Where Song Anning had gone, Li An didn't concern himself.

Initially, Song Qingqing was quite unaccustomed, but in the blink of an eye, twenty years passed, and she grew increasingly closer to Li An.

Thanks to the excellent educational environment Li An provided, she matured well, unlike her mother.

Song Anning, spoiled and self-deprecating, lacked discernment, while Song Qingqing was very sensible, virtuous, and obedient.

In these twenty years, Li An lived a favorable and smooth life!

With the status of the Vice-Chief and the backing of the "Prince Mansion," he held considerable power within the Pavilion.

Moreover, knowing all this stemmed from the opponent's vain attempt to "raise a pig," Li An became even more flagrant, embezzling resources wantonly within the Pavilion!

Over the past twenty years, he had accumulated one hundred Ice Talismans, two hundred Gang Qi Talismans, and fifty Flying Talismans in his possession!

As for other Breaking Charms, Thunder Shock Talismans, Soul-Calming Talismans, and Bursting Talismans, there were no fewer than a hundred in total!

This was still a considerable gap from the several thousand Spirit Talismans he initially set.

But he was already quite satisfied.

"Even a Foundation Establishment Cultivation Clan does not possess as substantial an estate as mine..."

Now, purely by throwing Spirit Talismans, Li An could crush a family!

"The level of Talisman creation is restricted by cultivation, presently making it difficult to create Rank Three Talismans..."

In truth, this was Li An's ultimate goal.

The one to finally counter him would at least be at the Core Formation Stage.

To handle such a figure, Tier Two resources were abundant, but hard to decisively affect.

If he could acquire Rank Three magic treasures, Talismans, Arrays, etc., he would have much confidence.

"After entering the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, perhaps I can attempt Rank Three Talisman creation..."

He felt that in two more years, he could attempt a breakthrough.

"With Talismans at a pause, the next step is to prepare for crafting Arrays..."

Presently, he only had two sets of Tier Two Arrays.

Far from enough.

At least ten sets!

In fact, he had long wanted to craft Tier Two Arrays, but despite his immense power, embezzling resources in the Treasure Pavilion had its limits, and the resources he could pilfer sufficed only to create so many Talismans.

If the outside world knew of his current state, jaws would drop.

After all, with over a hundred Tier Two Talismans, ten sets of Tier Two Arrays... a typical Foundation Establishment family could never have such abundant wealth.

Such plentiful resources would be enough for Li An to establish a very strong Cultivation Clan.

Yet, Li An devoted everything to creating life-saving items... He was indeed... extremely cautious.

"The poisonous medicines of the Dao, five plants have been accumulated..."

Currently, there were five faint traces of great Dao Qi within him.

Once it reached nine, he would have some confidence to pursue the Golden Core Dao.

This was the most core, most fundamental gain!

If not for realizing he had entered someone else's scheme, living this smooth cultivation life would have been perfect.

"This demonic aura, only about a tenth has been refined..."

Li An still felt quite heavy-hearted.

He helped the Third Princess resolve the toxicity within her, naturally increasing their contact; she would visit every now and then, seemingly to check on his demonic aura's condition.

But Li An remained calm; his refining of the demonic aura was not to erase it, but to absorb and control it himself!

The other party could only observe the presence and amount of demonic aura, unable to discern this point.

He even silently nurtured the mysterious part of the demonic aura he refined with his own demonic aura, so during the Third Princess's monitoring, she would even be quite satisfied as the mysterious demonic aura slowly grew inside Li An...

In the morning, after Song Qingqing paid her respects to Li An, she climbed onto the carriage to the Celestial Yang Academy.

Her cultivation talent was decent, a Yellow Rank Middle Grade Fire Spirit Root, and at just twenty-eight years old, she was already at the sixth level of Qi Cultivation.

Li An had not mistreated her either; the basic supply of Spirit Stones was ample, as she wasn't too costly at this stage.

Li An also headed to the Treasure Pavilion.

Now, in terms of age, Li An was already one hundred forty-one years old, while in the early-stage Foundation Establishment, the life expectancy limit is about three hundred years, although in reality, an average cultivator might only live around two hundred fifty years.

His appearance, with much white hair.

On this day, upon entering the Treasure Pavilion, he directly sought out the treasury manager Wang Zi, asking:

"Have the Purifying Spirit Pills been stocked?"

The Purifying Spirit Pill is the best auxiliary pill for an early-stage Foundation Establishment breakthrough to the mid-stage, priced at around two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones per pill.

——Initially, Wang Zi was reassigned, but later Li An naturally maneuvered to get her back to the treasury.

Wang Zi said, "Reporting to the Vice-Chief, the Alchemist Gu Hong is currently crafting them, they should be delivered today..."

Three months ago, Li An instructed the sect to purchase Purifying Spirit Pills.

And of course, the supplier was Gu Hong.

Li An now held high power within the sect, naturally providing more care and support to her; the resources she extracted from the Treasure Pavilion were also abundant.

After all, since the Demon Sect already knew of Li An's relationship with her, why would Li An conceal it any longer...?

Moreover, he had an agenda in mind.

The better he treated Gu Hong, the more the Demon Sect would consider her essential to him, viewing her as an entrance to attack him.

Yet to Li An, although Gu Hong differed from others, having shared life and death with him, his principles had not changed over the years—at crucial times, he could still abandon Gu Hong!

Initially assisting Gu Hong indirectly, it was primarily self-serving, as Gu Hong was among the few people he trusted, and her potential growth could be very beneficial to him later.

If he ever sensed a Demon Cultivator in the city, caught a trace of it, he would sever any ties with Gu Hong without hesitation.

Yet, no matter his caution, how could Li An have predicted the Demon Sect's extensive efforts to seek him out? To target him?

...

Now, the more the Demon Sect misconceived him, the greater his advantage.

If anything did happen in the future, when the Demon Sect dispersed its forces against Gu Hong, his burden would be significantly eased.

Li An said, "When the goods arrive, do not stock them; someone will come directly to purchase them—"

Wang Zi replied, "Alright!"

In the afternoon, Alchemist Gu Hong delivered the pills to the main hall of the Treasure Pavilion.

She had visited here many times.

Unseen for many years, her appearance remained unchanged, evidently she lacked no youth-maintaining pills.

Yet there was always a hint of regret in her eyes.

Years ago, having been advised by Li An, she left White Tiger City early, yet after moving to Celestial Yang City for over thirty years, she hadn't encountered Li An once!

She recalled more than once the words of her master, Gusongxi...

Li An was selfish, coldhearted beyond measure, untrustworthy...

Was it possible that she had, in the end, trusted the wrong person...

While she waited, Cai Chao, too, was informed by Li An to come over to discuss the pills.

Meanwhile, on the third floor, in a private room, Li An quietly sipped tea, gazing distantly at her figure.

...…

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