The dizziness caused by the teleportation was stronger than ever before.
Qin Tiexin felt as if his body had been thrown into a rotating vortex, and only chaotic five-color light remained in his field of vision. A sharp buzzing sounded in his ears, which lasted for three breaths-or more, and the sense of time became blurred here.
When the dizziness disappeared, he found himself standing in an empty space.
Underfoot was a black ground as smooth as a mirror, made of neither stone nor jade, and slightly cool to the touch. Looking up, it was not the sky above, but a deep and chaotic void, with dark purple mist flowing slowly, and occasionally colorful light spots passing by like shooting stars, fleeting.
Ahead, a majestic five-color palace is suspended in the void, with steps paving toward your feet.
The palace is about a hundred feet square, and the entire body is made of five colors of crystals: gold, green, blue, red, and yellow. They blend with each other but do not mix, and they are flowing with a soft halo. The main door of the palace is open, and a warm light shines through the door.
Qin Tiexin Turn your head.
Liu Qing stood three steps to his left, also sizing up the surrounding environment. But unlike her previous restraint and reluctance in the outer realm, Liu Qing's back was straight at this moment, her eyes were sharp, and the vague feeling of weakness in her body disappeared, replaced by a calm and restrained aura.
Liu Qing noticed Qin Tiexin's gaze and turned her head. The two looked at each other.
The silence lasted for several breaths.
Liu Qing spoke first, with a calm voice. "Fellow Daoist Qin, I didn't expect it would be the two of us in the end."
Qin Tiexin did not answer this, but asked, "Fellow Daoist Liu, are you not going to keep pretending?"
Liu Qing was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and shook his head, "As expected, I still can't hide it from you." He raised his hand and pinched a simple Method Formula, and the aura on his body suddenly climbed up - from the seventh level of Qi Refining to the ninth level of Qi Refining, only one line away from Foundation Establishment.
This is not a temporary breakthrough, but a lifting of oppression.
"Can I ask you how you saw it? My Secret Method effect is impossible to see through with Foundation Establishment." Liu Qing's voice was much calmer, not as immature as when we first met.
"I guessed it." Qin Tiexin answered simply.
"Guessed it?" Liu Qing was puzzled.
"Yes." Qin Tiexin replied, "Your performance in the forest and the first two areas is indeed impeccable, but starting from the water, I feel a little strange."
"What's weird?"
"According to your previous Law Technique strength and cultivation, it was impossible to persist in the water, but you happened to stand on the platform, and you actually stood at the end and got the Xuan Binghua. At that time, I was a little suspicious. Senior sister Li Yun is a water attribute single Spirit Root, and I am a body training monk. What about you? What do you rely on?"
"That's it." Liu Qing laughed to himself, "This is indeed my fault. My water-based spells are relatively weak. At the tide level, I originally wanted to just follow you a little bit, but I didn't expect you to persist for so long. When I found out that everyone around me was washed away, there were only three of us left. However, do you suspect that my cultivation is fake?"
"Not entirely." Qin Tiexin continued, "The reason I really doubt you is that you are in the Fire Realm. Maybe you don't know that in addition to body refining, I am also an weapon refiner, right?"
"Item Refiner?" Liu Qing looked up and down. He really couldn't combine the nine-foot-tall man in front of him with the delicate work of an Item Refiner. Instead, he looked more like a blacksmith.
"Yes, Refiner. That's why I am extremely sensitive to the temperature of flames. It is absolutely impossible for the temperature of your 'Burning Fire Technique' to melt the red heart copper, but it happened to melt in the end. Although it was the last one, there was still a problem. I didn't really confirm my guess. It wasn't until you stopped me from entering the earth domain."
"Is that why you stayed with the last defender?" Liu Qing's concept of Qin Tiexin has undergone a qualitative change. He is a very careful person. "It's ridiculous. I actually feel that my disguise is perfect."
Qin Tiexin looked at him. "Tell me, why are you hiding your cultivation?"
Liu Qing was silent for a moment and said slowly, "My ancestor, Lineage, is an outer disciple of the Hunyuan Sect."
He paused and seemed to be sorting out his thoughts. "A hundred years ago, when the Hunyuan Sect was destroyed, my great grandfather escaped because of his low cultivation. Later, Lineage migrated several times, and by my father's generation, he had completely become Rogue Cultivator."
Qin Tiexin said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
"The Hunyuan Sect's Cultivation Method has been completely lost, but there are some records about the Hunyuan Sect's relics that have been handed down, which were discovered by my ancestors when they were sorting out old books." Liu Qing looked at the five-color palace in the distance, "The most important one is: those who pass all assessments in the five domains will be sent to the core hall. The treasures here are the true inheritance of the Hunyuan Sect."
He turned back and looked at Qin Tiexin: "So from the moment I entered the ruins, my goal was not the mid-grade Law Artifact, nor the hidden fortuitous opportunity. What I want is the thing in the core hall that can really change the fate of the five Spirit Root."
Change the fate of five Spirit Root?!
Hearing this, Qin Tiexin was shocked in his heart, but his face remained calm, "Is that why you've been pretending?"
