Longevity Begins With Zongmen Handyman

Chapter 162: Senior Official

Li An had many thoughts running through his mind.

Tan Qingxue asked him if he knew about the malevolent aura inside the divine egg. Did he discover something?

But upon careful consideration, Li An felt it was impossible!

The malevolent aura permeated the depths of the abyss, and it was impossible to determine whether it was artificially injected or naturally contaminated. When Li An gave a trace of life essence to the divine egg to save his life, that trace of aura was immediately absorbed by the divine egg, leaving no trace.

"Malevolent aura? Wu doesn't know..." Li An said in confusion. "Is the divine egg in serious trouble now?"

Tan Qingxue remained calm and said, "Yes, the clan leader has gathered me and the healers in the clan to discuss it multiple times. The divine egg's vitality is too weak, and it is being threatened by the malevolent aura. It is already difficult to remove the aura, and to completely revive the divine egg, we need to find certain extraordinary life materials..."

"I see... Tan Senior Official has put in a lot of effort," Li An said casually.

"By the way," Tan Qingxue suddenly continued, "there is something that Tan Xue would like to ask for Wu Senior Official's help with."

Li An hurriedly said, "Please tell me, Tan Senior Official."

"I have been experiencing insomnia and vivid dreams recently. I consulted the physicians in the hall, and they said it was due to excessive consumption of divine soul. Besides taking soul-calming medicine, it would be best to use some 'Tranquil Soul Talismans' as well."

She smiled gently and said, "I wonder if Wu Senior Official can help?"

Li An said, "Sure, how many does Tan Senior Official need?"

"Three to five will do," Tan Qingxue replied.

Li An nodded and said, "Wu will do his best. Once the talismans are crafted, I will deliver them to Tan Senior Official immediately."

"I won't bother Wu Senior Official any further," she said as she got up to bid farewell.

Watching her leave, Tan Xue seemed lost in thought for a long time. She picked up her teacup and took a sip, whispering, "Why am I lost in thought when I see him?"

She was reminiscing.

When Li An first saw her, although he only hesitated for a moment, it did not escape her eyes.

"An acquaintance? But I didn't sense any familiar aura. Besides, who among my acquaintances could still be alive today? The storm in the northern part of Dalai has swept away Autumn Hui and the others, right..."

She whispered with a hint of emotion, then a clear light flashed in her eyes. "Don't you agree?"

She didn't know who she was speaking to.

But after a long time, she suddenly said, "Perhaps there is still one person, he is clever and cautious... Wu Senior Official, he also came from Dalai..."

...

Leaving the Tan Residence, Li An remained vigilant.

In fact, he had no interest in Tan Qingxue's extraordinary experiences. Even though they had once been intimate and had deep conversations, what did it matter now?

Seeing each other again now was like encountering strangers.

But he didn't want to show any trace of suspicion in front of her.

"Tranquil Soul Talismans..." he wondered if Tan Qingxue deliberately asked him to craft them to test him?

After all, Baihu Hall would not lack talisman masters. Moreover, Tan Qingxue herself was a talisman master. Now that she had reached the late stage of Foundation Building, could she not craft Tranquil Soul Talismans?

Moreover, Tranquil Soul Talismans were second-tier special talismans that could calm and stabilize the soul. They were rarely used by people.

When crafting such talismans, Li An's divine soul would also be involved. If the other party was skilled enough, they could even deduce the aura of the talisman maker from the talisman.

Appearance could be changed, but how could one conceal the aura of the divine soul?

But Li An wasn't worried about this.

His life essence had undergone countless changes. After the first branch connected to the spiritual platform, he could even conceal his own divine soul aura!

These few Tranquil Soul Talismans were definitely needed for Tan Qingxue.

After all, he now presented himself as a second-tier talisman master and was the Senior Official of Xuanwu Hall. If he couldn't craft these talismans, it wouldn't be convincing.

Not crafting them would raise suspicions even more.

