Chapter 329: Turning the Tables to Victory, the Grand Competition Concludes (Ten Thousand Character Chapter)

"Is it finally about to begin?"

Jiang Ying's attention shifted instantly, and she appeared somewhat displeased by this: "Choosing to start at this very moment, are you implying in a roundabout way that I, the champion, am unworthy of the title?"

That little Nascent Soul could not help but grind its teeth, so it intentionally avoided looking directly, while grooming the flesh on its body that was currently growing back—such as cleaning off bloodstains or covering itself with clothing—all the while using its peripheral vision to watch the developments next door.

At this moment, out of consideration for the two of them, who were crippled and severely wounded, an observation port had been specifically manifested within this space.

Through it, one could see that the deep water was quiet and still, and the dark abyss remained as it was.

Sixteen days of sinking had already brought the two of them to a very, very deep location; they were close to the bottom, and the distance to the top was incomparably vast. Now, looking up, one could only vaguely see tiny, hazy specks of light, like some sort of illusion.

All around, one could not see one's own fingers; it was dark, deep, and cold, seeping into the soul.

At this time, Du En suddenly spoke to Sheng Zhaoshui: "You said before that you could defeat those two with absolute certainty. Now that you have seen their fierce battle, can you still hold such a conceited opinion?"

Once these words were spoken, the two parties involved could not help but secretly pay close attention.

To this, Sheng Zhaoshui only smiled. In this dark abyss of water, his clear features could not be seen, only a faint edge, which appeared even colder.

"Of course I still think so."

"Is that so."

"Rather than talking about this, we might as well continue from the rhythm of the previous duel."

Sheng Zhaoshui said this, not giving Du En room to speak. He did not care whether Du En was listening or not, and just spoke on his own, not allowing any interruptions.

"Have you never thought about how to break this current predicament? Or rather, is there really no means to ignore this Abyss of Sinking Fish?"

"There is. If I were at the Deity Transformation stage right now, I could overturn and break it directly."

Du En said this deliberately, somewhat biting, and it was also correct. But at this moment, Sheng Zhaoshui did not have an exaggerated, startled response, appearing not to care at all.

At this moment, he finally revealed another side of himself.

The sharpness hidden beneath his laziness and unreliability, or perhaps, sorrow?

"Rather than standing by the abyss and envying the fish, it is better to retreat and weave a net."

"This is the original saying. Now, we are the sinking fish in the abyss, and only by using a net to catch them can we avoid merely looking on and envying them in vain. Yes, that's right. In this world, there is only one thing that can transcend cause and effect."

"That is emotion. The so-called 'emotion is not subject to cause and effect'—that is what it means."

Mysteriously, in the deep abyss of water, a bright light suddenly emerged.

It was a faint white light, warm yet gentle, sonorous yet mournful. It illuminated the pitch-black deep water, vaguely revealing the bottom, which was still a dozen or so zhang away.

Clearly, they only needed to wait another half a day for their magic power to be completely exhausted, and they would eventually fall to the bottom of the abyss. However, Sheng Zhaoshui did not want to wait any longer. He raised his hand and looked at it in front of him, his expression intoxicated, harboring hidden worries, appearing mournful, and even faintly showing resentment and various other emotions; it appeared complex and illusory.

That is emotion.

Emotion turns into silk, and silk weaves into a net.

Countless threads of emotion, at some unknown time, entangled his hands and also turned into a net, wrapping around Du En's body.

Even the Eternal Frozen Coffin could not block it at all, and it was unknown exactly when it had entangled him, making Du En look like a fish caught in a net at this moment, instantly causing the crowd watching from outside for so long to feel concerned and worried.

They had clearly been watching this actual focal point the whole time, yet they still had not noticed when that net of emotion had been cast!

Putting themselves in his shoes, if they were to face such a situation, they would likely meet the same end!

So, just how many more means does this seemingly lazy and frivolous guy have?!

"Threads of emotion..."

Du En looked at the silk net binding him and spoke calmly, "Emotion is not bound by cause and effect, but without fate, it is destined for life and death to part. Your previous sentence should be interpreted this way, and the secret of your technique should also be like this."

"You really are unromantic. This is clearly a net of emotion and threads of emotion; those trapped by emotion should be unable to escape, and the deeper the emotion, the harder it is to escape, becoming like a silkworm trapping itself in its own cocoon."

