Hearing this explanation, Wei Tu’s expression eased a little, but he didn’t agree to Qi Chengchu’s request right away.

“Daoist Qi speaks sincerely,” Wei Tu chose his words carefully and said in a calm tone, “but… when I left the Cloud Ze Secret Realm, I once received a favor from Huang Xinglie. If I help Daoist Qi seize the Huang Clan’s inheritance now, I’ll surely draw criticism.”

He had just broken through to the Golden Core realm, still far from Nascent Soul. Helping the Loose Immortal Alliance with this wouldn’t benefit him much, and it could ruin his reputation.

Wei Tu wouldn’t be foolish over something like this.

However, at this point, he changed the subject, “If Daoist Qi wants to get the Huang Clan’s inheritance, it doesn’t necessarily have to be by force. It could be through negotiation.”

“Now that Huang Xinglie is seriously injured and the Heshan Huang Clan is in crisis, if the Loose Immortal Alliance offers them a hand, they might not cling to their treasures and watch their clan perish.”

“I’m willing to represent the Loose Immortal Alliance and go to the Heshan Huang Clan to persuade them, to trade for their formation inheritance from Huang Xinglie.”

Refusing outright would offend.

It was better to first push back and then offer an alternative. That was the more tactful approach.

And indeed, after Wei Tu’s conciliatory words, the tense air in the pavilion relaxed a little.

“Daoist Wei’s plan is reasonable, and it fits the ways of the righteous.”

“But it’s too idealistic.”

Qi Chengchu bluntly rejected it.

His voice turned cold, “And what if the Huang Clan refuses? Going in openly only alerts them, making them more guarded.”

After he spoke, Qi Chengchu got up and walked to the pavilion’s window, looking down at the garden, at the clusters of rockeries and the blooming spirit flowers.

“Negotiating—success and failure hang in the balance. But if we act in secret, the Loose Immortal Alliance… will only succeed, not fail.”

Qi Chengchu’s tone was indifferent now, no longer the courteous gentleman he seemed before.

Half a day later.

Wei Tu flew away from the Qi residence.

Since Qi Chengchu had made it clear he wasn’t interested in negotiating with the Huang Clan, Wei Tu didn’t push any further. After all, he had long severed ties with the Heshan Huang Clan. Speaking up once for old times’ sake was already enough.

At least now, thanks to this, Qi Chengchu didn’t insist on involving Wei Tu further in the Huang Clan matter, but instead shifted to chatting about other “minor” affairs within the Loose Immortal Alliance.

After half a day of talk, Wei Tu took the chance to bid farewell and left the Qi residence.

“This business with the Huang Clan—is it both an assignment from Qi Chengchu and a test for me?”

Back at his residence, Wei Tu reflected on their conversation, thinking it over.

After spending so long in the Loose Immortal Alliance, he already knew that many of the Golden Core cultivators weren’t united in heart.

Inside the Loose Immortal Alliance, based on where the Golden Core cultivators came from, they were roughly divided into two factions: the Zheng Kingdom faction and the Jing Kingdom faction.

For instance, those he had dealings with—Qi Chengchu, Che Gongwei, Bao Siyan—were Golden Core cultivators from the Jing Kingdom faction.

Over forty years ago, tensions between the two factions had grown, which led wise minds to suggest that they exchange disciples, to strengthen the alliance and nurture new blood.

Back then, Wei Tu had benefited from this, becoming a disciple of Che True Lord as a rogue cultivator from Zheng Kingdom.

Now, as the first of these “new disciples” to emerge as a Golden Core cultivator, Wei Tu’s affiliations had become… sensitive.

So, Qi Chengchu calling him to discuss the Huang Clan matter likely wasn’t just about that—it was probably to see where he stood, maybe even to pull him into the Jing Kingdom faction’s inner circle… but unexpectedly, he might have said the wrong thing about the Huang Clan, and turned Qi Chengchu down.

“Faction struggles—what do they have to do with me? If I said the wrong thing, so be it.” Wei Tu didn’t care. He was a cultivator who focused on his own path, not someone obsessed with power plays.

The Loose Immortal Alliance was still just a quasi-Nascent Soul force. Even if the two factions kept him out of their “inner circles,” they’d still treat him as a top-level member.

As long as he was strong enough.

Middle-ground types wouldn’t be rejected. On the contrary, both factions would try to win them over.

As for anyone trying to target him…

The two factions weren’t that stupid. In times like these, they wouldn’t just cut off a vital arm.

If anything happened to him, it would mean the factions were beyond reconciliation. The Loose Immortal Alliance might as well dissolve.

“But speaking of third-rank inheritances…” Wei Tu rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

Right now, he had three complete third-rank inheritances: the Divine Wood Origin Technique, the True Demonic Refinement Art, and the third-rank alchemist inheritance he’d gotten from Alchemist Shu.

