In fact, from the very beginning, Mei Qing had already calculated in his mind how to scheme against the bronze figure.
If it were someone else, they would never think of such a thing. After all, among those present, plotting against Zhang Liusun, or even Xu Fu, might be easier. This bronze figure was an ancient artifact passed down from antiquity, possessing formidable magical power. It had also been refined in Xu Fu’s cauldron. To think of manipulating it would surely be extremely difficult.
Mei Qing naturally understood this principle, yet he still chose the bronze figure, compelled by circumstances.
Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun were both cunning old foxes. Although Xu Fu seemed repeatedly outmatched by Zhang Liusun, Mei Qing knew it would be utterly impossible to gain any advantage over him.
After all, Xu Fu was a true wandering immortal, his age longer than the history Mei Qing had studied—he had practically become a living artifact. Even with just half a breath left, he would still have ample ability to deal with Mei Qing.
As for Zhang Liusun, although he seemed on the surface to be the weakest link, since his cultivation was inferior to Xu Fu’s and he was merely a soul-form, inherently disadvantaged, Mei Qing felt even less confident about confronting him.
First, this fellow was too scheming—he might have hidden tricks stashed away somewhere; second, whether it was the talismans of the Celestial Masters or the Thunder Magic of the Divine Empyrean Sect, they were all superior to Mei Qing’s. Relying merely on the novice Huayan Sect techniques he had recently learned, he might gain a small advantage through surprise, but there was absolutely no possibility of defeating Zhang Liusun outright. Third, Mei Qing still harbored some hope and was unwilling to confront Zhang Liusun so soon without leaving any room for maneuver. At least maintaining appearances for now was better than a direct confrontation.
Additionally, another reason Mei Qing did not choose either of the two was that, although both were fighting fiercely, they would certainly prioritize their own safety above all else, making their defenses impenetrable. Even if Mei Qing attempted a surprise attack, he would likely gain nothing. And even in the most optimistic scenario, if he managed to subdue one of them, he would immediately face the full force of the other. Such a fruitless endeavor was absolutely out of the question.
The bronze figure, however, was different. First, his actions against the bronze figure would not immediately provoke a desperate counterattack from the two men. Before they could clarify the situation, a temporary balance might be achieved, allowing Mei Qing to profit from the middle ground. Second, although the bronze figure was powerful, it was not Xu Fu’s very life-bound treasure. Moreover, neither of the two would have anticipated that Mei Qing would target the bronze figure. As long as Mei Qing did not seek to completely destroy or fully control it, but merely temporarily trap it, using it as leverage to secure an escape route, the chances were relatively high.
In fact, Mei Qing’s original plan was to disrupt the bronze figure, causing it to temporarily escape Xu Fu’s control, either attacking Zhang Liusun or acting wildly, creating chaos to seize an opportunity. However, after unexpectedly receiving a surge of true energy and sensing a slight affinity from the bronze figure, he slightly adjusted his strategy, aiming to control it and force negotiations between the two men.
The result was exactly as he had predicted. Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun had both failed to anticipate that Mei Qing would suddenly strike against the bronze figure, giving him an opening. Mei Qing first trapped the bronze figure with a magical formation, then timely called a halt to both sides. Seizing that narrow opportunity, he subdued the bronze figure, finally earning himself, for the first time since the conflict began, a little leverage in the negotiation.
“Zhang boy, what exactly is going on here?” Xu Fu spoke first, coldly, though his eyes remained fixed on Mei Qing.
Zhang Liusun said nothing but cast a calm, indifferent glance toward Mei Qing.
Mei Qing smiled slightly, bowed to Xu Fu, and spoke loudly: “This one is Mei Qing, paying respects to Senior Xu.”
“Mei Qing? You…aren’t you a manifestation of Zhang boy?…Hmph!” Upon hearing Mei Qing’s self-introduction, Xu Fu’s expression changed several times before he suddenly turned stern.