Sheng Zhaoshui seemed to think victory was in his grasp and returned to his previous lazy tone.

"You really are talking to yourself. What is emotion, what is fate, and what can judge whether there is fate or not?"

Du En was somewhat unable to restrain himself at this moment, asking quite aggressively. This sentence did not sound like something he would be confused about; the tone was actually one of questioning and reproach.

He was being influenced by something!

The influence of that net of emotion, threads of emotion, and thoughts of emotion!

This made everyone outside the arena feel shocked.

After all, he was someone who could even calmly endure the Remnant Hatred of the Phoenix!

That firmness of Dao Heart was to a degree that even a True Monarch would be unable to help but praise!

Yet now he was actually being influenced; what terrifying threads of emotion!

Moreover, just after Du En's uncharacteristic questioning, the net of emotion binding his body suddenly tightened and dug in, treating his body-protecting magical artifacts and other such things as if they did not exist, deeply tightening into his body, cutting out streaks of blood, and about to cut him into countless small pieces on the spot.

This is exactly how emotion arises from the heart, making it difficult to restrain oneself!

The more one has emotional attachment, the more one is unable to resist!

Whether it is fighting spirit, physique, or anything else, none of it can block it. It can truly be said: whenever the heart moves, emotion must follow; when emotion cannot be restrained, one commits suicide!

"Emotion arises spontaneously, and it is hard to explain its clarity, which is why it is emotion, and therefore not subject to cause and effect."

"Fate moves from the object of emotion; where there is emotion, there is fate, and where there is emotion, there is also no fate. The end of life and death is thus unfolded."

"As for what is having fate and what is having no fate, that is truly simple."

Looking at Du En, who was about to shatter into pieces in the ice and could only be pieced together by the ice coffin, Sheng Zhaoshui's tone changed abruptly, appearing incomparably cruel: "Du En, you are not a child; you should know that only the strong can determine whether there is fate or not!"

"…That makes sense."

Du En closed his eyes slightly, was silent for a moment, and nodded like this.

Nodded?

Huh?!

That's right, the ice coffin had shattered—no, it had melted!

Du En opened his eyes again instantly, his eyes suddenly turning crimson, the center of his heart turning gold, squeezing out the last of the magic power in his body. A secret technique had already been brewed and unleashed, exploding forth at this moment.

Phoenix Crimson True Flame!

"Caw!"

That true flame, laced with gold amidst the crimson, surged forth in a raging inferno, directly melting the ice coffin, evaporating the deep water, and burning away the ties of affection; it burned ever more fiercely, using the deep, magical water of the abyss as its fuel, then rose from the bottom, transforming into an elegantly poised phoenix.

It spread its wings and soared upward, just like a pillar of flame erupting from the earth, carrying a terrifying heat capable of burning mountains and boiling seas; amidst the sudden, stunned expression on Sheng Zhaoshui's face, it engulfed everything in the surroundings and leapt out of the Abyss of Deep Water.

The Abyss of Falling Fish had been burned dry!

Only the elegantly poised and miraculous fire phoenix remained, flying proudly through the air, carrying its master back into the small world.

The next moment, spiritual Qi surged over, and a giant tree that blotted out the sky rose from the ground; Du En stood before it, surrounded by the true flame, majestic without anger, as if a god, and under his gaze, the true flame burned ever more violently.

"A... a secret technique?"

Opposite him, Sheng Zhaoshui, who had been scorched by the flames and had barely escaped the dried-up, fire-transformed water abyss, appeared extremely disheveled at this moment; before he could make a proper reaction, a spear had already pierced through the air.

Phoenix Blood Spear!

He subconsciously raised his hand, intending to repeat his old trick.

However, this was the Phoenix Blood Spear that had left Du En's hand!

And so.

"Screech!!!!!"

The remnant hatred shrieked sharply, the shell of the spear body shattered directly; you still want the flower and leaf to never meet?

Die!

A crimson-flamed, ferocious phoenix instantly manifested, its single eye widened to occupy the entire head, boundless madness and hatred seeping from it, filled only with malice toward everything in this world, wanting only to destroy everything completely!

Everyone immediately saw clearly just how terrifying the phoenix's remnant hatred was when uncontrolled, or rather, when connected to the surface world via a vessel like the Phoenix Blood Spear without Du En there to contain it!

