Chapter 405 Cao Youqian: Cast a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish
In Frost Valley.
A young man dressed like a pampered son rode a majestic azure lion, smiling as he looked at Chu Feng and his companion.
Seeing their eyes fall on him, he cupped his hands and said, “I am Liang Yi. May I ask how the two dao friends should be addressed?”
“Qiankun.”
“Shi Shisan.”
Neither Chu Feng nor Shi Xuan used their real names, casually giving aliases.
“So it is Dao Friend Qian and Dao Friend Shisan.”
Liang Yi did not find their names strange. In Frost Valley, names like Zhang San or Li Si were quite common.
“Are you two from elsewhere?”
“Indeed.”
Chu Feng gave a short reply, then asked, “Dao Friend, are you a native of Frost Valley, or a cultivator of Boundary Mountain?”
“Neither, I simply often temper myself in Boundary Mountain.”
Liang Yi explained further, “Just now I heard Dao Friend Qian’s words on cultivating the heart, and found them most profound. That is why I ventured to disturb you. I beg your pardon.”
Chu Feng answered casually, “Think nothing of it.”
Liang Yi then asked, “May I boldly request Dao Friend to elaborate more on this cultivation of the heart? I am willing to pay a price.”
Chu Feng said, “Naturally. As for payment, why not serve as our guide in Boundary Mountain?”
“Agreed.”
Liang Yi added, “And all expenses within Boundary Mountain will be covered by me.”
“Not bad. Then it is settled.”
Chu Feng accepted without hesitation.
Liang Yi rode his azure lion to their side. “Please follow me, dao friends.”
The two mounted their Swiftwind Colts and followed, while Liang Yi’s men trailed close behind.
They had no fear of any trickery from him.
After all, with Saints absent in this world, no one could defeat Chu Feng.
Even if a Saint appeared, Chu Feng could at least leave with Shi Xuan. A free guide was not to be wasted.
The group walked along a long street, soon arriving at an inn called “Yuelai.”
The inn’s waiter quickly stepped forward and asked respectfully, “Honored guests, will you dine or lodge?”
“Prepare some superior rooms for us, and bring good wine and dishes,” Liang Yi said generously, tossing him a middle-grade spirit stone.
The waiter received it and hurriedly said, “Right away, sirs. I will arrange everything.”
Soon, the group settled into the inn’s first-class rooms.
When the wine and dishes were served, Chu Feng and the others sat together at a table, drinking and chatting.
Liang Yi did not rush to question them. Instead, he introduced the customs and ways of Boundary Mountain.
After listening, Chu Feng gave only one word in response—chaotic.
Boundary Mountain was a lawless place. But for someone of his level, such a place posed no pressure at all.
Shi Xuan only listened to the stories with mild interest.
Liang Yi, however, watched the two intently. Seeing their calm and unshaken expressions, he secretly guessed they were by no means ordinary.
After three rounds of wine, Chu Feng finally said, “Enough drinking. Let me share with you the secret to cultivating the heart.”
Before cultivating the heart, one must determine what one truly desires. Many cultivators drift all their lives, never knowing their true pursuit.
Some may say cultivation is to grow strong or live long. But how many can truly remain undisturbed by worldly matters and devote themselves solely to cultivation?
Shi Xuan asked curiously, “Master, can you do that?”
“I admit I cannot. That is why I choose to enjoy life. As for cultivation, to hell with it.”
Chu Feng said this while taking another drink.
This answer left Shi Xuan dumbfounded, and even Liang Yi was stunned.
He had not expected such worldly words from this man.
Chu Feng continued, “Enough. Let us return to the main topic…”
The drinking lasted two hours, with Chu Feng lecturing on cultivating the heart for one of them.
Liang Yi, after listening, still felt only half-understanding. He glanced at the sky and said to Chu Feng, “Senior, it grows late. Tomorrow let us enter the mountain. But before that, could you tell me where you plan to go?”
Chu Feng smiled and said, “I intend to go to Northern End Mountain within Boundary Mountain.”
“Could it be that Senior is also here because of the Spirit Tomb Sect?”
Liang Yi asked instinctively.
“What Spirit Tomb Sect?”
A look of doubt appeared on Chu Feng’s face.
