Unexpected Deal

Liang, with his eyes closed, immersed himself in the surrounding Spirit Qi. As an Infernal Void Serpent cultivator, he possessed a unique ability to effortlessly perceive and manipulate this vital energy, unlike other cultivators who required a spiritual awakening to commence their cultivation journey.

With a deep understanding of the profound principles elucidated in the Eternal Void Ascension Technique, Liang commenced his cultivation practice. Following the prescribed method, he skillfully gathered the ambient Spirit Qi, coaxing it to converge and condense into a minute, ebony-hued mass. This concentration of energy materialized precisely within the central core of his physique, just above his Dantian—It's the void seed.

Upon sensing the presence of the void seed, a gentle ease pervaded Liang's countenance. He keenly perceived a subtle, yet formidable, force emanating from the seed, resonating harmoniously with his own essence. It seemed to herald the promise of limitless potential and boundless growth.

Taking in a deep breath, Liang deliberately gathered his Qi, the life force coursing through his being, around the burgeoning void seed. With each passing moment, he carefully nourished it, allowing the fusion of his Qi and the seed's essence to facilitate its robust maturation.

As the cultivation process unfolded, the once latent void seed began to emit a distinct and extraordinary Qi, one that Liang had never encountered before—the Void Qi.

***

Meanwhile, in another underground chamber beneath the Free Heart Pavilion, four black-robed figures suddenly appeared. In front of them, a man was standing, showing his back to them. The four assassins bowed towards the man upon arriving.

Feeling their arrival, the man turned around, looking at them uncaringly. "Is it finished?"

The leader looked at him respectfully and nodded, "As you ordered, we exterminated the Azure Sword Sect."

The man laughed. "This is the first mission from the old man upon his arrival, so I sent the four of you to avoid any accidents."

The four assassins nodded. "Deliver our greeting to the Lord," said one of the assassins as they disappeared again.

The man was Yang Wu, the owner of the Free Heart Pavilion, and also the current leader of the Wandering Shadow Tavern. He walked out of the chamber and headed for Liang Yifei's chamber.

As time passed, Liang Yifei's cultivation progressed, and the Void Seed grew stronger and larger. He felt a growing connection to the Void Qi, and his spiritual energy became more refined and potent. He continued to nurture the Void Seed until it was fully grown, and the Void Qi was circulating smoothly through his body.

Now that he had the Void Qi, he could finally cultivate the second section of the Void-Space Manipulation Technique.

The Void Manipulation section has five stages. Since he already could sense the Void Qi, he could begin to cultivate the first stage Void perception stage, which was based on feeling the emptiness, or the void.

Liang began cultivating the Void perception stage of the Void Manipulation technique. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, calming his mind and letting go of distracting thoughts.

Next, he visualized a vast expanse of space, empty and tranquil. He imagined himself as a tiny point within this space, surrounded by nothingness. He continued to visualize this image in his mind, allowing himself to feel the emptiness and embrace it.

As he meditated, he began to sense the Void Qi that flowed around him. It was a subtle feeling, like a gentle breeze that brushed against his skin. He focused on this sensation, allowing himself to sink deeper into the emptiness.

Slowly, his perception of the Void grew stronger. He could feel the subtle fluctuations in the emptiness around him, the ebb and flow of the Void Qi. He began to distinguish different forms of emptiness, some denser or more potent than others.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and took a deep breath, and his face looked pale. "It seems like cultivating the Void section depends mainly on the amount of Void Qi I have."

Just then, he was about to suffer from a backlash as his Void Qi seemed to diminish in a few moments after cultivating the Void perception. Fortunately, he managed to get himself out quickly and avoid it.

Realizing the importance of having a sufficient amount of Void Qi, Liang decided to focus on gathering more spiritual energy to cultivate and nourish his Void Seed.

As he continued to cultivate, he sensed a presence outside his chamber. It was Yang Wu.

He looked at Yang Wu with annoyance. "You better have good news."

Yang Wu's eyes flashed with anger, but he composed himself as he knew his master's temper. "We have already exterminated the Azure Sword Sect."

Liang nodded as if it was just a casual matter to him. "Good, now you should put some people to keep an eye on the area around the sect."

Yang Wu's eyes flashed with confusion. "Why so?"

"The woman I asked you to look for was a member of the sect. She would probably return upon hearing the news," replied Liang calmly and collectedly.

Yang Wu nodded, understanding the situation. "Understood, I will make arrangements for surveillance."

Suddenly, Liang felt something calling him. He waved his hand, and a yellow spirit talisman appeared in the air.

Not long after, the outline of a person begin to take from.