Just staring at it was enough to make one's thoughts stagnate.

With a single lift of its claw, even the Dao had to retreat.

The Dao of "the flower and leaf never meeting" was directly forced back into silence; now, only the phoenix's remnant hatred could exist here.

It lunged directly at Sheng Zhaoshui, and he finally reacted just in time; the remaining threads of affection in his hand suddenly transcended causality, directly connecting to the hatred, and bound it.

Although it was burned away in the blink of an eye, it was at least somewhat useful, showing the profound mystery of such a method, so it kept him from being burned to death on the spot; instead, he was scorched black, hurriedly rolling away, his feet kicking frantically, and he hastily unleashed another Dao technique, only then barely avoiding the claws of the ferocious phoenix of remnant hatred, looking incredibly disheveled and miserable.

"I surrender! I surrender! I surrender!"

Quickly take back the phoenix's remnant hatred!

He really had no moves left!

And so, a hand reached directly into the ferocious phoenix.

It did not indulge Du En, who had arrived via spatial movement, and instead whipped its wing back in a fierce strike, directly leaving him covered in burn marks that even the true flame could not offset.

But his expression did not change in the slightest; he merely used the true flame to form a seal, like water returning to its source, and using the method of artifact refining, he forcibly pulled this phoenix remnant hatred back into its vessel, appearing exceptionally practiced.

The difference in skill was immediately apparent!

Jiang Ying could not help but cast a look of contempt toward the roasted-sweet-potato-like Sheng Zhaoshui, then laughed crisply.

Putting on such airs before, only to be overturned in an instant and immediately beg for mercy and surrender—it was simply bringing humiliation upon himself!

Sheng Zhaoshui did not care about that now; harboring a glimmer of hope, he was busy rolling around to extinguish the fire!

Fortunately, he possessed a divine ability; although it had been forced into temporary silence just now, by exerting his utmost to revitalize it, he could still recover some, otherwise, just extinguishing the flames currently burning on his body would be an extremely difficult task.

Finally, when he had finished extinguishing the fire, his whole person looked like a sweet potato that had been charcoal-grilled too long, wrapped in a thick layer of charcoal crust, with wisps of heat rising; he lay helplessly on his back on the ground, his gaze this time truly melancholy and resentful.

"The True Monarch actually didn't tell me you had mastered this secret technique, sigh~!"

What is a secret technique? It is a type of Dao technique.

What is a Dao technique? It is the Dao driven by magical power and cultivation.

As a Yellow-grade Dao technique, and with the bonus of his *Linxian Dharma Canon*, the Abyss of Sinking Fish was not some ordinary Dao technique, so that Abyss of Sinking Fish Water should have been a foolproof battlefield.

Not to mention the threads of affection; that could be called the mystery of the *Linxian Dharma Canon*, and it was also a means that could be called a Dao technique or secret technique, and because it was not bound by causality, it appeared even more mysterious and unfathomable.

As a result, Du En simply used a hand of Phoenix Crimson True Flame, which, when cultivated to perfection, was enough to rival an Earth-grade Dao technique; relying on the higher and deeper destructive power of the remnants of the phoenix lineage, and seizing the appropriate moment, it directly burned his two moves into a mess.

Looking at it now, this situation where the water was deep enough to touch the bottom was perhaps something he had pushed along, intentionally controlling it that way!

It's just a pity that I didn't see it before...

Du En landed lightly in front of Sheng Zhaoshui, having already suppressed and put away the Phoenix Blood Spear; although the crimson flames of remnant hatred were still burning on his body, he did not take it to heart at all.

He only asked: "Although those threads of affection appeared unique and mysterious, I always felt they were like a tree without roots, which is why they could be easily broken by my secret technique, which is still far from perfection; so, have you ever had a Dao companion or a lover?"

Huh?

Don't expose someone's shortcomings when scolding them!

Don't strike at the heart when killing someone!

Besides, affection isn't just this kind of affection!

Sheng Zhaoshui first widened his eyes, wanting to retort just like that, but facing those gazes that had suddenly become curious, concerned, and sharp, he felt that the more he said, the worse it would look; thus, he simply closed his eyes, tilted his head, and feigned unconsciousness.

The answer was obvious: no.