Mei Qing shook his head and said, “To tell the truth, even I am not entirely sure. According to what Master Zhang said, it seems I might have been his manifestation before. However, regardless of whether I was or not in the past, I certainly am not now.”
Despite Xu Fu’s vast experience, he was momentarily taken aback by Mei Qing’s words. After a moment, he said, “Mei Qing, I don’t care about your relationship with that Zhang kid. Just hand over the bronze figure, and I’ll spare your life.”
Upon hearing this, Mei Qing suddenly burst into loud laughter and said, “Senior Xu, are you trying to take advantage of my youth and deceive me!?”
Seeing Mei Qing’s audacity, Xu Fu’s face darkened with anger, his eyes flaring as he was about to erupt.
Mei Qing, however, remained completely unfazed. His laughter abruptly ceased as he coldly snorted, “Senior, are you thinking I’m just bragging and overestimating myself? But Senior, have you considered why I was able to break free from Master Zhang’s control and subdue your bronze figure?”
Xu Fu was momentarily stunned, then said, “What’s so difficult about that? Although I don’t know where you came from, I suspect it has something to do with my subsidiary cauldron. This place is the main cauldron, where the bronze figure was refined. Since you’ve arrived here, you naturally gained some advantage, breaking free from that kid’s control and trapping the bronze figure. But once you leave this cauldron, what support will you have left? Do you really plan to stay here forever?”
Upon hearing this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but admire the old man’s sharp insight, as he had seen through the entire situation in just a moment. What he didn’t know was that Xu Fu had initially underestimated Mei Qing’s importance. After observing Mei Qing’s actions just now, Xu Fu naturally noticed that the true energy within Mei Qing’s body was of the same nature as the energy summoned by his own magic. Recalling how little true energy he had managed to secretly draw in earlier, how could he not understand everything?
Mei Qing remained calm and said, “This place is quite comfortable indeed. If it comes to a standoff, this young man is not particularly worried. I suspect, however, that the two seniors may not have such leisure time.”
Upon hearing this, both Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun slightly changed expressions.
What Mei Qing had said was precisely what they feared most.
In this space, Xu Fu should have had the greatest advantage, after all, since this cauldron was his own refined artifact.
In fact, from the very beginning, Mei Qing’s plan was to scheme against the bronze statue.
If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn’t have thought of such a thing. After all, in the current situation, scheming against Zhang Liusun, or even Xu Fu, might seem easier. The bronze statue, passed down from ancient times, possesses immense power on its own, and after being refined by Xu Fu in his cauldron, it would be extremely difficult to scheme against it.
Mei Qing naturally understood this, but he still chose the bronze statue for reasons he couldn’t avoid.
Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun were both cunning old foxes. Despite Xu Fu repeatedly being outsmarted by Zhang Liusun, Mei Qing knew that trying to gain an advantage over Xu Fu was practically impossible.
After all, Xu Fu was a true wandering immortal, older than the history Mei Qing had studied, practically a living relic. Even with half a breath left, he could still handle Mei Qing with ease.
As for Zhang Liusun, he might seem like the weakest link on the surface, as his cultivation was inferior to Xu Fu’s, and he was only a spiritual body, inherently disadvantaged. However, Mei Qing was even less confident about dealing with him.
Firstly, Zhang Liusun was too cunning, always having some trick up his sleeve. Secondly, whether it was the talismans of the Celestial Master Sect or the thunder techniques of the Divine Thunder Sect, both were superior to Mei Qing’s own skills. Relying solely on the newly learned Huayan Sect techniques might allow him to gain a small unexpected advantage, but it was impossible to achieve a decisive victory. Thirdly, Mei Qing harbored some hope of avoiding an all-out confrontation with Zhang Liusun, preferring to maintain at least a semblance of civility for now. Additionally, another reason Mei Qing chose not to target them was that both Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun, despite their fierce rivalry, would always prioritize their own safety, ensuring their defenses were impenetrable. Even if Mei Qing attempted a sneak attack, he would likely end up worse off. Even if he managed to subdue one of them, he would immediately face the full force of the other’s attack. Such a futile endeavor was definitely not worth pursuing.
