Zhang Liusun watched in dismay as Mei Qing not only failed to retreat but instead charged forward toward the bronze figure. To his surprise, Xu Fu, standing opposite, was equally astonished.
This bronze figure was different from the great cauldron—it was not crafted by Xu Fu himself. Instead, it was cast during the Qin Dynasty using all the finest bronze collected from across the land. At that time, the Qin court was home to many powerful cultivators who inscribed magical incantations onto the figure, using it to suppress the flow of heavenly fortune. It was regarded as a national treasure, and even within the cultivation world, it was a rare and precious artifact.
In those days, while ostensibly casting golden figures to gather the finest bronze from across the land, Xu Fu secretly withheld a large quantity. He gathered these at Qianjin Foundry and, under the pretense of searching for treasures for the First Emperor, he took a thousand young boys and girls, built ships, and set sail to sea. In reality, however, he had hidden beneath the Jieshi Mountains, secretly casting a cauldron as a treasure. Yet, despite many rituals and sacrifices, he could never quite reach the level of craftsmanship achieved by the bronze figure.
As his efforts neared completion, the Qin Dynasty, despite possessing such powerful treasures, could no longer suppress the shifting tides of fate. Strange and gifted cultivators emerged from all corners, and conflict became inevitable. Though hidden in Jieshi, Xu Fu knew well that his cultivation was deeply tied to the fate of Qin. Once the Qin fell, it would inevitably affect his own cultivation path.
With no other choice, he took a desperate gamble and, through careful planning, successfully stole one of the bronze figures all the way from Xianyang back to his hideout.
The hardships and dangers he faced along the way were indescribable. Especially the elite guards assigned to protect the bronze figure, who pursued him relentlessly across thousands of miles, nearly costing him his life on multiple occasions.
Fortunately, Xu Fu had come well-prepared, and by that time, the Qin court was already in disarray and unable to maintain control. Thus, he finally managed to return safely.
However, he had not anticipated that although the Qin court no longer had the strength to pursue him, the bronze figure would attract the covetous eyes of other cultivators.
Not long after his return to Jieshi, cultivators from various sects began to arrive one after another. At that time, the bronze figure had not yet been fully refined, which led to a massive and earth-shaking battle.
Fortunately, the arriving cultivators were not united. With Xu Fu’s careful manipulation and the underlying conflicts among the various sects, the battle escalated into a massive war within the cultivation world. Eventually, the fighting grew so fierce that even several high-level cultivators on the verge of ascension were reduced to ashes amidst the chaos.
During the final decisive battle, the sky and earth seemed to darken, and the entire hundred-mile expanse of Jieshi was nearly reduced to flat ground.
Originally, Xu Fu had the advantage of terrain and had meticulously planned his strategy for a long time. However, fate proved unpredictable—as it happened, the Qin Dynasty suddenly fell. The treasure cauldron Xu Fu had forged, along with the bronze figure still undergoing refinement, abruptly became restless. The violently vengeful energies he had suppressed surged forth uncontrollably, overwhelming Xu Fu. Devoid of strength to resist, he was forced to abandon his physical body and flee. Alone and without allies, in such a desperate situation, he sent his Yuanshen (元神) into the cauldron, dragged the bronze figure with him, and sank to the ocean’s depths.
At that moment, the cultivators who had been fighting desperately also sensed the great upheaval in the world’s fortune. Seeing Xu Fu flee into the sea, they lost their will to continue the battle. After some discussion, the representatives from the various sects joined forces to perform a ritual, sinking the remaining Jieshi into the ocean depths and setting up a formation above it—to seal Xu Fu and prevent further conflict over the bronze figure at the bottom of the sea.
Once they departed, the end of the Qin Dynasty brought about chaos and war, particularly the struggle between Chu and Han, which inevitably drew the cultivation world into its turmoil. This battle, which determined the fate of the nation, brought heavy losses to all sides. As a result, the sinking of Jieshi was not clearly recorded in historical texts, and even within the cultivation world, it was eventually forgotten.
Buried beneath Jieshi at the ocean’s bottom, Xu Fu remained trapped for over a thousand years. During that time, he finally seized a rare opportunity and transformed into a wandering immortal (Sanxian). However, the Jieshi had been sealed by several high-level cultivators, and even after becoming a wandering immortal, Xu Fu still could not escape.
It was not until the Yuan Dynasty that Zhang Liusun discovered Qianjin冶 and the ruins of Jieshi. Leveraging his formidable influence, he managed to break through the formation. However, Zhang Liusun’s original intention was to find a hidden paradise for himself, so he paid little attention to the outer ruins of Qianjin冶, focusing instead on the inner sanctum of Jieshi. From that point on, Zhang Liusun cultivated there until the heavenly calamity descended.
The power of the劫 was indeed formidable. Although Jieshi had once been a sacred mountain protected by powerful formations, it still displayed signs of weakening under the onslaught of the劫. Seizing this rare opportunity, Xu Fu finally broke free. The moment he emerged, he immediately launched an attack on Zhang Liusun without hesitation, evidently seeking to exploit his weakened condition.
However, Xu Fu had not expected someone as cunning as Zhang Liusun to be so well-prepared even within his own cave dwelling. Moreover, although the cultivation world had declined over the centuries, the ingenuity and complexity of various techniques had greatly advanced.