Seeing him being so glib before, and then so affected and pretentious, feigning sorrow and resentment, one would have thought he was a veteran of the love scene; who would have expected him to be a novice!

Suddenly, those gazes looking over became somewhat subtle.

Especially those of Nangong Sheng and Jiang Ying.

Was that move just now actually all show and no substance?

No, that's not right; even that Du En could have his emotions stirred, so it clearly couldn't be all show!

So, the sharp sarcasm and heart-striking words he sent over just now were actually a manifestation of the aftermath?

Truly a terrifying thread of affection!

The two of them had their thoughts swirling, and in the end, they reached the same conclusion.

Especially Jiang Ying, who felt a bit guilty.

Because it seemed now that she would be completely unable to withstand this move.

And Nangong Sheng, he felt he could barely resist the threads of affection temporarily, but he was at a loss regarding the Abyss of Sinking Fish, because to break it, one needed a Dao technique or secret technique, and he had mastered neither, and then there was...

No, no, no, actually, from the very beginning, there was still one prerequisite!

How to get past the divine ability of "Flowers and Leaves Never Meet"?

If you can't hit the person, it's a waste of effort, yet Sheng Zhaoshui could perform it at his leisure.

Thinking carefully and looking at it objectively, just the methods this lazy fledgling bird displayed earlier are enough to prove his certain victory and his strength.

Yet now he has lost... the two of them are instead able to accept it calmly.

Because the main target of their refusal to admit defeat has already changed to someone else!

"Du En! After I recover from my injuries later, let's have another match. If I lose, I'll yield this position of champion to you!"

The little Nascent Soul of Jiang Ying started clamoring directly.

Regarding this, Du En glanced at the guy lying on the ground feigning unconsciousness, appearing to have had precautions and preparations long ago, and spoke calmly: "As the saying goes, everything must respect a first-come-first-served basis, and must also respect a certain order and rules."

"Hm?"

"I have now defeated Sheng Zhaoshui, so you should first defeat him, and then come to challenge me; that would be appropriate for the sequence of events."

"Oh! That makes sense!"

Jiang Ying nodded, feeling that it indeed made sense.

Mainly, while she refused to admit defeat, it really seems quite hard to fight Du En right now, so it would be better to practice on that annoying Sheng Zhaoshui first.

It just so happens that she won the championship this time and can have a Yellow-grade Dao technique as a reward; once she chooses and learns it, she will go find him to farm experience!

Thus, she said again: "You don't need to worry, I keep my word; the champion's position is reserved for you, and the Dao technique will naturally be a type suitable for both of us. When the time comes, if you win against me, I'll yield it to you together!"

"Good."

Since this stubborn little girl had already said so, Du En had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Good my foot!

What about my opinion!

Sheng Zhaoshui couldn't help but open the slits of his eyes, and again pinching his throat, he couldn't help but let out a strange sound: "Come to think of it, he clearly could have burned through the Abyss of Sinking Fish from the start, and could have chosen to throw the Phoenix Blood Spear, so why did he drag it out until now?"

Hearing this, the crowd was stunned for a moment, not paying attention to this guy's feigned unconsciousness and strange behavior; their attention at this moment was all on Du En, who was the victor.

Oh, right!

This kind of turnaround method, he could actually have used it long ago.

Of course, without the Abyss of Sinking Fish consuming each other's magic power, Sheng Zhaoshui actually couldn't have been defeated so quickly, because he had also just reached the bottom of his magic power reserves, and he didn't recover as fast as Du En, nor could he snatch the spiritual Qi being swallowed like a whale.

Because Du En's "Endless Cycle" had been spinning for so long, now that it had finally caught some fuel and started to operate and swallow, it really wasn't something he, who had been burned to a cripple, could snatch back, even if his mastery of his cultivation technique was deeper and his cultivation base was higher.

The initiative was lost early, and the chance for victory was reversed!

Sheng Zhaoshui was pondering and lamenting this in his heart, having already identified the cause of his defeat, while the crowd was considering the question he had just raised.

Then, a possibility was placed directly before them.

Du En just wanted to get into the top twenty and actually didn't want to fight any extra matches at all.

In other words, he actually didn't have the confidence to fight in compact gauntlet matches? And because he is actually very competitive, he would rather choose to avoid it like this than be defeated or admit defeat in a duel?