The bronze statue, however, was a different story. Firstly, Mei Qing’s actions against the bronze statue wouldn’t immediately provoke a desperate counterattack from the other two, potentially creating a temporary balance that he could exploit. Secondly, although the bronze statue was powerful, it wasn’t Xu Fu’s own life-bound treasure. Moreover, the two would never expect Mei Qing to target the bronze statue. As long as Mei Qing didn’t aim to completely destroy or control it, but merely to temporarily restrain it, he could use it as leverage to secure a way out, which was a relatively hopeful prospect.
In fact, Mei Qing’s initial plan was to disrupt the bronze statue, causing it to temporarily break free from Xu Fu’s control, either to attack Zhang Liusun or to act erratically, creating chaos in which he could find an opportunity. However, after receiving an unexpected infusion of true essence and sensing a slight affinity from the bronze statue, he adjusted his strategy slightly, aiming to control the bronze statue and force the other two into negotiations.
As expected, neither Xu Fu nor Zhang Liusun anticipated Mei Qing’s sudden move against the bronze statue, giving him the opportunity he needed. Mei Qing first trapped the bronze statue with a formation, then promptly called for a halt, using this brief chance to subdue the bronze statue. For the first time since taking action, he had gained a small measure of leverage.
“Zhang boy, what’s going on here?” Xu Fu was the first to speak, his voice cold, his eyes fixed intently on Mei Qing.
Zhang Liusun remained silent, but his gaze also turned towards Mei Qing.
Mei Qing smiled slightly, cupped his hands towards Xu Fu, and said clearly, “I am Mei Qing, paying my respects to Senior Xu.”
“Mei Qing? You… aren’t Zhang boy’s clone? … Hmph!” Xu Fu’s expression changed several times upon hearing Mei Qing’s self-introduction, and he suddenly became angry.
Mei Qing shook his head and said, “To be honest, I’m not entirely clear about this matter myself. According to Mr. Zhang, it seems I was once his clone. But whether I was or not in the past, I certainly am not now.”
Despite Xu Fu’s vast experience, he was momentarily taken aback by Mei Qing’s words. After a moment, he said, “Mei Qing, I don’t care about your relationship with Zhang boy. As long as you obediently hand over the bronze statue, I’ll spare your life.”
Mei Qing suddenly burst into laughter and said, “Senior Xu, are you trying to bully me because I’m young?”
Seeing Mei Qing’s audacity, Xu Fu’s face turned livid with anger, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to act.
Mei Qing, however, remained unfazed. His laughter ceased abruptly, and he snorted coldly, “Senior, do you think I’m just boasting and overestimating myself? But have you considered why I was able to break free from Mr. Zhang’s control and why I could subdue your bronze statue?”
Xu Fu was momentarily stunned, then said, “What’s so difficult about that? Although I don’t know where you came from, it must be related to my sub-cauldron. This place is within the main cauldron, and the bronze statue was refined here. It’s only natural that you gained some advantage here, breaking free from that boy’s control and trapping the bronze statue. But once you leave this cauldron, what will you rely on? Do you plan to stay here forever?”
Mei Qing couldn’t help but admire the old man’s sharp insight, as he had quickly deduced the situation. He didn’t know that Xu Fu had initially paid little attention to him, but after Mei Qing’s recent actions, Xu Fu noticed that the true essence within Mei Qing was of the same nature as the true essence summoned by his own spells. Recalling the meager true essence he had obtained when he secretly cast a spell earlier, Xu Fu immediately understood.
Mei Qing said with a calm expression, “This place is quite comfortable. If it comes to a prolonged standoff, I’m not too worried. I’m afraid the two seniors might not have the same patience.”
Upon hearing this, both Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun’s expressions changed slightly.
Mei Qing had hit upon their greatest concern.
In this space, Xu Fu should theoretically have the greatest advantage, as this cauldron was his creation.
