I Saw Nothing

Liu Chengfeng could not understand these ancient runes, so he memorized them all, threw them into his mind, and handed them over to the Celestial Body to process.

Inside his mind, the Sky Eye opened and the Heavenly Mound rotated, rearranging all the runes and translating them into a heart method.

This time, the Celestial Body did not charge a fee, and the heart method appeared directly in his mind.

"Sage Scroll Innate!"

Liu Chengfeng was startled; this was his first time seeing the original Sage Scroll Innate.

The Three Treasuries True Fire Heart Method and the Sage Scroll Innate had been supplemented and perfected by the Celestial Body during the process of arrangement and translation.

"What is the origin of this heart method?"

Liu Chengfeng looked at Little Li in astonishment; a Sage Scroll Innate heart method for the Reception Divine Treasury was absolutely precious.

Even the Qiuchi Kingdom could not produce such a heart method; only those above the level of an Ancient Kingdom would possess one or two.

Little Li held her head high in pride and did not answer.

Unable to get an answer, Liu Chengfeng did not dwell on it and began to cultivate.

The Three Treasuries True Fire Heart Method was a fire-attribute heart method. Cultivating it allowed one not only to absorb spirit qi but also to swallow the fire qi between heaven and earth to refine it into true fire.

Liu Chengfeng circulated the heart method, cycle after cycle, absorbing spirit qi and swallowing fire qi.

Beneath the Spirit Vein Dojo of the Imperial Capital lay the Fire Spirit Pool, a spirit pool with fire attributes that was the size of a lake.

As the heart method circulated, fire spirit qi surged into his Reception Divine Treasury like a tide, stripping away the fire qi to refine it into true fire.

The true fire in the Reception Divine Treasury accumulated more and more, and the heart method condensed it into a Fire Lotus.

The petals of the Fire Lotus were formed from true fire, with each petal composed of three types of true fire.

Agama True Fire, Prajna True Fire, and Lotus True Fire.

"Incredible."

In the process of cultivation, Liu Chengfeng could not help but exclaim; the person who created this heart method was definitely a person of shocking talent and brilliance.

With the Sage Scroll Innate heart method, Liu Chengfeng practiced diligently without pause.

After Liu Chengfeng advanced to the Reception Divine Treasury, the Empress of Qiuchi also came to inquire, thinking about what heart method he should cultivate.

"Three Treasuries True Fire Heart Method?"

Upon learning that Liu Chengfeng was already cultivating a heart method, the Empress of Qiuchi was curious. The name sounded a bit familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before, but she could not recall it.

"Where did you get this heart method?"

The Empress of Qiuchi was curious. Liu Chengfeng was about to say that Little Li gave it to him, but when he looked around, he realized Little Li had run off at some point.

"I picked it up, is that allowed?"

This was not wrong; Little Li had thrown it in front of him, so it was indeed picked up.

The Empress of Qiuchi gave him a cold, white-eyed stare.

Although she was as cold as frost, she was beautiful; even with her imposing imperial aura, this single look possessed a kind of icy charm.

"Your poison has not been removed yet; let me help you."

Liu Chengfeng could see that the Empress of Qiuchi was still plagued by the virulent poison.

The Empress of Qiuchi hesitated for a moment and did not immediately refuse.

"The Marsh Qi contains traces of virulent poison. Is this the poison you were struck with?"

"How do you know?"

The Empress of Qiuchi looked at Liu Chengfeng coldly.

"My eyes are not ordinary."

The Empress of Qiuchi was silent for a moment before telling Liu Chengfeng.

"I returned from Little Meng Mountain injured and was in a rush to heal. While circulating my heart method and absorbing spirit qi, I was careless, and the poison took the opportunity to enter. By the time I noticed, it was already too late."

Speaking of Little Meng Mountain, the gaze of the Empress of Qiuchi became sharp, making Liu Chengfeng feel a stinging pain.

Liu Chengfeng's scalp went numb; before the God Tomb, he had even touched her cheek.

The Empress of Qiuchi merely let out a cold snort and did not fly into a rage.

"Do you know who it was?"

Liu Chengfeng hurriedly changed the subject.

"I don't know, but it is highly likely to be Hong Qiang."

"Hong Qiang."

Liu Chengfeng did not know who that was.

"The First Elder of the Dragon Ascending Holy Sect, a third-tier Great Dao Divine Treasury expert, whose entire body is filled with poison."

"She was in the Imperial Capital, using poison to contaminate the Marsh Qi spirit energy, and took advantage of your lack of preparation to plant the poison in your body."

Liu Chengfeng felt a chill in his heart; the Dragon Ascending Holy Sect had long been plotting against the Qiuchi Kingdom.

"If it is her, she must be hiding somewhere in the Imperial Capital."

"The Grandmaster Mansion?"

People from the Dragon Ascending Holy Sect had long been hidden within the Imperial Capital, and the most likely place was the Grandmaster Mansion.

"Unlikely. The Grandmaster Mansion sits above the Fire Spirit Pool; it is impossible to introduce poison into the Marsh Qi."

