Chapter 515: Yin-Yang Fish

Xiao Qiwu glanced at the envelope the young attendant held in his hand, and his Divine Sense had already gathered upon it.

The moment his Divine Sense pierced through the envelope, Xiao Qiwu's dead-fish-like, withered eyes suddenly lit up.

He sat within the pavilion, flicked his sleeve, and the envelope drifted into his hand.

Xiao Qiwu gripped the envelope in his hand and said in a deep voice, "Bring him up!"

"Yes!" The young attendant cupped his hands in a salute and left.

After the young attendant turned away, Xiao Qiwu gently tore open the envelope and pinched out a round object, three inches in size, from within.

Although he had already been clear about the treasure inside the envelope when his Divine Sense pierced through it, he still could not help but feel his heart tremble when he saw it with his own eyes.

"Yin-Yang Fish!?"

In Xiao Qiwu's palm at this moment lay a strangely curved object, entirely translucent white and three inches long; the whole thing looked like a lifelike swimming fish flicking its tail, and the single eyeball at the fish's head was a pitch-black dot.

Although this object lay motionless in Xiao Qiwu's palm, it was as if it were a living thing, carrying a certain vitality and spiritual energy.

This Yin-Yang Fish was a pair, one Yin Fish and one Yang Fish.

The Yin and Yang interacted and blended, spinning around incessantly.

At this moment, what Xiao Qiwu held was the Yang Fish of the pair.

Xiao Qiwu had long heard of this treasure, but this was the first time he had seen it.

"Just the Yang Fish alone is this nimble and miraculous. If the Yin and Yang were combined..." Xiao Qiwu looked at the object in his hand, his eyes filled with yearning.

At this time, amidst the setting sun, Jing Chou limped along behind the young attendant, rounding a withered pine tree.

The young attendant stood under the tree, pointed to the pavilion at the edge of the cliff, and said, "My master is in that pavilion."

After the young attendant finished speaking, he turned and left.

Jing Chou looked up, then walked on alone.

The red light of the setting sun stretched his staggering silhouette and cast it upon the mountain rock.

Jing Chou stopped outside the pavilion, knelt down, and called out, "This lowly one, Jing Chou, pays respects to Master Xiao!"

Xiao Qiwu sat in the pavilion, held up the object in his hand, and asked, "Do you know what this is?"

Jing Chou looked up and said coldly, "Yang Fish."

Xiao Qiwu's expression did not move as he said, "Where did you obtain this?"

Jing Chou said, "This belongs to my master."

Xiao Qiwu said, "Your master? Ge Rusong?"

Jing Chou said, "Correct!"

Xiao Qiwu stood up and walked out of the pavilion. He stood at the edge of the pavilion, looked at Jing Chou in the twilight, and said, "Since there is a Yang Fish, there must be a Yin Fish."

Jing Chou said, "The Yin-Yang Fish is a pair. As long as you, Master, agree to one thing for this lowly one, the Yin Fish will be offered up."

Xiao Qiwu said, "What thing?"

Jing Chou said, "Kill Duan Rong and avenge my master!"

Xiao Qiwu fell silent. He knew that for this person to come to his door with the Yin-Yang Fish, the request was naturally no small matter.

"If you had come ten years earlier, I might have agreed to you." Xiao Qiwu sighed suddenly. "It is just a pity that after these ten-plus years, my heart has become like withered wood, and I am unwilling to stir up such troubles again."

As Xiao Qiwu spoke, he actually threw the Yang Fish in his hand onto the ground at Jing Chou's feet and said, "Go!"

Jing Chou was stunned for a moment; he had not expected Xiao Qiwu to reject him so directly.

Jing Chou's lips trembled slightly; he picked up the Yang Fish from the ground, then staggered to his feet, took a booklet from his robes, and then handed both the booklet and the Yang Fish toward Xiao Qiwu.

Xiao Qiwu glanced at the items in Jing Chou's hand, his gaze exceptionally cold.