"Yes." Liu Qing admitted frankly, "I have to make sure that I can pass all five areas, but I can't be too eye-catching to avoid being spotted. Every time I take the assessment, I control it to the level of 'barely passing', and getting the basic reward is enough."
"Theoretically, only the strongest Spirit Root can pass the assessment, but this conflicts with the five Spirit Root. My plan is perfect." He paused, "But I didn't expect that I would meet a... freak like you."
Qin Tiexin raised his eyebrows.
Liu Qing smiled bitterly, "The Five Elements spells are sparse, but body refining is ridiculously strong. In the Golden Region, you use weapon refining techniques to carve formations, in the Wood Region, you do grafting, in the Water Region, you carry the tide, in the Fire Region, you beat and purify, in the Earth Region, you physically carry gravity..." He shook his head and changed his subject, "But, this is not your true strength, is it? That knife of yours weighs at least three thousand kilograms."
Qin Tiexin did not deny it.
The two fell into silence again.
Points of light passed by silently in the void.
After a long time, Liu Qing sighed, "Before the Earth Territory, I advised you not to enter, and I really meant it. I don't want to fight with you here."
Qin Tiexin looked at him. "Why?"
"Because you are also five Spirit Root." Liu Qing said slowly, "Although we have taken different paths, the essence is the same - we are both people regarded as 'waste' by this world. During those days of cooperation in the forest, I was actually... quite happy."
He paused and lowered his voice. "I have been alone all these years. After my father left, no one understood Wu Spirit Root's suffering, and no one believed that Wu Spirit Root could achieve anything. When I met you, it was the first time that someone could keep up with my rhythm, cooperate with my techniques, and understand my persistence."
Qin Tiexin gripped the handle of the knife behind his back tightly.
Liu Qing continued, "But I also have to come to the core hall. That thing is too important to me - it can truly prove to me that Wu Spirit Root is not a waste."
He raised his right hand, palm up.
A crimson flame ignited out of thin air. It was not the fist-sized fireball before, but the size of a head. The flame was as solid as a liquid, with faint runes flowing inside, and the high temperature it emitted made the surrounding air distort.
This is the perfect spiritual strength of the ninth level of Qi refining, coupled with pure Fire Element control.
Liu Qing stared at Qin Tiexin with complicated eyes. "Fellow Daoist Qin, how about you and I compete here, and the winner goes to the palace to get the treasure?"
Qin Tiexin said nothing.
He slowly pulled out the Edgeless from behind. He held the heavy knife in his hand, the blade was dark and matte under the light of the void. He held the knife in both hands, with the tip drooping and pointing to the ground.
Then he raised his head and looked into Liu Qing's eyes.
"Are you sure," Qin Tiexin said in a calm voice, "You want to fight me here?"
The flame in Liu Qing's hand jumped.
He looked at Qin Tiexin, looked at the heavy knife, and looked at those calm but bottomless eyes.
Those scenes in the forest and in the secret realm flashed by.
Liu Qing's hands trembled slightly, and the flames flickered on and off.
He suddenly laughed.
"Forget it," he said.
The flame suddenly extinguished and dissipated into a few wisps of smoke.
Liu Qing put down her hand, took a deep breath, and looked at Qin Tiexin: "Fellow Daoist Qin, let's cooperate."
Qin Tiexin didn't put down the knife, just looked at him.
"There is more than one treasure in the core hall." Liu Qing explained, "According to the ancestral records, in addition to the treasure that enhances the five elements of magic, there should be other things suitable for the five Spirit Root. If you want to refine your body, there should also be the corresponding fortuitous opportunity."
He paused and said solemnly, "I only want the treasure that enhances the magic. You choose the rest first. If there is only one, we can discuss it later."
Qin Tiexin was silent for a moment and asked, "Why did you change your mind?"
"Because it's not easy to practice Wu Spirit Root until now." Liu Qing repeated this sentence, but this time his tone was firmer, "And because... I don't think I can necessarily beat you."
He smiled and regained the cleanliness unique to young people.
Liu Qing did not lie. The moment he faced Qin Tiexin, his intuition told him that although the man in front of him only had the fifth level of Qi Refining, he might not be his opponent if he really took action. Although Liu Qing did not believe it, this intuition had saved him many times.
Qin Tiexin stared at him for a long time.
"Okay." Qin Tiexin said, "But I also have conditions."
"You said."
"If there is anything for body refining or weapon refining, it must be mine."
Liu Qing was stunned for a moment, then nodded. "No problem, just like in the forest."
The two looked at each other again, this time there was no wariness or testing in their eyes, only a subtle, re-established trust.
Qin Tiexin turned around and looked at the five-color palace ahead.
"Let's go." he said.
Liu Qing walked to him and stood shoulder to shoulder.
The two of them walked up the steps and walked towards the main entrance of the palace.
The black ground under your feet is as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the flowing light in the void and the figures of the two people. In the distance, the five-color palace floats quietly, and the light inside the door is warm and mysterious.
Qin Tiexin holds the handle of the knife tightly, his eyes calm.
Liu Qing's hands naturally hung by her side, with a weak five-color spiritual light flowing on her fingertips, and she could Hand Seals cast spells at any time.