Chapter 556: Chapter 291: Surviving a Millennium Through Scheming (Extended Chapter) (Part 2)

The Taoist Withered Fate emphasized again.

In Zhang Yuan’s eyes, there was a hint of confusion as he said, "Supreme, does Li An have some significant influence on this matter?"

The Taoist Withered Fate shook his head, sighed, and said, "Wang Ji’s disciple is about to become an Immortal, but unfortunately, she’s too entangled with worldly matters, all focused on Li An!"

"What a karmic entanglement indeed!"

"That girl wants to become an Immortal and is bound to eliminate Li An, her Heart Demon... But Li An is a disciple of our Dao Sect, not a demonic person from the Demon Dao. How can he be sacrificed for the sake of Tan Qingxue? We are the Dao Sect, not the Demon Sect where right and wrong are blurred!"

"If Tan Qingxue kills Li An to become an Immortal, what meaning does becoming an Immortal have? This act already falls into the Demon Dao!"

He spoke with grave seriousness, "Years ago, Taiqingzi almost made a grave mistake. I cannot sit back and watch others go astray!"

"Li An must not die, he is innocent! Tan Qingxue must find a way to break her own tribulation!"

"I would rather the Dao Sect have one less Immortal than add another blood debt!"

Zhang Yuan instantly understood, and he could not help but bow deeply to the Taoist Withered Fate, saying, "Supreme, thank you for your efforts—"

...

After returning to the island, Zhang Yuan immediately adjusted the island’s affairs as the Taoist Withered Fate instructed.

Many of the hard and heavy tasks originally undertaken by Li An were transferred to Chu Lin and Zhao Yuan. Chu Lin and Zhao Yuan were not happy about it, but they dared not show the slightest sign and had to accept it with a smile.

What could they do, given Li An had such strong backing!

"Elder Li, you have been working too hard these years, and the island cannot do without you. So, you will still need to stay on the island, but you don’t have to worry about those miscellaneous tasks anymore; just focus on your cultivation."

Zhang Yuan said with a smile.

Li An cupped his hands gratefully, "Thank you for your great kindness, Elder Zhang. Li An will never forget it!"

...

Under Zhang Yuan’s arrangements, Li An moved into the most secure cave dwelling on the island, and the surrounding protective array was quietly upgraded to a higher level.

This only made Li An more worried.

What’s really going on?

Who the hell wants to kill me...?

He thought carefully but couldn’t figure it out.

Evil Demon?

Ordinary Evil Demons wouldn’t dare to show up, unless it was someone like Shangguan Shengxian.

But if it really were Shangguan Shengxian, what the Taoist Withered Fate was doing would be like alerting the enemy, directly telling the other party that Li An was under their protection.

What the Taoist Withered Fate did for Li An seemed more like a warning to others.

Do not touch him!

"Could it be someone within the Dao Sect?"

This is very likely.

"No, I cannot be so passive!"

Li An muttered.

Although the Taoist Withered Fate is currently protecting him strictly, he also cannot entrust his life entirely to the Taoist Withered Fate.

Furthermore, Li An doesn’t even know the real intentions of the Taoist Withered Fate and is just guessing.

What if the Taoist Withered Fate is also a man of ulterior motives?

In the stone cave where he was retreating, Li An set up four layers of arrays, covering isolation, attack, and defense.

Then he arranged hundreds of runes aimed at Divine Soul attacks within the array, among other things.

Anyone who could make the Taoist Withered Fate take them seriously and target Li An would surely have the ability to perform the Mahayana Carefree Travel, with their Primordial Spirit flying directly in to slay Li An, and to whom could Li An complain?

But these things could only guard against the Harmonization Level.

A true Mahayana, or even a Crossing the Tribulation level, or Immortal, would render all of these useless.

The only useful things are two: the heavenly thunder in the Immortal coffin and the teapot lid buried on the island!

The heavenly thunder is highly lethal to the Primordial Spirit, while the teapot lid has an unknown but tremendous power.

But these two things absolutely cannot be used.

Otherwise, his trump cards and all hidden assets would be directly exposed.

Escape?

No, now that he’s shrouded by the Immortal Light of Withered Fate, where could he run?

Returning to the Dao Sect and having Xiang Yuntian guard him could be one way... but this isn’t very promising. For one, Xiang Yuntian’s strength is limited, only at the Crossing the Tribulation level. If the opponent is an Immortal, Xiang Yuntian won’t be able to protect Li An; the disaster on the Cliff of Reflection might repeat itself.

Secondly, once the grand ceremony of becoming an Immortal begins, Xiang Yuntian, as the head of a peak, will have to come out, and then Li An would follow him out, sticking to him all the time? It’s not very realistic to think about.

"No, that’s not right..."

Li An analyzed carefully and suddenly had a new understanding.

The fact that Withered Fate deliberately had Li An protected and gave him the protective Immortal Light, what does it mean?

It means at least from Withered Fate’s perspective, doing so is enough—

Perhaps Withered Fate just wants to send a signal that he’s watching over Li An, asking that person to restrain themselves and not act recklessly.

The opponent is significant enough for Withered Fate to take notice but not stronger than Withered Fate!

The opponent needs to give Withered Fate face, and likewise, Withered Fate doesn’t want things to get too ugly, so doing this is also a subtle reminder to the opponent!

These two pieces of information... are implied in Withered Fate’s actions.

"Some major figure within the Dao Sect—"

Li An narrowed his eyes; he couldn’t guess who it might be, but thinking it over, perhaps cooperating with Withered Fate’s plan now is the best option...

This move by Withered Fate is very likely to work.

"Additionally, an extra layer of insurance is needed—"

Li An thought for a moment, then took out a half-dead young man from the Immortal coffin—

This person was a genius from the Five Elements Sect, with cultivation at the Harmonization level, who entered this place hundreds of years ago for training, met an accident, and was severely injured. Li An then captured him.

Li An did not do nothing, for completely risk-free prey... he never refused anyone.