Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Talisman requires the guidance of the Divine Soul, activated with Magical Power. The higher the tier of the Talisman, the more it consumes. With Li Ji'an's Fake Pill-level Divine Sense, activating a Tier Three Talisman is not a problem.

However, with his current Magical Power, activating a Tier Three Talisman is quite taxing, almost depleting the Magical Power in his Dantian.

After activating the Heavenly Thunder Talisman, he gently floated to the surface of the river, immediately swallowing a Law Storage Pill, and sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing.

It wasn't until the Corpse Puppet shattered under the thunder, shedding its corpse shell and restoring its flesh, that he regained some of his Magical Power.

Facing Du Haizang, whose corpse Qi had dissipated, his flesh restored yet charred all over, barely clinging to life—Li Ji'an waved his hand, sending a Green Leaf Qi Blade, effortlessly shattering his Dantian.

Then he proceeded to sever his limbs.

Finally, he released the Little Fire Spirit to clear away any remaining aura.

After confirming there was no further concern, only then did Li Ji'an approach and feed Du Haizang a Spirit Protection Pill.

After the incident with the Liu Family Ancestor, he had to be wary of Demon Cultivator tactics. With the mark still lingering in his Sea of Consciousness, he couldn't be sure if killing Du Haizang might trigger some Demon Sect imprint.

Once sensing that Du Haizang's life force, despite his coma, was no longer declining, Li Ji'an felt relieved.

Only then did he glance at the once-charred storage pouch at his waist.

The storage pouch broke upon contact, with most items inside destroyed by the thunder, leaving only a jade bottle, a piece of Moyu, and a section of Dark Golden Remains preserved at the bottom.

His Divine Sense scanned them, and after having the Little Fire Spirit clean up, Li Ji'an collected them into the storage pouch.

He then enveloped Du Haizang with his Magical Power, rapidly escaping along the path he came from.

A moment later, he finally rendezvoused with Gugu.

"Gua~" Li Ji'an tossed the unconscious Du Haizang into its mouth.

At the same time, it regurgitated a charred, broken storage pouch.

This was the very one left by Xue Ling'Er when she died and dropped into the river.

After eliminating all suspicions, he threw it and all of Du Haizang's three items into Gugu's mouth.

He then set off on the flying boat to pursue Yan Qingwan and the others.

On the way, he sent messages, but whether to Yan Qingwan or Qin Henian, no response was received.

"The corpse poison must have deeply infiltrated."

"With Qin Chuan alone carrying the corpse poison, unable to utilize Magical Power, it's likely impossible to guarantee the safety of the two."

"Will he accelerate his return to Cangyun State, or turn back to Celestial River Immortal City to quickly seek a physician for poison treatment?"

After pondering, Li Ji'an headed toward Cangyun State.

Logically, Qin Chuan bringing the two back to Celestial River Immortal City is the best solution—the distance is short, and high-tier physicians capable of treating poison can be found within the city.

But, it's feared by then Qin Chuan might be panicked, even worried about hidden threats in Celestial River Immortal City, and desires only to return to the familiar Cangyun State.

Having experienced life across many lifetimes, Li Ji'an had witnessed too much; many things cannot be judged by common sense.

Li Ji'an's choice was thus the optimal solution.

If Qin Chuan brought them back to Celestial River Immortal City, where there are high-tier physicians and the protection of Master Yuxiao from Si Shui Commerce Association, there would be no danger, and Li Ji'an wouldn't need to intervene.

Conversely, if Qin Chuan brought them back to Cangyun State, the journey would be long and fraught with Tribulation Cultivators lying in wait along the way; without timely treatment from physicians, Qin Henian may temporarily seal his Dantian to preserve life but would suffer severe trauma, causing irreparable damage to his foundation—whereas Yan Qingwan, in her Foundation Establishment Early Period cultivation, faces the risk of falling due to infiltration by poison comparable to Tier Three.

For Li Ji'an, with his medical expertise and profound understanding of poison, especially having prepared an antidote to corpse poison just before confronting the Liu Family Ancestor, he can resolve the poison within half a stick of incense time, so long as it hasn't infiltrated the heart veins.

Just as Li Ji'an adjusted the flying boat and turned back toward Cangyun State, several concealed figures appeared near the wide flow area of Bishui River.

"Tier Three Spirit Talisman aura!"

"Someone actually used a real Tier Three Spirit Talisman—who could it be?"

"Currently, nearly all the True Pill Masters within the Celestial Cyan Domain are gathered at the border of the Demon Realm. Who within the domain could force someone to use a Tier Three Spirit Talisman?"

...

The group sensed the lingering Heavenly Thunder Talisman aura over the river from afar, stunned in disbelief.

Among them, a sensuous and alluring figure's eyes suddenly gleamed with joy: "Could it be Mister? He really possesses a Tier Three Spirit Talisman!"

With Master Yuxiao's knowledge, besides the True Pill Elders of the Holy Palace Sect, hardly a handful within the Celestial Cyan Domain currently possess Tier Three Spirit Talismans.

And having left Celestial River Immortal City and perhaps facing interception from others, Mister is most likely.

After all, disguised as a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator and having disrupted Fu Family's profits, even if the Fu Family refrains from immediate retaliation, merely leaking intelligence about his Spirit Talisman sales could entice others into action.

"Yet, if Mister were dealing with average Tribulation Cultivators, merely displaying a Tier Three Spirit Talisman would suffice to scare them off—why expend a precious Tier Three Spirit Talisman so lavishly?"

"In today's Celestial Cyan Domain, can there still be those unabashed by the might of a Tier Three Spirit Talisman?"

"Alternatively, has Mister's killing intent emerged?"

"Or perhaps, Tier Three Spirit Talismans are not overly rare to Mister?"

...

Various conjectures swirled in her mind; yet from the moment she first sensed the might of the thunder and arrived swiftly to witness, she inclined toward the latter two.

Suddenly, Master Yuxiao's expectations for Mister soared to the peak.

"A true Tier Three Talisman Master!"

"This direction… Dongli Sect—could it possibly be True Man Lingjiu from Dongli Sect?"

Among the Four Sects in Celestial Origin Province, Ten Thousand Laws Palace occupies the center, while Dongli Sect resides in the east, coinciding with the location.