However, even as the master, once inside, he had lost the primary advantage of controlling the artifact. Especially now, with the three of them in a space where they had each cast restraining spells, layer upon layer, there was no spiritual energy for them to draw upon.
Any spell they used would have to be powered solely by their internal true essence, creating a situation that was essentially fair for all three.
The problem was that Xu Fu was a wandering immortal, Zhang Liusun was a spiritual body, and Mei Qing was a true human body. In a situation where all three had nearly exhausted their internal true essence, the dynamics were vastly different.
Xu Fu’s wandering immortal body, though far superior to a mortal’s in using true essence, was not a true immortal body and thus couldn’t generate true essence internally. Zhang Liusun, being a spiritual body, found it even more difficult to recover.
Mei Qing, on the other hand, not only had a natural connection to the main cauldron but also possessed a true human body. Even without external spiritual energy, he could still recover by refining and converting energy within his body.
In other words, among the three, Mei Qing was the only one with the ability to recover.
Thinking of this, Xu Fu couldn’t help but feel a surge of regret. If he had acted decisively earlier, reclaiming the bronze statue with full force, he would undoubtedly have been the most powerful. But he had hesitated, seeking stability, and now the bronze statue was in Mei Qing’s hands. Although Mei Qing couldn’t fully control it, without the bronze statue, Xu Fu had lost the ability to stand against the other two alone.
Zhang Liusun was even more resentful. He had spent his life scheming against others, never expecting to be outmaneuvered by Mei Qing in such a way. Initially, he had treated Mei Qing as his own clone, naturally considering him as himself. But when he discovered that the spiritual essence was different, he immediately harbored murderous intentions, only biding his time due to the unfavorable situation. Now, in a moment of carelessness, he had been outplayed by Mei Qing.
To be honest, if Zhang Liusun were to act recklessly and forcibly possess Mei Qing’s body, it wasn’t impossible, despite Mei Qing’s current superior cultivation. After all, Zhang Liusun knew this body intimately and could find opportunities in terms of knowledge and techniques. But now that Mei Qing had control of the bronze statue, if Zhang Liusun were to act, Mei Qing would surely release the bronze statue, and Zhang Liusun would face a three-sided attack. Even if he succeeded in possession, it would be meaningless.
Moreover, since he now knew that Mei Qing wasn’t his spiritual essence, possessing him would hold little significance for Zhang Liusun.
Now, both Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun were at a loss. Although they were both cunning old foxes, the current situation was a three-way stalemate, with none of them having the strength to eliminate the other two simultaneously, and no two having the incentive to ally against the third. Thus, the situation had reached a peculiar balance, and none of them could find a way to break it.
“Heh, Mei Qing boy, what exactly are you trying to do? If you think you can threaten me like this, you’re mistaken!” Xu Fu sneered, his triangular eyes narrowing.
Mei Qing smiled and shook his head, “I have no enmity with you, Senior. Why would I threaten you? My intention is to act as a mediator between the two of you.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liusun’s eyes flashed with a sharp light, but he remained silent.
Xu Fu sneered, “A mediator? How exactly do you plan to mediate this situation?”
Mei Qing put away his smile and spoke earnestly to both of them, “Senior Xu, Mr. Zhang, may I boldly ask, is it really necessary for the two of you to fight to the death? What exactly are you two fighting over?”
Without waiting for their response, Mei Qing turned to Xu Fu and said, “Senior Xu, the reason you’ve repeatedly clashed with Mr. Zhang is because this place was once your secluded cultivation site, and Mr. Zhang later took it over, causing you to feel resentful and want to reclaim it, isn’t that right?”
Xu Fu snorted, “Hmph, since you know, why waste words? Didn’t you hear Zhang boy earlier, claiming that I was being unreasonable?”
Mei Qing shook his head, “Senior Xu, you’re mistaken. Perhaps you don’t know what kind of person Mr. Zhang really is?”
Xu Fu said, “Him? Hmph, nothing more than a scheming little man! What kind of respectable figure could he be?”
Any magical techniques used would have to be powered solely by the energy within their bodies, making the situation essentially fair for all three.
