Chapter 20 - Empty Vessel Technique

After arranging the future meeting between the two leaders of the Profound Heaven Sect and the Yin Flame Pavillion, Yu Weiyuan's group exited the Thousand Flowers Building with one more person: Li Moxue, the Eldest Daughter of the Yin Flame Pavillion.

As Yu Weiyuan stole a gaze at her beautiful visage, he let his thoughts wander.

'Li Moxue... The first of the Four Heavenly Beauties of the Crouching Dragon Domain...'

'Even if I should be biased towards my sister, I can't even disagree.'

'After all, this woman was blessed with otherworldly beauty even I admire.'

He shook these thoughts away, showing a hint of irritation at his own distraction, before concentrating on his future plans.

'Since the Yin Flame Pavillion's Eldest Daughter is with us, we can not pay a visit to the All Killing Valley's branch nor wait for the Divine Sword Mountain Sect's arrival for the auction to discuss an alliance.'

'As for the Untouched Dao School, let's not even talk about it. Their Old Monster would take all the war benefits without even spitting out the bones.'

He looked towards Elder Liu and ordored her: "There is still ten days until the auction. Make plans for our time here."

Elder Liu's eyes squinted as she heard the order, but she still clasped her hands in agreement before withdrawing completely, disappearing from where she stood as if she had never been here in the first place.

Then, Yu Weiyuan looked at the passive Li Moxue, her phoenix eyes dark like the void, staying as emotionless as ever.

"As for us, we could pass time by visiting the renowned Yin Flame Pavillion's Ghost Fire Pill Shop, if Eldest Daughter Li would be kind enough to offer us a visit."

Li Moxue's eyes blinked in surprise, not prepared for anyone to talk to her as she hurriedly answered, her aloof temparement dissipating to reveal a bit of clumsiness: "I, I would be honored to show our sect's proud Pill Shop to Sect Master Yu."

Yu Weiyuan retained a chuckle as he looked at her panicky appearance.

'Her company really won't be boring, haha!'

---

Meanwhile

Elder Liu walked around the streets of the Hidden Shadow Market, the power of Heaven and Earth converging within each and every one of her steps, blinking through one kilometer with each stride.

'By telling me to 'make plans', Sect Master wanted me to mobilize our information gathering squad in order to stay in touch with the latest information.'

'I need to compile a comprehensive report of our rivaling sects' movements while preparing countermeasures in advance.'

After one incense stick worth of time, she entered an unassuming courtard at the other side of the city.

As soon as she stood in the center of it, dozens of people emerged from the shadows of the courtyard.

Each of them had blended with their surroundings, seemingly completely in tune with nature before they had revealed themselves.

All their eyes were like peaceful lakes, unperturbed by all things in existence.

They were part of the Unseen Corps of the Profound Heaven Sect, the best spying personel of the External Affairs Hall.

Elder Liu Ning's peaceful eyes rippled in acknowledgement as she looked at her spies.

'Most of them managed to cultivate the [Empty Vessel Technique] to the level of Small Perfection. Even a Nascent Soul Realm's Spiritual Sense shouldn't be able to discover them.'

The [Empty Vessel Technique] was cruel.

In order to even start cultivating it, a cultivator had to strip their body of all their Essence, only moving and maintaining their bodily activity through Qi Vessels spread throughout all their body.

After all, the human body was innately full of various energies: it possessed Five Zang Organs: the heart; the lungs; the liver; the spleen and the kidney which brimmed with the energy of the Five Elements. Moreover, the human body was constructed upon a balance between Yin and Yang energies.

These various energies give the human body a particular signature, a recognizable aura that is quite glaring under a Spiritual or Divine Sense's inspection.

Hence, the principle of the [Empty Vessel Technique] is to rid the body of this aura by stripping it of its source, the Essence.

However, a cultivator can only cultivate this technique by maintaining a continuous operation of his Qi to supplant the loss of his Essence.

But once this technique is successfully cultivated, a cultivator has his own body devoid of any aura and can blend within their surroundings seamlessly by letting the flow of Heaven and Earth pass through their voided body, hence the name 'Empty Vessel'.

In exchange for such a concealment ability, a cultivator finds himself losing their humanity, their body becoming only a shell for the flow of nature to pass through, while their state of mind forcefully transforms, becoming completely still and peaceful as it attunes itself to Heaven and Earth.

Moreover, their Mind stays constantly at risk from being consumed by Heaven and Earth and dying without leaving any trace of their soul.

Looking at the various spies surrounding herself, Elder Liu, ordered them to directly tell her the latest news of the Hidden Shadow Market.

One of them, wrapped in black and tight clothing informed her. "Dao Child Qi Fan of the Untouched Dao School, is on his way to participate in the Centurial Grand Auction. He will arrive in three days."

"What about his Dao Protectors?" Elder Liu asked.

"Two Great Teachers at the Divine Transformation Realm were seen, Head Elder." He responded emotionlessly.

"Great Teachers?" A light concern rippled within Elder Liu's eyes. "They are the equivalent of our Profound Heaven Sect's Head Elders."

After his report, the spy withdrew while Elder Liu dismissed him.

Another stepped forward, bringing his own news. "The Sacred Maiden of the Myriad Demon Temple was sighted within the Hidden Shadow Market."

Elder Liu had a hint of surprise. "Blood Princess Mo Hua? How can she have the confidence to even step out of the headquarters of the Myriad Demon Temple? Especially after Sect Master killed her grandfather, Blood Fiend Mo Gui."

"She was accompanied by the second son of the Market Head of the Hidden Shadow Market, Head Elder." Responded the spy.

Elder Liu Ning fell in thought as she heard this. 'As one of the Four Heavenly Beauties, it isn't surprising Mo Hua managed to seduce the lustful Second Young Master of the Hidden Shadow Market.'

'Now, as long as we remain in the Market, we'll need to pay its Head some face, preventing ourselves from making moves against her openly.'

'Sect Master won't be happy about this.'

Even she breathed a sigh as she thought about how Yu Weiyuan would react knowing he had to restrain himself against a spawn of the Myriad Demon Temple.

"What about her protector?" She asked.

The spy answered directly. "One Divine Transformation Great Elder and two Nascent Soul Elders."

She nodded before hearing the information given by the other spies.

'The Divine Sword Mountain Sect will only arrive in nine days in time for the auction.'

'Until then, we'll need to perfectly manage our interactions with the Myriad Demon Temple and the Untouched Dao School.'

'As for the All Killing Valley, they are a sect of assassins who only respond when given a task with an appropriate pay.'

'I have too much work...'

'I should ask Sect Master for a rest when we come back to the Sect after the auction...'