Chapter 359: Not Him

The Blood-Dragon Armor recognizing its master made nowhere near the commotion of the Mirage Dragon Whip; only when Li Yuan grasped it in his hand did a faint glimmer of light flicker.

Hum—

When Li Yuan exhaled a wisp of true Qi, the armor finally burst forth with a flash of red light, and blood-colored flood dragons abruptly surfaced across the previously drab, dusty armor.

Nine blood flood dragons ceaselessly swam across the armor, weaving through one another, occasionally emitting a faint humming sound.

A moment later, accompanied by a sharp *crack*, the armor had clamped itself onto Li Yuan's arm, then spread outward like ripples on water until it covered his entire body.

Among all weapons, armor is the most expensive—not only is it the costliest to forge, the boost it gives a martial artist is also the greatest.

When the armor settled onto his body, Li Yuan felt his qi and blood surging as if about to ignite; the simple donning of this armor granted him far more than the armor formed by the Mirage Dragon Whip.

"An eighth-grade armor on the body grants more than the Mirage Dragon Whip's enhancement—then again, the Mirage Dragon Whip is a weapon, so the comparison isn't quite fair."

Li Yuan closed his eyes to feel it out.

Putting on this suit of armor, he felt his qi and blood suddenly surge to an extremely high level; the Blood-Dragon Armor's enhancement focused more on physique and qi and blood, with barely any benefit to true Qi.

"The drain is considerable, too."

Li Yuan didn't maintain it for long. The moment his true Qi cut off, the armor instantly fell away from his body, but it did not revert to its original armored form.

Instead, it retreated onto his right forearm—at a glance, looking somewhat like a combination of a fingerless glove and a bracer.

"No wonder armor is worth more—you can wear several suits at once, but you can't do that with weapons…"

After a brief sensing, Li Yuan didn't waste any more true Qi. He turned and went down the mountain, registered the chosen divine weapon at the side, and was then pulled by the long-waiting Shan Qing Song to his residence.

As the head of Shenbingtang, Shan Qing Song's courtyard was quite spacious—five courtyards deep from front to back—with a bamboo grove enclosed within, filled with all manner of flowers and plants.

His banquet was set in the bamboo grove, in a pavilion, surrounded by flowers and plants on all sides, shrouded in misty haze—quite atmospheric.

"Try this red-eyed sturgeon, Junior Brother. Its flesh is extremely fresh and delicious—one of the finest dishes to go with wine."

Shan Qing Song poured wine for Li Yuan, his face beaming with smiles. The small table was packed full—spirit beasts, spirit fish, and the wine was top-grade Immortal Drunk, Hundred Grass Brew.

This single table would cost at least three hundred taels of gold outside.

"For this one table, how many years would Second Brother have to chop firewood?"

For some reason, Li Yuan thought of his elder brother and sister-in-law, felt a touch of sentiment welling up, and picked up his chopsticks to try a bite—the flavor was truly excellent.

"Come, drink."

Shan Qing Song was very hospitable. Li Yuan drank a few cups with him and couldn't help but grow curious:

"Senior Brother Shan entertaining me like this—surely you have some task for your junior brother?"

Dragon Tiger Temple has eighteen vice hall masters, but only nine full hall masters—each of them holds extremely high martial and standing. At such warmth, Li Yuan couldn't help but feel a twinge of suspicion.

"Just a word of thanks."

Shan Qing Song didn't spell it out, only glanced toward Dragon Gate Main Peak, then withdrew his gaze:

"I won't hide it from you, Junior Brother Li. A few days ago I truly had no appetite, but these past few days the great stone in my heart has finally settled, and I've been thinking how to properly express my thanks."

"You're too kind, Senior Brother Shan."

Li Yuan clinked cups with him, pondered briefly, and already understood in his heart.

What Shan Qing Song referred to should be the matter of the Old Dragon Head breaking through the Heavenly Gang—as head of Shenbingtang, he was surely in the know.

As for the thanks…

Thinking back to the example the Dragon Dao Master gave when mentioning the barrier to entering the Dao, he naturally knew what was going on.

This wealthy and influential Senior Brother Shan was clearly, in the Dragon Dao Master's words, one of those unwilling to take risks to fight for that final step into the Dao.

"Forgive my embarrassment, Junior Brother."

Shan Qing Song was drinking Immortal Drunk; a few cups in, he was already somewhat tipsy—this was a liquor strong enough to topple a Grandmaster.

"Next year, I'll be celebrating my hundred-and-twentieth birthday. My youngest daughter isn't even out of her swaddling clothes yet. Grandchildren, great-grandchildren—dozens of them. Capable ones, incapable ones—a whole slew of descendants. Truly, I've lost my drive."

"What are you saying, Senior Brother Shan? Doting on grandchildren is one of life's greatest joys. Five generations under one roof—you'll put the rest of us to shame."

The Dragon Dao Master was somewhat

dissatisfied with disciples who lacked the drive to advance, but as far as Li Yuan was concerned, he saw nothing improper in it.

