Druid Fairy

Chapter 99 Roadblock and Robbery
With the expansion of the family's power, those rare materials that were once unattainable can now be delivered to Li Pingcan with just a list, without requiring him to spend time and energy searching for them.

Even some "contraband items" were among them.

Looking at the sulfur, saltpeter, and even some iron sheets and iron sand forged by military craftsmen, they mixed these in a specific ratio. After hundreds of failures and improvements, they finally developed a brand new "Thunderbolt".

These "thunderbolts" are encased in an iron shell, and inside, in addition to gunpowder, they are filled with densely packed iron filings. Once detonated, they are not only incredibly powerful, but the flying iron filings can also cover a large area, making them a devastating blow to early-stage Qi Refining cultivators who lack protective magical artifacts.

Li Pingcan once again sighed inwardly, realizing how truly convenient it was to have connections in the court; he could never have dreamed of such things before.

"By the way, brother, I need some special materials." He asked tentatively, "Like century-old peach wood, or some spiritual materials of the five elements..."

Upon hearing this, Li Pingfu frowned slightly: "These things are hard to find, especially the Five Elements spiritual materials, which are rare and mostly circulate among immortals. However..."

He pondered for a moment: "Your second brother has been sorting through the confiscated goods from the Zhou family recently. The Zhou family is very wealthy, so they might have the century-old peach wood you mentioned."

…………

Li Pingcan immediately searched for someone to inform his second brother.

Even if he is a family member, he cannot move around freely in the county government office without being accompanied by someone.

"Young Master Li, please wait a moment, I will go and fetch Lord Li right away."

The constable respectfully served the teacup, showing no trace of the arrogance one would show towards ordinary civilians.

He dared not be disrespectful, but having witnessed how the usually cold-hearted Lord Li doted on this younger brother, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it spoiling.

Upon receiving the news, Li Ping'an rushed over shortly afterward.

Having eradicated the "cancer" of the Zhou family, even though his expression remained unchanged, one could still see the triumphant air about him, and he walked with a confident stride.

Li Pingcan released spore sensing, monitored the surroundings, and then asked in a low voice:
"Second brother, do you have any ancient trees or rare stones with the five elements attributes?"

"Aren't the ordinary materials the Mu family provided enough for you to mess around with?"

Li Ping'an looked up, shook his head helplessly, and changed the subject, "However, during this raid on the Zhou family, several items were identified as 'rare objects' containing some kind of peculiar power, and were sealed away separately."

"A rare object?" Li Pingcan's heart skipped a beat.

“Exactly.” Li Ping’an nodded and took out a list from his pocket.

Li Pingcan took the list and looked at it closely.

The jujube wood, struck by lightning a thousand years ago, seems to retain a trace of lightning power.

【Xuanshui Stone】It is completely black and cool to the touch. When placed in a closed space all year round, the moisture will not dissipate and water droplets can be condensed.

【Li Huo Yu】is reddish-brown in color and warm and smooth like jade. When placed in the palm of your hand, you can feel a slight burning sensation.

"This is actually a Five Elements Spiritual Material!" Li Pingcan exclaimed in surprise, not expecting the Zhou family to have such a foundation.

Lightning-struck jujube wood contains the essence of both wood and lightning. Mysterious Water Stone is a water-attribute spiritual material. Fire-attribute Jade is a fire-attribute spiritual material.

Although it's only the lowest grade spiritual material, it's still very enviable!
Unfortunately, this belonged to the county government and was considered by Liang Xianguan to be his for the taking. How could Li Pingcan risk the destruction of his family to "snatch food from the tiger's mouth"? He could only look at the list and have a good look at it.

'well!'

Looking at the three genuine spiritual materials, Li Pingcan could only sigh inwardly.

If he lacks the strength, even if such an opportunity as a spiritual material is right in front of him, he cannot compete for it...

Adhering to the principle that a thief should not leave empty-handed, Li Pingcan took some ordinary treasures from the Zhou family's property and returned home listlessly.

…………

"Although I can't get the Zhou family's spiritual materials, it's better than nothing. I also have Su Meiniang's treasure location where she buried her savings."

The savings of a rogue cultivator over half a lifetime constituted a decent income.

Li Pingcan carefully studied the location of the treasure that Su Meiniang had revealed.

It was an ordinary-looking abandoned Taoist temple located on the outskirts of Yunshui County.

