Ji Changchen frowned. He wasn't satisfied with that answer. But before he could act, his vision started to blur and twist.
Ding! Life-and-death danger detected!Ding! Host has been poisoned!Ding! Searching for recovery solution... Found!Ding! Forcefully using Destiny Points for detoxification.
A light burst from Ji Changchen's body, purging the poison instantly.
But before he could react, a sword pierced through his body.
Even his protector was caught off guard. Liang Shuiyun, a Rank 7 Peak Warrior, glared at Li Gang and shouted, "You have a death wish!"
Normally, Liang Shuiyun could have easily blocked the attack. But he had let down his guard, believing Li Gang to be only a Rank 3 early-stage warrior. He knew Ji Changchen's combat power far exceeded his cultivation, so he hadn't interfered—especially since he had been instructed not to unless facing a strong enemy.
However, even with his guard lowered, he should have been able to intervene, since an average Rank 7 Warrior had reflexes at least ten times faster than those of a Rank 4 or Rank 5 Warrior. He was momentarily confused by Immortal interference.
Liang Shuiyun's expression darkened. "What do you want?" he asked, releasing a wave of killing intent.
Fear surged in Li Gang's heart, but he suppressed it. Without answering, he drew a knife and stabbed it into Ji Changchen's eye.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!" Ji Changchen screamed in agony.
Liang Shuiyun immediately restrained his aura. Sweat rolled down his forehead. If anything happened to Ji Changchen, he was as good as dead.
Li Gang smiled. "Do you think you can harm me? You can't. You have too big a weakness."
Liang Shuiyun gritted his teeth. "What do you want?" he demanded again, though confusion gnawed at him. 'How is this bastard able to withstand my killing intent?'
Before, Li Gang would have crumbled. But after his encounters with Wang Xueyao, countless life-and-death battles, and surviving the Soul Spring, his will had become unshakable.
Li Gang smirked. "What do you think your Holy Son is worth?"
Liang Shuiyun glared. "One hundred thousand Spirit Stones."
Li Gang's expression turned unreadable. "Too little."
'He started at a hundred thousand? That means he can go up to at least a million.'
Liang Shuiyun growled, "Five hundred thousand. Don't push your luck."
Li Gang sliced off one of Ji Changchen's ears, trembling slightly. "Don't threaten me! If I panic, who knows what I'll do!"
"You—!" Liang Shuiyun started, but Li Gang cut him off.
"One million Spirit Stones," Li Gang demanded coldly, "and the Heavenly Lotus."
Liang Shuiyun frowned. "I don't have the Heavenly Lotus."
"I know," Li Gang said, smiling faintly. "But your Celestial Sect does."
Liang Shuiyun's voice dropped. "Are you sure you want to become an enemy of the Celestial Sect?"
Li Gang laughed shamelessly. "No, why would I? But it was your young master who showed killing intent first."
Liang Shuiyun hesitated, then sighed. "I'll contact the sect."
"No," Li Gang said. "You'll contact them here, and say exactly what I tell you."
Liang Shuiyun had no choice but to nod. He took out a communication token.
Li Gang instructed, "Tell them the Holy Son suffered a soul injury. Ask them to teleport the Heavenly Lotus immediately, and say you'll explain later."
Liang Shuiyun repeated the words calmly. "The young master suffered a soul injury. Send the Heavenly Lotus immediately."
The voice on the other end grew anxious. "What happened?"
"I'll explain later. Send it first," Liang Shuiyun said.
Moments later, a Rank 8 Heavenly Lotus appeared through teleportation. Liang Shuiyun quickly stored it in a space ring. Li Gang's heart throbbed with excitement at the sight, but he kept his composure.
"Now the one million Spirit Stones," he said.
Liang Shuiyun took out a space ring filled with Spirit Stones. "How do I know you'll keep your word?"
Li Gang smiled faintly. "Give me the Heavenly Lotus first. Then scatter the Spirit Stones around. I'll need to collect them one by one, and I can't attack your young master while concentrating."
This was an open scheme. Li Gang understood that he was protected. He was using his life to probe the extent of control his enemies had. 'Can they even control a Rank 7 Warrior?'
In fact, the moment he made the first attack on Ji Changchen with a poisonous arrow, he knew this wasn't something he would normally do. He understood that his thoughts and actions were being controlled once again. However, it was of no use. Once again, the Immortals took control of the situation by altering his perception.
This time, he deliberately laid out an open scheme. If he succeeded in leaving this place, it would mean that his enemies could control even a Rank 7 Warrior.
The moment he formed this scheme, Li Gang still believed his thoughts were being monitored—but no one could alter them.
It had to be noted that Li Gang's memories could not be altered. Whatever he deduced during the Awakening Ceremony could never be changed. Those conclusions were stored permanently within his memory. Li Gang was fully aware that his thoughts were being monitored, and this perception could not be altered.
