Seated cross-legged near the magnificent crystal throne, Liang was now surrounded by hundreds of gleaming law crystals. The radiant shards pulsed with an ancient, primal power, their captivating glow illuminating the expansive chamber.
Not far from him, Luo Li couldn’t help but furrow her brow in deep contemplation. Practically speaking, these law crystals held no significant importance to either her original purpose or her Dao path. She could not fathom why Liang would choose to waste a valuable request from the Chess Paragon on something as seemingly mundane.
"How many law crystals are left?" Liang’s voice suddenly echoed, pulling Luo Li from her thoughts.
"There are still 32 law crystals remaining," Luo Li replied casually, though inwardly she was filled with a growing sense of shock. The time it took Liang to comprehend the intricacies of each crystal was decreasing with every passing one, now requiring only three to five hours to fully grasp their secrets.
Time flew by, and another week had passed. Liang finally opened his eyes, gazing thoughtfully at the hundreds of crystals that now surrounded him. It had been around five months since he had arrived in this chamber, and only today had he managed to completely comprehend the fragmented laws contained within each shard.
"That was the last one," Luo Li said, a hint of impatience evident in her tone.
Liang looked at her and smiled, "For an artifact spirit, time holds no meaning."
Luo Li’s face flushed with anger as she planted her feet firmly on the ground. That’s right, she was an artifact spirit – the very spirit of the jade throne upon which they now stood. Apparently, this ancient and mysterious treasure held great value.
Liang shook his head as he rose from his seated position, his gaze flicking thoughtfully towards the throne. In truth, the moment he had entered this chamber, he had already discerned the true worth of the throne, but alas, it belonged to the Chess Paragon.
"Artifact spirits are neither bound by time nor boredom, so why do you appear so impatient and anxious?" Liang asked, running his fingers along the throne’s ornate handle.
"What does that have to do with you?" Luo Li snorted, her disdain for the man evident.
Liang’s mouth curled into an amused smile. "Is the Chess Paragon going to release you?"
"How did you know that?" Luo Li’s eyes widened with astonishment. The Paragon had indeed promised to let her go before his Ascension, and in fact, after Liang’s departure, he would allow her freedom.
Liang nodded, his expression turning serious. "Do you have any place to go?"
Luo Li frowned slightly, though she did not fully understand the meaning behind his question, she shook her head. She knew nothing of the outside world, and the Chess Paragon was not the type to simply allow his possessions to wander freely.
Liang stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, your situation is not so optimistic."
Luo Li’s heart sank upon hearing this, and she had a growing sense of dread about what he might say next.
"Once you are released, you would most likely fall into the hands of another expert and be trapped once more," Liang continued, his gaze unwavering.
Luo Li’s beautiful face darkened at the prospect, the thought of living in this nightmare again filling her with a sense of despair. After a moment’s contemplation, she spoke in a low voice, "For you to bring up this subject, I assume you have a way to resolve it, correct?"
Liang’s smile widened. "You’re not wrong about that. Indeed, I do have the means to help you."
Luo Li’s eyes brightened with hope upon hearing this, and she quickly composed herself, looking at Liang with a serious expression. "What do you want in return?"
Liang nodded, his eyes flicking towards the throne behind him. "I want that," he said, pointing at the magnificent crystal structure.
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Luo Li’s smile turned grim. "Is this the means you were talking about? How is that any different from my current situation?"
"Don’t be so hasty," Liang chuckled, reaching into his spatial ring and withdrawing a jade slip, which he then tossed towards Luo Li. "Take a look at this."
Catching the jade slip, Luo Li inspected it with her divine sense, and soon a look of surprise appeared on her face. Calming herself, she looked at Liang and said, "I’m listening."
Liang praised her inwardly for her ability to control her emotions. "Actually, your problem would be solved completely if you managed to join a powerful faction that’s willing to support your independence," he said, his voice measured and thoughtful.
Luo Li shook her head, a faint frown creasing her brow. "What faction would accept a foreign artifact spirit like me?"
