Luo Hongyan’s answer disappointed Changqing again; it seemed she wasn't from Earth.
Wait, that wasn't important. What was important was, since Liu Lu already had someone who recognized Wen Characters, why would she go to such great lengths to find him to translate that book?
Changqing finally found the crucial point.
Clearly, Liu Lu was hiding something from Luo Hongyan. If he told Luo Hongyan this secret, would it benefit him?
No, that shouldn't be what he should be thinking about. The question was what was written in that book, and why its contents needed to be hidden from Luo Hongyan.
Changqing had a faint premonition: as long as he figured out this secret, he would very likely escape this life!
He began to carefully recall the contents of the book.
“The Soul Exchange and Body Seizure, the general content is an introduction to the taboos of this evil art, the necessary conditions, and the method of soul exchange. Also, the Imperial Spirit and Refining Method needed to use this spell.”
“The most important conditions are: first, both parties in the Soul Exchange must be virgins, meaning their primordial Yin or Yang must be intact.”
“Second, the Cultivation Techniques practiced by both parties in the Soul Exchange must be exactly the same.”
“Third, only with a specially refined Soul Shifting Spirit is it possible for the Soul Exchange to succeed.”
Although Liu Lu didn't recognize the Wen Characters in the book, she definitely knew the general content of the book. At least she must have known what the spell recorded in the book was used for.
Connecting this with some information and details he learned in his previous life, a bold guess emerged in Changqing’s mind.
“First, tell me, what Cultivation Technique do you Cultivate?” Changqing asked.
Luo Hongyan hesitated for a Moment, then candidly replied.
“I Cultivate the Fire Refining Method.”
This was somewhat unexpected for Changqing. He had heard that Refining Method Cultivators were extremely rare and held a high status. He hadn't expected Luo Hongyan to be a Refining Method Cultivator.
“Have you ever taught your Cultivation Technique to Liu Lu?”
Luo Hongyan was slightly surprised.
“Yes, I have been teaching her the Refining Method for several years. In fact, I should be considered her master, but due to our identities, I promised her that she would call me master in front of outsiders.”
Her answer again confirmed Changqing’s guess.
“Have you made some kind of deal with her?”
“You figured all this out?” Luo Hongyan’s tone was no longer as indifferent as before. “Yes, I promised to teach her the Refining Method. As long as her Refining Method Realm makes a Breakthrough, she promised to let me leave here.”
As she spoke, she glanced in the direction where Liu Lu was meditating, as if a little uneasy.
“Of course, I know a madwoman like her cannot be trusted, so the Cultivation Technique I taught her has always been incomplete, preventing her Refining Method attainment from improving. At the same time, I am also looking for a way to leave here. If you can tell me what she showed you in the Dan Room, perhaps we can cooperate.”
Changqing naturally agreed with Luo Hongyan’s words, but he couldn't fully trust the woman in front of him yet. What she said could also be a ploy in collusion with Liu Lu, to trick the true contents of the book out of him.
He needed to verify it further.
“Since you are proficient in the Refining Method, do you know of any method to help someone restore their primordial Yin or Yang body?”
“There are methods, but very few people use them. They are time-consuming, cause damage to the body, and can even result in loss of Cultivation. The higher the Cultivation, the greater the price of reversing primordial Yin.”
Luo Hongyan hesitated.
“Are you suspecting that Liu Lu has been reversing primordial Yin all these years?”
Changqing understood. In his previous life, he had heard that Sect Master Liu Lu had not engaged in dual Cultivation with men for many years. It was also rumored that Liu Lu had been injured during Cultivation in the past, leaving a hidden ailment, and her Cultivation had regressed significantly over the years.
“It seems this old snake truly wants to reverse herself back to a primordial Yin body.”
Changqing sneered inwardly.
Cultivators in this world can only Cultivate one Cultivation Technique at a time. If they want to Cultivate other Cultivation Techniques, they must abandon their original Cultivation Technique and start from scratch.
Not only would their Cultivation drop sharply, but the speed of Cultivating other Cultivation Techniques halfway through would also be very slow, and they would even be prone to Qi Deviation.
