Chapter 230 - 228: Crimson Spring

Chapter 230: Chapter 228: Crimson Spring

"Immortal, the Dharma Gate these three Temple Masters cultivate is exceptionally strange. If they join forces, no one below the Essence Condensation Six Realms could hope to defeat them. If you can’t kill them in a single blow, you’ll easily trigger the Array here. And if your whereabouts are exposed then... well..."

Zhao He had deliberately said that no one below the Sixth Realm could defeat them, clearly trying to gauge Chen Qingyang’s Cultivation. He snuck a glance over, but seeing Chen Qingyang remain silent, he immediately changed his tune.

"Now that I’m offering you a plan, Immortal, we will prosper or fall together. Naturally, I stand with you and am looking out for your best interests in all things. Please, rest assured."

Chen Qingyang observed him, pondering for a moment. "What’s your name?"

"My name is Zhao He, Immortal. You can just call me Old Zhao."

"Old Zhao, I’m glad you understand the stakes. What you say next will be crucial."

The man nodded at once. "I understand, Immortal. I understand completely."

This was a very important step—Chen Qingyang asking for his name.

It showed that Chen Qingyang was no longer ignoring him but was beginning to take him seriously. Only with this first layer of acknowledgment would there be any possibility of Chen Qingyang helping him cultivate a Yin Spirit later.

’To deal with someone this cunning, you had to use equally cunning methods,’ Chen Qingyang thought. ’The carrot and the stick must be saved for the very end.’

"Since I’ve been at this Fuyuan Temple, I’ve rarely seen anything that could separate the three of them. But if we don’t separate them, it’s extremely dangerous for us. Therefore, Immortal, you could try this."

Seeing him trying to build suspense, Chen Qingyang remained silent. Zhao He had no choice but to continue on his own. "Immortal, have you noticed that even though their Divine Souls are fused, they aren’t completely of one mind?"

Chen Qingyang finally lost his patience. "You were clever at the start, but now you’re clearly just trying to provoke me!"

Seeing this, Zhao He dropped the question and hastily switched to a declaration. "Immortal, please don’t be angry. Among the three Temple Masters, the eldest and the third have almost completely lost their autonomy. Only the second is capable of independent thought. I’m sure someone as perceptive as yourself noticed that during their earlier conversation, the second was the one making all the decisions. The third at best provides support, while the eldest acts purely on instinct and follows orders."

"I believe that to separate them, we must focus our efforts on the second one. Although all three cultivate the same Dharma Gate, they each specialize in a different aspect. For instance, the second cultivates scorching heat. I know that behind this Daoist Temple, there is a Spiritual Spring called the Red Spiritual Spring. A wisp of Five Elements Fire is gestating within it. If we can use that as bait, we can lure him away."

Chen Qingyang considered his words carefully. He didn’t ask about the Red Spiritual Spring, but instead said, "How would we lure him out? And who would do it?"

"It’s quite simple. There are guards near the Red Spiritual Spring. We just need to create a stir. The Disciple on watch is a sycophant and will certainly rush to the three Temple Masters to report the ’good news.’ When that happens, the Second Temple Master will leave by himself and head to the Red Spiritual Spring to cultivate."

Chen Qingyang asked, "And how can you guarantee the other two won’t follow him?"

"They cultivate three aspects: scorching heat, icy cold, and Gang Breath. Setting aside the Gang Breath for a moment, the scorching heat and icy cold must be kept in a delicate balance, much like the Yin Yang Balance within a Practitioner."

"When absorbing the Five Elements Fire, their internal True Qi will inevitably spiral out of control. The three Temple Masters will be forced to separate. I’ve seen them do this once before, which is why I’m suggesting this strategy."

Chen Qingyang followed his logic and asked, "So you’re saying that because the Red Spiritual Spring is currently dormant, it won’t attract him?"

Zhao He’s Divine Soul flickered nervously as he nodded. "That’s right. However, I’ve seen that your True Fire Magical Treasure is incredibly powerful, Immortal. If you were to use its True Fire to perform a Sacrificial Refinement on the Red Spiritual Spring, it would surely cause it to erupt."

Chen Qingyang said slowly, "So the crux of the matter is the time required for this Sacrificial Refinement. Are you going to tell me it takes three years? Or five? Buying yourself enough time to escape?"

Seeing his scheme had been exposed, Zhao He’s Divine Soul immediately prostrated itself. It was impossible to tell if his terror was genuine or feigned, but he was the very picture of meek submission.

"You’ve misunderstood, Immortal! I racked my brain and this was the only method I could come up with. No matter what, those three do everything together. In all these years, I’ve only ever seen them separate that one time. After all, they’re driven by instinct, and raising their Cultivation is one of those instincts."

"As for how long the Sacrificial Refinement will take, I can’t say for sure. That will depend on your ability, Immortal. Besides, this is all just my speculation. Whether it will actually succeed or not is another question entirely."

Chen Qingyang sneered. "Then you had better pray it works. If it doesn’t, the promise I made you is void."

This time, Zhao He cried foul. "That’s a grave injustice! I..."

Chen Qingyang had no desire to hear him drone on and cut him off. "Quick, show me. Where exactly is the Red Spiritual Spring?"

Zhao He said quickly, "It’s just behind this Daoist Temple. There’s a winding path that goes up the mountain. Halfway up, you’ll find a small building. Go past the building and continue for another seven or eight li, and you’ll see a place with a faint fiery glow. Since it’s nighttime, it’s very obvious. With your abilities, Immortal, you’ll spot it instantly."

Even as Zhao He finished speaking, Chen Qingyang’s Conscious Fish had already found the path. It then located the small building, where Qi Refining Disciples were meditating in cultivation.

Farther up, over a mountain ridge, a fiery-hued spring was nestled in a sunken hollow.

It was surrounded by jagged rocks and completely barren of any vegetation. Just by drawing near, he could sense the abundance of the Five Elements Fire.

Looking into the spring itself, he saw it wasn’t filled with water. Instead, a faint, fiery-colored light shone from within, though it seemed to be suppressed by something, keeping it from being too conspicuous.