Stealing Immortal

Chapter 61: Chapter 60: Goodwill

”Chen Qingyang, you dared to lie to me again!”

Liu Tao glared at him, like an angry little chick with her hands on her hips, her feathers practically bristling.

This was the tricky part. He’d managed to send Leng Yueru on her way, but her mentioning—right in front of Liu Tao—that he had gone looking for Qi Xiuyuan was a thorny problem.

”Senior Sister, I was just worried...”

He hadn’t prepared an explanation yet and was planning to stall, but Liu Tao cut him off with a fierce wave of her hand, giving him no chance to speak.

”Hmph! Are you trying to lie to me again, you scoundrel? You’re usually so cautious around Qi Xiuyuan, terrified of even bumping into him. But this time, you actually dared to go to his doorstep! With your cunning, how could you not know that a feud like this can’t be settled with just a few words...”

That wasn’t all. Liu Tao pointed a finger at Chen Qingyang, nearly poking him in the face. ”No wonder you were so obsessed with the Warm Jade Scroll, insisting I confirm whether it could kill him in one blow... You... you... I’m so mad! Where is the Warm Jade Scroll? Hand it over!”

The item was, of course, on his person, but for a moment, Chen Qingyang wasn’t sure if taking it out was the right move.

After all, he had deceived her first. It was only natural to feel at least a little ashamed.

But just as he fell silent, the Warm Jade Scroll in his sleeve suddenly grew hot, even burning a hole through the fabric before falling right into Liu Tao’s hand.

’Of course.’ The scroll had only known him for two or three months, but it had been with Liu Tao for two or three hundred years.

”You...” The moment her hand touched it, she felt that something was wrong. ”You really killed him?”

At this moment, even someone as hot-tempered as Liu Tao knew to lower her voice.

She even hurried to the door to check if her Senior Sister, Leng Yueru, had gone far.

In the lingering silence, Chen Qingyang came up with his story. ”Senior Sister, I was forced into it!”

Liu Tao rolled up her sleeves. ”Fine. Let’s hear it. Tell me exactly how you were ’forced into it.’”

Chen Qingyang spoke unhurriedly. ”I went to find Qi Xiuyuan only to see how his Cultivation had recovered. I was worried he might be a threat to us. I never expected things to escalate the way they did.”

Liu Tao crossed her arms, looking completely unconvinced. ”Go on, I’m listening.”

”He suddenly attacked me in the middle of the night. Luckily, the Warm Jade Scroll appeared in time and severely injured him, while I was unharmed.”

”I was about to use a Talisman to notify you, Senior Sister, but at that critical moment, Qi Xiuyuan blurted out that Xu Baoling didn’t die from a cultivation mishap, but from a Poison Pill...”

As expected, the mention of this unsettled Liu Tao. Her breathing grew ragged, her chest heaving beneath her crossed arms. ”So, you dared to kill him?”

”In that split second, many thoughts raced through my mind. If I had informed you, Senior Sister, it would have implicated you. I decided to kill Qi Xiuyuan by myself and not drag anyone else into it.”

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Liu Tao’s expression softened slightly. ”Did you have the skill to kill him in his heavily injured state?”

”Of course. I learned the One-Element Sword Technique from Li Qianxue. That’s the method I used to kill him.”

”This...” Liu Tao was shocked once again. ”You’re saying Li Qianxue dared to violate the Sect’s rules and teach you a Dharma Gate privately?”

Chen Qingyang didn’t dwell on it and continued with his prepared story. ”At the time, I was new to the Sect and didn’t know these regulations. After Qi Xiuyuan died, I was worried that traces of the Nine Flavors True Fire would be left on the body, so I burned it to ash.”

”He was an Outer Disciple, after all. His death would have significant repercussions. Then I remembered the token for the Nine Nether Mechanic Divine Palace that Hu Kai gave me, so I tossed it near the body to throw everyone off.”

After that long, roundabout explanation, he had finally laid everything out. Chen Qingyang felt his story was logically sound from top to bottom.

”Where did the Lotus Token come from...”

He was prepared for this question and answered before Liu Tao could even finish. ”Hu Kai held a strong grudge against the Profound Light Association and wanted to use the Sect’s power to eliminate them. The Lotus Token was his. It fell into my hands after he died.”

”You...” Her finger nearly touched Chen Qingyang’s face. ”How did you get mixed up with him too? Why is there always so much trouble surrounding you?”

She looked fierce and quite intimidating.

”Senior Sister, like Senior Sister Leng said earlier, things really are difficult for me...”

Liu Tao fell silent. When she spoke again after a long pause, she didn’t press him further, but her resentment remained. ”Hmph, couldn’t you have told me sooner!”

Chen Qingyang looked aggrieved. ”A matter with such serious consequences... wouldn’t that have been harming...”

Liu Tao punched him lightly, cutting him off. ”Stop saying things like that! We were almost exposed in front of Senior Sister Leng today, don’t you know?”

Chen Qingyang’s attitude became very sincere. ”Senior Sister, I was inconsiderate.”

”Sigh!” Liu Tao let out a long breath, as if reluctantly accepting the whole story. ”Luckily, Senior Sister Leng wasn’t suspicious. From now on, not only you, but I too must never mention this. We’ll pretend it never happened. Qi Xiuyuan’s death is good for us, anyway. So... were you injured?”

’How could Chen Qingyang miss the concern in her voice? I’ll just consider it another favor I owe her.’

”I’m not hurt, don’t worry, Senior Sister. In the future, no matter where I go, I will definitely fulfill the two promises I made to you: one is the Talisman, and the other is the Flying Sword.”

