Mei Qing’s heart was shaken violently, and his hands slowed accordingly. Although Zhang Liusun had told Mei Qing where to place the next stone, Mei Qing’s movements inevitably became sluggish, and after several breaths, he still hadn’t begun calculating his move.
This situation alerted not only Zhang Liusun but also caused Xu Fu to frown.
“Little Zhang? What are you waiting for? Heh heh, if you feel you can’t keep going, just surrender and admit defeat. Why drag things out like this? Who plays chess like that?” Xu Fu mocked.
Zhang Liusun snorted and said, “Hmph, Old Monster Xu, what do you mean by ‘keeping going’? Playing with you is so easy I’ve become too relaxed!”
Mei Qing’s mind stirred, finally understanding that besides skill and technique in the celestial game of chess, the depth of one’s true essence and the endurance of one’s energy flow were also critical factors. Naturally, Mei Qing had no intention of letting Zhang Liusun lose so easily. He quickly followed Zhang’s instructions and placed the stone on the board, though his mind was already plotting.
In that case, there might be an opportunity. Mei Qing decided that each time before placing a stone, he would slightly display signs of his true essence weakening—not completely depleted, but just enough to make Zhang Liusun feel compelled to assist, whether he wanted to or not.
After several moves, Mei Qing indeed followed this plan. When Zhang Liusun instructed him where to place the stone, Mei Qing deliberately hesitated, pretending to be in the middle of recovery. However, just before Xu Fu could frown and speak up, he resumed playing, leaving the opponent speechless.
Thus, every few moves, Mei Qing would pause briefly, feigning exhaustion and incomplete recovery. Xu Fu grew increasingly annoyed, assuming Zhang Liusun was merely stalling to recover his essence. Zhang Liusun, helpless, thought Mei Qing was genuinely struggling and didn’t want to be scolded by Xu Fu mid-game, potentially ruining their plan. Therefore, when Mei Qing again showed signs of hesitation, Zhang felt his own essence stir involuntarily, and indeed, he had no choice but to secretly channel true essence into Mei Qing to support him.
Actually, Mei Qing was far from as weak as he appeared. His spiritual awareness was already far beyond ordinary people, and his inner essence was also exceptionally profound. The reason he could deceive the two was half due to his own skill and half due to luck.
Mei Qing’s heart was struck with a violent tremor, causing his movements to slow down. Although Zhang Liusun had informed Mei Qing of the next move, his actions were inevitably delayed, and several breaths later, he still hadn’t started calculating the placement of the stone.
This not only made Zhang Liusun feel something was amiss, but Xu Fu also furrowed his brows.
“Zhang boy? What are you doing? Hehe, if you feel your strength is waning, just concede. Dragging it out like this, is this how you play chess?” Xu Fu mocked.
Zhang Liusun snorted, “Hmph, Xu old monster, what’s the use of conserving strength when playing against you? I’m just finding it too easy to fight with you, so I’ve relaxed too much!”
Mei Qing’s heart stirred, realizing that in the immortal’s chess game, besides chess skills and the technique of placing stones, the depth of one’s true essence and the length of one’s energy channels were also part of the competition. In the current situation, Mei Qing naturally wouldn’t let Zhang Liusun lose like this. He quickly followed Zhang Liusun’s words and placed a stone on the board, but his mind was already plotting something else.
Since that was the case, he might have an opportunity. Mei Qing decided that before each move, he would slightly show signs of his true essence waning, but not to the point of exhaustion. This way, even if Zhang Liusun didn’t want to help him, he would have no choice but to assist.
After a few moves, Mei Qing indeed acted according to his plan. When Zhang Liusun instructed him to place a stone, he deliberately pretended to be still recovering, delaying for a moment. But before Xu Fu could frown and speak, he began to act, leaving Xu Fu with nothing to say.
Every few moves, Mei Qing intentionally paused for a short while, pretending to be struggling to recover. Xu Fu was furious, thinking Zhang Liusun was using this as an excuse to delay and recover his true essence. Zhang Liusun, on the other hand, had no choice but to believe that Mei Qing was indeed struggling and didn’t want to be criticized by Xu Fu midway, potentially ruining their plans. Therefore, when Mei Qing once again showed signs of pausing, Zhang Liusun felt a movement of true essence within him and had no choice but to secretly transfer some to support Mei Qing.
In reality, Mei Qing was far from being as weak as he appeared. His spiritual sense was extraordinary, and his true essence was exceptionally robust. The reason he managed to deceive both of them was partly due to his own abilities and partly due to luck.
Besides the talisman and array techniques of the Heavenly Master Sect, Mei Qing’s foundation was the Divine Thunder Method, which aligned perfectly with Zhang Liusun’s. However, what Zhang Liusun didn’t fully grasp was Mei Qing’s cultivation of the Huayan Sect’s methods.
The Huayan Sect was an orthodox Buddhist school, and its methods were vastly different from Taoist practices, focusing purely on spiritual cultivation. Although Zhang Liusun had some awareness of it, he had little understanding of its application.
Mei Qing had been cultivating the Huayan methods from the start. His will was firm, and he was adept at influencing others. Although both Zhang and Xu were extraordinary individuals with far superior cultivation compared to Mei Qing, in the heat of their intense battle, neither of them was prepared for Mei Qing’s subtle manipulations, and thus, they were both deceived.
Mei Qing secretly rejoiced. Every time he focused on absorbing, the Huayan mind method would spread out, allowing him to calmly receive Zhang Liusun’s true essence while subtly influencing the two combatants. As the battle deepened, neither of them noticed that Mei Qing’s body showed no signs of emptiness; it was all an act.
Zhang Liusun, however, was secretly lamenting. According to his calculations, if he and Mei Qing cooperated well, they had a good chance of exhausting Xu Fu and winning the battle. Even if they didn’t succeed, at least Mei Qing’s spiritual sense would be severely damaged, allowing Zhang Liusun to take over his body at that moment, and then he could do as he pleased.
Unexpectedly, Mei Qing’s performance was beyond his expectations. Despite the intense mental strain, Mei Qing’s spiritual sense held firm, and his true essence was depleting rapidly, to the point where it was becoming difficult to recover.