Beneath the Taoist temple lies another hidden paradise.

Tonight there are no clouds, the moon is bright and the stars are few.

Li Pingcan transformed into a bird and landed on a tree branch. Several "caw, caw, caw" sounds were heard as his bones dislocated and his muscles changed. The originally handsome young man suddenly turned into a burly man with a face full of scars and a fierce look in his eyes.

Even if his own mother, Madam Qin, were in front of him, she probably wouldn't recognize this crude and fierce man as her youngest son.

This is one of the abilities gained after mastering martial arts, similar to the "dislocating tendons and bones" technique that alters one's appearance.

"That's settled then."

He was satisfied. This way, he could keep his true identity hidden from others and avoid any fights that might break out, in case someone managed to escape and expose their true identity.

The abandoned Taoist temple was overgrown with weeds and covered with cobwebs, a scene of long-term desolation.

Li Pingcan did not rush in, but instead spread out the spores. A gentle breeze blew, and the mushrooms grew in the wind.

After doing all this, he walked toward the Taoist temple. Under the guidance of the array master, he could sense a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy.

"As expected, there are restrictive measures in place."

Li Pingcan's lips curled into a smile; this was the "door that only she could open" that Su Meiniang had mentioned.

He circled the Taoist temple several times, his divine sense exploring every inch of the land with meticulous detail, like tentacles.

Those seemingly random withered trees and dilapidated stone tablets, in my divine sense, all became part of the formation.

Instead of forcibly breaking the formation, he found several weak points in the formation according to the records in "The Five Elements Mysterious Formation". With a flick of his finger, he accurately shot several stones engraved with special runes into the positions of the formation's eyes.

"open!"

With a low shout from Li Pingcan, the magic power he unleashed from his fingertips resonated with the runes on the stone, causing the faint spiritual energy fluctuations on the surface of the formation to tremble violently.

"Buzz!"

A soft click, like gears meshing.

The seemingly sturdy door opened silently and slowly inward, revealing a dark and deep passage.

"It's done!"

Li Pingcan's face lit up with joy. It felt like he had unlocked a hidden level in a game, with a sense of adventure and mystery.

He continued to use [Spore Sensing], and countless tiny mushroom spores silently drifted into the cave, like countless eyes guiding his way.

Although he had information extracted from the illusionary torture, it was not the latest information, and he did not want to be careless in the details.

A moment later, the information transmitted back by the spores indicated that there were no mechanisms or living creatures inside the cave.

Li Pingcan was relieved and stepped into the cave.

Everything was pitch black, and a faint musty smell and a sense of spiritual energy filled the air.

Following the passage downwards, a stone chamber of approximately several tens of square meters soon came into view.

The walls around the stone chamber were covered with various runes, clearly for reinforcement and concealment.

"Is this Su Meiniang's treasure trove?" Li Pingcan looked around, his gaze finally settling on the stone platform in the center of the stone chamber.

On the stone platform, several wooden boxes of different sizes, several jade bottles, and an ancient scroll wrapped in animal hide were neatly arranged.

Li Pingcan stepped forward and picked up the animal skin scroll. Gently unfurling it, a line of ancient text came into view—"The Desire Sutra of the Joyful Heaven".

"It really is this thing. This should be the original, not a rubbing."

Then he opened the wooden boxes and jade bottles.

"Huh? This is... a Spirit Nourishing Pill!"

Inside a jade bottle lay several round and plump pills, emitting faint fluctuations of spiritual energy.

This is a commonly used elixir for cultivators to restore their mana, and it is quite valuable for cultivators in the Qi Refining stage.

It seems I'm finally going to enjoy a good life of drug-fueled spiritual practice!
Li Pingcan picked up another cyan talisman, feeling the pure wind-elemental spiritual power contained within it.

"And this Wind Travel Talisman, although it's not as good as the 'Swift Travel Talisman' I traded with Tiger, it's still pretty good."

What more could you ask for than a free Tier 1 low-grade talisman!
"Make a small fortune!"

Li Pingcan chuckled, like a mouse that had fallen into a rice jar.

In addition to these, he also found some spirit crystals, spirit stones, and material ores to maintain the formation. Although they were far inferior to spirit materials, they could still serve as the five elements treasures for the formation.

He looted everything, even prying off the glowing jade stones embedded in the walls for illumination.

Even the smallest mosquito leg is still meat, and as a druid, he was well-versed in the art of "making the most of waste."