"Have you discovered anything special about her?" Li An asked Upeng Xiaoxiao in his spiritual platform when he returned to his residence and closed the door.

"Why ask me when you don't listen to me?" Upeng Xiaoxiao's spiritual essence held her hands, seemingly feeling triumphant.

Since entering Li An's spiritual platform, she has never received the "respect" she deserves!

When Li An was in the stinky ditch outside Tianyang City, she advised him countless times to leave, but Li An insisted on going his own way for twenty-two years, almost driving her to despair.

Faced with a great opportunity, she analyzed Li An in various ways but he turned and left.

He even wanted to directly refine her halfway...

Now, she has finally found an opportunity.

"Tell me, or not?" Li An asked coldly.

"I hope you understand that one needs to have value in order to live. If there is no value, then there is no need to live," he said calmly and threateningly, "You think I need you because your sister exists, but I can easily leave, escape from Yan Kingdom, escape from Xiling Yuanzhou, and even escape from this Emperor Yuan Realm. At that time, what value will you have to me?"

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Xiaoxiao was indeed stunned.

If Li An had said this before, she would have only mocked and not cared.

But now...

She felt that Li An was likely serious!

This guy is really cunning. For the sake of safety, he would definitely do whatever it takes to escape for decades, even if it means going hundreds of billions of miles away.

She had already witnessed it.

Twenty-two years in the stinky ditch had given her a slightly more accurate understanding of Li An - he is someone who values his own life greatly.

"You, Li Gou..." she cursed angrily, then said, "...that woman is no longer human."

Li An frowned, "Not human? Then what is she?"

"There is currently no conclusion. She may become a demon, or she may become an evil spirit. It depends on the final form of what is inside her," Shangguan Xiaoxiao said, "In any case, stay away from her. She wants to kill you as easily as killing ants."

Li An: "..."

He sighed deeply.

Cause and effect are chaotic and unpredictable. In this vast cultivation world, anything can happen. Tan Qingxue used to be just an average talent and a simple-minded talisman master, left far behind by everyone.

Lonely death was her only ending.

Unexpectedly, when Mu Qingwan, Zhao Xianchuan, Wang Dazhu, Xu Qiuhui, and other cultivators with their own strengths turned into dust, she was still alive, and even had unimaginable opportunities?

Of course, whether it is an opportunity or a disaster, it is difficult to say for now.

But Li An was calm in his heart. Whether dead or alive, weak or strong, he only regarded himself as a passerby.

Once, and still now.

What Jiang Family wants her to do, Li An doesn't care. He just keeps his distance, not letting other things interfere with his path of foundation building.

...

In the next few days, Li An first bought the medicinal materials that Sun Jinxue needed and delivered them to her.

For this, Sun Jinxue seemed happy and excited. That night, she personally cooked many dishes and invited Li An to have dinner, expressing her gratitude.

However, she handled it well and nothing happened that night. She just guided the atmosphere to a suitable moment and then sent Li An away.

Step by step.

Li An knew this very well, but he didn't care.

Sun Jinxue needed him as a backer, to rely on him. In the future, life in the Jiang Family might be much better. And in the Xuanwu Hall, he also needed trusted subordinates and a solid foundation. Sun Jinxue was sensible, intelligent, and could be used by Li An.

Each taking what they needed, taking it slowly.

Then, Li An took a few talisman papers from the hall and made talismans for Tan Qingxue.

Four days later.

Li An came again and knocked on the door of the Tan Mansion.

"Wu Shangqing has arrived. The master is in the study and said you can go directly there," the gatekeeper respectfully said.

Li An headed towards the study, but as soon as he arrived near the study, he heard the sound of a man and a woman laughing.

"Ah, drawing talismans is so difficult. I draw them all crooked. Does that mean I have no talent?" Tan Qingxue's voice.

"It's not difficult. Come, let me hold your hand and teach you. Don't be afraid... slower, slower, just a little bit more and it will be successful!"