The Empress of Qiuchi was very certain.

Liu Chengfeng thought of the Stone Lion; it knew who had administered the poison.

"Let me take a look at you."

Liu Chengfeng wanted to help the Empress of Qiuchi extract the poison.

"Look at what?"

The Empress of Qiuchi's expression darkened, and a wave of cold air rushed toward him.

"What could I possibly do? Do you expect me to make you strip?"

Liu Chengfeng gave a dry laugh, though, of course, that would be best.

A flush of crimson flashed across her face and vanished, the Empress of Qiuchi's gaze turning murderous.

In the end, the Empress of Qiuchi dispersed her protective cultivation technique, allowing Liu Chengfeng to peer inside.

A cultivator at the Reception Divine Treasury level could not possibly peer into a great figure of the Great Dao Divine Treasury unless she willed it herself.

Liu Chengfeng opened his Sky Eye and looked into the body of the Empress of Qiuchi, discovering the potent poison hidden within.

The poison was tiny, like silk threads, rooted deep within her divine treasury and meridians; it was extremely subtle and very difficult to detect.

"It has taken root in your body."

Liu Chengfeng was shocked. No wonder the Empress of Qiuchi had not shown her face; she was suppressed by the poison and could not afford to be exposed.

If the enemy could not see her, they could not be certain if she was poisoned, and they would not dare to act rashly.

"I actually have a method. Do you want to try it?"

After thinking it over, Liu Chengfeng came up with a way to extract the poison.

The Empress of Qiuchi remained silent for a moment before agreeing to let Liu Chengfeng extract the poison.

This was a form of trust; had it been anyone else, she would never have agreed.

As Liu Chengfeng withdrew his Sky Eye, he couldn't help but steal a glance.

It was breathtaking; beneath the loose dragon robes, the sight was truly heart-stopping...

At that one look, Liu Chengfeng felt his blood rush to his head, and he nearly had a nosebleed.

A cold snort, like a thunderclap, exploded, and the freezing air nearly turned Liu Chengfeng into an ice sculpture.

"What are you doing? Trying to murder your own husband?"

Liu Chengfeng jumped up in fright, retreating to put some distance between them.

The Empress of Qiuchi stared at Liu Chengfeng with a murderous gaze, her aura chilling and her divine arts shielding her body.

"I didn't see anything, I didn't see a thing."

Liu Chengfeng gave a dry laugh, feeling guilty; he had stolen a glance, but now he really couldn't see anything.

"Focus on the extraction. If you fail, I will have your head."

The Empress of Qiuchi was cold as frost as she turned and walked away, not letting Liu Chengfeng see the blush on her face.

So big.

Liu Chengfeng couldn't help but mutter to himself with a wicked grin.

The matter of extracting the poison was no small feat and had to be conducted in a sealed chamber where no one could intrude.

The sealed chamber was surrounded by stone walls and contained a large pool filled to the brim with spirit liquid.

"This is quite extravagant."

Looking at the pool full of spirit liquid, Liu Chengfeng couldn't help but marvel.

The Spirit Vein Dojo of the Cloud Rising Sect didn't know how many years it had taken to accumulate even one pool of spirit liquid.

The Empress of Qiuchi enjoyed an entire pool to herself in this chamber; this was the foundation of a Grandmaster-level power.

The Empress of Qiuchi walked into the spirit pool, submerged herself, and circulated her mental cultivation method, allowing the spirit liquid to soak into her body to maintain her peak state.

"Begin."

The Empress of Qiuchi's demeanor was solemn.

Liu Chengfeng also submerged himself, absorbing the spirit liquid; the pure spirit liquid entering his body was no small matter.

Liu Chengfeng took a deep breath, opened his Sky Eye, and took in every trace of the potent poison within the Empress of Qiuchi's body.

"Lend me a hand."

Liu Chengfeng shouted at the Golden Lotus Root submerged within his Blood Sea Divine Treasury.

Under Liu Chengfeng's urging, the Golden Lotus Root unfurled its roots, which were as fine as hair, and stretched them outward.

"Accept me."

Liu Chengfeng pressed his hands against the head of the Empress of Qiuchi.

The Empress of Qiuchi hesitated for a moment before opening her divine treasury.

This was entrusting her life to Liu Chengfeng; it was no longer a matter of ordinary trust.

Liu Chengfeng channeled the Golden Lotus Root, letting its roots thread into the body of the Empress of Qiuchi, strand by strand, to entangle the virulent poison.

The poison planted within the Empress of Qiuchi possessed a sentience of its own and tried to flee, but it was firmly locked down by the Golden Lotus Root.

As the roots of the Golden Lotus Root delved deep into her body, intertwining with her essence, the Empress of Qiuchi suddenly felt as if she and Liu Chengfeng were tangled together, bound tightly as one.

Connected through the Golden Lotus Root, they were like a single entity.

What was even more critical was that she was pressed so closely against Liu Chengfeng at this moment that her chest was nearly touching his.