"Perfectly accomplished!" Li Pingcan was satisfied and turned to leave at an even faster pace than usual. ...

"This man! How could he run so fast? If he were a disciple of a noble family or a promising talent from a sect, he wouldn't act so furtively, greedily taking something from a rogue cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining..."

In the mountains and forests, a woman dressed in a tight black night suit, with a shapely figure, had her face covered by a black veil, revealing only a pair of shrewd and cunning eyes.

She and Su Meiniang were close friends, so she naturally knew the secrets beneath the Taoist temple. And since Su Meiniang hadn't appeared for several days, perhaps something had happened to her.

They were good friends in life, and of course, after death, I will not let my friend down. I will carry on my friend's legacy and continue cultivating immortality!
The world of independent cultivators is just this cruel!

However, she couldn't break through Su Meiniang's restriction, and could only stand by and watch helplessly each time.

Unexpectedly, this burly man was able to take away Su Meiniang's treasure.

"Kill this man to avenge Meiniang, and take back all the treasures he possesses!" A glint of greed flashed in the black-clad woman's eyes.

She immediately cast a Wind Travel Talisman, and in an instant, she became as light as a swallow, catching up with the burly figure.

"I attacked from behind, catching the man off guard. It's best to strike first!"

However, just as she was about to make her move, the burly man's figure vanished like a phantom beneath a gnarled, withered tree.

"You must be a rabbit, running so fast, where did you go?!"

"It's right behind you."

A faint voice sounded behind the woman in black. The voice was not loud, but it resounded in her heart like a thunderclap.

"My lady, it's a dark and windy night, why are you following me so suspiciously? Are you perhaps plotting to rob and kill me?"

The woman in black trembled violently. Behind her came the howling wind, and she suddenly felt a chill run through her body.

Oops!

I didn't expect him to be a close-combat expert!
He immediately lit a "Golden Shield Talisman," which flashed with golden light and formed a spherical shield that completely protected her, allowing her to withstand the burly man's fist!
A hint of heartache flashed in her eyes. This golden shield talisman was a mid-grade first-level talisman, her trump card!
Ignoring the heartache, he formed another hand seal, and several black wind blades instantly condensed, whistling as they pounced towards the burly man!

As a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining, she was not like Su Meiniang who lacked combat power, but was a genuine magic cultivator!
"Well done!"

A first-level spell, an upgraded version that enhances resistance: [Elemental Absorption]!
He remained motionless as the several black wind blades slashed fiercely at him, but they seemed to disappear into thin air, tearing through the man's clothes and revealing his muscular physique without harming him.

Instead, his aura suddenly surged slightly at that moment!

The woman in black's pupils contracted sharply, her face drained of color instantly, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.

"What...what kind of evil magic is this?!"

Her wind blades could easily cleave through even refined iron, yet this burly man was completely unharmed? In fact, his aura even seemed to have grown stronger?
This completely overturned her decades-long understanding of cultivation!
Li Pingcan did not answer.

Elemental absorption itself greatly increases resistance to elemental damage. Furthermore, when attacked by elements, one-tenth of the damage can be converted into mana and resistance, and he can also withstand the cultivation of a mid-stage Qi Refining Body Realm cultivator.

With all these factors combined, it's no wonder the woman in black's wind blade magic was ineffective!
Ignoring the black-clad woman's second and third wind blades, which were merely attempts to increase his mana and resistance, he flashed forward, his hundreds of fist shadows striking the golden protective talisman fiercely.

As the golden shield's light dimmed further and the wind blade spell remained ineffective, the woman in black finally broke down.

"Don't come over here!"

Her eyes were filled with fear, and her voice was sharp and shrill, "I was wrong! Immortal, spare my life! I have treasures, I have secret manuals, and I am willing to serve you as a slave!"

She instantly abandoned her dignity, knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, and pleaded pitifully.

However, Li Pingcan's face remained completely expressionless.

He had seen too many people like this, who would beg for mercy while plotting how to retaliate.

"It's too late. You're dead, but I can still get what's yours."

The woman in black felt a chill run down her spine; she knew she was truly doomed this time.

"Immortal, spare my life!"

She appeared powerless to resist, but suddenly pulled a pitch-black throwing knife from her storage bag, its cold light gleaming with venom, and hurled it at Li Pingcan.

