"Nie Wushuang came to you asking about Li Chang’an?"

Li Chang’an was a little surprised.

’So Nie Wushuang came to the Black Market just for this.’

"Daoist Luo, what sort of things did Nie Wushuang ask about?"

"Many things, all over the place. He asked about all of Li Chang’an’s past deeds."

Luo Baitong told him everything honestly.

In his line of work, he shouldn’t have revealed information about a client like Nie Wushuang.

But Li Chang’an, in his guise as Li Fan, had known him for many years and had helped him many times. The two of them were old friends.

Luo Baitong didn’t hide anything.

"He mainly asked about the Sword Array."

"Sword Array?"

"That’s right!"

Luo Baitong nodded and explained in detail.

"That Li Chang’an knows a Sword Array Technique that allows him to control nine Spiritual Swords to fight his enemies. Nie Wushuang seemed very interested in this Sword Array, but Li Chang’an has shown his hand so few times that I don’t know much about it."

Hearing this, Li Chang’an had a bad feeling.

For years, he had been keeping an eye on news about Nie Wushuang’s Sword Array.

’To think that Nie Wushuang has also set his sights on my Sword Array!’

Fortunately, he was different from Nie Wushuang.

As a Golden Core Seed, Nie Wushuang had faced countless powerful enemies on his path of growth and frequently engaged in Magical Combat.

His Sword Formation Technique was already known by countless people.

But Li Chang’an rarely acted openly.

Almost everyone who had witnessed his Sword Array was already dead.

Even a "Master of All Things" like Luo Baitong, who specialized in gathering information, didn’t know much about his Sword Array.

There were many Sword Array Techniques in the Cultivation Immortality Realm.

’With such limited information, Nie Wushuang shouldn’t be able to confirm that my Sword Array is the Great Yi Wood Sword Array.’

"Daoist Luo, if that Nie Wushuang comes looking for you to buy information again, please let me know."

"No problem!"

After chatting for a moment, Luo Baitong called over his descendant who had succeeded in Foundation Establishment.

This person’s appearance was very similar to Luo Baitong’s in his youth. He had the Cultivation of the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment and was named Luo Qiantong.

"Qiantong, Daoist Li’s strength and experience far surpass yours. You must ask him for guidance often in the future."

"Yes. Greetings, Uncle Li."

Luo Qiantong acted respectfully enough, sincerely asking Li Chang’an for some Cultivation Insights about the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Li Chang’an answered him patiently.

A moment later, the conversation ended.

Li Chang’an left the Black Market, changed his identity, and returned to Changqing Mountain.

After he left, Luo Qiantong frowned, a look of dissatisfaction on his face.

"Father, what you did today was not right."

"What’s wrong?"

"Why did you leak Daoist Nie’s information to that Li Fan? Daoist Nie is a Celestial Pride from a great sect, a Golden Core Seed! If we build a good relationship with him, our path in the future will be much broader!"

"This..."

Luo Baitong was stunned.

He never would have imagined that his own descendant would criticize him for this.

"Qiantong, although Nie Wushuang is powerful, he is ultimately one of the Righteous Cultivators. His path is different from ours."

"Father, we can’t live in the shadows forever! Trust me, befriending Nie Wushuang is much more useful than befriending Li Fan!"

Luo Qiantong’s tone was firm as he refuted Luo Baitong’s words.

Luo Baitong froze for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he could only sigh helplessly.

In the end, his strength was inferior to Luo Qiantong’s. Anything more he said would be useless.

...

「A few days later.」

Li Chang’an suddenly received an invitation.

The Zhou Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Zhou Sheng, was about to celebrate his 150th birthday in Yellow Crane Immortal City.

’The Zhou Family...’

Seeing the birthday banquet invitation, Li Chang’an became lost in thought.

’According to what Zhou Shangshan said before he died, there are problems within the Zhou Family. Many of the clan members have become... strange.’

’To be safe, I shouldn’t have any contact with the Zhou Family’s cultivators. But I can’t just avoid them forever. This banquet is a good opportunity to take a look...’

The banquet was being held in Yellow Crane Immortal City, not the Zhou Clan Territory.

This was one of the reasons Li Chang’an was willing to go.

Of course, he wouldn’t let his guard down because of it.

That night, Li Chang’an cultivated while waiting for his Divination to refresh.

Before he knew it, it was Midnight.

A golden light appeared.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today’s Divination: Neutral]

[You are invited to Zhou Sheng’s birthday banquet. You use the Stone Eye Treasure to observe the Zhou Clan Members and discover that most of them have Demon Qi inside their bodies. Aside from this, there are no other abnormalities.]

The Divination was neutral, which meant there would be no major surprises.

But the content of the Divination made Li Chang’an ponder for a long time.

’The Zhou Clan Members have Demon Qi inside their bodies?’

The Zhou Family was a Beast Taming Clan. They had no Golden Core Cultivators, and the reason they were ranked among the Seven Great Noble Families was because the clan possessed two Tier Three Demon Kings.

Most Zhou Family disciples were Beast Masters who knew the Beast Taming Technique.

However, Beast Masters shouldn’t have Demon Qi in their bodies.

’Why would Demon Qi enter their bodies? Could it be a backlash from their Demon Beasts?’

A suspicion gradually formed in Li Chang’an’s mind.

The Beast Taming Zhou Family might have become the "Beast-Tamed Zhou Family." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

This theory wasn’t impossible.

Examples of Demon Beasts turning on their Beast Masters were countless in the Cultivation Immortality Realm.

Within the Zhou Family, the demons had always been stronger than the humans.

Over time, it would be easy for something to go wrong.

...

「The next day.」

Li Chang’an took a gift and headed for Yellow Crane Immortal City.

The birthday celebration was being held at Zhou Sheng’s residence.

Many people had already arrived.

People Li Chang’an was familiar with, such as Mo Wenyuan, Jin Ming, and Mu Caiwei.

"Daoist Li, it’s been a long time!"

Seeing Li Chang’an, everyone smiled and greeted him.

Over the past few years, Li Chang’an had become better and better at managing his connections.

Aside from the Ou Family and the Zhang Family, his relationships with the other five great families were quite good.

As soon as he arrived, many people came up to chat.

Li Chang’an secretly activated his Stone Eye and swept his gaze over everyone’s bodies.

’Jin Ming, Mu Caiwei, Mo Xi, and the others... their bodies are all normal. Nothing is out of the ordinary.’