He was not even tempted by the Yin-Yang Fish, so how could he be by other things?

Xiao Qiwu had no family left in this world. Moreover, during an adventurous attempt to advance more than ten years ago, he not only failed the advancement but also damaged his own Cave-Underworld, causing his cultivation to fall into a complete bottleneck. It was impossible for him to advance even a fraction further in this life.

He was also not like Zhu He, who pinned his emotions on worldly fame.

The wasted years on the cliff top had made him completely accustomed to a tranquil life.

He was already prepared to end his remaining days on the top of this Wuliang Cliff.

What use were the world's greatest treasures to him?

"What is that booklet?" Xiao Qiwu's tone was very cold. If not for a sliver of curiosity in his heart, he would not have even bothered to ask.

Jing Chou said, "My master was trapped at the early stage of the Dongming Realm for decades. This booklet is the crystallization of his decades of painstaking research; it is a method of advancement constructed with the Yin-Yang Fish as the core. My master said before he died that by advancing with this method, there is a very high probability that he could break through the bottleneck. It is just that this method was only just taking shape, and he had not yet perfected it when he suddenly perished!"

When Jing Chou reached the end, he could not help but let his tone overflow with grief. However, Xiao Qiwu did not hear those final laments at all.

A method of advancement constructed with the Yin-Yang Fish as the core. This sentence was stirring Xiao Qiwu's soul.

If there were a chance to advance to the middle stage of the Dongming Realm, not only would his lifespan greatly increase, but his status within the Sect would also be vastly different.

He sat withered on this Wuliang Cliff only because his cultivation was obstructed and difficult to advance. If there were a chance for the withered wood to bloom again, who could resist the temptation of the supreme Dao?

Xiao Qiwu snatched the booklet and the Yang Fish from Jing Chou's hand. He held the Yang Fish and the booklet in his left hand and began flipping through them with his right. In the dim light, it was already somewhat difficult to discern the characters, but Xiao Qiwu's eyes were like lightning, with flashes of brilliance.

After all, he was a cultivator of the Dongming Realm; upon flipping through it, he immediately saw the weight of this booklet.

The difference between the Yin-Yang Fish and other supreme treasures lay in its ability to condense the mystery of Yin and Yang mutually generating and restraining each other from the source of Yin and Yang.

Ge Rusong had used this as a foundation, through decades of research, to break through many key nodes and construct a brand-new line of thought for advancement.

He had actually conceived of forming two mutually generating and restraining Cave-Underworlds within the dantian, namely the Yin Cave-Underworld and the Yang Cave-Underworld.

And the reason why the two Cave-Underworlds could coexist harmoniously was to smelt the Yin-Yang Fish into the Yin-Yang Cave Underworld.

According to Ge Rusong's conception, once the Yin and Yang Cave-Underworlds were formed, it would be impossible to advance to the Nascent Soul Realm.

But as long as the Yin and Yang Cave-Underworlds were formed, the cultivation would be directly equivalent to the late stage of the Dongming Realm.

Xiao Qiwu's thoughts churned like a tide, his eyes were filled with astonishment, and a chill spread through his whole body.

He marveled at this heaven-defying conception of Ge Rusong's.

Moreover, as he flipped through it, he discovered that many nodes of this conception already had concrete implementation plans, and only some details needed further perfection. But the most major, large-scale difficulties had basically all been overcome.

"Yin-Yang Cave Underworld?!"

"Late stage of the Dongming Realm!"

Xiao Qiwu's body trembled slightly.

He knew that for him, this was a magnificent stroke of fortune.

As long as he formed the Yin-Yang Cave Underworld, his cultivation would be directly equivalent to the late stage of the Dongming Realm.

Although the Yin-Yang Cave Underworld could not form a Nascent Soul, once he achieved the late stage of the Dongming Realm, half of his foot would have stepped into the ranks of the most peak existences in this world, and many secrets he previously did not know would be revealed to him. Who could guarantee that there wouldn't be other opportunities within them?

