Zhai Bairong’s face remained slightly flushed, which robbed his sharp interrogation of some of its usual intimidation.
As for whether he had a grand conspiracy, Nie Shiyun couldn't exactly say. However, it was true that he had pushed Zhai Bairong and taken the opportunity to follow him inside; that much was undeniable.
"I was merely seeking a fortuitous opportunity for myself. That is something any normal cultivator would do. It just so happened that you were the one standing in front at the time," Nie Shiyun said, downplaying the gravity of his actions.
"You knew there was a teleportation array within the painting." Zhai Bairong frowned slightly. Working backward from this conclusion, Nie Shiyun’s previous behavior—pacing around him with suppressed anxiety—suddenly became much more logical.
"Indeed," Nie Shiyun admitted.
"Knowing that a mistake could leave you surrounded by enemies... there were three of us, and you were alone. To be willing to take such a massive risk, this cave must house the greatest prize of this journey—the Remnant Soul of the Exotic Fire?"
Nie Shiyun’s heart skipped a beat. Duan Mingyu was easy to fool, but the man before him was far too clever. He had revealed almost nothing, yet the other had guessed with eighty percent accuracy.
"Could it be... you originally intended to take Mingyu inside..." Zhai Bairong thought of everything that had just transpired and felt a surge of indignation, unable to finish his sentence.
"That is not the case. I no longer harbor even a shred of affection for him," Nie Shiyun could admit to many things, but he was adamant about this point. "I simply happened to know the location of the teleportation array. I didn't realize how perilous it would be. Otherwise, I would have come better prepared."
He had known it was dangerous, but he hadn't expected the cave's master to be such a psychopath.
The two held their weapons, locked in a stalemate. At this point, setting aside the absurd events that had just occurred, since they had already entered this secret chamber and the one-time teleportation array had expired, the Remnant Soul of the Exotic Fire and the other treasures were within their grasp. There was only one way to decide who would claim them.
The cave was completely sealed; not even the faint sound of wind could be heard. After a long, silent confrontation, Nie Shiyun’s eyes flickered toward the stone door of the inner chamber. In that split second, Zhai Bairong struck. The slender Willow Sword lunged toward Nie Shiyun’s vitals, carrying a lethal intent. Nie Shiyun was not unprepared; with a wave of his hand, he threw out a defensive artifact. However, a mediocre Grade 3 artifact was worlds apart from Zhai Bairong’s high-quality Grade 2 treasure. It was shattered in a single blow. This was within Nie Shiyun’s expectations. He immediately flicked his wrist, releasing a stack of over a dozen Spirit Flame Talismans. Suddenly, fireballs erupted before Zhai Bairong like a sky full of crackling fireworks. Augmented by Nie Shiyun’s own Fire Spiritual Root and the sweltering environment of the cave, the destructive power of these dozen-plus talismans was comparable to twenty ordinary ones.
Zhai Bairong’s Wood Spiritual Root was naturally at a disadvantage against Fire. He had only appeared composed because his cultivation level was significantly higher than his opponent's. Faced with the continuous explosions of high-grade Spirit Flame Talismans, he was forced to retract his sword and hastily retreat several steps.
Once the ash from the "fireworks" cleared, Nie Shiyun had already summoned a new defensive artifact.
"At your wit's end, you can only resort to petty tricks!" Zhai Bairong channeled his spiritual energy, forcing several vine-like sprouts to erupt from the barren rock. Caught off guard, Nie Shiyun’s ankles were ensnared. He instantly felt his spiritual energy being drained. In the moment he swung his sword to sever the plants, Zhai Bairong closed the distance. Nie Shiyun performed a side-roll the instant he broke free, simultaneously unleashing another dozen Spirit Flame Talismans.
Zhai Bairong had assumed Nie Shiyun was driven to desperation, throwing a whole stack of talismans just to buy a chance to counterattack. He never expected another dozen of these expensive Spirit Flame Talismans to come flying out as if they cost nothing at all.
Nie Shiyun’s rhythm remained steady, meeting every move with a counter. If a defensive tool was broken, he immediately replaced it. From time to time, he would set off a barrage of Spirit Flame Talismans that filled the cave with sparks; one might think he was setting off firecrackers for the New Year.
Zhai Bairong had never seen a cultivator who fought by throwing money around, and he felt like spitting blood. Seeing Nie Shiyun haggling over spirit stones with Duan Mingyu earlier, he had thought the man was living in poverty and had generously given him twenty thousand spirit stones. Looking back, that had been entirely unnecessary.
He gradually sensed that Nie Shiyun was fighting with increasing vigor. The cave environment was a disadvantage for him, but for Nie Shiyun, who possessed Gold and Fire roots, it was a boon. If this became a battle of attrition, he wouldn't be able to take him down. Zhai Bairong wanted a quick resolution, but Nie Shiyun’s defensive tools broke one after another, and he discarded them just as quickly, circling and maneuvering so that a swift victory was impossible. Furthermore, the Blue-Gold Sword in the man's hand was strange; though it was only a Grade 3 artifact, it seemed to help its user recover spiritual energy. Zhai Bairong had never seen such a thing.
