Chapter 799: Mine District Turmoil (Part 3)

During Li Ji’an’s seclusion, the situation in the Dao Yi Realm underwent significant turmoil due to the two murder cases of the Cangyue Saintess and Murong Yan.

A few days later, the spies that the Qinglan Sect had planted outside reported that the Cangyuan Holy Land and the Murong family each dispatched several Nascent Soul True Monarchs, leading a large number of disciples with great momentum into the Black Stone Mine, with their target directly aimed at the Black Ze Pool.

The imposing presence of these two major forces made the atmosphere in the Black Stone Mine tense, with everyone on edge.

On the side of the Black Ze Pool, they naturally would not sit and wait for death. They simultaneously distanced themselves from True Monarch Yanze and sent people to ask for help from the Ye family behind them.

Soon, cultivators from the controlling Ye family behind the Black Stone Mine showed up and got involved in the matter.

Meanwhile, the Murong family also dispatched a Nascent Soul True Monarch to the Qinglan Sect to specifically inquire about the situation of True Monarch Qingxiao being nearby that day.

True Monarch Qingxiao, according to the previous account given by Li Ji’an, truthfully informed them about Li Ji’an being pursued by True Monarch Yanze.

After listening, the Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Murong family did not comment further or trouble Li Ji’an, only said lightly, “Understood,” and then turned and left the Qinglan Sect.

After Li Ji’an learned of this through the secret communication channels of the Dao Field, he understood well. The Murong family’s focus was clearly entirely on the Black Ze Pool at this moment, without the energy to concern themselves with him, the “victim.”

Half a month later, a massive upheaval occurred again in the Dao Yi Realm.

For some unknown reason, what was initially a one-sided accountability between the Cangyuan Holy Land, the Murong family, and the Black Ze Pool suddenly escalated. Direct conflict erupted between the Ye family and the Murong family, as well as Cangyuan Holy Land, with cultivators from both sides engaging in fierce battles near the Black Stone Mine, resulting in significant casualties.

Subsequent news gradually trickled in, revealing the reason to Li Ji’an.

It turned out that the Murong family and Cangyuan Holy Land, using True Monarch Yanze’s slaying of Cangyue Saintess and Murong Yan as a pretext, wanted to seize the ancient mine area controlled by the Black Ze Pool.

This ancient mine area was rich in high-tier spiritual mines, an important resource site for the Ye family. Since the Ye family was the actual controller behind the Black Ze Pool, they certainly could not agree to the unreasonable demands of the two major forces.

Negotiations broke down, and large-scale conflict eventually erupted.

A chance framing by Li Ji’an unexpectedly escalated into a confrontation among the five major forces, drawing the entire Dao Yi Realm’s attention to the Black Stone Mine.

Another half a month later, True Monarch Chengfeng of the Ye family personally ordered a summons to all forces affiliated with the Ye family, requiring them to send troops to the periphery of the Black Stone Mine to resist the forces supported by the Cangyuan Holy Land and the Murong family in the Central Mine Area.

As one of the forces affiliated with the Ye family, the Qinglan Sect naturally received the summons.

When the message reached the Qinglan Sect, Li Ji’an sensed through the restrictions of the Dao Field the waves of magical power from within the sect, breathing a long sigh of relief.

The development of the situation had completely exceeded his expectations. Not only did he successfully shake off the causality of Cangyue Saintess and Murong Yan’s deaths, but he also completely extricated himself due to the conflicts between the major forces.

However, the magical combat among the three major forces had already turned the entire Black Stone Mine into chaos, and as an affiliate of the Ye family, the Qinglan Sect would inevitably be involved in this dispute. Even from within the sect, he remained deeply intertwined in the vortex, unable to completely distance himself.

Fortunately, he had already cut off contact with the outside world under the pretext of retreating to recover from injuries, and True Monarch Qingxiao, busy preparing for front-line matters, had no plans to send him to the battlefield for now.

This also gave him ample time to improve his own strength.

As time passed day by day, the conflicts at the front line of the Black Stone Mine continued to escalate.

It was worth mentioning that in the Central Ancestral Origin Area, the core Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the five major forces would not personally come forward but rather control the supported forces, letting them fight at the forefront.