Liang’s eyes gleamed with a hint of amusement . "Well, you’re in luck. In the current time, there’s a power called the All Thing Pavilion, a special faction that is solely controlled by artifact spirits like yourself," he explained, his words slow and deliberate. "And I happen to have connections within this faction. In fact, I’ll be heading there sometime later."
Luo Li nodded, her expression cautious. "How can I be sure you’re not deceiving me?"
Liang inwardly sneered at the suggestion, dismissing the notion as unworthy of his consideration. "I’m a man of my word," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of righteousness . "I’ve never deceived anyone before."
Luo Li remained unconvinced, her lips curling into a slight sneer. "That won’t do. I need a guarantee. "
Liang let out a sigh and reached into his space ring, retrieving an old, worn parchment. "This is a soul contract. We’ll both sign it, and neither of us can break the agreement, or we’ll face serious consequences. "
Luo Li took the parchment and examined it carefully, her eyes widening with interest. "Now we’re talking. "
Ten minutes later, Liang emerged from a door to find himself standing before the palace’s outer gates. Suddenly, a jade slip seemed to have flown from the palace to his side, and he examined it with his Ethereal Will, a smile spreading across his face as he tucked it away.
Turning to look behind him, Liang’s eyes fell upon a young woman who bore a striking resemblance to Dong Rui. His expression flickered with amusement, and he raised his hand, summoning a space rift beside him.
"Let’s get out of here. It’s not safe," Liang chuckled, his gaze fixed on a certain direction.
Dong Rui followed his gaze, and her expression changed, a sudden urgency filling her features. Without hesitation, she stepped into the space rift, which closed behind them immediately.
Moments later, five powerful auras appeared in the same location, followed by the emergence of five black-robed experts. "We’re too late," said one of the experts, his voice tinged with frustration.
"The man most likely has a void-based rune, which is why he was able to teleport so easily within Solitude," another expert observed grimly.
Indeed, within the confines of Solitude, experts without void-based runes would find it challenging to teleport, often relying on spirit artifacts for mobility.
****
In a desolate cultivation adobe, two figures suddenly materialized. The air was thick with an ominous tension, a palpable unease settling over the barren landscape.
Dong Rui’s gaze swept across the stark surroundings, a flicker of curiosity igniting within her. Her eyes then settled on Liang, who had already found a chair and made himself comfortable.
"Have you given her your Lightforged illumination technique yet?" Liang’s voice boomed, cutting through the heavy silence like a drum.
Dong Rui’s face darkened, her brow furrowing with a mixture of suspicion and apprehension. "Even you know about it?" she countered, the grim tone betraying her unease. "Are you also after that technique?"
Liang’s lips curled into an amused chuckle. "After this technique? Me?" he scoffed, the amusement in his voice only adding to Dong Rui’s growing unease.
Dong Rui’s frown deepened as she studied Liang, trying to discern his true intentions. "Then what’s the reason behind you exposing our location to this woman?" she finally voiced her concerns.
Liang’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Dong Rui thought she’d finally caught him off guard. But to her surprise, an amused smile blossomed on his face. "What do you think?" he asked, his tone layered with a hint of challenge.
Dong Rui’s eyes widened with astonishment. She had expected Liang to be caught off guard by her question, but his calm demeanor only served to heighten her confusion. "I also advise you to put that half-eight-order talisman back into your robe," Liang continued, his gaze fixed on her hand. "It won’t work on me."
Despite his nonchalant delivery, he was inwardly impressed by her protective measures – as expected from the saintess of the Dong Clan.
Dong Rui studied Liang once more, comparing the calm, collected and mysterious figure before her to the weak expert she had encountered at the Haven of Harmony. Her confusion only deepened, and she couldn’t help but curse under her breath.
"The matter is actually simple," Liang said, his tone casual. "Imagine if Evana couldn’t find you. What do you think she would do?" He chuckled, the mirth in his voice tinged with a hint of seriousness. "She would spread the information about you. Forget about the gathering – I’m not sure if you’d be able to return to your clan again."