Ding Huan said, "Qijian, we hit it off at first sight, do you think I need to lie to you about this?"
Fu Qijian had just calmed down from his shock when he remembered what his master had told him.
Entering the Four-layered Sea Canyon meant there was no way out. His master was only able to exit because he possessed a pair of Array-breaking Movement Talismans.
Without those talismans, not just his master, but even a true Earth Immortal wouldn’t be able to escape.
Ding Huan was probably not yet at the Immortal realm, right? It was no wonder he didn’t believe that someone of that strength could enter the Four-layered Sea Canyon and still manage to come out. Anybody would find it hard to believe.
Ding Huan raised his hand and grabbed a piece of Emerald Crystal of the Sea Depths, saying,
"Your master has come out from the Four-layered Sea Canyon before, so you should recognize this, right?"
"Emerald Crystal?" Fu Qijian was even more puzzled.
It took him a while to say,
"My master said there’s a river of Emerald Crystals in the Four-layered Sea Canyon, but the crystals there can’t be excavated at all, not even a single piece can be moved. How did you manage to get this?"
"It has to do with my Divine Will, which I guess is quite strong."
Ding Huan didn’t reveal the matter of the Fei Yan Sword. Since the Fei Yan Sword had already recognized its master, he couldn’t give it to Fu Qijian.
Moreover, even with the Fei Yan Sword, without his powerful and concentrated Divine Will, he wouldn’t have been able to obtain the Emerald Crystals from the Four-layered Sea Canyon.
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Fu Qijian let out a long sigh, as if he was struggling to digest the shock Ding Huan had brought him.
"Alright, I believe you, and I am also willing to wait here for you," Fu Qijian finally made his decision.
Ding Huan shook his head,
"I’ve changed my mind again."
Fu Qijian looked at Ding Huan, puzzled.
Ding Huan continued,
"The reason I came here to borrow the Earth Fire is to refine a bunch of talismans, and when Shi Qi Qiu comes to kill me, I plan to take him down."
"Shi Qi Qiu wants to kill you?" Fu Qijian looked at Ding Huan.
Ding Huan nodded,
"Yes, he wants something I possess, so he’s preparing to ambush me. I’ve arranged for backup, and with a bunch of freshly crafted talismans, there’s more than a ninety percent chance I can counter-kill him."
Fu Qijian burst into laughter,
"Why go through such trouble? I can kill him now, and then I will accompany you."
Ding Huan gave a wry smile,
"I’m afraid that won’t work. Shi Qi Qiu is a sly and cunning fellow. If he sees you with me, he will definitely not show up.
I don’t need your help to deal with Shi Qi Qiu. You just go to Hidden Sword Mountain and wait for me. Once I make a trip back to the Sect, I’ll head to Hidden Sword Mountain."
"What are you going to do at Hidden Sword Mountain?" Fu Qijian was confused.
Ding Huan explained,
"Neither my cultivation nor yours is sufficient. If we are to enter the Four-layered Sea Canyon again, we must enhance our own cultivation. You must reach at least a Perfect Immortal, ideally the Earth Immortal Realm."
Fu Qijian shook his head,
"My cultivation can’t progress any further. It took me three hundred and twenty-seven years to reach the fifth level of Immortal from the first, whereas, before Immortal, I only spent a total of one hundred and nine years.
So, even if I go to Hidden Sword Mountain, my cultivation will not improve quickly."
Ding Huan had created his own Cultivation Technique and made rapid progress.
He believed it was impossible for a second person to have such luck, to obtain the miraculous leather scroll, and then integrate it with a gene spiritual root.
More than that, he was able to use the vast knowledge of Daoist cultivation techniques contained in the scroll, and from the start, had created the Great Universe Technique.
The Great Universe Technique connected with the vast universe, enhancing one’s power from the very beginning with the Cosmic Rules. It would be strange if his progress wasn’t rapid.