This left Zhang Liusun somewhat unprepared. If he were to forcefully seize Mei Qing’s body now, Mei Qing’s robust spiritual sense would inevitably lead to a fierce struggle. Since they were inside the cauldron, Zhang Liusun would also be constrained. Even if he managed to succeed, the toll would be immense, and Xu Fu might notice, leading to a situation where Zhang Liusun would gain nothing and Xu Fu would benefit instead.
If he did nothing, it wouldn’t be long before their side made a mistake and conceded the game. Not only would they have to compensate Xu Fu, but Mei Qing might also become suspicious, which would be detrimental to their future plans.
After much deliberation, Zhang Liusun had no choice but to transfer some true essence to Mei Qing whenever he showed signs of struggling, lending him a hand. Fortunately, the earlier consumption wasn’t too severe, and he could still manage to support Mei Qing.
As the game approached its final stages, the pressure of calculations increased, and both Xu Fu and Zhang Liuson found it increasingly difficult. Xu Fu, in particular, was not only calculating the game’s situation but also directing the bronze man, which was a significant drain on his energy. He no longer appeared as relaxed as he had at the beginning; his body was now shrouded in a gray mist, with faint traces of spiritual energy circulating around him. The bronze man’s movements had also become more laborious, with occasional hesitations and delays.
Xu Fu was inwardly shocked. He had never expected Zhang Liusun to possess such formidable cultivation, pushing him to the point of exhaustion.
In truth, Xu Fu had considered that Zhang Liusun might have some special method in his avatar to conserve true essence or protect himself, which was why he dared to challenge Xu Fu with the bronze man and his avatar. However, Xu Fu had been confident in his superior cultivation and the fact that they were inside his cauldron, where he could resort to some secret techniques if necessary. This had led him to confidently accept the challenge.
But he had never anticipated that Zhang Liusun would be so tenacious. The game hadn’t even reached its conclusion, and Xu Fu was already feeling the strain of his depleting true essence. Looking at Zhang Liusun, who still appeared as calm and composed as ever, Xu Fu couldn’t help but wonder if this was an act or if Zhang Liusun was genuinely on the verge of collapse.
After some thought, Xu Fu finally decided that continuing to push himself like this was not the way to go. Seeing Zhang Liusun completely absorbed in the battle, Xu Fu secretly exhaled and silently recited an incantation, while his hand reached into his robe and crushed a strangely colored water sphere.
Immediately, a surge of spiritual energy, without any warning, penetrated through the water in the cauldron and quietly descended into the array within.
This technique indeed eluded both Zhang Liusun and Mei Qing, and it was a method Xu Fu had intended to use from the very beginning.
After all, a loose immortal always has some tricks that are beyond the understanding of the ordinary cultivation world. However, Xu Fu himself knew that while this method could help him recover his true essence, it also came with significant drawbacks.
The reason he could bypass the three layers of the array and infuse his true essence was that this was the place where he had refined his immortal body. Although a loose immortal is not a true immortal, the immortal body they refine is modeled after that of a true immortal, naturally possessing some extraordinary qualities.
Thus, this true essence was no longer like the ordinary spiritual energy of the cultivation world; it had taken on the initial form of immortal energy, accumulated from the cauldron. This method of replenishment was essentially drawing from the cauldron’s power to infuse into himself. This energy was accumulated bit by bit in the cauldron over time, and even a small infusion would take hundreds of years to accumulate under normal circumstances.
Thinking of this, Xu Fu couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. However, he was soon surprised to find that despite the infusion of this true essence, the amount of energy he actually recovered was far less than it should have been.
Why was this? Xu Fu glanced nervously at Zhang Liusun, who remained unchanged, and at Mei Qing, who was sitting still, seemingly lost in thought.
Seeing that the other party hadn’t noticed his trick, Xu Fu felt slightly relieved. Although the amount of energy he had drawn from the cauldron wasn’t much, it had still helped him recover somewhat, so he quickly focused his attention back on the ongoing battle.
Little did he know that on the other side, Mei Qing’s body was in turmoil.
The reason Xu Fu felt that the amount of true essence he had drawn into his body was insufficient was that a large portion of it had been diverted to Mei Qing.
Xu Fu had been so focused on his own cheating that he forgot about the peculiarities of Mei Qing’s body, which contained the sub-cauldron.
When Xu Fu secretly drew true essence from the main cauldron, he had to pass through three layers of the array. Even though the cauldron was within his own body, it was difficult to fully control. Therefore, once the true essence entered the array, it naturally gravitated towards the most familiar presence.
Under normal circumstances, it would have all flowed into Xu Fu’s body. However, since Mei Qing’s body contained the sub-cauldron, the main cauldron’s energy recognized it as a kindred spirit. Thus, despite Xu Fu’s efforts and the losses he incurred, he only received a fraction of the true essence, while the majority flowed into Mei Qing’s body.
Initially, Mei Qing had been receiving periodic support from Zhang Liusun, so he was somewhat prepared. However, recently, Zhang Liusun had also been struggling, so the support he provided had been diminishing.
At this moment, Mei Qing suddenly felt an immense surge of energy entering his body from the outside, pouring into the cauldron within him, filling it to the brim and spilling over, startling him.
This true essence was pure and harmonious, carrying a sense of familiarity. It flowed unimpeded through Mei Qing’s body before returning to the cauldron in his dantian, forming a small vortex.
The sub-cauldron, after receiving this infusion of true essence, suddenly became more lively.
Like leaves turning a fresh green after a spring rain washes away the dust, or a painted dragon on a wall coming to life after its eyes are dotted, the sub-cauldron within Mei Qing’s body seemed to gain a spirit, suddenly radiating a different light alongside his nascent soul. Mei Qing could even sense the sub-cauldron’s excitement as it underwent these changes.
What was going on? Could it be that this thing was developing intelligence? It was amusing to think that if that were the case, wouldn’t he become its mother? Carrying it for ten months and then giving birth to a cauldron?