Therefore, most Cultivators follow one path to the end on their Cultivation journey; very few would switch to other Cultivation Techniques halfway.
“This old snake originally Cultivated an evil art that relied on harvesting men to increase her Cultivation. Now, in order to reverse herself back to a primordial Yin body, she has stopped harvesting.”
“Plus, she is simultaneously Cultivating the Refining Method, and Luo Hongyan deliberately taught her an incomplete version, preventing her Refining Method attainment from progressing.”
“Under these multiple conditions, no wonder she has become this bizarre, neither human nor ghost, with a beautiful face but an extremely aged body, and a mind that is sometimes clear and sometimes Madness.”
Changqing now believed Luo Hongyan’s words ninety-nine percent. Only one last question needed to be verified.
“I have one more question.” Changqing asked expressionlessly.
“Are you a primordial Yin body?”
Luo Hongyan was immediately filled with shame and indignation, but she was afraid of waking Liu Lu, who was meditating, so she couldn't lash out for a Moment. She could only give Changqing’s waist a hard pinch.
Changqing winced in pain, recalling how Ye Qinghe would also pinch his waist every time they argued back on Earth. Luo Hongyan’s grip was even stronger.
“You scoundrel! Do you think I am as shameless as the monsters in this cave? I was only fifteen when I stumbled in here, and I have always kept myself pure all these years. How could I, how could I not be… ”
By the end, her voice was as faint as a mosquito, rarely revealing a trace of the sweet innocence unique to a girl her age.
The guess was finally verified, and Changqing nodded with satisfaction.
His satisfaction had nothing to do with whether Luo Hongyan was a virgin. He was satisfied that he had finally found Liu Lu’s weakness and clarified the true identity of this woman, Luo Hongyan. She had transformed from an “unknown” into a usable helper.
The truth was evident: Liu Lu wanted to perform Soul Exchange and Body Seizure, and the target of the Soul Exchange and Body Seizure was Luo Hongyan.
But why would she go to such great lengths, paying such a high price, to perform Soul Exchange with Luo Hongyan?
“What is your Cultivation Realm?”
The first reason Changqing thought of was for Cultivation.
Having been Reborn four times, he deeply understood the hardships of a Cultivator’s journey. Liu Lu had Cultivated for many years, and her strength was at the 6th Tier of the Instant Realm. This was after all her reckless actions over the years, which caused her to fall to her current Realm. Otherwise, her original Cultivation was probably even higher.
If it wasn't necessary, who would willingly abandon all their Cultivation to Possess someone inferior to themselves?
“4th Tier of the Moment Realm.” Luo Hongyan replied.
Not a low Cultivation, but was it worth Liu Lu’s Possession?
The entry point for a Cultivator is to open their Qi apertures. The Realm after opening the Qi apertures is called the Transient Realm, which is divided into nine stages, from 1st Tier to 9th Tier.
After reaching Perfection at the 9th Tier, one needs to charge through the apertures and Breakthrough.
The Realm after Breakthrough is called the Qingke Realm, also divided into nine stages, from 1st Tier to 9th Tier.
After Breakthrough from the Qingke Realm is the Moment Realm. By analogy, above the Moment Realm is the instant Realm, and above the instant Realm is the Xuyu Realm. The Xuyu Realm is the Peak that ordinary Cultivators can reach.
As for what Realm is higher than the Xuyu Realm, Changqing was not yet clear. He only heard that higher Realms were no longer considered Cultivators, but were called Venerables.
Venerables glimpse the mysteries of heaven and earth, transcending the rules of the mortal world, a Realm that ordinary Cultivators can never reach.
To say that an instant Realm Cultivator would Possess a Moment Realm Cultivator for Cultivation sounds as illogical as a rich man exchanging lives with a beggar for money.
Why would a rich man exchange lives with a beggar?
Changqing thought of the simplest reason.
Lifespan.
Although he didn't know Liu Lu’s exact age, she had clearly Cultivated in the Joyful Harmony Sect for many years.
It was highly likely that she knew her Lifespan was nearing its end, while Luo Hongyan was still young and exceptionally talented.
So, she had the idea of Possessing Luo Hongyan and taking her place.