—The Profound Nether Yin Fire, he only had the first three layers of that technique, not the complete set.

A newly advanced Golden Core cultivator having three complete third-rank inheritances was already quite decent. Pity that he was a talisman master and lacked only a follow-up third-rank talisman inheritance.

“A third-rank talisman master inheritance is the lifeline of a talisman master. Though I’ve taken Che Gongwei as my master, it’s just a superficial connection…”

Wei Tu’s face darkened.

He didn’t believe Che Gongwei would just hand over his own inheritance so easily.

After all… if he advanced to a third-rank talisman master using Che Gongwei’s inheritance, they’d be competitors in the same field.

“I also don’t have any of the secret arts that match the Divine Wood Origin Technique.”

Wei Tu sighed quietly.

This was the difficulty of being a rogue cultivator. Without a master’s guidance, every step forward meant facing the dilemma of having no clear path ahead.

“I’ll write letters to these two masters first and see if either of them is willing to pass something on. Even if it comes at a price, it’s better than having nothing.”

With that in mind, Wei Tu picked up a brush and wrote two letters, then had his stewardess, Du Wenshu, deliver them to Che Gongwei and Bao Siyan’s residences.

After finishing the letters.

Wei Tu returned to his cultivation room and resumed bitterly training the True Demonic Refinement Art.

Before reaching the Golden Core, both his qi cultivation and body cultivation had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Now, having just broken through to the Golden Core, it would be hard for him to gain more strength through qi cultivation in the short term.

So raising his body cultivation to the third-rank level was now the only shortcut for Wei Tu to boost his power.

Also, training the True Demonic Refinement Art, this demonic body cultivation method, was another way to increase his chances of survival in these chaotic times of righteous and demonic conflict.

“If I can use the True Demonic Refinement Art to reach the third rank, by then, even a Golden Core demonic cultivator might not be able to tell I’m from the righteous path.” Wei Tu thought to himself.

[True Demonic Refinement Art (53/100): Practice once every ten days, two hundred seventy years to completion.]

Seeing this progress, Wei Tu estimated quietly that in about thirty to forty years, he could bring this body cultivation technique to the “Minor Accomplishment” stage and break through to third rank.

Breaking through to third-rank body cultivation was just as dangerous as a qi cultivator going from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core. Without enough preparation, there was a high chance of dying in the process.

Like with the Divine Wood Origin Technique, once the True Demonic Refinement Art reached the “Minor Accomplishment” stage, it would boost the success rate of breaking through third-rank body cultivation by twenty percent.

A quarter-hour passed.

Wei Tu sat bare-chested, and a phantom image of a horned demonic head surfaced on his chest, as if alive, swallowing the surrounding spiritual energy, converting it into True Demonic Qi, and tempering Wei Tu’s body.

As the demonic technique progressed.

A series of shrill, piercing demonic howls came from the mouth of the horned demonic head phantom, filling the entire residence with an eerie, hellish atmosphere.

Honghe Mountain Market.

Bao Residence, Heart-Nurturing Pavilion.

“He’s broken through to Golden Core?” Bao Siyan looked at the talisman letter on the desk, her face full of surprise.

Unlike Qi Chengchu, Che Gongwei, and the other Golden Core cultivators, she had secluded herself to train a secret technique years ago and hadn’t kept up with outside news. So she hadn’t learned right away that Wei Tu had already reached the Golden Core.

Because of this, seeing the talisman letter from Wei Tu reporting his breakthrough left her stunned, her face full of disbelief.

Forty years ago, she had predicted that Wei Tu, with inferior spiritual roots, would need over twenty years just to switch to the Divine Wood Origin Technique, and at least fifty years to cultivate it to the third layer.

But now—

Today.

Wei Tu had proved her wrong. Within the time she had spoken of, not only had he successfully switched cultivation methods, but he had also broken through to the Golden Core.

“He wants to learn secret arts from me?” Bao Siyan’s lips curled into a smile as a plan formed in her mind.

Back then, she had treated Wei Tu kindly because he was a second-rank high-grade talisman master with great potential. She saw in him the chance to break through to third-rank.

A third-rank talisman master could join her in exploring the ancient cultivator’s cave mansion she once stumbled upon. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on N0veI.Fiɾe.net

There were indeed other third-rank talisman masters in the Loose Immortal Alliance, but with her cultivation level, they were hard to control.

Wei Tu, however, had just broken through.

He also trained in the same technique as her, had limited power, and his background was clear.

He was the perfect candidate.

“As long as Daoist Wei agrees to do one thing for me… I’m willing to hand over the three great secret arts of the Divine Wood Origin Technique.”

Bao Siyan raised her slender hand, carefully chose her words, and wrote a reply to Wei Tu.