What was even more peculiar was that although Mei Qing had been careful not to let Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu notice the changes within him, the bronze man on the other side seemed to have sensed something. Mei Qing could feel that in the subsequent moves, the already minimal contact between the two sides had completely ceased. Occasionally, when they were close, Mei Qing himself felt that the bronze man’s aura had become more familiar and intimate than before.
Mei Qing carefully suppressed the vibrant vitality within his body, frantically circulating his spiritual energy, and cautiously observed the situation of the two men. The game was gradually approaching the final decisive moment.
Mei Qing’s heart was shaken, and his movements slowed down. Although Zhang Liusun had told him where to place the next piece, Mei Qing’s actions were inevitably delayed, and several breaths later, he still hadn’t started calculating the move.
This not only made Zhang Liusun feel something was wrong, but Xu Fu also frowned.
“Zhang boy? What are you doing? Heh, if you feel your strength is waning, just concede. Dragging it out like this, is this how you play chess?” Xu Fu mocked.
Zhang Liusun snorted, “Hmph, Xu old monster, what’s the point of conserving strength when playing against you? I just feel too relaxed fighting you, so I got a bit too careless!”
Mei Qing’s heart stirred, realizing that in the immortal’s chess game, besides chess skills and techniques, the depth of one’s true essence and the length of one’s energy flow were also crucial. In the current situation, Mei Qing naturally wouldn’t let Zhang Liusun lose so easily. He quickly followed Zhang Liusun’s words and placed the piece on the board, but his mind was already plotting.
Since that was the case, he might have an opportunity. Mei Qing decided that before each move, he would slightly show signs of his true essence waning, but not to the point of exhaustion. This way, even if Zhang Liusun didn’t want to help, he would have to.
After a few moves, Mei Qing indeed acted according to his plan. When Zhang Liusun instructed him to place a piece, he deliberately pretended to be still recovering, delaying for a moment. But before Xu Fu could frown and speak, he started moving, leaving Xu Fu with nothing to say.
Every few moves, Mei Qing would intentionally pause for a short while, pretending to be struggling to recover. Xu Fu was furious, thinking Zhang Liusun was stalling to recover his true essence. Zhang Liusun, on the other hand, had no choice but to believe that Mei Qing was truly struggling and didn’t want to be blamed by Xu Fu mid-game, which could ruin their plans. So when Mei Qing showed signs of pausing again, Zhang Liusun felt his true essence stir and had to secretly transfer some to support Mei Qing.
In reality, Mei Qing was far from being as weak as he appeared. His spiritual awareness was extraordinary, and his true essence was abundant. The reason he could deceive both of them was partly due to his own abilities and partly luck.
Besides the talisman and formation techniques of the Celestial Master Sect, Mei Qing’s foundation was the Divine Thunder Method, which aligned perfectly with Zhang Liusun’s. However, what Zhang Liusun didn’t fully grasp was Mei Qing’s practice of the Huayan Sect’s methods.
The Huayan Sect was a pure Buddhist school, its methods vastly different from Taoist practices, focusing solely on spiritual cultivation. Although Zhang Liusun had some awareness of it, he had little understanding of its application.
Mei Qing had been practicing the Huayan methods from the start. His will was firm, and he was adept at influencing others. Although both Zhang and Xu were extraordinary beings with far greater cultivation than Mei Qing, in the heat of their intense battle, neither was prepared for Mei Qing’s subtle manipulations, and thus, they were both deceived.
Mei Qing was secretly pleased. Every time he focused and released the Huayan mind techniques, he calmly accepted Zhang Liusun’s true essence while subtly influencing the two combatants. As the battle deepened, neither noticed that Mei Qing’s body showed no signs of emptiness—it was all an act.
Zhang Liusun, however, was inwardly distressed. Originally, he had calculated that if he and Mei Qing cooperated well, they could wear down Xu Fu and win. Even if they didn’t, at least Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness would be greatly depleted, allowing Zhang to take over his body at will.
But Mei Qing’s performance was beyond expectations. Despite the mental strain, his spiritual awareness held firm, while his true essence was depleting rapidly, and he was struggling to recover.
This left Zhang Liusun in a dilemma. If he tried to forcibly take over Mei Qing’s body now, Mei Qing’s strong spiritual awareness would lead to a fierce struggle. Since they were inside the cauldron, Zhang would also be constrained. Even if he succeeded, the cost would be immense, and Xu Fu might notice, leaving Zhang with no benefits and all the advantages going to Xu Fu.
If he did nothing, it wouldn’t be long before they made a mistake and had to concede mid-game. Not only would they lose to Xu Fu, but Mei Qing might also become suspicious, which would be detrimental to their future plans.
After much deliberation, Zhang Liusun decided that whenever Mei Qing seemed to be struggling, he would transfer some true essence to help him. Fortunately, the earlier consumption wasn’t too severe, and he could still manage.
As the game approached its end, the pressure of calculations increased, and both Xu Fu and Zhang Liuson found it increasingly difficult. Xu Fu, while calculating the situation, also had to control the bronze man, which was incredibly taxing. He was no longer as relaxed as he was at the beginning, his body now shrouded in a gray mist, with faint traces of spiritual energy circulating around him. The bronze man’s movements were becoming more and more sluggish, and there were even moments of hesitation.
Xu Fu was inwardly shocked. He never expected Zhang Liusun to have such cultivation, pushing him to feel so strained.
In truth, Xu Fu had considered that Zhang Liusun dared to challenge him with the bronze man and his avatar because there was something special about the avatar that could help him conserve true essence or protect himself. But Xu Fu was confident in his superior cultivation and the fact that they were inside his cauldron. If things went south, he had some secret techniques to fall back on, which is why he confidently accepted the challenge.
But he never expected Zhang Liusun to be so tenacious. The game hadn’t even reached its conclusion, and his true essence was already depleting rapidly. Looking at Zhang Liusun, who still appeared as lifeless as at the beginning, Xu Fu couldn’t tell if it was an act or if Zhang was truly on the verge of collapse.
After some thought, Xu Fu decided that continuing to tough it out wasn’t the way to go. Seeing Zhang Liusun motionless, seemingly fully immersed in the battle, Xu Fu secretly sighed and silently chanted an incantation, reaching into his robe to crush a strangely colored water orb.