It was a woman with long black hair falling over her shoulders, her eyes sharp and piercing. She wore a black robe with silver embroidery along the edges.

Liang's eyes widened with surprise when he saw her. Clearly, he wasn't expecting her. "Liang Yifei, it's been a while," she said in a cold tone.

Liang smiled. "It's good to see you again, Mi Ling."

"I am not really that surprised that you're still alive until now," said Mi Ling mockingly.

Liang chuckled. "I was lucky."

Mi Ling chuckled. "Oh, lucky? Although I know you were planning something, but to collide with the devils, well, that was on a whole new level. Seeing you alive and kicking, I assume you gained a lot."

Liang laughed. "As I said, it was just luck, nothing more."

She looked at him for a while before replying, "Let's cut the boring chat. I have a good deal for you; what do you think?"

Liang raised an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?"

Mi Ling leaned closer, her eyes flashed with a playful look. "A deal that can make you breakthrough to the Dao Integration realm."

Liang's eyes widened with surprise. "What kind of deal?"

Mi Ling leaned back, a smirk on her lips. "You should know about the old geezers underneath the Vein, right?"

Liang narrowed his eyes, with a suspicion in his voice. "I do. These people should be cultivating there after the Heavenly Conqueror ascended."

Mi Ling leaned in again, her voice barely a whisper. "I heard that one of them is about to breakthrough to the Void Transformation Realm."

"Oh, from where did you hear this?" he asked.

Mi Ling's eyes narrowed, her tone turning cold. "It's none of your concern. Do you accept the deal?"

Liang pondered the offer. He knew that reaching the Dao Integration Realm was incredibly difficult. But with his current talent it would only be a matter of time.

But for Mi Ling to be willing to share this kind of opportunity with him, there has to be another thing even more valuable there then just the opportunity to breakthrough.

Considering his strength now, even if things went bad, he could always leave at any time.

After giving it more thoughts, and considering the possibility of a something was an imaginable value, He finally nodded. "I accept."

Mi Ling's smirk widened. "Good. you will meet me at the Black Lotus Ground in three days' time. Don't be late."

With that, she disappeared as the connection was cut off.

Liang sat in silence, contemplating the deal he had just made.

Yang Wu looked at Liang Yifei. "Are you sure it's wise to trust her?"

Liang chuckled. " Trust? I don't believe is such things."

Yang Wu shook his head. "Just be careful. Also, I haven't met her before, but her reputation precedes her. She's not a simple person"

Liang smiled. "Don't worry, I am not a reckless person. Besides, I shouldn't be the one who should be careful."

Meanwhile, the news about the Azure Sword Sect's destruction shocked the cultivation world. Keep in mind that the sect master was one of the most powerful people in the world. It's even said that he reached a level of power no less than the ten Great Spirit Severing Cultivators who fought the devils back then. But even with that the sect was exterminated, and no one survived.

Or that's what most people think now.

 . ***

In a luxurious palace inside the city, an old man was sitting there. He was of medium height and had a wrinkled, weathered face. His eyes were sharp and piercing, but the most striking thing about him was his aura. It was powerful and refined, but from the look of it, it didn't seem to be at the level of Spirit Severing.

He contemplated the news he had received about the Azure Sword Sect, his expression unreadable.

A cold voice came from behind the old man, a woman's voice. If Liang saw her, he would be surprised as she is the one who escaped from him, "That man took it too far. To think even after killing senior brother, he would even exterminate the sect."

The old man turned around, his eyes meeting the woman. "That's how the cultivation world is. You should be clear about that matter, right, Su Ling?"

Su Ling nodded, her expression serious. "I know, Master. But it still doesn't change the fact that he killed my senior brother and almost killed me."

The old man sighed. "Yes, but that person was too strong. If I fought him, the outcome would be uncertain. If he wasn't busy fighting, I wouldn't have been able to save you without him noticing."

Su Ling nodded in understanding. "I know, Master. But what do we do now? He probably exterminated the Azure Sword Sect to draw me out."

The old man frowned, deep in thought. "It is possible, but we cannot act rashly. We must gather information first and find out what his true goal is. From there, we can plan accordingly. It's even possible that he discovered your identity."

Su Ling's eyes narrowed in concern. "Then what should I do, Master?"

The old man gave her a reassuring smile. "Do not worry, Su Ling. I will send someone to investigate his identity. In the meantime, you should lay low and not draw any attention to yourself."

Su Ling nodded obediently. "Yes, Master. I understand."

The two of them fell into silence, both lost in their thoughts. The destruction of the Azure Sword Sect had sent shockwaves throughout the cultivation world, and many were now on high alert. It was a time of uncertainty, and no one knew what would happen next.