Longevity Begins With Zongmen Handyman

Chapter 40: Testing

In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed.

During this half year, besides engaging in intimate activities with Tan Qingxue every day and cultivating Yin-Yang Devil Qi, Li An also went to the Spirit Medicine Store to purchase some Stimulating Yuan Pills and took them regularly.

Just as Gu Hong had said, the toxicity of the Stimulating Yuan Pills was indeed heavier than that of ordinary pills. In half a year, he had accumulated quite a lot.

However, the combination of the Yin-Yang Devil Furnace Technique and the enhancement from the Stimulating Yuan Pills allowed Li An's cultivation to quickly reach the peak of the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, almost ready to break through to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

This was the benefit of taking pills and using the furnace!

Making rapid progress.

However, this state could not be sustained because the effect of the Stimulating Yuan Pills would wear off after a certain period of time.

After the initial rapid progress of the furnace, the subsequent effects would gradually decrease, maintaining a relatively slow increase.

On this night, taking advantage of Tan Qingxue's menstrual period, she finally got a chance to catch her breath. After dinner, she quickly pushed Li An out of the room.

There was no other way. Li An cultivated the Iron Tree Technique, and his body was far superior to an ordinary person's. He also had some strange techniques he had learned, which varied in length and size, making it difficult for her to endure...

Returning to his own room, in the quiet of the night, Li An activated the Yin-Yang Furnace Technique.

The Yin-Yang Devil Qi in his body had already accumulated quite a bit. Although he couldn't transform his entire body yet, changing his appearance and some physical characteristics was not difficult.

Most importantly, with this Yin-Yang Devil Qi, he could already control Gu Hong's life and death—

Gu Hong also had Yin-Yang Devil Qi in her body. If she encountered a cultivator who had achieved a small success in cultivating the Yin-Yang Devil Furnace Technique, they could directly turn her into their furnace.

But Li An's goal was not this.

After experiencing his past life, he had a detached view towards women and furnaces. He wouldn't take the initiative, wouldn't refuse, and would let things take their natural course, without forcing anything.

Because if his heart was moved, it would shake the firmness of the Great Dao!

Opening his storage ring, Li An entered it.

"Li Fellow Daoist, it's been many days since we last met."

Seeing Li An enter, Gu Hong was quite happy.

During this half year, although she was still trapped in this storage ring, she didn't feel bored. Besides cultivating day and night, Li An often came in to talk to her and regularly sent her some plants like roses and roses.

She had come to understand Li An more and more.

"Fellow Daoist Gu, I have good news to tell you today."

Li An smiled and took out a box, opened it, and said, "Ten Clear Qi Pills."

Seeing this, Gu Hong was instantly overjoyed, her heart blossoming with joy!

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, thank you, Fellow Daoist!"

Gu Hong hurriedly got up, took the Clear Qi Pills, and her hands were trembling slightly.

In the past half year, her cultivation had gradually recovered and reached the peak of the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.

But the Yin-Yang Devil Qi in her body remained, and she had no way to get rid of it.

Now that she had obtained ten Clear Qi Pills, she saw hope for its removal.

Once the Yin-Yang Devil Qi was removed, she would truly be liberated.

"Fellow Daoist, you should take them first. I will protect you."

Li An spoke up.

Gu Hong nodded immediately. She sat cross-legged on the jade bed, swallowed a Clear Qi Pill, and began to circulate her cultivation technique.

Time flew by, and after three hours, Gu Hong finally opened her eyes.

"How is it?"

Li An asked eagerly.

Gu Hong nodded, "The effect is very good. I estimate that it will only take a month for the Devil Qi in my body to be completely cleared."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Li!"

Her eyes were filled with gratitude.

"No need to thank me!"

Li An smiled, "Fellow Daoist Gu, I should also break through to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer."

As he spoke, he took out a Spirit Refining Pill.

"Fellow Daoist Li, are you still going to use the Stimulating Yuan Pills?"

Gu Hong frowned slightly.

Li An's cultivation couldn't possibly improve so quickly.

The Stimulating Yuan Pills were the only possibility.

"Yes, now that we have attracted the attention of the demonic path, there is no other way to improve our cultivation..." Li An helplessly spoke up. As he said that, he sat down and swallowed the Spirit Refining Pill, beginning his breakthrough.

Gu Hong stood by, guarding him.

Half an hour later.

"Poof—"

Li An's body trembled, and he suddenly spewed out a mouthful of black blood. His face turned pale as a sheet, and he fell backward, unconscious.

"Fellow Daoist Li!"