Immediately, a stream of spiritual energy, without warning, penetrated the cauldron’s water and quietly descended into the formation.
This technique indeed fooled both Zhang Liusun and Mei Qing, and it was a method Xu Fu had planned from the start.
After all, a loose immortal always has some tricks that ordinary cultivators wouldn’t understand. However, Xu Fu also knew that while this method could help him recover true essence, it came with significant losses.
The reason he could bypass the three layers of the formation and infuse true essence was that this was the place where he refined his body. Although a loose immortal isn’t a true immortal, the immortal body they refine is modeled after a true immortal’s, naturally possessing some extraordinary qualities.
Thus, this true essence was no longer like the ordinary spiritual energy of the cultivation world; it had the initial form of immortal essence, accumulated from the cauldron. This method of replenishment was essentially drawing from the cauldron’s power to infuse into himself. This energy was usually accumulated bit by bit in the cauldron over hundreds of years, so even a small infusion was precious.
Thinking of this, Xu Fu felt a pang of heartache. But then, he was surprised to find that despite the infusion of true essence, the amount he actually recovered was far less than expected.
Why was that? Xu Fu nervously glanced at Zhang Liusun, who remained unchanged. Mei Qing sat motionless, seemingly in a daze.
Seeing that the other side hadn’t noticed his trick, Xu Fu felt slightly relieved. Although the energy he drew from the cauldron wasn’t much, it still helped him recover somewhat, so he quickly focused on continuing the battle.
What he didn’t know was that Mei Qing’s body was in turmoil.
The reason Xu Fu felt that the infused true essence was insufficient was that most of it had been diverted to Mei Qing.
Xu Fu was so focused on his own cheating that he forgot Mei Qing’s body had a special feature—the sub-cauldron was inside Mei Qing.
When Xu Fu secretly drew true essence from the main cauldron, it had to pass through three layers of formations. Even though the cauldron was inside his body, he couldn’t fully control it. Thus, once the true essence entered the formation, it naturally flowed towards the most familiar presence.
Under normal circumstances, it would all flow into Xu Fu. But now, Mei Qing’s body contained the sub-cauldron, and upon sensing the main cauldron’s presence, it naturally drew the energy like a long-lost relative. Thus, Xu Fu’s efforts and sacrifices only yielded a fraction of the true essence, while the majority flowed into Mei Qing.
Originally, Mei Qing had been receiving occasional support from Zhang Liusun, so he was somewhat prepared. But recently, Zhang Liusun was also struggling, so the support had been decreasing.
At this moment, Mei Qing suddenly felt a massive surge of true essence entering his body from the outside, flowing into the cauldron within him, filling it to the brim and spilling over, startling him.
This true essence was pure and harmonious, carrying a sense of familiarity. It flowed unimpeded through Mei Qing’s body before returning to the cauldron in his dantian, forming a small vortex.
After this infusion, the small cauldron suddenly became more lively.
Like leaves turning green after spring rain washes away the dust, or a painted dragon’s eyes coming to life, the small cauldron within Mei Qing seemed to gain a spirit, suddenly shining with a unique light alongside his nascent soul. Mei Qing could even feel the cauldron’s excitement after these changes.
What was going on? Was this thing developing intelligence? It was almost laughable—if that were the case, wouldn’t he become its mother? Carrying a cauldron for ten months and then giving birth to it?
What was even stranger was that although Mei Qing had been careful not to let Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu notice his changes, the bronze man opposite him seemed to sense something. Mei Qing noticed that in the subsequent moves, the already minimal contact between them ceased entirely. Occasionally, when they were close, Mei Qing felt that the bronze man’s aura had become more familiar and friendly.
Mei Qing carefully suppressed the vibrant energy within him, frantically circulating his spiritual energy while observing the two. The game was now approaching its decisive moment.
From the beginning, Mei Qing had practiced appearance techniques, his will firm and adept at influencing others. Although Zhang and Xu were both extraordinary experts with cultivation far surpassing Mei Qing’s, during their intense battle, neither had guarded against Mei Qing’s subtle manipulations, thus failing to detect his tricks.
Mei Qing secretly rejoiced. Each time he focused inward, expanding the Huayan mental technique, he calmly accepted Zhang Liusun’s essence while subtly influencing the two battling opponents. As expected, the two became increasingly immersed in their fight, completely unaware that Mei Qing’s body showed no sign of emptiness—he was faking it all along.
Zhang Liusun, however, was secretly suffering. Originally, he had calculated that if he and Mei Qing coordinated well, combining their strengths, they had a good chance of exhausting Xu Fu and winning. If that failed, at least Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness would be severely weakened, allowing Zhang to take over his body, at which point he could do as he pleased.
He hadn’t expected Mei Qing to perform so surprisingly well. Despite the intense expenditure, Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness remained strong, while Zhang’s own essence was rapidly depleting, becoming difficult to replenish.
This caught Zhang Liusun off guard. If he forcibly took over Mei Qing’s body now, he would face a fierce struggle due to Mei Qing’s strong spiritual awareness. Being inside the cauldron also restricted him, and even if he succeeded, it would cost him greatly. He feared Xu Fu might notice, leading to Zhang gaining nothing while Xu Fu reaped the benefits.
If he ignored the situation, their side might soon make a mistake, leading to a mid-game surrender. Not only would that cost him Xu Fu’s favor, but Mei Qing would also suspect him, adversely affecting future plans.
Mei Qing’s heart was shaken, and his movements slowed down involuntarily. Although Zhang Liusun had told him where to place the next piece, Mei Qing’s actions were inevitably delayed, and several breaths later, he still hadn’t started calculating the move.
This not only made Zhang Liusun feel something was wrong, but Xu Fu also frowned.
“Zhang boy? What are you doing? Hehe, if you feel your strength is waning, just concede. Dragging it out like this, is this how you play chess?” Xu Fu mocked.
Zhang Liusun snorted, “Hmph, Xu old monster, what’s the use of conserving strength when playing against you? I’m just feeling too relaxed in this battle, so I got a bit too careless!”