With a whole brood of children and grandchildren, how could one possibly have no concerns?

"Junior Brother Li, you have a broad mind. If you were the next Dao Master…"

"Ahem, ahem, ahem—"

Li Yuan coughed repeatedly and raised his cup: "Drink, drink."

"I've drunk too much—words slipping out without thinking."

Shan Qing Song downed several more cups in quick succession.

Before long, Shan Qing Song was already dead drunk. Li Yuan called over his disciples and rose to take his leave.

"Business at the shop has been excellent these past few days—try to find time to look in. Also, I've collected over a hundred and thirty spirit beast hides; if we make boots, we can still turn out five or six hundred pairs."

As the various sects' martial displays drew near, Mount Hengshan grew more bustling by the day. Sects from all corners of the realm had descended, making the city's business boom and bringing in many specialty goods from elsewhere.

Seizing the opportunity, Wang Wang Peiyao had gathered a large batch of things—not only spirit beast hides, but all manner of bone ornaments, and even quite a few belts stockpiled.

"Not bad, not bad."

The hands-off Boss Li merely flipped through them casually. For these trivial matters, he was growing less and less interested; in the past, he would at least still flip through the account books.

"Don't worry about the silver—however much there is, take it all."

Carrying over four hundred thousand taels of gold, Li Yuan was rolling in wealth. Given his current status and position, a business of this small scale wouldn't attract anyone's covetous attention.

"Boss Li, you're generous!"

The boss who only forked out money and never meddled—Young Lady Wang was very fond of him. She drew five thousand taels in gold drafts from him and took two bags of spirit rice as well.

With a wave of her hand, she put on her bamboo hat and went down the mountain.

Li Yuan saw her off, watched her descend the mountain, then closed the door and began taking stock of the boots:

"Adding what's in the Weapon Space to what's here, I should be able to put together one pair of sixth-grade boots… Spirit-leather boots are a niche trade, and there aren't that many cobblers—that's a problem."

He gathered up all the boots, Lin Lin Fangzhui calculating in his heart.

A few days ago Liu Zheng had even asked whether he wanted to expand the Weapon-Forging Shop, and he had not refused.

With his current status, in Mount Hengshan city there were hardly a few who dared to throw obstacles in his way; that little friction from before, Lin Lin Fangzhui had later even hosted a banquet specifically for him.

But what he urgently needed now were boots; as for all manner of weapons, he was now rolling in money and could simply place an order for whatever he wanted.

Master Master Gongyang, the Valley Master, would even give him a bone-breaking discount; however, prohibited orders, such as armor, crossbow bolts and the like, Divine Weapon Valley would not accept either.

"Let's leave it at this for now; wait until Second Brother and the others arrive, then we'll talk about expanding."

Lin Lin Fangzhui calculated the time—no matter how slow, before the New Year, Second Brother's family should arrive too; he just didn't know whether Old Zhang had come or not.

"And Old Lei and the others."

After pondering in his heart for quite a while, Lin Lin Fangzhui finally calmed his emotions, casually pulled open a stance and practiced several sets of stake-work; once his qi and blood were flowing freely, he sat cross-legged.

He began visualization, refining his viscera, and contemplating the Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Diagram.

Hum—

In the place of spiritual light, the visualized spirit-self sat cross-legged; his dantian and viscera were a stretch of brightness, with what seemed like thunder rumbling and lightning flashing within. This was the method for refining the viscera from the Divine Viscera Scripture.

"Although the Bai Shen Zheng Fa has no follow-up, the visualized spirit-self is becoming more and more agile."

Lin Lin Fangzhui murmured to himself.

Every time he entered and exited the Mysterious Whale Mi Jing, a wisp of Mysterious Whale Qi would seep into his body; the effect of nourishing his physique was not obvious, but the growth of his spiritual power could be felt.

Reflected outwardly, it was that his visualization method was improving very quickly, and his spirit-self was becoming increasingly lifelike.

"If only I had True Gang Qi, otherwise, the spirit-self could already leave the body, right?"

As for a Grandmaster's methods, Lin Lin Fangzhui was no longer unfamiliar, but he still felt yearning; moreover, he was already very close.

A pattering of fine rain fell for an entire day.

In the night, the little tiger cub darted and shifted; as it neared the main peak of Dragon Gate, it slowed its steps, and like an ordinary cat, leisurely returned to the small courtyard.

"Squeak~"

The little mouse in the wall-hole was very alert; it gave a soft cry, trotted over to open the door, and with one leap it

opened the door bolt, then in a flash darted into the hole.

"Finally back!"

Glimpsing Lin Lin Fangzhui sleeping on the bed in his clothes, the little tiger cub's pent-up frustration in its heart immediately dissipated quite a bit; it raised a paw to close the door, then leapt onto the bedhead.

"Woo~"

Having waited a full two days, she was truly rather anxious; she opened her mouth and exhaled a wisp of pale purple mist, then flopped down and fell asleep on her own.

