Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 199: Chapter 199 Tools to Open the Jade Stone

At that moment, Qin Xi seemed not to have noticed Ye Qingchen, who kept silent as he walked straight toward her.

Ye Qingchen figured that if Qin Xi had truly sent the assassins after him, she would surely betray some hint of shock upon seeing him alive. Even if Qin Xi was a master of disguise, Ye Qingchen was confident she couldn’t hide anything from the scrutiny of his Dual Pupil Martial Soul.

Qin Xi had apparently just returned and was imperiously giving orders to the servants of the Rising Sun Pavilion. She didn’t notice Ye Qingchen approaching until he was quite close. In Qin Xi’s eyes, having sent two Second-Realm Grand Martial Master deathsworn to kill him, Ye Qingchen’s death was a certainty. She had long since dismissed him from her thoughts and never imagined he would show up at the Rising Sun Pavilion.

”Miss Qin Xi, long time no see!” Ye Qingchen said with a playful tone as he walked up to her. All the while, his Dual Pupil Martial Soul was closely monitoring every change in her expression.

Hearing her name, Qin Xi turned with a puzzled ”Hmm?” However, when she saw it was Ye Qingchen, her face instantly filled with the shock and panic of someone seeing a ghost. Her reaction was swift, though. She quickly regained her composure, the panicked expression vanishing in an instant.

Although it was only for an instant, there was no way it could have escaped Ye Qingchen’s eyes. At that moment, Qin Xi’s thoughts were laid bare in his mind.

How could it be him? Did the Zhang brothers, Zhang Long and Zhang Hu, fail? How is that possible? This kid is merely a Ninth-Layer Martial Master, while Zhang Long and Zhang Hu are both Second-Realm Grand Martial Masters. Shouldn’t he have been an easy target for them? That’s right, he’s a disciple of the Qingyun Sect. Another expert from the sect must have saved him!

While her mind was racing, Qin Xi’s face displayed a look of disdain, no different from her previous encounters with Ye Qingchen. If he hadn’t been using his Double Pupils, he might very well have been fooled by her act.

”Shouldn’t you be looking for that slut Qin Yue? Why are you bothering to greet me?” Qin Xi said impatiently.

Ye Qingchen now knew for certain that Qin Xi had orchestrated the assassination attempt. However, he didn’t confront her directly. He had no evidence, so no one would believe him, and it would only alert his enemy.

Ye Qingchen smiled, shook his head, and deliberately said, ”I came today to expel the Fire Poison for Elder Qin. I just happened to run into you, Miss Qin Xi, so I thought I’d say hello!”

After saying this, Ye Qingchen turned and left without a backward glance.

Fuming, Qin Xi stomped her feet, already plotting how to get rid of him.

Ye Qingchen had, in fact, said that on purpose. Now that he knew Qin Xi was plotting against him, he intentionally provoked her to force her to make another move. The more she acted, the more mistakes she would make. Ye Qingchen would show no mercy to someone trying to kill him. He intended to lure the snake from its hole, find an opportunity to eliminate Qin Xi, and eradicate the threat for good.

And the surest way to provoke Qin Xi was to bring up Qin Zhantian’s Fire Poison. It wasn’t that Qin Xi didn’t want the Fire Poison removed. She just didn’t want the person Qin Yue found to be the one to do it. Therefore, by deliberately stating he was here to treat Qin Zhantian, Ye Qingchen created a sense of urgency in Qin Xi, making it more likely she would slip up.

After leaving the Rising Sun Pavilion, Ye Qingchen returned to his residence. With several days remaining until the Alchemy Dao competition, he decided to use the time to cultivate.

Upon reaching his room, Ye Qingchen took out the Fire Poison, ready to begin its Refinement. Expelling the poison for Qin Zhantian had allowed him to collect a considerable amount. Once refined, both his Fen Tian Earth Fire and his own strength would see a significant boost.

But just as Ye Qingchen was about to begin the Refinement, a crisp laugh echoed in his mind.

He remembered the voice. It belonged to the mysterious woman who had entered his body back in the Heart Demon Tower. She had been silent ever since saving him last time, and her sudden laughter gave Ye Qingchen a jolt.

”What are you laughing at?” he asked, annoyed.

This woman had been constantly absorbing his vital essence, slowing his cultivation speed considerably. Otherwise, his Cultivation Realm would be even higher by now.

He thought she wouldn’t respond, but to his surprise, she answered, ”Of course, I’m laughing at how foolish you are. HAHAHA! Apologies, I simply couldn’t help myself.”

The mysterious woman’s teasing tone irritated Ye Qingchen. ”Then why don’t you tell me exactly how I’m being foolish?” he demanded.

Still teasing, she replied, ”You spent a fortune on a worthless piece of jade, and that’s not even the worst part. You can’t even figure out how to open it. At first, I just thought you were incapable, but I never expected you to be this foolish. You’re holding the very tool you need to open that useless rock, yet you have no idea. Tell me, aren’t you just hopelessly foolish?”

Ye Qingchen was speechless for a moment, then retorted with irritation, ”I cultivate day and night, nurturing you with the vital essence and Spiritual Liquid I produce, and you don’t even thank me! Instead, you look down on me? Do you have any conscience at all?”

Though he couldn’t see her expression, Ye Qingchen sensed her tone grow slightly colder as she said, ”I’m only speaking up because I couldn’t bear to watch you be so stupid any longer. I was afraid my conscience would bother me, so I kindly offered a reminder. And you? You’re not even grateful!”

Ye Qingchen calmed down. He understood from her words that she must know how to open the jade. His tone became more respectful. ”My apologies, Senior. I was being rude. Please don’t take offense. May I ask what the method to open the jade is?”

Perhaps still angered by his earlier attitude, the mysterious woman scoffed, ”Fine, I’ll give you a hint! The tool to open the jade is far away in the distance, yet close at hand!”

After saying this, she fell silent. No matter how many times Ye Qingchen called out, she uttered not another word.

Ye Qingchen shook his head. The mysterious woman came and went like a ghost. He knew that if she didn’t want to talk, nothing he did would make her respond. So, he stopped trying and began to ponder her words.

His gaze eventually fell upon the Fire Poison in his hands.

The mysterious woman had said the tool was far away, yet close at hand. Right now, the only thing right in front of him was this Fire Poison. Moreover, she hadn’t appeared before or after, but at the exact moment he was about to refine the Fire Poison. Therefore, Ye Qingchen concluded that the tool she spoke of had to be the Fire Poison!

At this thought, a fire ignited in his heart. He placed the jade in front of him, uncorked the porcelain bottle of Fire Poison, and slowly brought it closer.