Mei Qing’s heart stirred, realizing that in the immortal’s chess game, besides chess skills and the technique of placing pieces, the depth of one’s true essence and the length of one’s qi veins were also part of the competition. In the current situation, Mei Qing naturally wouldn’t let Zhang Liusun lose like this. He quickly followed Zhang Liusun’s words and placed the piece on the board, but his mind was already plotting something else.
Since that was the case, he might have an opportunity. Mei Qing decided that before each move, he would slightly show signs of his true essence waning, but not to the point of exhaustion. This way, even if Zhang Liusun didn’t want to help him, he would have to.
After a few moves, Mei Qing indeed acted according to his plan. When Zhang Liusun ordered him to place a piece, he deliberately pretended to be still recovering, delaying for a moment. But before Xu Fu could frown and speak, he started moving, leaving Xu Fu with nothing to say.
Every few moves, Mei Qing would intentionally pause for a short while, pretending to be struggling to recover. Xu Fu was furious, thinking Zhang Liusun was using this as an excuse to delay and recover his true essence. Zhang Liusun, on the other hand, had no choice but to believe that Mei Qing was indeed struggling and didn’t want to be accused by Xu Fu midway, which could ruin their plans. So when Mei Qing showed signs of pausing again, Zhang Liusun felt a movement in his true essence and had to secretly transfer some to support Mei Qing.
In reality, Mei Qing was far from being as weak as he appeared. His spiritual awareness was extraordinary, and his true essence was exceptionally deep. The reason he could deceive both of them was partly due to his own abilities and partly due to luck.
Besides the talisman arrays of the Celestial Master Sect, Mei Qing’s foundation was the Divine Thunder Technique, which perfectly matched Zhang Liusun’s. However, what Zhang Liusun didn’t fully grasp was Mei Qing’s practice of the Huayan Sect’s methods.
The Huayan Sect was an orthodox Buddhist school, and its methods were vastly different from Taoist practices, focusing purely on spiritual cultivation. Although Zhang Liusun had some awareness of it, he had little understanding of its application.
Mei Qing had been practicing the Huayan methods from the start. His will was firm, and he was adept at influencing others. Although both Zhang and Xu were extraordinary beings with far greater cultivation than Mei Qing, in the heat of their battle, they didn’t guard against Mei Qing’s tactics, and thus didn’t notice his subtle manipulations, falling for his deception.
Mei Qing was secretly pleased. Every time he focused and released the Huayan heart method, he calmly accepted Zhang Liusun’s true essence while subtly influencing the two combatants. As the battle deepened, neither of them noticed that Mei Qing’s body showed no signs of emptiness; it was all an act.
Zhang Liusun, however, was secretly suffering. According to his plan, if he and Mei Qing cooperated well, they had a good chance of exhausting Xu Fu and winning the battle. Even if they didn’t succeed, at least Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness would be greatly damaged, allowing Zhang Liusun to take over his body and do as he pleased.
But Mei Qing’s performance was beyond his expectations. Despite the mental strain, Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness held firm, and his true essence was depleting rapidly, to the point where he couldn’t recover quickly enough.
This left Zhang Liusun somewhat unprepared. If he tried to forcibly take over Mei Qing’s body now, Mei Qing’s strong spiritual awareness would lead to a fierce struggle. Since they were inside the cauldron, Zhang Liusun would also be constrained. Even if he succeeded, the cost would be immense, and Xu Fu might notice, leaving Zhang Liusun with no gains and all the benefits going to Xu Fu.
If he did nothing, it wouldn’t be long before they made a mistake and had to concede the game. Not only would they lose to Xu Fu, but Mei Qing might also become suspicious of Zhang Liusun, which would be detrimental to their future plans.
After much deliberation, Zhang Liusun had no choice but to transfer some of his true essence to Mei Qing whenever he showed signs of struggling, lending him a hand. Fortunately, the earlier consumption wasn’t too severe, and he could still manage.
As the game approached its end, the pressure of calculations increased, and both Xu Fu and Zhang Liuson naturally found it more and more taxing. Xu Fu, on one hand, was calculating the situation while also directing the bronze man, which was incredibly draining. He was no longer as relaxed as he was at the beginning; his body had turned a dull gray, and faint traces of spiritual energy could be seen circulating around him. The bronze man’s movements had also become increasingly difficult, and there were several instances where it hesitated or slowed down.
Xu Fu was inwardly shocked. He never expected Zhang Liusun to have such profound cultivation that it would push him to feel so strained.
In truth, Xu Fu had considered that Zhang Liusun might have some special aspect to his avatar that could help him conserve true essence or protect himself, which was why he dared to challenge Xu Fu with the bronze man and his avatar. However, Xu Fu was confident in his own superior cultivation and the fact that they were inside his cauldron. If things got tough, he had some secret techniques he could use, which was why he had confidently accepted the challenge.
But he truly hadn’t anticipated that Zhang Liusun could be so tenacious. The game hadn’t even reached its conclusion, and yet Xu Fu’s true essence was already starting to wane. Looking at Zhang Liusun, who still appeared as lifeless as ever, Xu Fu couldn’t help but feel uneasy, wondering if this was just an act or if Zhang Liusun was genuinely on the verge of collapse.
After some thought, Xu Fu finally decided that continuing to tough it out wasn’t the way to go. Seeing Zhang Liusun motionless, seemingly fully immersed in the battle, Xu Fu secretly sighed and began to silently chant an incantation, while his hand reached into his robe and crushed a strangely colored water sphere.
Immediately, a stream of spiritual energy, without any warning, penetrated through the water in the cauldron and quietly descended into the array within.
This technique indeed went unnoticed by both Zhang Liusun and Mei Qing, and it was a method Xu Fu had intended to use from the very beginning.
After all, a loose immortal always has some tricks that are beyond the understanding of ordinary cultivators. However, Xu Fu himself knew that while this method could help him recover true essence, it also came with significant drawbacks.
The reason he could bypass the three layers of the array and infuse true essence was because this was the place where he refined his body. Although a loose immortal isn’t a true immortal, the immortal body they refine is modeled after that of a true immortal, and thus has its own extraordinary aspects.
