Chapter 524: Calculations

That sword strike was swift beyond measure, faster than conceivable, nearly exceeding the limit of a sixth-rank swordsman, accomplished in the span of a single thought!

Pei Zhi had previously engaged in Dao discussions with the sword madmen of Zhongyi, even once clashed with the famed Zhou Fu.

The spiritual essence in Chen Hang’s swordplay left Pei Zhi with a profound impression—only Zhou Fu could possibly rival it.

As for the rest, whether Shen Xingcui or Lu Tingyun, all were inferior before Chen Hang.

“Who is stronger—Chen Hang or Zhou Fu of Zhongyi?”

A thought suddenly flashed through Pei Zhi’s mind.

With Pei Zhi’s experience, she knew full well that Chen Hang had indeed held back.

If his swordlight could silently sever her ear pendant, it could just as easily have swept upward to strike elsewhere.

Though Pei Zhi’s protective magic power was exceedingly solid and hard to wear down, and she wore a treasure robe besides, making her far from easy to breach,

still, had that sword strike landed fully, Pei Zhi would have suffered a loss.

“You won.”

Pei Zhi said no more, merely gazing at Chen Hang as he materialized from the swordlight, and spoke thus.

“Your courtesy, merely a lucky edge in one move.”

Seeing Pei Zhi wisely cease her Jiuchan , Chen Hang also bowed politely and said:

“Lady Pei’s ‘Zhong Ling He Yi’—truly a supreme divine art of Tai Fu Palace, profoundly mysterious and utterly unpredictable.”

Though this was Chen Hang’s polite flattery, it carried genuine admiration.

To be trapped within the talisman’s inner realm of ‘Zhong Ling He Yi’ was to face an impossible dilemma.

If one’s spiritual soul cultivation was even slightly inferior, no matter how potent one’s magic power, one would be dragged to death by this talismanic art, helpless and defeated.

Had Chen Hang not successfully cultivated the Yinming Zhen Shui during his journey to Xu Huang Tian, his former Luo An Heishui technique would have struggled to handle that scene with ease.

Even if he escaped, he would have suffered deep spiritual soul damage.

Merely this one instance revealed that the Dan Yuan Grand Assembly truly teemed with prodigies and outstanding talents.

The profundity and unpredictability of these Dao arts were truly overwhelming!

If one’s cultivation showed even a single weakness, failing to reach the highest level, an opponent skilled in that area would seize the opening and press the advantage relentlessly.

The art of magical combat was profoundly subtle, impossible to master in a lifetime.

Once one stepped into it, one could not help but be utterly absorbed.

Pei Zhi genuinely could not fathom how Chen Hang had shattered her cherished ‘Zhong Ling He Yi.’

Yet upon closer inspection, she noticed his complexion had grown faintly paler than before.

Clearly, breaking through ‘Zhong Ling He Yi’ had exacted a cost—he had injured his spiritual soul.

Pei Zhi’s eyelashes dipped slightly, as if recalling something.

Then she waved her slender hand, summoning the broken half of the Ming Yue Dang into her palm, gazing at it for a moment before tucking it back into her sleeve.

“Yesterday, I chanced upon Yu Huangchang and Zhou Fu near the western Jin Yaotan—I don’t know how many days they’ve been clashing, but they may still be fighting.”

As Pei Zhi raised her head, she spoke calmly to Chen Hang:

“Though I know not who you fought earlier, since your primordial energy has not recovered, you should avoid Jin Yaotan entirely—do not seek its blessings. That is all I will say.”

The Huang Lao Sheji Map contained four places of blessing: Liusha Mountain was one, Jin Yaotan another, the remaining two being Sanmiao Hill and Yanxiao River.

Now, both Yu Huangchang and Zhou Fu had arrived at Jin Yaotan.

No matter how their duel had unfolded, the blessing of Jin Yaotan was now beyond the reach of others.

With these words, Pei Zhi released something from her sleeve.

Seeing Chen Hang reach out to catch it, she did not linger, instead summoning a Dunguang formed of swirling talismans, ascending into the sky, and vanishing.

“Pei Zhi!”

Yin Ruohua let out a faint cold snort.

But when she reached Chen Hang’s side and saw what he held, she froze, her expression turning strangely odd.

“Did you and Pei Zhi have prior acquaintance?” she asked.

Chen Hang shook his head.

“This pill is no ordinary thing—if you had no prior connection, why would Pei Zhi be so generous?” Yin Ruohua was half-skeptical, half-suspect.

In Chen Hang’s hand lay only a small white porcelain vial, lustrous and smooth, its surface as silky as butter, with five-colored patterns coiling around its mouth.

Even without uncorking it, a faint fragrance seeped out, striking the brow and sinking into flesh and bone—so light a sniff brought instant clarity, as if the body itself had grown lighter.

