My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion
Chapter 194 - 173 Recruiting

Chapter 194: Chapter 173 Recruiting

Inside the Scripture Pavilion, Chen Yi had just injected three carefully accumulated True Yuan, yet before putting them to use, the Serpent was unexpectedly slain on the spot.

After that, he hadn’t had the chance to inspect the Longevity Bridge.

Now, Chen Yi held his breath, concentrating fully on observing the changes within his body.

Compared to before, the flow of True Qi had slowed down; more apertures were being squeezed by Primordial Qi, occasionally causing a faint burning sensation that stirred a vague sense of irritation.

The most significant change, however, came from his Dantian Sanctuary.

As Chen Yi willed it, the Dantian in his Sanctuary appeared in his consciousness. Now that his Sanctuary had just opened, within it, Primordial Qi swirled like air amidst rising mist, seemingly evoking a sense of an immortal realm—this was what people called Qi Refinement.

Within the swirling mist, faintly, he could see a vortex condensing into the roots of a great tree—this, in turn, was referred to as Foundation Establishment.

Back then, he had used True Yuan to break through three realms, including two major realms and one minor. By his Taoist cultivation level, he was at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, but as a Martial Artist, the Sanctuary he had opened was far smaller than that of typical Taoists, its outer layer enveloped by dense True Qi, pressing against the Sanctuary.

True Qi and True Yuan competed for apertures—this was precisely why Taoism and Martial Arts seldom succeeded in Dual Cultivation. Tao suppressed Martial Arts, and Martial Arts suppressed Tao. Apart from a few rare sects, no one knew the method to harmonize the two.

Moreover, Chen Yi noticed that his state of mind had become more prone to fluctuation now.

For ascetics, whether Taoist or Buddhist, state of mind was paramount; hence a fluctuating mind had both advantages and drawbacks. The advantage lay in swift detection and adjustment, enabling continuous progress until one could face a mountain’s weight without batting an eye, viewing the turbulence of wind and clouds with calm indifference. The drawback, however, was the risk of succumbing to inner demons. The once-world-renowned Wu Buxu was originally a follower of High Purity Taoism, yet his inner demons consumed him, leading him astray from the Longevity Path and ultimately excommunicating him from the sect.

In any case, it all boiled down to the saying: "All methods are external; seek not beyond the self."

This brought Chen Yi to Zhou Yitang’s remark—its intent seemed to be that truths must come from personal realization.

Looking at his Sanctuary, which stirred faint ripples with his fleeting thoughts, Chen Yi couldn’t help but reflect deeply on what his personal intent truly was.

After some time, he couldn’t find the answer and merely shook his head.

Chen Yi exhaled softly and, taking Yin Tingxue with him, headed to an inn near the sect square to gather intelligence.

Before long, he overheard that a Western Region monk had breached a formation within Joyful Sect’s Grand Hall and claimed a Heavenly King Statue. A certain group attempted to encircle and rob him, but a seemingly crazed scripture master emerged and swiftly struck them dead on the spot with effortless ease.

Rubbing the Heavenly King Statue concealed in his robe, Chen Yi faintly felt its warmth.

This warmth wasn’t normal. As he took a few steps forward, he realized that the statue grew hotter the closer it came to a particular location. Quickly discerning, he understood—the Heavenly King Statue was sensing another of its kind.

Chen Yi continued walking into the inn’s central courtyard, where a small garden lay.

As he reached a certain spot, the statue’s warmth became unbearable.

He turned his head and saw, by the window propped open against the wooden railing of the pavilion, a woman with her hair bound standing silently.

She was a striking figure.

The bound-haired woman, with snake-like eyes, gazed at him from above. Her expression was tranquil, her lips slighted curled, and she gestured to Chen Yi with a gentle beckon.

In an instant, Chen Yi understood—her Heavenly King Statue had also reacted to his.

It made sense. Someone who could narrate the events involving these statues with such clarity was likely to possess one as well.

Chen Yi lowered his gaze, deliberating for a moment.

Meanwhile, Yin Tingxue seemed to hear something and turned her head.

From within the crowd, a plain-looking yet agile black-clad woman soundlessly approached.

Catching onto the faint reaction of the young fox beside him, Chen Yi’s hand instinctively rested on his blade’s hilt.

The black-clad woman’s eyes shifted slightly; within five feet, this distance was a coin flip between instant victory or instant defeat.

"Impressive skill," she said slowly.