After all, in other aspects, he still has a pile of shortcomings, and only in this aspect of the Phoenix does he appear particularly prominent.

Looking at him now, there are still remnants of the Phoenix Remnant Red Flame on his body, difficult to extinguish for a moment... the crowd couldn't help but suddenly realize!

I said it before, it's very hard for him to persist for too long!

In Meng Changqing's eyes at this moment, this kind of look was subtly revealed, because speaking clearly and obviously would only invite suspicion, while the True Monarchs were rapidly adjusting their thoughts based on the situation that had developed.

"The little junior brother has also grown up!"

After a brief moment, True Monarch Chengru appeared somewhat emotional, quite condescending.

Because Meng Changqing had been acting and pretending before, he had actually managed to fool them all, and until just now he was still pretending, not letting them notice anything wrong, and then came Du En's turnaround and swift victory.

Although in fact, this quasi-True Monarch was at most just pretending a little bit; the main thing was that he had no confidence and was only holding onto a bit of a fluke expectation.

That's right, he also hadn't expected at all that Du En's secret technique was mastered so deeply, reaching the level of integration, already enough to rival an ordinary Profound-grade Dao technique, only limited by his cultivation base, making it difficult to fully display.

As for the Phoenix Blood Spear, he had actually secretly broken into a sweat just now, and even the True Monarchs were a bit nervous, secretly brewing their own methods.

Once the Phoenix Remnant's hatred carried the Dao of Nirvana and surfaced, they would have to use that small world as a temporary seal, then drag it away and throw it into the empty space where no one was, and wait for the other party to vent their hatred and start to shrink, then find a way to see if it could be recovered.

But now, although Meng Changqing felt unhappy with True Monarch Chengru's tone, he only acted profound and nodded in judgment: "It was the eldest senior brother who chose the wrong person."

"Indeed, he is too lazy!"

True Monarch Buyi agreed with this immensely, and his opinion of Sheng Zhaoshui was the greatest.

If he were allowed to cultivate him, he guaranteed the other party would already be a heaven-gifted talent by now.

Of course, it was more likely that he would have been harmed to death long ago; after all, not everyone has a supreme physical body and can have that kind of extraordinary stress resistance.

True Monarch Chengru only shook his head slightly at these words, without speaking, seemingly not too surprised or disappointed either; perhaps he also wanted to let Sheng Zhaoshui learn a lesson, which is why he chose Du En, who was the most unpredictable and capable of turning the tables, as his opponent?

True Monarch Huiqing speculated thus.

And because Sheng Zhaoshui had now lost, Du En's priority for being targeted was adjusted higher again.

"In any case, he still needs to be reminded that the Phoenix Remnant's hatred cannot be used that often."

True Monarch Zhuding pointed this out.

"You don't need to go to extra trouble; hurry back and reshape the physical body and Nascent Soul for your people; that is what you should be doing most!"

Meng Changqing was not polite at all; after all, guarding against people poaching one's disciples is more important than guarding against a river!

Then, he looked at his eldest senior brother again, his voice quite enunciated: "Then, since things have come to this, I suppose the personnel for this exploration of the Dragon Palace have already been decided, right!"

True Monarch Chengru paused slightly, and under the gaze of his junior brothers and sisters, nodded slowly: "It has indeed been decided; after all, it was agreed upon before, although in the end, there won't be twenty people."

The top twenty of the Thousand-Day Grand Competition will serve as the exploration team and participate in the subsequent exploration of the Dragon Palace, but in fact, there are only fourteen.

Besides the three whom the True Monarchs felt were too useless and did not want to waste treasures to rescue, and thus ended up in miserable ends or died, there were three others who were quietly snatched away by the Sect Master's side.

And from this, the True Monarchs glimpsed some things.

"Tell me."

Meng Changqing pressed on aggressively.

The other three True Lords remained silent.

True Lord Cheng Ru just nodded: "That works."

Because the person he had sent out this time was, in fact, only Sheng Zhaoshui.

Losing here meant he had failed to enter the game, so it didn't matter if he told Meng Changqing.

"Setting off the day after tomorrow, with only fourteen participants?"

Du En asked, opening the conversation this way.

