Chapter 156 - 155: Taking it Seriously

Chapter 156: Chapter 155: Taking it Seriously

"Hmph." Liu Tao snorted lightly, her way of responding to Chen Qingyang.

"You’ve finally said something nice for a change. It makes all my worrying about you worthwhile. So, tell me, you’ve been gone for days. What was all the commotion you went to see?"

Chen Qingyang replied, "Things have gotten very complicated. The Demon Sect claims the Cyan Nether Sword Embryo was taken by our Tai Xu Sect, but our own disciples say the Demon Sect took it. Now, no one knows where it is."

Liu Tao just smiled, seeming to have known this all along. "Sounds to me like you went to see all that commotion for nothing. You’re still completely in the dark."

Chen Qingyang caught the implication in her words. "Senior Sister, did Xuanwei Master tell you all something?"

Liu Tao nodded lightly. "That’s right. Besides Master Zhu, three more Masters have arrived at Nine True Temple, making four in total. And they brought two hundred Inner Sect Disciples with them. That’s a considerable force."

"Just a little while ago today, the Masters gathered all of us disciples. According to their deductions, what appeared at the foot of Bailuo Mountain wasn’t the Cyan Nether Sword Embryo, but a few wisps of Sword Qi left over from a battle three years ago."

"It was those few wisps of Sword Qi that lured many Tai Xu Sect disciples there, only for them to be surrounded by Demon Sect Disciples who rushed to the scene. As for the Sword Embryo you’re so obsessed with, no one has any idea where it is."

At this, she sighed softly. "I was so worried you’d get mixed up in it. I’m just glad you came back safe and sound. The waters are only getting muddier. Our Cultivation is nothing here; we don’t even rank. We should just quietly wait for the Masters’ next move."

It was true. The information Chen Qingyang had worked so hard to obtain was nothing compared to the Masters’ deductions.

Besides, with the Demon Sect having suffered so many casualties, any of their disciples who showed up from now on would only have higher Cultivation. It would be increasingly difficult to find any opportunities.

"So, did the Masters say what the next step is?"

Liu Tao uttered a single word: "Wait."

Chen Qingyang replied, "’Wait,’ huh? At least this time, Senior Sister, you won’t have to patrol the mountains and put yourself in danger. I can also meditate in peace for a few days and consolidate my Cultivation."

...

After speaking with Liu Tao, he began to meditate and cultivate once more. He was utterly exhausted and in desperate need of recovery.

He first mobilized his Mingtang True Fire to continue the Refinement of the strange energy within him. Then, he shut out the world, his mind focused solely on meditation.

Once this wisp of energy was completely eliminated, he exhaled the Dense Qi and inhaled the Pure, beginning to restore his Cultivation.

[Chen Qingyang]

[Essence Condensation Second Realm]

[Great Soul Scripture: (15/10,000)]

[Tai Xu Star Pivot Purple Micro True Skill (Starlight Body): (23/6,000)]

[Danxia Nourishing Truth Sword Manual: (14,876/16,000)]

[Tier Five Nameless Elixir: (1/10,000)]

[Nine Luminaries Array: (1/1,000)]

[Tier Four Earth Root Rejuvenation Pill: (468/1,000)]

[Tier Four Spirit Yang Breaking Yuan Pill: (142/1,000)]

[Available Immortal Seedlings: 1]

’Small golden words floated before my eyes. Since entering Nine True Mountain, my Cultivation has advanced to the Essence Condensation Second Realm. I’m just one step away from breaking through to the Essence Condensation Third Realm.’

’At that point, I’ll open the third Jiang Palace Acupoint and cultivate the Essence of my entire body. My whole Qi Mechanism will change again.’ Chen Qingyang mused, ’With my current level of fine control over True Essence, I’m afraid this realm might be my limit.’

’The only other path is to announce my breakthrough into the Inner Sect. It’s easy enough to disguise the Essence Condensation Third Realm as the Essence Condensation Realm, but faking it all the way down to Qi Refining is practically impossible, especially in front of a Foundation Establishment Master.’

’Of course, there’s also the option of advancing my Great Soul Scripture, but this volume of the Dharma Gate will soon be maxed out. As for whether I should go looking for Volume Three... I have no plans to do so for the time being.’

’This world is unfathomably vast, and the origins of the Great Soul Scripture are too mysterious. Who knows? If I obtain Volume Three, I might end up with a pair of eyes watching me from the shadows.’

’It’s better to be a little slow than to make even the slightest mistake. As long as I proceed carefully, reaching the summit is practically a certainty.’

When he opened his eyes, he slowly exhaled a breath of Dense Qi. He felt utterly refreshed, his spirit invigorated.

He didn’t see Liu Tao across the way, so after washing up, he stood in the courtyard. His gaze fell upon several rose bushes, their buds poised to bloom.

’I’ve been here for over ten days now,’ he thought, ’and I’ve never really taken a good look at this little courtyard.’ Since there was nothing urgent to attend to, he simply stood there for a long time.

About half an hour later, Liu Tao walked in from outside. Seeing Chen Qingyang in such a leisurely mood, she giggled. "Junior Brother, are the flowers pretty?"

Her smile was like a blossoming flower, her pink robes accentuating her beauty. She moved with a slow, deliberate grace that was nothing short of exquisite.

A pity, then, that Chen Qingyang was immune to such charms. He asked in all seriousness, "Senior Sister, how long was I in seclusion?"

’If it had only been one night, Liu Tao would have been here when I opened my eyes,’ he thought. ’Given the circumstances, it must have been longer than a day.’

"Heh!" As expected, his question earned him Liu Tao’s sarcastic retort. "Only three days. About the same as last time. Something’s been off about you lately. You’re either out and about, or you come back and immediately meditate for days on end. Did something happen?"