Xiao Qiwu closed the booklet, clutched the Yang Fish in his hand, looked at Jing Chou, and said, "Where is the Yin Fish? Hand it over!"

Jing Chou let out a cackle, looking like a man whose treacherous scheme had succeeded. Because at this moment, Xiao Qiwu's entire temperament had changed; greed and madness danced in his eyes.

Jing Chou knew that greed and madness meant slaughter.

After finishing his laugh, Jing Chou suddenly turned solemn and said, "My Lord, as for where the Yin Fish is right now, I actually do not know either."

"Are you playing with me?" Xiao Qiwu's gaze was like a blade.

"This lowly one would not dare!" Jing Chou said, "My Lord, rest assured! As long as Duan Rong dies, someone will naturally deliver the Yin Fish to you."

Xiao Qiwu's expression flickered between light and shadow, and he said coldly, "Why should I believe you?"

Jing Chou said, "Jing Chou will prove my sincerity with death! To manifest this heart!"

Xiao Qiwu looked at the old man before him, his mind shaken. Between Jing Chou's brows was a sense of calm, as if he were describing a trivial matter.

Jing Chou looked at Xiao Qiwu and continued, "My Lord need not be surprised! This lowly one has a broken body and a cheap life; my only wish is to avenge my deceased master. This was the final order my master gave me before he died! I will return tonight, and in two days, I will hang myself. Firstly, to prove my sincerity with death and manifest the trust placed in me by you, My Lord. Secondly, to remove any future worries for you, My Lord; no one will be able to trace the transaction between me and you, because I will already be dead. My Lord, you may proceed with full freedom."

Xiao Qiwu stood there, unable to speak for a long time, staring blankly at the old man before him. He had not expected that a servant could be so loyal and heroic even after his master's death!

Not long after Ge Rusong died, Jing Chou had discovered that Duan Rong had already advanced to the Qi Cyclone Realm, and furthermore, he had formed a cyclone within the Elder Council, triggering the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi Tide!

And Duan Rong's cyclone formation happened less than a year after he became a personal disciple!?

This made Jing Chou realize one thing: this fellow named Duan Rong was a person of extremely high talent.

This gave Jing Chou, who had originally wanted to plan slowly, an immediate sense of urgency.

Because as Duan Rong grew, the cost of killing him would become greater and greater.

But just today, outside the Lower Courtyard where Jing Chou resided, an official document from the Ruling Sect Justice Division was posted, which spoke precisely of the punishment for Duan Rong.

On Wuliang Cliff, he was to first receive three strikes of the God-Striking Whip, then be locked into Wanxiang Cave to face a life-or-death trial.

Jing Chou immediately realized that the opportunity had come. After some inquiries, he also discovered another piece of information: Duan Rong had actually gone to the side of the Sect Ancestor, receiving personal instruction from Ancestor Lv Yinlin, and this was said to be related to his cyclone formation in the Elder Council and the triggering of the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi Tide.

These two pieces of information surged in simultaneously, finally causing Jing Chou to make the determination to act.

In fact, for this period of time, he had been scouting for a target.

Xiao Qiwu had long since entered Jing Chou's field of vision.

Duan Rong was already a cultivator of the Qi Cyclone Realm, and he was the personal disciple of Zhu He, an Elder of the Elder Council and the Department Head of the Inner History Department; to kill such a person was not easy.

It would likely require a powerhouse of the Dongming Realm to act for it to be foolproof.

But Jing Chou also knew that he could not conduct a transaction with multiple Dongming Realm powerhouses, because trading with a Dongming Realm powerhouse was like asking a tiger for its skin.

The only things in his possession that could tempt a Dongming Realm powerhouse were the Yin-Yang Fish and that booklet.

If he traded with multiple Dongming Realm powerhouses, those old foxes would soon find out, and in that case, acting would be equivalent to exposure.

Then this transaction would die in the cradle.