At this moment, he was walking along a mountain path, followed by four people who were unable to contain their joy—having just finished buttering him up and feeling even happier than if they had won themselves—and preceded by a heavy-hearted Meng Changqing, who was knitting his brows.

"Mm, only fourteen."

"Then it seems you've managed to uncover the common traits they possess?"

"That's right, it's related to dragons: such as those born into mortal imperial families, those born with a dragon destiny—like the Hidden Dragon or Ascendant Dragon types—and also those born and raised in places with Feng Shui dragon veins."

Meng Changqing said, relaying this information that had only just been synchronized.

Come to think of it, it was fortunate that Xiong Fa and the others were not among such people, which was why their entire group was still intact.

However, because of this, it was difficult for them to quickly identify and pinpoint these traits like the other True Lords.

Of course, he also had intelligence he could quickly search for and obtain due to his own temperament.

"I didn't notice it before, but after learning this, I urgently went to check, and only then did I discover that over the past hundred years, within the main territories, the dynastic changes and internal imperial strife in various mortal kingdoms have appeared quite abnormal—more intense and of greater magnitude than the usual circumstances of the past."

It was clear that the Falling Feather Supreme had actually been exerting influence in the dark for a long time.

Looking at the timeline, it could be generally inferred that after the resentment-born monster was raised in Nanmo, this Supreme's grand scheme had already begun to enter its next phase!

They five had foolishly thought they were keeping a tight watch on that old immortal, but in the end, none of them had been able to detect it in advance; one could only say that when it came to controlling the Immortal Sect, the Sect Master was the Sect Master after all.

"Cough! It's mainly because those four are too useless; a hundred to several decades ago, I was still in closed-door cultivation, striving to break through and improve as quickly as possible, and I had no way to get involved in these matters at all."

Facing Du En's calm gaze, with the other four behind him quietly settling down, not daring to influence the conversation, Meng Changqing suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed and tried to save face this way.

"There's no need to dwell on the resolution."

"……Is it that obvious how I'm feeling?"

"It's quite obvious."

"I see, sigh, I just feel that this situation is a bit too simple and straightforward!"

Meng Changqing voiced his current point of conflict.

Because the current situation seemed truly too simple and straightforward, making him unwilling to believe that it was just like this.

What if there was something else they hadn't noticed?

If that were really the case, it wouldn't be a simple or casual matter!

He couldn't ignore it, but he couldn't think of what else there might be; simply put, his paranoia had flared up, suspecting this and that, leading to anxiety and unease.

"Perhaps it really is that simple?"

Du En remained direct and blunt, stating plainly, "It's just because you, Resolution, place too much weight on human life. Even if nine out of ten people participating in the Grand Competition this time are wretches who deserve to die, and every single person participating in the upcoming Dragon Palace exploration is covered in blood debts, you still see them as human. That's why you feel that spending so many lives should be a more complex and significant matter."

Meng Changqing: "……"

The other four: "……"

Although you did indeed hit one of the key points, is it really appropriate to insult yourself in the process without leaving a trace?

But thinking carefully about Du En's past experiences, calling him "covered in blood debts" didn't seem to be a factual error, at most just an inappropriate choice of words.

After all, he didn't kill indiscriminately; those he killed all had their own reasons to die.

"Forget it, if even you don't care, then I don't need to dwell on it."

In the end, Meng Changqing sighed, but he still kept his brows knitted.

Because he was still nitpicking, very concerned about the actions of the old immortal above, and his paranoia was hard to calm.

Aside from the reason Du En just mentioned, it was also because he was particularly sensitive and concerned about that Sect Master Supreme, even harboring an unspeakable, great fear, which was why he couldn't help but overthink and be suspicious whenever he encountered anything related to him!

A Dao enemy!

And one who was high and unreachable—the kind where I view him as a Dao enemy, and he views me as an ant!

"Sigh~!"

As they were about to reach the thatched cottage, Meng Changqing couldn't help but sigh, then rubbed his face, his expression changing as he shifted his focus: "We're setting off the day after tomorrow; tell me what preparations you need."

This time, Du En was acting as his hand to go out on official business, and since he was also carrying a task from the sect, naturally, both publicly and privately, he could get appropriate supplies.

"Those spirit meals of mine……"

Du En had been prepared for this and had anticipated it, speaking up on the spot.

I knew it, you're still thinking about that batch of spirit meals!