The two knew each other so well that Liu Tao could sense even the slightest change in him.

"It might just be because my Cultivation has increased. Once I start meditating, I can’t seem to stop. By the time I snap out of it, several days have gone by."

Liu Tao wasn’t curious about his Cultivation, however. She just said, "You’ll have to change that habit. Meditating so deeply could be dangerous."

Chen Qingyang understood. She meant that being so oblivious to the outside world would make him an easy target for plots.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. Have there been any movements from the Demon Sect these past few days?"

Hearing him ask this, Liu Tao’s good mood soured. "Hmph. We can’t exchange two sentences without you bringing this up. Don’t tell me..."

Liu Tao leaned in, bringing her face so close he could smell her faint fragrance. "Is this really all you have to say to me?"

Chen Qingyang took half a step back. "Senior Sister, it just came up in conversation. We can’t just stand here staring at this rose bush talking about how pretty it is, can we?"

"Hmph!" Liu Tao retorted with a cold smile. "It *is* nice. It’ll blossom in a few more days. What a pity, though. No matter how long *she* blossoms here, there’s no one around to appreciate her!"

Chen Qingyang didn’t dare respond to that. Seeing she’d had her fun, Liu Tao continued, "The Demon Sect hasn’t made a move. But those three Masters have been deploying forces and setting up Arrays, planning to give the Demon Sect a taste of its own medicine."

"You have to understand, our Tai Xu Sect and the Demon Sect have been at a stalemate here for years. Both sides have a tacit agreement that Foundation Establishment Masters don’t get involved. At most, the fighting escalates to the Half-Step Foundation Establishment level."

Chen Qingyang asked, "How exactly are they deploying their forces?"

’I might not be after the Sword Embryo, but I still have to find a way to get more Immortal Seedlings,’ he thought. ’Cyan Nether State is vast, but once I leave this place, where else will I find such easy opportunities to kill?’

"It’s hard to say. They only mentioned it briefly." At this, Liu Tao’s voice became secretive. "People are starting to suspect there’s a Demon Sect spy in the Nine True Temple, so a lot of things are being kept under wraps."

Chen Qingyang wanted to laugh. ’They’re only realizing there’s a spy now? It seems that Master Zhu really did nothing at all while he was here.’

’A wandering cloud, a wild crane... that’s him to a tee.’

"Then what about your mountain patrols, Senior Sister? The Array is still out there. If it isn’t maintained, it will eventually lose its effectiveness, won’t it?"

Liu Tao replied, "The Array can’t be neglected for too long, or it could lead to even bigger problems. The patrols resume tomorrow. And you don’t need to worry about safety; now, for every person patrolling, five more follow behind, with plenty of Half-Step Foundation Establishment cultivators providing backup."

’It seems the three Xuanwei Masters who arrived have some fire in them. After waiting just a few days, they’ve decided to stop waiting and adopt the Demon Sect’s tactics.’

"In that case, please take me with you tomorrow, Senior Sister. You know how I love to get in on the action."

Liu Tao rolled her eyes at him, but didn’t say no, which was as good as an agreement.

With his injuries healed, he finally had a free afternoon. While Liu Tao meditated in their courtyard, Chen Qingyang went for a stroll through the temple grounds. He headed uphill and soon found himself outside Lu Qingyu’s courtyard.

The courtyard gate stood wide open. The moment he paused at the entrance, the door curtain to the house was lifted, and Lu Qingyu peeked his head out.

"Ah, Junior Brother Chen! Please, come in!"

Perhaps because of the wind, Lu Qingyu didn’t suggest they sit outside, instead leading him into the house.

The interior wasn’t large, and the furnishings were simple. It was clear that Master Lu was someone devoted to his Cultivation. In the center of the main wall hung a landscape scroll depicting the terrain around the Nine True Temple.

Soon, the aroma of brewing tea and rising incense filled the air.

"The Sect is so busy these days, yet you seem to be the most idle one of all, Junior Brother Chen. Still have time to come wander over to my place?" Lu Qingyu joked, their familiarity having grown.

He wasn’t wrong, at least not on the surface.

"I see you’re also quite relaxed, Senior Brother Lu. Not busy at all?"

Lu Qingyu’s smile was a little awkward this time. "You might not be aware, Junior Brother, but strictly speaking, no one at the Nine True Temple is actually part of the Tai Xu Sect. As a result, I can’t get involved in most of these affairs. My role is usually limited to reception, so of course I’m not busy."

Chen Qingyang was puzzled. "But didn’t you say last time, Senior Brother Lu, that after the incident three years ago, everyone at the Nine True Temple contributed a great deal?"

He replied, "That was an exception. I was only dispatched because Master Jing Yuan was particularly anxious about the matter. Of all the Masters, he’s the one most invested in it."

After speaking with him twice now, Chen Qingyang suddenly realized he’d missed a crucial point. ’The Nine True Temple’s search for the Cyan Nether Sword Embryo was spearheaded by my own master, Jing Yuan. It’s highly likely he personally witnessed the Sword Embryo being lost.’

"Did my master not say anything else to you, Senior Brother?"

Lu Qingyu laughed heartily. "If he had, how could I possibly forget? In the half-month or so he was here, he’s the Master who left the deepest impression on me. He even said the Nine True Temple was built on sacred ground and was particularly full of praise for our Ancestral Master Temple."

Chen Qingyang had seen the Ancestral Master Temple he spoke of. It was built right on a cliff’s edge, an imposing and ancient temple, the likes of which were rare within a radius of thousands of miles.

"That’s true. With your Cultivation and experience, Senior Brother, I’m sure you have a perfect memory!"