Therefore, the plan Jing Chou chose was to trade with only one person, betting all his chips, including his own life.

Let the other party obtain all the benefits, and use his own death to ensure the other party's safety; at the very least, the other party would not get into trouble because of any information leak on his side. This was, conversely, the plan with the highest hope!

And the person Jing Chou chose was Xiao Qiwu.

For one, it was a coincidence; Xiao Qiwu happened to be the Enforcement Elder for Duan Rong's punishment. For another, Xiao Qiwu had been trapped at the early stage of the Dongming Realm for many years, and the things in his possession were undoubtedly life-saving spiritual medicine for him.

At this time, the summit of Wuliang Cliff was already pitch black, and the last trace of sunset in the western sky had dissipated.

On that dark cliff top, Jing Chou's voice sounded once again.

"My Lord, the deal I am making with you is not a one-time transaction. This is a long-term, effective deal; at any time, as long as you, My Lord, kill Duan Rong, someone will naturally offer the Yin Fish to you."

"However, it is best if you, My Lord, do not drag it out too long. If several decades pass, the person I have entrusted might already be dead. In that case, even if you, My Lord, kill Duan Rong, I cannot guarantee whether you will still be able to obtain the Yin Fish."

After Jing Chou finished speaking, he suddenly turned and left.

In the quiet darkness, his lame leg dragged across the ground, making a scraping sound.

Xiao Qiwu stood by the pavilion, watching Jing Chou's blurred back fade into the distance.

He was already thinking about how to kill Duan Rong!

Although Duan Rong was Zhu He's beloved disciple, and Zhu He had shown him some kindness.

But such small favors were simply insignificant compared to his great cause of cultivation, not worth a sneer.

He began to go over the matter of Duan Rong in his mind again.

First, receive three strikes of the God-Striking Whip on Wuliang Cliff, then enter Wanxiang Cave to face a life-or-death trial.

How formidable is the God-Striking Whip!?

If it were an ordinary person, one whip would cause their soul to scatter!

Even if that kid was half a step away from the platform and his Divine Soul was far stronger than an ordinary person's, after three whips, even if his soul didn't scatter, his Divine Soul would surely be damaged!

This was also why Zhu He had come to instruct him to show mercy!

Since he was the Enforcement Elder and had wielded the God-Striking Whip for years, he naturally had his own methods. The difference in severity was often a matter of a moment's thought.

Xiao Qiwu did not care about Zhu He; for the sake of his great cause of cultivation, he was not afraid of offending Zhu He.

But he was somewhat afraid of the Ancestor, Lv Yinlin.

"What exactly is the Ancestor's intention in punishing this kid with such methods?" Xiao Qiwu's gaze flickered.

When he first received the document from the Ruling Sect Justice Division, he had been quite puzzled by it. But at that time, he did not delve into it; he had long since stopped concerning himself with worldly affairs. Since the Ruling Sect Justice Division had issued the document, he only needed to act according to the regulations. Later, when Zhu He came to plead for mercy, he just needed to give Zhu He some face within the controllable range. As for other matters, he did not want to expend the mental energy to ponder them. Moreover, it had nothing to do with him.

But now, it was different; he had to rethink the entire event and sort out the threads.

Duan Rong is involved in quite a lot, he is by no means so easy to kill, he must be extremely careful.

Since Lv Yinlin keeps Duan Rong by his side and personally guides his cultivation, why then would he deal such a lethal blow to him? This is the first point of contradiction.

The way Lv Yinlin acts, he would never contradict himself; this matter must have a deeper meaning.

Xiao Qiwu suddenly remembered that sentence from Zhu He in the pavilion during the day: If it were anyone else, that would naturally be the case. If this kid goes in, there might be something strange.

"Something strange?!" Xiao Qiwu muttered to himself. "He has only been at the Rotation Establishment stage for a little over a month; in the Wanxiang Cave, what exactly could be strange?"

(End of this chapter)