"The twin demonic witches have been found?"
Upon seeing the message from Meng Yan, Qi Ping's heart remained calm. He was confident in his ability to handle two cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refinement. He felt a slight pang of regret, as he had intended to break through to the eighth level in one continuous effort, but being interrupted was only a minor setback. He could resume his cultivation later.
Entrusted by another, he would remain loyal to his word. Having given Meng Yan his promise, Qi Ping would naturally stand by his side in the coming time, doing everything within his power to help Meng Yan secure victory and preserve his life. This was a principle he adhered to as his Dao-heart became increasingly clear.
To take is to give back.
He held a balance within his heart; he would not be a petty man who only sought gain without offering a return, nor would he allow himself to be shackled by the burden of gratitude.
As the Hour of the Rat approached, Qi Ping prepared meticulously. Bees, Yaya, talismans—he dared not be negligent in his combat preparations or tactical planning. Even with sufficient confidence, there was always a possibility of failing in an unexpected way. History was full of examples of the powerful being slain by lesser foes due to carelessness.
Moreover, the combat strength of these twins was enough that even Meng Yan—a disciple of an Elder who had comprehended the True Meaning of Laws—had nearly failed. No one could be certain if they were hiding even greater power.
Once fully prepared, Qi Ping transformed into an Ink-Armor Bee and approached the designated meeting spot before the appointed hour. Before entering the area, he sent his swarm to scout thoroughly.
Through the bees' observations, he saw that Meng Yan was already waiting there. To Qi Ping's surprise, even though the bees were scouting covertly, Meng Yan still sensed something unusual. Fortunately, the bees were few in number and retreated in time to avoid further investigation. Meng Yan's perception seemed even sharper than that of the lady in green.
Only after confirming there was no danger did Qi Ping return to his human form, adopting the face of a middle-aged man. At the same time, he used the Fetal Breath Art gifted by Meng Yan to conceal every trace of his aura.
A moment later, Qi Ping spotted the massive, tower-like figure of Meng Yan standing beneath a tree.
"Brother Qi, I have finally been waiting for you!" Meng Yan said with a smile upon seeing him.
"My apologies for making you wait, Brother Meng."
"The timing is perfect."
"What is the situation with those two demonic witches? You mentioned other helpers have appeared?"
"A piece of trash from the Heavenly Fire Pavilion. His strength is not exceptional—just an ordinary ninth level of Qi Refinement. He shouldn't be a match for Yaya. With your arrival, Brother Qi, he won't be an issue."
"That is good. How shall we proceed with the attack?"
"They and that Heavenly Fire Pavilion disciple are on Heaven-Prop Mountain, preparing to open a hidden dwelling together. It is a residence left behind by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but in truth, it was emptied by an Elder of the Qingyuan Sect over a decade ago. Aside from the defensive formations, there is nothing inside. We will wait until they have exhausted themselves attacking the formations, then we will surround and slay them."
At this point, Meng Yan shook his head with a trace of helplessness. "These sect disciples with decent talent always think they are blessed by fortune. They love exploring secret realms and fighting over resources, never realizing that some places are traps and graves designed specifically for them."
Qi Ping's heart shuddered at those words. This sentiment didn't just apply to talented sect disciples; many rogue cultivators held the same mindset. However, Qi Ping always felt that the concept of 'fortune' was the most unreliable thing in existence, especially regarding secret realms and legacies.
He could never understand one thing: under what conditions or mindset would a person or a sect specifically leave behind opportunities and legacies for future generations? Based on his deductions of human nature, he felt the possibility of a trap was far greater than that of a genuine opportunity.
This was why Qi Ping had always been repelled by the talk of secret realms and fortune. In the cultivation world, unconditional kindness certainly existed, but Qi Ping refused to believe it would happen to him, or rather, he was unwilling to bet his life on it. Why would someone leave behind things they worked half their life for?
Asking himself, Qi Ping knew he would never do such a thing. Therefore, rather than fortune, he believed in the exchange of interests and win-win cooperation.
Looking back at his past experiences: it was because he saved Sister Nan's life and built trust over time that he coincidentally obtained the Demon Insect Rearing Manual. Obtaining the Li-Fire Crow was based on his long-term cooperation and trust with Boss Gao. Even the Demon Insect King beneath the Blood Ginseng patch—if he had blindly dug it up at the start, his spirit-soul would have likely been shattered by the king.
In summary, Qi Ping did not believe in love without cause. That Sister Nan, Boss Gao, and Old Man Zhou were willing to trust him was based on his past actions and character. This was the code of conduct he strictly followed. With trust as the foundation and interest exchange as the method, both parties could obtain sufficient benefits.
He felt that if he hadn't gained Boss Gao's recognition, he would never have had the chance to connect with Meng Yan. Unfortunately, most people suffered from survivorship bias, always feeling that they might be the special one, that they might be the lucky soul.
Meng Yan's words today served as a warning: fortune is not to be trusted! The cave the demonic witches felt so lucky to discover was clearly just a monitor and a trap set by the Qingyuan Sect.
This made Qi Ping even more wary of the cave on Peak 7 in District A, where Sister Nan had found the manual. Without absolute certainty and perfect preparation, he must never open it! Otherwise, he might just be stepping into a fatal trap.
Upon reaching the foot of Heaven-Prop Mountain, Meng Yan suggested they wait. During the wait, Meng Yan occasionally looked at a strange black stone in his hand. Qi Ping could see nothing unusual about it; it seemed only Meng Yan could perceive its changes.
Though curious, Qi Ping did not ask since Meng Yan hadn't volunteered the information. Instead, he made sure his gaze didn't linger on the object, silently reminding himself to be even more cautious. The unknown methods in the cultivation world were far too numerous; it was all too easy to fall into another's trap.
This subtle behavior earned another trace of favor in Meng Yan's heart. Partnering with an ally who understood boundaries was far more comfortable and inspired more trust. Who knew what an indiscreet fool might do at a critical moment?
After waiting at the foot of the mountain for a long while, a smile curled on Meng Yan's lips. "Brother Qi, the time has come. We can move!"