After finishing the letter, Bao Siyan looked up at the talisman pigeon flying into the sky, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

“Wei Tu would never guess that the Divine Wood Origin Technique doesn’t just have three great secret arts—it actually has five…”

Bao Siyan thought to herself.

Che Gongwei also received Wei Tu’s letter.

“So, this day has finally come.”

In Che Residence, Che Gongwei held Wei Tu’s letter in both hands, feeling a deep headache.

Back when Wei Tu was in seclusion to break through, he had already anticipated this moment.

After all, Wei Tu was a second-rank high-grade talisman master. As long as his cultivation reached the right level, he would definitely try to advance to third-rank.

And when that happened, Wei Tu would naturally seek a third-rank talisman master inheritance—from him, his nominal master.

That was why, after Wei Tu broke through to Golden Core and called him “Master,” Che Gongwei had advised him to change how he addressed him, suggesting they call each other “Daoist friends.”

Not because Che Gongwei was stingy with his teachings.

But because his bond with Wei Tu was too shallow. They were master and disciple in name only, with no true relationship between them.

If Wei Tu had studied under him for a hundred years, broken through to Golden Core under his guidance… Che Gongwei wouldn’t have minded sharing his inheritance.

But Wei Tu wasn’t that kind of disciple.

Even so, Che Gongwei couldn’t outright refuse him either. Wei Tu was still his disciple in name.

Refusing him wouldn’t just lose him an allied “friend,” but would also turn Wei Tu into a formidable enemy.

After all, Che Gongwei wasn’t the only one with a third-rank talisman master inheritance.

“Set clear terms, share part of the knowledge, and keep part to myself.”

Che Gongwei made his decision.

A dozen days later.

Wei Tu came out of seclusion and looked at the two reply letters on the table.

He opened Che Gongwei’s first. The third-rank talisman master inheritance was far more important to him than the three secret arts of the Divine Wood Origin Technique.

—Secret arts could be replaced with similar types of techniques or abilities.

But a well-structured, complete third-rank talisman master inheritance was much harder to come by.

“Three terms?” Wei Tu raised an eyebrow as he opened Che Gongwei’s letter.

Che Gongwei made it clear in the letter that he was willing to teach Wei Tu the talisman inheritance, but Wei Tu would have to agree to three terms.

First, for one hundred fifty years after advancing to third-rank talisman master, Wei Tu was not allowed to sell talismans from the inheritance within the Loose Immortal Alliance, to avoid direct competition.

Second, before selling any talismans, Wei Tu had to report to Che Gongwei which faction or cultivator he was selling to.

Third, after advancing to third-rank, Wei Tu had to offer Che Gongwei one thousand spirit stones every five years, or pay a one-time fee of ten thousand spirit stones to buy out the inheritance completely.

After reading these three terms.

Wei Tu couldn’t help but feel he’d chosen the right master.

The so-called “three terms” seemed strict on the surface, but in truth, they were just trade guild rules passed from master to disciple.

“Teach the apprentice, starve the master.”

This mundane saying applied in the cultivation world too.

The first term was to prevent the two from becoming rivals and turning into enemies.

The second term was because third-rank talismans were strategic resources. If they leaked without knowing where they went or who had them, it could endanger the master.

—The cultivation world wasn’t short of ways to frame or entrap others using a famous cultivator’s name.

The third term was simply the disciple paying respect to the master.

Some masters didn’t ask for this, but that didn’t mean Che Gongwei was wrong to ask.

Ten thousand spirit stones couldn’t even buy a complete third-rank talisman master inheritance. Every method of creating third-rank talismans was a tightly held secret.

After carefully putting away Che Gongwei’s letter, Wei Tu turned his attention to the letter from Bao Siyan.

“Ancient cultivator’s cave mansion?”

Wei Tu’s eyes locked onto that line.

He hadn’t expected Bao Siyan’s condition for teaching him the three secret arts of the Divine Wood Origin Technique to be this—join her in exploring an ancient cultivator’s cave mansion.

He knew well the dangers of secret realms.

Back then, he had dared enter the Cloud Ze Secret Realm because its risks were known and could be estimated.

But this cave mansion Bao Siyan mentioned? He had no information on it at all.

“Bao Siyan choosing me to explore this cave mansion with her—there must be a reason.”

“Refuse first.”

“See how she reacts.”

Wei Tu narrowed his eyes.

There were many Golden Core cultivators in the Loose Immortal Alliance. If Bao Siyan didn’t choose others but came to him, even with just a bit of thought, he could guess there was something special about him.

And that special thing—was his irreplaceability.

In other words.

Right now, it was Bao Siyan who should be coming to him for help, not the other way around.

After all… the three secret arts of the Divine Wood Origin Technique—he could just find substitute techniques. He didn’t necessarily need the ones from the original method.

But without him, Bao Siyan… probably couldn’t proceed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep