"But..." The fox demon seemed to want to say more, but was immediately cut off by Li Qianren.
"There are no buts. Since the Jade Dragon Secret Realm has emerged ahead of time, I will accelerate my plans." A look of determination flashed across Li Qianren's face.
"No, your body won't be able to handle it!" The fox demon grew increasingly worried.
"I know my own body better than anyone," Li Qianren replied coldly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Leave me."
The fox demon hesitated, but ultimately said nothing more. She knew Li Qianren well—once he set his mind on something, not even death could deter him. No amount of persuasion would change his mind.
Sigh.
The fox demon let out a soft sigh and vanished into the shadows.
"Someone, come here," Li Qianren called out toward the door.
Not long after, a demon slayer entered and bowed respectfully. "Lord Li, what are your orders?"
"Fetch Gu Qingfeng for me."
"Yes." The demon slayer disappeared in a flash.
About half an incense stick's worth of time later, the demon slayer returned.
"Lord Li, Gu Qingfeng is not at the Demon Suppression Bureau."
Li Qianren glanced at the dark sky and suddenly realized the time. "Is it already this late? He must be at the Heavenly Fragrance Tower then."
The Demon Suppression Bureau was filled with his informants, so Li Qianren had long been aware of Gu Qingfeng's frequent visits to the Heavenly Fragrance Tower. This time of day was when Gu Qingfeng usually frequented the establishment.
"Go to the Heavenly Fragrance Tower and bring him here," Li Qianren ordered.
"Yes."
Another incense stick's worth of time passed, and the demon slayer returned empty-handed once more.
"Lord Li, Gu Qingfeng is not at the Heavenly Fragrance Tower either."
Li Qianren was taken aback. "Impossible. At this hour, Gu Qingfeng is always at the Heavenly Fragrance Tower, rain or shine. How could he not be there today?"
After a moment of thought, Li Qianren asked, "Did he take someone with him?"
The demon slayer shook his head. "I questioned the women Gu Qingfeng usually requests. They said they hadn't seen him all day.
I also asked around other women, fearing he might have grown tired of his usual choices, but no one had seen him. The staff at the Heavenly Fragrance Tower are likely telling the truth, as Gu Qingfeng's visits are always grand affairs. Sometimes he even reserves all the top courtesans, so if he were there, everyone in the establishment would know."
Li Qianren fell silent, though it was unclear whether he was stunned by Gu Qingfeng's extravagance or troubled by his absence.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Send more people to search. Check every brothel in Wutong Prefecture."
"Yes, Lord Li."
After the demon slayer left, Li Qianren felt a growing sense of unease. Gu Qingfeng was devoted to the Heavenly Fragrance Tower and rarely went elsewhere. If he couldn't be found now, had something happened to him?
With the Jade Dragon Secret Realm on the verge of opening, Gu Qingfeng's disappearance was a critical issue. He was a key part of the plan, and without him, all of Li Qianren's preparations would be for naught.
Gu Qingfeng must not be lost!
...
Meanwhile, at the residence of the weasel spirit.
Having finished his barbecue, Gu Qingfeng let out a satisfied burp and casually wiped his greasy hands on a paper servant. He had to admit, paper was surprisingly effective for cleaning.
After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Gu Qingfeng grew bored and decided to inspect the three treasures given to him by Demon Pu.
The first was the Kalan Pearl, a Mid-grade Heavenly Tier Spirit Weapon that constantly emitted a faint Buddhist glow.
After binding it with a drop of his blood, Gu Qingfeng understood its abilities. The Kalan Pearl was a versatile treasure, capable of both offense and defense. It could unleash Buddhist light to attack, effective against both humans and demons, though it was particularly potent against evil spirits.
Defensively, it offered protection against both physical and spiritual attacks, with a stronger focus on the latter.
In short, the Kalan Pearl was a well-rounded treasure.
The second item was a dark wooden carving.
Gu Qingfeng held the carving in his hand and examined it closely. It depicted a monstrous figure with three eyes and eight arms, its face bearing an eerie yet solemn smile, reminiscent of a deity worshipped by some sinister cult.
He channeled his spiritual energy to scan the carving's internal structure and soon realized what it was.
Thunderstruck wood!
Thunderstruck wood was wood struck by lightning during a storm, imbued with a trace of heavenly thunder's power.
However, this was no ordinary Thunderstruck wood—it was the heartwood of an Emperor Willow, struck by lightning and transformed.
The Emperor Willow's heartwood was the primary material used to forge the Wood King Sword!
Withdrawing his spiritual energy, Gu Qingfeng's eyes gleamed with delight.
The Wood King Sword had once been an Earth-grade Superior Spirit Weapon forged from Emperor Willow heartwood, but after being damaged, it had fallen to the Dark rank Inferior level. Despite Gu Qingfeng's efforts to restore it using rare materials and even slaying a locust tree demon, it had remained stagnant at the Dark rank.
The Emperor Willow heartwood was simply too rare, and no ordinary wood-type treasure could compare.
Gu Qingfeng had thought the Wood King Sword would never rise above its current state, but Demon Pu had come through!
With this Thunderstruck Emperor Willow heartwood, restoring the Wood King Sword to its former Earth-grade Superior glory was within reach—perhaps even elevating it to the Heavenly Tier.
This Thunderstruck wood was even more valuable than regular Emperor Willow heartwood, as it carried a trace of heavenly thunder's essence.
Since reaching a cultivation level comparable to the Dragon Transformation Realm, Gu Qingfeng had found the Wood King Sword increasingly useless—its power was too low, making it more of a burden than a tool. However, Gu Qingfeng was sentimental. This was his first spirit weapon, and it contained the power of the old locust tree demon. He had promised to keep the old locust tree by his side, so he couldn't bring himself to sell the sword.
Now, with this Thunderstruck Emperor Willow heartwood, the Wood King Sword was set for an epic upgrade, and Gu Qingfeng could keep it after all.
Eagerly, he took out the Wood King Sword and had it devour the dark wooden carving.
The sword obliged, extending countless branches and vines to envelop and consume the carving. Afterward, it became completely unresponsive, as if it had fallen into a deep slumber, no matter how Gu Qingfeng tried to command it.
"It must be full and needs time to digest," Gu Qingfeng muttered, tossing the sword into his dimensional storage.
Next, he retrieved the third item: a small jade vial.
Removing the stopper, he tipped the vial, and a crystal-clear, jade-like pill rolled into his palm.
He sniffed it, and a peculiar medicinal aroma filled his nostrils, instantly invigorating him. It felt as though every cell in his body was cheering with newfound vitality.
"The Nine Revolutions Soul Revival Pill!" Gu Qingfeng exclaimed in amazement. "This is the legendary pill said to revive the dead and restore flesh to bones!"