Chen Yi’s fluctuating state of mind made him realize—were it not for Yin Tingxue beside him, he might not have detected this woman’s approach. And even if he had, she would’ve been within three feet by then.

Her Martial Arts realm was likely well beyond the Fourth Rank.

The black-clad woman spoke softly, "My master invites you upstairs for a conversation."

Chen Yi narrowed his eyes slightly. "I don’t think I have much of a connection with her."

At that moment, a thread of energy came from behind as Chen Yi’s blade was drawn an inch from its sheath.

A sultry chuckle echoed softly as a red-clad woman approached, her voice delicate, "Connections are made through encounters. Without them, we’re all mere wandering guests in foreign lands."

Chen Yi didn’t reply.

Yin Tingxue appeared uneasy, glancing between the red-clad woman and the black-clad one, fearing they would break out into a fight at any moment.

The red-clad woman, noticing Yin Tingxue’s young age, cast her a gentle glance before continuing: "My lady greatly admires you. If you’re willing, she even has the intent to offer ’a thousand gold for a noble steed.’"

"Her background must be impressive?"

The red-clad woman replied indirectly, "I hail from the Nanwei Zhu family. Perhaps you’ve heard of us, sir."

The name Nanwei Zhu was illustrious—how could Chen Yi not know of them? They were one of the noble clans of Great Yu. Dynasties had come and gone in the Central Plains, yet the noble families had often remained standing. The Nanwei Zhu family, rooted in the Southern Border, had once served the fallen Southern Qi dynasty as officials and ministers. Only when Great Yu abolished Qi and established its rule did the Zhu family show signs of decline. Even so, their foundations remained unparalleled, rivaling none even within the Capital City.

Moreover, the Zhu family’s influence extended beyond the political realm into the Jianghu as well.

The spear master Zhu Diji, contemporary with Wu Buxu, was the Zhu family’s head thirty years ago. He rose to fourth on the Martial Rankings with his Blood Spear, refining spear techniques to their highest divine level. During his northern travels, he bested virtually every Northern Hu expert and personally pinned the so-called "world’s number one" Wanyan Panshi to death at Yanling Pass.

A noble family’s legacy was never built solely on verses and words.

Chen Yi’s hand remained on his blade. He couldn’t be certain how much trouble involvement with such matters might bring.

"No need to insist. I’ll come with you then."

A voice echoed from the stairwell. Looking up, Chen Yi saw the striking noblewoman, her fine robes flowing as she descended gracefully.

The black-clad woman guarded the doorway while the central courtyard remained devoid of others, leaving the group alone. Observing that they didn’t seem poised for violence, Chen Yi relaxed slightly.

The bound-haired woman, taller than him by almost a head and carrying a weapon wrapped tightly in thick cloth, stood before him.

She peered down at him, scrutinizing him openly.

Seeing her approach personally surprised Chen Yi. He cupped his hands respectfully and said, "May I ask, madam, what brings you here?"

"Let’s speak plainly. I admire you. Why not come to my mansion as a tribute?"

Qin Qingluo had been watching him closely earlier; observing his composed demeanor amidst tension, her admiration deepened.

The purpose was to recruit him. This left Chen Yi momentarily taken aback. He swiftly declined, "I must refuse."

Holding back wasn’t feasible for him—not to mention her relaxed attitude toward the tribute who had died at his hands, which left Chen Yi unsettled.

Although it could be interpreted as magnanimity, valuing talent above past disputes...

Yet, on second thought, would someone so dismissive of enmity also disregard loyalty?

When the rabbit dies, the hound is cooked—Chen Yi never wished for such a fate for himself.

Hearing his refusal, Qin Qingluo didn’t take offense. Instead, she said, "But what if I told you that the Heavenly King Statue in my possession could be yours?"

Chen Yi’s eyes narrowed. Naturally, he desired to collect all four statues to unlock the Medicine Buddha Tower, uncover the mysteries of the strange poison afflicting him, and resolve the enigmas surrounding Yin Tingxue.

Pondering briefly, he responded coolly, "I won’t accept recruitment. I don’t excel at serving under others. However, if we establish a connection and support each other in the future, it’s not out of the question."

Qin Qingluo had anticipated this response and parted her lips to say, "Fine."

Acquaintance breeds familiarity. If a bond was formed now, over time and with deeper interactions, even if he wasn’t formally included in the Prince Mansion, he would still be intrinsically tied to it.

At that moment, a hunting falcon circled in the air and slowly descended toward Qin Qingluo.