For a Cultivator who cultivates using usual techniques to reach the Immortal realm in one hundred and nine years was definitely a genius among geniuses.
Such a genius couldn’t have taken three hundred and twenty-seven years to progress from the first to the fifth level in the Immortal realm; there must be an issue.
After listening to Fu Qijian, Ding Huan finally understood why Fu Qijian was so eager to go to the Heaven-Splitting Battlefield of the Four-layered Sea Canyon.
He figured that knowing he couldn’t enhance his cultivation, Fu Qijian simply chose to seek opportunities in the battlefield.
Suddenly, Ding Huan thought of Fu Qijian’s master, who also hadn’t reached Earth Immortal; could there be an issue with the cultivation of their Fu Ru Seven Swords?
Ding Huan stood up,
"Qijian, if you trust me, then go and wait for me at Hidden Sword Mountain. I was able to enter the Heaven-Splitting Battlefield, even leave the Four-layered Sea Canyon, so naturally, I have some tricks up my sleeve."
"Alright, I trust you." Fu Qijian asked no further, simply nodding and standing up as well.
He wasn’t a man of many words. Once he had determined that Ding Huan was a friend worth trusting, he didn’t feel the need to question everything in detail.
Ding Huan had his reasons, after all.
Liu Yinyu, who was anxiously waiting in the Thunder Rhythm Pill Workshop, widened her eyes in disbelief. She hardly could believe that Ding Huan had actually come down from the attic of the pill workshop.
It seemed that Fu Qijian was even seeing him out at the door.
Ding Huan didn’t let Fu Qijian escort him down; he was worried that if Shi Qi Qiu saw this, he wouldn’t dare to pursue and kill him.
"Sect Master Ding, are you alright?" As soon as Liu Yinyu saw Ding Huan, she asked anxiously.
Ding Huan spread his hands,
"What could be wrong with me? Let’s go, we’ll talk more back at the Rest Inn."
"Okay," Liu Yinyu also knew this wasn’t the place to talk.
After returning to the Ancient Jade Rest Tower, Liu Yinyu’s first words were to ask, "Ding Sect Master, could it be that you caused the collapse of half of the Thunder Rhythm Pill Workshop?"
Ding Huan smiled awkwardly, "It indeed has something to do with me, I didn’t expect it to happen either."
"Could Fu Qijian let you go?" Liu Yinyu looked at Ding Huan with some skepticism.
She was very aware of Fu Qijian’s character, gentle and refined, never displaying his anger outwardly.
But for those who truly offended him, he would kill them cleanly, with no loose ends.
"I hit it off with Master Fu right away, so we chatted for a bit more. He gave me the Earth Fire Vein and I gave him something in return."
Ding Huan told the truth.
Liu Yinyu was almost speechless. Fu Qijian giving away the Earth Fire Vein? Don’t make jokes alright...
Wait, Liu Yinyu suddenly thought, the collapse of the Thunder Rhythm Pill Workshop, wasn’t it just the aftermath of the Earth Fire Vein being drawn away?
"Ding Sect Master, I was cultivating next door. When you leave, you can call me."
She knew there must be a reason behind this and decided not to ask further.
"Alright, I was just about to refine some things."
Ding Huan nodded. He still had half of the Earth Fire Vein with him and planned to refine some talismans before leaving Wanjun City.
Once back in his room, the first thing Ding Huan did was take out the flame.
The flame was still in a weak state, evidently still needing the nourishment of the Earth Fire Vein to continue growing.
As for what this flame could eventually grow into, it was impossible to tell at the moment.
Ding Huan also knew that the most important factor for the growth of the flame was the ability of the owner. Therefore, during his next visit to the Heaven-Splitting Battlefield, he must find a new Earth Fire Vein.
Looking at the dancing flame in his hand, Ding Huan said,
"It’s not convenient to take out the Earth Fire Vein now. When I get to Hidden Sword Mountain, I’ll let you absorb the Earth Fire Vein and grow."
