Chapter 49: Visitors from the Talisman Hall

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Visitors from the Talisman Hall The others were equally stunned. A Core Formation cultivator was the peak of power in Guyang County. Though some knew of Master Gu from Juyuan Pavilion, they were still awed by his presence.

"Greetings, Master Gu."

"Congratulations on your breakthrough to Core Formation, Master Gu."

Flattery filled the air, overshadowing even the Li family patriarch's presence, though he didn't mind. Instead, he felt a surge of excitement. A Core Formation cultivator had come to witness the Li family's Young Master selection—what an honor! If word of this spread, the Li family's prestige would soar.

But why had Master Gu come? The patriarch hadn't invited him.

Master Gu saw the patriarch's puzzled expression and smiled. "I came uninvited. I hope you don't mind, Patriarch Li. I'm here because young friend Lu invited me for a drink."

The patriarch dared not refuse and quickly invited him to sit. Master Gu scanned the room, his eyes lighting up when he saw Lu An. He walked over to join him.

The patriarch's curiosity grew, and just then, Li Ziyou approached. Pulling him aside, the patriarch asked quietly, "Who is that young man with you?"

Li Ziyou followed his gaze and quickly realized. "That's Lu An, my friend. I invited him to help me pass the Talisman Arts challenge."

The head of the Li family nodded, realizing that this young man held considerable influence. Given that Zi You and this person were close, it would be hard to definitively conclude the matter of the position of the young patriarch. He had initially favored Li Zi Mu, but today's successive changes had altered his perception. At this moment, he placed Li Zi You on an equal footing with Li Zi Mu.

"The County Guard is here!"

With this announcement, everyone present stood and bowed in greeting, except for Gu Chuanfei, who merely smiled and nodded. The County Guard's prestige in Gu County was unmatched.

Li Zi Mu naturally did not miss this opportunity to make a good impression and quickly rose from his seat to welcome him.

"Greetings, County Guard."

The County Guard glanced at him but did not respond, instead giving a slight nod to the head of the Li family and heading toward Li Zi You.

Li Zi You was overjoyed, thinking that the County Guard seemed to favor him. However, he soon realized that the County Guard's attention was not on him but rather on the person behind him, Lu An. At that moment, he was even more relieved that he had invited Lu An.

Lu An stood and greeted the County Guard with a smile:

"Greetings, County Guard. I didn't expect Mr. Mu to also be here."

Mr. Mu, standing behind the County Guard, waved his hand and spoke:

"I'm old, just here to join in the fun."

After that, the two of them exchanged greetings with Gu Chuanfei and began to converse.

"Lu Xiaoyou, how are the talismans coming along?"

"The Ningxin Talisman has made some progress, but the other two still need some time."

"I'm not impatient; it's just that Mr. Mu's lifespan is limited. Each day of delay decreases the chances of advancement. I hope you understand."

"Of course, rest assured, I will do my best."

Li Zi Mu was left standing alone, observing the conversations with a very dark expression. The head of the Li family, on the other hand, looked thoughtful, with his internal balance tipping once again.

The arrival of the County Guard caused another stir. Everyone hurried to pay their respects, even people from Li Zi Mu's side.

As a result, the right side, where Li Zi You and others were, grew increasingly crowded, while Li Zi Mu's side became more desolate. The few people remaining on Li Zi Mu's side looked hesitant and uncertain.

The head of the Li family summoned a disciple and asked:

"Have all the invited guests arrived?"

The disciple bowed and replied:

"Reporting to the patriarch, only the people from the Talisman Hall have not yet arrived."

"Talisman Hall... I see. We'll wait a bit longer."

It wasn't long before the people from the Talisman Hall arrived, including Elder Zhang, whom Lu An had met during the examination.

Seeing that everyone had gone to the right side, the Great Elder of the Talisman Hall realized their position was weak, so he personally came out to invite the Talisman Hall representatives to the left side.

Elder Zhang nodded slightly, about to proceed, but suddenly noticed the arrangements on the right, causing him a moment of shock.

"Who are these two Foundation Establishment cultivators? I've never seen them before."

"Mr. Mu is here, and so is the County Guard?"

"Hmm? Who is this person? Such a presence, could it be another Core Formation cultivator?"

Various thoughts raced through his mind, and then he said:

"Great Elder, there's no need to be polite. I'll just find a spot on the right side."

With that, he turned his back and walked toward the County Guard and others, leaving the Great Elder with a conflicted expression.

The head of the Li family was secretly astonished, impressed by the Talisman Hall's disregard for even the Great Elder of the Talisman Hall. He had already made up his mind and signaled someone to him, giving secret instructions.

Since the third round would be decided by the family elders' votes, his opinion would be crucial. Whoever he favored would win, provided that person could make it through the second round. If the opponent won 2-0, the subsequent rounds would be unnecessary.

Li Zi Mu appeared disheartened, his earlier confidence now gone.

The Great Elder came to his side and reassured him:

"Don't worry, we still have a chance. As long as we win the second round, you can directly become the young patriarch. All their support will be in vain."

Hearing this, Li Zi Mu solemnly nodded, hope rekindled on his face. He turned to Su Pei:

"Brother Su, I leave this match to you. Make sure to suppress that Lu An."

Su Pei waved his hand dismissively:

"I've already learned about his background. He managed to draw a complete first-level talisman during the Talisman Hall's teaching session, showing strong abilities."

"But I've also not wasted these days. It's still uncertain who will come out on top."

Li Zi Mu, hearing this, flattered Su Pei further, making him laugh heartily and gain confidence.

Elder Zhang arrived at the right side, greeted the County Guard and others, and joined the conversation. However, he was slightly surprised to find that the topic of discussion was centered around a young man nearby.

This was quite surprising, and he looked at Lu An, feeling increasingly familiar, though he couldn't place him immediately.

"This young friend, have we met somewhere before?"

Lu An smiled slightly and casually said:

"A few months ago, I participated in the Talisman Hall examination but missed the date. I had a brief encounter with Elder Zhang then."

He didn't think much of it, as it was normal for someone like him to be forgotten by Elder Zhang. Upon hearing this, Elder Zhang thought for a moment and then remembered.

He was struck with realization and said:

"I see. It's a pity. The examination date for next year has already been set. I'll have someone notify you in advance, so it shouldn't happen again."

Lu An waved his hand nonchalantly, seeming indifferent about attending or not.

"That's fine."

Elder Zhang didn't say more; as someone of his status, extending an invitation was already giving enough face, and being overly proactive could be a disadvantage. If Lu An had some ability, he might help improve performance; otherwise, it would be a wasted spot.

However, remembering the previous examination, he was infuriated. He had made exceptions for the Su family, but they had broken their promise and failed to facilitate connections, rendering his efforts futile. The move to Yongning County became a pipe dream. seaʀᴄh thё nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Meanwhile, the head of the Li family saw that all the guests had arrived and returned to the stage.

"Thank you all for coming to witness the Li family's contest for the young patriarch."

"I declare that the competition officially begins!"