Seeing his earnest expression, Liu Tao’s cheeks reddened slightly. ”Mm, we don’t have to take any more risks from now on. At least these matters are all settled!”

”You’re absolutely right, Senior Sister.”

After a moment’s thought, Liu Tao kept the Warm Jade Scroll in her hand. ”This is very useful to you; it can save your life at a critical moment. I’ll help you with its Sacrificial Refinement one more time.”

Chen Qingyang bowed with his hands clasped. ”In that case, I’ll have to trouble you, Senior Sister.”

This way, he would still have a wisp of True Essence from an Essence Condensation Realm Cultivator on him.

While Liu Tao performed the Sacrificial Refinement on the Warm Jade Scroll, Chen Qingyang began his Alchemy.

After he finished a furnace-full of Tier Two Yang Replacement Powder, he started on the Jade Flower Spirit Dew Pill, also Tier Two, producing three of them as well.

He was busy until midnight before he had time to head down the mountain; Liu Tao was still in meditation.

Chen Qingyang had gotten a real taste of just how formidable someone like Leng Yueru was these past few days. He certainly didn’t dare use the Void Step Introduction again. Instead, he simply ran quickly down the White Jade Steps, which was behavior befitting a Qi Refining Second Realm Cultivator.

「In the small cabin.」

Without lighting a candle, Chen Qingyang washed up and changed his clothes in the dark.

From a corner, Xu Baoling, like an alluring female ghost, drifted back and forth. ”Master, earlier this evening, the two young men next door came over to check several times. It looked like they were waiting for you to return.”

”Alright, I know... What’s your assessment of Leng Yueru?”

’After all, Liu Tao and Xu Baoling have vastly different personalities. Gathering information from multiple sources would give him a clearer understanding of the woman.’

Having seen her in the courtyard just a few days ago, Xu Baoling wasn’t puzzled. ”They say to know Leng Yueru, you must know her True Skill. Why don’t I tell you about her cultivation method, Master? You can use it for reference.”

Chen Qingyang nodded. ”That would be good.”

”She is a very peculiar person. The path she walks is different from ours. She doesn’t practice the Seven Arts and focuses solely on cultivating her True Skill. That’s why among Essence Condensation Fifth Realm Cultivators, no one is her match.”

”Her Dharma Gate is called the Upper Pure True Circle Infinite Path. It doesn’t fall within the Five Elements, nor does it involve Yin and Yang. It singularly focuses on the principle of ’One Power Subdues Ten Associations.’ It uses one’s own qi and blood as a guide to open the Nine Acupoints. I’ve heard that if she reaches Foundation Establishment, she’ll achieve a Golden Flesh Body, her qi and blood forming a protective aura. She would be incomparably fierce and incredibly difficult to kill!”

Chen Qingyang thought for a moment. ”It sounds like this Dharma Gate is incredibly powerful. Has anyone else reached Foundation Establishment with it?”

Xu Baoling shook her head. ”This path of Cultivation is similar to that of the Divine Court’s Golden Armor Celestial Gods, and very few people can persevere with it. After all, this method doesn’t strengthen the Divine Soul, so in many situations, it’s considered a Lower Rank path. Only Senior Sister Leng Yueru has stuck with it, and with considerable success.”

No wonder Xu Baoling chose to explain the woman through her Cultivation Technique. It spoke volumes about her stubbornness and perseverance.

”I understand.”

”Mm.”

Chen Qingyang tossed the three Elixirs to her and began to meditate. Xu Baoling prepared to begin their Refinement nearby.

Even to the naked eye, her Divine Soul was visibly more condensed, no longer drifting about with the wind.

When Chen Qingyang opened his eyes again, it was already the next day.

「In the small courtyard.」

With Lin Qingxuan gone, the two young men were still cooking together, but the atmosphere was noticeably quieter than before. Li Sheng, who was usually the talkative one, had also grown silent.

Zhang Ping, on the other hand, seemed unaffected. When it came to a firm disposition, it was always the quiet, unassuming people who knew what they wanted that were truly resolute in their goals.

”Senior Brother Chen, do you know a Senior Brother named Zhang Wenyuan on the Golden Summit?” It was Li Sheng who asked.

Chen Qingyang shook his head.

”Sigh!” Li Sheng sighed.

”What is it? You can tell me.”

Li Sheng continued, ”Senior Brother Chen, Junior Sister Lin is now doing Miscellaneous Tasks under that Senior Brother Zhang. If you get a chance, could you ask how Junior Sister Lin is doing for me?”

She had only left yesterday, and he was already asking today. He really couldn’t wait a single quarter of an hour.

Seeing Zhang Ping smiling silently beside him, Li Sheng turned to him. ”Old Zhang, don’t get the wrong idea! I was just thinking that we spent three months together on the Immortal Path in this Immortal Sect. It was fate. It’s only right to be concerned about what becomes of her!”

Zhang Ping couldn’t hold back his laughter. ”Right, right, you’re absolutely right. Ah, Junior Brother Li, you’re the most thoughtful one here!”

Ignoring him, Li Sheng looked back at Chen Qingyang.

”Don’t worry, I’ll ask around for you. If I happen to see Junior Sister Lin, I’ll be sure to pass on a message... I’ll tell her you’re very concerned about her!”

Li Sheng shook his head repeatedly. ”Ah, Senior Brother Chen, it’s not just me. Zhang Ping is concerned, too.”

”Heh heh.” The chuckle came from Zhang Ping.

”Alright, I’ll pass on the message from both of you.” With that, he headed towards the Golden Summit.

As for the two of them bickering behind him, he didn’t even need to listen to guess what they were saying.