"Boom~" The entire forest below shook as if the heavens had collapsed.

"I must obtain you!"

The intense rumble spread across thousands of miles, causing Profound Light Immortal City to sense it.

Li Ji’an, who was patrolling the streets, felt his heart jump. Gugu was closer to that place, feeling it even more clearly. If that strike was unleashed just above Gugu, it might force Gugu out.

This is the power of the late-stage Core Formation!

"Old Zhao, this Supreme Elder..." Another servant disciple patrolling with Zhao Ming tugged on Zhao Ming’s sleeve, showing a puzzled expression.

"Pa!" Li Ji’an directly slapped the back of his head: "Hold it back!"

"Little rascal, dare to talk about anything? The Supreme Elder is not someone you can comment on. If you want to die, don’t drag me with you."

"Yes, yes, I misspoke, misspoke." The young disciple immediately responded, sneaking a glance around and pretended to cover his mouth.

Although Zhao Ming was widely known for his gambling habits, he relied on his seniority to be loud and brash in the patrol team.

Of course, besides borrowing Spirit Stones.

Everyone in the team had lent him Spirit Stones, and none had ever been returned.

Three days later, another sect disciple arrived at Zhao Ming’s patrol team.

Soon after, the captain, who cultivated Earth Element Techniques and was skilled in Earth Escape, was taken away by an Inner Sect disciple.

Upon leaving, Zhao Ming was appointed as the acting captain.

Upon learning of this, Li Ji’an felt a slight relief in his heart.

This patrol captain was merely an early-stage Foundation Establishment Outer Sect disciple. Although skilled in Earth Escape, the deepest he could escape into the ground was ten zhang.

If even a cultivator like this was tasked with carpet-searching, the depth Gugu escaped into would be generally safe. Even if Gugu was squatting right under his feet, he wouldn’t be able to detect it.

Otherwise, if a powerhouse with late-stage Core Formation capabilities was dispatched, Gugu might indeed be forced to reveal himself.

Sure enough, in the following three months, numerous sect disciples began searching underground in the Profound Light Immortal City area.

Someone like True Man Chunyuan, who used violent blasting methods, was few and far between.

Most only searched within ten zhang underground, at most not exceeding a depth of twenty zhang.

Where Gugu was hiding, no threatening person had appeared yet.

"Should they be about to give up?" Li Ji’an thought while lying on the Grandmaster’s Chair of the patrol team.

During these three months as acting captain, he announced a vow to quit gambling so as not to waste the cultivation bestowed by the Holy Palace, officially abstaining while contributing to the Holy Palace, thus avoiding having to intentionally lose or win a few taels of Spiritual Sand at the gambling den daily.

"Captain Zhao." That night, as Li Ji’an prepared to practice the "Ancient Demon Suppression Technique" while no one was around, someone quietly visited.

Three breaths prior, sensing the visitor’s aura, Li Ji’an was quite surprised. The person was the City Lord of Profound Light Immortal City and also the External Affairs Hall Elder of Ten Thousand Laws Palace, an early-stage True Core cultivator.

"Zhao Ming greets the City Lord!"

"No need for formalities, I have an important matter to entrust you with today. If done well, you’ll have plenty of benefits from now on."

"City Lord, feel free to order; I will certainly accomplish it well." Zhao Ming assured immediately with a pat on his chest.

"This task was always handled by Chen, but since Chen is now sent away on a mission, it’s your opportunity." The City Lord casually explained.

Li Ji’an showed a delighted expression accordingly.

"You should be quite familiar with the situation in Cien District, aren’t you?" The City Lord asked again.

"To report to the City Lord, I have guarded here for twenty years, knowing each household’s number of people, who was born which year, whether it’s a son or daughter, and their Spirit Root—everything is crystal clear!" Li Ji’an confidently declared.

He wasn’t boasting, Zhao Ming truly had a thorough understanding in this aspect.

Of course, not for the welfare of the lower-level cultivators but because he was always picking easy targets.

"Oh? Then this task truly fits you the best. You have to seize this opportunity; if you can win over True Man Chunyuan, the future is limitless." The City Lord nodded in satisfaction.

"True Man Chunyuan?" Li Ji’an immediately tightened his heart.

"Indeed, he is our Holy Palace’s True Man Chunyuan. The venerable master has devoted his life to the Alchemy Skill, cultivating many alchemical geniuses for our Holy Palace. Unfortunately, he has yet to meet anyone with superior talent in the alchemy dao to inherit his extraordinary alchemy path.

He has thus resolved that since the quality can’t win, he will pave a new path, attempting to widely impart the alchemy dao, especially to the orphans in this city block.

But these orphans’ Spirit Roots and talents are naturally insufficient to normally enter our Holy Palace, so their Alchemy Skill can only be secretly imparted.

Select two who are under fifteen years old, Child Boy and Girl, and personally bring them to Fly Immortal Peak; here’s the token.

Remember, don’t let any third party find out about this matter as it violates the Holy Palace’s rules."

"..." After listening to the City Lord, Li Ji’an was stunned.

Secretive, Child Boy and Girl?

Secretly imparting Alchemy Skill?

Who are you trying to fool!

Suddenly, some memories from Zhao Ming also flooded into Li Ji’an’s mind.

No wonder poor orphans often went missing over the years—turns out the previous captain was capturing them to send to the Pill King!

"Has the venerable elder returned to the Holy Palace?"

"Indeed, recently seeking Spirit Flames to benefit the Holy Palace, the Elder has been truly laborious, exerting his full strength daily, consuming vastly, needing a few days to recuperate at the Palace." The City Lord replied.

"Alright!" Li Ji’an felt a small move in his heart, and without further ado.

The shantytown district has many orphans.

Previously, they mostly lived in nearby secular gathering places, which eventually encountered rampant Demon Beasts.

It’s said Ten Thousand Laws Palace specifically divided a charitable area for these orphans, leading them to migrate here from afar.

Li Ji’an cannot refuse the City Lord Mansion’s demands, nor ascertain what the renowned Pill King intends to do with these orphans.

Yet, as of now, he has no choice!