Therefore, this true essence was no longer like the ordinary spiritual energy of the cultivation world; it had taken on a rudimentary form of immortal energy, accumulated from the cauldron. Using it to replenish himself was essentially drawing from the cauldron’s power to infuse himself. This energy had been accumulated bit by bit over time in the cauldron, and even a small infusion would take hundreds of years of refinement to achieve.
Thinking of this, Xu Fu couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. But then, he was somewhat surprised to find that despite the infusion of true essence, the amount of energy he actually recovered was far less than it should have been.
Why was this? Xu Fu glanced nervously at Zhang Liusun, but he remained unchanged. Mei Qing sat motionless, seemingly in a daze.
Seeing that the other two hadn’t noticed his trick, Xu Fu felt slightly relieved. Although the energy he had drawn from the cauldron wasn’t as much as he had hoped, it still gave him some recovery, and he quickly focused his attention back on the ongoing battle.
What he didn’t know was that Mei Qing, on the other side, was in a state of internal chaos.
The reason Xu Fu felt that the amount of true essence he had drawn in was insufficient was that a large portion of it had been diverted to Mei Qing.
Xu Fu was so focused on his own cheating that he forgot about the unique aspects of Mei Qing’s body. The smaller cauldron was precisely within Mei Qing’s body.
When Xu Fu secretly drew true essence from the main cauldron, he had to pass through three layers of the array. Even though the cauldron was within his own body, it was difficult to fully control. Therefore, once the true essence entered the array, it naturally gravitated towards the most familiar presence.
Under normal circumstances, it would have all flowed into Xu Fu’s body. But at this moment, Mei Qing’s body contained the smaller cauldron, and the main cauldron’s energy, upon sensing it, naturally flowed towards it like a long-lost relative. Thus, despite Xu Fu’s efforts and the losses he incurred, he only received a fraction of the energy. The majority of the true essence had actually been infused into Mei Qing’s body.
Originally, Mei Qing had been receiving periodic support from Zhang Liusun, so he was somewhat prepared. But recently, Zhang Liusun had also been struggling, so the support he provided had been decreasing.
Just at this moment, Mei Qing suddenly felt an immense surge of energy coming from outside, penetrating his body and pouring into the cauldron within him, filling it to the brim and overflowing, startling him.
This true essence was pure and harmonious, with a hint of familiarity. It flowed unimpeded through Mei Qing’s body before returning to the cauldron in his dantian, forming a small vortex.
And the small cauldron, after this infusion of true essence, suddenly became much more lively.
It was as if the spring rain had washed away the dust, revealing the fresh green of the leaves, or as if the painted dragon on the wall had been given eyes, radiating a vivid brilliance. The small cauldron within Mei Qing’s body seemed to have gained a spirit, suddenly shining with a unique light alongside his nascent soul. Mei Qing could even sense the cauldron’s excitement as it underwent these changes.
What was going on? Was this thing developing its own consciousness? It was almost laughable; if that were the case, wouldn’t he become its mother? Carrying it for ten months and then giving birth to a cauldron?
Even more bizarre was that, although Mei Qing had been careful not to let Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu notice his internal changes, the bronze man opposite him seemed to have sensed something. Mei Qing could feel that in the subsequent moves, the already infrequent contact between them had completely ceased. Occasionally, when they were close, Mei Qing even felt that the bronze man’s aura had become much more familiar and intimate than before.
Mei Qing carefully suppressed the vigorous vitality within his body, frantically circulating his spiritual energy, and cautiously observed the two men. The situation was gradually approaching the final decisive moment.
At this point, the game was nearing its end, and the pressure of calculation increased dramatically. Both Xu Fu and Zhang Liusun grew increasingly strained. Xu Fu, calculating the situation while directing his bronze automaton, consumed even more energy. He was no longer as relaxed as at the beginning, his aura turning grayish, visibly showing the flow of energy throughout his body. The automaton’s movements also became increasingly difficult, showing hesitation and delay in its actions.
Xu Fu’s heart secretly trembled, never expecting that this young Zhang Liusun could push him to such exhaustion.
Actually, Xu Fu had considered that Zhang dared to challenge him with his automaton and doppelgänger because his doppelgänger must possess some special ability to conserve essence or protect himself. However, Xu Fu, confident in his superior cultivation and being within his own cauldron, believed he had secret techniques to rely on if things turned dire, which is why he agreed so confidently.
But he truly hadn’t expected the opponent to be so tenacious. The game hadn’t even concluded, yet his essence was already nearly depleted. Looking at Zhang Liusun, who still appeared as lifeless as at the beginning, Xu Fu’s heart pounded with uncertainty—was that just an act, or was Zhang genuinely struggling?
After some thought, Xu Fu finally decided that continuing like this wasn’t sustainable. Seeing Zhang Liusun motionless, seemingly fully absorbed in the battle, Xu Fu secretly exhaled and silently recited a spell while his hand reached into his robe, crushing a strangely colored water sphere.
Immediately, a stream of spiritual energy unexpectedly pierced from the cauldron’s water into the forbidden formation within, silently projecting downward.
This technique indeed deceived both Zhang Liusun and Mei Qing, precisely the method Xu Fu had planned from the beginning.
After all, a scattered immortal naturally possessed techniques not commonly known in the cultivation world. Xu Fu himself knew, however, that while this method could help restore his essence, it also caused significant losses.
The reason he could bypass the three forbidden formations and channel essence was because this place was originally where he refined his immortal body. Although a scattered immortal wasn’t a true immortal, his immortal body was modeled after that of an immortal, naturally possessing extraordinary abilities.
Therefore, this essence was no longer ordinary cultivation energy but had the initial form of celestial energy, accumulated from the treasure cauldron. This kind of replenishment was essentially drawing power from the cauldron to inject into himself. These energies had been slowly accumulated within the treasure cauldron over time. Even a small amount required hundreds of years of refining under normal circumstances.
Thinking of this, Xu Fu couldn’t help feeling pained. However, he soon noticed with surprise that although he had received this essence, the actual recovery of his energy was far less than expected.
Why was that? Xu Fu looked nervously at Zhang Liusun, who still showed no change. Mei Qing sat motionless, seemingly lost in thought.
