Chapter 468 – Only Tomorrow is Worth Looking Forward to, Only Today is Worth Treasuring (1/2)

“I ran into some trouble along the way…” Li Qingshan gave them a rough overview about Dragonsnail’s ambush and hid the detail that his heart had been pierced. “… Unfortunately, I was unable to save them. I’d say this Daemon General is even more powerful than the rock demon and blood demon. Please be careful if you run into him in the future, everyone.”

After listening to Li Qingshan’s story, everyone realised he had not just run into some trouble. Instead, he had almost lost his life out there.

It was rare of him to remain so calm and unfazed, seated on the side, listening along earlier and only explaining this calmly when the matter had been brought up, as if the one in danger was someone else, not him. His composure and bearing truly were startling.

Han Anjun nodded in satisfaction inside, but he also could not help but sigh, Qiongzhi, oh Qiongzhi. You really have an eye for men. This one is anything but mediocre. He is already showing signs of greatness. Even I can’t tell what step he will take now. This Li Qingshan is not someone you can control.

Cheng Kaishan snorted and questioned, “If the daemon you described really was that powerful, how did you manage to escape as a cultivator at early Foundation Establishment? What even more powerful than the blood demon and rock demon? You were probably just careless, wanting to shy away from your responsibilities!”

This was what made Dragonsnail terrifying. Actually, quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators had already died at his hands. He had managed to conduct the war between the entire Daemon race and the humans for so long, yet still remain completely unheard of.

“You’re welcome to remain unconvinced.” Li Qingshan leaned against the back of the chair and did not argue.

Fu Qingjin said, “Qingshan might be right. According to the news I’ve received, there is indeed a Daemon General like that underground, known as Dragonsnail. He’s the most trusted by the Spider Queen, but there has never been any news of him directly interfering in the past three years. Even his abilities remain a mystery. Today is the first time I’ve heard anything about it.”

“Either he has never struck before, or his attacks have never ended in failure. With Qingshan’s description, I think the latter is more likely. Even I find this ability to be rather troublesome.”

Hua Chengzan agreed and said, “Recently, a few Foundation Establishment fellows have died extremely strangely. None of them are weak, and they have plenty of life-saving measures. If they ran into regular Daemon Generals, they could always escape even if they were not their opponent. Yet, when they died, Bloodshadow was clearly moving around somewhere else. Looking at it now, they probably all died to Dragonsnail.”

When they looked at Li Qingshan again, they no longer looked at him in the same light. There were plenty of mid or even late Foundation Establishment cultivators who had been targeted and killed by Dragonsnail, yet only he managed to escape. It probably was not luck alone. Little did they know that if Li Qingshan really were just a regular early Foundation Establishment cultivator, he would be as dead as a corpse right now.

In the end, everyone decided to wait for now and see how Xiao An progressed with her cultivation. If she really lived up to their expectations, it would obviously be for the best.

Han Anjun asked for Li Qingshan to return the Illusory Water Sword of Invisibility. He said he would find someone to repair it. As it seemed, he still planned on sending Li Qingshan on that mission if nothing worked out.

Li Qingshan did not mind. The underground that seemed like the gates of hell to other cultivators was absolutely nothing to him. He was not particularly worried whether the Illusory Water Sword of Invisibility could be repaired either.

If regular cultivators had a supreme grade spiritual artifact like that damaged, they would be utterly heartbroken, but Li Qingshan had seen his fair share of supreme grade spiritual artifacts already. He even had a few arcane artifacts, so he did not care at all.

Actually, he had become slightly unhappy with the Illusory Water Sword of Invisibility a long time ago. The invisibility had only been effective in the beginning. He could even be directly seen through by Daemon Generals with sharper senses.

Moreover, the power of the artifact was a little low. If it were not for the strand of sword qi in his dantian, all he would be capable of would be angering the opponent even if he had surprise on his side. He would not even be able to cause a heavy injury.

Right now, he was more like an assassin—sneaking over, sword qi in the dantian, Cursive Sword Calligraphy. If he used up these three tricks and the opponent was still alive, probably all he could do was flee.

If only he had an arcane artifact sword!

However, arcane artifacts had always been items that arose from luck, not searching. Finding one that was compatible with his element would be even more difficult. Swords were weapons for attacking and killing. Metal element swords appeared the most, while water element ones appeared the least.

He possessed the sect treasure of Bronze Cauldron mountain, the Bronze Cauldron of the Four Cardinal Directions. He could attempt to refine artifacts for himself, but unfortunately, the world was a mess right now. He had absolutely no time to settle down and learn how to forge artifacts.

As a matter of fact, he did not even have the leisure to cultivate. All he could do was make this war end as soon as possible.

When Li Qingshan returned to the Chain mountains, dawn had not even arrived. The mountains rose and fell in the misty clouds, seeping in the moonlight. It was enough to inspire a feeling of transcendence within people, enough for them to forget about all the fighting and killing.

Li Qingshan could not help but slow down. He glanced at Ru Xin’s dwelling from afar before passing through the protective formations, landing at the entrance. Dense spiritual qi immediately surrounded him. After a period of accumulation, the Eight Gates Formation of Golden Locks gradually demonstrated its powers.

Li Qingshan entered the dwelling and spotted Xiao An seated with her legs crossed. Her seaweed-like hair flowed down her back. She was surrounded in flames, currently cultivating.

Li Qingshan did not interrupt her. He took out a jar of spiritual alcohol and casually leaned against the wall, taking a sip. He slowly settled down with that.

On the surface, Xiao An was at the budding age of thirteen or fourteen. Just like the poem “Aged thirteen and o’er, pretty, slender and charming, a bud on treetop, she’s to bloom in early spring”, her appearance that was deemed to be the Aspect of Heavenly Fragrance and Beauty by the Sect of Clouds and Rain had begun to demonstrate its beauty.

She was bare, already possessing the femininity of a young lady. Li Qingshan witnessed her entire enchanting figure.

She obviously did not feel inconvenienced, while Li Qingshan had grown accustomed to it too. There was not the slightest temptation. Instead, he was rather delighted.

He felt like he was watching a shrub, an orchid, thriving and growing under his close care.

Of course, what he fed it was endless amounts of flesh and blood.

Her jade-like skin was almost transparent under the firelight, such that the white bone inside could be made out from time to time.

For one instant, she was a woman of heavenly beauty. In the next instant, she was a terrifying, deathly skeleton.

Even Li Qingshan was able to capture a hint of the buddhist nature and truths it was conveying. He took another sip and smiled. Xiao An’s cultivation had progressed even further.