Having tucked away the newly sprouted seedling, Ding Huan began refining talismans.
Originally, Ding Huan planned to use the Emerald Crystal of the Sea Depths to refine talismans, but alas, he now lacked Earth Fire, and his own True Fire was still insufficient to melt the Emerald Crystal for talisman crafting.
He could only use the materials he carried to continue making ordinary sixth-level Attack Talismans and Killing Trap Talismans.
Two days later, while Ding Huan was still researching new talismans, the prohibition on his room was tapped.
Ding Huan lifted the prohibition and looked confusedly at Liu Yinyu standing at the door,
"Palace Master Liu, what brings you here?"
Liu Yinyu said,
"I have to tell you something big. Shi Qi Qiu of Changyan Academy was almost killed."
Ding Huan was startled and quickly asked,
"Palace Master Liu, what happened?"
Liu Yinyu smiled and said,
"Shi Qi Qiu was ambushed in his own cave mansion, and if it weren’t for having a Space Break Talisman, he would be dead in Wanjun City. Rumor has it that the person who seriously injured Shi Qi Qiu is a strong practitioner of the Sword Dao..."
Ding Huan immediately understood, it must have been Fu Qijian’s doing.
Fu Qijian did not flaunt his presence and acted very discreetly, typically not likely to plot against Shi Qi Qiu.
This was Fu Qijian anticipating Shi Qi Qiu’s ambush against Ding Huan and attempting to take out Shi Qi Qiu in advance.
To his surprise, Shi Qi Qiu had a Space Break Talisman and managed to escape with his life.
While internally grateful to Fu Qijian, Ding Huan also realized that if he tried to lock down Shi Qi Qiu with a talisman, he likely could not have killed Shi Qi Qiu.
With the Space Break Talisman, no matter how many talismans he used, he could not keep him from escaping.
Unless his talismans were of a higher level than the enemy’s – but in fact, Ding Huan knew this was unlikely. His best talisman was just a level-seven Hell Vine Talisman.
Shi Qi Qiu’s Space Break Talisman couldn’t possibly be just level seven.
Liu Yinyu likely guessed who had tried to assassinate Shi Qi Qiu. After conveying this news, she then asked,
"With the threat of Shi Qi Qiu gone, do you need to return to Blue Star Sect early?"
Ding Huan nodded,
"Yes, I’ll leave now. Anyway, thank you, Palace Master Liu, if you ever need my service, please just send a message to Blue Star Sect."
This time Shi Qi Qiu being seriously injured by Fu Qijian and fleeing meant that Ding Huan couldn’t execute his plan to kill the man. But since Liu Yinyu agreed to help, he had to express his gratitude.
Liu Yinyu laughed, "You don’t need to thank me, really. You saved my life, and I haven’t been able to help you much.
It’s actually Lou Fenyan, the owner of the Dual Cultivation Tower, who’s helped you twice. You really should thank her."
Twice? As Ding Huan wondered, Liu Yinyu continued,
"The first time, when Shi Qi Qiu used Qing Yu to slander you, it was her who exposed Qing Yu’s lies..."
Upon hearing Liu Yinyu’s words, Ding Huan came to know the woman who deliberately spoke contradictory to help him was named Lou Fenyan.
Ding Huan didn’t know why Lou Fenyan helped him, but he remembered the favor she owed him twice.
And then there was Pang Xiangxiang. Ding Huan had only met her once during an auction; he hadn’t expected she would help him once too.
Regardless, help from others had been offered, no matter the purpose, and that kindness needed to be repaid.
"Palace Master Liu, this is farewell. If you need my help in the future, just send a word to Blue Star Sect."
Ding Huan decided not to linger in Wanjun City.
Before leaving, Ding Huan did not seek out Fu Qijian. No matter the reason, it was not proper for him to go looking for Fu Qijian now.