Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 201-Chapter 300)

Li Qingshan pinched her tender cheeks viciously. “I knew I shouldn’t have given in!”

Xiao An said, “If I’m not by your side, I can’t protect you.”

Li Qingshan suddenly fell silent.

……

“Leader, please leave some for me! Croak croak!” A frog leapt around frantically as it spoke human tongue.

“Cut the nonsense, or I’ll roast you whole and eat you!” Li Qingshan placed the Whale’s Ingestion of Water into the spring of the Ice Condensate water, allowing it to suck up as much water as it wanted. It had already absorbed three tanks worth of water, but it still did not seem to be full.

The frog was utterly worried out of its mind, but it was powerless to do anything.

Only when the whale filled up completely did Li Qingshan take it out in satisfaction. He fished out a Pearl Dew pill and tossed it to the frog. “Here, for you.” He would not actually take advantage of it. This frog was one of the strongest daemon soldiers under his command. If other Qi Practitioners were bold enough to come for the spring water, they would not be able to take even a drop of the spring water back even if they managed to survive the frog somehow.

The frog’s tongue shot out, and it ate the Pearl Dew pill. “Croak! Thank you, leader!” Although the spring water was teeming with spiritual qi, it still could not be compared to the effects of high quality pills refined by humans at the end of the day.

“Keep guarding this place. Don’t forget about the gathering!” Li Qingshan handed over a few more matters before leaving the cavern again.

“Croak, croak! I won’t forget!” called out the frog. With a plonk, it dove into the Ice Condensate water.

Li Qingshan moved through the cave quickly. With a jolt of the crystal whale in his hand, there was a gurgle, and it spat out a huge blade. It even condensed a beautiful, crystal hand guard. It was perfect for Li Qingshan to unleash the full advantage of his strength, and it was an appropriate size and length for him. It was extremely heavy as well, over five hundred kilograms in weight. Even Li Qingshan could not wield it with just a single hand.

He had been constantly channeling his Gui Water true qi into the Whale’s Ingestion of Water. His aura had filled it completely now, without any sluggishness anymore. It was as if it was now an extension of his limb. When he created weapons, he did not have to let out the water then wait for it to slowly freeze either. It would condense in a single moment.

However, fourth layer Gui Water true qi was still slightly insufficient to unleash the power of this high grade spiritual artifact.

……

Li Qingshan arrived in the Proud Sword manor. Yu Shukuang had already returned, passing a full hundred treasures pouch to Li Qingshan. He wanted to say something, but he hesitated.

Li Qingshan checked the hundred treasures pouch and smiled in satisfaction. Then he asked, “Why don’t I see your daughter?”

Yu Shukuang was surprised. “Didn’t she go to the Green Vine mountain? Why would she be able to return?”

Li Qingshan frowned. “In other words, she hasn’t returned yet?” Was the Green Vine Elder really going to disrespect the Hua family?

Yu Shukuang said, “She hasn’t returned at all. Did you see her?”

Li Qingshan told him about how he had met Yu Zijian in the market below the Green Vine mountain.

Yu Shukuang sighed. “Thank you for your troubles. As long as she hasn’t endured any harassment, I can be relieved as her father. As for whether she joins the Academy of the Hundred Schools or the Green Vine mountain, that’s probably beyond our control.”

Li Qingshan said, “I’ll be visiting the Green Vine mountain again very soon. I’ll take a look at just exactly what has happened. Just wait for the news from me!” He took out another empty hundred treasures pouch and handed it to Yu Shukuang. “I still need you to collect food, but it’s not that urgent this time. Just keep an eye out when you go about your usual business. Remember, don’t alert too many people.”

The underground daemons had an endless demand for surface food, and it would also be his main method for controlling his subordinates as the leader of the daemon soldiers. He obviously needed someone to handle this for him.

Yu Shukuang said, “That’s easy. The Proud Sword manor has already purchased over a dozen large restaurants, and it’s in charge of several large grain vendors too. It’ll be much easier to handle this from here on out!”



Li Qingshan smiled. “That’s some dedication!” Yu Shukuang had lived up to all the time and effort Li Qingshan had spent on him. He was in need of a clever subordinate who could read between the lines and plan ahead. He did not have the time or energy to construct his own network of people, but Yu Shukuang was capable of this. Otherwise, how was he supposed to have managed to create such a large Proud Sword manor?

He handed all of his silver notes to Yu Shukuang. “Don’t hesitate about the money when it comes to handling this matter. In the future, you definitely won’t just be leading some figures of the jianghu.”

Yu Shukuang’s heart skipped a beat. He smiled. “If it won’t just be some figures of the jianghu, will there be Qi Practitioners as well? I don’t have that ability with my talent. I’ve reached the innate realm at such a late age, so it’s already quite impressive for me to be able to reach the second layer of Qi Practitioner.”

Li Qingshan’s face sank. “If you’re satisfied with the second layer, then forget I said anything.” Second layer Qi Practitioners were at the bottom of the food chain among Qi Practitioners. Not only would a subordinate like that fail to provide any great help to him, but he would probably even require him to resolve many issues for him. There would be no point in keeping a subordinate like that around.

Yu Shukuang looked into Li Qingshan’s eyes. His pitch-black irises seemed to be burning. The ambition and confidence hidden within made Yu Shukuang’s heart shiver slightly. Before this person, there was no need for him to act modest. It was the exact opposite. He needed to demonstrate sufficient ambition and confidence to gain his favour. This also happened to be his specialty.

“I heard that if you practise qi, practise qi, and then practise some more qi, you can overcome some sort of barrier and step into the world of immortals. I want to try.”

Only then did Li Qingshan smile. He placed a Pill of Spring Breeze and Rain into Yu Shukuang’s palm. “That realm is called Foundation Establishment. It means that everything is just the beginning.”

……

There was a hubbub of noise in the town as people gathered together, brushing past one another.

Qi Practitioners that regular people rarely ever saw were everywhere. Every single one of them were slightly eager and nervous. The once-a-decade Herb Gathering ceremony of the three mountains was about to begin in three day’s time.

The great adventure in the subterranean world was about to unfold. It was filled with opportunities and danger. Some people could strike it rich overnight, while others could die as nobodies. Everyone hoped to be the former and wished for everyone else to be the latter. They had made sufficient preparations as well. Their gazes towards one another had already become extremely cold.