The Nascent Soul forces of the Qinglan Sect and Black Ze Pool joined forces with the various Core Formation powers of the Black Stone Mine to form a coalition, forming a standoff at the periphery of the Black Stone Mine against the forces supported by the Murong family and Cangyuan Holy Land.

This war was more like a game of resources and territorial influence for the core forces behind both sides.

As for those supported forces, they were also well aware and unwilling to truly risk their lives for the powers behind them.

Many forces even took this opportunity to demand a large amount of spiritual resources and magical treasures from the core forces behind them.

Therefore, although the fighting seemed intense at the front line, both sides held back and did not truly fight to the death, especially with regards to the battle power at the Nascent Soul level, which was rarely employed.

Most of the time, it was just small-scale probing and friction, with both sides putting on an act.

Five years passed in a flash.

Within the Qinglan Sect, the restrictions around Li Ji’an’s Dao Field remained tightly guarded, seemingly indicating to the outside world that he was still in seclusion recovering.

But beneath the Dao Field in the Underground Palace, it was a different scene.

At the center of the Underground Palace, a cluster of orange-red flames hovered in mid-air, which was the Little Fire Spirit.

At this moment, the Little Fire Spirit had grown considerably larger than it was five years ago, with its surrounding flames as solid as substance, surface flowing with faint golden patterns, exuding a rich and pure aura, already reaching the peak of Tier Three, just a step away from Tier Four transformation.

During these five years, it completely absorbed the energy of that Tier Four Gilded Spirit Flame, achieving a qualitative leap in strength.

Not far away, Li Ji’an sat cross-legged, with dozens of pieces of high-tier spiritual materials placed in front of him, all obtained from the relics of Cangyue Saintess, Murong Yan, and True Monarch Yanze five years ago.

His fingertips swirled with faint magical power, carefully polishing a piece of pitch-black meteoric iron.

Over these five years, he delved deeply into puppetry skills, using the high-tier spiritual materials acquired from the Celestial Essence Immortal City as practice, his strength advanced by leaps and bounds, already touching the threshold of a Tier Four Puppet.

Beside him stood a puppet crafted entirely from high-tier spiritual materials.

This puppet was three zhang tall, with a robust build, and its surface engraved with complex array patterns, emanating a faint pressure. It was the quasi-Tier Four Puppet he had spent five years painstakingly creating.

This puppet not only had astonishing defense power, but could also unleash several powerful offensive techniques, crushing late-stage Golden Core cultivators in battle power.

Besides, over these five years, Li Ji’an also thoroughly refined several high-tier magical treasures obtained from the three relics, including a Third Grade defensive magical treasure “Mysterious Water Shield,” a Third Grade offensive magical treasure “Thunder Fire Pearl,” and several high-tier talismans containing pure magical power.

The addition of these treasures greatly enhanced his overall strength.

Feeling the increasingly abundant magical power within his body and the advancement impulse coming from the Little Fire Spirit, Li Ji’an slowly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing briefly.

The five years were enough for external attention to gradually fade from the fall of the Saintess back then and enough for his “injuries” to “heal.”

He could no longer continue his secluded retreat.

The middle combat power at the Core Formation stage within the sect was already limited, and now with the front-line warfare intensifying, True Monarch Qingxiao would surely arrange for him to go to the front line to comply with the Ye family’s summons.

“It’s time to come out of seclusion.” Li Ji’an murmured to himself as he slowly stood up. He walked to the quasi-Tier Four Puppet’s side, patting its body, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

With this puppet in hand, even going to the front line without exposing other trump cards beyond his current realm, he had sufficient confidence to handle most situations.

Afterward, he recalled the Little Fire Spirit, placing it into his Dantian to nurture it.

After checking the small teleportation array within the Underground Palace to ensure the array was intact, he then turned and headed up towards the Dao Field.

Moments later, the restrictions around Li Ji’an’s Dao Field slowly dissipated, and a tall figure emerged, with a steady and concentrated aura, showing no sign of previous injuries.

He lifted his gaze towards the direction of the Qinglan Sect’s mountain gate, a profound look flashing in his eyes.

The battlefield at the Black Stone Mine was destined not to be peaceful.

It was also time for him to prepare for the Nascent Soul Formation of this life.