To think that he, with a cultivation at the peak of Foundation Establishment, could not take down a junior with dual spiritual roots at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment—Zhai Bairong’s composure began to waver.
"Tired?" Nie Shiyun still had the energy to provoke him. In truth, his stock of treasures and talismans was running low—less than a quarter remained. He was merely putting on a front of bravado. Since entering the secret realm, he had been cautious, never striking unless necessary, so his previously prepared reserves were almost untouched. Yet, in the short span of a single incense stick's time, Zhai Bairong had depleted them to this extent. It was clear that the capabilities of a major character were not to be underestimated.
Perhaps, if it truly came down to a life-and-death struggle, he could attempt to enter the jade pendant where time flowed slowly to rest and repair his artifacts, repeating the process until he eventually wore the other man down.
But to be honest, facing the person he had just shared a moment of passion with, Nie Shiyun found himself feeling a bit soft-hearted. He couldn't summon the killing intent; he only wanted to force the other to back off.
"At this rate, neither of us can do anything to the other. Why don't we talk?" Nie Shiyun took the initiative to propose.
Zhai Bairong had been the one to strike first; it was difficult for him to find a graceful way to back down. However, he had indeed fought until his spiritual energy was depleted, having already resorted to taking Spirit Recovery Pills in the heat of the moment. Seeing Nie Shiyun stand still at a distance, seemingly making no further moves, Zhai Bairong also temporarily stayed his hand.
"I have never seen such a spendthrift. Do you treat talismans like scrap paper?"
"You flatter me, you flatter me." Nie Shiyun took it as a compliment to his wealth and accepted it wholeheartedly.
Looking at Nie Shiyun’s smiling face, Zhai Bairong thought back to the days the four of them had traveled together, where the man's presence had been as thin as air. He recalled how humble and polite Nie Shiyun’s attitude had been when they met near Yunqing Pavilion. Only now did he realize that Nie Shiyun might be an extremely deep and formidable person.
"I think, regardless of what is in this cave, we should call a truce and investigate the inner chamber together. Otherwise, if we both end up injured only to find it was all for naught, wouldn't it be a waste?"
His words were not without merit. Although Zhai Bairong did not trust him, he had to admit this was the most sensible course of action.
"I swear upon my inner demon that I will not be the first to launch a sneak attack in the inner chamber," Nie Shiyun said lightheartedly.
Zhai Bairong was startled. The way Nie Shiyun swore upon his inner demon was so casual, it was as if he were merely talking about having a meal. After a moment's thought, Zhai agreed to the proposal, promising that he would not launch a sneak attack either.
Nie Shiyun wasn't worried. In the book, Zhai Bairong was indeed a man of his word; in most cases, he would not break a promise. It was for this reason that his relationship with Xu Yehua, another member of the harem, was the most discordant. Xu Yehua was the very definition of acting on whim and reckless abandon.
Neither was willing to expose their back to the other, so they walked side-by-side. Once the air fell silent, the memories of the fight—and more importantly, the memories of the preceding intimate encounter—flooded back into their minds. The atmosphere turned awkward.
Without a word, they reached the inner chamber. Guarding against each other, they searched the room and, just as described in the book, found the Remnant Soul of the Exotic Fire. Having been discarded by its sentient main body, the remnant soul was merely a flame. It did not hide when cultivators approached, remaining motionless within a cauldron.
In addition, they discovered the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover. This was a top-tier spiritual tool that only Nascent Soul cultivators could utilize. Seeing it, Nie Shiyun remembered that because it was too high-level to be used immediately, Duan Mingyu had set it aside for a long time in the book, eventually giving it to the fire-rooted Xu Yehua, which had been like giving wings to a tiger. The rest consisted of some pills, a cauldron, and spirit-grade pill recipes.
The senior cultivator who lived here had led a truly dull life. There was nothing else in the cave.
Nie Shiyun’s mind raced with a thousand thoughts. He had never been dead-set on obtaining the Remnant Soul of the Exotic Fire, knowing that Duan Mingyu’s physical issues weren't fully resolved by it. Later, after the seal on Duan's Heavenly Yin Physique was broken, he would obtain a divine bird with phoenix blood and the true Exotic Fire. Giving up this remnant soul was no great loss. The Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover was a treasure of equal, if not greater, value. However, Nie Shiyun had plenty of time to cultivate within his chaotic space. He was confident that by the time his cultivation reached the Nascent Soul stage, his smithing skills would be sufficient to forge a weapon that suited him perfectly. Obtaining the Fire Cover would be excellent, but not getting it wouldn't be a disaster.
Preventing Duan Mingyu from entering had already been the best move. This Remnant Soul was trapped by a restriction; it couldn't be taken away without forming a contract. That contract could not be transferred to another person. This meant that even if Zhai Bairong took the fire, unless Duan Mingyu killed him, the item would never fall into Duan Mingyu’s hands once they left.
The Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover... a legendary immortal treasure used by Taiyi Zhenren. The spiritual tool before him was certainly not the original from the immortal realm, but it was indeed the weapon Xu Yehua would find most useful in the future. After meeting Xu Yehua earlier, alarm bells had rung in Nie Shiyun’s mind. He already understood that Xu Yehua was the first person he had to eliminate. It was just that Duan Mingyu and his harem shared a common fate, so he had to keep a close eye on Duan Mingyu as well.
