Chapter 70

"Like you said, thousands of years ago, the ancient sages didn't even need to cultivate; they just found rare and precious fruits, ate them, and immediately transformed their bodies, ascending to the heavens in one step."

Tian Shi sighed lightly, "But later on, such good things no longer existed, which led to the emergence of various cultivation sects."

"The spiritual energy continuously weakened, making it increasingly difficult to succeed in cultivation. Even the most skilled housewife can't cook without rice. No matter how powerful the ancient sages were, they couldn't fly or burrow into the earth out of thin air."

Tian Shi looked forward with longing, "Therefore, the reason the ancient sages could still forge a path suitable for themselves even in the face of depleted spiritual energy was mainly due to the legacy of the ancient great beings."

"That's what I meant by the fish that slipped through the net..." Hai Gongzi agreed, "After all, no matter how thoroughly they searched, there would always be some remnants left in the nooks and crannies."

"You're right," Tian Shi concurred, "It is these remnants that have sustained the various sects and schools. However, those sects have many disciples, and the legacy of their ancestors is likely to be nearly exhausted."

"Who knows, even a broken ship has three pounds of nails," Hai Gongzi pouted, "Don't look at those sects as half-dead, on the verge of extinction. I suspect it's a facade. If someone really thinks they are like tigers on the verge of death and tries to take advantage of them, they might face a catastrophic disaster."

"That's inevitable," Tian Shi nodded, his voice hoarse, "It's better under the shade of a big tree. Even if a sect is in decline, there's still some leftover grain. For us, lonely wanderers and scattered cultivators of small sects, we can only rely on ourselves."

"Who says it isn't..." Hai Gongzi's face turned bitter, and he fell into a melancholy silence.

For a moment, the two were silent, sighing deeply.

At this moment, Qi Xiang had successfully digested the information revealed in their conversation. Feeling pleased, a smile crept onto his lips, "Stop sighing. I'm not an unreasonable person. I understand your difficulties and am willing to help you by giving you the Danmu. However..."

"However what?" Hai Gongzi was both pleased and worried.

"However, it's better to share the joy. You don't mind if I get a share, right?"

Qi Xiang revealed his true intentions, exposing his ulterior motives. Although he didn't know what Hai Gongzi and Tian Shi planned to do with the Danmu, he was sure it would bring benefits.

As long as the benefits were substantial, he didn't mind seizing the opportunity.

"Share the benefits!"

To their surprise, upon hearing this, Hai Gongzi and Tian Shi's faces changed dramatically.

"Impossible..." Tian Shi directly opposed, "We've been preparing for so long, and we're about to succeed. You want to come and take the credit? You're dreaming."

"Exactly," Hai Gongzi nodded in agreement, "Qi Daoist, we admit the Danmu is good. The problem is, the Danmu isn't an essential item. You want to use the Danmu as capital to join us, but you don't have the qualifications!"

"Far from it, very far from it!" Tian Shi added, "For us, having the Danmu is good, but we can still succeed without it. Using the Danmu to threaten us is a miscalculation."

"It's not a threat, just a suggestion," Qi Xiang said thoughtfully. Seeing their tense expressions, he knew their plans must be significant, which made him even more interested.

At the same time, Hai Gongzi also calmed down, shaking his head, "Qi Daoist, you should give up. We will never agree to your proposal..."

"You're right. We're happy if you're willing to give us the Danmu. If not, that's fine too," Tian Shi agreed, "We're all fellow cultivators, and we won't force you."

Qi Xiang weighed the situation in his mind and then said, "Let's put this aside for now. It's getting late. Why don't you two stay overnight here?"

"No need, we've booked a hotel in the city," Hai Gongzi naturally refused.

"Alright," Qi Xiang stood up to see them off, "You can go back first. I'll think about the Danmu issue. I might change my mind. Of course, if the final decision doesn't meet your expectations, please don't blame me..."

"We understand. Whatever the outcome, we can accept it."

There was a glimmer of hope, and Hai Gongzi and Tian Shi were quite pleased. They left the estate tactfully, escorted by Qi Xiang. However, as they drove down the mountain, they suddenly became alert, realizing something was amiss.

"Wait!"

Tian Shi shuddered, exclaiming, "Ah Hai, why were we so loose-lipped just now, spilling everything? Did we fall for a trick?"

Hai Gongzi also realized, alarmed, "Right, we almost revealed our secrets."

They looked at each other, their expressions grave.

"Did we really fall for it?" Hai Gongzi was confused, then reached up to touch his neck, pulling out a small, crudely carved jade pendant.