This pill was a secret medicine of Tai Fu Palace, specifically nourishing the spiritual soul, and offering some aid in healing physical injuries.

Though inferior to rare treasures like Chi Fan Zhen, Lei Ting Jin Tai Liujang, or Lian Cang Xian Sui, it was still immensely valuable, beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators!

“Lady Pei likely gave me this pill because of Master Fu Can? This elder seems to hold some leniency toward the True Persons of the Eight Xuan Sects.”

Chen Hang pondered a moment, then said:

“She was clearly dueling Left Peng Zong and Peng Qian just now, yet only drove off Hu Zhao Peng Qian, while letting Left Peng Zong of Chi Ming go free.”

Yin Ruohua listened to Chen Hang’s speculation, her thoughts unreadable.

After a moment, she blinked and smiled:

“You stood up for me just now, facing Pei Zhi and injuring your spiritual soul. Blood River has pills that nourish the spirit and regulate qi—please, Master Chen, accept them.”

“It was nothing, Lady Yin, you’re too kind.”

Chen Hang’s peripheral vision subtly swept toward a hillock beneath the clouds as he replied.

Soon after,

Only after Chen Hang and Yin Ruohua had departed,

did a towering ancient cypress on the hillock beneath the clouds tremble slightly, its gnarled bark twisting inward, faintly forming a blurred human face.

But as the breeze passed, the anomaly vanished instantly, as if nothing had ever occurred…

…

“Your Xuan Feng Cave’s Thousand-Li Soul-Attachment technique is truly superb—this ability gives us a natural edge over ordinary cultivators.

To anticipate the enemy before he moves, to scheme against him before he acts—that’s precisely what it means.”

Now, hundreds of miles away, on a needle-shaped flying vessel, two cultivators sat across from each other, playing weiqi.

The speaker was Blood River’s Cen Ti.

He looked at his opponent—a youth with long eyebrows and large ears, dressed like a scholar—and clapped his hands, sincerely praising:

“Brother Zhou, when you have time, will you teach me this technique?”

The Thousand-Li Soul-Attachment technique was a secret art of Xuan Feng Cave.

Though difficult to cultivate, it granted the power to split one’s spirit into hundreds or thousands, allowing distant observation and eavesdropping, and its activation was so stealthy that few could react in time.

Upon entering the Huang Lao Sheji Map, Zhou Ying had immediately activated his Dunshu .

He did not rush to fight or claim blessings, but instead planted this technique at dozens of locations across the map.

Because the Thousand-Li Soul-Attachment technique uniquely bypassed the Hua Chun Mist, Zhou Ying successfully found his friend Cen Ti, and the two joined forces.

Hearing Cen Ti’s request,

Zhou Ying slowly withdrew his spiritual awareness, glanced at him, and said:

“You speak lightly—this Thousand-Li Soul-Attachment technique was crafted by our sect’s Rong Xi Ancestor after his Dao attainment, specifically for the ink dragon he raised. Unless through my master’s favor, I could not have learned it myself.

Given this history, how could I casually pass it on to you?”

Cen Ti sighed with regret, waving his hand:

“What a pity. Never mind—tell me instead, what’s the situation with Chen Hang?”

“He’s with Yin Ruohua. Just now, he clashed with Tai Fu’s Pei Zhi.”

Zhou Ying paused, then said solemnly: “And Ling Shou Ming’s words were true—Chen Hang’s primordial energy has not recovered!”

Cen Ti shook his head and chuckled:

“Yin Ruohua? This Master Chen is truly a romantic figure—Tang Wei Ling Jiang, Hu Zhao Gu Yi, and now even Blood River’s Yin Ruohua? Truly enviable.”

After this jest, Cen Ti turned serious, his gaze sharp:

“If Ling Shou Ming’s report is accurate, should we seize this chance to take the Bronze Fish?”

Yesterday, Cen Ti and Zhou Ying had met Ling Shou Ming of Shen Yu Sect.

Neither bore a Bronze Fish, and since they had some prior acquaintance, they did not fight, but exchanged information before parting.

Among the tidings, Ling Shou Ming had revealed that Chen Hang had fought multiple cultivators at Liusha Mountain and remained depleted.

Zhou and Cen had initially doubted it, but Zhou Ying had just witnessed Chen Hang’s duel with Pei Zhi via the Thousand-Li Soul-Attachment technique—his doubts vanished.

“Not advisable…”

After careful thought, Zhou Ying, though tempted, shook his head:

“Chen Hang drove off numerous strong opponents single-handedly—even now, he’s not easily defeated by us. And beside him stands Yin Ruohua. Chen Hang surely knows his weakness and has secured a guardian.”

Cen Ti frowned, about to speak, but Zhou Ying interrupted:

“Moreover, Chen Hang has already spent three days refining his Bronze Fish. Even if we defeated him, we couldn’t take that fish—we’d have to take Yin Ruohua’s instead.

