Longevity Begins With Zongmen Handyman

Chapter 36: Gu Hong

With a tall figure, snow-white thighs, long black hair, and delicate facial features, there was a beauty mark on her forehead...

The woman in the storage ring lay quietly like a virgin, in a state of unconsciousness, without a single piece of clothing on her body.

In the storage ring, there was even a jade bed prepared for her, with a simple Spirit Gathering array set up on the bed. Many spirit stones were piled beside it, gathering spiritual energy to nourish this woman.

Could it be the female cultivator who was seeking to purchase a second-grade Fire Spirit Fruit during the transaction that day?

But Li An quickly recognized that it wasn't her. Firstly, this woman was taller and slightly larger than the female alchemist from that day. This detail couldn't escape Li An, who had had numerous wives and concubines in his past life.

Secondly, it was obvious that this Spirit Gathering array had been set up for several years!

In other words, this woman had been imprisoned in this storage ring for many years.

"It turns out she has a middle-grade water spirit root. No wonder!"

Li An carefully examined it and instantly understood.

This woman was the cauldron of that demonic cultivator!

Moreover, there was already a trace of Yin-Yang demonic energy in her body... Obviously, she had been dual cultivating with that demonic cultivator multiple times.

Li An hesitated in his heart. How should he deal with this woman?

Ignoring her and directly throwing away the storage ring would result in the depletion of the spirit stones inside, causing the storage ring to collapse and the woman to die inside.

This seemed to be the best option.

After all, if Li An saved her, it would bring about more risks. One more person in the world would know that Li An killed that demonic cultivator!

In the end, Li An put away the storage ring and temporarily didn't pay much attention to it.

He planned to gather information tomorrow to see if he could determine the identity of this woman.

After all, a cultivator with a middle-grade water spirit root was considered an elite and genius within the sect. She definitely wouldn't be an unknown person.

"It seems that the demonic cultivator is quite powerful. He should be a trusted subordinate of the Executioner Ma Mian..."

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been taught profound-grade techniques, let alone obtain a middle-grade cauldron.

It's a pity that Li An didn't even know the cultivation level of the other party's Qi Refining.

He killed too quickly.

The demonic cultivator didn't even have a chance to make a move before he died.

...

The next day.

Li An temporarily closed his shop and went out for a walk.

People who saw him greeted him warmly.

In just one day, Li An's name had spread throughout the market. After all, this story was too dramatic. A greedy talisman master had ruined the plans of a demonic cultivator and saved a market...

"Unscrupulous Talisman Master," "Demonic Cultivator Slayer," and other titles spread like wildfire.

Although these reputations didn't sound good, Li An was quite relieved.

This was for the best, becoming a public laughingstock wouldn't cause any harm.

As for business, it would definitely be affected in the short term. People who came to buy talismans would probably be more cautious, afraid of buying fake talismans... But it didn't matter. The fortune Li An made from this wave of business could not be earned even in ten years of selling talismans.

Li An appeared in the central street of the market, surrounded by a square with many posters. There were requests to buy certain items, as well as sales of special materials... and wanted posters!

Li An specifically looked at the ones related to demonic cultivators.

There were many pieces of information, especially the rewards for the Executioner Ma Mian, which were quite generous, reaching up to a thousand spirit stones.

In addition, there were other ruthless criminals and villains in the demonic path with notorious reputations.

In the end, Li An's gaze locked onto a slightly yellowed wanted poster!

The issuer was a second-grade alchemist, a cultivator in the Foundation Building stage named Gu Songxi.

The content of the reward was:

"My beloved disciple, Gu Hong, a first-grade alchemist, was captured by a demonic cultivator in the Flowing Sun River market three months ago. Her whereabouts are unknown. I am offering the following reward: if you can provide information about my disciple, I will reward you with one thousand spirit stones. If you can rescue my disciple, I am willing to do anything within my capabilities."

Below the wanted poster was a portrait of Gu Hong. Although it had become yellowed due to the passage of time, Li An remembered the beauty mark on her forehead.

He recalled that before leaving Xuan Yang Sect, Xu Qiuhui had found him and Tan Qingxue for a gathering. At that time, Xu Qiuhui mentioned that a disciple of an alchemist had been captured outside the Flowing Sun River market...

It seemed to be Gu Hong!

After casually looking at the other posters, Li An left.

"Master Li, don't be afraid. It's safe within the market!"

"Yes, although that demonic cultivator has put a bounty on you, we are the first ones to disagree if anyone dares to harm you!"

Many people around him laughed and spoke.

In their eyes, it was only natural for Li An to pay extra attention to news about demonic cultivators since he had been targeted by one.

When Li An left, he also paid attention to the news outside the market. It was said that almost all the cultivators who went to Liyang Valley had been wiped out, with very few survivors.

