Chapter 116: Deceiving Two Quasi-Saints! Lu Yun's Net Worth Skyrockets!

After completely handing over the control permissions of the Map of Mountains and Rivers to Lu Yun, Nuwa returned to where Fuxi was.

Then, she quickly discovered that Lu Yun was heading toward Minghe.

Originally, she had been quite curious about what exactly Lu Yun intended to say to Minghe, but she did not expect that Lu Yun would actually use the Map of Mountains and Rivers to isolate himself from the prying eyes of others.

As a result, Di Jun and the others could not know what Minghe had said to him, but Nuwa was likewise unable to know.

Although she could have done so if she had wanted to forcibly investigate, she ultimately did not, so as to avoid causing Lu Yun to have any misunderstandings or harbor any resentment.

In any case, she felt that Lu Yun was likely just bluffing Minghe and the others.

By comparison, she was more focused at this moment on adjusting her own state, as she still needed to be ready to deal with any potential battles that might arise at any time.

Thus, Nuwa sat cross-legged not far from Fuxi and continued to adjust herself.

……

On the other side, atop a towering ridge, Lu Yun met with Minghe.

Minghe clearly had not expected that Lu Yun would actually dare to come and see him all by himself.

While surprised, his gaze could not help but flicker, and he could not resist gripping his two peerless killing weapons, the Abi and the Yuantu! Clearly, he was contemplating whether or not to strike and directly seize the Hongmeng Purple Qi on Lu Yun.

Seeing this, Lu Yun was not afraid in the slightest; instead, he smiled lightly, and a voice like heavenly music emerged from his mouth: "Fellow Daoist Minghe, I hear you have already made your decision?"

A trace of suspicion flashed in Minghe's eyes.

What was going on? This member of the Human Race was actually not worried about him attacking? Wait!

Minghe suddenly discovered that Lu Yun's current cultivation had actually reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm! How many days had it been?

One must know, this member of the Human Race had only just passed the Golden Immortal Tribulation before! Such a speed of progress was simply inconceivable! Feeling suspicious and uncertain in his heart, he did not dare to act rashly and only said in a deep voice: "That is correct. If you give the Hongmeng Purple Qi to this poor Daoist, the many cultivation resources I have on me, as well as the twelfth-grade Karma Fire Red Lotus, shall all be handed over to you!"

He naturally had his own calculations; having lost the Karma Fire Red Lotus, he still had the Yuantu Divine Sword and the Abi Hell as two great divine weapons for protection. In the Great Desolation, apart from the Saints, those who could defeat him were few and far between! Furthermore, if he could use the Hongmeng Purple Qi to step onto the path of Proving the Dao and Becoming a Saint, then finding other Spiritual Treasures of the world, or even directly finding a way to snatch the Karma Fire Red Lotus back from Lu Yun's hands, would be as easy as turning over his hand.

Lu Yun, however, could not help but frown and said: "Why is what you are saying different from what Goddess Nuwa told me?"

Minghe's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said: "This poor Daoist has some other Spiritual Roots and precious materials that I did not keep on my person, but rather placed in the Nether Blood Sea. If you have need of them, this poor Daoist can go and retrieve them right now!"

Lu Yun waved his hand and said: "That won't be necessary! I still trust you, Fellow Daoist; you can just send them over later!"

By saying this, he naturally did not truly trust Minghe, but rather because he did not want Minghe to rush out and attract the attention of those outside, which would instead be detrimental to his plan.

As for the other Spiritual Roots and precious materials Minghe mentioned, he could just go to the Nether Blood Sea and demand them himself once his strength was greater in the future!

Regarding Lu Yun constantly addressing him as "Fellow Daoist," Minghe was actually somewhat displeased.

Because he and Nuwa were peers, how could a lowly junior like Lu Yun dare to address him as an equal?

It was simply arrogant and ignorant!

However, thinking that he still needed to get the Hongmeng Purple Qi from the other party, he could only endure it.

He even tried hard to squeeze an ugly smile onto his face and said: "Many thanks for your trust, Fellow Daoist! Shall we proceed with the transaction then?"

Lu Yun laughed loudly: "Good!"

Having said that, he directly took out the strand of fake Hongmeng Purple Qi he had created earlier.

And while performing this action, he was also secretly vigilant, having already mobilized the power of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, ready to confront Minghe at any moment.

After all, the Deceiving Heaven Spirit Leaf was an item from another world, and he was not certain to what extent its effects would hold up in this Great Desolation, or whether Minghe would detect the abnormality of this Hongmeng Purple Qi.

Even if Minghe did not discover the abnormality, he might suddenly attack and forcibly seize the Hongmeng Purple Qi!

Relying on the Map of Mountains and Rivers, he could completely hold off Minghe for a moment; at that time, he would only need to call for Nuwa, and the one who would be unlucky would naturally be Minghe.

When Minghe saw the Hongmeng Purple Qi he took out, his heart surged uncontrollably, and his whole body felt as if it were being jolted by an electric current.

