Chapter 163 - 162: Concealing One’s Edge

Chapter 163: Chapter 162: Concealing One’s Edge

He had a feeling that something big was about to happen.

...

After Liu Tao left, Chen Qingyang performed an Astrological Inference. He saw that the entire sky was shrouded in clouds and mist; aside from a few faint points of starlight, he couldn’t see anything clearly.

’That makes sense,’ he thought. The Tai Xu Star Pivot Ziwei Scripture had four layers, and he was only at the first, Starlight Body—and had only just begun.

Being able to deduce that much a while ago had already given him an advantage. Now, both sides had laid their plans and were about to collide.

How could he possibly fathom the outcome?

The greatest benefit Chen Qingyang gained from a hundred years as a Miscellaneous Task disciple was the ability to remain as serene as a tranquil lake, like a block of wood, no matter the situation.

Just like that, while waiting for Liu Tao, he entered a meditative state again.

When Liu Tao returned, the moon was high in the sky, and the stars were shining brightly.

Chen Qingyang’s meditation wasn’t deep, so he opened his eyes the moment he heard footsteps in the courtyard. Liu Tao pushed the door open and came in. She didn’t speak at first, but sat down at the round table with a heavy heart and drank a cup of tea.

"Why weren’t you meditating today?" she asked, speaking first.

Chen Qingyang said, "Senior Sister Liu, what happened?"

Perhaps realizing she was being too serious, Liu Tao forced a smile. "It’s nothing. We have to go on patrol again tomorrow. I see your cultivation has been improving rapidly lately. Just keep meditating in this little courtyard for another month or so, and we’ll be able to go back."

’Something’s wrong. Very wrong.’

She had never been a good liar, and Chen Qingyang saw through her immediately. "Alright, stop hiding it from me. If something is really wrong and you don’t tell me, you know my personality. I’ll go find out myself."

"Sigh!" Liu Tao let out a breath. "I thought this training was just a formality, that bringing you here would be like a scenic trip. I never expected that even I, at the Essence Condensation Realm, would have to face the Demon Sect head-on."

Chen Qingyang pressed, "Senior Sister Liu, could you be a little clearer?"

"Your wild guess was right, you brat. The Sect received news that the Cyan Nether Sword Embryo is about to emerge. The Demon Sect has secretly surrounded the area. The day after tomorrow, all disciples must go and fight for it!"

’Emerge?’

’Didn’t that thing fall from Li Qianxue’s grasp during a fight? Why would they use a word like ’emerge’?’

"Senior Sister Liu, do you know where this place is?"

Liu Tao replied, "The Master naturally wouldn’t say much. We just have to follow when the time comes. Listen to me, stay out of it this time. Wouldn’t it be better to just wait here and chat with Master Lu?"

Chen Qingyang didn’t answer her question, instead continuing to ask, "Did they say what state the Sword Embryo is in now? Why use a word like ’emerge’?"

Liu Tao cleared up Chen Qingyang’s confusion with a single sentence. "These were the Master’s own words. The Cyan Nether Daoist Monarch achieved the Dao in Cyan Nether State, so his life was intrinsically linked to this state. His Cyan Nether Sword Embryo is the very fortune of this land. Therefore, once lost, it takes root in the earth and merges with the world, which is why it has to ’emerge’."

Chen Qingyang pondered for a moment. "Since the Master said so, it must be true. However, even if the Demon Sect sent the same number of disciples as us, confronting them will still be highly disadvantageous."

It was a well-known fact that when it came to combat, Demon Sect Disciples were stronger than those of the Daoist Sects.

Liu Tao repeated what she had said before, "That’s why you shouldn’t go. You have to listen to me this time. Even if you’re coveting that Sword Embryo, you won’t be able to get your hands on it."

It seemed her only concern was for Chen Qingyang.

Chen Qingyang, however, frowned. "Senior Sister Liu, that still doesn’t add up. In such a fierce confrontation, what’s the point of the Sect sending someone at your level, the Essence Condensation Realm? It would have no effect. Isn’t that just needlessly adding to the casualties?"

He had always been meticulous. Whenever he couldn’t figure something out, he would ask questions until he had a thorough understanding before making a decision.

Liu Tao smiled at Chen Qingyang again, feigning a relaxed look. "Right now, the Nine True Temple has the most disciples at the Essence Condensation Realm—a full three hundred of them. Assembled, we can form a powerful Array. We set out the day after tomorrow, so we’re practicing the Array tomorrow. That’s why I’m telling you not to go."

’That makes sense.’

The Sect had originally sent disciples of the Essence Condensation Realm here to do the tedious work of patrolling the mountains, which was why there were so many of them.

"In that case, I have to go even more. Even with three hundred people forming an Array, what will you do to protect yourself if the Array fails?"

From his understanding of Arrays, three hundred people joining forces would, at best, be a minor boost—enough to delay the enemy for a moment, but still extremely dangerous.

Liu Tao was adamant. "No. You absolutely cannot follow me. This time, you must listen to me."

Her tone left no room for argument. So, Chen Qingyang didn’t debate her further. He simply released his Cultivation. Liu Tao couldn’t see through his level of Cultivation, but she could clearly see the Qi Vortexes condensing in his Mingtang and Jiang Palace Acupoints.

"Ah!" She covered her mouth. "You... how did you do it?"

"Don’t ask questions. The day after tomorrow, I will stay with you. If we run into trouble, don’t panic. Nothing will happen to you."

Chen Qingyang’s tone also left no room for argument. This time, Liu Tao could only nod meekly.

She thought back to the first time she met him, and how his Cultivation had always been below hers. Suddenly, he was now so far ahead she could never hope to catch up.

"Then you..." ’...have to hide it well.’

With these words, Liu Tao was referring to his Cultivation.

