Although the old thief is at the late stage of Core Formation, he has relied entirely on the abundant spiritual resources and pills from the Myriad Laws Palace to build up his strength. His combat power is considered low at this level. Now that he is in the Yellow Heaven Domain, even with his connection to that person in the Central Region, it seems he still doesn't dare to go against Master Funiu."

"Then who do you think it could be?" Ning Sujin asked curiously.

"Whoever benefits is the most suspicious."

"Is it really Qu Tianyang?" Ning Sujin asked, puzzled.

"Ha, do you see him benefiting now?" Li Ji'an asked rhetorically.

"This...that's it. Judging from the objective facts, he is the most affected person. So, it's Master Fengyin?" Ning Sujin suddenly realized.

Li Ji'an smiled noncommittally. Regarding this power grab, he only considered the aspects that would affect him, and was unwilling to waste any energy on the rest.

After that, Li Ji'an stopped caring about the matter and focused on his spiritual practice.

Two months later, the Nine Souls Lamp in the secret chamber of Funiu Mountain began to flicker, which instantly put everyone on edge.

Once the soul lamp goes out, Xiao Jiu's fate is sealed.

On that day, Master Fengyin and his fellow disciples gathered and ultimately decided in front of everyone to invite their master to come out of seclusion.

That very night, Qu Tianyang, who had only been under house arrest, suddenly escaped and disappeared without a trace.

The next day, the disciples who knelt and begged Master Funiu to come out of seclusion did not see their master emerge; instead, they were greeted by a blue ox.

The large blue ox stands upright and walks with an anthropomorphic expression, but behaves in a crude manner.

As soon as he emerged from seclusion, he gave each of the seven disciples present a lecture.

Finally, they took one of Xiao Jiu's robes and flew away towards the western grasslands.

When True Immortal Fengyin returned to the Immortal City and discovered that Qu Tianyang had escaped, he immediately issued a warrant for his arrest, ordering the capture of Qu Tianyang throughout the entire region. His life or death was not considered, and the reward was extremely high, including a Core Formation Spiritual Treasure.

A wave of manhunt for Qu Tianyang quickly swept across the entire Huangtian Domain.

Besides the bounty offered by Funiu Mountain, the most crucial point is that someone revealed that when Qu Tianyang fled Funiu Mountain, he took with him a priceless treasure and the famous techniques of Master Funiu.

Since Qu Tianyang escaped and Qingniu emerged from the pass, the entire Funiu Mountain area has suddenly become calm.

Master Fengyin took full charge of the management of the entire Funiu Mountain area and carried out his reforms in an orderly manner.

The first step is to directly disclose all kinds of taxes and fees that were previously collected in the dark.

Then, he gradually lifted the regional restrictions in various places within the area. Even the inner city of Funiu Immortal City, which he had previously managed, was completely opened to the outside world, allowing trade with other areas of the Funiu Mountains.

The series of reforms seemed to have been planned in advance, and each one was a targeted solution with remarkable results.

In just six months, the entire Funiu Mountain range, except for the core area, has undergone a dramatic transformation.

The most excited were the low-level repairmen in the surrounding area.

After the previously hidden taxes were made public, they were reduced by 50%, greatly reducing the pressure of life and spiritual practice.

At the same time, with the opening of the Immortal City, almost all the commerce in the region has been attracted, and it is showing a trend of becoming a commercial center.

On this day, a blue figure slowly descended from the heavens. It was the same blue ox from before, and on its back sat the restless Little Nine.

Xiao Jiu had a rosy complexion and a happy expression, playfully teasing the big blue ox that the other senior brothers were afraid of.

The big blue ox didn't care at all as Xiao Jiu pulled its ears and poked its nostrils.

Upon seeing this figure, all the natives of the Funiu Mountains were filled with awe and held the blue ox in the highest esteem.

After all, this is Master Funiu's old friend, and also the greatest reliance that enabled Master Funiu, a mere rogue cultivator, to reach this point today.

Inside Li Ji'an's training ground, Guagua immediately darted into the hidden currents in the courtyard, not daring to face the Green Ox directly. Li Ji'an and Ning Sujin also narrowed their eyes slightly, showing great apprehension towards the Green Ox.

Its demonic power was almost at the fourth level, making it the most powerful demon beast Li Ji'an had ever seen in his lifetimes.

(End of this chapter)