377 Keeping Secrets!
“Just now, near the mountain wall, Lan Zhengtu seemed to have lost an arm,” Qin Huai mused, recalling the scene. He was tempted by the notion of an expert with five full patterns being severely injured.
Yet, after careful thought, he decided against making a move. Lan Zhengtu was surrounded by a formidable entourage, which would make the task far from easy.
As the sun set and the moon rose, the turmoil within the forest began to subside. It appeared as though the warring factions had reached an implicit truce.
Unable to locate Lan Zhengtu or the Jiang brothers, Qin Huai eventually gave up his search. Along his path, he had collected various cultivation techniques and a significant amount of experience.
“Let’s find a place to refine these experience points first,” Qin Huai decided, heading back to his territory. It was arguably the safest location, given that nobody paid much attention to an outsider like him.
He settled down cross-legged at the edge of an invisible wall, activating the divine power book of thousand creations to transform the accumulated experience points into those applicable to the ancient azure illusion scripture.
Inside the world of his dantian, the bronze wall teemed with life, the vibrant grasslands and forests all a lush green. Consequently, the experience points for the ancient azure illusion scripture soared. Within a few hours, Qin Huai had elevated it to the great blood refinement level, which was the seventh refinement tier.
“Phew…” He exhaled softly, then opened his eyes. From his palm, a broken branch shot out like a sharp arrow.
Whoosh!
The incoming person narrowly dodged the projectile, which then embedded itself in a large tree, buzzing ominously.
“Brother Zhou, it’s me,” Yang Tianhan called from a short distance away, a smile on his face as he raised his hands placatingly.
“So, it’s Brother Yang,” Qin Huai said, rising to greet him with a smile.
“Brother Zhou, are you alright?” Yang Tianhan asked with genuine concern in his voice.
“I’m okay. I had a few encounters and sustained some injuries,” Qin Huai replied, rolling up his sleeves to reveal the wounds inflicted by Fang Chuixue. He had intentionally refrained from using the blood heart technique for healing.
“It’s baffling who triggered the disruption, turning the previously peaceful atmosphere into chaos.” Yang sighed, then furrowed his brows.
“Didn’t Brother Yang mention yesterday? It must’ve been the three brothers from Fengling Mountain,” Qin Huai replied, feigning ignorance.
“Don’t you know? The eldest among the Fengling Mountain brothers is dead! Only their bodies remain in Fengling Mountain, while those from the Heavenly Eagle sect have entirely disappeared. What does that suggest?”
“There are many possibilities. Brother Yang should be at ease,” Qin Huai comforted him. “In any case, in a few days, there will be a significant skirmish, after which everyone will depart.”
Yang Tianhan sighed again. “It’s futile. If this internal strife continues, everyone will eventually meet their demise.”
“Big Brother Yang, why do you say that?” Qin Huai asked, taken aback.
“Even though this ancient scripture is potent, Brother Zhou, you should sense the difficulty in cultivating it,” Yang Tianhan pointed out.
Qin Huai nodded in agreement. “Indeed, it’s the most challenging thing I’ve ever encountered.”
“Our array master, Lan Zhengtu, has also been here for two decades. Despite his exceptional talent, he has only cultivated the ancient scripture to the seventh refinement.”
A realization struck Qin Huai, and his heart skipped a beat. ‘If Brother Yang has been here for so many years, he must have a grasp on the cultivation level achieved by the elites of the bronze realm with respect to the ancient scripture.’
“As far as I know, over the past two decades… No one has managed to cultivate the ancient scripture to the bone pattern level,” Yang Tianhan revealed. “Even those favored by the heavens and with the king’s force are powerless.” His expression grew solemn as he spoke. “The highest level attained is the ninth refinement.”
“Why is that?” Qin Huai asked, startled.
Yang Tianhan’s voice deepened. “The higher the level of the ancient azure illusion scripture, the more difficult it becomes to cultivate. But that’s only a part of the challenge.
“The most crucial obstacle is deciphering the power of the ancient scripture within the bronze realm. If I can’t cultivate the power of the ancient scripture, naturally, I can’t advance to the bone pattern realm.”
“So, the power of the ancient scripture is elusive…” Qin Huai muttered, contemplating.
He recalled his experience at the Azure Dragon Pass in the Nine Dragons sect, where he had accumulated his ancient azure illusion power. He wondered whether the Azure Dragon Pass could be a significant component of the bronze realm.
If such a secret were to leak, the Nine Dragons Gate would be doomed. Undoubtedly, numerous sects and bandits would vie to seize the Azure Dragon Pass, with attempts to silence him to keep the secret under wraps. However, currently, the bronze realm had successfully remained isolated, shielding the Nine Dragons sect from this potential calamity.
In any case, none of the bronze realm inhabitants had reached the great blood refinement realm, suggesting that their mastery of the ancient scripture was no better. Hence, Qin Huai had a fair chance of gaining an advantage in the imminent battle.
“Brother Zhou, would you consider joining my Ghost Ox sect?” Yang Tianhan extended an invitation.
“I…”
“Before you refuse, bear in mind that my Ghost Ox sect, while not the strongest in our immediate vicinity, has an impressively large number of geniuses across the entire bronze realm. Joining my sect would mean gaining a protective ally wherever you go in the future.”
Qin Huai politely declined with a smile. “I appreciate your offer, but I value my freedom. I’m not accustomed to being bound by any organization.”
While the Ghost Ox sect was a formidable entity, it surely had enemies, potentially matching its strength. If Qin Huai allied himself with the Ghost Ox sect, there was no guarantee of his safety, especially as an outsider. Moreover, he was likely to become a target for rival factions.
“What a pity,” Yang Tianhan said, shaking his head with a smile. “Take your time to think it over. You can give me your decision in a few days.”
As Yang Tianhan departed, his gaze remained inscrutable.
Left alone, Qin Huai closed his eyes once again, activating the divine power book of thousand creations to convert a vast number of cultivation techniques into ancient azure illusion force.
Barring any unexpected complications, he expected it to break through to the bone pattern realm within a month.