"Huff."
After seeing off another group of people, Li Mugui rubbed his temple, feeling somewhat exhausted.
Dealing with these people was much more tiring than cultivating.
He drank the remaining tea in his cup, and the refreshing coolness spread through his mouth, slightly alleviating the fatigue in his brain.
Having just ended his closed-door training and immediately encountered these successive events had indeed consumed a lot of his energy.
He couldn't rush to cultivate anymore.
He should take a good rest for a few days.
With this in mind, he summoned Zhang Ji and Ying Yanxin.
He gave them instructions on what he had just discussed with the official from Qianzhu Merchants' Guild.
Especially since Qianzhu Merchants' Guild would be delivering weapons to fight against the beast tide and deploying various personnel in the upcoming days, all of which required coordination from the City Lord's mansion.
After listening, Ying Yanxin didn't react much, but Zhang Ji was somewhat excited.
"Great! With the help of Qianzhu Merchants' Guild and the might of our City Lord, our Feiying City will definitely take the lead in this beast tide!"
He was very excited because in the past, due to various limitations, Feiying City had basically adopted an attitude of participation towards the beast tide.
When had they ever fought such a wealthy battle?
"My Lord, Yanxin will do my utmost to share your burden!"
Ying Yanxin also actively expressed his determination.
Li Mugui nodded in agreement.
...
Fujun Hall.
Tang Wei gently tapped on the purple sandalwood table in front of him as he listened to Chen Yuanzhong's report.
"... In short, Li Mugui not only defeated Xu Wenxuan this time but also established a relationship with him."
Chen Yuanzhong reported all the information he had obtained.
"It seems that I have underestimated his abilities," Tang Wei said with a stony face, then asked, "You said he has a master?"
"Yes," Chen Yuanzhong nodded and continued, "This information came from the mouths of Pei Liangji and Xu Wenxuan."
He then relayed the deliberately leaked information by Li Mugui, including the secret technique that allowed him to rapidly increase his strength.
"So that's how he was able to leap from the second to the third level of martial arts. It turns out he cultivated a secret technique."
Tang Wei muttered to himself.
"Now that he has been forced to terminate his secret art, his cultivation speed will return to normal in the future."
"There is no need to worry about his rapid growth."
Tang Wei pondered for a moment, then frowned. "No, even so, his current strength is already formidable enough."
"Just relying on his sword intent alone is enough to intimidate Xu Wenxuan into not daring to attack."
"This kind of strength cannot be underestimated."
"What's more, he has a master whose strength is unknown..."
He fell into deep thought.
Chen Yuanzhong reminded him, "Governor, according to the information we have obtained, his master's whereabouts are uncertain, and he is not currently in Liang'an Prefecture."
"But even with his current strength, I'm not sure if I can defeat him if I were to go up against him," Tang Wei frowned. "If he escapes and finds his master, it could cause big trouble for the prince."
"Governor, we have already formed a deadly enmity with him," Chen Yuanzhong said slowly. "Leaving him unchecked could pose a threat in the future."
"Moreover, as long as it's not us who make the move, it should be fine, right?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Wei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Has the prince sent a reply?"
Chen Yuanzhong nodded and took out a letter from his pocket.
Tang Wei took the envelope, opened it, and his previously furrowed brows immediately smoothed out.
"I didn't expect the prince to be so determined to eliminate Li Mugui!"
There was a chill in his eyes. "Since that's the case, let's proceed according to the prince's instructions."
"Contact the demon kings of the Cangmang Mountain Range and offer them a 20% discount on our transactions for the next five years if they can kill Li Mugui during the beast tide!"
"Yes, sir!"
Chen Yuanzhong bowed and was about to turn around to make the arrangements.
"Wait a moment," Tang Wei seemed to have thought of something and gave another order. "Take that late third-realm demon king's core and send it to that tiger."
"Tell him it's a gift from me."
"My demand is that he must personally go and kill Li Mugui!"
He sneered, his eyes filled with cruelty.
"I obey your orders, sir."
...
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed.
In the backyard of the City Lord's mansion in Feiying City.
Li Mugui closed his eyes tightly, and his aura became increasingly heavier as the genuine qi inside his body was highly compressed.
After accumulating for half a year, he had pushed his cultivation to the limit of the Furnace Refining Realm.
Especially with the enhancement of countless invaluable spirit medicines and treasure pills, his physical state had also reached its peak.
However, Li Mugui still had not broken through to the Myriad Manifestations Realm.
He was just a little bit off.
He opened his eyes.
His physical state had been adjusted, and his experience with the genuine special effects had given him a sufficient understanding of the Myriad Manifestations Realm.
What remained was the artistic conception.
To break through to the Myriad Manifestations Realm, one must comprehend their own artistic conception.
Such as his father Li Tai's fist intention, Xu Wenxuan's blade intention, and so on.
He had already condensed the rudiment of sword intention before, but after more than half a year of polishing, the rudiment remained a rudiment.
"It seems that relying only on meditation is indeed difficult to cultivate a true sword intention."
Li Mugui shook his head helplessly and stood up.
However, the current situation did not allow him to go out and gain experience.
Because in just a little while, the beast tide would strike.
He had to station himself in Feiying City.
He would consider this matter after the beast tide had passed.
Or... perhaps he could go out and kill a few demonic beasts during the beast tide to try it out?
Countless thoughts emerged in Li Mugui's mind.
"Forget it, it's too dangerous."
In the end, he denied this idea.
It would be safer to wait patiently until after the beast tide, use the Thousand Faces Illusion Technique to change into a new appearance, and then travel around Dongshan Prefecture to challenge various heroes.
Speaking of which, if he managed to make a name for himself while using a different identity.
Would the special effects system correspondingly gain "Reputation"?
If not, wouldn't that be a waste?
Li Mugui pondered this in his heart, and then opened the panel that he had not opened for a long time:
[Realm: Martial Arts Second Realm - Furnace Refining Realm Late Peak]
[Realm Special Effect: Myriad Manifestations]
[Skill Special Effects: Sword in Sheath Roaring Dragon, Blizzard Rage, Heavenly Light Piercing the Clouds]
[Aura Special Effects: Swordsman, Fierce God]
[Reputation: 589/1000]
[Available Trial Uses of Real Special Effects Function (Beta): 2]
Not long after Xu Wenxuan and the others left Feiying City, his "Reputation" had indeed experienced a surge.
As a result, there was a new skill special effect on the panel - "Heavenly Light Piercing the Clouds."
However, Li Mugui had not had the time to test its effect.
But he could still trust the quality of the special effects system.
When his gaze shifted to the last column, he furrowed his brow slightly.
Although he still had two opportunities remaining, he had a strange premonition in his heart.
He would soon use up one of those opportunities.