This is her most prized possession, and also her most reliable weapon for sneak attacks.

However, in Li Pingcan's eyes, her movements appeared to be in slow motion.

Li Pingcan neither dodged nor evaded, but merely raised his hand slightly. The jet-black throwing knife spun in his hand and was reflected back.

"puff!"

A throwing knife was embedded in the center of the woman's eyebrow.

Fresh blood streamed down his face like water.

"you you……"

Her eyes were filled with resentment and despair as she glared at the burly man. Before she could finish speaking, she died.

"With this little strength, you dare to rob me?"

Li Pingcan expressionlessly pulled out the dagger, then plunged it into the heart and twisted it violently. After plucking the woman's treasures clean, he burned all the clothes and the body on the spot, and finally buried them deep underground with plastic.

He didn't linger or look at the spoils; he quickly left the crime scene.

…………

He transformed into a bird, searching the treetops for any abandoned tracking objects. After changing his appearance, he wandered around and eventually returned to Peach Blossom Village.

I took stock of what I gained from this trip.

"This woman is actually richer than Su Meiniang."

Looking at the various pills, ten spirit stones, a bottle of Spirit Nourishing Pills, a bottle of Antidote Pills, and the precious lightning-struck wood, Li Pingcan couldn't help but smile.

Besides spirit stones and some basic pills, he also found several low-grade talismans and the flying knife treasure.

Its blade is extremely thin, shaped like a willow leaf, and exceptionally sharp. The hilt is engraved with intricate patterns, and it feels substantial in the hand. When propelled by spiritual energy, it is thrown with incredible speed, unleashing powerful penetrating force in an instant.

If Li Pingcan hadn't been constantly vigilant, trained by the Water Dragon Guards to have conditioned reflexes, and possessed a powerful physical body, ordinary cultivators would have been completely unable to defend against him.

"These pills are enough for me to cultivate for a while."

A horse will not be fat without night grass, and a man will not be rich without windfall.

Although the cultivation world is cruel and dangerous, it also offers the chance to become rich overnight, and it also gave him a clearer understanding of his own strength.

"However, if you hunt geese all day long, one day you will be pecked in the eyes by a goose. It's best to avoid such fighting and killing."

He also had some basic ideas in his mind.

Human cultivators provided him with resources such as pills, cultivation methods, magical artifacts, and talismans.

Spirit beasts, on the other hand, provide him with rare and precious materials, combat assistance, and even bloodline talents...

Of course, some things can overlap, such as "news." The more information channels you have, and the more comprehensive your information, the more important intelligence is for long-term business success.

…………

With the abundant materials he had plundered, Li Pingcan's mastery of formations advanced by leaps and bounds.

He first thoroughly upgraded the materials of the "Spirit Gathering Array" at Listening Wind Cliff.

Today, the spiritual energy at Listening Wind Cliff has almost materialized into a white mist. Under such nourishment, the mulberry seedling has grown into a graceful little tree with a canopy, and spiritual light can be faintly seen flowing among its branches and leaves.

Practicing here, coupled with taking drugs, almost tripled the efficiency.

"The Spirit Gathering Array is already taking shape. Next, we should work on the Concealment Array."

He took out the concealment formation recorded in the "Five Elements Mysterious Formation" - the Hidden Mystery Spirit Concealment Formation.

Such a concealment formation can protect the house, and no invading enemy can detect anything unusual. This means that the Li family will have an absolutely safe "paradise" where they can develop and grow without worry.

However, this formation is far more complex than the Spirit Gathering Formation, and the materials required are much rarer.

However, with the spirit stones and various auxiliary materials "borrowed" from the woman in black and Su Meiniang, it's worth a try.

However, he overestimated himself.

This "Hidden Spirit Array" is more than ten times more complex than the Spirit Gathering Array. The Spirit Gathering Array only draws Qi into the body, while this Concealing Array is meant to deceive the heavens. The various intricate runes alone are dazzling.

"If only I had a senior who could teach me how to use talisman arrays."

Li Pingcan sighed, immediately understanding why Su Meiniang was overjoyed after encountering the illusionary "master." It was truly too difficult for a rogue cultivator with unorthodox methods!

Fortunately, he was blessed with good fortune from the "natural grace". Whenever he was scratching his head, a ray of light would break through the fog, and a certain obscure and difficult-to-understand principle of the formation would suddenly become clear and enlightening.

(End of this chapter)