Another clear male voice sounded, and in this voice, there was clearly a trembling excitement, as if someone who had been pursuing a goddess for a long time suddenly got the opportunity and became excited.

Li An's heart moved, so he waited outside the door for a long time.

Some memories surfaced.

Back when he and Tan Qingxue were in Qingyang Fangshi, the two of them were like fish in water, inseparable. They did many things like this, drawing symbols together in the study. Li An had held her hand and guided her while doing some absurd things... but that was all in the past.

He became wary instead.

Could Tan Qingxue be doing this on purpose to show Li An?

After a long time.

"Drawing symbols is really tiring, standing for so long, my back is sore..."

Tan Qingxue's voice of complaint sounded.

The man stuttered, "I, I can give you a massage?"

"No need... by the way, I made an appointment today."

As the voice fell, the door to the study opened.

"Wu Shangqing, when did you arrive..."

Tan Qingxue seemed very surprised, her bright eyes staring at Li An's eyes, but Li An's eyes were calm, without any ripples. He slightly bowed, saying, "Wu offers talismans to Qing."

As he spoke, he handed over several talismans.

Tan Qingxue took them and looked at them carefully. A hint of disappointment flashed imperceptibly in her eyes, but she still said, "Thank you, Wu Shangqing, this is your reward."

As she spoke, she handed him a storage bag.

Li An calmly accepted it and smiled, "Wu will take his leave."

After saying that, he bid farewell and left.

Tan Qingxue watched him leave, but there was no trace of the anticipation she had last time, only a kind of indifference and disappointment.

He listened to the sounds in the room without any reaction, and when he looked at her soul, he was not the person she imagined.

Why bother? Perhaps it was just Li An's momentary distraction when he saw her, a coincidence from Dali, and the talismans he gave her... which stirred up a lingering sense of dissatisfaction in her heart, so she tested him in such a strange way.

There was no need at all!

She smoothed out the ripples in her heart.

"Xue, let me continue teaching you how to draw symbols... take a break this time, okay?"

The symbol master beside her looked quite young, with hope and expectation in his eyes.

"I'm tired, Chen Lin, you can go back."

Tan Qingxue said indifferently.

Chen Lin's face changed slightly, "Xue'er..."

"Master Chen, although I don't care about status, it would be more appropriate for you to call me 'Qing'."

Tan Qingxue didn't hide the hint of annoyance between her eyebrows, "Please see him out."

The symbol master Chen Lin was asked to leave the Tan Mansion. He felt both ashamed and angry.

What exactly happened?

"Wu Qin!"

In the end, he clenched his fist and looked towards the direction of Xuanwu Hall with hatred in his eyes!

Clearly, everything was going so smoothly, but it was all ruined by this Wu Qin's arrival.

Moreover, he could clearly refine the Ningpo Talisman himself, why did Tan Qingxue go to find Wu Qin?

"Today, I, Chen Lin, may be beneath him, but in the future... I may not always be just an ordinary guest, and I may not be worse off than this Wu Qin!"

He flicked his sleeve and turned away.

...

Back at Xuanwu Hall.

Li An felt that after this incident, Tan Qingxue probably wouldn't do these meaningless things anymore.

His guess was correct, and for the next period of time, things between him and Tan Qingxue were almost devoid of any significant interaction.

...

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.

In these five years, Li An had settled into Xuanwu Hall like a fish in water.

Mainly because his backer had been too strong in these years!

Ever since Jiang Ribai welcomed Ruoli back to the ancestral clan, she has become the most powerful among the four elders of the True Dan.

Ruoli has also lived up to her talent. Her cultivation in Beast Taming Technique has progressed rapidly, although she started late. She is already recognized as a genius in the Jiang family, having reached the fourth level of Qi Refining in just five years, almost advancing one small step each year.

She and Er Niu have visited Li An once.