She knew very well that such a rapid breakthrough in Cultivation would inevitably make him a target for all. Sometimes, the higher one is praised, the more schemes one becomes a victim of.

The last "heaven’s chosen" was Li Qianxue. Even though she was adored by all, she still couldn’t escape betrayal by a mole and the schemes of the Demon Sect.

Perhaps out of jealousy, perhaps for obstructing someone’s legacy, or perhaps for offending someone who wanted to snuff you out early... in short, things like that were bound to happen.

The Tai Xu Sect was full of hypocrites. She was thus keenly aware of the danger of a child carrying gold through a bustling market.

Chen Qingyang nodded lightly.

Only by hiding one’s edge can a sharp sword be drawn at the right moment.

...

「The next day.」

At the crack of dawn, Liu Tao had already left the small courtyard to practice the Array.

Chen Qingyang waited until the sun was high in the sky before heading down into the city. He spent a moment in an inn, took some Spirit Stones from his spoils and put them away, then took the White Jade-like Soul Banner in his hand.

The last time he had examined this item, he had felt his Conscious Fish sink into another world, a vast expanse surrounded by green.

Today, his Divine Soul was stronger, but what he saw was the same. If he maneuvered the Conscious Fish to swim around, the surrounding scenery didn’t seem to change no matter how long it traveled. ’It seems this place is vaster than I ever imagined!’

’Netherworld... Netherworld!’

’It was refined from a wisp of Innate Soul Qi born of the Netherworld. Could this be the Netherworld itself?’

’Those who practice Netherworld techniques must immerse their Divine Soul into this place in their daily cultivation, using their True Skills to absorb Nether Qi for their practice.’

’They can’t roam freely within this place because they can’t cultivate a divine object like the Conscious Fish. They can only connect to the Netherworld for the purpose of cultivation.’

’Thinking about it carefully, it’s highly likely.’

’The dark green aura that fills the space is probably the Nether Qi.’

The Conscious Fish moved again but could only travel a distance of four hundred li. Helpless, he had to retract it. Since Chen Qingyang didn’t practice this path, he had gained nothing. He was even starting to not want this Soul Banner anymore.

He left the inn and was walking down the street, just about to leave the city for Nine True Mountain, when he unexpectedly spotted a familiar figure at a roadside tea stall. It was Lu Qingyu, whom he hadn’t seen in twenty days.

Chen Qingyang had an instinctive suspicion of things that were too coincidental. He immediately realized, ’He’s waiting for me.’

With this in mind, he stopped heading out of the city and walked toward him instead. Lu Qingyu looked up, smiling at him. "Junior Brother, we meet again!"

Chen Qingyang also bowed with his hands clasped. "It’s rare to see you in the city, Senior Brother. We must be fated to meet."

His tone was slightly heavy, a deliberate hint, but the other man just laughed heartily.

"Whether a bond is shallow or deep depends on how much you miss someone. Otherwise, you couldn’t even hold hands if you were standing face-to-face. Just like you and that Junior Sister Liu—traveling thousands of miles to be here with her, that is a deep bond. Please, have a seat!"

Chen Qingyang sat across from him. The tea was coarse, but the tea set was clean. It was like the woman clearing the tables; though her hands and feet were rough, they couldn’t hide a certain competence.

Sometimes, you really can’t judge a book by its cover. A person’s strengths are often hidden in the most ordinary of folds.

"You make a good point, Senior Brother." He replied simply, waiting for the other man to continue.

"Junior Brother, I assume you’ve heard about the Cyan Nether Sword Embryo’s emergence? This venture will lead to a major conflict with the Demon Sect. The Masters on both sides are hot-blooded. I fear your Senior Sister Liu is in great danger."

Unsure why he kept bringing this up, Chen Qingyang put on a worried expression. "Senior Brother, could it be that you’re very knowledgeable about that Array?"

Lu Qingyu shook his head. "Not very. I just think that no matter how brilliant an Array is, it’s hard to make it effective with only one day of practice. That Junior Sister gave me an Elixir the first time we met, and I’d hate for her to be in any danger... By the way, what are you doing tomorrow?"

Chen Qingyang told him the truth. "I’m going to follow along and see. Since we came here together, we should look out for each other."

Lu Qingyu gave him another deep look. "That’s right, you should look out for her. I’m curious, how did you two meet?"

’Why is he so interested in this today?’ Chen Qingyang was baffled, but considering the goodwill Lu Qingyu had shown him, he answered truthfully, "When I was a Miscellaneous Task disciple, this Senior Sister took good care of me. She treated me very well, so now I’m just repaying her kindness."

Lu Qingyu nodded. "Repaying kindness with kindness. Junior Brother, you truly are a good person. If everyone were like you, I believe the Tai Xu Sect would get better and better, and there’d be no need to take such desperate risks!"

Chen Qingyang asked him, "Senior Brother, I don’t quite understand what you mean."

Lu Qingyu just smiled. "Forcibly entering the Cyan Nether Daoist Monarch’s Cave Mansion, that’s what I call a desperate risk. Don’t ask me for details. I only managed to overhear that much."

After speaking, he spread his hands, effectively cutting off any follow-up questions from Chen Qingyang.

Then, he set down his teacup. "Remember, be extremely careful when you go. And whatever you do, don’t covet the Cyan Nether Sword Embryo. Otherwise, it will all be for nothing, like a mirror flower or a water moon!"

’A ’mirror flower water moon’... The meaning behind that is quite interesting.’

Chen Qingyang stood up. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. I will keep it in mind."

"Mm, I’ve already paid for the tea." With that, Lu Qingyu left.

Chen Qingyang’s gaze followed him until he turned a corner. He then tried to track him with his Conscious Fish, only to find that the man had vanished into thin air.