The scent of a man washed over her, causing the Empress of Qiuchi's heart to flutter in agitation as a blush spread across her fair cheeks.

The Golden Lotus Root had locked the poison, but it could not extract it.

If he pulled it out, the poison would be drawn into Liu Chengfeng's own body.

This poison was terrifying; even the Empress of Qiuchi could barely suppress it. If it were to enter Liu Chengfeng's body, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Open—"

Liu Chengfeng let out a low shout, opened the Ancient Urn, and activated his alchemy techniques to draw in the Separation Fire.

"Release—"

Liu Chengfeng commanded, and the Empress of Qiuchi did not hesitate, throwing her divine treasury wide open.

This was entrusting her life to Liu Chengfeng; if he caused the slightest damage, her divine treasury would be destroyed, and her life would be extinguished.

The Golden Lotus Root displayed incomparable wonder; it absorbed the Separation Fire and, under Liu Chengfeng's guidance, channeled it into the body of the Empress of Qiuchi.

The Separation Fire flowed through the roots into her body, locking onto the poison and beginning to incinerate it, burning the toxin away inch by inch.

The process of incineration was agonizing for both Liu Chengfeng and the Empress of Qiuchi, as if red-hot iron wires were drilling into their bodies, causing their flesh to sizzle.

Both Liu Chengfeng and the Empress of Qiuchi gritted their teeth, pressing tightly against each other.

As the Separation Fire burned, it left Liu Chengfeng's unique mark within the body of the Empress of Qiuchi, for the Golden Lotus Root had connected them together.

Finally, the poison was completely incinerated, the Separation Fire was withdrawn and sealed back into the Ancient Urn, and the roots of the Golden Lotus Root retracted.

"It's done—"

Both Liu Chengfeng and the Empress of Qiuchi were overjoyed; all the poison had been burned away without a single trace remaining.

The next moment, the atmosphere thickened, turning ambiguous.

The two were still pressed tightly together, and as the Empress of Qiuchi withdrew her protective divine arts, the spirit liquid soaked through her clothes.

The scenery was boundless and breathtakingly beautiful.

The Empress of Qiuchi went stiff with tension, her heart hammering like a deer.

Liu Chengfeng's heart burned, and he reached out.

It was beyond words.

With a "bang," Liu Chengfeng was sent flying, frost filling the sky as a wave of cold air surged forth.

Even the Spirit Pool was frozen solid, the terrifying chill threatening to turn Liu Chengfeng into an ice sculpture.

"Oh my god, you're trying to murder your husband!"

Liu Chengfeng was scared out of his wits. The Empress of Qiuchi was in a rage, and he was no match for her, so he turned and fled, escaping the secret chamber.

"You bastard—"

The Empress of Qiuchi was so angry her teeth itched, but the next moment, a blush spread across her face, and she turned away in resentment.

Whether the Empress of Qiuchi was angry or simply recovering her body, Liu Chengfeng did not see her for the next few days.

This left Liu Chengfeng feeling restless, wanting to see her but unable to.

"Little wench, acting all aloof; I'll deal with you properly later."

Being left out in the cold by the Empress of Qiuchi made Liu Chengfeng's teeth itch with frustration.

Liu Chengfeng calmed his mind and practiced his cultivation method. With his progress, he began to consider what techniques he should study next.

Little Li had not given him any techniques, and his martial aunt Ye Huijian had disappeared somewhere.

Liu Chengfeng pondered asking the Empress of Qiuchi for a few techniques, but he feared the little lady would be angry and refuse.

Before the Empress of Qiuchi could emerge from seclusion, a major figure arrived at the Imperial Capital, and he had come to propose marriage.

"Yi Yuzhou of the Dragon Ascending Holy Sect pays his respects."

The Vice Sect Master of the Dragon Ascending Holy Sect came to pay a visit to the Empress of Qiuchi, and he even came to propose marriage.

Yi Yuzhou arrived, the might of his Great Dao surging like a tide, with light from the Dao manifesting around him in a grand and imposing display.

The procession behind Yi Yuzhou consisted of one Treasure Mountain Wild Ox after another pulling carriages, each laden with chests of treasure.

Even before the chests were opened, they radiated precious light, leaving one to wonder just how many treasures were packed inside.

The Vice Sect Master of the Dragon Ascending Holy Sect had come to propose marriage, wishing to join in matrimony with the Empress of Qiuchi.

This shocked all the god-cultivating powerhouses in the Imperial Capital; who would dare to propose to the Empress of Qiuchi?

Upon seeing Yi Yuzhou, many of the god-cultivating powerhouses nodded to themselves, acknowledging that he was indeed a match for the Empress of Qiuchi.

Yi Yuzhou appeared as a middle-aged man dressed in water-blue robes, possessing a refined and handsome bearing, with an aura as vast as a long river.

He was truly a handsome man with an extraordinary demeanor.

He was also a powerhouse who had unlocked the Great Dao Divine Treasury.

It was no wonder he had the qualifications to come and propose marriage.