Seeing that the opponent hadn’t detected his trickery, Xu Fu felt slightly relieved. Fortunately, although the essence drawn from the cauldron was minimal, it had still restored him somewhat, and he quickly focused on the ongoing battle.
What he didn’t know was that inside Mei Qing’s body, things were nearly in chaos.
The reason Xu Fu had felt the essence entering him was less than expected was because most of it had been diverted into Mei Qing.
Xu Fu was preoccupied with his own cheating, forgetting that Mei Qing’s body was highly unusual, with a small cauldron residing within him.
When Xu Fu secretly drew essence from the mother cauldron, it had to pass through three forbidden formations. Even though the cauldron was inside his abdomen, it was difficult to fully control. Thus, the essence naturally flowed toward the most familiar presence within the formation.
Under normal circumstances, it would have fully entered Xu Fu’s body. However, Mei Qing’s body contained a small cauldron—the child cauldron. Upon sensing the mother cauldron’s energy, how could it not rush toward its kin? Thus, what Xu Fu had painstakingly obtained at great cost was merely a fraction. Most of the essence had actually flowed into Mei Qing’s body.
Originally, Mei Qing had been receiving occasional support from Zhang Liusun, somewhat prepared for such occurrences. However, recently, Zhang had also grown increasingly strained, resulting in less frequent reinforcements.
Just at this moment, suddenly, a tremendous surge of energy came from outside, penetrating his body and flowing into the cauldron within, overflowing and filling the surroundings, startling Mei Qing.
This essence was pure and harmonious, carrying a sense of familiarity. It flowed effortlessly through Mei Qing’s body, completing a full cycle before returning to the cauldron in his dantian, forming a small vortex of energy.
The small cauldron, after absorbing this essence, suddenly became lively.
Like fresh green leaves after spring rain or a painted dragon suddenly gaining life in its eyes, the small cauldron within Mei Qing’s body seemed to awaken with spirit, suddenly emitting a unique glow in sync with Mei Qing’s inner infant and the sun and moon within. Mei Qing could even feel the cauldron’s sudden surge of excitement.
What was happening? Could this cauldron actually be developing sentience? Ironically, if that were true, wouldn’t that make him the cauldron’s mother? Would he give birth to a cauldron after ten months of gestation?
Mei Qing’s heart was shaken, and his movements inevitably slowed down. Although Zhang Liusun had informed Mei Qing of the next move, Mei Qing’s actions were still delayed, and several breaths later, he had yet to begin calculating the placement of the stone.
This not only made Zhang Liusun sense something was amiss, but Xu Fu also furrowed his brow.
“Zhang boy? What are you doing? Hehe, if you feel your strength is waning, just concede. Dragging it out like this, is this how you play chess?” Xu Fu mocked.
Zhang Liusun snorted, “Hmph, Xu old monster, what’s the point of conserving strength when playing against you? I’m just feeling too relaxed in this match, perhaps too much so!”
Mei Qing’s heart stirred, realizing that in the immortal’s chess game, besides skill and technique, the depth of one’s true essence and the length of one’s spiritual veins were also crucial. In the current situation, Mei Qing naturally wouldn’t let Zhang Liusun lose so easily. He quickly followed Zhang Liusun’s lead and placed the stone on the board, but his mind was already plotting.
If that was the case, then there was an opportunity for him. Mei Qing decided that before each move, he would subtly show signs of his true essence waning, but not to the point of exhaustion. This way, even if Zhang Liusun didn’t want to help, he would have no choice but to assist.
After a few moves, Mei Qing indeed acted according to his plan. When Zhang Liusun instructed him to place a stone, he deliberately pretended to be still recovering, delaying for a moment. Before Xu Fu could frown and speak, Mei Qing began to act, leaving Xu Fu with nothing to say.
Every few moves, Mei Qing would intentionally pause briefly, feigning exhaustion and incomplete recovery. Xu Fu was furious, thinking Zhang Liusun was using this as an excuse to delay and recover his true essence. Zhang Liusun, on the other hand, had no choice but to believe that Mei Qing was truly struggling and didn’t want to be blamed by Xu Fu midway, potentially ruining the grand plan. Therefore, when Mei Qing once again showed signs of pausing, Zhang Liusun felt a surge of true essence within him and had no choice but to secretly transfer some to support Mei Qing.
In reality, Mei Qing was far from as weak as he appeared. His spiritual awareness was extraordinary, and his true essence was exceptionally profound. The reason he could deceive both of them was partly due to his own abilities and partly due to luck.
Besides the talisman and formation techniques of the Celestial Master Sect, Mei Qing’s foundation was the Divine Thunder Method, which aligned perfectly with Zhang Liusun’s teachings. However, what Zhang Liusun hadn’t fully grasped was Mei Qing’s practice of the Huayan Sect’s methods.
The Huayan Sect was a pure Buddhist school, its methods vastly different from Taoist practices, focusing purely on spiritual cultivation. Although Zhang Liusun had some awareness of it, he had little understanding of its application.
From the very beginning, Mei Qing had practiced the art of influencing others. Although both Zhang and Xu were extraordinary individuals with far superior cultivation, in the heat of their intense battle, neither had anticipated Mei Qing’s subtle manipulations, allowing him to deceive them both.
Mei Qing was secretly delighted. Each time he focused and released the Huayan Mind Technique, he calmly absorbed Zhang Liusun’s true essence while subtly influencing the two combatants. As the battle deepened, neither noticed that Mei Qing’s internal state was far from empty—it was all an act.
Zhang Liusun, however, was secretly distressed. According to his plan, if he and Mei Qing cooperated well, they had a good chance of exhausting Xu Fu and emerging victorious. Even if they didn’t succeed, at least Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness would be severely depleted, allowing Zhang Liusun to take over his body at that moment.
But Mei Qing’s performance was beyond expectations. Despite the intense mental strain, Mei Qing’s spiritual awareness held firm, while Zhang Liusun’s true essence was depleting rapidly, and he was struggling to recover.