Li An used to be the master of both of them, but now their statuses are worlds apart. When they meet, Li An can only address her as "Miss" and bow to her.

She still refers to Li An as her master and returns the respect of a disciple, even giving Li An some gifts.

This has made Li An quite nostalgic. Now that Ruoli is the shining star of the Jiang family, it is rare for her to maintain such simplicity and sincerity.

After all, he has seen too many people who, after becoming rich and powerful, become arrogant and lose the kindness and simplicity that once accompanied their weakness.

It is precisely because of all these reasons that Li An is living a peaceful life.

This year, there is news in the family that the patriarch seems to have encountered some problems in his cultivation and may need to seclude himself. At that time, Jiang Ribai will be the one in charge of important matters in the clan, and Li An will have an even smoother path.

It can be said that Li An now has the conditions to form a Dan!

But he cannot form a Dan right now.

Firstly, his cultivation when he entered the Jiang family was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Building. It would raise suspicions if he suddenly formed a Dan, so he needs time to make this process reasonable.

Secondly, he still needs a "visible Spirit Pill".

He definitely cannot let others know that he has a top-grade Spirit Pill, so he needs to conceal it!

Fortunately, the Jiang family is large and the inferior Spirit Pills, although they are core strategic resources, are accessible!

Li An plans to accumulate for a few years and buy an "inferior Spirit Pill" from the Jiang family to form a Dan. This way, the Jiang family will also have more confidence in him.

In secret, he will use the top-grade Spirit Pill to form a Dan. Once he forms a Dan, it will be a done deal, and he won't have to worry about anyone having ill intentions.

"Shangqing, aren't you going into seclusion yet?"

In the morning, Sun Jinxue and Li An woke up together. She could feel that Li An's cultivation had already reached the late stage of Foundation Building.

Moreover, Li An already had the assistance of a Spirit Pill.

"You're right, I'll go into seclusion tomorrow."

Li An smiled faintly.

Pretend to break through to the late stage of Foundation Building, and after succeeding, spend another twenty or thirty years pretending to cultivate to the great perfection of Foundation Building. By then, he would be able to buy an inferior Spirit Pill from the Jiang family.

The grand plan is foreseeable!

The next day, Li An began his seclusion.

Three months later.

Li An officially emerged from seclusion, and his strength had visibly reached the late stage of Foundation Building.

"This is the mission the family released this month—"

Shortly after coming out of seclusion, the family steward arrived and brought him the mission list for the month.

The family directly assigns tasks to the Shangqing, and as for how to arrange things within the hall, that is Li An's own business.

Li An took the letter and frowned, "Brother Xinda, why has the quantity of talismans, artifacts, and pills increased so much this month? It's four times the usual amount!"

The steward's name is Jiang Xinda, and Li An often interacts with him, taking the initiative to establish a relationship. Their relationship is closer, like brothers.

Jiang Xinda smiled and said, "Brother Wu, don't blame me. It's not just the Xuanwu Hall, but also the Baihu and Qinglong Halls."

He leisurely continued, "In consideration of our friendship, Brother Wu, let me give you a heads up. The amount may continue to increase... and it may even increase further."

Li An's heart stirred.

Although Li An is the Shangqing, his status is different, and he is not qualified to know some of the family's secrets.

On the other hand, Jiang Xinda is a core steward of the family and may know more than Li An.

The sudden increase in the materials the Jiang family needs, and the continuous increase... they are stockpiling like crazy.

There is only one possibility for this kind of stockpiling!

War!

Because war consumes a tremendous amount of various resources.

The more preparations made in advance, the more abundant resources will be during the war.

But in the entire Yan Kingdom, the Jiang family doesn't have any enemies, and within the Qingzhou region, the Jiang family is the overlord, unchallenged by anyone.

Unless...

Could it be that there will be a war between the Yan Kingdom and the Da Li Dynasty?

This thought suddenly flashed through Li An's mind!

...

(End of this chapter)