Chapter 1025: Surely Cheating

Only someone with a profound understanding of both human nature and divinity could express such uniquely insightful and imaginative ideas.

Therefore, Er Niu's words immediately interrupted Xu Qing's train of thought.

With his human nature now fully returned, he was no longer as purely rational as before. Er Niu's astonishing words greatly disturbed his composure. After all, this isn't how a normal person would approach such a matter.

The Empress's words, no matter how they were interpreted, clearly conveyed a sense of care. She was reminding them not to engage in dangerous activities during the war, emphasizing that their primary focus should be peaceful cultivation. However, Er Niu clearly understood it differently.

Consequently, Xu Qing couldn't resist offering a reminder.

"Senior Brother, keep your voice down... The Empress might not have left yet!"

Startled, Er Niu instinctively glanced around and spoke loudly.

"Haha, I was just joking. So, Feng Lintao's soul contains a legacy, doesn't it? I'll examine it right now to see exactly what kind of legacy it is!"

With that, Er Niu promptly pulled out Feng Lintao's soul, holding it in his hand and glaring fiercely.

Feng Lintao trembled. After meeting Er Niu's gaze, the tremor in his heart intensified. Being naturally suspicious, he possessed a vivid imagination. In his mind, countless scenarios of himself being tortured for his legacy by various malicious methods quickly formed. He imagined soul-searching, soul-refining, or even being forced into the body of a ferocious beast for torment. These thoughts surged like waves in his soul sea, roaring incessantly. So profound was their impact that even before Er Niu could utter another word after glaring, Feng Lintao quickly volunteered the information.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Er Niu, for saving my life. I have no other way to repay your kindness than to offer my legacy. My legacy originates from the creator of the Liaoxuan Holy Land, the Great Emperor Liaoxuan himself. This legacy appears to be ephemeral, but it's not entirely so. It's a mark that, upon successful comprehension, can transform into a mark of authority..."

Feng Lintao spoke preemptively. He dared not harbor any other thoughts. He recalled that every time he had encountered Er Niu and Xu Qing since arriving in Wanggu, it had resulted in utter misfortune and near-death experiences. Therefore, his only thought at that moment was self-preservation.

His eager cooperation made Er Niu blink, a flicker of suspicion appearing in his mind. He then resumed his menacing demeanor, narrowing his eyes and tightening his grip on Feng Lintao's soul once more.

Feng Lintao's soul body pulsed with pain, making him even more frantic. He quickly continued speaking.

"Fellow Daoist, don't rush, I haven't finished explaining! Activating this legacy requires three specific conditions. The first is prolonged nourishment, which demands large quantities of blood and souls. I've already completed this over the years, so Fellow Daoist Er Niu, you won't need to prepare it; I've done it all for you! The second condition is that it must be performed in an extremely cold state, with not a trace of heat energy in the body. I've also prepared this for you, Fellow Daoist Er Niu; just ahead from here lies the northern region of Wanggu! That area is full of glaciers; by descending into an ice cave, I can find a suitable location. The third condition requires the Liaoxuan Holy Liquid, which was the reason I traveled to Liaoxuan Commandery previously! So, this last condition is the only one I haven't completed for you, Fellow Daoist Er Niu, and I must also thank both of you for your help back then!"

Feng Lintao looked at Er Niu ingratiatingly.

It must be said that Feng Lintao was quite eloquent; his repeated reassurances of "I've completed it for you" made Er Niu quite comfortable, and he also discerned that Feng Lintao's account appeared to be truthful. Er Niu then cleared his throat.

"Little Fengzi, rest easy. Master Niu isn't the type to be ruthless. You've made a significant contribution this time. After we've had our fill, we'll leave you some scraps."

After speaking, Er Niu slightly loosened his grip, alleviating Feng Lintao's soul's pain. He even raised his left hand to gently stroke Feng Lintao's soul. His words and actions caused Feng Lintao's soul body to tremble, and he promptly adopted an expression of profound gratitude.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing approached the unconscious Yue Dong.

Xu Qing had personally experienced the immortal art the Empress mentioned before leaving. Though it had no effect on him, its abilities were truly uncanny. It could not only create emotional puppets, invisibly controlled, but also stir the seven emotions and six desires, unleashing them as a burst of curses. Its destructive potential was clearly significant. Such an immortal art was indeed extraordinary.

Thus, Xu Qing now stood before Yue Dong, his eyes gleaming with colorful light. His Morning Glow was spreading, attempting to simulate this technique. However, the enigmatic nature of the immortal art became fully apparent at this moment. The Morning Glow failed to simulate it.

A faint, deep glow appeared in Xu Qing's eyes as he raised his right hand and pointed at Yue Dong's brow. After a moment, Xu Qing frowned. He could not detect any clues related to the immortal art within Yue Dong's body. It was as if the art simply did not exist, making it impossible to trace.

Soul-searching was their last resort. Xu Qing had a premonition that if even soul-searching failed, the immortal art would dissipate along with Yue Dong's soul.

Xu Qing pondered, recalling the mask he had obtained from the Immortal Art Hall when Master Seven had taken him and his Senior Brother there. He then gently brushed his right hand across Yue Dong's face. Everything remained unchanged.

"No mask. Could it be that this 'Six Thieves of Delusional Birth' immortal art is even more unique?"

As Xu Qing pondered, Yue Dong's body suddenly jolted. Her eyes snapped open, and she awoke from her coma, staring intently at Xu Qing, her gaze filled with venomous resentment.