The risk is high, the gain modest—this isn’t worth the danger.”

Cen Ti fell silent, pondering, then said:

“Then who should we target—Pei Zhi, Wei Ling Jiang, or Jia Xiu?”

In the Huang Lao Sheji Map, five Bronze Fishes had now appeared.

Thanks to the Thousand-Li Soul-Attachment technique, Zhou Ying knew the five fish-bearers were Chen, Yin, Jia, Wei, and Pei.

As for the other Dan Yuan True Persons—

Zhou Fu and Yu Huangchang had been locked in combat, now reaching Jin Yaotan.

The former was determined to settle matters with Yu Huangshang, while the latter, having yet to secure the bronze fish, had no wish to entangle himself further with Zhou Fu, yet was firmly pinned down and could not break free in the short term.

After defeating Jiuzhen Tang Xuan and Yin Jing Changjue, Lu Rong vanished without a trace.

Gu Yi and Kuang Bao were engaged in battle at Sanmiao Hill.

As for Yin Wujie, whom Zhou Ying deeply feared, he never showed his face at all.

The moment he entered the Emperor’s Altar Map, he vanished completely; no matter how hard Zhou Ying searched, he could not find his form.

As for the remaining few, even though Zhou Ying had mastered the mysterious art of Thousand-Mile Spirit Attachment, he could not perceive everything—he did not know their whereabouts either.

“Jia Xiu, Pei Zhi, and Wei Lingjiang…”

Facing Cen Ti’s inquiry, Zhou Ying hesitated, frowning:

“These few are all formidable, but if I must pick a soft target, only Jia Xiu qualifies—yet let’s wait a while longer; there may yet be changes.”

After further discussion, the two finalized several details.

Zhou Ying suddenly seemed to recall something and smiled:

“But I have a good plan for Chen Hang!”

“A good plan?”

“Do you remember when Chen Bai visited all six sects at Yingji River, offering generous gifts? His reason for lowering his stance was to ally with us against Chen Hang.”

A faint glint passed through Zhou Ying’s eyes:

“Since he is at odds with Chen Hang, and Chen Hang’s primordial energy has not yet recovered, if I use the Thousand-Mile Spirit Attachment to inform Chen Bai of this, the Yuan Master’s favored heir will surely rejoice—and confront Chen Hang!”

Cen Ti understood and added: “Then, whoever wins or loses will be severely weakened—we can seize the bronze fish from Yin Ruohua?”

Zhou Ying nodded.

The two exchanged glances, both showing a faint smile.

After Zhou Ying and Cen Ti devised this plan, Chen Hang, who had been meditating in the Precious Palanquin, suddenly shifted his shoulders.

A deep, dark waterlight surged from his back, like a mighty river rushing forth, and a figure leapt out from within, flying upward into the clouds.

“It seems Master Zhang has come to his senses?” Chen Hang smiled, gazing outward.

“Chen True Person, you have quite the skill!”

Zhang Ping, having finally emerged from the True Water of Darkness, sighed:

“But this deal applies only to dealing with Chen Bai—in return, Chen True Person must help me deal with Hu Xu. Agreed?”

…

…

Since that day, when he had been unexpectedly sealed within Chen Hang’s Yinming True Water,

Zhang Ping had realized Chen Hang had no intention of killing him—he clearly wished to strike a bargain.

But the bargain was to act against his own sect’s Chen Bai—

Though Zhang Ping’s patron had long been at odds with Chen Yushu, and Zhang Ping himself had clashed repeatedly with Chen Bai over power struggles within the sect, their enmity was already irreparable,

Chen Hang’s proposal still gave Zhang Ping great pause—until today, he finally made his decision.

Now seeing Chen Hang nod, Zhang Ping, ever astute, withdrew a magical contract from his sleeve.

After Chen Hang verified its contents, both inscribed their magic power upon it, exchanged further words, and then Zhang Ping bowed and took his leave, summoning a cloud couch to immediately begin restoring his energy.

“I heard Zhang Ping and Chen Bai have always been at odds—Zhang Ping’s master even lost an arm to that Yuan Master. Their grudge runs deep. To gain his aid and secure a magical contract is indeed fortunate.”

Yin Ruohua, who had witnessed all this, mused aloud to Chen Hang:

“Chen True Person, was this whole scheme long planned?”

“A scheme?”

Chen Hang smiled enigmatically, his gaze lingering on Zhang Ping for a moment:

“You’ll understand soon enough, Yin True Person.”

Thus, half a day passed in an instant.

Chen Hang had been sitting in meditation when he suddenly sensed something and looked up toward the heavens.

The bright sky darkened instantly; thick black smoke rolled across the heavens as over a thousand ghostly demons soared and darted, surrounding a single figure approaching from afar, howling like a tidal wave!

“Chen Bai—you’ve finally arrived.”

Chen Hang rose calmly, as if he had expected this all along.