Minghe had indeed once contemplated the idea of forcibly seizing this treasure.

But as soon as the thought arose, he keenly sensed a terrifying, oppressive aura descending, causing his expression to change slightly; he suddenly remembered that he was still inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and Nuwa was surely watching this place.

If he really did anything untoward, he would definitely be the first to die! Thus, Minghe hurriedly restrained his mind, took out the twelfth-grade Karma Fire Red Lotus, and, enduring the pain as if his heart were being cut, removed the contract with the Spiritual Treasure in front of Lu Yun.

Subsequently, he took out many other Spiritual Treasures and rare items and presented them all before Lu Yun.

Lu Yun was very satisfied with Minghe's attitude, and a gratified smile appeared on his face.

During the transaction, he solemnly warned: "Fellow Daoist Minghe, if news of this matter leaks out, it will be of no benefit to either of us; you should understand that, right?"

Lu Yun had to ensure that the matter would not be leaked.

In the event that Zhenyuanzi and Minghe and the others publicized the transaction afterward, he would have no way to explain the origin of so much Hongmeng Purple Qi to everyone.

Furthermore, after this incident, his net worth would inevitably skyrocket!

Looking across the Great Desolation, what other Taiyi Golden Immortal could be as wealthy as him, sitting on several Supreme Innate Spiritual Treasures?

This matter must also not be known to others; otherwise, the powerhouses of the Great Desolation, and perhaps even those few Saints, might no longer care about the Heavenly Dao Merit on him and would directly attack him! Hearing Lu Yun's words, Minghe felt a sense of gratitude.

He thought that Lu Yun's reminder was out of concern for him, and he hurriedly swore: "I am grateful for your righteous warning, Fellow Daoist! Minghe hereby swears to the Heavens that, besides Heaven, Earth, you, and me, no one else shall know of this! Before this poor Daoist Proves the Dao and becomes a Supreme Saint, I will definitely not let a third party know!"

"That is good! I also wish you an early Proving of the Dao and the attainment of the Saint position, Fellow Daoist!"

Lu Yun accepted the twelfth-grade Karma Fire Red Lotus and the many other Spiritual Treasures and rare items, cupped his hands toward Minghe, and prepared to leave.

However, before he left, he could not help but pause slightly: "Fellow Daoist might as well stay inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers for the time being to attempt to refine that Hongmeng Purple Qi before going out."

"That makes sense! Many thanks for the reminder, Fellow Daoist!"

Minghe had no idea that Lu Yun was actually the true Controller of this Map of Mountains and Rivers now.

He still thought that the Map of Mountains and Rivers was still controlled by Nuwa, and he figured that since Nuwa had permitted Lu Yun to sell the Hongmeng Purple Qi to him, she should not do anything detrimental to him anymore.

On the contrary, those few Saints outside might not be the same.

Therefore, he decisively sat cross-legged and began to contemplate the "Hongmeng Purple Qi" he had just obtained. Seeing this, Lu Yun could not help but nod in satisfaction, and then he turned around and left quickly.

He wanted to take advantage of the time Minghe was here refining the "Hongmeng Purple Qi" to go find others and sell a few more copies! ……

In another corner inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers.

Zhenyuanzi was sitting in a pavilion near a waterfall.

The surrounding scenery was quite elegant, but Zhenyuanzi had no heart to appreciate it at all.

Because a long time had passed since Nuwa learned of his price from him, and logically speaking, Nuwa should have long since learned everyone's quotes and should have made a decision by now.

Seeing that Nuwa had not returned for a long time, Zhenyuanzi could not help but feel a bit worried: "Could it be that my bid was still too low, and the Hongmeng Purple Qi has already fallen into the hands of another?"

If the Hongmeng Purple Qi had fallen into someone else's hands, that would be one thing; he would at most just feel a bit regretful.

But if the Hongmeng Purple Qi had fallen into the hands of Di Jun or Minghe, he would be in trouble in the future! Once Di Jun or Minghe became a Saint, even if he were unwilling, he would likely have to defect to the sect of some Saint to seek protection; otherwise, he could be killed at any time!

"If I truly let that Di Jun or Minghe obtain the Hongmeng Purple Qi... I must spare no cost to slay them before they become Saints!"

Such a thought surfaced in Zhenyuanzi's mind, and killing intent also emerged in his eyes.

In his view, if he were willing to defect to Yuanshi Tianzun or Laozi, they should be very happy to help him slay Di Jun and the others.

After all, that way, they would not only be able to win over a Quasi-Saint but also obtain the Hongmeng Purple Qi!

It was just that in that case, he would have to lower himself beneath a Saint and would find it difficult to interact with them as peers in the future.

Unless it was an absolute last resort, he still preferred to slay his enemies with his own hands.

Zhenyuanzi sighed inwardly: "If only I had bid a bit higher just now, perhaps..."

Just as Zhenyuanzi was fretting over gains and losses, a voice entered his ears.

