Chapter 715

"Young Master, time's up!" Below, Zhou Qingmei smiled as she reminded him.

"Already?" Zi Kongque glared at Zhou Qingmei, annoyed: "How is that possible? It's only been a moment!"

"It's up!" Hao Cang raised his hand to confirm: "Our Young Master has been dodging for half an hour already!"

Originally agreed was half an incense stick—now it's been half an hour.

"No problem!" He Pingsheng waved his hand: "If Elder Zi Qing feels the time is insufficient, you may continue… but I wonder whether you still have any new tricks—if not, you'll never catch me in this lifetime!"

"Hmph…" Zi Qing snorted: "Fine, you win."

"Speak then… what do you want me to do?"

"But… I'll warn you beforehand—if you make any outrageous demands, I'd rather be struck dead by heavenly lightning than agree!"

He Pingsheng pointed toward the distant training ground: "Elder, don't rush—let's go inside and talk."

The two returned to the training ground once more.

"You may speak," Zi Qing stood in He Pingsheng's training ground; though she had lost, she carried herself as if she had won, utterly arrogant.

He Pingsheng naturally paid no mind to such things.

He smiled and said: "I've never practiced sexual cultivation with a Body Integration Elder before… how about you fulfill this wish of mine?"

"You… how dare you?" Zi Qing's hair bristled with rage, her face flushed crimson with dark shadows: "Human brat, how could you possibly make such a shameless demand!"

"I…"

"I, the Imperial Consort, am…"

She wanted to say she had never been intimate with a man, that she was still a virgin—but the words stuck in her throat and refused to come out.

"Huff… huff…" Zi Qing drew several deep breaths, then said: "I'd rather endure the Five Thunder…"

"Stop!" He Pingsheng quickly interrupted: "If Elder dislikes that, then… I can propose something else!"

"Hmm!" Hearing this, Zi Qing's expression softened slightly, her tone gentler: "As long as it's not too outrageous, I can agree. He Pingsheng, think carefully before you speak!"

"Hehehe…" He Pingsheng chuckled: "Well, Elder, you know I have an enemy—he's utterly shameless and his cultivation is high; I can't defeat him!"

"So… could you please accompany me to kill this scoundrel?"

"The enemy you mean is surely the Human Realm's Heavenly Fire Divine Emperor, Tian Jinpeng?" Zi Qing exhaled in relief.

After all, this task was far easier—and far more acceptable—than sexual cultivation.

"Hmph…" But in the next instant, Zi Qing realized: her pupils narrowed slightly: "You little thief—you've been manipulating me?"

"Wasn't your original plan to have me fight Tian Jinpeng, so you first proposed sexual cultivation?"

Zi Qing's mind wasn't slow to react.

Yes—that was exactly He Pingsheng's intention.

The art of negotiation is to first propose something the other party would never accept, then reveal your true goal.

That way, they're more likely to agree.

He Pingsheng said: "If Elder is willing to practice sexual cultivation with me, I'd rather not seek revenge on Tian Jinpeng at all!"

"You… you little bastard!" Zi Qing trembled with fury.

But after a few breaths, she gradually calmed: "He Pingsheng… honestly, the Tian Jinpeng you mentioned is no ordinary man!"

"Though his cultivation is only Body Integration Eighth Layer, I still couldn't kill him."

"Defeating someone and killing them are two entirely different levels of difficulty!"

"I'm confident I can defeat him—but I'm unlikely to kill him."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

"Mm." He Pingsheng said: "If you can't kill him, then fine… at least make the Heavenly Fire Divine Emperor look like a fool!"

"Of course, I won't let you labor for free."

As he spoke, He Pingsheng pulled out a jade slip and tossed it before Zi Qing: "If Elder helps me greatly, I'll give you this divine technique."

The jade slip recorded the divine technique: 【Space Wormhole】.

Once cultivated, this technique allows a Body Integration cultivator to open a spatial passage.

It would be harmless for Zi Qing to learn it.

But He Pingsheng gave her not the Golden Bone, only a jade slip—containing only the technique's outline.

"You're certain?" After reading the outline, Zi Qing's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Though this technique was somewhat useless in combat, it was perfect for travel.

This was a technique only Mahayana Emperor Realm cultivators possessed!

"I'm certain!" He Pingsheng said: "As long as you accompany me to the Heavenly Fire Divine Nation, whether or not you kill the Heavenly Fire Divine Emperor, I'll give you this technique."

"Fine!" Zi Qing nodded: "I accept."

"Wait a moment!" He Pingsheng said: "I need to prepare."

…

"Young Master, we've locked the location!"

In He Pingsheng's training ground, Zhou Qingmei reported to him.

"Once we open the spatial passage, the other end of this wormhole should be near the capital of the Heavenly Fire Divine Nation!"

"Though there may be some deviation."

"No problem!" He Pingsheng said: "Deviation is fine—open it now!"

"Yes!"

Zhou Qingmei drew a deep breath, her internal spatial law energy surging; using the power of the 【Space Wormhole】 technique, she slashed her hand through the void.

The next instant, a mysterious, ethereal passage appeared before the three.

"This…" Zi Qing stared in shock at the passage: "This is your Space Wormhole technique?"

"Yes, Elder," He Pingsheng said: "Zhou Qingmei is only Body Integration First Layer—yet after cultivating this technique, she can open the passage. You'll certainly be able to too."

Zi Qing's eyes burned with fervor.

He Pingsheng said: "Let's go… step inside."

The three took hands and stepped into the void passage nearly simultaneously.

Hummm…

Less than three breaths after entering, the passage vanished.

He Pingsheng, Immortal Zi Qing, and Zhou Qingmei appeared on the other end.

Beneath their feet stretched endless, rolling mountains.

The sky was clear, the sun bright.

Zi Qing's spiritual sense surged outward.

Within ten thousand li, there were no cultivators or signs of human habitation.

"Did we get it wrong?" Zi Qing opened her mouth: "Wasn't it supposed to be near the capital of the Heavenly Fire Divine Nation?"

"This… doesn't look like anywhere near it!"

"And we don't even know which way to go!"

He Pingsheng activated the Silver River Sky Shuttle, leaping onto it: "It shouldn't be far off—I trust Qingmei. Let's pick a direction and search."