At that time, Zhang Liusun had nearly completed his tribulation, but he had caught a glimpse of fate indicating that even if he ascended to immortality, his future would be bleak. Thus, he had already contemplated the idea of reincarnating and starting anew. When Xu Fu suddenly appeared, Zhang Liusun seized the opportunity, first launching a surprise attack using concealed formations, catching Xu Fu off guard. Then, using his physical body as bait, he lured Xu Fu into a trap, abandoned his body, and unleashed a full-force strike that nearly led to the complete destruction of Xu Fu’s Yuan Shen, which had endured a thousand years of hardship.
Fortunately, Xu Fu was a seasoned old monster. Despite being gravely wounded, he managed to sacrifice a secondary cauldron to absorb the damage and escape. That secondary cauldron had been nurtured over many years at the ocean’s bottom during the refining of the bronze figure. It had gradually developed some sentience and had taken on the form of a magical artifact—otherwise, it would have been lost.
This encounter left Xu Fu severely weakened, forcing him to retreat to the ocean depths for many years before he could return, determined to avenge his humiliation.
As soon as he approached Jieshi, he sensed the presence of the secondary cauldron within Mei Qing. In his mind, Zhang Liusun must have refined the cauldron into a body similar to a wandering immortal. Moreover, since Zhang Liusun had only spoken without revealing himself, and his Yuan Shen seemed to resonate with Mei Qing’s energy, Xu Fu had naturally assumed Mei Qing was Zhang Liusun.
This was not entirely unreasonable. In the cultivation world, especially among those like them who had lost their physical bodies and existed as Yuan Shen, there were countless methods—some cultivating wandering immortals, others forging second Yuan Shen, all sorts of bizarre techniques. Although Xu Fu noticed that the attacks did not originate directly from Mei Qing’s body, he did not dwell on it too much.
But now, seeing Mei Qing rise suddenly and charge fearlessly toward the bronze figure he controlled, while Zhang Liusun’s presence still lingered at Jieshi, Xu Fu was momentarily stunned.
It was only natural—he had suffered too much at Zhang Liusun’s hands, so much so that he had become overly cautious, like someone who, once bitten by a snake, fears even a well-rope for ten years.
Since their first encounter, every battle with Zhang Liusun had left Xu Fu frustrated. Despite his superior cultivation and seniority, he had always been outmaneuvered and suffered silently.
That guy was just too cunning.
Therefore, when Mei Qing charged forward so recklessly, Xu Fu did not question his identity. His immediate instinct was that this was yet another scheme devised by Zhang Liusun.
Thus, Xu Fu instinctively raised both hands, halting the bronze figure’s advance. He then shook his body, instantly drawing the massive cauldron into himself, and took several steps back, setting up multiple defensive barriers before calming his mind slightly.
Meanwhile, Mei Qing, rushing toward the bronze figure, was inwardly cursing his luck.
He had no intention of challenging the bronze figure at all. His reckless charge was entirely beyond his control.
Strange as it was, the secondary cauldron within him should have been more closely connected to the main cauldron. Yet, for some unknown reason, Mei Qing felt a stronger affinity with the bronze figure instead.
Regardless of his feelings, Mei Qing clearly understood that they were enemies. Moreover, the bronze figure was not a living being and would not distinguish friend from foe. Once the battle began, collateral damage was inevitable. His best course of action was to flee as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried to escape, the energy from the Yuan Cauldron within him grew increasingly uncontrollable, rendering him unable to move his body at will.
In desperation, Mei Qing activated a secret technique. By now, his cultivation had reached a level where he could perform basic Daoist spells without talismans, using only his mind. In this critical moment, he willed a Body Movement Talisman into existence.
Then, he saw himself move—but not in the direction he intended. Instead of retreating back toward Jieshi, he shot forward like the wind straight toward the bronze figure!
Mei Qing was filled with regret, recalling how, the last time he had used the Five Elements escape technique, he had ended up crashing into the small cauldron inside the room. Clearly, something was wrong with his body, and it always seemed to betray him at the worst possible moments.
Watching from the side, Zhang Liusun was both shocked and furious. If Mei Qing’s physical body were destroyed, all his careful planning and efforts over the years would be for nothing. Worse still, a portion of his Yuan Shen would be lost, a fate worse than death.
Realizing the danger, Zhang Liusun gritted his teeth and, without further hesitation, his Yuan Shen shot forth from the temporary child body he had been inhabiting, chasing after Mei Qing mid-air.
As his Yuan Shen flew forward, Zhang Liusun let out a furious shout. Several small sparks erupted from his body, flying ahead of him.
Although Zhang Liusun had launched after Mei Qing, as a Yuan Shen, his speed was naturally much faster. These sparks soon reached the bronze figure’s location.
Without hesitation, Zhang Liusun charged toward Mei Qing, his Yuan Shen transforming into a seven-colored rainbow beam that vanished into Mei Qing’s body.
In this moment of crisis, Zhang Liusun had no choice but to take control of Mei Qing’s body directly to escape the danger.
The sparks, now positioned between Mei Qing and the bronze figure, quietly ignited.
Although small in size, these flames were actually the Purple Xuan Heavenly Fire (紫炫天火), painstakingly cultivated by Zhang Liusun. They were forged from lightning collected during his own tribulation and refined into fire.
Both the bronze figure and the cauldron were metal-based artifacts, and fire was their natural weakness—giving Zhang Liusun a clear advantage. In previous battles against Xu Fu, he had always maintained the upper hand through careful planning and had never needed to use this technique.
But now, he had no choice.
The small sparks, producing flames no more than a foot tall, formed a strange talisman-like pattern before the bronze figure. Before they could do much, the bronze figure’s expression already began to show signs of fear.
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