While Nie Shiyun was lost in thought, Zhai Bairong was also deep in contemplation. He naturally wanted those pill recipes; no alchemist could see spirit-grade recipes and remain unmoved. If he could fully master the refinement of spirit-grade pills, even Nascent Soul—no, even Deity Transformation cultivators—would have to show him some respect.
The Remnant Soul of the Exotic Fire should have been something Mingyu desperately needed, but it couldn't be transferred. However, every cultivator has their own small selfishness, and Zhai Bairong was no exception. Besides self-defense, an exotic fire was the most prized possession for those who refined pills or weapons. Not only could it greatly increase the success rate, but the quality of the finished product would also improve.
As for the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover, while good, it suited neither Zhai Bairong nor Duan Mingyu. It was, however, perfect for that Xu Yehua from Red Rock Cliff. Thinking of Xu Yehua, Zhai Bairong suddenly recalled the image of Xu Yehua intimately grasping Duan Mingyu’s wrist while the latter blushed furiously. For a moment, his Dao heart was thrown into chaos again.
Nie Shiyun spoke first: "Duan Mingyu won't have the fortune to enjoy this Remnant Soul... but I'm sure you know that this thing is a top-tier aid for both smithing and alchemy."
It was a coincidence that one of them excelled at smithing while the other excelled at alchemy.
Just as Zhai Bairong was about to say something, Nie Shiyun continued, "I'll let you have it. Along with the pill recipes and the cauldron in this cave... Fellow Daoist Zhai has truly had a bountiful harvest on this trip."
Zhai Bairong looked at Nie Shiyun as if he were seeing a ghost, his expression full of suspicion. He hadn't expected Nie Shiyun to so proactively yield the Remnant Soul to him; he felt there must be a catch.
"What are you plotting?" Zhai Bairong asked sharply.
Nie Shiyun thought to himself: *Naturally, I'm plotting for the main body of that Exotic Fire.* A mere remnant soul was worth trading for a favor. And besides...
"The Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover suits me perfectly. Why? Do you want it? I've never heard that Fellow Daoist Zhai possessed a Fire Spiritual Root."
"That's not it..."
"Oh, so you're considering it for your future 'brother'?"
"What did you say?"
Zhai Bairong spoke each word slowly, showing signs of suppressed rage. Nie Shiyun’s words were cryptic, but it just so happened that Zhai Bairong had been thinking about Xu Yehua and Duan Mingyu. He had a faint premonition that, just like the appearance of Rong Lü, he would be powerless to stop what was about to happen.
"I misspoke." Seeing Zhai Bairong’s anger, Nie Shiyun apologized immediately. Zhai Bairong was left reeling by these rapid shifts in attitude, his anger stuck in his chest with nowhere to go.
Nie Shiyun walked straight to the side and swept the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover into his storage ring. Though Zhai Bairong was full of questions, the more he thought about it, the more he felt he was the one coming out ahead. He had no choice but to quickly begin the process of contracting the Remnant Soul.
Because Nie Shiyun had sworn upon his inner demon earlier, Zhai Bairong wasn't too worried about being ambushed during the process. By the time he had completely integrated the fire into his body and opened his eyes, he saw Nie Shiyun unhurriedly erasing the previous owner's nearly non-existent imprint from the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover to replace it with his own.
He had wanted to mock him, saying, "I don't even know if you'll live to see the day you can use that spiritual tool," but Zhai Bairong felt that since he had benefited, he shouldn't be too harsh, so he kept the words to himself.
"Since you aren't an alchemist, you likely have no use for these. I'll take the pill recipes from this cave then." Zhai Bairong was rarely so thick-skinned; this time, he was simply letting things go and acting with rare bluntness.
"Suit yourself." Nie Shiyun didn't care about the remaining items and replied casually.
He was so agreeable that Zhai Bairong’s suspicion only grew.
"I don't believe you are such a generous person. What is your goal, exactly?"
How could Nie Shiyun tell him the truth? Although a rift had formed between Zhai Bairong and Duan Mingyu, and they had missed the chance to reconcile, it didn't mean they wouldn't have other opportunities in the future.
"My goal? Hmm... perhaps I feel that 'it takes a thousand years of cultivation to share a pillow.' Since we are so fated, there's no harm in letting you have some benefits." Nie Shiyun gave a casual, dismissive excuse.
"You...!" At the mention of what had just happened, Zhai Bairong’s mind fell into disarray, immediately led astray by Nie Shiyun.
The series of fights had almost made him forget, but now that it was brought up again, his face darkened instantly. "Once we are out, you are never to mention that matter."
"Fine. I won't mention it. In exchange, you cannot tell anyone that I pushed you in. I was merely trying to pull you back and got dragged in with you," Nie Shiyun added. "And of course, I never took the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover. In fact, we never even saw such a thing."
"..."
Zhai Bairong thought for a moment. Though he hesitated, he eventually agreed. Both swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao and their inner demons, ensuring there would be no regrets.
***
