Chapter 43: Too Arrogant

Bi'an took advantage of Li Zhi'an's distraction to drink down the Spirit Tea he had brewed in one gulp.

After finishing, he pursed his lips; it was indeed different from ordinary Spirit Tea. Ordinary Spirit Tea was made by harvesting leaves from Spirit Tea trees or by scenting tea leaves in places rich with Spirit Essence.

But Cheng Xi's Spirit Tea actually carried the aura of a Demon Bone, yet looking at the tea leaves, one could not see any trace of a Demon Bone.

This technique was very rare; Bi'an had never heard of it.

Li Zhi'an turned back to look at his empty teacup and swept a glance at Bi'an.

Bi'an lay lazily on the ground, but said, "This little girl is not simple; how does she have so many strange and peculiar recipes?"

Li Zhi'an brewed himself another cup of tea and then locked the Spirit Tea canister away. Bi'an curled his lip—stingy!

Seeing that Li Zhi'an ignored him, Bi'an added, "You chose the best section of the Lightning-Struck Wood and gave it to Cheng Xi; what exactly are you planning?"

"If you aren't going to guard the gate, be careful that demons and monsters don't break in," Li Zhi'an said.

"You're changing the subject because you have a guilty conscience. Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? You've taken a fancy to that little girl, but you're too embarrassed to speak up, aren't you?"

Li Zhi'an scoffed.

"Oh, a guilty conscience indeed. I guess you gave the Lightning-Struck Wood to Cheng Xi, thinking she would come to you and ask you to help find an Artifact Master, but the little girl can do it herself! Hahaha, your efforts were in vain, weren't they?"

"Since you are so idle, you might as well go investigate the loosening of the Seal. Last time, Dean Jiang wrote to me wanting to borrow you."

Bi'an immediately shut his mouth. "You are so rigid and boring; what little girl would like you? If I were Cheng Xi, I wouldn't like you either. Look at Jiang Boyu; every time he goes to see Cheng Xi, she gives him things. Have you ever received a gift even once? No, right?"

Li Zhi'an was not angered in the slightest and said slowly, "At least Cheng Xi asked Jiang Boyu to pass a gift to me; you don't even have one to pass on!"

Bi'an:...

Li Zhi'an picked up his teacup and took a sip; the rich tea fragrance indeed carried abundant Spirit Essence, the heat was just right, and the craftsmanship was excellent.

Cheng Xi had stayed in the countryside for three years. For an ordinary person, learning one skill in three years is already difficult; Talisman Drawing, Tea Making, and now she even knows Artifact Refining—she has quite a few secrets.

Fingertips tracing the teacup, Li Zhi'an looked at Bi'an, "Pay more attention to the matter of the Seal. If the Demon Suppression Pavilion uses this to target the Tongtian Division, I will inevitably have to leave Jindu and head to the Seal Land."

Upon hearing this, Bi'an's expression also turned somewhat ugly, "I told you that your brain is sick. You shouldn't have let that Demon Suppression Pavilion become what it is. You insisted on not interfering, and now it's become a disaster, hasn't it?"

"The Empress Dowager has the Yan Family behind her, and the Yan Family has the Jindu Academy Dean, Yan Jishu, behind them. Once something happens to the Seal, we will need the support of Jindu Academy," Li Zhi'an said.

Bi'an had a headache, "This is the one thing bad about you humans: calculating back and forth, one person having eight hundred schemes."

"It's better to be simple-minded like you, just hanging on the gate," Li Zhi'an scoffed.

Bi'an was furious, "I am the embodiment of justice; if you can't speak properly, shut up."

"I don't know about justice, but I do know you're hanging on the gate."

Bi'an lunged at Li Zhi'an, but Li Zhi'an flicked his sleeve, flew out the window, landed in mid-air, and strode away.

Bi'an stomped his feet in anger, "Too arrogant!"

Cheng Xi sat at the table, carving a talisman onto the Lightning-Struck Wood stroke by stroke.

Now, the Lightning-Struck Wood no longer looked as gray and dull as when she first got it; after Cheng Xi's polishing, it felt warm to the touch, like holding soft jade.