Meng Changqing couldn't help but let his face fall, his expression darkening, so Du En immediately changed his approach, "Those magic tools aren't necessary, but I need more raw materials—for spirit meals and for magic tools."

It was only a few thousand, not much; with enough materials, he could refine them on-site. He could even use the signature combat technique of an Artifact Master and refine while fighting.

After all, his current firepower was strong enough, his artifact refining experience was sufficient, and he could even do some pre-refining, creating a pile of artifact embryos in advance so he could refine them quickly when needed.

Although there wasn't much need, since Du En wasn't a true Artifact Master and the magic tools were mainly disposable items for self-detonation, it was of course better to stockpile them in advance so he could explode them faster, more, and more densely!

It was just a tactical retreat; if he said it like that, his batch of spirit meals……

"Fine, fine, take them, I'll basically give them all back to you."

Meng Changqing felt somewhat helpless about this, but then he thought that since this was also an official sect mission, it was legitimate business, and he should be able to find a way to get it all reimbursed through the sect's official channels.

He immediately began to ponder this.

Then, with his mind on two tracks, he asked: "What about the secret arts? You can choose a secret art for reaching the top twenty in this Grand Competition; tell me what you want, and I'll have it transferred to you immediately."

"Ice Soul Art."

This had been decided long ago; it was the superior version of the Ice Breath Art.

The so-called Ice Soul is the soul of ice; like an ice spirit, it remains frozen without melting and does not leak outward, capable of concealing one's divine soul so that outsiders find it difficult to detect.

According to the description, this is a technique whose power in the early stages falls between a high-grade spell and a top-grade spell, so the proficiency bar should be based on the application of a high-grade spell.

Yet in its final description of perfection, it truly possesses the corresponding power of a top-grade spell.

The ingenuity of secret techniques lies precisely in this.

Each stage has its own ups and downs, making it difficult to define specific ranks, and it may also align with various methods to obtain greater fluctuations; even in aspects like increasing quantity to boost power, it differs from ordinary spells in that it lacks clear boundaries.

Some secret techniques can even erupt with the power of Dao techniques.

Of course, Du En has already mastered a secret technique of considerable power, so there is no need to dwell on this; learning one Ice Soul Technique to quickly make up for his shortcomings is enough.

Greed for more leads to poor digestion!

"Strange, your Ice Breath Technique is barely enough; after all, your spirit body is inherently low-profile, inheriting earth-attribute traits like 'firm spirit and silence,' and few of those geniuses of the same rank you compare yourself to can truly see through it."

Meng Changqing said this, mainly puzzled by one point: "I thought you would choose an eye technique; after all, you could use it to pair with your natal magical treasure to copy and transform on the spot—wouldn't that be wonderful?"

He was actually quite amazed by Du En's natal magical treasure; he did not expect the other party to have refined it so well, calling it perfect, without any of the drawbacks of a normal treasure of a thousand transformations.

Therefore, while he had intentionally or unintentionally ignored this topic before, he could not help but ask now, because there was still this one remaining issue, or rather, an aspect that could significantly strengthen their coordination!

"As for that, it is actually in my plan, but not right now; after all, greed for more leads to poor digestion. Most of my other spells haven't even reached minor completion, and the Ice Soul Technique can build upon the Ice Breath Technique, which is much faster than learning a new one."

Du En did not hide or lie about this, but there was one most critical point he did not mention!

The proficiency bar for the top-grade spell tier is simply too long, and grinding it makes him feel somewhat powerless.

Take the Meteor Rock Technique, for instance; even if he puts his heart into it, relying on various situational bonuses and practicing with both hands, he can manage a guaranteed two thousand repetitions a day, but in the end, wanting to max it out still seems like a distant prospect!

Looking at other top-grade spells still hovering at the initial entry stage... rather than learning a powerful secret technique now and applying the top-grade spell proficiency bar, it is better to wait until later to learn a secret method or Dao technique and apply that proficiency bar.

That is closer to the situation of divine abilities and arts, where the numbers are significantly smaller!

That is the wiser choice.

"I see, as long as you have a plan, then that's fine. Here, the Ice Soul Technique."

Meng Changqing nodded in understanding, pointed a finger, and a bit of frost light flew over, landing in Du En's hand.

It was an ice crystal cold soul, carrying the profound mysteries of the method, waiting for him to ponder and learn.