Gu Hong was greatly shocked. She hurriedly went forward, supported Li An, took a glance, and her mind was shaken.

"The accumulation of dan poison erupts during the breakthrough, so not only will the breakthrough fail, but it will also endanger one's life..."

Her face changed three times.

She was a first-grade alchemist and had a deep understanding of dan medicine. She knew very well that Li An's life was in danger now. If she didn't rescue him in time, he would die on the spot.

But now, there was no alchemy furnace or medicinal materials by her side. Even if she wanted to refine a detoxification dan for Li An, there was no way to do it.

"If I want to save him, there is only one way..."

Gu Hong hesitated on her face.

Only by using her own body as a medium to share part of the toxin with Li An could he be saved.

She pondered over the past six months and all the interactions she had with Li An flowed through her mind...

"Forget it, Li An Fellow Daoist has treated me with such sincerity. If it weren't for him, how could I see the light of day again? Now I am just a withered flower, so what does it matter if I sacrifice my body? I will first share the poison with him, and when we leave in the future, we can find a way to find a detoxification dan for both of us."

Once this thought arose, she placed her delicate jade hand on Li An's lower abdomen, urging her spiritual power while gently kissing his lips.

Sharing the poison with her body was not necessarily a dual cultivation method, so it could be done this way.

...

After a long time.

Li An slowly woke up, his face pale and his eyes somewhat confused. He asked, "What... what happened to me?"

Gu Hong sat calmly on the side, as if nothing had happened, and said, "Li Fellow Daoist, your dan poison erupted just now, causing the breakthrough to fail."

Li An's eyes were filled with shock. "It actually... happened like this!"

"For now, you can't attempt the breakthrough again. You need to find a detoxification dan to eliminate the toxins in your body, or else you'll be in great danger."

Gu Hong advised.

Li An nodded, then suddenly asked with some confusion, "Fellow Daoist Gu, when the dan poison erupted in my body, I should have died, but you..."

"No need to say more."

Gu Hong spoke calmly and smiled. "Rest assured, Li Fellow Daoist, I didn't do anything to you. You are still intact."

She seemed quite carefree.

Li An gratefully stood up and said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Gu. I will always remember your great kindness."

"I will go find a detoxification dan for you tomorrow."

...

Back in the room.

Li An felt relieved.

In fact, he deliberately took the Vitality Dan to accumulate dan poison, waiting for this day.

He was testing her.

Having lived two lives, Li An knew well that human hearts were hard to fathom. So, despite spending six months together, he still couldn't completely trust her and took this step as a precaution.

If she had ill intentions or ignored him when the dan poison erupted...

He would never let her leave alive!

Although Gu Hong's cultivation level was slightly higher than Li An's now, Li An had been practicing the Yin-Yang Demon Furnace Technique for half a year. He could control the Yin-Yang demonic energy in her body at any time and turn her into a demonic slave.

But Gu Hong's actions were enough to prove that he hadn't misjudged her.

"After the Yin-Yang demonic energy is cleared from Gu Hong's body, I should send her away..."

Li An whispered.

Keeping Gu Hong in the storage ring for a long time was not a good thing. She would definitely become suspicious.

Moreover, the lifespan of a storage ring, a special spatial artifact, was very short.

A storage ring could last for a maximum of three years.

"It seems that I need to speed up the cultivation of the Yin-Yang Demon Furnace Technique and accumulate more demonic energy to truly master the art of shape-shifting!"

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but hope that Tan Qingxue's monthly period would end soon...

This thought flashed through his mind, and he calmed down, taking out talisman paper and a brush.

Now, his success rate in making first-grade superior talismans had increased by about 5%, reaching around 5%.

There was still a long way to go before reaching the qualified rate of 10%.

This was mainly because his cultivation level was too low. In fact, at the fourth level of Qi Refining, he could already make first-grade superior talismans, which would be considered a pipe dream for other talisman masters.

...

Two months later.

On this day, Li An went out in casual clothes.

He activated his Super Sensory Technique to the extreme, ensuring that no one was following him. In a secluded place, he used the Art of Shape-shifting to quickly change his appearance. His originally delicate and young face suddenly became rough and round, like a butcher.

His belly also protruded, giving him a big-bellied appearance.

After changing his clothes and using his Life Seed to change his life aura, even if he faced Tan Qingxue, who had been with him day and night, she would definitely not recognize him.

Then, he went to an underground trading market. Just like before, he privately traded with four or five people, casually selling two Vitality Dan, trying not to attract attention from others.

After the transaction dispersed, Li An turned and headed out of the market.

He was leaving the market!

...

(End of this chapter)