"Fellow Daoist Zhenyuan, if you truly have this intention, it is not too late now!"

Zhenyuanzi turned his head to look in the direction the voice came from, and an expression of joy immediately appeared on his face.

Because what he saw was Lu Yun walking toward him with a smile on his face!

Coupled with what Lu Yun had just said, Zhenyuanzi suddenly thought that perhaps he still had a chance! That was why he was so joyful.

However, he quickly controlled his emotions again and asked tentatively: "I wonder what you mean, little friend?"

Lu Yun sighed lightly and said: "To tell you the truth, the reason I let you wait so long is that I was struggling with whether or not to sell the Hongmeng Purple Qi to the person who bid the highest."

Zhenyuanzi could not help but ask: "May I ask, who is the person who bid the highest?"

Lu Yun said without hesitation: "Minghe Laozu."

Zhenyuanzi's heart skipped a beat, his complexion turned unsightly, and he asked anxiously: "Why would you hesitate, little friend?"

Lu Yun sighed: "Undoubtedly, if I sell it to the person who bid the highest, I will gain the most benefits, but I feel it is not quite right for the Hongmeng Purple Qi to fall into the hands of someone who walks the path of slaughter."

Zhenyuanzi decisively agreed: "Little friend, your words are very true! The Hongmeng Purple Qi can fall into anyone's hands, but it absolutely cannot fall into the hands of Minghe! Hmm, and that Demon Race of Di Jun's won't do either; otherwise, if they become Saints, wouldn't that bring disaster upon the Wu Clan? I see that you, little friend, and I share a similar relationship with the Wu Clan, right?"

This string of words was naturally an attempt to get on good terms with Lu Yun, implying that he was the most suitable person for the Hongmeng Purple Qi.

This actually made Lu Yun feel a bit embarrassed to scam him.

However, the arrow was already on the string and had to be fired.

Moreover, even if Zhenyuanzi kept those things, even by the era of Journey to the West, he would still only be a Quasi-Saint; it would be better to give it to him for now to help him become stronger!

Lu Yun could only secretly decide that when he became successful in the future, he would help Zhenyuanzi out to compensate him!

Thus, Lu Yun continued to bluff: "That's right! So, I specifically came to find Fellow Daoist Zhenyuan to give you one more chance to bid! As long as the price you offer is not too much worse than that of Minghe or Di Jun, I will sell the Grand Primordial Purple Qi to you!"

Having said this, he stopped, not mentioning at all what price Minghe and the others had offered, letting Zhenyuanzi offer his highest price himself.

Zhenyuanzi naturally understood Lu Yun's intention, but he had no other choice now.

To prevent the Hongmeng Purple Qi from truly falling into the hands of his enemies, he gritted his teeth and said: "In addition to the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd, I am willing to offer these Spiritual Treasures in my possession! Furthermore, there are all the Ginseng Fruit I have accumulated over these years!"

Looking at the dozen or so high-grade and middle-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures Zhenyuanzi took out, along with a full thirty-plus Ginseng Fruit, Lu Yun could not help but feel happy inside.

But his face remained calm, and he even frowned slightly, appearing somewhat dissatisfied.

Seeing this, Zhenyuanzi gritted his teeth again and said: "There is still a batch of Ginseng Fruit on the Ginseng Fruit Tree in my temple that has not yet ripened; I can give them to you, little friend, once they ripen!"

Hearing that he had gone this far, Lu Yun felt it would be too much to push further, so he just said: "Fellow Daoist, you also know that my time spent cultivating is still short; I wonder if you could add some Supernatural Powers or techniques..."

"No problem!"

Without waiting for Lu Yun to finish, Zhenyuanzi agreed directly: "I can give all the Supernatural Powers and techniques I have created myself to you, little friend!"

A smile finally appeared on Lu Yun's face, and he said: "I have felt your sincerity, Fellow Daoist! In that case, I will hand the Grand Primordial Purple Qi over to you, Fellow Daoist Zhenyuan!"

After speaking, he directly took out another strand of "Hongmeng Purple Qi".

Zhenyuanzi was overjoyed and did not dawdle, immediately handing over the Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd and taking out book after book of classics to present before Lu Yun.

These classics were records he had kept in the past for his disciples to study; he was so impatient to obtain the Hongmeng Purple Qi that he had no mood to make copies, so he gave the original versions to Lu Yun directly.

As for his disciples wanting to learn in the future, he could just record a new copy then!

However, before Lu Yun accepted these items, Zhenyuanzi added: "Fellow Daoist, this Nine-Nine Soul-Scattering Gourd is a relic of my old friend Hongyun. I would like to request that you protect it well. Once I become a Saint in the future, I will surely slay that Di Jun and the others, and at that time, I can exchange it back with equivalent Spiritual Treasures. I hope you will agree!"

"No problem!" Lu Yun agreed readily.

Thus, both parties successfully completed the transaction. Lu Yun once again had Zhenyuanzi stay temporarily within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, while he himself turned and headed toward his next target!

(End of this chapter)