Judging from this carrier, one knows his choice was not wrong; once this secret technique is practiced to perfection, it will surely be extraordinary.

Their footsteps did not stop; the fenced courtyard was close at hand.

"Since you're already here, stay for a day or two more before leaving; they won't have any gossip."

Meng Changqing said this to the four, immediately drawing a round of resolute and mighty flattery, and then they returned to their respective rooms to seize the time and comprehend the opportunity of practicing here.

"These guys, why do I feel like the flattery just now was all bland and perfunctory?"

You must know, every time Du En won previously, these four would rack their brains to flatter him!

Du En did not rush to return to the small hut to resume training, but held the ice crystal cold soul and answered irrelevantly: "Speaking of which, I reached the late Nascent Soul stage so quickly; although I can use the excuse of the lingering effects of the precious pill to fool people, it definitely won't work later on, so, Jueyi, help me think of a way to solve this."

"Hmm, this matter is actually exactly what I was about to say; after all, your cultivation speed is almost catching up to mine. To cover up the details of this anomaly, we indeed need to use some means to disguise it. I have already considered it, and besides, you are only at the late Nascent Soul stage right now, which is really too weak. This trip is actually not safe; we must get to perfection as soon as possible to narrow the gap in hard power between you and your peers."

Meng Changqing clearly had thought about this for a long time and paused for a moment.

Du En immediately played along: "What is the specific method?"

"Time acceleration!"

He pointed to the thatched hut where Du En had been practicing and said: "I couldn't do it before, but now that I am getting closer to the Integration stage, as long as I free up my hands slightly, I can do it. Moreover, outsiders cannot know exactly how much I have accelerated; no, perhaps the Old Immortal might know, as this is actually an operation of misappropriating the sect's foundation."

So, there is still risk.

However, looking at the attitude of that Supreme who even allows Meng Changqing to exist, the risk is not too great. As long as one is not too unlucky and becomes a consumable in the other party's schemes, they generally won't specifically target a small fry like Du En.

"Rather than considering the Supreme who is far away, it is better to focus on the True Monarch who is right before our eyes."

"Indeed, that guy Hui Qing is full of bad intentions; letting that Lou Shuyue voluntarily concede was probably him brewing some conspiracy. You... well, you don't need me to nag you much. Sigh, at times like this, I suddenly feel that Xiong Fa and the others are actually quite good."

He still seemed to enjoy the demeanor of a patriarch.

Unfortunately, Du En is not a child; he is calmer and more composed than him, has his own plans and ideas, and does not need others to dictate or lead his way.

"Then, how much time do you need to break through to the Nascent Soul perfection?"

"A thousand-fold acceleration should be about right."

"Fine, then go practice first. However, this is my first time doing this, so it might not be perfect, and it needs to be warmed up. Also, the means of time acceleration is not omnipotent; cultivation depends on effective time, and the sect's foundation cannot be used constantly; they will have opinions."

Meng Changqing had to set a preventive measure in advance, lest Du En keep asking for too much and want him to help with acceleration on a daily basis.

Only using it at the node of breaking through to confuse the public is the original intention!

And one must also be wary of the Old Immortal's side...

Regarding these thoughts, Du En just nodded to show he understood, then held the ice crystal and stepped into the thatched hut, waiting for the time acceleration to begin.

First, he switched to practicing the Ice Soul Technique, and relying on the accumulation of the Ice Breath Technique, he successfully switched over quickly.

At the same time, various raw materials and supplies arrived quickly, allowing him to maintain two meals of cooking every day.

As for spell practice, while continuing to grind the Meteor Rock Technique, he looked at the high-grade spell proficiency bar of the Ice Soul Technique, nodded secretly, estimated the numbers, and decided to split half his energy, which was one thousand times a day, to this side.

While casting Meteor Rock, he wrapped it in the sound of Ice Breath, and finally, there was no longer such a big commotion, except when it flew, fell, and exploded upon contact, which remained unavoidable.

Du En felt that he had actually tried his best to take care of the surrounding environment.

Although Meng Changqing could see at a glance that after the time acceleration, it would be a continuous, denser-than-raindrops explosion, fortunately, he actually had countermeasures early on and would not be affected by the noise.

Then, time acceleration officially began!

(End of chapter)