Hum—

Half-asleep and half-awake, Lin Lin Fangzhui sensed the familiar fluctuation.

"She's here!"

Daoist Lin's heart gave a sudden lurch; after a slight hesitation, he still followed the guidance and entered the Shen Jing.

"You…"

The moment Lin Lin Fangzhui came back to himself, he saw before the bronze pagoda the Bronze Pagoda Master wearing an iron mask; the latter's hands trembled, and her voice, sharp like a woman's, cried:

"You—you've refined your viscera?!"

Behind the iron mask, the white-robed woman felt a surge of fury flare up in her heart: "You tricked me?!"

Crack!

Lin Lin Fangzhui only felt what seemed like a flash of red light before his eyes; before he could even react or explain, he had already been kicked out of the Shen Jing.

What a terrible temper.

Lin Lin Fangzhui only felt his mind go "hum"; before he even opened his eyes, he hurriedly began to explain:

"Senior, hear me explain…"

Inside the room, the little tiger cub's fur stood on end.

"Tricked me, tricked me!"

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Recalling how she had given pointers, taught martial arts, and prepared spirit pills—only to be tricked—she was so angry her whole body trembled.

When had she ever suffered such grievance?!

Her eyes were full of shock and fury; she wished she could slash this brat's face with a claw, but thinking of Long Xi Xiang opposite, she still forcibly held back.

"Senior, hear me explain!"

Lin Lin Fangzhui opened his eyes; the room was empty, with no trace of anything, only on the windowsill that cat ancestor of his, who, having received some kind of stimulus, still hadn't smoothed her fur back down.

"Where's the person?"

Lin Lin Fangzhui swept his gaze around; when it landed on the little tiger cub, the latter let out a "woo" and pounced over, raising a paw to swipe.

"…Has she gone mad again?!"

Lin Lin Fangzhui instinctively raised a hand; the Crimson Blood Pattern Dragon Armor on his right arm flared red, and with a "crack," the little tiger cub had already smashed through the window, tumbling several times before falling into a mud puddle.

Lin Lin Fangzhui immediately dismissed the slight suspicion in his heart; a top-tier assassin from the Star-Plucking Tower couldn't possibly be this neurotic, and besides, he had taken a careful look—this was a female tiger.

"Woo!"

Shaking off the mud on her body, the little tiger cub stared in disbelief at her own broken claw; I, the Tower Master, hadn't even used full force, and you actually deployed a divine weapon?!

"Don't, don't…"

The moment he saw that little thing's gaze, Lin Lin Fangzhui felt things were going badly; after raising her for so long she was almost tame, if one slap ruined it all, that would be a bloody loss.

"Woo!"

Shaking off the mud on her body, Lin Lin Fangzhui had already prepared himself for a fight with this little thing, but saw her, bristling with anger, dart back onto the windowsill and toss him the back of her head.

Angry, but also seemingly not too angry?

Li Yuan had no time to mind the little fellow's feelings. He looked around but still found no trace at all.

"Must be afraid of the Old Dragon Head?"

Li Yuan's heart stirred. He tossed a pill to the little tiger cub, then dropped off to sleep, planning to find that Bronze Tower Master and have a proper word with him.

Taking someone's favor and then turning his back on them — Master Li wasn't willing to do that either, and it certainly wasn't for the sake of that big pancake.

"Slap!"

Swatting the Bone-Strengthening Pill away with a paw, the little tiger cub felt its nose nearly twist with rage. It had gone to great pains to scrounge up thirty spiritual pills for him.

And now he'd only tossed out one Bone-Strengthening Pill?

"Just you wait!"

The little tiger cub was so angry it paced back and forth, but still had to suppress its temper. The whole creature felt thoroughly out of sorts.

"The Divine Realm shattered, and my Heart Realm has grown unstable too…"

Suddenly, her heart gave a jolt, and she quickly calmed herself down. In the past, she would never have let her joy and anger show so plainly on her face.

"Woo—"

Realizing this, she suppressed the distracting thoughts, leapt back onto the bed's headboard, took a deep breath, and once again exhaled purple mist.

Hum—

Li Yuan opened his eyes. He looked around but did not spot that Bronze Tower Master.

He cupped his hands in a salute, just about to explain, when the stele that had risen from the ground before him already displayed cold, unfeeling text:

【Challenge the Tower!】

"This junior will give it his all."

Li Yuan sighed. He had originally intended to wait until his Organ Refining was complete before challenging it, but under the circumstances, he could only accept.

He cupped his hands in a salute and stepped into the tower.

Boom!

When the familiar blade-light appeared once more, even Li Yuan's eyelids twitched. Wan Wan Zhuliu at Organ Refining Completion was far more ferocious than before!

"Hiss!"

A single blade swept sideways, and the true-qi body was cut clean in two.

……

……

In the study of Dun Tian Zhou, Wan Wan Zhuliu's face was expressionless:

"It's not him either…"