However, experts from Xuan Yang Sect had come to support and were currently hunting down the demonic cultivators and rescuing survivors.

Even if what Tan Qingxue said was true and she went to buy treasures like Cloud-Stepping Boots, her chances of survival were slim.

...

Nightfall.

Li An's room.

After thinking for a while, Li An activated the Naji, and a faint white light flashed as he entered it.

He checked the woman's body, covered her with a piece of clothing, and then infused her with spiritual energy. The woman coughed and slowly woke up.

She looked a bit confused, feeling the clothes on her body. She was obviously surprised when she looked up and saw a young man in front of her.

"Who are you?" she asked cautiously.

Li An said, "I am Li An, a disciple of the Xuan Yang Sect's outer sect."

He didn't hide his identity and continued, "The demonic cultivator has been killed by me using a plan. I accidentally obtained the Naji he was wearing, which is why I entered here. May I know who the lady is? Were you imprisoned here by that demonic cultivator?"

Upon hearing this, the woman became excited. "You are from the Xuan Yang Sect?!"

"Great... hurry, save me!" she urged anxiously. At that moment, tears welled up in her eyes due to her excitement.

For years, she had been imprisoned in the Naji, living as the demonic cultivator's slave, enduring torment and suffering worse than death.

Li An said, "Lady, don't panic... the villain is dead, and you are safe!"

Gu Hong wanted to say something urgently, but Li An interrupted, "Lady, the place I am in outside is still very unsafe. You have been controlled by the demonic cultivator for many years, and your cultivation has greatly suffered. There is still demonic energy in your body. If you go out, it will be even more dangerous, and you may fall into the hands of the demonic cultivator again."

"It's better to stay in the Naji, restore your cultivation, and then leave the Naji!"

Li An's suggestion immediately gained Gu Hong's approval. She nodded gratefully and said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Li An, for your thoughtful consideration..."

Li An smiled and took out some food. "I believe that after being imprisoned here for so many years, you have had very little to eat. I have prepared some food for you. Please have some."

Li An brought a bowl of spiritual rice, a bowl of braised pork, and even a small bottle of spiritual wine.

Seeing these things, tears flowed from Gu Hong's eyes. After so many years, she finally saw hope of escaping and surviving...

"Tomorrow, I will find a way to bring some Clear Qi Pills to remove the demonic energy from your body."

"In addition, here are fifty pieces of spiritual stones. You can cultivate on your own to restore your cultivation."

Li An presented fifty spiritual stones and then said, "I won't disturb your rest any longer, Lady. I will take my leave."

After speaking, he left the Naji.

Inside the Naji, Gu Hong put on the clothes Li An had given her and picked up the chopsticks. She started eating the spiritual rice while tears streamed down her face...

...

In the room.

Li An remained calm.

After learning about Gu Hong's identity, he had some considerations.

If he directly reported to the sect, the sect would reward him handsomely, and he would also gain a lot of contribution points.

However, in doing so, the fact that he saved Gu Hong would be exposed, and it wouldn't be profitable for him.

After reporting to the sect, it would become a matter between the sect and the second-grade alchemist Gu Songxi. Gu Songxi would only remember the favor of the Xuan Yang Sect.

Li An decided to take it slow. He would first build a good relationship with Gu Hong and then find an opportunity to send her away.

In this way, Li An himself would gain the favor of Gu Songxi, the second-grade alchemist.

After all, alchemists were worth befriending, especially second-grade alchemists like Gu Songxi.

...

The next day.

Li An went directly to the Xuan Yang Sect's pill shop and spent a large sum of money to buy a pile of spiritual medicines.

His excuse was simple: after being targeted by a demonic cultivator, he panicked and wanted to quickly improve his cultivation.

Among them, there were a few first-grade Clear Qi Pills.

This directly cost Li An two hundred spiritual stones.

However, for Li An, who was now rich, it was nothing.

He received four hundred spiritual stones as a deposit from the demonic cultivator and sold over three hundred Forbidden Breaking Talismans, earning over seven hundred spiritual stones.

Later, he also obtained over three hundred from the demonic cultivator's storage bag.

Excluding the consumption of talisman paper and talisman pens, as well as the two hundred spiritual stones, he still had one thousand spiritual stones left!

Money was not a problem.

"They have been rescued. Two disciples from the Xuan Yang Sect who went to the Liyang Valley have been rescued!"

At this moment, news quickly spread.

"It's Tan Qingxue from the Ling Fu Shop and Wang Song from the Weapon Pavilion!"

Li An was surprised. Tan Qingxue was actually still alive?

On the street, several Xuan Yang Sect cultivators rushed towards the pill shop in a hurry.

"Is the owner of the pill shop, Zhao Gang, here? Come out quickly and save them!"

The leader was a peak Qi Refining expert. He held a woman covered in blood, who turned out to be Tan Qingxue!

...

(End of this chapter)