Liang Yi explained, “A few days ago, the Spirit Tomb Sect fell into turmoil. It is said there was infighting. Now all the surrounding forces wish to seize a share of the spoils.”
“Has it been more than seven days?”
Chu Feng asked again.
Liang Yi shook his head. “No, it should have happened within the last three to five days. The Spirit Tomb Sect is a first-class power in Boundary Mountain. Although it has no Nirvana experts, several Path Union cultivators sit in town. Ordinary riffraff would not dare covet them.”
“So then, in Boundary Mountain, are there any powers with kings sitting in town?” Chu Feng asked.
Liang Yi shook his head. “No. The Horizon Sword Sect does have a Nirvana cultivator, but rumor has it he is merely a piece placed there by the Beiyuan Sacred Dynasty. After all, this small Boundary Mountain cannot support a king. Even if one existed, the two Sacred Lands would never permit it.”
Chu Feng laughed lightly. “So it seems you know much about Boundary Mountain.”
“To speak frankly, this junior was born in the Complete Truth Sword Sect of Boundary Mountain. Within Boundary Mountain, it is a well-known sect.”
Liang Yi’s expression was full of respect, without the slightest hint of pride, though he was the genius of the Complete Truth Sword Sect.
“So that is how it is.”
Chu Feng did not ask further. “Come find us tomorrow when the sun is high.”
“Yes.”
Though questions stirred in his heart, Liang Yi did not voice them.
As night fell, Chu Feng, as always, cultivated late into the night.
At the same time, Cao Youqian and his group, who were hunting the four great prodigies, followed Qiu Qianhen into a valley shrouded in miasma.
Whoosh…
A cool wind blew by.
Han Ping, behind him, muttered instinctively, “Senior brother, there is heavy yin energy in this wind. Could this be the lair of the Heavenly Corpse Sect?”
Cao Youqian smiled broadly. “We will know soon. Our long patience in casting the line to catch a big fish has not been wasted.”
Among the group, the outer disciple Lin Mo’s face showed a trace of shame.
Three days earlier, he had curiously asked why Mister Cao, after catching up with Qiu Qianhen, did not directly suppress him.
At that time, Mister Cao had answered that they not only needed to kill him, but also to seize his fortune.
The group concealed their auras, following silently behind Qiu Qianhen.
Qiu Qianhen had not yet noticed he was being tailed. His mind held only one thought: to hide away and cultivate another Saint Corpse. Even if the Saint Corpse could not defeat the great sage Qiankun, it could still destroy the Northern Wasteland Dynasty and that vile woman’s kingdom. In that way, his revenge would be complete.
As they delved deeper into the valley, the yin energy thickened. Two outer disciples could no longer endure the dreadful qi.
Sensing the change, Cao Youqian released his aura to shield them.
With his Path Union cultivation, he naturally had no fear of being noticed by a mere True Fate cultivator.
After walking for an unknown time, Qiu Qianhen finally halted.
Cao Youqian also raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.
Everyone looked forward, seeing a massive tomb standing in the valley.
The yin aura they had sensed poured from within the tomb.
“The Land of the Nine Yin Veins.”
Back when Cao Youqian was tempering his body, he had read many records of perilous places.
This Land of the Nine Yin Veins was a prime site for raising corpses.
Even as he spoke, Qiu Qianhen produced a token from his storage ring and began chanting.
Moments later, the entire valley trembled.
The massive tombstone slowly rose, revealing a pitch-black passage before him.
Waves of yin energy surged from the tunnel like a flooding tide.
Seeing the passage at hand, Qiu Qianhen finally felt his heart ease. Yet an ill omen still lingered at the edge of his thoughts.
No matter. Once he returned to his sect, no one could touch him.
Thus, Qiu Qianhen strode into the passage.
Cao Youqian waved his hand, bringing his juniors and students to vanish from sight and enter the tunnel.
Qiu Qianhen only felt a gust of wind pass, but thought nothing of it. He used the token to slowly close the great gate, continuing his descent.
As he drew closer to his usual place of cultivation, the sense of dread grew heavier.
This foreboding had saved him from countless brushes with death before. It could not be wrong.
He halted, turned, and spoke deliberately. “Dao friend, you have followed me all this way. Should you not show yourself now?”
At these words, the disciples of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute all turned their eyes toward Cao Youqian…
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