The Engraving Knife given by Lao Wutou was a good item; Cheng Xi couldn't tell what kind of Demon Bone it was forged from, but even when cutting into the Lightning-Struck Wood, it didn't take much effort.

The sky gradually darkened. After the final stroke was carved, Cheng Xi threw the Engraving Knife onto the table and reached out to stroke the staff body. Wherever her palm passed, golden light rippled and Spirit Essence overflowed.

Cheng Xi nodded with great satisfaction; her craftsmanship was not bad, and she was getting better at using the Engraving Knife.

Baohua jumped onto the table abruptly, almost drooling over the Dharma Staff.

Cheng Xi reached out and poked her little head, "You can't eat this one now. When I have a better one later, I'll give this one to you."

Baohua nodded repeatedly, her little head staring at the Dharma Staff, unable to look away.

Cheng Xi looked at Baohua and said thoughtfully, "When I gather the raw materials, I will reshape your facial features. If you're lucky, you might be able to speak."

Baohua was stunned, then turned and hugged Cheng Xi's sleeve, so excited she almost fell off the table.

Cheng Xi caught her, "Happy, right? I'm very happy too."

Baohua was family she had made with her own hands after transmigrating, and she had even used her own blood, so naturally, she had to be well cared for.

No sooner had she finished speaking than a bolt of thunder struck down without warning. Cheng Xi was shocked; with Baohua in one hand and the Dharma Staff in the other, she jumped out of the window instantly.

The lightning, as thick as an arm, pierced through the roof, tiles scattering everywhere. Mulan and the others were all startled awake and scrambled out of the room where they were resting.

"Eldest Miss, are you alright?"

Cheng Xi gripped the Dharma Staff tightly and looked at them, "Don't gather here, get out immediately."

As soon as she finished speaking, another bolt of lightning struck down. Cheng Xi's expression changed slightly; she threw Mulan and Jinxiang out one by one, then tapped her toes and retreated to the courtyard gate.

The lightning landed exactly where she had been standing just a moment ago!

Cheng Xi subconsciously looked at the Dharma Staff in her hand and turned to run toward the outside of the city.

Baohua zipped into Cheng Xi's sleeve pocket. Seeing there was no time to throw her out, Cheng Xi avoided residential areas as much as possible, took the wide main road, leaped over the city wall, heard the surprised shouts of the city guards, and in an instant, she was outside the city.

The lightning seemed to have legs; she fled, and it chased her, striking the whole way. With such a huge commotion, the entire Jindu was awakened.

Almost simultaneously, the Demon Suppression Pavilion and the Tongtian Division mobilized immediately. At this moment, Cheng Xi still didn't know what had gone wrong; she had just made an ordinary Dharma Staff, and even this could attract a Thunder Tribulation—wasn't that a bit ridiculous?

At the same time, Bi'an caught up to Li Zhi'an, "A Thunder Tribulation has descended, there must be a treasure born. Go grab it quickly, don't let the Demon Suppression Pavilion take it."

Li Zhi'an met Yan Yu outside the city; the Demon Suppression Pavilion and the Tongtian Division were at daggers drawn.

Li Zhi'an looked into the distance and his gaze suddenly froze.

At this moment, Cheng Xi had only recovered thirty percent of her power, yet being chased and struck by lightning all the way, she still clutched the Dharma Staff tightly without letting go.

Her mind was racing, wondering what had gone wrong to actually attract a Thunder Tribulation!

"Damn Heaven, don't go too far! You let me transmigrate without even a greeting, and now you're chasing me to strike me? Do you really think I have no temper? If it comes to it, I'll fight you to the death!" Cheng Xi said angrily.

As soon as Cheng Xi finished speaking, she simply stopped running. Holding the Dharma Staff, she chanted incantations, her expression solemn and her eyes filled with killing intent. In an instant, the Dharma Staff in her hand erupted with golden light, flew into mid-air, and collided fiercely with the descending Thunder Tribulation!

Li Zhi'an turned sideways to block the approaching Yan Yu, then flicked his wide sleeve, and a White Jade Cauldron flew out from his sleeve pocket, covering the direction of Cheng Xi.