"You're searching for my immortal art. You won't find it, and I'll never give it to you!"

Yue Dong sneered, her resentment palpable.

"You will give it to me." Xu Qing glanced at Yue Dong and stated calmly.

"Little Shadow!"

The next instant, the shadow beneath Xu Qing's feet suddenly writhed. Waves of excited and agitated emotional fluctuations surged forth, as if it had been waiting for this very day for far too long, finally reaching the moment it could demonstrate its true worth. Thus, Little Shadow exerted itself with extraordinary vigor, directly spreading across the ground and enveloping Yue Dong's shadow, much to her dramatic change in expression.

After a few soft, chewing sounds, Yue Dong's breathing grew ragged, and she attempted to resist. However, as Xu Qing pressed his finger down, Yue Dong immediately deflated like a punctured ball, collapsing listlessly. Stripped of all resistance, as Little Shadow consumed her entire shadow, she felt an intensely evil and icy power spread through her body, invading her consciousness and seizing control of her entire being. Following this, Little Shadow's possession succeeded.

In the blink of an eye, Yue Dong's ragged breathing calmed, her expression turned fervent, and she knelt directly before Xu Qing, speaking loudly.

"Greetings, Master!"

The venom in her eyes was swiftly replaced by a mixture of shock and terror. Witnessing this scene, Feng Lintao's eyes widened, his mind reeled, and an overwhelming sense of fortune washed over him. Indeed, in his perception, everything unfolding before him was far more terrifying than Yue Dong's ability to control others.

"Tell me about the immortal art and your objective!" Xu Qing spoke calmly.

Yue Dong's expression grew even more fervent, her entire demeanor one of intense excitement, though the fear in her eyes was more pronounced. Her words, uttered without her own control, flowed forth.

"Master, her immortal art isn't within her soul or her physical body. It's in her memories. I cannot transfer it out, and this particular memory is sealed by her master; even a slight touch will make it vanish. However, I can control her to wield it! As for this woman's objective... it was to utilize the authority formed by Feng Lintao's legacy, imprinting this immortal art onto it. Much like a cuckoo usurping a magpie's nest, she intended to merge the immortal art with the authority, thereby creating a new one. Once successful, the 'Six Thieves of Delusional Birth' technique could transcend the immortal art's inherent limitations, opening up infinite possibilities."

As these words were spoken, Xu Qing looked toward Er Niu. Er Niu chuckled, gently squeezing Feng Lintao's soul in his hand.

"Little Fengzi, your Liaoxuan legacy is quite interesting. Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

Feng Lintao's soul body trembled, and he quickly spoke.

"Fellow Daoist Er Niu, I was just about to explain. The profound aspect of my legacy, which has manifested as authority, lies in its ability to imprint. Simply put, it's an empty shell of authority that can imprint any ability, transforming it into true authority." However, Feng Lintao then put on a hesitant expression. "Fellow Daoist Er Niu, Fellow Daoist Xu Qing, according to that despicable Yue Dong, imprinting her immortal art onto the authority formed by my legacy, though successful, would only result in a single mark. Once fused, it would become one's own Dao mark, greatly increasing power, but it could not be separated!"

Feng Lintao cautiously glanced at Xu Qing and Er Niu. While he genuinely dared not entertain any immediate schemes, this didn't mean he had completely capitulated. Seizing the present opportunity, he subtly planted the seed of discord, reminiscent of "two peaches killing three warriors," within his few sentences. Authority is something every cultivator desires, let alone an authority imbued with an immortal art. However, only one could be formed, a point Feng Lintao emphasized with a lowered head.

Yet, Feng Lintao's strategy, while perhaps effective on others, was utterly insignificant to Xu Qing and Er Niu. The very next instant, a wail escaped Feng Lintao's lips, signaling the failure of his scheme.

Xu Qing paid it no mind and, taking Yue Dong, now under Little Shadow's control, headed directly north. Er Niu squeezed Feng Lintao's soul firmly, speaking with a knowing smile.

"Little Fengzi, it seems you won't even get a drop of the soup!"

With that, Er Niu rose into the air, caught up to Xu Qing in a few strides, and they continued their journey northward together.

Time passed, and half a month later, as Xu Qing and Er Niu departed the eastern territory of Wanggu and stepped onto the boundless ice plains of its northern region, far away in the Human Imperial Domain, within the forbidden grounds of the Imperial Capital, the Empress sat cross-legged in meditation.

Wisps of white light drifted from within the Empress's body, continuously converging before her to form a humanoid silhouette. The silhouette gradually sharpened, eventually solidifying into a person: none other than Lü Lingzi, the Great Emperor's disciple. In every aspect—aura, karma, and even destiny—this figure was identical to the true Lü Lingzi. Lü Lingzi's transaction with the Empress not only involved luring out the Lan family but also his very identity. He had given up everything he possessed, severing all ties with the Holy Land. This allowed him to safely conceal himself in a place no outsider could find, where he could then initiate the ritual of becoming a god. The Empress, at this moment, had absorbed everything, effectively replacing him.

The next instant, "Lü Lingzi" opened his eyes and gazed upwards. His gaze penetrated the forbidden grounds and the formations, looking far toward the north. Only after sensing that Xu Qing and Er Niu's auras had moved in that direction did he turn his attention toward the Demonic Feather Holy Land.

"All variables have been eliminated. Demonic Feather... will change!"