This left Zhang Liusun in a difficult position. If he tried to forcibly possess Mei Qing now, Mei Qing’s robust spiritual awareness would lead to a fierce struggle. Moreover, being within the cauldron, Zhang Liusun would also be constrained. Even if he succeeded, the cost would be immense, and Xu Fu might notice, leading to no gain for Zhang Liusun and all the benefits going to Xu Fu.
If he did nothing, it wouldn’t be long before they made a mistake and had to concede mid-game. Not only would they lose to Xu Fu, but Mei Qing might also become suspicious, which would be detrimental to future plans.
After much deliberation, Zhang Liusun had no choice but to transfer true essence to Mei Qing whenever he seemed to be struggling, lending him a hand. Fortunately, the earlier consumption wasn’t excessive, and he could still manage.
As the game approached its end, the pressure of calculations increased, and both Xu Fu and Zhang Liuson were feeling the strain. Xu Fu, in particular, was not only calculating the game but also controlling the bronze man, leading to an astonishing consumption of energy. He was no longer as relaxed as at the beginning, his body now shrouded in a gray mist, with faint traces of spiritual energy circulating around him. The bronze man’s movements had also become increasingly difficult, with several instances of hesitation and delay.
Xu Fu was secretly shocked. He never expected Zhang Liusun to have such profound cultivation, pushing him to feel so exhausted.
In truth, Xu Fu had considered that Zhang Liusun might have some special advantage in his avatar that could help conserve true essence or protect himself. But Xu Fu, confident in his superior cultivation and the fact that they were within his cauldron, believed he had some secret techniques to fall back on if things went south, which was why he had confidently agreed to the match.
But he hadn’t anticipated Zhang Liusun’s tenacity. The game hadn’t even reached its conclusion, and Xu Fu’s true essence was already depleting rapidly. Looking at Zhang Liusun, who still appeared as lifeless as at the beginning, Xu Fu couldn’t tell if it was an act or if Zhang Liusun was truly on the verge of collapse.
After some thought, Xu Fu decided that continuing to push himself wasn’t the solution. Seeing Zhang Liusun motionless, seemingly fully immersed in the battle, Xu Fu secretly exhaled and silently recited an incantation, his hand reaching into his robe to crush a strangely colored water orb.
Immediately, a surge of spiritual energy, without warning, penetrated the cauldron’s water and entered the forbidden array within, quietly descending.
This technique indeed eluded both Zhang Liusun and Mei Qing, and it was a method Xu Fu had intended to use from the start.
After all, a loose immortal always has some tricks unknown to the ordinary cultivation world. However, Xu Fu himself knew that while this method could help him recover true essence, it also came with significant drawbacks.
The reason he could bypass the three layers of the forbidden array and infuse true essence was because this was the place where he refined his body. Although a loose immortal isn’t a true immortal, the immortal body they refine is modeled after that of a true immortal, naturally possessing some extraordinary qualities.
Thus, this true essence was no longer like the ordinary spiritual energy of the cultivation world; it had the initial form of immortal essence, accumulated within the precious cauldron. This method of replenishment was essentially drawing from the cauldron’s power to infuse into himself. These essences were accumulated bit by bit in the cauldron over time, and even a small infusion would take hundreds of years to accumulate under normal circumstances.
Thinking of this, Xu Fu felt a pang of heartache. But then, he was surprised to find that despite the infusion of true essence, the actual recovery was far less than expected.
Why was this? Xu Fu glanced nervously at Zhang Liusun, who remained unchanged, and Mei Qing, who sat motionless, seemingly in a daze.
Seeing that the other party hadn’t noticed his trick, Xu Fu felt slightly relieved. Although the amount of essence drawn from the cauldron wasn’t much, it still restored some of his energy, and he quickly focused on continuing the battle.
Unbeknownst to him, Mei Qing’s body was in turmoil.
The reason Xu Fu felt that the infused true essence was insufficient was because a large portion had been diverted to Mei Qing.
Xu Fu, focused on his own cheating, forgot that Mei Qing’s body had a unique characteristic—the small cauldron was precisely within Mei Qing’s body.
When Xu Fu secretly drew true essence from the mother cauldron, he had to pass through three layers of the forbidden array. Even though the cauldron was within his own body, it was difficult to fully control. Thus, the true essence, once within the array, naturally gravitated towards the most familiar presence.
Under normal circumstances, it would all flow into Xu Fu’s body. But now, with the small cauldron within Mei Qing’s body, the mother cauldron’s essence recognized it as kin. Therefore, despite Xu Fu’s efforts and sacrifices, he only received a fraction, while the majority of the true essence flowed into Mei Qing.
Originally, Mei Qing had been receiving occasional support from Zhang Liusun, so he was somewhat prepared. But recently, Zhang Liusun had also been struggling, and the support had dwindled.
At this moment, Mei Qing suddenly felt an immense surge of true essence entering his body from the outside, filling the cauldron within him and spilling over, startling him.
This true essence was pure and harmonious, carrying a sense of familiarity. It flowed unimpeded through Mei Qing’s body before returning to the cauldron in his dantian, forming a small vortex.
The small cauldron, after being infused with this true essence, suddenly became animated.
Like leaves revealing fresh green after a spring rain, or a painted dragon’s eyes coming to life with vivid brilliance, the small cauldron within Mei Qing’s body seemed to gain a spirit, suddenly radiating a unique light alongside his nascent soul. Mei Qing could even sense the cauldron’s excitement after these changes.
What was this? Could it be that this thing was developing intelligence? It was almost laughable—if that were the case, wouldn’t he become its mother? Carrying a cauldron for ten months and giving birth to it?
Even more peculiar was that, although Mei Qing had been careful not to let Zhang Liusun and Xu Fu notice his internal changes, the bronze man seemed to sense something. Mei Qing noticed that in the subsequent moves, the already infrequent contact between the two sides ceased entirely. Occasionally, when they were close, Mei Qing felt that the bronze man’s aura had become more familiar and intimate than before.
Mei Qing carefully suppressed the surging vitality within him, frantically circulating his spiritual energy, and cautiously observed the two. The game was now approaching the final decisive moment.
Carefully suppressing the vibrant energy surging within, Mei Qing furiously circulated his essence and cautiously observed the two opponents. The situation was gradually reaching its decisive moment.
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