Back then, however, he assumed that his thoughts could not be altered at all, and this gave the Immortals some leeway. They were able to prevent this specific information from being stored in his memories by altering his active thinking every time he reasoned through the situation.
Liang Shuiyun narrowed his eyes, thinking over Li Gang's proposal. 'This gives me an opening. Why would he risk that?'
Still, he complied. He threw the space ring to Li Gang and began scattering Spirit Stones.
He remained wary of Li Gang's supposed Spiritual Imprint but had no other choice—he couldn't gamble with Ji Changchen's life.
What he didn't expect was for Li Gang to suddenly shove Ji Changchen aside and grab the space ring, absorbing all the Spirit Stones at once.
Caught off guard, Liang Shuiyun lashed out with a full-powered punch—but his attack struck only air. Li Gang had already vanished.
His uncontrolled force instead struck Ji Changchen, injuring him further.
"Y-young master!" Liang Shuiyun rushed forward in panic.
Ji Changchen coughed blood. "Uncle Liang... why didn't you attack him?"
Liang Shuiyun's face twisted bitterly. "I'm sorry, young master. He claimed to have a Spiritual Imprint that could kill you instantly. I didn't know if it was true, but I couldn't gamble with your life."
Ji Changchen whispered weakly, "But... he didn't have any Spiritual Imprint..."
Liang Shuiyun froze. Realization struck him like lightning, and his face went pale. "That's why he asked for the Heavenly Lotus... Why didn't I think of it sooner?!"
In extreme emotion, even the wise lose reason. It is easier to deal with an enraged beast than a calm schemer. That was why Li Gang had maimed Ji Changchen before blackmailing him—to unbalance his protector's judgment.
Meanwhile, at a certain inn, Li Gang appeared suddenly. Looking around and finding no one, he exhaled in relief.
He checked his token and muttered with a grin, "A hundred charges for intercontinental teleportation. For such a short distance, it only used one-fifth of a charge. The longer the distance, the more energy it consumes—just as I thought."
He stepped out and said to the innkeeper, "I want to rent the room for one more month."
The moment he appeared here, he understood that his hidden enemy was capable of controlling even a Rank 7 Warrior. This led him into another dilemma, for which he had no answers. If there was no tool in this world he could use to resist this control, how was he supposed to get rid of this Mind Erosion? How was he to overcome his situation?
Li Gang thought inwardly, 'Why am I back in Silver Frost Province? My goal was to leave this place! No... could it be that my thoughts are being controlled?'
After Liang Shuiyun's final attack, Li Gang had used Spatial Order to escape. But why would he return to the very inn where he had stayed?
Hadn't he left earlier because he feared Jiang Wushuang's scheme? He was worried that something had been left within the sword. Li Gang had wanted to monopolize the sword, even though he had been entrusted to return it to the Sword Gate. When the Sect Leader of Sword Gate sealed the entire city, Li Gang had suspected it might be because of him.
He should have left this place. But his fate was not under his control—it was under the Immortals' control. They had led him back here. They wanted him to go to the Ethereal Sect and use Jiang Fugui as a guide.
Once again, they changed his perception and let him believe everything was normal!
The Immortals had already laid out plans for his future growth, including alchemy.
After preparing everything in the inn, Li Gang took out the Heavenly Lotus and immediately consumed it whole. Consuming a Rank 8 Spiritual Plant as a Rank 3 would normally burst his body and kill him.
But this was not the case for the Heavenly Lotus. The Heavenly Lotus directly affects the soul itself. Li Gang's soul was already at Rank 5 mid-stage, and he would barely be able to handle its medicinal power.
As soon as the Heavenly Lotus entered his throat, it started melting and felt warm at first. But soon, it turned into a gaseous form, and instead of going down his stomach, it rose toward his brain and disappeared entirely.
Li Gang felt pain in his mind as soon as it disappeared. This pain did not come from his body, but from his soul itself. This pain was much stronger than that of the Soul Spring.
But he still gritted his teeth and held on. His vision blurred, and after an hour, he fainted.
Seven days later
Li Gang woke up. He looked at his surroundings. "Is it evening? Did I faint for a few hours?"
A person loses track of time during sleep or unconsciousness. But what surprised him was his vision. His eyes had become sharp, and all five of his senses had been enhanced. He could now see tens of miles away and even notice every scratch on the floor!
Soul Cultivation Rank 5 late stage!
Earlier, even though his Soul Cultivation had improved to Rank 5, enhancing his cognitive ability, his five senses had not been affected much. This was because he lacked the ability to sense his own soul. Only when one can perceive their soul can they gain these benefits from improving Soul Cultivation.
He looked inward at his soul and was delighted. "I am able to sense my soul. I never thought happiness would come so early, but I still can't let my guard down. Now, I am an enemy of the Celestial Sect, and they also know my identity."
He frowned again after examining his soul. "My soul foundation is really trash. I have to refine it properly."
The Heavenly Lotus had been a great bargain for Li Gang. However, hadn't Wu Yuan poisoned all the Heavenly Lotus?