The problem was that Xu Fu was a wandering immortal, Zhang Liusun merely a soul-form, while Mei Qing was a true human body. In a scenario where all three had largely exhausted their internal energy reserves, the situation would be vastly different.
Xu Fu, though his immortal body was formed from external means, could still use true energy far better than an ordinary person. However, since it was not a true immortal body, he could not generate true energy internally. As for Zhang Liusun, being merely a soul-form, his ability to recover was even more difficult.
Mei Qing, however, was different. Not only did he have a natural connection with the main cauldron, but he also possessed a true human body. Although he couldn’t draw ambient energy from the outside, he could still recover by transforming internal elixirs.
In other words, among the three, Mei Qing was, in fact, the only one capable of recovery.
Thinking of this, Xu Fu felt a surge of anger. Earlier, if he had disregarded everything and rushed to reclaim the bronze figure, relying on its might, he would undoubtedly have been the strongest. Unfortunately, he had hesitated for caution, delaying a step. Now that the bronze figure was in Mei Qing’s hands, although Mei Qing couldn’t yet use it fully, without the bronze figure, Xu Fu had lost the ability to stand against both opponents alone.
Zhang Liusun was even more furious. He had spent his entire life scheming against others, never expecting to fall into a trap like this in such a routine situation. Initially, he had always regarded Mei Qing as his own manifestation, treating him accordingly. Later, when he realized the soul-form was not responding correctly, he immediately harbored murderous intent, but due to the unfavorable circumstances, he had temporarily restrained himself. He never expected that a moment’s inattention would lead to this current predicament.
To be honest, if Zhang Liusun disregarded everything and attempted to forcefully possess Mei Qing’s body, although Mei Qing’s current cultivation far exceeded his, it was still not impossible. After all, he was extremely familiar with this body, and there were always opportunities to exploit in terms of knowledge and techniques. However, now that Mei Qing had captured the bronze figure, if Zhang Liusun made a move, Mei Qing would surely release the bronze figure. At that point, he would inevitably face attacks from all three sides. Even if the possession succeeded, it would be meaningless.
Moreover, since he now knew that Mei Qing was not the vessel of his soul, even if he did take over the body, it would hold little value for Zhang Liusun.
Now both Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun were at a loss. Although both were cunning and experienced, the current situation had created a three-way stalemate. No one side had the strength to eliminate the other two simultaneously, and no two sides had any mutual interest in joining forces against the third. Therefore, the situation had reached a delicate balance that none of the parties could break for the moment.
“Hehe, Mei Qing kid, what exactly do you want? If you think you can threaten me with this, you’ve made a big mistake!” Xu Fu sneered, his triangular eyes narrowing.
Mei Qing shook his head with a smile and said, “I have no grudge with Senior Xu. Why would I threaten you? My intention is merely to act as a mediator between you two seniors.”
Upon hearing Mei Qing’s words, Zhang Liusun’s eyes flickered with sharp light, though he remained silent.
Xu Fu sneered, “A mediator? How exactly do you propose to mediate this situation?”
Mei Qing’s expression turned serious and sincere as he addressed both of them: “Senior Xu, Master Zhang, with all due respect, may I ask—have either of you truly considered whether this fight is really necessary? Is there even a real conflict between what the two of you are vying for?”
Before either could speak, Mei Qing turned to Xu Fu and continued: “Senior Xu, the reason you have attacked Master Zhang several times is simply because this place was once your cultivation ground, and Master Zhang later occupied it, causing your resentment, and you wished to reclaim it, correct?”
Xu Fu “Hmphed” and said, “Hmph, since you already know, why bother asking? Just now, that Zhang kid was still speaking so arrogantly, claiming I was the one being unreasonable!”
Mei Qing shook his head and said, “Senior Xu, you are mistaken here. Perhaps you don’t even know exactly who Master Zhang really is?”
Xu Fu replied, “Him? Hmph, nothing but a scheming villain! What kind of noble figure could he possibly be!?”
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