The jade pendant was in the shape of a coiled dragon, crystal clear and white, made of high-quality white jade.

However, Hai Gongzi knew that the material wasn't the key. The most important part was the fine, intricate cloud patterns carved on the pendant.

These cloud patterns formed a mysterious talisman.

Anyone with a discerning eye knew that the jade pendant was a high-level magical artifact that could calm the mind, dispel evil, and even interfere with mental illusions.

But it seemed to have had no effect just now...

"It doesn't feel like it," Tian Shi recalled carefully, "From start to finish, we were always a few meters apart, and apart from the smell of the burning Danmu, we didn't detect any unusual aromas."

"Looks like he didn't bewitch us..."

Tian Shi wasn't sure, given the variety of cultivation schools, some unknown and bizarre methods were quite normal.

Hai Gongzi's face turned pale, analyzing, "He had a kind of charisma. After just a few words, it felt like we were meeting an old friend after years, and we let our guard down completely."

"Xuan cultivation, this guy is definitely a Xuan cultivator, and a powerful one at that!" Tian Shi was certain.

Hai Gongzi shrugged, "Didn't you say before that he follows the incense and divine path, which should be a type of Xuan cultivation?"

"I was just guessing..." Tian Shi's face darkened, "That guy is too devious. No matter how we tried to get information, he was tight-lipped and didn't reveal anything."

"Instead, we talked non-stop. If we hadn't been cautious and held back, we would have revealed everything."

Tian Shi gritted his teeth, "Indeed, the world is treacherous, and people are no longer trustworthy."

"Actually, he didn't seem to have any ill intentions," Hai Gongzi weakly replied.

Tian Shi pondered for a moment and then changed the subject, "Whether he has good or bad intentions, let's treat him as a passerby. If he doesn't provoke us, we won't bother with him."

"Most importantly, focus on the main task. The priority is to find Tao Zhu Gong..."

Tian Shi frowned, "As for the Danmu... let's pretend we never met him."

"That's a shame," Hai Gongzi was reluctant, "Didn't you say using the Danmu as firewood would make it more flavorful?"

"That's true, but Qi Xiang..." Tian Shi shook his head instinctively, "I can't see through him. I've never heard of him before, and he's never been mentioned in the cultivation circle."

"It's best to keep a respectful distance from such people and avoid unnecessary contact."

Tian Shi warned, "Ah Hai, you've just returned from abroad. Remember, the cultivation circle is not small, but it's not large either. Everyone has their own lineage and background. Even if you haven't met them, you should have heard of them..."

"Like you, living abroad, when you return and meet fellow cultivators, just mention my name or your sect and the organizations you belong to, and they will remember you and give you face."

Tian Shi emphasized, "But Qi Xiang, we've already revealed our plans, and he avoided talking about his background, trying to mislead us. Such behavior is suspicious."

"Maybe he has his reasons..." Hai Gongzi suggested, "He might not be comfortable revealing his information."

"Maybe," Tian Shi waved his hand, "Let's not talk about him. We need to find Tao Zhu Gong quickly, complete our task, and return immediately. The key to our cultivation lies in this!"

"Alright..." Hai Gongzi's spirits lifted, and he immediately put Qi Xiang out of his mind.

The two hurried away, and Qi Xiang, standing on the balcony of the estate, slowly withdrew his gaze.

"Isolation, the dispersion of spiritual energy, hidden sects, scattered cultivators..."

Qi Xiang's thoughts raced, but his eyes were filled with a deep smile. It was as if he saw a faint direction through the fog. However, he was still outside the gate, not yet on the path.

Originally, he had intended to confront Hai Gongzi and Tian Shi, but as the words reached his lips, he hesitated, feeling a sense of fear. Just as Hai Gongzi and Tian Shi were wary of him, he was also full of concerns.

"Wait, wait a bit more..." Qi Xiang pondered, his hands crossed, his eyebrows trembling, revealing his inner turmoil, "Just the Danmu seems to be insufficient leverage."

"Taihu Xuan Pearl!"

Qi Xiang's eyes flickered, "The Danmu plus the Taihu Xuan Pearl, could that be enough to open the door?"

After much consideration, Qi Xiang made his decision.

The next morning, he left the estate and returned to the shores of Taihu Lake. He rented a fishing boat and began his fishing trip on the lake.

If he found a black pearl in a fish's belly last time, it meant there were definitely more pearls in the lake.

One pearl might not be enough, but what about a dozen?

Qi Xiang was full of confidence and began his fishing plan, quickly catching a large fish...

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